Elizabeth M. Lawrence's Blog, page 21

Jude Ouvrard's MEGA Giveaway!

1000 Likes Giveaway!
After reaching her 1000th likes on her facebook page, Jude Ouvrard knew she had to do something and her friend, Lisa Bilbrey, suggested that they do a giveaway!
To celebrate Jude's 1000 Likes, we have over twenty prizes to give away. Prizes are from:
Lisa BilbreyTerrill DavisJo MatthewsKatheryn LaneSimone BeaudelaireElizabeth M. LawrenceBeverly PrestonLisa CalellLisa GillisPaul RegaJennifer GarciaForbes ArnonMichelle MatkinsJacelyn RyeR.E. HargraveRandy MasseyLorenz FontShannon EckrichLaura TaylorLindy SpencerandJude Ouvrard


Who is Jude Ouvrard:

Jude lives in Montreal, Canada. She is the proud mother of a beautiful four year old son, and has spent the last twelve years with her partner, Cedric.French is her native language, but she prefers to write in her second language, English.Besides working full time and being a mother, Jude has a passion for books, both reading and writing them.Her first novella came out at the end of July. It is part of a beach reads called Heat Wave. Her second novella, Wonderland was released in late October.She is currently working on a novel named Body, Ink, and Soul. She is hoping to release it before the end of 2013.
Under the Sun:
Tracey Howard has put her life on hold for years to care for her grandmother. Now that her grandmother is gone, Tracey decides to spend summer at the beach and reflect on where she wants life to take her next. Jackson Phillips is her new neighbor, and he dazzles her from the first moment they meet. Will Jackson be able to show Tracey how to let go of old pain and embrace future happiness?
Wonderland:
Lucas Colton is far too young to go through all this pain but meeting poetry teacher, Preston Davidson, changed everything. His life went from heartbreak to joyful and then, from friendship to love. The impact Preston had on Lucas’ life was mesmerizing.  What would you do if you knew you may not have a tomorrow?
Body, Ink, and Soul:
Phoenix Silverstone more commonly known as Nix, is a twenty-one year old that has finally discovered her freedom.  After living under the strict rules and protection of her mother, Nix moved out with her two best friends in a quaint little Seattle apartment.  For the first time Nix is finally able to spread her wings and breathe
Her links:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/judeouvrardwww.twitter.com/authorjude_oFacebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JudeOUVRARDGoodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7055526.Jude_OuvrardPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/judeouvrard
About me: http://about.me/judeouvrard
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jude-Ouvrard/e/B00E3OGKUS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1379095938&sr=8-1
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/jude-ouvrard

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GOODREADS GIVEAWAY: Win a copy of The Truth Seekers!

I am giving away TWO signed copies of The Truth Seekers through Goodreads!

Sign up by December 21st to win!


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Giveaway ends December 21, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Life on the Spectrum's Edge

This is long, serious, and personal. It has nothing to do with writing or books and everything to do with real life. I’ll understand if you choose not to read it, but I hope you will.
There are a lot of people out there who don’t understand the autism spectrum. That’s okay. There are a lot of us living with it who have a dodgy grasp on it, as well. That’s part of the problem – it’s such a wiggly, amorphous concept that trying to fully understand it is a lot like trying to nail Jell-O to a tree.
"Have fun with that."
Still, we need to talk about it, because 1 in 88 children today are diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, so not having some awareness of what “autism” means is a lot like not being aware that some people are born with red hair.
"It's so... not brown!!!"
So first, what’s with the spectrum? How come autism gets a spectrum? Shouldn’t a person either be autistic or not autistic? How can people who manage to function in society, hold down jobs, and have families claim to be autistic? How can those people possibly be facing the same challenge as Grandma Ruthie’s hairdresser’s son, who hasn’t spoken a word in twenty years? Does the spectrum just exist to give lazy people an excuse for blowing off important things? Or is it just doctors’ way of making autism fancier than other disorders?
"Care for some champagne with your diagnosis, sir?"
When you meet a severely autistic person, there is no question that their disorder is real. Human beings are quite capable in believing in a condition when there are physical manifestations that prove its validity. However, what many people do not understand is that autism is not a physical issue. Autism sits in the brain. It lives in the mind.

Now, I am in no way qualified to talk about severe autism and what that experience is like for the parents of severely autistic children. What I know, without question, is that it has to be an intensely difficult, exhausting, often discouraging, but sometimes miraculous experience. Non-verbal autistic people are blowing away audiences with their unexpected vocal talents, and through the tireless intervention of families, teachers, doctors, and friends, these people who could so easily be discounted and marginalized are having a profound impact on the people around them. Each of them can touch a person’s heart, even if they cannot tolerate being physically touched themselves. Each one of them can contribute to the world in their own unique way, whether on a large scale or small. They are not defective. They are not less. In so many ways, they are beyond the normal, and the world seen through their eyes is an awe-inspiring place. This is why it is so important for us to continue to build bridges of communication. We do not need to bring these people into our world – we need them to bring us into theirs.

