100 reasons to leave, 1,000 reasons to stay.
When Rose married the love of her life she was expecting the perfect family life she’d always dreamed of, but before her first child was born her husband, Darren, changed. Almost overnight Rose’s life is turned upside down and the life she’d envisioned seemed like an impossible dream.
As Darren’s abuse deepens, Rose has 100 reasons to leave but 1,000s why she can’t. Will she ever escape the hellish life she and her children are trapped in?
Can Rose stop her life spiraling further out of control? Can she find the life she desperately wants for her children? Stuck at Isolation Junction, which way will Rose turn?
This second edition details the emotional abuse one woman endured before finding the confidence to try to regain her independence. A story many people find themselves in but one which few find the strength to talk about, Isolation Junction takes us on a journey through the emotional nightmare of domestic abuse with the hope it will embolden others to find the courage to speak out.
What inspired you to write the book?
In brief, after my relationship had ended I found that I simply couldn’t believe that some of the things that other women were saying were exactly what I had gone through but just in a slightly different format. Domestic abuse tends to go in a cycle and whichever way it begins, the behavior spirals again and again. At first it could be months between incidents but for me, as time went on, there were many instances within one day. It is quite normal to try to prevent the cycle from starting again by changing your behavior as much as possible.
The help I received by attending a course meant that I began to understand that we were all subjected to the same behavior and that no one knew before that this could even happen to someone if that a relationship can be so unhealthy and soul destroying. I realized that others simply needed to know more about this unacceptable behavior; they needed to see the warning signs before the relationship goes further or the behavior gets even more controlling. On the other hand, I needed others to see the behavior for what it is. If people are in a relationship and the behavior within it is not acceptable, it is not their fault and it can’t simply be changed by changing yourself.
I knew that I had a story to tell and with my previous unfinished written work I realized my first novel had to be more than a book – it had to be a message – a way for others to be able to pass on the story to help other victims and to get the penny to drop and bring about realization of what is happening sooner than it might otherwise have done. This means that when the relationship ends victims and survivors realize they are not the only ones out there and it is ok to talk about the abuse.
What is your target audience for the book?
The ideal reader would be a woman who loves reading full stop because I want every avid female reader to discover the message of this book. It’s perfect for those who like an emotional read but with some page turner moments of drama alongside the glimmers of romance and humor.
What do you hope readers could get out from your book?
My original goal for this book was to help just one person recognize that they are in an unhealthy relationship and to be able to safely flee. That they will recognize that they deserve better than how they are being treated and that the grass is greener on the other side.
I am proud to say that before publication I was able to support someone to escape and this was through reading what my project with Isolation Junction was all about.
My hope is that readers will learn what an unhealthy relationship looks like and it will equip them of the signs and symptoms of coercive control. It will encourage them to seek healthy relationships and put their self worth first. Educating tough a form of entertainment.
Past readers have recognized that some of their friends could be in an unhealthy relationship. They then passed a copy of my book onto that friend to allow them to have their own realization. It can be more affective than a pamphlet that says “are you in an abusive relationship?”, many don’t know that they are being abused.
What are your future goals/plans for the book?
After publishing Isolation Junction I went on to publish a non-fiction anthology through the response I had, people relating and wanting to voice a part of their story. I’ve also seen two contributory books published including a self help book that was made from a uk wide course that changed my life.
Last month I published my first children’s book about healthy friendships, the aim is to educate them through entertainment and it act as a prevention tool. It comes with a resource pack for parents, teachers, family workers etc. to facilitate the discussion.
Currently I’m collating all of my impactful blog posts on my award winning blog. I’m particularly excited about this project because its raw, educational, motivating, offers hope and is resourceful.
And something more about yourself.
I am a gym loving, caffeine addict, adventure seeking, late in life lesbian and a mum of three. Recently, I have had two major operations and I have a third in or around October. It has prevented me from doing the things that help ground me, I am a very active person. I am learning a lot about myself in this process and it has given me the opportunity to explore journaling.
Here’s my Website: JenniferGilmour.com
If you want to grab some copy of my Book please visit my Amazon Authors Page!
