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Book: Ghost Ship Fire

Author: Colleen Dolan

Review: Ghost Ship Fire recounts the tragic story of the 2016 Oakland warehouse fire, a horrific blaze that claimed the lives of 36 young people. Colleen Dolan, the mother of one of the victims—a well-known musician named Cherushii—relives that dreadful night, waiting outside the burning building, desperate for news of her daughter. Moving beyond the immediate tragedy, the book delves into the intense, high-profile criminal trial that followed. Colleen shares her journey from that painful night to her search for justice, giving readers an intimate view into the emotional and legal aftermath of a disaster that shocked the nation. Her account reveals the public’s hunger for drama in times of tragedy and explores the deeply personal and isolating journey of a mother seeking answers amidst intense media attention and a protracted legal battle.

What I found compelling about this book was the raw honesty in Colleen’s story. She doesn’t shy away from describing the heart-wrenching details of her loss, but she balances this with strength and resilience as she navigates a complicated legal system. Her writing captures both the public spectacle and the quiet, deeply personal pain of losing a loved one in such a senseless tragedy.

Colleen’s careful documentation of the trial, along with her insights into her own grief, offered a perspective I rarely see in true-crime or disaster narratives—a focus on the human element and the dignity in mourning and seeking justice. The book’s tone was thoughtful and reflective, making it more than a retelling of tragic events; it felt like an exploration of grief, resilience, and the power of a mother’s love.

Add Threads to my social media feast. I needed a written component to Instagram. I received two additional reviews last week. Both were kind, and I'm grateful for the exposure for my book. 

Meanwhile, I am inundated with offers from review sites that want to help me build my audience for a fee. Nearly every one of these sites asks for my location. I can't keep up with my inbox. I am located in Marin County in Northern California. Perhaps the question is a means to get me to respond to their sales pitch.

​I'm moving forward slowly. My book launch at Book Passage in Corte Madera, CA happens on Saturday, November 23rd at 4:00pm. If you see this and live nearby, I hope to see you there. 
Love,
Colleen 

FROM THE BOOK ADDICT 

​Book: The Ghost Ship Fire
Author: Colleen Dolan

Review:
December 2, 2016, became a date forever etched in Colleen’s memory. Her 33-year-old daughter Chelsea was among the many who lost their lives in the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, California. Chelsea’s boyfriend, David, was the one who informed Colleen about the fire, sparking days of anxious uncertainty as they waited for confirmation of her fate.

Chelsea’s parked car outside the warehouse pointed to the heartbreaking likelihood she had been inside. Later, the description of her brightly colored outfit confirmed her passing, marking the start of Colleen’s difficult journey through grief. Left with haunting questions—how had the fire started, why couldn’t anyone escape, and why hadn’t firefighters been able to intervene—Colleen searched tirelessly for answers.

Coming to terms with such a loss took years. Although nothing could compensate for the lives lost, Colleen found meaning in sharing her story to let other grieving parents know they aren’t alone. Chelsea’s vibrant life serves as a reminder to embrace authenticity, pursue dreams, and live fully. The cover art is touching, and the title fitting. I found this story gripping, feeling every ounce of the author’s sorrow and courage through her deeply personal words.

Rating: 5/5

FROM BOOKISH WORLD 4 

The Ghost Ship Fire
By
Colleen Dolan

Review:
Discovering purpose amid profound loss is a challenging journey. The Ghost Ship Fire tells the heartbreaking story of Colleen Dolan, whose daughter Chelsea perished in a tragic warehouse fire. Chelsea, a gifted electronic musician, had joined Joel, known as Golden Domma, and other artists to support a performance that fateful night. However, when a fire broke out, it became so hazardous that firefighters were unable to enter, trapping Chelsea and 35 others inside.

As parents grappled with the devastating reality of their children’s fate, many found themselves bewildered by the circumstances surrounding the fire. For Colleen, the need to understand what happened led her to investigate, seeking any detail that could explain the tragic events of December 2, 2016.

Losing a child is a pain beyond words, and finding solace in such loss is a daunting task. This book was written for grieving parents seeking answers, who want to know not just the “how,” but also the “why.” Through the vibrant, if brief, lives of these 36 young individuals, we’re reminded of the importance of cherishing every moment. Deeply moving and poignant, this memoir offers solidarity to those who feel isolated in their grief. I was captivated from start to finish, as the storytelling flows smoothly, making it a compelling and accessible read.

