About the Book
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- Howard Denson, editor, State Street Review and Co-founder of North Florida Writers
- “This powerful novel of development follows Sam MacCauley through a nightmare encounter with a John Wayne Gacy-type who kidnaps and brutalizes him as a nine-year-old. With guilt and fear his constant companions, he fights for a normal life. B. Powell Clark holds no punches as she explores his nascent sexuality, marriages, and births of children—all with the Monster from his past waiting to destroy everything.”
- Philip Carlo, author of Stolen Flowers and true crime: Night Stalker
- “Powell Clark writes well and swiftly and brings to the reader the terrible truths about child abuse ... Forgiving Sam dramatically sheds light on a dark subject that has been hidden for far too long.”
- Judith Paterson, author of Sweet Mystery: A Book of Remembering
- “Forgiving Sam tells the story of a terrible wounding in childhood and the long journey toward redemption, forgiveness, and love. The riveting saga unfolds like a mystery and packs a wallop. Read the first page and you won't put it down until it is done.”
- Ferroll Sams, Jr., author of Run with the Horsemen, The Whisper of the River, When All the World Was Young
- “Any parent (or grandparent) of young children should read this horrifyingly graphic but gripping story of pederasty and its lasting and horrible effects on the victims involved. The book is engrossing despite its terrible subject matter. I found it to be a page-turner, and when I finished I felt rewarded for having followed Sam through to his eventual emancipation. Look for further works from this new author. She has great talent and has obviously done extensive research.”
- John Douglas, New York Times #1 Bestelling author of Mind Hunter and former FBI Criminal Profiler
- “Tough, unflinching fiction about an abused child growing into a tortured man, and how he eventually recovers ... Clark has captured on paper the devastating psychology of pain and the way to recovery in this horrific, yet beautiful, first novel.”
- Library Journal
- “This powerful story of guilt and redemption revolves around Sam MacCauley, Alabama roving action reporter and primetime TV news anchor. Abducted at age nine, Sam was tortured and brutally sodomized by Ralph Sommers, a man who had already raped and killed another boy. When Ralph’s wife, Deb, helps free Sam, it appears that the love of his mother and father will eventually heal his emotional wounds. Unfortunately, these wounds fester during the course of Sam’s adolescence and adulthood. Neither professional success, marriage to the woman he’s loved since her infancy, nor two gifted children can erase Sam’s nightmares and guilt. Believing that he somehow caused his own trauma, he suffers from asthma and mood swings. After many poignant crises and some answers from his therapist, family members, and Deb, Sam finally forgives himself and moves forward, although he is unable to complete the process until a final, potentially heartbreaking calamity occurs. A story of love (not a love story) that chronicles the responsibilities and benefits of that precarious emotion, this first novel by Clark, a retired nurse, is highly recommended.”
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