Bridgeport Native, Author Colleen Driscoll to Release Latest Novel with City Book Signing Set for March 23

Bridgeport native Colleen Driscoll is “thrilled” to release her latest adult novel written under the pen name C. Becker.

The new book is already available for pre-order and available for purchase in e-format or paperback at bookstores and online Wednesday, March 19.

Driscoll will sell and sign copies of the book at the book launch from 1:30-3:30 p.m. March 23 in Bridgeport Presbyterian Church’s fellowship hall, located at 1 John Calvin Drive in Bridgeport.

The beginning of the novel sees the main character/secret government agent Hailey Langley travel to South America with her arch nemesis Colleen Toole to rescue Toole’s young daughter from Colombian drug lord Manuel Mendoza. When Langley returns, she seeks out her husband Mark to help him convalesce from the burn injuries he bore in Saving Euphoria. Unbeknownst to Langley, a Mendoza family member smuggles into the U.S. to seek revenge.

“The Euphoria trilogy titles allude to the contentment in Hailey Langley’s life. In this story, she embraces the changing relationship with her distressed husband as she adjusts to a new normal. Euphoria is also the name of the Amazon rainforest plant that centers around each book. In Embracing Euphoria, the plant’s toxic flowers regenerate skin—a discovery fitting for Langley’s burn-victim husband.”

Embracing Euphoria also offers insights to human and drug trafficking, post-traumatic stress disorder, EMDR (a therapy used to help people process traumas), and occupational and physical therapies.

For this book, Driscoll gathered therapy ideas from her daughter Brooke, a 2024 OT graduate from WVU. “Brooke devised occupational therapy interventions with a character’s scarred hands so he could grip and shoot a weapon at the end of the book.”

“This story took longer to write than the other two novels. There’s a fine line between giving enough backstory and telling too much detail from earlier books. I was grateful to finally land the book contract last March,” Driscoll said. “I’ve had the same editor, El Felder, for all three books. She’s fabulous, and I’ve learned a lot about writing and editing from her.”

Driscoll gives credit to her writer’s group, too. “The members met every other week and provided input to tighten the story before I sent it to the editor. They are the best group and continue to be supportive!” Driscoll admits to putting in long hours of research for her trilogy, but her laboratory science background from Indiana University of Pennsylvania proved invaluable for the concept of Euphoria.

Driscoll often speaks at author programs at Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library to work with other writers. Her latest children’s book Willow Wonders about Winter (from her nature collection) is also released this month. Driscoll’s children’s books will be available at the March 23 book launch event.