Survival Stories: The Truth in Fiction

ABUSE AND SURVIVAL

I wrote a recent post about children who kill and how most of the books in this category are actually works of non-fiction.  The sad reality is; when dealing with a subject such as abuse and survival, the same thing is true.  I found so many heart-wrenching (non-fiction) stories out there about children who were abused and had to learn how to survive.  Interesting enough, some of those book topics actually end up overlapping; that is to say, some of those books about children who kill are also about children who were abused. 

This is of special interest to me, having written a work of fiction about a child abuse victim who resorts to killing.  Skipping Childhood:  A Novel (From Abused Foster Child to Adolescent Serial Killer) has many of the very same elements that those non-fiction books have.  The reason for this is because Skipping Childhood is a true story of survival, even though many elements of the novel is fiction.  We have all discovered by now that it is not unusual to find truth in fiction, especially when it comes to survival stories. 

In the publishing industry, when a book is based on a true story, presumably, the events that take place are true.  My book has an overwhelming amount of content that is inspired by true events, which is not necessarily the same thing.  While I never knew any 12 year-olds who killed anyone, I’ve known many, if not all of the characters in my book.  I’ve known their lives and their struggles and their challenges, and many of them, I’ve experienced first-hand.  So as an author, I’m able to write about abuse and survival with a sense of credibility, even if I use my imagination when writing about murder.

Difficult to Write and Read

Clearly, some topics are much more difficult to write and even to read.  I came across two books yesterday that I wanted to mention.  Both are based on true stories about child abuse and survival.  No More Pain Kindle Edition is written by Paige Green.  This is one that I purchased and plan to read.  I’ll also be posting a review when I’m done.   

           

The other book I came across is The Undoing: The uncertain nights of the Peterson children Kindle Edition by Gloria Watson.  This one I won’t be reading, and I mean no disrespect to the author.  One of the statements made in the book description is that this book is “not for the faint of heart”.  That rules me out.  I found it hard to even read the description of what both books were about, let alone to dive into something I know will be disturbing. 

The reason I chose to buy No More Pain is because the author did a good job of making me feel saddened by the topic, but curious to see what happens.  I know the content is delicate, but I don’t get put off in the way the author leads me to believe it will be presented.  I think this is an important aspect when writing about child abuse and survival, whether you write fiction or non-fiction.  I appreciate the candor and foresight Ms. Watson (author of the second book) showed.  She gave us a warning about her book and certain readers need to recognize that her warning is for them (like me).  This helps eliminate the chance of reading a book and giving it a poor review because your conscious was offended or it was too graphic to handle.

Writers who are not sensitive to this issue can find themselves being viewed in a questionable way.  I came across one title about a sexually abused child, and the description almost read like one of the erotica books I’ve reviewed in the past.  There should be no blurred lines when it comes to writing about sexual child abuse and writing about an adult sexual encounter.  The language, tone, and everything else should be distinctively different.  Failing to recognize this fact will put off a lot of readers, as well it should.

Less is More

The expression “less is more” has never been more fitting than in the above conversation.  I think authors should apply it when writing the necessary scenes and dialogue in stories about abuse and survival (fiction or non-fiction).  Readers who want to read and understand these types of tragic stories don’t necessarily feel the need for all the gritty details and language surrounding violent and sexual acts.  I personally tried to keep this point in mind when I wrote Skipping Childhood.  The topic is sensitive enough without adding all the shock value of horrific scenes and dialogue.

I welcome you to read Skipping Childhood:  A Novel (From Abused Foster Child to Adolescent Serial Killer) and see what you think about this point.

Finding Fiction Stories About Children Who Kill

CHILDREN WHO KILL

In my search to find other authors who write about children who kill, I’ve found that most authors who write on this topic seem to be more interested in writing non-fiction.  As you can notice from some of the titles in the column, there were actually some pretty notorious children who kill.  With modern day shootings like Columbine and more, there is no shortage of factual events for those who prefer research to imagination.