I want to tell you about my son. I will call him Steve, since that would make him laugh. In order to talk about him, though, I first need to tell you a bit about me.
Mental illness seems to run in my family. Nothing exotic that involves drinking Kool-Aid or eating one's neighbors or anything, but it’s there. Along with a HUGE boatload of denial. When I was in high school, I told my parents that something was very wrong with me. They insisted that I was just “being dramatic” as teen-aged girls are wont to be. They were wrong.
I wound up struggling on my own with near-crippling clinical depression through the rest of high school, the entirety of college, and into my adulthood. The longer I went without the proper professional help, the worse my symptoms became. In my final year of school, my boyfriend was tying my shoes for me and delivering chapters of my thesis to my advisor on my behalf. I couldn’t have done it if you’d put a gun to my head – not even tying my own shoes. That was the year I finally got the help I so desperately needed, but anti-depressant drugs are tricky things, and again my boyfriend was there, peeling me off the ceiling when the doctors guessed wrong and reassuring me when I thought I would lose this battle for sanity.
I married him two months shy of my twenty-fourth birthday. My new husband had graduated college a whopping five days earlier. It was the late 1990s, and as many of our generation were discovering, the plentiful jobs we’d been promised were simply not there. I was working as a temp, though I was in a long-term assignment that soon afterward became a full time position. Neither of us knew what we wanted to be when we grew up, so when I discovered I was pregnant a year later, we found ourselves scrambling to define who we were as productive members of society. A mere twenty months after our wedding, Steve was born.
We were both thrilled and terrified. My husband had buried his own father just the day before the birth, and the entire family was emotionally wasted. I was shocked when it came time to leave the hospital, and the nurses just handed me this tiny, fragile human being and let us drive off with him. It was tempting to demand that they wait until a responsible adult showed up. Twenty-five hadn’t felt unbearably young until that moment.
As new parents do, we adjusted, learned, and second-guessed ourselves silly, and the years began to pass. Steve was in a nice daycare, my husband and I both had stable jobs, and my depression had receded to a whisper that was easy to ignore. And then the letter came.

It was from the director of Steve’s daycare. She advised us that Steve was no longer welcome to attend because his behavior made him “a danger to himself and others.” He was three years old.
Steve had had a meltdown, they told us. The children had been fighting over a popular toy, so the staff had removed it to a high shelf to resolve the matter. This had upset Steve more than anyone would have predicted, and he had lashed out, throwing his shoes and flailing around so much that he had knocked over a wooden bookcase. It had almost fallen on a child napping nearby.
We didn’t understand. Steve was sweet, kind, generous, articulate, and perceptive. The child they described was a monster. Our child – my baby – was a monster to them.
"Who, me?"
We found another daycare center. This one had more highly trained staff, and we kept them apprised while we began talking to child psychologists to try to understand Steve’s behavior. We thought it was our fault as parents, and that if a professional could just tell us how to fix it, Steve would be fine. But he wasn’t fine. He loved that daycare, but they weren’t equipped to handle him. One day, I was called to pick him up, and the director lowered the boom. Another rejection, except this time he was aware of it, and it hurt.
When I arrived at the center, I found him in the director’s office. He was in hysterics, crying over and over, “Help me, help me, Mommy. I can’t stop. I can’t stop.” My heart broke. It has been twelve years since that day, and I still cry when I think about it. My little boy was suffering, and I was failing him. I didn’t know what to do.

Neither did the specialists we consulted. We talked to everyone. We took him to the Cleveland Clinic for a battery of tests, including allergies, vision, hearing, and anything else they could think of. I paid his now full-time babysitter to drive with us to the All Kinds of Minds (now, Success in Mind) center in North Carolina to have him assessed by their team of specialists. We filled out more forms than I could have imagined, until my entire world was reduced to “strongly agree” and “somewhat disagree.” This went on for YEARS. It was not until he was in 3rd grade that he was diagnosed by a neurologist with ADHD, and the medications began.

