The little girl’s mother told her not to let her father into the apartment. No matter what, her mother said, don’t let him in. The mother didn’t use terms like domestic violence or abuse, only warned her that the father the girl adored wasn’t allowed home anymore. So one day, when the girl’s mother and younger sister were asleep, the girl’s father stopped by, charmed his daughter, and the girl let him in. What followed became a memory author Randy Susan Meyers buried deep into her subconscious and was revived only when she wrote the first chapter of her debut novel, “The Murderer’s Daughter.”

“I kept forgetting it,” said Meyers when reached in her Boston home. “I literally don’t remember it except my sister said that the first chapter of my book made her ill. Talk about repressed memories.”

Fortunately Meyers and her family survived intact. Her characters didn’t fare so well.

“That first chapter was based on my sister’s memory of opening the door, except my mother wasn’t killed,” said Meyers. “It’s a huge ‘what if.’ ”

Meyers will be at Westwinds Bookshop tonight at 7 p.m. to discuss her novel and to give a presentation on domestic abuse. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of her book there will be donated to the Cape Cod Center for Women, which provides extensive services to battered women and their children.

Inspired both by her own experiences with domestic violence and by her work as an educator at Common Purpose Batterers Intervention Program (CPBIP) in Boston, Meyers wrote “The Murderer’s Daughters” after writing two other novels that didn’t sell. What was different this time was she went deeper, exasperated with her clients at CPBIP and inspired by children who suffered the effects of their parents’ violence. Meyers finished the book, got a new agent and her novel sold within eight days to St. Martin’s Press. It went on to great acclaim, becoming a Target Book Club Pick and an international bestseller.

Believing she was a fortunate one to survive domestic abuse who went on to have healthy relationships with a loving husband and two children, Meyers felt it only right to give back when the book was published. At various readings around the country, she’s chosen a local women’s shelter to which she donates a portion of her book sales. When she asked which shelter to give to around Duxbury, local resident Nancy Farrelly suggested the Cape Cod Center for Women, where she serves on the board.

“We are deeply appreciative that Randy is donating a portion of the proceeds from her reading to the shelter, it’s exceptionally generous of her,” said Farrelly. “Our gratitude extends to Westwinds for hosting the event as well. This important book will touch everyone who reads it, whether they have personally experienced abuse or not.”

Brooke McDonough, the events planner at Westwinds, said this is a unique experience for the bookstore.

“This type of fundraising event is a bit of a departure from our regular book signings,” said McDonough. “But when Randy Susan Myers offered to donate money to a battered women’s shelter, we knew this would be a terrific opportunity to do some good. We loved the book—it’s a great book for book clubs—and we thought we could help raise money for a worthy cause. It’s a win-win situation, and those don’t come along too often.”

For Meyers, whose next novel, “The Comfort of Lies,” will be published in January 2013, it’s necessary to pay forward all of the goodness that’s come into her life.

“It’s a Karmic thing,” said Meyers. “It’s my way of giving back.”