The main theme of my newly released YA/SciFi novel, THE VANISHING SPARK OF
DUSK, is to "Be Heard". While that mantra is primarily focused on my main
lead, Lark (who's naturally quiet and reserved), this theme is also geared
toward the romantic relationship in this story.
There are SO. MANY. BOOKS. out there. Thankfully they're starting to encourage
people to love and listen and respect each other, but there are still those
books hanging around that might have a controlling partner be the "hero". (Trust
me, I've read them. *puke*) And I'm not talking "Christian Grey" control. In
that book Anastasia has a safe word, and it's HANDS OFF the moment she uses it.
Even when she doesn't use it, Grey respects her and listens to her.
I'm talking about the subtle control. The cloaked guilt the
controlling party gives their partner when they don't get what they want. The
anger that results when the partner stands their ground. I'm talking
about emotional abuse, which can sometimes lead to physical abuse if
the controlling party still doesn't get what they want. As someone who
used to devour these sorts of books and idolize those "heroes," I now
get super triggered by them, which is why I worked so hard to make
Kalen (the hero from THE
VANISHING SPARK OF DUSK) everything opposite of that.
In THE VANISHING SPARK OF
DUSK, I wanted to show what a mutually respectful relationship looks like.
When I was a teen it was difficult to weed the "good" guys from the, um,
dicks, to put it nicely. Especially while I was reading those books
that idolized that behavior. I wanted to convey to my readers that the most
important thing you could do in any relationship is to listen
and to be heard.
Listen to yourself and your body. Verbalize your needs and
fears. Make sure your partner hears you, respects your wishes, and never tries
to push you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. They should also
respect your choices, both in the relationship and outside the relationship.
Like any relationship, this should be reciprocated.
Hear them. Listen. Pay attention to both verbal and non-verbal cues.
Don't ever push them, and if you come to a disagreement, try to see
things from their side, then attempt a mutual understanding. Some relationships
end because a mutual understanding can't be reached. And maybe that's
okay.
But a relationship where two people listen and respect each other, and allow
each other to be heard without judgment, condescension, or
anger—that's a relationship worth hanging onto.
Stand up.
When Lark is stolen from Earth to be a slave on the planet Tavdora, she's
determined to find her way back home to her family, no matter the cost. Placed
in the household of a notorious slave trader, Lark quickly learns her best
assets are her eyes and ears. And if she's brave enough, her voice.
Be heard.
Kalen is the Tavdorian son of a slave trader
and in line to inherit his father's business. But his growing feelings for Lark,
the new house slave who dares to speak of freedom, compel him to reveal his new
plan for the slave ships returning to Earth—escape. Together, they just might
spark a change that flares across the universe.
Fight back.
Young Adult Science
Fiction [Entangled Teen, On Sale: January 8,
2018, e-Book, ISBN: 9781640634619 / eISBN: 9781640634619]
Sara Baysinger grew up in the heart of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador where
she spent her childhood exploring uncharted lands and reading all things
magical. She now lives among the endless cornfields of Indiana with her husband
and two young children. Sara enjoys writing and reading anything out of the
ordinary, and has a bad habit of zoning out at the most inopportune moments. She
is currently considering seeking medical attention for her potentially
life-threatening coffee addiction.
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