Free Promo Friday: Blown Away by DL Jackson

Eight years ago my oldest son was talking to a marine recruiter about his options for jobs he could do in the service. He’d always been an adrenaline junkie and gravitated toward the dangerous things. When he wanted to explore EOD, my heart dropped into my stomach. My first reaction was to steer him away from that career path. But being an army vet, I knew the value of Explosives Ordnance Disposal, and I knew many brave men and women lived because of those who served in ordnance.

So instead of discouraging him from choosing EOD, I encouraged him to research it, and in doing so, ideas for a series sprung to life. He decided to go infantry in the end.

At first I thought about writing a contemporary military romance, but a publisher I had at the time, warned me nobody would want to hear about bombings and terrorists, with our service members deployed and terrorist  acts increasing all over the world.

But I didn’t want to write about the bombers and terrorists. I wanted to write stories about men and women who stopped them. So, in respect for those dealing with the very real and dangerous  situations, I chose to take the series off Earth and into space and on alien planets.

Science fiction has always been one of my favorite genres, and the first novel wrote over sixteen years ago, when I decided to pen my first romance, was a beastly 100k novel which will never see the light of day. Since then, I’ve written in many of the romance genres, but I always seem to come back to my first love.

Science fiction and I have had a mad romance. We’ve seen the ups and downs in the industry, and the neglect of attention this wonderful genre deserves. Now I’m being told science fiction romance is the next hot thing. I’m not surprised. I’ve always felt it was a hot thing and it would only be a matter of time before readers discovered everything it had to offer.

So, on November 10th I will release the first book in my multi-book Blown Away series. I hope you’ll grab a copy. You’ll get a little military and a little science fiction. Action, adventure and fantastic worlds that will beg you to explore more of them. Be sure to check out the second book, Explosive Affairs, which will be up for preorder as Blown Away goes live.

Each of the novels in this series are stand alone, but linked by common denominators. No cliff hangers here and a happy ever after is guaranteed.

Blurb:  One man and one woman, both on a collision course with a mad bomber and the past.

Trios Space Port City is a busy place. MacKay and Boomer must stop a bomber before he strikes again, this time closer to home. Failure is not an option. Success means they get to live another day. But more than the danger is heating up. Their attraction has grown to explosive levels, and it’s become a major distraction. Not good when they need to keep their heads.

Buy Links: Kindle | Smashwords | Kobo

D. L. Jackson is a writer of urban fantasy, science fiction, military romance and erotic romance. She loves to incorporate crazy plot twists, comedy and the unexpected into her worlds. As a U.S. Army veteran, she naturally adores men in uniform and feels the world could always use more. She does her part by incorporating as many sexy soldiers in her novels as she can. When she isn't writing or running the roads, you can often find her online chatting with her peers and readers. Grab a cup of iced coffee, pull up your virtual chair and say hi. She loves emails and blog visits from her readers.

Guest post: Kate Davis on How to be a Mental Health Ally

***As many Saturdays as possible, you'll see posts from people regarding their own experiences with their mental health. Use #BreaktheStigma on Twitter to share yours!***

