M.J. Parisian's Blog, page 2

Life Support

Exactly 4 weeks ago today, my dad had an accident that resulted with him in the hospital. He spent the following 26 days in the hospital and is now recovering at a rehab facility.

And while he may not be the same person he was 4 weeks ago, he is doing well and continues to fight every day.

To say his accident was a wake up call is like saying Michigan is really cold right now. Both statements are no-brainers and will induce an eye-roll from me.

And while I admit he’s not the same person, I’ll attest to the fact that I’m not either.

As a writer, this is how I cope… always have in the face of adversity. I have a friend who will gently say “write about it” when I’ve gone off the deep end for too long. She’s right. Sometimes, it’s the only way I can figure something out.

As I sit here and write this, many of the people I know and love are somewhere else. Most are in Florida… a couple in Denver. I have spent most of this week alone. Yes, I’m working, but a trio of three-year-olds doesn’t count. I have been through every emotion possible – from the lowest of the lows, to what I’m feeling now – stronger. After what can only be described as a mental breakdown on Tuesday, I have swung to the other side of the pendulum. I don’t know what the opposite of a breakdown is, but I’ll be honest – it’s a hell of a lot better on this side.

I realize now that I have been stuck for about a month, refusing to understand and accept the changes that we have been dealt. I’ve been clinging to what was, and ignoring the fact that it’s just different now.

A new normal. I hate that phrase, by the way.

It’s not a normal I would’ve chosen for myself, but the only sure things in life are death and taxes. The rest we have to figure out and accept, or we drive ourselves (and everyone around us) crazy.

So, I’ll continue on this path – the new normal – and figure out ways to deal with the ever changing mood swings issues in my life – hopefully in positive ways. My goal is to find some other ways, but let’s be honest, there isn’t much that can’t be fixed with a trip to Target

April Novel News!

Happy Easter Peeps!

I’m hoping this first day of April finds you on a beach somewhere, preferably with a fruity cocktail in one hand

[image error]and a book in the other.

I may be able to help you with that too! Starting April 2 (Monday), my first novel – What We Know Now – is FREE for the week through Amazon Kindle! It’s a perfect introduction into the lives of some of my favorite people in Northern Michigan.

Plus, it’s the PERFECT beach read.

Upcoming News:

My second novel, This Is How A Heart Breaks, is currently in the editing phase. The goal is to have some beta readers by the end of April before it’s released into the world May 22, so stay tuned for that. It is my firm belief that if you enjoyed WWKN, you’re gonna LOVE this one even more.

What I’m Reading: While I wait anxiously for the edits to come back from my editor, Susie, I have found myself with a little extra free time to get some books knocked off my TBR List.

I recently finished A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner and couldn’t put it down. And when I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. This was my first book by this author and immediately put three others on hold at the library. It was THAT good.

I also recently started Still Me by Jojo Moyes, the third in the Me Before You trilogy. I can already tell it’s one of those I will fly through during the down time this week. No one writes like Jojo, and I adore this series so much. I’m a little afraid to be done with it to be completely honest. Will definitely be savoring every page in this one.

That’s it from me! I truly hope you are somewhere sunny enjoying pages of literary love.

Happy Reading….

xo, Mo

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click for some fun…

 

March Novel News

Welcome to March Madness!

WHAT’S NEW?

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Well, this beauty to the right is new, and will be available to you May 22, 2018! This story picks up where What We Know Now leaves off, but this time we get to dive into Linny’s story.

And boy-oh-boy, is it a story.

Let’s just say, I laughed and cried A LOT while writing this one, more so than the WWKN. I am in love with how the story developed and can’t wait to be able to share it with you.

Shout out to Susie at Poole Publishing for this AMAZING cover. I don’t know how she does it, but it’s exactly what I wanted and fits the story perfectly.

Oh, and as a little gift to you today, you can read the first chapter here: Chapter 1 Bonus Content.

OTHER NEWS:

If you haven’t read What We Know Now yet, it’s on Kindle Unlimited for another week! I have received so many lovely photos and notes about this book, and I am so grateful for every one. And here’s another bonus… For every book I write, I create a “soundtrack” that inspires me throughout the writing process. If you follow me on Spotify, you already know this, but if not, HERE is the link to the What We Know Now playlist.

On my bookshelf:  I just started The Wife Between Us, by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. It’s everything I love in a book right now… mysterious, a little creepy, and completely addictive. I also recently finished The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and couldn’t put it down. If you’re planning on a spring vacation soon, this is definitely a perfect beach read.

That’s it from me! Time to put my editing hat back on and get back to work. Don’t forget you can subscribe to my blog and receive these monthly newsletters directly in your inbox!

Have a fabulous month, and for those of you here in the Lansing area, GO GREEN!!

Happy Reading…

xo, Mo

 

This Is How A Heart Breaks

Sometimes, the one decision you can’t make is the one thing that will change your life.

M.J. Parisian’s second novel, This Is How A Heart Breaks, will be available on Amazon (and here!)

 

May 22, 2018.

The Last Mrs. Parish

“Amber Peterson was tired of being invisible.”

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Are you sensing a pattern, here? Given the workload I had this year, I didn’t read much, but what I did manage to get through fell into the psychological thriller category. But I’m not exactly sure why, other than they are such an enormous escape for me, and I was literally drawn to them.

 

This one, The Last Mrs. Parish by Liv Constantine has been dubbed the next Gone Girl, which is getting old by the way. Just because a story contains provocative women characters, and may contain a twist or two, doesn’t mean it has to be under the Gone Girl category. Nothing against Gone Girl… I made the audible gasp at that certain twist, but not every book has to be compared to it either.

