We Survived Abuse, Cancer, Depression, Homelessness, Poverty and Other Life-Changing Experiences

New Book Takes Readers on a Daring Journey as Twelve Women Share Stories of Recovery, Healing, and Hope

From whispers of shame to powerful voices of truth, 12 women tell how they survived some of life’s most distressing circumstances in TRIUMPH! The Beautiful Face of Courage, a collection of essays compiled and edited by Trenay Perry Bynum, which releases February 26, 2005.

As a child, Trenay Perry Bynum witnessed the fear and shame that result from domestic violence. Her mother’s life deteriorated under the paralyzing grip of an abusive boyfriend. Bynum had the same confusion many others have about why a women stay with their abuser. Through her own experience with physical abuse, as a teenager, her eyes were opened to the truly crippling effect that abuse can cause.

In her first book, TRIUMPH! The Beautiful Face of Courage, Bynum shares her story of survival from physical abuse to the painful aftermath and finally to healing. On her path to healing, Bynum realized that circumstances like abuse are often whispered about but rarely discussed openly. “There’s healing in the sharing of our pain,” she said. This is why she’s united other women to reveal their stories of survival. From Canada to the United States, these women represent an ethnically diverse group. Some come from middle class families and attended college while others emerged from poverty-stricke backgrounds to grasp any opportunity that came their way.

However, a common thread binds these courageous women. “Women want to talk about their survival in hopes of inspiring others,” she said. “Our stories may illuminate a path for someone too afraid to exchange their darkness for light, hence a new life,” she added. Bynum hopes these honest and often painful stories will open dialogue about some struggles women have survived exposing how living with fear and shame robs women of self-esteem and stability.

TRIUMPH! The Beautiful Face of Courage has been a longtime dream of Bynum’s, who started her career as a writer at Meharry Medical College. Bynum has a 15-year career in public relations. She’s the founder and director of Figures of Nashville Inc. (FONI), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire and encourage plus-size women to become their own health advocates. Like TRIUMPH! The Beautiful Face of Courage, FONI encourages women to embrace themselves wholeheartedly by taking daily steps to live healthier lives. Proceeds from book sales will be donated to FONI.

For more information, contact Trenay Perry Bynum at 615.566.5161 or go to www.mytriumph.homestead.com. TRIUMPH! The Beautiful Face of Courage is sold exclusively online through Bynum’s website.