My decision to write Her Scars was one based on love. The content is raw with a sensitive subject matter and may be disturbing to some readers, but I wanted this story to express the true severity our world is facing. We don’t speak up about mental health and suicide often enough because we are embarrassed, ashamed, or fear judgement. But we must speak about it by starting the conversation. I hope that by reading Her Scars, will help educate about this subject and encourage all to start the conversation. Ignorance won’t make it go away, but it can take them away. Parents talk to your children and teens. Children and teens talk to your parents or a trusted mentor. You are not alone!
Her Scars is a fictional young adult novel based on real life experiences, told from the actual journal entries of a fourteen-year-old girl, with authentic glimpses into her story, family history, and her struggles. Her mother, her counterpart, tells her story with the duality of the conflicts that exist between the daughter and mother’s coinciding differences in their unique perspectives and realities. I didn’t include the original journal texts to protect the privacy of the author who wrote them in the prospect of adding narrative to the context of the entries.
I am not a psychologist, but a mother with all the same inefficiencies as anyone else. It is through these encounters that I have found the courage to share my experiences with you, with the hope that you may find consolation in my words of wisdom.
The purpose for writing this book is to connect with people who are struggling with depression, self-mutilation, suicidal thoughts, and other mental disorders. It is my goal to educate others on this topic and to facilitate a better understanding of recognizing the warning signs of suicidal ideations and thoughts, as well as providing an outlet for survivor support.