I loved NIGHTMARES ECHO; couldn't put it down. Although I had only fantasized about writing my story, I never dared. I felt as if I had read each and every one out there but yours touched my heart in a special way. It was the clincher, the one that convinced me to go ahead and do it too. There was so much honesty and warmth in your story.
So when I saw that Publish America did your book, I contacted them and was surprised when they agreed to do mine, entitled THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU. That gave me the self-confidence and motivation to go ahead and do the adult part of my life, entitled THE TUNNEL TO CLARITY. I haven't signed a contract with PA yet on that one as I'm not quite sure about it. It's one thing to write about your childhood, quite another to delve into adulthood.
Just wanted to thank you for telling your story and for being an inspiration.
Brigitte Pliska
I am very impressed with the way you turned your life around, and have devoted yourself to helping others. That's the single most way to finding happiness.
This was my reason for finally sending my story out. I was sick of suffering and bitching in silence. I always gave to charity, volunteered, prayed for others, etc. It helped a lot but I could never find actual peace. My husband of 21 years had been begging me for years to write my story as he felt it would really impact others but I never believed I could or should. After all, I'd always say, "I'm not Stephen King." I didn't finish college and wouldn't know a preposition from a proposition! My biggest reason for hesitating was that I didn't really think people would believe me. In fact, I have left a lot out of both books as they are so out there and over the line. But the truth is folks out there NEED to hear from everyday people like us. They need to know that abused kids don't all look like poor little Dave Pelzer (A Child Called It) starving to death and wearing tattered clothes. They need to know that we don't have to end up in prison or revisit the mistakes of our ancestors. We can be chosen by God to put a stop to the chain of abuse (be it as an abuser or abusee). That's the message that has to be stated from as many types of people as possible, from the glamorous to the most humble.
Now I'm a 46 year-old mother of three (two boys ages 19 and 21 and an angel girl age 8) and although there were plenty of adventures involved in that part of my life, I cannot violate my family's privacy by including how I impacted my sons despite my desperate efforts and vows to be a good mother. I fought the desire to abuse my husband with every fiber of my being and although I raised my sons with total love and respect, they were impacted by genetics and the fact that I was spending most of my time trying to cope with and camouflage my descent to insanity. I got my shit together before it could impact my little girl and she is the happiest soul I've ever met.
It was love and a desire to help others, make some meaning out of my suffering that pulled me out of my dark abyss. And at the risk of sounding ridiculously mushy, it was your story that went through me like an electric current, like an epiphany. <3> Having read your book and web site bio, I cannot help but feel as if I know you personally, that we share a sort of sisterhood, not only as survivors of abuse but as authors. Most of all, we're God's tools. I hope you will understand that and not think I'm some kind of kook.
Anyway, thanks doesn't really suffice to express my gratitude. That's why it has taken me so long to write to you. (And I wanted to make sure I was getting published first so you wouldn't think I wanted something from you).
God bless you, Kat.
Brigitte
