Kennedy Stern has returned to campus after surviving an abduction, but old scars cut deep. Vivid flashbacks and terrifying dreams paralyze her, threatening to ruin her academic career and any chance she has at peace or happiness. This mental anguish, however, constitutes only a small fraction of her post-traumatic nightmare.
A partner in Kennedy’s kidnapping remains at large and will not stop until he has silenced her witness permanently. His violent resolve risks not only her life, but the safety of anyone who tries to help.
Kennedy must engage in a deadly battle of the mind as she struggles to stay alive. While fighting on two fronts — one psychological and one physical — the question isn’t whether she’ll come out of the war stronger in the end.
The question is whether she’ll come out of it at all.
The newest release from inspirational suspense author, Alana Terry, who Christian Fiction has won awards from Women of Faith, Grace Awards, Readers' Favorite, and several others.
**Review
"Alana has a way of using fiction to open difficult issues and make you think." ~ Phyllis Sather, Author of Purposeful Planning
"Alana Terry has done the almost unthinkable;she has written a story with raw emotions of real people, not the usual glossy Christian image." ~ Jasmine Augustine, Tell Tale Book Reviews
"Once again, Ms. Terry brings a sensitive but important issue to the forefront without giving an answer. She leaves it up to the reader to think about and decide." ~ Darla Meyer, Book Reviewer **
From the Author
Imagine you've been kidnapped, held hostage, nearly killed, and then finally rescued.
Of course, that initial wave of release rushes over you, but then you have to adjust to everyday life. You're an entirely changed person. The safety bubble you lived in your whole life has exploded, leaving you raw and exposed.
It's hard to function. Sometimes, you're sure you're back in captivity again, back in that basement where they held your life ransom. Except you're a college student determined to keep your grades up so you don't get kicked out of your school's pre-med program.
You're a Christian, and so you ignore the symptoms. After all, you don't have it that bad. But the panic attacks worsen. The nightmares intensify. Sometimes you wonder if it's God's way of punishing you for not being more faithful. If you just prayed more or read your Bible more, everything would revert back to normal.
The relationship between mental health illness and the church inspired the second novel in the Kennedy Stern series. When I started working on Paralyzed, I wanted to explore the different ways Christians react to like post-traumatic stress disorder. Of course, there's got to be suspense involved, too. By the time Kennedy's done with semester finals and ready to start Christmas break, the holidays find her trying so hard to keep herself from getting murdered she doesn't have the time worry about anxiety.
This is my second Kennedy Stern novel, and I'm happy to report there are several more in the works. Even though they're part of the same series, these stories are all meant to be standalone and can be read in any order. In Paralyzed, you'll find the same cast of characters you met in Unplanned, in which Kennedy fights to save a teenager facing a crisis pregnancy: Willow, Kennedy's roommate from Alaska whose carefree demeanor is the perfect contrast to Kennedy's tense personality; Reuben, the Kenyan lab partner who encourages Kennedy through yet another crisis; Carl and Sandy, whose backstory includes struggles and heartaches Kennedy never would have imagined until she hears about their experiences in the foster system as an interracial couple; the surfing youth pastor with dreadlocks and his wild VW bus; and the mystery redhead who continues to keep readers guessing.
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