After losing four friends to breast cancer over a four-year period, writer Angela M Grout has transformed her grief and questions into a fictional memoir that explores the most difficult choices a person can face. Her latest release, Bean In My Breast, has become one of Amazon’s Top New Releases and earned nominations for multiple prestigious literary awards.
The novel tells the story of Rachel, a woman whose cancer has returned with a terminal diagnosis. Rather than pursue rounds of treatment offering little hope, she chooses to live fully and intentionally on her own terms, creating a legacy of love for her family that will outlast her physical presence. The narrative weaves themes of motherhood, faith, and the courage required to say goodbye while still holding on.
The genesis of the book came at a deeply personal moment. “This story forced me to face the truth that we all will leave this world and the actions we take while we are living define how we will be remembered,” author Angela Grout explains. “Witnessing a friend of mine share her passion to shower her family with love which would last long after her body does gave me the idea to write this story.”
What began as an attempt to understand a friend’s decision not to pursue aggressive treatment evolved into something more complex. “Bean In My Breast was a story I began the night one of my friend’s died. I was angry and I wanted to know how she could be so selfish to not have tried to more modalities to try to stay alive. My pen took to the page and didn’t stop until I understood. Personally, I am still mad she died, but writing BEAN IN MY BREAST highlighted that we can only control certain things and she controlled what she could,” Grout says.
The book carries an especially poignant connection to one of those lost friends. Sharon Gage, who edited the manuscript, passed away from breast cancer before its publication. Her editorial notes appear in the book’s appendix, adding what Grout describes as a voice from heaven. Sharon’s reflections on Rachel’s fictional journey revealed how the story shaped her own real experience. In one note, she mentioned pamphlets Rachel receives titled “Second Chances After Breast Cancer” and “Living with Stage IV Treatments,” commenting: “I never got any of these pamphlets, and being the ‘science’ person I am, I would have liked to have them. I hope one day someone will make them!”
The book has attracted attention beyond the literary world. Podcaster, actress, and author Connie Bowman, along with other film industry professionals, have requested that the story be adapted for the big screen. Grout has already demonstrated her ability to translate written work to other formats, having adapted her murder mystery novel APRIL RAiN for the stage before transforming it into a screenplay after realizing the stage version required over forty characters.
Author Laura Louise found particular resonance in the book’s emotional depth. “The ending was very heartwarming, especially since I read this book on the one year anniversary of my sister’s passing due to cancer,” she noted.
The project also brought together two writers who share beliefs in holistic approaches to healing. Dr. Kenna Stephenson, a global educator and founding director of Team-5 Foundation who has received international acclaim for her medical practice and book The Gospel of Women’s Health: Awakening Athena, wrote the foreword. The two connected through a writing group with the International Women’s Writers Guild and discovered a shared belief in the healing power of flowers and holistic medicine.
Dr. Stephenson had previously reviewed Grout’s murder mystery APRIL RAiN, praising the research incorporated into an autopsy scene. “The intriguing medical twist was fascinating. I read the first 35 chapters without taking a break. Great story,” Dr. Stephenson said.
While the novel BEAN IN MY BREAST explores difficult decisions around cancer treatment, Grout emphasizes balance in her message. “Though I has lost several friends to breast cancer, several more have survived and thrive today,” she notes. “Some of the treatments which Rachel’s husband mentions to her in the story are treatments which friends have tried. I understand not every treatment is right for everyone, but learning about what is out there might just help someone. Many holistic treatments along side medical intervention helped many of my other friends.”
The passion behind the project extends beyond storytelling to advocacy. Grout aims to increase awareness of options available to those with cancer while opening discussion about respecting wishes, and contemplation about an afterlife.
Bean In My Breast is published by Burning Bulb Publishing, known for representing authors whose books inspire creative thought and for adapting many stories into feature films. The faith-based novel has been nominated for the 2026 International Impact Book Award and a 2026 American Book Fest Best Book Award.
Beyond her novels, Grout hosts a televised podcast called yWrite, which streams across multiple platforms including YouTube, Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. The show features conversations with writers about their craft and introduces readers to the backstories behind their work. She has also produced shows for the stage and dabbles in stand-up comedy, which she says helps balance “the grief, drama, trauma, and commas” she has experienced.
Her previous novels, An Angel’s Journey and APRIL RAiN: The Murder of Jessica Briggs, both won American Best Fest Best Book Awards in 2019 and 2020 respectively. She has also received the Editor’s Choice Award for Outstanding Achievement in Poetry from the International Library of Poetry, and her guest appearance on the podcast Well Done You ranked number one for the episode Do You Believe In Angels, which she does.
