Todd’s Review of When Smiles Fade by Paige Dearth

Back in November I had the opportunity to review Paige Dearth’s first novel, Believe Like a Child.  Later, she gracefully agreed to an interview with me, which you can read here.  Now, after some great anticipation, I’ve gotten to read her latest book, When Smiles Fade.  Taking place during roughly the same time as her first book, When Smiles Fade follows a young girl named Emma as she attempts to make her way through a tough childhood in Pennsylvania.

Emma and her sister, Gracie, have grown up in an extremely oppressive household.  Their father, Piper, is a drunk that takes out his anger on the two of them, with Emma bearing the brunt of the assault in order to protect Gracie, who is younger and far more delicate than Emma.  Despite Emma’s attempts to limit the abuse to herself only, one day Piper beats Gracie and leaves her to die in the basement of their home.  That’s when Emma decides to do something to stop these abuses, but sadly it is not enough to stem the flow of abuse that she suffers from others during her life.  She and Gracie eventually are able to run away and begin a new life on the streets of Philadelphia, meeting others along the way that aid them and help them to survive.  Emma begins dancing at the same club that Alessa did in Believe Like a Child, and their stories overlap briefly.  Just like Alessa, Emma is struggling to survive with the cards dealt to her, and is able to find a strength that she didn’t know existed deep within her.  Will she and Gracie be able to find a new life outside of the abuses they both share?

When I began to read When Smiles Fade, I immediately noticed a lot of parallels to Believe Like a Child, in that a child/teen is abused in a shocking manner and must fight for survival in a very difficult environment.  While Believe Like a Child outlined Alessa’s story and touched on Alessa’s life as a dancer and prostitute, When Smiles Fade painted a broader picture of what life on the streets was like for Gracie and Emma.  Emma is a strong character, and uses her strength to protect herself and her sister, even if it means committing grave crimes in order to do so.  This brought up the question as to the legality of the choices that Emma makes in order to save herself and her sister.  On one hand they are subjected to brutal attacks that leave them incredibly battered, but there is also an element of premeditation to Emma’s crimes in order to remove the sources of abuse in her life altogether.  Although they may have not been legal, they were most certainly morally right in my opinion, as the suffering both girls had endured because of these people was too great to ignore.

Besides these darker parts, this book has brighter spots, such as when Gracie and Emma meet another homeless teen named Sydney who helps them find shelter and a sense of belonging with her group of friends.  Sydney is a great representation of all the good that people can do to help others when they truly have nothing left.  It should be everyone’s goal to be more like Sydney and realize that even though someone is without a place to stay, they are still entitled to just as many rights and basic human needs just like all of us.  In short, Dearth’s book is a great continuation of her look into the life of those who are abused and neglected.  It is a great wake up call for all of us to help those in need, so go volunteer your time and help those who are less fortunate than you.

4 out of 5 stars

When Smiles Fade by Paige Dearth
CreateSpace (2013)
Paperback: 470 pages
ISBN: 9781475096927

Special thanks to Paige Dearth for my review copy!

An Interview with Paige Dearth: Author of Believe Like a Child

Hi everyone!  As you may remember, a little while ago I reviewed a book entitled Believe Like a Child by Paige Dearth (review link is here).  Paige has graciously agreed to an interview about the book and being an author in general.  At the end of the interview she’s provided information about her upcoming work, When Smiles Fade, which comes out in February.  Be sure to look out for it!

Again, many thanks to Paige for participating in the interview.  Here it is:

What made you decide to write this work in the first place?  Did you originally set out to write a character like Alessa?

The reason behind writing Believe Like A Child was my desire for people to understand the darkness children are forced to live when they are being sexually abused.  It’s difficult for anyone to imagine that an adult can do such horrible things to children.  But they do and it happens more than we care to believe.  I wrote this book as fiction so that I could weave a story of real-life and make-believe in an effort to convey an important message while entertaining readers.

