Eileen's Story
As a young teen, I felt disconnected from the carefree, confident, and courageous little girl I had been. Instead of sharing my joys and sorrows with my mother as I once had, I felt as if a thick wall had sprouted between us. I kept my problems hidden away, feeling I had no place to take them.
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| |  | | Age 15 Months |
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 | | Age 8 |
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One day my mother unexpectedly shared a story with me from her teen years. Before my eyes, her parent shell cracked open, giving me a peek at the girl who lived inside--a girl who had once been afraid, lonely, and uncertain. Even after her parental boundaries snapped back into place, the picture of her as a vulnerable girl lingered . . . and for a while I didn’t feel so alone.
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I wrote Growing Up Girl for the young teen I once was--a girl who would have loved such a book to tuck under her pillow and share with her mom again and again. In each chapter, I weave together a mother’s little-girl story and young-teen story, tracing the thread of the girl that flows through them. Whether you are a teen girl or a mom, I encourage you to search for the thread of you that lives within your heart--so you can come to cherish and celebrate all that lives in your heart. |
| |  | | Age 13 |
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Eileen...These Days
I live in Portland, Oregon with my husband, Jim, and two daughters, Annie and Elena. When I'm not tending to the household or at my part-time job processing donations for a charitable organization, I'm revising my first young adult freeverse novel. I've also worked as a chemist, teacher, proofreader, and communications director. Writing is my way of sharing my deep yearning for connection with the sacred.
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