Guest Post: The Genesis of Exodus … by Barbara Winkes |

Happy Monday!

I’m thrilled to welcome Barbara Winkes. She’s here to chat about her latest The Exodus Strategy. And, she’s giving away one copy to a lucky winner. Details can be found below.

For a bit of fun, Barbara has provided three statements. Two are true. One is not. She’s challenging you to spot the lie. Below, you be able to play along. Let us know which one you think it is by leaving a comment.

Here’s Barbara.

The Genesis of Exodus…

Once upon a time, I held some quite naïve views regarding politics, and the ways people’s opinions could be changed. Confrontation with facts and real people’s stories should be enough, right? Meeting gay people in committed relationships, seeing their families, should determine views on marriage equality, and every stereotype and misinformation should vanish into thin air, shouldn’t they?

Likewise, when it comes to choice, there are solid numbers that point us in the right direction. Climate change—it shouldn’t even be called into question anymore that it does exist, and it is man-made.

Yet, politicians have come up with bill after bill (in the hundreds) that harm the rights of women and the LGBT community, rather than level the playing field. Over time, learning about these bills and who stood behind them, I had to adjust my own thinking, and fast. I was also wondering what the best possible alternative might be, and all those ideas came together to form a story, The Exodus Strategy. In real life, change takes a long time, and setbacks are a given. A 2015 UN report said that in no country in the world, women have 100% equal rights. Let that sink in. Not one. We can assume that hasn’t magically changed in 2017. It’s not surprising that so many people get tired of trying—the obstacles seem insurmountable. We’ve seen the banners like “I can’t believe I still have to protest this S**T”.

The great thing about fiction is that you don’t have to wait for everyone to be ready, for the decades that it takes to move forward. You can turn the switch.

The Exodus Strategy tells the story of two couples, one lesbian, one straight, who have been friends for a long time, and decide that they will no longer tolerate stereotypes and bigotry thrown their way. They will start over, start a new society from scratch, that is based on equality. It seems simple, but Kerry and Vivien who want a baby together, and Hilary and Marc who have decided to put their wealth to this project, face a storm of opposition. For those who don’t face discrimination, are unaware of it or support it, change doesn’t hold the same promise—some despise and fear it. And often, it comes down to money. So, for the sake of utopia, I wanted the money, a lot of it, to be on the side of progress, with those who want a more equal world and are ready to invest in it.

Would it be enough? Would the obstacles be too high, or would disappointed allies leave when things aren’t going fast enough?

The Exodus Strategy ends on a hopeful note. Back when I wrote it, I was expecting the world to take a big leap forward. It didn’t exactly happen the way I (and so many other people) hoped it would. Do we still have faith in humanity, in 2017? That’s the kind of question I mean to ask with The Exodus Strategy, and I’m curious about readers’ answers.

SPOT THE LIE

Are you ready to play the lying game? Barbara has supplied 2 truths and 1 lie. Guess which is the lie. Let us know by leaving a comment below. The lie will be revealed on Thursday in the comments section.

I became a citizen of Canada this year.
I don’t have a driver’s license.
I don’t like coffee.

THE EXODUS STRATEGY

E-Book $5.99
Also available in Kindle Unlimited
Release Date: September 8, 2017
Utopia / Political

In college, Kerry Rivers wrote a much discussed paper with her friend Hilary, on how to make the world fairer and more equal. In the present, after a State’s election, the winner wants to turn back time and undo rights gained by women and the LGBT community. Hilary, now married and the owner of a billion dollar company, thinks it’s time to act and make their utopia, Exodus, a reality.

But can you really start a society from scratch? And is the promise enough for Kerry to leave behind her career and home?

A number of laws enacted by the new government leave Kerry and her partner Vivien no choice. Together with their friends Hilary and Marc, they embark on a once in a lifetime journey that will come with setbacks and victories, joy and tears.

Trigger Warning: This story is about building a new society based on equality. Current inequalities are discussed, including violence against women, which may be disturbing to some readers.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

MEET THE AUTHOR

Barbara Winkes writes suspense and romance with lesbian characters at the center. She has always loved stories in which women persevere and lift each other up. Expect high drama and happy endings.