Happy Independence Day!
The aim of fiction is often to make a character
change - and sometimes grow. At the beginning of my novel, IN TRANSIT, Rita Del Vecchio, the protagonist, is a rather naive,
20-something young girl. She feels stalled in her life, working as a waitress.
But when a psychic in a shopping mall reads her Tarot cards and suggests that
she is "destined for greatness" and she will "marry a man in uniform,"
Rita sets out on a quest to become a New York City Police Officer.
What I envisioned for the arc of Rita's
character was her coming of age and learning about the "real" world
by living her life - and falling in love. But in order to make her character
change and grow, I needed something to butt up against her naivete - something
to serve in direct contrast to her innocence. Often, the most painful
experiences and challenges in life are the ones that foster growth and
maturity. That's what led me to weave the chilling realities of domestic abuse
into the narrative. Some of the violent scenes in the novel made me, even as
the writer, cringe and feel sad. I didn't want this fate to befall Rita, but
those aspects of the story, and Rita's ultimate need to liberate and save
herself, are essential to Rita's growth as a character.
In order to more fully engage the reader and
ratchet up the tension, I decided to structure IN
TRANSIT in such a way that the reader is privy to more
details than the protagonist. For Rita Del Vecchio, love is blind. She meets
many men in uniform in the NYPD. And she falls in love with someone she thinks
is wonderful, but the reader knows better - that the man she loves is actually
leading a double life. It is that double-life that creates tension that ultimately
seeps into the fabric of the couple's relationship until "Mr.
Wonderful" becomes "Mr. Not-So Wonderful."
What will it take to make this couple stay
together? What will drive them apart? And do we ever really know people? Do we
even know ourselves? These are the very questions that are raised by reading IN
TRANSIT...
Today is July 4th, INDEPENDENCE
DAY, the day that we, in the United States,
celebrate the emancipation of our country from the ties of England. In our own
lives, just like in the life of Rita Del Vecchio from IN TRANSIT, we all have
our own, personal Independence Days - people and situations which force us to
make decisions that will ultimately change us and force us to grow. What are
the great lessons of your life and what have you learned from them? Are you a
better person because of those experiences? We encourage you to share your
stories with us.
To learn more about Kathleen Gerard and IN
TRANSIT--and to read more details about the story
behind the story--visit http://intransit-thenovel.blogspot.com
Copyright 2011 by Kathleen Gerard. All Rights Reserved.
Information about Domestic Abuse:
Domestic abuse is
widespread. According to U.S. FBI reports, husbands and boyfriends kill
approximately 1,500 women a year. And in any given year 2,000,000 men beat
their wives/girlfriends. Children in these homes are also at high risk to be
battered and injured.
If you are suffering abuse, please know that YOU (and your loved ones) ARE NOT ALONE! There is help out there!
Contact the National
Domestic Violence/Abuse Hotline
1.800.799.SAFE (7233)
1.800.787.3224 (TTY)
Anonymous & Confidential Help 24/7
Anonymous & Confidential Help 24/7
5 comments:
Hi Jenai...Happy July 4th! I really appreciate your support of IN TRANSIT, and I thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts with readers of "Bookingly Yours." Happy Summer Reading! :) Kathleen
Thanks for such an interesting and informative guest post Kathleen. I find the idea of us all having our own independence day fascinating.
Jenai, thanks for hosting a guest post by Kathleen on Bookingly Yours for the "In Transit" blog tour. We appreciate your support of the book and for allowing Kathleen to delve into the behind-the-scenes process of its creation.
I really liked when Kathleen said, "But in order to make her character change and grow, I needed something to butt up against her naivete - something to serve in direct contrast to her innocence." It seems in this case the starker the contrast, the more it penetrates the reader's mind. What a great writing technique!
Petty Witter - Greetings to you in the UK! Thanks for your comment. Glad you enjoyed the post and hope it inspires you in your own life and work. :) Kathleen
Thanks for such an interesting and informative guest post Kathleen. I find the idea of us all having our own independence day fascinating.
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