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Guest Blogger - Jo Ramsey
Jul. 7th, 2015 11:37 pmHi everyone, Welcome Jo Ramsey. She's stopping by with her latest novel.
Making a Difference
Dating a girl who was sexually assaulted, the one thing Holly McCormack, the main character of my new novel Blue Jeans and Sweatshirts, knows for sure is that there isn’t enough support for assault survivors. Just among their group of friends, Holly knows of at least six girls and one boy who have survived such an experience—and she knows that nearly all of them feel alone.
Holly’s first solution is to form a support group at their high school, but the school administration immediately shuts down the idea. They don’t believe such a group is appropriate in a school, especially if there isn’t a professional therapist involved. With the school not agreeing to the suggestion, Holly and her friends turn to plan B: They form the group anyway and arrange to rotate meetings among the members’ houses.
None of them are quite certain whether it’s a good idea not to have any adults involved, but all of them feel that just having an outlet to talk about their experiences and the aftermath will help. And Holly is glad she can do something to show support to her friends, even if she isn’t completely sure how to do it.
It doesn’t take a lot to make a difference in your life or the lives of others. Holly’s initial suggestion of the support group came after she learned other classmates had come forward to report assaults, or had come forward to support Chastaine, Holly’s girlfriend. Holly saw a need for a safe space where assault survivors could talk, help one another, and remind themselves they weren’t alone, and she set out to fill that need.
That’s all it takes. See a need, think of a way to fill it, and try. Even if you aren’t successful in doing what you set out to do, you’ve made the effort. And others will see that effort and be grateful for it, or might find a way to make your solution a reality. Anyone can be a hero, like my author tagline says. And making a difference—or just trying to—is one way to be one.
Blue Jeans and Sweatshirts is the fourth novel of my Deep Secrets and Hope series, and is available from Harmony Ink Press and third party retail sites, in e-book and paperback. Here’s the blurb and a short excerpt:
Holly McCormack has secrets. She’s started a support group for sexual assault survivors at her high school, but she was never assaulted. She’s also dating a girl, but she’s not a lesbian—at least not to the outside world—and that’s how she hopes to keep it. To top everything off, her girlfriend, Chastaine Rollo, is the most gorgeous girl at their school, and Holly is eating as little as she can because she thinks she’s “too fat.”
When hearing the stories of survivors begins to take its toll, Holly’s eating becomes even more of a problem. And as she struggles to hide her relationship with Chastaine from her parents, the stress becomes too much. But when keeping secrets has become second nature, it leaves her with no one to confide in.
EXCERPT:
“What’s the worst that might happen if you come out to your parents?” Chastaine asked without looking at me.
“They’ll kick me out,” I said without thinking.
As soon as I said it, I knew that wouldn’t happen. They wouldn’t be happy. They might be pissed off, and we probably would get along even worse than we were now. But they wouldn’t make me move out of our house. They couldn’t hate me that much.
“If they kicked you out, Mom would let you stay here,” Evan said. “She wouldn’t take that kind of thing, even if your mother is her sister. She could have flipped out on me when I came out, but she didn’t, even though people kept telling her I was too young to know I was gay and Dad threatened to take her to court. She stood up for me every single time. She’d stand up for you too.”
“Maybe you should tell Imogen before you tell your parents,” Guillermo said. “Then at least the first adult you tell would be someone supportive, and maybe she can help you talk to your mom and dad.”
“That’s why I love this guy,” Evan said. “He’s a genius. Do you want to talk to Mom, Holly? I think Moe’s right, but it’s up to you.”
“Yeah. I think.” I was nervous about telling Aunt Imogen, but she was definitely easier to talk to than my parents. And she had plenty of experience dealing with a kid who wasn’t straight.
“Do you want me here too?” Chastaine asked.
“Thanks, but I’d rather you not be. Sorry.” It would be hard enough talking to Aunt Imogen with Evan there, and at least if Chastaine wasn’t around, I could chicken out and not feel totally guilty about it.
