Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.’
This week’s challenge comes from the wonderful TRACY GEE:
As we all know, authors put real people and situations into their books. Let’s look at the times we’ve pushed through the pain by putting bad experiences or relationships into our works whether for therapy, or just as a way to close the door.
When I read this challenge, there was no question which of my books came to mind first. Tracy is right: real people and situations show up on a regular basis. But, in “Hannah’s War”, I forced myself to explore experiences that came too close for comfort. Although the villain is an amalgam of several men from various relationships, the character exemplifies the abuser. I was so happy that Hannah was able to break free. And I am so excited that it will be published by Eternal Press.
Writing “Hannah’s War”, I had to examine why I had repeated choices when I was younger that made me less than I was. Why do we listen to the negative and make it so much bigger than the positive? Nora Roberts says that if you get thirty good reviews and one bad one, it’s the bad one that sticks. True that! The same applies to people. The critics speak loudest and there is something that drove me to want to turn that around. To convince them to change their behavior. To have them stop trying to put me down. Here’s the thing, though. Abusers on any level can’t be convinced. They thrive on your denigration and it never gets better. The only choice is to avoid them. Once I understood that, I could create Hannah, who was smart enough to leave.
My other books are personal on very different levels. And my heroes always win! And so do my heroines. I love being a writer!
Now, let’s hop over to Carrie Elks and see how she handles her own experiences through her work.
Carrie Elks http://carrieelks.com/blog/
I’m so bad about listening too much to the negative. That’s why I try to take things that were terrible for me years ago and make them into something funny later. Loved your blog!
It’s amazing how much relationships can build you up or rip you apart. Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad that you were able to break free of the pattern. I’ve seen the effects of abusive relationships on friends and family. It’s also wonderful that you were able to write about it and allow your character to see her self-worth. That will help so many readers break free as well!
Thanks!