“Not talking about it doesn’t make it any less real for millions of women who are survivors and battle the same struggles daily.”
Maya Golden Bethany
This is by far the hardest, most nerve-racking, anxiety-inducing adventure I have ever embarked on. But it is all worth it. Not for personal gain, but to to help others.
My dream of moving from writer to published author is coming true. My debut memoir “The Return Trip” is set for release in early 2024.
Huge thanks to Alexandria Brown and Tina Beier at Rising Action Publishing Collective for believing in me and saying the words that told me they were the right publisher to sign with: “Your story is important and it’s going to help people.” Thanks to Alex for helping me reach a goal.
But it is not happening without some moments of reservation.
Sharing my story has always been difficult. The coping mechanisms and addictions that resulted from my childhood trauma of years of sexual abuse are never easy to talk about. Especially for women. Most people who know me had no idea that I battled addiction or went to treatment. But this is my authentic story.
Not talking about it doesn’t make it any less real for the millions of women who are survivors and who battle the same struggles daily. While some of this is still difficult to share, I am leaning on courage, faith and my amazing support team for the book’s release. My hope is that someone reads the book and feels less alone, less ostracized because I was willing to talk about the hard stuff.
A portion of my book royalties will be donated to the 1 in 3 Foundation to help other survivors continue their healing journeys. The creation of the foundation is explored in the memoir.
From a four-year-old reading Little Golden Books and dreaming of telling stories, to 41-year-old Maya Golden with the word “author” now attached to her name, this is a longtime dream realized.