Future Tense of Joy

Thats what her Oxford thesis advisor wrote. From the moment I stumbled across the obituary, late at night when I couldnt sleep, I was captivated, and it wasnt just the terrible details of her death. That she leapt from the balcony of a high rise in Century City. That she was 27, and a newlywed."

So begins Jessica Teichs quest to unravel a mystery: the suicide of someone she never met.

Bright and accomplished, with a loving family, Jessica knows she should be happy. But a violent childhood left its mark. Jessica fears she will never be free of her past—until she discovers the obituary of a young woman, whose life is a ghostly echo of her own.

Can Jessica discover what drove Lacey to kill herself? And can Lacey save Jessica from the fissures tearing apart her life?

Part psychological memoir, part literary thriller, The Future Tense of Joy is the true account of one womans efforts to free herself, and her family, from the demons of the past. Witty, brave, and suspenseful, the book tells the universal story of the human heart in search of its own peace.

Thats what her Oxford thesis advisor wrote. . . . From the moment I stumbled across the obituary, late at night when I couldnt sleep, I was captivated, and it wasnt just the terrible details of her death. That she leapt from the balcony of a high rise in Century City. That she was 27, and newlywed.”

So begins the story of Jessica Teichs obsessive quest to unravel the truth behind the life and death of a woman she had never met. Brilliant and beautiful, wealthy and accomplished, with a family and a house in the suburbs, Jessica should have been happy; but Laceys story haunted her like a ghostly echo of her own life. Both were Rhodes scholars at Oxford; both lived in Los Angeles; both felt as if they didnt quite fit in to the stories of their own lives. Could Jessica understand what had brought Lacey to kill herself? And could Laceys story save Jessica from the fissures tearing apart her own life?

Half mystery, half memoir, The Future Tense of Joy recounts Jessicas drive to uncover Laceys story, while confronting her own demons along the way.

Jessica Teich was among the first wave of women to expose Hollywood's culture of harassment and abuse. Her memoir, The Future Tense of Joy, tells the inspiring story of her own recovery from trauma, empowering other victims to move past silence and shame toward help, healing, and hope.

Teich writes openly, courageously, of the challenges facing so many survivors: to feel safe, to find love, to nurture optimism and resilience, and to reclaim the sense of connection--of belonging--that defines us as human beings.

Kirkus called The Future Tense of Joy "an honest, compassionate memoir about shaking off personal demons." Library Journal said, "Teich looks at motherhood, depression, the effect of damaging relationships, and the challenges placed on successful, driven women. She does so with grace and openness, even while exploring painful parts of her past." (starred review)

The Future Tense of Joy belongs with classics of the genre-from Eat, Pray, Love and The Glass Castle to Wild-that celebrate the triumph of truth-telling and the redeeming power of love. Lyrical, funny and brave, Teich's book speaks to anyone eager to emerge from the long shadow of betrayal to find love, liberation, and joy.

For almost a decade, Jessica served as literary manager of the Mark Taper Forum, commissioning and developing plays. She subsequently received a grant to write and direct a movie for the Directing Workshop for Women at the American Film Institute. Jessica served as head of the biography committee for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and her articles have appeared in the Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and numerous other publications. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two daughters, and dog.