Author Nicole Kiefer against Emotional Abuse
Waiting in the Wings more than a simple romance, erotic novel. It also calls for more awarness for abuse and domestic violence. And raises money for organizations that help the victims.
- (1888PressRelease) October 14, 2015 - I'm one of those authors who don't plan and plot a story like a criminal would plan a crime. I started Waiting in the Wings as an outlet for my fear, anger and frustration about my own husband, who tried to play the strong man, when down with a hernia. If I hadn't insisted on taking him to the ER, he could have died, because of his stubbornness. Pacing the empty waiting room, I experienced a wide range of emotions. They needed a place to go, the moment I was back home.
By the time I had purged myself into a several pages long word file, I realized that I had the beginning of a story. An admittedly morbid and even inappropriate story, considering the origin. The question was only where the story would lead.
Not to the reality, because that was kind of boring, first all those feelings, then he gets better and comes home. To easy, boring and far from interesting. So, I decided to let my husband die..., well Sara's husband of course, mine is alive and well, thank god.
I really don't know how I ended up using abuse as one of the main topics, it just developed that way while writing the first draft.
When reading over the first version of Waiting in the Wings, I knew that I had not only a contemporary romance novel, laced with erotic, but the beginning of a statement.
That's when I began to research domestic violence, abuse in relationship and their variations.
I'm 36 years old, started dating with 15, and had some relationships before I got married, 16 years ago. No relationship is perfect, neither is the partner or I myself. In those 21 years of interacting with the other gender, there were moments that weren't so good. A partner that might have risen his voice, said something hurtful, or done something I didn't like. Imagining anyone enduring those rare moments, on a daily basis, horrified me.
I liked the story I had, but I wanted to raise more awareness towards the physical and emotional abuse I already had integrated. Learning that 4 out of 10 woman are victims of abuse, most of those that get reported are physical abuse victims, and the variation of abuse, was shocking. Considering that only a small portion of abuse victims actually report the abuse, and that such abuses as emotional or spiritual abuse are often invisible, the thought of the possible number is mindboggling.
The way I had my story written, I already had the fundaments to show different kinds of abuse, and in the end settled for three.
In the beginning I have Sara (main female character) in a potential physically abusive relationship. Yet even knowing that she loves him, she sees the danger and walks away. Why?
Because I didn't just want to show the abuse, but also that there is a chance the abuser might change his behaviour. If the person wants to change, takes advantage of therapy and help from family and friends. I use her walking away as a wakeup call to my main male character. Since change like that doesn't happen overnight, but is a long and hard process, I gave him twenty years.
Those twenty years, Sara spend in an emotionally abusive relationship. As such relationships are, Sara only realized after years of marriage how bad and unhealthy her marriage was. She tries to free herself, but can't, even when she gains her financial freedom, there are things holding her back. Much of it she only realizes when Henry, her husband suddenly dies.
I bring the two lovers back together, Benjamin no longer abusive or in danger of becoming abusive, and Sara changed and with locked away emotions.
I try to show that change can happen, that a woman can get over the abuse she experienced, but the walls she erects are high and strong.
Since I needed a reason to topple those walls, I introduced a third version of abuse. One as bad as the first two, yet different again, stalking.
The stalker slowly introduces himself into Sara's life, first with letters that aren't that bad, could have come from a lover. Then letters that are harsh and threatening, until the stalker goes further and threatens her directly with physical harm, even kills her dog.
Abuse, no matter the kind is a serious topic, one that needs attention and support. I might not have planned to use abuse in the story originally, but since then my view has changed. I deeply believe that awareness needs to be nurtured, and organizations that help victims supported. Which is the reason behind this article, from this day forward, I will donate $0.50 from each sold paperback of Waiting in the Wings, no matter the channel it was sold through, to an organisation that helps abuse victims.
Twice a year I will choose an organisation and donate the money too, and I deeply hope that enough people buy the book to raise money for those organizations.
Waiting in the Wings is available as paperback at Amazon.com, Createspace.com or Lulu.com
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