Rebekah Jonesy's Blog, page 7

Queen of the Night Guild book release

Queen of the Night GuildQueen of Thieves Book 3

Ruthless criminals are made, not born. Queen of Thieves—an insight into the transformation from innocent child to thief and killer willing to do anything to save the ones she loves.  

Queen of the Night Guild (Queen of Thieves Book 3)

"I am Ilanna, Journeyman of House Hawk... and vengeance will be mine." 

Ilanna has lost everything: her friends, her home, her family, her dreams of freedom.

All that remains is a burning desire to find the bastards who burned down her city and tried to kill her.

But a traitor hides among the ranks of the Night Guild, poisoning her friends and allies with lies.

Cast out and condemned to death, Ilanna has no choice but to turn to old enemies to save not only her life, but her Guild and city in the process.

Read the breathtaking, heart-stopping conclusion to the Queen of Thieves series! 

Fans of Sarah J. Maas and Scott Lynch will love Queen of Thieves…

Fair warning dear readers, only continue if you want to immediately be compelled to go buy a new book. Well, this specific book at least. Cause DAMN!

Ilanna's hand darted to her sword. The pain of her scorched flesh didn't stop her from drawing the blade.
"Wait!" Master Gold's voice cracked like a whip. "Follow me."
He scurried from the Guild Council Chamber. Ilanna fell in step behind him, her eyes wary. Chaos reigned in the Night Guild. From all around, cries, shouts, and the clash of steel echoed off the earthen walls of the tunnels. Men hurried to and fro, directionless, uncertain where the threat came from.
Yet Master Gold led them away from the tumult.
"Where are we going?" Ilanna demanded. "We need to fight."
"No." Master Gold shook his head. "We need to hide."
Ilanna jerked to a stop. "What?" Fury burned in her chest. "We're under attack, and your first thought is for your own skin?"
"Think about it, Ilanna." The words poured from his mouth in a rush. "I am Master of the Night Guild. What will happen to the Guild if I am killed, or worse, captured?"
"But we don't know who's attacking us!" Ilanna half-turned toward the sound of fighting. "We have to find out more."
Master Gold gripped her arm. "Does it really matter?" His jaw muscles worked. "Either the Duke's Arbitors have found our tunnels, or the Bloody Hand has. There's no heroism in dying today."
Ilanna clenched her fists. "Damn it, Master Gold! We have to help." The clash of steel and the cries of fighting men grew louder.
"No, we don’t." The Guild Master shook his head. "We need to be safe. House Serpent and House Bloodbear were formed for just this eventuality. They've enough fighters between them to drive out a small army."
"They're going to get killed!" Ilanna protested.
"And they've known that since the first day they were chosen by their Houses. Just as you knew what would happen if you were caught in the wrong mansion." He gripped her sword arm. "But I must live. If we are to recover from this, we will need a clear head and a firm hand to direct our next step. You know as well as I that there is no one better suited to leading the Guild in a time like this than me. If that means I must act the coward and hide, so be it. I do it for the Guild."
Ilanna looked in his eyes. His expression showed no sign of fear, only the cold pragmatism that had made him such a useful ally. He spoke the truth. That didn't mean she had to like it.
"Well," she snarled, "you may be comfortable running and hiding, but I stand with my House!"
"With those hands?" Master Gold's voice grew harsh. "You can barely hold that sword without wincing. You wouldn't last two minutes in a fight."
Ilanna wanted to argue, but the pain radiating through her scorched palms forestalled her argument.
"If you will not listen to reason," Master Gold snapped, "you will obey a direct command. Protect me, Journeyman Ilanna of House Hawk. Protect your Guild Master. That is an order." His eyes narrowed. "And before you protest, remember that you are still a Journeyman. You have not yet been released from the oaths you swore to your House, to the Guild. To me."
Ilanna growled low in her throat. "Damn you, Master Gold!" She had to heed his command.
"Let's go." Master Gold jerked his head down a side corridor. "To my office."
The Guild Council Chamber stood a few hundred paces from the Guild Master's quarters, on neutral territory belonging to none of the Houses. Master Gold and Ilanna covered the distance in less than a minute.
"Secure that door," Master Gold instructed.
Ilanna threw the deadbolt. The door, built of solid Ghandian blackwood, would keep out anything short of a battering ram.
"Now what?" Her gaze darted around the room. If they dragged the Guild Master's enormous desk in front of the door, it could buy a few more minutes.
"Leave it," Master Gold waved her away from the heavy furniture. "This way." He strode over to a bookcase, upon which sat seven golden figurines: a hawk, a serpent, a scorpion, a bloodbear, a fox, a hound, and a grubber mole. The Guild Master pulled on the hawk. Mechanisms deep in the wall clicked, and the bookcase slid to one side, revealing a darkened tunnel beyond.
"Secrets within secrets, Ilanna." The Guild Master pointed to the alchemical lamp that hung on the opposite wall. "We'll need light."
Ilanna darted across the room and lifted the lamp from its sconce. Once inside the hidden passage, Master Gold pressed on a stone and the bookcase slid shut without a sound.
Ilanna held up the lamp. The tunnel ran for ten paces before turning a corner. "Where does this go?" she whispered.
"To the sewer tunnels beneath the city. And to the chambers of every House Master."
Ilanna's eyebrows shot up. "What?"
Master Gold grinned and shrugged. "There is much about the Night Guild known only to myself and the Masters I trust."
"Master Hawk?"
The Guild Master nodded.
Relief flooded Ilanna. "So he'll be safe." Master Hawk could hide until the Serpents and Bloodbears dealt with the threat.
Master Gold's expression darkened. "You've known Jagar Khat for years." Sorrow filled his eyes. "Have you ever known him to back down when someone threatened his House?"
Ilanna's gut clenched. Master Hawk would be the first to face whatever came through the doors of the Aerie. He would protect his House, the cost be damned.
Master Gold's hand gripped her shoulder. "You can't go out there. You can't save him."
Ilanna whirled. "Damn you, Master Gold!" She drove a fist into the earthen walls.
The Guild Master's voice dropped to a whisper. "He'll survive this. He has to." He spoke as if trying to convince himself.

