A Facebook group that I admin for is currently discussing this Thistles and Thorns excerpt. While you do have a note in the beginning explaining that this is a piece of Jessica’s writing, there’s not any of information about why she’s using your specific Medium account to share bits of her story or if you’re just sharing it from another source. Maybe I missed another post giving more explanation or maybe there’s a reason for its absence.

Still, we’re very curious, since it was initially shared under the assumption that this was a work of fiction. We quickly figured out that not only was it based on a true story, it appears to be authentic pieces of the bereaved mother’s writing. So what we’re wondering now is why Rick is publishing these novel excerpts and not Jessica herself. And someone requested that we end all this speculation (though there’s been good discussions about authorship, authenticity, gender, and fictionalizing fact) and simply ask you.

So I’m asking. And I thank you for any reply, no matter how vague or guarded.