From the Inside Flap
Victoria Costello's latest book, Orchid Child blends history, science, fantasy, and romance to imagine a tragedy-plagued, Irish American family's youngest member halting the chain of suffering that came before him by tapping his neurodiversity and the ancient wisdom of his Celtic ancestors. Partly autobiographical, in writing Orchid Child, Victoria Costello drew on her own neurodiversity, and the highs and lows of raising her two wonderful, now-grown sons as a single mom.
The novel also reflects the author's fascination with ancestry, including the intergenerational trauma that can show up in our lives in mysterious and insidious ways. She honors the strengths we inherit from those who came before us, and our obligations to future generations. Her insights and questions manifest in the desires and voices of her characters.
For example, Kate, a neuroscientist and the protagonist of Orchid Child, must confront the limits of science when her voice-hearing nephew Teague refuses to let her medicalize his unusual perceptions. As family secrets unravel, Kate and Teague learn that 'second sight' was present in their bloodline going back generations, presenting both advantages and grave consequences when misunderstood.
Magic realist author Rudy Ruiz commented on this aspect of the novel, writing, "Orchid Child is a fascinating and immersive exploration of the blurry line between science and spirituality, mental "illness" and preternatural family gifts." Evolutionary and psychological astrologer Kay Taylor, author of Soul Path Way, underscored this aspect of the novel, writing, "Orchid Child explores mental/emotional uniqueness and neurodiversity from both a medical and a grounded metaphysical approach, filled with humanity and compassion."
The author's affection for the land of her Irish grandparents is strongly present, as noted by Rick Bleiweiss, when he described Orchid Child as "An Irish American family saga that deftly reaches into the history of the Irish people to locate the psyche and spirit that ensured their survival on both sides of the Atlantic." A sentiment echoed by AuthorsnWriters.com, in their review: "With masterful prose and lyrical storytelling, Orchid Child will transport you back to Ireland as you explore one family's struggle for healing and redemption over several decades."
Twelve-time novelist and editor of three volumes of philosophy, Simon Van Booy captured the author's far reaching ambitions for Orchid Child when he described the novel as, "A beautifully told story, with richly drawn characters, that seamlessly braids the competing preoccupations of our age, from neuroscience to the ancient myths and tacit laws from which modern culture evolved." As did PEN USA Award winning author of six novels, Laura Pritchett, who wrote, "Orchid Child is first and foremost a wonderful story, engaging and interesting from beginning to end. But there's a bonus: neuroscience, epigenetics, topics relevant to our times. A beautiful and smart book."
Before turning to fiction, Victoria Costello earned Emmy and American Society of Journalists & Authors Awards for her writing on neuroscience and psychology. Her feature articles have appeared in Scientific American MIND, Brain World, and Psychology Today. She has blogged on family mental health and parenting for HuffingtonPost, Mamapedia, PsychCentral, All About Psychology, Tween Parent, DivineCaroline, and Yahoo Health & Wellness News.
In a memoir titled A Lethal Inheritance, published by Prometheus Books in 2012, Costello tells parallel personal and scientific stories. She details three generations of mental illness and addiction in her family and offers new research into possible causes and treatments of child and adult mental disorders, along with strategies for prevention. Andrew Solomon, National Book Award winning author of Noonday Demon, An Atlas of Depression, called A Lethal Inheritance "lucid," and "invaluable." UNDARK Magazine EIC, Deborah Blum said of Costello's memoir, "Read it because the lessons are so valuable. Read it because it's a story so beautifully told."
For the past two years Victoria Costello's has added teaching to her creative journey. With classes offered in person at Southern Oregon University, and online through WritingWorkshops.com, Costello offers a mixed genre approach to Life Writing involving the theory and craft of both memoir and autobiographical fiction, aka autofiction. With these workshops and courses she seeks to help writers tell their healing stories by getting at the greater truths they seek by tapping both memory and imagination.
Victoria Costello's 2012 guidebook for memoir writers, THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO WRITING MEMOIR, remains a favorite resource for beginners.
Other books she co-authored with medical experts and practitioners include:
REIN IN YOUR BRAIN, a guidebook for living in recovery from addiction, written with Cynthia Touey BSW NCAC II, and published by Hazelden.
THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, written with child psychiatrist Dr. Jack Westman, published by Alpha Books/Penguin.
THE EVERYTHING PARENTS GUIDE TO CHILDREN WITH OCD, written with Stephen Martin, MFT and published by Adams Media.
Find out more about Victoria's writing and workshops for writers at her author website, victoriacostelloauthor(dot)com
