Description
Foreign rights were sold to Poland, published in 2013When Annabelle Storm’s husband dies unexpectedly, she tears up a letter he wrote alerting their daughter Lily of Annabelle’s diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Annabelle knows what she must do next. She has to find and destroy the contents of a red box where she once hid her darkest childhood memories before Lily can discover it. Her relationship with her daughter is far too fractured to withstand the discovery of Annabelle’s grim history. As Annabelle’s chaotic search for the box seems more hopeless, she becomes fierce in her determination but finds she is powerless to stop the layers of her memory from being stripped away by her illness.
Months later when Lily comes across the box, she is shocked and transformed by the truth it reveals about her erratic mother. It is in Annabelle’s rare moments of childlike clarity that the two women are finally able to bridge the icy gap between them, laying unbearable memories to rest.
When Color Fades is a stirring look into the anatomy of memory loss and the frailty of misconstrued relationships. It untangles hard truth with gentle irony. It explores a mother and daughter’s turbulent pursuit of closure.
“A fascinating read…When Color Fades captures interpersonal dysfunction as it changes with the progression of dementia…A surprising resolution.”
—Dr. Richard Tallman, neurologist
“A powerful book…escapism laced with strength and compassion. CJ Clark realistically captures the conflicted emotions that families face as they come to terms with the fading of a vibrant, strong personality.”
—Ann Bell, author and President of the Texas Hill Country Book Festival
“When Color Fades tells the tale of Annabelle, a woman who with the loss of her husband and the fading of her own mind from Alzheimer’s, is in a race to protect the already fractured relationship with her own daughter…When Color Fades is a touching read that is very much worth considering for literary fiction collections.”
A few of the comments from Amazon’s Site—all FIVE STARS:
“I would give this book a hundred stars, if that were possible.”
—John J. Einwich
“…Truly the best, most interesting, gripping book I have read in a long time, and at the same time it’s so understanding and empathetic to families effected by Alzheimer’s and dementia. I love this novel so much.”
—Julie Wall
“I recommend this novel to anyone who has a loved one with Alzheimer’s. I wept, cried, and even laughed at times throughout the book. A must read.”
—Reverend Daniel W. Blair
“I enjoyed the mystery…I loved the discovery that resonates a mother’s love. For all the doubts I had about reading a book of this genre, they have disappeared thanks to CJ Clark’s delicate and profound handling of the subject. A wonderful author!”
—Carol J. Baldwin
“When Color Fades shows human beings at their worst and their best, contrasting how we sometimes treat those closest to us versus complete strangers…Recommended reading. You won’t want to put it down.”
—Kelley Saveika
CJ Clark is a writer/author and an exhibiting artist-illustrator. When Color Fades is her second book. Her first novel, Permanence of Waves, is also available through Langmarc.
Please visit C.J. Clark’s website www.cjclarkartist.com.
