A native Floridian published her fourth book two weeks ago, a tale that takes readers through her life with her father when she was between the ages 3 and 6.
With the idea of writing a book about her life lingering in her imagination for 30 years, Dr. Sandi Towers, AS Program advisor, professional and technical studies at Edison State College, said it was time to sit down and write the preface for it to share her story of when she was a young girl.
The preface of “Then There’s Tomorrow” sets the tone for the 141-page story, which Towers read during the interview … “Once upon a time, not that long ago, in an exotic land called Miami Beach, a Jewish American princess was born. She didn’t have a fairy godmother. She didn’t even have a mother, at least one she remembers, but she did have a wicked and misogynistic father.”
Once she wrote the preface and after she communicated with “people in the book business,” the first memories of her childhood began to pour out as her story with her father unfolded.
Towers explained that she considers her book a novel because although she embellished some of her story, it is all based on the truth. Since she did not want to tell her life through a children’s book, she used sophisticated vocabulary to share her childhood.
After sharing her memories of Miami, the book immediately jumps to the time when her father kidnaps her, which began an eventful childhood for her that will forever change her life. She said she has no memory of her mother.
“My father had a trucking business, so it was not unusual for him to wake me up in the middle of the night and say we have to go deliver a load,” Towers said, which meant they were either going to where the trucks were stored or to the airport.
One night her father woke her up by instructing her to “pack your things” before they headed to the bus station.
For three years, Towers said her father raised her as a little boy, under the name of Michael. She said after they arrived in Alabama, her father bought new pants and shirts for her, which accompanied her new crew cut hairstyle.
The book takes readers through the many different circumstances and locations Towers traveled to when she was a young girl under her father’s supervision.
Throughout her childhood, she said CatSkills ended up being her life savor because she could really be herself and communicate to others.
“They allowed me to be me,” Towers said. “They saved me psychologically … that was my saving grace.”
At the age of 28, Towers had the opportunity to see her birth certificate for the first time, which revealed her name as Nancy Helene. Although she moved out of her father’s home at 28, she kept in contact with him until 1990. He died in 1991.
Towers explained that she decided to live with him for so long because she traded her freedom to obtain an education.
“I want the world to understand how a young person can be raised in a totally dysfunctional situation and end up succeeding and prospering in spite of it,” she said. “It was important for me to have the rest of the world … especially Floridians … to have a sense of the trials and tribulations of my life and at the same time living an extraordinary good life.”
She explained that she has mentally started her second book, which will continue to take readers on a journey inside of her life. Towers hopes to write at least six or seven more books to illustrate her life.
“I want input from the fans of their interest for the second book,” Towers said. “What do the fans want … continuity from six years on or skip into adult life and my travels and my dating life.”
Those who wish to share their input can either do so through Towers’ Facebook page or through Twitter. Towers said “Then There’s Tomorrow” can be purchased at Barnes and Noble, Borders and through Amazon.
Towers first book, “Those of Distant Campfires: The Unconquered Seminoles,” was published in 2001. She said she enjoyed doing the research, along with writing about the Seminoles because she loves learning about different cultures.
“That gave me a lot of satisfaction of getting to know my culture because I’m a native Floridian,” she said about her first book.
Her second book, “Media and Entertainment Law,” which came out in 2009, recently got adopted for the masters program at Florida Atlantic University.
“I found out 10 days ago,” Towers said. “I am so excited.”
She explained that she has an extensive background in media and law for the past 25 years. Towers is an attorney and has a doctorate in law.
Her third book, “Essentials of Florida Real Estate Law,” which came out in 2008, took her two years to write.
“It is a popular book because it gives real estate law very straight forward,” Towers said, adding that she has a whole chapter dedicated to landlord tenant law.