P.D. Workman's Blog, page 89

Excerpt from The Screwtape Letters

Thank you for all of the comments and feedback that I received on my blog post about fiction on sexual abuse of boys and men last week. Some of you responded publicly, and many more privately by email, reinforcing what an important issue this is.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.

I am currently reading a C.S. Lewis classic, The Screwtape Letters. C.S. Lewis, the author of the children’s fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia, also wrote a number of books on Christianity such as The Great Divorce, Mere Christianity, and, of course, The Screwtape Letters. He also wrote a space trilogy, of which I have read only the second book, Perelandra. C.S. Lewis does a lot of writing in allegories, which can be real brain teasers.

The Screwtape Letters is a series of letters written from a senior, more experienced devil, to his nephew, who is just a beginner in the arts of temptation. It can be quite funny and insightful at the same time. Interesting to see ourselves from that perspective!

“He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles.” 

C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

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Since its publication in 1942, The Screwtape Letters has sold millions of copies worldwide and is recognized as a milestone in the history of popular theology. A masterpiece of satire, it offers a sly and ironic portrayal of human life and foibles from the vantage point of Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to “Our Father Below.” At once wildly comic, deadly serious, and strikingly original, The Screwtape Letters comprises the correspondence of the worldly-wise devil Screwtape and his nephew Wormwood, a novice demon in charge of securing the damnation of an ordinary young man.

Fiction about Sexual Abuse of Boys/Men

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Background
Resources
Support
Books

Background

I have had discussions in a couple of writers’ communities lately about the topic of the sexual abuse of men and boys, some of the myths that surround it, and giving men/boys “permission” to speak about sexual abuse on an equal footing with women/girls. We’ve discussed male authors writing about sexual abuse and whether women want to hear from them.

This is a tough topic. Women have come a long way in a short time, moving from where sexual abuse was a taboo topic and victims of sexual assault were blamed for their role in an assault to where it is now far more acceptable to discuss sexual abuse openly without being shamed or shunned. Granted, the world is still not perfect and the negative, shaming influence will likely always be there to some extent, but things are much better than they were.

“Like, if it’s the guy who didn’t consent,” he asked me, “what do you call that?”

Boys Often Don’t Recognize When They’ve Been Sexually Assaulted
By Peggy Orenstein

But making men and boys part of the discussion about sexual abuse is still back in the dark ages. There is, to begin with, the idea that there is no such thing as the sexual abuse or assault of boys or men. And if it does exist, such a small percentage of the male sex are affected that there is really no point in focusing on it. And, if it exists, then the perpetrators are always men, never women.

In some of the discussions that I have had recently, it has been suggested that men have no place in the discussion of (and writing about) sexual abuse. And if they must participate, they can only talk/write about the experiences of men. They have no part in the bigger discussion. It is, apparently, creepy for men to have anything to say about or against the sexual abuse of women and girls. (Here I am, writing a blog article about the sexual abuse of members of the opposite sex. Is that creepy? Do you think I’m a predator because I choose to write about it?)

It is generally accepted that one in six boys in the United States will become victims of sexual abuse before they turn 18.

The Secret Lives of Male Sex Abuse Survivors, by Joanna Schroeder

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It has been suggested that:

Men don’t feel the same way about being sexually abused as women do. It’s not as traumatic for them. A man being sexually assaulted by a woman would actually not be traumatized, because men always like sex. Maybe it would be just as harmful to a young boy as a young girl, but not to a teen or grown man

Let’s be clear. These are myths. They are lies. Male sexual assault survivors are in the same place now that women were decades ago. Dealing with voices that tell them: You’re making it up. You liked it. You must have asked for it. Show me the injuries that prove you fought back. If you had an erection or orgasm, that shows that you enjoyed it and it couldn’t have been rape.

Sex abuse, as one would imagine, has a profound effect on its victims. Male survivors have a much higher risk of depression and PTSD, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicide than other men. … According to a study reported in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, survivors of childhood sexual abuse have twice the risk of suicide attempts … “the probability for alcohol problems in adulthood is about 80% for men who have experienced sexual abuse, as compared to 11% for men who have never been sexually abused.”

The Secret Lives of Male Sex Abuse Survivors, by Joanna Schroeder

Resources

Here are a few resources that are much more articulate than I can be in a blog post and can give you some real insight.

Boys Often Don’t Recognize When They’ve Been Sexually AssaultedThe Secret Lives of Male Sex Abuse SurvivorsThe Lost Boys of #MeTooTop Ten Questions Male Sexual Abuse Survivors Want to Know from Health Care ResearchNon-fiction books by/for male sexual abuse survivors



Support

There are not a lot of support groups and organizations for male survivors of sexual abuse/assault. Sometimes, unbelievably, they are funneled into groups created to counsel the perpetrators of sexual assault. Ugh. Hop on over to RAINN for some direction in finding support for male survivors.

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Books

This is a book blog, and you came here for book suggestions! First are some of the books that I have written that deal with the sexual assault of boys/men, and then a few more that I’ve managed to track down. I have at least three more books coming out later this year that touch on sexual assault of boys/men, so I’ll be back again to add a more.

