Pittsburgh Author Releases Memoir in U.S.

Pittsburgh, PA, June 18, 2017 --(PR.com)-- The memoir, "Tiger in the Dark" by Pittsburgh author Marisette Edwards-van Linden van den Heuvell, previously only available through European distributors or online, will be available through United States distributors in July, 2017.

The first draft of this deeply personal story of facing illness and grief lay dormant in a drawer for decades until the author finally felt ready to confront its contents in late 2015. London publisher, Austin Macauley released the book in Europe on November 30, 2016.

The book starts with the author’s statement, “The year 1985 is drawing to a close. I am 25 and pregnant with my first child, and something just feels wrong.” That something turns out to be a rare cancer, synovial cell sarcoma, which throws Marisette into a maelstrom of agonizing decisions and treatments during a time that should be focused on happy expectancy. The reader experiences the raw emotions with the author as she struggles to make her way through first the illness, and then the wrenching death of her beloved baby daughter from an unrelated infection on the day of her birth. The inner strength and tranquility Marisette manages to find offer inspiration to others experiencing similar trials.

According to the author, “In getting this book ready for publication decades after the events took place, I was struck by the lack of progress our society has made in providing a safety net for people encountering a sudden illness. Sadly, we seem to be coming full circle to the prevailing notion that people who take care of themselves don’t need to worry about health insurance or the cost of health care. The sudden onset of a life-threatening illness in the prime of life described in this book proves otherwise. Devastating illness and the fear of losing a job only to be disqualified for insurance due to a pre-existing condition is just as terrifying today as it was back then. I hope this story serves as an illustration to our elected representatives that bad things happen to innocent people who deserve society’s support and sympathy instead of patronizing demands to pull their own weight at the lowest time in their lives. I was truly fortunate to happen to have a job that provided health insurance, and a doctor who ensured I got quality care, at the time that it happened to me.”

For more information about "Tiger in the Dark," call Marisette Edwards at 412-352-4661, email marisette@linden-heuvell.com, or visit the website at www.linden-heuvell.com.