REVIEW COPY Available, Contact : Maria Flores-Sperling at karmenflores@hotmail.com

"Before I could think clearly, I grabbed the razor and looked at Angelo and sliced my left wrist in three different places. I remember blood everywhere…I ended up getting 21 stitches." (p.131)

Atlanta, GA (October 2009) -- Through these words of self-inflicted pain, a survivor speaks. Maria Flores-Sperling, author of WHOSE LITTLE GIRL IS THIS ? offers a rare opportunity: A look into the mind of a survivor of domestic violence, abuse, and co-dependency. In her compelling new book, this first-time author shares the true story of her life, which she begins by chronicling her family history as the offspring of Puerto Rican parents and a little girl who adores a grandfather of African descent and a Taino Indian grandmother.

She bares her innermost soul and invites us into a world filled with the anguish she suffered at the hands of abusive men, confusion about her self-identity, and conflict due to competing cultural values. But, in writing what is commonly referred to as a "coming of age" story, Flores-Sperling ultimately moves beyond that genre by also revealing her painful yet courageous evolution from self-denial and despair to fuller self-awareness and self-love. Her evolving self-awareness also leads her to a closer spiritual relationship to God.  

WHOSE LITTLE GIRL IS THIS? will have you crying, shaking your head in wonder, as well as laughing and cheering for the little girl whom Flores-Sperling finally comes to love and accept. This inspiring writer’s journey of self-discovery and healing will move you to embrace the little girl in you, too. The book also offers practical advice on why men abuse and why women stay in abusive relationships, as well as a list of on-line mental health resources and other information. Breaking free from the generational cycle of abuse, Flores-Sperling says she came to find "the love of her life," Charles Sperling, whom she married in 2006.