The Whole Inside Us - Book Covers

The Whole Inside Us

Bart Milatz & Monique Arend

Bart Milatz & Monique Arend

After a traumatic childhood, Monique has a wonderful marriage and four beautiful children—the ideal picture she’d had in mind for her life. However, a few years after the birth of her daughter, her past seems to catch up with her. By not feeling understood by the care providers her suicide attempts became worse and worse, much to the family's sorrow and grief. One evening, Monique even attempts to take her life at the family’s home.

Bart saw his mother lying on the gurney while she was being resuscitated by the ambulance personnel. Will she survive this again? he wondered. At that moment, he decides to emigrate to the other side of the world to stop experiencing this pain that has played out through his young life and to start over.

Years later, Bart has built up a good life in Australia, when he suddenly has to leave the country when his visa application is denied. But will he be able to make a new start somewhere else?

This time he chooses Thailand, a country where he quickly feels at home. However, the pain of having to leave Australia and the loss of the home situation is too intense, and he seeks relief in sex and drugs.

What followed were years of painful processes for Bart and Monique, who both try to keep their heads above ground. Over years of struggle and self-growth, the two are able to change their lives, face their pain, and experience love for themselves and for each other.

Families (Sons, daughters, mothers, fathers)
People with HIV, drug addiction, suicide attempts, depression or people who know people struggling with this.

Foreword by Dr. John Demartini

The Whole Inside Us

Bart Milatz & Monique Arend

Blurb:
After a traumatic childhood, Monique has a wonderful marriage and four beautiful children—the ideal picture she’d had in mind for her life. However, a few years after the birth of her daughter, her past seems to catch up with her. By not feeling understood by the care providers her suicide attempts became worse and worse, much to the family's sorrow and grief. One evening, Monique even attempts to take her life at the family’s home.

Bart saw his mother lying on the gurney while she was being resuscitated by the ambulance personnel. Will she survive this again? he wondered. At that moment, he decides to emigrate to the other side of the world to stop experiencing this pain that has played out through his young life and to start over.

Years later, Bart has built up a good life in Australia, when he suddenly has to leave the country when his visa application is denied. But will he be able to make a new start somewhere else?

This time he chooses Thailand, a country where he quickly feels at home. However, the pain of having to leave Australia and the loss of the home situation is too intense, and he seeks relief in sex and drugs.

What followed were years of painful processes for Bart and Monique, who both try to keep their heads above ground. Over years of struggle and self-growth, the two are able to change their lives, face their pain, and experience love for themselves and for each other.

Testimonial:
"People who read this book now have the advantage of learning through Bart & Monique’s struggles and experiences that they can shave off years of unnecessary perceptions of pain."
- Dr. John Demartini

Plus a picture of us below.

The Whole Inside Us
Bart Milatz & Monique Arend

Foreword by Dr. John Demartini

The Whole Inside Us

Bart Milatz & Monique Arend

After a traumatic childhood, Monique has a wonderful marriage and four beautiful children—the ideal picture she’d had in mind for her life. However, a few years after the birth of her daughter, her past seems to catch up with her. By not feeling understood by the care providers her suicide attempts became worse and worse, much to the family's sorrow and grief. One evening, Monique even attempts to take her life at the family’s home.

Bart saw his mother lying on the gurney while she was being resuscitated by the ambulance personnel. Will she survive this again? he wondered. At that moment, he decides to emigrate to the other side of the world to stop experiencing this pain that has played out through his young life and to start over.

Years later, Bart has built up a good life in Australia, when he suddenly has to leave the country when his visa application is denied. But will he be able to make a new start somewhere else?

This time he chooses Thailand, a country where he quickly feels at home. However, the pain of having to leave Australia and the loss of the home situation is too intense, and he seeks relief in sex and drugs.

What followed were years of painful processes for Bart and Monique, who both try to keep their heads above ground. Over years of struggle and self-growth, the two are able to change their lives, face their pain, and experience love for themselves and for each other.

Testimonial:
"People who read this book now have the advantage of learning through Bart & Monique’s struggles and experiences that they can shave off years of unnecessary perceptions of pain."
- Dr. John Demartini

Feel free to use any colors that grab attention but are also warm and open.

The title is the Whole Inside Us, which has a double meaning: "Whole" and "Hole". It would be great if this can be shown on the cover like a shape that is whole/heart, as well as make the W a different color to show the double meaning.

UPDATE/IDEA:
As the designs started the come in I realised that people use the “hole” and “whole” too literally. That the picture of us may be better on the back of the book and that its better to allow stock footage too. The “hole” is the emptiness that we experienced for years and describe in the book, so I think it is nicer to make it a bit aggressive, like a silhouette of a body without a heart and a hand that took the heart out. But also encouraging: you can still see the heart on the cover but its just not at the right place and there is an emptiness at the place of the heart. It still shows hope that you too can become whole if you find the heart that is not too far away and put it back where it should be.

The cover should be attention grabbing and reflect the double meaning of the title.

The picture of us can be enhanced/photoshopped on the back of the book, below the summary.

Not too cliche, like not just a standard image of us and the title on it that looks like it is done in 5 minutes.