And now because I am sure you want them, here's the link on where to get this awesome book by Andy Peloquin. It will be out January 30th so go get your preorder now! If you want to stalk this awesome author, and hilarious guy here's a quick intro. And don't worry I plan to interview him later. After I read these books and can really pick his brain.
Andy Peloquin: Lover of All Things Dark and Mysterious



I am, first and foremost, a storyteller and an artist--words are my palette. Fantasy is my genre of choice, and I love to explore the darker side of human nature through the filter of fantasy heroes, villains, and everything in between. I'm also a freelance writer, a book lover, and a guy who just loves to meet new people and spend hours talking about my fascination for the worlds I encounter in the pages of fantasy novels.

Fantasy provides us with an escape, a way to forget about our mundane problems and step into worlds where anything is possible. It transcends age, gender, religion, race, or lifestyle--it is our way of believing what cannot be, delving into the unknowable, and discovering hidden truths about ourselves and our world in a brand new way. Fiction at its very best!

Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1383986274994456/
Website: http://www.andypeloquin.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndyPeloquin 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andyqpeloquin
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8KnIEoUDWRJkAhJ16CN5Dw
Reader List Sign-Up: http://andypeloquin.com/join-the-club/
Fantasy Fiends Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFantasyFiends/
Follow on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/andy-peloquin
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/andypeloquin   

www.linkedin.com/in/andypeloquin/
https://plus.google.com/100885994638914122147/about 
https://www.facebook.com/andrew.peloquin.1

10 Things You Need to Know About Me:
1. Hot wings, ALWAYS!
2. I never forget a face, but rarely remember a name.
3. I'm a head taller than the average person (I'm 6' 6")
4. Marvel > DC
5. I was born in Japan, and lived there until the age of 14.
6. Selena Gomez, Skrillex, Simon & Garfunkel, Celine Dion, and Five Finger Death Punch are all in my writing playlist.
7. Aliens are real, but it's self-centered of us to believe that they would come to visit Earth.
8. Watching sports: suck. Playing sports: EPIC!
9. I earned a purple belt in Karate/Hapkido/Taekwondo.
10. I dislike most Christmas music, aside from Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

