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Wow! What a rush this has been. First and foremost, B. and I want to shout-out a huge, monumental thanks to all who helped with our Kickstarter campaign. We may not have raised the funds, but we learned some amazing lessons along the way.
Along with learning how to video using a green screen, we were given the priceless gift of knowing you all believe in us and were willing to sacrifice your hard-earned cash to build our project. We learned to be confident in our abilities, without worrying what others may perceive or think. We learned that any big move on a project is better than no move. We also learned that it is so much more fun to go through something like this with friends.

We haven’t given up; Plan B and plan C are already in place. If you want to be kept in the loop, please sign up to get our updates.

Next week I am sending out 3 query letters to various publishing houses.  Originally we shied away from traditional publishing to have more control over advertising and the theme of the book.  We may still self-publish as some AMAZING support has surfaced other than Kickstarter…details just have to be ironed out.

We continue to press forward…our hope is to inspire a new generation of girls to walk with confidence and strength when facing adversity of any kind.

Mother and Father excused themselves and Uncle Warren pulled a little black book from his pocket.
     “How old are you B?” He asked.
     “I’m eighteen.” B whispered.
Eyebrows rose on his usually expressionless face. “You are old enough to be placed in marriage.” He said as if it was news to him.
Her face turned white and she began to shake, “I don’t want to marry Father A!”*
     “That doesn’t happen unless the girl requests it. It has to be approved by the prophet through revelation.” He droned on. It took her back to the Alta Academy where she had first heard his voice. In those days it was all she knew, a noise in the background. Now it was the scariest noise she could ever imagine.
     Tears pooled in her big green eyes. She was powerless to change generations of teachings handed down. Her voice could not stand against that of the prophet. She was a full-grown woman, but he had a way of making her feel small, like a child.
Uncle Warren stood and slowly passed her a box of tissues. It was a kind gesture, but one with an ulterior motive. He wanted her to feel safe, like he knew what was best.
     It had the opposite effect. She took the tissue and wiped her nose with resolve, “I don’t want to marry A. junior either!” She had to say it. Even if it made no difference, she had to at least try, for her own sake, to have a say in her future. She could not imagine holding another man’s hand and being sealed for all eternity like her sister was…without a voice, and without a choice.
     Without a change in his demeanor, Uncle Warren folded his hands relaxed, yet purposeful and responded, “Do you not trust the prophet?”
     What could she say? If she said yes, or if she said no, it didn’t matter. What she had to say meant nothing. So she said nothing.
     They sat in silence. She wondered how many girls had sat in the same heavy silence. Surely she wasn’t the only woman to want a choice.

*At that time, several girls had been placed in marriage to their own step fathers.  Thus creating a family where both the mother and daughter were married to the same man.

This chapter reflects the point at which B. decides to leave the Crick.  The earlier chapters are an account of a happy, almost utopian childhood shadowed by questions B couldn’t answer.

To support our story and keep it going, please consider supporting our kickstarter project…it will expire on march 19th.

 

IF you were considering pledging, but haven’t gotten the chance, you have 5 more days!
IF you’ve seen our numbers and think, “It can’t be done, so why try?” Please consider these little-known facts concerning crowd funding:

1. The most popular pledge amount on Kickstarter is $25(+ $5 for shipping, so really $30)

2. The average book costs $12.99, so if you pledge $25, you will be getting a hard copy and a digital copy…that’s like getting both for a dollar cheaper!(plus the shipping) Wow! Gonga deal!

3. At this point in time, if only 250 people pledge the $30, then we will reach our goal! Seriously!!

4. At this point in time, over 800 people have visited our project…Go YOU!

5. If it doesn’t fund fully, you get 100% of your money back and we go to plan B.

6. Most projects fund at least 60% within the last 5 days…we are at those 5 days.

We have a great story to tell, and it will be quality. This is no potato-salad kind of Kickstarter. We will not make a bunch of pocket change, but if it funds, we will have created something that fosters change, and freedom of choice. I think that’s a goal worthy of pursuit.

Betsy and B.

IF YOU WANT TO PLEDGE, CLICK HERE.

This story is too good not to share.  As I said in a previous post, we are humbled by the people in our lives who have resurfaced to show support …even if it’s just to be proud of our pursuits.  

But a few nights ago, we(B. and I) were blown away by this generous pledge for our Kickstarter campaign, given by one of B’s uncles who used to live at the Crick. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He wanted no reward.  Wow!

B. opened her Facebook today and found this message.  We were both instantly elated.  Leona gets what The Crick Code is about.

Since we started the Kickstarter campaign, both B and I have been pleasantly surprised by how many people from our past have resurfaced.  We are thankful and humbled. 

Empower:  To make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.

A friend commented the other day that our novel sounded “heartbreaking.”  To which I responded, “Oh , no, it’s quite the opposite…”

B’s story might surprise you.

…hiking the Grand Canyon

… climbing a mountain with friends and cooking breakfast at the crack of dawn

…sneaking out after dark and using a blue flashlight and a code

…hiding a pink pager she used to communicate with code

She grew in strength and confidence through the love of her family and friends.  Her determination and hard work early on built a strength that endured, and eventually gave her the courage to question her right to have a choice in her life.

She is not a victim.  She is empowered and hopes her story empowers anyone who reads it.

 

 

Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona make up the area known as the Crick.  Both towns are exclusively polygamous. 

B lived in the home pictured above during the first years she lived at the Crick.  Located on the Hildale side of town, B went to a Utah school until the prophet placed her mother with a new family on the Colorado City side. 

The Hildale home was like two homes stacked on top of each other.  That way each of B’s grandmothers would have their own kitchens and living areas.  In total, B’s grandfather had four wives.  Only two lived at the home pictured above.

B grew up thinking the end of the world would be any day.  Here’s an example of some notes she took on march 5, 2000. Uncle Rulon, the prophet, spoke so slow, she could practically write every word.

The Crickers were prepared, however, should any attacks go down.  Huge warehouses of food, supplies and weapons were stored for the coming apocalypse in which only the people of the Crick would survive.  Women even took to sewing hundreds of cloth sanitary napkins, which of course would not be available should the outside world perish.

When China and Russia didn’t attack, the prophet blamed it on the people of the Crick not being faithful.

This may not look like much, but the story behind it is kinda funny.  Known as a hard worker, B started working with her uncle in a restaurant in Hurricane, Arizona when she was only twelve years old.   That gave her the experience to eventually help open a Chester Fried Chicken at the Crick when she was fifteen.  Although Chester Fried is now long gone, the building it used to occupy still stands.  Her mark is permanently etched in the dented metal column on the right where she accidentally backed into it with the family van.

Note:  Many boys at the Crick during that time were pulled out of school when they were just twelve or thirteen years old to work on governmental contracts.  That way the company could out-bid other companies.  The resulting profit would then go back to the church and be dispersed.  Neither the company nor the children would be compensated directly.

This is where B. went to school.  Still barred by fences at the time of our trip, students hadn’t walked the halls since it was closed over a decade before. 

It was a public school, but somehow the leaders were able to change much of the curriculum to reflect and support the beliefs of the FLDS religion.

B. recalled a conversation she had with her dad after moving from the crick regarding science books.  She said anything that had pictures of anatomy or creation were unacceptable.  Whole chapters discussing reproduction were absolutely forbidden and cut out completely. 

A husband was to teach such things to their wives.

As a former teacher for the Arizona public school system, I found this story so hard to believe, even though it was true.  How could a public school get away with such disregard for curriculum for so long?  After getting to know more of the story and the many, many nuances which  go along with this culture, I do see how it happened. 

…and you will too when you read this book.