Liz’s Molestation and mine

Question:
Firstly, I want to express my condolences for the loss of your husband. As a reader of the Alice series since I was 12(I’m 21 now) I’ve read the “About Phyllis” section and always smiled when I heard of Rex, your sons and their growing families. As a person who has lost someone to Alzheimer’s, that sentiment is doubled.
But I wanted to thank you for the Alice Series. If it wasn’t for these books, I’d still be carrying a lot of guilt relating to my molestation by an older cousin for years. Like Elizabeth, I also felt so much guilt at any physical pleasure that was forced on me, and hearing Liz talk about it to Pamela and Alice and their sound replies of it not being her fault really soothed me. I felt like I could relate to it so well. Plus as a native to DC, seeing Alice come of age at the same time I was, in the same city was invaluable. I’ve always wanted to thank you so much for that. So thank you!

Phyllis Naylor:

Your letter is going to be so helpful to other readers who have ever been sexually molested.  Thank you so much for writing.  Anyone who has gone through that experience knows that there are mixed emotions, and I am so glad that Elizabeth’s ordeal in the book, and her friends talking about it with her later, were all helpful to you.  I very much appreciate your writing to me.