The medicine helped, but not enough. Every year, the neurologist increased the dosage, looking to mask the symptoms and assuring me that I was being paranoid when I wondered if there wasn’t some other issue contributing to Steve’s abnormal behavior. When he was in 6th grade, the neurologist increased the dose again, and when I saw the pill, I wasn’t sure Steve was physically capable of swallowing something that size. I followed my instincts and didn't administer it.
We fired the neurologist. Steve’s new psychiatrist finally – after EIGHT YEARS of consultations and treatments – diagnosed him with high-functioning autism, which at the time was labeled Asperger’s. By continually increasing the dosage of his medication, the neurologist had actually put Steve at risk for heart disease. The psychiatrist also confirmed the ADHD diagnosis, and she added one more to the mix. Steve showed undeniable signs of anxiety disorder, and it was quite clear where that had come from.
6th grade was a nightmare. The public middle school assured us that they were equipped to work with Steve, but it soon became clear that this was a lie. His teachers continued to insist that he be responsible for tasks that he was not able to manage on his own. Rather than accommodating him or helping him, they began emailing me at work on an almost daily basis. They wouldn’t even speak to him directly to correct the behavior, instead choosing to report the infraction in real time to me at work. I just kept getting emails and phone calls and being summoned for meetings, in which they made it clear that these problems were a result of my failings as a parent. I should be making sure he did these things. Not them. Obviously, they could not be held accountable in the face of my flagrant inability to parent my child.
"You suck."
We now had a younger son – let’s call him Fred – who had started kindergarten that year. Because the Universe has a weird sense of humor, little Fred had also been kicked out of his daycare at age three and was diagnosed with ADHD. He would get over-stimulated and lash out, in one instance forcing the teachers to evacuate the classroom and restrain him to prevent any injuries to himself or his classmates. So I was now receiving emails and phone calls nearly every day from TWO schools. To say I was overwhelmed and desperate doesn’t even begin to cover it.
I worked in a law firm as a paralegal, and there was no way for me to continue working and parenting my boys. The longer I attempted to find a balance, the worse both areas of my life became. One day, I had a moment of real clarity, and I quit. I have been home for almost four years now. We eat a lot of ramen noodles.

One of the things we have always been aware of is Steve’s staggering intellect. This kid is flat-out brilliant. Any adult who sits down and speaks with him is completely blown away. There was no way I was going to let him fall through the cracks and waste all that beautiful potential and unique genius. I’ve kept talking to specialists, talking to him, and just being present. We found him a wonderful private school that boasted a one-of-a-kind integrated autism program, and he blossomed. After two years there, he was accepted to one of the most challenging private high schools in the area.
Today, Steve is a sophomore at that school. He is both thriving and struggling. We are beyond fortunate that this school understands that high-functioning autism isn’t just an excuse. The teachers and staff recognize the potential in him, and they bend and adjust to allow him to achieve. He is happy there.
However.
Steve began having crippling anxiety attacks that made doing his homework impossible, and occasionally interfered with his performance in the classroom. At first, we attempted to help him with a mild anti-anxiety medication, but when he began to exhibit signs of clinical depression, I was on the phone looking for a therapist without hesitation. I knew what this meant. I knew the cliff’s edge he was peering over, and I would not let him fall.

We have learned a lot from his therapy sessions. In order to make it a safe place for him to speak freely, I am not in the session with him, and his therapist does not share anything Steve tells him without Steve’s permission. One revelation was that Steve’s mind works entirely by association. This explains his flair for maths and languages. It was the source of his academic strength.
It was also his weakness. Steve’s memory associated homework with the trauma he experienced during that nightmare 6thgrade year, and the only way to correct that would be to slowly replace the association with more positive memories. We’re still working on that. 
I am attempting to ignore the boiling rage at what that school did to my son. They took a child who already faced too many obstacles, and they broke him. Yep. Pure rage.

The psychologist spoke in awed terms about Steve’s intelligence and inventiveness. I suppose to the parent of a neuro-typical child it would be a source of pride. The level of brilliance the psychologist described to me would grind every PTA parent’s honor student bumper sticker to dust. And of course I am proud of everything that Steve has accomplished and the man he is becoming, but one fact remains. He is still dangerously depressed.
So this is my life. I work from home as an editor and author, and I advocate for my children. Fred needs speech therapy and is refusing to complete assigned class work. I’m emailing teachers and consulting with intervention specialists and trying to get him an orthodontist. Steve has to take anti-anxiety medication to even face making a list of his nightly homework, and I help keep the tasks small and manageable by parceling it out to him in tiny pieces, concealing the overwhelming whole. He was sent home yesterday at first period because his teacher saw he was too depressed to face the day. Other parents get calls from the school nurse. I get calls from the school counselor. I take a deep breath and call the psychologist and ask for an extra session. I call the psychiatrist to discuss adjusting his medication. I email the school to let them know how Steve’s treatment is changing and what new techniques we are trying.

