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You Are NOT Alone
Wilderness Woman: A Triumphant Spirit is a raw and deeply personal memoir that traces your journey from a childhood filled with abuse and neglect to a life of resilience, healing, and faith. Why was this an important book for you to write?
My life’s true story has been an amazing journey to reflect on my past and see how far I have come through it all. I had been sitting on this manuscript for 30 years – I’ve seen and heard other people’s struggles of their lives SO I was inspired to get started to complete my book and get it published.
What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir and what was the most rewarding?
In the early days of working to find a publisher, I ran into con artists who took my money but I reported them to the fraud department at my bank. I got my money back. I checked out the next publisher with the Better Business Bureau.
Working with my new honest publisher was a hard task on my part. Going back into time and revisiting the old wounds of abuse was NOT good BUT I was determined to press on to complete my book and publish it!
One of the most rewarding results was to have a dear friend who read my book…She mentioned she too had abuses in her young life. She underlined the areas in yellow-highlight and shared the book with her new husband, who then would be able to relate to her wounded life.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in my book?
“As I grew older, an att teacher, a piano teacher, a large loving family in the country and others who loved, and supported me helped me realize that I deserved happiness. My relationship with my horses – the chapter on “Healing with Horses” Equine Therapy it’s called nowadays! They saved my life!!! I encourage others to look back and see how others helped in their lives!
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
They are NOT ALONE!! It takes courage in ourselves to reach out for help! Get in a support group, go to meetings, just listen to others share and you will have the courage to share your heartfelt memories. It’s hard to trust BUT take your time and YOU’LL be able to relate to others!
Author Website
The summer of 1945…the Kansas City Star newspaper would have read like this: “The Division of Family Services reports…A young female child whose identity remains anonymous. She was rescued from her grandparent’s house. The mother and father are also being investigated by the authorities. The grandparents volunteered to watch the new baby girl. Her mother was a beauty operator down the street.”
“Diane” knew the daily drill. Each morning, her grandparents greeted her eagerly with evil warm smiles. The trap was set–the lower cabinet file drawer, which was at her eye level. She pulled the drawer out slowly and struggled to lift the heavy box out onto the floor. She sat cross-legged, enticed by the shiny eye-catching trinkets. She had not eaten breakfast. Her thoughts of the yummy chocolate-covered cherries would be good for her tummy.
The best of all was a warm wiggly reddish-brown puppy. This experience lasted day after day, week after week, and year after year. We ask ourselves how could this happen? Why? It’s called insanity, which can’t be explained.
The Lord brought a loving family into her young life. God’s creation along with her love for horses healed her childhood wounds and continues to heal her adult scars.
Wilderness Woman…A Triumphant Spirit
Diane Young’s Wilderness Woman: A Triumphant Spirit is a raw and deeply personal memoir that traces her journey from a childhood filled with abuse and neglect to a life of resilience, healing, and faith. Young pulls no punches in recounting the horrors of her past, offering a searingly honest depiction of what it means to survive trauma. Yet, this isn’t just a tale of suffering—it’s about hope, perseverance, and, ultimately, breaking the cycle of abuse to create a brighter future.
What stands out most about this book is Young’s ability to bring her memories to life with striking clarity. The opening chapters are almost too painful to read at times. The scene where she is locked in a bathroom with baby chicks while her caregivers abandon her for hours is particularly gut-wrenching. These moments are not just shocking; they are viscerally felt, forcing the reader to sit with the weight of her experience.
Despite the darkness, Young’s love for nature emerges as a powerful motif. Her connection to the outdoors—whether it’s the comfort of fresh air, the steady presence of horses, or the escape she finds in the simple beauty of wildlife—acts as a lifeline. The chapter “Horses and Healing” is especially poignant. When she describes the sensation of sitting atop Ribbon, a strong black horse, for the first time, there’s a sense of liberation that leaps off the page. It’s one of the few times in the book where Young describes feeling powerful and at peace, and it’s a testament to the way nature can provide solace in the midst of chaos.
The writing itself is straightforward, almost unfiltered, which makes it feel like you’re sitting across from Young, listening to her tell her story firsthand. This rawness is both a strength and a challenge. At times, the bluntness of the prose makes the horror of her experiences even more stark. There are moments where I wished for more breathing room—more reflection between the heavy blows of trauma—but perhaps that’s part of the point. Life doesn’t always give us space to process pain before throwing more our way.
