The Svengali in My Bed: A True Story

Psychological thriller
 
Family secrets, incest, and unreported abusive relationships are all too common. They alter a girl's image of herself and make reaching her potential an even greater challenge. Every story shared is vital to shifting attitudes toward a healthier society and culture, worldwide. This is one story.
 
"Harrowing cautionary tale...ably urges those in similar situations to heed warning signs. An inspiring tale of how one woman's beliefs enabled her to escape severe dysfunction." --Kirkus Reviews
 
"Riveting... Pinpoints exactly where the breaking points are... A process rarely presented in such specific detail." --D. Donovan,  Midwest Book Review
 
"Captivating... A great job of portraying the relentless force and intensity of his character... A lot of women with a history of abuse could benefit from reading about her struggle." --L. Michael Lawn, Licensed Professional Counselor
 
"Compelling and it keeps your interest and curiosity throughout. It will help others."  --Barbara Munson, author and professional writer
 
Heart-broken from a breakup with a really great guy, Charol finds herself trapped in a toxic relationship with a verbally abusive and menacing alcoholic borderline-narcissist. They meet for her to ghostwrite his true-crime exposé about a serial killer. She first sees this handsome man with movie-star good looks as the seeker of justice he believes himself to be, and they quickly begin a torrid affair. Seduced by her romantic notions and compelling sexual attraction to this exotic Greek American, it isn't until day two after an electric night of sex that Charol sees the Manson mania in Joey's wild black eyes--and discovers his dark intentions. By then, it is too late. He is in her house, and he will not leave. He insinuates himself into her life--body and soul--and makes her home his own. She spends the next year continuously demanding that he leave her alone, through countless explosive confrontations as she attempts to fend off his relentless browbeating and machinations--but he keeps showing up at her door, in the middle of the night, drunk. He threatens to take a baseball bat to her dog if she doesn't write his book. He leans in and hisses, "If you try to back out of this, I'll be your worst nightmare." He smacks his fist in front of her face and she feels herself going numb. Vulnerable, she just lets him in. Throughout the months--despite the "hook" that she feels to him, an apparent effect of unreported childhood incest and being sent away from home at age eleven to live with her daddy's mother, who places the blame on her--Charol is sustained by her deep spirituality and strong friendships and, at last, finds the inner strength to defy Joey, once and for all.
 
See Prologue, Chapter One, and full reviews at OFFICIAL WEBSITE Charol Messenger.