NOT LOST FOREVER is the story of Carmina Salcido, the heroine of the book and my co-author. I think it’s a truly remarkable story of survival and healing following the 1989 murderous rampage by her father, Ramon Salcido in the wine country of Sonoma Valley, California. Left for dead at three years old in the county dump her throat brutally slashed—Carmina miraculously survived what is widely considered one of California’s most notorious crimes: the savage murder of seven innocent lives, including Carmina’s entire family.

However, Carmina’s troubles didn’t end there as she was kept in virtual seclusion in the rural Midwest by her adoptive family who belonged to an ultra-conservative Catholic sect, which she eventually escaped only by joining a Carmelite nunnery. Her road takes her to a work camp for troubled girls and finally back to Sonoma looking for the truth about what happened to her family and to confront the man who took away everything she loved. Her story is one of perseverance, courage and hope. [...]