Utah congressman-elect writing first Elizabeth Smart memoir

Utah’s new congressman-elect, Chris Stewart (R), takes office in January. But before then, he is racing to complete a first-person account of the 2002 Elizabeth Smart kidnapping.

{mosads}The book, to be published by St. Martin’s Press in September 2013, is the first book offering Smart’s own take on her kidnapping, recovery, and work with the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, founded to help prevent future crimes against children. 

According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Stewart expects to have the first draft finished by the time he takes office in January, but will still be editing on the side of his new job representing Utah’s newly created 2nd District. 

Smart was kidnapped in June 2002 at age 14 from her bedroom in Salt Lake City and held in captivity until March 2003. According to the Tribune, Stewart and Smart re-visited the location of her nine-month captivity together as part of their research for the memoir.

“She has taken a professional outlook on this and is able to talk in an impressive way about these things frankly,” Stewart told The Associated Press. “She’s not shying away from this story.”

Utah’s new congressman-elect has already written two New York Times bestsellers: Seven Miracles That Saved America and The Miracle of Freedom: Seven Tipping Points That Saved the World.

Smart, 25, is now married and attends Brigham Young University. Last year, her kidnapper was sentenced to life in prison.