New author from Wolverhampton finds comfort in writing
Care worker Aurea Reis has written a book, entitled Healing Letters, about controversial subjects which she hopes will help start conversations.
Mother-of-one Aurea, aged 39, was made redundant from work in the tourism industry last July and decided to take a job as a care worker.
Born in Angola and growing up in Portugal, Aurea came to the UK in 2008 to take up work opportunities and studied for a degree in Tourism Management at University College Birmingham.
She said her book was essentially a diary of some of her traumatic experiences and that it was her therapist who first recommended that she write letters and these turned into her memoir. The book touches on complex subjects such as child neglect, experience of narcissistic relationships and unhealthy family cycles and dynamics.
Aurea, who lives in Wolverhampton, said: "I went into an emotional roller-coaster to write the book with nothing sacred and all secrets, hurt and pain put on display.
"Writing has served as a therapeutic process and I believe there is a story for everyone to relate to or which perhaps will help others of help them identify dangers.
"We all have different relationships in our lives with family, friends and at work but do we really see them and do they see us.
"Having been through so many trials, tribulations and turbulance I now need to move forward but to do this I needed to relase it all. Healing Letters is about everything I am today."
She now hopes to continue her writing career. Aurea said that through the book, which also deals with racism and post-partum depression and HIV, that people will have conversations about the complex subjects she discusses.
Her book is published by Marcia M Publishing House.
