♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦
Topic #68
What do you want readers to take away from your work when they read it?
Welcome back to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop! If you’re new to the series, the authors included are grateful for your reads and appreciate, even more so, when you share our writings with your friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Be prepared to become a regular reader.
The takeaway of reading a novel has so many dimensions, of which, I think, we’re barely even aware of more than one or two. Most readers do so for entertainment. Beyond that is the gift of escape into a world different form one’s own. But, beyond that comes experiences that are unique to each reader. Certainly there will be commonalities, such as those who enjoy literary theory. Rarely does one think that reading fiction will give them insight into their own lives, or the world in which they live. Yet, literature does just that. Studies conducted by The New School in New York have produced the evidence. I know it’s true because I’ve lived it. Without the books that I had as a child, I am quite certain I would have grown up vastly different.
As for my books, I hope that readers take away historical learning as well as new perspectives. Yes, I write historical fiction, but I take the time to ensure that the details are as correct as possible for the periods, and circumstances. The public relations officer at West Point was quite shocked that I had bothered to call to inquire about such specific things as times of year that students were in session, vacations, types of classes, living conditions and other factors that affected students in the late 1850s. I’m sure young women don’t call about these things much. He was extremely helpful, and I am appreciative to him for that. Those facts help make Blue Honor a richer and more historically accurate book.
Outside of learning what life was like in the times depicted in my historical novels, there is the unique experiences of The Trailokya Trilogy. There is a lot in the trilogy, but it marries harmoniously. Amid the action, the reader will come to see the strong female lead overcoming obstacles we think we might never experience. It is my hope that someday most women will find Maiel’s experiences foreign. The takeaway here is that even the most powerful of figures can become the victim of an abuser. I want women, and men, who are experiencing Domestic Violence to see themselves in Maiel, and reach out for help. I want DV survivors to find healing in the narrative, with resounding me too‘s, that light their hearts with the fire of resurgence.
Domestic Violence and other abuses can leave victims traumatized for life. The PTSD that affects assault survivors can show up immediately or years down the road—when something triggers their memory. That’s why my site carries a warning on the books. If you’re not ready to read the material, please wait for when you are. Writing the series was not easy, and reading such scenes could pose a difficult task for those unprepared.
Healing, knowledge, and adventure should be the three main takeaways from my body of work. These are books about women, their experiences in their worlds, and how they survive and thrive.
Let’s hop on over to see what the other authors have to say on today’s hop…
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Yes, I like books where I can learn about the past. I am particularly interested in Victorian times for some unknown reason.
Me too! I think that’s why I write them. Those books, growing up, had the most impact on me. I think they’re why I am so empathetic and can view things critically and through their layers.