The problems connected with homelessness is something we cannot perceive, understand or explain – known as the dark side of the moon. There are many reasons why people become homeless: loss of income or insufficient income, lack of affordable housing, poverty, marriage breakdown, domestic violence, mental and physical illness are, among others, common causes. Imagine running from an environment worse than the one in which they were living. Many people talk of a spiral sparked by one event, for example, the loss of a job, resulting in financial instability and eviction.
Almost all of us living in the urban west encounter homelessness on a nearly daily basis. The sight of people living on the streets is very frequent and yet we barely acknowledge this problem or give it a second thought. Homelessness isn’t someone else’s issue. It has a ripple effect throughout the community. It impacts the availability of healthcare resources.
I was first introduced to homelessness when I was living in Victoria, BC. I would fill my pockets with change then dole it out, thinking I had the solution to the problem. It did not take long for me to realize how wrong I was!
This experience was the inspiration for me to write #StellaWho.
Stella Who? a novel
“Linda has published fifteen books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish.”