Endless Change

(Award winner)

Parker’s mother always said he jumped into things without thinking first, and that’s exactly what he did when he saw Dakota, cold and hungry, fending for herself on the city streets. How could he ignore the pain and fear in her dark eyes? Dakota was eager to go to school and she made friends quickly, eager to make up for a dismal childhood full of deprivation and abuse by enjoying every moment she could.

But there was something wrong with Dakota. It wasn’t just the hollowness in her eyes or her traumatic past. Others sensed it too and warned Parker not to get too close to Dakota. But despite his questions, he just can’t help falling for her.

Dakota holds her secrets close, and Parker is worried that if he pushes too hard for answers, she’ll just run away.

Toxo, Medical Kidnap Files #4

Caleb, an autistic teen is mistakenly arrested. Bad turns to worse when he is then apprehended from his family by DFS.

His mother could never have predicted the chain of events in a million years.

In trying to protect him, DFS has actually put Caleb in harm’s way.

Once again, Gabriel and Renata have teamed up to right injustice and to get Caleb to safety. But Andrew Searle is on the case, and it’s his job to see that they don’t succeed and that Caleb remains in foster care.

Don’t Forget Steven

Things never have been easy for Steven. He accepts that, and just makes the best of things. He might not have parents or a happy home. Or enough to eat most days. But at least he has a couple of loyal friends who stand by him and help out when they can. At least he has school, someplace he can go to escape the abuse.

But just when he thought things couldn’t get much worse, they did.

Steven is accused of murder. But that isn’t the worst part. The really bad part is not even knowing if he did it.

Deviation, Breaking the Pattern #1

“You’re a good kid, Henry.”

Everyone knew that he was a good guy; geeky, responsible, hard-working.  Henry has had a lot to deal with in the past.  Now, as he should be focusing on his schooling and preparing himself for the future, he is hindered by abuse, the challenge of raising his baby brother while dealing with his mother’s deep depressions, and the return of a ghost from the past Henry has tried his best to forget.

But it seems that Henry can’t avoid the nastiness of life.  As hard as he tries, it’s one more disaster after another as his life spirals out of control.

Can Henry escape the darkness, or is he doomed to be consumed by it?

More books

I am focusing on fiction about male sexual abuse here, which is difficult to find. I have included a couple of memoirs as well, but if you are looking for non-fiction and self-help books by or for male survivors of abuse, check out this page.

On to what fiction (and some memoirs) I could find. If you are aware of others, please mention them in the comments section below!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower



The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky

The critically acclaimed debut novel from Stephen Chbosky, Perks follows observant “wallflower” Charlie as he charts a course through the strange world between adolescence and adulthood. First dates, family drama, and new friends. Sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Devastating loss, young love, and life on the fringes. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie must learn to navigate those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

Boy Toy



Boy Toy, by Barry Lyga

After five years of fighting his way past flickers of memory about the teacher who molested him and the incident that brought the crime to light, eighteen-year-old Josh gets help in coping with his molestor’’s release from prison when he finally tells his best friends the whole truth. 

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock



Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, by Matthew Quick

In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I’m sorry I couldn’t be more than I was–that I couldn’t stick around–and that what’s going to happen today isn’t their fault.

Today is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. It is also the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.

Maybe one day he’ll believe that being different is okay, important even. 

But not today.

When Jeff Comes Home



When Jeff Comes Home, by Catherine Atkins

Sixteen-year-old Jeff, returning home after having been kidnapped and held prisoner for three years, must face his family, friends, and school and the widespread assumption that he engaged in sexual activity with his kidnapper.

This sounds like a possible fictionalization of the Steven Staynor story, which is recounted in .

The Foxhole Court



The Foxhole Court, by Nora Sakavic

Neil Josten is the newest addition to the Palmetto State University Exy team. He’s short, he’s fast, he’s got a ton of potential—and he’s the runaway son of the murderous crime lord known as The Butcher.

Signing a contract with the PSU Foxes is the last thing a guy like Neil should do. The team is high profile and he doesn’t need sports crews broadcasting pictures of his face around the nation. His lies will hold up only so long under this kind of scrutiny and the truth will get him killed.

But Neil’s not the only one with secrets on the team. One of Neil’s new teammates is a friend from his old life, and Neil can’t walk away from him a second time. Neil has survived the last eight years by running. Maybe he’s finally found someone and something worth fighting for.

Split



Split, by Swati Avasthi

Sixteen-Year-Old Jace Witherspoon arrives at the doorstep of his estranged brother Christian with a re-landscaped face (courtesy of his father’s fist), $3.84, and a secret.

He tries to move on, going for new friends, a new school, and a new job, but all his changes can’t make him forget what he left behind—his mother, who is still trapped with his dad, and his ex-girlfriend, who is keeping his secret.

At least so far.

