First published 2021
The narrator speaks directly to readers who carry the weight of past mistakes. She addresses those who punish themselves for dishonesty, missteps, and moments when they fell short of their own expectations. She watches people waste years trapped by guilt and shame, their lives twisted into knots of self-recrimination. The narrator urges readers to identify the source of their self-hatred and destroy it completely, comparing the process to chemotherapy attacking cancer cells. She wants readers to grant themselves the forgiveness they withhold. Her ultimate wish extends beyond absolution to encompass love and affection that will follow once self-forgiveness takes root. The story centers on the tension between self-punishment and self-compassion, exploring how guilt can consume precious time and energy that could be spent living fully.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, self-help, contemporary
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: redemption, self-discovery
326 pages · Paperback · Independently published