About Me

ABOUT ME

I have been a writer since I was about 10 years old. I lived in a household full of turmoil and disparity. My parents constantly criticized me and each other. There was verbal, emotional, psychological, and physical violence within my house. My parents isolated me and were over protective. As a child, I always felt like I was on the outside. Writing poetry gave my experiences a language, and I validated those experiences and myself, when writing poetry. No matter what I felt or had to say, the paper and pen always honored my thoughts and feelings. The paper and pen never minimized or devalued my feelings, as my parents did. When I reached out to others and I couldn't find a friend, I learned that the pen and blank page was my friend.

Substance of Life is my debut collection of poetry. The first two chapters, The Bond Woman, and Prose Place, chronicle the joys, pains, loves, and disappointments of the first three decades of my life, but primarily my teenage years. In the last chapter, The Free Woman, are poems I wrote approximately between 2005-2012. Click here to preview or purchase your copy.

I am writing two other non-fiction books called, Let Not You Heart be Hardened: A Message For Today's Single Woman, and On My Own and Nowhere to Go: This is My Story. Let Not You Heart be Hardened, is a celebration of celibacy before marriage, and empowers women to take back their sexual and emotional power. On My Own and Nowhere to Go: This is My Story, tells my story of sexual assault and domestic violence. I never imagined telling this story outside of a sexual assault group. I learned it was not safe. I started the journey of telling my story, under Divine Intervention and instruction. God spoke to me, and instructed me to tell my story. I immediately rejected the idea. I told God, "No". It may seem to you that I was being disobedient, but God knew something else was going on. I was overcome by guilt and shame because of what had happened to me. The experience, and even more significantly, the post experience, had taught me not to talk about being sexually assaulted. I was comfortable keeping the pain inside. I was comfortable not talking about my experience. However, the fear that someone could look at me and cryptically know that I had been molested and raped, took over my life. In conjunction with numerous obstacles, that fear stunted my dreams and endeavors.

God was pushing me out of my comfort zone. I'm now talking because he did. I know that many other voices have not been heard or spoken. If you are a sexual assault or domestic abuse survivor, I hope that you too, will speak and be heard. Listen to God as he pushes you out of your comfort zone. Whether you are a survivor or a perpetrator, God wants to heal you.

Get a copy of Substance of Life for yourself and a friend. Everywhere I go, the book is well received. Check back later for the release dates for both, Let Not You Heart be Hardened: A Message For Today's Single Woman, and On My Own and Nowhere to Go: This is My Story.

BIO

Bernadene Davis is a native of Philadelphia, PA. She started writing when she was about 10 years old. Ms. Davis writes from her experiences and wants to give voice to those who feel voiceless. Ms. Davis has survived a dysfunctional upbringing, domestic violence, substance abuse, sexual assault, homelessness, being a single parent and breast cancer.

Ms. Davis has 22 years experience in social services and mental health. She has volunteered as a Rape Crisis Counselor with Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR) in Philadelphia. Davis is a former Chair of the Meeting and Programs Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Book Publishers Association. Ms. Davis has written as the Philadelphia Women’s Business Examiner on the now defunct examiner.com. Ms. Davis has presented the workshop, Love From Inside Out, at Delaware County’s Maternity Care Coalition, also known as the “Mom Mobile”, a social service agency for mothers. Ms. Davis has also authored the workshops, What Substance is Your Life? (held at the Philadelphia School District’s Parent University), 30 Days to Substance, A Biblical Study of Celibacy Before Marriage and Publishing Primer.

Ms. Davis is a recognized force, a celebrated speaker and workshop creator and facilitator. She shines her light wherever she goes. Since being told by her mother, to never give up, and to always persevere, Ms. Davis is a persistent overcomer, and encourages others to reach their full potential.

Contact me for speaking engagements, workshops or readings.