This is the reality of autism. My son is on the high-functioning end of the spectrum. Unless you’re looking for it, it’s hard to notice the signs in his appearance or behavior. Like the depression that I know will never completely leave me, my child has an invisible burden, but he carries it with assurance and patience. He knows I understand, and he knows I’ve got his back. He also knows that not everyone will believe that his autism is real. He knows that some people will tell him to “just cheer up” and “stop freaking out.”
All I can do is keep the lines of communication open. I listen, support, and encourage. I am honest with him. Watching me accept and take pride in the weird, quirky person I am has taught him to do the same. He told me one day that he felt sorry for normal people who didn’t have a cool family like ours. I told him to be patient with them, because they didn’t see all the amazing things we could, and that made it hard for them to understand our world. I taught him that no one is better than anyone else, and that we’re all on a journey to find the best in ourselves. And then he told me the most terrifying thing of all:
The day I quit my job to stay home and help him and his brother was the day he stopped contemplating suicide as a solution to his problems, because now Mom was on his side.
I never knew, and that makes my heart go cold. My number one fear – the thing that can tear me apart with just a thought – is losing my children. To lose him to other people’s ignorance, vanity, and misplaced sense of discipline would kill the person I am and shatter the person I strive to be.

So that’s why I am writing all of this out and posting it for the world to see (or at least the ten people who read my blog). This is why autism awareness is critical. No one is asking you to understand it. No one is asking you to understand diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder, or any other of the scores of invisible hurdles that so many children and adults must overcome.
Just be aware that the reality of living with these challenges is more than you can imagine. Be aware that telling a parent who has struggled for years to keep their child whole that they’re doing it wrong is an insult and cruel. Be aware that, even though you can’t see physical symptoms, the pain is still very real, and the risk of fatality is realer still.
That’s all you need to do. If you can’t understand, at least be aware.
Thank you for reading.

Release day! My latest novel, The Truth Seekers

Today is the official release of my historical romance novel, The Truth Seekers. To celebrate its release, several wonderful bloggers are participating in my blog tour with blogs, interviews, and guest posts. See the schedule below to follow along!


You can pick up a copy of The Truth Seekers at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords today!

12/3--FS Meurinne Book Enticer -- Promo/Excerpt
12/4--R.E. Hargrave -- Guest Post
12/5--Claudia Trapp -- Review
12/6--Jude Ouvrard -- Promo/Excerpt
12/7--Sarah Carroll -- Promo/Excerpt
12/8--S.A. Jones -- Review
12/9--Lily Loves Indie -- Review
12/10--M.C. Rayne -- Guest Post
12/11--Lorenz Font -- Review/ Guest Post
12/12--Wyndy Dee -- Guest Post/ Promo/Excerpt
12/13--Jennifer Garcia -- Promo/Excerpt
12/14--Sydney Logan -- Intervew/Promo/Excerpt
12/15--Mich's Book Reviews -- Guest Post
12/16--JC Clarke -- Review

Author Spotlight: Lorenz Font

Have you read any of the books from Lorenz Font? Let us introduce you to this amazing new author!


Hunted (Gates Legacy #1)

Deep in the heart of New York City’s underworld, a horrible disease is ravaging the vampire community. The Vampire Council is on a crusade to obliterate those infected, and Harrow Gates is target Number One. The unwitting source of the plague, he suffers from the same nightmarish symptoms as his victims. The world he'd been thrust into was cold, cruel, and intent on eradicating him, and the legions of afflicted vampires he created with his bite. 

A bounty hanging over his head, satisfying his hunger has become an enormous challenge for Harrow. The less he feeds, the more hideous and painful his lesions become. Constantly running for his life and learning new tricks to survive, Harrow is in no position to refuse when Pritchard Tack offers him a unique opportunity. Pritchard not only gives Harrow a new beginning, but also a purpose and a chance to rectify the chaos he created in the vampire world. However, the multi-billionaire has an agenda of his own.
Jordan is a reluctant new vampire and a woman on a mission. After the demise of her family and her own transformation at the hands of Goran, the ruthless leader of the Vampire Council, her only focus is revenge. Constantly faced with one frustrating dead-end after another, a stroke of luck leads her to an underground facility that she suspects is the lair of the monster for whom she is looking. 

Upon learning more about the truth behind the secret bunker, Jordan must fight against her growing feelings of friendship and concern for the facility’s inhabitants. One man in particular threatens to pull her heart away from her sworn mission. There is something behind Harrow’s dark lenses that unsettles the hardened female. Once again, she trembles and hungers for something other than red-stained revenge. Is love strong enough to override her hate-fueled thirst for vengeance?




