Contact: Joni Sullivan Baker, Buoyancy PR, 513-319-3231

LOVELAND, Colo., Oct. 1, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- In the cruel irony of life mirroring art, accidental death triggers the unraveling of a family in Valerie Lawrence's debut novel, but while the book was in production, the author herself became the victim of accidental death in March 2013.

Yet love for the author led to the posthumous release of Beyond the Shadow of the Brownstone, released today, to honor her wishes to tell a story of love and redemption. Lawrence, who had married Philip Buettgen just six months before her death, held a Ph.D. in psychology and worked as a counselor.

In her multigenerational novel, accidental death shatters a brittle family and betrayal is revealed as family members endure the crisis of whether life will be given to the unborn child of a tragically lost son. Generations of secrets are revealed, yet the story ends with hope as love of family and faith endure, as does the family brownstone that already had sheltered generations.

"Valerie loved this story, inspired by her own immigrant grandparents, and drawn from her personal experiences and experience as a marriage counselor, as well as her strong commitment to the unborn," Buettgen said. "We shared that commitment and I loved being a sounding board for her as she finished and then submitted the manuscript.

"It's my sacred duty to pursue publishing this book in her honor and memory. How could I not?"

In Beyond the Shadow of the Brownstone, accidental death and abortion form the central conflicts, but it's a different lens as the viewpoint is that of the older generation who endure accidental death, and then face a potential loss of their last link to the loved one, an unborn grandchild, to abortion.

It all started with the brownstone, the home purchased by the first generation of Millers to come to America. As Josef and Paula worked hard and sacrificed, they dreamed of the blessings to come for their children's children, for all who would be welcomed to the gracious home.

In time, they handed down the brownstone to their grandson and his wife, George and Grace, who eventually raise their two children there but whose seemingly perfect lives hide wounds and secrets that would eventually tear the family apart.

As the book concludes, despite the pain and loss, the brownstone still endures and gives hope to a new purpose of loving and protecting children. For from the beginning, Grandpa Josef and Grandma Paula always believed that children were the key, children and love were always the backbone and legacy of the brownstone.

Lawrence's poignant message of life's fragility and cautions about the effects our decisions have on our loved ones and future generations leave readers with plenty to think about in the tale reviewers call "compelling," "well-told and engaging" and "lush with imagery."

Beyond the Shadow of the Brownstone (ISBN: 978-0-9893722-9-9, $14.95) is now available from Amazon and STL Distribution (www.stl-distribution.com) and at selected at Christian booksellers.