Years ago, before I had even begun writing Diary of a Predator: A Memoir, when it was still just a germ of an idea that I called “The book,” Brent Brents wrote this to me:
“Someone once said that ‘every work of art is an act of faith.’ You writing this book is going to be a work of art, it is going to be an act of faith.”
I looked up the rest of the quote, and it resonated with me so much that I’m going to repeat it here. It’s from British novelist Jeanette Winterson, and it speaks to one of the main reasons I wrote this book–to reach out with its message:
“I think every work of art is an act of faith, or we wouldn’t bother to do it. It is a message in a bottle, a shout in the dark. It’s saying ‘I’m here and I believe that you are somewhere and that you will answer, if necessary, across time, not necessarily in my lifetime.”
-Jeanette Winterson
Diary of a Predator 
Dear diary of a predator,
I love your blog and what you have done with your work in your writing. I had a mother that was schizophrenic and had committed suicide.
My name is Lydia and I was a foster child and now an aspiring filmmaker. I am writing you because I think that you may like what I am writing about and I like to connect with others that I could learn from and share stories with. I was given six banker boxes of documented abuse. It was very cold and factual with no life or love in it. So I decided to start publishing original journal entries from childhood between my cousin and I. I named it Izzie and Eden’s Journal.
We used to write our secrets and plan escapes in it. I hope you stop by and take a look. It is very important to me to share it and keep the story alive. Take care and I look forward to reading more of your post! Sincerely, Lydia