Ten Tips to be a Great Mental Health Ally

As many as one in four Americans live with mental health issues. Some are short term issues, and some are chronic issues, lasting for years or for a lifetime. Knowing how to help a loved one who is struggling can save lives. While this list is just a beginning, here’s ten tips to be the best mental health ally you can be.
Mental Health Is Physical Health: The first step  is knowing mental health IS physical health. Mental health affects everything from energy levels to what sort of foods we can eat - and it’s every bit as real and impactful as any physical health issue. A mental health issue is every bit as serious as a physical health issue. Mental health has a measurable effect on the brain and body and is no different than diabetes, asthma, arthritis, or Crohn’s Disease.
Treatments Vary: Treating a mental health issue varies, depending on the type of issue, duration, severity, and the underlying cause. Talk therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and medication are the most common. Medication supplements the brain chemistry of a person with a mental health issue, so it more closely resembles what is present in a neurotypical (non mentally ill) person. Some people will only need medication short term (a year or so) and some will require it long term. Some mental health issues have more extensive treatments, like electroconvulsive therapy (a controlled seizure to correct brain chemistry). Everyone’s treatment will be different.
Everyone Is Different:  While this one seems obvious, it’s important to remember each person with a mental health issue is different. Their symptoms, ability, and which treatments work best for them will be different. Some people thrive in talk therapy, and others don’t. Some people benefit from medication, and others have too many side effects or cannot take medication. Every person’s treatment will be unique to them. Support them in finding what works for them.
Ask How You Can Best Help Them: Since everyone’s needs are different, it’s important to ask them how you can best support them. Ask what they need, ask how they feel supported, and let them know you will help them. Everyone is different, and it’s important to ask what they need, and then meet their needs as best you can.
Listen to What They Have to Say: One of the hardest parts of mental illness is how lonely it can feel. Being there for them and listening to how they feel, what treatments are working or not working for them, and even just day-to-day small talk helps combat the isolation which can wreak havoc on people with mental health issues. Depression, Anxiety, and PTSD can lead to long stretches of time in which someone is isolated, and having a friendly, supportive friend there can remind them that they are connected to something bigger than themselves.
Make Sure They Know They’re Not Alone: If they are talking about something they feel, and you can relate, find a time to tell them. The timing on this one is key - don’t interrupt, and don’t make the conversation about you, but make sure they know what they think and feel is completely normal. Remember - mental health issues ARE normal - it’s why we have names, research, and treatments available for all of them. Everyone struggles sometimes, and it’s not a sign of weakness.
Encourage Self-Care: Self-care is much more about basic routine and eating/showering schedules than pampering. Resting, talking, following a treatment plan, and meal planning can all be considered self-care. Remind them it’s ok to take breaks. This one is really important!
Make Sure They Have a List of Contacts: This one seems basic, but it’s really important. Make sure they have their doctors, friends, and family in their phone’s contact list. Remembering phone numbers when you’re upset is almost impossible. Knowing exactly how to contact someone in a crisis saves lives.

Help Them Find Resources: It can be daunting to find a therapist or new doctor, to find a therapy group, or inpatient care. If you can help them by looking up doctors and ratings, or simply being there to support them while they do so, it can make a world of difference.
Keep in Touch: This is the easiest and most effective way to help someone with a mental health issue - don’t lose contact with them. If you haven’t heard from them in a week (or however long would be unusual to not hear from them), reach out and say hi, ask how they’re doing. Talk with them, and listen. It’s very, very easy for someone to become isolated, and with all the wonders of modern technology, it’s very easy to reach out and remind them you’re still here, still love them, and are still their ally.

Do you have more tips? Please share in the comments!

Guest Post! Molli Moran - Putting Together the Pieces of Me

***As many Saturdays as possible, you'll see posts from people regarding their own experiences with their mental health. Use #BreaktheStigma on Twitter to share yours!***

Trigger warning: this piece contains mentions of living with anxiety and panic attacks. Please read only if you are comfortable.

I’m in high school and I’ve turned down an invitation to a party because of what could happen. Later, I wish I’d gone.

I’m a young adult and I’ve talked myself out of taking a risk because I don’t believe I can, because of all the worst-case situations that could spring out of it.

I’m working my first job and breaking under the stress of the position I’ve been put in and the lack of support. I can't breathe in the bathroom at my job—but to me, this seems normal.

One of my best friends invites me to a gathering at her house. I back out at the last minute because I’m overcome with nerves at the thought of going and my nails are chewed almost to the quick.

My family is fighting; I’m crying and can’t catch my breath, no matter how hard I try. This happens often when they fight.

It takes until I’m almost 30 to begin to connect the dots between all these events. It takes joining the YA community on Twitter and listening to important conversations about mental illness. It takes hearing the word “anxiety” and—for the first time—linking it to myself as something other than a what-if.