Worst of all, Jace realizes that if he really wants to move forward, he may first have to do what scares him most: He may have to go back. Award-winning novelist Swati Avasthi has created a riveting and remarkably nuanced portrait of what happens after. After you’ve said enough, after you’ve run, after you’ve made the split—how do you begin to live again? Readers won’t be able to put this intense page-turner down.

A Man Named Dave, by Dave Pelzer

A Man Named Dave is the conclusion to Dave Pelzer’s inspirational bestselling trilogy of memoirs that began with A Child Called “It” and The Lost Boy. Be warned that these are raw, gritty accounts of Dave Pelzer’s childhood experiences.

“All those years you tried your best to break me, and I’m still here. One day you’ll see, I’m going to make something of myself.” These words were Dave Pelzer’s declaration of independence to his mother, and they represented the ultimate act of self-reliance. Dave’s father never intervened as his mother abused him with shocking brutality, denying him food and clothing, torturing him in any way she could imagine. This was the woman who told her son she could kill him any time she wanted to—and nearly did. 

Street Child



[image error] Street Child, by Justin Reed Early

This book is one that I had to put away and come back to several times before I managed to finish it, it’s that raw. But it is an amazing story.

Street Child is the shock-inspiring story of a young boy who escapes his increasingly dysfunctional and violent middle class home. Remanded into state custody at ten years old, he embarks on a journey through the foster care system only finding safety from unlikely skid-row heroes on downtown streets of Seattle and San Francisco – where children are victims and victims are considered criminals. 

While dodging serial killers and predators, including a juvenile court judge who oversees his custody, these children develop familial bonds while protecting each other in an increasingly dangerous – yet invisible world. By telling these authentic stories with often times devastating outcomes, he articulates the stark reality of life on the streets for countless young people. 

Street Child is a powerful and intimate depiction into these homeless children’s actual lives during their most desperate times of survival. Their sweet camaraderie, funny antics, and intimate relationships will move your heart and soul into a new understanding and personalization of their noble plight. 

Street Child is a journey no child should ever have to endure.

Excerpt from The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

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Did you pick up a copy of A Psychic with Catitude or any of the other new releases this weekend? It’s not too late!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.

I have just started The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton yesterday. I admit that I picked it up because I was intrigued by the title! Take a look at the description below; it is not your typical murder mystery, by any means.

Feeling the first touch of panic, I try to recall something else about myself: a family member, my address, age… anything, but nothing’s coming. I don’t even have a name. Every memory I had a few seconds ago is gone.

Stuart Turton, The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

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The rules of Blackheath: Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m. There are eight days and eight witnesses for you to inhabit. We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer.

Understood? Then let’s begin…

Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others…

The most inventive debut of the year twists together a mystery of such unexpected creativity that it will leave listeners guessing until the very last second.

 

A Psychic with Catitude and other New Releases

It is new release day! Book two of the Reg Rawlins Psychic Investigator series, A Psychic with Catitude, is live today, and I have a round-up of other new releases for your reading pile as well. If you enjoyed What the Cat Knew, you’ll love reading more about Reg Rawlins, Starlight, and the rest of the cast in this new book.

About A Psychic with Catitude



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Reg Rawlins is back in business, asked by Detective Jessup to consult on a missing persons case. 

Little does she know that it’s not your average teen runaway or kidnapping. There is something strange going on.

Reg is dealing with her own personal issues with her health, an overly-interested warlock, and a furry psychic partner with definite attitude. 

Time is running short for the teen and Reg needs to act now.

Read sample

Buy now

$4.99

And more new releases




Wolf On the Job



Wolf on the Job, by Amanda M. Lee

Aric Winters has a full and happy life, including a magical wife who can’t stay out of a trouble and an eight-year-old daughter who is following in her footsteps. Despite that, he’s content.

That is until things come to a head in his professional and personal lives and things threaten to careen out of control.
As a shifter, Aric has certain responsibilities in the wolf hierarchy. His father makes that clear when he brings a bigwig for a visit and expects Aric to entertain him. Unfortunately for Aric, his daughter Sami is out of school for the day so he has to take her along for the ride.

Sami is special, of course. She’s more than a wolf thanks to her mother’s mage background. That power is put on display when a member of the wolf council goes missing and Sami is expected to track him through the woods.

Instead of finding a living wolf, though, Aric finds a dead one … and it’s not the one he’s looking for. What follows is a race against the clock to find a murderer and keep his family safe.

Naan of Your Business: A Comeback Kid Story



Naan of your Business, by Jack Roach

In this hilarious take on the modern-day detective story, Frank “The Comeback Kid” Davenport has made a cozy living finishing arguments for people too embarrassed to speak up for themselves. But when a beautiful young woman hires him to tell off her dad, he quickly discovers that this job will be unlike any he’s had before. If he’s going to finish it, the unlikely sleuth will have to hunt her father down himself. The only problem? Ruthless killers are also looking for him, and now Frank is in their sights. His only hope is to find out why the dad skipped town before his life, career, and floundering love life are ruined.

Southern Fortunes



Southern Fortune by Amy Boyles

When Pepper teaches a class at the Southern School of Magic, she expects a run of the mill experience. But when a gaggle of mean teachers invades her classroom, Pepper is on high alert. 

