by Sarah | Jun 27, 2013 | Guest Authors, Guest Post, Writing
Hello, let me introduce myself. My name is Killarney Sheffield, the author of ‘Through Gypsy Eyes’ releasing from Crimson Romance on April 15th 2013. ‘Through Gypsy Eyes’ is my 8th published novel.
Many people have asked me just how I came up with the idea of a blind heroine and a guide animal in the form of a seeing eye pony named Jester. Like many authors I sometimes struggle with ‘showing’ vs ‘telling’ and developing the sensory dimensions in a novel. I started writing a short piece from a blind woman’s pov. Obviously my character could not ‘see’ the world around her but had to interpret it through touch, taste, smell and the sounds around her. It is a wonderful exercise that really helped me connect with Delilah. The story just took off from there and refused to stay quiet until I seriously wrote her story and for me as a Canadian farm gal a book is never complete without some kind of animal sidekick. Most people would have gone with the guide dog approach but, I hate to offend anyone here, I am just not a dog person. My whole life has been spent around show horses of various breeds and disciplines. As I was thinking on an animal sidekick I remembered an old show I saw once on ‘Animal Planet’ about a lady in the USA who trained miniature horses to be guides for the blind. She used a harness similar to a dogs, put cute little sneakers on the pony’s feet for traction and house trained them. These remarkable little creatures could do everything a guide dog could and posed less allergy problem. From this simple show the idea behind Jester was born and he quickly became a most endearing character who threatened to steal the story in more than a few scenes! You can view a quick teaser of the tale here: http://youtu.be/S6qfLlbIkxA
True to my love of critters big and small I am currently polishing another historical romance novel with suspense, adventure and paranormal aspects to it titled ‘Love’s Magic’. It is the story of a female magician and her unusual sidekick, a black Holland rabbit named Dexter.
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BLURB:
Delilah Daysland doesn’t see herself as marriage material. After all, who could love a woman locked in darkness?
Try telling that to Lord Tyrone Frost. He’s determined to do his duty and see her wed to a suitable gentleman, as the King commands.
Delilah has other plans. Convinced her father’s death was no accident, she must depend upon her pony Jester to guide her through everyday challenges as she seeks the truth behind mystery, murder, and deception. Though drawn to Tyrone she’s afraid to trust him, until she sees the world and love through gypsy eyes.
Excerpt:
The pony snorted and then nickered. She strained to hear anything beyond her own
movement as she kept herself afloat. Was there a slight rustle in the brush? Stilling her
movement, she paid closer attention. After detecting no further sound she closed her eyes,
allowing herself to relax and float in the blissful rocking motion of the current. It must be
a small woodland creature out to parch its thirst on such a stuffy night. There was nothing
to fear from such creatures, she was sure. A soft splash gave her pause and she rolled
over. Treading water she turned to face the opposite bank. Ripples rose, slapping her
chest as if something waded in the shallows. She listened again. A rhythmic sloshing
made its way toward her. Alarm quickened her pulse as she concentrated on the sound.
“Jester?”
An answering nicker came from the bank behind her. She worried her damp lower lip
between her teeth. If Jester is yet on the bank, then what is in the water with me? The
unknown visitor slowed, treading water a few yards from her. By the noise it made she
surmised it was large. Intuition told her it was not a mink or beaver come to fish. The fine
hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle. Crossing one arm over her breasts and
paddling with the other to keep afloat she inquired, “Is someone there?”
“I thought my eyes deceived me when I spied a fair maiden floating in this pool.”
The unexpected baritone froze her movement. Delilah gasped, almost going under the
surface of the water when she forgot in surprise to paddle for an instant. She scrambled
for something appropriate to say under the circumstances. “I beg your pardon, sir? ‘Tis
most unseemly to disrupt a lady’s swim.”
He chuckled, a low, husky sound making her picture a large, muscular physique. “Ah,
you are right; however, I have yet to determine whether you are a lady or merely a
figment of my overtaxed imagination.”
