About the Author
Mary J Schalla was born in Calgary, AB, and grew up moving from coast to coast until she went to college. Mary J went to the Alberta College of Art and Design and has also taken classes in Criminology. Mary J married one of her best friends from junior high school in 2007, and from that marriage had two children. Unfortunately, Mary J and her husband parted ways in 2012 but remain friends and co-parent their children exceptionally well.
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In 2013, Mary J began a relationship with a friend. That relationship grew quickly, and they had a son. This relationship overtime came with many challenges and what Mary J came to realize was domestic violence. Mary J fled domestic violence and her predator in April of 2018. She tried to co-parent with her predator but could not due to being constantly harassed and stalked and because she was concerned for her son's safety when he had visitation with his father.
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Mary J struggled through the court system when getting protection orders and parenting orders but eventually was able to keep her son safe from his father after fighting him in court for almost a year. In December 2019, Mary J's predator was sentenced to jail and probation after pleading guilty to criminal harassment and posting intimate images online publicly without permission. Her predator was again arrested in early 2020 with multiple counts of Historical Sexual Assault of a Minor under 14 with another victim. That trial takes place in March of 2023.
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Today, Mary J and her children are safe; she has gone back to school to learn more about how to help victims and survivors of domestic violence and is a Domestic Violence Advocate. Mary J also has become a Public Speaker about Domestic Violence and is bringing awareness of what it is like after fleeing abuse and what it's like to fight in court.
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Book Reviews
Review
★★★★★
"Escaping My Predator by Mary J. Schalla is the harrowing true story of a woman's fight for freedom and safety from a man who manipulated, abused, and terrified her for years whilst she was trapped inside a relationship with him. The book is split into milestone chapters, documenting Schalla's journey from the very beginnings of her courtship, right through to his final sentencing in court. She expresses her inner turmoil in different stages: her denial, her recognition, her battle. It is written in the style of an extended journal entry; it contains little to no written dialogue, and the characters all remained unnamed.
Escaping My Predator is raw, beautifully honest and offers many powerful messages about finding the courage and strength to not only identify a dangerous and abusive partner, but to leave them as well. I found the prose and the character development to be interesting. The author paints a poignant picture of the situation that unfolded between woman and abuser. I would've liked to have learned a little more about Schalla but going through her experience I was still able to connect with her. I was taken on an emotional roller coaster and was immersed in the feelings of each character in the book. Schalla's powerful writing and emotional depth allowed me to live through the author's experience.
It is not easy to openly share explicit details of an abusive relationship, so for this I highly commend Schalla and her bravery. Schalla's story insightfully captured the experience of being an abused woman and what it takes to overcome this abuse. Escaping My Predator is a stirring and emotional story that is ultimately inspiring and uplifting. You too can escape and abusive relationship, and Mary Schalla inspires anyone who thinks otherwise." - Literary Titan
Thank You for Coming!
I want to thank everyone who took the time to come and see me at West Edmonton Mall Indigo. It was lovely meeting you all and hearing some of your own stories.
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