When Michael Haltiwanger first reached out to me about helping him tell his story, I had no idea we were embarking on a seven-year journey that would profoundly touch both our lives. But working with Michael showed me once again that memoir can be completely transformative and about so much more than merely documenting tragedy. For Michael, who was 43 when he contacted me, it was finally time to reclaim the narrative, go some way to healing his trauma, and to honour his mom Jayne Leebrick – a gorgeous, vibrant woman whose life could have been reduced to true crime fodder.
Michael’s memoir recounts the devastating loss of Jayne, who was murdered in 1991 by her bigamist, conman husband David Miller, when Michael was just sixteen years old.
As Amazon so eloquently describes his powerful work: “In the blink of an eye, a single act of violence shattered everything Michael Haltiwanger thought he knew about family, love, and survival. On a fateful September day in 1991, Michael’s world collapsed when his mother was brutally murdered—a loss that would echo through the years, leaving an indelible mark on his heart and soul. This powerful memoir reveals a son’s extraordinary journey of remembrance, resilience, and unwavering love—a deeply personal exploration of grief that transforms tragedy into a profound testament of human endurance.”
What struck me most about Michael was his quiet determination from day one. There were times when the pain became too overwhelming, and he needed to step away—once for nearly two years. I remember telling him, “I’ll always be here – whenever you’re ready,” never knowing if that day would come. But Michael returned to me and the page, driven by an unwavering commitment to share his mother’s story through his eyes, not just as a victim but as the loving mother who shaped his life.
The process was often heart-wrenching. As we wrote together, Michael felt able – for the first time since his mother’s burial – to visit her grave. I felt honoured to be part of his life as he took that immensely courageous and healing step. During our sessions, Michael would be overcome with emotion as memories that had been buried for decades surfaced. We’d take breaks, sometimes ending early when the weight became too heavy. Yet in those raw moments, the true essence of his relationship with Jayne emerged—tender recollections of her laughter, her protectiveness, her dreams for her only child.
Part of what deeply touched me about this project was Michael’s courage in confronting his grief so publicly. While his mother’s murder had been featured in books, films, and podcasts, Michael’s perspective—the sixteen-year-old boy who took one day off school before trying to carry on with life—had never been fully explored.
Readers have responded with overwhelming emotion to his work. As one reviewer wrote: “I read it in one sitting. A well-written, heartfelt, and heart breaking non-fiction account of a child’s worst fears coming to fruition.” Another shared: “The author’s intimate account of his life, both before and after his mother passed, draws you in and really shows the deep love he had for his mom and the heartbreaking grief he endured after her tragic death.”
As Michael eloquently put it, “This memoir represents a lifelong project. Writing this book was one of the hardest things I have ever done and it has been a journey marked by many stops and starts, moments of doubt and despair. The process forced me to confront deeply buried emotions and feelings connected to my mother, Bonnie (my beloved school friend), and the losses I have endured. The act of writing, of reliving these memories, brought waves of tears and unleashed emotions I hadn’t realized I had suppressed for so many years. I usually keep my feelings close. But for this memoir, I laid everything bare. I always felt that my story, so formative to my life, was not truly told in a way that captured its impact; it needed to be seen through my eyes. While challenging, this has been a critical undertaking, and I hope that in sharing these experiences, readers will grasp the emotions and the profound significance of these events in my life. This is my life’s work, and I am relieved that it has finally been shared.”
Witnessing Michael’s transformation throughout our work together, and after publication, when he received countless heartwarming responses from family and friends, and new lines of communication with traumatised loved ones were re-opened, has been a privilege. With each draft, each painful memory articulated, I watched him reclaim pieces of himself that grief had fragmented.
The finished memoir stands as a testament to Michael’s resilience and his profound love for his young mom. It truly is, as Amazon describes, “a memoir that will shake you, heal you, and remind you of the unbreakable bonds of love.”
I was grateful and deeply moved by Michael’s own words about our collaboration: “I still can’t really believe we did it. Hard to believe it’s done. The book is amazing. I love it. It came out even better than I expected. I really can’t believe it came out so good. I will cherish it forever. Thank you for helping me tell the world about my mom. I wanted to send y’all a thank you for everything y’all have done in helping me make one of my bucket list dreams come true. I really appreciate everything y’all done and it means the world to me. It would be nothing without y’all. I definitely know I could not have done any of this without you and I treasure that in my heart forever.”
Working with Michael Haltiwanger has been one of the most meaningful collaborations of my career—a journey through the darkest human experiences that somehow emerged into light. I am so happy for my lovely author and his beautiful mom. Shine on, Jayne. And Michael – thanks for finding me.
If you have a story inside you and you need a ghostwriter, editor or memoir coach to help you, email my assistant Emily Davies via [email protected] and she’ll set us up for a no-obligation Zoom or phone chat, so you can tell me about your project in confidence and ask me your questions about the process. I believe every story deserves to be written. And whether it’s just for you or the wider world, I would love to help you in any way that I can.