Looking back on my life before I realized that I have anxiety is like finally grasping the missing pieces in the puzzle that I’ve long considered my behaviors, thoughts, and motivations. Even as I told myself, “Everyone thinks this way,” or “Sudden changes in plans throw everyone for a loop,” or “Everyone has worst-case scenarios for everything playing on repeat in the back of their mind,” I knew I was trying to rationalize something that never fit.

As I grew up, I didn’t realize that all the things about myself I didn’t understand were anxiety-related—from triggers to panic attacks to anxiety spirals—because no one around me ever discussed mental illness. In the South, we don't talk about it. (We don’t talk about mental health enough at all, but especially not in the South.) We might dance around it, brush off, or only know about harmful stereotypes. But it’s rare for people here to openly discuss mental health in order to break stereotypes and diminish the stigmas around it and around getting help.

Thankfully, that’s changing slowly. At times, it’s frustrating to no end to have to wonder who will take me seriously when I talk about my anxiety or when the topic of medication or self-care comes up. But I keep going. I keep talking about my anxiety without shame or hesitation.

I always will.

For the most part, I’ve been lucky. I’ve had family and friends sit and listen and offer their support. I’ve had a few conversations where people meant well but still said unintentionally harmful things. And I’ve had those discussions where I’ve encountered ableist and hurtful language and stereotypes, and I’ve done my part to teach and counter those with information and patience.

Now that I’ve begun to understand myself and my mental health better, I want to help others. I want to reach a hand back for anyone who hasn’t put together the puzzle pieces of themselves, and let them know that I’m here to support and uplift them. To break the stigmas together until mental health is something we all talk about (if we’re able to) and normalize those discussions.

About the author

Molli Moran was born and raised in the middle of nowhere, Tennessee, and brings a love of all things small-town to her romances. She grew up with her nose in a book and her head in the clouds, and not much has changed since then. Molli found her own happily-ever-after on the West Coast. Give her Kay and coffee, and you’ve never seen a happier person. Other things she loves include road trips, the ocean, and Captain America. She’s a personal shopper during the day and a romance writer at night, and firmly believes that all books should have a happy ending. Molli writes about girls who are chasing down their own HEA.

You can find Molli on Twitter, where she spends way too much time (@MissMolliWrites). She loves hearing from readers, so don’t be shy! She’s not throwing away her shot. 

Facebook

Author Site 

Instagram

What do you need for a Zombie Apocalypse?

Now that zombie season is upon us (meaning it's almost Halloween and The Walking Dead is back on), it's probably the best time to talk about what must-haves should be in your ZA kit. Thankfully, Landra Graf's got your back.

Here's what you need:

1- Machete

Why? You'll need to chop off heads.

2- Gasoline

Why? This serves a multitude of purposes, from escaping towns to preventing zombies from getting to certain places. There's also the possibility of char-broiling a zombie when needed.

3- Guns and Ammo

Why? Pretty obvious, but you need something that packs a punch to get rid of the zombie hordes. Not every single zombie will come at you one at a time. I highly recommend multiple guns and clicks for quick reloads. Also do a double tap head shot, anything else is a waste of ammo.

4- Full body armor

Why? My personal preference is everything kevlar. I want a full body suit made of the stuff or chain mail. No zombies biting me through clothes. I'd be protected all the time and ready for action. I suggest the same for anyone else wanting to get through the gobs of fleshing loving folks.

5- Lighters

Why? Yes, you'll need a lot of them. For the gasoline and lighting candles when or if the power goes out. Torching fields and all manner of things. Stock up at the nearest store and hit every gas station in the house. 

Want to read more of Landra's zombie expertise? Her new book A Rose by Any Other Name is available now! 

Zombies don’t belong in fairy tales….at least not those with a good chance of a happily ever after…

Jason Prince, Charming's once-upon-a-time star jock, only attends his Charming high school reunion to find his way into the heart of a certain wallflower who had no date for the prom.

Shy, geeky, chemical engineer, Emma Fay has been keeping her love for Jason a secret because she knows Jason and Rose belong together. But, when Rose Briar pricks her finger, fulfilling a prophecy about death and a plague, she throws a wrench into the class reunion that not even the best planning committee can tackle.

