A shocking 1989 quadruple family murder and the little girl left behind to tell the story. As a child, I was known as "Jessica Pelley." When I was nine, I went to a sleepover at a friend's house for the weekend. While I was away, my entire family was murdered. I would spend the next 30 years fighting, crawling, and clawing my way through the darkness. This wasn't just a national news headline, a cold case, or a true crime show. It was my family. And my life. I was the broken little girl left behind to tell this story. I am now "Jessi," in the pages of this unapologetic memoir, set free.

... Then a shadow cast itself across the table and Jessica glanced over her shoulder. Tammuz was standing there, his head eclipsing the sun, its corona framing his solemn face like a halo. He held out his hand and smiled.

This work is the first of many to come. It contains events in my life made of a little of this--and a little of that--and mostly me. Also it is in part fictional. It is derived from a true story. I thank God for giving me an open heart to let in forgiveness. Forgiveness is saying "I will forgive you especially when I am asked to do so." Not being able to forgive brings unnecessary grief upon others as well as on each other. I no longer see you as an adversary or a rival. I love you even if you cannot love me back. So here's to love and a better life. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

Jessica had always been haunted by the fear that the unthinkable had happened when she had been “made-up.” For as far back as she could remember, she had no sense of a Self. Her mother thought of her as the “perfect infant” because “she never wanted anything and she never needed anything.” As a child, just thinking of saying “I need” or “I want” left her feeling like an empty shell and that her mind was about to spin out of control. Terrified of who––or what––she was, she lived in constant dread over being found guilty of impersonating a human being. Jeffrey Von Glahn, Ph.D., an experienced therapist with an unshakable belief in the healing powers of the human spirit, and Jessica blaze a trail into this unexplored territory. As if she has, in fact, become an infant again, Jessica remembers in extraordinary detail events from the earliest days of her life––events that threatened to twist her embryonic humanness from its natural course of development. Her recollections are like listening to an infant who could talk describe every psychologically dramatic moment of its life as it was happening. When Dr. Von Glahn met Jessica, she was 23. Everyone regarded her as a responsible, caring person – except that she never drove and she stayed at her mother’s when her husband worked nights. For many months, Jessica’s therapy was stuck in an impasse. Dr. Von Glahn had absolutely no idea that she was so terrified over simply talking about herself. In hopes of breakthrough, she boldly asked for four hours of therapy a day, for three days a week, for six weeks. The mystery that was Jessica cracked open in dramatic fashion, and in a way that Dr. Von Glahn could never have imagined. Then she asked for four days a week – and for however long it took. In the following months, her electrifying journey into her mystifying past brought her ever closer to a final confrontation with the events that had threatened to forever strip her of her basic humanness.

Jessica is about to make a confession, one that will make the priest's hair stand on end... and he had thought he'd heard it all before.

Jessica's First Prayer and Froggy's Little Brother are exemplars of the 'street arab' story, a genre that flourished in Victorian Britain in response to child poverty and destitution. This critical edition features the original texts of the first editions, and examines the stories through a critical lens and in their historical context.

Hesba Stretton, a prominent 19th-century English author, penned the heartwarming tale 'Jessica's First Prayer; and, Jessica's Mother'. This book follows the story of a young girl named Jessica who, through adversity and struggle, finds comfort and strength in her unwavering faith. Stretton's literary style is characterized by a blend of sentimentalism and moral teaching, making this book a popular choice for readers interested in uplifting and inspiring stories. Set in Victorian England, the book provides a glimpse into the social and religious norms of the time, while also exploring universal themes of love, faith, and resilience. Hesba Stretton, known for her Christian values and charitable work, drew inspiration from her own experiences with poverty and adversity to write 'Jessica's First Prayer'. The author's deep empathy and compassion for the less fortunate shine through in her storytelling, making her a beloved figure in Victorian literature. Stretton's dedication to highlighting the power of faith and kindness is evident in every page of this timeless classic. I highly recommend 'Jessica's First Prayer; and, Jessica's Mother' to readers seeking a touching and uplifting story that celebrates the strength of the human spirit. Hesba Stretton's poignant narrative and timeless themes of faith and hope are sure to resonate with audiences of all ages.

One wish can change everything. This year when Jessica Martinson-Canton blows out eleven candles on her homemade vegan cake, she makes the same wish she’s made for as many birthdays as she can remember: she wants a mother. Jessica’s father Phil has worked his entire life to create a more stable childhood for his daughter than he had with his unwed teenaged mother. When his wife left him and their newborn daughter in their most vulnerable hour, Phil pledged to give his baby everything. His parents have reunited and are working hard to create a supportive extended family, but rainbow pancakes and princess murals can’t heal the dark void left in Phil’s heart which he won’t even admit is there. Mallory O’Connell leaves her dream job in a big city to return home to help her fiercely independent mother recover from tragedy. After forming a unique bond with Jessica—and a friendship with Jessica’s hot father—Mallory finds that in coming back to Stonehill she might just have found a way to make all of her dreams come true. But as their families push Phil and Mallory together, old insecurities and Phil’s worst fears threaten to break up the happy trio and catch Jessica in the emotional crossfire.

The undead can really screw up your senior year . . . Marrying a vampire definitely doesn't fit into Jessica Packwood's senior year "get-a-life" plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth--and he's her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire's Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war--and save Lucius's soul from eternal destruction

Reproduction of the original: Jessica Trent: Her Life on a Ranch by Evelyn Raymond