What Peace There May Be: A Memoir

Young Susanna doesn't know anything other than the family environment that has been created for her — a system without regard for society or man's laws. Raised in a sequestered home in a busy city neighborhood, everything beyond the front gate is off-limits.

The isolation proves to be a breeding ground for abuse, and Susanna struggles to reconcile her desire to escape and her need to belong. The book recounts six critical years in Susanna's life as she comes to terms with her conditions.

This coming-of-age story is as much a testament to survival as it is to surrender. Pushed to the limits of her coping abilities, Susanna tries anything she can to bring about the peace that seems always out of reach.

In an impulsive moment and an act of daring she contacts a newspaper journalist and finds herself in a predicament she never before considered. That decision becomes the impetus that propels her finally to where she wants to be and to find what was always there.

In this honest memoir, the author conveys the deep struggles she must face to navigate her unusual childhood and to overcome obstacles of abuse as well as the isolation that polygamy requires. It is a journey that challenges the strength of hope and proves that the smallest acts can wield the mightiest power.

Susanna is the 23rd child of 46 children, the quintessential middle child. Growing up in a fundamentalist religious home shaped her life, her values, and her views on literally everything. Although she is no longer affiliated with any polygamous group on a religious level she is surrounded by family and friends who are practicing polygamists.

She is currently working on her second memoir detailing her marriage within the polygamous culture and what motivated her to leave. Another important theme in the second book is the impact of abuse on relationships and the ability to parent.

Susanna lives in Bluffdale, Utah with her husband, six children and their dog.