What inspired you to write Silenced?

The inspiration came from several places. I know several friends and family who suffer from depression (myself included). I watched their struggle with it and I’ve seen the reactions of those around me. It seems like depression and self harm are two taboo subjects within this world. Most people shy away or begin judging before they even know what’s going on. They don’t give the person a chance.

I felt that it was time to bring light to this and help people to understand. I wanted to stand out from the latest trends in the book world. When I first began expanding on Silenced for the purpose of getting more awareness to depression, I noticed paranormal was the going genre. I would accomplish my goal of standing out. 

I wanted my book to have a deeper meaning than just a journey for the reader. I wanted them to get something out of it. The overall story is entertaining but the meaning goes much deeper. Depression and self harm is something I feel is very close to home. I want others to be able to see it like I do. What not a better way to do it then put the reader in my head? Why not make my character go through what I am or what I’m seeing others going through? 

I begin my research into the technical aspects of it and getting more then just my views. I began asking people I know how depression affected them. If they opened up and mentioned cutting, we talked about that too. So it’s not just me expressing myself through Amber. Its a mixture of people into one. 

The other characters within the book resemble real people I have met along the way within my lifetime. They either made a great impact on me or a horrible one. Obviously one could tell what parts were so bad by the way the characters were behaving at times. 

In conclusion, Silenced was inspired by those around me and the life events I’ve experienced. I’m totally for supporting those who self harm and helping to bring awareness to this very serious condition!