A Journey Through Heartbreak and Healing

In the quiet of a summer night in 2023, Belle Burden found herself alone, staring at a laptop screen. She had just hit publish on her first-ever article, a personal essay about her marriage. The moment it went live, panic set in. There was no turning back. This was a big deal for her. Burden, now 56, shared this story on a chilly December day at a cozy coffee shop near her home in TriBeCa. Her essay, "Was I Married to a Stranger? ", had sparked interest from publishers. It detailed the sudden end of her 21-year marriage, which crumbled during the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown. The piece's raw honesty and unique tone caught the attention of book editors. After considering several offers, she signed a deal to turn her essay into a full-length memoir, "Strangers: A Memoir of a Marriage, " set to be released by Dial Press.Writing the book was a journey of self-discovery for Burden. It helped her make sense of her experiences and find a sense of stability. But it wasn't easy. She described the process as both empowering and terrifying, like jumping off a cliff. With the book's release just weeks away, Burden faced another challenge: promoting it. Public appearances, readings, and interviews filled her with dread. She tried to avoid reading reviews and feedback online. Despite her fears, she felt ready to face whatever came next. Burden's story is a reminder that healing and growth often come from facing our deepest fears and sharing our truths with the world.