A Few of My Favorite Things
Favorite Books: The Gentlemen Bastards by Scott Lynch, The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson, Sherlock Holmes by A.C. Doyle, Warlord of Mars by E.R. Burroughs
Favorite Songs: Wrong Side of Heaven by Five Finger Death Punch, Prayer by Disturbed, I'm an Albatraoz by AronChupa, Look Down from Les Miserables, Shatter Me by Lindsay Sterling and Lizzi Hale
Favorite Movies: 300, Red Cliff, Shoot Em Up, Love Actually, Princess Bride
Favorite Comics: Anything with Deadpool, Wolverine or Doop in it
Favorite Foods: Hot Wings, Meat-Lover's Salad, A good sandwich (made by me), Yaki Soba, Sushi

Favorite TV Shows: The Flash, Daredevil, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Hawaii Five-0, Brooklyn 99, Firefly (too soon!), The Last Ship, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones

He makes it so easy to stalk him.

Perfect Break - inside look

Yes, I already posted my review of this amazing story in prose. But I talked with the author and got her approval to post some excerpts too. Hopefully you will be able to see how this touched me so deeply.



And it goes on like that. Each girl talking to her best friend. The names they use reflecting how they feel. As each of them tries to understand, and tries to reach out across the void that is growing between them.
I lookedUp MountSaint HelensAfter yourMessage. The picturesAre something!I wish I couldHave been there,Coated in a realSubstance that othersCould easily see. ThenThey’d know and there Wouldn’t be this weirdDisconnect. I don’t knowHow to talk about this stuffRight now. My mom told me I Look too much like him. I wentTo the mirror and I tried toWipe the him part off my faceBut it’s stuck. It’s in me. It’sDNA.
Mads
You look likeYou to me. NotYour mom or yourDad, truly. JustLike you.
When my mom wasDying, my grandmaYelled at me in theHospital. I’d forgottenTo put on my mask,And she lost it.She told me I wasKilling mom, and it Was my fault. My fault
My fault.It played in my headA long time, Madness,Until she asked forMy forgiveness. I guessWhat I’m trying to say is
When everything fallsApart, people are justPieces of who they should
Be.And eventually we comeBack together again. Maybe a different shape,Like now there is Rachel,But still a family puzzle.
I hope this makes sense.Sorry people are cruel When they are freaking out.
Love,Claire Bear



I’m sorry. IShouldn’t haveBrought up myMom. I didn’t meanTo make you think Of your mom. I
Don’t know.
They told meI’m going withHim when he leavesHe’s going to rentAn apartment. Where?
Don’t know.
I have a bruiseOn my face, it’sNothing. I’m Having a clumsySummer. I’m gladYour family isComing back together.
I’m thinking
About yourPuzzle.
Maddie

I ordered this book in paperback. And when I get it, I will hug it. And then I will donate one of them to my local library. Because more people need to see this, read this, hear this, remember this, know this. 

It's not your fault

 Another thing I will hug when I finally get to see her, is this amazing woman.

Cause the happiness I have in my heart IS all her fault. And so is this book. And a lot of other books I have greatly enjoyed. Check her out. Hopefully I will be able to have her on in the future to do an interview too. Then we can find out what 's up with her gnomes too. And her #00bananas

Anaïs Chartschenko hails from the Canadian wilderness. She has come to enjoy such modern things as electric tea kettles. Her published works include: Bright Needles  The Whisper CollectorThe Weightless OnePerfect Break
BooksBuy Perfect Break: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0786YKVK4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513065197&sr=8-1&keywords=perfect+break+anais+chartschenko
Buy The Weightless One: https://www.amazon.com/Weightless-One-Ana%C3%AFs-Chartschenko-ebook/dp/B06XRXYWHJ/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Buy The Whisper Collector:https://www.amazon.com/Whisper-Collector-Ana%C3%AFs-Chartschenko-ebook/dp/B01NCSGZGL/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Buy Bright Needles: https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Needles-Anais-Chartschenko-ebook/dp/B00J49LM1O/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Music
Buy Howling at the Moon: Live from my Living Room: https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/anaisbelieve
Buy Immigration:https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/anaisbelieve2
Social Media Links:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiw1y7_NUCoADdc5Xnn3whgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/anaischartschenko/?ref=bookmarksTwitter: https://twitter.com/anaisbelieveWebsite: http://anaischartschenko.weebly.com/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15387157.Anais_ChartschenkoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/anaischartschenko/Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Anais-Chartschenko/e/B00J4QSO7C/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1Cdbaby: https://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/AnaisBelieveMailing List: http://weebly.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=48656038b5eefef3d63a541e9&id=8059b9efc9

