Faith, Failure, and Finding Solid Ground

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When Laura Whitfield was fourteen, her extraordinary brother, Lawrence, was killed in a mountain climbing accident. That night she had an epiphany: Life is short. Dream big, even if it means taking risks. So, after graduating from high school, she set out on her own, prepared to do just that.

Laura spent her first summer after high school on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, a magical few months filled with friendships, boys, and beer. There she met a handsome DJ, who everyone called “Steve the Dream” and risked her heart. When September came, Steve moved to New York City to become a model, prompting Laura to start thinking about modeling, too.

After just one semester of college, still seeking to fill the void left by her brother’s death, she dropped out and moved to New York to become a cover girl. But while juggling the demands of life in the big city—waiting tables, failed relationships, and the cutthroat world of modeling—she lost her way.

A stirring memoir about a young woman’s quest to find hope and stability after devastating loss, Untethered is Laura’s story of overcoming shame, embracing faith, and learning that taking risks—and failing—can lead to a bigger life than you’ve ever dared to imagine.

Pulpwood Queens Book Club pick of the month for December 2022.

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Praise for Untethered

" . . . Whitfield's narration is often engaging in its spirited expression of a resolute search for meaning. A candid and inspirational coming-of-age story."

Kirkus Reviews

"The writing is engaging and welcomes the reader into the author’s story and thoughts . . . telling a story that is unique to her yet in which readers will recognize the ebbs and flows of tragedy, challenges, and joy we all experience in life."

The BookLife Prize

“Untethered by Laura Whitfield was absolutely engrossing. Expertly written, Untethered is a memoir written like a high-paced action thriller. The reader feels Laura’s struggles—her hurts, her heart, and her humanity. . . . An unbelievable memoir that will stay with you long after the final page. Highly recommended.”

Readers’ Favorite

Five-Star Review

"When life falls apart, it's easy to assume you're alone in your suffering. Or worse, that you're stuck there. Untethered is a haunting exploration of life's disorienting darkness punctuated by lightning strikes of hope. Laura forces readers to confront the vulnerability of being human while offering a rousing call to more abundant life. If you're ever felt blindsided by disappointment and disillusionment, Laura's journey of faith amid failure is not to be missed. Highly recommend!"

Jonathan Merritt

Contributing writer for The Atlantic and author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch

“Untethered is a breathtaking glimpse into the unraveling of a life after death. With winsome prose, Whitfield's poignant coming-of-age narrative takes the reader on a journey of what happens when we come undone. This is a timely memoir of loss, sex, beauty, family, and the courage it takes to regain our footing amid chaos.”

J. Dana Trent

Author of Dessert First: Preparing for Death While Savoring Life

"It's not easy to reach into our darkest truths. In Untethered, Whitfield takes the deep dive into faith, family, love, loss, and the longing to find oneself."

Cheryl Sharp

CEO of Sharp Change Consulting and former head of National Council for Behavioral Health's Trauma-Informed Care initiatives

“Untethered is about learning to forgive yourself and deal with the unresolved grief from compounded traumas that so many of us as women carry, believing that burden to be our cross to bear in silence and shame. A deep and satisfying read."

Echo Montgomery Garrett

Author of My Orange Duffel Bag: A Journey to Radical Change and cofounder of the Orange Duffel Bag Initiative

“Untethered is a page-turning read for anyone who has dared to follow a dream, suffered tragic loss, and longed for redemption.”

Michael Morris

Author of A Place Called Wiregrass, Slow Way Home, and Man in the Blue Moon

“With radiant honesty, Whitfield tells the story of losing her beloved brother, which set her on a quest to find emotional and spiritual sanctuary. We follow her wild years in the Outer Banks, New York City, and Chapel Hill, where she seeks solace in men, jobs, and her writing. What she must learn is how to find a way “for my faith and my life to line up.” Whitfield’s frank, vibrant memoir reads with the page-turning urgency of a novel you can’t put down. Fans of Mary Karr’s Lit and Anne Lamott’s Tender Mercies will want to read this book.”

Marianne Gingher

Professor of English and Creative Writing, UNC and author of A Girl’s Life and Adventures in Pen Land

“Whitfield's memoir is an engrossing coming-of-age tale. Marked by deep grief and aspiration, broken relationships and restoration, her story moves from a quiet beginning in North Carolina, to New York City and back again, all in pursuit of a defined sense of self. In her generous telling, Whitfield reminds us that humility, grace, and deep gratitude can yield the richest rewards, and that this life's greatest fulfillment comes in relationship with others.”

Rebecca Brewster Stevenson

Author of Healing Maddie Brees and Wait

“Untethered is an exciting journey of a dynamic woman—and while it represents her life, there are so many moments of “oh, I know that feeling” that she could be writing about me and my life, only with different names! So many of us have gone through the journey of finding ourselves while thinking it takes a man to get there—Whitfield’s story shows us that we need ourselves to find ourselves—and along the way, we might also find love. A great read for women of all ages.”

Jen Oleniczak Brown

Founder of The Engaging Educator and author of Think On Your Feet