The Story Behind Destined to Fail
I knew from a young age that reading and writing was special to me. I wrote my first full length chapter book at eleven, using the characters from Ann M. Martin’s The Baby-Sitters Club series as my characters. A nice little spin-off, I like to think now. I wrote many other books as well, some with the same characters, some with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen as my main characters, and some where I really stretched myself and created my own characters. When the time came to start looking seriously at colleges, I knew I wanted to go to school for writing. But as I talked to more people about my goals, I felt I wasn’t taken very seriously. Being a writer was looked about as something that so very few people could achieve. It was like I was being told I wanted to go to Hollywood and try my hand at acting – I would never make it. Instead, I signed myself up for business school, and promised myself I could try writing again after I had my degree.
In 2009, I graduated college with my Bachelors in Business, and had already started writing
a rough draft. My first story was titled Freshman Daze, and it was basically my life and my
friend’s lives at college. It was not an exciting book. My friend’s might have gotten a kick out of reading it, but no one else would. I finished the first draft, read it over, and then started again. I cut characters, added news ones, gave a few dramatic scenes, and declared it perfect. Then let an editor have it. And started rewrite number three, which gave us Destined to Fail.
Jasmine’s story before she gets to college is very close to my own life. A big reason I’ve wanted to write is because of these situations I have been through – mainly the domestic and sexual abuse. Telling my stories has helped other girls come forward with their own, and that is a really special feeling. I hoped that maybe my words could help more, and my storyline was born. The three supporting characters in the story are basically a reflection of myself. I was once the girl that was convinced her boyfriend loved her even though he abused her and cheated on her – Abby. I was the girl that was being sexual abused by a family member and thought self-harm was my way out – Cari. And I was the girl the girl that refused to believe my boyfriend could be into anyone else by me, and stuck by him no matter how awful he treated me – Kiley. It was interesting to write so many characters based loosely on myself, and quite the challenge. But I am so pleased with how my story turned out, and can’t believe the support I have gotten from the book. I get emails on a weekly basis from readers letting me know that my story touched them in some way, and that’s just confirms that I made the right decision with publishing Destined to Fail.
Links:
Website † GoodReads † Facebook † Twitter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WIN AN eBook COPY OF DESTINED TO FAIL
Blurb:
Jasmine Jones is ready to begin her new life as a college student, and is ecstatic to have best friend Abby by her side. But weeks into their new college life, Abby drops the bomb- she is pregnant, and dropping out of college. Jasmine can’t handle the fact that Abby is wasting her opportunity to get an education, and going back to her cheating, abusive boyfriend. She struggles to move on from her friendship with Abby, but befriends two new girls at college. Everything seems back on track for Jasmine- great new friendships and roommates, a strong relationship with boyfriend Nate, and excelling at her college courses. But Jasmine’s newfound happiness is shattered when her pregnancy test comes out positive. Does she have to drop out of college now and become a young mother? Will Nate stay with her? How can she afford a child? Jasmine’s life has been filled with obstacles and challenges along the way- from a missing father, sexual and physical abuse, and addictions that tore her family apart. With this latest setback, Jasmine fears her life will always be a struggle. Destined to Fail is one woman’s story about overcoming adversity in life, about taking the negatives and finding a positive, and about never giving up hope.
To enter:
Just leave a comment below. Make sure to include a way for us to contact you if you should win.
*Open INTERNATIONAL
*Must be 13 or older to enter
*Winner will be chosen at random
*Winner will be announced on our Facebook & Twitter page.
*Giveaway ends March 6th.
Good Luck!
