Unspoken: A Poetic Memoir

By Kelsie Eileen Stark

Have you ever felt the ache of absence all at once?

As if a storm is raging on forever in the distance

and although you seek shelter,

the thoughts of getting wet are stagnant in the air.

There is a chasm of words threaded together that go unsaid that are just as beautiful as those whispered sweetly in your ear, that are screamed at the top of your lungs, and those that escape at the edge of your breath as it falls before you. These words are our ache and our greatest joy. They are unspoken.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499039238

Kelsie Eileen Stark

Kelsie Stark lives in the riverbed of God's wrists, writing words of life with a chasm of dust from the ache's of life. Her words illustrate the tenderness of falling apart and falling in love. She reaches into the pit of her heart and overcomes the ache to find the beauty of it all. It is often the mirror of an emotion, that leads to a memory, which becomes a prelude of the soul.

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Copyright © 2014 by Kelsie Eileen Stark.

ISBN:          Softcover          978-1-4990-3924-5

                   eBook              978-1-4990-3923-8

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Rev. date: 06/18/2014

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Contents

A Perspective by Amelia Dickens

Goddess of Serendipity

One Thousand Clouds

Lady of Winter

Moldy Promises

I Remember Yesterday

This Is Life

Innocence Worn Away

A Silent Octave

We Are One

Mary, Daring Of Them All

I’m Not Preserved

My Broken Wings

Red Velvet

Rough Ropes

Spare Me

The Depths of Home

Black Ice

Not Her Wish

Adolescent Dreams

Wet Nostalgia

Paper Cups

The Aviary

Carnival Of Mockingbirds

If You Haven’t Seen Macabre

Petticoat Love

With Beating Drums and Broken Strings

In Grey Irises

Her Lambent Flame

Black and Blue Sea

The Completion of Her

Neptune’s Daughter

Into A Seldom Grave

Drowning Inside Her

Of A Miasma Dream

Gypsy Queen

Wisdom Blooms In Every Season

The Broken Looking Glass

Where Her Eyes Flutter

Midnight Rain (Magnificent)

Death’s Hand

A Mote Of His Memories

Unfettered Jesters of the Past

Dimming Paces On the Clock

As Ruins Awake

Into The Swelling Abyss

From Ashes To Rain

Dies Irae

The Man That Couldn’t Be

Of Woeful Heartache

Shipwrecked

Paths

Dark lady

Pennies For Dyslectic Thoughts

Whispers

New Day

Nostalgia’s Womb

Another Sunset

Never, Not

Glass Bottle

Special thanks to Robin Amaral and Elizabeth Fisk

A Perspective by Amelia Dickens

William Wordsworth once said, Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. Having spent two years teaching Kelsie Stark, I can say that Kelsie’s words truly come from her heart. She is an old soul, whose words and ideas often harken to a different time. She has a passion for life and the arts which is not commonly seen today. Kelsie loves books, loves music, loves movies and loves theater but Kelsie’s passion has always been words.

She is a thoughtful writer and allows the words to come from her heart rather than rushing to put pen to paper. Kelsie can create images for the reader with her language. Yet, she is not heavy handed with her writing. Her writing also allows for interpretation from her reader and engages readers in her work. She uses beautiful words and the reader knows that every word is placed with care. Each word must pull its weight to bring the work as a whole to completion.

In the last year, Kelsie has worked to write using fewer yet better words. These stripped down pieces as I like to call them are some of her best. It shows true maturity to use the right word not just the biggest word. I look forward to reading her work in the future and hope that the breathing of her heart continues to fill pages for many years to come.

I looked to you,

regretting each time

I said I’d never seek

the love that wasn’t there.

Goddess of Serendipity

She walked alone

in the sands of the dreaming shore,

the waves kept her in the tide

when the storms would roll in the distant sky

she would curiously watch

where the rain would pour—

if the droplets would fall on her

or around her

the reality is ruthless

but she lives alone

in the beacon over the sea.

Goddess of serendipity,

she wanders in nostalgic dreams

searching through the waters

that try to pull her into the abyss;

she finds nothing but shells

and sea glass

which engrave her bare soles,

memories of something lost

stay with her forever,

until ignorance is a virtue

and she lets the sun come out again.

Cold sea foam floats

in the waves

of the consoling marine,

deepening as the shores grow smaller

and her walk befalls to bridges

that sway hastily in the breath

of the atmosphere.

A compass she follows

directs her to her reflection,

looking into herself she finds

the confidence to move on,

but the waves

wrinkle into undersized remains,

beckoning her to stay

freely alone,

thoughtfully unspoken

in the language of love

and life.

