Detached The Fleischer Series Book 1 by Wendi Starusnak

Detached
The Fleischer Series Book 1

By Wendi Starusnak

I have the hardest time looking at this womans last name, without thinking I need a snack, I swear. I type it, and it’s, “You start, you snack.” Her name should not be legal. I’m sorry, I just had to put that in there. She probably gonna blow a gasket when she reads this…LOL

Now then, onto my review. Let me just start by saying did you look at the cover? No really. Did you happen to look at the cover? You look at it and know, I better not read this in the dark, and I better not sleep alone either, and I sure hope there isn’t a storm and a power outage tonight. And then the thunder cracks and you jump out of your seat.

Within the covers of this scary looking book, we will meet Emily Ruth Fleischer, and learn her secrets that she honestly doesn’t want to tell.

It was 1976 and Emily had to write it down, and put it somewhere so that it was out of her head, or so she thought. The things that her father did, her family, and the things that even Emily herself later did. Emily just had to put pen to paper and let it out, in hopes it would make her feel better.

Disgusting and painful things like being fed and having to eat their beautiful mare Whisper for dinner. She didn’t want to. Neither did Johnny her older brother. But their father slapped them so hard, and said it eat it. And there was nothing else to eat, or they would starve. Your nose is wrinkling and you’re grossed out aren’t you? Oh please. That isn’t even the worse part.

Julie is the doll that is part of Emily, she talks for her, and is the voice in her head. Julie is a lot stronger then Emily.

Caroline is another sister, and she is younger than Emily, and Emily takes care of her, protects her when she can, and there is also Eric. Emily often wonders why each child looks totally different, nothing like one another. And of course, there is also Mom, and Lucky the dog, who often laps up Caroline’s tears.

Emily often went to bed at night saying the common child’s prayer: ‘Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I day before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen.” And she would often fall to sleep tightly clasped to Julie her dolly. 

Then as I Emily rolls over in the night, the nightmare comes to life. The door handle clicks. She prays that it will not happen tonight. She grasps her dolly tightly. The Monster that usually bothers her, comes in, and goes over to her sister Caroline, and climbs onto her, and she hears Caroline moan in her sleep. Emily starts crying quietly, squeezing her doll, “No not Caroline!” She has had to deal with this happening to her all of these years, but now to her sister? No, it can’t happen. The tears are streaming from Emily’s eyes, and she is getting angrier and angrier, hate is building inside of her for the Monster she has to call Daddy….

This book is a five star read, that will literally blow your socks off, and make you want to punch a few of the characters as you read the book. Trust me. I went through so many emotions as I read this. I cried, I screamed, and I even could physically see these things happening and I just wanted to --- this book is intense. You really need to read it. It is amazing. It is a definite page turner that you will not put down, until you know the problem is no more. 

Wendi is an excellent writer, and thankfully, she sent me the other books, because I need them. I feel in love with her writing instantly, and I think you will too!

Here are my questions for Wendi:

1.     What made you write this book and how long did it take you? 

I’ve wanted to be a published author ever since I can first remember.  This book was a story that I needed to tell.  I wanted to give a voice to all the physical feelings and emotions that a child feels when they are abused.  A lot of myself went into Emily, the main character.  A lot of adults have no concept of what a kid goes through on the inside or the outside when they suffer abuse and that’s a very lonely feeling.  Even after telling the right people, I was urged to not speak about my experiences with anyone except those I was told to.  I was forced to be silent yet again and that seemed so wrong to me.  I refused to speak to my counselor or anybody else about what I had been through.  Every time I talked about it, it seemed like somebody new got angry at me.  I felt like I was wrong for what I had been through, and that’s not the case.  I want to be able to be a voice against abuse, to shed a light on some of the realities of it, and to hopefully give somebody else the courage to speak out themselves.

2.    Did you have nightmares after writing this book? If not, why not?

Haha!  I had nightmares while writing Detached.  I had so long separated myself from that hurt little girl that trying to place myself in different scenes to better be able to describe them really brought stuff that I never allowed to bother me back to the surface.  Not all of the experiences were my own and Detached is definitely a work of fiction, of course.  But even to place myself in fictional Emily’s shoes to tell her story (which included experiences of others that I know) gave me all the right ingredients for those nightmares that really stick with a person.

3.    Do you have photos or descriptions of these characters?

I purposely tried not to give any of the characters too much description in the hopes that the reader would more easily find themselves in Emily’s shoes and her monsters could more easily become their own, if that makes sense.  There is a little description of Emily and each of her family members in Detached despite this.

4.    What gives you the desire to write?

I’ve always had it.  I think maybe the desire comes from knowing I can weave whatever worlds I want and in these worlds, I’m in charge.  Whatever I choose is reality, is.  For my Fleischer Series in particular, it was important for me to make sure people know this stuff exists and it doesn’t affect every child the same way, but it does affect every waking moment for that child for the time that it goes on, at least.  And then, even in the most well-balanced and strongest people, different little things can pop up at any moment that make the abuse affect them all over again.

