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Annabelle Brown #1

Write About Me

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The year is 1988 and 16-year old Annabelle Brown from northern Queensland runs away from her family and friends for the bright lights of somewhere new. She ends up in Kings Cross in Sydney where her life takes some dark twists and turns. Inspired by a true family tragedy, “Write About Me” is a heart-wrenching story about a teenage runaway who doesn’t come home.

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 22, 2013

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Melissa-Jane Pouliot

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5 stars
71 (17%)
4 stars
132 (32%)
3 stars
141 (34%)
2 stars
45 (11%)
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16 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
Profile Image for Marianne.
4,434 reviews344 followers
September 13, 2017
Write About Me is the first novel in the Annabelle Brown series by Australian author, Melissa-Jane Pouliot. At sixteen years old, Annabelle Brown has lived through far too much for such a young girl, so it’s no surprise that voices populate her head. It’s these voices that direct her anti-social behaviour and her unwise decisions, setting her on a dangerous path, leaving home and heading to Kings Cross. Despite her inner turmoil and her disbelief in her family’s high regard for her, there are people who care about her and act to protect her.

The dilemma faced by those who casually find themselves in loco parentis, torn between acting for the minor’s welfare and betrayal of trust, is effectively demonstrated. Pouliot uses several narrative voices to deliver the story: Annabelle, her friends, her family, a missing persons police officer and even the person responsible for her ultimate fate. Diary entries, song lyrics, to-do lists and letters written by her best friend also play their part. Pouliot’s depiction of schizophrenia is effective and authentic.

Her portrayal of the prostitute’s life in the Cross is gritty and realistic, if confronting. Pouliot deftly illustrates the devastation that is caused by the unexplained disappearance of a loved one, and how people use different strategies to cope with the heartache and frustration that comes when answers are elusive and closure is unforthcoming. Rhiannon McVee, star of Pouliot’s later Crime Mystery series, makes an appearance in this novel as a young constable with an interest in missing persons cases.

The Author’s Note details the inspiration for this novel, describing Pouliot’s personal connection to a case like this, thus validation her rendition of this heart-breaking experience. Informative and moving
Profile Image for Fleur Ferris .
Author 11 books341 followers
October 4, 2015
Wow... I couldn't put this book down. It's powerful, fascinating, heartbreaking, insightful, compelling and every family's worst nightmare. Write About Me is about a 16 year old girl who goes missing - inspired by the real life disappearance of Ursula Barwick (the author's cousin). Pouliot's personal experience, knowledge and expertise in this field shines through making this story feel too real. I highly recommend this book. Warning: this book contains adult themes & harsh language.
Profile Image for Stephanie Ward.
Author 6 books89 followers
March 31, 2014
As a new resident of Australia, I decided to read this book to learn more about the culture from a modern perspective. (I was getting a bit tired of dated historical fiction books.) The author absolutely delivered through vernacular, descriptions of characters in various regions and especially the vivid descriptions of life in Sydney, specifically Kings Cross in the 80s.

Write About Me is fiction, however it is based on actual events. The book revolves around a troubled teenager from Queensland who runs away from home. It is at once fast-paced and compelling, but heart-wrenching and ultimately tragic. There is inspiration and hope in this story too. It is impossible not to admire this family for believing, hoping and loving someone for such a very long time after she disappeared. The author also includes information about the actual case that has come to light since she wrote this book and talks about the amazing things that friends and family have done to continue the search with new tools and communication channels.

I was a bit surprised that I could give a book on the subject of a missing teenager a 4-star review, but I couldn't put it down. I loved the writing style -- short sentences, quickly making the point, but with plenty of details to create an atmosphere of the place and time. The short chapters and change of perspectives between different characters gave depth to the story. Just when I wondered about an action (or non-action) from a character, the following chapters would fill in the blanks.

The author handles a difficult topic expertly. The characters are memorable--flawed, real, unpolished. Australia in the 80s is a fascinating setting in itself. Recommended!

Profile Image for Melissa-Jane.
46 reviews
February 18, 2014
Write About Me is a young adult story about a teenage runaway. But it isn't just another YA story about love and boys and heartbreak and it certainly isn't fantasy.

It is an important story.

Perhaps this seems so important to me because the life of the main character Annabelle and those around her are so close to reality that they could be real people. And in fact, the story is loosely based on the disappearance of the author Melissa-Jane Pouliot's own cousin, Ursula Dianne Barwick who was last seen on Friday, 14th August 1987.

