Rain Dance and Joy Dekok
Rain Dance is a novel that deals with the issues of infertility and abortion. It attempts to answer the question: Can shattered dreams be part of the plan?
Abortion is still one of the most divisive issues women and men confront. Infertility is still one of the most misunderstood experiences women and men face.
I'm passionate about both which can be dangerous for an author. The rules of writing say the author must stay out of the story. I knew that couldn't happen with Rain Dance.
Then there was the fact that combining these topics in one book made the project daunting. The issues looked mountain-sized and I'd have to climb them both. I also knew I was going to ask readers on all sides of the abortion issue to look beyond the politics to the personal. My own beliefs and hypocrisies would splash all over the pages. . .so that meant I'd break a rule of writing . . . as the author, I'd have to show myself on the pages. I could only hope it didn't come across as intrusive or meddling or worse yet. . .preachy.
According to readers. . .it didn't.
Instead, the characters drove the plot. The story and the format worked. Both readers and critics loved it!
The spoken - sometimes whispered - reader responses amazed me even more and confirmed to me: The Jonica's and Stacie's (characters in Rain Dance) in real-life experience similar experiences.
Then I heard from women who were neither infertile or post-abortive. . .but who found compassion and love for people they thought they could never understand on the pages of a novel.
Those revelations could have been a high for the author. . .and I admit - they were. However, that faded in the face of what the comments revealed below the surface of encouraging words: A need for a place we could all meet on common ground and find resources and that would lead to uncommon support.
Here on the website, you will find stories (fiction and non) I've written to entertain and encourage understanding. You will also find interviews with women who chose abortion and women who have faced infertility . Also provided are links to support groups I know and trust.
On the Rain Dance Blog you will:
- Meet more women from both sides of Rain Dance
- Find out more about the support groups listed here and the ones I find as we go along
- Find out the truth about the abortion and infertility
- You'll be given an opportunity to respond and reach out to each other.
There will some blogging rules. I will never knowingly allow someone to intentionally cause someone else more pain. The blog is not a place to find counseling. . .there are professionals for that and I am not it. However, I will provide places you can find wise and gentle counsel. The blog is a place to offer real friendship, support, and to find understanding. It's a place to learn and grow together.
If you want more than the website or blog can offer, email me privately and I'll help you find someone who can offer genuine care and wise counsel.
We're also going to have a reader's forum where we can discuss Rain Dance.
It's fine if you offer constructive criticisms to me as an author but, you are not welcome to condemn me. Comment with care.
Welcome to the world of Rain Dance. . .
- where women face the obstacles and hypocrisies in their lives with courage, honesty, and dignity
- where abortion is more than an issue on a political party platform
- where infertility is faced instead of avoided
- where the truth (even when it hurts) is told boldly
- and where love and grace abound