These women are nasty and they make no bones about disliking Pepper. 

Pepper does her best to stay far away from them, but when one of the witches is murdered in broad daylight, everyone’s a suspect, including Rufus Mayes, who’s moved back into town.

But Rufus’s intentions are honest. At least so it seems. After all, he gave Pepper an amulet that will protect her from evil. When her boyfriend, Axel Reign, discovers what Rufus has given her, he’s ticked off and rightly so. Not only that, but Axel drops a bombshell on Pepper regarding their relationship that will change everything. 

Homicide at Emu Lodge



Homicide at Emu Lodge, by June Whyte

The week leading up to Christmas should be fun, but when mobile-veterinarians, Emily and Maggie encounter an angry arachnid as large as a small dog, they decide it’s no fun at all – especially as the eight-legged creepy-crawly is guarding a dead body.

Who hated the arrogant literary agent enough to kill her? Was it her boss, Edward G. Peters, the best-selling horror author whose Modus Operandi in his latest novel is identical to the crime? The jovial cook who is protecting a shady secret? The young cleaner who thinks nothing of skirting the truth? The computer guy with a hidden agenda? Or the scruffy burglar caught breaking into Emu Lodge the day before the murder?

Once again, the two amateur sleuths soon find themselves stethoscope-deep in another baffling mystery. However, when Maggie’s daughter, Judi, gets caught up in the killer’s sights and Fat Santa threatens to blow them away if they don’t butt out, both Maggie and Emily wonder if maybe the stakes are too high after all.

That is until Maggie wakes to find herself surrounded by spiders…

Heirlooms and Homicide



Heirlooms and Homicide, by Danielle Collins

Henrietta Hewitt runs an antique store in Hearts Grove, Washington. In the process of collecting antiques, she comes across countless unusual items, many with a story. Some with secrets. When a missing girl is mixed with a prized antique, things turn deadly. Can Henrietta solve the mystery of the antique box and keep everyone safe?

Red Picket Fences



Red Picket Fences, by Daphne McLean

Jennifer Temple, a true crime fanatic and stay-at-home-mom, is growing restless in her small town neighborhood. To spice things up, she tries everything from sewing her own clothes to raising chickens.  

However, nothing ever changes in Pembury Acres.

Until a house fire takes the lives of her new neighbors. The community is rocked, and the police move to close the case quickly.

Too quickly.

Using skills gained from watching endless hours of true crime TV and a compulsion to get to the bottom of things,
Jennifer stumbles onto clues that put her in the middle of the investigation – and right in the sights of the killer.

Thyme to Kill



Thyme to Kill by Tegan Maher

Toni Owens is at a crossroads. Divorced, low on funds, and unhappy with where she’s at in life, she decides to buy a lodge in the mountains and start over. When she arrives at her new home, she finds the grand lodge is a run-down mess. To make matters worse, she finds the one person she’s connected with standing over a dead body on her first full day in town.

Now, Toni needs to find a way to clear her new friend of murder while searching for a job and figuring out what to do with the lodge she’d pinned her dreams on. 

Throw in a goofy dog who needs a home, a ghost reluctant to share his space, and a handsome neighbor eager to help her rebuild, and she’s got her hands full. Determined to make her fresh start a success, she rolls up her sleeves and gets to work, but will it be enough?

Kitty Confidential



Kitty Confidential by Molly Fitz

I was just your normal twenty-something with seven associate degrees and no idea what I wanted to do with my life. That is, until I died… Well, almost.

As if a near-death experience at the hands of an old coffeemaker wasn’t embarrassing enough, I woke up to find I could talk to animals. Or rather one animal in particular.

His full name is Octavius Maxwell Ricardo Edmund Frederick Fulton, but since that’s way too long for anyone to remember, I’ve taken to calling him Octo-Cat. He talks so fast he can be difficult to understand, but seems to be telling me that his late owner didn’t die of natural causes like everyone believes.

Well, now it looks like I no longer have a choice, apparently my life calling is to serve as Blueberry Bay’s first ever pet whisperer P.I while maintaining my façade as a paralegal at the offices of Fulton, Thompson & Associates. 

Honey Homicide



Honey Homicide by Vikkie Walton

A series of man-made fires has the small mountain town of Carolan Springs on edge. When drug dealer Ray Lawrence is found murdered in the Bennett’s burned-out greenhouse, all signs lead to someone called The Bull. A mysterious woman’s arrival in town has Anne suspecting that Deputy Ruiz and the newcomer are hiding something. Anne’s determined to find out what is going on between them.

When beekeeper Bill Connor is attacked in his greenhouse, Anne starts to wonder if there’s a connection. After Sheriff Carson is arrested for the fire-bombing of Hope’s Herbal Shoppe, Anne must determine if he’s guilty or innocent. 

The Ghost and the Baby



The Ghost and the Baby by Bobbi Holmes

While the residents on Beach Drive prepare for the welcomed arrival of a new baby, they are blindsided by the newest resident’s plans to close down Marlow House.

