It's a story about a child who was abused both sexually and physically by multiple adults.
Unfortunately, it's not a work of fiction.
It’s the story of Adam Rendon, and it’s been getting a lot of attention nationwide recently.
Thursday night Rendon greeted readers at a book signing at the Metro Galleries downtown, with a smile and a handshake, showing no signs of a past littered with abuse.
He says he has his book to thank for that, and for a few other changes as well.
17 News first met Rendon five months ago. His book, called "The Vallie," was relatively new at the time.
But since then, it's been featured in gift bags handed out at the Oscars. And Rendon has been featured on CNN as a commentator, discussing the mentality of abuse victims involved in the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State.
"The difference now is I'm getting noticed," said Rendon. "I've been on some big shows recently. And I go out to places and people are like, 'I think I know you.' And I'm like, 'You probably do.'"
But the tangible changes in Rendon’s life these past few months pale in comparison to the changes he’s undergone in his outlook on life.
His book, which details how he was sexually abused by two female neighbors when he was six and physically abused by his father throughout his childhood, is a tell-all.
But for Rendon, writing it was a cure-all.
"Since then I've been happy," he says. "I haven't had to lie."
Those "lies" included pretending for years that he wasn't abused as a child. Also, he lied about his sexuality for years, afraid to admit he was gay.
Those lies are the reason the word "Valley" is instead spelled "Val-lie."
Having to tell those lies because he was afraid to admit the truth was also the reason Rendon finally broke down and wrote his tell-all.
"It was Jenga," said Rendon, referring to the building-blocks game. "It was like they were pulling the last log and they pulled it, and I fell apart. And out of that I ended up telling people, yeah, this is me."
Today, Rendon says he’s no longer afraid of the future or the past.
"I'm full and wholesome and living life as best I can," he says.
Note: Rendon's book details his personal account of what happened to him as a child. Neither his neighbors nor his father were charged.