“No problem,” she said. “I just wanted to offer. It’s all good.”
“Do your parents know, Chastaine?” Guillermo asked.
“Hell no. They had a hard enough time with finding out I wasn’t a virgin.” She sighed. “I’m going to tell them this weekend, probably. We go to church with half the people who are probably spreading rumors, so I’d better talk to them before Sunday.”
“Do you want some moral support? Your parents like me.”
“Everyone likes Guillermo Garcia.” Chastaine laughed. “Yeah, they think you’re great. They were sad when they found out you’re gay. I think after we went to Homecoming together, they hoped we’d be an official couple.”
He shrugged. “What can I say? I’m just that awesome. Do you want me to come over when you tell them? Or at least help you figure out what to say? I have a little bit of experience coming out to parents who believe in a God that says gay is wrong.”
“Your parents never said that, though, did they?” I asked. According to Evan, Guillermo’s dad wasn’t exactly happy to have a gay son, but both of Guillermo’s parents had accepted it.
“No. My parents believe in family over prejudice.”
“I think I can handle Mom and Dad,” Chastaine said. “I handled everything after I reported Jim. Compared to that, they’ll probably be relieved if the only thing I tell them is I’m bi.”
“Can I talk to your mom tonight, Evan?” I asked.
“Sure. Let me text her and let her know, though. Not what you’re going to tell her, but just that you want to talk to her. Otherwise, she’ll try to get you out of here as soon as she gets home.” He took his phone out of his pocket and sent the text.
AUTHOR BIO:
Jo Ramsey is a former special education teacher who now writes full time. She firmly believes that everyone has it in them to be a hero, whether to others or in their own lives, and she tries to write books that encourage teens to be themselves and make a difference. Jo has been writing since age five and has been writing young adult fiction since she was a teen herself; her first YA book was published in 2010. She lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, her husband, and two cats, one of whom likes to read over her shoulder. Find out more about Jo and her books at http://www.joramsey.com.
Making a Difference
Dating a girl who was sexually assaulted, the one thing Holly McCormack, the main character of my new novel Blue Jeans and Sweatshirts, knows for sure is that there isn’t enough support for assault survivors. Just among their group of friends, Holly knows of at least six girls and one boy who have survived such an experience—and she knows that nearly all of them feel alone.
Holly’s first solution is to form a support group at their high school, but the school administration immediately shuts down the idea. They don’t believe such a group is appropriate in a school, especially if there isn’t a professional therapist involved. With the school not agreeing to the suggestion, Holly and her friends turn to plan B: They form the group anyway and arrange to rotate meetings among the members’ houses.
None of them are quite certain whether it’s a good idea not to have any adults involved, but all of them feel that just having an outlet to talk about their experiences and the aftermath will help. And Holly is glad she can do something to show support to her friends, even if she isn’t completely sure how to do it.
It doesn’t take a lot to make a difference in your life or the lives of others. Holly’s initial suggestion of the support group came after she learned other classmates had come forward to report assaults, or had come forward to support Chastaine, Holly’s girlfriend. Holly saw a need for a safe space where assault survivors could talk, help one another, and remind themselves they weren’t alone, and she set out to fill that need.
That’s all it takes. See a need, think of a way to fill it, and try. Even if you aren’t successful in doing what you set out to do, you’ve made the effort. And others will see that effort and be grateful for it, or might find a way to make your solution a reality. Anyone can be a hero, like my author tagline says. And making a difference—or just trying to—is one way to be one.
Blue Jeans and Sweatshirts is the fourth novel of my Deep Secrets and Hope series, and is available from Harmony Ink Press and third party retail sites, in e-book and paperback. Here’s the blurb and a short excerpt:
Holly McCormack has secrets. She’s started a support group for sexual assault survivors at her high school, but she was never assaulted. She’s also dating a girl, but she’s not a lesbian—at least not to the outside world—and that’s how she hopes to keep it. To top everything off, her girlfriend, Chastaine Rollo, is the most gorgeous girl at their school, and Holly is eating as little as she can because she thinks she’s “too fat.”
