Novel of the Month: Forsaking the Garden

Forsaking the Garden was originally conceived as the story of a kidnapped and brainwashed woman. The idea first reared its head in September 2010, when I watched a special about a polygamist sect and read an article about a psychological disorder known as folie imposee, where a dominant person initially forms a delusional belief during a psychotic episode and then imposes it on others who are under his direct influence.

Originally, I intended to write the novel from several different points of view. Each of the wives would share their history, though the focus would be on Jennifer, the young woman snatched to replace a dead wife. I wrote 58 pages – nearly 15,000 words – before I realized I was telling the wrong story.

Irene was a minor character. As the eldest daughter of the family, she was supposed to be smart but obedient. And she was – but she also witnessed too many inconsistencies for her to remain obedient for long. The character practically screamed at me as I wrote a third-person limited-omniscient chapter for her. When I had finished the chapter, I knew Irene was my protagonist. I started the novel over, writing Irene’s story from a first-person perspective. The concept of folie imposee was not abandoned, but it definitely became secondary to Irene’s coming-of-age tale.

To read an excerpt of this novel, click here.

If you would like to read Forsaking the Garden, you can find it at Amazon, Barnes &Noble, Smashwords, and several other e-book retailers.

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY: visit my Facebook page and“like” the Book of the Month post.