A Cold Wind Blows (Forgotten series, #3)

Foreword

Last time I wrote a foreword I stated I did not normally do this type of thing, yet here I am again. This foreword is a bit different than the last. True the shifters are still brutal, they are still violent and the fact we are visiting the mountains in this books means they are ever more so. However, this is a bit different.

As I said in Forged in Fire, this world is different than our own, more vicious, more violent, more bloody. These shifters react animalistically and in extremely violent ways. I, as a person, do not endorse or condone their behaviours but I, as an author, understand they have a different culture that may seem brutal and harsh to us.

A Cold Wind Blows is no different. The mountain shifters are not a friendly species. They respect strength and deny weakness and that is showed numerous times throughout this book but that isn't what I am wanting to talk about. This book, in some places, showcases a woman's inability to cope with the trauma she had faced in her life. Her mind has been warped by the suffering she had endured and her actions are not appropriate.

Self-harm is a dangerous practice that the victims of rationalize in many different ways. Lace is no different then them in that regard. She makes justifications for it, hands out reasons to ignore the fact she requires help. Even with her justifications, it does not make it good or okay. Lace needs help. She needs to be taught how to appropriately cope with the trauma she has suffered.

There is no justification great enough for her actions, even though she justifies them in her own mind. Lace is just as complex and intricate as my other characters and I love her dearly but her actions are not something I endorse or approve. I understand that she is in need of help and I hope you do as well.

Self-harm is a symptom of a much larger psychological problem that sadly gets overlooked. So many people focus on the actions rather than the reasons behind them. One needs to find the root of the symptoms and fix it before the symptoms themselves can be addressed. As for Lace, we can hope that in this book she can begin the process of healing from the trauma so she no longer feels the need to justify her actions or reach for her blade.

If you, or someone you know or care for, feels the need to harm themselves or others, please phone:

S.A.F.E. Alternatives: 1 800 366 8288
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1 800 273 8255
Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-SUICIDE
Self Injury Foundation: 1-800-334-HELP
Real Help For Teens: 1-877-332-7333
Kids Help Phone: 1 800 668 6868

Remember you aren't alone and there is someone out there willing to help.

"When I was a boy and would see scary things in the news, my mother would say 'Look for the helpers. You will always find the people who are helping'"- Mr. Rogers

"Suicide doesn't end the pain, it simply gives it to someone else."- Unknown