From within the first few chapters, it is clear to the reader that Annabelle's mental state is not quite right. She has conversations in her head with 'Anna' and 'Bell' who are both very controlling and are the ones who continually set Annabelle on the wrong path. I found myself so frustrated with Anna and Bell, and Annabelle for not being able to stand up to them, but in reality, people who suffer from mental health problems, are controlled (to differing degrees) by their disorder, unless they seek help. It is a sad truth.

It is obvious in the honesty of the story and the words that it is something very close to Pouliot's heart, which is probably why the earnestness of the reaction of Annabelle's mum, Lee, really got to me. And I mean, how would you cope with so much loss? Lee lost every one of her children, so when her legs gave way and she couldn't stop crying it was a stab to my own heart for anyone that has been through or is going through the disappearance of a family member.

There are so many important elements in this story: the loss of a child, the difficulty in finding good help from the authorities in locating missing teens, undiagnosed mental health problems, domestic abuse of children and drug and alcohol use amongst teens. I feel as though most people can relate to at least one of those issues. I know I certainly can.

In spite of all the sadness though, there were light-hearted, happy moments and those were what really created the much needed balance whilst reading such a devastating story. I personally loved the characters of Bessie and Christine. The kind-hearted madam, working in King's Cross trying to provide a home for her workers and the loveable prostitute who managed to have fun in spite of her difficult childhood. Then there was Big John and Lins, the loveable truckie and his wife who took in a number of children and tried to set them on the straight and narrow.

I could talk for hours about this book, but instead of giving too much more away you had best read it for yourself and discover all the highs and lows that I myself felt while reading this story.
Profile Image for Beth.
205 reviews7 followers
December 16, 2013
This book is based (loosely) on a true story of a missing girl and not only covers her disappearance but also the effect her being gone has on many other people. Sometimes the writing style of this book can get confusing as it constantly jumps back and forth between past and (so called) present and to the view points of the victim, her family and the people who knew her.



The sad thing is that alot of this could have been prevented (well in the story version anyhoo not sure if the real girl had the same issues) and one of the final chapters lays it out well as this girls life is all full of people who coulda shoulda woulda.



A lot of the time I just wanted to scream at the pages "its clear what is wrong with her, look at her and help somebody" and felt like its one of those things were you know the outcome but feel so helpless to stop it. (you know how you feel when you see CCTV shots of missing people or people before their hurt and you just feel so sad that you couldn't get to them at THAT point) "sigh" I don't even know how else to explain how I felt reading this book other than to say it is clear she didn't stand a chance.



I think everyone should read this book or even give it to their teenagers to read (yes really) it could be a good learning curve that life isn't always that simple or at the very least if you have kids make sure they know you love them even when your mad at each other because if Annabelle had know that (at least) she might have been ok.

I'll leave this review now with 2 small gifts for Annabelle (read the book).





★★★★ = Not quite a fav but still WOW!
Profile Image for Papergirl.
305 reviews8 followers
April 21, 2015
This book was recommended to me by www.bookbub.com via a daily email. It was being offered for free for a short while via Amazon. Before I even read the blurb, something about the simple, bland cover drew me in and I knew I had to read it. And soon!

I've read many tragic stories, surely din many different themes and scenarios but what struck me about this story is that it was built upon grains of truth and dealt with mental health. Interesting-you don't get many of these kinds of books.

I'm not going to lie and say the book was absolutely amazing. It wasn't, but it was intriguing. So many writers of today use graphic sensationalism to spur the reader on yet I found that this tale was easy to read without all that. The novel was broken down into bite size pieces where chapters averaged three pages long making it easy to keep reading and be led by the signposts.

I found all the characters likeable, perhaps because they lacked real depth, so like star sign predictions, they were loose and left to interpretation. I especially liked Lee and Sara, mum and best friend of runaway Annabelle as they were the characters who seemed to reveal more despite only having minor parts.

Overall, it was a promising start, an interesting middle and a disappointing ending. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change the events or their order, however, like The Color Purple, the story reaches the end and suddenly leaps forward too many years with much untold. I.e. What brought Andy and Rihannon down together? What happened with the campaign? How did Lee cope during and after the campaign? What about Christine? So did noone move the 'smouldering' log? And who was the 'homeless guy' from under the bridge. I'm baffled. I don't do well with books where the writer holds my hand for three quarters of the journey then leaves me to do the rest of the journey alone. It's like doing a ghost walk at the fair when what you wanted was the ghost train.

