Carolyn began journaling at the age of eight. During her ninth-grade year she wrote her first published article for the school newspaper. Expressing her inner self through the written word became a manner of escape, allowing Carolyn to remove herself from the molestation that was going on in her life. She continued to journal into adulthood. Her written diaries and journals documenting accounts of her life date back to 1977, when, the night before her daughter was born she wrote to her unborn child. The book holding that message still sits on a bookshelf in her work area, along with other journals covering the years of trauma and abuse she endured.
During her teens, Carolyn spent time writing poems and lyrics, oftentimes putting them to music. Writing was a world in and of itself to which she could journey, a place that held a sense of safety, serenity and calm. The more she wrote, the more tolerable her life was, as she endured molestation as a child and spousal abuse as a woman.
In 2008, Carolyn decided to air out the closet, releasing the skeletons and clearing the cobwebs that had haunted nearly her entire life. ORANGE BLOSSOM WISHES: Child Molested, Woman Abused—Her Victorious Journey to Freedom was released in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Month. When people actually purchased the book, and signings were regularly scheduled, Ms. Hennecy recognized that her story was reaching and saving lives. It has become a platform that catapulted her into the roles of domestic violence speaker, as well as victim support and recovery advocate.
The best way to get to know Carolyn is to read her blogs here at this site, attend one of her book signings or author appearances, or be present for one of her moving speaking engagements.
Orange Blossom Wishes
Carolyn S. Hennecy is the author of ORANGE BLOSSOM WISHES: Child Molested, Woman Abused – Her Victorious Journey to Freedom. Publication date was October 2008, released in conjunction with National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. OBW has since then been recommended by mental health counselors, rape crisis interventionists, pastors and others working with victims of child molestation/abuse or domestic violence.
This is Carolyn’s memoir, it is her life’s story of battling and overcoming molestation as a little girl, from the age of 7 until nearly 15, the trauma of domestic violence in a longterm abusive marriage, confronting a bigamous marriage and a murder attempt. Her goal was not to write another religious work or “self-improvement” piece. Rather than seeing her readers as just another statistic, Carolyn enables them to quickly recognize her as a fellow traveler who has been down the same road of victimization. She found the light at the end of that tunnel of trauma and pain leads to a future of victory, joy and healing. Her passion is now to inspire, motivate and encourage others who have been abused or molested, helping them find their own way of escape of both victimization and the victim mentality, walking into a better and brighter life, as she readily displays in both her written works and public presentations.
Her autobiography is peppered with humor and southern charm, as Carolyn puts the positive twist on the path to becoming victorious, rather than remaining a victim, and shares the messages of hope, faith and restoration. Orange Blossom Wishes will inspire and teach others that even in the midst of anguish and distress, the future holds an abundance of joy and peace, if we are willing to release the past to go there.
Follow Carolyn on Facebook: CLICK HERE or on Twitter @CarolynHennecy