Some Daughters Are Raised. Others Raise Themselves.
Unmothered is a literary memoir about growing up without emotional mothering—and the lifelong work of learning how to live differently. With clarity, restraint, and compassion, it speaks to readers who learned to be strong before they felt safe, who adapted instead of being cared for, and who are still discovering what it means to feel at home in their own lives.
Told with lyrical precision and guided by empathy rather than judgment, Unmothered will resonate with readers of Jeannette Walls, Mary Karr, and Tara Westover—memoirs that explore survival, complexity, and the quiet work of becoming whole.
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About the author
Kim Murphy
In her memoir Unmothered, Kim Murphy explores the long shadow of maternal absence, the quiet work of self-parenting, and the ways women learn to survive–and eventually soften-–without the care they needed. Her writing traces the intersections of trauma, identity, resilience, and healing, with particular attention to the enduring impact of childhood emotional neglect and abuse.
A longtime writer and communications strategist, Murphy spent more than three decades crafting narratives for government agencies, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 organizations, translating complex material into clear, easy-to-read content. She is the author of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial: 25 Years of Healing and Educating and co-author of The Best Friends’ Guide to Getting Fit. Her work has also appeared in Ritz-Carlton Magazine.
Murphy lives near the Delaware beaches and is currently working on essays and advocacy-adjacent writing focused on trauma-informed storytelling, resilience and recovery.
For inquiries and questions about Unmothered or for book club and book event support, please contact Kim at Unmothered_Kmurphy@aol.com.
Kestrel House Press 