Until It Was Gone

Francis and Laney Stafford’s 40th anniversary meant to celebrate their enduring love, instead marks the beginning of a tumultuous period in their lives. This milestone sets the couple on a challenging journey to repair severed and estranged relationships. Along the way, they confront personal struggles, face a modern illness, and unearth long-hidden secrets. As they navigate their complicated relationships and confront their turbulent past, hope seems elusive—until a life-changing accident shifts their perspective. Will this pivotal event bring their fractured family back together, or is fate steering them toward a different outcome?

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About the Author

David B. Seaburn is the author of ten novels, his most recent being Until It Was Gone, which will be released in December 2024.

David's first publication was a series of poems when he was in seminary at Boston University (1972-75). He continued writing while serving a church for six years, mostly short stories, plays, songs, essays and two manuscripts of inspirational prose.

He entered the field of marriage and family therapy in 1986 and was Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center where he did extensive academic writing. During this period, he co-authored two professional books and wrote over 60 papers and book chapters.

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MEDIA

I recently participated in an interview with eBook publisher, ManyBooks to talk about my work, including my latest novel: Give Me Shelter.

Read the Interview Here!

MY LATEST: UNTIL IT WAS GONE

“Moving, compelling, and engaging…a must-read…”

Goodreads

“Readers who appreciate realistic, emotionally charged narratives will find this novel both engaging and rewarding.”

Literary Titan

“…engaging storytelling…dialogue is excellent…handles deep themes with a touch of humor and warmth…”

Readers Favorite

“Emotionally demanding and profoundly rewarding…”

Indies Today

Available on Amazon

SYNOPSIS

When Laney announces to Franklin at their fortieth wedding anniversary dinner that she is leaving him, the lives of every member of the family are changed. Through conflict, covid, mass shooting, abortion, and more, this family will find forgiveness, resilience, and hope.

Laney leaves for the Oklahoma panhandle in search of Roz, their estranged daughter, who left home at sixteen, and the nineteen-year-old granddaughter, Maggie, Laney has never met.

Shortly after she leaves, Franklin contracts Covid which morphs into the long-haul form. His episodes of fogginess and disorientation awaken memories of abuse at the hands of his father.

Gretchen, his sister, comes to take care of him. Four years earlier her husband was killed in a mass shooting in her small town. Soon she will return home to give her victim impact statement at the murderer’s sentencing.

Maggie, the granddaughter, becomes pregnant and due to medical complications needs an abortion, but she lives in a state where it is outlawed. What will she do? Where will she go? Will the family find the resilience to come together for everyone’s sake?

AWARDS

Until It Was Gone

2024 Short-listed, Hawthorne Prize

Give Me Shelter

Short-listed for the Somerset Award in Literary and Contemporary Fiction (2022);

Finalist for the Maxy Award in Literary and Humor Fiction (2023);

Short Listed for the American Writing Awards Hawthorne Prize (2023);

Bookfest, Third Place, Literary Fiction/Coming-of-Age (2023);

Finalist, General Fiction, American Writing Awards (2023):

Broken Pieces of God

Finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award in General Fiction (2021);

Runner-up for the Pencraft Award in General Fiction (2022);

Gavin Goode

American Book Fest Finalist for "Best Book" in General Fiction (2019);

Semi-Finalist for the Somerset Award in Literary, Contemporary and Satire Fiction (2019);

Parrot Talk

Second in the TAZ Awards for Fiction (2017);

Short listed for the Somerset Award (2018);

Charlie No Face

Finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award in General Fiction;