Difficult subject matter handled in a sensitive and caring manner

Congratulations on writing and publishing your book! The packaging is polished and professional. The front cover image is powerful and drew my attention immediately. I do think your name could be in lighter or brighter font to make it more prominent. The back cover copy does a great job of marketing your book to your audience. You have done a great job blending nonfiction, inspiration, and personal experience. You handle a difficult subject matter in a sensitive and caring manner. The structure and organization of the book is effective. Good job with pacing: each chapter flowed smoothly and you have included just the right amount of details and description. You focus on showing us the story in action and dialogue and only use narration when necessary. I appreciated the many resources you included for your readers. Great job with grammar and proofreading. The formatting of the interior of the book is effective, although the spacing between lines seems a little large: you might be able to save on paper and printing costs by tightening this up a bit. Watch out for long blocks of italics: this can be difficult to read and it dilutes the impact of using italics. You have a great web site: I think you could put the URL in a more prominent place on the book cover.  23rd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards Judge’s Commentary

I had no idea of the magnitude of your story

Casey I read your book Crawling Out, and the more I read, the more I wanted to read. As I got deeper and deeper into the reading, a journey started within me that began toevoke all sorts of questions. In The beginning that’s all it was, just questions. How could adults treat children the way they were treating you? What made them feel entitled to do so? What was the abuse doing to you? How could you ever recover from it? So many questions, all without answers.

As my reading continued I found myself being a cheer leader for you. I was inspired by your courage and determination in spite of the overwhelming sense of helplessness that surrounded you. Through it all though it was clear that you were extremely smart and resourceful and I believed that you would eventually find a way to break free. When you finally managed to get out and stay with a normal family I was cheering for you. That a way girl! I had no idea of the magnitude of your story. As the story continued and you went from one abusive situation into another, I started to realize the magnitude of the cycle of abuse. I don’t know how many times I was screaming out, Just Get Away. But getting away wasn’t easy. You were surrounded by people that was so abused themselves they wouldn’t have recognized the abuse if it smacked them in the face. But you never gave up, you are a fighter, a real hero and someone that has become an inspiration to us all. By the time I finished the book I understood so much more about abuse and had answers to the questions I started with.

I felt the need to write you because it has become clear to me that crawling out never stops, not for me or for you or anyone else. You need to keep writing, advocating and doing the things you are doing today and always not only for us but for yourself. Thank you for writing this book and God Bless You.  Your friend forever, Robert

She believed and trusted that He would provide

Casey Morley’s Crawling Out is a personal narrative of one woman’s amazing journey of faith — in God… and in herself. As a victim of domestic violence and sexual abuse as a child, she lived the cycle of physical and emotional abuse throughout her life. Here, she chronicles the years that brought her from the imprisonment of her past to a place of release from the grip of that turmoil that stole her childhood and crippled her life as an adult and a single mom.Her book bares the emotional wounds of the Casey I have known for many years. She shares from the depth of her heart the hidden hurts which began to surface over time with counseling, and the gradual healing that occurred as she grew in her spiritual walk. So much of her journey forward seemed to be slowed or postponed by new trials and setbacks. Yet — whether it was the termination of a turbulent long-standing relationship, the untimely death of a loved one, a mother’s concern for her child’s safety, health issues, or a much-anticipated business venture gone awry — I witnessed her forge ahead bravely, stoically, and prayerfully, filled with a faith that her Lord would meet her at each crossroad. In her spirit, she believed and trusted that He would provide her with strength for the trek, guide her to a place of rest, and lead her to the answers her heart so desperately sought.

Over the years, I have witnessed a profound transformation in this amazing woman who refused to be held hostage by the circumstances of her past. Her perseverance to face her truth and courageously break free of the cycle of abuse that hindered the chances for a normal life for herself and her child confirms that Casey Morley is a woman to be cheered and admired. Her inner strength and determination to be undefeated, and to change a lifetime of negatives into something positive is a true celebration of victory!

With the publishing of her memoirs, Casey reaches out to encourage others to identify, and to “crawl out” from the nightmare of abuse that violates and suffocates. Well done, Casey! God bless. Joanne Tellerico

Heart wrenching and inspirational — a combination rarely communicated this well

To know Casey today, as I do, you would never know that she went through such horrific experiences of domestic violence and abuse. She lives the remarkable life of a woman who has been able to persevere and create this record of her journey to help others in that situation deal with their emotions and pain. Casey’s “Crawling Out” is an honest, engaging story that is simultaneously heart wrenching and inspirational — a combination rarely communicated this well in today’s books on the topic. Brian Judd