Diary of a Beautiful Disaster

She had just scored a perfect 10 on her floor exercise routine, but Kristin Bartzokis stood stoically before the screaming crowd.

For Kristin, this moment of perfection was something she always knew she could achieve. She'd been raised to live without limitations, and she'd adopted a determination to stay strong and unemotional, no matter what.

Born with Treacher Collins syndrome, a facial abnormality, Kristin learned at an early age the importance of strength--strength when confronted with multiple surgeries, strength when confronted with stares and questions, and strength when confronted with the constant knowledge that you will never look, or be, like everyone else.

Kristin Bartzokis' life story is one of achievement and inspiration, an example of an unbreakable spirit and unwavering fortitude. No matter what life has thrown at Kristin, she has turned challenges into triumphs and used obstacles as stepping stones.

Diary of a Beautiful Disaster empowers readers to embrace their own uniqueness and boldly go forth into the world being exactly who they are. Kristin reminds us that although life can be complicated and messy, it is always, above all, beautiful.

Kristin Bartzokis' life was defined the moment Kristin entered the world. When you're born with a facial abnormality such as Treacher Collins Syndrome, you're not the smart one, the funny one, or the pretty one; you're the girl with the strange face and hearing aid. This made Bartzokis a warrior from a young age. She surpassed boundaries and crashed through walls, proudly accepting the challenge to stand out.

Bartzokis resides in Central Florida and works in product development for a local attraction. Once a champion gymnast, she now focuses on running marathons. In her free time, Kristin can be found designing T-shirts, watching baseball, searching for her next big adventure, and blogging at diaryofabeautifuldisaster.com.