This is it folks. The first book I’ve published in nearly a decade. It was a very difficult decade, thus the pause. Throughout the past ten years, I’ve survived assault, loss, and divorce…and rebuilt my life from a very dark place. During that time, reading other survivors’ stories kept me going. They helped me realize I wasn’t alone and I could make it through…so I wanted to give back to that community by sharing my own journey.

The release date is April 15, 2023. In just 9 short days!

A Painful, Healing, and Expensive Process

As a way to process the trauma and grief, I started scribbling things down and making voice recordings of my thoughts as I explored Europe and Great Britain. As my tears flowed and anger over the injustices surged, I kept notes of all the things. See? OCD is really beneficial sometimes!

Then, I abandoned the project for a few years until I had a firm foundation under my feet once again. It was interesting to experience reading all those scribblings again a few years later. Still painful to relive, but more manageable. It was even cathartic.

I hired a professional editor to help me shape all those scribblings into a cohesive narrative. We went through two global revisions together, and I found that by the end of that process, the catharsis was over and healing had taken hold.

Then, COVID-19 hit, and I abandoned the manuscript again….because we were all going to die anyway, right? … in 2022, when we obviously didn’t all die and the pandemic started to subside, I picked it back up again. Hired a professional developmental editor and went through another intense revision. Each time it was a little better.

I hired an agent to help me polish my query. Hired other writers to help me polish my submission materials (summary, blurb, bio, book proposal, etc.). Then I started sending it out to agents, giving it my all to find a traditional publisher once again; but I knew the realities of the industry going in. I had written a book about these realities a decade ago, and not much has changed. Regardless of quality, a memoir by an unknown (not a celebrity or influencer) is simply not marketable, so I’m publishing it myself. My last hurrah!

I hired a professional proofreader, cover artist, and layout artist. I hired a professional assistant to do research for reviewers. I also hired (three different) marketing managers over the past year. (Yes… the $$$$$ is really adding up by this point).

I promised myself to give it everything I had, and I did. Regardless of the outcome moving forward, I invested in myself and my story…and that’s not nothing. I’m totally worth it!

High Praise for One Reason to Live

The early reviews are excellent! I couldn’t be more pleased.

“Poignant, yet hopeful, this book will evoke many emotions in its readers. Christine’s wonderful travel stories, complete with a cast of adorable pets she takes care of, will have readers laughing, crying, and cheering.”

San Francisco Book Review

“…what makes this memoir a winner is the compelling message that when broken individuals make the decision to face their past, they begin to create a life of purpose and significance. One Reason to Live: A Memoir About Surviving Trauma is an irresistible story about surviving trauma and life-changing decisions.“

A Featured 5-Star Review on The Book Commentary

“What makes this memoir particularly compelling is Christine Rose’s ability to convey the raw emotions that come with trauma and the healing process. She does not sugarcoat the difficulties of recovery but instead offers a powerful message of hope and perseverance for anyone who has experienced trauma“

5-Star Review on Readers’ Favorite

“One Reason to Live is a fantastic read. It educates, entertains, motivates, and tugs at your heartstrings. It fills you with life in all its true colors.“

Another 5-Star Review on Readers’ Favorite

More will be coming soon, so watch this review page for new praise! (Including ones from Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly soon!) Fingers crossed they like it as much!

Here’s Where to Get It

The Kindle version is available for pre-order on Amazon. It will also be available in paperback, but Amazon doesn’t allow pre-orders for those. They should be available at the same link on or shortly after April 15th (depending how fast Amazon does their part).

If you’re a member of NetGalley, you can request a copy from there and review it! Head over and give that beautiful cover a thumbs up! (Also on NetGalley UK, for my British readers.)

There will undoubtedly be giveaways, etc., so stay tuned here (subscribe to the blog) and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads.

What’s Next for Me?

So… that’s that! One Reason to Live will likely be my last new book.

Keep watch for the Audible audiobook (available next week!), a web comic, and a 15th Anniversary Edition of Rowan of the Wood.

Reviving Rowan! (but that’s for another post)

Pre-order your copy of One Reason to Live today, and it will be delivered to your Kindle on April 15th.

Thank you for reading. May you find peace.