Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
Welcome Guest Blogger Shawna Moore!
Submitted by ShawnaMoore on Thu, 2008-11-13 14:24.
Betrayal
“Et tu, Bruté…” William Shakespeare
“Everybody is somebody’s fool…” Orson Welles
“Just for a handful of silver he left us…” Robert Browning
Theme is one of the reasons many of us enjoy reading books. Betrayal is a theme often explored on various levels in romance novels. Heroes and heroines who have been wronged keep us turning pages to see how they heal the emotional scars and overcome the devastation. We ponder if and how they will trust another. Is a new acquaintance’s kindness genuine, or is more deceit ahead? Will a protagonist’s faith in a probable hero prove futile, and will she be suffering loss instead of celebrating gain?
Is it possible a heroine’s ability to trust and reputation will become irreparably tarnished when a hero eventually demonstrates his darker side and seemingly uses her for personal gain? We’ve all read stories that tap into these scenarios, and those same tales are displayed on our keeper shelves.
In my latest erotic historical romance recently released by Ellora’s Cave, Tormented, a Boston educator learns the most important lesson of her life. She is thrust into and left unaccompanied in a world far different from that to which she's accustomed.
A hero is dealt two tasks – cure a malady that current medical science cannot and gain the trust of a woman who's been repeatedly wronged by the man in whom she once placed the utmost faith.
While shipboard in 1888, Eve Morneau is the victim of a venomous beetle’s bite. Her healing and sexual awakening are placed in the hands of a New Orleans physician, Charles Galletiére. Charles not only shuns society but also the treatment regimens practiced by his peers. Eve is pitted against more than one foe as she struggles with her attraction to Charles and wonders whether or not her cure and a romantic commitment from him are possible. (An excerpt is available by clicking the cover, and here)
Tormented not only explores Eve’s fears and frustrations with her past and present, but it also delves deep into her desires and how those desires—and the extent to which she fulfills them—affect whether she lives or dies and whether she finds happiness or remains in a state of self-denial.
Life has dealt us all many harsh realities. Thus my question for you, readers. Share, if you will, a betrayal you could never forget and/or forgive.
Wishing you all many happy reading moments,
Shawna
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Shawna, welcome to Cigars!
Shawna, welcome to Cigars! Your book sounds fabulous, and I'm always a sucker for a Boston heroine!
The thing about betrayal is that it's so incredibly painful, and so personal. I don't think I could ever talk about it in a public forum. Suffice to say, it involved my dearest and most trusted friend (and no, there were no husbands involved, LOL), and it completely changed my life. And the worst part about it? Despite how devastating the betrayal was, and even though our friendship can never, ever be repaired, I still miss her.
Karen
I hear you. I miss those friendships, too, in a way, though I guess what I really miss is the idea of the friendship that I *thought* I had, since in my case I don't think they were really real.
It's been almost 20 years since my first marriage ended, so it's ancient history to me at this point, the sting is long gone, but the other, the writing friend's betrayal, that one will likely stick with me. It was a hard lesson. I don't let it get in the way, but it does make me much more careful.
Also, interesting how friends can be our lifeblood, but they can also cause such damage...
Sam
Lessons Learned
Hi, Sam!
I'm hearing you on those lessons learned from betrayals. A friend is someone to whom we turn in good times and bad, and when they turn on us...That's quite a blow. I agree with you that those betraying friends weren't really friends at all--and you're far better off without them in your life.
Blessings and all the best,
Shawna Moore
Pain of Betrayal
Hi, Karen!
Thanks for the warm welcome. It's great being a guest today at LIAEC :) I totally agree about the losses resulting from betrayal. They cut us quite deeply. What's worst about betrayal is the fact it's most often wrought upon us by one of the persons to whom we're closest. Like you, there are some betrayals I would never share, let alone in a public forum. Though we survive them, we never forget them.
Blessings and all the best,
Shawna Moore
TORMENTED -- Ellora's Cave
ROUGHRIDER -- Ellora's Cave Exotika
HELLE IN HEELS -- Ellora's Cave Exotika
Boston
Karen,
Boston and Salem are two of my favorite getaways! New England states and MA rock!
Blessings and all the best,
Shawna Moore
Welcome Shawna!
The book looks fascinating, and great cover!
Betrayal is such a deep wound. No wonder it's so widely written about, and probably resonates with so many people in the world. I imagine everyone has experienced it to some extent, maybe lightly, maybe very seriously, but the hope provided in our books is usually the story of moving on and healing, which I love.
A personal thing to share, I suppose, too. For me, it was that my ex-husband was messing around with my then "best" friend and I had no idea -- they even moved in together after we separated. On the night everything finally blew up, I remember calling HER -- I still had no idea. The worst thing is that betrayal can make US feel stupid for having trusted someone, and that's the hard thing to get past. I have let any toxic feelings toward my ex go, but I can't say I have ever forgiven my friend -- I think that's because I knew the relationship with my ex was weak and troubled -- it wasn't a "real" love. But I really thought she was a friend, so what she did was much worse, in many ways.
I've been betrayed by people who called themselves friends in writing as well (well, only one, and she's way out of the picture now -- when someone does something like that, I just cut them from my life, period). I AM much more careful about whom I trust, especially professionally, but I also have no problem giving my trust fully to people who have shown themselves to be real friends. And when I trust, it's 100%, and I am 100% loyal to my friends, and the people I love. You just have to be.