 

Authors who do chose to write from a fictional perspective have managed to do a really good job of scaring the crap out of readers, when it comes to the child character’s sinister behavior. 

When I think of the sinister aspect of children who kill, I know my Deandra Baxter character pales in comparison.  There is absolutely nothing sinister about her, in spite of the various deaths that she’s responsible for.  I was beginning to worry that perhaps her character was a little too “normal”, until I saw an old Jodie Foster movie recently.  The movie is called “The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane”.   

This movie made me smile and feel good about my Skipping Childhood character again.  “Rynn” (the little girl in the movie) is another very good point of reference I can use whenever I discuss the Deandra character.  I’ve often referenced Rhoda Penmark (The Bad Seed), but I think Deandra is closer to being Rynn than she is to being Rhoda.  Have you seen either of these movies (they were both adapted from books).  You can do your own comparison.  Why not purchase a copy of Skipping Childhood:  A Novel (From Abused Foster Child to Adolescent Serial Killer) and see what you think.  

Serial Killer Fascination: The Stuff We Like to Watch and Read

SERIAL KILLER

When you look at the type of television programs referred to as “murder porn” you end up seeing stories about all kinds of serial killers.  There is no doubt that there is a certain serial killer fascination when it comes to the stuff we like to watch and read.  I have to admit, it is a topic that I personally find interesting, although I’m not a big fan of unnecessary blood and gore.  When it comes to serial killer movies and books, I think the most intriguing aspect to me is the whole psychological part of it all.

My book:  Skipping Childhood:  A Novel (From Abused Foster Child to Adolescent Serial Killer) was always meant to be a story about a juvenile serial killer.  I say so right in the title, but even as I wrote the book, I knew Deandra Baxter wasn’t the typical serial killer you see in the movies or read about in your favorite books.  Now that the book has been released, I’ve had to pay attention to how exactly to market the book.  This has helped me understand just how different my particular serial killer character really is.  It seems that I’ve managed to write a book that has such an overwhelming sub theme, it nearly overshadows the main theme; a kid who commits multiple murders.

Using this blog as a platform to talk about the novel has helped me realize how many important issues my book touches on, with respect to child abuse.  Even though the book is a work of fiction, the blog still provides readers with a creative way to dialogue about a difficult topic.  My focus here is not merely on the book and gaining book sales and reviews.  It is to continue providing and receiving enlightenment on this delicate subject, from a survivor’s perspective.

I’ve asked myself should I promote and market my main character as an actual serial killer.  Her story will probably gain sympathy from the reader, in spite of her killings, but the reality is; considering the number of deaths that take place in the story, and the manner in which they occur, Deandra Baxter definitely qualifies as a serial killer.  Read the book and decide for yourself how you choose to view her.

Showing Support and Solidarity for Fellow Authors

SOLIDARITY

The Skipping Childhood Ramblings blog was created specifically as a platform to discuss various elements of my new urban suspense novel.  In order to help me follow through with providing consistent posts, I told myself two things before I started out.  The first thing I did was accept the fact that I’m lousy when it comes to trying to operate a “daily” blog so I told myself this will not be a daily blog.  I even mentioned in an earlier post how this has actually helped me to write more, not less.  You can read about this by clicking the:  “ACCEPTANCE” category link in the column.

The other thing I decided to do in order to focus more on the content and continuity of my blogging was to stop worrying about links.  Of course, my objective is to provide links to the novel’s “Amazon product page” at every opportunity that I can, but I hadn’t planned on linking other products.  Initially, the various books that you see on this blog did not contain links, merely the images and titles. 

Support and Solidarity

In the past, I’ve found that concentrating too much on trying to monetize your blog can interfere with actually providing content.  I don’t want that to be the case with this blog, so my thoughts were to omit links.  But then I thought about the whole ideal of providing support and offering solidarity for authors who dare to write about these difficult subjects.  Whether you are a fiction writer or a non-fiction writer; it is hard addressing difficult topics about children, especially like:
child abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, things no one wants to talk about.  I believe that to the extent we can help our fellow authors, we should; especially when their content, and products are so relevant to what we write ourselves.

