The Girl I Used To Be

An emotional prequel novella to the Hawthorne Falls Series

Before Hawthorne Falls, there was a girl who didn't know what freedom felt like.

Lottie grew up believing that home was somewhere you were supposed to feel safe. Instead, behind closed doors, she learned to live with fear.

Her father's anger shaped her childhood. His words became wounds, his hands became something to fear, and the woman who should have protected her became a silent witness to the pain.

Then, at college, Lottie meets Mabel.

They couldn't be more different. Mabel is loud, fearless and drawn to parties, while Lottie is quiet, guarded and desperate to keep the secrets of her home life hidden. Yet somehow, an unlikely friendship becomes the first safe place Lottie has ever known.

For years, Lottie holds onto one thought:

One day, I will be free.

But leaving isn't as simple as walking out of a door.

And when the night finally comes that Lottie has nothing left to lose, Mabel makes her a promise - one that will change both of their lives forever.

Before Travis.

Before Hawthorne Falls.

Before Lottie discovered what it meant to be loved without fear...

There was a girl trying desperately to survive.

This is the story of the girl she used to be.

The Girl I Used To Be is a deeply emotional novella exploring childhood abuse, family trauma, friendship, survival and the long road towards freedom. It is a story of pain, but ultimately, it is a story of hope.