I'm thrilled to be on your substack! I'm so glad I'm not the only one drawn to little lost souls.
There’s some backstory to how I can relate to that. It begins when I got a contract for my first book. At the time, my federal agent husband wanted me to use a pen name to protect us from people who might track us online. I recognized the wisdom of his counsel because I grew up a sheriff's deputy's daughter as was very aware that we could easily be singled out by vengeful criminals because of his patrol car in the driveway. So I agreed to the necessity of a pen name and chose the first one that came to mind.
Let me tell you about Kierstin. When I was young, probably still in elementary school, my dad, then working on patrol, was called to an elementary school to collect a child bruised so severely she was not safe going home. I don't know where DFS was, but he brought her to our house. She was a thin child with brown hair like mine. My sisters and I took care of her for only a few hours, but she made a lasting impression on me. Years later, while standing in my dad's office at the sheriff's office, I said, "Dad, whatever happened to Kierstin?"
His face changed. "Oh, honey, the family moved to Idaho, and her stepfather killed her there."
I chose Kierstin’s name because she mattered to me. It’s a way of keeping her close and never forgetting her. A sweet child who only knew pain. I write about hard topics to satisfy my obsession to rescue victims--like Kierstin. I always cry when I think about her. I hope from her window in heaven she's able to look down and know that someone cares.
I'm thrilled to be on your substack! I'm so glad I'm not the only one drawn to little lost souls.
There’s some backstory to how I can relate to that. It begins when I got a contract for my first book. At the time, my federal agent husband wanted me to use a pen name to protect us from people who might track us online. I recognized the wisdom of his counsel because I grew up a sheriff's deputy's daughter as was very aware that we could easily be singled out by vengeful criminals because of his patrol car in the driveway. So I agreed to the necessity of a pen name and chose the first one that came to mind.
Let me tell you about Kierstin. When I was young, probably still in elementary school, my dad, then working on patrol, was called to an elementary school to collect a child bruised so severely she was not safe going home. I don't know where DFS was, but he brought her to our house. She was a thin child with brown hair like mine. My sisters and I took care of her for only a few hours, but she made a lasting impression on me. Years later, while standing in my dad's office at the sheriff's office, I said, "Dad, whatever happened to Kierstin?"
His face changed. "Oh, honey, the family moved to Idaho, and her stepfather killed her there."
I chose Kierstin’s name because she mattered to me. It’s a way of keeping her close and never forgetting her. A sweet child who only knew pain. I write about hard topics to satisfy my obsession to rescue victims--like Kierstin. I always cry when I think about her. I hope from her window in heaven she's able to look down and know that someone cares.
Thank you for sharing this story, Kierstin. I teared up, thinking about this little girl who died. I love that you chose HER name as your pen name!