Like many writers, artists and musicians, I've had lots of challenges and difficulties in life to overcome, or at least survive. It's ironic in some ways, but it seems like there are a lot of very sensitive people who were wounded in some way, have had difficulties and who became writers or other creative professionals. I think the arts in general are so important, because they give people a way to express anger, joy, sadness, grief and love in appropriate ways.
It took me a long time to get a proper diagnosis, since I wasn't talking about anything that happened to me, but eventually I did. I have PTSD primarily from growing up in a violent, abusive household. I write stories to try and save myself, empty all the garbage out of my head, and maybe heal a little bit more. In publishing what I've written, I hope to help others in their healing journeys.
I started writing in part to try to dissect and process stories from my own life. When you're a kid in dangerous, insane, adult situations, you don't always have the means to process or comprehend what is happening. This is part of what causes so much trauma and damage in domestic violence. People think about the adults and assume the children are “resilient” so they're fine. People are resilient, but they aren't necessarily “fine” after being horribly traumatized by some event. I always tell people to write it down, even if it never sees the light of day. Unburden yourself so that whatever it is won't eat you alive.
People don't think about how traumatic poverty or homelessness are. I've survived both. But you're not supposed to ever talk about it if you have. You're supposed to be ashamed that you went through a bad patch and had absolutely nowhere to go for help. I say, I'm using all of it. Every crappy thing, every beautiful thing. All of the myriad experiences are going to be used so that I didn't go through all that suffering for nothing. I can't stand the thought of that being the case.
It's also therapeutic for me to connect with people through my keyboard, because my social anxiety is so extreme, I often completely freeze up when talking to people. Public speaking isn't in the cards for me. Some days during the winter, I get so agoraphobic that I can't even go to the grocery store without having a panic attack.
Writing is also how I know sometimes I can make people laugh. It's one of my favorite things about Twitter. Making people laugh and being silly are very therapeutic to me. And-- bonus! it is for everyone else too.
I write, because it's my message in a bottle. I try to connect with others in the only way I really know how-- through writing. Can something I've written can help people who are different be less feared and less misunderstood? Can I change someone's mind so they'll have more empathy for “that weirdo” in their kid's class? Can I write something that will help counteract this culture of bullying and fear?
It's healing for me to try. I don't know if it'll work.
Fasten your seatbelts for a white-knuckled ride on the looney wagon and trip down memory lane with a band of misfit teenagers. Kiera Graves and her small posse of true blue friends plot ways to escape their cowtown; and play a game of keep away with her Machiavellian family to help her survive high school and make it to college.
Courage under fire, the closest bonds of friendship and blossoming romance keep this tale of coming of age and survival buzzing with excitement, heart, and warmth.
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Genre - General Fiction
Rating – PG-13
More details about the author
Connect with Kate LeDonne on Twitter
Website http://kateledonne.com/
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