Heart thudding against her ribcage, she swam backward toward the opposite bank,
struggling to appear calm and collected. The stranger could accost her here and no one
would know to come to her rescue. How senseless I have been. Surely Jester will be no
match for a man intent on harming me. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage.
“I assure you sir, I am not a figment of anyone’s imaginings, least of all yours.”
“Hmm …” the preponderance followed her. “Perhaps then you are a woodland nymph
out to temp any man who passes by to try your nectar?”
Her feet touched bottom, sinking into the sand. Before she could turn and make for the
bank his hands were on her waist. To her horror he cradled it in a firm, yet gentle grip.
“Release me sir, for you do offend a lady, not a nymph.” She fought a growing sense of
panic as he drew her to him.
His minty breath tickled her damp cheek. “You have flesh as any maiden. Do you taste
as sweet as one, too?”
Anger and shock at his boldness brought her hand down with force to slap the surface
of the water. He sputtered in response to the spray splattering his face. Perhaps I might
have the upper hand. “Release me this instant or I shall scream and alert my maid who
sleeps on the bank,” she bluffed.
Despite the warning, he chuckled. “There is no maid, wood nymph, for I walked the
whole perimeter when I spied you here.”
Is his intent to take advantage of a lone woman and defile me? What am I to do?
Summoning her little remaining courage, she tried to reason with him. “I say again,
release me good sir, for my presence will be missed at the manor even as we speak.” She
grimaced at the tremor in her voice betraying her fear. He shifted, his mouth brushing her
ear, and she gasped at the intimate contact.
“Ah, even so I would take a moment to test your lips to see if they are as soft and
sweet as your voice,” he whispered.
by Sarah | Jun 24, 2013 | All of Us, Guest Authors, Guest Post, Random
I’m very happy to have author Tina Gayle here today. Once again, I’ve had an author deliver a great post that can span both sides of my blog, so it’s posting across the board. Come see what she has to say about empty nests, how to prepare for them, and learn about her books in The Executive Wives Club series
*~*
Every mother faces the day, her children leave the nest. Some are better prepared than other.
If you are a stay at home mom like me, you might not be looking forward to the day when you don’t have daily contact with your children. After all, you have devoted a large portion of your day for a number of years to caring for them.
Years before my child even thought about leaving, I started preparing. Did it make it easier? I can’t say because it was still difficult. Though, I must say I had a number of things to distract me.
So what did I do?
First, I looked around and pick something that interested me. I enjoyed reading romance for years and decided since I had some time in my day to give writing a shot.
While they were away at school, I learned the craft and worked on developing my skill.
As they entered high school, I published and worked on writing more during my free time.
Once they left for college, I found I needed to work on promoting my books which required I learn more about social media sites.
Now, I spend most of my day in front of my computer. Writing, promoting on line, keeping my different sites updated. I sometimes complain that I don’t have enough hours in the day.
Do I have time for my kids?
Always, but I’m working to build my career. Just like they are working to build theirs.
What can you do to prepare for an empty nest?
- Ask yourself a few questions
- What are your interest?
- Do you want to make money?
- Social sites do they satisfy your need to stay connected?
- Spend time while you’re children are still at home developing what you want to do later.
- take classes
- meet new people in your chosen field. – gardening club, golf group, etc.
- Let your kids know you have a life too and that it’s not only about them.
- Your devotion to your goal can help teach them to follow their own dreams.
As you can see it can take years to plan or a few short months. At any point you can prepare for the future and map out a new course of action. Don’t let the empty nest get you down. Look around and find something that can become the hallmark of defining who you are.
*~*
Blurb for CFO’s Affair
Sylvia Sullivan is emotionally wounded from the unexpected death of her husband and still haunted by their last conversation: his request for a divorce and his confession of love for another woman. Her husband gone, her only daughter off to college, Sylvia faces the challenges of learning to live alone and move on with her life.
