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The Copper Phoenix: A Novel
A young woman is born into a world of deception. Her rage pulls her down a path of destruction with one goal in mind—tear down all the men who did her wrong. One man wants to save her from a life of dysfunction and vengeance but can she trust him?
The Copper Phoenix is one woman's fight to rise above the abuse and find healing through the pain. The story is based on true events and spans thirty years from 1972 to 2002.
Claire Anne Baker is a precocious redhead whose early childhood is full of adventure. Her father is her world and they spend four years together on road trips, meeting interesting people, and performing gigs at various establishments.
The older she gets the darker her world becomes. Claire discovers she was kidnapped by her father before her first birthday and her parents, collectively, have thirty children with multiple partners. Growing up in an abusive, dysfunctional home turns Claire’s life upside down. Her childhood is stripped from her at the tender age of twelve. Gone is the carefree, trusting little girl who can talk to strangers and win their hearts with her smile and wit.
Her dad has a rotating door of female visitors, abusive wives, and dangerous male predators who wreak havoc on Claire’s struggle to be a normal kid. She becomes withdrawn, rebellious, and turns to self-destructive agents to numb the torment.
The downward spiral leads her ultimately to Walter, her Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor. A friendship unexpectedly blossoms and with Walter’s love, support, and encouragement, Claire learns to let go, to breathe, and to end the habitual cycle of shame and guilt that plagues her.
The Copper Phoenix is one woman's fight to rise above the abuse and find healing through the pain. The story is based on true events and spans thirty years from 1972 to 2002.
Claire Anne Baker is a precocious redhead whose early childhood is full of adventure. Her father is her world and they spend four years together on road trips, meeting interesting people, and performing gigs at various establishments.
The older she gets the darker her world becomes. Claire discovers she was kidnapped by her father before her first birthday and her parents, collectively, have thirty children with multiple partners. Growing up in an abusive, dysfunctional home turns Claire’s life upside down. Her childhood is stripped from her at the tender age of twelve. Gone is the carefree, trusting little girl who can talk to strangers and win their hearts with her smile and wit.
Her dad has a rotating door of female visitors, abusive wives, and dangerous male predators who wreak havoc on Claire’s struggle to be a normal kid. She becomes withdrawn, rebellious, and turns to self-destructive agents to numb the torment.
The downward spiral leads her ultimately to Walter, her Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor. A friendship unexpectedly blossoms and with Walter’s love, support, and encouragement, Claire learns to let go, to breathe, and to end the habitual cycle of shame and guilt that plagues her.
Unknown Binding
First published March 30, 2023
8 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Amy M. Le
10 books29 followersAmy M. Le is the award-winning author of the Snow trilogy: Snow in Vietnam, Snow in Seattle, and Snow’s Kitchen. She is a Vietnam War survivor and Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) warrior. Amy was born in Vietnam, raised in Seattle and Orange County, and now lives in Oklahoma with her husband, son, and pets.
Amy is the founder of Quill Hawk Publishing and helps authors indie publish their work. She also co-founded The Heart Community Collection, an online cooperative bookstore for the CHD community.
Amy is a member of several organizations including the Asian Author Alliance, the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Oklahoma City Writers, Inc., Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., Telltale Authors, the Yukon Writers’ Society, and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).
For fun, Amy loves to cook, watch NFL, UFC and F-1 events.
Amy is the founder of Quill Hawk Publishing and helps authors indie publish their work. She also co-founded The Heart Community Collection, an online cooperative bookstore for the CHD community.
Amy is a member of several organizations including the Asian Author Alliance, the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Oklahoma City Writers, Inc., Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., Telltale Authors, the Yukon Writers’ Society, and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).
For fun, Amy loves to cook, watch NFL, UFC and F-1 events.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 11, 2023
This book is heroic! The true meaning of adversity. Claire went through it all! Abuse from parents, abandonment, sexual abuse, drug addiction, substance abuse etc. but even after going through all that she was still able to rise up and become a “copper phoenix!” My favorite quote from the book, from her friend that she met in AA that loved and believed in her stated everything perfectly “Lean into it, Claire,” Wally said. “I’ve watched you fight your demons these past years and witnessed you rise from the ashes like a phoenix. You are a miracle, my dear. I’m so proud of you.”
