Battle of the Book Covers: STAINED vs STAINED by Cheryl Rainfield

New Cover

I'm a big fan of Cheryl Rainfield. We met on Twitter and she's always been dear to my heart after  reading her book SCARS. It's based on her true life story of sexual abuse and terrible mistreatment and abuse during her early years. SCARS was published by a small publisher. Cheryl didn't anticipate the book making it into big bookstores. I was so excited to let her know when I spotted it in Barnes & Noble! Now Cheryl is moving up in the publishing world. Her newest book, STAINED  is being published by a major publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Readers! Yay! B&N has already signed on---and herein lies the rub: B&N didn't like the original book cover. They requested that it be changed.


Original cover

You may not realize it, dear reader, but a major book store has a lot of influence on a book's cover. If they don't like it, they can refuse to carry the book. That's a huge motivator to get a cover they're more comfortable with.

In this case, I think they're wrong. That's just my humble opinion of course. I'm looking at it from the simple position as a reader. STAINED is greatly influenced by Cheryl's personal experience with abuse. (Search for Cheryl's interview on this blog.) It's about a teen's experience when she is kidnapped and abused by her captor--both sexually and emotionally. Although Cheryl wrote her novel before recent events in the news, it's a ripped from the headlines echo of the crazy story of the man who kidnapped those four girls and held them captive for a decade.

B&N felt the original cover was too graphic. Really? The girl is shown being held captive. You totally know what this tale is about immediately. With the recent kidnapping revelations, it's an immediate draw. It's not like the cover model is showing her nude body. I think they're playing it too safe. Like I said, I know it would definitely catch my attention on the shelf, but I'm not a publishing professional, just a humble reader.

In any case, add it to your reading list. It releases October 1,  2013.

What do you think? Which cover do you like best?

Toodles, ya'll!

My Selection for Waiting on Wednesday: The Source of All Things by Tracy Ross

Waiting on Wednesday is the opportunity to learn what are the hotly anticipated books folks are anxious to get their hands on. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine and it was a marvelous idea! This week I'm looking at something totally different. It's not a feisty, hot, contemporary or paranormal YA story. It's serious reading; a memoir, one that deals with sexual abuse. The publisher sent me an ARC. Let's look at the blurb on the back of the book:

The Source of All Things is a stunning, emotionally wrought story about a woman, her abusive stepfather, and a mistake that has taken thirty years and thousands of miles of raw wilderness to reconcile. In this astonishing memoir, Tracy Ross does what few abuse victims have the courage to do: She confronts her own abuser in a compassionate bid for reconciliation. Unfolding among the achingly gorgeous landscapes of Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, and Alaska, this is a story of one woman's quest to escape her shatterd family, and in the process become her own protector.


Tracy grew up in a confusing blend of normal childhood moments and the sickening, secret invasion of her safety. She despised her stepfather for what he did to her. But he was also a protective father figure who made her feel smart and brave. He rescued her mother from deep depression, and shared with Tracy his love of adventure--the very passion for nature that eventually saved her life. For Teacy, the outdoors became the setting for her deepest sorrows and greatest joys. The Source of All Things describes her salvation in the wilderness, and shows how nature, at its most ungoverned, gave her the strength to confront her stepfather and demand the answers that could help her heal.

I've worked with kids who have been the victims of sexual abuse. Some were pregnant by their stepfathers, others by their biological fathers...Happy Fathers Day, Dad...I mean...Granddad..I mean both...yuck!

The author sought a "compassionate bid for reconciliation." Sexual abuse is such a reprehensible breach of a child's trust and innocence, I'm very interested in learning how Tracy Ross came to this point in her journey. It takes a lot of soul-searching to get there.

Are any of you brave enough to join me in discovering how she did it?

The Source of All Things released March 8, 2011

Toodles!

Adolescent Boys, Sex...Just Some Thoughts....

I ran across this book, Something Happened by Greg Logsted in the library and decided to pick it up and read it. It's the second book I've read about sex abuse by a teacher. The first is Boy Toy by Barry Lyga (see 9/27/09 post). Something Happened is fairly tame compared to Boy Toy which was fairly graphic and didn't hold back on the description of the sexual activity. It was not a gratuitous description and made sense in the context of the story, but the author informed me that he received a lot of complaints about it.

As I read both stories, I found myself really pissed at the perpetrators of the crimes: two female teachers, both very attractive and relatively young. When the abusers of sex crimes are women, there seems to be less outrage by the public at large; the media often focuses on the attractiveness of the perpetrator. In one such case, pictures were aired that showed the teacher wearing skimpy attire and posing for some modeling shots she had done in the past.

