A recent story in the news explained the plight of seven gold miners in Laos who were trapped 780 feet underground following monsoon rains that flooded a narrow, twisting cave system. With the help of a multi-national group of rescue divers five men were saved. Two remain missing.

The video is harrowing. It’s hard to imagine anyone getting in or out of those tight, rocky spaces. And if you’re one of the 12.5% of people worldwide who suffer from claustrophobia, the images are difficult to watch.

While claustrophobia rarely goes away on its own, it can improve. One treatment is called exposure therapy, which slowly subjects a sufferer to enclosed spaces in order to retrain their brain’s fear response. This process is generally done under the supervision of a doctor.

Here’s where I’ll admit I used to be claustrophobic. And though the situation was unplanned and there was no physician on hand at the time, exposure therapy was the cure.

Here’s what happened.

I was on a scuba diving trip, and I listened as the the dive master explained about the limestone tube we would encounter 100 feet down. The tube was optional, so I planned to avoided it. And yet, when I dropped to the ocean floor and watched another diver’s fins disappear into the darkness, I paused. The cave opening was not much wider than my wingspan and perhaps three-feet tall. It looked so small and dark, but then I saw a light flickering inside and, without thinking, I swam to the opening and ducked inside.

White sand flowed along the cave floor. I saw fins in front of me and followed. Then, suddenly, the fins and light vanished, leaving me in total darkness.

I stopped abruptly and tried backing out, but my tank got caught on the top of the tube. The contact was slight, but was enough to make me sick to my stomach. I dropped to the sandy floor in an effort to calm myself. Then I panicked and started sucking air, which was bad. The compressed air in a scuba tank is used up quickly on a deep dive. If I didn’t move forward soon, I would drown.

I raised my head but could see nothing. Then, I dug both hands into the sand and started inching forward. The tube descended beneath the sea floor on an angle, pulling me deeper as I went. I chastised myself for not bringing a light. And for going in without another diver. I continued inching forward. How long was the tunnel? Why had I not asked? The questions swirled.  I was tempted to reach to the sides of that rocky tube to see how wide it was, but was afraid to know the answer.

Sometime later, a soothing turquoise light glowed from a jagged crack in the ceiling. I thought, for a moment, that perhaps I’d died. Then, I rounded a bend and was graced with an opening where bright light danced on the white sand floor, illuminating walls that were startling close. I kicked hard, exited, and made it to the surface without running out of air.

Later, after a hot shower and a strong, grown-up beverage or two, I thought about how lucky I was to have made it out of that tube. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I’d been cured, because what could be more claustrophobic than being stuck in a small, dark, watery hole 100 feet below the surface of the ocean? After that, an MRI machine was a piece of cake.

THE CASTLE

ANNE MONTGOMERY

Suspense/Thriller

NEXT CHAPTER PUBLISHING

Ancient ruins. Haunted memories. A ruthless predator. Can Maggie survive the ghosts of her past – and the monster hiding in plain sight?

When she returns to her job as a National Park Ranger at “The Castle”—a centuried-old Native American pueblo carved into an Arizona cliff—Maggie hopes the comfort of familiar ground will help her heal. Battling trauma and the grief of unimaginable loss, Maggie’s days are carefully measured, her life held together by the thinnest of threads.

But strange things are happening at the park. A mysterious child appears and vanishes without a trace. And a predator watches her every move, planning his attack.

With the help of friends, fellow survivors, and the land itself, Maggie begins to reclaim her strength. But the danger is closer than she knows, and soon Maggie will have to face a deadly threat… and her deepest fears.

Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

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Praise for The Castle

“A deftly written and riveting read from cover to cover, “The Castle” effectively showcases author Anne Montgomery’s genuine mastery of the Romantic Suspense genre.” – Midwest Book Review

“A slow burn thriller, mixed in with a touch of mystical realism…A true five-star experience!” – Sara Steven Chick Lit Central

“A beautifully considered, sumptuous novel from a skilled storyteller.” – SaraRose Auburn Writing & Reviews

“This is a novel about good rage, about channeling the injustices of the world around us and fighting to do some good with both words and deeds. Lucky for readers, it was penned by a maestra like Anne Montgomery, so that we got a tense, powerful novel in the bargain too.” – Jennifer deBie-Rosie Amber Book Reviews

“Ms. Montgomery manipulates uncomfortable subjects and dark suspense into a gripping tale with hints of romance and humor carefully guiding readers on an informative journey of survival and self-discovery.“ Tonya Mathenia InD’tale Magazine

“Soul-stirring. A brilliant book…Truly a masterpiece.” – Anu Menon Thought is Free Book Blog

“I was gripped from start to end.” – Katherine Hayward Pérez Just Katherine Blog

“Ms. Montgomery has an almost magical talent to draw the reader into the worlds she creates through her words. Her characters are interesting, vulnerable and strong. While describing the locations in which her books are set, she weaves history with vivid images, immersing the reader in a hard-to-put-down story full of history, beauty and mystery.” – Margaret Millmore Author