An Account of Entering a Cult and Eventually Escaping its Grip

Flori Paquette bares it all with her tell-all memoir, "Under the Tamarisk Tree," where she recounts how she ended up being in a cult. It is also a story of self-realization as she eventually gained the agency to escape the group's grip and become her own person and ultimately free.

Paquette shows how she began as a newly born-again Christian but eventually became brainwashed in the clutches of a wolf in sheep's clothing, as unscrupulous individuals sought to abuse people's beliefs and trust. Her story is one of faith, hope, and deliverance from abuse. It starts when a tyrannical pastor's enticing words lead Paquette astray, causing her to ignore the inner warnings of the Spirit. She and her family become bound to the exploitative Tamarisk Fellowship for ten agonizing years. The thrilling narrative shows how the cult abused them and what it took them to finally realize the horrific truth - that they were not part of some loving community but a twisted cult. Readers will see how they finally broke free and found Christ.

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Paquette cites Galatians 5:1. Part of the realization process was keeping a journal and writing original poetry, which helped her comprehend the degree of her family's entrapment. Writing helped her not only come to terms with the severity of her situation but also help her in the process of being free as well as the mental breakdown following the escape, for freedom can bring pain due to the loss of one's old world or reality as well as the hope of a new beginning, as daunting as it may seem.

With "The Tamarisk Tree," readers will cringe and weep, hold their breaths, laugh and breathe sighs of relief as they see Paquette and her family's odyssey. With her work, she hopes she can help fellow readers emerge from darkness and confusion into the light, especially audiences who are in similar circumstances. "Under the Tamarisk Tree" shows them that they are not alone and that there is hope.

About the Author

Flori Pacquette and her husband Dan are deeply enriched by the love of her children and grandchildren, as well as their faith in Christ. She enjoys pursuing art and writing, which have been life-saving therapies and the source of many delights in her life.