Knowing His Madness

by Valarie Savage Kinney

Life hasn’t gone the way Dashiel Winston once thought it would. His ability has destroyed his marriage, wreaked havoc on his mind, and left him weighted by the burdens of his past decisions. At fifty-seven, he lives alone with little company beyond the voices vying for attention in his head. For too many years, he’s buried himself in the fantasy life he’s created; everyone who knows him sees him as the flamboyant, addled pirate, Captain Dash. He’s loving, he’s jovial... and his heart is about to break from the terrible pain it carries.
When his deepest secrets are forced out in the open and his most treasured relationship threatened, he’s left with a come clean about the decades of lies he’s built his life upon, or risk losing both his family and his sanity.

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 31, 2018

About the author

Valarie Savage Kinney is a writer, fiber artist, and Renaissance festival junkie with a wicked caffeine addiction. She resides in Michigan with her husband, grown children, two slightly hysterical dogs, and eight (yes, eight) guinea pigs. She is the author of Slither, Heckled, Consumption and The Secrets of Windy Springs Series. She puts the “I” in weird.
Join me on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/valariesavage...

Reviews

[Riley K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captain Dash’s story will make you laugh, and it will make you cry like you have never cried before. His pain and inner conflict was so painful that it was almost tangible.
In this story we got to focus on him and Diana. Their story nearly broke me emotionally. Their have genuine chemistry, and their love for one another is tested in the most tragic way ever. I really love how we got to see glimpses of Dash’s past and we could finally understand what makes our beloved captain tick.
I really love how we get to see our other favorite characters from previous stories. But I honestly love the way the author exposes the realistic side of mental illness. She doesn’t gloss over it or glamorize it, she tells the ugly truth about it.

I will encourage everyone to read this book. I give it 5/5 Platypires.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/7/2021)! 🎁

[Sarah Elmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much heart!!!

Through all my reading of Valarie’s books, Captain Dash has been a delightful, layered, fantastic character who gave magical life to any scene he was part of.
I was thrilled to find that he had his own book! When I started reading, I couldn’t put the book down.

Kinney’s use of her brilliant writing to help diminish the stigma around mental illness is so appreciated. As someone who has struggled with mental illness and who lost a sibling to suicide, it is always wonderful when I read things that give an honest look at what it’s like and that make it not a dirty word that should be hidden.

This book is exactly as magical as Captain Dash has always been and I am so glad to have returned to his forest!! I highly recommend this book and the entire series!!

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I’ve wanted to read since starting the Windy Springs series – the life of my favourite character, Captain Dash, as told by the man himself.

In this book Dash is, as always, a multi-layered and remarkable man. We get an insight into what makes him tick and into his struggles with mental illness.

I am always happy to return to Windy Springs and the wonderful quirky characters.

I love the way the author has used her magical world to give an honest look at mental illness and hopefully help to diminish the stigma surrounding it – Well done, Valarie!

I highly recommend this book, and the series.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read

This story is beautiful and a wonderful way of showing that everyone is dealing with something. The deft writing and perfect telling of Dash's struggle as well as the support from those he loves is heartwarming and real.