Safe Space (First Edition)
A True Story of Faith, Betrayal, and the Power of the Force
by Nicholas Harrison

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Nicholas was nine years old when he accidentally walked into a movie theatre playing Star Wars: A New Hope. It was 1977, and he unknowingly had just stumbled upon the thing that he would later credit in saving his life. From kindergarten through grade four, Nicholas endured horrific abuse at the hands of the Catholic priests who were entrusted with his education. As he grew up, he blamed himself for what had been done to him. His childhood had been stolen from him, and he had no way to cope. Star Wars gave Nicholas hope at the time he needed it most. His path to healing has been long and often dark, but that band of Rebels he met in his childhood proved to him that light could ultimately triumph. In this shocking, heartbreaking, yet forever hopeful memoir, Nicholas takes readers with him on his journey from victim, to survivor, to Jedi. Safe Space: A True Story of Faith, Betrayal, and the Power of the Force is for anyone who wants to understand how abuse continues to affect victims and their families long after the act.

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"Lacerating and inspirational, Nic Harrison’s narrative of his abuse and recovery is filled with moments of terror and joy. The wonder is not that he survived, but that he survived with such love, equanimity, and imagination. He credits Star Wars but I credit him: Jedi, luminous being. Read this book and feel the Force." —Jerry Wasserman, Professor Emeritus of English & Theatre, UBC "Safe Space is a story filled with triumphant contradictions: sadness and joy, darkness and light, tragedy and hope. Nic was silenced for decades, but with a strength that few find, he is silent no longer, speaking not only for himself but for those who remain voiceless. Nic’s search for a hero to protect him reveals the hero that was inside him all along." —Michelle Stilwell, Paralympic Champion & Past MLA Parksville Qualicum 2013–2020 "Nic’s book is an absolute miracle. Not many survive taking on the dark side, but Nic not only survived but he personally lightsabers Darth freaggin Vader. This book is courage, and its wisdom needs to be passed on." —Johnathon Schaech, Actor/Activist "Just like Star Wars, this is a powerful story that will linger, that will trouble and inspire, long after the telling of the tale." —E. Paul Zehr, PhD, Author of Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero "A harrowing tale of intergalactic survival. Nicholas Harrison has the Force." —Alan Cumming

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Nicholas Harrison is a writer, actor, director, swordsman, fight director, playwright, and educator. As a professional actor and stunt performer in film and television, he has appeared in many popular films and series such as Scooby-Doo 2, Supernatural, Stargate, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and the popular Air Bud franchise; his autobiographical play, How Star Wars Saved My Life, premiered in 2017. Nicholas studied at the London Academy of Performing Arts, holds both a master’s degree from the University of Victoria and a PhD from the University of British Columbia, and is currently an instructor at Capilano University. He resides on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Tsawwassen and Musqueam Peoples. Follow him online: @therealnicktheguy and nicholasjharrison.com

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Contributors

Author

Nicholas Harrison

Editor

Collette Berg

Illustrator

Pia Guerra