FIFTH BORN by Zelda Lockhart is a soothing, sweet, leisurely, Sunday drive through an emotional minefield.

Odessa, the fifth born of eight children in a troubled family, narrates her life story, beginning at the age of three when her beloved grandmama dies. In the next 10 years, Odessa is sexually abused by her father, physically abused by her mother, and treated with contempt and disgust.

As Odessa grows, so do her troubles. Her world is nothing but soul-aching pain. Odessa's need for loving attention or even a kind gesture grows and she seeks some way to escape the years of hurt. She ultimately separates herself from her parents and siblings into a new reality that prompts memory and revelation. Her choices for survival provoke an outcome that will forever alter the carefully maintained lies of her childhood. Zelda Lockhart has the ability to take a story to the emotional core and accompany it with a lullaby.

Zelda Lockhart's poetry, fiction, and essays have appeared in publications including WordWrights, Sojourner, Calyx, and Sinister Wisdom. She received her B.A. from Norfolk State University, and her M.A. in Literature from Old Dominion University.

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