Originally, when I started The Circle of Confusion, I wasn't going to put too much information about Lori's family in until later in the story, but I changed my mind about that. I want the readers to know right away what Lori is up against.
I also want to make it clear that I am not anti-Christian or anything like that. I believe in God and I believe His love is unconditional. Sadly, too many LGBTQ youth face what Lori is going through in this story. And I want to create a story that makes all of you know that It Gets Better.
Okay, so here is a little bit of the changes I made to Chapter One.
My father
cleared his throat. “Hut hum, Lora, you mother and I are very concerned about
these friends you’ve been hanging around with.”
I sat up
straight, concerned about the direction this conversation seemed to be headed.
“I don’t know why. My friends are good people, good students. They don’t drink
or party.”
“Well, um,
it has been mentioned that they might by homosexuals,” he said, looking from me
to Mom. His hazel eyes were just like mine, more green, than brown and they
turned a deeper shade of green when he was upset.
“Really?” I
said, looking at Jana. “Where’d you hear that?” I knew Jana hadn’t told them.
Jana knew I was gay, and she knew how flipped out our parents would be if they
found out.
“Someone
from our church knows one of the girls’ mothers. She told your mother that we
should be careful letting you hang around with those girls because they will
try to convert you,” he said, looking directly at me.
“Convert
me? Being homosexual is not like Judaism, Islam, or some other religion. Gay
people don’t convert people. Either you’re gay or you’re not.”
