I just finished reading Taylor Evan Fulks’ multiple award-winning book My Prison Without Bars.  The subtitle is The Journey of a Damaged Woman to Someplace Normal.  This is a great book, the kind that sticks with you long after you finish it.

Taylor is a kind lady and a beautiful soul, and she always promotes one of my books.  I’ve had my eye on hers for a while, but in all honesty, I’ve been a bit afraid to read it.

Let me just tell you, this is not a book for the faint of heart.  It’s a novel/memoir chronicling the author’s experiences growing up and surviving years of brutal sexual abuse at the hands of someone she considered her father.  The abuse scenes are frank, graphic, and unflinching.  That being said, they never seem prurient or gratuitous.  They simple lay out the horrific torture inflicted on a child from the age of three through her teen years.

The story continues through her difficult adolescence following the departure of her abuser, and into her adult life.  All along the way, Taylor has a hard time deciphering who to trust, and she makes a few mistakes, trusting people who ultimately betray her.  It’s heartbreaking to watch as person after person lets her down, but shining through all of that is her unbreakable spirit, her determination that the damage inflicted on her should not define her.

If you’re looking for a book of substance, this one is that in spades.  I had to write a 5-Star review–it’s just that well-done.  You can get your copy at this LINK.

Now about Taylor Evan Fulks…

Taylor Evan Fulks is a native Texan transplanted years ago to southern Ohio, on the banks of the Ohio River. She is a wife, a mother of two “almost grown” daughters, and does open heart surgery to help pay the bills.

Always an avid story-teller, Taylor decided to put her pad and pen where her mouth is. “My Prison Without Bars” is her debut novel.

Her writing genre of choice is mystery/romance. Even though her debut novel doesn’t fall into that category, she felt compelled to start with this one, find peace, and put it on the shelf.