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Digging Deep Within: A Story of Courage and Liberation
Synopsis
Corey Brookshire is a young Black man from Washington, D.C. who arrives at a crossroad in his life after the untimely death of his mother Dorothea. From the outside looking in, he appears to have it all but nobody knows the internal struggle that plagues his mind nearly every day.
Struggling to make sense of his new reality, Corey tries to use his career and accomplishments as a way to avoid dealing with the uncomfortable truths of his past. Little by little his growing unhappiness and unwillingness to get help begins to affect his life in ways he never imagined.Corey soon finds himself navigating through the uncharted territory of an unfulfilling but promising career, new marriage and a barrage of buried unresolved pain. He unintentionally embarks on a journey of self-discovery where he must confront the toils of brokenness, mental anguish and the male stigma of seeking help if he is to find the freedom he so earnestly desires.
Corey Brookshire is a young Black man from Washington, D.C. who arrives at a crossroad in his life after the untimely death of his mother Dorothea. From the outside looking in, he appears to have it all but nobody knows the internal struggle that plagues his mind nearly every day.
Struggling to make sense of his new reality, Corey tries to use his career and accomplishments as a way to avoid dealing with the uncomfortable truths of his past. Little by little his growing unhappiness and unwillingness to get help begins to affect his life in ways he never imagined.Corey soon finds himself navigating through the uncharted territory of an unfulfilling but promising career, new marriage and a barrage of buried unresolved pain. He unintentionally embarks on a journey of self-discovery where he must confront the toils of brokenness, mental anguish and the male stigma of seeking help if he is to find the freedom he so earnestly desires.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2018
About the author
B.W. McKay
3 books3 followersB.W. McKay is a writer from the Washington D.C. metro area whose mission in life is to inspire his readers through soulful, heartfelt storytelling. So far, he has authored two books titled “Digging Deep Within: A Story of Courage and Liberation” and “Freedom Park: A Novel.”
Ever since he was a child, B.W. had an imagination as infinite as the universe. From an early age, writing became his gateway to genuinely expressing himself on a soul level. Ultimately, his lifelong affinity for the written word has served as the primary driving force behind his craft.
As an engaging literary word-weaver, B.W. keenly utilizes elements of unwavering faith, divine inspiration, and deep-rooted emotion to convey profound themes and share extraordinary stories from the Black perspective. He also runs an inspirational blog on his official website (www.bwmckay.com), which arms its readers with thought-provoking and uplifting content that enables them to see life through a different lens.
Whether you are interested in interviewing B.W. McKay or inquiring about a future speaking opportunity, feel free to reach out to him via email at: info@mckaymediaworks.com.
If you'd like to stay up to date with B.W. McKay, please consider subscribing to his mailing list: www.Bwmckay.com/signup
Connect with B.W.
www.Facebook.com/Writerbwmc
Twitter: WriterBW_Mc
Instagram: WriterBw_Mc
Email: Bw@Bwmckay.com
All of B.W. McKay’s books can be found by visiting:
www.Bwmckay.com/books
Ever since he was a child, B.W. had an imagination as infinite as the universe. From an early age, writing became his gateway to genuinely expressing himself on a soul level. Ultimately, his lifelong affinity for the written word has served as the primary driving force behind his craft.
As an engaging literary word-weaver, B.W. keenly utilizes elements of unwavering faith, divine inspiration, and deep-rooted emotion to convey profound themes and share extraordinary stories from the Black perspective. He also runs an inspirational blog on his official website (www.bwmckay.com), which arms its readers with thought-provoking and uplifting content that enables them to see life through a different lens.
Whether you are interested in interviewing B.W. McKay or inquiring about a future speaking opportunity, feel free to reach out to him via email at: info@mckaymediaworks.com.
