Denise Anderson hopes sharing her experiences about divorce in a small town can help people enduring a similar situation.
Anderson, a former Carlyle resident who now lives in Regina and works as a life coach, has released Small Town Divorce: A Road Map through Devastation, Despair and Drama. The book was available for download through amazon.ca on June 5.
A hard-copy version of her story will be available a short time after its release on Amazon. The publisher has yet to be determined.
“I just felt that by sharing my story and my experiences, I can help other people navigate their own way through a divorce,” said Anderson.
Going through a divorce is a challenging time, but it’s made even more difficult when it happens in a smaller community where everybody knows everybody and their personal situation.
“I just thought it was an important factor to talk about, and to address that dynamic when you’re going through a divorce,” said Anderson.
At times people going through a divorce can feel like a fish out of water and gasping for air, she said, and they want clarity in times of uncertainty.
“The book is like a road map, kind of helping people to navigate their way down that road of divorce, whether they’re in the throes of it now or even being out of it for a little while, I find that people are still having a difficult time dealing with the emotional roller coaster that comes with going through a divorce.”
While the book talks about living in a small town when a marriage is falling apart, it can be directed to anyone experiencing a divorce. Someone might live in a big city, but they will still be part of a small community, such as a suburb, an apartment building or a sports team.
Anderson also draws on the experiences of other people she has encountered over the past 12 years when writing the book.
“I do use examples of other people I have worked with and their experiences as well, and how they were able to work through that process,” she said.
When people read the book, she wants them to know that it will get better.
“Going through a challenging experience like this can be overwhelming, so I would hope they would know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s not always going to be like this,” she said. “Reaching out for that extra support or tools or techniques to help navigate their way through it would actually create more grace and ease through their experience.”
Anderson started working on the book early this year. Her father had been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, and in the final period of his life, Anderson asked him if there was anything he hadn’t done. He wished he had written a book.
“I made a promise to him that I would write at least one book before I passed away, or I was on my death bed,” she said.
As for the reading in Bienfait, Anderson said it was a good event despite only a handful of people turning out. But she is always willing to talk about her experiences no matter the size of the audience.
A friend in the Bienfait area saw on Facebook that Anderson was releasing a book and was willing to participate in author readings to talk about her experiences.
Similar events have been held in Montmartre on Mother’s Day, and she has another reading booked for Regina on June 26.
Anderson has already started working on a follow-up book for Small Town Divorce. She doesn’t know if it will materialize as quickly as her debut release, but it won’t be too long before it is out.
And she’s also willing to provide a free copy of the book if they request it on her website at www.deniseanderson.net.