Vince Wilshire, enchanted with Sylvia, is more than willing to do what it takes to capture the heart of the hurting and untrusting Sylvia.
Can he help her forget the past and make her believe in love again?
Excerpt
A knock sounded on the window beside her and she jumped. Her head swiveled around and she stared at the man looking at her through the window.
Vince Wilshire’s handsome face could make any woman melt with desire. With it so close to hers—the glass being the only thing separating them—a rush of adrenaline swept into her system. She leaned sideways in her seat and knocked her hand against the steering wheel. The horn beeped and she muttered, “Damn it, Knox, why did you…”
The sound of his laughter sent anger flooding through her, the muscles in her arms tightening with the need to strike out. She lowered the phone and clicked the disconnect button in retaliation to his attempt to manipulate her.
Vince opened the driver’s side door and cold air rushed into the car. “Hey, beautiful, are you heading inside?”
“What is this? Are you guys ganging up on me?” Sylvia ignored the man beside her and glanced in the rear view mirror, checking to make sure her tears hadn’t caused any lasting effect.
A warm hand landed on her shoulder and Vince toyed with her hair. “Not at all, I like the idea of entering the building with a gorgeous woman on my arm.”
“Right,” she protested and stuffed her phone into her purse before turning to stare into his bedroom-brown eyes. The spark in their depths had her reevaluating her impression of the man. Yes, he had the face and body to rival every other Casanova in the world, but he also had a sense of humor. That alone sent a shiver of awareness through her.
She fought the desire gathering in her stomach and waved her hand at him so he’d move out of the way, letting her exit the car. “Did Knox make you wait out here in the parking lot to make sure I would come inside?”
Vince grinned and held her door open while she stepped onto the asphalt. His gaze fell to her legs.
She stared at her new, high-heel, red pumps and silently prayed she wouldn’t land face first in the dirt when she tried to walk across the pitted parking lot in them.
A low whistled sounded beside her. “Man, are you ever hot.”
She ignored the comment and didn’t turn until she heard the car door slamming closed. “And there’s not a woman you’ve ever met you haven’t wanted.”
*~*
A CFO’s Affair is not available for sale until July 1st, but you can pick up the other two books in the series here:
Marketing Exec’s Widow (Use Promo Code EP25Q)
IT Exec’s Baby (Use Promo Code QK33H)
Home – www.tinagayle.net
Blog – www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle
Goodread – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle
Google + – https://plus.google.com
Linkin – http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tina-gayle/11/689/759
by Sarah | Jun 8, 2013 | Guest Authors, Guest Post, Writing
Guest Author Ann Siracusa is stopping by to talk about an authors inspiration. Enjoy the post, and the beautiful photos she’s included.
*~*
Readers always want to know where authors get their ideas. The answer is everywhere. Newspapers, TV, things people tell you about, things you see and experiences first hand. Just keep your eyes and ears open, and ask “What if?”
The last book in my humorous romantic suspense series, Tour Director Extraordinaire, is set in southern Africa. I outlined the novel while I was traveling in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in 2008. This blog is about one of the most outstanding sights I saw there.
Victoria Falls – One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World
Victoria Falls is an amazing waterfall located on the Zambezi River, at the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe in southern Africa. It is named as one of the seven natural wonders of the world on the 1979 CNN list.
On the map below, the falls are located about in the center, where Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia come together. Botswana is slightly to the west.
The first white man known to see this amazing work of nature was Scottish explorer David Livingston, in 1855, who named it in honor of Queen Victoria. The native name is Mosi-oa-Tunya. Victoria Falls was designated as a UNESO World Heritage Site in 1989. And, in my opinion, it’s one of the Must See locations in the world.
Mosi-oa-Tunya – The Smoke That Thunders
There’s a good reason why it carries that name.
The falls are not the highest or widest in the world, but Mosi-oa-Tunya is the largest falling sheet of water in the world. The full width of the Zambezi River (5,604 feet – over one mile wide) plummets straight down for 354 feet in a single sheet.
