Sunday Oct. 20, 1-4pm Book Signing and Meet & Greet
Indigo, Place Montréal Trust, 1500 McGill College Ave.
With National Domestic Violence Awareness Month approaching in November, Montreal author Isabelle Duval shares her dark story of overcoming an abusive and dangerous relationship with a narcissist and sociopath in the transgressive thriller Inhaled. Duval finally escaped his claws; Inhaled is inspired by her experience. It takes an average of seven times for women to leave an abusive relationship; some never leave. Duval describes the disturbing psychological mechanisms that keep victims confused and paralyzed, unable to break free. Would you have been able to resist…? The author’s book signing for her intimate, debut novel is on Sun. October 20 at Indigo, Place Montréal Trust.
Inhaled is a raw and compelling story that takes the reader down a disturbing journey into depravity, showing the power some men can have over women, no matter how strong of character they may be. When Isabelle finds out her husband has been having an ongoing affair, the feeling of betrayal leads her into the arms of a mysterious man who exploits her vulnerability and abuses her mind and body. Despite his lies, manipulation, and sociopathic behavior, Isabelle is continuously reeled back in, lured by the emotional and sexual thrill of her lover.
With her marriage failing, Isabelle is quickly seduced and hypnotized by Patrick, a Nicaraguan man she meets online, but gradually begins to understand something about him is amiss. Silencing her own intuition, Isabelle falls into the arms of hope; a hope she keeps weaving into a new reality, putting her life and that of her daughter’s at risk. In this romantic psychological thriller, where sex is used both as a weapon and a cure, Isabelle exposes with great lucidity, the dangers of becoming entangled with a person whose character is poisoned. Set primarily in New England, this is the story of a woman’s struggle to seek stability where none can be found; the account of a woman’s desperate need to surrender and escape, whatever the price.
There is no ‘physical’ abuse in the book, but the psychological and sexual abuse is explicit. This fictionalized memoir draws awareness to the myriad ways women experience domestic violence. With Inhaled, the author reveals the character traits of a sociopath and narcissist, showing how they manipulate their victims, forcing the reader to realize that this could happen to any woman.
“The reader will learn that sociopaths target vulnerable and empathetic people. They will learn that mistrust can lead to abysmal despair and that victims need time to process the harsh reality they have been plunged into,” said Duval.
Inhaled couldn’t be timelier. In Canada, half of all women have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence after the age of 16. Along with National Domestic Violence Awareness month,November 25 is the UNESCO-observed International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women. Further to that, the sixteen days between November 25 and December 10, Human Rights Day, are known as the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, a time to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls around the world.
About the author –A professional coach, writer, and mother of two young adults, Isabelle Duval has always been a curious and ardent student of human behavior. She has spent the last seven years as an expatriate, both in Taiwan and the United States, returning to Canada transformed by life’s hurdles and blessings. Human interaction and the study of its intricacies remain the central focus of Isabelle’s attention and work. Holding a Master in Management Sciences degree from Montreal’s Hautes Etudes Commerciales and with certifications in both business and life coaching, Isabelle now writes from her hometown of Montreal, where she lives with her cat, James.
www.facebook.com/isabelleduvalwriter/
Fictionalized memoir/psychological thriller
Inhaled by Isabelle Duval
Author book signing and meet & greet
Sunday October 20, 1-4 pm
Indigo Bookstore, Place Montréal Trust, 1500 McGill College Ave.
Inhaled is available online on Amazon and Indigo, among others.
