September is Suicide Prevention Awareness month, and I thought it a good time to repost this article I wrote some time ago in case you missed it (ICYMI). Why am I posting about suicide on my writing blog? Because In the Wilderness, the second book in my Egypt series, deals with suicide and it’s now going at a discounted rate.

Life is beautiful. Those are the words on a pretty little plaque that hangs in my guest bathroom. It features a very cheery design with bright, colorful circles and a few glittering pom poms. Whenever I look at it, I get the feeling that life is indeed beautiful.

But is it always?

This week the world was saddened and shocked by the suicide deaths of Kate Spade, handbag designer, and Anthony Bourdain, food writer and TV celebrity, famous for his weekly documentary “Parts Unknown.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates have risen nearly 30% since 1999. This is shocking to say the least. What is the reason for this? When we look at Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain and other celebrities, their lives seem to be beautiful, but “you don’t know if the roof is leaking until you get inside,” Anthony Bourdain.

You may be wondering why I’m writing about suicide on this blog. The reason is that the second book in my Egypt series, In the Wilderness, deals with this very topic. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here it is in a nutshell:

Marva, the protagonist, is tortured by guilt after having killed her father as a result of sexual abuse. Certain that the police will one day arrest her for the murder, she sees suicide as her only option. But before she can carry out her carefully-laid plans, something terrible happens – something that uncovers her closely guarded secret and leaves her groping in the wilderness.

Here we see one of the factors that can contribute to depression and suicidal thoughts – guilt – but experts tell us that there’s usually a combination of factors that push someone over the edge. As someone who has worked in behavioral health, counseling suicidal patients, I have some idea of the burden these people carry. That is why I wrote this book – to give hope to people who are hopeless and understanding to those who love them and suffer along with them.

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Those are the words on a pretty little plaque that hangs in my guest bathroom. It features a very cheery design with bright, colorful circles and a few glittering pom poms. Whenever I look at it, I get the feeling that life is indeed beautiful.

But is it always?

This week the world was saddened and shocked by the suicide deaths of Kate Spade, handbag designer, and Anthony Bourdain, food writer and TV celebrity, famous for his weekly documentary “Parts Unknown.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates have risen nearly 30% since 1999. This is shocking to say the least. What is the reason for this? When we look at Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain and other celebrities, their lives seem to be beautiful, but “you don’t know if the roof is leaking until you get inside,” Anthony Bourdain.

You may be wondering why I’m writing about suicide on this blog. The reason is that the second book in my Egypt series, In the Wilderness, deals with this very topic. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here it is in a nutshell:

Marva, the protagonist, is tortured by guilt after having killed her father as a result of sexual abuse. Certain that the police will one day arrest her for the murder, she sees suicide as her only option. But before she can carry out her carefully-laid plans, something terrible happens – something that uncovers her closely guarded secret and leaves her groping in the wilderness.

Here we see one of the factors that can contribute to depression and suicidal thoughts – guilt – but experts tell us that there’s usually a combination of factors that push someone over the edge. As someone who has worked in behavioral health, counseling suicidal patients, I have some idea of the burden these people carry. That is why I wrote this book – to give hope to people who are hopeless and understanding to those who love them and suffer along with them.

For a limited time, you can download the first chapter of this gripping novel by clicking the link or signing up on the pop-up form.

Tomorrow is the day. If you’ve been following my posts, you will know that tomorrow 8/17 is the day In the Wilderness makes its grand entrance on the world stage. I am excited to say the least. This book follows on the heels of Coming Out of Egypt which received a five-star rating from Reader’s Favorite and other reviewers. I expect ITW to do just as well. And because I want you to be able to get your hands on this book with little expense, I’m making it available at the same preorder price of 99c. Aren’t I sweet?

Before you click on that link, here’s a one-line premise of In the Wilderness:

A young woman, torn by guilt over her secret crime, chooses suicide in order to protect her sister from shame.

Now here’s a little snippet to whet your appetite even more:

Marva’s fingers twisted the end of the sheet. June’s words made sense. Why spoil things for everybody? Because she wanted to be a martyr?

She lay down and pulled up the sheet. “You’re right, Junie. Please turn off the light.”

June hesitated. “Promise me you’ll stop worrying.”

Marva smiled. What a sweet child she was. “I promise.”

The light went off and June settled quietly next to her. Long after her snores confirmed that she was asleep, Marva lay mulling over what was the best way to make her confession. She could not bear the guilt any longer. She had to tell someone that she was the person who had killed her father.

Want to know what follows?  GET IT NOW