Now that "The Strangest of Places" is officially available via Amazon, I want to make sure that you, Dear Reader, are fully aware of what you'll be getting yourself into, should you choose to read it.
There are certain topics raised in this book that may be triggering for some. I make no apologies for that, because most of what you'll read about in Autumn's personal and family history are very much a part of who she is; understanding how those experiences shaped her perceptions of people and the world she lives in are crucial to the overall story.
I don't believe in avoiding or glossing over upsetting topics to spare readers the discomfort of confronting negative emotions. In some cases, confronting those emotions is exactly the point. For example, I absolutely, 100% want those mean girls from middle school to read this book, and see themselves through the eyes of their victim. I want that deadbeat parent who walked away and never looked back to think about what their absence means for that child who feels worthless or inferior because of that decision.
In my mind, tip-toeing around emotionally-charged topics sometimes means letting the villain off the hook, never holding them accountable for the damage they've done. When you look at it that way, it isn't much different than school districts altering text books to fit a history that they prefer, regardless of what really happened. Facts simply are what they are, like them or not.
That said, for the non-villainous types who have suffered deep-seated trauma, I do respect your right to make informed decisions on the content you choose to consume or avoid. If any of the topics noted below are deal breakers for you, I would rather you pass on my book than wind up having to pay for extra sessions with your therapist, should that be necessary.
NOTE: There are spoilers in the paragraphs following the bold headings. If your need to be aware of triggers outweighs your preference for not having the plot revealed before reading the book, proceed. You can, however, simply glance at the headers without reading the descriptive paragraphs that follow, thereby being aware of triggering topics covered, without knowing the context.
Addiction This one shows up repeatedly throughout the story. Autumn's mother is a recovering alcoholic and gambling addict, a good friend from her high school days is an active cocaine addict, her cousin had children taken away due to drug addiction, and Autumn herself suffers with a food addiction, though the colloquial phrase is "emotional eating." If you've never seen Johann Hari's TED Talk, "Everything You Think You Know about Addiction is Wrong," you should absolutely check it out, at least through the first 5 minutes (through the "Rat Park" story).
Bullying Emotional abuse is abuse. Though invisible, it does leave lasting scars that can linger for years, negatively influencing the victim's self-esteem, self-image and body image (if that's involved in the verbal abuse). Autumn endured the most vicious attacks from her "friends" and classmates in middle school, but don't discount the insidiousness of what she heard from her own family, in the guise of being helpful, because they love her and want what's best for her. Ironic, isn't it?
Abandonment/neglect Like many Gen X latchkey kids, Autumn was expected to be self-sufficient at a very young age. While that, in and of itself, is not horrifically traumatic, the context of that expectation coming swiftly and suddenly as her mother grappled with grief, undiagnosed depression, and was not only emotionally, but physically absent, due to a gambling addiction, Autumn does ultimately suffer lasting trauma that aligns to textbook symptoms of abandonment/neglect diagnoses.
Suicide Though no one commits suicide in the story, there are mentions of it as something Autumn had considered, in the past. I could have left those mentions out, but I thought it important to include them. "Fade to Black" is cited in the book as having helped Autumn push through suicidal ideation, because of how successful Metallica was, years after those lyrics were penned. If highlighting that perspective could help even one person seek help, then it's worth it.
Abortion There are no descriptions of the procedure or aftermath whatsoever, but there is a reveal that Autumn's mother was forced to have a back alley abortion in 1955. This is important to the story, as it both provides context and back story for the tension Autumn sensed between her mother and grandmother, and also explains part of why Autumn's mother chose to be a single mother, decades later. I purposefully avoided retelling the details of the story that was told to me, by my mother (yes, that part is memoir) out of respect/compassion for the women who had to make that impossible choice.
I wrote this post because I want to make sure anyone who has endured severe trauma in any of these areas is aware that there is a trigger risk in the book, so they can decide for themselves whether to proceed or not. I don't believe in bubble-wrapping the world so that no one ever experiences anything adverse or negative, ever...
I do, however, believe in acknowledging that you can't know what it's like to walk in someone else's shoes, and erring on the side of compassion is never going to be a bad thing. If you have concerns about moving forward with reading this book, and you'd like more information to help make the decision, feel free to reach out to me at chris@chriscampbellauthor.com and I'll be happy to answer whatever questions you might have.
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