I'm thrilled to be announcing a blog tour for a memoir that relates a tale of resilience in the aftermath of trauma. Deborah Svec-Carstens brings us her debut book Toward the Light: A Year in Paris. Although this story will resonate with survivors of sexual violence, there is also a universal message of hope and courage for everyone. Join us in celebrating with an author interview and book giveaway.
But before we get to that, here's more about her book:
At twenty-two, Deborah Svec-Carstens leaves small-town Iowa for Paris, hoping a year abroad will bring adventure, independence, and a fresh start. But just as she begins to feel at home, a morning run ends in sexual assault.
Every instinct tells her to leave. Instead, she chooses to stay.
As the months pass, Deborah leans on an unexpected community of friends, wrestles with questions of faith, and finds purpose in caring for Lily, the young girl entrusted to her care. Slowly, she discovers that healing is not a destination, but a path taken one step at a time.
Set against the cafés, parks, and neighborhoods of Paris, Toward the Light is a coming-of-age memoir of trauma, resilience, and the courage of simply staying.
Spiral Staircase Press (September 15, 2026)
Audiobook: 979-8-9958853-2-0
ASIN: 979-8-9958853-0-6
ISBN-13: 979-8-9958853-1-3
Print length: 308 pages
Purchase your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million and Bookshop. You'll also want to add it to your GoodReads reading list.
About the Author, Deborah Svec-Carstens
Deborah Svec-Carstens, JD, MTS, is a writer, book coach, spiritual director, and former lawyer whose work explores healing after trauma, embodiment, and spirituality. Her debut memoir, Toward the Light: A Year in Paris, traces her search for meaning and connection in the months after a traumatic assault in Paris in her early twenties.
Her writing has appeared or is forthcoming in bioStories, the Brevity blog, the Des Moines Register, and Ember & Vine
Nonfiction Anthology. Her work has received recognition from Writer’s Digest, WOW! Women on Writing, and Memoir Magazine. Deborah writes The Spiral Staircase on Substack and offers
workshops and presentations. She lives in Central Iowa with her husband, where she writes and accompanies others in their journeys of healing and story.
Website: https://deborahsveccarstens.com
Facebook: deborah.sveccarstens
Instagram: @deborah.sveccarstens
Substack: The Spiral Staircase
--Interview by Jodi M. Webb
WOW: What made you decide to write a memoir? Was it part of a healing process?
Deborah: I started writing Toward the Light ten years ago, but the idea had been with me far longer. At first, I wondered whether there might be another layer of healing to uncover through the writing. As I continued to write, my “why” for writing the book grew. I wanted my nieces and nephews to know what I’d experienced and, more importantly, that I’d moved forward. I was resilient and courageous—and they could be, too. As the story took shape, so did a deep desire to share my story with other survivors, and publication became a goal. I wanted to give other survivors and their loved ones hope. I wanted readers to know that my darkest moment was not the end of my story, but an invitation into community, connection, and faith.
WOW: Your book explores two very personal topics: recovery after sexual violence and searching for a spiritual relationship. Was it difficult to share this with the world?
Deborah: At first, yes.
My Paris journals, where I’d written prayers, scripture passages, and questions, helped me remember my spiritual wrestling but also made me cringe. My faith had changed drastically since those initial months after the assault. As hard as it was to put some of those pieces in the book, I knew the faith journey was part of the story, and I had to be true to who I was then.
My writing group, who eventually read every page of the book as I drafted and revised, didn’t know at first that I’d been sexually assaulted in Paris. It took months before I could write the chapter detailing the assault and share it with them.
As the circle of people I’ve shared my story with has widened—including a local storytelling event before an audience of more than 1,200 people—talking about my experience has become easier. Getting the story out of my body and onto the page has helped me gain some distance from it and release the shame I’d carried for years afterward.
My desire to share my story outweighs the moments of vulnerability. I hope it might help someone share their story—whether that’s with a friend or family member, a therapist, or a wider audience.
WOW: When writing, we live and breathe our topic. Did you ever feel that in writing this
memoir you might find yourself down the rabbit hole into the fear you felt after your assault?
Deborah: Enough time had passed by the time I started writing that I wasn’t worried about slipping
back into the fear I felt after the assault. But I also made sure I had the support I needed to write, including a therapist, a spiritual director, and a supportive writing community. Drawing on what I’d learned about trauma, I made it safe to write the hard scenes by taking a few deep breaths, feeling my feet on the floor, and using other practices to stay present and grounded in my body. Still, there were times when I had to take breaks from the memoir and write other pieces that had nothing to do with France, trauma, or healing.
WOW: What is an idea you hope readers will take with them after reading Toward the Light?
Deborah: I hope readers walk away with two ideas: that their darkest moment is not the end of their story, and that surrounding themselves with community during challenging times makes all the difference.