No one is prepared for the deadly secrets the new neighbor unwittingly conceals.

Walt knows more than he realizes. If he can just remember.

Break-ins and Bloodshed



The Ghost and the Baby by Bobbi Holmes

Henrietta’s antique store is gearing up for the busy season in Hearts Grove. After a string of robberies casts doubt on the source of some of her antiques, she steps in to try and catch a thief. When a dead body turns up, she has a full-fledged murder mystery on her hands.

Can she find the killer and secure an impressive stash of antiques for her store?

Death at the Tavern



[image error] Death at the Tavern by Lee Strauss

It’s the hot and humid East Coast summer of 1931 and seven years since Dr. Haley Higgins’ brother Joe was murdered. The case is cold. The Boston Police Department may have given up on finding Joe Higgins’ killer, but Haley never will. She’s serious and savvy and has what it takes to hold up under depressive times. At least she finds some satisfaction doing her part as the city pathologist’s assistant in solving other crimes.

Investigative reporter Samantha Hawke ~ byline Sam Hawke ~ is blond, beautiful and broke, no thanks to her no good husband who’s been on the lam for over six years. Her position at the Boston Daily Record is more than a job ~ it’s payback.

When a man is found dead at the Bell in Hand Tavern on Union Street, Haley and Samantha are both working the case. Haley’s looking for justice and Samantha’s after recognition and a raise. They may want the same thing ~ to catch a killer ~ but it turns out they may need each other to solve this case before becoming the next victims.

Excerpt from Deadline

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In anticipation of the release of A Psychic with Catitude, you can get What the Cat Knew for $0.99 for a very limited time on Kindle. Hope on over to get it now, before it is too late!

Buy now!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.

This week I am reading Sandra Brown’s Deadline. I have previously mentioned Low Pressure here. Sandra Brown’s writing is not cookie cutter fiction, she produces thrillers that are fresh and new, with interesting characters and twists.

“Leisure,” he said morosely. “Soon as my retirement is official, Eva’s got us booked on a two-week cruise. Alaska.”

“Sounds nice.”

“I’d rather someone pull out my fingernails with pliers.”

Sandra Brown, Deadline

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Dawson Scott is a well-respected journalist recently returned from Afghanistan. Haunted by everything he experienced, he’s privately suffering from battle fatigue which is a threat to every aspect of his life. But then he gets a call from a source within the FBI. A new development has come to light in a story that began 40 years ago. It could be the BIG story of Dawson’s career one in which he has a vested interest.

Soon, Dawson is covering the disappearance and presumed murder of former Marine Jeremy Wesson, the biological son of the pair of terrorists who remain on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. As Dawson delves into the story, he finds himself developing feelings for Wesson’s ex-wife, Amelia, and her two young sons. But when Amelia’s nanny turns up dead, the case takes a stunning new turn, with Dawson himself becoming a suspect. Haunted by his own demons, Dawson takes up the chase for the notorious outlaws … and the secret, startling truth about himself.

Have a Non-Romantic Valentine’s Day

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For the past couple of years, I have done Valentine’s Day posts about books which focus on friendship rather than on romantic relationships:
Friends Forever
Friends before Flowers

This year, I wanted to do something a little bit different again. I wanted to focus on books with characters who were asexual or aromantic. But in searching for them, I kept running up against books that were about sexual relationships and romance, but from or including an ace/aro perspective or character. And I realized that wasn’t what I was looking for. I was looking for books that did not focus on romance at all. Where sex and romance were not the focus of the story, or even a subplot.

Eventually, I did find a few posts and lists that were more of what I was looking for, and I’ll list them below. But first, some of my books that do not have romantic plots or subplots.

My Books

Some of these characters are asexual or aromantic, and some are simply not in a time/place where they are safe enough to pursue a relationship and their sexual or romantic preferences do not come into play.

Stand Alone

Is Justine crazy?

Everyone thinks so…

Her mother. The kids at school, and the teachers and administrators too. Even the police who pick her up from her night rambles. Maybe them most of all.

Justine’s therapist says she is ‘troubled’, but it means the same thing. He thinks that her vivid, reoccurring nightmares and atrocious behavior point to some trauma in her past; but Em, Justine’s mother, can’t explain it.

Justine used to have Christian, her best friend and skateboard partner. He was the only one who accepted her. Maybe because skating is the only time that Justine is really free to be herself. Now that Christian is gone… Justine keeps thinking things can’t get any worse.

Even as she sees her life spinning further and further out of control, Justine can’t give up her sense of who she is—someone far different than the loving daughter Em expects her to be—to just fit in and be happy. She is sure that Em secretly holds the key to who Justine really is. But if she does, Em isn’t talking.

Making Her Mark

Secrets and lies.

When everything changed, Kelli thought she would be happy. But nothing really changed.

Kelli’s life has never been easy. She’s always faced her problems head on. She’s strong and savvy and in charge of herself. All of that is about to change.

Her life is turned upside down when she discovers the secret that her mother has been hiding from her for years.

