Thirteen Tunnels

On September 17, 2022, the literary world, indeed the whole world, lost a unique voice with the passing of Suzanne “ Hammer” Samples. Her final journey began in 2014 with a brain tumor diagnosis. She chronicled her struggles and triumphs even as she worked through post-surgery rehab including regaining the loss of arm and hand function. Suzanne’ s rare courage and candor gave us a brutally honest and unflinching view of her life. Though she “ nagged” her editor and publisher to get her first book into print before she died, Suzanne outlived her prognosis. The memoir, “ Frontal Matter: Glue Gone Wild” went on to be named among the best books of 2019 by Kirkus Reviews and sent Suzanne on a phenomenal book tour where she wowed listeners with her experiences, stellar personality and dark wit. She continued on to write two sequels, “ Stargazing in Solitude” published to acclaim in 2021, and the “ 13 Tunnels” , even as she returned to teaching and started a literary magazine. Her trilogy offers insight, comfort, and understanding to the patients, caregivers, and loved ones dealing with this and similar devastating diagnoses.