About A Step away from Bathing with a Toaster by David Kitzmiller:
A poignantly reflective non-fiction memoir by David Kitzmiller, “A Step Away from Bathing with a Toaster” chronicles his transformative journey as a depressed American on his first-ever trip to Australia. Set against Sydney’s vibrant atmosphere, the story starts with the most unexpected weekend romance that fueled a storm of emotions in his heart and sets the stage for his weighty introspection of love and life during his nine-day cruise. The first in the four-part series “Dealing with the Toaster.”
This is a gut-wrenching memoir in which David determinedly shares his life, profoundly touching some of the most complex relationships, intensive losses within his family, ongoing fights against addiction, burgeoning aging, and loneliness. He opens his soul without the slightest hint of personal restraint. He connects very intimately with the readers regarding his vulnerabilities and inner turmoil.
Between his explorations of romance in Sydney, the cruise ship is a hotbed for David to interject some moments of humor and wit. These lighter comedic moments respite from the weightiness of his struggles and highlight the resilience of the human spirit and a strong power enabling one to find laughter even in the darkest hour.
In his own creative way, David contends with the voices in his head. He invites the readers into a profound self-discovery, forgiveness, and healing journey. Interspersed in the memoir are poems that add deeper insight into the inner emotional landscape and thus call for contemplation and reflection.
A Step Away from Bathing with a Toaster is an engaging memoir of the more common themes of love, loss, resilience, and pursuits of self-acceptance. His lyrical words, raw emotions, and a touch of humor make this book engage the readers, finding peace in David’s attempt for a brighter tomorrow.
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Author Bio:
Hailing from the heartland of Indiana, David Kitzmiller has been tangling with words since the age of twelve—when most kids were just trying to survive gym class. A veteran wordsmith with the scars to prove it, David writes like a man who’s wrestled with life and occasionally lost but always came back swinging.
Formally soaked in rum and baptized by heartbreak, his work is an unfiltered mix of raw emotion, jagged humor, and the lingering scent of regret. Whether he’s exploring the teeth-grinding ache of depression, the self-inflicted wounds of love, or the beautiful disaster of lust, David doesn’t pull punches. He writes because he has to—because some things were too ugly to ignore and too true to forget.
David has stomped across the globe, absorbing stories, chasing chaos, and forever falling back in love with Mexico. He dreams of adding more stamps to his passport and more stories to chase down, alleys, across borders, and through late-night diner booths.
When he’s not fighting with the voices in his head, David is surviving life with his family, four suspicious cats, and four loyal dogs who understand him better than most humans ever have.
And for the record, he firmly believes that pizza toppings go on top of the cheese. Unless it’s a deep dish. He’s broken, not lawless.