Can Jason and Emma stop Zombie Beauty Rose before she turns their loved ones into her undead court and sends them forth to spread the infestation to the rest of the world? Or will human flesh become the daily special at diners everywhere? And will there be enough left of Jason and Emma for romance to blossom?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rose-any-Other-Name-Fairytales-ebook/dp/B014RKVLTC/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441845738&sr=1-3&keywords=a+rose+by+any+other+name

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-arosebyanyothername-1876890-149.html

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-rose-by-any-other-name-7

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26212498-a-rose-by-any-other-name

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/a-rose-by-any-other-name-0

Excerpt:

The exclamation from one crowd member was followed up quickly by another. “That’s her.”

She looked again at the person she’d mistaken for her friend’s spirit, visible to everyone. The floodlight on the stage disappeared, and the lights in the gym came on. Between the rows stood her friend, eyes dark and bloodshot, skin pale. Em’s mouth parted, and she wanted to go to her but couldn’t move. You’re alive.

Sheriff Fowler and Dr. Mason moved from their chairs and began to approach Rose, arms outstretched in a tentative manner.

“Sweetie, it’s us. I’m going to come closer to help you.” Mason reached for her arm, and Emma’s sickly friend let out a guttural growl, launching herself at the sheriff.

Several screams filled the air, and Emma let out a gasp when the sound of torn flesh echoed over the cries. At that sound, the crowd jumped into action. Women and children ran for the door as Ewan, Dr. Mason, and a couple of other men she vaguely remembered grabbed for the wild woman gnawing on the sheriff’s shoulder. They pulled her off, and she thrashed about, fighting to free herself. However, with one man on each arm and another holding onto her legs, she couldn’t move.

“No! Let her go,” Em yelled, running for the stage stairs. Her legs moved faster than her two-inch-heeled feet did, and she almost tripped on the last step. She inhaled sharply, ready to charge, when a strong arm encircled her waist and pulled her back. The only other people left in the gym were a group of men slowly moving her friend toward the door. Ewan remained behind and helped Fowler to his feet.

“You need to release me. They’re hurting her.”

“We have to get out of here,” Jason said into her ear.

About the Author

Landra Graf consumes at least one book a day, and has always been a sucker for stories where true love conquers all. She believes in the power of the written word, and the joy such words can bring. In between spending time with her family and having book adventures, she writes romance with the goal of giving everyone, fictional or not, their own happily ever after.

Author Links:

Website: http://landragraf.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LandraGraf

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/landra.graf

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7847192.Landra_Graf

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/landragraf/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Landra-Graf/e/B00IESJED4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1440641120&sr=8-1

Wanna see something cool?

I'm over at Jessica Subject's blog today sharing an exclusive excerpt from Gemini! Plus, I'm giving away a $5 Amazon gift card to one lucky commenter. Stop on by!

Hallow's Eve: Three Little Things from Pippa Jay

As always, it's a delight to have Pippa on the blog. In case you guys haven't noticed, she's been a very busy bee lately, and I couldn't be prouder of her. She's an incredible talent. Today she's sharing a little behind-the-scenes story for us. Check out her excerpt here.

October last year I was watching fellow authors posting their Halloween stories with just a little jealousy. Writing mostly scifi, I’d struggled with the idea of setting traditional contemporary holidays in space, or of coming up with any kind of holiday related ideas. Christmas in spaaaace? I’d seen others do it, but somehow my muse was shaking her head at the concept. No, my mind was blank.

Then I had an epiphany. I saw Neil Gaiman’s tweet about the All Hallows Read, and it sparked something off. I had an idea! But the original central character for my Halloween story was a young girl called Hallow. I was going to write a childrens’ story, or perhaps young adult—a conflicted teen witch trying to fit into the real world while hiding her abilities. Somehow she transformed into a heartbroken, 30 something warlock called Hal. How the heck did that happen?! Well, I think I have to blame trawling through stock photo sites and coming across this picture.

