The Story

“There was a bizarre sense of control in absorbing all the blame for everything – if it’s me, I can fix it.

After several more appointments with Dr. S, she suggested antipsychotics. I quietly decided no, thank you, I will change my life instead."

The Hawaii Chapter is a novella-length book about regaining agency over your life and sorting fact from fiction after an abusive relationship.

It’s also a story about what it’s like going to Hawaii with way more anxiety than money. Yay!

A Word from the Author

I’ve churned out thousands of words in my work as a business writer over the last decade (and more before it as a personal essay writer for sites like Bustle and Mediabistro), but a couple of years ago I found myself writing more creatively again, largely to process trauma. This turned into months of journaling, poetry, and songwriting purely for me.

After I took what felt like a high-stakes solo trip to Hawaii, this particular story began to take form, and I finally felt ready to share something personal again.

The Hawaii Chapter is a snapshot of a short time during my long journey out of an abusive relationship and into a more authentic life, and it just happens to feature one of the loveliest places on earth as the backdrop.

It’s one part travel writing, one part personal essay, and one hundred percent as authentic as it can be, given the nature of the situation. With how many women I’ve spoken to who have experienced abuse (or doubted their realities), I wanted to offer a bit of hope and courage about what life can look like on the other side.

It was super important to me to make all of the choices around how this book was created and distributed. So in addition to writing it, I’ve designed, printed, bound, and will distribute this myself. The final book will be a small paperback bearing a limited edition number for this print run, so the copy you own will be completely unique. A story, a piece of art, and a genuine slice of my heart. But not in a creepy Horcrux way. In a “here, I made this for you,” way.

The Release Date and Shipping Information

If you place a pre-order, your book will ship in January (stay tuned on Instagram and Facebook for an exact release date).

If you wait to purchase until after the release date in January, the price goes up to $35.

Thank you for your support! ❤️