Face in the Mirror

American by birth and raised in Africa by her Christian missionary parents, Emily lives in a world of contradictions. She feels out of step in the US when she returns to attend college, but even more so, she feels out of place in her own skin. Emily's religious background doesn't permit her to have the growing feelings she has toward women, so she tries to fit in with what her mother and her perception of God wants her to be. "Face in the Mirror" is the story of a girl's journey out of childhood in the African bush into the jungle of life as a lesbian, American, missionary-kid. Surrounded by mixed messages of love and fear, spiritual connection and strident doctrine, Emily bravely navigates her way from rejection to acceptance of her authentic self and finds her role in life, family and the church. While "Face in the Mirror" is a work of fiction, it is inspired by the true life experiences of the author, JT Collins. She originally wrote down her life story in a journaling exercise as a form of catharsis and self-discovery. As she worked through the process, she began to realize that while her life story is somewhat unique, many of her individual experiences, especially the feelings and associated life lessons, are universal. Trusting that her story could be a source of hope and inspiration for others, she reworked her journal into a novel to share with readers who might learn from her experiences and apply that knowledge in their own lives. She hopes that in sharing her journey readers will find reflections of their own story within the pages of this book, generating and answering unasked questions that help them along their own paths.