Kelli thinks this is her one chance at happiness. But is it?

Cynthia Has a Secret

One day, fifteen-year-old Carmina Knight’s life was perfect, and the next, she’d lost everything. Her family, her home, almost everything that she knew. Alone on the streets, she can’t trust anyone, but she also can’t make it alone.

Neil Crowther is the investigator on the Knight case. He knows that he has to unravel the web of deceit and track Carmina down quickly, or there will be no one left to save.

By-Pass

It’s better when she’s happy.

Bobby is a geeky teen who is convinced that his new foster home is everything he has ever hoped for.

His foster mom Katya is so different than any he has ever had; but as her behavior becomes more and more unpredictable and disturbing, he comes to realize that both he and Katya’s daughter Zane are in trouble.

The crazy thing is, Bobby doesn’t want to leave her, and new revelations from Bobby’s own forgotten past throw his quest for a real family into further turmoil.

Loose the Dogs
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You’ll never look at your dog the same way again.

Seven dogs are adopted by families all across the country who do not know their history…

“Of one thing I am sure,” Glenn declares. “These dogs are perfectly harmless.”

Frank knew it wasn’t true.

He would never forget walking into that trailer. He saw it in his mind every time he closed his eyes. He woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, seeing those eyes and those teeth, screaming soundlessly, gasping for breath.

“He never saw those dogs. How could anyone make such a stupid a decision, knowing what they did?”

And more…

And some honorable mentions. (My notes may contain spoilers.)

Medical Kidnap Files – while Gabriel and Renata are partners in crime and sleep in the same room/tent, they are not romantically involved. There are some hints that there could be a relationship in the future, and a little bit of jealousy and tension as they are faced with outside friendships. But there is no sex or romance in at least the first four books of the series (which is what is out now.)

Don’t Forget Steven – there is a friendship between Steven and Sasha, with attempts at something more intimate, but with no resolution in the book. Steven has been too damaged by the abusive relationships with his family members to pursue a relationship with Sasha during the timeline of the book.

Tamara’s Teardrops Series – Tamara does not have any romantic relationships or any interest in romance in the series, but she is coerced into intimate relationships more than once.

Lion Within – while Leo considers a the possibility of a relationship with Elizabeth, they are both struggling with deep personal issues and he realizes that there is no possibility of a romantic relationship.

Once Brothers – there is a passing mention of Jacob’s girlfriend, but they break up very early on and there are no romantic subplots in the book’s timeline.

Other posts to explore:

Here are some of the other resources that I found as I prepared for this post that you might find helpful or enlightening.

Database of Asexual and Aromantic CharactersWe Need More Books without RomanceGoodreads List: Novels with Female Protagonists That Aren’t About Love or Romance

The post Have a Non-Romantic Valentine’s Day appeared first on pdworkman.com.

In the Margins 2019 Awards

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I am pleased to announce the Ronnie, Between the Cracks #5 has been awarded one of the fiction awards for In the Margins 2019. Ronnie placed on the Recommended Reading list for 2019.

You can find all of the books on the Recommended Reading list here. Previously, both Ruby (book #1) and Chloe (book #4) have won In the Margins Award, so Ronnie has been designated “perennial favorite” on the list, which is a special honor.

Recipients are selected based on the titles that represent youth who are marginalized, on the streets, incarcerated, drug-addicted or struggle with combinations of these issues. Not only does the committee read and discuss a multitude of book titles published within the previous 18 months of the award year, we have the unique experience of having young adults assisting us in selecting the books by reading and sharing their opinions with us, directly. Incorporating the enthusiastic response from youth who live the experiences of our charge, we create an annual reading list which was originally intended as a selection tool for librarians who service youth in juvenile detention facilities throughout the North American continent and has since spread to community outreach programs and schools throughout North America.

School Library Journal, 2019

You can find School Library Journal’s full press release here.

Other books of mine that have received the In the Margins award in past years include Tattooed Teardrops (top fiction award) and Endless Change.

About Ronnie

Ronnie was the one child in the Simpson family to escape from the abuse and grow up in a normal home without being bounced from place to place or ending up on the street.

That was what the others all thought.

That was what Ronnie told herself.

When Ronnie could remember.

Read sample

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The post In the Margins 2019 Awards appeared first on pdworkman.com.

Excerpt from The Quiche of Death

I hope you picked up a few good books with promo this weekend! Stay tuned for a Valentine’s Day post. (Yes, Valentine’s Day is coming, if that means you need to buy anything or make any special reservations.)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.

I have read several of M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin series, but I have not read the first one. And here it is, The Quiche of Death. Agatha retires from her advertising agency and moved to the Cotswolds, fulfilling a childhood dream. Only she finds out she doesn’t like it that much, or the people there don’t like her that much, and she decides to make a splash by winning a cooking prize at the county fair. But she can’t cook. And that’s just the beginning.

By the time she reached Paddington Station, she had walked herself into a more optimistic frame of mind. She had chosen her new life and she would make it work. That village was going to sit up and take notice of Agatha Raisin. 