Geography
The Zambezi River, the fourth longest river in Africa, flows through six countries from central Africa to the Indian Ocean. Along the central plateau of Africa, the wide river moves through a shallow valley over a level sheet of basalt bounded by low sandstone hills far in the distance. There are many islands, increasing in number as they approach the falls.
The Zambezi at dusk
Where are the mountains? This is the part of the uniqueness of the falls. There aren’t any mountains or deep valleys as you would expect. Just flat land with a wide river…and then you see a billowy column of what looks like white smoke.
Photo by Mike Myers
It’s not smoke. It’s a plume of water spray, rising sometimes a mile high and visible for 20 Kilometers, as the river drops into a deep horizontal chasm carved by the river along a fracture zone in the basalt.
Well, heck. Where does it fall to?
It plummets into a deep vertical chasm caused by water erosion over thousands of years in the fracture zones. Underneath the plateau of hard basalt, lies much softer sandstone. Where the fractures exist in the surface material, the cracks have filled with sandstone which the river has eroded.
Water pours over the edge into the first gorge, which varies in depth from 260 feet to 354 feet at the western end. The outlet is only 360 feet wide. The fracture and resulting chasms zigzag across the central stretch of the plateau. The falls are considered the dividing line between the upper- and the central-Zambezi zones. Considering that during the wet season, 540 million cubic meters of water per minute fall into the first of the Batoka Gorges, that’s very restricted outlet.
From the air, the gorges look like this.
Satellite view of the river, the falls, and the gorges.
In the Future
Victoria Falls has been in the western world’s radar scope since 1855. Only 158 years. But it’s a work in progress. For the past 100,000 years – which, geologically speaking, isn’t that long — the falls have been receding upstream. The river has fallen into different gorges during the past. Today, it is cutting back to the next gorge on one side of the “Devil’s Cataract”, also called “Leaping Waters.”
The Devils Cataract
Just A Beat More
Sometimes the unpleasant places and experiences are as important in our writing as the beautiful ones. Although Victoria Falls is mentioned in the book (current working title is “All For A Blast Of Hot Air”), the part that got the most attention was the awful airport at Victoria Falls (the name of the town) in Zimbabwe.
It may not look too bad in this photo, but below the excerpt from the unpublished novel which should be released this fall.
Excerpt
We arrived at Victoria Falls an hour and a half later, unprepared for the long wait to come. After two hours inside the worst airport I’d ever experienced, waiting for our luggage, we were tempted to abandon the bags, return immediately to South Africa and forget the safari.
At best, the airport smelled like an unwashed armpit and rotting fruit. The rest rooms were so filthy even the insects avoided them. Instead, the annoying little creatures buzzed around our heads and flew into our eyes, noses, and mouths. Another set of angry passengers swarmed the airline officials, complaining about their bags being broken into after they were checked in by the airline.
If the building had air conditioning at all, the near-hundred degree heat and ninety percent humidity rendered it useless. Oh, the fans rumbled and groaned—yes, they did. Loud enough to be distracting even above the high-pitched incessant shouting and yelling, but they did nothing to move the stale muggy air.
In seconds my clothes were more than moist and my hair assumed the appearance and texture of steel wool struck by lightning.
The facility offered no seating for passengers while the Zimbabwe customs officials went through every bag looking for anything they could tax, which took forever. Every inch of the building was old, worn, and beyond depressing.
Welcome to Victoria Falls, seventh natural wonder of the world!
“I’m not overly impressed.” I panted the observation as we hauled our bags outside after the unbearable hours of torture. No luggage carts or baggage handlers to be seen anywhere. Neither one of us carried much although, for this flight, we’d packed all our electronics in our carryon bags. I’d been warned not to check such items―if we ever wanted to see them again, that is. “It looked better in the photos.”
