St. Louis, MO -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/18/2013 -- Shane Crash got the idea for his latest novel, ‘Forest Life’, during the most unlikely of circumstances. Laying a pool of his own vomit as a friend mopped up his mess, Crash knew he could better himself. After compiling a number of his own life experiences and fusing them with fiction, ‘Forest Life’ was born.

It’s an unlikely release from a highly educated young person, but a narrative that will feel close to home for millions of readers who have also struggled in the face of adversity.

Synopsis:

Forest Life by Shane Crash follows Emmett Thompson as he retreats to seclusion in the woods of Paris, Tennessee. After suffering the loss of a loved one, Emmett struggles to sustain the will to live. He must confront his suffering and overcome it, before it permanently destroys him. Forest Life is a powerful narrative of suffering and triumph in the face of despair. Forest Life is a refreshing and rewarding read, dark and provocative in parts, but bursting with emotion and life. It is a modern elegy, recalling the mournfulness and sadness of human existence while it simultaneously draws on the beauty of nature.

The main protagonist, Emmett, spends his days alone in a cabin on the shore of Kentucky Lake attempting to make sense of grief, and wrestles with crippling despair, exploring the question of whether life is worth living in spite of the inevitable suffering the accompanies it. He's forced to overcome drunkenness and thoughts of suicide. He's forced to learn to love again as a young girl named Maraye enters his life and attempts to help him recover.

As the author explains, while fictional, his book takes a frank an honest look at reality.

“I feel that Forest Life is important because it deals with an experience that all humans must grapple with inevitably. It's a hopeful tale of perseverance in the face of crippling pain and suffering, and one man’s struggle to continue living despite the pain,” says Crash.

Continuing, “It's important because it teaches that choosing to love is the antidote to pain and sadness, and that by not loving we lose our humanity.”

Since its release, the book has garnered a consistent string of rave reviews.

“Forest Life" is one of the most viscerally emotional novels that I've had the pleasure of reading in a long, long time,” said Ingsoc, who reviewed the book on Amazon.

Another reader, Travis W. Cooper, was equally as impressed. He said, “Forest Life is an angst-ridden meditation on human pain and suffering. It is a story about hurt and despair, gut-wrenching emotional-psychological sadness, and human phantoms flitting in and out of the margins of awareness, hovering at the borders of (non)existence."

With a compelling personal story to tell and powerful literature to his name, Shane Crash is certainly a name to watch out for on the literary circuit.

‘Forest Life’, published by Civitas Press, is available from Amazon: http://amzn.to/SQcJVM

For more information, visit the author’s official website: http://www.shanecrash.com

About the Author: Shane Crash
From the age of 21 to 23, Shane traveled the world, voluntarily homeless, living out of a backpack, traveling from city to city. Shane has partnered with the Catholic Worker House to care for single mothers fleeing abuse. He’s also partnered with the Catholic Workers to tutor immigrants, teaching English, and American history.

Shane often speaks on nonviolence and social responsibility. He runs Pacifist Army, a volunteer group of nonviolent activists who raise awareness on various social issues, including nonviolence and poverty.

Shane passionately advocates for education and nonviolent alternatives to war. He’s a fan of marvel comics and pizza.