Strength and Your Amazing Generosity
I’ve been under the weather for a couple of days, nothing major, but enough to distract me, so imagine my surprise when I saw how much above and beyond you guys had donated to our charity from Giving Tuesday, Mary’s House of Hope at A Safe Place. Thank you for donating on Tuesday and for continuing to donate. You guys are the best! In fact you’ve been so amazing that we’re going to keep the fundraising going. I’ve signed so many books and we will continue to give away signed books as long as you guys keep giving so generously to this wonderful charity.
I’ve chosen to do a couple of very personal blogs recently. One with the video from my Pikes Peak Writer’s Conference keynote speech where I talked publicly for the first time about what has happened in my life when fans became obsessed, and/or turned into haters, or worse. Then I followed up with an equally personal blog explaining why I chose the charity that I did. Your reaction to both blogs has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive, thank you all so much. In fact, you’ve been so lovely about it all that I’ve decided to continue to share.
When I was first being interviewed about the Anita Blake novels, almost every journalist asked me some variation of this, “Why did you decide to write a strong female character?”
My reply was a variation of, “Growing up I learned, that you were either strong, or a victim. It never occurred to me to have a main character that was anything else but strong.”
My grandmother fought back against my grandfather and never let his abuse turn her into a victim. She was a fighter and she helped make me one, too. She’s a big part of why Anita Blake is so strong, stubborn, and unflinching. Her telling me that Rawhead and Bloody Bones would get me if I was a bad little girl, instead of the boogeyman, would give me a plot for the fifth Anita Blake novel, Bloody Bones, and send me researching Celtic mythology, which led me to write the Meredith Gentry series. My grandmother probably helped me give strength to Merry in the face of the abuse of her own family. Helping turn her from helpless princess to Los Angeles Private Detective and Queen. You, the fans, have told me that Anita’s strength, Merry’s strength, have helped you be strong in your real lives. Strength shared is strength multiplied, let’s keep sharing the best of ourselves, and thank you again for your generosity to Mary’s House of Hope, at a Safe Place.
6 thoughts on “Strength and Your Amazing Generosity”
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I couldn’t not give. Having grown up in a poisonous, abusive home, I needed the strength of an Anita Blake or Merry Gentry. Reading both the series inspires me to take no shit from no one. The Safe Place is strength. It is the strength a woman needs to get out and get help. Thank you for sharing your journey and letting us help.
I love both series and have just started rereading the Anita Blake books. In fact I just finished Bloody Bones this afternoon. I love Anita’s attitude and her strength. Thank you for sharing such strong characters and great stories. My daughter escaped an abusive relationship and my fear when I could not reach her and I found out later what happened was scary. It was a good thing that I did not physically see him again because anger swiftly took over when I knew she was safe. Abuse comes in so many shapes and your stories show that the monsters aren’t always obvious and that it’s good to keep fighting.
Is Richard ever coming back he is part of her and jealous power base
This right here is why you’re my favorite author. You’re brave enough to show us your scars and it reminds us that you are human like the rest of us. It’s a pretty incredible thing.
Thank you for putting a face to domestic violence. I know from my work with survivors how important it is to remind them of their own strength. Often this is the first thing that’s taken from them and they lose faith that they’ll ever get it back.
I can’t tell you how amazing it is to see them realize that their strength was there the whole time.
I read your books because I identify with Anita without the killing of course. I was abused as a young girl and at 15 years old I stood up against my abuser. Even though being strong and refusing to be a victim anymore tore our family apart, I can’t feel bad about it because even if everyone didn’t believe me I knew the truth. Being strong and looking after yourself doesn’t make you selfish, it frees you
My ex husband started reading “Guilty Pleasures” to me the night before I was scheduled to be induced with my now 14 year old daughter. I was absolutely hooked. I soon fell in love with all of the characters and got lost in a world that I wish I could be a part of. I have had ideas for books and have considered writing since I was 12, but I’ve never had the courage. I admire you for all the obstacles you have overcome to do what you have done. You are every bit as brave as Anita and Merry. 🙂 I sincerely hope that you continue your writing and that you continue to find joy in it.