There's a kind of "boys will be boys" attitude by many and an assumption that this is a boy's dream come true...Well.  Not.  So.  Fast. As a therapist working with children, on more than one occasion, I've had boys come to me to complain about the sexual aggressiveness of girls. The boys complained about girls touching them inappropriately and they didn't like it. They sought help in trying to get the girl to cut it out. What age am I referring to? The boys ranged in age from about 13 to 15.

In my experience, boys entering adolescence are curious and intrigued with sex, but they're often afraid of it as well! They may talk and brag about it, but the thought of actually doing something scares a lot of them. That's why premature sexual activity with an adult is so damaging to their psyche and leads to emotional problems.

Now, you may wonder how an adult woman gets herself into a situation like this? Once again, based on my experience as a counselor, working with adolescent boys and being a keen observer of human interaction, let me offer my humble opinion. This by no means applies to every situation, but is just one possible scenario...

Join Cheryl Rainfield, Author of SCARS for a special TwitterChat on Wednesday, June 23.

Some of you may recall that I did an author interview of Cheryl Rainfield , author of SCARS on April 27. This book deals with a girl's struggle with sex abuse and self mutilation--cutting. While the book is a work of fiction, Ms. Rainfield certainly knows of which she writes as she too, struggled with such issues in her own life. Victims of abuse often self-harm in order to deal with their pain. On Wednesday, June 23 at 7 P.M. EST, Cheryl will be hosting a chat on Twitter about these issues and what can be done to stop it.

http://tiny.cc/wy12u

Won't you join her? If you or someone you know struggles with abuse in its various forms, feel the need to hurt or experience pain as a form of release to overcome difficult and hurtful circumstances, or if you simply want to learn more and understand, please stop in and take part in the chat. Use the hashtag #breaksilence.

I'll be there. I hope you will too.

One Day Giveaway Today Only: YA Goodness and a Little Touch of Bling! Blogmania 2010

WELCOME To BLOGMANIA !            

My Blog is 3 of 122  

You’ve arrived at exactly the right time to explore lots of new blogs, all of which, ARE GIVING AWAY A VERY SPECIAL BLOGMANIA GIVEAWAY  (For One Day Only – April 30^th) .

We’ve done all the work for you. No hunting or surfing. Each blog will have a number and each new blog link will have a number. These numbers will allow you to keep track of which blogs you’ve visited and how many are left to visit. Why not take a moment to make a list of blog numbers  1-122 and check off the blogs as you go.

I know you’ll want to visit as many blogs today as you can. So, if you see something that interests you on any of our participating blogs, why not bookmark that site. Later, when you have more time, you can discover all its fabulous treasures.  

Now, here are the particulars of MY GIVEAWAY and RULES:

I like to keep it simple folks. For a chance to win the Grand Prize or the First Prize just become a follower if you're not already and and leave a comment with your e-mail or some way to contact you. That's it! What could be simpler? Let's go over the fabulous prizes:

The Grand Prize consists of all three books in the Evernight series by Claudia Gray: Evernight, Stargazer and the newly released Hourglass. These books are a nice twist on Twilight and it's all about the vampires with love and romance of course. I can't say anything more or it will ruin the cool turns the story takes. I sure didn't see it coming...Nice!

  

                              

The First Prize is the intense new release, SCARS by Cheryl Rainfield. This is a story of one girl's painful struggle with the aftermath of sexual abuse and the self mutilation she utilizes to deal with it. The story is pretty suspenseful and takes some very dramatic and unexpected turns. My heart was pounding in more than a few scenes. Totally unexpected.

I'm also including a pair of multi colored drop earrings. Perfect for Spring or Summer outfits. Enjoy.

            

                                                                 

                                                                

Thanks for dropping by. The winners will be announced over the weekend. After you are done here, you may continue your journey by hitting up the blogs listed below. Hit the links and continue searching for book blogger bounty! Have fun!

Toodles!

(Blog- 1) – HOST OF BLOGMANIA) Between The Pages -http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com/

(Blog-2)– CO-HOST OF BLOGMANIA) The Black Sheep Dances -http://www.theblacksheepdances.blogspot.com

(Blog-43) - CO-HOST OF BLOGMANIA) Books, Books Everywhere - http://bookywooks.blogspot.com/

 (Blog-21) Amundsen House of Chaos - http://www.amundsenhouseofchaos.com/

(Blog-38) Parajunkee's View -  http://www.parajunkee.com/

(Blog-58) A Journey of Books - http://ajourneyofbooks.halfzero.net

(Blog- 98) Bertram's Blog - http://ptbertram.wordpress.com

(Blog-16) Coupon Clippin’ Mommy - http://www.couponclippinmommy.com/

(Blog-116) Chrissy’s World of Books - http://chrissysworldofbooks.blogspot.com/ 

(Blog-23) Enjoy Life, Enjoy Now - http://rantsravesandpetpeeves.blogspot.com

Sex Abuse Realities: Author Interview with Cheryl Rainfield, Author of SCARS.

