Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone

My mother used to say to me that I was afraid of trying.  I was never afraid of trying.  I’ve always been afraid of failing and being completely humiliated.  I would have stepped out of my comfort zone long ago if I truly stopped putting so much stock into what other people thought.  It’s like the old childhood saying, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”  Honestly, it was just a few years ago when I realized that people are going to think what they want regardless of what I say or do.  So, I thought, I might as well do me and try not to worry about criticism.  Besides, if I don’t put myself out there, how will I ever know if I have what it takes to become a successful writer? 

My writing takes a soft approach to sensitive topics: racial issues, homosexuality, illegal immigration, and domestic abuse.  I use comedy to ease my way into topics so it’s not too abrasive.  In Seasons Change, I wrote about domestic abuse and a woman’s struggle to obtain joint custody of her child.  There is a twist that makes my novel different from say Enough, a moving starring Jennifer Lopez.  Loved that movie by the way!  Enough is about a beautiful waitress who falls in love with a rich businessman, after he bets a buddy that he can nail her.  They end up getting married and starting a family and then she finds out that he’s cheating on her.  She confronts her husband, and he’s basically like, “Hey, look at what I’m giving you… fancy house, financial security… shut up and deal with it.”  When she’s had enough, she tells her husband that she’s not going to tolerate the abuse, and then he gets physically violent.  She eventually leaves and the drama unfolds. 

Domestic Abuse is a great topic because it's more prevalent in our society than ever before.  Sure there has always been domestic abuse, but it was a topic that was kept, as my son says, on the DL (down low).  Now it’s on the front page news and streaming on the internet.  It’s not just something that happens to the poor or middleclass.  Rich and famous men and women are victims too.  And it’s not just about physical abuse.  Domestic abuse comes in many forms: infidelity, verbal, financial.  The protagonist in Season Change must face all these issues. 

I put a partial chapter of Seasons Change on http://www.createspace.com/.  https://www.createspace.com/pub/community/give.review.do?id=1076911. 

Please visit the link and comment.  Asking for feedback is truly stepping out of my comfort zone.  Still, I'd like to hear (or read) your thoughts.

I’m hoping my novel will be released in the next couple of weeks.  I’ll definitely keep you posted. 

Finally, I want to thank you all for reading my blog and commenting.  I read all the comments and I appreciate the support. 

Peace and love,

~ Jennifer