Will frowned, his lips thin, and shook his head slightly, unwilling to go there. “You think? Pfft.” He spit a bug out of his mouth and held the exit door open for me while I shoved our bags through to the outside.
□
Resources
http://www.zambiatourism.com/travel/places/zambezir.htm
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/zambezi-river-africa-photos/
http://www.africanworldheritagesites.org/natural-places/earths-crust/victoria-falls-zimbabwe-and-zambia.html
http://www.victoriafalls.com/
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/509
by Sarah | Jun 5, 2013 | Guest Authors, Guest Post, Writing
*Today I have Gordon Osmond stopping by to talk about Book reviews. He’s welcoming a lively discussion, so let’s give him one.
*~*
The following article expresses only my own personal opinions and observations and was written primarily to stimulate discussion on a subject important to authors. Contrary opinions and other comments are encouraged.
Many questions arise on this subject once a book has been accepted for publication and the author is starting out on the daunting task of promoting it with a view to stimulating sales.
When should the search for a review begin?
It depends upon which reviewers you’re courting. If you want a “free” review in Publishers Weekly or other well-respected and notorious review sources, you’d best submit your book pre-release.
Getting reviews in advance of publication also makes it possible to put squibs from glowing reviews on the printed copy of the book itself. This is, of course, more important when your book will be on shelves rather than only online.
What different kinds of reviews are out there? How do they rank in terms of credibility and exposure?
A statement from John/Jane Q. Public which reads something like, “A real page turner. I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for the next one” whether it appears on Amazon or in Macy’s window, is a nice comment but not my idea of a review, especially if it is written by a blood relative who owes you money.
On the other end of the spectrum is a thorough and well reasoned review written by someone who has no reason whatsoever to be kind and who also has some experience writing reviews for credible reviewing sites, like Bookpleasures or Bookideas for which I write reviews. One of my most treasured reviews of my debut novel, Slipping on Stardust, was a 5-Star Amazon review from an author whose own book I rated less then perfect on my review sites. Now that’s impartiality! Amazon is a mixed bad, including as it does reviews from their Top Ranking Reviewers as well as from Aunt Edna. Also, in deciding whether a review can be posted, Amazon seems more concerned with whether the reviewer has a customer account with Amazon than with whether the reviewer has actually received the book being reviewed.
One of the many great things about Secret/Sweet Cravings Publishing is that reviews on a book’s page are divided between regular reader reviews and professional ones. Amazon seems to make a comparable effort, but I’m not convinced it’s always successful.
Paid reviews are to me prima facie questionable despite protestations of impartiality by the reviewing site.
And don’t let the stars get in your eyes and hope they don’t get in the eyes of those browsing for good books to read. I received a 4-Star review from a Top Amazon reviewer that showed more care in reading my book than I took in writing it.
By the way, there’s a difference between a “mixed” review wherein a single writer carefully balances a book’s merits and demerits and “polarized” reviews where there’s a wide range in a group of reviews between good and bad.
How should authors react to reviews?
With stoic restraint. There’s nothing wrong with thanking a reviewer for the time taken in reading your book, and an author can certainly express the pleasure of receiving a good review. But challenging or arguing with the author of a less-than-glowing review is downright foolish and should never be done.
If an author’s frustration or anger level is at the breaking point, it might be acceptable to say something like what’s been said to me sometimes by the author of a book I have reviewed more or less unfavorably, viz,. “It’s always interesting to see my work seen through other eyes.” Of course, the subtext is, “And your eyes are not functioning,” but no harm done. As a critic, I have more respect for an author who takes the lumps in silence.
Final advice and comfort from the great American actor Geraldine Page.
Ms. Page received precious few bad reviews in the course of her long and distinguished stage and film career, but when asked how she would react to a bad one, she answered simply, “I would just think the critic has poor taste.” That should sustain all authors in their darkest hours.
