Frances Farmer and a nice surprise...

If you haven't noticed, I have been taking an hiatus from writing.  But, that's not to say that my hiatus will be permanent.  Not by a long shot.  Instead, I have been immersed in reading autobiographies which always whet my appetite to write.

One of the books I had the pleasure of reading was about Frances Farmer.  I had always heard the stories and even saw a clip from the show, "This is Your Life" that featured her very dark life.  She was a hopeful, shining star in Hollywood that soon fell into the depths of her mental illness, causing  years of chaos, bitterness and deep sadness.

I'm not sure why I am so drawn to dark stories, but I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that Ms. Farmer found happiness at the end of her tragic life.  I also was amazed at the family that befriended her in her later years.  They were the absolute rock of her regrouping herself.  If ever divine intervention was in play, it was between these friends and Frances Farmer.

The horrors of the mental institutions she inhabited were almost beyond description.  However, she was very deft in describing the torturous and inhumane treatment she received during her stay in these facilities.  I promise you, it's a story you won't soon forget.  I know I haven't.

Working on story ideas for my next novel...stay tuned, dear readers.

JRS