What would you risk to escape a Groundhog Day-style life in Hell?
When del, fear-baffled by her CPTSD, meets Sam, reliant on his algorithms to navigate communication and relationships due to autism, their neurodivergences could synergize helpfully or lead to irreconcilable differences. Which journey they take out of their individual Groundhog Day in Hell experiences will depend on del’s healing from trauma and Sam’s ability to adapt his algorithms to accommodate the challenges of their evolving realities – merging or diverging – impacted by Covid, wildfires, and other current events.
del came to northern California in 2019 to house and pet sit, reassess her life, and heal from traumatic childhood wounds. Two weeks after arriving, she was violently attacked, leaving her with a shoulder injury and triggering her complex PTSD. With her mental-emotional functionality compromised, far from home, and knowing no one nearby, she needs sanctuary, but lands in another unsafe space, Pravda Czentral where she meets Sam, a frequent visitor. He’s 20 years younger, and unexpectedly helpful and generous, but has his own challenge: high-functioning autism (aka Asperger’s or 2e). With Sam’s help, del finds Redwood Retreat Center, an ideal place in which to heal. Or so she thinks. But not all is as it seems.
Almost exactly a year after leaving Pravda Czentral, with another fresh trauma exacerbating her CPTSD, wondering why she’s stuck in a Groundhog Day in Hell life, she returns and reconnects with Sam. They share bottles of Malbec and smoke cannabis watching the river flow by as the sun sets. But now del knows she needs to heal no matter what that takes. Even if it compromises her growing friendship with Sam.
Gradually, as her healing progresses, and Sam’s behavior grows increasingly erratic, she begins to wonder “Who does Sam think we are to each other?”, “Who do I want us to be?”, and “What am I willing to risk for connection?” Answering those questions while healing takes her on a mental-emotional rollercoaster ride created by their duelling neurodivergent minds that alternate unpredictably between collaboration and conflict, triggering mindmines in both of them. Can they find a way to end the duel between their neurodiversities, transform their competing monologues into a functional dialogue, and preserve their friendship despite the impacts of unreasonable assumptions and expectations? Or are there unknown unknowns that can defeat them?
“In this remarkable narrative, Darien Simon uncompromisingly explores the tangled dynamics of trauma, resilience, and human connection. Her candid reflections—part diary, part personal letters—offer a rare, intimate view into the complexities of healing after deep wounds. What moved me most is the blend of fierce honesty with genuine empathy, illuminating how misunderstandings, unspoken expectations, and missed signals can derail even our most vital relationships. Things I wish I’d Said is an inspiring work of the courage it takes to start again.” – Antonieta Contreras, Psychotherapist and author of “Traumatization and Its Aftermath” and “How Deep Is the Wound?: A Guide to Investigating, Understanding, and Resolving Your Emotional Pain.”
Publication dates:
Paperback/Hardback 13 November 2025
Audiobook date TBC