Interview: Cheryl Rainfield, author of Scars

Cheryl Rainfield is the author of Scars, a book currently being challenged in Boone County, Kentucky that I reviewed earlier today. Cheryl was kind enough to answer a few questions of mine that I'd sent before the book challenge (which you can read about on her blog here), and in light of that event I think it's even more important that her answers get out there. Speak Loudly!

The thing that struck me about Scars was how passionate it was.  You really put your heart and soul into your writing, which was refreshing and intense for the reader!  How intense has the experience of writing and publishing Scars been for you?

It was very intense. I put a lot of my heart, my soul, and pieces of my experience into Scars. It was hard to face repeated rejections for so many years--especially in the last few years when I got so many near misses; the despair was sometimes overwhelming. Publishing Scars has been full of joy, validation, and fulfillment, as well as some stress. It's a lot of work, even after the book is published--book promotion, keeping up an author presence, networking--and for introverts like me, as well as those of us with abuse or trauma histories, some aspects of having to be public can be especially draining or triggering. But I wouldn't trade it for anything! I love having Scars out there, reaching people, love hearing from so many readers.

Something else I really enjoyed was Kendra's voice.  I think all teenagers, even if their experiences haven't been nearly as traumatic, would be able to relate to her self-discovery and journey towards finding constructive ways to deal with pain.  What did you have to do to tap into the teenage experience?

I'm glad you enjoyed Kendra's voice; thank you! I think I still have so much kid in me--and  I don't really feel like an adult, or the age my body is (I never have)--that all I had to do was tap into my own voice, fears, emotions, and experiences. I worry that sometimes my dialogue or internal thoughts may sound too old or stilted--I felt SO old as a child and teen, and I didn't learn colloquial language until many years after leaving home. But I know there are many mature teens out there--teens who've had to grow up too fast--so perhaps my voice will echo theirs.

I thought that the cover of Scars was fantastic - it really worked with the story.  Could you share what the cover design process was like for you?

I mentioned to my publisher that I had a professional photo of my scarred arm and wondered if they'd be willing to look at it. They were--and I'm so grateful! I think it works really well; it tells readers right away what the book is about, without being sensationalist.

What has been the most surprising thing about being a published author so far?  Has it changed how you write?

The most surprising thing for me has been amount of time it takes to do various forms of book promotion, including keeping author visibility and being a part of reading and writing communities--every day. It takes up so much more time and energy than I'd realized it would, digging into what I thought of as my writing time. But then I also care very much about my books continuing to reach people, and not just disappearing under the flood of all the other books out there--so it's important to me to both do ongoing book promotion and to write (and edit). I am working on trying to balance the two.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your teen self?

To believe in myself, to love myself, and to find as much compassion for myself as I could, and to keep trying to get safe. To not ever give up on my dreams, that they would come. And to know that I was never to blame for any of the abuse that happened--and that I am lovable. To take in all the good that other people can see in me, and to try not to block it so much the way I was trained to do.

What advice would you give teens in situations like Kendra's?  What about teens who want to write?

For teens in abusive situations, or in deep emotional pain, or queer and alone: To find someone--or many someones--who are safe to talk to. To get out the emotion in safe ways, to have real compassion and love for yourself, the way you would a friend. To know that you don't deserve to be hurt--by anyone--not even by yourself.

For teens wanting to write: To hold on to your dream. To read as much as you possibly can--you'll learn from it all, as well as feed your soul, your well of creativity. To join a critique group--online or in person--to get feedback to help make your work better. To read books on writing technique, or take classes, or both, to keep on getting better. I still do all of that myself.
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Thank you so much, Cheryl, and all the best to you while Scars is being challenged. Hopefully the library will realize how inspiring this book has been to so many teens, myself included! You can find out more about Scars on Cheryl's website.