I would recommend this book if you were on a train journey or something and wanted something more gripping and meatier than a magazine. It's the kind of book you can take on holiday. It may deal with sad issues but not so much as to depress you. Not bad for a sensitively handled debut novel.
Profile Image for Therese.
2,288 reviews
December 28, 2015
This is a heartbreaking story about Annabelle Brown, a teenaged girl living in Queensland who goes missing never to be seen again although you keep hoping for a better outcome as you read this story.

Annabelle is broken, though, and no one fully knows what she has been through except her two closest friend, Anna and Bell. The only problem is that nobody can see or hear them except for Annabelle.

This book left me wanting to know more about what had happened Annabelle, her mental illness, sexual abuse, and eventually her disappearance. It is written in a short, choppy style, and reminded me of another book I had read recently about a family that couldn't move forward because they didn't know what had happened to their son in the war.

I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child, or even a family member, and not know what had happened. Unfortunately this happens all too often to people, and while this story is fictional, it is based on a whole case real person that the author knew when she was a teenager.
Profile Image for Deborah.
Author 12 books112 followers
December 12, 2014
Ellen DeGeneres, this book needs to be on your show
Could not put this down, read it in one sitting! This Australian story about a teenage runaway is fiction inspired by a true story, and while reading I was left fascinated not only by the fictional story but by the author’s own missing persons tragedy. Ellen DeGeneres, take note. This author and this book need to be on your show. And while you’re at it, send it onto Oprah’s book club. I think this book should be a compulsory read for all teenagers, girls and boys. As well as their parents. Although it’s set in the 80s, a different time to now, the messages and situations are just as real in modern day as 20 years ago. It’s confronting, real and raw. There are also light and humorous moments, with some great characters. I will carry Annabelle Brown with me for a very long time, and am a huge fan of this new young Australian author who is raising awareness about missing people around the world.
Profile Image for Corina.
206 reviews7 followers
August 12, 2016
Very interesting. Very sad. Not perfectly written but written from the heart.

The story of Annabelle, a 16 year old runaway who ends up in Kings Cross (Sydney, AUS) on her 17th birthday. It is inspired by a real runaway but what happens once she gets to Sydney is conjecture, not fact. That doesn't detract from the story at all, in fact it may make it a little more readable, otherwise it would be even more of a heartbreaking story.

We know from the first page that Annabelle's is not a happy ending story so we are braced for the worse, which comes on the first page. Then again, maybe the worst is what happens on the streets of Kings Cross before Annabelle gets to the scene on the first page.

In any case, it's worth the read; a quick read at that.
Profile Image for Lisa Tortorello.
Author 3 books22 followers
May 31, 2015
Write About Me by Melissa-Jane Pouliot was an interestingly disturbing story. "Write about me, cause I'm dead" is a line from the book that sticks with me. Though this story is fiction, it was inspired by the author's own cousin who ran away from home years ago and was never heard from again. This story takes a look at personality disorders, living on the streets, making choices, taking chances and the consequences that can result. I was intrigued also because the setting of this story is Australia, a part of Australia that you don't hear about when making travel plans that's for sure. Some of the language and scenes are rough, but selling yourself to survive can be a scary and deadly prospect. If you know any troubled teenage girls, this book may be an eye-opener for them.
Profile Image for Matilda.
247 reviews13 followers
December 27, 2014
I was gifted this book in 2013. I'm not too sure why I never read it back then. But deciding to go through my bookself and read the books I bought ages ago I came across this one.
I never bothered to read the blurb, I just dove right into it, and wow what a story. It wasn't like anything I was expecting (in a good way).

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Write about me tells the story of Annabelle, a 17 year old who has left home after a dispute with her mum and hitch-hikes her way to Sydney.

What's different about this story is that the story is told through various characters that have interacted with Annabelle in her life.

