Blog Archives
Serenity and Freedom
Baby Darlin’ is an illustrated memoir that explores your life that has been shaped by addiction, abuse, and generational trauma. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It is important for me to tell my story to help other survivors by unveiling the shame and secrets and giving them hope. Writing it in first person allowed me to really identify with the pain from the trauma and work through it and in the end feeling an ultimate sense of serenity and freedom.
What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir and what was the most rewarding?
The rape scene in the chapter “Oleander” was the most challenging to relive for the sake of explaining disassociating from my body. I had to take a lot of gentleness breaks.
The most rewarding part of my book to write was the last chapter, “The Seaglass Story.” It’s a light-hearted, humorous piece. In recovery, I struggled with identifying with a higher power who I could trust. I questioned If I let go of my addiction would it be there to relieve the obsession, and guide me. Find out in “The Seaglass Story.”
How has writing your memoir impacted or changed your life?
It has changed my life by giving me a sense of freedom and self-love. It has opened the door to allow readers to share their experience with me which has been the most gratifying experience.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I would like the reader to find their voice, speak their truth, and squash their shame.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Most of them are dead.
Silence is broken and the secret unearthed.
Surviving the Cajun Curse, her mentally ill momma calls her, Baby Darlin’. Pig calls her Brillo and takes away her innocence by using her to escape his own twisted mind. Her cousin Willy, calls her Snaggle but she doesn’t care, she thinks they will marry someday. Her Papa, a recovered alcoholic, her hero. Her Grandma, the ever present Shamer, is a dark shadow to remind her of her worth. Her drug & love addiction takes her through a series of abusive love stories and finally she proudly escapes into the loving arms of a higher power.
This illustrated memoir brutally rips off the bandaid and exposes the stigma around child sexual abuse, with compassion and insight through the eyes of a brave little girl, Baby Darlin’.
Baby Darlin’: An Illustrated Memoir
Baby Darlin’ is a deeply moving and haunting illustrated memoir that explores the life of Alycia Vreeland, shaped by addiction, abuse, and generational trauma. From an early age, Vreeland is immersed in a world of dysfunction, where her mother’s mental illness and her family’s abusive patterns weigh heavily on her developing identity. Known by various names—Baby Darlin’, Brillo, Snaggle—she endures a childhood steeped in pain, shame, and lost innocence. Though she finds some solace in her father, her lone hero, even he cannot shield her from the darkness that surrounds her.
The memoir chronicles Vreeland’s turbulent journey as she struggles with addiction and abusive relationships while constantly searching for love and stability. Despite the chaos, she clings to a thread of hope, ultimately finding peace and redemption through a higher power. The narrative is brought to life with striking, often unsettling illustrations, revealing the brutal realities of child abuse and the deep, enduring scars it leaves behind. Yet, the story also delivers a powerful message of survival and healing. Vreeland’s writing is unflinchingly honest, capturing the visceral intensity of childhood abuse and the way it shapes her life. She doesn’t portray herself as a victim seeking sympathy; instead, she uses her story to illustrate how, despite enduring unimaginable horrors, healing and redemption are still within reach. What makes Baby Darlin’ particularly compelling is its raw honesty paired with a sense of hope. The accompanying illustrations amplify the emotional depth of her words, creating a powerful, immersive experience for readers. It’s not an easy story to digest—there are moments of profound sorrow and discomfort—but this emotional weight is exactly what makes the memoir so captivating. Vreeland confronts her trauma head-on but refuses to let it define her.
By the book’s conclusion, readers experience a sense of release alongside Vreeland as she moves through her trauma and towards peace. Her resilience and ability to transcend such darkness make Baby Darlin’ an inspiring and unforgettable read.
Pages: 188 | ASIN : B0D792N7D7
LITERARY TITAN 