Dolores Durando

Out of the Darkness Dolores Durando

That he survived was a miracle. That he found happiness, a victory.

Meet Marty, a young boy born into a brutal family environment where not even a shred of dignity, hope and kindness can take root. Child protective services were a thing of the future in the 1950's, and so there was little help for Marty or others like him. He endured almost unbelievable cruelty, both from his family and at the California institution where the state placed him.

But every dark side has its opposite. Marty is rescued by the love of Joe, an old man who refuses to give up on him. Marty goes to live with Joe's wealthy friend, Benito, who owns a vineyard in the heart of the magical Napa Valley. Benito's large, loving family includes Rosita, a shy girl whose beauty is marred by a cleft palate.

Marty is soon absorbed into a wonderful new life; Rosita gives him unconditional love. His transformation is stunning.

For more than twenty-five years author Dolores Durando worked in the mental health field, primarily as a Licensed Psychiatric Technician. Out of the Darkness is based on events she witnessed during an era when many large mental institutions were no better than prisons run with a brutal lack of enlightenment or compassion.

Today, at 91, she is thankful to see the sweeping reforms in mental health and the positive results of publicity, education and modern technology. In addition to her writing, she is an award-winning sculptor and painter. Her previous title for Bell Bridge Books is Beyond the Bougainvillea, a historical based on the author's experiences working among the diverse men and women who built the great California dams of the early 1900's.