Slowly the words come to mind

as she finds her way

through the dyed pastel sky,

contemplatively looking to herself,

realization floods her body;

like a seabird

she can fly where she pleases

until the storm comes back again—

she’ll call herself home.

One Thousand Clouds

Disheveled clouds,

sodden with rain—

a thunderous roar

quakes the silhouette

of muted mind

and a quiet heart—

meeting with judgment

in the gloom of another day,

overcoming failure of sentiment,

resentment, heartache, requests for relief.

The storm has come —

On strong knee’s

she bows before the Father,

asking how to find happiness again.

Which way is North—

the south is faraway for sore souls,

but

eastern skies

burn the heart on her sleeve,

the west will only dry her weary eyes.

She is unmoving

in an unclear

Reviews for Unspoken

[robin661_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

UnspokenDee HendersonBook Summary: Charlotte Graham is at the center of the most famous kidnapping in Chicago history. The task force of FBI and local cops found her two abductors, killed them, rescued her, but it took four very long years. The fact she was found less than three miles from her home, had been there the entire time, haunts them. She's changed her identity, found a profession she loves, and rebuilt her life. She's never said a word--to the cops, to her doctors, to family--about those four years. A family legacy has brought her back to Chicago where a reporter is writing a book about the kidnapping. The cops who worked the case are cooperating with him. Her options are limited: Hope the reporter doesn't find the full truth, or break her silence about what happened. And her silence is what has protected her family for years. Bryce Bishop doesn't know her past, he only knows she has coins to sell from her grandfather's estate--and that the FBI director for the Chicago office made the introduction. The more he gets to know Charlotte, the more interested he becomes, an interest encouraged by those closest to her. But nothing else is working in his favor--she's decided she is single for life, she struggles with her faith, and she's willing to forego a huge inheritance to keep her privacy. She's not giving him much of an opening to work with. Charlotte wants to trust him. She needs to tell him what happened. Because a crime cops thought was solved, has only opened another chapter...Review: First, I must say I liked this better than Full Disclosure. I even found myself liking Ann better because of Unspoken. I liked Bishop he was the best part of the book. The talk of coins - I have enough of that after 5 pages, yet it never seemed to stop. No wonder the main character was tired with his career. Charlotte and her secrets, the mystery man who was a ‘cop’ which was alluded to for 2/3rd of the book not very exciting. I feel for me that Unspoken made up for Full Disclosure but not enough to rush out to read another book in this line. The suspense was lacking and I found the talk of wealth fanciful. Keep it, give it away whatever the decision is it can not cure what ails the human heart. I was glad to see it end, yet Dee Henderson does a fantastic job of painting a picture with words. The places were vivid. For me the talk of money and coins were not exciting. The horrible things that happened to Charlotte tragic. But as far as human spirit Charlotte was halfway there. She never healed or dealt with those events that resulted from her kidnapping. I could go on about the things I was frustrated with but the bottom line for me is that the characters from Full Disclosure were better written, Bishop and his family (what we saw of them) were realistic and the friends of Bishop & Charlotte were realistic and enjoyable. It was worth the read, but not something I need to reread.I would like to thank Net Galley and Bethany House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.

[holly_combs_4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have long been a Dee Henderson fan, her romantic suspense novels surpass most any other author I have read. So I always jump at the chance to read her new releases in hopes of discovering a new favorite. Unspoken, something of a sequel to Full Disclosure, was released on Oct. 1.Bryce Bishop is a successful rare coin dealer, but he’s bored…at least until Charlotte steps into his life with an offer he can’t refuse. As he helps Charlotte sell a collection of coins she inherited, Bryce begins to realize there is much more to this mysterious woman than he understands.For most of her life, Charlotte has refused to speak about the one event that shaped her — four long years of captivity after her kidnapping. But her carefully constructed world begins to change as Bryce works his way into her heart. But there are still unanswered questions about the kidnappers — questions that could put her loved ones at risk.Unspoken is an interesting tale of a woman’s deep hurts finally being overcome by a loving God and a godly man. As always, Henderson includes interesting details about little known subjects — like rare coins. Her writing itself is intelligent and each sentence well constructed. But the plot of Unspoken often lagged, and while I liked the characters, there wasn’t enough action to keep the novel moving forward, and instead it regularly lost my interest.I was disappointed that I was never really given the chance to get to know Charlotte. Not only was she portrayed as guarded in the novel, her character was also guarded from the reader. While I understand how this could happen, Henderson dealt with a similar character in Danger in the Shadows, but there she still managed to allow the reader into Sara’s heart and mind. In my opinion, this is the most significant flaw in this novel.Bryce’s character was also somewhat disappointing. While he seems a genuinely good, godly man, his character is not very multifaceted. People are complex beings, but Bryce seems rather simplified. He also lacked any significant flaws (and we all have flaws!) that make him relatable and realistic.I also think that this novel is mislabeled as “romantic suspense,” as there really wasn’t anything suspenseful about the plot. The context — kidnapping, ransoms, etc — would certainly lend itself to that, but Charlotte is never in danger in this novel (nor is any other character). I also found it disappointing that unlike many of Henderson’s other novels, Charlotte really had no hand in the solving of the crime committed against her.I still believe Henderson is a master novelist. Her writing is superb, but in recent years, her novels have shifted from her original style. I will continue to read everything she writes as I wait to see her talent really come to fruition again.I received a complimentary copy of Unspoken from Bethany House Publishers, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts, and opinions are solely mine.

