I was so pleased to talk to Antonia Deignan about her book: UNDERWATER DAUGHTER: A Memoir of Survival and Healing.
It is a heartfelt story of the suffering she faced from the age of four. She spent her life coping with this childhood trauma; a sexually abusive father and a mother who didn’t stop him. But now in this book she can talk about how she has survived and the healing process that has taken her to this new place in her life.
She describes how a life-changing accident gave her the courage to face her life and to begin a journey to find peace. And now, with this book and the work that she does, to help others who have had similar experiences.
Her love of dancing has been an important part of her life and in this book she has found a way to express herself in lyrical fashion that makes her words even more meaningful. Readers will discover the beauty of this woman who had given back so much love to this world. Antonia is not just a survivor, she is thriving and making a difference.
It is a heartfelt story of the suffering she faced from the age of four. She spent her life coping with this childhood trauma; a sexually abusive father and a mother who didn’t stop him. But now in this book she can talk about how she has survived and the healing process that has taken her to this new place in her life.
She describes how a life-changing accident gave her the courage to face her life and to begin a journey to find peace. And now, with this book and the work that she does, to help others who have had similar experiences.
Her love of dancing has been an important part of her life and in this book she has found a way to express herself in lyrical fashion that makes her words even more meaningful. Readers will discover the beauty of this woman who had given back so much love to this world. Antonia is not just a survivor, she is thriving and making a difference. Listen to Interview
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Praise for Underwater Daughter
.“Deignan’s writing style is courageously confessional and creatively descriptive . . . An elegantly written and harrowing remembrance of the long-lasting impact of childhood trauma.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Written in rich, insightful prose, Underwater Daughter showcases hard-won self knowledge and wisdom, while inviting readers to feel Deignan’s wounds and joys.”
—BookLife Reviews, Editor’s Pick
“In Underwater Daughter, Antonia Deignan delivers a heart-shattering memoir of painful truth and soulful healing. Word by word, her powerful story dances across the page with lyrical rhythm, all while diving deep into the mind warping currents of childhood sexual abuse. Readers follow along as she swims through the many decades of emotional waves before finally learning to untangle herself from the deep. By the end, we all heal alongside her as she resurfaces to claim the light. A must-read for anyone who has ever suffered abuse at the hands of someone they love—or loved someone who has.”
—Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of Perennials
“Underwater Daughter is an unflinchingly brave and nuanced memoir with lyrical prose so inventive, it will take your breath away. Deignan’s book is a life-giving siren’s song to memory, the body, family, survival, forgiveness, and ultimately, to love.”
—Julie Barton, New York Times best-selling author of Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me from Myself
“Underwater Daughter is pure magic. From her first line to her last, Antonia Deignan takes us on a wild ride, from her perilous childhood through many hardships to the resilient woman she became. Her voice is utterly inventive. Written with stunning originality and passion, this is a book readers will long remember.”
—Linda Schreyer, television/screenwriter and coauthor of Tears and Tequila
—Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of Perennials
“Underwater Daughter is an unflinchingly brave and nuanced memoir with lyrical prose so inventive, it will take your breath away. Deignan’s book is a life-giving siren’s song to memory, the body, family, survival, forgiveness, and ultimately, to love.”
—Julie Barton, New York Times best-selling author of Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me from Myself
“Underwater Daughter is pure magic. From her first line to her last, Antonia Deignan takes us on a wild ride, from her perilous childhood through many hardships to the resilient woman she became. Her voice is utterly inventive. Written with stunning originality and passion, this is a book readers will long remember.”
—Linda Schreyer, television/screenwriter and coauthor of Tears and Tequila
