Who Reads “Shades of Teale”?

I’ve had some interesting reactions to “Shades of Teale” and although not everyone warms up to the story and its sometimes stark exposé of marital unrest, I’ve been gratified by the positive comments I’ve heard about the writing, if not the subject matter.

For those who are new to this site (and my novel!), “Shades of Teale” tells the story of a woman who begins her first marriage floating on the naïve but pretty delusion that her husband is a genius, wedded life is bliss and marriage is forever. Is any of that true? My main character, Teale Covey, brings an ironic candor to her search for the facts.

Along the way Teale takes an unflinching, and sometimes entertaining, look at how she has changed from the spritely young girl she had been in her youth and she comes to see that in her efforts to live out the myth of wedded bliss, she has compromised her heart and her identity. Her husband, David, is not the man she thought he was and in fact, although Teale doesn’t immediately recognize it as such, his treatment of her is abusive.

Folks who have never found themselves to be the compromised partner in an unequal relationship might have a hard time embracing Teale’s acceptance of what seems like such grossly unfair treatment. They may wonder why she was ever attracted to David in the first place, and they will possibly wonder why she stayed as long as she did. My hope is that this book will help these people understand the nature of abuse and be better equipped to help anyone who is struggling with what is undoubtedly a very complex issue.

People who have survived an abusive relationship have told me that my descriptions are  accurate and compelling; abuse is a slippery devil and countless wonderful people have found themselves suffering its consequences. I’ve written this book in the hope that survivors will find in Teale a companion, a kindred spirit who walked the path they themselves have trod and found a way to a happier ending on the other side of their misery.

But I’ve also written this book for people who are currently in an abusive relationship. I don’t find blame and judgement to be useful concepts for the resolution of most issues in this world; my wish for these readers is that they will find in Teale’s story the comfort to know that they are not crazy, they are not worthless and they are not alone. My wish is for them to find the strength to identify the reality of their situation and to find the even greater strength to make the changes that will improve it.

If you know of anyone who might benefit from reading this story I invite you to encourage them in their quest for comfort. My book isn’t all doom and gloom — it has some lighter moments as well!  As my publisher says, the novel is kind of like a cross between “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and “The Devil Wears Prada.” I personally am not a big fan of the concept of wallowing and I suspect there are an awful lot of readers out there who feel the same way. So enjoy! And make every moment count!