Outskirts Press, INC.

An Unforgettable Story of Survival Against All Odds

As a young African-American girl growing up in the Deep South of the 1960s, Laura Stone has it hard enough. Then her mother dies, and Laura finds herself shuttled off to an abusive foster home. So begins a moving and disturbing journey through the state's child-welfare system, ending with Laura's formal adoption by her older sister, Marie, hundreds of miles away in Chicago. Far from stabilizing, the new arrangement leads to a parade of men who are attracted to her sister-and also have eyes on Laura. But Laura keeps the sexual and emotional abuse bottled up inside of her, until she can no longer bear it...

A remarkable story of one girl's passage into adulthood, Laura Stone and Some of the People in Her Life is an eye-opening peek into a world dominated by fear-whether of the strange men who visit her or the prejudice of strangers. But it's also a story of immense hope, courage and pride, as Laura confronts head-on staggering obstacles at home and school. Through it all, Laura exhibits an amazing strength of character as she struggles to survive despite the odds stacked against her.

What does that old Mattie have that I don't?" said Laura. "Bumps," said Na-Na. "What?" "Bumps. Boys like girls with bumps. "I over heard my brother and some of his friends talking, they said they like to rub up against and touch girls with bumps and booty, the bigger the girl bumps were the nicer they was to look at and touch," said Na-Na