Why so sad?

I did get the question today of what prompted me to share such a sad part of my life with the book, Lost Edens. I'd be lying if I said I didn't still question the wisdom of the decision, but there were two things that initially made me feel like publishing was the right idea:

1. I read the manuscript after not having laid eyes on it for two or three years and didn't recognize myself, my thoughts, or my feelings in the pages. I knew there was no way I could ever recreate that voice. There was a story in the pages that came from a place I'll never be again and I thought there was some value in the raw honesty in the book.

2. This one is tougher. I remember thinking that maybe there would be some way to raise awareness around the sometimes subtle symptoms of animal abuse. I know the book doesn't really focus on the issue but it could open the door to conversation--at least that was my hope.

Like I said, I'm not sure if I made the right decision to publish. Time will tell. Either way, it's bound to be an interesting fall!