WOW: Tell us a little about how you became a book coach.
Deborah: When I wasn’t sure how to begin writing, I turned to a coach. She offered a safe space to share my experience of sexual assault and believed in my story even when I didn’t. She helped me envision how it would resonate with readers and guided me in shaping it into not just a recounting of events, but a book with a narrative structure, central themes, and a clear overarching point. She encouraged me to dive deeper into the emotional heart of the story and wouldn’t let me quit writing when I wanted to.
My experience working with a coach inspired me to become an Author Accelerator certified book coach in memoir. I want to be for other writers the coach that I was fortunate enough to have.
Over the course of eight months, I completed coursework and coached three practicum clients in various stages of the writing process, then submitted materials for certification. Today, I offer steady support, honest feedback, and clear direction to writers who feel called to share their stories of transformation, resilience, or spiritual growth, helping them move from doubt and fear to courage and confidence.
WOW: From your experience as a book coach, what do you think is the most common thing that writers need from you?
Deborah: Most of all, writers are looking for encouragement. They want someone to accompany them through the planning or drafting stages, keep them accountable, and help them discover the structure or narrative arc for the story they want to tell. As a coach, I offer suggestions and guidance, but not in a prescriptive way. Ultimately, I provide a safe, non-judgmental space where people with challenging stories to tell can make meaning of their life experiences and shape them into a book that will resonate with readers.
WOW: Any advice for our readers considering writing a memoir?
Deborah: Keep going. It took me ten years to write and publish Toward the Light. Many times, I wanted to quit. Fortunately, I had a coach and a writing group to encourage me and keep me accountable. They refused to let me quit.
Writing may be a solitary endeavor, but bringing a story to life requires community. Find yours.
WOW: Can you share some of your favorite memoir writers/titles?
Deborah: Absolutely! Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, Maggie Smith’s You Could Make This Place Beautiful, Caroline Knapp’s Appetites, and Roxane Gay’s Hunger are memoirs I return to for their structure and for the vulnerable writing that draws readers in. I also highly recommend Mallary Tenore Tarpley’s Slip: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery. It’s an excellent example of a hybrid memoir that interweaves the author’s personal story, reporting, and research.
WOW: What’s up next for you and your writing?
Deborah: In addition to spreading the word about Toward the Light: A Year in Paris, I write on
Substack at The Spiral Staircase and coach other memoir writers. I’m happy to join book groups to discuss Toward the Light: A Year in Paris. Free discussion questions are available to download at my website.
My award-winning essay, “Fireweed,” will be published in the Ember & Vine Nonfiction Anthology on
November 3, 2026 (Ember & Vine Press). A second essay, “Befriending Beth Ann,” will be published in Eat Me: Essays, Poetry, & Art on Eating Disorders From Midlife Women in spring 2028 (Third Rail Press).
WOW: That's so exciting. We're looking forward to reading more of your work.
--Blog Tour Calendar
October 19th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Toward the Light: A Year in Paris by Deborah Svec-Carstens. Read an interview with the author and enter the giveaway.
October 20th @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
Looking for a new memoir? Read an excerpt from the debut memoir by Deborah Svec-Carstens, Toward the Light: A Year in Paris.
October 22nd @ All Things Writing
Author Deborah Svec-Carstens shares her writing experience in Writing About Trauma, Not Reliving It.
October 27th @ A Wonderful World of Words
Deborah Svec-Carstens writes about the journey to release the shame after her assault, including writing her memoir Toward the Light.
October 30th @ Nikki's Book and Movie Reviews
Stop by for a review of Toward the Light by Deborah Svec-Carstens.
https://nikkitsbookreviews.wordpress.comOctober 31st @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
Meet author Deborah Svec-Carstens in today's interview.
November 2nd @ A Storybook World
Find out the meaning behind the title of Deborah Svec-Carstens' memoir Toward the Light.
November 4th @ Words by Webb
Jodi shares her thoughts on Toward the Light by Deborah Svec-Carstens.
November 6th @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
Today Joan is reviewing a memoir of trauma and hope by Deborah Svec-Carstens: Toward the Light.
November 11th @ Some Thoughts: Everything Creativity
Author Deborah Svec-Carstens writes about The Keys to Memoir: Journals, Photos, Letters, Music and More.
November 14th @ World of My Imagination
Celebrate National Memoir Writing Month with Nicole's review of Toward the Light: A Year in Paris.
November 15th @ Some Thoughts: Everything Creativity
In a memoir mood? Today Kaecey review Toward the Light by Deborah Svec-Carstens.
***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****
Enter to win Toward the Light: A Year in Paris by Deborah Svec-Carstens. Fill out the form below for a chance to win a memoir of hope and courage. The giveaway ends November 1st at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!
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