The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent

The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent

About the Book

An unflinching yet hopeful story of a girl who discovers she cannot fully value life without accepting the realities of death.

Eighteen-year-old Del is in a healthier place than she was a year and a half ago: She’s sober, getting treatment for her depression and anxiety, and volunteering at a suicide-prevention hotline. Her own suicide attempt is in the past, and living in San Francisco with her beloved aunt has helped her see a future for herself.

But when Aunt Fran is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Del’s equilibrium is shattered. She’s dedicated herself to saving every life she can, but she can’t save Fran. All she can do is help care for her aunt and try to prepare herself for the inevitable—while also dealing with a crush, her looming first semester at college, and her shifts at the crisis line.

After Aunt Fran asks for her help with a mind-boggling final request, Del must confront her own demons and rethink everything she thought she knew about life and death.
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About the Author

Ann Jacobus
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About the Author

Jen Zhao
Jen Zhao is a Canadian filmmaker and actor. She creates autofictional works that explore identity, genre, and the experience of making art itself. She is a Sloan Foundation Film Fellowship recipient and a member of the BAFTA Connect Program. Jen has released work with The Center for Research in Engineering, Media and Performance (REMAP), Penguin Random House, and Cosmic Soup Productions, and is a board member of the Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppetry (CAMP). Jen received her MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA. More by Jen Zhao
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