Rating: 5/5

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​I'm late to the pack, but have finally broken through my old school ways and joined Instagram. Bear with me as I stumble through all these pages on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Substack, and Medium. I can't keep it all straight; life was much simpler with one simple page on Facebook.
Now, I also have:
Colleen Dolan Author on Facebook
Colleendolan529812.substack.com
https://www.instagram.com/colleen.dolan.52
@colleendoland36stars on Medium.com
I believe my WhatsApp is just my phone number, which I don't want to give out and don't answer, anyway. Too many scam calls.
For all those who have asked on Instagram, I'm located in Northern California.
My websites are:
http://redpenguinbooks.com/ghost-ship-fire-by-colleen-dolan
www.colleendolanwrites.com
Whew! All the advice I've received to "get on social media" is exhausting. I don't want to keep staring at this computer screen. Is it just me? What I would like to do is start work on the audiobook version of The Ghost Ship Fire. It may take me a while. Thank you for your patience.

www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/28-indies-worth-discovering-11-24/#trust-no-one-1
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Awards & Accolades



Our Verdict:

• GET IT

THE GHOST SHIP FIRE
A MOTHER’S SEARCH FOR ANSWERS
by Colleen Dolan ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
A poignant, hard-hitting real-life tale of tragedy and accountability.
In Dolan’s memoir, a mother examines the circumstances leading to a fire that took the lives of her daughter and others.
The author was awakened one December night in 2016 by the boyfriend of her oldest daughter, Chelsea. He couldn’t get ahold of Chelsea, a D.J. booked for a gig at an Oakland warehouse where a fire had apparently broken out. Dolan took the 45-minute drive to find the Ghost Ship warehouse in flames; the information she initially received indicated that Chelsea was only missing. Days later, she received the tragic news that her daughter, along with 35 musicians and partygoers, had died. The author grieved, eventually learning from media reports of charges filed against two men: the Ghost Ship’s master tenant and his event manager. She and a group of the victims’ families watched their trial unfold to determine whether these men were guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Dolan soon realized that a number of people’s deceptive and neglectful acts may have triggered the appalling and fatal fire. The author’s candid account takes readers through events chronologically, from the nerve-wracking days of not knowing Chelsea’s fate to the families’ outcry when the assistant district attorneys offered a plea bargain. She provides bittersweet memories of Chelsea’s eventful youth, including a trip to Japan when she was only 15, during which she lost her passport. Details are also provided about some of the others caught in the fire. The book presents an in-depth look at the trial: In straightforward prose, Dolan recounts witness testimonies and discusses a variety of theories about the cause of the fire and the reasons why 36 people couldn’t escape the blaze. While much of the blame fell on the men charged, this scrupulously detailed story also raises questions about the firefighters’ response (“Bowron concluded, ‘I didn’t see people banging on the windows to get out. There was no reason to use precious resources if no one…’ He didn’t finish the sentence and he was excused”) and the warehouse owner’s potential culpability.
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A poignant, hard-hitting real-life tale of tragedy and accountability.
Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 193
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Nov. 8, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Categories:
FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS | TRUE CRIME | GENERAL BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR
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​October 31, 2024by blogespresso
The Ghost Ship Fire𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: The Ghost Ship Fire 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Colleen Dolan ✍️
.
.
🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“The Ghost Ship Fire” by Colleen Dolan is a profoundly moving memoir about loss, resilience, and accountability. On December 2, 2016, Colleen’s life changed forever with a phone call from her daughter Chelsea’s boyfriend, David, who informed her that a fire had broken out at the Ghost Ship warehouse in Oakland where Chelsea was.
As Colleen arrived at the site, she was met with a devastating scene—the warehouse engulfed in flames and her daughter unaccounted for. Chelsea, an enthusiastic supporter of the Bay Area music scene, was there with others musicians when the tragedy struck. Soon, the parents of other victims began to arrive, sharing in the horror and grief. Colleen’s heart shattered as she learned of her daughter’s fate, her vibrant spirit lost to the flames.
Haunted by nightmares and unrelenting sorrow, Colleen sought to understand the events that led to the fire. Her search revealed details about the building’s tenant, Derick Almena, and other figures involved. Through her pain, she reflects on memories of Chelsea, bringing the past into sharp focus amid her grief.
Colleen’s memoir reaches out to other parents enduring similar anguish, reminding them that they aren’t alone. The raw honesty and depth of emotion in this book offer a glimpse into a mother’s unimaginable heartache, but also her strength. Reading this story, I was struck by the profound impact of the tragedy and the resilience shown by Colleen and other families. The composite images of those lost serve as a poignant reminder of the lives cut short and the parents left behind, searching for answers and justice.

