Aandi Greenway's nonfiction book, 'Shoy', is her explicit account of the sexual abuse she suffered as a child. It is the story of a young girl trying to grow and find her identity under the watchful eyes of her abuser. Marred by sexual abuse, teenage pregnancy and all the responsibilities of life in a cruel and unloving world, Greenway is a living symbol of the light that can be found on the other side of grave darkness. In the book, Greenway, referring to herself as Shoy, and her little brother are left at home one evening with Roger, a man who is boarding at her parents' home. In contrast to her mother's harsh ways, Roger is kind and gentle. Gaining her trust and using "games," he draws Shoy, at age six, into an adult world that has repercussions for several decades. The abuse continues and Shoy, now a teenager, becomes pregnant, believing this will cause the abuse to stop. Despite her desperate cry for help, her parents, and particularly her mother, are insensitive to Shoy's needs. They force her to continue her education and to finally find work. The death of her abuser does not release Shoy from the pain, but she is finally able to break free of the invisible bonds of her parents. As she seeks to build her own life she finds happiness in a short-lived affair that tests friendships and family loyalties. Now, in its own painful way, the abuse somehow brings naive humour to Shoy's life and gives her the will to survive for the love of her children.

Author Biography

Greenway, 39, is a first generation black British-Caribbean woman. She is married to a serviceman and has two children, three step-children and two step-grandchildren. She is a member of the air cabin crew for a British airline.