Before I put a single word on paper I knew how I wanted to portray Alessa.  She was after all, the most important character to me.  Alessa, like so many abused children possessed an inner strength that just needed some encouragement to help her reach her potential.  I worked hard on Alessa to strike the right balance in making her a victim and a survivor.  Years before I actually wrote this novel, I envisioned Alessa exactly how I depicted her.  The response from readers about Alessa has been heartwarming for me.

Throughout the book there are many moments of despair that Alessa faces, yet there are also occasional moments of hope.  Were Alessa’s experiences (good and bad) modeled after your own?

The first part of the novel, at the point where Alessa runs away from her home, were based on my own experiences.  For the remainder of the story, I took the feelings that I had experienced throughout my life and created situations for the protagonist that would evoke those same emotions in my readers.  So, you could say that I backed into the scenes of despair and hope based on the emotional response that I wanted to get across.  I should also mention that Ebby, Lucy and Remo are exaggerated versions of real people who saved me from what could have been a horrible fate.  Today, the three of them remain as pillars of strength in my life.

Besides Alessa, who did you think was the most interesting character to write?

The cameo appearance by Denise, the Rope Bully, was especially interesting for me.  As children and adults, there are people who come into our lives that prejudge us.  Denise believed that Alessa’s life was perfect because she didn’t show her miserable existence outwardly.  There is a character like Denise in just about everyone’s life.  Some of us knew him/her as a kid and some of us knew him/her from the workplace when we became adults.  Denise was so busy trying to establish her status and importance, making herself feel powerful, that she alienated everyone and had no one who really cared about her.  People associated with her out of fear rather than respect, which says little for the character of that person.  Denise represented the intolerance and lack of self-awareness that is needed to embrace humanity and is a character that most of us knew at one time or another.

How did you decide to end the book in the way you did?  Was it because you wanted to convey a sense of realism as to how the stories of many people like Alessa end?

The ending of the book was purely cathartic for me.  Alessa’s actions were based on her emotions that she no longer had control over.  She finally reached her limit and did the only thing she could do to fight the demons that had been such a significant part of her life.

What’s your favorite part about writing?

When I’m writing my stories and they begin to play like a movie in my head, but one where I can make happen what I desire.  When I write, all time stands still and I get to live moments of heartache and joy as the scenes unfold.  There were times when I was writing Believe Like A Child and I was laughing out loud or typing the words through gut wrenching sobs.  There is no greater joy than being submerged in a sea of words and stringing them together to create a story that gives rise to a deep emotional connection in readers.

What made you decide to become a writer?  Are you inspired by any other authors?

Even at a young age I kept a journal.  Honestly, I love to write…it doesn’t matter if it’s a grocery list, addressing cards or developing a novel.  Writing feels natural to me.  I really believe that I have stories in me that people will want to read.  I love to keep readers on the edge of their seat and wanting to know what will happen next.  When a reader tells me how much they loved my book I feel as though I’ve shared a piece of myself with them.

I’m inspired by several authors…the first book I ever read, A Woman Of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford, is my favorite book of all time.  Maybe it’s because it was the first novel I had read but, I think it’s more likely because the protagonist of the story was able to rise above her dismal circumstances and humble beginnings.

Another author that deserves a huge shout out is James Patterson.  Having read many of his novels I think he is clever and engaging.  In an interview with the New York Times, on January 20, 2010, Patterson said something that resonated with me: “If you want to write for yourself, get a diary. If you want to write for a few friends, get a blog. But if you want to write for a lot of people, think about them a little bit. What do they like? What are their needs? A lot of people in this country go through their days numb. They need to be entertained. They need to feel something.”

I agree with James Patterson and am inspired to make people “feel” something when they read my novels.

Do you have any new works planned for the future?

Definitely!  My second novel, When Smiles Fade, will be released in early February 2013.  This novel is about a young girl named Emma who was unloved from the moment she was born.  Her earliest memory is being severely beaten by her father, Pepper Murphy, when she was eight-years-old.

Emma’s father’s cold-blooded beatings and the ultimate abuse to which he subjects her, lays the foundation of the person she becomes. As she matures into a resourceful teenager, she is unwilling and unable to stifle her desire for revenge.

