This autoethnography details the author’s efforts during the past eight years to write and publish her dissertation research on the narratives of father-absent daughters, most notably Elizabeth’s story. The author’s understanding of father-absence is situated within the multifaceted and constantly evolving discursive fields of scholarly research and personal experience. As a “vulnerable observer,” locating her own narrative within that field of stories lies at the heart of the author’s writing. This research story illustrates the ongoing challenge of creating a livable personal narrative through “a primary act of imagination.”
