The Long Road to Finding Me

The Long Road to Finding Me is a memoir about growing up unseen. Told through the eyes of a fictionalised girl called Vicky, it follows a childhood shaped by fear, silence, small acts of kindness, and the instinct to survive. Home was unpredictable. School was no refuge. Love came in fragments, often from unexpected places. This is the story of a girl who learned early how to read a room, how to disappear when necessary, and how to find freedom outdoors, in mischief, in movement, and eventually in words. Some memories are painful. Others are tender, funny, and strangely ordinary. Together, they form a picture of a childhood lived on the edges, not dramatic in one single moment, but wearing her down over time. This book explores emotional neglect, resilience, and the quiet ways children adapt when they don't feel safe. It shows how a person can grow up believing they are the problem, and later realise they never were. Rather than explaining or analysing events, meaning emerges gradually, allowing the reader to experience childhood as Vicky did. This is the first book in a memoir series, beginning with birth and ending at age eleven. Written by a dyslexic author, the book is intentionally laid out in short, readable sections, with space on the page, making it more accessible for readers who struggle with dense text. This memoir will resonate with readers interested in childhood trauma, emotional neglect, healing, and survival.