Kelly Sokol discusses her debut novel The Unprotected

Wednesday 5/3, 7pm:
Kelly Sokol discusses her debut novel The Unprotected

A compelling debut novel exploring postpartum depression—for readers of suspenseful women’s fiction and fans of Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk About Kevin.

They say motherhood changes you.

As a driven advertising executive, Lara James has always put her career before any plans for a family, preferring professional chic to stay-at-home style. But after her father’s death, she realizes she’s ready. More than ready, in fact. Yet pregnancy—something other women seem to accomplish effortlessly, even accidentally—doesn’t come easily to Lara. What began as an adventure quickly becomes a nightmare as she and her husband endure endless IVF treatments, hormone therapy, and devastating miscarriages.

When Lara at last becomes pregnant and gives birth to a daughter, Auden, she believes their determination has paid off. But Auden cries day and night, ear-shattering screams that strip Lara of her nerves and energy. Her life as a sleep-deprived new mother is unrelenting, and, guiltily, Lara can’t help but mourn for what she once had. With her marriage crumbling, Lara is increasingly driven to alarming thoughts and destructive actions she would never have imagined possible before now. Hanging on by a thread, it’s only in her darkest moment that Lara will discover the true depths of her love and devotion—and what she’s willing to face for the family she’s so desperately sought.

At times disturbing, The Unprotected is a bold, unflinching novel for anyone who’s ever wanted children—and wondered what they might have to sacrifice along the way.
 
Kelly Sokol is an MFA-Creative Writing graduate with a concentration in fiction from Goddard College, where she studied with John McManus, Rahna Reiko Rizzuto, and Darcey Steinke. She has been featured on NPR, discussing the portrayal of motherhood and postpartum depression in fiction. She teaches creative writing at The Muse Writers Center. Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She resides in Norfolk, Virginia.
Event date: 
Wednesday, May 3, 2017 - 7:00pm
Event address: 
752 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
The Unprotected: A Novel By Kelly Sokol Cover Image
$24.99
ISBN: 9781510718326
Availability: Usually Available in 5-9 Days
Published: Skyhorse - April 25th, 2017