‘DEATH: A LOVE LETTER’ BY LOCAL AUTHOR WESTON CHARLESWORTH
In “Death: A Love Letter” (Glass Spider Publishing, March 13, 2023), Ogden-based author Weston Charlesworth uses the healing power of the written word to cope with tragedy, loss, and post-traumatic stress disorder in a personal collection of poems and essays.
LITERARY NEWS
Weston Charlesworth says he used poetry to “get me back from the edge.” In his first book, “Death: A Love Letter,” released in March of this year by Ogden-based Glass Spider Publishing, he bravely discloses what his life was like after unexpected tragedy. “My mind was utterly shattered,” he says.
Charlesworth had helped his narcissistic, suicidal mother sell her home so she didn’t lose it while she repeatedly stated it was his fault. This led him to make the difficult choice to end the relationship with his mother. A week later, his oldest brother was found dead from a heart attack; a month after that, on the way to a Modest Mouse show, he and his ex-wife were hit on their bikes by a car that had run a red light.
“My life broke,” Charlesworth says. “I woke up terrified of my wife, convinced I was going to kill myself.” He was dropped by three therapists because of insurance changes. Unable to cope, his marriage fell apart.
“Death: A Love Letter” shows vividly what it was like for Charlesworth to live in this world. “If I’m going through this experience I want to bring something good out of it,” he says.
The stark honesty in Charlesworth’s storytelling is relatable and helps relieve the shame and stigma of mental health issues. It’s a journey through despair that many have experienced, and also forges a hopeful path toward self-love.
Charlesworth is donating half of all proceeds from the sale of the book to mental health and suicide awareness. His goal is to raise $10,000 this year for these charities.
“Death: A Love Letter” is available now in digital and paperback. You can purchase it locally through Happy Magpie Book & Quill.