If you'd like to stay up to date with B.W. McKay, please consider subscribing to his mailing list: www.Bwmckay.com/signup
Connect with B.W.
www.Facebook.com/Writerbwmc
Twitter: WriterBW_Mc
Instagram: WriterBw_Mc
Email: Bw@Bwmckay.com
All of B.W. McKay’s books can be found by visiting:
www.Bwmckay.com/books
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 23, 2019
Corey Brookshire is the protagonist in B.W. McKay’s engaging and well-written novel, Digging Deep Within: A Story of Courage and Liberation. McKay has created a character that debunks stereotypes not only about African American men, but men in general. Corey has never seen the inside of a jail or prison. Corey isn’t anyone’s baby’s daddy. Corey isn’t grappling with alcoholism or drug addiction. He doesn’t wear sagging pants, and he doesn’t refer to women as the “b” word. He’s the antithesis of the aforementioned. He’s a young professional who’s a rising star in his company’s marketing department and, he’s a loyal and loving husband to his wife, Leslie. Is he perfect? No—far from it. But he’s a three-dimensional character that you will fall in love with while you go on his journey of uncovering and discovering.
Corey, although successful, is struggling to come to terms with the death of his mother, childhood events that filled him with humiliation and shame, and his tumultuous, basically nonexistent relationship with his father. Moreover, Corey at his core wants to do more than work for someone else’s company. He wants his own business, but because of unresolved issues he’s hard pressed to move ahead with his plans.
McKay grabbed me from the opening with a scene wherein Corey is being awakened by his wife, Leslie. I love their relationship and I appreciated McKay writing a relationship between an African American man and an African American woman that albeit is not perfect, but real and supportive. His sister Saige is also a likeable character and becomes an inspiration to Corey when she opens up her own business. In fact, the book is full of strong, loveable and supportive women.
As the story unfolds, Corey makes a commitment to see a therapist regarding his issues. Dr. Philemon is wonderfully written. He helps Corey navigate through his feelings, encouraging him to open up and not be afraid to let his feelings rise to the surface. This is the highlight of the book and it is a powerful message, being that men are socialized to be strong, to keep a stiff upper lip, keep it bottled up, and don’t cry! Unfortunately, because of this, many men suffer in silence. That was the case for Corey. As a child his father failed the family on numerous occasions, causing them to be evicted from home after home and his worst offence was failing to be there when Corey and Saige’s mother died.
The novel is fast-paced and the scenes at Ennis Corporation where Corey works are riveting and will have you on the edge of your seat while you root for Corey to get over one obstacle after another while he manages a huge deal he brokers for the company. Juggling family life, his career, and sessions with Dr. Philemon, kept Corey on his toes and me turning the pages, while I anxiously read on to see if Corey would be able to conquer his demons and realize his entrepreneurial dream. Did he? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
Corey, although successful, is struggling to come to terms with the death of his mother, childhood events that filled him with humiliation and shame, and his tumultuous, basically nonexistent relationship with his father. Moreover, Corey at his core wants to do more than work for someone else’s company. He wants his own business, but because of unresolved issues he’s hard pressed to move ahead with his plans.
McKay grabbed me from the opening with a scene wherein Corey is being awakened by his wife, Leslie. I love their relationship and I appreciated McKay writing a relationship between an African American man and an African American woman that albeit is not perfect, but real and supportive. His sister Saige is also a likeable character and becomes an inspiration to Corey when she opens up her own business. In fact, the book is full of strong, loveable and supportive women.
As the story unfolds, Corey makes a commitment to see a therapist regarding his issues. Dr. Philemon is wonderfully written. He helps Corey navigate through his feelings, encouraging him to open up and not be afraid to let his feelings rise to the surface. This is the highlight of the book and it is a powerful message, being that men are socialized to be strong, to keep a stiff upper lip, keep it bottled up, and don’t cry! Unfortunately, because of this, many men suffer in silence. That was the case for Corey. As a child his father failed the family on numerous occasions, causing them to be evicted from home after home and his worst offence was failing to be there when Corey and Saige’s mother died.
