The "hidden" message in Shattered Ties.

When I first announced Shattered Ties, I said that I hoped everyone found the "hidden" meaning in it. I use the term hidden loosely because it's pretty obvious for the most part.

I think everyone knows what I was talking about if you've read the book. When I wrote Shattered Ties, I wanted to not only write a love story, but send a message to my readers as well.

In the world we live in today, it is SO easy to feel like you're not good enough. There is always someone out there who is "better" than you. Or at least, it feels like it.

That's just not true. I'm sorry, but it's not. I'm sure there are several people out there giving me a weird look as they read this, but I stand firm on my belief that we are all equal. It doesn't matter how much money you have, where you live, how big your home is, what kind of car you drive, what your family is like, what language you speak, what color your skin is, or what kind of education/job you have.

We are all equal. No one should EVER feel ashamed of who they are or what they have. People tend to look at your material belongings and judge you. I hate that. I. HATE. THAT.

I've grown up my entire life knowing the rumors about West Virginia. I've heard it all - we have no teeth, we don't wear shoes, we live in the mountains, we all carry around banjos while wearing overalls and chewing on a piece of hay. (I tried hay when I was little. Let me just say - I have no idea what cows like about it. Ewwww.)

It used to make me angry, but now I laugh. It's comical when people meet me for the first time and I tell them I'm from WV. (And by the way, West Virginia is a state. It's not part of Virginia.)


 We are all created the same. If you take get anything out of Shattered Ties, I hope it's this - Regardless of your circumstances, you should be proud of who you are.

I love every single one of you reading this. So, hold your head up high and tell the world to take their assumptions and shove them right up their... you know.

YOU are worth so much. Never let anyone tell you different.