Chance for Rain Book

Forecast Hopeful for Romance with a Disability in a 'Chance for Rain'

By Margarita Elizondo, CEO and Founder of Rolling With Me and Abilities Expo Ambassador

It's interesting how little characters with disabilities are seen in media yet some of the greatest books ever written are based on characters with some form of disability.

As children, teenagers and even adults, reading allows our imagination to soar and learn about worlds outside of our own understanding. Reading also helps us to learn new skills, heal old wounds and gain perspective. This is why it is key to be able to relate to what or who we are reading about. Chance For Rain, is romance novel about a women named Rainey Abbott who is struggling with self-esteem and finding true love after a life-altering car accident that took the lives of her mother and sister. Rainey who survived the car accident, suffered a spinal cord injury at the T4 level which left her paralyzed from the chest down. She now uses a wheelchair for her mobility and follows her father's passion for speed. She is a competitive race car driver and downhill skier.

Novel Explores Trials and Triumphs of Life and Dating with SCI

What's especially great about a Chance For Rain is the transitions and struggles that Rainey encounters are told from the perspective of an author who knows first-hand what those struggles and trials feel like. However, Author Tricia Downing, also knows how to overcome them. Tricia was an avid cyclist on track to becoming a world class triathlete when on September 17, 2000, she was struck by a car while on her bike and went from being a cyclist to a paraplegic. Like her protagonist, Tricia suffered a spinal cord injury at the T4 level. Despite her injury, she went on to compete for the Paralympics in 2016 and is looking to make the 2020 team. She published her first book, a memoir entitled Cycle of Hope, in 2010.

What I enjoyed most about this book was being able to relate to Rainey, especially her struggle with dating and her experience with online dating as a woman who uses a wheelchair. Her fears of being rejected because of her paralysis is common among most individuals who use a wheelchair, regardless of gender. As I read the book, I could not stop thinking about how awesome this novel would be for a newly injured female to read while laying in the hospital bed wondering what life is going to be like after her paralysis. While the author is not shy about sharing the true struggle of life with SCI, she also highlights that life has no limitations despite paralysis.

Additionally, the creativity put into the dialog between Rainey and her new online romance with
brian85 was like sneaking onto someone's laptop and reading their juicy online dating conversation. The twist in the romance when Rainey invited her best friend Natalie to trick Brian into believing she was Rainey gave the plot some excitement and illustrated how deeply troubled thirty-year-old Rainey was about her paralysis and self-acceptance.

This is a romance novel I highly recommend for men or women who are newly injured, but also anyone exploring the world of romance with a partner who has a disability. The truth is that a disability in any form does not only affect the individual, it affects those we love or may find interest in loving as well. Reading is an awesome, private way to explore new worlds and ways of living and Chance for Rain is an awesome tool to explore dating from the perspective of someone who uses a wheelchair. It will help you gain a better insight on your own personal fears and feelings as well as what the other person may be feeling. You can get your own copy on Amazon today.

Learn more about author, Tricia Downing on her website triciadowning.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, and @redefiningable on Twitter and Instagram.

About the Author:

Margarita Elizondo, AKA Maggie, is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, founder of Rolling With Me, model, dancer and writer. She was paralyzed in 2006 when an intruder broke into her home and shot her. She is a C-6/7 quadriplegic. Her work has been published in various publications including: Abilities.com, The Abilities Buzz, Wheel:Life and Mobile Women. She is also a disability marketing consultant teaching disability etiquette and appropriate representation and inclusion of individuals with a disability in the market, media and society.

As Ms. Wheelchair California 2013 title holder, she is a strong advocate in the disability community and volunteers for numerous organizations. She the recipient of Channel KPBS & Union Bank's Ability Awareness Hero of the Year Award 2016 and has received numerous other awards and recognitions for her work in the community. Margarita enjoys spending her spare time with her three granddaughters. Despite being a disabled single mother, she has proudly raised three children who continue her legacy of servitude: her daughters serve on the board of Rolling With Me and her son serves in the U.S. Army. You can contact her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @margarita.marguetelizondo, @rollingwith_me, @embraceurlimits and @margaritaelizondo_official.