However, I too, had a story to tell, but my story, although it involved a lot of travel, were not exciting travels. I never had kids, so no real story to tell there. My animals — two dogs and a bird, plus numerous other wonderful bundles of love that have now gone to the Rainbow Bridge — have filled my adult life with so much joy.

As a child, there were no animals to love. There were no happy times for me to sit back and reflect on. No, my early life was filled with heartache and sorrow. A life filled with pain and fear. And many times, a desire to give up.

Life for me was not happy at all. I didn't have loving parents to take care of me. I had a mother who loved me, but I never got to know her. I had a father, but he didn't love me. Oh, he claimed he did, but in truth, Daddy never loved anyone or anything but himself.

Daddy kidnapped me when I was two years old, then again when I was three. He took me from my bed in the middle of the night. He took me away from my mother and my grandparents. He took me away from everyone I loved, and from the only home I’d ever known.

For the next six years I lived a life on the run, hungry, abused and terrified. I was hurt time and again by people who claimed to love me. But, no one loved me! No one really cared if I lived or died! They used me for their own pleasures, and they allowed others to use me.

If pictures of kids were put on milk cartons back in the 1950’s, I would have been on one of those cartons. If there were amber alerts, I would have been listed with other missing children. But, there was nothing back in those days.

All I had was a mother at home who turned to alcohol as a means of escape from her misery, and an uncle, a cop, my mother’s brother who, along with the FBI tried to find me. Unsuccessfully for six years, but at least they never gave up.

You have no idea how much pain a little kid can suffer—and still survive—until you read my book, Bitter Memories: A Memoir of Heartache & Survival.

This is not a cozy, feel-good book. Bitter Memories is the true story of my life, living with my father after the kidnapping. This is a story of extreme child abuse and my struggle to survive.

Let me warn you right now: There is no way to “sugarcoat” child abuse, therefore be prepared for strong adult language and explicit content.

Bitter Memories is an unforgettable, unnerving journey into a world of extreme neglect and criminal cruelty/abuse as I fight to survive under the worst conditions imaginable.

The second in the series, Drowning In Memories, continues my story, but in this book you'll learn not all memories are bad. Cutter's Revenge turns tragedy into triumph, ending the series the way I wished my life could have been like. In Cutter's world I gain revenge, safely, toward some who hurt me over the years.

For an exciting fictional twist — based on the true story — you'll also want to read Trophy Murders.

As a memoir, true crime and crime fiction author, I thoroughly enjoy writing. I enjoy giving my readers a variety of sit-on-the-edge-of-the-chair crime stories — some true, some pure fiction.

To learn more about all nine of my books, please visit my website:

http://sj2448.wix.com/suejulsen