51社区

Kelly Sundberg鈥檚 sunny demeanor belies the turbulence she experienced for almost 10 years that began in her mid-twenties. 鈥淕oodbye, Sweet Girl,鈥� Sundberg鈥檚 debut memoir, chronicles the abuse she withstood at the hands of her ex-husband, Caleb. Published in June by HarperCollins, the book served as her dissertation at 51社区, where she received her doctoral degree in English in May.

She credits Dinty W. Moore, her advisor and confidant, with helping her throughout the difficult writing process.

鈥淒inty really supported me right from the beginning,鈥� Sundberg said. 鈥淗e was not just supportive of me as a writer, but as a person.鈥�

Moore says the respect and admiration was mutual. 鈥淢y first impression of her was a firm resolve, a hidden strength underneath her often-lighthearted outward persona,鈥� Moore says via an email interview. 鈥淪he taught me as much as I taught her. I was, and still am, impressed by how hard she works, and also was inspired by her tenacity.鈥�

For Sundberg, 鈥淕oodbye, Sweet Girl鈥� meant reliving difficult moments during her uncommon marriage, filled with layers of complexity that escaped reason and logic.

As Sundberg reflected on those moments, she went to Moore for guidance. 鈥淭here were many instances when I would pop in [his office] unannounced and update him on my progress or ask for advice. I鈥檇 be lying if I said that I didn鈥檛 cry in there a few times,鈥� she says via email.

Another of Sundberg鈥檚 relationships turned tenuous during this difficult time: her relationship with her parents. Just as Sundberg鈥檚 relationship with Caleb couldn鈥檛 be reduced to black-and-white terms, neither could the relationship with her parents. Yet happily, after leaving Caleb and moving to Athens, Sundberg says her relationship with her parents 鈥渋s better than ever.鈥�

For Sundberg, the painful journey she took to write 鈥淕oodbye, Sweet Girl鈥� reaped a satisfying sense of redemption.