DENVER and GRESHAM, Ore., Oct. 2, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- She was brutally victimized first as a child and then as a wife. Both her mother and her first husband made numerous attempts to kill her. But author Gussie McRobert was determined to not only survive, but to recover and thrive. And that is just what she did. Earning both her Bachelor's and Master's degree in Communications, McRobert went on to work in news broadcasting; but she didn't stop there. She also was elected, and then twice re-elected, as mayor of Gresham, Oregon's fourth-largest city.
In this compelling life story, McRobert recounts her time as a child, living with her resentful widowed mother and her not-so-subtle attempts to kill her by placing her high atop the kitchen counter, in hopes she would plunge to her early demise. Those "accidental" falls buried themselves deep into her subconscious and eventually manifested into terrifying chronic nightmares of her plunging through the darkness. Years later while attending a conference with her husband, she conquered her fear of heights by riding the two-story free-hanging escalator and the imposing glass elevator that clings to the outside of the 73-story high Renaissance Center-over and over--until her fear was gone. Her nightmares were replaced with visions of flying over green fields and forests and soaring free over mountaintops.
McRobert attributes much of her recovery to her teachers, who taught her to have confidence and to always be straightforward and honest, which ultimately translated into her legacy of "telling it like it is." She also credits her second and forever husband, Chet McRobert, with lending the unconditional love she needed to overcome the extreme emotional damage she had endured. Together for 38 years until his death, they reared five sons and have three granddaughters.
According to the Family Violence Prevention Fund, an estimated six million American women and children are physically abused every year. There is a critical need for additional services for these families, especially during tremendous economic declines, such as America is facing today. McRobert's message in From Hell and Back is clear -- she refused to stay a victim, despite overwhelming obstacles -- and you too, can survive and thrive, regardless of your past.
ISBN: 978-1-4327-2690-4 Format: 6.14 x 9.21 paperback SRP: $ 16.95 Genre: Autobiography
About the Author:
Gussie (Norma J.) McRobert served as Mayor of Gresham, Oregon's fourth largest city, for ten years. She is known for "saying it like it is." Government advisor Michael McKeever: "Oregon is famous for producing political giants and she has a well-deserved place on that rare list. She is one-of-a kind." McRobert has Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Communications, and worked as a television host, producer, and radio news reporter in Portland, Oregon. For more information or to contact the author, visit www.outskirtspress.com/Fromhellandback
About Outskirts Press, Inc.:
Outskirts Press, Inc. offers full-service, custom self-publishing services for authors seeking a cost-effective, fast, and flexible way to publish and distribute their books worldwide while retaining all their rights and full creative control. Available for authors globally at www.outskirtspress.com and located on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado, Outskirts Press represents the future of book publishing, today.