Nutley native and author Michelle Cray has released her memoir, “Stretched,” which she calls a “deeply personal account of surviving trauma and rebuilding her life after decades of emotional hardship.”
In “Stretched,” Cray says she wrote with unfiltered honesty about growing up in a household with a mentally ill mother, the divorce of her parents and her experience with sexual assault, including the aftermath. Her memoir invites readers to connect with her emotional vulnerability while offering hope to those who feel burdened by similar situations.
The book received strong recognition, including an overall rating of 9.5/10 from the BookLife Critic’s Report (Publisher’s Weekly), which praised her prose and character execution.
“Michelle Cray writes with fearless candor, incorporating an attention-getting opening into excellent pacing that never lets up,” the recognition says.
Cray says she hopes her memoir will resonate with readers who have faced personal adversity or difficulties in their relationships.
“By reading my story, you will understand the challenges I faced and the mistakes I made. But with that, you will also see how I handled and sought meaning behind those difficulties,” Cray says. “My hope is this book resonates with you, because you are not alone.”
“Stretched” is available through major retailers, including Amazon.
Cray writes in multiple genres, including trauma, personal transformation and comedy.
Learn more about the writer ...
Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.