I immediately saw him as my hero. His face was so striking, strong and yet tormented. I think this is the first time that a stock image has not only dictated my hero’s appearance (not for the first time), but it also transformed the original idea for the story.

So having found my hero, the focus of the story shifted. Having already decided on the title of Hallow’s Eve and having researched the original pagan holiday that was celebrated before the days of our more familiar and recognized Halloween, it became about more than him being named after an important day in the pagan calendar. The idea of ‘Eve’ took on another significance. This wasn’t just going to be about the day. A few more images later, and this one became Eve.

Again, the image just captured my attention. She looked slightly ethereal, which fitted with some of the qualities of the story, and yet struck me as a warm, strong-minded kind of woman. I felt she’d be the perfect match for my hero, and that the images would make a perfect cover.

So, story inspiration for me can come from anywhere. In this case it came from catching sight of a title for something else, and two images from a stock photo site. Three little things. That’s all it takes.

Have you ever had something very small give you big ideas? 

Twelve months ago, Hal’s world crashed and burned, taking the love of his life with it. He’s waited all year for that one special night when the souls of the departed come home, hoping his candle will summon back one in particular to heal his broken heart. But the forbidden knowledge he’s learned could call something far worse, and put more than his own soul at risk...

To celebrate the release of Hallow's Eve, Pippa is giving away a really cool prize pack. The entry form is below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post: Elizabeth Morgan

Stepping Stones possibly falls under being a strange name for a book let alone a romance book. And perhaps it is even stranger since there aren’t actually any stepping stones in the story.

Have you ever heard the expression, “just take one step at a time?” You probably have since such sayings like, “take each day as it comes,” falls alongside it.

These sayings are our way of telling ourselves or others that we have to take things slowly, we have to take our time, and we can’t rush decision or choices. Every day we are taking steps in our life path. Some days we may take a couple of steps back, but it’s all about progression; about moving forward.

Have I confused you? I apologize if I have, but I shall start at the beginning.

The idea for Stepping Stones came in a dream. Now, I have had many dreams and been shown scenes etc which I have immediately written down when I have woken up, because I thought they would make interesting stories.  But this particular dream was the first and only one I have had to date where I was basically given the story on a silver platter. Not that I am trying to say writing this story was easy, because it wasn’t and for a couple of reasons, but I saw everything.

In this dream I was in Maggie’s shoes. I remember pulling up in a taxi outside this church situated on a cliff top. The bride ran straight up to me and said that her maid-of-honour couldn’t make it and she wanted me to take her place. I was reluctant, but she talked me round.

I remember walking down the aisle and being gobsmacked that my ex was the Vicar marrying this couple. I stood through the service with my eyes fixed on the wall not daring to look at him, and then when I finally could get out of their I ran . . . right into the last person I wanted to see; my foster brother. I was angry with him, but I missed him.

The next scene I was in the garden with my mother and father who told me – and this is where there were some actual stepping stones – and my foster brother to go and argue it out, and each time we told the truth, or made a point, we could take a step forward. The aim being that by the time we met in the middle we had to be fine and make up.

Now, it’s a bit of a strange dream, and sure it lacks in detail, but that was the seed for Stepping Stones, and I woke up knowing that I had to write the story. It took me two years to do so, but I finally finished it and submitted it. Now, the book was originally published at the end of 2012, but then the publisher shut down a year later and the rights for the story were reverted back to me. So, I cleaned it up and submitted it to Bono Books (Decadent Publishing) and they contracted it.

I feel that this new edition is tons better than the original, and I absolutely love the book cover and can't wait to share this new and improved version with you all.

But it still isn’t obvious why I called the book Stepping Stones, is it?

Only a few of those elements found their way in to the book. I added and padded the rest out, but I didn’t add the actual scene with the stones. Why? Well, it probably would have worked if Maggie’s father was a psychiatrist and had crazy exercises for getting people to communicate, but that’s not her father, or how he is.

