After a policeman brutally assaults his mother, sixteen-year-old Macedonian Greek Danché has no choice but to avenge the attack-cultural expectations, adolescent fury, and a desperate desire for the approval of his long-absent father dictate his actions. Danché's reprisal results in the police officer's death, forcing the young man to flee his Greek homeland.
What follows is an adventurous journey aboard nefarious ships and over rugged land across Europe. Then, in hope of reconciliation with his father, Danché illegally enters the United States, only to be rejected by the man he seeks. Now, as post-Depression America gives way to World War II, Danché must find the means to support his family as he and his wife Sosi struggle to accept their son Stevie's autistic symptoms-a condition society has little knowledge of and even less patience. Sosi, who begins marriage as a timid child tied to a culture of obedience, finds empowerment and hidden intelligence through love for her children and her need to aggressively pursue her autistic son's education. Through motherhood, Sosi grows in ways beyond traditional expectation to become a strong supportive partner to Danché.
Hard work and persistence lead to success until Danché's father reenters his life, threatening the well-being of the small family. The gun that Danché once used to avenge his mother might be used again. If so, it could destroy Danché and Sosi's lives forever.
A family saga spanning fifty years and two continents, Cast Your Own Shadow blends rich motifs of culture, ethnicity, a woman's growth and acceptance, and a father-son conflict that threatens to span multiple generations.
About the Author: Peter A. Pascaris taught high school chemistry and mathematics for thirty-three years.
He is the author of Desert Lily, a fiction memoir that tells a bittersweet story of love and heartbreak when his first wife, Donna, struggled with a mental illness. Like Cast Your Own Shadow, it spans a period of more than twenty years. During that time and after Donna died, Peter has been a mental health campaigner and is a frequent speaker to self-help and mental health advocacy organizations. Peter's experience with issues he and his first wife faced provided him with insight into women's concerns for personal growth within the family unit.
Pascaris is remarried and lives in Michigan with his wife Merrilee. Together, they enjoy a blended family that includes five adult children and four wonderful grandchildren. Outside of writing and mental health advocacy, his interests include baseball, politics, gardening, and reading.
Visit Peter's website http: //desertlilyanovel.com/cast-your-own-shadow_22.html to view photos and pencil sketches of characters and places found in Cast Your Own Shadow, as well as information about Peter and convenient ways to purchase his books.
