There are 1 million to 3 million runaway (throwaway) and homeless kids living on the streets in the United States. 80% of runaway and homeless girls reported having been sexually or physically abused.
Young girls trapped in abusive homes have two choices: surrender or escape. Fear of reprisal, fear of endangering other loved ones, serves to keep the girls in line. But for the ones like Esmee, who will not give in or give up, escape is the only way.
And so Esmee runs. Pursued by the cult she escapes, persecuted by the government who wants to use her as a witness, and wanted by the pimps who conned her into seeking refuge with them-- Esmee runs to stay alive. She becomes a teen fugitive in her quest for FINDING HOPE.
As a writing mentor, I spent two years doing writing workshops with young girls in group homes and drug rehab centers, listening to the stories and experiences that these “throwaway” children had endured. FINDING HOPE is for them and those like them, whose voices are almost never heard