What I loved about this one was how the author lead you down a path, and then changed the direction with the flick of a page. I really can’t say much more than that without spoilers (which I’ll never do), so you’re just gonna have to read it yourself.

I hope you do… It’s the perfect book to read with a lovely glass of wine by your side.

Okay… one more day! What will it be???

Until then, Happy Reading.

xo, Mo

YOU

“You walk into the bookstore and you keep your hand on the door to make sure it doesn’t slam. You smile, embarrassed to be a nice girl, and your nails are bare and your V-neck sweater is beige and it’s impossible to know if you’re wearing a bra, but I don’t think you are.”

Oh, this book. [image error]

My second choice in my Top 5 of 2017 is You, by Caroline Kepnes. It will haunt you. It will disturb you. It will make you question being nice to random strangers. And if you’re going to put You on your TBR list, then you might as well add Hidden Bodies. Read them soon, because they’re coming to Lifetime TV and Netflix in 2018 as a series.

The entire time I read both books, I had the hardest time believing the author was a woman. They’re that twisted, but could I stop reading them? Not on your life. It was the guiltiest of pleasures to get inside the mind of Joe Goldberg and watch him make stalking the least of his offenses.

I haven’t read Stephen King in years, but this book rates up there in the creep factor with King. Don’t let that scare you off… There’s something about being in the mind of the devil and not the victim that makes these seem more compelling. More creep, less scary.

Comment if you have read them and let me know what you thought (no spoilers, please!).

Happy Reading,

xo, Mo

You Will Know Me

“If she ever had to talk about it, which she never would, Katie would have to go back, years before it happened.”

And so begins the first of my Top 5 Books of 2017, You Will Know Me, by Megan A[image error]bbott. I read this early in the year and remember not being able to put it down. Having read the beginning again for this post, I felt the same pull I did back then, and if I didn’t have to write this, I’d be reading it still.

It’s that good.

There is something about the way she unfolds this story (don’t worry, no spoilers) that keeps you guessing about what happened throughout the book. At the center of this book is Devon Knox, an elite gymnast, and her parents who will do anything to ensure she achieves her goals.

The entire time I was reading, I couldn’t help but compare this book to the skating world. While I never saw the extremes written in this book, the mental aspects of Devon and the mom were easily relatable. I believe any competitive athlete (coach or parent) at the elite level would be able to connect to this book. The story of the athlete felt familiar to me, and while I haven’t coached in many, many years, I was taken back to a time when it was everything to me.

You can take the coach out of the rink, but never out of the person. That coach is still there, inside me, and reading this reminded me of that competitive atmosphere that, like this story, draws you inside. Being a part of a winning “team” is addictive. I’ve been a part of it and witnessed it over and over again. And while coaching is a part of my past I’m very proud of, I’m equally as happy to not be a part of it any longer.

If you haven’t read this one yet, put it on your TBR list. You won’t regret it…. It’s the perfect book heading into an Olympic year.

Happy Reading!

xo, Mo

 

 

The A-Word

No, not that A-Word, although I have been known to use it from time to time.

The other A-Word. The one that is a bit more uncomfortable for me to throw out there, or God forbid, use to describe myself.

Author.

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For the longest time, I couldn’t even admit that I was a writer to anyone other than my closest peeps, so you’ll have to be patient with me. I’m doing things like signing MY NAME on the title page of a book. Granted, I was told to practice writing my name so people could actually read it correctly, but still. It feels a little like make believe to me… like one of the many visions in my head.

 

Except this one is real. Really real.

On the other hand, I’m not sure I’ve been this happy in a long, long time. I have always known that in holding back one of the biggest pieces of myself, I wasn’t really being me. I was hiding. But there’s a freedom in owning who you are, flaws and all, for the world to see. It’s scary – we’re talking a lot of flaws – but I also know that the tribe around me will see me through the good and the bad.

I’m not in this alone, and finally realizing I never was.

A friend texted this to me the other day…”You will get there. You take baby steps, and that’s okay too.”

So, thank you for reading. For buying my book. For being kind to me in the last few weeks. It’s literally better than anything I could’ve thought up in my head, and I am so grateful. I will own the A-Word eventually (Author, not the other one

One More Day…

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” ~ John Lennon.

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First things first… How about this new website? There are so many things I love about it, and so grateful I have someone in my corner who knows how to create something so perfect for me. He created a theme just for Indie Authors, so if you’ve stumbled upon this and are interested, message me, and I’ll get you his information.

This is really happening, isn’t it? A real website and a book release tomorrow? How long did I sleep during that nap yesterday?

“Falling in love with your own life doesn’t happen overnight, but when it does happen, it’s like waking up from a long nap and realizing every dream came true during that time.” ~ What We Know Now

Surreal doesn’t seem a big enough word. I keep saying that, because it’s true. For so many years I have thought about this, and it’s finally here, tomorrow, Small Business Saturday.

I’m officially a small business now. Okay, really small, but who cares? I finally set out to do what I wanted for so long, and I’m grateful for every moment that’s gotten me here.

So, thank you to all who have helped me get to this point, by reading, encouraging, or simply smiling and nodding while I talked about it.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend…

xo, Mo

What We Know Now

“Sometimes we accept our lives the way they are, too afraid to take any chances, but taking chances is when the magic really happens.

Sometimes you just have to leap.”

 

The First Novel from M. J. Parisian.