How We Healed
A Novel

A best book award finalist for American Book Fest.There is nothing ordinary about the journey we take in life, or the people in it. A tale of starting over, and an unforgettable odyssey of healing.How We Healed follows Drunetta Brown, an oppressed Black housewife desperate to escape her drunkard husband and small-town southern life. After fleeing with her youngest children to New York City in 1957, she finds unlikely friendship with Sister Rose, a church secretary, and Miss “Raycie” Rayceen, a boisterous bar singer. These women prove to be the right friends at the right time, as they help Drunetta navigate her journey of self-discovery. With a determination uncharacteristic of her time, Drunetta ultimately learns what’s worth sacrificing—and more importantly, what isn’t—to secure her place in a changing world."An often vivid family saga, centered on a satisfyingly complex matriarch." (Kirkus Reviews)"This book did an excellent job of teaching essential life lessons." (OnlineBookClub.org)