[glenajo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Typical Dee Henderson - Steady Romantic SuspenseDee Henderson books have strong characters that do not rush willy-nilly into romance. The characters are old enough to consider all the ramifications of romance, while dealing with a suspense filled problem. I really enjoy Henderson’s work, but do not expect high-tension suspense. While the suspense is there, it is more the unraveling of a thread, than a serial killer is. The characters show great depth leading to a beautiful romance built on strength, not just flash. The strong Christian theme adds greatly to the story. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a deeper romantic story with a little suspense woven through.

[missyvonnee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the book, as I enjoy the writing style of Dee Henderson. I wasn't as invested in the characters of this book as much as those in some of her past books, but it was still an enjoyable read. I'd recommend Unspoken to those who enjoy romantic suspense.

[kristymk18-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Closer to 2.5
Based on the blurb, I assumed Unspoken would hold more suspense and more in relation to the kidnapping of Charlotte; however, it was more about the budding friendship/relationship between her and Bryce. I never felt a connection to any of the characters, especially since we never really get to see what Charlotte is feeling and thinking. I suppose that was to add to the mystery surrounding who she is and the details of the kidnapping, but for me, it just made it difficult to relate to her. The first half of the book spoke heavily about coins (the reason for their initial meeting) and barely touched at all on what happened to Charlotte years a go. There is a "twist" but it is fairly easy to figure out and I found it predictable based off of the information given throughout the novel. I also found many similarities between this book and Henderson's other book, Danger in the Shadows, which made the story seem less original.

[bookdivasreads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Charlotte Graham is a woman with a horrific past. She has changed her name in an effort to distance herself from the horror and memories, but she'll never truly be able to put her years in captivity away completely. If dealing with that stress wasn't hard enough, she has to contend with liquidating her grandfather's estate. Her friends and business associates, Ellie Dance and John Key, have skillfully come up with a plan to assist her in this endeavor. Ellie is not only Charlotte's best friend, but she also manages Charlotte's art career. John has become as close to Charlotte as a brother and is her former bodyguard and current head of security. Running away from the past, attempting to liquidate millions of dollars’ worth of inventory (most of it in rare and mint condition coins), and donate funds to worthwhile charities is a very tall order. Before Charlotte meets Bryce Bishop, she is struggling with all three. Bryce Bishop is the owner of Bishop Chicago, a rare coin dealer. His business was chosen based on background provided by Ellie and John. But a tentative business relationship quickly becomes much more.Unspoken was an intriguing story but a slow read for me, and the speed had nothing to do with the length of the book. It may be related to the fact that the beginning of the story was bogged down with plenty of technical details and jargon relating to numismatology. There were also plenty of subplots going on, such as a cold case investigation into a kidnaped baby that occurred around the same time that Charlotte was being held captive. There's also a burgeoning romance going on between Charlotte and Bryce. Family drama is added to the equation when it is revealed that Charlotte has a twin sister that was also kidnaped but released after twenty-four hours. Eighteen years after Charlotte's release, her twin sister has decided to share as much information as possible on the ordeal with an investigative reporter. (Told you there was a lot going on.) I think that subconsciously I had difficulty with this story because it is more Christian fiction than inspirational fiction. I admired the incorporation of prayer and trust in God that was portrayed by Bryce, but his prayers are alternatingly addressed to God and then Jesus. That may be off-putting to some readers and enticing to others. So I guess what it boils down to is did I enjoy the story and the characters? The answer is a yes with some reservations. Some of the dialogue and transitions in the first half of the story didn't seem to flow as well as it did in the latter half of the story. Some of the subplots were a bit convoluted (one character is presumably in her late thirties/early forties and has worked as a rare coin dealer, homicide investigator, and is now an author . . . seriously?). Even with these relatively minor objections I found Unspoken to be a good read that incorporates murder, kidnapings, torture, rare coins, the art world, philanthropy, romance, intrigue, family drama, secrets, loss of faith, and religious inspiration.

