Fragments of Tess

by Marlene F. Cheng

She’s clinging to a tenuous hope. But her endless river of despair could drown her last chance at freedom.

Tess Elliot lives in fear. Growing up on the Canadian prairie, the intelligent girl survived a traumatic near-death experience and a childhood rapist by leaving her body in times of pain and terror. And though she’s now a skilled doctor, the private loner constantly worries that her mind will fracture completely… giving away her secrets and ruining her life.

Gifted a holiday cruise to Alaska, an overjoyed Tess starts to truly relax for the first time in years as she finds acceptance and happiness with new friends. But her tentative feelings of control may still prove fragile enough to shatter…

Can her strong will save her from a world fading in and out of reality?

Striking a delicate balance between gut-wrenchingly sad and profoundly joyful moments, Marlene F. Cheng’s poetic prose reveals the emotional whirlpools created by multiple-personality disorder. And as you develop a deep bond with her characters, the intense realism of this tale will inspire you to cross invisible barriers and reach a more complete sense of self.

Fragments of Tess is a heartrending women’s literary fiction novel. If you like deeply flawed protagonists, honest depictions of mental illness, and hopeful silver linings, then you’ll love Marlene F. Cheng’s unraveling of truth.

Buy Fragments of Tess to fight for survival today!

178 pages, ebook

Published August 14, 2023

About the author

My Bio
I ran barefoot on the Canadian prairies in the dust that settled after the 2nd World War. That makes me an octogenarian, an oldie.
Thrust from the infinity of wheat fields into the warp of the Rockies, Selkirk and Purcell mountains, the light that defined a frightful, but interesting, high school life challenged me.
Our neighbors were all Italian, migrants to Canadian mining towns. With his Welsh-born farmers’ busyness, my father found strange their art of dolce far niente that is, the sweetness of doing nothing. They practiced it, “Come in. Come in. Sit down. Taste my homemade vino.” My father adapted.
And the flames of railway trestles burning and women parading nude colored life. Doukhobors (a sect that had fled persecution in Russia) settled in the Kootenays. They protested having to send their children to public schools.
Wearing a babushka and twirling spaghetti, not only did I survive those years, but I thrived.
Vancouver, the “big city,” where I discovered traffic lights and city buses, claimed me for medical lab training, and I worked the night shift in the blood bank to put myself through university.
I’ve worked in cancer research, taught at tech schools, become a registered massage therapist, taken up energy schooling in NY., married and raised two kids, and, at 73, published my first book A Many Layered Skirt, a biography about a young Chinese girl trying to keep one frightening step ahead of the soldiers, during the Japanese occupation.
My husband, of 56 years, was Chinese. Our mixed marriage was intriguing, and happiness was ours. Interests in people, cultures and places took us around the world. Many of those adventures find their way into my writing. He passed away, throwing my life into chaos. Now, I’ve picked up the pen, again. I have four books in the Love is Forever Series. Temptation and Surrender: A Secret Love Child Romance Novel; The Fallen Sniper Tears: A Sniper Romance Novel; A Mystical Embrace: A Mystical Romance Novel and The Madam's Friend: A Novel about Flawed, Textured, Vulnerable Soulmates.
https://marlenecheng.com
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Reviews

[Marcia Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a thought-provoking and intriguing novel this is. The name of the book could not have been better chosen, for the book consists of fragmented stories of childhood memories, traumatic events, and happy occasions as the reader struggles to understand what is going on. Yet, the book draws the reader in from page one and keeps their interest to the end when it all begins to make sense. This is a wonderful story of an intelligent, successful and sensitive woman who struggles to cope with her Multiple Personality Disorder. I feel I have a better understanding of mental illness since reading this book. Well worth reading.

[P Bagel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marlene F. Cheng has once again worked her magic, whisking readers away to a mesmerizing realm they never thought they'd visit. "Fragments of Tess" is a testament to her remarkable storytelling, seamlessly weaving a tapestry of emotions that leaves you utterly captivated.
In this heartrending tale, Cheng flawlessly balances the heart-wrenching moments with glimmers of hope, enveloping us in Tess Elliot's world as she navigates the shadows of her past. The way Cheng crafts Tess's journey is nothing short of awe-inspiring, pulling us into the whirlwind of her emotions and struggles.
Cheng's portrayal of Tess's battle with multiple-personality disorder is both tender and unflinchingly honest. With every turn of the page, we're drawn deeper into Tess's fight for understanding and freedom, a fight that resonates with the complexities of our own lives.
"Fragments of Tess" is a literary gem that showcases Cheng's remarkable ability to paint characters with depth and authenticity. As Tess grapples with her past and present, we're left in awe of Cheng's storytelling prowess. This novel is an exploration of the human spirit, a journey of self-discovery that tugs at your heartstrings and refuses to let go.
Cheng's writing doesn't just tell a story; it creates an experience that leaves you breathless. "Fragments of Tess" is a testament to her craft, a narrative that invites us to contemplate the invisible barriers we face and the resilience we discover within ourselves.
For those who crave characters that feel like old friends, a narrative that lingers in your thoughts, and a journey that leaves you in awe, "Fragments of Tess" is an unmissable read. Cheng's ability to infuse every word with emotion and depth makes this novel a compelling testament to the power of storytelling.

[Steven Ashford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a real treasure trove of a book. Vivid, lyrical, yet unfussy prose tells the story of Tess, who grows up in rural, mid-20th Century Canada, and then becomes a pathologist upon finishing school. This is no straightforward tale, however, and Tess is certainly no straightforward protagonist. Her psychological difficulties are brilliantly and poetically captured, and the reader is left in the same kind of bewildering uncertainty as Tess herself until some way into the book. In one sense, this is an extremely cleverly-plotted detective story, and we must try to unravel the truth - to find the firm ground of reality - right alongside the book's heroine.

There's so much more I could say about this wonderful novel, but I know my review wouldn't do it justice. It is powerfully intimate, viscerally upsetting, and rapturously profound. Completely unforgettable - and also the kind of book that you want to start again as soon as you've finished it!

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evocative and Moving

I was drawn to Fragments of Tess by the image of the woman on the cover, but it is not what I was expecting. The book tells the story of a woman affected by multiple personality disorder in short slice of life chapters and childhood memories that read in some ways like a memoir.

The writing is beautiful and evocative, the structure works well, and the stories are very interesting, depicting experiences from another place and time. There is so much about the narrator that is unclear, although the reader already knows from the blurb that she has multiple personalities. This becomes more evident as the book progresses, but the extent is still a surprise when it comes to the very emotional climax and the closing chapters.

This book feels like a deeply personal story and it makes me intrigued to check out more of the author's work.