Supporting a Cause I Believe In - It Gets Better Project

Dear Reader,

On August 4, 2020 my first Women’s fiction novel, The Secret of You and Me, will be released. It’s a love story about two women, Nora Noakes and Sophie Russell, who were torn apart in their youth by prejudice and hate, and now two decades later, after life has taken them in very different directions, are given a second chance to find love when an unexpected tragedy brings them back together.

The Secret of You and Me is all about looking back at the choices you’ve made, or the choices forced upon you by friends, family & society, and how those choices have changed your life and shaped your personality. It’s also about looking to the future, the one you have versus the one you want and the sacrifices you will have to make for happiness.

I have zero objectivity when it comes to Nora and Sophie. I love them unequivocally. Possibly more than any other character I’ve written. (Just kidding Laura, Kindle, Rosemond, Garet, Hattie, Claire, Ellie & Jack.) But, getting to know Nora and Sophie gave me a deeper sense of empathy for a family member of mine who was closeted in our hometown. My relative’s denial of who they were, as well as the bullying they received throughout their childhood and teen years, led to a decade or more of self-destructive behavior and addiction problems. I’m happy to say that they are in a much better place now, with a successful career and buckets full of friends. My family’s love for them has never wavered.

As I continued to write SECRET, I discovered that Sophie’s story had many similarities to my family member’s story, and I realized how important it was to tell the unvarnished truth of being closeted in small-town Texas. It’s a story full of lies and secrets, doubts and hopes, disappointments and mistakes, and, in the end, acceptance, joy and love.

 I don’t want children and teenagers to have to go through what my relative went through. Sharing this story as an LGBTQAI advocate is a start, but I want to do more. Ten percent of my royalties for The Secret of You and Me will be donated to the It Gets Better Project.

From the organization:

The It Gets Better Project is a nonprofit organization with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth around the globe. Growing up isn’t easy, especially when you are trying to affirm and assert your sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It can be a challenging and isolating process – but, the good news is, no one has to do it alone.

I hope you will join me in supporting this amazing charity’s important work.

Click here to donate directly to the It Gets Better Project.

Click here to read more about The Secret of You & Me.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you fall in love with Nora and Sophie like I did while writing their story.

All the Best,

Mel