Tonight, either you or someone you know are probably taking a stand, marching, and speaking out against sexual assault. We join in unity for “Take Back the Night,” an international community awareness movement in which rape, sexual assault, and victim shaming are brought to light and denounced. It is an event which originated in Europe, but later found its way to the U.S. in the latter half of the 1960s (see the Take Back the Night website for more information).

I’m grateful to say that I joined in and rallied with dozens of students, counselors, survivors, and supporters tonight at UNT. Many emotional chords were struck, and I was moved the most by two poems that a survivor of sexual assault shared with us. We joined him in raising our voices and decrying the pervasive victim-blaming culture that we live in. Our words were powerful, but our gestures of love, compassion, and resolve towards one another were even stronger.

UNT Take Back the Night 2017

As far as my writing goes, things are going smoothly. I’m currently working hard on book two of my Virility trilogy, titled The Virile Army. I actually got goosebumps on Tuesday as I was writing. I created a tense scene in which protesters and rioters began to march in order to condemn the religious organization known as Operantis. I got chills because, just as a riot seemed inevitable, I had my main character, Casimir Amador, step in and stop one protester from igniting a Molotov cocktail. He uses not just force, but also carefully chosen words which help defuse the situation and prevent more senseless violence.

Picture: AFP/GETTY

It’s a phenomenal scene because it (1) reintroduces my hero in a time of high tension, and (2) demonstrates just how selfless and lionhearted Casimir truly is, even though he also longs to strike down the traitors within the Operantis. He clearly believes that there is a better way to go about seeking justice.

I’m also in the midst of editing Stalder Press to Handstand, which is my post-apocalyptic novel that I wrote during NaNoWriMo 2016. For the past week I’ve slacked a bit on the editing front, but I’m trying my best to get back on track as quickly as I can! I hope to have my line and close edits for SPTH done by June 1. Even though it’s been a more in-depth process, often involving heavy doses of rewrites and changes in POV, I’m still confident that this work of mine will be much more refined and streamlined before the summer’s end.

How is your writing going? Have you heard of or want to get to know more about “Take Back the Night?” If so, all you have to do is leave a comment, and I’ll happily try and answer your questions or respond to your thoughts.