Victims Make the Best Birdhouses

By: Larry L. Franklin

Narrated by: Ross Blilie

Larry Franklin believes he should have known on that summer day in 1950 that this was not normal. But he was the youngest and smallest of the four boys in a place where the unspeakable was normal.

In 1992, when Franklin turned 50, a chance conversation with his mother opened the door to repressed memories of physical and sexual abuse. The worst left him hugging the bathroom stool throughout the night. As his mind began to crumble, a piece here, a piece there, he learned that the trips to the barn were far from normal. Separating fact from fiction was like finding a gnat in the forest.

The '90s were damning times for the believers of repressed memories. Non-believers shunned those who claimed to be victims of childhood sexual abuse. These doubts and Franklin’s reluctance to believe the unbelievable, increased his anxieties and likely added years to his struggle.

With the guidance of his therapist, Franklin began his 20-year journey from sexual abuse to a better life. He went from short-term to long-term therapy with a psychologist and a few individuals who became Franklin’s support group. Together they served as a non-judgmental team that helped him through the most challenging time of his life.

His memoir is a blueprint for moving from victim to a survivor; a place where injured souls can flourish when light is allowed to shine. The story is an emotion-packed story designed to allow the curious listener to visit a different world.

©2022 Larry Franklin (P)2023 WiDo Publishing

Very Raw and Real

This book hit me deeper than I thought it would. I started reading just for fun, but it quickly got personal. The honesty was so raw, it brought up stuff I hadn’t thought about in a long time. It doesn’t try to solve everything it just tells it like it is, and that made it feel really real

Dark, weird and somehow exactly what I needed.

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this one—but wow. It was weird in the best way. Raw, twisted, funny at times, and totally different from anything I’ve listened to lately. Parts of it made me pause and just sit with what I heard. It felt like someone ripped pages from a mind that’s been through a lot and isn't afraid to say the quiet parts out loud. Definitely not for everyone—but it hit something real for me.

Raw and real

I picked this up out of curiosity, but ended up finishing it in one sitting. It’s not a light read, but it’s honest in a way that’s rare. Some parts were tough to process, but it made me think about trauma and healing differently. I found myself reflecting on my own life more than I thought I would. It’s intense but worth it if you’re into stories that don’t sugarcoat reality. Definitely one that lingers after you close it.

Built Me a Birdhouse and Faced My Own Nails

This book hit harder than I expected. What started as casual reading turned personal fast. The raw honesty reminded me of things I hadn’t thought about in years. It doesn’t try to fix anything it just lays it all out, and that felt real.

Wow!!!

Larry Franklin bravely confronts the demons of his past and shares his journey from pain to triumph. With raw honesty and vulnerability, he takes readers on a deeply personal and emotional journey, offering a powerful message of hope and healing for survivors of childhood abuse.