[jnut1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I loved her past series.

This one not so much. I felt the details of coins was way way over the top and then the little details that I wanted to know, all the wedding presents Bryce gave Charlotte, what flavor of ice cream they would get, was overlooked.

And the Money?! Really? I like to read books out of my life's reach but.....

Charlotte picks Bryce to sell her grandfather's coin collection to. The book evolves as Bryce gets to know Charlotte and her story.

There are some great moments in this book but is it enough to overcome the details on the coins.

[mnegranza_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What can I say? If you are a fan of Dee Henderson you will likely enjoy this book, as I do. As always, it is so much fun to see Ms. Henderson tie this book together with her previous works. I can't say I would recommend it as an introduction to her. I didn't find it to be a "can't put it down" book. Still, a good, solid, enjoyable read.

[anotherjoy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is absolutely fabulous. The story, the characters, the suspense -- it's everything I know and love from Dee Henderson. Unspoken reminds me of the qualities that first hooked me to her writing in Danger in the Shadows. The woman is simply a master at Christian suspense fiction. This is quite possibly my favorite book from her since the O'Malley series!

[judyg54 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dee Henderson has done it again. Another great story that has it all; mystery, suspense, romance, danger, tenderness, and much more. I liked the way the story began and then fast forwarded to the present. I was in awe of the whole coin collection scenario and the amazing wealth of some people. And I loved the way the main character wanted to give it away and the way she went about it.Charlotte Graham (not her real name to protect her from publicity and exposure) was once very much in the news when she became famous for her kidnapping in Chicago years ago. It took the FBI 4 years to find her and it has taken Charlotte much longer to try to come to grips with what happened. She never talks about what happened during those four years, not to the police, her family or her friends. Now she finds herself inheriting her grandfather's vast estate and needs help selling off his enormous coin collection. She approaches Bryce Bishop, a well known dealer in rare coins with a very interesting offer which he finds himself almost forced to take. This encounter will be the beginning of a very slow but very heartfelt and tender relationship. I couldn't help but appreciate and love the way Bryce was with Charlotte. It truly was a very lovely romance.I enjoyed the fact that characters from the book "Full Disclosure" were also brought back into this story. I also appreciated the very real struggles Charlotte had with trying to reconcile the two facts - "God was good, and she had been badly hurt". Bryce would try to help Charlotte understand that "God had created people with a free will, had given people the freedom to decide what they wanted to do. . . .Most people rejected God and the world turned evil. But in the midst of that, God was still good, He still acted in love." I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and hopefully will read a story about John and Ellie in the near future??! I received this book from Bethany House through NetGalley for my enjoyment and honest review.

[helcura_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book - it had interesting complexities and the female protagonist was interesting. Books from presses that bill themselves as Christian can be problematic for non-Christian readers, but this book was not particularly preachy. Although I found some aspects of the god that Bryce believes in to be rather repugnant, I did find his expressions of his faith to be reasonable within the constraints of his character, and not added in to exhort the reader. For me Charlotte makes the book. She is a believable victim and survivor and I found her to be nicely balanced. The story has some good twists, even though overall it’s a bit contrived. The author struggles to force the characters into their marriage of convenience, but I was willing to suspend my disbelief in this case. The secondary characters were nicely fleshed out and made me want to learn more about them.Worth reading.

[rjmoren · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a wonderful book. I loved the characters, the story line, and the way it was written. It was very intriguing and had some suspense there at the end. A good solid Christian fiction read. I really enjoy Dee Henderson.

[nextian_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Classic Dee Henderson even though Unspoken is actually quite different than her normal stories. There's suspense but very little action. There's romance, but it's unconventional (at least to modern thinking) and often takes a back seat to the story. The characters are well-developed and loveable. There are surprises galore to keep the pages turning. But more importantly, the story telling is absolutely superb. I think Unspoken has now taken over the top spot as my favorite Henderson novel.

[olegalca · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Other than too much focus on coins it was a good read. The pacing didn't effectively build the mystery in my opinion but the ending was satisfying.

