Michael published a book about his experience as a child in care. In this article, he tells us more about writing the book and his message to people.
Please note: this article mentions abuse.
Michael was taken into care as a toddler, and lived in different foster placements and institutions. He experienced neglect and abuse during his time in care.
Over 20 years ago, Michael got a phone call from the police. They were looking into reports about abuse at a children’s home in Edinburgh. The phone call brought back Michael’s memories of his childhood.
Michael says, ‘After that call, nothing was the same. And nothing would ever be the same again.’ But, in 2025, he chose to write a book about his experience.
What made you decide to write your book?
I didn’t want to share it at first. I wanted to write it down for myself as a form of therapy, just to get it out. I had seen umpteen counsellors and psychologists in the past who had been no help whatsoever in this situation. So, I thought writing it down for myself might help me.
How did you write the book?
I had thought about putting it all down in writing for quite a while. But I’m not very good at reading or writing so I thought ‘it won’t happen.’
Then Future Pathways put me in touch with the Book Whisperers. They weren’t there to judge. They were there to just put it in black and white on paper for me.
I did take a break for a couple of weeks when things got difficult, like when I was describing the abuse. But I also felt I had to go through the difficulties because, in the long-term, it would better to get it out there.
What was it like to hold a copy of your book in your hands?
I sat down and read it from start to finish. It was good to see it for myself and be able to read it. I could ‘claim’ it, I could say ‘this is me, this is what happened.’
Now, when people ask ‘what happened?’, I can say ‘buy the book, read the book’. It’s easier now that it’s all written down. I can’t change what happened but putting it into a book helped me so much.
What’s changed for you since writing the book?
From the time I got that phone call from Police Scotland, I was short tempered, like a bear with a sore head. And that phone call was over 20 years ago. Since writing the book, I’m not as tetchy, not as wound up. I’m more open to talking about things like this than I was before. It’s nowhere near as bad as it was for me before and writing the book is a major part of that.
Putting the words down, seeing it in writing and reading it for myself – it helped me get it off my back. A great weight was lifted.
How do you feel now that your book is in the wider world?
It feels weird to know I have a book out there now, spilling my guts about everything that has happened, for everyone to read. It’s not what I ever thought I would do, but I’m glad I have.
It felt good to have it out there, down in black and white, so other people could see that this happened, not just to me but to so many others. And it felt good that the book could help another person. If it could help even just one person, then my job was done.
Do you have a message or people reading the book?
I just want people to read it and think about what they’ve read. I want them to just to be aware that this did happen, and it still does. It’s not something that can be swept under a carpet any longer. It is something that needs to be openly talked about.
People have more knowledge nowadays because of the Inquiry and things like that. But I don’t know if they fully understand the scale that it happened at. My story is just a small part of the bigger picture.
I know this happened over 50 years ago for me now, but it’s still happening and there are still children being hurt. So, I think people just need to read about it and just think about it. I wanted the book to be a voice for people who had been through what I’d been through but didn’t have the courage to come forward.
What would you say to someone who hasn’t told anyone else what has happened to them?
I’d hope that the book would encourage them enough to tell their partner or someone that they trust. Even if they don’t report it to the police, but just share it with another person. By sharing it, it will make it slightly better, slightly easier. Maybe they could come forward if they felt they weren’t alone.
Nowhere to call home
A story of extraordinary resilience, the redeeming power of love and the possibility of healing.