So I started an Amazon Affiliate account, specifically to help get other authors promoted, book purchases, and possibly some reviews.  If you would like to help support other authors who are finding creative ways to heal and close old wounds, be sure to take advantage of the book links you find on this page.  Solidarity is important so show it whenever and where ever you can.

DON'T MISS THIS:

Have you got a chance to check out the new book trailer for "Skipping Childhood:  A Novel" yet?  You can click the link in this paragraph and view it on YouTube or simply click the main "BOOK TRAILER" link at the top of the page.  That way you can watch it right here on the blog, then continue reading when you're done.  ENJOY!

Adult “Child Abuse” Survivors: What to Do When You Want to Kill Your Abuser

 CLOSURE

Victims of sexual and physical child abuse rarely grow up to be well-adjusted adults and model citizens of the community; at least not without some kind of CLOSURE.

When you think about it, what else could you expect from a child when life has managed to stunt their growth and interfere with the normal course of development?  That is why it is so important for survivors of abuse to find some kind of productive way to purge themselves of bad memories and actions associated with those memories.  Finding just the right outlet can be difficult for many people.

 

In my novel, Skipping Childhood:  A Novel (From Abused Foster Child to Adolescent Serial Killer) it may seem like my main character, Deandra Baxter is a little extreme in her actions, but that’s because this is fiction.  After all, it is both illegal and immoral for a person to commit pre-meditated, coldblooded murder, even under seemingly justifiable conditions.  In real life, survivors DO NOT kill their abusers, but does that mean they can never find closure?  They can if they find something productive that works for them and helps them work their way through it.  Many former victims of abuse have found all kinds of creative outlets that enable them to give voice to their pain and suffering.  Being able to do this is liberating and both empowering at the same time.  I have experienced this first-hand with the writing and the completion of Skipping Childhood.

Writing is Therapeutic

Writing can be a very therapeutic thing, even if you’re only writing for yourself and don’t plan to let anyone else read it.  In fact, that can be the most liberating type of writing of all.  I discovered this many many years ago, even before I started writing professionally.  But I never knew just how therapeutic until I dove into this particular work of fiction.  Having put so much of my own life into the writing, forced me to confront a host of feelings and emotions I thought were long since buried, or I never knew existed.  I read something recently from another survivor and they said something similar.  In fact they went on to say how during the course of writing their own memoir, they got so emotional, they had to stop for a month or two, before resuming.  I experienced the same thing with Skipping Childhood.  

Find Your Outlet

If you’re reading this information right now and you haven’t sought some kind of help for your past abuse, it is high time you find a productive outlet.  Don’t underestimate the power of being able to release what’s inside in a productive way.  I continue to emphasize the word “productive”, because if you’re not careful, you’ll be forced to find a release valve, and it may not be a good outlet.  Start thinking about your own creativity and how you can use it as an outlet for good.  Here are a few ideas to start.

Writing | Poetry | Music | Painting | Drawing | Photography | Acting | Spoken Word    

Deandra Baxter (Character Analysis)

I realize now, and maybe all along, that I made this character kill her abusers because as a child, I desperately wanted to kill mine.  Now that I’m all grown up, I’m sure it’s probably wrong of me to still feel that way, and clearly I must, because of what I wrote.  But in all honesty, I think from the “writer” perspective combined with my own feelings, it was all about finding closure. 

But Deandra Baxter’s character wasn’t really looking for closure, because her abuse or threat of abuse was current.  So she was actually seeking to administer justice (as she saw it), especially when you consider the other incidents that surrounded and lead up to each murder.  As an author and a survivor, I’m happy that through the writing of this book, I ended up with an outlet that allowed me to find closure, AND also kill my abusers.

Like the book’s tag line says:  “Killing just ain’t right, but neither is child abuse.”

Skipping Childhood:  A Novel (From Abused Foster Child to

Adolescent Serial Killer)

BOOK TRAILER LINK