Debbie Russell Turns Family Secrets And Life Transitions Into Award-Winning Stories
PHOTO: Debbie Russell, award-winning author of Crossing Fifty-One, combines family history, personal transformation, and environmental restoration in her inspiring journey from courtroom to creative page.
A Journey From Law To Literature Filled With Resilience, Discovery, And Transformation
Debbie Russell, former Assistant County Attorney, shares her transition from law to literature, uncovering family secrets, restoring native prairie, and writing Crossing Fifty-One, an award-winning memoir that inspires readers with honesty, courage, and hope.
Debbie Russell, acclaimed author of Crossing Fifty-One: Not Quite a Memoir, has transformed her life from a distinguished legal career into one of literary acclaim. Her debut, released in June 2023, interlaces three generations of family history with personal transformation, delivering a deeply moving exploration of resilience, addiction, and the courage to embrace change. This remarkable journey, shared in her interview with Reader’s House, highlights her ability to turn raw life experiences into compelling literature.
“I always loved creative writing, which (if you ask my editor) is very different from legal writing!” – Debbie Russell
A Legal Mind Turned Storyteller
As a former Assistant County Attorney with twenty-five years in Minneapolis, Russell brought meticulous research and sharp insight into her writing. Her legal expertise gave her the discipline to investigate long-buried family secrets while weaving them into a relatable narrative. Her articles for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Elephant Journal further cemented her as a thoughtful literary voice, bridging law, personal reflection, and social commentary.
Unearthing Hidden Family Histories
The inspiration for Crossing Fifty-One came from a collection of letters exchanged between Russell’s grandfather and family during his time in a rehabilitation programme in 1951–52. This hidden history, kept secret for more than sixty years, became the foundation for a book that unravels generational struggles while celebrating perseverance. In doing so, Russell deepened her understanding of her family’s legacy, discovering optimism and strength woven through her paternal lineage.
Nurturing Land and Soul
Away from the page, Russell devotes herself to restoring her ten-acre property in Minnesota to native prairie and wetlands. Her passion for environmental conservation echoes in her reflections on writing, as both pursuits require patience, care, and vision. She views her work as a small but vital contribution to fighting climate change, while also recognising the personal well-being benefits of time spent in nature.
Balancing the Personal and the Universal
In her memoir, Russell explores intimate struggles of midlife while offering readers a blueprint for redefining themselves beyond addiction, loss, and dysfunctional family dynamics. She believes that memoirs must connect on a universal level, ensuring readers find themselves reflected in the author’s vulnerability. By linking her grandfather’s rehabilitation, her father’s struggles, and her own grief, she shaped a story that resonates widely and earns praise for its authenticity.
Words of Encouragement for Aspiring Writers
For those contemplating a career change into writing, Russell offers straightforward advice: simply begin. She insists that every person holds a story worth telling, and the act of writing preserves connections long beyond a lifetime. Whether penned on paper or typed on screen, she sees storytelling as a vital thread in building community and leaving a legacy.
Originally published in Reader’s House Magazine.
