The Shelf Life of a Secret

The Shelf Life of a Secret is a real-life account of abuse, addiction, resiliency, and self-awareness. Months after I was born, my father walked out on our family. At eight, I was sexually molested by my step-father. After two years of abuse, I told my mother but instead of believing me, she defended him and remained with him until his death. These three experiences frame my childhood of perfect hell–one that lined a path of fear, shame, and eventual route to courage.

You are ruining this family

Jesus has forgiven him. And so have I.

This story spans forty years of trying to make sense of my abusive past, of trying to find a sense of normalcy, and of trying to navigate relationships, marriage, and parenting. Now, I tackle it all with a grin. Hell, they don’t call me one blunt woman for nothing. Secrets should absolutely have a shelf life; otherwise, you may find yourself at the bottom of yet another bottle–or worse. This is a candid and brutally honest memoir written for all of us who have suffered abuse and for all of us ready to shout–loudly and bluntly–about pedophilia.