annethology
  • Home
    • About Annethology
    • About me >
      • A little more about me
    • About my books
    • Author talks
    • Contact me
    • Forthcoming events
    • World Mental Health Day
    • Privacy
    • Sign up for my newsletter
  • Sugar and Snails
    • Acknowledgements
    • Blog tour, Q&A's and feature articles >
      • Birthday blog tour
      • S&S on tour 2022
    • Early endorsements
    • Events >
      • Launch photos
      • Launch party videos
    • in pictures
    • Media
    • If you've read the book
    • Polari
    • Reading group questions
    • Reviews
    • In the media
  • Underneath
    • Endorsements and reviews
    • Launch party and events
    • Pictures
    • Questions for book groups
    • The stories underneath the novel
  • Matilda Windsor series
    • Matilda Windsor >
      • What readers say
      • For book groups
      • Interviews, articles and features
      • Matty on the move
      • Who were you in 1990?
      • Asylum lit
      • Matilda Windsor media
    • Stolen Summers >
      • Stolen Summers reviews
  • Short stories
    • Somebody’s Daughter
    • Becoming Someone (anthology) >
      • Becoming Someone (video readings)
      • Becoming Someone reviews
      • Becoming Someone online book chat
    • Print and downloads
    • Read it online
    • Quick reads
  • Free ebook
  • Annecdotal
    • Annecdotal blog
    • Annecdotal Press
    • Articles >
      • Print journalism
      • Where psychology meets fiction
    • Fictional therapists
    • Reading and reviews >
      • Reviews A to H
      • Reviews I to M
      • Reviews N to Z
      • Nonfiction
      • Themed quotes
      • Reading around the world
  • Shop
    • Inspired Quill (my publisher)
    • Bookshop.org (affiliate link)
    • Amazon UK
    • Amazon US
    • books2read

About the author and blogger ...

Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.
A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.

TELL ME MORE

On Underneath’s first birthday, I’m confessing a guilty secret underneath

25/5/2018

8 Comments

 
Picture


I have a guilty secret pertaining to abortion. Not that I’ve had a termination myself; I have a far worse confession to make. In those long-ago days when we paraded our objections on the streets instead of Twitter, my first ever protest march was against abortion. In my defence, I was a brainwashed Catholic teenager and I’ve been doing whatever I can to atone for that sin ever since.


Anticipating the first anniversary of the publication of my second novel, Underneath, I had a slightly different post in mind. But I’ve been deeply moved by the stream of tweets from the Irish diaspora and their international supporters about travelling home to vote to repeal the 8th amendment that prohibits abortion in this part of the EU. As it also happens to be Africa Day, I also want to mention how it reminds me of TV footage of South Africans queueing patiently or jubilantly in the hot sun to cast their votes for the first ever elections under majority rule.
 
Both issues are linked tangentially to my novel (South Africa being one of the narrator’s
travel destinations) and, on the first official day of GDPR chaos and confusion, it’s great to mark something inspiring on Annecdotal. I’m hoping a YES vote for Ireland will shame the UK government into ensuring equal reproductive rights for British citizens with the misfortune to live in the north of that island.
 
Like many reformed characters, my views on abortion have shifted to the opposite extreme. While I appreciate the ethical issues around late terminations, and I’m happy for the experts to determine the exact point at which a foetus becomes an unborn baby, I believe decisions on early abortion should be completely the woman’s choice. No faffing about convincing two doctors that giving birth would be physically or psychologically harmful; treat the woman as a grown-up who knows what’s right for her. (Although nothing wrong with unbiased counselling to help her make up her mind.)
 
While abortion rights matter for gender equality, they also contribute to the well-being of the child that results if the option is denied. The fact that many women
make a good adjustment to unplanned pregnancy doesn’t mean that all will, especially when the element of choice is removed. A reluctant, resentful or depressed mother might be unable to respond to her baby in the way it needs in order to thrive.

Picture

Steve, my novel’s antihero, had a lonely childhood
on account of his mother’s depression, although I imagine he’d have been a wanted baby had his father not died before he was born. These family dynamics have made him reluctant to have children so it’s a relief when meets a woman who feels the same way (p20):
 
So many of the women I’d met lately had been more interested in the viability of my sperm than our having fun together.  
 
On their very first meeting, Liesel tells him she’s having an abortion; as the author – and a
people pleaser – I was concerned some readers might be alienated by her openness and absence of shame. (While none of the reviews referred to this explicitly, some readers judged her to be a much more unpleasant character – not necessarily in a bad way – than I did.) But as a reformed protester against abortion, I’m pleased to play this extremely small part in normalising the procedure.
 
Of course, fiction should leave the reader to make up their own mind, and I hope I’d have written Liesel in the same way even if I were strongly opposed to her views. Although I enjoy making my characters voice opinions contradictory to my own, if you write about what interests you – and who doesn’t? – there’s a risk of
coming over as preachy about issues you hold dear. But if it’s a choice between that and banality, I’ll take that risk.
 

