Amazon Best Seller track
On track for the Amazon Best Seller Badge as the memoir reaches more readers.
“Leaving the noise behind to find the light”
Lucky Thirteen You Be The Judge
A deeply moving, brutally honest memoir about the youngest of thirteen in a migrant family, told with grit, grace, and a journey toward healing.
Lucky Thirteen You Be The Judge
Lucky Thirteen: You Be The Judge is a deeply moving, brutally honest memoir that gives voice to a truly unique upbringing. Writing as the youngest of thirteen children in a migrant family, the author invites readers into a world defined by both immense hardship and fierce family bonds.
The strength of this book lies in its unflinching honesty. It does not shy away from the trauma, poverty, and social stigma of growing up in a cramped, two bedroom home while traveling between the fields of Idaho and Arizona. Yet, amidst the chaos and largely absent father, the narrative shines a beautiful light on the family’s matriarch, a mother who served as the pristine, protective backbone of the entire household.
By structuring her story as a countdown through her twelve older siblings, the author undertakes a powerful exercise in healing and perspective. It is an authentic, vulnerable account of survival and resilience. Ultimately, it leaves the reader with a profound respect for the author’s journey and leaves the final “judgment” exactly where it belongs: with you.
A KoriWard film
You be the judge
The youngest of thirteen, told without bitterness. A mother’s grit, a crowded home, and the light that remained. Watch, then decide for yourself.
An unforgettable story of grit and grace.
Lucky Thirteen: You Be The Judge is a breathtakingly honest account of survival. The author turns a childhood of extreme poverty and chaos into a masterclass on resilience. By the time you finish the final countdown of her siblings, you are left with immense respect for her journey toward healing. A must read for anyone who loves powerful, true stories!
Milestones on the path
The work continues, from awards interest to an audiobook launch and a story ready for the press.
Indie Reader Discovery
Interested in The Indie Reader Discovery Awards, a home for distinctive independent voices.
Audiobook launch
An audiobook edition is in motion so the story can be heard as well as read.
Press ready
A press release is prepared for media, book clubs, and speaking opportunities.
Our impact
What the story holds
At its heart, the memoir explores generational poverty and the migrant experience; complex family dynamics and parental dichotomy; childhood trauma and social stigma; the journey to healing and perspective; and accountability and vulnerability, the “Judge” theme that invites every reader to decide for themselves.
A deeper lookWritten for
Readers drawn to powerful true stories, primarily women, and also men, across adulthood and later life, including those who lived through the mid to late twentieth century American migrant working experience. It also speaks to social work, psychology, counseling, education, community outreach, writers, and creatives.
What readers can expect
A focus on healing and reframing rather than bitterness. A roadmap to peace, not a list of past grievances. Emotional growth through a profound internal journey, showing how the scars of childhood trauma are processed, reframed, and ultimately integrated into a life of peace and personal reconciliation.
The Journey Within
A story of survival, self-discovery, and the power of forgiveness, reminding us that even in the harshest circumstances, healing is possible, and our past does not define our future.
My journey
A countdown through thirteen
The memoir is structured as a countdown through twelve older siblings, a powerful exercise in healing and perspective that leads to the youngest voice: the author herself.
From the fields of Idaho and Arizona to a crowded two bedroom home, each chapter invites readers closer to the family matriarch Rosie, the pristine, protective backbone of the household, and to the final judgment that belongs with you.
Explore the story
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The siblings
A countdown through twelve older brothers and sisters, each a chapter in survival.
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The youngest
The thirteenth voice: grit, grace, and the courage to tell the truth without bitterness.
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You be the judge
The story ends where it should, with the reader’s own judgment and compassion.
“In a world that fears the number 13, it became my family’s ultimate badge of survival and resilience.”
Her writing world
More About Her
A glimpse into the heart, mind, and habits behind the words.
“Not just a writer, but a seeker of truth, beauty and meaning.”
Why she writes
I began this writing journey to give a powerful voice to a history that was far too loud to be forgotten, yet too easily overlooked. Witnessing my mother navigate the chaotic currents of being the thirteenth child inspired me to document her grit, ensuring that the quietest voices in a family of thirteen leave a permanent echo for future generations.
Milestones
On track for the Amazon Best Seller Badge. Interested in The Indie Reader Discovery Awards. Launching an audiobook. A press release is ready.
Favorite authors
Jeannette Walls (The Glass Castle), Tara Westover (Educated), Reyna Grande (The Distance Between Us & Migrant Heart), Ruth Wariner (The Sound of Gravel), and Mary Karr (The Liars’ Club).
Writing habits
I tend to capture ideas instantly. I have many notebooks full of inspirations. I put all these notes together to keep myself accountable and maintain mental sharpness.
@playbebestar
Follow the journey, creative work, and community around Lucky Thirteen, and visit the home of the brand at Playbebestar.com.
Get in touch
Let’s Talk Together
Press, speaking, or a personal note. I’d love to hear from you.
“Every great conversation can change a story.”
2559 East 3400 North, Twin Falls, Idaho 83301