Until the Time Comes: The Making Behind My Debut Novel

I am so excited for this story to be released! I can't speak for all authors, but most of my characters or writing embody myself to a degree. Depending on the nature of the story, those degrees vary. "Until the Time Comes" is no different in that regard.

My stories are essentially what I wish I saw more of. They stem from dreams mainly; real life events at other times. This book is far more personal for me because it's the latter: a story about my own survival. Of course, not in the same exact fashion, but the mental aspect remains.

Getting candid here: when I was 19, my parents were coming down from the effects of a nasty divorce. I was caught in the middle, often forced to "pick a side" or listen to hours of finger-pointing. I hardly had my own life together, forced to be an around-the-clock therapist for adults three times my age. It became overwhelming awfully fast.

So I escaped. I moved 600 miles away—to a place that I knew nothing about. Many mistakes were made along the journey, but my biggest was "Trevor," the man that this book is centered around. Like Liz's character, I was in unfamiliar territory, almost desperate for solace. Any offer seemed reasonable to me. Any connection seemed perfect for me.

Trevor was a very calculated man who—both in the real world and fictional one—essentially planned his mistreatment of women. He knew what he wanted to do with me before he met me; my kind, naive nature only helped propel his ideas into a reality quicker.

Like the story, Trevor's red flags were there early on. And like the story, I received warning from a random lady. The difference? I took her words for granted in real life. Doing so led to me enduring mental, verbal, and even physical abuse for 3 months. I learned that not only was I not the only woman, but Trevor was a married man.

He'd been living a double life.

I wanted to tell my story, but not in a way that seems matter-of-fact—like a memoir or autobiography. I wanted a compelling narrative that allows me to fully explore the thoughts that consumed me then. Wonders about his mental state and my safety; about finding a healthy love one day (I did!); about having friends who you can count on.

My passion for writing and helping others truly shines through in this story. It is compelling and awe-inspiring at the same time and captures my relentless desire to thrive, even in the toughest of circumstances. I didn't know how I'd survive then, but I did. And like Liz, I learned to fight back.

I chose to rewrite my story. What was meant to traumatize me and leave me with agonizing rumination became my motivation.

When you read my book, I want you to understand what was on the other side of it: a woman who lived in a place foreign to her, in a constant state of fear and walking on eggshells as she tried to navigate an abusive relationship. I hope it serves as inspiration and a glimmer of hope. Know this: it does get better.