Guilt

Definition: (noun) A term denoting an unpleasant feeling associated with blame; bad conscience over responsibility.

Such a simple term and definition that affects countless people all over the world. While guilt is a horrible feeling and it often makes a great plot line in a novel! In my book, The Pond; you will find a boy who friend drowns in a pond. An unfortunate, terrible thing for a child to die. Not long after the event, the boy and his family move out of town. Twenty-five years later, the boy has become a man and moves back to his childhood home with his family. Being in the setting of his childhood causes him to ponder about his friend’s death. What exactly happened? How did it happen? Could he have done anything to prevent it? See? Guilt subtly sneaks in as an underlying, yet prominent theme.


Guilt has the power and strength to invade most anyone with an Achilles heel. The slightest bit of vulnerability in our psyche provides a perfect and shortest path to feelings of guilt. Often times, feelings need to be explained or described. I am willing to bet that everyone has felt the pangs of guilt at least once in their life. And, the feelings were so overwhelmingly unpleasant, that no one wants to experience it again. In fact, anyone else that is suffering from guilt is often pitied by others.

Interestingly enough, the main character’s guilt is suddenly causing things to go bump in the night. Pick up a copy of my book, The Pond and rediscover guilt and fear.