Podcast
Cold Case Files
In the episode, the guest explained that the book was published in 2003 and that she had resisted the title because she did not want to be labeled a shattered woman, fighting instead for a subtitle that emphasized reclaiming her life after violence. She described the writing process as cathartic and highlighted how it helped another survivor shift from victim to survivor, expressing pride in that transformation. The discussion portrayed the work as an empowering account of survival and recovery.
Episode: I SURVIVED: The One That Killed My Husband
The book was published in 2003, and Debbie noted that the title 'Shattered' was not her choice because she refused to be labeled a shattered woman. She fought for the subtitle, 'Reclaiming a Life Torn Apart by Violence,' because she wanted people to know she had picked up the pieces of her life.
I never chose to write a book. Marjorie Preston approached my personal attorney and asked him if I could meet with her about the possibility of writing a book.
Working with her was cathartic because she had some of the very same feelings that I had. The only difference was Marjorie still labeled herself as a victim when we were working, and I had already moved to survivor when the trial ended.
At the end of writing the book, she said, 'Debbie, I am now a survivor.' I felt so proud of her to be able to inspire and empower her to become a survivor.
When I wrote Shattered, that title was not my choice because I refused to be a shattered woman. I had to fight for the subtitle, Reclaiming a Life Torn Apart by Violence, because I really didn't want to be that shattered woman.