Book synopsis by author Gail Curry

If anyone had told me meeting a very reserved woman from Siberia at a birthday party in Poland in October 2000 would inexorably change my life, I may have disbelieved them.

However that is how I met Yelena, who became a valued friend and eventually my wife.

The poetry in my book records a journey that spans fourteen years of my life, through a selection of forty-seven poems. The poems record the journey that began in friendship, moved through love and passion, with the final three years being the years where I had to face loss, grief, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, the latter of which followed a burglary and triggered the emergence of a traumatic event earlier in my life.

The poems are honest, I didn’t write them with a book in mind. In the beginning, I wrote them for Yelena but after her death they were for me, to know and record where I was on my journey when I felt so incredibly lost and without hope.

The decision to publish arrived when belief in my recovery was reached after almost three years in the mental health wilderness. It is my hope that in sharing my journey and experience I can illuminate some of the dark days for others who may be struggling. I will do whatever I need to do to stay my path to recovery because with hope comes belief, with belief comes courage and with courage comes the strength.

All proceeds from the sales of this book will go to Rape Crisis Tyneside & Northumberland.

  1. Tess Salmo  

    Lines from an unfinished love song is sensuously beautiful and passionately sensitive. A song of one who has experienced the extremities of love, joy and loss, with strength, poignancy and skill it evokes those elemental emotions that are reborn in every reader.

  2. Janice Ross  

    Beautifully written, exceptionally poignant and a generous sharing of life that stirs so many emotions. From ‘Looking Up At The Night Sky’ to ‘The Landlocked Mermaid’, via ‘Another World’ and the wonderful ‘Life Cycles’, surely there is a piece within Lines From An Unfinished Love Song to touch any soul who happens upon it?

  3. Deb Cowell  

    I feel extremely lucky and priveledged to own such an authentic and honestly written book. Having read this several times now the relational depth is ebraced further each time. The talent and personal expression is remarkable. I’ve since purchased further books as gifts. This book will touch the hearts and souls of many through the strength and sensitivity expressed within this book.

  4. Ixchel  

    The most powerful testimony to love, loss and life. Gail Curry has gifted us with precious insights into what it is to be human, with such honesty, clarity and passion, that I, for one, felt inspired and profoundly moved.

  5. Ann Turrell  

    A tale from an unfinished love song,it is inspirational and beautifully written ,the author Gail show how love can get us through the trials and tribulations of life,happy and sad times when we struggle to live each day.Inner Peace can be achieved. Finding yourself is important. X

  6. Vicky  

    The poems in this book are heartbreakingly honest, beautifully written and share so much emotion with the reader. They are also uplifting when you realise the strength of the author in fighting their way out of their darkest days and trying to find the joy in life again. There are lessons for us all x

  7. Geoff Smith  

    An amazing collection of heartfelt and emotional powerful poems. I gave a copy to a close friend for Xmas and she was enthralled, enchanted and enriched to the core of her soul & spirit. Thank you so much, Gail, for this contribution to local literature

  8. Elaine Cusack  

    Okay, okay, I’m Gail’s friend and I assisted her with the creative midwifery of this project. If you think that makes me biased then think again. I know I’m still able to wear my critic’s hat and offer a balanced opinion on this work of art. Yes, it is a work of art by a bold, talented, inspirational artist who works in many fields: photography, needlefelt, writing and more. I love everything about this book including the striking artwork, the honest notes, the range of emotions expressed in the poems plus the fact all money goes to Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland. Gail’s faced grief, depression, PTSD and more but she’s had the guts to share her experiences with the world. Buy this book. Support Gail and Rape Crisis and follow Gail’s example by challenging yourself and your creativity in 2018.

  9. Becky  

    Wow what a book. Gail takes you on such an honest and thought provoking journey. I love the footnotes at the end of each poem. The poems made me smile and cry. Thank you for your honesty Gail, you are an inspiration

  10. Sue Miller  

    There are some beautiful poems in this collection and there are poems that make you cry. Gail’s honesty is breath taking at times and as a reader you feel privileged to be allowed such insights into another person’s experience. The poems take us on a journey that one senses still has a way to go, and it is that feeling of an emotional distance being travelled that draws you in, but incredibly still leaves you hopeful. This collection is a rare and generous gift and I suspect most of us that have experienced love or loss at some point in our lives will identify with the words, connect with the sentiments and find it a comfort to know we are not alone.

  11. Joanne Crawford  

    Gail’s book is a delight. There was not a poem that I didn’t enjoy. I was crying one minute, laughing the next. A thoroughly recommended read. Suitable for anybody too. I saw her at Whitley Bay library last year. If you get the chance get along to Cullercoats on the 13th

  12. Ann Clement  

    This is a book that everyone can relate to in one way or another. Each page tells its own story. From a beautiful relationship to the quirky things that happen when two cultures mingle. I recommend reading a bit at a time as there’s so much within these wonderful poems.

  13. Laura Mathieson  

    A beautifully written book of poetry that has at its centre a loving and sad true story.
    At times whimsical, sometimes sensual and always honest and courageous, Gail has shared her joy and pain with us to produce this collection of poems which work as both individual verses and a coherent whole.
    Her words stay with you.

  14. Clare McDonald Pepper  

    Inspiring. This lovely book encompasses Love & Friendship,Grief, Depression and PTSD, it travels through a range of emotions. I smiled, laughed and cried whilst reading this book. A book to encourage fortitude. Clare.