Postcards from Moscow Reveal

If you're at this website you know how awesome Rebekah is. Well let me introduce you to another Rebekah. Rebekah Dodson is a prolific word weaver of romance, fantasy, and science fiction novels. Her works include the series Postcards from Paris, The Surrogate, The Curse of Lanval series, several stand alone novels, and her upcoming YA novel, Clock City. She has been writing her whole life, with her first published work of historical fiction with 4H Clubs of America at the age of 12, and poetry at the age of 16 with the National Poetry Society. With an extensive academic background including education, history, psychology and English, she currently works as a college professor by day and a writer by night. 
And now I get to share her latest book with you. This book is a stand alone part of the Postcards from Paris series. Postcards from Paris (Book 1) Postcards from America (Book 2) And now:
Postcards from Moscow (Postcards from Paris Book 3)
https://myBook.to/PostcardsFromMoscow
                                                  

PRE-ORDER before Feb 18th for 99c!

Jaquellyn Arnolt has wanted to be a ballerina forever; until the night she suffers a tragic fall. When the unsigned postcards arrive from Moscow, she begins to heal with the passionate words of a fellow artist. Jaquellyn jumps at the chance of a lifetime to travel to Moscow to join the prestigious Bolshoi Academy, where she meets Vasily Petrov, a shy and timid star of the Nutcracker. Could Vasily be the one behind the postcards? And what will it take to bring him out of his shell? Blackmail and betrayal abound as beauty hides under the bright lights of the ballet, amidst the lure of Russia’s most beautiful city. 

And if you want more Rebekah's in your life you can track her down easily with these links.
Connect with Rebekah:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2C6MDKg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/realrebekahdodson
Twitter: @AuthorRDodson
Website: http://rdodson83.wix.com/rebekahdodson

Between the Tides

picture by Anais Chartschenko 

Have you ever read a book of poems that made you think better about people? This book will soothe the soul and restore your faith in humans. Between the Tides by J.D. Estrada.



The coffee poem isn't the ONLY reason I'm loving this book. But it does certainly help. His poem Stumble also speaks so easily and openly about something that I think most of us struggle with from time to time. Obviously I can't say too much about the poems without giving them away, but for reals, go check it out. It's even free on KU right now. 

And if you want to find more, support his writer journey and get some of his books here - https://smile.amazon.com/JD-Estrada/e...

Website – www.jdestradawriter.blogspot.com
Twitter – www.twitter.com/JDEstradawriter
Instagram – http://instagram.com/jdestradawriter/
Google+ - https://plus.google.com/u/0/
Facebook page – www.facebook.com/JDEstradawriter
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/dash...
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/j-d-estrada

Perfect Break

my heart broke and mended 
This is, without a doubt, the most heartbreaking and wonderful book I have read all year.
And one of the most important.
Yes, I said important. And I meant it. 
It is easy, as adults, to forget the pain and drama and trauma and confusion of being a teenager. Well this amazing author, Anais Chartschenko, did not forget. She didn't forget what some kids go through. She didn't forget the painful things that some teens see happening to their friends and how it affects them. And she didn't forget how sometimes trying to help those teens can make things even worse. But that they still need our help.
I cried so many tears as I read this. I'm starting to cry again as I write this. You can feel the pain and confusion is every line of this book. The story is written in a very unusual style. It's a back and forth conversation between two teenage girls that are best friends. Each of them has gone through a major shift and they are separated. This is the only way they can keep in touch.
For one of them her life becomes unexpectedly better, much better.For the other, it gets worse. And worse. And worse.And their reactions are perfectly normal teenage reactions
Get this book. Read this book. Donate this book to your local library. Even if it doesn't help you. I guarantee you that there are kids and teens out there that need to read this. So they will also understand the truth behind this story. 
It's not your fault. 

The Yellow Hoods - Breadcrumb Trail

doesn't he look dashing?
I'm sure you guys remember that I did a post earlier about book one of this series by Adam Dreece, Along Came a Wolf. This is the second book in that same fine, exciting, adventurous riot. And of course you can’t spell steam punk without pun. Even some of the names are puns. So are the chapter titles. Which really makes me laugh.

