‘The only way to comprehend this tragic story of mine is to write it.’ On the 10th of February 2017, there was a sentencing hearing for murder in the Victorian Supreme Court. The young woman in the dock, who sat quietly with her hands in her lap, had perfect skin and light-brown hair tied back as neatly as a private school prefect’s. When the judge asked her to confirm her plea, the young woman answered in a clear and polite voice. ‘Guilty, your Honour.’ That killer is Mary K. Pershall’s beloved daughter Anna. She is twenty-eight years old, tall and beautiful, with an effervescent wit and a university degree in psychology. She also hears the voices of demons. After Anna finished uni, she just could not meet the demands of adulthood, and the voices became overwhelming. She attempted to silence them with alcohol and weed, with the abuse of her prescribed medication, and with ice. But the evil howling would not stop. Award-winning author Mary K. Pershall brings a unique and insightful perspective to a story that is at once devastating and uplifting, and proves that a mother’s love – even in its darkest hour – can shed light and provide hope to families in crisis.
Author
Mary K Pershall grew up on a farm in Iowa, heart of the American corn and Bible belt. She escaped to Australia as a freshly graduated teacher in 1974, and has lived here ever since. Beginning her career editing and writing for children’s magazines such as Pursuit and Comet, Mary went on to write young adult novels such as the highly acclaimed You Take the High Road, Stormy and A Long Way Home. Drawing infinite inspiration from her ongoing career as a teacher, Mary now writes books for late primary and early high school students. As well as writing for the enormously successful Aussie Bites series (Too Much To Ask For and Making Jamie Normal), Mary has written a popular tween trilogy with daughter Anna, focussing on the pitfalls of popularity; entitled Two Weeks in Grade Six, A Term in Year Seven and Escape from Year Eight. Most recently, Mary has drawn on spooky experiences in her own childhood to create the Ruby Clair series. Ruby, a reluctant hero, just wants to go to school and live a normal life, but the ghosts she can see have other ideas. Ruby Clair: The Trouble with Ghosts and Ruby Clair: Ghost with a Message are now available. A third book is on its way. As well as writing and teaching, Mary gives talks at schools about what it was like to grow up in a haunted farm house in Iowa.
