Who is Charlene L. Edge that writes about The Way International?


CHARLENE L. EDGE is the author of the award-winning memoir, Undertow: My Escape from the Fundamentalism and Cult Control of The Way International (New Wings Press, LLC. 2017). She spent 17 years (1970-1987) in The Way as a leader and Biblical researcher trained by the founder of The Way himself: Victor Paul Wierwille (1916-1985). 

In 1987, she escaped the cult's headquarters in New Knoxville, Ohio, where she worked as a member of the Biblical Research team. Years later in Florida, she earned a B.A. in English from Rollins College, graduating summa cum laude (1994). Her writing career includes more than decade of work as a technical writer and proposal writer in the software industry. 

A member of the Florida Writers Association, the Authors Guild, and the International Cultic Studies Association, Edge is also a prize-winning poet. She lives in Florida with her husband, Hoyt L. Edge, Rollins College Professor Emeritus of Philosophy.    

More on Edge's memoir, Undertow

Gold Medal Winner: Florida Authors & Publishers Association, 2017.

On BookRiot’s list: “100 Must-Read Books About Life in Cults & Oppressive Religious Sects.”

Edge on YouTube: “A Cult Insider’s Story.” 2021. As of August, 2026: 3.7K views.

Sales: Every month since prepublication, November, 2016. List price: $24.95.

Her latest book is From the Porch to the Page: A Guidebook for the Writing Life (New Wings Press, LLC. 2022). 

Edge's books are sold online in paperback and eBook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at indie bookstores and libraries. 

Visit Edge's profile at https://go.authorsguild.org/members/1424

Thanks for reading!

This post was updated August 28, 2026.

Charlene does not use AI to write any of her material, including blogs.



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