But even though no stones are visible or present, the point of them, and the saying still apply to this story, because Stepping Stones is about Maggie retracing her steps. It’s about her finding her way back home, back to happiness, and having to take the necessary steps to fix the damage she caused six years prior.

She has to take one step at a time to figure out what she truly wants, where she wants to be, and who she wants to be with.

And that is why the book has been titled Stepping Stones.

~ * ~

Stepping Stones
(Sweet Contemporary Romance)

By Elizabeth Morgan

Blurb:

There's nothing like a wedding to bring the family together....

If not for her baby sister’s impending marriage, Margaret West would never return home. But after six long years, she finds herself a maid of honor who must answer to the people she left behind.

If her parents’ interrogation doesn’t drive her to drink, facing her foster brother, Adrian, just might. To make matters worse, her ex-fiancé is the vicar who will conduct her sister’s ceremony.

Everyone demands to know why she ran off. But the more time she spends at home, the more Margaret realizes even she doesn’t know the real reason.


Buy Links:
Bono Books/Decadent Publishing | AmazonUS |AmazonUK 

~ * ~

Excerpt:

“When is Aidy getting here?” Jessica grabbed the large bowl of scrambled eggs and brought it closer to her plate.

“I think his flight is due in at three.” My mother placed a dish of bacon on the table and took a seat beside me. “He will be in time for the wedding rehearsal; don’t worry.”

 My stomach clenched. “Wedding rehearsal?” I coughed, trying to clear the chunk of toast lodged in my throat. “What wedding rehearsal?”

“Today at four. We’re running through the service.” Jess scooped egg onto her plate. “I told you.”

Nervous laughter bubbled in my throat and try as I may, I couldn’t stop shaking my head. “No.” I patted my chest. “No, you never mentioned a rehearsal.”

“Oh.” She placed the bowl back in the middle of the table. “I could have sworn I did.”

“Nope, you didn’t. Believe me, I would have remembered otherwise.” I grabbed my mug and knocked the coffee back before finishing my piece of toast. 

“Well, it’s no big deal.” Edward took the bowl of eggs and helped himself. “Just a quick run-through.”

“Will everyone be there?” Forcing a smile on my face, I looked up at them both, hoping like hell my question would pass as innocent and genuine curiosity.

“Anyone who is involved in the wedding itself will be.”

Great. So that meant Jessica, Edward, the parents, and the bridesmaids, plus me. That left Adrian and…. “Will Vicar Taylor, be there?”

Oh God, did my voice just go higher? 

“Yes, Margaret, William will be there. He is the one who is marrying Jessie and Edward, so he needs to be there.” My father skewered some bacon and tomatoes onto his fork.

Grimacing, I reached out and grabbed another piece of toast. “Just a question, Pa.” A stupid one, but a question nevertheless….

“It is normal for people to have wedding rehearsals, Margaret. Just because you—”
Jess picked up the coffeepot. “Does anyone want more coffee?” 

I straightened, my focus fixed on Pa. “I’m aware of that.”

“Maggie?”

My father’s shoulders went rigid. He lifted his head and our gazes locked. I didn’t miss the way the muscle in the side of his neck ticked. Arguing with my father in front of Jessica and Edward was not an option, so I looked away.

“Please.” I held out my mug and Jess poured the dark liquid.

I could kick myself. A wedding rehearsal hadn’t even crossed my mind. Having to stand at the altar before William on the actual wedding day would be hard enough, but having to do it twice…my stomach churned.

“So, will Adrian come straight to the church?” Edward cut the awkward silence.

“Yes. He will get a taxi to the church, and then we will bring him and his luggage back here.” My mother held her mug out to Jess.

“Adrian is staying here? Tonight?” I added sugar to my coffee. “Won’t it be crowded? I thought—”

“No more crowded than it was in your childhood.” My father took a bite out of his toast.

More and more good news. Of course he would be staying here; it was his family home after all. I guess, it was stupid of me to hope that he would go to a B&B, but my parents wouldn’t have allowed it even if he did suggest it. I hadn’t seen him in six years, hadn’t spoken to him. And yet, in a couple of hours I would be locked in the same house as him.

