And we’re back to the interviews!! This time I talked to the amazing Jennifer Gilmour, an author of Isolation Junction.
Find her on: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon – Kindle | Amazon – Paperback
Q: What does it mean to you, to be an advocate for women in an abusive relationship?
Being an advocate is paramount in my career because it is very close to home. I went through an abusive relationship for several years and in that, I felt alone and I was the only one going through it, I felt it was my fault and that I had let myself down. I was fortunate to meet some other women who had been in similar situations on a course and it was then I realized it needed more awareness. Many are often scared to talk and even just days before releasing my debut novel I wondered if I should pull out of doing it, all because of the unknown fear of what might come my way as a result. I pulled myself together and can see that this is the exact reason as to why I was releasing the book, to show that you don’t have to be alone and you don’t have to be scared.
Being an advocate is also a reminder to myself, that I don’t have to be afraid anymore.
Q: Would you mind to tell more about your book?
I am a passionate advocate for women in abusive relationships, I have amalgamated and fictionalized other survivors experiences alongside my own to write my first novel detailing the journey of a young woman from the despair of an emotionally abusive and unhappy marriage to develop the confidence to challenge and change her life and to love again. I hope that in reading my book, I will raise awareness of this often hidden and unseen behavior and empower women in abusive relationships to seek help for themselves and find the confidence to change their lives.
My novel follows the story of Rose who is stuck in an abusive and coercive controlling relationship referred to as “Isolation Junction”. After years of emotional abuse, the self-doubt about her future and the erosion of her confidence, Rose takes a stand. Finding herself alone, penniless and frightened Rose wonders how she will ever escape from the situation to provide a better life for herself and her children. With 100 reasons to leave and 1000 reasons why she perceives she can’t – will she have the courage to do it? And will she find the support to regain control and confidence?
Q: Your book is a fiction based on true events. How did you feel while writing such book?
Isolation Junction has been a challenging novel to write. Over the years I found myself writing down my feelings in a way to get it out, I guess it was a bit like a diary. I find it very therapeutic to write my emotions, highs, and lows down and this also got me through my early teens. The book was a more difficult; I had to keep a record to remember my emotions on the abusive relationship. You can find yourself minimizing the abuse, overlooking it and thinking it wasn’t that bad. In reading back on my diary snippets I can see that it is important for me to remember what I went through.
It was by far not an easy write and there were times I couldn’t write because it was damaging emotionally, I really had to be in the right frame of mind.
Q: Who inspire you in life?
This has got to sound really cheesy but it’s my husband and he will hate me for referencing him as he is so selfless. My husband (Rob) he has given up a lot for me and that includes time with me to support me in writing this book and beyond its release. He is always hard working and always has something positive to say, he offers constructive criticism and his honesty, he always tries even if he doesn’t feel like it and he motivates himself and others to keep going. Rob has taught me how to feel again and he got me back on my feet with a struggle, he never gives up. I hope that he can see I am trying to implement the same values in my life especially the not giving up part.
Q: What would you advise to people in abusive relationships?
Please know you’re not on your own and there are other’s that have gone through it or are going through it. There are many ways of gaining support locally and nationally and most of the time the websites have a way of deleting the trace from your history/browser. If you have someone you know you can trust then speak to them, ask for their help even if its to just listen and take the first step out of isolation. Or you can call the 24-hour freephone National Domestic Violence helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Q: As a writer what are your pet peeves about writing and/or while reading a book?
Pet peeves for writing are simply that my mind seems to run faster than I can write or type which does frustrate me as there are times I simply forget the next part of what I wanted to say.
For reading… I find long chapters difficult as I don’t have much time to read and so small chapters in a book for me work well.
Q: If you could go back in time would you change anything?
No, I wouldn’t because going through everything I have been through has made me… me. I know there were many horrifying times but I also wouldn’t be helping others and personally, I wouldn’t be so appreciate of the life I live now and the freedom I now have.
Q: Is there anything you’d like to add?
Thank you for having me. If you haven’t read Isolation Junction yet then I do ask you give it a chance, people often think this would be a depressing read but I have had many say it was surprisingly enlightening with a hint of romance alongside the emotions.
I hope you enjoyed reading the interview if you want to be interviewed or you know anyone that you find interesting and you want me to interview him/her, click on the button below to find out all you need to know!
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