[janarose1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When a woman buys the shop next door to Bryce and threatens to open a competing coin store, he is highly annoyed. When she offers to let him buy her inventory of rare and unique coins and a bottom dollar price, he becomes a bit intrigue. Thus begins their interesting relationship, where Bryce learns that sixteen years earlier, Charlotte was kidnapped and tortured for four years.I thought this was an interesting premise but it felt like nothing really was concluded. I wanted to know more about her kidnapping, but instead the author focused on the present and their relationship. I found the snippets of God talk a bit annoying, especially because they seemed to happen at very random moments. Overall, not a book I would reread or recommend to others.

[love2readnovels_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Charlotte Graham was once the victim of a kidnapping where she was held for four long years. Law enforcement killed her abductors and she was finally rescued. She changed her identity and tried to rebuild her life as best as she could. At no time however, did she say anything to anyone about what happened during those years. Along the way, Charlotte finds herself the recipient of an enormous inheritance from her grandfather. Some of which was in the form of old and rare coins. Bryce Bishop doesn't know Charlotte's past. He only knows she showed up in an unusual way and offered him to buy the coins. Bryce gets a call from Paul Falcon that Charlotte is who she says she is and the coins are real. Bryce is intrigued by Charlotte and they become friends. Those around Charlotte encourage the friendship. The more time he spends with her the more intrigued he is. She has made it very clear though, that she will remain single. She also struggles with her faith and is willing to turn down a sizable inheritance to keep her family safe. The more she's around Bryce the more she realizes what a good and kind man he is. But can she trust him enough to tell him the truth of what happened or will the words remain unspoken?I thoroughly enjoyed Unspoken but I must say, it took me awhile to get into the story. I was probably a quarter of the way into the book before it got to the place where I felt it started getting good. It seemed like it was just a little to much detail about old coins. Once I got past that, it began to flow very nicely. I enjoyed seeing Ann and Paul again and they both played an active part in story, which I really enjoyed. Bryce was a swoon-worthy hero guaranteed to melt even the coldest of hearts. His kindness and patience toward Charlotte was awesome. Charlotte was really an interesting leading lady and one I enjoyed getting know. She was kind and very generous but only let a few people into her close circle. The interaction between Bryce and Charlotte was both fun and touching. John and Ellie played great supporting rolls. You'll find a lot of depth to the story where human emotion is concerned but also where faith is concerned. Charlotte's questions about God were completely understandable and I really liked the way Bryce answered them. Very well done. By the time I got to the end, I wasn't ready to close the book and say goodbye to these guys. I did, however, enjoy the ending. I would love to catch up with them again in say...the next book?!!!Paperback: 448 pagesPublisher: Bethany House Publishers (October 1, 2013)ISBN-10: 0764211714ISBN-13: 978-0764211713*This complimentary copy was provided by Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[vintagebeckie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dee Henderson has long been a favorite author among the members of my book club, By The Book. We last selected Full Disclosure for discussion. It was somewhat of a departure from her previous works and had mixed reviews across the blogosphere. But my group liked it, so we were not hesitant to choose Unspoken for our February discussion. Except for a few ehs due mostly to the descriptions of coins, Unspoken was well received.The plot of Unspoken revolves around the relationship between Charlotte Graham, a kidnapping victim turned multi-millionaire and Bryce Bishop, a rare coin dealer. Charlotte approaches Bryce to sell the vast coin collection inherited from her grandfather. Intrigued by Charlotte, Bryce wants to get to know her better and perhaps get behind the barriers she has erected to protect herself from further hurt.Unspoken does contain a plot thread filled with suspense, but it is the complex relationship between Charlotte and Bryce that kept me reading. Charlotte is deeply wounded, yet determined to live her life on her own terms. She is a believer, but doesn’t really trust God. Bryce lives a life of quiet, yet firm faith. His life models Christ’s love. Charlotte slowly comes to trust Bryce and, in turn, God. I especially liked Henderson’s depiction of Bryce’s prayer life — something more than one of our members commented on. As in Full Disclosure, Henderson gives us a difficult female character and a strong, yet gentle and devoted male character who is consistent and determined to woo her. Bryce is a powerful picture of God’s love for us — never-failing, unrelenting and unconditional.I really liked Unspoken and believe it is the best book yet written by Dee Henderson. I am eagerly awaiting her next book, Undetected, due out in April, featuring Bryce’s brother, Mark Bishop.Highly Recommended.(Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

[aliballyb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant. the best book I've read for a while. So well written with many threads but they all make sense and come together. I like the hints of other books too. Romance but not slushy or unrealistic. Answers real faith/doubt questions