5.    What is your favorite book of all time?

I honestly can’t think of one single favorite.  I have loved almost every book that I’ve ever read.  When I was younger it started with the Nancy Drew books and anything else I could get my hands on.  Then I discovered Stephen King and all the other horror writers and really fell in love with the darker books… maybe even as a child it was the darker books I enjoyed more. 

6.    Have you ever met any Authors IRL?

I’ve met several other authors (a lot of Indie and I think at least a couple were traditionally published) and probably won’t think of all their names right now… Ron Chapman, Bonnie Burnatowski, Alyshia Hull, Eileen Parsons, Lisa Buske, those are the ones that stick out in my head right now.  I’ll have to start keeping a list, or making sure I buy signed copies of each of their books!

7.    What all education have you had?

Well, there is the school of life but I also was supposed to graduate half a year early from high school because I would have had enough credits and I was due to have my first child after the first half but before graduation… because of high risk issues and then so many excuses after, I ended up getting my GED with only credit for 2 courses lacking.  I did some other different schooling stuff, but the only thing that really applies to my life as a writer is the Advanced Fiction Writing course I took online just to focus my brain better and really get back into writing the way I wanted to.  That course I took right before beginning Detached.

8.    What are you working on now?

Right this minute I’m finishing up the final touches and self-edits of Deceived- Book 4 (and the final book) of the Fleischer Series.

9.    Who designed that scary cover for "Detached"? I love it!

Thank you!  Another writer, Tasha Gwartney, actually has done all of my covers, teasers, and my trailer for me.  We exchange services and so far, it is a partnership I couldn’t do without.

10.  Please share with us your media links and book links:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/AuthorWendiStarusnak

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/@WendiStarusnak

Website:  www.willowtree.b-town.us

Detached (universal link):  books2read.com/u/m2pLrb

Deranged (universal link):  books2read.com/u/3Rq9vb

Demented (universal link):  books2read.com/u/brQgZ4

Deceived (Coming Soon!  Connect with me at any of my social sites above to stay up-to-date on      any new releases!)

11. Anything to add:  Thank you so much for taking the time out of your life to read my books and do this interview with me!  It is very much appreciated!  And thank you to everyone who has read any or all of my work, it means the world to me! 

Detached by Wendi Starusnak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have the hardest time looking at this womans last name, without thinking I need a snack, I swear. I type it, and it’s, “You start, you snack.” Her name should not be legal. I’m sorry, I just had to put that in there. She probably gonna blow a gasket when she reads this…LOL

Now then, onto my review. Let me just start by saying did you look at the cover? No really. Did you happen to look at the cover? You look at it and know, I better not read this in the dark, and I better not sleep alone either, and I sure hope there isn’t a storm and a power outage tonight. And then the thunder cracks and you jump out of your seat.

Within the covers of this scary looking book, we will meet Emily Ruth Fleischer, and learn her secrets that she honestly doesn’t want to tell.

It was 1976 and Emily had to write it down, and put it somewhere so that it was out of her head, or so she thought. The things that her father did, her family, and the things that even Emily herself later did. Emily just had to put pen to paper and let it out, in hopes it would make her feel better.

Disgusting and painful things like being fed and having to eat their beautiful mare Whisper for dinner. She didn’t want to. Neither did Johnny her older brother. But their father slapped them so hard, and said it eat it. And there was nothing else to eat, or they would starve. Your nose is wrinkling and you’re grossed out aren’t you? Oh please. That isn’t even the worse part.

Julie is the doll that is part of Emily, she talks for her, and is the voice in her head. Julie is a lot stronger then Emily.

Caroline is another sister, and she is younger than Emily, and Emily takes care of her, protects her when she can, and there is also Eric. Emily often wonders why each child looks totally different, nothing like one another. And of course, there is also Mom, and Lucky the dog, who often laps up Caroline’s tears.

Emily often went to bed at night saying the common child’s prayer: "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I day before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen.” And she would often fall to sleep tightly clasped to Julie her dolly.

Then as I Emily rolls over in the night, the nightmare comes to life. The door handle clicks. She prays that it will not happen tonight. She grasps her dolly tightly. The Monster that usually bothers her, comes in, and goes over to her sister Caroline, and climbs onto her, and she hears Caroline moan in her sleep. Emily starts crying quietly, squeezing her doll, “No not Caroline!” She has had to deal with this happening to her all of these years, but now to her sister? No, it can’t happen. The tears are streaming from Emily’s eyes, and she is getting angrier and angrier, hate is building inside of her for the Monster she has to call Daddy….

This book is a five star read, that will literally blow your socks off, and make you want to punch a few of the characters as you read the book. Trust me. I went through so many emotions as I read this. I cried, I screamed, and I even could physically see these things happening and I just wanted to --- this book is intense. You really need to read it. It is amazing. It is a definite page turner that you will not put down, until you know the problem is no more.

Wendi is an excellent writer, and thankfully, she sent me the other books, because I need them. I feel in love with her writing instantly, and I think you will too!



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