"Though this is a fictional novel, it's written around an accident I survived nine years ago. Not long after my ordeal, I began to realize how precious life really is.

"I am humbled, yet exhilarated to share my experience. It's a huge step for me to open myself to others, and admit my previous sense of guilt and fear regarding the afterlife. I'm beyond that now, and am at complete peace with myself. "The River of Angst" is an expression of my own personal victory.

"I now live my life based on who I really am inside, and know it's okay. I've written this book for two reasons. One, it's a written affirmation to myself that no matter who tries to convince me otherwise, I am who I am, and always will be. And second, I hope the message I convey in this book will be beneficial to those who have walked in my shoes, and especially to those who are forced to walk in the shoes of others."