1) It took you 10 years to get SCARS published. Tell us about that. Why so long?

 I think it was a combination of how much there is in Scars that people can have a hard time reading or talking about--self-harm, sexual abuse, and a lesbian character--as well as my own growth as a writer. Scars has a lot in one book, I think--especially for traditional publishers. But they're things that teens know about, things that need to be talked about.

I went through many revisions of Scars over the years. I had to learn to be able to write in more lightness and happiness. I know my writing technique and knowledge also improved over the years.

I also think that there was some luck involved in getting Scars published--some serendipity and timing. I found the perfect publisher and perfect editor for Scars just when they came together.

2) SCARS is a moving story. You've been open in acknowledging your own trials and tribulations with sexual abuse. How much of SCARS is your story? How much is autobiographical?

I drew deeply on my emotional truths and experiences for Scars--but it really is work of fiction. I am not Kendra. That said, I did put a lot of myself into Kendra, and I strongly identify with her. I think I'm sensitive, compassionate, emotional, and artistic like Kendra. And, like her, I'm easily hurt, yet emotionally strong--a fighter. And of course I'm a survivor of incest and ritual abuse, used self-harm to cope, and am lesbian.

Like Kendra, I coped with the trauma of abuse by cutting. The emotional pain was too overwhelming, the effects too deep. It was a coping I needed. And, like Kendra, some of my abusers taught me to cut myself to keep silent.  one now. Both provided me with some of the only safety and love I knew. But unlike Kendra, I never experienced closeness to or kindness from my abusers/parents.

Kendra is more feisty than I was as a teen. More challenging and outspoken. I fought back against my abusers, but in my own ways; I was able to be more protective of others than of myself.

First Prize Revealed: Blogmania Update. April 30, 2010

I've decided on the First Prize for the One Day Blogmania giveaway on April 30. I'm going to giveaway the new release SCARS by Cheryl Rainfield. I just finished this book and it is a compelling tale of a girl's perilous journey to survive sexual abuse and the self-injurious behavior she utilizes to cope. It offers a wealth of resources at the end of the book for those seeking assistance with these troubling issues.  The author struggled with these issues personally and knows of which she speaks.

I'm pleased to offer this book, not only as a moving piece of fiction, but as a helpful resource as well.

April 30th is fast approaching. Don't forget to pass by here for an opportunity to get some great books.

Toodles!

SCARS by Cheryl Rainfield: A Personal Journey, Ten Years in the Making.

The completion of SCARS, was a very personal one for the author, Cheryl Rainfield.  It took her ten years to get it published. Though it is a book of fiction dealing with self-harm, it's foundation is based upon her own painful struggles with sex abuse. Self mutilation is an attempt to release tension and a response to feeling shame. It is not uncommon in children who have been sexually abused. As a therapist that has worked with such children, I know how important it is for people to recognize the signs of this kind of trauma. I hope you'll pick up this book. It'll be an eyeopener, much as Boy Toy by Barry Lyga, that I discussed in a earlier post.

The arms you see displayed on the cover of the novel are actully those of the author Cheryl Rainfield. The scars were enhanced for the cover.

SCARS releases today!

Thanks for dropping by.

Sex Abuse Alert and Book Review: Boy Toy

If you have read my introductory post as well as my All about Me profile, you'll recall I stated that in addition to discussing literary matters, I will be touching on my insights as an educator and therapist.  These concern life issues that are important and beneficial for all to understand.

Professionally, I have worked with youngsters in various capacities: the school system, the legal system and the mental health/social service systems. A couple of incidents, both recent and not so recent in addition to a novel I just completed reading, has served as the catalyst for the post today. Let me begin with the book review.

Boy Toy by Barry Lyga is a 409 page young adult novel that delineates the tale of Josh Mendel, a 12 year old boy who is manipulated into a sexual relationship with his teacher. The story goes back and forth from the present to the past and follows Josh as an 18 year old high school senior who still struggles with the aftermath of the affair, years later. The book depicts the sexual activity fairly graphically, but it is not gratuitously so. It is real and organic to the story and yes--it's disturbing to read as you consider that the boy is only 12 years old and suffering emotional damage from premature sexual activity.

There have been a number of highly publicized incidents involving minors and school staff. People may be prone to dismiss such occurrences because the perpetrator is a pretty female and they take a "boy's will be boy's" attitude. This book exemplifies the real damage that occurs to the child's psyche as a result of such abuse. I highly recommend reading it.