I’m a big fan of fiction that fills a need. While recovering from a broken pelvis, I wrote a book for my animal/adventure-loving fifth-grader. A year later, while in treatment for ovarian cancer, I wrote a series for my other daughter and teens/tweens who love musical theater but can’t find books set in that world. When the Harvey Weinstein nightmare erupted, I was horrified at the parallels in how naysayers treat victims of both incest and workplace harassment. I decided the world needed a novel exploring that, and taking readers into the minds of survivors. (Thankfully, I wasn’t recovering from an injury or disease while writing that one!)
I wrote...
Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
By
S.M. Stevens
What is my book about?
Horseshoes and Hand Grenades explores the impact of “mild” sexual abuse on a young woman’s choices in a coming-of-age story, with a parallel story about her friend experiencing workplace harassment in the pre-MeToo era. I wrote this particular story—which many, many individuals can relate to—to show that even “lesser abuse” impacts people. Their pain is valid and their healing triumphant.
I also wanted to take non-victims into the minds of survivors so they might finally stop asking stupid questions like: Was it partly your fault? Why are you speaking up? Was it such a big deal? No one ever asks those questions of someone who has been robbed or had their life threatened!
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The Books I Picked & Why
Invisible Girl
By
Sandra J. Dixon
Why this book?
The younger the victim, the more egregious the act seems. This true story is a riveting read. Dixon repressed childhood incest memories until, ironically, she became a nurse helping others with similar pasts. The book is an insightful look at how hidden pain manifests itself in our current lives regardless of what walls the mind has erected to protect us. Woven into the memoir is helpful advice for survivors, counselors, lawyers, and others working with abuse victims. I was mesmerized.
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The Kiss: A Memoir
By
Kathryn Harrison
Why this book?
You would be forgiven for finding this memoir creepy and cringe-worthy. It is also bold and brave in its brash, brutally honest depiction of a sexual relationship between a woman in her twenties and her father. (I refuse to call it “love”.) The story is a raw example of how predators push through the permeable walls between right and wrong for their own gain. You may not agree with the young woman’s choices and you may not feel satisfied in the end, but you will accept her anguish and enter a world you hate to know exists.
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Stay Mad, Sweetheart
By
Heleen Kist
Why this book?
This hugely entertaining and thought-provoking novel tackles sexual harassment and cyberbullying in a fast-paced revenge tale. Three women in the early stages of successful careers seek to avenge a friend who fell victim to a celebrity’s advances only to be harassed a second time by multitudes of strangers online. We see fault and questionable behavior from the victim, the perpetrators, and the friends. As the book's description says, it's a fine line between justice and revenge. And, I might add, that line differs for every individual.
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The Color Purple
By
Alice Walker
Why this book?
If you haven’t yet read this modern classic, consider it time. Incest is not technically the focus but it threads throughout the narrative as one of many violent acts impacting the lives of the characters as they struggle to survive and attain some degree of identity and peace. As with any trauma, the abuse’s repercussions are manifested in expected and unexpected ways. You’ll draw a deep breath and sigh in relief when the main character Celie propels herself beyond her past to attain a new level of freedom and happiness.
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The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
By
Ellen Bass,
Laura Davis
Why this book?
First published in 1988, this self-help book remains a crucial guide for survivors of incest and childhood sexual abuse. The first important thing it does is tell survivors they are not alone; this remains critical even though social media has relieved some of the isolation victims feel. Second, it gives shape to the demon through heartbreaking first-hand accounts. Third, it offers a pathway to healing, laying out practical steps and writing exercises suitable for anyone. The book has a few critics but as someone who benefitted personally from the wisdom and caring in these pages, I say, “Ignore them.”
