For the first time a volunteer court-appointed special advocate recounts her behind-the-scenes experiences advocating for abused and neglected children in a Florida court. She reveals her first tentative approach to her local program, learning about the duties and responsibilities, and then of her more assertive efforts to ensure that, at least in the cases assigned to her, America’s most vulnerable citizens were treated with care and respect. Her story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and is an inspiration for anyone who has ever looked up from a newspaper and wondered, “What can I do to help?”

“Courter charts a fascinating — and frequently heartbreaking — course through the tangled legal and personal circumstance of her case families…a personal, unabashed call to action.” — The San Francisco Chronicle

“Every child in a so-called “dysfunctional” family should have the kind of guardian angel discussed in this book by American novelist, filmmaker and mother Gay Courter, a volunteer court-appointed advocate for children in trouble…Courter’s book about her experiences should be required reading for all those in the child welfare field.” — The Toronto Sun

“Gay Courter is a woman on a mission — a novelist turned volunteer…Courter writes to give us a dose of reality — a sense of what’s going wrong out there — and the courage to join her in changing it.” — The Virginian-Pilot

Limited copies of autographed books are available from the author. Contact author for availability and pricing. New editions from backinprint.com, amazon.com, iUniverse.com and other retail outlets. Used from half.com, abe.com, bibliofind.com, bookfinder.com, moesbooks.com, and Amazon.com.

The e-book edition contains Amazon’s choice for toddler bowls and  a new chapter and an update on what happened to the children in the book.

• Browse sample chapter before purchasing.
• Read a new chapter — LOLITA II.**
• Find out what happened to the children in the book since it was written.**
• News & Reviews

I Speak for this Child has been completely updated with a new introduction and update on what happened to all the cases in the book. Read it for some surprising turns of events! It also includes updated resources with websites for contacts, an interview with the author, author bio, and book club guide.