Profile Image for Joy.
226 reviews17 followers
December 9, 2013
Very sad story. i really like the way Melissa mixed facts with fiction making it a real page turner. She brings awareness to the fact of some many missing and so little is done often times that many go unfound due to lack of help from authorities , the many changes taking place in things authorities are doing now to help with missing loved one like age progression .. My prayers go out to all the families with missing loved ones. I pray Ursula is found and her family get the answers they seek. Thank you Melissa for sharing this story.. Well done :)
Profile Image for Julie.
Author 2 books4 followers
December 9, 2013
Missing people that are never found is just sad. The fact that Annabelle was so troubled mentally, just added to it. How simple teenage misunderstandings lead to her just walking away and walking into a life that no one should lead. But it is a sad fact that some people are never found. And it is even more sad that some people are never even missed. I didn't "love" this book just because it was so sad. It would be like enjoying a book on human trafficking. You read it to be informed, not to love it.
Profile Image for Judy.
22 reviews
January 12, 2014
This book, based on a real missing person, opened up for me, the question..."where are ALL the missing people, especially the children?". Obviously the answer is, in many many different places. As always a sad situation when a loved one goes missing and made worse for the child herself by mental illness, the book is nonetheless a good read. It gives the reader a fairly clear idea of how it feels to not know where your missing loved one is and the progression over time of those feelings.
Profile Image for Sherri Westbury.
147 reviews
April 23, 2015
I got this as a freebie. I couldn't put it down. It's listed as a YA book but I don't feel it is...definitely dealt with adult themes. I didn't realize until the end that it's based loosely on a true story. It's a heart-wrenching tale but a very good read. To comment on what another poster wrote...those others in the book were not her imaginary friends...they were the fractions of her personality (aka multiple personalities)
Profile Image for Lorna Sixsmith.
Author 10 books15 followers
December 14, 2016
The fact that this was inspired by a true story really makes this book resonate with you as you're reading. I kept thinking it must have been such an emotional book for the author to write. So many issues and emotions are covered and yes, there's the "if only" moments too and things could have been so different. Not sure if "enjoyed" is the right word (as I found it a tough read) but this is definitely a book worth reading.
Profile Image for Kay Mcaloney.
1,106 reviews4 followers
November 21, 2013
This was a very sad book but I couldn't put it down. I didn't realize until the end that it was based on a true story. I would rate this story a 4.5 if there were such a rating. Very well written, but made me very sad and hurting for teenagers that seem to have a hard time finding their way in the world. Such a difficult age.
Profile Image for Mara.
234 reviews2 followers
December 28, 2013
Free on Amazon Kindle

A heavy read. A bit confusing of the back and forth between characters. Based on a true story about a teen runaway in the mid 80s in Australia. The character is mentally ill and those left behind are constantly haunted by woulda coulda shoulda. This book will give me food for though for quite some time.
Profile Image for ❤Marie Gentilcore.
878 reviews41 followers
April 5, 2015
3.5 stars. This was a really good story about Annabelle Brown, a teen girl with mental illness who ends up missing. I really liked Annabelle, I felt so helpless when she succumbed to the voices in her mind. I felt sad for the people who loved her and wanted her to come home so badly. It was a quick read and I enjoyed it very much.
Profile Image for Belinda.
11 reviews
May 5, 2015
I enjoyed this book. It is well written and seems to be very factual. It was interesting to me in that it takes place inAustralia so there are phrases and places mentioned that I wasn't familiar with but it made the book unique. The story is about the struggle with mental illness and it's very sad. I recommend this book but be aware that it is not a "feel good" kind of read.
Profile Image for Cathy B.
125 reviews5 followers
November 25, 2013
This isn't a "feel-good" read, but is a powerful story, told from the POV's of many lives affected by a missing teen-aged girl - including her own story, Warning: this is not "G" rated, but neither is life. It is nitty-gritty and real.
Profile Image for Nancy.
41 reviews
January 5, 2014
This is a sad story that brings in all view points of the friends and family of a young teenaged girl who runs away and does not return home. It is possibly based on a true story, but just the facts that are given on runaways is heart wrenching.
1 review
April 17, 2015
A well written book about a very sad subject. It was hard not to think about Annabelle even when I was not reading. I didn't like the language but suppose it had to be that way to make it more realistic. Worth your time..
Profile Image for Candace.
30 reviews1 follower
July 7, 2015
Interesting Read

This was a difficult novel to read. Because the author does such a wonderful job of describing Annabelle's journey, but also the pain and anguish of those left behind.
Profile Image for Jess M.
44 reviews14 followers
September 28, 2016
I love this whole series. I hate finishing these books and having to wait for the next one. They always end on a cliffhanger and keep you hanging. They are the sort of books you will read in a day. You won't be able to put them down!
Profile Image for Florence Primrose.
1,544 reviews8 followers
December 27, 2013
Interesting, but sad, story of Annabelle, a troubled 16-year-old Australian girl, who ran away to Sydney, disappeared, and was never found. Probably too often true.
20 reviews
June 26, 2014
A free download and surprisingly good. It's fiction but the author based the main character on her cousin, who suffered from mental illness and was a teenage runaway.
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