Tormented (Gates Legacy #2)

Tor Burns is a non-infected vampire who has taken refuge in the Tack Enterprises underground facility. Having survived a vicious attack with his fellow vampire Harrow, he now has a new purpose. Vampires afflicted with Gates Syndrome are still being hunted, and Tor is committed to saving them from the clutches of the Vampire Council. With a semi-cure within their grasp, Tor is reluctant to accept his new assignment: bodyguard to Allison Tack, the daughter of their fallen leader. Armed with an abrasive personality and fierce loyalty, Tor approaches this new responsibility with serious determination despite his reservations. 

Vampire Allison Tack is the beautiful and timid co-heir of the Tack fortune. Infected and hunted by the Council, those lucky enough to have known her father are determined to keep her safe. A walking target wherever she goes, Allison wants to learn how to protect herself, but no one is listening. Sick of being the helpless one in the company of trained fighters around her, Allison vows to prove that she can fight alongside the best of them. 

Meanwhile, the harem leader, Melissa, is hell-bent on unraveling any clue about her son Demetrius’s fate. He disappeared without a word, and time has made her desperate. Stepping up her efforts, she seeks the help of Demetrius’s son, Zane. With the additional manpower, Melissa finds the lair of the suspected vampires and wages war against them. 

Thrown together by necessity, Tor and Allison can’t continue to deny their attraction to each other. Tor wants to give in to his feelings for her, but old demons resurface. He must confront the past to prevent losing the best thing that ever happened to him. 

A life must be given for a life taken. Will Tor have to sacrifice himself before Allison pays the price?




Indivisible Line

Pre-med student Sarah Jones is back in Beaver, Alaska, for summer vacation. A loyal member of the Gwich’in tribe, she accepts the rules set by her father, the leader of their small town. Raised in a strict household, she learned early on to do what is expected of her and has agreed to an arranged marriage. Despite her reluctance to marry without love, Sarah is unwilling to defy her father’s wishes. She hopes to help usher in an era of independence and stability for the town, but for now, her focus is finishing med school so she can become Beaver’s resident doctor. 

Business owner Greg Andrews wants to escape his philandering wife and his life in general. Leaving New York City to join a hunting expedition in Alaska, Greg’s plans are turned upside down when he is shot on Gwich’in land and ends up on Sarah’s operating table. In the absence of a qualified doctor, Sarah must operate to save his life. She refuses to wait for the consent of their tribal leader, and her father banishes her from the tribal land in punishment.

Grateful for his life, Greg concocts a scheme to help. Plagued by the side effects of her unconventional operation, he convinces Sarah to become his live-in nurse. Without the means to support herself, Sarah agrees to the questionable arrangement, but she soon finds herself in even more trouble. Her new problem is that she is falling in love with this infuriating man, and the choices she now must make are must more difficult than the simple act of saving a man’s life.

Together, Sarah and Greg must both decide whether they can overcome the vast differences between them, or if the indivisible line that separates their worlds will ultimately pull them apart.






Feather Light

Parker Davis has conquered three major American cities and is the new ‘it’ man in massage. He earned the nickname “Feather Light” for his sensual touches, tender caresses, and soft voice eliciting an almost orgasmic release. Clients from all over clamor for his services, and his clientele is growing by the minute. Business is at its peak, which makes Parker a busy man who has no time to deal with problems, let alone dwell on his blindness. With his declining vision, Parker has to accept his limitations and the changes brought forth by this disease, but he is not ready to relinquish the last control he has left. He is still the master in his bedroom. 

Kelly Storm, a Hollywood actress, will do whatever it takes to get some much-deserved peace. Being famous has its perks, except the little privacy her popularity afforded her is slowly eating at her. With the paparazzi hounding her every minute of the day and her personal life under constant scrutiny, Kelly wants a semblance of normalcy wherever she can get it. Under the urging of a close friend, she agrees give Parker a try. 

Their first meeting is nothing she expects. Kelly finds comfort in his gentle probing and the spellbinding experience guaranteed to keep her coming back for more. Parker knows the woman on his table is special. He feels her vulnerability with his fingertips, and her smooth curves leave a burning ache inside him. 

One night of steamy passion is all it takes to know that they wanted each other in more ways than one. Kelly hides in heavy disguises, making it impossible for Parker to know her true identity. What secret is Kelly keeping, and will she trust Parker enough to tell him the truth? Will Parker see beyond Kelly’s lies to show her what a future with him holds?

