'Beyond the Open Well': New Biography Follows Sisters on Journey of Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Survival

In early pages of "Beyond the Open Well," young Shirley Mae and Sharon Ann Colburn are living with their brother, Alan, and their parents, Hale and Esther. Alan served as the girls' protector from their alcoholic, abusive parents until he was sent away to work on a farm. After their brother left, the girls had no one to save them from the beatings and starvation inflicted on them until they were removed from the home by authorities.

After being taken from their biological parents, Shirley and Sharon were placed into the foster care of Hazel and Ted Buck, a couple living inCornell, Wis. Hebert writes, "The first year in Cornell was paradise. The sisters had nice clothes, plenty of good food, a beautiful house to live in and loving parents. They couldn't wait for the probationary year to be up so they could be legally adopted and never have to leave their beautiful new life." Once the year was over, Shirley and Sharon were officially adopted and their names changed to Joyce Mary and Jane Alice Buck, names they still use today. Unfortunately, the idyllic life they had come to know was about to change completely.

After becoming Joyce and Jane Buck, their adopted father, Ted, began to molest them unmercifully. Joyce, the more timid of the two, was his main target and he eventually fathered two children with her. As the girls grew up, they both carried the scars from repeated molestation and abuse.

"Beyond the Open Well" follows Jane and Joyce through adulthood up to 2003. Both women lived very difficult lives after leaving their adopted home. Divorce, alcoholism, depression and abuse continued to plague them both. Jane's four children were taken away from her after two suicide attempts and a short stint in a mental health facility. Suffering from symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome, Joyce wound up wanting to have a relationship with her adopted father. Mrs. Buck protested and Joyce moved toMilwaukee and spent 22 years married to a gay man who wanted to hide his sexuality.

After reading the manuscript to "Beyond the Open Well," one social worker said, "Wow, this is social work 101. This book should be recommended reading for social work students."

Jean M. Hebert lives inWisconsin with her husband, Tom. "Beyond the Open Well" is her first book.

For more information, visit http://www.beyondtheopenwell.com.

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