And you have to risk it -- I married again, to a wonderful man, and I have many wonderful, true friends. You live long enough, you'll meet people who screw you over, and you just have to let it go and move on, focus on what's good. Luckily, there is plenty of good. :)
Sam
Yes, Sam...I agree. You
Yes, Sam...I agree. You have to focus on the positive and move on. In my family, we call the breakup between my friend and I "the Divorce." I didn't just lose my best friend; I lost her entire family, her kids (who were best friends with my two girls) and most of our associated friends. Fortunately, I have a wonderfully supportive family and many good friends, and that's what I concentrate on.
Forgetting betrayers
Hi, Karen --
You're right about leaving betraying friends behind. It's a "divorce" in it's own right.
My friends and family are also what I consider the most precious parts of my life. They are dear and deserve my focus :)
Shawna Moore
Trust
Hi, Sam!
Thanks for the great welcome! It's always a pleasure guesting here at LIAEC :)
We've all likely experienced moments of betrayal that leave us feeling totally stumped. How could that person have fooled us? Eventually I believe persons who are betrayers will suffer the most. Can't see how they can be content with themselves behaving in such a way. My conscience would never rest.
I agree with your philosophy/approach of focusing on the good things in life. How we move on from the badness/betrayal to something far better :) I'm really glad you've found a wonderful man and hope he brings you your heart's content :)
Blessings and all the best,
Shawna Moore
Also...
Shawna works a day job, but will be in to share and chat as soon as she can, so we'll just keep the conversation going until she gets done with her day. ;)
Sam
Thanks
Sam and Karen,
Many thanks to you ladies for keeping the conversation going until I arrived :)
Shawna
Hi Shawna
I have yet to suffer a total betrayal and pray I never will. Part of the reason is because I am overly cautious about hanging myself out there, but I know that being cautious doesn't save a person from betrayals like the one Sam just mentioned. So I guess I'm just lucky.
In junior high, my best friend did steal my boyfriend. I'm still ticked.
Jeannie
Hi, Jeannie
Hi, Jeannie!
I hope you never have to suffer the pain of a total betrayal. I've experienced one of those in the past year and have survived. Without a doubt, that betrayal greatly affected my ability to trust--but I'll overcome that obstacle as well :)
Blessings and all the best,
Shawna
Yikes
I think as you articulated so well, betrayal cuts more painfully than a knife. A clean cut can heal pretty well, but a betrayal is far harder to recover from. Like Jeannie, I've been fortunate not to have suffered any serious breach of trust. It would be very hard to trust again, and to make oneself vulnerable to fresh pain.
The Poison of Betrayal
Hi, Fedora!
Indeed, the gaping wound created by betrayal doesn't heal easily. The proverbial "wound" edges are jagged, defiant despite the type of "suturing material" we employ, and far more prone to infection. As infection sometimes poisons our blood, betrayal injects a far different, very potent, poison into our system. A poison that is extremely difficult to purge.
Many thanks for sharing your thoughts :)
Shawna
I have never suffered a
I have never suffered a betrayal and hope I never do.
Suffering and Betrayal
Hi, Fedora!
How appropriate--pairing betrayal with suffering. Indeed, those who are betrayed suffer in various ways. Inwardly and outwardly. And it's during those times of suffering we give thanks for our friends and family and others around us who help blunt the pain of our betrayals :)
Shawna
Shawna!!!! So good to be
Shawna!!!! So good to be able to chat with you! I love bumping into you around the net and finding out whats new and upcoming with you! I got to say, that cover just pulled me in and made me so want to know more (besides seeing your name on it!) And a historical!! Congrats on the release Shawna! Shall be adding it to the wishlist.
Gosh, this is a toughie. I always know in my heart that I do forgive, but so hard to forget. This is long ago, but being mainstreamed and deaf, it was a very tough time and it wasn't just the lack of understanding about differences/disabilities, but to be at the point of the hurt going so deep because I had always though that age, as they grew up, brought understanding, but it didn't.
My grandmother had taught me so much that makes me alot of what I am today, and back then, I couldn't even imagine saying a mean word out loud to another. Its hard to go back to what happened then but yep, its something I got beyond, but I don't forget and hoped I taught my kids well, they grew up to be the kindest and make me proud.
Hi, Cathie!
Hello, Cathie!
How great it always is chatting with you, my friend :) Many thanks for your congratulations and kind words :) I hope you enjoy reading Tormented as much as I enjoyed writing this story of my heart :)
I'm sorry to hear you had to go through such a hurtful event. Absolutely, such times are difficult, if not impossible, to forget. I'm one who doesn't forget, too. You are a far better person for rising above the unkindness and being a great mom and role model for your kids. Without a doubt, you should be really proud of them :) And I'm proud of you and your perseverance! Nasty people will have to answer for their deeds. I hope and pray all's going well with you and yours and that you have a terrific Thanksgiving with them :)
Blessings and all the best,
Shawna -- who hopes the coming days and months have us chatting more often
Thank you to LIAEC Authors and Readers
My heartfelt thanks to the awesome LIAEC authors for your hospitality and for the chance to guest here :) I also thank those who've read and commented on my post. You all are the reasons I'm writing! Sharing my thoughts and romance tales is quite my passion :)
Blessings and all the best,
Shawna