Buy Links for ALL books

Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=lorenz+font

Barnes and Noble- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/lorenz-font?store=allproducts&keyword=lorenz+font

iTunes- https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lorenz-font/id617239901?mt=11

Sony eReader- https://ebookstore.sony.com/search?keyword=Lorenz+Font

Kobo- http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=lorenz+font



About the authorLorenz Font discovered her love of writing after reading a celebrated novel that inspired one idea after another. She is currently enjoying the buzz from her debut novel Hunted, the first book of The Gates Legacy Trilogy and Indivisible Line, a romantic thriller. Her newest novel, Tormented, the second installment of The Gates Legacy, is now available for vampire lovers everywhere.   


Writing is a therapy for Lorenz, and a perfect day consists of writing and playing with her characters while listening to her ever-growing music collection. She enjoys dabbling in different genres with an intense focus on angst and the redemption of flawed characters. Her fascination with romantic twists is a mainstay in all her stories.

Lorenz currently lives in California with her husband, children, and two demanding dogs. She divides her time between a full-time job as a Business Office Manager for a hospital and her busy writing schedule.
Giveaway
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MB Feeney Facebook 1k Likes Mega Giveaway!

To celebrate M B Feeney reaching the huge milestone of 1000 'likes' on her Facebook page, a wonderful group of authors, graphic artists and promoters are launching a Mega Giveaway to mark the occasion.
For the next 2 days, (30th November-1st December 2013), M B's latest release, Honour, will also be available to download for free!!
  Summary:

The world is filled with people destined to help and to serve. Doctors, nurses, police, and firefighters—each and every day, these special people work to help others in times of need. Often, this means putting their own lives at risk in order to do their jobs. They give of themselves to benefit society, and they do it without any expectation of thanks.
And then there is the military…

These are the men and women who don’t head home to their families and safe homes to relax at the end of a shift. They are on the front lines, far from home and often fighting someone else’s battles because it is the right thing to do.  Military families struggle to cope with the constant worry and the long periods of separation, staying strong to support those who serve in everything they do, and often are left to pick up the pieces when the highest price is paid.

Servicemen and women are heroes in the purest sense of the word. Even when the world’s gone mad and their hearts are breaking, one thing remains unchanged.

They have honour.


Run and get your free copy at:  Amazon UK  Amazon US

Enter the Giveaway Here:

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Reprint: M.C. Rayne Blog Guest Post

Here's another "reissued" guest blog post while I'm tied up with editing. This particular entry was originally posted on August 4, 2013, on M.C. Rayne's blog in support of my newest release, Wishing Cotton. I was very appreciative of the opportunity and am grateful to M.C. Rayne for hosting me. I'm providing the link to the original posting below; I encourage you to check out his blog!


Simple Storytelling

               A short story is often difficult to talk about in-depth simply due to its brevity, and so readers may wonder why an author would choose not to expand a tale into a full-length novel. As writers of flash fiction will tell you, it is possible to create a whole, breathing, vibrant world in very few words, and short stories are often more complex than their lengthier counterparts. My previous short story, My Apple Tree, actually told two separate stories that covered a great deal of time and incorporated several different characters. However, I have elected to keep my new short story, Wishing Cotton, very simple and uncomplicated.
                In my experience, it is the little moments in a story that resonate the strongest with readers rather than the entire plot as a whole. Readers want, of course, to be engaged throughout the full length of the tale, whether it be a novel or a short story. However, a story’s success often hinges on just a paragraph or two – sometimes only one sentence. I’m not pretending to have a powerful, magical moment like that, but it does support the theory that a story does not need to be complicated to be enjoyable.
                Wishing Cotton is by far the simplest story I’ve ever written (as an adult, anyway). On its face, it introduces us to three characters: Olive Alexander, her friend Blair Adams, and Peter Keyes. Olive and Blair are vacationing together in a cabin by the beach, and Peter has likewise rented one of his own. All three characters are at a moment in their lives when they must make some decision about where they will go from here. Olive is adjusting after the end of a long-term relationship, Blair is struggling against her need for financial security, and Peter is living under the shadow of a professional failure. While each of them responds in their unique way to their challenges, none of these scenarios are unusual. We can understand the emotions behind their situations because each is something that almost everyone has experienced in their lives. By not focusing on the particulars of the back story, we are able to see the commonalities that resonate with our own experiences.
                Likewise, it is the simplicity of this story that allows the reader to see the true lessons that can be taken from each small development in the plot. In order to move forward, the characters must be honest with themselves and identify what is most important to each of them. Until they do this, each of them is trapped in a moment of indecision. If the overarching story were more complex, this essential detail would be lost, but without anything to distract from it, the reader is fully aware of the truth behind each character’s ultimate wish.
                I will admit that it is somewhat daunting to present such a basic, straightforward plot. The modern trend favors more dramatic and tempestuous story lines. However, as with any other manuscript I’ve worked on, the central idea and the characters engaged and intrigued me, and I felt that their experiences, however simple, deserved to be brought to life. Authors – like any creative professionals – need to continually stretch and develop their skill, and I have found that writing a simple story is far more challenging than I would have anticipated.
Wishing Cotton is being released on July 23, 2013, by Renaissance Romance Publishing. I hope that readers will enjoy my effort at simple storytelling!  
M.C. Rayne 8/4/13 Guest Blog

