First -- the diary is very autobiographical. My mother ruled the roost with an iron hand and used terror to control me. I was subject to bullying not only at home but from her. She also bullied my father. He was largely absent from my day to day life because he was working as well as attending night school 3 nights a week to get his MBA. He never knew what went on until I was 25 years old, some 12 years later, and by that time I was so deep in my substance abuse that it didn't matter.