*~*
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BN |
SCP |
Blurb:
The ultimate guilt-free escapist adventure, Slipping on Stardust is a riveting tale of small-time life, adolescent rebellion, community theatre intrigues, and legal scandals, with a kidnapping demanding suicide as ransom thrown in for extra spice. The book is an ideal gift, suitable for stuffing in beach bags, holiday stockings—in fact, everything but the Thanksgiving turkey.
It all starts when Adrian Conway, an aging Hollywood movie icon, arrives in Johnson, Ohio to star in a community theatre production opposite the local reigning drama queen, who is the wife of the town’s leading lawyer and the mother of a handsome, but sexually undecided son, who suffers from every adolescent plague except acne. To say that all hell breaks loose thereafter is not to do justice to hell. The conflicts that follow fling family members to New York City and to Hollywood in a trail of betrayal, scandal, and crime.
The exposure of small-town foibles and secrets plus the depiction of the tragic and sometimes comic consequences of sacrificing real values for false ones have caused Slipping on Stardust to be viewed as a cross between Peyton Place and Madame Bovary.
After only five months on the market, Slipping on Stardust has already garnered no fewer than 10 five-star reviews on Amazon, including reviews from a Pulitzer Prize nominee and a Ph.D. who teaches creative writing at the university level.
Book excerpt (not previously featured on guest blogspots):
In Columbus, an assistant district attorney, well down the bureaucratic totem pole, had listened patiently to the separate testimonies of both Mason and Allerton. Mason’s account was liberally peppered with references to Allerton; Allerton’s contained nary a single reference to his boss, focusing solely on his own innocence.
As the meeting was winding down, a secretary announced the arrival of one Danton Brockway, who apparently had something to add to the proceedings. Dan entered the room, acknowledged the two he knew and shook hands with the one he didn’t.
“Thank you for agreeing to see me without an appointment, but I fear that your office may be about to make an erroneous determination of guilt in the Malorex matter. As I understand it, neither of these two gentlemen has offered evidence of their whereabouts on the night in question. I am in a position to do so.”
It would be difficult to choose which participant in the meeting was the most astonished.
Danton continued, “Alibis tend to be suspect when provided by loved ones or by those with a financial interest in a particular result. What I’m about to tell you is not only not self-serving, but the very essence of an admission against my own interest and therefore, under well established evidentiary principles familiar to us all, worthy of the highest possible degree of credibility.”
Mason interrupted, somewhat frantically. “What are you talking about, Danton?”
“Let him speak, Mr. Kriek. I think he’s about to tell us.” The junior DA was earning his wings.
“What I’m talking about, Mason, is that Mr. Allerton could not possibly have taken the documents during the time period in question for the very simple, and to me fatal, reason that he was with me at the Bird’s Nest motel that entire night. He was with me at my request—a request reinforced with the clearest possible threat of professional retaliation should he have refused.”
While the others were reeling, Dan was drilling through Allerton’s eyes with an urgent message for his brain. Deny this and you’re dead.
Speaking of eyes, the assistant district attorney was suddenly looking at Mason Kriek with new ones.
by Sarah | Apr 15, 2013 | Guest Authors, Guest Post, Writing
Meet Rachel Fox, heroine of THE BULL RIDER AND THE BARE BOYCOTTER. Rachel, an animal rights activist, gets attention for her cause by running naked in front a bucking bull, while 10,000 angry rodeo fans watch.
Rachel’s from Brooklyn, NY, a borough full of passionate people. When we first meet her, she’s had a tough year: her mother died, her boyfriend left, and she learns she’s infertile. To top it all off, she just lost her job caring for bovines at the Brooklyn Zoo.
Taking advice from her Aunt Bess, an activist from way back — “A good, old-fashioned cause always gets a woman’s mind off her problems” — Rachel decides to go west. Having cared for bulls for many years, she’s convinced that bull riding abuses those animals. Spurs cut hides, bull ropes chafe and electronic prods damage nervous systems. She’s on a mission to improve things for the bulls, and to keep her mind off her troubles.
