When her mother died in a fire, eight-year-old Jerri thought life couldn’t get worse. She was wrong. Sent to live with people who didn’t want her, Jerri was powerless to stop her once-happy childhood from becoming a nightmare of cruelty and neglect. Only a stubborn belief in her own worth and a fierce will to live allowed her to reach adulthood physically and emotionally intact. This is a book that will inspire not only those who have been orphans or foster children, but anyone who has known the pain of being unwanted.

Ages: 12 Up
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Jerri Sueck is the author of Letters My Mother Never Read. This heartrending autobiography tells the story of how Jerri was orphaned at age 8, then passed through a series of temporary homes where she was alternately abused and neglected. Ultimately a triumphant story, Letters My Mother Never Read illuminates the plight of society's hidden children--those languishing in foster care.

Q: It must have been painful for you to write Letters My Mother Never Read, and to relive the experiences you recount here. What made you decide to write the book?

A: For a long time I carried this story about a child who had lived a life in the absence of the ordinary. I felt that I owed all of these extraordinary children who live in the shadow of our society and wait for their experience of belonging, of permanence, and of family. On a personal level, I wanted to tell the story of how the absence of one person--my mother--forever altered the lives of four children. Because of her death, we were left unprotected, unloved and cast to the winds of change and chance.

Q: Who are you hoping will read the book? What would you like readers to take away from it?

A: I am hoping it will be read by those who are interested in the triumph of one child over the unexpected sucker-punches in life. I hope it conveys the message that everyone can become successful, even if some have to work harder than others. I believe that young people from junior high on up would be able to read and appreciate this journey. What would I like a reader to take away from this book? The conviction that in spite of all the obstacles that came my way, I never stopped trying to become to become a person and a woman that would have pleased my mother had she lived to nurture and raise me.

Q: What's life been like for you since the book was published?

A: It has been exciting to have people write and e-mail me about their reactions. I am at times deeply humbled that so many people connect in some way to my story. I am thrilled with the direction that my book has taken and dream someday of seeing it on the New York Times best seller list--maybe even on the big screen!

Q: Are you planning to write any more books?

A: Actually my goals are to become a motivational speaker and full-time writer. I am working on a second book, called The Memory Quilt. There are three other books kicking around inside my head that I hope to write someday.