The terror and hatred I felt for my mother serves as the foundation for my gritty memoir, Far Too Simple a Wish. I'm not proud to admit that the person that gave me life was the very person I feared and despised growing up. Living with a mentally ill mother and an alcoholic father was certainly not a secure or loving environment to be raised in. I chronicle the physical abuse, dysfunction, and the emotional neglect that over shadowed my formative years and true self. That in turn, caused mental anguish throughout my adult life. It was monumental that I face this fear or I could just as easily go insane like Mom. I needed to conquer the unnatural sense of animosity that I harbored for Mom. But most importantly, I had to put an end to the violence from their generation by not allowing abuse to overlap into mine.
By embracing my parent's stormy relationship it allowed me to unmask their pitfalls and secrets. This led to truth, which directed me to understanding, and ultimately to forgiveness. For this I am thankful.
JoAnn Skinner is a native of Augusta Georgia. She proudly identifies as being a strong and passionate Southern woman. JoAnn has been a member of the CSRA Writing Group for over ten years. This is JoAnn's first book. She is looking forward to the future and hopes to write another book based on continued life experiences.

The painting was design by the artist Matthew Lee Skinner.