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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Don't Hit Me! by Vanessa de Largie

#1 Amazon Bestseller 
# Winner of the 2014 Global eBook Award Bronze (women’s studies) 
# Winner of the 2014 Honourable Mention Award London Book Festival (memoir)

Description:

#1 Amazon Bestseller 
# Winner of the 2014 Global eBook Award Bronze (women’s studies) 
# Winner of the 2014 Honourable Mention Award London Book Festival (memoir) 
# Five-Star Review Midwest Book Review 
# Five-Star Review San Francisco Book Review 
# Five-Star Review #1 Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer – UK 
# 3 out of 4 stars Official Online Bookclub 

Australian actress and author Vanessa de Largie is a survivor of domestic violence. 

Don’t Hit Me is the true diarised account of her time living with an abusive man. The story is conveyed through poems, journal entries and fragments of lyrical prose.

The book is a snapshot of domestic violence in real time. Raw, poignant and brave – it’s a tale that will stay with you.

GUEST POST
Don’t Be a Statistic 
by Vanessa de Largie 
I read the news with my morning coffee; another woman has been killed at the hands of her partner. This man was supposed to love and protect her – not end her life. 

When we are caught up in the chaos of domestic violence, we delude ourselves that our abuser is not as bad as others. He may beat us and sexually abuse us but he would never murder us. 

Women who have been murdered by their partners thought the same thing. They stayed because they thought the situation might improve. They stayed because they believed he loved them. They stayed because they were too scared to leave. 

Men that love you do not hit you. 

Men that love you do not sexually abuse you. 

Men that love you do not degrade you verbally. 

I decided to publish my raw journal as Don’t Hit Me! The book is unique as it captures domestic violence in real time. Most books about DV are told in retrospect or from memory. 

If my book can inspire one woman to leave her deadly situation, then the book has been a success. 

About the author:
Vanessa de Largie is a multi-award-winning actress and author based in Australia. She was introduced into the world of make-believe when she was 3. Her mother was a film buff, who made her watch films from the 50's era. Her father, an avid reader and vinyl collector gave her a love of books and music. Combined, her parents influence allowed her to know early on, what she wanted to do with her life. At 22, Vanessa left her hometown of Perth for Melbourne and within a month, she had a lead role in a play at Melbourne's La Mama Theatre. Over the next decade, she would begin to hone her craft.

In 2006, Vanessa was cast in the lead role of Nocturne, Night of The Vampire, directed by prolific Melbourne film maker Bill Mousoulis. The film earned her the Best Female Actor Award at the 2007 Melbourne Underground Film Festival. The film was accepted into the main program of the Athens Film Festival, Cork Film Festival and the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival. Vanessa was flown over as a guest. (Nocturne, Night of The Vampire is now distributed by Troma.)

In 2009, Vanessa was cast as the lead in horror film Context, the film premiered at the Razor Reel Film Festival in Bruges, in which Vanessa flew over as a guest. Context is part of the extras on the American release of El Monstro Del Mar by Breaking Glass Pictures Distribution. (Unfortunately it isn't listed on the dvd's cover.) 

Later in 2009, Vanessa was accepted into the New Actors Workshop in New York, run by famous film director - Mike Nichols (The Graduate.) On her return she worked on the film Crazy In The Night starring film director Frank Howson and Prisoner actors Tommy Dysart and Joan Brockenshire. Vanessa won a second Best Female Actor Award at the 2010 Melbourne Underground Film Festival for her leading role in the film.

In 2011, Vanessa was selected as a Victorian finalist in The Miss Pinup Australia Pageant, where she competed under the title Miss V-Bomb. She was given a spread in Beat Magazine as well as being interviewed by various Victorian newspapers.

In 2012, Vanessa became a freelance writer and mentor for Topic Media, writing over 90 lifestyle articles and winning many writing awards. That year, she was also commissioned by Australian publisher Hampress to write her erotic memoir Tantric Afternoons. 

Tantric Afternoons launched in April 2013 to rave reviews. Vanessa followed the book's release with 4 more titles - Tough Choice, Powers At Play, Lascivious and her latest book, Don't Hit Me!

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