Daddy's House: A Daughter’s Memoir of Setbacks, Triumphs & Rising Above Her Roots

In this poignant memoir, a determined young girl becomes a formidable woman, confronting obstacles with courage, determination, and spirituality. The third of seventeen children born to strict Southern Baptist parents, Mildred is so capable, at seven years old, her father taxes her to keep the books for his 60-acre farm. Mildred leaves for technical school in Ohio, and at 19, her world is turned upside down. On her way home from work, a stranger kidnaps and sex-traffics her for an evening to a baseball team. Mildred buries the memory of that night beyond consciousness and abandons her budding singing career, first love, and new job to start over in a different city. Abuse for Mildred didn't begin on that fateful 1970 day in Columbus, Ohio. She's raised by a soft-spoken, loving, abused mother and a disciplinarian father, prone to emotional and physical abuse. Daddy's House: A Daughter's Memoir of Setbacks, Triumphs & Rising above Her Roots chronicles Mildred's life from an Alabama farm saddled with a 225-pound per day cotton quota to executive positions in corporate America. In the cotton field, her reward is Daddy's leather strap if she fails to deliver. After fleeing the rape, Mildred completes a year at university but finds herself pregnant, unmarried, and a college dropout dependent on a welfare check—but not for long. Throughout this gripping story, armed with an unbreakable mother-daughter bond and her father's work ethic, Mildred confronts obstacles with stubborn resilience. At the end of the journey, Mildred does what God put her on earth to do—help others. And in so doing, she is able to recapture that buried memory and heal. Spending precious days comforting her father on his deathbed, Mildred finds peace and the strength to forgive every offender, including her daddy, a man she deeply loves, who is also the man who hurt her most. Comparative titles:* The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls; Educated by Tara Westover; What We Carry by Maya Shanbhag Lang Testimonials, Endorsements, Reviews: (Testimonials for back cover may only be 50 words max. and no more than 3) In Daddy's House, Mildred effectively portrays herself as relentlessly ambitious, which becomes infectious to the reader. Her forward momentum starts in Chapter 1 and carries throughout this heavy-duty memoir. This momentum is a key element of Mills' story, and she captures it in a profound and inspiring way. —Johnny Temple, publisher at Akashic Books Mildred Mills brings us on a journey of twists, setbacks, surprises, and triumphs. Her grit and humor shine through the pages of Daddy's House. Reader beware: Mildred is such an inspiration, that you'll imitate her like I sometimes do: Beginning the day with a heartfelt thank you, and then exclaiming, "Sun, kiss my face." Beverly Donofrio, author of Riding in Cars with Boys "Daddy's House is a tour de force of grit, unremitting resolve, and the persistent pursuit of happiness despite abuse, misogyny, and discrimination. In her unapologetic depiction of her journey from intense confinement to uninhibited freedom, Mildred Mills captures our hearts and inspires us to live and breathe as our fullest selves. You need to read this book!" -- David Hicks, PhD, author of White Plains, director of the Wilkes MFA in Creative Writing.