Gypsy Rose Blanchard is offering her side of the story in an upcoming memoir titled My Time to Stand.
Blanchard, 32, announced the news on Monday, April 29, along with details about the project. My Time to Stand, which will be released in January 2025, was cowritten by Melissa Moore and Michele Matrisciani.
“I am in love with the title of my book not only because it addresses the question I get most, but because in our pain and struggle we can find what it is that we want to stand for,” Blanchard told People in a statement. “That inside our stories, if we dare to sit in the stillness of them, our purpose can be revealed. And we all have a purpose. That’s what I hope people will take away from my book.”
The memoir is set to hit bookshelves one year after Gypsy was released from prison. She served seven years for the murder of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, who was found dead at age 48 in her Missouri home with multiple stab wounds in June 2015.
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After being arrested alongside ex-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn, Gypsy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years behind bars. She was granted parole in September 2023 before being released.
Gypsy has previously discussed how her mother allegedly abused her. Dee Dee, who seemingly suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, told Gypsy and the public that her daughter was diagnosed with various medical issues including leukemia, muscular dystrophy, brain damage and seizures, which didn’t appear to be the case.
According to the synopsis for My Time to Stand, Gypsy used the memoir as a way to address her complicated childhood.
“Forced to use a wheelchair in public and endure a lifetime of faux illness, fraud, and exploitation, Gypsy was subjected not only to her mother’s medical, physical, and emotional abuse, but deprived of childhood milestones. Prevented from attending school or socializing, Gypsy’s formative years were defined by pain and isolation,” the synopsis read. “After serving 8 years in prison for the role she played in her mother Dee Dee’s murder, Gypsy is embracing her fresh start—and reminding all of us that it’s never too late.”
My Time to Stand is expected to touch on the “abusive cycle” that allegedly began with Dee Dee’s abuse by her father, Gypsy’s reaction after being involved in her mother’s murder and memories of her final days in prison.
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“Featuring Blanchard family photos and new facts about Gypsy’s life that she previously kept private, My Time to Stand offers an unprecedented look at the real Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, proudly embarking on her ongoing journey to recovery and self-discovery,” the synopsis continued.
Gypsy discussed her hopes for the memoir, telling People, “In processing and retelling my memories, so much more truth has been revealed to me, including the victimization of the other people in my family and community. I hope to engage readers by describing my journey, instead of explaining it. In that way, others might see themselves in my story, too, and relate.”
Gypsy further reflected on the title, which is inspired by her mother having her use a wheelchair despite being able to walk.
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“The first time I stood up on my own two feet was my first failed attempt to leave my mother. I had the legs of a chick struggling to find a way out of the cracks. Who hasn’t felt unsturdy like that in their own life?” she added. “The second time I stood up, I walked down a path I’ll regret forever. Again, too many people feel this way about their choices.”
Gypsy concluded: “The third time I stood up, I did so as an incarcerated girl-woman who had so much to learn about independence, self-forgiveness and resilience. Only because I did the work, did my time to stand finally come. Now, I can stand with other victims as they take steps toward doing whatever work is necessary to stand for themselves. My Time to Stand is about reclaiming my footing so others can be inspired to walk a life of purpose and meaning and build a future sturdy enough so others can stand for something, too.”
My Time to Stand: A Memoir will be available in January 2025.
