Welcome to Little Red Survivor!
We’re all made of stories!
Photo by Valiant Made on Unsplash
Who doesn’t have baggage to unpack? Whether it’s from our family of origin, high-control religion, or the person we partnered with only to discover they were not who we thought they were—we’ve all got stories to tell.
The beauty of story is that it goes beyond
what you see and I see
and teaches us about dignity
About who we are
Where we have come from
And where we are going.
We talk about life here. No cover-ups—just our messy life stories, and they are all worth discussing.
So grab your favorite drink, sit down, and swap stories with me.
I’ll go first.
Where I’m From
I’m from a little cabin on Whidbey Island, in Washington State, that my family called home despite no indoor plumbing. I loved the scent of campfire smoke mingled with seaweed and salty air while I watched ferries and fed the gulls. I’m also from wondering what the world was like beyond the sound.
I was a door-knocking Bible-thumper who could give you a string of proof texts for any number of Bible topics by age twelve.
I was raised with a purity culture mindset and fundamentalist religion. Because of this, I ended up marrying a gay man who is still a good friend today. (No, he’s not a narcissist—he’s just gay.)
After growing up on the fringe of an already controlling religion, I began deconstructing my religious beliefs when I realized the denomination I was raised in was not in agreement with Jesus in the way they treat women and my LGBTQIA+ friends.
When we know better, we do better. -Maya Angelou
Some of the high-control religious standards I grew up with included rules for diet, clothing, music, books, and even the way I prayed.
I’m from never cracking an egg until I was thirty-five, then I began baking cookies to bring smiles to people.
I’ve traveled through ten Canadian provinces and forty-eight, not very United States. I know the Maker of the thunder, and I trust that She can provide for me.
Yes, I like to call God “She.” I love to feel the Spirit blow through my hair and soul—knowing that in the words of C.S. Lewis, She is “not safe, but good.”
I’m from beating my head against a wall because my parents couldn’t understand or appreciate my life choices, but now that I’ve discovered how to recognize narcissistic traits, I refuse to give controllers any power over me.
As I was learning to overcome narcissistic abuse, I wrote dozens of articles to help others. You can find them on Medium.
I’ve had family members lie about me, but I also have chosen family with true kindred spirits.
I believe in forgiving everyone who has ever harmed me — especially my parents. I’m throwing my grief into the fire while I collect the ashes to rise.
I will always stand in solidarity with women, LGBTQIA+ friends, people of color, refugees, immigrants, and outliers because I know the pain of not fitting in.
I reject binary thinking and believe in celebrating our differences. I want to make the table bigger, so we can include everyone.
I like making art that has meaning, but I’ve discovered that stories are my favorite form of art.
I broke my family’s rules to write two memoirs because I believe in preserving all of our beautiful, messy stories and honoring the angels in our lives.
I also enjoy reading and writing historical fiction because the truth lies not only in facts but also in the wonder of a well-told story.
I share my desk with two cats. A charming rescue named Luna Tallulah Belle.
And a Siberian Forest Cat named Magdalena Magnolia.
Luna and Maggie are my companions and muses. From time to time, they prompt me to write little poems or anecdotes about them.
I’ve made a home in many places, from Washington to Michigan, to Connecticut, to Louisiana. These days, I’m living in Portland, Oregon, where nobody notices if you’re weird.
I enjoy a good mocha with the sunrise, which always fills me with hope.
The glory of dawn reminds us that no matter what happened yesterday, we can always rise again and shine brighter than ever.
About My Publications—
Little Red Survivor (FREE)
Little Red Survivor is always FREE and will land in your inbox whenever I see related news stories about narcissistic or religious abuse or feel like sharing my current life stories. It’s an opportunity to unpack the damage and discuss how to survive and thrive.
Occasional Free chapters of my books in progress
Reviews of memoirs or historical fiction by other authors (if you know of a good one, please share it with me)
Opportunity to discuss survival techniques on how to deal with difficult people as it relates to narcissism or the current WIP
Little Red WIP ($50 yr, or $5 month)
Little Red WIP is a paid subscription where I offer something from my current WIP on a weekly basis. Currently, I’m working on a book about religious narcissists.
I’m also working on a novel loosely based on a true story about Southern Oregon Pioneers. Historical fiction is a favorite genre of mine, and I’m in love with these characters.
As a subscriber to Little Red WIP, you’ll also enjoy—
A chapter of my WIP each week—sometimes more.
First notice when I publish a book so you can get it on Kindle for less—plus autographed copies of paperbacks when published for 50% off if you order through me.
As a yearly subscriber, you can also receive a free autographed copy of the paperback if you live in the continental U.S.
The Little Red WIP is $50 a year or $5 a month. When I publish a book, all paid subscribers will be notified so they can download it for free or for a small fee on Kindle.
The subscription is not meant to be a barrier—it’s simply the way authors get paid these days. If you’re in a tight place but would love to join the discussion, please send me an email at CherilynClough at live.com
The long-awaited sequel to Chasing Eden, To Uneat an Elephant, is finally here!
I hope you enjoy my stories and find the inspiration to share your own.
Peace and freedom,
Cherilyn Christen Clough
P.S. If you’d like to read the story of my childhood, you can find it here.
