LaDonna Harrison Book Signing Event

MEET LaDonna Harrison, author of Our Divide: Two Sides of Locked in Syndrome, a story of the other side—the side of the young, pregnant wife of a man who, at age twenty-seven, is struck down by an obstruction in the brain stem, leaving him with a rare neurological disorder called locked-in syndrome. Like Jean-Dominique Bauby of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Cleve is rendered mute and paralyzed by the syndrome—but unlike Bauby, he is unable to move at all, unable to sit up in a wheelchair or communicate by blinking an eye.

Our Divide is a beautifully written, honest account of the experience of watching a loved one suffer. Harrison delivers both a peek into the world of a unique other and an intimate view of one young woman’s grieving process. A heartbreaking story that’s at once a grief, a coming-of-age, and a survival narrative, this genuine, honest portrayal of one woman’s mistakes and courage while learning how to take responsibility and create a life for herself will sweep readers away.

About the Author: LaDonna Harrison grew up in northern Minnesota in a three-room house without an indoor bathroom. She holds three master’s degrees, the course work for a PhD in Depth Psychology (MA English, MA Rhetoric, MA/ABD Depth Psychology). She has 30 years of experience teaching writing and workshops at U. of MN, U of CA at Santa Barbara, Lake Superior College, MN, Carnegie Mellon U., PA and St. John’s Seminary, CA. She is a member of the Palm Springs Writer’s Guild, has facilitated a weekly writer’s critique group and speaks at spiritual retreats on the grief process. Now retired from university teaching, she lives in Palm Springs, CA with her husband Al Miller, the Great Dane Abby, and the Maine Coon cat Louie. LaDonna’s daughter Deanie and granddaughter Chloe live near her.

Praise for Our Divide:
“A deeply personal memoir about LaDonna's life as a young woman, thrust into adulthood by an unhealthy attraction to a violent man. She writes candidly about their brief but passionate romance, her pregnancy, his devastating illness, and her search for self and purpose. Ladonna’s skills as a writer give you the feeling that you’re walking that journey with her.”?Mary Aalgaard, Play off the Page

“A spellbinding story of the tragic, harrowing start to young woman’s adulthood, told with exquisite detail and an honesty that had me by the throat. From the first page, Harrison pulled me into mosquito-ravaged summers and icy winters of Northern Minnesota, as she struggled to find her way through unspeakable trauma and unbearable loneliness.”?Marj Charlier, author of The Rebel Nun

“In Our Divide one gets the feeling that author LaDonna Harrison has literally exhumed her past, bringing to the reader the heart, soul, and blood of a young woman weaving through her chaotic life. Harrison’s earnestness and openness threads her story with a passion, confusion, and desperate need to not just survive but ultimately and remarkably to turn her life around with success.”?Ken Luber, author of The Sun Jumpers and Match to the Heart

Title & Author: OUR DIVIDE: Two Sides of Locked-In Syndrome By LaDonna Harrison
Publication Info: She Writes Press (August 2021)
ISBN-13: 978-1647421472
Paperback: $16.95 eBook: $8.99
GENRE: Memoir