Evelyn

Yesterday, a collaboration project that has taken five years finally hit the market.
Evelyn is a survivor/abuse victim fictional story, but there's a twist to it. Evelyn, DB, and Sarge are all fictional, created by a woman with an uncanny way of painting a picture for you. The other individuals are all real people, with real abuse backgrounds, and stories of survival.

All of their names have been changed, the stories altered for their protection, and you want to know what frustrated me the most? They can't be credited in any way for their contribution. They deserve to have the world know that they are survivors, and have risen above and gone beyond anything they ever thought they could have once upon a time,  but because there is someone out there who put them there in the first place, they can never be revealed, at least by me.

The woman who is the main collaborator with me, the one who created the three fictional characters, had to prioritize things because of family illness...she doesn't want credit for any of it, but she deserves a great deal of it.

This is not to toot my own horn, because I cannot take credit for this story. This was a collective work, so to speak, with so many voices contributing, I just wove them all together in a fairly decent read.

The biggest frustration of all of this is the subject matter. I wish with all my might that these stories didn't have to be written...that there weren't real people out there, experiencing the things these survivors endured, some of them rising above and conquering their circumstances, others who have not been so fortunate. I wish there were not horrible people, committing horrible offenses toward women, children, and yes, against men, but there are. As Birdie, one of the characters in the book asked, "do we need to bring shovels and alibis?" I'm right there with you, Birdie.

My, or rather, our hope is that Evelyn will show those who are experiencing whatever stage of abuse they're in, that there are ways to get out. You are more than what you are being told. You are loved above measure by God. The Bible says that you are worth more than even the sparrow who falls, and God sees and cares about them, how much more are you loved and worth?

There are people out there, who, like you, have gone through what you're going through, and have survived, albeit with some bumps, bruises and heavy scars, internally, externally, psychologically and spiritually. They can help. There are hotlines that can be called. There are ways to alert doctors or law enforcement, even when the abuser is near. Do not believe the lie that you are worthless, that you can't do better, that you can't be loved more than what the abuser gives you.

DON'T BELIEVE THE LIES!! You are worthy. You are beautiful. You are a wondrous creation, fashioned by God's own hands, and God doesn't make junk.

Thanks for bearing with me on this post. I will tell you that this was a tough project, and I'm glad it's over, at least this part. I hope that if you read Evelyn, and you are being abused that you are able to get to a safe place. If you are a survivor, or someone who helps those who are in the midst of abuse to get to a safe place, God bless you and keep you.

Evelyn is available on amazon.com.

Thank you for your continued support. God bless every one of you.
L.