Veronica penned her tale "Lost But Not Forgotten," about human trafficking, for our challenge:
What inspired your story?
When I first saw the picture Fiona had posted for the Flash Fiction Friday prompt, it took me back several years to time I spent in a shelter after I had escaped, and the faces of the young girls there. It still haunts me that I could not help them more; I was so trapped in my own pain and suffering, seeing myself only as a victim too. To this day, I still see those faces.
Why the cause is important to you?
A bad start for a child doesn’t necessarily mean that they will turn out bad when they grow into adulthood, but it does ‘stack the deck’ against them. Humans are an imitative species; we learn by what we experience, how we are treated. A child who is abused, taken advantage of, and neglected, is denied a fair chance at life. No matter how much they overcome, they are still haunted by their past… their future is forever tinged by the mistreatment they suffered as children. This I know all too well.
Children are our future. The adults they become will be shaped in large part by their childhood. Their capacity to love and trust; to honor and respect, not only themselves but others as well; and to realize their full potential hinges so much on the life they have as a child.
Tell us a little bit about you and where to find your writing.
I am a former daycare/preschool worker, now working part time and attending classes. The Pacific Northwest is my home. I was born in Lisboa, Portugal and grew up in the Midwest, the only child of Russian and Portuguese parents. I recently celebrated my 26th birthday and the fifth anniversary of what we laughingly refer to as my ‘bondage’ to Christina Anne Shaw, my partner and my‘forever’. We will celebrate our one year wedding anniversary on the 25th of October.
Writing was never really my strong suit in school, and had it not been for the fact that I would have had to endure my mother’s disappointment, I would have gladly paid others to do my writing assignments. I first began writing seriously a few years ago… as part of therapy. My writing at that time was of a personal nature, focusing on my ordeal and my relationship with my now-wife, Christina. Under the ‘tutelage’ of my therapist / tormenter, who had a major in English, I developed beyond the rudimentary skills that got me through my formal education. Growing weary of talking about myself, I turned my thoughts to writing fiction; having long been a fan of noir. I am a regular contributor to Flash Fiction Friday - A Community Writing Project, and Lily Child’s Feardom – Friday Prediction Flash Challenge. I have been published in PULP METAL MAGAZINE and am sharpening my pencils for this year’s NaNoWriMo competition.
You can find my writing at http://veronicathepajamathief.blogspot.com/ andhttp://veronicathepajamathief.wordpress.com/.
Anthologies to benefit PROTECT, The National Association to Protect Children and Children 1st.
Good to see Ronnie here!
ReplyDeleteGreat words, very powerful. Thanks so much for taking part.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Paul! I am honored to be here.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Fiona! It is an honor and a privilege to be part of this. I had a feeling when this prompt first came up and everyone wrote all those incredible stories... that was not going to be the last we heard of it. What you and Thomas and Ron have done is an inspiration to all.
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