Product Description

An eagerly awaited collection of stories dealing with domestic abuse, edited by the New York Times bestselling author Zane.

Breaking the Cycle is a stunning and moving anthology of stories, each of which focuses on an aspect of domestic abuse. This powerful collection is sure to serve as a wake-up call for people either dealing with a domestic abuse situation, or those watching someone else endure it.

In the title story, Zane describes the turmoil that a young girl suffers at the hands of her stepfather. The girl and her mother plan their escape, but at the last minute the mother falters. In D.V. Bernard's "The Lonely Echoes of My Youth," readers are introduced to a young boy raising himself on the fringes of a drug-infested neigborhood. Nane Quartay's provocative story, "The Grindstone," describes a boy who witnesses a brutal murder which will have far-reaching effects on him and his family. Tracy Price-Thompson weaves a powerful tale in "The Stranger" when a woman constantly abused by her husband finds inner strength after a brutal attack. Collen Dixon's "The Break of Dawn" will keep readers deep in thought long after they finish reading her story about a young desperate mother terrifed that her own daughter will grow up and become victimized herself. Dywane D. Birch's "Victory Begins With Me" reflects how one woman has to struggle to get her life back to normal. Shonda Cheekes' "Silent Suffering" flips the script when a man finds himself abused by the female in his life. Newcomer J.L. Woodson's "God Does Answer Prayers" deals with a young boy fighting for his life in a hospital bed, put there by one of the people who is supposed to love him the most: a parent.

These stories capture the dangerous realities of domestic abuse, while also pointing toward the steps that need to be taken to break the cycle that perpetuates it. It is sure to serve as a rallying cry for all those who desire victory over their own victimization, and a guide for understanding the complex undercurrents that make such patterns possible.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #322605 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781593090210
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
Zane is the author of Addicted, The Sex Chronicles, Gettin' Buck Wild, The Heat Seekers, The Sisters of APF, Shame on It All, Nervous, Skyscraper, Afterburn, and Love Is Never Painless and is also the editor of Chocolate Flava and Caramel Flava. She is the publisher of Strebor Books, an imprint of Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, and lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her family. Visit her website at

www.eroticanoir.com.

Customer Reviews

Helping to Break the Cycle

Breaking the Cycle is an anthology that introduces some and reminds others of the darker side of life; domestic abuse.

In this anthology there are eight stories that give a different spin on the subject of abuse. In the title story, penned by Zane, a young girl persuades her mother to leave an abusive man but things don't go as planned; J.L Woodson's "God Answers Prayer" deals with a young boy fighting for his life in the hospital after being placed there by a parent, and the recognition of abused men by Shonda Cheekes in "Silent Suffering" was a much needed perspective. However,out of the eight,there were three stories that had a greater impact on this reader. "The Grindstone" by Nane Quartay, in which a young boy witnesses a particularly gruesome murder and has no idea of how it will affect his life, "The Break of Dawn" by Collen Dixon which has an unforeseen twist that gave this reader pause and "The Stranger" by Tracy Thompson-Price who gives us a total new look at a victim's breaking point. These three stories were written in such a way they were very compelling.

Zane has done an outstanding job choosing these powerful stories to show this subject matter from different perspectives. Some stories were tame in descriptions but heavy on internal struggle of the victims and others were written so vividly that you could feel the blows of the abuse. Also the inclusion of domestic abuse resources in all fifty states gives a person an idea of where to start if they could in any way relate to these stories.

Although this is not a book that you can sit and devour in one sitting (because of the subject matter) it is indeed a powerful read.

Kotanya
APOOO BookClub

Heart Breaking Stories
Zane has explored a different genre for her writing by using the topic of domestically abused children and spouses (both male and female). The book is a collection of stories that enlightens readers to the tragedies, persecutions and dilemnas that are produced from family abuse. As far as voices of the abused victims, no stone was left unturned. It was nice to have a change from Zane. A plus: Zane lists a Domestic Violence Directory for victims to seek refuge and escape the threatening environment in the back of her book. The book was well thought out and put together.

Insightfully Thought Provoking
Zane out did herself with this one! I applaud these very talented authors for educating us on the underlyings of physical, emotional, mental draining abuse. "The Break of Dawn" & "Silent Suffering" will forever be etched in my mind as their deliverance was the most powerful for me. This is not to say the other authors didn't do a fantastic job. Although, I couldn't quite wrap my mind around to complete the story where and what D. V. Bernard was getting at with "The Lonely Echoes of My Youth". To sum it up, we need to commit to BREAKING THE CYCLE! Whether you see this pattern in yourself, a friend or love one, take initiative and present them/yourself with this book that offers many resources (THANK YOU ZANE)and in depth insight as to WHO, WHY AND WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKING TO REGAIN A FULFILLING, PURPOSEFUL LIFE.