This is the title of an upcoming YA adventure written by Pat Green. Me. It will be releasing in Spring of 2025 with the second novel, Hearts of Glass Fade Away and Radiate coming in Fall/Winter of 2025.
It is the tale of teens who meet in a mall in the 80’s bonded by common experiences, interests and mutual traumas. Together, they discover love, friendship, a community and fight for one another with odds, and the real world, stacked against them.
Last night I was editing one of the chapters for the second draft and I found myself frozen after I wrote it. It was about partner violence and various responses to it by the characters.
Self blame, blame of others, excuses for behaviors, police inadequacy, a broken legal system, and so much more.
According to the CDC, in the United States, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men experience physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
My adult child works on the front lines of DV and SA and I could not be more proud. As a survivor of both in my childhood and friend to many who have experienced it, I love that my child is putting energy into being the difference.
In the chapter on partner violence I showcase that no one in the situation handles the event correctly in regards to the victim and the predator. Because for the most part we do not.
This is normally the time I make some snide remark about meme culture but I am too raw from this chapter’s edit to do that today. The character who is hurt is based on someone I knew and dated in the 80’s. So is the event and the reactions. I think of my own life and as I suffered as a child how few people who loved me were equipped to properly help and the ones who had authority did little to nothing for various reasons.
The system is broken and as I see what lay around the bend, it is going to get worse for women and other vulnerable people. With a system that is already broken that is likely to get worse, we are going to need each other now more than ever. I have 2 requests that are more urgent pleas.
Listen to Women and Fem Friday
When women speak out about the things happening to them, we need to stop and listen. My friend, Tawn of Tawnlandia has given the women of Fem Friday a voice. Even though I wrote the stories and knew the women, it hits different with Tawn’s collaboration. Fem Friday used to live here at Gen X Watch, but we needed these important stories about women to reach a larger audience.
Why is this a good place to start? Because as she becomes the voice of Sarah, Catalina, and others, you do not get to interrupt her, tell her what she should do. You are left to listen to the story, feel it, and know it is real and struggle with that as you decide to share the story.
This will be good practice for the day when you hear a woman or other victim say they are being hurt or have been hurt. You will know to just stop, listen, and hold space. That is the first step.
EDUCATE YOURSELF!!!!
I am leaving some links below to give you an opportunity to learn. This is more than memes about hotlines and you will be there, this is how to be there. Because in the real world, and in my novel, when we do it wrong, even with good intentions, things can get worse. And in this broken system we have that is not getting any better, she needs you now because you may be all she has. Will you listen to her? Will you educate yourself? Or does she die?
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