As Far as You Can Go Before You Have to Come Back

"With a realistic redemption arc, As Far as You Can Go Before You Have to Come Back is a novel in which a survivor of abuse achieves a gritty, tender coming-of-age and reinvents herself." -Karen Ribgy, The Foreward
A girl-and-her backpack story: Carlie is not merely traveling. A child sexual abuse survivor, as a teen she steals ten thousand dollars and runs away to Asia. There, the Lonely Planet path of hookups, heat, alcohol, and drugs takes on a terrifying reality.
Landing in Tokyo in the late 1980s, Carlie falls in with an international crew of tai chi-practicing backpackers. With their help, she has the chance at a journey she didn't plan for: one to find the self-respect taken from her as a child and the healthy sexuality she desires.