"This story of my odyssey is for those who, like me, have been forced to live under the spell of unworthiness."
PORTLAND, OREGON (PRWEB) March 25, 2014
Christine Davis is the best-selling author and illustrator of three of Amazon’s top 10 pet loss books. Her latest release, Breathing Fire (Lighthearted Press, 2014) charts a new course — that of mending lives torn asunder by childhood sexual abuse. A victim herself, Davis’ awe-inspiring story is one of triumph and amazement.
Like all of Davis’ writing and art, Breathing Fire heals without feeling like a self-help book. It invites readers to become apprentices on an epic journey of slaying dragons, manifesting miracles and healing body, mind and spirit. Even more significantly, the possibility emerges of forging a new warrior self to rise up, stronger and more powerful than anyone imagined.
When Merlin Became Reality TV
It was season two, episode eight, of the BBC television show Merlin. For reasons still unknown, watching a sword-wielding Prince Arthur unleash his murderous rage on the father who’d betrayed him triggered an explosive event within the author and began a much-needed restoration from her past. As the prince sought to end the king’s life at the point of his blade, decades of unexpressed rage Davis had carried inside detonated outward.
The scene held special meaning for her since — as an eight-year-old girl helpless at the hands of her father’s sexual abuse — she had attempted to burn the house down to rid the family of his treachery.
Finding Clarity
The sword emerged as a powerful talisman — a weapon with which to fight back— something Davis and other abuse victims missed out on in youth. Inspired to action, Davis brought her vision to life and commissioned a local blacksmith to forge a very special blade. The finished sword, named Clarity, is etched with the inscription Always Follow Your Heart.
With today’s headlines sadly full of stories of abuse, Davis’ book is a timely first-hand account that can offer a path of hope. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 12 percent of girls and 5 percent of boys have been sexually abused by age seventeen, although it is believed the numbers are much higher as many victims fail to report the crime out of fear or shame.
“I had no idea how much fury was buried deep inside me,” said Davis. “While I’d mentally forgiven my father many years ago, the unacknowledged rage continued roiling beneath the surface, anchoring me to the horrors of the past. Rage is a poison that eats away at the soul. My hope is that this book can help victims of abuse to visit those locked chambers where the anger resides and safely coax it out into the light.”
Even as Breathing Fire illuminates the monstrous crime of childhood sexual abuse, Davis informs readers how she found a truly miraculous, restorative freedom from her past.
“This story of my odyssey is for those who, like me, have been forced to live under the spell of unworthiness,” Davis explained. “I want victims of childhood abuse who have led broken lives to know that by listening to the body’s wisdom and learning to trust their inner guidance they can find their way to peace and wholeness.”
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About Christine Davis — Chris Davis’ award-winning titles bring comfort to readers all around the world. Veterinarians incorporate her pet loss books in sympathy programs for clients struggling with heartache. Her gentle words and whimsical artwork appeal to the childlike spirit in kids and adults alike, making the books appropriate for all ages. Davis lives in Portland, Oregon, with her cat Molly. Visit her on Facebook and Twitter.
About Lighthearted Press — Book publishers since 1997, Lighthearted Press titles inspire those who are grieving to navigate the road from sorrow to joy. In addition to books, Lighthearted Press offers enchanting gifts to serve as reminders that good things are always possible.
