Author’s Book Description :
- The second year of graduate school started out as a new beginning. I felt stronger. My heart had stitched itself up. I had finally healed enough on the inside to let love flourish once again. But an ever-present ex-boyfriend made the unresolved emotions between us impossible to ignore.
Then new complications emerged: Said ex-boyfriend began dating Cecilia, who just happened to be the ex-girlfriend of my new love interest. I should have hated her. I wanted to hate her. But, I have to admit, I liked her.
As the semester progressed, the tangled web between us deepened in ways I never could have anticipated, and it spread to those closest to us. We had the same classes, the same friends, the same interests. Then, of course, there were all the secrets, some of which could ruin the love I believed I wanted, I deserved.
Once again, I got pulled into the dizzying vortex of all that remained unfinished. And doubt crept in. Had I really healed enough to make myself vulnerable again? Had I made the right choices?
But the big question is: Can we ever really leave past relationships behind?
This is the second book in the Where You’ll Land series, but can be read as a stand-alone.
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When I began my studies in psychology many years ago, it was psychoanalytic theory that first interested me. The rich complexity of the dynamics within us and between us. What makes people act and do what they do, nothing was (and still is) more fascinating to me. Soon after that I discovered existentialism, which I love just as much. What a rich exploration and examination of the things in life that both break us and make us, all of the universal experiences that define the essence of human nature.
Switching to fiction allowed me to create characters and set a scene, hopefully making it real enough and interesting enough that it would grip readers who wanted a good story, while also affording those who wanted the opportunity for deeper contemplation to have a window. That is, I wanted to offer readers almost what you’d get in early psychotherapy sessions: questions that lead to thinking about yourself, your circumstances, and others in a way that might provide insight and growth. I also wanted to offer those outside of the field a deeper understanding of why we do what we do while also giving a story that was compelling, emotional and real.
True growth and understanding has to come from within the individual. As you will read in Love’s Remains personal history, personality and social context all influence our emotions, our actions, our decisions. Therefore, answers about life and relationships are different for everyone. That’s why instead of answering in therapy, we learn to ask in a very precise manner. This way, we offer the person the opportunity to find what I believe we all can. Our own way. Our own potential for better decisions, more authentic living. Our personal resilience.
The path to growth comes not from answers but from asking questions, helping people look at their lives a little differently. As the character of Dr. Wright tells his students in the book: “Create curiosity.” Well, in my experience this is the essence of psychotherapy and/or for any type of change for anyone: asking the right questions.
It is for this reason that I created this series with characters in a psychology program. I mean, write what you know, they say and so I did; but I also wanted introspective characters, each of whom would offer the opportunity – to those readers who wanted it – to learn something about themselves through their story arcs, through their questions. I wanted to give readers the opportunity to think deeper about love, if they wanted to. And for those who didn’t, I wanted to give lots of drama and entanglements. I hope I’ve succeeded.
Love’s Remains is book 2 in the Where You‘ll Land Series. These characters’ journeys will continue; all the books will explore various aspects of love and relationships. I already have ideas for the next book in the series. If you have a question, please write to me. I just may place it into one of the character story arcs.
I’m working on two others books right now. One is the spin-off from Forever and One Day, Before the Footprints Fade. The story is complex and is taking a much longer time than I had expected, but my hope is to have it out early next year. The other book is a story written from my cat’s point of view. Trying something different. Life through his eyes. It’s turning out to be really interesting writing. It’s witty, but also lightly philosophical as he observes humans in action and how complicated we make our lives. I think it’s going to be a bit of tearjerker, heartwarming and fun.
I post about my books as I’m writing them, teasers and excerpts as well as a little about the journey of writing on my Instagram and Facebook pages. If you’re interested in following the progress of the books, you’ll find daily posts there. I love connecting with my readers!
Thank you again for your interest in my work.
About the Author :
Jacqueline Simon Gunn is a Manhattan-based clinical psychologist and writer. She has authored two non-fiction books, and co-authored two others. She has published many articles, both scholarly and mainstream, and currently works as a freelance writer. With her academic and clinical experience in psychology, Gunn is now writing psychological fiction. Her ‘Close Enough to Kill’ series, explores the delicate line between passion and obsession, love and hate, and offers readers an elaborate look into the mind of a murderer.
In addition to her clinical work and writing, Gunn is an avid runner and reader. She is currently working on multiple writing projects, including two romance novels.
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