Unused Towels by Fil Chavez is a powerful memoir that blends heart-wrenching honesty, humor, and faith to shed light on one of life’s most difficult battles—suicidal depression. A finalist in the NM/Arizona Book Awards, this inspiring book offers hope, insight, and resilience to readers around the world.

A Story of Despair, Humor, and Hope

In Unused Towels, Chavez shares his deeply personal journey through suicidal depression, blending raw honesty with moments of levity. His writing transforms pain into purpose, showing that even in darkness, faith and connection can lead to healing.

Faith and Resilience

Chavez credits his renewed faith in God as the turning point in his recovery. His journey from despair to hope serves as an uplifting reminder that perseverance, prayer, and compassion can restore meaning even after life’s deepest lows.

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What Readers Are Saying

Author Biography

Fil A. Chavez began writing in college, but the “writing bug” bit him when he won an exclusive weekend at L’Auberge de Sedona, a luxury resort in  Sedona, Arizona, for his first-place winning short story in a Romantic Essay Contest.

He credits his wife, Mary, with lovingly encouraging him to continue to write the book. Important to him were the comments she offered after reading early drafts of his book, such as, “This is very funny!” and “I’m glad that God saved you for me.” He says that he was also inspired to finish writing the book by a nurse, Stephanie, whom he met “by God’s will” when they were in line for their first Covid vaccination. She said: “Your writing style allows the reader to truly feel like they are on this journey, meeting these ‘characters’ with you and Mary. Reading about your encounters is refreshing and reminds us how powerful simple conversations with strangers can be. I think the concept of this book is delightful and will entertain all types of people.”

Chavez was recently featured in SouthWest Writers Magazine, where he discussed his journey and creative process. Click here to read the interview.

Awards and Recognition

🏆 Finalist — NM/Arizona Book Awards

📖 Featured on Review Tales Magazine

🗞 Interviewed by SouthWest Writers Blog

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These Comments are confidentially shared with the author, who wishes to honor the expectations of confidentiality while sharing their deepest, honest feelings, without concern that anyone reading their comments would know the difficulties with which they have dealt or are dealing with in their lives.

 “You may have saved some lives very close to you and not even realized it!  … I read your words and saw better what my dad must have been going through before he “transitioned.”  I understand why he sounded so ‘up’ during the last time we spoke over the phone.  ….  I want to read it again ….  I want to learn more how to ‘hug’ someone long distance.  I want to know how a person who has lost their sense of “self-preservation” and rejects proffered ‘hugs’ can be reached.  … THIS IS A MESSAGE WORTH GETTING OUT.”

“I just ordered 9 books to give to family and friends.… I have struggled with depression my entire life.  I am trying for the first time in decades to do it without pharma…”

 “I’ve purchased several copies of your book. I will be giving one to a friend of mine whose teenage daughter is struggling. I’m hoping the book will help both of them.”

 “I finished reading the book about a week ago.  It was one of the hardest books I’ve ever read.  I had to put it down for a while.  I was not in the best of places emotionally, situational and physical just down.  Doing much better now.  I learned so much in that book.  I thank you.”

The following comment was from a woman speaking of her husband, who took his life:

 “… I hadn’t been around anyone like that before … After reading your book and thinking back, if I had said something things might have been different … Thank you for your book.”

 “Fil, I am still too embarrassed to tell anyone how I feel.  Thank you for talking for me.”

 “While reading your book, I was thinking of my own life where I must have had some guardian angels – …. I always thought I’d amount to nothing because I had no ambition or push to do anything and felt I couldn’t do anything – …we always had problems accepting who we are and what we’ve done.  … still have issues of low self-esteem…. NEVER asking for any help.  That’s just not our nature.  …  I tend to be the listener to all my friends – I assume they call me to vent … When they ask me what’s going on, I say “all’s well.”  I just think there’s no point in burdening my friends with my issues – they can’t do anything about it anyway.  Now I feel like I’m venting to you – you’re my new psychologist! (I did buy a few books and gave them as gifts to my siblings and friends).”

 “I received this book as a gift. I enjoyed reading UNUSED TOWELS because it is not a typical book with chapters building upon one another, but the chapters contain a variety of subjects. I found many of the quotations the author collected over 40 years to be thought provoking and encouraging.  I repeatedly laughed … as the author recounted funny and sometimes humiliating experiences in his life. …. There were chapters covering suicide that were difficult and sad to read. However, they provided such profound insight on the mindset of someone experiencing deep depression triggered by heartbreaking events, which leads the person to believe that the only way to end the pain is by suicide. I believe that the advice the author offered concerning a suicidal person may be instrumental to friends and family members in intervening to prevent the loss of life of a loved one.  The author points to God as the One he was angry with during tough times, but the One who was always there looking over his shoulder and ready to offer help during his lowest points. In the end, this story had a happy ending. God brought love, happiness, and fulfillment to his life. He concluded that we should be controlled by our trust in God, and we should be thankful in all things for this is God’s will for us.  I highly recommend UNUSED TOWELS.”

“I now have the ten books I ordered –  …  I tend to go back and read passages over and over again!  Very powerful, indeed!!  And so “God centered!”  I love it!!  … I would like to order maybe five more books.”

 “Your writing style allows the reader to truly feel like they are on this journey, meeting these ‘characters’ with you and Mary.  Reading about your encounters is refreshing and reminds us how powerful simple conversations with strangers can be.  I think the concept of this book is delightful…”

 “I loved reading the stories and words … brought tears!!  It made me feel like part of this book …”

 “I enjoyed reading all of the short stories. Your Mom and the unused towels is my favorite.”

 “I love the conversational style of your writing.”

 “I’ve been reading your book and am up to page 202.  I have enjoyed your funny stories and was touched by the transparency of your experiences in ‘the valleys of sorrow’.”

 “I don’t consider your book a self-help book at all – I just don’t care to read any of those books – I always wonder if these writers are a bunch of quacks.  But your book gave me lots to think about in that I need to change some of my attitudes and ways.  I could relate to one of your stories – …”

 “I actually read your book in two half days.  I so enjoyed your stories …  I loved the fact you had all those angels of God on your side, changing your destiny in many unforeseen ways.”   

From a retired police officer whose husband was a firefighter: 

  “I have a suggestion ….. get your book to police officers – very high suicide rate, especially when they’re forced to retire ….. Being a police officer tends to be a man’s life – he (mainly males) has no hobbies, no family, except for the police – firefighters are the same way.  When they retire, they realize they have nothing to do and made a big mistake in retiring and feel they can’t do any other job but police work.  They get tired of doing the “honey-do” lists and think they’ve wasted their life in retiring.”

From a veteran friend:

“I was lost for 5 ½ years after my tours in Vietnam and Iraq and spent the next 5 ½ years crisscrossing the country on my motorcycle, crashing with friends.  I’ve not told anyone what I just told you; my wife doesn’t even know this.”