Book excerpt: Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. -Mahatma Gandhi It was a start to life so profoundly harrowing that it is almost inconceivable. When he was a baby only three months old, Frank Eckblom's mother tried to kill him, an act that would have her confined to a mental hospital for the rest of her life. As a child, he was subject to abuse at the hands of his stepmother, who punished bad behavior by beatings with a backyard fence picket. It was a trauma that no child should ever have to endure, a trauma that led to a condition of severe anxiety and panic attacks that would plague Frank throughout his life. Sustained by the extraordinary love of three Aunts, Frank not only persevered, but went on to develop a strong desire to live life to its fullest. It would take self-study, perseverance, development of his talents, numerous adventures, and the endless support of his wife, but the result was the happiest and most rewarding life possible. Love and Cold Poison is an inspiring account of a truly remarkable journey through life; it tears at the heart, it inspires the mind, it moves the spirit.