If You Were My Daughter - by Marianne Richmond

About the Book

"From beloved bestselling children's author Marianne Richmond (9.5 million books sold), a compelling and poignant memoir about how growing up with misdiagnosed epilepsy and an emotionally unavailable mother caused her to question her sanity and self-worth before finding forgiveness as her greatest path to healing"--

Book Synopsis

From bestselling children's author Marianne Richmond comes a powerful memoir about overcoming a mother's emotional neglect and finding the courage to reclaim the story of your life.

"In her beautiful memoir, Richmond bravely finds her way through a legacy of emotional trauma, pulling us into her courageous, tender heart while bringing us closer to our own...a stunning story."--Kelly McDaniel, LPC, author of Mother Hunger

At nine years old, Marianne Richmond's life is upended when she collapses on her kitchen floor with full-body convulsions. "Pinched nerve," says the ER doctor, a baffling explanation. But when one episode becomes many, it's clear something is wrong. Afraid to be at school, in her body and in her life, Marianne desperately hopes for help and healing. But her emotionally unavailable mother--still reeling from her own past trauma--refuses medication on Marianne's behalf, preferring to try prayer and homeopathy.

At age 18, a full-body seizure in Marianne's dorm room leads her to a diagnosis, medication, and--at long last--neurological intervention. Physically, Marianne feels "fixed," but emotional healing proves more elusive. In the years to come, Marianne becomes a parent herself, and writes a new story for her life. She authors children's books that touch millions of lives, each of them celebrating a mother's unconditional love for her children. A love her own heart still longs to know. When her mother becomes ill, Marianne has a choice to make: will she be present for the mother who rarely felt present to her?

If You Were My Daughter is a story of learning to hear your own voice, of one daughter's return to wholeness, and ultimately, a story of accepting that, despite all hope and longing, a mother's "best I could" can still fall far too short. Most of all, Marianne Richmond illuminates how the stories we're born into shape the ones we tell about ourselves--and reminds us that we have the powerful permission to develop a new relationship with what is difficult in our lives, to fully choose and embody who we are meant to be.

Review Quotes

"If You Were My Daughter is a powerful and inspirational book, and it will resonate with readers who yearn to connect to a warm maternal voice. The wisdom, insights, and life lessons shared by Marianne Richmond provide guidance on self-love, resilience, and personal growth. I really appreciated the authenticity, vulnerability, and emotional depth portrayed in her writing of her childhood adversity and how it impacted her physical and emotional health. This book is a compelling and empowering read for anyone seeking motivation, encouragement, and a deeper understanding of life's challenges and triumphs." -- Dr. Gillian O'Shea Brown, LCSW, Complex Trauma Psychotherapist & Adjunct Professor, New York University

"Having long admired Marianne Richmond's beloved picture books, I was curious about her backstory. Now I understand. This evocative memoir reveals a graceful soul who desires to put into the world for others what her own heart needed." -- Ami McConnell, bestselling author of Faithful Daughter

"Marianne Richmond's early life was shaped by trauma and obfuscation, but in If You Were My Daughter she explores the covenant of motherhood and--with clarity, compassion and wit--reclaims her own story." -- Jeannette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle

"Marianne's portrayal of epilepsy and the impact of seizures is spot on. Her story resonates with what others in the epilepsy community are saying: epilepsy is more than seizures. It's seizures and all the other "stuff" that comes with it--fear, stigma, anxiety. Very hard to fathom a child navigating epilepsy without the loving support of parents. Others will identify and benefit from this story--both those with epilepsy and those that love someone with epilepsy." -- Vicki Kopplin, Executive Director, Hemophilia Foundation of Minnesota / Dakotas and former Executive Director of The Minnesota Epilepsy Foundation

"In her beautiful memoir, Richmond bravely finds her way through a legacy of emotional trauma, pulling us into her courageous, tender heart while bringing us closer to our own...a stunning story. " -- Kelly McDaniel, LPC, psychotherapist and author of Mother Hunger: How Adult Daughters Can Understand and Heal from Lost Nurturance, Protection, and Guidance and Ready to Heal: Helping Women Heal from Addictive Relationships