A new novel, Behind the Broken Image, was released today. The fictional book delves into the lives of three females suffering from anorexia and bulimia. Writer Debra M. Cooper worked in conjunction with the professional staff of Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating Disorders, the nation’s leading treatment center for women and girls with eating disorders. Her goal was to create a book that accurately illustrated the impact of these destructive, often deadly disorders.
“I’m passionately dedicated to increasing awareness of eating disorders as well as preventing them," said Ward Keller, president and founder of Remuda Ranch. “Eating disorders are now epidemic in the US, with girls being diagnosed at much younger ages. This novel gives readers an inside look at these disorders, what they are, why they happen and how they influence the entire family. Though one individual has the disorder, the entire family is often devastated by it.”
Keller’s own daughter once had an eating disorder. There are many textbooks available on eating disorders, but very few fictional books bring to light the reality of these devastating disorders. Keller hopes the novel format will engage, enlighten and educate the public.
The book follows the lives of three eating-disordered characters and their family members. Alexa Kent, an exquisite Charlotte socialite; Robin Hamilton, a rebellious, angry Tucson teenager; and Abby Cordoza, a sweet, shy Santa Rosa, California girl.
The novel’s author, Debra M. Cooper, herself had briefly struggled with an eating disorder in her late twenties.
“I didn’t think it was possible for me to have an eating disorder,” said Cooper. “I thought anorexia only happened to teenagers, who were invariably first-born children from wealthy families. I now know anorexia and bulimia are equal-opportunity disorders. That’s what I tried to convey in this book. I want readers to see that eating disorders have no boundaries they affect females of all ages, religions, ethnicities and socio-economic classes. No one is immune.”
“With this novel, we hope to show that eating disorders don’t happen in a vacuum,” adds Keller. “The family dynamic is critical to recovery just as it is in triggering an eating disorder.”
Cooper is a graduate of Arizona State University. She has worked as a professional writer and editor for more than 20 years. She has been totally blind since the age of 14. Cooper and her husband live in Flagstaff, AZ, with their son.
About Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating Disorders Remuda Ranch is a caring place for women and girls who are suffering from eating disorders and related issues. Remuda Treatment Programs offer Christian inpatient and residential treatment for women and girls of all faiths suffering from an eating disorder. Each patient is treated by a multi-disciplinary team including a Psychiatric and a Primary Care Provider, Registered Dietitian, Masters Level therapist, Psychologist and Registered Nurse. The professional staff equips each patient with the right tools to live a healthy, productive life. For more information, call 1-800-445-1900 or visit the website listed above.
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