BOOK LAUNCH
Two weeks ago, I celebrated the availability of my book, Baggage burdens. I had my book launch. I opened “with let me tell you about a very memorable woman, an attractive intelligent woman who loves children. She sounds like just the person you would want to be the protagonist in the novel, one who the reader would pull for. However, this special woman, Jill, has a haunting problem, the memory of an alcoholic father who frequently beat her up, beat her up so much that she chose to run away from home before completing her grade 12 year. While you might suspect that the reader will be one hundred percent on her side as she struggles with the after effects of those childhood experiences, the Blue Ink review refers to her as a mentally disturbed woman, one for whom a reader would find hard to sympathize."
Why, you might wonder, would readers not be on her side. The answer is that this is also a story about her family and close friends and the struggles they are forced into because of the mental makeup of the protagonist. Jill’s friends and her family do not deserve the mistreatment that they receive from her. A reader’s heart is pulled toward her family and friends many times. Who then does the writer want you to feel for?
The answer is both. No one deserves to suffer, because of a father’s seemingly self-centered action of consuming alcohol excessively. Having said that, the reader is deliberately tested to see if, knowing the protagonist’s past, can they forgive apparent unreasonable actions. After all, Jill didn’t choose to be the subject of beatings by a man who should have been her loving protector.
I invite you to taste a bit of Jill’s haunting memory and then a sample of her defense-driven actions that challenges someone close to her. In the first excerpt below Alice is Jill’s mother.
Alice’s reference ignites the fear Jill hoped to permanently suppress. Three months earlier, overflowing with confidence from her year of weight training and the school’s women’s defensive course, Jill confronted her drunken father in the kitchen. She dared to challenge his behavior. Result: a neck-jarring slap in the face. With pent-up fury, Jill delivered a similar action.
Her father exploded.
Jill deflected his first swing. More swiftly followed. His first direct hit landed Jill on the floor. Her single opportunity to escape resulted in him grabbing her hair and yanking her back. Sitting on her, he slapped her left and right again and again until Alice struck his head with a cast-iron frying pan. Police were called again. Warnings were issued. Promises were made. Three weeks passed before Jill’s bruises disappeared and she dared to face her classmates.
Jill dives into her other questions.
Karen says, “Yes, purchase a ticket for a comfort seat; it’s a two-day trip; the train leaves in the morning; bring nonperishables for eating; yes, food can be purchased on the train; use a taxi from the railway station to the Greyhound bus station in Edmonton, and in Camrose, take a taxi from the Greyhound bus depot to the Prezchucks’ place. No, the driver knows where it is.”
“Any more questions?” Karen’s voice is calm.
Jill shakes her head and stands up.
Karen raises her voice a bit. “Good. Because I have a question.” Karen waits for Jill to sit down. “When do you plan to phone and tell your grandmother your plans?”
Jill’s silent.
“You are going to phone your grandmother, aren’t you?” Karen’s eyes narrow, piercing guilt.
Again, Jill waits, then shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “I’m not,” she announces firmly.
“But, Jill, you can’t leave your grandmother in the dark.” Karen leans forward. “Not after all that she has done for you.”
“I have no choice—”
“But—” Karen’s objection is cut short.
“And you can’t tell her where I’ve gone either.” Jill hopes the firmness of her voice continues to secure Karen’s support.
“But why? You know your grandmother has your best interests at heart.”
Standing up, Jill proclaims, “By me saying nothing and just leaving, I’m avoiding a useless, emotional argument.”
Karen stands up to look directly into Jill’s eyes. “But at least tell your grandmother why you left.”
Jill thinks for a moment. “Then you tell her. In private. Nothing else.” Jill takes Karen by the shoulders. “And whatever you do, don’t tell her where I went. No one must know. Otherwise this whole effort will be for nothing. Promise?” Karen’s silence prompts Jill to do a gentle shoulder shake. “You’ve got to promise for this to work. Promise?”
Reluctantly Karen gives in.
haiku capsule:
someone very special
needs forgiveness many times
understanding friend
Nextblog: Arresting Mistreatment
Order the e-book from kindle or kobo now or your soft cover from Amazon.
How many times can you forgive a person for their indiscretions?
I’d love to use it on my new website that’s being developed.
All comments will be entered for a draw on the Baggage burdens.companion novel.
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