Picture

As usual, I’ve overdone the links but, if you have any remaining curiosity about my second novel, you can follow this one to other stories underneath.
 
At the time of writing, perhaps
on account of GDPR chaos, the comment function isn’t working on Weebly blogs. That might be no bad thing, given the vitriol opinion pieces on abortion can attract. But I’m expecting the bug to be fixed soon and, when it is, I will leave the comments open unless I come under attack. Since Weebly also isn’t yet displaying the cookies opt-in banner, I refer you to my new privacy statement instead. (I’ve decided to go for the plain-language version rather than confusing myself with legalese, but please let me know if you think I’ve missed anything important.)

Picture
Update 2 June

Yay, my site is back on track with comments open and cookie warnings in place. But that’s not what’s brought me back to this post. A week on, I’m still tearing up at
what Ireland achieved. So, despite having already posted one response to this week’s flash fiction prompt, I’ve been moved to compose another:

The warrior women of Ireland

They fought in lipstick and five-inch heels; they fought in turf-stained jeans and wellies. They battled home via Stena Sealink and Ryanair for the desperate travelling in the opposite direction. They fought so no more Savitas would have to die because no surgeon would defy the law to save them. They fought with the ballot won a century before when women starved for basic freedoms. The warrior women of Ireland reclaimed the choice misogyny and church denied them. But the job’s not done until their sisters in the north can also decline to harbour an alien in their bodies.

Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
8 Comments
D. Avery link
3/6/2018 02:08:04 pm

The battles are unending.

Reply
Annecdotist
4/6/2018 01:16:05 pm

Sadly true, and even when they seem to have been won, there's a fight to hang on to the gains.

Reply
Charli Mills
6/6/2018 12:49:50 am

Powerful addendum to your birthday post, Anne. I had read earlier, but could not comment, and now I get the added punch your flash fiction throws. Well aimed hit to call out the north in the last line. How amazing to have this reversal and so many fighting for women's right to her own body. Happy 1st 2nd Book Birthday!

Reply
Annecdotist
6/6/2018 09:28:03 am

Thanks for coming back, Charli, and glad you liked the flash. I was a little bit worried about upsetting the anti-abortion side (I refuse to call them pro-life as the yes voters are also on the side of life), but sometimes you just have to nail your colours to the mast. I think I might have been able to improve on the rhythms if I’d had more time, but I am pleased to be able to pay tribute.

Reply
Robbie Cheadle
9/6/2018 06:41:32 am

This is a very interesting article, Anne. I am not against abortion, provided it is not used as a form of contraception. I personally believe that if a woman goes for a third abortion she should be steralised. The termination of a life should not be a light and easy decision. In circumstances of rape, ignorance and that type of thing, of course, it is right to have access to an abortion. I just feel that people take advantage of things and there is never a middle road.

Reply
Annecdotist
9/6/2018 07:52:45 am

Interesting perspective, Robbie, thanks for sharing. I’m not against sterilisation either if it’s the man or woman’s own choice. In fact, I read an interesting article recently by a woman who had terrible difficulty getting doctors to take her request the sterilisation seriously.
The situation for a woman requiring repeat abortions is very sad. I’d wonder what was going on in her life that made this seem the best solution. As a psychologist I’d want to explore whether she could be helped to make different choices. As a writer I’m curious about what would lead her to this position. You might have sparked a story there, Robbie!
I wonder what you mean by “taking advantage”? Is it about using scarce health care resources she might not have needed if she’d been more responsible? It makes me think of the many people who persist in smoking despite the now well-publicised health risks, as well as those who continue drinking with already damaged livers. Very demoralising for healthcare staff to manage – indeed for society as a whole.

Reply
Norah Colvin
26/2/2023 10:23:43 am

Catching up on old posts. I thought I'd read this one, but it seems not. Thanks for the link in your latest post.

Reply
Anne Goodwin
26/2/2023 03:37:26 pm

Thanks for following the trail of crumbs. You might have actually read it but couldn't comment as, if I remember rightly, I'd inadvertently posted it with comments closed.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Free ebook: click the image to claim yours.
    Picture
    OUT NOW: The poignant prequel to Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home
    Picture
    Find a review
    Picture
    Fictional therapists
    Picture
    Picture
    About Anne Goodwin
    Picture
    My published books
    entertaining fiction about identity, mental health and social justice
    Picture
    My latest novel, published May 2021
    Picture
    My debut novel shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize
    Picture
    Picture
    My second novel published May 2017.
    Picture
    Short stories on the theme of identity published 2018
    Anne Goodwin's books on Goodreads
    Sugar and Snails Sugar and Snails
    reviews: 32
    ratings: 52 (avg rating 4.21)

    Underneath Underneath
    reviews: 24
    ratings: 60 (avg rating 3.17)

    Becoming Someone Becoming Someone
    reviews: 8
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.56)

    GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4 GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4
    reviews: 4
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.44)

    The Best of Fiction on the Web The Best of Fiction on the Web
    reviews: 3
    ratings: 3 (avg rating 4.67)

    2022 Reading Challenge

    2022 Reading Challenge
    Anne has read 2 books toward their goal of 100 books.
    hide
    2 of 100 (2%)
    view books
    Picture
    Annecdotal is where real life brushes up against the fictional.  
    Picture
    Annecdotist is the blogging persona of Anne Goodwin: 
    reader, writer,

    slug-slayer, tramper of moors, 
    recovering psychologist, 
    struggling soprano, 
    author of three fiction books.

