Orange Petals in a Storm is no ordinary read. It flooded me with memories of England, both as a reader and a mother. It brought to the surface a few scars, accumulated during my three hops across the pond. In fact, author Dr. Niamh Clune has inspired me to reflect on my impressions of the British people and those who abuse their children. How shameful that I’ve lumped the two together in my mind. I now stand corrected.

So this will be no ordinary book review. As an explanation, it was in England that I first witnessed child abuse and was told, “A heavy hand is what makes the British, British.” An enlightening quote which Clune borrows from Pink Floyd perhaps better describes certain troubled Brits:

“Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.”

Child abuse, as we all know, isn’t exclusive to any region. What Clune so powerfully spotlights is the generational epidemic of child abuse, cycling ever onward. Interestingly, the wallop in Orange Petals isn’t physical, but rather metaphysical. Inward. Other-wordly. Through Clune, we see a young girl escape through a series of events that are possible only through a belief that humans are spiritual beings. Taste the delicious prose:

“She had done as water did
by simply moving around the obstacle . . .”

It is as though Clune wrote Orange Petals just for me. She has corrected some of my prejudices. I can’t help but wrap a personal narrative around a story that still permeates my brain and won’t let go. Perhaps “haunting” is an apt description of her work, compelling me to weave a few clumsy threads into the beautifully painful and noble tapestry she shares with the world.

It was during my second trip to England (my three-year-old daughter stayed state-side with my parents) that I witnessed a mother beat her toddler, younger than my Emily, in his stroller. Both her children caught plenty of smacks, whacks, and a few pinches. It was chilly and the children did not wear coats. It was late, and the children had not napped. I looked around and saw similar family scenes. “Oh my God,” I wondered, “What is wrong with these people?” My prejudice began to gel: The British are awful parents and abuse is part of their culture.

Now, twelve years later, I read Orange Petals. Interestingly, the tale of Skyla reversed my hasty generalization. After finishing Clune’s artfully crafted masterpiece I realized that bad parenting in England is no different than bad parenting elsewhere. Abuse is often passed down not out of spite, but out of a misplaced tribute to parents made by abused children in adult bodies. To a wounded heart, warped love is still a form of . . . love. Clune has shown me that 30-year-olds who hurt their own children are, deep down, just boys and girls who were once victimized . . . unable or unwilling to break the familiar, painful tie that connects them to their formative years. This is no excuse. However, it is an explanation – a light into the mind of an abuser. This calamity is addressed so eloquently, giving us hope.

Thanks to a pure and brilliant message, I now have a new, favorite color:

“Orange brings hope instead of despair, courage instead of fear, joy instead of sadness. The mystery of colour, marvellous isn’t it? Marvellous!”

I count it as a blessing, as well, to have a new, favorite set of books in my future. Yes, the Skyla McFee series will go on.

Lessons from Orange Petals in a Storm: It is the spiritual that mends. It is through strength of spirit that children can overcome. It is those miraculous “strings” in a soul’s journey that lead grown-ups to heal. More about those “strings” in the book . . . you owe it to yourself to follow up!

You’ll love the Clarice chapter. And later comes a magic scene as Skyla’s mystic powers flow. The results were all that I, as a reader, had hoped for: Jez’ father says, “Lad, you’ve always been the keeper of my heart.” Oh my. Grab the tissues!

Read the e-book to fully grasp this and other break through moments. Perhaps the orange petals so wondrously floating through the pages will quiet your storm, as they have mine.

Recommended reviews:

Love a Happy Ending
Betty Dravis
Good Reads
Collette Scott
Indie Snippets

More on my gracious, generous friend, Dr. Niamh Clune, via Amazon. You can find the stunning trailer of Orange Petals in a Storm on Facebook. I would like readers to know that Clune holds a special place in the heart of emerging authors, all of whom she encourages as a member of Author Central. Her Amrita Publishing is a not-for-profit Internet Coalition of Bloggers, Writers and Facebook Groups to assist authors in promoting their releases and raising their profile. Amrita publishes the proudest moments of indie publishing.

Niamh was born in Dublin in 1952. She was one of eight children. During the 1970′s she was a singer/songwriter in London and was, at the same time, deeply involved in London’s spiritual development movement. In 2002, she earned a PhD from Surrey University, UK, in “Acquiring Wisdom through the Imagination.”

She has been described as a polymath! She is a writer, teacher, spiritual psychologist, award-winning social entrepreneur, environmental campaigner and award-winning writer of songs.

Niamh has lived and worked in Africa for Oxfam, UNICEF and World Food Programme, which she describes as one of the defining moments in her life. She is the author of The Coming of the Feminine Christ. Her latest publication, Orange Petals in a Storm, is the first in the Skyla McFee series.

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