And while the first book was a look into this world and the people this one, like the title suggests, gives you a look back to where everyone came from. Normally, books that jump around the timeline a lot feel annoying or not very well put together, but this book is not like that. Every time you get a flashback it is not only pertinent it is also well executed.

While we explore Richie’s history, and the history of the Tub and Fare groups, the plot still continues on. The Yellow Hoods have continued saving people and gaining new friends. Those friends are introduced in this book, so are old enemies, new enemies, and even a few new allies. And it is obvious very quickly that Nikolas and the Yellow Hoods will need all of the allies they can get. Because the world is changing, so are the kingdoms and the people that live in them. And the Yellow Hoods are getting swept up in the chaos and will have to fight their way through, saving as many of their friends as they can.

This was an incredibly fun tale and I really look forward to finishing the rest of this series, which you can find here.
 5/5!

Beautiful Book Geeks Ep4

Don't forget to join Amanda, Heidi and I as we geek out about more books. And ramble about other crazy things. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MskUr...

Author interview with Karen Lee

Today I would like to introduce everyone to Karen Elizabeth Lee.

Karen, tell us about the book you're currently promoting? 

The Full Catastrophe: A Memoir Published April 2016.

Description of book:
The Full Catastrophe is a memoir but it is about much more than domestic abuse – it is about widowhood, betrayal, a search for truth, Jungian analysis, dreams, healing and learning to trust the Universe. 

The story:
In 1981, Karen’s first marriage ended with a violent beating, leaving her with no child support, two small children to raise, and a poorly paying job.  The bank repossessed the house because she couldn’t afford the mortgage payments. Two months later she met Duncan, the man who would become her second husband.  No time was given to heal from the first marriage.
Though initially Duncan appeared to be the perfect partner – handsome, well-educated, a great job in the oil patch, interested in theatre, personal development, music – but he was extremely controlling and eventually resorted to yelling, screaming, insults, threats, in private and public.  It became easier just to go along with what he wanted.
He did support her to go back to university to become a psychologist and then they formed a consultancy partnership.  Ironically, they worked together well – it was only in their private life that he exploded, though that overlapped with public scenes of his anger. Her financial security was completely tied to him. She put on a false front to friends and clients so they would never know what their marriage was really like. They moved to England in 1995 so he could take up a position in a prestigious business school but the marriage did not improve. In 1998, she started going to a Jungian analyst and continued for the next five years of her life.
After having been married to Duncan for fourteen years, Karen thought divorce was the answer. But ten months after telling him that she wanted that divorce, her husband was diagnosed with cancer.  Eight months later, in the summer of 1999, he was gone. Karen hoped her problems would disappear after Duncan’s death – but instead, she found that, without his ranting, raving, and screaming taking up space in her life, she had her own demons to face at the same time as dealing with tremendous grief. Luckily, Duncan had left her the keys to her own salvation and healing – a love of Jungian psychology and a book, Balancing Heaven and Earth, that was to be her guide through the following years.
After a life of being completely ruled by her husband’s emotions, she was thrown into a life of her own – suffering from grief and symptoms of post-traumatic stress after years of abusive treatment. She was determined to heal because she knew if she didn’t, she ran the risk of choosing another abusive man.
During the marriages, she had shut herself down emotionally to cope with the abuse. She didn’t know herself – in some ways she had never grown up. So, instinctively, after her husband died she allowed herself a “young adult phase” that she had never had.  For four years, she went to Jungian analysis, recorded her dreams, kept track of her horoscope, spent time with friends, and attracted new business projects.  She dated, learned to sail, explored new countries like Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco, Greece and even camped and hiked on her own.  Yes, sometimes she was reckless, but eventually she learned to be more independent, make good decisions, and trust the universe to guide her.  At the end of that time, she met her present husband on a beach on Maui, Hawaii and is extremely happy.

I have shivers just from reading that much. What inspired you to write the book?

