My first book!
I wanted those who were experiencing the abuse currently, or who had experienced it before, to know those experiences don't have to define you.
It's finally done! I am proud to announce that I just released my first book Working Through the Dark. This has been in the works for quite some time, let me give you a little background on this project.
What is it about?
Working Through the Dark is a graphic novel where I share my experience of dealing with child abuse growing up, the ups and downs of playing sports, and lessons I learned along the way.
Why did I want to write about this?
2020 was a tough year for all of us in many different ways. I was personally still trying to figure out what my purpose was as I was going into my second year retired from the NFL. When the first lockdown happened, it gave me a pause that I really needed in my life. The lockdown also made me think about the abuse I dealt with growing up. I couldn't imagine being trapped in the lockdown situation as a child. Not being able to go to school and see friends, having no escape from the threat of violence.
Unfortunately, there were many kids experiencing that unimaginable reality. Across the nation instances of all kinds of domestic violence were on the rise. If they were already being abused, then the lockdown only made it worse. Living in that situation for an uncertain amount of time had to be scary.
I know how hard it is to live in that environment, having to walk on eggshells for that long had to be exhausting. I wanted those who were experiencing the abuse currently, or who had experienced it before, to know those experiences don't have to define you. I wanted them to know they can use the resilience they develop through those tough times to find success in whatever they wanted.
I also wanted to share an important lesson I had learned since retiring, that it's ok to be vulnerable. As an athlete we are often conditioned to believe we must bury everything deep down and "play through the pain". I had personally experienced how that mentality does more harm than good in the long run. I want to encourage people, especially athletes, to share their stories. The good, the bad, and the painful.
How did this come together?
I shared this idea to write a book with a mentor of mine who encouraged me to pursue it. He connected me with an incredible person out of Iowa named Jordan Pinckney. Jordan is an author in his own right, and a social worker who has worked with many kids in tough home situations. He had a passion for helping the youth that I really appreciated, and I was honored that he wanted to help me with this book.
Jordan and I had weekly Zoom calls through all of the lockdown talking about how we wanted this to come together. His wife Aubree was a huge help throughout the process as well. Our artist Kriswantowhy who did the cover art as well as the comic panels is from East Asia. Our formatting was done by Ajao who is from Africa, and Bethany who did our editing is from Iowa. We had talented people all across the world help us bring this together.
Where can you purchase?
If you would like to get the book it is currently available on Amazon. If you do purchase the book, it would mean a lot to me if you would also leave a review. I appreciate your support! You can find the link to the book here