The Blackbird and the Rainbow is written from the heart and is a frank open and honest account of what it is like to lose a child from drug addiction. My experiences are directly relevant to the contents of the book. I write in detail about the dreadful day I received the phone call every parent dreads, the intensity and madness of the bereavement period that followed and I look back honestly at the causes which may have triggered a much-loved child to go off the rails. Although the subject matter is painful, heartbreaking, and ultimately tragic it is not depressing and is written with humour and positivity. I hope to help anyone who has lost a child and those who live with the constant fear of future loss as a beloved child slips through the safety net of society and is sinking below the waterline. It is also for any menopausal woman who grieves for the beautiful girl who still lives within them and for isolated people who don't fit into a neat little stereotype. Every cell in my body compelled me to write this book.