Wisconsin author Carol Dunbar is releasing her second novel, “A Winter’s Rime.”

The book explores the impact of generational trauma and a woman’s journey to find peace.

“I didn’t know I was writing about trauma when I started the process,” Dunbar said. “It’s kind of an intense story. It centers around a young, 25-year-old woman who is going through a life crisis. She’s in a bad relationship, she’s working a dead-end job, she’s having trouble sleeping. She’s emotionally volatile.”

She goes on long walks to cope, and one night she has an encounter with a runaway teenager.

Dunbar said she experienced similar symptoms and behaviors when she was going through a crisis herself.

“I was doing a lot of research, I was reading reports, I interviewed a lot of experts,” she said. “And then my first big realization was, oh, I’m writing about PTSD. And I was surprised by that.”

Dunbar lives off-the-grid with her family in northern Wisconsin. Her first novel, “The Net Beneath Us,” draws on her experiences living remotely.

“A Winter’s Rime” will be released Tuesday, Sept. 12. Dunbar is hosting a launch party at 7 p.m. at the Zenith Bookstore. The book can also be preordered through her website.