Plymouth Author Pens Book To Help Domestic Abuse Victims

I was running around doing errands one day, with the major focus being food. The refrigerator was dead empty, and a trip to Kroger was necessary. This is where the major problem happened for me that day. Upon returning home, I discovered my cell phone was missing in action.

I retraced my steps. Not in the parking lot. Not under the seat of my car. Not at the CVS parking lot or store. I am now getting a tad concerned. Time to go to Kroger, which had been my last stop. I did not find it in the parking lot, so I went inside, without much hope. I went to the customer service desk, and lo and behold they had it! My benefactor? A young lady named Beverly Dunn had found it, and brought it to the customer service desk, hoping I would return for it.

I thanked her, and from that point forward, when I would shop, and see her, we had a running joke. She'd ask where my phone was, and I would proudly hold it up for her to see.

Fast forward to a notice I saw about a local author signing her book at the Plymouth District Library. I looked at the picture, and I knew that face! Sure enough, it was Beverly from the local Kroger store! I was kind of amazed, because generally when you think of an author of a book, you do not couple that image with a kind person that works at your local Kroger store. That was a serious mistake on my part, and I'll never make that mistake again.

Never judge a book by it's cover.

Either way, I was impressed, and made it a plan to go see her on her book signing day. If for no other reason, than to brag that I was still in possession of my cell phone.

Now, when I read about the topic of her book, I was kind of sad. You see, the topic of her book is about domestic abuse, and how it had affected her, her family, and her children. It was about feeling helpless, scared, and alone.  I became happier when we saw each other, because she was happy.  She had one of her children with her, and she had a smile on her face.  The first thing she did was a phone check, and I passed.

When we spoke about her book, she told me that it actually took longer for her to decide whether or not to write the book, than it actually took to sit down and write.  She had to decide whether or not she wanted to re-live all of the emotions involved with a painful part of her life. In the end, the book took her a year to write, and she did it with the encouragement of her family. For Beverly, it was a cathartic process.

At this point, she wasn't even sure if she wanted it published of not. Her primary concern was her children, ages 9 and 14, and how it would affect them. She very much wanted to publish this book, hoping that it may help other women in similar situations, but sat down with her kids to talk about it before making any decision. In the end, her children supported her decision, and she felt comfortable with the decision to see if a publisher may be interested.

Beverly told me that finding a publisher was probably as much, or more difficult than actually writing the book. She presented it to several publishers, and after a year of fruitless effort, two publishers suddenly showed interest, and made offers. When it rains, it pours was her description of the process. She chose Tate Publishing to do her book, because they allowed her to keep the rights to her book, meaning they could not make changes unless she gave permission.

The book is called Marriage Incarcerated, and it can be ordered at the Tate Publishing website.

Beverly will not become rich from this book, and she doesn't care. Would she like to make some money for her efforts? Of course she would, but the chance that maybe hearing her story, could help another mother in distress is far more meaningful to her.

I can't imagine the pain Beverly has endured during that time in her life, and I am amazed at the courage it took to share her story, so that others may benefit. Beverly told me that to an outsider, it would seem to be a simple decision to separate yourself from a situation, but to somebody going through the mental stress of this sort of thing, it is not so easy. Where are you going to live? How are you going to feed and cloth your children? These are just two of the many immediate concerns that can overwhelm a person in this situation, and all Beverly seeks to do, is to give a perspective to others in a bad situation, from someone who has gone through it.

I am coming to know that Plymouth really has some amazing and wonderful people living here, and Beverly Dunn is certainly one of them...

To find Beverly's book, click here ---->  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-62510-665-0