It's not fair!

Around the age of eight or nine, childhood tantrums give way to plaintive tirades against how unjust life is. "It's not fair!"

"If life were fair," we wise adults retort, "we'd be born old and die young. People would fly and seagulls would walk." 

"If Life Were Fair, Horses Would Ride Half the Time" (a book by Ben Goode)

"If life were fair, all the terrible things that happen to us, we'd actually deserve."

Or as Johnny Carson once said, "If life were fair, Elvis would still be alive and all the impersonators would be dead.” 

We start to develop a more mature sense of justice and fairness in our early to mid-teens, and an acceptance that no, life is not always fair.

Well into adulthood, though, we long to believe our justice system is fair, that our political institutions are equitable and principled--unless of course, we're looking for advantages for ourselves and our kin. Unless we believe we deserve a bit more than others...a bigger piece of the pie, a lesser part of the punishment.

In FATAL ERROR (2nd Edition), Book 2 of my BackTracker series, the equability of our justice system is explored from differing viewpoints--a young teen, law enforcement, prosecutors, the media, a biker gang.

As stated in the Book Club Discussion Guide at the back of the book:

"There are cultural differences in what is perceived as fair, leading to different laws and legal systems around the world. Canadian laws allows for justice to be tempered by circumstances yet at the same time, nobody is above the law—the same laws are supposed to apply to everyone equally."

Flexibility and fairness are hard concepts to balance, and not everyone is equal under the law, and circumstances both colour and taint justice.

FATAL ERROR still makes me ponder both the fragility and strength of our legal system. It's a good read...

It's not fair! is brought to you by FATAL ERROR

"Heartbreaking and triumphant" 

"...a dialogue-driven plot with so much compassion" 

“...a lesson and an intense drama in one.”

“Emotions run high in this book.” 

“This book has so much to say; we all should listen." 

“Rebellion, terror, drugs, murder, loss, lies, broken promises—all are there.”

Eileen Schuh, Author
FIREWALLS
FATAL ERROR
Schrödinger's Cat
THE TRAZ
Web site: http://www.eileenschuh.com
Blog: http://eileenschuh.blogspot.com

#WantingToMakeADifference

"Scandal ripples through entertainment industry and beyond as Harvey Weinstein's accusers grow in number" - CBC news

How the open dirty secret remained unchallenged for so long is difficult to understand. 

Time and again we have discovered that the relationship between abuser and abused is complicated and misunderstood.

Law enforcement, the justice system, corporate American, everyday men and women and the victims themselves can't navigate rationally through the behaviors that accompany and follow relationship violence and abuse.

Yet it's imperative that we do come to understand how it works. We need to know so we can avoid the trap ourselves and  teach others how. So we can quit blaming the victims. So we can raise a generation that doesn't accept or condone such violence.

"Why didn't she just....?" is a common refrain when we hear about abusive relationship. "If it was so bad, why didn't she....tell someone, report it to the police, breakup the relationship?"

"If it was so bad, why did she...keep seeing him, continue living with him, embark on a business relationship with him, speak well of him to others, text him, befriend him on facebook?"

I explore violent relationships in my recent novel, SHADOW RIDERS. It's my hope that readers will come to understand a little better the thought processes and emotional complexities that entangle women in violent relationships.

My novel is just a small start to understanding, to getting the conversation going.

As a writer, I feel compelled to at least try to understand this pressing social issue and at most, to make a positive change in my world.

#WantingToMakeADifference is brought to you by SHADOW RIDERS

"...anticipation and fear, sympathy and revulsion." SHADOW RIDERS #PsychologicalThriller










Eileen Schuh, Author
FIREWALLS
FATAL ERROR
Schrödinger's Cat
THE TRAZ
Web site: http://www.eileenschuh.com
Blog: http://eileenschuh.blogspot.com

Magic of the Muses: Respect thy foes

Magic of the Muses: Respect thy foes: It’s something sports fans know and something those in power should quickly learn—having ones enemies’ respect is a lot safer than having their fear or anger. Eileen Schuh,Canadian writer www.eileenschuh.com