Lost in Florida

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Categories: Books

December reads

How to Get Run Over by a Truck by Katie McKenna
First, this is an incredible story because the author, Katie, should not have even survived that accident – she was literally run over by a semi. Her recovery and bravery through it all is amazing.
It was original in its structure as it is not chronological but by theme per chapter. Because of it, it is sometimes confusing about the timeline and leads to some rambling too.
I read a review talking about the privileges in the book and how they were not recognized or even mentioned at all. I agree with this as you can’t help but wonder how much did this all cost and how was she able to keep her New York apartment during/after months in the hospital – all while her family was also able to visit and care for her all day every single day. As someone who doesn’t have a lot of money, I personally was stressed about her bills the whole time I was reading and it would have been nice to know how this was never a worry for her. My biggest complaint is about all the missing elements: the truck driver, Gisele, but also how was she able to recover that much more than expected? I felt we skipped through a lot of interesting subjects.

 

The Witches are coming by Lindy West
It was a cool, quick and interesting read and I listened to it as an audiobook read by the author which I always like to do. It wasn’t groundbreaking but it was a snapshot of the #metoo era, the systemic misogyny full of cultural references. It felt like a discussion with a friend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Copenhagen affair by Amulya Malladi
I choose to read this one out of pure nostalgia. Sanya, who had the perfect life, had a full-on breakdown and to help her get better, her husband suggests a one-year expatriation to the happiest country in the world… my beloved Denmark. Needless to say we didn’t experience the exact same Copenhagen as they are full of money and I was a student lol. However, I loved all the references, especially those I had lived myself. The story itself, I couldn’t buy the ending at all, but it gave me what I wanted, a little piece of Copenhagen again.
Categories: Books

Fall reads


The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

This was intriguing at first… It can be confusing because of different points of view and timelines and there is a lot going on with many characters. I wasn’t thrilled about it but I plan to read the sequel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

A dysfunctional family trapped in a gothic house on an island with tides getting higher through the night while a murderer is killing them one by one by the hour. Sounds promising, a “And then there were none”-type/inspired novel. It was an entertaining read, I liked the twist of what happened to Daisy but I was disappointed with the ending/fina twist/reveal that I didn’t find too believable.

 

 

 

 

 


Love in the time of serial killers by Alicia Thompson

Everything is in the title! If you think this will be a crime-book, no, it is a love story. However, you will enjoy all the true crime references (though they stay pretty general/wide-spread knowledge, or is it the true-crime addict in me talking?) if you are true-crime obsessed. It felt very modern and current, with many pop culture elements too. Like I said, it is a love story and I appreciated a main character with flaws, a wall up and some insecurities. Sometimes, it’s love that is waiting for you in the dark and it’s hard to protect yourself from it!

 

 

 

 


The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead

I thought I was gonna love it: cult, feminism, true crime podcast, maybe some BDSM, a lot of elements for a good read. Alas, it took me forever to read it; I could only get into the story at the beginning but as soon as we understand the “cult” and how it started I lost interest. I didn’t feel much interest for the main character (Shay) either.

Categories: Life Updates

Hondelatte raconte

Our story was featured in the french radio show “Hondelatte raconte”.
You can still listen here:
the story
the debrief (my interview)

Thank you to those who listened to my story (+ the debrief) and the 2 following stories the next days – also coming from the “L’aimé meurtrier” – with an open mind and who understood that no, it’s not hybristophilia, but love that we fell on us!
I see that it remains difficult to eliminate clichés and that many do not understand that one can write to prisoners with the aim of rehabilitation, out of simple altruism, or in a spirit of activism. I also created my own prison pen pal program with a friend (WireOfHope), and I continue to have pen pals today (no, no, I’m not looking for another husband, I assure you). Too bad that more than 20 years of correspondence and a real love story (more than 8 years) are not enough for some to question their preconceived ideas!
But thank you to all the others and for the messages of support that assert my desire not to live hidden or ashamed.

If you are interested in prison correspondence, visit Wire of Hope.
If you have a loved one in prison, check Pentionery.

Categories: Books, Life Updates

L’aimé meurtrier

🇫🇷
Aujourd’hui, aux éditions du rocher, sort “L’aimé meurtrier” de Marine Mazeas. Un livre qui raconte des histoires de femmes qui ont eu une histoire d’amour avec une personne incarcérée, envers et contre tout/tous, dont la mienne. La militante anti peine de mort et son correspondant condamné.

🇺🇸
Today, at éditions du rocher, is released “L’aimé meurtrier” by Marine Mazeas. A book that tells stories of women who have had a love story with an incarcerated person, against all odds, including mine. The anti death penalty activist and her condemned pen pal.

We worked on this book for over a year and it also tells the story of 7 other women.
It was interesting to see the different journeys, including those that end “badly”, because that’s the reality too. Sometimes we are wrong, and other times it only works for a while, and it does not take away the good times that were shared. I appreciated seeing that almost all of them went through a long period of questioning and I hope this will help to change the misconceptions about prisoners’ wives. I can’t wait to see how the book is received.

Categories: Prison

Resentencing Day 5

Last day of the trial, and glad it was because it has been hard to sit through the horrible details of both the case and Alan’s life, and to see him distressed many times.
Last day means closing arguments from both sides, and the jury deliberation. Maybe one of the worst moment was to wait for a verdict, and I was really hoping we would get one that same day so I stayed at the courthouse waiting. It took a little over 3 hours I believe but we did get a verdict.

The clerk read the verdict. It was confusing because at first they read all the reasons that made him eligible for the death penalty, but they didn’t find that it was especially heinous or cruel so that gave me hope – Alan said this was the moment he knew the verdict… But then they said the aggravating factors were sufficient for a sentence of death… Right after they said the mitigating circumstances had greater weight than the aggravating factors (which would mean LWOP) but the judge screwed it up and sent the jury back and I wasn’t sure anymore. Then it was confirmed the judge messed up so I thought it was LWOP before I realized that there was a second verdict (2 crimes), so my heart went through the same rollercoaster again but the verdict was indeed Life Without Parole. And he was sentenced right after.

The sound is horrible but if you want to watch:

I am personally so glad it’s over. Of course, because of the verdict, but also because the preparations and months leading to it were mentally exhausting. It definitely put some heaviness on our relationship, especially not being able to visit and have a full private conversation with him. I’m relieved this is all behind us. I had nightmares for 2 weeks straight afterwards but nightmares have slowly dispersed. He is off death row now; something we never thought would be possible when we first met.

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