Fortunes and misfortunes, experiences and adversity endured in life are sometimes the result of choices we make, sometimes due to events we have no control of. My name is Denise. These are my stories. It was a time of clashing values, the end of the freewheeling 60s, the beginning of the tumultuous 70s, and the evolving 80s. Told in her distinctive style, Sometimes the Truth Hurts are stories of loss, rebellious youth, stubborn independence, and determination to overcome adversity and achieve a secure and better place in life. Unexpected outcomes, irony and humor resonate throughout, reflecting perseverance of the human spirit. Some stories may be considered controversial, but are told openly and honestly without moral judgement, life lessons, contemporary and timeless, rendered unabashedly from the heart and soul.