Ru Freeman, first-time published author, oversaw the official launch of her novel, A Disobedient Girl (Simon & Schuster), yesterday. Freeman’s accomplishment was celebrated with an intimate gathering at the Sri Lankan Embassy, displaying the country’s pride in the overseas achievements of one of their own. With wine, cheese, and an offering of juice for the under-aged, Freeman was toasted by the Sri Lankan ambassador (a man, who incidentally, knew her as a toddler), her close friends, and the people who assisted in the publication of A Disobedient Girl.
Freeman tackles on the very real problems of Sri Lankan women within A Disobedient Girl. Her exploration on the struggles of these women and the bonds that tie them to their hardships are vivid and sure to bring a strong reaction from readers. The interconnecting stories of Latha, Thara, and Biso come together to display the universal trials that all women face, and how war exacerbates these same problems to the point of being unbearable.
Jeff Rivera is the author of “Forever My Lady” and the founder of GumboWriters.com.