About 7 years ago I felt compelled to write my memoir.  It seemed to nag at me.  I needed to understand why an intelligent, well-educated woman fell for, not one, but two, controlling and eventually abusive men. I wanted to connect the dots of my life and at last felt secure enough to do that – to summon the courage needed to troll through the memories, the journals, the photos, write it down through my tears and tell my story.  I bought a book on how to write a memoir – Tristaine Rainer’s Your Life as Story and attended a local writing conference.  I read out a character sketch of my late husband at an open mic session and received enough positive feedback that I had the encouragement I needed to continue. 
I realised that I had to learn to write in this new (to me) genre of creative non-fiction. I had to learn all the techniques familiar to fiction writers: the story arc, scenes, character sketches, and dialogue, in order for the reader to get inside my head to discover the psychological drama of a woman trapped in a life of upscale domestic abuse. I revisited my stack of 14 journals I had kept throughout my 2nd marriage, widowhood and healing journey back to wholeness.  In those journals, I had the bones of my story.

Do you have any other projects planned?

My next projects:
I have started to write short stories inspired by real life incidents from family, neighbours, friends and so on – not memoir.  I also have in mind a further book, based on my family’s emigration to Canada from Ireland.

Do you have a favorite character?

My favourite fictional character changes with all the books I read.  
Cathy and Heathcliffe top the list since I read Wuthering Heights at age 13 but also Scarlet O’Hara, that flawed heroine in Gone with the Wind.  They introduced me to a depth of feeling that spoke to my adolescent yearnings.  I lived out in the country in Ontario, Canada, and filled my time with what, in retrospect I now know, were great books.  I loved stories of people who floundered, made mistakes, who didn’t seem to have their lives perfectly figured out, who sometimes loved the wrong people or who couldn’t express their love due to inner turmoil.  Perhaps it was prescient that I would read about many of the very issues I would face in the drama of my adult life.

What inspires your writing?

I am mostly inspired by real life – that is the jumping off point of my work. I am particularly interested in stories that are emotional but have never been told – secrets or “almost secrets” in a family or village - incidents known but with no real appreciation showed for the impact of events, like adoption, serious operations, ”illegitimate” births, child molestation and so on.

Who is your favorite author?

Alice Hoffman is my new favourite author – just finished Here on Earth about domestic abuse.  I also love Lori Lansens – so far I have read The Girls, The Mountain Story and The Wife’s Tale.  I am looking forward to reading the rest of her books.

What's the biggest life lesson you've learned as an author?

The biggest lesson I have learned so far as an author is that writing can heal.  This is particularly applicable to people who write about their experience of trauma. Through the writing of my book, I erased the mystery of the choices I made in my life and learned to have compassion for myself and others trapped in domestic abuse.
I also learned that I am a good writer and now combine that skill with my past career as a psychologist to teach “Memoir Writing for People with Difficult Stories to Tell” at our local writing society. My course is popular and the participants find the things I did – healing and acceptance, and the satisfaction of writing.

What do you love about being an author?

As my skill develops I can take on projects I didn’t think in the past I could do – because I started as a non-fiction writer, I initially steered away from fiction, but now I am sticking my toe into the water of fiction inspired by real events.  I also love helping other people write so I have done some blue pencil sessions and mentoring of writers.  There are no limits to what you can do.

How long have you been writing?

I won my first prize for writing when I was about 12 - $10 first prize for my essay on The Maple Tree!
I did a lot of writing during my academic training to become a psychologist so I knew how to research and write non-fiction and technical writing.  I was asked to do a book on management consulting in 2001 and my book, Consulting into the Future was published in 2002.  That led to requests for articles on various aspects of my work as a psychologist doing management consulting.  Then I did some freelance journalistic pieces for historical and academic journals.  Then I started to work on my memoir. 

What do you listen to when you write?

Usually nothing – I like silence.  If I am just re-typing something then I can do that listening to Eva Cassidy, Sarah McLaughlin, KD Lang and other women ballad singers.

Do you have something  to say to your fans?

Write, then write again. Get feedback.  Listen to the feedback. Don’t be too proud or stubborn. Keep going. Dig deep, then go deeper still. Watch for details – it is the details that tell the story.

While I am used to being inspired by authors through their hardwork and their story telling, this time I am also inspired by the woman who struggled, survived, and was aware enough to look at herself and share what she saw. Mad props Karen, and thank you so much for sharing your story with us.