With her long dark hair, big brown eyes and olive skin, Rachel looks a lot like Kim Kardashian but with a lot less attitude and a bigger rear end. While in Brooklyn Rachel is considered full figured, at the rodeo, she fits in perfectly.
Then Rachel runs naked in front of Logan Cooper’s bull and she meets her match. Sparks fly between the handsome cowboy and the bare boycotter, except she’s trying to shut down the rodeo and he’s not going to let her.
*~*
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Book Description:
Animal right activist Rachel Fox is a woman with a mission. The plan is to step into bull rider Logan Cooper’s ring wearing nothing but a poster calling the rodeo a ‘blood sport’. While rescuing this passionate protester from a nineteen hundred pound charging bull Logan decides he likes what he sees. Only problem, he’s got to direct Rachel’s love away from the livestock and onto him. With the press hot on their heels, because who isn’t interested in a story about a bull rider and a naked protester, Logan brings the dark haired, curvy figured Brooklynite to his Montana ranch.
Except, now that he’s got Rachel in his bed he’s nervous his annoying, problematic brothers and surly preteen nephew will scare her off. But when Rachel meets Logan’s deeply flawed family she realizes the bulls aren’t the only ones who need saving, the Cooper brothers need her help too. The only problem is Rachel has a secret, after believing she was infertile, it turns out that this sexy bull rider may have changed her childless fate forever.
by Sarah | Mar 28, 2013 | Guest Authors, Guest Post
I’m doing things a little different today with this post. I normally post my Guest Author posts over on Sarah’s Storylines – but due to the nature of the subject and the approach the wonderful Paloma took with it, it’s very relevant to Redefining Perfect, and I’m beyond honored to have Paloma here speaking on this subject in honor or her novel, Hold My Hand.
Thanks to Sarah for having me on Redefining Perfect today. This is the perfect place to share about my heroine’s past and talk about how she learned to redefine herself… with a little help from a deliciously alpha man.
Hold My Hand is about Aubrey, young woman coping with the remnants of being an emotionally abused child. Aubrey begins the steps of moving forward with a little help from a man who teaches her to redefine her idea of perfection. In his own unorthodox way, through an alternative lifestyle, he gives her a new chance to live the life she dreams of.
Sadly enough, far too many young girls are emotionally abused by their fathers. Because their fathers never acknowledge their responsibility, and most of their relatives often never believe such abuse was even possible, the girls go invalidated. The abuse affects them for the remainder of their lives in deeply seeded ways and the then-grown women are left to cope on their own.
Psychological, or emotional, abuse is defined as “deliberately making someone feel afraid, demeaned, degraded, subservient, or humiliated.” Emotional abuse tends to occur far more frequently and with more lasting negative effects than violent physical abuse. Most often, emotional abuse of daughters is preceded by the emotional abuse of their mothers.
The abuse typically happens with the intention of controlling, dominating, isolating, or intimidating and escalates as the daughter becomes more independent, seen to have a mind of her own her father is less able to control. Her father will use insults though they aren’t necessarily directly related to her behavior. The difficulty multiplies then because there’s no way for the daughter to predict what would set him off and avoid the abuse.
For Aubrey, like with so many real-life daughters, her father would yell at her, accuse her of not being bright enough, pretty enough and of not treating him right. One of the people meant to build her up would put her down and make her feel she could do no right. She was made to feel worthless and emotionally exhausted.
The most confusing part is the father’s poor treatment then followed by exhibits of love and tenderness, sometimes going so far as to spoil his daughter. This extreme behavior confuses the daughter. Then if there is an apology at all, the apology is softened with self-righteous justification such as “You pushed my buttons,” or “It’s hard to be nice to you,” or “Stop being so sensitive.” Never is there validation for how the daughter’s feelings.
I hope, by including this topic in Hold My Hand, to increase awareness of the emotional abuse of daughters. This is just the beginning of Aubrey’s healing. Book two – Heal My Soul – will be the continuation of her journey as she confronts her family.
