Gripping Freedom

I’ve been thinking about my own book a lot lately. No, not because I think of myself as some literary genius, but because my book has become relevant in a way I had not intended.
Whispering Through Water is a coming of age YA Contemporary, which some readers might consider on the verge of historical fiction as the book is set in 1998. 
I’ve always been interested in exploring the point at which a child realizes their parent existed prior to being a parent. In my children’s lives, I’ve only existed as Mom, but at some point they will realize I existed without that title. The book opens as my main character, Gwyn, graduates high school, with all the excitement and apprehension that comes with new beginnings. Gwyn stumbles upon information that unearths a closely held family secret. She realizes that the women who came before her had fewer choices and opportunities, and their struggles paved the way for her freedoms. 
I finished the original Whispering Through Water manuscript in 2013. I put it away for 7 years before revising in 2020. The book was published in 2023. The world underwent dramatic changes in those ten years.
While listening to an NPR story in April 2025 on the executive order aimed at eliminating disparate impact liability, I had a realization. If Gywn was a “real” person, she would be four years younger than me. In my story, Gwyn is four years older than my daughter’s current age. In four years, will my daughter discover that her mom (me) entered adulthood with more freedoms than she has? I certainly hope not. I want my daughter to have more opportunities than I did. Isn’t that what all parents want? My mom was determined that my sister and I would graduate from college, because she didn’t have the opportunity as a young adult. And I did, three times. 
If God’s plan was to give women intellect, critical thinking, and creativity, but not allow them to use it, what a cruel God, indeed. Thankfully, I know I God of creativity and love. My dad always told us that education was the one thing no one could take away from you. I think that’s why I love reading. Once read, the book becomes a part of you, and that knowledge changes how you see the world. Education is a threat to power. Why else would persons with power make comments, even in jest, about abolishing the 19th amendment. 
Whispering Through Water was intended to be my love letter to the women who came before us and paved the way so our daughter’s futures will be full of promise. It still is that, but with an added layer of urgency. I hope my book sparks conversations.