I grew up in a family created through adoption and foster care. As the only white child in a family with Asian, African and Middle Eastern American children, this gave me a unique perspective of the world. I cannot walk in the shoes of my brothers and sister, but I have walked beside them and have had the opportunity to see the world in a way that many are unable to.

As an adult, I also adopted children and provided foster care. Like my family growing up, mine is a beautiful blend of colors with children as unique as the stars in the sky. I have three precious grand daughters; two are very near and dear to me and one holds a special place in my heart and will always be dear even though she is no longer near me.

I began writing when the effects of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 caused me to retire from foster care and figure out the next chapter of my life. Through my books, I hope to continue to reach children who are hurting, seeking and questioning and guide them towards new windows of opportunity. It wasn’t how I had planned my life to be, but it is who God intended me to be so I embrace it.

My family knows that my absolute favorite thing in life is snuggling with my children or grandchildren while reading them a good book. I firmly believe that there is no greater gift that can be given to a child than the love within your heart and the stories within the pages of a book. I am grateful that my stories can be a part of your family’s life.

Sad Scared Confused

Sad, Scared, Confused is a conversation between a nine year old boy and his parents about sexual abuse. This book can be a resource to educate all children about sexual abuse whether they have experienced it or not. In this book, Alex did not realize that when his friend's older brother touched him in a way that made him feel sad, scared and confused, it was sexual abuse. When he arrived home from his friend's house, he was not acting like himself.

He went straight to his bedroom and refused to tell his parents what happened. He was scared and embarrassed and wanted to keep it to himself. However, his parents persisted. Through patience, love and even a sense of humor, they assured Alex that their love for him was greater than the pain he was holding inside. Once Alex was willing to talk about it, he grew from feeling sad, scared and confused to knowing that he was brave, safe and loved.

I wrote this book not only for children but also for the adults who love them. Parents are always navigating their course when raising children. When sexual abuse happens, it may seem like an unexpected detour but it does not mean that your boat will sink! This book can be a compass to guide you through the rough waters of trauma and sexual abuse.

BRAVE SAFE LOVED

There are many losses that a child (and family) experience following a traumatic event such as the sexual abuse of a child. As everyone grieves those losses in their own way, the child can feel overwhelmed, confused and powerless. Once it is revealed, a safety team of professionals is often brought into the child’s life. It can be very embarrassing, uncomfortable and scary for a child to disclose the details of a very traumatic event to a stranger. This experience can feel intimidating and frightful to that child and increase any feelings of powerlessness they may harbor.

Brave, Safe, Loved is intended to lessen those fears and familiarize a child with the new people in their life. This book tells the story of Alex, an 8-year-old boy who experienced sexual abuse while playing at his best friend's house. Following a very difficult conversation with his parents in which he discloses the incident of abuse (as told in Sad, Scared, Confused. Copyright 2020 by Amy Ledoux), Alex is soon introduced to his "safety team" of professionals - a forensic doctor who examines children following abuse, a child protection worker who interviews children and develops a "safety plan" to keep them safe and a therapist who helps guide them to a place of recovery.

Alex is far from thrilled to meet his safety team and resents their presence and influence in his life. At times, he feels regret for having disclosed his experience with his parents and believes that his life might have been less turbulent if he had just kept it to himself. His plans for having an "epic summer" hanging out with his best friend, Kenny, are seemingly ruined. Rather than enjoying skateboarding, gaming and sleepovers as he and Kenny had planned, his life is instead taken over by appointments with his therapist or "feelings doctor." As if that were not disruptive enough for a child, he also loses his best friend for a while when Kenny's mother learns of the allegations made against her oldest son, Kenny's brother, and angrily keeps the children apart.

Through his display of thoughts and emotions, Alex becomes a relatable character to children as well as the adults who love them. The reader experiences the shock and fear felt by Alex when he wakes up to his parents speaking with a child protection worker in their living room. We can feel the embarrassment and sense of vulnerability he felt when he was interviewed as well as his annoyance and resentment of the subsequent “safety plan” that was established. We witness his feelings of shame and fear when having to be examined by a medical doctor and his discomfort and reluctance to meeting with a therapist. Finally, in the end, we can share his joy and excitement when he feels he can resume his “new normal” life following the “reconciliation session” (a therapeutic session facilitated by the therapists working with the victim and perpetrator of abuse intended to allow accountability from the perpetrator and continue the healing for the victim). As his therapist rewards him with the key of bravery, safety and love, we experience his transformation from being sad, scared and confused to proud, brave and EMPOWERED!!

The process of moving from trauma and crisis to healing and recovery was not easy for Alex. It took a lot of work from his family as well as the family of the child who perpetrated the abuse. This book not only conveys the toll it can take on a child and family, but also the healing that can be experienced when the work is put into it!