When hearing the stories of survivors begins to take its toll, Holly’s eating becomes even more of a problem. And as she struggles to hide her relationship with Chastaine from her parents, the stress becomes too much. But when keeping secrets has become second nature, it leaves her with no one to confide in.
EXCERPT:
“What’s the worst that might happen if you come out to your parents?” Chastaine asked without looking at me.
“They’ll kick me out,” I said without thinking.
As soon as I said it, I knew that wouldn’t happen. They wouldn’t be happy. They might be pissed off, and we probably would get along even worse than we were now. But they wouldn’t make me move out of our house. They couldn’t hate me that much.
“If they kicked you out, Mom would let you stay here,” Evan said. “She wouldn’t take that kind of thing, even if your mother is her sister. She could have flipped out on me when I came out, but she didn’t, even though people kept telling her I was too young to know I was gay and Dad threatened to take her to court. She stood up for me every single time. She’d stand up for you too.”
“Maybe you should tell Imogen before you tell your parents,” Guillermo said. “Then at least the first adult you tell would be someone supportive, and maybe she can help you talk to your mom and dad.”
“That’s why I love this guy,” Evan said. “He’s a genius. Do you want to talk to Mom, Holly? I think Moe’s right, but it’s up to you.”
“Yeah. I think.” I was nervous about telling Aunt Imogen, but she was definitely easier to talk to than my parents. And she had plenty of experience dealing with a kid who wasn’t straight.
“Do you want me here too?” Chastaine asked.
“Thanks, but I’d rather you not be. Sorry.” It would be hard enough talking to Aunt Imogen with Evan there, and at least if Chastaine wasn’t around, I could chicken out and not feel totally guilty about it.
“No problem,” she said. “I just wanted to offer. It’s all good.”
“Do your parents know, Chastaine?” Guillermo asked.
“Hell no. They had a hard enough time with finding out I wasn’t a virgin.” She sighed. “I’m going to tell them this weekend, probably. We go to church with half the people who are probably spreading rumors, so I’d better talk to them before Sunday.”
“Do you want some moral support? Your parents like me.”
“Everyone likes Guillermo Garcia.” Chastaine laughed. “Yeah, they think you’re great. They were sad when they found out you’re gay. I think after we went to Homecoming together, they hoped we’d be an official couple.”
He shrugged. “What can I say? I’m just that awesome. Do you want me to come over when you tell them? Or at least help you figure out what to say? I have a little bit of experience coming out to parents who believe in a God that says gay is wrong.”
“Your parents never said that, though, did they?” I asked. According to Evan, Guillermo’s dad wasn’t exactly happy to have a gay son, but both of Guillermo’s parents had accepted it.
“No. My parents believe in family over prejudice.”
“I think I can handle Mom and Dad,” Chastaine said. “I handled everything after I reported Jim. Compared to that, they’ll probably be relieved if the only thing I tell them is I’m bi.”
“Can I talk to your mom tonight, Evan?” I asked.
“Sure. Let me text her and let her know, though. Not what you’re going to tell her, but just that you want to talk to her. Otherwise, she’ll try to get you out of here as soon as she gets home.” He took his phone out of his pocket and sent the text.
AUTHOR BIO:
Jo Ramsey is a former special education teacher who now writes full time. She firmly believes that everyone has it in them to be a hero, whether to others or in their own lives, and she tries to write books that encourage teens to be themselves and make a difference. Jo has been writing since age five and has been writing young adult fiction since she was a teen herself; her first YA book was published in 2010. She lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, her husband, and two cats, one of whom likes to read over her shoulder. Find out more about Jo and her books at http://www.joramsey.com.
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