SHADOWS ON THE WALL recounts less than two years of an almost unbelievable chain of events that left my family broken, and terrified but ultimately victorious. After living ten years in an abusive marriage, my escape was fraught with both relief and guilt. I left a life-threatening situation but had to leave my three children behind. I believed they would be safe until I could be the stable parent they deserved and reunite with them. During the year and nine months where I fought to find my way back I dealt with my family's history of neglect, abandonment, sexual and physical abuse and addiction to alcohol and drugs. The story details the loss of four loved ones, one of which is a suicide, a bittersweet reunion with my three children, and a unique and beautiful love story so rich and poignant that I felt compelled to write this book. In the tradition of Augusten Burroughs and Jeannette Walls, it's a memoir of resilience in the face of seemingly hopeless circumstances, a story of love and loss and hope, and ultimately redemption.