And of course if you would like to follow Karen you can find her at
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.Karen.E.Lee/
Website:  www.karenelee-author.com
Twitter: @KarenLeeAuthor

The Full Catastrophe

The Full Catastrophe: A Memoir[image error]


To keep this totally on the up and up, I'd like to admit that I received this book only yesterday morning. Seeing how long it was I realized that I was probably going to have to change my posting schedule a little bit and post the author interview of the book before reading the book and doing the review. But then I started reading. And this story was so compelling, so thought-provoking, and tugged at so many heartstrings that I could not stop reading. I wanted to. It reminded me too much of my first marriage, which ended in pain and misery and me being stalked for over 10 years. It was too much like reading my own diary. I'm writing this review now even though my emotions are still twisted up by the story. Page 132 hit me especially hard and after reading it I had to take a break and walk away. That only lasted for a few moments, I had to come back and see how it ended.

I like to say that I'm brave. That I face my fears. And if Karen Elizabeth Lee could muster up the courage not just to look back on her life, not just to write it all down, but to also write about her own faults so openly I could not look away. And I'm so glad I didn't.

This story is a memoir of a woman looking back at her two abusive relationships. You know that just by reading the blurb. So when the book starts out with a funeral and a woman mourning the death of her husband, it's so real it brings tears to your eyes. You, or at least I, assume that this would be her third husband. A man she loved who didn't abuse her. But a few pages in, you see that's not true.

Because as this book shows time and again you can love someone and still fear them. You can mourn someone and still be relieved that they are no longer in your life. And also that Hell is addictive and having it taken from you can destroy your life.

The author manages to write both emotionally and clearly. Showing her fears and struggles while refusing to look away or deny blame for her own mistakes as she lays it all out. That, more than anything, shows just how strong this woman has become after a lifetime of pain. I've  already suggested to a few female friends of mine that they should read this book. It wasn't written to be a self-help book, however I believe a lot of people, male and female, can learn something by reading this.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. Married, single, divorced, young, old, happily married or just "doing the right thing" and staying in their marriage for the sake of propriety. I recommend it for anyone that has ever thought this:

Will I be able to handle the pain of his loss? Will I recover? Can I build a life of my own that is worthwhile without his support? Will I allow myself to stand alone, not controlled by my obsessive and desperate need for a man, any man, to help me?

Fluffygedon

The tale of Fluffygedon
Once upon a time (Wednesday) in a far off land (the laundry room) a beautiful and normally incredibly bright and talented and funny and wonderful queen Bekah (who is writing this fanfic) made a terrible mistake. Here is the tale of her woe.

Bekah and her husband took a day off from their tireless duties and spent a relaxing day shopping. The husband wanted a new blanket and Bekah wanted new pillows for the bed and matching cases for the couch.
Once everything was purchased and they had enjoyed a lovely meal they went home. The pillows were pulled out of their tiny tubes, and so was the blanket. Bekah tossed all three in the washing machine, and walked off, eager to enjoy some couch time with her husband. After a time there was a strange vreeeeeeeee sound and she got up and ran to the washer. The pillows had quadrupled in size and were sticking out of the wash basin as it was going through the spin cycle. Annoyed at the interruption Bekah pulled them out and vaguely noticed that one of the pillows had a tiny slit in the fabric. Determined to deal with it later she went back to finish her show.
After the show she put the blanket in the dryer and the pillows back in the wash. Then, forgetting the slit went to relax once again. Once the dryer was done she came out to swap laundry. That was when she remembered the cut in the fabric. She quickly sewed it up and put both pillows in the dryer. Distractedly she glanced in the washer but did not see anything left in the basin.

What she didn't know was the extent of the problem. The one that was building in the washer and dryer. The problem she added to as she filled the basin with the new covers she had bought, in order to dye later, and the fluffy, fuzzy blanket she had gotten for her husband.

When the wash cycle buzzed it's end, she did not know the problems that were waiting for her. Like the beginning of all good horror movies, she was in a rush and did not bother to take the time needed to turn on the overhead light. In dim light she reached into the wash basin and pulled out the blanket. Frowning she noticed that the new blanket seemed to have shed quite a bit in it's first wash. Annoyed that she might have purchased a defective blanket from those wiley Swedes she pulled it out and tossed it into the dryer.