~ * ~

Author Bio:

Elizabeth Morgan is a multi-published author of urban fantasy, paranormal, erotic horror, f/f, and contemporary; all with a degree of romance, a dose of action and a hit of sarcasm, sizzle or blood, but you can be sure that no matter what the genre, Elizabeth always manages to give a unique and often humorous spin to her stories.

Like her tagline says; A pick ‘n’ mix genre author. “I’m not greedy. I just like variety.”

And that she does, author of erotic ménage horror, Creak, paranormal erotic horror and UK, US & Australian Amazon best seller (Gay/Lesbian, Fiction, Lesbian), On the Rocks, and erotic romance, US, UK and Spanish Amazon bestseller (Erotica Short Story) Truth or Dare? She also has her hand in self-publishing.

Razel Dazzle, her modern adult retelling of the fairytale Rapunzel, was her first taste of publishing her own stories, and now she has the hang of it, it will definitely not be her last. Look out for more information on her upcoming releases at her website: www.e-morgan.com

Away from the computer, Elizabeth can be found in the garden trying hard not to kill her plants, dancing around her little cottage with the radio on while she cleans, watching movies or good television programmes – Dr Who? Atlantis? The Musketeers? Heck, yes! – Or curled up with her two cats reading a book.

Where to find Elizabeth Online:
Website: www.e-morgan.com
Blog: www.xxxxmyworldxxxx.blogspot.com
Twitter: @EMorgan2010
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/ElizabethMorgan
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.morgan.944
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elizabethm2012/boards/
Blog: (Shared with Dianna Hardy): http://notjustastiffupperlip.blogspot.co.uk/

~ * ~

Thank you for having me over today and thank you to all of you for stopping by. If you would be interested in winning a copy of my new release, Stepping Stones or maybe a swag pack, then please do leave an entry on the rafflecopter. J

Rafflecopter:

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Getting Into A Man’s Mind…with Alissa Baxter

As a writer, I must admit that I’ve always been more comfortable creating female characters than delving into the minds of the male characters in my books. This is because, as a woman, I find it easy to create realistic female characters. However, getting inside the mind of a man is a completely different story.

Of course men and women are human beings before anything else, and human nature is well… human nature. However men and women also have many differences, and recently I’ve been reading a number of books about these differences. One such tome is Dr. Marianne J. Legato’s Why Men Never Remember & Women Never Forget where she writes about the nature and importance of the differences between men and women and how we really are wired differently physically, emotionally and mentally.

This means, as a writer, I need to ensure that my male characters think and act like men! I don’t struggle to write about a male character’s actions, as it’s easy to observe and describe those from an objective point of view. But I do hesitate when I’m about to write a male character’s innermost thoughts down on paper. I’ve asked my father, brother and an assortment of male friends in the past to read my manuscripts in order to let me know whether I’ve created realistic thoughts for my male characters.

Writers as a breed are interested in what motivates people - their thoughts and feelings, and how they process their experiences, and being able to capture this in authentic detail in a novel, I would say, is the aim of most fiction writers.

Overthinking such things can lead to stilted attempts at creating characters of the opposite sex, however, so sometimes it’s best to take a risk, rely on instinct, and trust that if what you’re writing makes sense to you as a novelist, it’ll strike a chord with your readers as well.

In my latest novel, The Blog Affair, my main female character sets up a blog in an attempt to analyse the shortfalls of men that she calls “serial datists”. Here is an extract from her blog:

PENELOPE’S PANTRY

…A PLACE FOR YOU TO POINT OUT YOUR VIEW

Serial Datism

The first time I ever met a serial datist, I was nineteen years old. At that age, I wasn’t capable of recognising the warning signs of this particular species of the human male. Needless to say, I got burned. Badly.

Serial datism is a concept I’ve been pondering recently. And it’s something I hope to examine in this blog. Any comments from readers are welcome, therefore, as I attempt to shed light on a variety of the dating male that has me completely bemused.

