Beneath the Bruises by Dywane D. Birch, Dywane Birch

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Synopsis

Based on the author's experiences working with offenders of domestic violence — an extraordinary novel about one woman's courageous journey to discover her voice, strength, and dignity after drowning in an abusive marriage.

After suffering under years of emotional and physical abuse, Syreeta embarks on a search for the identity beyond wife and mother. Now, removed from that destructive relationship, she struggles to find out who she is and what she is capable of. With the help of her psychologist, Syreeta begins to expose the many scars that layer her soul — healing the guilt, hurt, and shame that have alienated her from friends and family for far too long.

Syreeta discovers the many options life still has to offer her, and must find the bravery she possesses to heal herself, forgive those who beat her down, and move on to a fresh start in life. Beneath the Bruises is a riveting and empowering take of rediscovering one's dignity and exposes the devastating cycle of domestic abuse and a better understanding of its victims.

Publishers Weekly

A courageous African-American housewife and mother of five seeks freedom from domestic abuse in Birch's powerful ode to self-renewal (and her own work with domestic violence victims). When Syreeta Lynch marries Randall Michael Taylor III, her high school sweetheart, she has no idea that, 11 years later, she'll feel trapped by her perfect union. In that time, Randy becomes a successful investment banker, but also a manipulative monster with no qualms about physically and emotionally punishing his 32-year-old wife when she doesn't behave according to his whims. Then Syreeta's chance encounter with therapist Dr. Jordan Curtis leads her to seek help. With an intense first-person narration, Birch depicts Syreeta's journey of healing; raw, intimate struggles with Randy, revealing sessions with Dr. Curtis and a late-book conversation with her angry older son, K'wan, are especially well-wrought. Syreeta's Aunt Edie dispenses advice on the nature and importance of responsibility ("Every day is a choice"), in case the empower-yourself message didn't quite make it through; if readers can forgive Birch's occasional excesses, they'll find this an honest and inspiring novel. (Nov.)

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Biography

Dywane D. Birch, the self-published author of two novels, has a master's degree in psychology and is a clinically certified forensic counselor. He lives in New Jersey. You may contact the author at bshatteredsouls@cs.com.