Xlibris Author Sylvia Harvie Inspires with Her Novel on Domestic Abuse

Xlibris author Sylvia Harvie writes about a touchy subject often swept under the rug in her first novel titled Move Forward self-published through Xlibris last year. Perhaps equal parts fictional and self-help, the book narrates the story of the protagonist Susan Anderson who suffers from domestic violence, flees from the abuser, and finally moves on.

Although the story deals with a dark subject, Sylvia does away with the main character’s victim playing and focuses on the importance of moving on.

Writing from a reader’s point of view 

I took more than a year to write my book. I knew ‘Domestic Violence’ would not be a popular subject, although the recovery of the victim would. I focused on her journey of looking for the answer to how she had let herself become a victim. I did write it with the reader in mind, so I wrote it with firstly the violence against her, and then I addressed how the victim was able to move forward. Lots of fun and frivolity followed as well as travel and love. I always kept in mind the serious issue of how the victims suffered, before she was able to move forward.

Thumbs up to Xlibris

I originally contacted Xlibris to receive a quote as I am on a tight budget. I was able to scrape together the deposit to begin my journey into self-publishing. I was amazed at how quickly they had put it all together. Xlibris used my little watercolour for the book cover, which I had painted to describe the main scene in the book to the publicist. My daughter paid the balance and we were off and running. Thanks to Xlibris, my book Move Forward is now listed with booksellers all over the world.

For her book marketing, Sylvia launched a website to invite friends and fans to read her book. You can also follow her on her Facebook page here.

The About section on her Goodreads page further reveals her inspiration in writing the story.

… I am an avid reader of all genres and love a good mystery. As I am now retired and have more time on my hands, I have spent the last year researching and then writing, ‘Move Forward.’ This story is something I have wanted to write about for at least twenty years, and possibly since childhood. After meeting many victims of domestic violence and witnessing their recovery path to ‘move forward’ from domestic violence, which I watched with my mouth agape trying to understand it, throughout my life, as well as while I was working with people in crisis. 

My book Move Forward was a joy to write. While addressing a very serious issue which is ‘Domestic Violence’ I took the reader (I hope) through my character Susan Anderson’s search for answers to ‘Why’ she allowed herself to become a victim and ‘How’ she could have avoided the situation. Then I took her on a journey filled with family, fun, art, her beloved rainforest, travel, friendships and love. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it…

More authors like Sylvia are regularly featured here on the Xlbris Blog and the Xlibris Indie Authors Roundup.

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