In addition to my second book, I have just finished the outline of my third novel.  I have a book title in mind, but it’s still too early to know for sure.  My third book is about a young child who is kidnapped from a mall and forced into human trafficking…that’s all I can share…for now…

Please check out my website at www.paigedearth.com to read the beginnings of Believe Like A Child and When Smiles Fade.

Todd’s Review of Believe Like a Child by Paige Dearth

When I agreed to review Believe Like a Chile by Paige Dearth, I knew I was in for a bit of a tough story.  Just the synopsis of the book, which is in some ways like Ms. Dearth’s own background, as she explained in her email, was bracing and eye-opening.  The subject of child abuse and pedophilia are very tough subjects, but it was Dearth’s candor in talking about these subjects in her email that definitely caught my attention.  I decided then and there that this story needed a wider audience, as its message is very important.  So, albeit in a small way, I decided to review this book and promote it as best I could here on the blog.  So, here it is.

Dearth begins her book with a young girl named Alessa.  Alessa’s home life leaves a lot to be desired, with a mother that constantly berates her over her appearance (she is paler and lankier than her siblings) and her demeanor.  Although she does nothing to deserve it, Alessa is beaten by her mother with a wooden spoon.  This changes, however, when her Uncle Danny moves in with the family.  Although her earlier memories of the man are pleasant and fun, Uncle Danny becomes a very different person when he begins to live with Alessa.  At night he begins to psychologically manipulate and rape her, which continues for years unchecked.  Once, Alessa gathered the courage to tell her mother, but she was met with a barrage of insults and comments that she was a liar.  Eventually, Alessa befriends a schoolmate and is able to escape Uncle Danny more often, only to end up in a situation where she must leave her home due to something that occurs with this schoolmate (I won’t give too much away).  She flees to North Philadelphia with a train ticket and $2,000 in cash, and is able to secure a dingy apartment and a job at a discount store.  She soon befriends a woman named Tasha, who eventually introduces her to her brother, Harlin.  Harlin is a drug dealer and is known for his violence and protection he provides to those he deems worthy in North Philadelphia.  Although she is initially scared of Harlin, Alessa eventually begins to befriend him, and even thinks she may like him.  This all changes, however, when things again spiral out of control for Alessa and she is forced to flee again to save her own life.  What will become of her?  Will she ever be able to escape her demons?

So, with that short synopsis, you can see why this book is definitely an intense read.  What struck me most about Dearth’s writing style is that she pulled no punches, nor elaborated on any detail too profusely.  It read like a detached third person narrative, explaining the facts and nothing more in the worst sections of Alessa’s life, then providing a short section on how Alessa felt and how hopeless she felt after the repeated abuses.  It was definitely interesting, as it was in no way influencing the reader to feel a particular way, or encouraging him/her to feel bad for Alessa.  Obviously, I felt extremely bad for her, and in a way I think the bracing format that described everything exactly as it happened is a good way to go about telling these kinds of stories.  We’re often confronted with tales of sexual assault (e.g. Sandusky trial), yet often we talk about it in abstract ways, never actually describing the horrors the abused must endure.  By specifically stating what happens, Dearth is plainly laying out the facts and forcing us to deal with the gravity of the situation.  I applaud her for doing this, as it will start a dialogue that hopefully will end with better protection of young people from pedophiles and ensure that these crimes never happen again.  Until we really face this problem head on, instead of pretending it isn’t happening (e.g. Catholic Church scandals, Boy Scouts), we can’t adequately treat it.  I’m glad that Dearth was able to write this, as I believe it probably helped her heal as much as it helped me realize that these crimes aren’t something we can ignore.  So, if you aren’t moved enough to already do so, pick up a copy of this book and read it.  The help that Alessa eventually receives is enough to restore your faith in humanity.

5 out of 5 Stars

Believe Like a Child by Paige Dearth
CreateSpace (2011)
Paperback: 424 pages
ISBN: 9781461105671

Special thanks to Ms. Dearth for my review copy!