• 𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

Grief and Friendship
 
Grief is funny; it hits at odd moments and tends to take everyone in the room by surprise, including me.
 
Like this summer I went to visit my dear friend Susie at her new home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We’ve known each other for 16 years and Susie’s had my back for the 8 years since my daughter Chelsea died. But this time was different. Something happened at the dinner table; we were laughing about how she and her husband met.
 
We all lived on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands then, and went to the beach almost everyday. One time Susie was already swimming, and I was putting on my usual thick coat of sunblock when a sudden gust of wind blew over the big sun-umbrella next to me. I chased the umbrella, tripped, and face-planted onto some poor guy who was just sitting on a beach chair peacefully reading a book about surfing… I knocked him flat on his back. I was mortified but pretended to be nonchalant, and I even asked his name…. while I fumbled around his body, trying to get up without doing anything embarrassing or hurting him any more than I had already.  
 
Susie saw what happened and came running over to help pry me and the umbrella off the poor guy. As she pulled me up by the hand, I introduced them, Susie, Michael. Michael, Susie. Four years later they were married.  The three of us love to rehash that old story, especially over one of Susie’s fabulous southern meals and a good bottle of wine. Laughing, I said, “I was so embarrassed I could have just died.” Then I flashed on my daughter, Chelsea, being dead and stopped laughing… It was noticeable.
 
Susie stood up and asked me to join her the kitchen to help her with the dishes. We hadn't even finished eating yet. Then she laid into me “for my own good,” going on and on about how I needed to drop this whole grief business. That “Chelsea doesn’t need to be a part of every conversation.”
 
That got me pretty riled up, and there we were, two close friends, shouting at one another about why I should or shouldn’t be sad. OKAY, Wine may have had something to do with the volume. But I was crying and yelling, “This is who I am. I came here because I love you and want to be around my dear friend. Why are you scolding me?” Susie had one hand on her hip and the other pointing at me yelling, “I love you! You're my good friend and I don’t want you to be sad!”  Then we got a look at ourselves in the hallway mirror.
 
We looked so ridiculous; we started cracking up. I mean, how stupid to be arguing about grief and love. We both went to bed shaking our heads at the absurdity of it. Meanwhile, Michael had slunk off to bed wondering if I would still be there the next morning. We were that loud.
 
The next morning, Susie apologized saying she didn’t have children and couldn’t possibly understand what I had gone through or why it would continue for so long. I told her, “It will never end, Susie. Can you still be my friend through that?” She gave me a big hug, and we took our coffee out onto the deck - overlooking a hillside covered with pine trees and a cool, dark pond below us. Her mountain home is peaceful, and we settled into the mood.
 
Ugh! It isn’t easy to be friends with someone who has lost a child unless you’ve lost one, too. I belong to a grief group for bereaved parents called The Compassionate Friends. It’s been a haven for me since 2017. And recently, I began leading the group, which has helped me turn a corner. I can put my story aside to be for others - the person I needed when Chelsea first died - someone who “gets it” and will just listen without giving advice. No doubt, there will be triggering moments in the group, I may get sad, but sending love out into the room is an expanding action. It’s grief and growing.
 
This summer, Susie showed me how my sadness can affect others who care about me. She taught me that good friends understand, even when they can’t understand… And, you know, that goes for me, too. If I can put my pain aside for bereaved parents, then I can put it aside for my friends. The truth is, the pain is always there, but so is the love. I’ve had a long time to grieve fully for my daughter. With therapy, grief groups, and the gift of time, I think I’ve gained the fortitude to understand my friends’ feelings, as well as my own. 

​So, I want to say to Susie and all the other friends who gave me the time I needed to grieve, “I love you! Thank you, my friends! Your feelings count too!”