For sale sign that turned heads lands scorned woman a book deal
BEAVERTON, Ore. - When a Beaverton couple decided to split, they aired some of their business on a for sale sign to sell their home and now a mother turned author has turned her story of scorn into a book that's getting rave reviews.
Elle Zober's honesty was clear from the start. With her then-husband agreeing to it, they posted a sign saying 'husband left us for a 22-year-old - house for sale by scorned, slightly bitter, newly single owner.'
"The house sold in 23 days for over asking, which is really big in Beaverton," Zober said.
She also started a blog where she was honest with her readers about her story.
"As soon as I wrote the first blog, that's all I thought it would be," she said. "But there was 800 comments and I was like 'oh.' Then people told me their horror stories of when this happened to them - men and women."
That need for social sharing grew to thousands of online readers.
"I think there are too many people in our country who have been in my shoes or grown up in my children's shoes and there's nothing out there," Zober said.
Now they'll have one more resource - a book called The Scorned Wife: Slightly Bitter, Never Broken.
"I was contacted by a publisher out of Britain," said Zober. "He said 'I really like your style - people are connecting with you and that's what you need to be a writer.' "
So she wrote about her history with her ex and the book is getting five-star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.com.
"My grandma always said life is for living - get up and live," Zober said.
Writing the book was also healing - Zober calls herself a work in progress and said she never imagined a sign would lead her to where she is now.
"I never thought I would write a book," she said. "I don't know that I'm an author, but I'm still really proud of what I did."
Zober has a book signing coming up on Friday, Jan. 25 at the Barnes and Noble at 18300 N.W. Evergreen Parkway in Beaverton. It starts at 7 p.m.
Good for her. She's taking the opportunity to capitalize on a bad situation. She's taking steps to take care of herself and stay off the welfare system. More power to her. I hope it sells like hotcakes. I'll probably check it out myself just to support a local individual.
ELLE - In my early twenties my husband left me for a older woman, in her forties. We were High school sweet hearts, married ten years with two daughters, one just a few months old. I lost EVERYTHING except the best gift of all, my children! He was not interested in his children, just his new woman. IT WAS HARD TO MAKE IT, but it made me stronger and I was back on my feet buying a brand new home within four years by myself with two children. I have never looked back! Now I am reaping the rewards with a wonderful relationship with my daughters and little grandsons! You are one smart woman Elle! You have turned a rotten thing into a way for you to make money for you and your children! Always make your children first!! You will never be sorry! Blessings and best wishes for you and your children!!
Maybe after she sells some books, she can afford a gym membership. She is easily 100 pounds over weight.
....and her weight is relevant to this story because......?
@Harry Tuttle Seriously, what kind of dbag do you have to be to think that is a cool comment to make? Maybe you should write a book so you can save up some money for a good therapist, you obviously need one.
 @Harry Tuttle Thanks for proving that us "big girls" who need gym memberships can at least get out there and lose weight. People like you carry mean, prejudiced and ignorant with them for a lifetime. Bravo, dude. @ Elle--way to go, sweetie! I just read your book and you are AWESOME!
 @Harry Tuttle Remember the whole thing about staying on topic and civil?? Apparently not. Grow some manners, bro.
 @Harry Tuttle Yes, you would be correct. :) But I'm already down 40 pounds and at the gym everyday.... funny thing though. Being a bit smaller hasn't made me a better wife or person or Mother.... and it's having no affect on the kind of ex-wife I am either. :) A person is *many* things - I'm very well aware of my size. But thanks for reminding me... :) - elle
@ elle You go girl! More power to ya for taking care of yourself!
 @Harry Tuttle Harry, I would normally agree with you, except I think she is exceptionally pretty and really she looks just fine to me. Some people carry weight well, and she's one of them.Â
 @Philip Marlowe  @Harry Tuttle Thanks, Phillip. I appreciate that.
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Stupid.
22 y/o for the win!
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Seriously, I hope she makes millions and he still has to pay child support.
Good therapy. It helps to know you're not alone out there.
Good for her. I hope she makes a ton of money and rubs it in her scum bag EX-husbands face.
Hopefully all the criticisms are falling on deaf ears...none of the posters here have walked in either of the parties shoes. Frankly I find the story refreshing and honest. The Zober's obviously have a sense of humor and that will go a long way in keeping things on a level the children can live with...I have a feeling everyone will be better in the long run because of it.
It is when the divorcing parties are nasty, vengeful, etc. that put a damper of moving on...
So, wasn't the 'I hereby agree not to publish a public account of the relationship, it's activities, any depictions of involved persons should the domestic arrangement be terminated for whatever reason'..clause included in the prenups? I think as a society, we've transformed into a culture where everyone thinks everything is their business and privacy and humility have been forsaken. Â I feel bad for the woman, but somewhat bad for the guy as well.
At the same time, I could imagine there are a lot of readers of this story that say to themselves...' so what? I don't care.'
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So... she put up a sign in front of her house - where her kids live - saying that he left them (as well) for a 22yo?
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Good for her and her success - but how do the kids feel about all of this? Some reason I thought you were supposed to reassure them that the other parent ISN'T leaving the child?
 @ashley you should read The Blog.... I do my best. :)
 @ashley The sign went up AFTER they'd left the house. The kids have never seen the sign.
 @Nigel I'd have to say that there could be an almost safe bet that they have, now!
 @ashley No benefit in hiding the truth. Their father did leave them for another woman, so the earlier they can learn to speak openly about it, the sooner the healing can start.
Good for her!Â
Am I wrong for being slightly disappointed that her and her husband were in agreement on this? I'm working on being better, but still struggle with revenge when appropriate.
 @Lips Put the knife down Lips!
/hehehehe just kidding.
Truth in advertising?
Hey, each to their own, I guess... I doubt if I'd ever want to share my personal life quite that openly, but then, she looks to be some years younger than I am, so the difference in "generational viewpoints" could account for that...
More power to her, though... it looks like she and her then-husband kept it civil; important if they have kids... I wish her well..! Â :-)
Wow talk about lemons into lemonade.
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I am thinking the guy who left this woman really didn't know what he had.
 @RepomanÂ
Then again some people are just shallow.
@Thebigboot - Elle had his full permission for the sign (he actually helped pay for it) and the book. No one is being mean. She keeps his anonymity throughout. Could you honestly say you could be that kind to someone who had dumped on you like that? I say good luck to you Elle. Life handed you lemons and you made Vodka!
@Nigel I know I could not be that nice if it happend to me. I would put his name and the "B" on the for sale sign... :)
 @Nigel Mmm.... Limoncello!
Could you imagine if a guy had done this? They'd be all over him because he's being mean to the woman. Double standards for the win.
@Thebigboot if a guy had done this, he'd have about 50 dates lined up already with women feeling sorry for him.
 @Thebigboot You bring up a valid point, however, *we* put up the sign to sell our home. There were several foreclosures on our street - I thought it was a tongue-in-cheek way to let people know we were just doing a midnight run on our home... I can see *now* where that concept failed while others (revenge/vengeance) took over... but that was truly not the intention. :)
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 @Thebigboot So if the woman had left the guy and child for a 22yo boytoy? I do believe she would have been very well vilified. Not seeing any double standards here.
@Peregrine  Agreed. Actually, I think it is far worse if the woman leaves like this. I couldn't imagine how any mother could do that.
 @Peregrine  @Thebigboot I have to agree with Thebigboot.... a woman does this, and because he's a scumbag (admittedly), it's OK. A guy does this to a woman, suddenly everyone wonders what kind of mean a**hole the guy is and why he can't just leave her alone.
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Double standards do exist.