This novel, the sequel to 'One Small Word - Surviving childhood abuse', journeys with Frankie as she continues to battle against abuse.
It opens when Frankie, now a qualified social worker, hears about her father's death but cannot bring herself to attend the funeral of the man who had abused her until she told him "No" at the age of fourteen. Shortly after his death, Frankie's husband, Alex, has a large stroke. He is the man of her dreams, and confronting the end of the Alex she knew conjures angry memories of her father's betrayal. Frankie finds solace in Gavin, a work colleague, while caring for post-stroke Alex. But life deteriorates further when Frankie and Gavin's manager begins a bullying campaign against them and three other team members. She, Gavin, and their three colleagues support each other as they lodge a formal complaint against their bullying boss. But things get worse, so Frankie finds a new job and flat, which relieves some of her stress. However, the complaint against her former boss, who still harasses her, continues while she is settling into her new job.
Shortly after Frankie is elected to the position of Chair of her local parish council, Alex is at the point of death, and the opposition councillors, recognizing Frankie's vulnerability, join in the bullying for political gain. She realizes that without Gavin to support her, life would be intolerable.
As a survivor of abuse, Frankie knows she's susceptible to victimhood. With many cliff-hanger chapter endings, the plot sustains suspense about the bullies' next moves and how Frankie defends herself against them. This focus on bullying keeps the writing cantered on feelings and relationships, and the small cast of Frankie, people who bully her, and people who support her efforts against bullies, creates a closed and threatening ambiance.
Eventually, Frankie quits paid employment and sets up her own safeguarding consultancy, enjoying her independence and making a real difference to people who, like her, have experienced abuse.
The ending of Frankie's story is positive and uplifting. The "No" that determined Frankie's life trajectory turns into a "Yes" to life-affirming practices and people, the most important positive effect being that each negative experience had made her into the strong woman she is today.
Eveleigh, Gloria: - "Gloria Eveleigh was born just two years after the end of World War II. The middle child of three children; Gloria remembers how difficult it was for her parents to afford to feed and clothe their family at a time when food rationing was still in place. She did well at school and went on to become a research metallurgist. After several years she moved into social care, managed a day centre for older people, gained qualifications in management and social work, and then set up and coordinated the first multi-agency safeguarding framework. She spent the last few years of her career running her own successful safeguarding consultancy. During those years, Gloria enjoyed bringing up her three children, who have since grown up and had children of their own. When Gloria retired in 2015, she began to write, illustrate, and publish phonics-focused picture storybooks for small children. Each story is based on one sound. She has written 42 books covering the 42 phonics sounds that children must learn to be able to read fluently. Her aim was to make learning to read fun. Gloria then moved on to writing novels. She began with her multi-award-winning autobiographical novel, 'One Small Word - Surviving childhood abuse' which was published in December 2018, and followed this up with 'No - sequel to One Small Word' published in April 2020. By January 2023, she had written and published her historical fiction novels entitled, 'Shattered Pieces Can Still Shine - Georgie's story', and 'The Price of Worthlessness - Petra's story', both of which won several awards and attracted numerous positive reviews. She is currently writing a new novel, which should be published at the end of 2023. All Gloria's books focus on the issue of abuse. She also posts extensively on social media to keep this issue high on the public agenda. As an abuse survivor herself, she knows about the stigma attached to disclosure, which in effect protects the abuser. She wants to break down this invisible wall so that abusers no longer have a place to hide. As a Christian, Gloria knows that the biggest help in recovering from abuse comes from God for whom everything is possible."