The novel is fast-paced and the scenes at Ennis Corporation where Corey works are riveting and will have you on the edge of your seat while you root for Corey to get over one obstacle after another while he manages a huge deal he brokers for the company. Juggling family life, his career, and sessions with Dr. Philemon, kept Corey on his toes and me turning the pages, while I anxiously read on to see if Corey would be able to conquer his demons and realize his entrepreneurial dream. Did he? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
October 30, 2019
Great Book
It is pleasure reading this book, especially a black man dealing with the same issues as Corey. It gave me hope that I could find fulfillment as well
It is pleasure reading this book, especially a black man dealing with the same issues as Corey. It gave me hope that I could find fulfillment as well
February 11, 2019
Digging Deep Within by B.W. McKay is a realistic fictional narrative, that takes the reader on an inspiring journey into the life of Corey Brookshire. After experiencing the death of his mother, coupled with being unhappy with his career in the corporate world, Corey finds himself spiraling down a discontented and unfulfilling path. At the advice of his wife, Corey reluctantly agrees to attend therapy. It is through the soul searching sessions with his family friend and therapist Philemon Branches, that Corey starts the journey of healing his past wounds.
What I enjoyed most about this book is that it is emotionally honest. As a realistic fictional narrative, the plot is very believable. And it is for this reason, I found it extremely resonating. McKay does a great job of displaying vivid and accurate descriptions of the battles often faced by black men in corporate America. He captures the conflicts that can arise within a family during a time of grief with absolute precision. In this novel he exposes the true emotions often felt in the black community as it relates to seeking therapy.
Although the book address emotional topics, it is far from being melancholy. But instead, I found it both uplifting and encouraging. I was rooting for Corey with each page I turned.
Overall, Digging Deep Within is a moving book with a very relatable plot. Any of the characters could easily be your mother, sister, brother, spouse, friend or family member. I recommend it to anyone looking for a great read that is filled with substance.
What I enjoyed most about this book is that it is emotionally honest. As a realistic fictional narrative, the plot is very believable. And it is for this reason, I found it extremely resonating. McKay does a great job of displaying vivid and accurate descriptions of the battles often faced by black men in corporate America. He captures the conflicts that can arise within a family during a time of grief with absolute precision. In this novel he exposes the true emotions often felt in the black community as it relates to seeking therapy.
Although the book address emotional topics, it is far from being melancholy. But instead, I found it both uplifting and encouraging. I was rooting for Corey with each page I turned.
Overall, Digging Deep Within is a moving book with a very relatable plot. Any of the characters could easily be your mother, sister, brother, spouse, friend or family member. I recommend it to anyone looking for a great read that is filled with substance.
June 18, 2019
“It’s okay to be angry, Corey. Be angry. Those situations were tough. You have a right to feel that way. In fact, be real angry about it. You’re allowed to feel the way you do right now. You just can’t let the anger consume you. “ In writer/ blogger B.W. McKay’s novel Digging Deep Within, he tells the story of a young African American man Corey ,struggling to find peace within himself after so many years of sheltering his true feelings. Corey is climbing the corporate latter and making a name for himself at work, but does that mean anything to Corey? He is losing sleep, personal time, and at some moments it seems his wife, for this job. On the outside looking in he has it all, but he can’t shake the feeling of emptiness. It was hard for me to put this book down every night because I needed to know what Corey’s next move would be. I personally know what it is like to feel as if you should just bottle in feelings in fear of what other people may think. Overall I believe this book should be read by everyone no matter the ethnicity, religion, gender etc we all have some digging we could do.
September 5, 2019
I loved this book so much I stayed up all night and continued reading it until the middle of the next day until I completed the book. It filled me up with emotions, I laughed out loud in one part but mostly I cried. The characters came to life so vividly. Every time Cory spoke, I heard the voice of a soft-spoken young black young man speaking. Cory is an impression strong young man. I especially love how he admired and spoke so highly of his wife and sister. And the counselor was good. The author hit that character right on. Sunset Jenkins she was off the chain, getting her points across dashing in and out quickly. It is a masterpiece. I know a good book when I read one. I could not put it down.
June 4, 2020
Great inspiring book!
I enjoyed this book from the beginning to the end. It was motivating and very inspiring! Thank you for helping me see that stepping out on faith and facing my past discretion can help me move forward!
I enjoyed this book from the beginning to the end. It was motivating and very inspiring! Thank you for helping me see that stepping out on faith and facing my past discretion can help me move forward!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews