Author Description

Leah's memoir illustrates the life of a young hairstylist on the autism spectrum. Overwhelmed by her socially demanding career, she discovers that opioids dull the anguish and enhance her ability to connect with others, but at a steep price. Over time, she develops a heroin addiction and sinks to depths she never fathomed. Selling everything of value, she leaves a toxic relationship with just enough clothes to cram into a bag, moving to a poverty-stricken area saturated with drugs and crime. Leah's dignity and values diminish until chemical dependency gains ownership of her life. When the cost of her drug habit outpaces her unemployment checks and food stamps, there's nothing left to pawn. She sells the only thing she has left-herself. Leah's writing is dark but laced with cynical humor that details her unique and often frightening life experiences. Today, Leah is eight years clean. She's a commercial painter who works on Boston high-rises and confronts her fears head-on rather than allowing her mental condition to overpower her. Her hypersensitivity to noise and stimuli is full-tilt in sobriety, yet she endures these challenges gratefully since they provide opportunities to be brave. After five years of labor-intensive work, Leah has turned to a favorite childhood hobby; writing. She remembers what it was like to be impassioned and has unearthed the same artsy, offbeat character she thought was lost, along with a desire to make meaningful connections and inspire hope.