BLURB
A story about Aubrey & William. Aubrey has been hurt in the past, discouraged by her family and degraded by a heartless father. Still, William sees something in her that won’t allow him to walk away. Instantly drawn to her but intuitive enough to take it slowly, he courts her. Then he bargains, persuades and seduces until his commanding nature ensnares her. Despite the fight she puts up in accepting William’s lifestyle, the bonds he places on Aubrey give her a freedom she desperately needs. Together, they heal old wounds and find their perfect love.
HOLD MY HAND is a contemporary BDSM-lite Romance with consensual Spanking Elements. Enjoy at your own risk.
EXCERPT ©Paloma Beck, 2013
“Aubrey.” William’s voice wafted through the line, the warm sound sliding down my tummy. “I’m held up in a meeting. Baylor will deliver you to my home and I’ll be there shortly.” I could hear voices in the background, hushed but present. I made a note to ask William soon what type of business he was in.
“Ok. That’s fine.” I wasn’t sure about being delivered; the term made me feel like a package. Perhaps I’ll try to think of myself as a special delivery. I shook my head at the absurdity of the thought. When had I ever been something special? Sometimes you’re just a waste of space, Aubrey.
“Good. I’ll see you soon. Baylor will attend to you, whatever you need.”
“Thank you.”
I thought he’d simply click the phone off then but he cleared his throat, “And Aubrey,” he paused, “I-I am sorry. I didn’t want us to begin this way.” I was still processing his apology when the call ended. I returned the phone to Baylor, grabbed up my coat and purse and followed him to the car waiting outside the door.
William’s voice – his apology had been so sincere. I couldn’t imagine it mattering that much to him. I wasn’t important enough for someone to worry over. No one had ever been concerned for me like that before. It unnerved me to consider William might actually like me enough to worry. Would he care for me eventually? I couldn’t dare believe it.
The car pulled up outside a large brick and stone home. It was big enough for a full family. The ride had been about twenty minutes so we must’ve been in one of the smaller suburbs framing Boston. As Baylor opened my door and offered his hand, I unfolded my body from the car and stood beside him, certain my mouth was hanging open.
“This was William’s home?” The quiver in my voice certainly gave away my uncertainty, my complete disbelief that this man I’ve met and have now agreed to date –if in fact, that’s what I’ve agreed to– lived in this home more suited for a full family of eleven.
“Yes ma’am.”
“He lives here?” I still couldn’t believe what I was seeing though it was right in front of my eyes. The house where I’d been raised could sit well inside this massive structure, which left me feeling small, tiny and insignificant. If nothing had yet to do it, this was the moment where my inadequacies smacked me square in the face. You’ll never be anything, Aubrey.
Baylor seemed to sense my unease, shuffling his feet next to me and waiting. He cleared his throat. “He also has an apartment in the city for times he can’t get away. This was more his weekend residence.”
“Oh,” I answered, took a deep breath and gave myself a moment to absorb this. It was so far from my reality. I could hardly make sense of it.
Hold My Hand is currently only available through Smashwords, but will release at all other major ebook retailers on April 1, 2013. You can check out Aubrey’s Pinterest Board and mark the book as WANT TO READ on Goodreads today!
About Paloma
Paloma Beck is a Romance Author living a life of contradiction… she’s a happily married carpooling mom writing erotic romance. It’s almost naughty! Paloma writes in both the Contemporary and Paranormal realms, journaling the stories her characters tell her, and they are anything but PG. She dabbles in vampires, witches, ménage, spanking and bdsm – all in her books, of course. Paloma believes a daily dose of espresso and a good book make any day better.
She is currently working on a contemporary romance series about three brothers. Finding Home, book two, will be released sometime in 2013 with Secret Cravings Publishing. She also has a paranormal romance series, The Seven Sin Sisters, contracted with Secret Cravings Publishing, which will be released sequentially between August 2012 and August 2013.
Connect with Paloma
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