Sandy Shaw, whose life experiences provide the information for this story, became the youngest female ever incarcerated in an adult Nevada prison. After earning two college degrees in prison, the former honors student launched her valiant battle to win her freedom. Dan Gleason is a prolific magazine writer of award-winning fiction and non-fiction. He earned his Masters of Fine Arts degree from Iowa University’s celebrated Writers Workshop.
""Like most of society, I'm fascinated by true crime stories. What happened to Sandy Shaw at the young age of fifteen is unbelievable. As a master storyteller, Dan Gleason beautifully conveys Sandy's unfortunate story and her long fight to clear her name."" --Kristina Rivera, producer, American Sniper, Sully, and The Mule ""Sandy Shaw's powerful story, in the hands of writer Dan Gleason, is hard to put down. Time would expose the injustice of Shaw's sentence (she was fifteen when sentenced to life without parole). Gleason, with empathy and admiration, details how Shaw used her prison time to grow as a compassionate person. This is a story of redemption and reclaimed justice."" --David Bonior, US House Majority Whip, 102nd and 103rd Congresses; author of When Mercy Season's Justice ""This is an important story, the kind not often told because it includes revelations that society doesn't want to hear. That Sandy Shaw is both willing and able to tell her story is miraculous. That Dan Gleason recognized its significance and worked for years to make it available is a public service."" --Stephen Greenleaf, author of the John Marshall Tanner detective series, including The Ditto List and Impact ""In this powerful telling of resilience and the persistent quest for justice in Life Without, Sandy Shaw and co-author Dan Gleason relate a compelling story of a young girl, framed for murder and illegally sentenced as an adult, who endures years of injustice. Her personal awareness and moral conviction sustain her on the long journey to find justice."" --Anthony Flacco, New York Times and international bestselling author ""Few writers with a commitment to a cause can compare to Dan Gleason's efforts on behalf of Sandy Shaw. Imprisoned for twenty-one years for a crime committed when she was a teenager, Shaw kept the faith and Gleason stayed in her corner. In Life Without, he tells her story in her voice, with an insider's insight, deftly recreating the crime, the trial, the bleak times that followed, and the push for the ultimate victory. It's a hell of a story!"" --William Brashler, author of The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings, City Dogs and The Don: The Life and Death of Sam Giancana