Broken Beauty (#1, Broken Beauty Novellas)

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Author Note: "Broken Beauty" will be published on September 22 by Evatopia Press. 

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The first two “Broken Beauty” serials were originally published in October 2012 as a novel entitled “No Way Back,” under a nom de plume I developed for New Adult fiction. The initial version was much grittier, and I wasn’t certain how it would be received. The topic of rape – and its immediate emotional and physical aftermath – is not one directly tackled in New Adult fiction. I felt it was an important story to tell, more so because it was the final stage in my own healing process that has taken me close to fifteen years to work through.

After publishing “No Way Back,” I received a great deal of feedback from women who had suffered through sexual assault. Their tales were horrific, humbling and inspiring at the same time. Some had healed and moved on to build new lives, while others were still scarred and trapped by what happened to them. Two comments were regularly repeated to me: Mia’s tale was brutally accurate in its portrayal of the lingering emotional impact of rape, and her story touched women on a level that made them feel a little less alone in dealing with their experiences.

My awesome publisher (and friend!), Margery, and I went back and forth quite a few times during the revisions of this novella to ensure we were able to maintain the balance of what made the original story so personalwhile ensuring that the story was approachable and of high standards. I am grateful for her help in balancing the two and for how gently she approached a project she knew was so important to me.

To all those who reached out to me after reading “No Way Back:” your courage and strength are incredible. Your ability to heal from such a traumatic event is truly inspiring. There is no way for me to express how touched I was to know I’d helped so many people, and I thank you over and over for helping me to heal as well. No one should go through such adversity alone, and I hope that Mia’s tale continues to help others, if only so they know they’re not alone.

Lizzy