This universal and easily relatable story of endurance, survival, and starting over doesn’t only belong to Bella; it belongs to anyone who desires to live in peace but is met with resistance. When boys struggle, we’re told to be strong, to squash our emotions, to figure things out on our own. Girls are now told the same. It’s bullshit. All of it. We should be allowed to feel, to fear, and to fail.

I wrote BOUND to remind people that no matter what level of adversity we face, it’s OK to cry, to admit defeat, to ask for help; because we are not alone and with the right kind of support things can and will get better.