This sums the entire book up for me. Wonderfully told and written! A tale of a woman that truly transforms into something absolutely amazing despite all the heartbreaking things that she endured on her journey.
This sums the entire book up for me. Wonderfully told and written! A tale of a woman that truly transforms into something absolutely amazing despite all the heartbreaking things that she endured on her journey.
June 23, 2023
What do you do to rebuild a horribly broken life? That is the question raised by this novel by award-winning author Amy M. Le. I found this novel painful to read at times. Claire, the central character, goes through so much traumatic abuse that I wondered how she could have ever survived. It started early in her life with beatings by a stepmother (a modern Cinderella story on steroids!), and moved on to a series of brutal rapes, the first at age 11. I say this was painful to read, but how much more painful it must be for young girls who have to live it in real life! (I believe the novel was based on the experiences of a real young woman). The title refers to the color of the young girl's hair (copper/red), and her ability to rise out of the ashes of these early experiences. I recommend this novel to women seeking to rise from their own traumas, as well as to men seeking to have an empathetic understanding of what many women go through at the hands of the worst of our gender.
March 4, 2023
"Stories connect us. They humanize us. They help us understand that it's not 'what's wrong with you?' but 'what happened to you?' that makes us the way we are. So when we come to understand behaviors through another person's lens, we find it easier to forgive the hurt they inflict on us or, better yet, understand the hurt we inflict upon ourselves." -The Copper Phoenix by Amy M. Le & Lynn Thomas
The Copper Phoenix is a well written, heartbreaking story of Claire Baker's life. Claire shows the reader how a child's love for their father is resilient through any harm that may come their way as a result of the father's shortcomings as a person & parent. The story follows Claire from childhood up through adulthood, giving us an inside look at different characters' perspectives on the events that occur. Like a phoenix, Claire's life is marked by unimaginable pain & hardship, yet the strength she has gained because of it facilitates a rebirth that brings her to a place of love & safety. It's a good read for anyone looking to learn the meaning of the word RESILIENT.
The Copper Phoenix is a well written, heartbreaking story of Claire Baker's life. Claire shows the reader how a child's love for their father is resilient through any harm that may come their way as a result of the father's shortcomings as a person & parent. The story follows Claire from childhood up through adulthood, giving us an inside look at different characters' perspectives on the events that occur. Like a phoenix, Claire's life is marked by unimaginable pain & hardship, yet the strength she has gained because of it facilitates a rebirth that brings her to a place of love & safety. It's a good read for anyone looking to learn the meaning of the word RESILIENT.
July 4, 2023
Reading "The Copper Phoenix" is a journey, not another book we pick up. With every page, you become a observer into the world " Claire" and her incredible, yet painful upbringing. Her willingness to come to grips with her life and wanting to "rise above" like a true Phoenix makes this one of the incredible stories of our time. Yes, I did experience my own "triggering moments" while reading this book. However, I realized how important we all can learn the true meaning of "rising from the ashes" no matter what happens in our lives.
** Warning, this story is filled with several intense moments.
A true must read! ...
** Warning, this story is filled with several intense moments.
A true must read! ...
June 19, 2023
A challenging but inspiring read. Hard to put down as I read over a weekend. I'm sure writing this novel was difficult, and I appreciate the authors' efforts. Great job.
August 11, 2023
This is a book that will stay with the reader long after it’s been finished. The book is very difficult to read and absorb at times. Starting at the age of 3 years old, teenage years, and adulthood, horrible acts are committed against this child, young adult,and into womanhood.Peace and happiness seem to be so very elusive. The strength and courage Clair exhibited through all these horrible situations is truly heroic. Thank you Amy & Lynn for the courage and compassion.
March 30, 2023
Based on real life this auto fiction is heartbreaking yet empowering in the end. To go through so much and to not only survive but thrive is a remarkable nod to the resilience of women and the power of love. This story is 90% based on real events that happened to one person. Wow!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews