A publisher has bought Elizabeth Smart's story and it is currently being written by a ghostwriter who also happens to be a Congressman from Utah. Talk about two different kinds of jobs. This will be the first hand story of Elizabeth Smart which she has never shared before in book form. It will describe everyday of the nine month ordeal she suffered at the hands of the homeless preacher who kidnapped her. The book is getting close to being finished and Elizabeth and the writer have been working on it for almost a year. Not sure how he managed to run for Congress and write a book at the same time. This will be the fourth book about her abduction, but the first, by her. One book was written by her parents.
Big bucks is why. Hate that I'm such a cynic but...After Jaycee Dugard's book did so well looks like Elizabeth & her ghost got a very lucrative offers. Ghosts are paid extremely well.
ReplyDeleteMy feeling about this case is there is WAY more to this case than has ever been revealed publicly.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you.
DeleteMe too.
DeleteLike?
DeleteI loved Jaycee Dugard's book and will definitely be reading Elizabeth Smart's as well. Don't care if it's poorly written, I'm a total sucker for being invested in stories like theirs.
ReplyDelete@Little Miss Smoke and Mirrors
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean? I know very little about this case, being overseas.
I'd be interested to read this book. I think I remember hearing that Elizabeth's kidnapper had been hired to do work at their home prior to her abduction, and was familiar with the layout, and that her sister had some memories of Elizabeth being kidnapped from the bed that they shared, but was too frightened to speak up right away.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know her parents had also written a book. No disrespect meant, but I always found her dad a bit creepy.
Then Lily you should get Emma Donough's book "Room" . That's the title but not absolutely suure if the authors last name is correct. Excellent book.
ReplyDeleteHi Sherry, I think it's Donoghue.
ReplyDeleteThanks Telomeraz
DeleteI recall both her parents being creepy. Especially doing interviews right after she was returned home...if it were my daughter, the last thing I'd do is force her into the spotlight after such a horrendous experience.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't force her into the spotlight, she may have been in the background during interviews, but she didn't give one. She did make an appearance as the signing of some sort of children's bill by the president, but has largely kept out of the public eye.
DeleteAfter everything she went through, I don't begrudge her wanting to make money off the experience. After all, it's her own future that she's securing. After having a chunk of her childhood stolen, now she'll have a chance to set up her adult life without worrying about money, and make it what she wants.
ReplyDelete@Char I was feeling a bit cynical after I read this but your comment totally makes sense and I agree with you!
DeleteDidn't she make money from the Lifetime movie about the story? It was pretty detailed. Just saw it again a few days ago.
ReplyDeleteGosh, I'm just not that hot to judge a girl who went through such a horrible experience. To me, she gets a pass if she wants to write a story. Maybe she feels that it'll be even more cleansing for her. I just choose to think the best of people in those situations.
ReplyDeleteBut I hear she's pretty sound financially and doesn't really need the money.
Who the hell would want to read this?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I get creeped out by the whole thing and it makes me sad that she would feel the need to write a book. Just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI will never forget when Nancy Grace had her on not to talk about what happend (which is was part of her coming on) and Nancy just started pounding her with intimate questions making Elizabeth so uncomfortable and basically had to walk out of the interview after repeatdly asking Nancy to stop and saying that wasn't why she was on the show.
ReplyDeleteI will also love Nancy for keeping her boot on Casey Anthony's neck but that was the most douchebag thing Nancy had ever done to a victim.
I think for the victims its cathartic and shows you can go from victim to survivor and live your life after horror and tragedy. They aren't my cup of teas book wise but some people take inspiration from them.
Best of luck to her I say.
I hope she makes a pile of money and gets to live the rest of her life in peace...she deserves it.
ReplyDeleteI agree MISCH. This little girl went through hell for years after being kidnapped.
ReplyDeleteNot sure why people are hating on her for this. I anything, it's an inspirational story.
She's stronger than I would have been, that much is true.
*if*
ReplyDeleteI give her a lot of credit. I think she has handled herself with so much grace even when we knew she was dealing with such inner trauma. Total class act. I wish her the very best.
ReplyDeleteDitto.
DeleteI think we have all heard this story many times, seen movies about it. Seen it on the news. Maybe there will be more personal things in the book. Heard about this so much i dont really want to read this book. Happy she just got married and wish her luck though.
ReplyDeleteGet that money, Elizabeth. You deserve it for the hell you went through.
ReplyDeleteLike timebob, these kind of books aren't my cup of tea but I hope she sells millions of copies.
I feel bad for the man, Richard Ricci, who was falsely accused and then died in custody. He'd also done work at the house, and instead of payment was given the family's older car, which still had her DNA in it, which was then used as evidence against him. After refusing to confess, he was [allegedly] in a jail fight in which he was [allegedly] hit with a barbell or weight, and later died of a brain hemmorrage still in custody. He was considered the main suspect in her disappearance until she was found.
ReplyDeleteShe was raised in the Mormon cult, and apparently was easy prey for the abductor's personal cult. That is interesting, but it's not likely they'll examine the connection.
ReplyDeleteWithout that angle, what is special about this case other than the fact that she is so f-ing blond?
Would people be so interested if she weren't?
Some people just have an interest in True Crime and mysteries. I've read them all my life.
ReplyDeleteThey are cautionary tales, as well as being interesting looks into what really bad people are like. If you read a couple dozen True Crime stories, you will definitely more aware of what's going on around you.
I'm glad Elizabeth Smart is going to write a book. She seems all right now, but it wouldn't hurt for her to have a nest egg in case she is unable to work in the future due to stress.
She is very pretty. I have a feeling that doing this probably gives her closure for the experience.
ReplyDeleteI had moved back to SLC some months before Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped and clearly remember the day it happened. I'll probably buy her book. This hit pretty close to home.
ReplyDeleteShe's been paid for speaking engagements for a while now. I agree her parents are weird. Putting a child in the spotlight after she'd been kidnapped and repeatedly raped is beyond my comprehension. Did they not believe her?
ReplyDeleteHer parents never allowed her to properly deal with the kidnapping. They cut off therapy and didn't allow her to talk with them about all the details and her feelings.
ReplyDeleteT Lex, she was missing for nine months. It is pretty rare that a child is found alive nine months after being kidnapped. I think that is the biggest draw to the story.
ReplyDeleteWithout reading the comments above, I just have one thing to say:
ReplyDeleteCan’t stand her, Can’t stand her family, this whole thing was a fucking hoax/joke/whatever you want to call it, never believed this shit for a minute....
Now they have sold out to Kneepads, and whomever else will pay for the fakery...
Bring on the hate.. I don’t care.
Seriously Icecat? You think she was forced to live with two psychos who made her live in the woods and was raped repeatedly just as some joke or hoax? I will bring on the hate because you're an idiot! Her family never forced her into the spotlight nor yanked her out of therapy. Where do some of you come up with this stuff? She stayed out of the spotlight and only has ever done things to try and help other victims of sexual abuse. She's a very talented young woman who has decided to make as many positives of a bad situation that she can.
ReplyDeleteThat is wrong on so many levels. Your soul needs serious help.
ReplyDeleteIcecap, Since you said you didn't read the discussion of comments before commenting, I'm going to assume that you also formed your opinions on this case in ignorance too. While some situations in our culture might indeed stem from conspiracies, this girl's ordeal was not one of them. And to an earlier comment about the Mormon occult, as an actively practicing Mormon, I can attest this religion is not an occult. We don't blindly follow our leader. Mormonism is a way of life in terms of striving to live by its principles daily, but these principles align with Christianity and family values, rather than fulfilling some outlandish, self-serving agenda of its leader.
ReplyDeleteIcecat - oops, spell check changed the name.
ReplyDeleteSpellcheck must have also changed "cult" to "occult". Twice.
DeleteNo, that error was all my own doing ...got cult and occult confused, although I've heard arguments for both blind faith and hidden, mystical pursuits in condemning my faith.
DeleteI don't understand. How was it a hoax/setup? Could you explain, please?
ReplyDeleteThe sad part is T Lex is right about the fact the media paid attention because of the way Smart looks. There's actually a name for it, Missing White Woman Syndrome.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_white_woman_syndrome
I do believe Smart has an exceptional story (being found after so long) and it's a story worth telling; and the media coverage when she went missing was warranted*. However, I think it's terrible when the media won't cover similar stories because the victim isn't female, middle- to upper-class, and white.
* Warranted as in getting her name and face out there, but not with it becoming fodder for the 24/7 news machine. A lot of that time could be used to talk about others who are missing, instead of tuning in to watch the non-updates of one.
What is most interesting about this case to me is how she was brainwashed and afraid to seek help when opportunities were presented. Even when she was initially questioned by the police. It makes me wonder how many other missing children are alive, but afraid to ask for help.
ReplyDeleteI just hope she's gotten therapy. I think she was on Oprah or something close and no therapy had been given, no talking about what happened...etc.
ReplyDeleteHer parents basically stuck their heads in the sand and said she would talk about it with them or God when/if she was ready.
I found that to be irresponsible as fuck.
Ok, PuggleWug, the fact that she was rescued after 9 months is probably part of the interest.
ReplyDeleteBut I think the Missing White Woman Syndrome as the article from Zeeky_Boogy_Doog is the bigger part of it.
And Michelle, sorry for the condemnation of an institution that's important to you. Neither Elizabeth Smart nor the Mormon Church are responsible for all the problems with this situation.
I am just a lurker here, but I think it's worth noting that she is a member of the "Not 1 More Child" coalition for the National Association to Protect Children (NAPC and PROTECT). PROTECT is probably the most fearless organization out there fighting for and advocating for kids. I don't know if any of the proceeds of her book will go to that organization, but I know that she has given face time and then some to their very worthwhile efforts.
ReplyDelete