Memoir
Publication Date: April 9, 2023
Publisher: Moonlit Dawn Publications
Do unsettling truths bring harsh judgment? They do, but the price of denial is steep.
D.K. Sanz’s story begins in the drug-infested New York City streets of Woodside, Queens, during the tumultuous HIV/AIDS pandemic of the 80s and 90s. It offers a glimpse into how a now often-overlooked pandemic impacted Sanz’s nuclear family.
From her earliest days, Sanz was the easily forgotten stranger, always a little out of sync with the rest of the world—a tough but naive kid and aspiring writer. Her triumph over illness and addiction includes amusing anecdotes and nostalgic, heartwarming memories.
Grateful to be Alive delves deep into Sanz’s confessional self-sabotage, self-destruction, and the harrowing downward spiral she almost didn’t survive. Her never-before-told story ranges from recklessness and impudence to empathy, forgiveness, and love.
D.K. Sanz has since published several books, primarily poetry but also a novel, and she continues to work on sequels and an all-new fantasy series. You’ll find some of her poetry at the end of this book.
Whether struggling or not, you will find Grateful to Be Alive is a story of hope, of defying insurmountable odds, finding joy, and a gradual transition toward authenticity and becoming the person Sanz always wanted to be.
INTERVIEW
Tell us about your book?
My book tells the story of a neurodivergent female in New York City who grows up in a dysfunctional family and deals with emotional abuse—specifically narcissism. From an early age, she also deals with overwhelming trauma, illness, and affliction.
Unfortunately, she unapologetically finds solace in drugs and finds herself in many dangerous situations. She witnesses death and comes close to it herself. She faces the crisis of HIV/AIDS on a very personal level. Regrettably, it’s not an unfamiliar story for many of us, but the focus is on her path back to sanity, healing, and recovery. And, of course, It’s a true story because it is a memoir.
What is the PRIMARY benefit, above all others, that your potential reader will gain from reading this book?
I can say it’s a cautionary tale, and it is, but I also saw a need to create more awareness around these topics. There’s a lot of misinformation out there. There are so many assumptions and so much denial. More importantly, readers tell me it’s an inspiring story that gives people hope. They’re reading about a person who overcomes the formidable darkness of this situation with an abundance of gratitude. So, it may help someone see the way out of any situation where they feel utterly defeated.
If you had to compare this book to any other book out there, which book would it be?
It’s funny, but I never thought about that, and I should have thought about it because people use these comparisons in marketing. I’m tempted to ask my editor, but I’ll spare her and say maybe Cat Marnell’s How to Murder Your Life. Like me, Cat survived against all odds. She experimented with all different drugs, took a fall from grace during a more successful time in her life, and had a conscience that filled her with remorse and led the way to her healing.
Hundreds of thousands of books come out every year. Why should someone buy THIS book?
Well, it’s the insight and perspective. People have said it made them think and understand things they didn’t previously understand, that they can relate it to their own lives and situations and that they enjoyed the humor along the way. Readers have also told me they were astonished by the outcome of this story, given the circumstances.
Who is your target audience?
The target audience would be trauma survivors, addicts, people dealing with mental health issues like autism, anxiety, etc., people with a loved one in any of the situations mentioned above, and people who just like self-empowering books. Gender doesn’t matter for this audience, and, as far as age, I’d recommend it to anyone over fifteen. There’s no graphic sex. There’s little profanity. I don’t think any of it falls under the category of T.M.I. The triggers would be that I depicted rape and attempted rape, but I don’t give intimate details about sex. Even though I know some people like to read that stuff and enjoy celebrity-namedropping to boot, I avoided all that. It’s just not that kind of book.
Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage?
My environment and upbringing played a significant role in this book’s writing, and I used it to my advantage, yes.
Tell us your most rewarding experience since publishing your work.
For me, the most rewarding experiences are the messages from readers who tell me how the book impacted them profoundly and in a good way. To me, that is the goal.
How would you describe your writing style?
I write from the heart. That’s all.
Are you more of a character artist or a plot-driven writer?
I am a character artist, which stems from my fascination with human nature.
What do you hope to accomplish with your book other than selling it?
I want people to read it, enjoy it, and for the work to have the best possible impact.
About the Author
D.K. Sanz is the author of Grateful to be Alive: My Road to Recovery from Addiction and Shattering Truths, a dark, suspense coming-of-age novel. She has also published three poetry collections, A Dark Rose Blooms, Remnants of Severed Chains, and Awake with the Songbirds – Poems from the Pandemic. Before the release of Grateful to Be Alive, Sanz wrote under the pseudonym Kyrian Lyndon.
She is forthcoming about being a person with many years of recovery, as well as a trauma survivor. Throughout her journeys, she expressed her thoughts through poetry, embracing every challenge to triumph over adversity. In her conviction that learning, growing, healing, and evolving is a never-ending process, she remains as grateful for the dark days as she is for every flicker of hope and light. She considers herself a cheerleader for those trudging on against all odds in the hopes of living their
dreams. D.K. loves psychological thrillers, horror fiction, nineteenth-century British literature, parallel universe fiction, and dark romanticism. She enjoys music, art, history, fitness, video games, and cooking.
Contact Links
Purchase Link
mybookmarkedreads.wordpress.com 
Thank you so much! 🙂
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