There is a Balm in Huntsville came out, no foolin’, on April 1, 2019. A nonfiction narrative using present-tense voice, it tells the story of the development of the first state-sponsored victim-offender dialogue program in the nation. Within this story, one prisoner’s tale of transformation through this ground-breaking restorative justice practice is told. Readers and a number of reviewers agree—Balm is a page-turner that reveals the power of truth-telling.
More than five years later, I’m pleased to announce that a book in the same vein, There is a Balm in Wichita Falls: The Healing Journeys of Mr. White and the Ninja Lady, will be released later this year. Using the same nonfiction narrative style as its predecessor, Balm II (as I’m calling it) tells the separate stories of two crime-victim survivors who eventually meet and join together in the search for answers and healing.
Balm II is intended for church groups, book clubs, and persons interested in restoration and recovery. It will expose readers to the core concepts of restorative justice as it highlights the healing journeys of two extraordinary and unforgettable protagonists. It will be published by Wipf & Stock in the fall of 2024.
T. Carlos Anderson 