Once the dryer was running she reached in again to remove the covers that she had planned to dye. She shook them out. And blinked in amazement as it started to snow inside her laundry room. Unsure what had happened she took a step toward the light switch, needing extra light to figure out what had fallen around her. Her  first step slipped and she had to catch herself on the side of the dryer. Something thin and slick covered the floor. Fearing that a hose had broken and that was why the floor was slippery and slightly damp she shuffled to the light and flipped it on.

Everything was covered in a delicate white fluff. She stared at the cloth in her hand. It was coated. As were her arms, legs, feet, shirt, the shelves, the washer, the dryer, the cat food, the stack of papers along the back wall, the desk, everything. "Well. Shit." She laughed, then instantly regretted it. The delicate tiny balls of synthetic fibers had already started to dry on her shirt and wafted up her nose with her indrawn breath.

Coughing, and trying not to laugh, she retrieved the other covers and briskly shook them out. It made an even larger mess, but she hoped to contain it all in the one small room in order to clean it up quickly.

As if hearing her hopes and dreams, reality kicked in, kicked her in the teeth, and kicked on the heating fan.
POOF!White fluff everywhere. And spreading.
"Oh shit!" She yelled delicately. "Fuck fuck fuck!" She sang as she tried to chase the fleeing piles of fluff. As she bent over to make a pile of the mess more of the nearly weightless mass fell from her head and drifted off into the kitchen.
"Is everything ok in there?" Her husband called from the other room.
"I made a giant fucking mess!" She assured him.
With his help they were able to make an even bigger mess as he smartly snapped up the covers and took them into the center of the house to finish shaking off. Satisfied that the air currents drifting through every room of the house, aided by his vigorous arm movements had removed every bit of fluff from the covers he proudly presented his wife with her defluffed covers while showing off his brand new white beard. Having just finished sweeping the laundry room and stuffing all of the loose fluff in the garbage can there she sighed and took the covers from him.
She spent the next few minutes setting up the dye solution and setting the damp, but supposedly clean covers into the dye bath, then swept up the kitchen as well. She thought about sending her robot servant to vacuum the rest of the house, but decided against it. He could easily choke on the balls of fluff and then would cry all night until his battery died or he was saved.
She finished up the rest of the laundry, pulling out the dry blanket. And was rewarded with another snowfall as the fluff that had been invisible while wet fell around her in dry piles. Cleaning up the second (third?) mess she folded the blanket and put it away. Then she pulled out the lint trap. It stuck for a moment, then popped free, letting loose a fluff and lint avalanche that fell around the dryer on all sides. Using her trusty broom she once again cleaned up the mess, noting that her husband had exhausted himself with his day of relaxation and gone to bed. She rinsed her dyed cloth, left it to dry and went to bed herself.
The next morning, after a bracing cup of the elixir of life (coffee) she inspected her newly dyed covers. Pleased with the color and pattern she shook the wrinkles free. And watched in dismay and more of the white fluffiness fell out of the folds and onto the ground. This time her cat was awake. And ready to take the place of her master, the husband, who had gone to work already. Following his example she used her body and rapid arm movements and chased the tiny piles of fluff all over the house, making sure to jump on every item of furniture she could, and could not, reach. That was when Bekah realized that the lovely cloud like pattern in her dye job wasn't from her expert application of the dye (at least not completely) but was instead caused by the synthetic fluff stuck between the layers of cotton.
Annoyed at how things had turned out Bekah took the covers to the washer. As soon as she opened the lid large puffs of fluff that had been hiding in the bleach and fabric softener dispensers, and dried overnight, puffed out on the breeze. Bekah tossed the covers in the washer and gathered up all the fluff that she could and shoved it into the garbage can again. A garbage can that was suspiciously NOT full of fluff any longer. Sighing at this other newest development, she closed and started the washing machine. Then she turned to the garbage can. The piles of fluff she had swept up the night before were mostly missing. A few tufts were still dancing in the morning light, floating away on the warm breeze of the heat that had kicked on again at the first sight of snow in the air. 
Bekah flinched as she heard the scrabble of claws as her stalwart extra fluffy cat raced around, killing every piece of fluff she came into contact with. Filled with despair, Bekah got another cup of the elixir of life (coffee) and retreated to her computer.
Legend says that she sits there still, typing away as the fluff is chased into corners by stupid cats, and chokes the life out of her robot servant.