When Isaac Bingham asked Eloise to be his wife, neither knew or understood
that their union would birth sixty years of strength, courage, and hope
rooted in four generations of mothers and daughters. Set in Philadelphia,
Color Me Butterfly tells the story of four generations of women who embrace
a legacy of unconditional love, old-fashioned family values, and faith to
triumph over a life plagued with unspeakable abuse and pain.
There is Eloise, who harbors fear and resentment but carries an unwavering
faith that helps her to mother her children… Mattie, one of Eloise’s
daughters, finds herself in the shadow of her mother before a life-changing
tragedy helps her break free… Lydia, Mattie’s strong-willed daughter, is the
first in the family to break the cycle of abuse and realize her own strength
to push beyond the unimaginable… and Treasure, Lydia’s lively daughter,
carries in her big, brown eyes all of the hope and fearless determination
from the generations of women who came before her.
Inspired by a true story, Color Me Butterfly is a heart-wrenching story
about four generations of mothers and daughters who dared to turn tragedy
into triumph when they found the courage to spread their wings and fly.
L.Y. Marlow is the third generation of her family to have been a victim and
survivor of domestic violence: a violence that almost took her own life and
the life of her unborn child. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
the fourth of five children, she comes from a family tree of strong,
triumphant women who taught her the meaning of courage, hope, and love. In
her debut book, Color Me Butterfly, she tells the poignant and endearing
story of four generations of mothers and daughters: the true story of her
grandmother, her mother, herself, and her daughter. With grace and wisdom,
she examines the impact intergenerational domestic abuse has had on her
family for over sixty years.
In Color Me Butterfly, L.Y. Marlow chronicles the dispiriting accounts told
to her by her grandmother and mother of the unspeakable abuse these women
suffered—and the ways abuse impacted her own life and the life of her
daughter. Readers can’t help but become vested in the emotional whirlwind of
this family as they are simultaneously implored to take a realistic account
of their own lives.
L.Y. Marlow founded the Saving Grace Campaign to educate and raise
awareness. By speaking out, she hopes to help everyone understand the
dangers of domestic violence. “If my story can touch one person’s life,
inspire one family, then my job has been done,” she says. Additionally, she
has launched a website and blog that provide unlimited access to domestic
violence programs, support, advocacy, and discussion.
L.Y. Marlow has authored a collection of poetry, selections from which are
featured in Color Me Butterfly, and the articles “Ten Signs You Are in an
Abusive Relationship” and “Ten Signs Your Teen Is in an Abusive
Relationship.” Both provide an account of her personal experiences and tips
for all women and teens.
She is originally from Philadelphia PA., married and lives in the suburbs of
Washington, DC.