M.C. Beaton, The Quiche of Death

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Putting all her eggs in one basket, Agatha Raisin gives up her successful PR firm, sells her London flat, and samples a taste of early retirement in the quiet village of Carsely. Bored, lonely and used to getting her way, she enters a local baking contest: Surely a blue ribbon for the best quiche will make her the toast of the town. But her recipe for social advancement sours when Judge Cummings-Browne not only snubs her entry—but falls over dead! After her quiche’s secret ingredient turns out to be poison, she must reveal the unsavory truth…

Agatha has never baked a thing in her life! In fact, she bought her entry ready-made from an upper crust London quicherie. Grating on the nerves of several Carsely residents, she is soon receiving sinister notes. Has her cheating and meddling landed her in hot water, or are the threats related to the suspicious death? It may mean the difference between egg on her face and a coroner’s tag on her toe…

 

Warm up with these February Freebies

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A lot of us are dealing with polar temperatures this weekend, so here is a nice, summery-warm kitty reading a good book for you.

I had intended to have What the Cat Knew on today as a Kindle freebie, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I wasn’t able to offer it. But I promised you freebies, so instead, I have offered you Gluten-Free Murder through Bookfunnel. Get your kindle or epub copy here. If you haven’t started the series yet, what better time to stay inside by the fire and read?

Gluten-Free Murder

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Erin Price moves to Bald Eagle Falls, a place where everyone knows everyone as well as everyone else’s business, taking over the store left to her by her aunt to start up a gluten-free bakery. The grand opening is marred by just one thing, the death of her business rival, Angela Plaint. It appears that Angela was poisoned by one of Erin’s cupcakes, making her a prime suspect.

Equipped with cupcakes, her desire for the truth, and new bakery assistant Vicky’s help, Erin goes head-to-head against Detective Terry Piper to solve the murder. Rumors of treasure hunting, drug dealing, and a missing boy swirl around Bald Eagle Falls as Erin tries to sort the clues from the red herrings and find the killer before the killer can take care of her.

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More Books

As usual, I bring more freebies for your enjoyment! As usual, titles and covers are links.

Dial P for Poison
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Dial P for Poison, by Zara Keane

Maggie Doyle moves to Ireland to escape her cheating ex and crumbling career in the San Francisco PD. When the most hated woman on Whisper Island is poisoned at her aunt’s Movie Theater Cafe, Maggie and her rock-hard muffins are hurled into the murder investigation.

With the help of her UFO-enthusiast friend, a nun, and a feral puppy, Maggie is determined to clear her aunt’s name.

Lifesaver
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Livesaver, by Macie Collins

Bookfunnel

Jamie Scott fled to Hodges, FL, a suburb of Lantana Beach, to escape an abusive husband. With hard work and generosity, she rebuilt her life in the adopted community that supported her during her darkest moments. Allowing herself no time for love, Jamie volunteers with a victims’ advocacy group, discovering a purpose beyond her solitary, complacent life. Her comfortable routine in place, Jamie finally feels safe until she is faced with a situation eerily similar to one she thought she’d left in the past.

As a sheriff’s deputy in Hodges, Cooper Ross has seen both the worst and the best of humanity. His bachelor lifestyle allows him to serve his community without the burden of a family. Even if he wanted to, his work doesn’t allow time for dating, much less love. Then a chance encounter with his reclusive, though alluring, neighbor forces him to reevaluate his ideas on love, and human nature.

In the face of suspicions and danger, Jamie and Cooper must each overcome their own misguided notions of love and duty if they are to find what they didn’t know they were looking for—each other.

Good Clean Murder
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Good Clean Murder, by Traci Tyne Hilton

Bible school student Jane cleans houses to make ends meet. She’s getting by just fine — until she finds one of her customers murdered in his bed.

When Jane Adler stumbled over the body of her best client she didn’t think the day could get any worse. But her parents had been right: getting a roommate from Craigslist is always a bad idea. Now homeless and broke, the offer to be live-in help for her dead clients’ greif stricken son is an offer she can’t refuse.

Granny’s Got a Gun
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Granny’s Got a Gun, by Harper Lin

Barbara Gold, a retired CIA agent, is bored out of her skull in Cheerville, a small town in New England—until a man is poisoned during a book club meeting for seniors. Everyone thinks Lucien had a heart attack, but from his symptoms, Barbara knows someone has slipped poisoned into his cake or drink. Even though she is no longer undercover, Barbara feels as if she’s only playing the part of a sweet grandmother, but this may just be her most useful cover yet. 

The clock ticks as she investigates who in the Cheerville Active Readers’ Society would want Lucien dead. It’s only a matter of time before his death is declared murder and the police start hounding everyone.

Suddenly Barbara’s CIA training is useful again, and Cheerville is starting to seem not so dull after all…

A Pie to Die For
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A Pie to Die For, Stacey Alabaster

Rachael is a pastry chef with a boutique bakery. When a food critic dies after eating a pie from Rachael’s bakery, she is quickly labeled the prime suspect. Faced with a police investigation that doubts her innocence, she has no choice but to find the real killer. With carefree best friend, Pippa, Rachael sets out on a mission to save her bakery, but it could ultimately cost her, and her best friend, everything.

