In Take My Hand, best friends Kerry Fisher and Pat Sowa share everything they have learnt in a time of survival. When their teenage sons were both diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses, their worlds stopped.

This profoundly moving memoir explores the universal experience of grief and loss, and how it connects us all. With this, love and friendship holds us together. Fisher and Sowa offer a lifeline to those overwhelmed by heartache and for those who don’t know how to help. It is a powerful reminder that you are not alone. The book will be serialised in Femail on publication.

Bord said: ‘When I first met with Kerry and Pat to discuss the proposal for their book, I was overcome with emotion. In sharing their very personal experiences of family trauma, they allowed me to start making sense of mine. It was in a way that I’ve never been able to do so before. Our honest conversations around the table flowed naturally. From poignant to black humour to practical. It was so liberating and vital. This is a book everyone should read and then recommend to their friends and loved ones.’

Comments from the authors

Fisher said: ‘Bookouture has done an incredible job for my fiction titles. It is truly a nimble, dynamic and forward-thinking publisher. So when my agent, Clare Wallace, suggested signing with Thread for our non-fiction book, I had no hesitation in entrusting Claire Bord with this very personal story. Claire has been passionate about Take My Hand and its ability to offer comfort and hope to people during their darkest times right from the start.’

Pat said: ‘The vision for the new non-fiction imprint, Thread, convinced me that the team led by Claire Bord were the right publishers for Take My Hand. It was particularly important for me to trust the editorial team. I have felt that I am in very safe hands from the first meeting. It’s especially exciting to be part of the launch list. It’s a book that we all think has the power to transform lives.’

Take My Hand will be published in ebook, paperback and audio on 28^th May 2020