Leaving Cleveland: A Memoir
In the midst of difficult circumstances, a young girl growing up neglected in a dysfunctional family inadvertently embarks on a spiritual journey after discovering a friend within who helps her learn to trust her perspective.
Leaving Cleveland is a memoir about examining the toxic voices that so many of us internalized from our families of origin and learning to choose for ourselves which messages are healthy, and which are not.
“A revelation. More than a coming-of-age story, with humor and beautiful detail, Leaving Cleveland describes how a smart, creative and strong-willed young girl found a path to survive (and even thrive) despite parental neglect, psychological abuse and being raised in a suburban wasteland. It is a horror story with a happy ending that leaves the reader in awe of its plucky heroine.”
—Jim Stark, independent film producer and scriptwriter
Jessica Laurel Kane's LEAVING CLEVELAND is a story of growing up as the daughter of a singer, wishing to be released from isolation, hoping “to finally connect to something real.” At the same time, it is about grit, resilience, an imaginary friend, and approaching the everyday with absurdity—a stance to fend off aggression, indifference, and disappointment. I laughed unexpectedly, often, even at its darkest moments. Its most remarkable gift is to make that laughter feel like grace.
—Paul Lisicky, author of SONG SO WILD AND BLUE: A LIFE WITH THE MUSIC OF JONI MITCHELL
“Like all the best memoirs, Jessica Laurel Kane’s Leaving Cleveland operates on multiple levels. It presents a factual chronology told in a straightforward style: an early childhood of comfort and safety that abruptly shifts to chaos when Kane’s mother leaves suburban housewifedom to search for her purpose—only to struggle, largely unsupported. This upheaval leads to years of both intense mother-daughter bonding and significant neglect, setting the stage for school bullying, emotional abuse from various stepmothers, loneliness, emancipation, inappropriate relationships, and more.
On a parallel track, the memoir explores Kane’s spiritual development. Drawing from her journals, she shares insights into her ethereal and psychological connection with an entity she calls Delroy. Delroy, a source of profound wisdom and compassion, encourages Kane to cultivate empathy for herself and others, helping her to uncover her true essence and avoid seeking “specialness” in destructive ways. (Readers who have their own version of “Delroy” will recognize a kindred spirit.) This voice of encouragement provides loving but unsentimental guidance during her darkest times, leading her through a turbulent adolescence to college, finding her community, and ultimately, leaving Cleveland.”
—Paula Carino, MA, LMHC, LPC
I’ve created a pre-order campaign for my upcoming memoir, Leaving Cleveland, and I would be so grateful if you would consider supporting me in meeting my goal, which is to have 500 books pre-ordered over the following 10 days.
If you’ve followed my Facebook page, you probably know that asking for support is not my strong suit, but this book is the nearest and dearest to my heart of any book I’ve written.
It’s taken me years and years to not only write, but to figure out what my story even is, as distinct from the story that the people from my past once told about me.
It’s been an exercise in developing my perspective and my voice, and also an exercise in listening—not only to understand my current self, but listening-to-understand all the younger selves I’ve been who’ve been longing my whole life to be heard and validated and appreciated.
It’s a book about the complicated relationship I had with my mother, and the relationship I’ve had with the voice within me that’s always kept me company when times have been tough, and it’s also a book about the impact of internalizing a lot of toxic behavior from the people I grew up around.
But most of all, it’s a book about healing.
I’ve shied away from sharing my memoir because it’s a story that brings up a lot of discomfort and embarrassment, and that can feel very confronting. But I hope that by choosing to share my story, it will be something that people can relate to and also connect with.
I apologize in advance that I will be sharing this campaign daily over the following 10 days.
But I’m really hoping to get the word out.
And I would be so grateful if you would consider supporting me in meeting my goal, by either pre-ordering my book, sharing my book with anyone you think would be interested, or both.
If you have any questions about Leaving Cleveland, or the process of writing this book or anything else, please be in touch and I’ll be glad to answer.
Much love,
JLK
Leaving Cleveland is $20
$5 shipping in the US
$10 shipping everywhere else
$10 eBook
The books will be shipped out by March 7th, 2025.
The downloadable eBook link will be emailed March 7th, 2025.
What readers are saying:
“If you appreciate a good mother/daughter tale as well as books with spiritual elements, you’ll love Leaving Cleveland. It’s fast-paced, humorous and insightful, and so engaging. I read the whole thing in a day. ”
