Cruel Town

Description

Beverley is a pretty little girl growing up in the 1980's. It's a fairytale, magical world, until she reaches her teens. As a teenager, she lacks confidence and desperately tries to fit-in with the wrong type of girls. Then, at eighteen she is introduced to street-wise Angela, whose popularity, and 1950's style good looks leave Beverley in awe. Angela believes that she needs to be more streetwise, and taunts her for still being controlled by her parents at eighteen. She persuades her to attend a house party, where once there Beverley is violently attacked by a group of local thugs. She desperately needs her friends help and support, but is Angela willing to give it? In a small town, where gossip is rife, who can she count on?

Her parents find out that their daughter has been violated, and a fight for justice then takes hold, although no court case materialises. In the aftermath, she enters a world full of fears and obsessions, and doesn't understand what is happening to her. She vows that she will have justice, even if it takes her twenty years!

She later plods along with safe, reliable Jason, who she believes would never hurt her, but his lazy ways, and dress sense drives her mad. A change of jobs is on the horizon, and smart, good-looking Joshua walks into her path. If she follows her heart and takes a gamble, will there be more heartache around the corner for her? He tells her that he loves her, and what reason could she have to doubt his words?

Ghosts from her past lurk in the shadows, and whatever path she decides to go down, she knows only too well what a 'Cruel Town' this can be.

A book for any young woman who has ever been violated, betrayed or had nobody to turn to.


About the Author

Born on the 6th August 1969, Debra was brought up in the town of Maidenhead with her parents and younger brother. After a fairy tale childhood, what happened to me as a teenager could happen to anyone, what ever your background; rich, poor, or from a stable home like myself.

My teenage years were full of insecurity, low self-esteem, and trying to fit-in with the wrong type of girls. Attending an all-girls school increased this problem. My parents were fairly strict, and as a result I was only allowed out to the local pub across the road from where I lived. It was there that unfortunately I met my first boyfriend. I had a desperate need to fit in with the crowd - the wrong crowd. Their drug taking and drinking habits were alien to me, and so too was my friends promiscuous ways. I believe that it was my so-called boyfriend that planned to have me raped by a group of local thugs. This turned my whole world upside down, and I developed OCD and had Post-traumatic stress disorder.

There was no court case, with both me and my father believing that a police cover up took place. I always vowed that one day I will receive justice. It has been a long hard struggle, battling against some members of my family, especially my half sister, whose cold remarks after I received justice is well felt by me and my parents. I feel that I have been ostracised.


I moved away from my home town to live in the country with my beautiful daughter. I had a burning need to write about what has happened in my young life, in the hope that it can help other victims, or should I say survivors of this very misunderstood act of violence.