The best way to do this, I’ve decided, is to debate in an open forum—where I, and any other participants in the discussion, can flick on the switch, in a manner of speaking, and illuminate the matter.

I attract serial datists, and so it is perfectly fitting that I should introduce this topic into cyber space. But this doesn’t mean I’m an expert at identifying them. You see, the tricky thing about serial datists is that they aren’t easily defined.

They come in many shapes and sizes and forms, and they may even mutate! They can start off in one form and end up in quite another shape and size within a small space of time. And therein lies their danger.

Okay—to introduce myself. I’m Penelope (well, that’s one of my names) and this blog is called Penelope’s Pantry, because like Penelope from ancient Greek mythology, I’ve had loads of suitors in my life.

And the pantry part? Well, a pantry is a dark storeroom, and this is where I hope to stockpile my thoughts and feelings and emotions. On neatly stacked shelves, of course. I’m a fanatically neat person, and like things to be tidy.

So let’s start at the very beginning (my ordered mind demands this) with a definition of a serial datist: He is a male who, like a bee, goes from one woman to the next, landing on each female blossom for a short period of time. When he leaves, he stings them.

But unfortunately, unlike a bee, a serial datist doesn’t die after he stings. He goes on to sting again and again, and the only way to kill him is to swat him, or stomp on him with your heel. Or leave out a bowl of sugared water in which he can drown. But, on second thoughts, I think the latter technique is for ants....

Be that as it may, before anyone starts wondering whether I’m a convicted killer, I hasten to assure you I am not. I’ve certainly felt a strong desire to stomp on the various bees that have entered my life, but fortunately for these creatures, the thought of killing causes me to break out in hives. 

Therefore, it is only a fantasy I have indulged in from time to time.

Now that we’ve cleared up the fact that I’m not a murderer, I would like to point out that the bee who delivers his nasty stings is the real killer in the scenario. Why? Well, it’s obvious. He kills your feelings, and leaves your emotions bleeding to death. Some more pedantic readers out there might point out that bee stings don’t cause you to bleed. So what—I’m using it in a figurative sense.

But, and here I’m not being figurative at all, bees can make you swell up. Besides the fact that their stings can cause you to comfort-eat, it is possible to develop a life-threatening allergy to them. And I’m afraid that’s what’s happened to me. I am allergic to serial datists AKA bees AKA Emotionally Unavailable Men.

But I’m jumping ahead of myself. That is simply one of the categories of serial datists. According to my calculations, there are at least four others.

Allow me to list them:

1) The afore-mentioned Emotionally Unavailable Male

2) The Wannabe Player

3) The Commitment-Phobe

4) The Bad Boy

5) The Misogynist (before he finds a woman to control)

I will be examining each category in more detail later. But in the meantime—any comments from readers on what I’ve already expounded are most welcome.

Posted by Penelope on Tuesday, July 8 at 08:32 p.m

BLURB:

Twenty-something, white, South African Emma Bradshaw has a pattern of falling for unsuitable men and starts a blog about these so-called “serial datists”. Her search for new beginnings takes her to Cape Town, where she gets a job working for sexy author, Nick Reynolds. Romance with her boss is a no-no, but slowly, Nick works his way around her defenses. Trust him, or not, especially with her awful track record with men?

When an anonymous male reader of the blog challenges her on her ideas about the male species, Emma realises she must confront her past and find her true self before she can move forward...and love can blossom again in her future.

AUTHOR BIO:

Alissa Baxter was born in South Africa, and grew up with her nose in a book on a poultry and cattle farm. After school and university, where she majored in Political Science and French, she published her first novel, The Dashing Debutante. Alissa travelled to London, England, and did an odd assortment of jobs while researching her second novel, Lord Fenmore’s Wager, which she wrote after she moved back to South Africa and settled in Durban. Alissa then relocated to Cape Town where she wrote her third novel, Send and Receive, before moving to Johannesburg, where she currently lives with her husband and two sons.

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Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1146980.Alissa_Baxter

Website: www.alissabaxter.com

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