This is really happening

Posted by joy.the.curious on Feb 23, 2023 in Random | 21 comments

Patty Wetterling’s memoir—the one that she and I have been working on together for the past 7 1/2 years—is now available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Bookshop.org.

What??

It’s true. And for those of you who have followed me on this blog since I started it in 2010, you know what a big deal this is for me. I was 43 years old back then and trying so hard to figure out how to become a real writer. Thirteen years later, here I am—a real writer—and a co-author with the amazing Patty Wetterling.

Published by Minnesota Historical Society Press

Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope tells the emotional story of Patty’s 27 year search for her son, Jacob. On October 22, 1989, 11-year-old Jacob was abducted by a masked gunman while riding his bike home from a convenience store with his younger brother and best friend. It happened in the small town of St. Joseph, Minnesota and this heart-stopping crime forever changed the landscape of our state and the way we raise our kids. A dark sense of fear swept over us as the search went on for days, weeks, months, and then years. Something in us changed—because if a kid like Jacob could get kidnapped, then any of our kids could get kidnapped. From anywhere, at any time, and for no apparent reason. The fear was paralyzing.

And then, from the ashes of our despair, rose a small powerhouse of a woman who dared to hope. It was Jacob’s mom, Patty Wetterling. And rather than crumble into a heap, we watched and listened as she vowed to fight for the world we all knew before Jacob was kidnapped. This world would never be all sunshine and lollipops anymore, but at least we could return to a world that was safer for our kids—one with tighter laws and better tools for fighting child predators and sexual offenders. Patty led the charge, and we gladly followed her into battle.

She did make our kids safer. The Jacob Wetterling Act of 1994 established the nation’s first sex offender registry. She was also instrumental in establishing Minnesota’s Amber Alert before it even became a national program, and she has participated in hundreds of law enforcement trainings over the years that teach investigators how to respond to child abductions and how to work with victim families.

When Patty asked me to help her write this book back in the spring of 2015, we envisioned it to be a legacy to Jacob. There was so much ground to cover, it was hard to know where to start. Slowly, we started to get organized, and I convinced her to “just write.” I wanted to get a better idea of who she was—where she grew up, what she was like as a child, where she went to high school and college, etc. I explained there were other moms who had lost a child or who had missing children, but none had actually marched up Capitol Hill, caught the attention of lawmakers, and created new laws to protect our children. Who was she? What made her tick?

Of course, Patty and I had barely gotten started writing this book when everything came to a screeching halt. In October 2015, Danny Heinrich was arrested as a person of interest in Jacob’s case. Less than a year later, he would confess, accept a plea deal, and lead authorities to Jacob’s remains. It was all so devastating and gut-wrenching, we put the book project on hold indefinitely. Two years later, when we finally came back to it, we realized we had a whole new story to write. The thought of starting over was overwhelming, but word by word, chapter by chapter, we did it.

And now, here we are. For me, it’s been an honor and a privilege to get to know Patty and see what makes her tick. She is a true hero and a true friend… one who was willing to believe in a 40-something year old blogger who was just muddling along and trying to find her own purpose in life.

After 13 years, I do feel like this was it.

Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope will be released on October 17, 2023. Pre-order today from your favorite bookseller.

• Barnes & Noble

• Amazon

• Target

• Bookshop.org (Purchases support independent bookstores)

P.S. If you’re on Facebook, you can follow Patty Wetterling on her page at https://www.facebook.com/hopeologist

21 Comments

1. Heidi Baker | February 23, 2023 at 2:40 pm

   This is awesome news!

2. Annette Benson | February 23, 2023 at 3:03 pm

   Exciting! I’ve placed my pre-order and look forward to reading the book.

3. Brenda Schroeder Miller | February 23, 2023 at 3:17 pm

   Amazing news! I can feel the energy you have both put into this work of love,

4. Mabyn Armstrong | February 23, 2023 at 3:30 pm

   Congratulations on the completion of a work from the heart. I am relieved to think that Jacob’s story will be made available to the world. A story of much love and immeasurable pain that had to be told in the hope that these atrocities will diminish with compassion knowledge and understanding. Jacob’s story changed laws and sensitized the public to use their compassion to make a difference in this world. A difference for the good, for the better side of mankind.
   Patty’s courage cannot be measured in worldly terms. Words just cannot impart. I thank her with all my being for her generosity of spirit, for her unfathomable compassion, for her steadfast commitment to bring closure to an unimaginable horror. Thank you Patty for allowing us to share Jacob’s journey to keep hope alive for all humanity.
   Thank you ‘Joy the Curious’ for your curiosity to have looked into Jacob’s story all those years ago and for being instrumental in giving Jacob’s story closure.
   Thank you both for keeping hope alive.

5. Mary E VanderBeek | February 23, 2023 at 4:00 pm

   Amazing! The grace, patience and everlasting village of hope the family endured. Thank you for all you both have done, and thank you for sharing.

6. Jerry W | February 23, 2023 at 4:20 pm

   Congrats Joy, well done. Important story.

7. Mary Kay Knox | February 23, 2023 at 4:52 pm

   Excited for the book!

8. Amy L | February 23, 2023 at 5:27 pm

   Congrats Joy!

9. Susan Dressel | February 23, 2023 at 5:43 pm

   Congratulations on the publishing of Patty’s and your book. So exciting!

10. Shelly Berg | February 23, 2023 at 8:47 pm

    I am so proud of you both! My book is ordered!!!

11. Nancy Drach | February 23, 2023 at 9:22 pm

    I know we all wish Jacob not been kidnapped and murdered. My oldest son was just a little over one year old when this happened, and as a newish mom, I felt so much pain for the Wetterlings. I am so appreciative of how they (and then also you), took a deep breath, then dove in to do so much, not just out of hope for Jacob, but for so many kids and families. No one is perfect, but when they can have hope and grace, it is such a bright light. I look forward to this memoir.

12. Shannon Koshiol | February 23, 2023 at 10:38 pm

    Congrats! What a feat!

13. Matt Olson | February 23, 2023 at 11:46 pm

    Congrats Joy!

14. Sue | February 24, 2023 at 11:35 am

    You have always been an amazing writer Joy. Now the world will get to enjoy it. Congratulations to you both. What an accomplishment!!

15. Tina M Walsh | February 24, 2023 at 8:50 pm

    I am so proud of you both for writing this book and for you effort, time and energy to bring this to us all that have shared the journey. Patty and Joy, we all thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

16. cathie | February 24, 2023 at 9:23 pm

    Congratulations on the completion of this book! How exciting for you both to share this important story!

17. Jettie Ditmarson | February 25, 2023 at 12:40 am

    I so remember the day Jacob went missing, our daughter was a patient at the U of M children’s hospitals, and as we walked through the tunnels to her room, there was this broadcast of what had happened, it just didn’t seem possible that someone from our area would be abducted. We live in New London some 30 miles away. But Jacob has always been in our hearts and prayers!

18. Kathy Garrett | February 25, 2023 at 5:13 pm

    Awesome work Joy!

19. Sharlene Martin | February 26, 2023 at 8:54 pm

    Thank you for trusting Martin Literary Management with selling your book! We are honored.

20. Deb Dressel | February 28, 2023 at 7:46 pm

    Truly a special moment for the both of you! I’m excited to read the book!

21. Ale Luya | March 16, 2023 at 4:17 pm

    Congratulation! Jared should also write a book.