My name is Michelle
Diana Lowe. I started writing stories from the age of six and published my
first book professionally in January 2014 at the age of 29.
I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in English
Literature with Philosophy from Roehampton University and a recognised
UK qualification in Information, Advice and Guidance. With this
IAG qualification, I am able to give advice and guidance to clients in my job
as a Children’s Centre Administrator. Often, I offer advice and support to
women, particularly vulnerable women, who have experienced gender, sexual or
domestic violence. I usually refer and signpost them to counselling, Family
Support services and other relevant services and agencies. My first full
length novel, The Glass Heart Girl, was inspired by the courageous
women I come into contact with on a daily basis.
Originally, I published The Glass Heart
Girl as an indie author in July 2014. But less than 2 months later, I
was discovered by UK publisher, Britain’s Next Bestseller. This amazing
publisher supports my mission to stop the violence against women and
girls.
Not only is my mission to stop this violence.
It is also a call to educate young people and adults more on this issue,
increase services for victims and to end the stigma and humiliation,
which is often pinned as a mark of shame, to survivors of
gendered and sexual violence.
You can visit my website here:
The Glass Heart Girl
by
by
Michelle Diana Lowe
What Is The Glass Heart Girl About?
The Glass Heart Girl tells the moving story of 20
year old university student, Alena Pavlis, a brave young survivor of gendered
violence, who is on the emotional and challenging journey to recovery. Studying
at the University of Leicester, Alena meets her soul mate, the gorgeous and
honourable Phillip Gregson, whose love for her is so deep and true. Phillip,
and best friend, Becca, become Alena’s support network, helping her to heal and
move on. But since the horrific experiences she suffered as a teenager are
still affecting her psychologically and preventing her from living a normal,
healthy life, it is so hard for her to let go and embrace Phillip’s love. But ultimately,
Alena must find a way to banish the past forever on this momentous journey towards
recovery and welcome Phillip’s love, before it is too late…
Can she fight to save
her future? Or will she be lost forever, eternally plagued by the ghosts of
yesterday?
Why Did You Write The Book?
My whole life, I have
always had a strong desire to help others, to champion under-represented groups
in society and to raise awareness of important subjects such as gendered
violence and equal opportunities for women.
When doing background
research for The Glass Heart Girl, it
shocked me to learn that in the UK, 400,000 women were victims of sexual
violence in 2013, 85,000 of these women being rape victims. Furthermore, the
statistics show that 1 in 5 women (aged between 16 - 59) have been sexually
assaulted at some point in their life from the age of 16. (Figures from Rape Crisis England and Wales). These are absolutely
horrendous figures! Discovering this made me even more determined to get the
message across that gender and sexual violence is not only immoral, but illegal
too, and it needs to stop now! No woman should be threatened with violence and
no woman should ever be faced with violence either.
In my job, I see
first-hand what violence can do to women. Being victims of such terrible acts
can affect women physically, emotionally and psychologically, leaving them
vulnerable, nervous and unable to trust again. In some cases they can have
physical as well as mental scars, as a result of the violence carried out. It
makes it ten times worse when the woman knows her attacker, or is in a
relationship with that person. Whether or not a woman knows the perpetrator,
the process of healing and recovery can be a difficult journey. A proportion of
these women can also develop mental illnesses and psychological conditions, as
a direct result of being attacked or abused. Nevertheless, with the right help
and support and a good support network around them, many of these victims can
successfully rebuild their lives.
So, raising awareness
of these courageous women’s experiences, giving them a literary voice and
empowering them is so important. Society needs to do more to protect women. But
before we find the cure, we need to identify the problem. The Glass Heart Girl elucidates how and why sexual violence happens
and how women can overcome their fears and traumas. But it also tells society
what it needs to do to ensure women are better protected from these horrible
acts of violence.
Character Analysis of Alena
Pavlis
ALENA PAVLIS (The Protagonist)
Age: 20
Height: 5’ 8’’
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Green
Place of Birth: London,
England
Nationality: British
Ethnicity: Greek
Relationship Status: In a relationship with Phillip Gregson
Best Friend(s): Becca and Emma
Place of Study: The University of Leicester, United Kingdom
Subject(s) of study: Psychology
Favourite hangout: The Botanic Gardens, where she lives at the university.
Home Town: Her original hometown is Brent Cross, North London. But her family had to move to Sutton, Surrey, after being shunned and ostracised by the community, following the harrowing adolescent experiences that Alena had.
Important fact(s) about this character: She is a victim of gender-based violence, who is trying to recover and rebuild her life. But letting go of the past is not as easy as it sounds.
More about Alena's character:
Alena Pavlis is a beautiful but broken 20 year old woman, a somewhat introverted female, who is trying to heal from a traumatic childhood. She is a young woman, previously attacked by a high school teacher at the age of fifteen and left for dead on the sidewalk... She could have died that fateful night, if it wasn’t for a kind young man who saved her life. Now in her early twenties, Alena is trying to forget the terrible events of her past and move on. Though getting the ghosts out of her head and life forever, is proving very challenging, because she is haunted by what happened to her by Brent Cross Station half a decade ago. No matter how hard she tries, Alena is unable to move forward and let go of the pain. The psychological scars of the abuse she suffered are evident throughout the novel. But also, her desire and determination to banish her demons is so touching and inspiring. She won’t give up, even when it seems all hope is lost.
Whilst attending the University of Leicester, she
meets the man she’s been waiting for her whole life, the dashing and undeniably
delightful, Phillip Gregson. Nonetheless, Alena’s dark fears are consuming
her – and these anxieties and apprehensions have led to her
developing both genophobia and agoraphobia. Still, there is a fighter in
this young woman, and she will keep working on getting better and
having a regular life, where abuse no longer defines who she is.
The support network around Alena is the key to her
recovery. Not only is her boyfriend able to support and bolster her, as the
relationship faces its tests and trials. But also, Becca, her best friend,
who she has a deep and strong connection with, is able to guide
and succour her, slowly coaxing Alena out of her incapacitating
and claustrophobic shell. Alena can confide in Becca more than she can Phillip,
as she feels safe and comfortable with opening up to another female close to
her heart.
If The Glass
Heart Girl ever becomes a movie, the celebrity who should play Alena
Pavlis is:
Elizabeth Gillies
Why should you read my book
This book gives
gender violence survivors a real voice, for the first time in a long time. By
reading this novel, you are helping to bring these brave women’s experiences to
the forefront, and helping to reduce the stigmatisation and marginalisation
that gender violence victims can face in their communities, as well as in the
wider society. Reading this book could help a survivor or help to support a
survivor. This book could even help to break the cycle of violence and save a
life.
Where My Book Is Available
I have signed a Publishing
Agreement with Britain’s Next Bestseller. If 250 people pre-prefer my book by 28th
November 2014, it wins a publishing contract. The Glass Heart Girl is such an important book that highlights the
growing problem that is gender violence, and gives hope to survivors. Please
get behind this book and help it win the book deal. This is not just a book; it
is a statement to our society. Women have the right to be safe without the
threat or fear of violence, and women deserve to be treated with respect and
dignity. Please help raise awareness of gender violence and pre-order The Glass Heart Girl today from BNBS:
What I'm working on now . . . .
I’m working on the
follow up book to The Glass Heart Girl,
which shows Alena’s life a year on. Will her life be perfect in a year’s time?
Or will a familiar face from the past come back to win her heart? A kind face
she secretly admired, but didn’t realise it before. A face that she could never
forget…
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