It Happens Here Too: The Shepherd's Daughter

by Marissa Conklin

Overview

"You are safe. You are loved. You are good." These are the words Serenity Shepherd whispers to her son-the words no one ever said to her. Growing up as the perfect pastor's daughter meant learning to disappear behind smiles, to swallow truth like poison, to believe that love always came with conditions. It meant surviving in plain sight while everyone praised her father's holy work. But bodies remember what minds try to forget. And when the past refuses to stay buried, Serenity must choose between the silence that's slowly destroying her and a truth that could destroy everything else. From a childhood shadowed by stained glass and scripture to motherhood that becomes her salvation, this is a story about breaking cycles, finding voice, and discovering that sometimes the most sacred act is refusing to be quiet. A fictionalized memoir drawn from the author's own journey of survival and healing, It Happens Here Too: The Shepherd's Daughter is a luminous debut novel about religious trauma, the long road to recovery, and the revolutionary power of speaking your truth. Some voices are worth breaking the silence for.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781637471401
Publisher:	Publication Consultants
Publication date:	08/15/2025
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.59(d)

About the Author

Marissa Conklin is a survivor, mother, and author living in Alaska with her five-year-old son. Born and raised in the rugged beauty of Alaska, she carries both the resilience of the landscape and the scars of childhood trauma within a religious community. It Happens Here Too: The Shepherd's Daughter is her debut novel-a fictionalized account of her own journey from childhood sexual abuse and religious trauma to healing and voice. At her publisher's suggestion, she transformed her memoir into fiction, discovering that the creative distance allowed her to tell her truth more completely and powerfully than memoir could have. As a survivor of childhood abuse by a pastor father, Marissa intimately understands the unique challenges faced by those wounded within religious communities. Her background in early childhood education reflects her commitment to protecting vulnerable children and creating safe spaces for healing-work that takes on profound personal meaning given her own experiences. Marissa's advocacy extends beyond the written word. She speaks at conferences and support groups, sharing her story to help others find their voice. She has become a resource for those navigating religious trauma syndrome and childhood abuse recovery, offering hope to those who feel trapped by their past. Writing has been both Marissa's refuge and her rebellion-a way to transform the silence that once protected her abuser into a voice that now protects others. Through fiction, she found the freedom to reshape her pain into purpose, her trauma into testimony. When not writing or advocating, Marissa can be found exploring Alaska's wilderness with her son, reading voraciously, and building the kind of peaceful, safe home she always dreamed of as a child. She is living proof that healing is possible, that cycles can be broken, and that survivors can reclaim their stories. Her journey from victim to survivor to thriver serves as inspiration for anyone who has ever wondered if their voice matters, if their truth deserves to be heard, if healing is truly possible after profound betrayal.