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"I wrote Leave of Absence with a purpose. I’m bothered by the negative stereotypes and stigma that exist toward those who experience mental illness, so I created a novel that challenges those misperceptions. Leave of Absence humanizes the vague concept of “mental illness.” This is very much a character-driven story, and as readers connect with the characters, they will empathize with them and their struggles."- The Author
The Book has been published via Inkwater Press and is available as eBook and Paperback - 327 pages - released in April 2013.
About the Book
Leave of Absence is a story of loss and a story of strength.
Oliver Graham is utterly bereft and laden with guilt in the aftermath of the traumatic deaths of his wife and son. He struggles with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, and complicated mourning. Penelope Baker wrestles with Schizophrenia and the devastating impact it has had on her once happy and successful life.
Believing she is no longer loveable, she thinks the only thing she has left to give to her fiancée William is his freedom. Oliver and Penelope form a deep friendship that might be the key to their recovery.
Readers join them on their tumultuous journey through pain, struggle, and triumphs.
.jpg "Leave of Absence (Tanya J. Peterson)") |
| Click to Read an Excerpt |
Reviews (Excerpts)
- "I just finished a very heart warming and thought provoking book entitled, LEAVE OF ABSENCE. This book is a deeply authentic novel that is both deeply inspiring and insightful. As a teacher of psychology and abnormal psychology for over twenty five years, I wish I would have had this novel at hand to provide my students with such a beautiful story that promotes a very real understanding of depression and schizophrenia. What a valuable tool for teachers, students, and families! LEAVE OF ABSENCE is a well researched and constructed novel that depicts how mental illness impacts a human life and those surrounding them. Tanya Peterson has created characters who are authentic and provide the reader with a deeper empathetic understanding of the roots of mental illness. You will be touched and perhaps even shed a tear. " - Dan Rippberger
- "[...]It was heartbreaking but not sentimental. I appreciated that approach. And its voice and style show an incredible degree of empathy. It's a deceptively simple read, and as you reach further into each character you realize nothing about them is simple. Having experienced mental illness firsthand from people close to me, I wish I'd read this book before knowing them.
I'd highly suggest Leave of Absence to anyone interested in multilayered character development and who read for pleasure or for a greater understanding of those among us who are silently suffering and enduring." - John Sibley Williams
About the Author
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| Author Tanya J. Peterson |
She has a mental health blog (“Musings of a Mental Health Writer”) on her website which has been recognized and accepted by the Mental Health Writers’ Guild.
In addition to Leave of Absence, she has published Losing Elizabeth, a young adult novel about an abusive relationship, Challenge!, a short story about a person who finds the confidence to overcome criticism and achieve a goal, and a book review of Linley and Joseph’s Positive Therapy: A Meta-Theory for Positive Psychological Practice that appeared in Counseling Today, the national publication of the American Counseling Association.
Links to the Author and the Book
Link to the Author's Website
Connect with the Author on Facebook: TanyaJPeterson
Link to the Paperback Leave of Absence with Excerpt on Amazon
Link to the eBook Leave of Absence with Excerpt on Amazon
