Acamea Deadwiler Releases Memoir LIFE, LOVE, AND LACK THEREOF

Acamea Deadwiler's memoir, "Life, Love, and Lack Thereof: A Story of Unbreakable Bonds and Un-bondable Breaks," is a narrative of childhood perseverance offering a unique perspective on a challenging upbringing.

Deadwiler's earliest memories are the two weeks when she, at age 6, and her brother, 5, nearly starved to death as her mother suffered a mental breakdown.

Her stepfather, a Navy man, was away for extended periods, leaving Acamea alone with her brother and mother, who was convinced the outside world was out to harm the family. Deadwiler's mother kept the three shut in their home and, eventually, restricted all food for fear of poisoning.

"I often think about what I'd say if I could write a letter about childhood perseverance to my 6-year-old self," Deadwiler says. "It would begin: 'I would love to tell you not to be afraid but, actually, there is much to fear. Things will get worse, much worse, before they will get better. But, they do get better eventually. Somehow, despite every justifiable reason to be weak, you grow up to be strong. Though you will never understand, you will endure. You will be alright.'"

Deadwiler says children raised in families affected by mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence or extreme poverty, can turn the disadvantages of childhood into the strengths of adulthood. Childhood perseverance often proves to be virtues in adulthood, she says.

"Don't look at the things that happened to you as baggage," she says. "Instead, look at the admirable qualities they helped shape and focus on building those."

"When I first saw the blurb for this book, I thought it was going to be a heart-breaking story of a horrible childhood," writes Good Reads reviewer Stephanie, who gave the book five stars. "Now that I've read it, I realize that, although the childhoods of the Acamea and her brother David were truly dysfunctional, the real story is of learning who you really are; becoming stronger through all of your life's trials instead of rolling over and letting them consume you."

Amazon reviewer, Chyna, also gives Deadwiler's book five stars:
"This is a very detailed and interesting walk through the author's life. You the feel your emotions change to reflect the author's as you read ...."

Acamea Deadwiler is a journalist who has covered the WNBA and has written for several publications. She received her Master of Science in sport administration from Valparaiso University and is currently working on her Master of Arts in media and journalism from University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Deadwiler is the author of several books.

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