My name is Tracy Miller. I founded Arlene Miller Creative Writing in memory of my mother Arlene Miller (August 24, 1924-May 10, 2005) to recognize & support creative expression.
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How @LisaNEdwards ‘ #CantFightFate trilogy teaches us how to embrace Fate by Tracy Diane Miller
There is a four letter word that has sent shivers to my spine for as long as I can remember: Fate.
The fear over Fate, I would argue, comes from the belief that if we have no control over the direction our lives take, what’s the point of trying anything? Consequently, Fate is perceived as some enemy puppeteer, pulling our strings and expecting our obedience.
Yes, there are many aspects of our lives for which we lack control, but I think if we can stop viewing Fate as that enemy to our existence rather than a teacher along our journey, we can learn a lot about ourselves.
Lisa N. Edwards’ stellar trilogy (Can’t Fight Fate, Chasing Butterflies and Seed of the Sunflower) teaches us how to embrace Fate. Hollywood entertainment lawyer Nikki Kirkpatrick is determined to find the green eyed soul mate that several psychics have predicted. Throughout this series, readers follow Nikki on an intense life journey that, on the surface, seems like the desire to fulfill a romantic ideal. However, what Edwards does for her protagonist is give readers a more enduring message: Fate sets obstacles in our path. We stumble. We fall. Our hearts become burdened by tragedy. Yet, in the end, we rise. We grow.
I feel that it would be a disservice to Edwards’ descriptive and emotionally satisfying writing with her marvelous characterizations and meticulous plotting, if we were to view Can’t Fight Fate and its literary siblings Chasing Butterflies and Seed of the Sunflower in sophomoric terms by calling them “one woman’s romantic quest.” Edwards’ books are so much more than that. While romance frames the narrative so does that discovery of our authentic selves. Why do we look towards others to define us, to write our happy ever after, when we need to understand who we are first? I feel that inquiry is so important for our emotional well-being.
Nikki Kirkpatrick goes through growth and transformation throughout the trilogy. Similarly, her best friend Siobhan (who not only is the perfect balance for Nikki but also is a fascinating character in her own right) wears an armor of confidence and self sufficiency when she is inwardly struggling to find her own way. What I like most about Edwards’ writing is that she refuses to give readers a quick fix; her characters don’t all of the sudden miraculously know the answers to life’s most probing questions nor are conflicts nearly packaged when the trilogy reaches its conclusion. Questions breed more questions which, not surprisingly, is the essence of life.
Fate doesn’t have to be a dreaded four letter word. If we’re willing to forego that unattainable notion of perfection in favor of living our lives and learning from our mistakes, only then can we really embrace Fate.
To buy Lisa N. Edwards’ books:
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