Guest Post: Kathleen Martin, author of THE HALLELUIAH BABY

On November 26th, Kathleen Martin released her novel, The Halleluiah Baby, with Renaissance Romance Publishing. As part of her blog tour, I asked Kathleen to talk about the pregnancy theme that runs throughout this book and its importance to the overall message she was trying to give the reader. Keep reading for more information about this unique novel and its author!

I know this sounds crazy, but I was just as surprised as Treez was when she heard (or thought she heard) the pregnant mare recite the beginning of the Hail Mary.  In the Gospel of Luke these were the first words the Angel Gabriel said to Mary when she was told of her pending pregnancy and hence the Immaculate Conception.   This was a fantastic situation:  had Treez been chosen as a vessel for the second-coming, was she becoming schizophrenic, or was she having a “hysterical pregnancy”?    I had no idea how to answer any of these questions, but as is the case in most of my writing, I start with a character in a particular circumstance and then I just listen to what that the character wants to say and do.  Gradually as Treez’s odyssey continued I became aware, (along with Treez) that this was a story about self-discovery.  Treez was going to become reborn or give birth to herself. 
And, as the story continued, Treez helped to facilitate the rebirth of another character who suffered much the same abuse as Treez did growing up.




Summary:
Treez McDuffy is a single woman who’s recently retired from a forty year-long lifeless job. She’s now faced with facing herself. The wounds from her childhood reopen, having never really healed.   They’re responsible for her unwillingness and inability to have formed any type of meaningful relationship. She is alone without any sense of purpose or belonging and consoles herself with endless cigarettes, liter-boxes of Merlot and micro-waved frozen dinners.  
Something happens that ignites a transformation. One morning she hears the sound of Canada geese flying over her apartment on their way home. They’re calling her to join them. She rushes out onto her balcony and is overwhelmed by the momentous display of this huge flock of geese flying overhead. It stirs something inside her which has lain dormant for years – hope to change her life. But to change, she has to change everything.  
She terminates the lease on her the rent-controlled apartment she’s had for thirty years, cashes in her retirement savings, buys a new car, adopts a dog, aptly named Guido, from the local pound, and sets out to travel the Trans Canada Highway on a tentatively planned journey to the Badlands of South Dakota.
On day of her departure, she suffers an extreme anxiety attack after travelling only a few blocks from her old apartment. Somehow the realization of what she’s done has remained safe in her imagination but now it is reality. She fears she’s made a very reckless and foolish decision but it’s too late to turn back.
What starts off as a trip to the Badlands veers dramatically off course as she encounters people and events, both natural and supernatural that steer her in a whole new direction. She is challenged in ways she has never experienced before. She is on an odyssey of rebirth and self-discovery.
Author Bio and Links:
Kathleen Martin is a Gemini-nominated writer for film, novelist, and playwright.  Her first book, Penny Maybe, was published in Canada and in Germany.  She lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband and a little herd of little dogs.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kathleen-Martin-Author/216453405059269,https://twitter.com/katx123 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3127294-penny-maybe-a-novelhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/centralphoenixwritersworkshop/http://authorsinfo.com/index.php?option=com_community&view=profile&Itemid=167

Tour Schedule:
11/26: FS Meurinne Book Enticer

The Journey Collection Mega Giveaway!

The Journey Collection Mega Giveaway!!
What a better way to celebrate a release than a MEGA GIVAWAY!In honor of the release of Author Lisa Bilbrey’s The Journey Collection, she’s hosting a huge giveaway. There are over THIRTY prizes and Dozens of ways to enter for your chance to win ebooks and prizes from authors such as R. E. Hargrave, M.B. Feeney, Sydney Logan, Harper Bentley, B.L. Wilde, Lorenz Font, Jude Ouvrard, Michele Richard, S.A. Jones, K.I. Lynn, Elizabeth M. Lawrence, Melissa Stevens, CS Patra, Jennifer Garcia, M.C. Rayne, Lindsey Gray, N Wood, Forbes Arnone, Michelle Muckley, Jennifer Theriot, Alison Bruning, and Lisa Bilbrey.


