Zebekiah is a lovely brindle pit bull. We adopted him when he was a year and a half old, and he clearly came from a traumatic past. Zeb is an independent dog. It took almost six months for him to understand that he was in a family that loved him and would never hurt him. He is now gentle, affectionate, and loving. At five years old, he acts like a pup, running and playing with anything he can find.

Unfortunately, pit bulls have a bad rap. They are banned in many cities and counties because they are very strong dogs and can do a lot of damage.

One day, I took Zeb to work with me because he had to go to the vet. Some of the people in my office were worried about encountering a pit bull. The stereotypes surrounding the breed are what people think of first. After meeting Zeb, my coworkers realized that pit bulls are not horrible animals. One of my coworkers sat on the floor, and Zeb backed up, sat on his lap, and put his head on my coworker’s shoulder.

Zeb is a fine example of how stereotypes and perceptions can mar a person's thoughts. As writers, we try to step outside of stereotypes and perceptions. We write to entertain, and to bring new thoughts and ideas to people. At one time, strong female protagonists weren't common. But now, those stereotypes have been broken. At one time romance novels weren't very detailed in the sex scenes. Now, writers have changed ideas, and erotica has become its own genre.

Writers shouldn't be afraid to challenge stereotypes and perceptions. The viewpoints and story may not be popular, but controversy can boost sales.

Break out of the ordinary, challenge your own stereotypes and perceptions, and see where it leads you. With Zeb, I was able to show that not all pit bulls are mean. With my writing, I can also step into another realm, where I can change people's thoughts and ideas—or at least make them think.