Linda Comac

Linda Comac was born and raised in the Bronx, New York, in the 1950s. Among her early memories are open doors, rooftop sunbathing, chatting on stoops and roller skating in the streets--memories she has written about in several essays. Early in her life, she came upon the quote "It is better to light a single candle than curse the darkness," and that sentiment has been behind much of her writing. One of her books, "Coping with Macular Degeneration," was inspired by her elderly mother's loss of vision and is an attempt to add light to the lives of those suffering from this eye condition. Her latest book, "Broken: How the Broken Mental Health System Leads to Broken Lives and Broken Hearts," tells the heartbreaking story of her younger son's struggles with emotional trauma and his tragic death. She provides readers with the inspiration and the resources to advocate for their loved ones in a mental health system beset by an overdependence on drugs, limited financial resources, inadequate training and short-sightedness.