One Was Lost

By Vigil Chimé

PATRICK SINGLETON is a man on the edge of a precipice – both physical and spiritual. He is benumbed with grief, due to the unfortunate event that occurred in his life some years back. Determined to end it all, he hangs on the platform of the elevated subway track at Harlem’s renowned 125th Street.

On the street below, DIARRA SAL, a 10-year old African girl, gets out of a cab with her mother. The ladies arrived from Senegal only hours before, so are eager to begin living their American Dream. The mother is crossing the famous street when suddenly out of nowhere, a car barrels towards her - in full view of the stunned child and Patrick, still on the ledge about to jump.

Ultimately, ONE WAS LOST is a story about loss and pain. But it is also about the resilience of the Human Spirit. Two broken lives converge at an urban intersection – brought together by fate, united by sorrow. Will they succumb to darkness, or will they rise and triumph over grief and tragedy?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vigil Chimé
• Release date: Jun 4, 2012
• ISBN: 9780615639130

Vigil Chimé

Vigil Chimé is a Nigerian-American who came to the US with her family in the late 70s. Though she spent her childhood in Houston, TX, she’s called Harlem home since 1990. Chimé’s unique perspective as someone who straddles two cultures is evident in all her work. She has the ability to seamlessly sew the day-to-day and real life challenges of the African immigrant within the larger American tapestry in a way that profoundly connects us all. Her characters – whether African or non – are often ordinary folks marching through their ordinary rhythms of life. But she presents their struggles with incredible insight that renders their journey extraordinary. In 1996, Chimé graduated from Columbia University with an MFA in Film – consequently, her work is written with a cinematic flare that makes readers feel as if they are present within each scene. Chimé wrote and directed four feature films before entering the literary genre. Whether as filmmaker or as novelist, Chimé strives to bring people everywhere stories that give an insight into the workings of the human heart. For updates on Chimé and all her work, please visit her website vigilchime.com

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