    LATEST POSTS HERE
    I don't post to a schedule, but average  around ten reviews a month (see here for an alphabetical list), 
    some linked to a weekly flash fiction, plus posts on my WIPs and published books.  

    Your comments are welcome any time any where.

    Get new posts direct to your inbox ...

    Enter your email address:

    or click here …

    RSS Feed


    Picture

    Tweets by @Annecdotist
    Picture
    New short story, “My Dirty Weekend”
    Picture
    Let’s keep in touch – subscribe to my newsletter
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Popular posts

    • Compassion: something we all need
    • Do spoilers spoil?
    • How to create a convincing fictional therapist
    • Instructions for a novel
    • Looking at difference, embracing diversity
    • Never let me go: the dilemma of lending books
    • On loving, hating and writers’ block
      On Pop, Pirates and Plagiarism
    • READIN' for HER reviews
    • Relishing the cuts
    • The fast first draft
    • The tragedy of obedience
    • Writers and therapy: a love-hate relationship?

    Categories/Tags

    All
    Animals
    Annecdotist Hosts
    Annecdotist On Tour
    Articles
    Attachment Theory
    Author Interviews
    Becoming Someone
    Being A Writer
    Blogging
    Bodies
    Body
    Bookbirthday
    Books For Writers
    Bookshops
    CB Book Group
    Character
    Childhood
    Christmas
    Classics
    Climate Crisis
    Coming Of Age
    Counsellors Cafe
    Creative Writing Industry
    Creativity
    Cumbria
    Debut Novels
    Disability
    Editing
    Emotion
    Ethics
    Ethis
    Family
    Feedback And Critiques
    Fictional Psychologists & Therapists
    Food
    Friendship
    Futuristic
    Gender
    Genre
    Getting Published
    Giveaways
    Good Enough
    Grammar
    Gratitude
    Group/organisational Dynamics
    Hero’s Journey
    History
    Humour
    Identity
    Illness
    Independent Presses
    Institutions
    International Commemorative Day
    Jane Eyre
    Kidney Disease
    Language
    LGBTQ
    Libraries
    Live Events
    Lyrics For The Loved Ones
    Marketing
    Matilda Windsor
    Memoir
    Memory
    Mental Health
    Microfiction
    Motivation
    Music
    MW Prequel
    Names
    Narrative Voice
    Nature / Gardening
    Networking
    Newcastle
    Nonfiction
    Nottingham
    Novels
    Pandemic
    Peak District
    Perfect Match
    Poetry
    Point Of View
    Politics
    Politics Current Affairs
    Presentation
    Privacy
    Prizes
    Psychoanalytic Theory
    Psychology
    Psycholoists Write
    Psychotherapy
    Race
    Racism
    Rants
    Reading
    Real Vs Imaginary
    Religion
    Repetitive Strain Injury
    Research
    Reviewing
    Romance
    Satire
    Second Novels
    Settings
    Sex
    Shakespeare
    Short Stories General
    Short Stories My Published
    Short Stories Others'
    Siblings
    Snowflake
    Somebody's Daughter
    Stolen Summers
    Storytelling
    Structure
    Sugar And Snails
    Technology
    The
    The Guestlist
    Therapy
    TikTok
    TNTB
    Toiletday
    Tourism
    Toxic Positivity
    Transfiction
    Translation
    Trauma
    Unconscious
    Unconscious, The
    Underneath
    Voice Recognition Software
    War
    WaSBihC
    Weather
    Work
    Writing Process
    Writing Technique

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Picture
    BLOGGING COMMUNITIES
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from havens.michael34, romana klee, mrsdkrebs, Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It., adam & lucy, dluders, Joybot, Hammer51012, jorgempf, Sherif Salama, eyspahn, raniel diaz, E. E. Piphanies, scaredofbabies, Nomadic Lass, paulternate, Tony Fischer Photography, archer10 (Dennis), slightly everything, impbox, jonwick04, country_boy_shane, dok1, Out.of.Focus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Elvert Barnes, guillenperez, Richard Perry, jamesnaruke, Juan Carlos Arniz Sanz, El Tuerto, kona99, maveric2003, !anaughty!, Patrick Denker, David Davies, hamilcar_south, idleformat, Dave Goodman, Sharon Mollerus, photosteve101, La Citta Vita, A Girl With Tea, striatic, carlosfpardo, Damork, Elvert Barnes, UNE Photos, jurvetson, quinn.anya, BChristensen93, Joelk75, ashesmonroe, albertogp123, >littleyiye<, mudgalbharat, Swami Stream, Dicemanic, lovelihood, anyjazz65, Tjeerd, albastrica mititica, jimmiehomeschoolmom