GUEST BLOG: Triggers Don’t Come with Warnings by Trish Arrowsmith Plus Giveaway!

I’ve been told by a few people that I should include trigger warnings in my books. So far, I have chosen not to include them. I know it may be a turn off for certain readers and they may not trust my books in the future but I have reasons for not including them.

As an overall theme, elements like kidnapping, abusive relationships, death…those should be a major part of the book description. I feel that if the back of the book is written correctly, potential readers should have a solid idea of what they will find in the book.

With my style of writing, I am not overly graphic or descriptive. While I do include description, many of the ideas that people would find triggering are often implied rather than explained in vivid detail.

With such a large focus on mental health recently, we learn more every day about what could potentially trigger people. I‘ve looked at many lists to find subject matter that may affect readers and they are quite extensive. While the big ones, like those mentioned above, will have an impact only many people, there are a lot of smaller, more specific situations/elements, that may be triggering for a few but not for the majority.

If we’re going to include warnings for the big elements like death, abuse, mental illness and we’re also going to include the smaller ones like blood, skeletons (yes, that is listed, on more than one list), snakes, then we should include warnings for everything. We never know what could be triggering for some people. The smell of lemons may bring back the most traumatic event of one individual’s life. The mention of a roller coaster or a clown could bring forth the worst memory for someone.

If we start including warnings for everything, we would almost have to write an entire prequel mentioning everything that’s already written in the book as a means to tell people to steer clear. It could severely stifle our creativity as writers and could potentially turn off every one of our readers because we all have something that brings back memories that we would like to forget.

For me, it’s not a matter of being insensitive to others’ feelings or needs, it’s about where to draw the line between what most people would be sensitive to and what a few people would be sensitive to. And why should I be the one to determine which trigger is more aggressive than another? I shouldn’t be the one to make the judgement that it’s okay to be triggered by clowns but not by the scent of lemons.

Publication Date: February 24, 2022

At twenty-six years of age, Kathleen has almost everything she needs: a fulfilling teaching career, a new car, and a recently purchased home. She dedicates her free time to her students, supporting them in a manner she never had growing up. Her days are filled with love and hope, but her nights are empty without a family to call her own. While spectating the first home baseball game of the season, she meets a man that she believes will change her evenings in the best possible way. With no children of his own, he committed his free time to bringing his young nephew to watch the game, hoping to encourage him to play. Kathleen is immediately drawn to him and sees him as a true family man.

Maxwell is handsome, successful, and charming. When he proposes marriage shortly after they begin dating, Kathleen is eager to accept as the desire to start her own family consumes her. Within months of their marriage, Maxwell’s sweet, doting personality gives way to a more sinister, controlling side. Kathleen quickly realizes that while she was looking for a partner, Maxwell was looking for someone who existed solely to fulfill his needs.

When he suggests a move to the country, Kathleen is hesitant to leave her job but believes the change of atmosphere will be an opportunity to bring them closer together. She soon realizes the isolation of the countryside only serves to enhance his power over her. It doesn’t take long for her to learn the devastating truth of who her husband really is, and she finds herself left with two choices: She can try to escape and hope he doesn’t find her, or she can stay and fight the battle in which all odds are against her.

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Trish Arrowsmith. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

Trish recently moved across the country where she found her forever home, enjoying the desert sunshine and wildlife all year long. She was born and raised in a small town in northern Connecticut. Growing up, she was always fascinated by unsolved mysteries and true crime as well as the psychological elements behind them. As an avid reader, her go to books are thrillers, suspense, and true crime.

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