A Knight’s Quest for the Holy Grail
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A Knight’s Quest for the Holy Grail, by C. S. Johnson

Short Story

Lance wants nothing more than to be there to fight the dragons for his beloved Princess Alexandra. With his faithful steed by his side, Lance sets out for the magic elixir found only in the Holy Grail. With its strengthening power, facing off an old hag, the bewitching woods, and the strange ogre who lives under a bridge should be easy. 

But when it comes to Alexandra’s dragons, things aren’t quite what they all seem to be. 

Will Lance’s gift be enough — or will his princess require something even more powerful to sustain her? 

Death by Chocolate
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Death by Chocolate, by Sally Berneathy

Lindsay loves chocolate. It tastes good, it makes her feel good, it never cheats on her like her almost-ex-husband. It’s her best friend. But someone wants her dead and uses her weak spot—chocolate—to try to murder her.

Lindsay’s only secret is the recipe for her chocolate chip cookies, but she is surrounded by neighbors with deadly secrets. Suddenly she finds herself battling poisoned chocolate, a psycho stalker, and a dead man who seems awfully active for a corpse.

Her best friend and co-worker, Paula, dyes her blond hair brown, hides from everybody and insists on always having an emergency exit from any room. Secrets from Paula’s past have come back to put lives in jeopardy.

Even Witches Get the Blues
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Even Witches Get the Blues, by J.D. Winters

Haley is a witch with amnesia and she might be the most normal thing in the spooky town of Moonhaven.

She wakes up in a strange motel room, no idea who she is, with just the clothes on her back and, weirdly, the deed to a property in Moonhaven where everybody seems to know her.

Back for less than a day she discovers, in no short order, that she has an entire missing family, a town history as a wild child, and a grandmother who seems to want her to prepare to save civilization.

Not only that, she’s the lead suspect in a murder and Deputy Sheriff Shane McAllister knows more about her than he should. The real murderer is on the move. 

Brownies & Betrayal
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Brownies & Betrayal, by Heather Justesen

Pastry chef Tess Crawford thought moving from Chicago to quiet Silver Springs, Arizona would simplify her life. That was before she found the body of a maid-of-honor with whom she had traded heated words the previous night, left her fingerprints on the murder weapon, and came under attack for trying to clear her name. When her cheating ex-fiance shows up, intent on convincing her to come back to work for him, Tess—armed with an extra batch of éclairs—decides to take control and solve the mystery herself, with the help of a few friends.

To Kill a Labrador
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To Kill a Labrador, by Kassandra Lamb

Marcia (pronounced Mar-see-a, not Marsha) likes to think of herself as a normal person, even though she has a rather abnormal vocation. She trains service dogs for combat veterans with PTSD. Then the former Marine owner of her first trainee is accused of murdering his wife, and Marcia gets sucked into an even more abnormal avocation–amateur sleuth.

Called in to dog-sit the Labrador service dog, Buddy, she’s outraged that his veteran owner is being presumed guilty until proven innocent. With Buddy’s help, she tries to uncover the real killer. Even after the hunky local sheriff politely tells her to butt out, Marcia keeps poking around. Until the killer finally pokes back.

Adventures of a Vegan Vamp
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Adventures of a Vegan Vamp, by Cate Lawley

Waking up thin is one thing. But waking up gaunt, hangry, and undead makes for a very bad day. Mallory’s killer better hide, because she’s just discovered blood, meat, and dairy don’t agree with her, and a future with no cheese is grim indeed. She’s out to find her killer…and maybe a vegan cheese that doesn’t melt her nose hairs.

Excerpt from The Haunting of Hill House

Be sure to check back here this weekend for a round-up of Kindle freebies! And I’m interested in hearing your comments on Kabedon, if you haven’t read my blog from last week yet.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.

You may recognize this week’s title, as it has also been made into a TV series apparently available on Netflix. The Haunting of Hill House is a 1959 gothic horror novel written by Shirley Jackson. It was hailed by the Wall Street Journal as “now widely regarded as the greatest haunted-house story ever written.” It is also the story behind the movies “The Haunting.”

I just started it today, so I have not yet reached any “horror” scenes, but it is interesting so far. Lots of description and flights of fancy.

“That’s fine, then,” the little lady said, waving at her as the taxi pulled away from the curb. “I’ll be praying for you, dearie.”

Well, Eleanor thought, staring after the taxi, there’s one person, anyway, who will be praying for me. One person anyway.

Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House

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Four seekers have arrived at the rambling old pile known as Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of psychic phenomena; Theodora, his lovely assistant; Luke, the future inheritor of the estate; and Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman with a dark past. As they begin to cope with horrifying occurrences beyond their control or understanding, they cannot possibly know what lies ahead. For Hill House is gathering its powers – and soon it will choose one of them to make its own. Twice filmed as The Haunting, and the inspiration for a new 10-part Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House is a powerful work of slow-burning psychological horror.