Author living out true-life tragedy-to-triumph tale

SANDUSKY — Hours after people spent their afternoons swimming at Huron's Nickel Plate Beach, once nightfall arrived, Angelina Spencer-Crisp sheepishly snuck out onto the sandy shores. "I was living under one of the picnic benches during the whole summer of 1984," said Spencer-Crisp, recalling those depressing days as a parentless 16-year-old girl. "Fishermen took pity on me, giving me money to buy food," she added. The Sandusky native faced many challenges while growing up in Monroeville. "I was labeled as an 'unruly juvenile' as people thought I was very rebellious," she said. "But I had dealt with a lot in life." Due to complex custody issues, children services workers shuffled her in and out of the local foster care system. By the time she turned 16, Spencer-Crisp spent many nights alone on the beach, reflecting on life as she struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and developed feelings of distrust, guilt and shame after being raped. "I know about human trafficking because I was in it," Spencer-Crisp said. But Spencer-Crisp realized, through schooling, she could persevere and overcome such a troubling childhood. Excelling in education For as long as she can remember, writing has served as a therapeutic release for Spencer-Crisp. "I have always wanted to be a writer," Spencer-Crisp said. But not everyone supported her talent, as she recalls one formidable childhood conversation: "I remember a foster parent handing me a broom and saying, 'Girls like you don't grow up to write or go to college. The best you can do is marry well, but guys won't marry a girl like you.'" Spencer-Crisp proved her wrong — very wrong. Not only did she graduate from Willard High School in 1985 but Spencer-Crisp also excelled in higher-educational settings. For instance, she: • Graduated from Ohio's Ursuline College with summa cum laude status, meaning it's a degree earned with the highest distinction • Received valedictorian honors from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. • Attended a prestigious writing program at England's University of Oxford Upon returning home to Sandusky, she landed a part-time correspondence job with a Lorain-area newspaper, covering football games and piecing together the occasional feature story. While she enjoyed the opportunity, Spencer-Crisp sought to write in ways she could explore different genres, specifically meshing fiction and non-fiction components. "I really wanted to write a book, so I tried my hand in writing one probably 25 years ago, but I wasn't ready at the time," Spencer-Crisp said. "I had just moved to Naples, Florida, at the time, and I had to put my kids through school. I had a lot going on in life." Though, while still in Florida a few years later, she encountered her big breakthrough. Healing through words Crisp spent six years writing her first novel, "Red Bird," which published in November 2019. This marks the first entry in a series of novels under her the "Quanta Chronicles" series. Book No. 2 in the series, "X Point" should be released Feb. 1, 2021. People can purchase her work at major bookstores, including Sandusky Mall's Books-A-Million, and online retailers, such as Amazon. Spencer-Crisp, who goes under the pen name B.A. Crisp, incorporated many elements of her life into these tales. "They are based on true stories but with a fictional element," she said. "There are a lot of metaphysical with sci-fi aspects." Her first book has received critical acclaim, most notably a positive review from a New York Times bestselling author. "It's a story about redemption, focusing on a young foster care child who's a human trafficking victim, and she ends up going into governmental work," said Spencer-Crisp, who herself has worked with federal agents to assist in rescuing victims. Throughout "Red Bird," she sprinkles in many local Easter eggs, an homage to her hometown. "It does mention Sandusky. The Boy with the Boot fountain plays a role in the story," Spencer-Crisp said. "And 12 foster care kids all hail from different parts of the globe but all have been brought to Perkins Township for a reason." The stories help Spencer-Crisp come to terms with her difficult upbringing. "I put a lot of demons to rest by going back and visiting the Sandusky area and looking up old people and friends and then building a story about it all," Spencer-Crisp said. "There is something quite magical about the area." In her novels, Spencer-Crisp also aims to empower children who are victims of sexual abuse and oft-forgotten about in the foster care system. "Children cannot thrive if they are labeled, and I wanted to write a story that encompassed them and strengthened them," she said. "This book is very raw. Even though it focuses on kids, it's not for kids." While she wouldn't reveal too many details — "People need to read it to find out for themselves" — Spencer-Crisp did share what she hopes readers take away from her work. "I want people to have a greater awareness that things are not always as they seem," Spencer-Crisp said. "As human beings, we are quick to judge that proverbial book by its cover, but there is so much more to people, places and events than what we give the time for." Family at the forefront This Thanksgiving, Spencer-Crisp emphasized she's most grateful for her family, something she lacked but desperately craved for as a child. The married mother of six children, their ages range between 22 and 34, will spend the holiday surrounded by loved ones in her Florida home. "For me, it's almost indescribable," said Spencer-Crisp, who's married to her husband, David Crisp. "It brings me a lot of comfort and joy, but I'm also being the parent I never had to my children." Spencer-Crisp also expressed her appreciation for connecting with newfound family members. One such person is her niece, Huron resident Camille Doyle, who found Spencer-Crisp through a DNA analysis site about three years ago. They immediately formed a bond and talk with each other on a frequent basis. "Some people who are dealt a tough hand in life are able to, one day, turn it all around into something beautiful," Doyle said. "That is my Aunt Angelina: She is doing such special and amazing work with anti-human trafficking and just finished her second novel. She is an inspiration to dream big."