Wilderness Woman: A Triumphant Spirit is a story of survival in its purest form. It is not a polished, neatly packaged tale with a perfect resolution—because real healing doesn’t work that way. Instead, it’s a testament to strength, faith, and the ability to carve out a new path despite a painful past. I would recommend this book to anyone who has endured trauma, those who work with survivors, and readers who appreciate memoirs that tell the truth, no matter how difficult.
Pages: 140 | ASIN : B0DB2K3TY6
The Dark Side of Our Past
Property of the Revolution is the story of your family’s move to the United States from a politically-charged Cuba and the economic and personal challenges you faced on your way to becoming a mother. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I wanted to honor the sacrifices of the generation that gave everything up so we could live in Freedom, the capital is very intentional. We tend to forget what a gift it is to live in a country that strives—doesn’t always make it, but it tries—for worthy ideals, like freedom, rule of law, respect for diversity, etc. I also wanted to understand better, for myself, how our family members navigated the decisions and choices they faced. Only writing gives me the time and space to understand such things. I also wanted to remind Americans of the best in us and in our country, because we were the recipients of that gift.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Revisiting the pain my grandmother went through and how she must have suffered. Also, the loneliness my father experienced all those years of working double shifts and missing his family. In general, it was difficult to go through that door again, into the dark side of our past, the side we tried to downplay so we could move forward.
Given the opportunity, what would you like your younger self to know?
That it was all right to be different, that it would be my super power. That everything would be ok.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your experiences?
The magnificent power of a loving family. That you can lose everything—or almost everything—and claw your way back. That you can actually ponte guapa/o (make yourself brave, and that you actually need to and must to survive in this world, especially when you think you’re done for!
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Simon & Schuster | Amazon
Ana Hebra Flaster was six years old when her working-class family was kicked out of their Havana barrio for opposing communism. Once devoted revolutionaries themselves but disillusioned by the Castro government’s repressive tactics, they fled to the US. The permanent losses they suffered—of home, country, and loved ones, all within forty-eight hours—haunted her multigenerational family as they reclaimed their lives and freedom in 1967 New Hampshire. There, they fed each other stories of their scrappy barrio—some of which Hebra Flaster has shared on All Things Considered—to resurrect their lost world and fortify themselves for a daunting task: building a new life in a foreign land.
Weaving pivotal events in Cuba–US history with her viejos’—elders’—stories of surviving political upheaval, impossible choices, and “refugeedom,” Property of the Revolution celebrates the indomitable spirit and wisdom of the women warriors who led the family out of Cuba, shaped its rebirth as Cuban Americans, and helped Ana grow up hopeful, future-facing—American. But what happens when deeply buried childhood memories resurface, demanding an adult’s reckoning?
Here’s how the fiercest love, the most stubborn will, and the power of family put nine new Americans back on their feet.
The Flight Home: Nine Journeys, Nine Lessons
Veronica Llorca-Smith’s memoir The Flight Home: Nine Journeys, Nine Lessons is an engaging journey that captivates a wide array of readers, whether you’re a wanderer at heart, a professional navigating the business world, or a parent. It’s a narrative that resonates universally, drawing readers into its embrace regardless of their background.
Llorca-Smith, whom I’ve come to admire immensely through her writing, crafts a poignant and humorous narrative. Her skillful storytelling makes for an effortless and enjoyable read, blending an extraordinary life story with relatable human emotions. The memoir delves into her childhood and teenage years, marked by a nomadic existence due to her father’s career. This backdrop sets the stage for a tale of resilience, joy, and the challenges of growing up in various cultures. Her experiences in countries like Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Brazil, and various Asian nations are not just travelogues but are imbued with deep cultural insights and personal growth. Llorca-Smith’s vivid descriptions bring these places to life, allowing readers to experience the world through her eyes. Beyond a story of geographical journeys, this book also explores themes of adaptability, the strength of women, and the power of determination. It’s a testament to setting goals and the relentless pursuit of dreams. This memoir is not just a recounting of Llorca-Smith’s life; it’s an inspiring narrative encouraging readers to embrace their journeys.
The Flight Home: Nine Journeys, Nine Lessons is more than a memoir; it is an enriching experience, offering both a window into diverse cultures and a mirror reflecting our own potential. It comes highly recommended for anyone seeking inspiration, cultural exploration, or simply a beautifully told life story.
Pages: 190 | ASIN : B0CNK1BCVG
LITERARY TITAN 