Paperdolls & Cowboy Boots

The book is the heart of this substack: Paperdolls.Today

Paperdolls: Healing from Sexual Abuse in Mormon Neighborhoods was first published in 1992. I thought I was publishing my story simply to help other survivors. I envisioned it being available via therapy offices and sexual abuse support groups. I was quite stunned when it made the lead story of several local news channels with sound bites such as “Shock Waves Go through the Salt Lake Valley….”

The first 5,000 copies sold out in a day.

I’ve received hundreds, if not thousands of letters from other survivors telling me that my story helped them. Some proclaimed I saved their lives.

Re-Release

There are many reasons we decided to re-publish the book. ¹ We decided to include the original version of Paperdolls: Healing from Sexual Abuse in Mormon Neighborhoods because it was out of print and we received numerous requests to re-publish it. Then, it was selling online for outrageous amounts (between $1,500-$2,500)²

Plus, there were some events that happened years after the book was published. Those events had to be told. I dedicated the re-release to Elizabeth Smart and Kacie Woody. The tragic events that happened to them were done by two of my perpetrators who grew to be monstrous adults.

I started this substack to help with the launch of the re-released book. We just celebrated our two year anniversary here. I’ve published almost 400 posts, and cultivated a community which is safe and is helping other survivors.

The re-release was published in January 2024:

This re-release has followed the path that I thought it would in 1992. It’s in therapy offices and assisting survivors of sexual assault.³

I am so much more than just a sexual abuse survivor

Last winter, a year after the book was re-released, I decided to write about how I’m so much more than just a sexual abuse survivor. That has been received well, except the Market Barometer Reports turned into a main audience on its own. My background is in finance, and understanding the Stock Market is easier for me than trying to figure out why our society is still in such denial about the sexual abuse of children. We started getting more subscribers for the market reports than for the main purpose of this substack: To raise awareness of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) and offer an example of hope and healing to other survivors of CSA.

Paperdolls.Today is dedicated to helping other survivors and bring awareness of this horrific crime.

Two Years on, the biggest change will be my commitment to Male Survivors

There will be a followup post about why I came to this pivotal decision, to add an additional focus of bringing awareness to Male Survivors of CSA

Still Deeply Committed to Encouraging All Survivors

I’m still deeply committed to providing encouragement, hope and inspiration to survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. This substack, Paperdolls~Today, will continue to focus on offering hope to adult survivors of sexual abuse. Paperdolls & Cowboy Boots is my gift to you, my beloved survivors. If I can do it, so can you.

I hope more people believe me, and all survivors, to help end this calamity.

Purchasing Paperdolls & Cowboy Boots

All the posts about music, humor, paying attention, kindness, gardening, exercise, and the other wonderful stuff I’ve shared to help encourage other survivors, means much more if you’ve read the book. Hence, I’m ramping up the avenues one can purchase the book, because this entire substack will make a lot more sense if you read the book.

• Founding members, can get the book completely free.

• Paid subscribers can get the book for free, we simply request you pay shipping:

• Free subscribers can get the book at significantly reduced pricing:

• If you don’t want to subscribe, you can find it at many local bookstores, or online sellers here:

1.

2. Those prices really bothered me. I wrote this to help other survivors—not to make a profit—and here others were gauging those who needed this book the most? See my post on comparing the online retailers to “Carpet Baggers.”

3. I’m glad that the re-release has brought the pricing back to within reason.