REGINA LAFRANCE has come a long way since her native homeland, a small village in Portugal. A place she called home until tragedy struck. Her semi-autographical novel, SHAYLA, is a depiction of what happened and draws from her direct experience—deep-rooted wounds and trauma that has followed her into adulthood.
SHAYLA is Regina’s sharing, and hope, for others who have been molested and suffered from abuse. Passionate in her perseverance and resolve of this issue, Regina speaks to the realities of child sexual abuse—escalating at an alarming rate. Her intention for writing this book is to increase awareness, and her public outcry, to parents raising children; in her mission to identify when a child is in fear of speaking up. And to prevent the unthinkable from happening to our precious young and innocent.
SHAYLA is Regina’s story, in more ways than one. It is up to the reader to draw their own
conclusions.
As a young girl, Regina loved her parents and her parents loved her. Her only soul purpose in
life was to be a good girl and for her father to be proud of her. Unfortunately for Regina, she wasn’t perfect, for all her effort. She suffered from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), though
at the time of her childhood it was never diagnosed. She struggled a great deal to focus, on
anything, or sit still for long periods of time, and was constantly reprimanded at home.
Fast forward to present time, some 30 years since the tragic events occurred, and Regina’s
youth was stolen, she introduces SHAYLA. More than a book release—but a cathartic one
for Regina, having come full circle.