978-1-58838-067-8
1-58838-067-X
$25.95 hardcover
6" x 9"
560 pages
NewSouth Books |
Tough,
unflinching fiction about an abused child growing into a tortured man,
and how he eventually recovers . . . Clark has captured on paper the
devastating psychology of pain and the way to recovery in this horrific,
yet beautiful, first novel.
—John Douglas, New York Times #1 Best-selling author of Mind
Hunter and former FBI Criminal Profiler
Any parent (or grandparent) of young children should read this
horrifyingly graphic but gripping story of pederasty and its lasting and
horrible effects on the victims involved. The book is engrossing despite
its terrible subject matter. I found it to be a page-turner, and when I
finished I felt rewarded for having followed Sam through to his eventual
emancipation. Look for further works from this new author. She has great
talent and has obviously done extensive research.K
—Ferrol Sams, author of Run with the Horsemen, The Whisper of the
River, When All the World Was Young
Few have the astonishing courage of Clark to do justice to such a
topic. Forgiving Sam is simply beautiful. It captures the loss
and pristine triumph of the human spirit like few books ever do.
-Joseph O. Patton, Capital City Free Press
. . . [a] powerful story of guilt and redemption. . . . A story of
love (not a love story) that chronicles the responsibilities and
benefits of that precarious emotion, this first novel by Clark, a
retired nurse, is highly recommended.
—Library Journal
Forgiving Sam tells the story of a terrible wounding in childhood and
the long journey toward redemption, forgiveness, and love. The riveting
saga unfolds like a mystery and packs a wallop. Read the first page and
you won’t put it down until it i done.
—Judith Paterson, author of Sweet Mystery: A Book of Remembering
Powell Clark writes well and swiftly and brings to the reader the
terrible truths about child abuse . . . Forgiving Sam dramatically
sheds light on a dark subject that has been hidden for far too long.
—Philip Carlo, author of Stolen Flowers and Night Stalker
This powerful novel of development follows Sam MacCauley through a
nightmare encounter with a John Wayne Gacy-type who kidnaps and
brutalizes him as a nine-year-old. With guilt and fear his constant
companions, he fights for a normal life. Powell Clark holds no punches
as she explores his nascent sexuality, marriages, and births of children—all
with the Monster from his past waiting to destroy everything.
—Howard Denson, Editor, State Street Review and Co-founder of
North Florida Writers
Riveting and heart-rending, Forgiving Sam is the story of a life
scarred at its beginning, and how much love and forgiveness it takes for
a man to overcome and finally let go the violent damage done to his
child-self. After being kidnapped as a boy and severely assaulted
physically, sexually, and mentally, Sam MacCauley begins the torturous
trek toward adulthood.
After a time he appears healed, but his
repressed anger and guilt threaten to destroy the happiness he finds in
an outwardly successful career and family life. The buried past finally
catches up with him when he reaches out to help another abused youth.
Things then fall apart as Sam’s pain causes turmoil for his wife and
children.
Forgiving Sam, touching, horrific, and
ultimately redemptive, follows a tortured soul’s path from pain to
healing. The writing is powerful and the story is engrossing.
about the author
Powell Clark is a former registered nurse who lives in Empire,
Alabama. Her stories have appeared in Kalliope and State
Street Review. Forgiving Sam is her first novel.
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