“The writing is highly descriptive… the work successfully illustrates the injustices of the prison system, as well as the resilience and resourcefulness of incarcerated people. Although Dorr describes her background as ‘privileged,’ the prison experiences of her fellow inmates seem to vary only marginally, regardless of their backgrounds; as she points out, ‘prison budgets held no room for compassion.’ An earnest inside view of the prison system and one woman’s determination to thrive within it.” ~ Kirkus Reviews
Living with Conviction
The memoir from best-selling female crime writer, Toby Dorr. Having never had so much as a traffic ticket, Toby shattered her mold of perfection by helping a convicted murderer escape in a dog crate.
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NUMBER ONE NEW RELEASE and
NUMBER ONE BEST SELLER TRANSFORMATIONAL category!
Toby Dorr’s book is a lesson in wisdom, forgiveness, and unconditional love. Instead of focusing on mistakes and loss, Toby plots a course for the future. She used her 27-month incarceration as a time to reflect on life. As a result, Toby found an unexpected sisterhood behind bars.
As both a prison volunteer and an inmate, Toby brings a unique perspective. A pivotal revelation while on suicide watch gave her purpose and direction. Toby’s memoir is filled with action, romance, adventure, heartache, and redemption. Bearing her soul, she tells a story of transformational courage, grace, and redemption.
While the escape made national headlines, Toby Dorr’s book is an inspirational invitation to look upon life with self-acceptance and love. She pushes readers to move beyond the confines of their circumstances and live each moment with conviction. Allow life’s fullest, most beautiful potential to unfold. Toby encourages us all to escape our emotional prisons.
You are Not Your Worst Mistake
The newly released poetry book from best-selling female crime writer, Toby Dorr.
Step inside… and find yourself.
Often, my journals are the only thing that kept me sane in prison. The best way to communicate the emotions I felt was through poetry, where I found the things not said and read between the lines told the truth of the moment.
None of us is our worst mistake.
I am not my worst mistake became the rallying cry that saved my life.
Maybe it will bring you hope and light in the darkness as well…
The Unleashed Series – Workbooks for Women.
The Unleashed Series started with one simple idea; to help women in prison rebuild their lives. Almost immediately, it grew into a larger purpose with two major focuses and six workbooks. No matter your journey, we have a program for you!
Book Testimonials
A sheer adrenaline rush and unabashedly honest, Dorr’s memoir unveils a kaleidoscope of emotions many women hold in the lonely places of their hearts.
~ Christine Caswell, professor of Journalism and Communication, Boston College. Retired Boston television journalist, NBC and ABC.
Mistakes of our past can be celebrated as lessons rather than oppressive weights in our future!
Toby Dorr is a beacon of light for all who’ve faced tragedy and attempted redemption and reinvention. She reminds us all that while we may have created prisons of our own making, freedom is real and available to us all!
~ Sara Connell, Author and Founder of Thought Leader Academy
Toby Dorr has an incredible story to share. I was blessed to be her pastor for a transforming time in her life. Her story is one of escape in so many ways. It is filled with twists and turns and irony and spiritual coincidence. It seems that God and the universe have conspired to bring us a story of redemption, second chances and learning to live with conviction.
~ Rev. Dr. Chad McMullin
Toby does an excellent job taking you behind the walls of the broken prison system and bringing humanity to her fellow inmates. She reveals that beneath the reality of her life altering decisions was the innate desire to be loved, have value, worth and significance. A desire every person can relate to even if your decisions don’t result in physical incarceration. Her journey leads to the truth that real freedom comes when we get our love, value and worth in Christ alone.
~ Gina Hanna, Founder and Director, Beauty for Ashes Ministry
Living with Conviction is a true, real-life redemption story. With both humility and courage, Toby Dorr takes full responsibility for the actions that sent her to prison but refuses to let the worst decision of her life determine the rest of her life. Vulnerable, riveting, and deeply inspiring, this is a story of one who transforms her tragic mistake into a personal mission to help other women avoid going down the same disastrous road that she did. The sensational aspects of this ripped-from-the-headlines story may attract us to read this book, but it’s the author’s quiet reflections, her dedication to change, and her wholehearted intention to do good for others that make this a transformational story with nuggets of wisdom for any reader.
~ Betsy Graziani Fasbinder, author of Filling Her Shoes.
Podcast host of The Morning Glory Project: Stories of Determination
