A Memoir by Lisa Vaughn


Lisa was conservatively raised in a Catholic family in no-where middle America, where excitement is scarce and dreams are for sleeping. Little did she know, at age thirteen, she would suddenly find herself on a totally different path.

Through an unlikely chance meeting of a fellow classmate, she's surprisingly mesmerized, almost consumed, to befriend a girl who is obviously from the other side of the tracks...the cool side. Lisa does whatever she has to just to be accepted into this small club of coolness. Little did she realize, she was signing up for a lot more than social status. The two best friends find themselves innocently taking their relationship to a foreign level neither had experienced or saw coming.

A rollercoaster ride littered with choices and challenges Lisa never fathomed facing, especially in no-where middle America. She will find out what she is made of as she faces the consequences and struggles that come along with going against the grain.

Throughout their six year relationship, you will witness a touching story of human nature at its best...and at its worst. Showing just how far the human spirit can be challenged and pushed to a point where your “fight or flight” instincts naturally kick in. Struggling just to survive in a world where you are not like everyone else, but at the same time you really are. The daily struggles - both internal and external - are exhausting, yet necessary in their quest for one simple human need....love.

Finally breaking through all constraints that hold them back, reaching levels of one-ness that few actually obtain in a lifetime with their partner...only to find once they've reached that special place, it's not quite the right fit...for one of them, at least.

This contemporary story, told in the voice of the teen that lived it, will lead the reader through highs and lows, giving insight to the everyday challenges of the socially unaccepted, which will no doubt leave them rooting for the underdog. A true story of human resilience and the power of love...plain and simple.

*Please be advised, this memoir is real, honest, and raw. If you're looking for your typical 'sterilized' read, I'm not your girl - but if you're looking for a read that is written from the heart, certain to impact you on a human level, follow me! Have I got a story for you!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

SaturdaySamples Time! *The Crowd Roars* Drop In For Your Mini-Indie Fix!

Taken from Chapter 14: Beyond The Yellow Brick Road ~
(My parents had just helped me move into my first apartment)

Finally, the last of the boxes were brought in, and it was time to say goodbye to our helpers. The two people who had put me through hell, and also tried to save me from hell, stood there awkwardly. Not quite sure what to say, or how to make their exit gracefully. Quite a bittersweet moment. We clumsily said our goodbyes, and off they went, closing the door behind them. We looked at each other and began jumping for joy, relishing our accomplishment of freedom! We had really, really made it! It was almost unbelievable - too good to be true almost - there had to be a catch. Through all adversities, we had truly weathered the storms. Maybe Peggy was right - Time does bring everything to those who wait!

Hidden from society in our private world. The big difference now - this actually was our world! Complete with our own private walls - no one to monitor our actions, our words, our love. With absolutely no one to hide from, we were finally free “to just be” - as long as we were alone, that is. Yes, we had finally made it, but the cold, hard facts remained - society still forced us to live in secret. Even in our own home, we had to keep up appearances. Not only for parents, but friends, and co-workers alike. We were detaching from our parent's umbilical cord, but not even close to being totally free in the real world. Reality was, we still had to hide, even in the safety of our own home. That was just a fact of this lifestyle. But at least we could live it together now. Her and I against the world! And with that, we finally exhaled.

The next day our doorbell rang, a delivery man, standing outside our door, holding a planter in his hands. It was from my parents. The small card attached read: “Lisa and Selina, Welcome to your new home! Love Mom and Dad”. That simple card, with few words, meant the world to me. Although unspoken, it was finally proof they had accepted us. All those years of yearning for simple approval, especially from my mom, had finally come full circle. And in that moment, while reading that card, I felt a smidgen of acceptance and support coming from the only people I really ever needed it from - all this time.

That's all any kid ever wants in life, really - to be accepted by the people that brought them into this world. Pretty easy, you'd think. So why does it have to be so hard sometimes? I still have that card to this day, and every time I look at it, a lump forms in my throat and tears instantly well up in my eyes. It still packs the same punch it did years ago. A pretty powerful 2”x 3” piece of paper, huh?

2 comments:

  1. Great writing- It's amazing how a small gift from the heart can be so enormous- Found you through twitter~ Jess (I always show up as my main character Fairday Morrow, lol, can't seem to fix that!)
    http://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/
    http://www.jessicahaight.com
    http://www.facebook.com/fairday

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