The Journey Collection Summary:The Journey Home

The Sharks’ star quarterback, Travis McCoy has it all, until an injury ends his season early. When he receives an invitation to attend the big homecoming game from his alma mater, Travis decides it’s time to face his past. The journey home sends Travis down a path that he never expects. Will he be able to come to grips when everything around him is spiraling out of control?

The Journey of Champions

Travis McCoy thought the journey home would be the hardest choice he ever had to make. It isn’t until he finds himself walking out the door and leaving his family behind that he realizes his journey is only just beginning. Now, with only a handful of weeks until Christmas, Travis tries to find his way back home. This time, he plans on staying forever.

The Journey to Forever

Finally back in the warm embrace of his family, Travis McCoy relishes every moment he gets to spend with his wife and son. After almost losing them due to his own selfishness, he makes the decision to never let go of his family again. With his plan set in motion, Travis, Penelope, and Max start a new journey, one that leads them to forever.

The Journey to a New Life

Travis McCoy’s journey has led him down a road of changes where he found the love of his life and their child. Travis, Penelope, and Max have struggled during their time apart, found their way back home, and finally tied their lives together as a family. Now, Penelope and Travis find themselves on a new journey, one that leads them to the greatest gift of all.
Author Biography:
Obsessive, compulsive, slightly crazed, but enough about her personality. First and foremost, Lisa Bilbrey is a mom to three and a wife to one. She loves to write, and spends the majority of everyday writing. It's who she is, and what she's meant to be doing. Words are her life, the air she breathes, and the nutrients of her soul.

Finding a love in the written word, Lisa Bilbrey started writing as a way to express herself and let her voice be heard. From the first word she wrote, she'd found her heart and soul. Always willing to learn, she's spends much of her time trying to improve as a storyteller.GoodreadsFacebookTwitterBlogAmazon Barnes & Noble
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Reprint: Mich's Book Reviews Blog Guest Post

Here's another "reissued" guest blog post while I'm tied up with editing. This particular entry was originally posted on July 29, 2013, on Mich's Book Reviews blog in support of my newest release, Wishing Cotton. I was very appreciative of the opportunity and am grateful to Mich for hosting me. I'm providing the link to the original posting below; I encourage you to check out her blog!





How important is the setting of your story to the journey taken by your main characters?


         In general, setting always has some sort of impact on a story. Characters are bound by the setting, interact with it, and are influenced by it in much the same way that a real life person might be inspired in a cathedral and depressed while sitting in an office cubicle. In Wishing Cotton, the setting is in many ways responsible for the events that influence the characters’ choices and behaviors. 

The three main characters – Olive, Blair, and Peter – are all on vacation, staying in separate beachfront cabins. Given the time to relax and reflect, each character comes to identify what one thing he or she feels is missing. It is while lounging in the sun that Olive first begins to ponder the nature of wishes, following a train of thought she would not have pursued if they were visiting a more active location. The setting provides her with the opportunity to exercise her imagination. Likewise, normally-practical Blair unwinds enough to agree to help with her friend’s fanciful experiment, even though it seems silly to her. Her surroundings have mellowed her so that she can have this experience as well.
The setting can also be said to be responsible for bringing the romantic element to life. It is because of the very peacefulness of their hideaways that all three must seek out more stimulating surroundings. The women and Peter would not encounter each other if the local carnival was not the sole option for activity in that area. For Peter, the carnival is an opportunity to observe human nature and seek inspiration. For Olive and Blair, it offers the prospect of fun and entertainment. Three people looking for such different things would not encounter each other if they were in a different setting that offered more options. 
The setting affects the overall tone of the story, as well. It supports the light-hearted feel of the characters’ interactions. What would be difficult to imagine in a more day-to-day setting becomes believable in the context of summer vacation. It evokes memories of childhood games and having the freedom to choose any future you want. Even when dealing with the unpleasantness of reality, the characters are given the chance to process their feelings through a filter. They can contemplate the unpleasantness in their lives without feeling it too much, because for their immediate future, they are in an environment in which there are few potential problems they must confront. Their lives are on hold, so they can stop and live in the moment. This is a phenomenon that would not occur had they selected a different setting for their getaway time.
The importance of setting to the story may be subtle in Wishing Cotton, but it is nonetheless a major influence on the characters. A visit to New York City or a ski trip would not have provided the circumstances necessary for the characters to think, react, and interrelate as they do at their beachside hideaway. I tried to bring that setting and the atmosphere it creates to life for the reader, as well, and I hope that I was successful. Wishing Cotton is being released July 23, 2013, by Renaissance Romance Publishing, and I hope readers will enjoy visiting the setting I’ve created for my characters. 

Mich's Book Reviews 7/29/2013 Guest Blog