Presenting 'A Brief Madness' from Linden House Publishing
Online, August 23, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Linden House Publishing is introducing Karisha Kal'ee'ay's second novel, A Brief Madness, which solidifies this young writer's reputation as the voice of the disenfranchised. At the center of this thought-provoking work is serial murder Richard Earle Dayle. With the discovery of his crimes, his family is faced with a mystery: How could this be the man they all loved?
As Richard's mother, daughter, wife, and ex-wife seek answers to this question, Karisha Kal'ee'ay illuminates their guilt, shame, and anger. Although the unfolding psychological and emotional drama reveals them as the victims they truly are, their laughter and affection transform a shared bereavement into an unbreakable bond.
Searching for sympathy in a grief support group, Richard's widow Ember finds herself viewed with morbid fascination and suspicion. After all, is it really safe to befriend the wife of a serial killer? In time she grows close to a mourning transsexual whose circumstances are even more tragic than her own. As this relationship progresses, its surprising repercussions lead these unusual survivors through a remarkable evolution.
Living in a small town in rural Georgia has always made Frances feel isolated, but after her son's crimes are uncovered she becomes an outcast. Perhaps it's time to sell her home, the place where her son grew up, but first she feels it necessary to gather with those Richard left behind in the hope that they can help each other understand what drove him to kill.
Attempting to manage her own sorrow, Richard's teenage daughter Bridgett sets out to document the stories of his victims. This project brings together a curious cast of characters that will force Richard's family to confront the dark, hidden history of the man they thought they knew. When a murderer takes a victim, anguish and misery are predictable, but when he is exposed, it is the death of his facade that his loved ones must cope with. A Brief Madness is a fresh exploration into the aftermath of a serial killer's violence, as seen from the perspective of the murderer's own family.
Karisha Kal'ee'ay's first novel, Waiting to Know You, received high praise from critics such as the Midwest Book Review which said: "Kal'ee'ay gives voice to the marginalized with unapologetic depictions of her characters' desires. A thought-provoking writer . . . she gives the reader a truly emotional journey full of smiles, laughs, and tears. After reading Waiting to Know You, I don't think anyone will be able to view society or its assumed norms with quite the same level of indifference."
A Brief Madness will be available for purchase on August 22, 2011. Books from Linden House Publishing are available through the Ingram Book Company distribution network and can be ordered through local bookstores and major chain stores. Kindle ebooks are available from Amazon.