At its core, If These Wings Could Fly is a survival story. But instead of taking place on an island or lost in the wilderness and removed from human contact, this story takes place at the heart of it: in a small town, in a house that is shaped by domestic violence.
I wrote the book I would have liked to read when I was fifteen—when I didn’t know it was domestic violence. No one had ever described it that way, and I’d certainly never seen it in a book. As an adult, I turned to advocacy, volunteering at a domestic violence intake center, and studying the sociological roots of violence. But the more information I gained, the more fervently I wished I could share this hard-wrought knowledge with the version of me that needed it the most.
Then I realized that I don’t need time travel to find readers who need the message now. In writing a story that centered domestic violence, I knew that I had to show how the threat of violence hangs like a sword overhead, and how the fear can often feel worse than the fall. A story in which the thing you are afraid of looks very much like someone you love, and how confusing that can be. It makes domestic violence very difficult to navigate from the inside, and incredibly easy to misunderstand from the outside.
This story has some magic in it, too. I’ve always felt that there was something surreal about domestic violence, like it exists in this strange absence inside a home, where time slows down, and the outside world feels so far away. A parallel universe. In writing, I could make that feel tangible, in the form of an unkind house that hides signs of violence. It also meant that I could write in the rebuttal—in the form of a magical force of a hundred thousand crows who arrive to protect the girls. My goal was always to tell this story through the lens of hope, and to pass the urgency of that hope on to a reader who needs it most.
Resources
There are many wonderful organizations working to raise awareness, provide leadership in legislation, and offer support and information for victims of domestic violence. Below is a list of resources related to advocacy and safety planning. Please keep in mind that abusers can track your browsing history. Only access these websites from a safe device and location.
The Hotline: The National Domestic Violence Hotline has trained advocates available 24/7/365 to answer calls and provide information and resources. The website has a live chat feature to message with an advocate, an escape button if you need to quickly exit, and Spanish translation.
www.thehotline.org
1-800-799-7233
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
Love is Respect: Highly trained advocates offer information and support for young people experiencing dating violence. Also provides resources for concerned family members, friends, teachers, counselors, service providers, or members of law enforcement. Free and confidential phone and texting services, available 24/7. This website has an escape button, live chat feature, and Spanish translation.
www.loveisrespect.org
1-866-331-9474
1-866-331-8453 (TTY)
Text: “loveis” to 22522
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Education, advocacy, policy, and resources related to domestic violence. Hosts “Action Alerts” to help users engage in policy action calls related to domestic violence legislation and VAWA renewal, including graphics and suggested language to use on social media to raise awareness and call political figures to action.
www.ncadv.org