Writing Fear – Jo Fenton
All in my head by Jo Fenton
I’ve always been afraid of so many things, it’s hard to list them all. The first ones that come to mind are wasps, enclosed spaces and upsetting people. All of these are brought into The Brotherhood in some way.
The fear of upsetting people has been at the root of many difficulties over the years, and was probably a key factor in being bullied through childhood and into early adulthood. This fear is the cause of many of Mel’s problems in The Brotherhood. She wants to please Dominic, the sect leader, but she’s also intimidated by him. His anger makes her nervous, and then she says or does something to make the situation worse.
Another of my fears is hunger, and this is also mentioned several times in The Brotherhood. There are several instances where the food is very badly cooked. There is never any choice, and later on, Mel is dependent on others to ensure she doesn’t starve. The lack of food when she most needs it influences many of her actions, and she behaves in a way that she would normally find repulsive, just to survive.
When Mel first arrives at the Abbey, her only fears are of what she’s leaving behind, and of displeasing Dominic. It takes a while for the underlying menace to penetrate, but she gradually begins to realise that some of her new friends are living in fear: of the wardens, the group heads, and of the strange disappearances that occur from time to time. Her fear grows as she makes friends. Her affection for others causes her to fear for their safety as well as her own. Her abuser manipulates her by using his knowledge of her affections, and ultimately she is faced with horrendous decisions. How far will she go to save the ones she loves, and will fear get in the way of what she has to do?
Fear is a key element of The Brotherhood. It’s used to enforce rules, but also to ensure that the members don’t leave. Dominic tells the members that the world outside is vulnerable to the coming apocalypse, using his status and charisma to persuade his followers that he tells the truth, and they are only safe with him. He also plays on Mel’s fears of her ex-boyfriend to prevent her from leaving.
Abuse is a key theme in The Brotherhood. Abuse victims live in fear of what will happen. The threat of violence, of withdrawn privileges, or of indignities to be suffered, is a source of much of the fear within the book. I hope it was dealt with sensitively, and that any readers struggling in an abusive relationship will seek help to remove themselves from that situation. No one should have to live in fear.
Several parts of the novel were hard to write, as getting into the heads of the characters was traumatic at times. I had to embrace the fear while I was writing, and know that if I felt it, my readers were more likely to feel it too. Even so, I had a safety net – it was all in my head.
I just want to finish with a quote from my favourite Dick Francis novel, Proof: ‘Fear in a fearful situation is normal. Absence of fear is not.’
The Brotherhood is available now on Amazon
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