Stressing the Hero
An interview which shows the hero under stress and how he would react.
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Stressing the Heroes and Heroines from Aspen Gold the Series by Bernadette Jones @RomanceBJones #RLFblog #Romance
Let’s meet characters from Aspen Gold the Series, romances by Cheryl St. John, Debra Hines,* Lizzie starr, Barb Gwen, and Donna Kaye. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your latest book.Dancing In The Dark by Cheryl St. John
Genre Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG
She’d wanted to dance, get married, and have babies… All she had left was dance. He had everything a man could want–except forgiveness.
Stressing Dusty Cavanaugh
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your Hero.
Dusty Cavanaugh is a beloved son/brother/uncle/father in a huge family. He’s raising his six-year old son alone and is operations manager at the Aspen Gold Lodge. Filling in for a handyman friend, he arrives at a lake house to find none other than Kendra, with her toe stuck in the bathtub faucet–and nothing but a tiny towel for cover. Clothes or no clothes, she’s still the woman he loves.
Who is the significant other in his life?
Kendra Price has loved Dusty Cavanaugh since they were kids. He shared his family with her, the only family she ever knew. They fell in love and planned to marry. But then Dusty betrayed her. She moved away and focused on her dancing career, but every summer she’s drawn back to the lake house she inherited. This summer she runs into Dusty at every turn. It’s never been more obvious–she never got over the hurt.
Call Me Mandy by Debra Hines
Genre Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG -13
Will Miranda risk losing her wounded heart to this self-made building designer? Can Declan overcome his habitual distain for the heiress and her entitled family?
Stressing Declan Elliot
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your Hero.
Declan Elliot moved from Boston to Spencer, but the Red Sox and the Patriots are still his teams. He’s invested his hard-earned savings in Snow Peak Properties and is now a partner in control of his future and his designs. When fiery-haired Miranda Buffet steps up to the podium and passionately argues her case against Snow Peak’s proposed casino, Declan takes notice. He’s delighted to see her the following Saturday morning at the starting line. Miranda possesses the tight, supple body of a long-distance runner and he’s counting on getting to know her better
Who is the significant other in his life?
Miranda Buffet returned to her childhood home, Spencer, Colorado to work on behalf of the historical society. She spoke out in public against the proposed construction of Standing Bear Casino, pitting her against handsome architect, Declan Elliot. Miranda encounters Declan again the following Saturday at Spencer’s annual half-marathon. Miranda spots Declan, obviously suffering from altitude sickness. Genuinely concerned for his wellbeing, she stops to help him. Holding her water bottle to his lips and gazing into his brilliant blue eyes, she can’t deny her attraction to the engaging builder.
Ryder’s Heart by *Lizzie starr
Genre Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
Unable to outrun his guilt, Ryder Barlow is finally coming home after five long years. Vianna Harrison is making a new start, and trying to escape her past. Neither can start a new chapter in their lives until they stop rereading the old ones.
Stressing Ryder Barlow
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your Hero.
Ryder Barlow coming home after five celibate years in California to find a beautiful woman in his bed strains Ryder’s personal vow to near the breaking point. The more he learns about this captivating woman, the more difficult it is to remain distant. Believing he’s put the past to rest, he’s still not ready to expose his secret shame. Besides, Vianna is hiding something, too. He’s sure of it.
Who is the significant other in his life?
Vianna Harrison., a talented artist, an extraordinary cinnamon roll baker, and…she talks to the dead. Hiding her abilities as Vianna settles in to her new home in Spencer is easy, until the spirits won’t be denied. Keeping her attraction to the handsome man who returns home unexpectedly adds another layer to her complicated life. Then the past returns to haunt her, threatens her, and there’s only one man she can turn to.
For Keeps by Barbara Gwen
Genre Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG
Hiding the truth is like denying the sun…
Widow Kate Michaels kept a secret from the man she loves, and from the entire community of Spencer, Colorado. Veterinarian Jackson Samuels still loves the woman who left him years ago. When Jack uncovers a family secret, the truth makes him question who he thought he was. Will two people who once shared a heartfelt love, allow their lonely secrets to consume and define them?
Stressing Jackson Samuels
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your Hero.
Jack has loved Kate forever, but when he returned to Spencer to take over the veterinary clinic, she won’t have anything to do with him. And he doesn’t know why. Her daughter shows an interest and aptitude in caring for animals and spends more and more time with him. Jack cherishes the eight-year-old and wishes she was his. Now, if only her mother could come to love him again.
Who is the significant other in his life?
Kate Michaels has kept a secret from her family, the town, everyone, for over eight years. But as her daughter becomes attached to the handsome veterinarian, Kate struggles to keep that secret safe. She’s loved Jackson since they were kids and dreams of the possibilities now that he’s home. But this long-kept secret could just as easily tear them apart forever, and she doesn’t know if she’s willing to risk her heart again.
Second Chances by Donna Kaye
Genre Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG
She tried the fairy tale and the fairy tale didn’t work. Cassie Andrews thought she met the perfect guy, then he was gone. Ten years later they meet again when they are brought together for a job. For FBI Agent Heath Lawe, finding Cassie and her son helps ease the the pain of his last case gone wrong. But can he keep them safe?
Stressing Heath Lawe
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your Hero.
For FBI Agent Heath Lawe, finding out he has a son blows him away. Keeping his son safe from an unknown threat takes all of his skills. Heath and Cassie have to put aside the past and work together to stay one step ahead of the danger threatening their son and the passion that threatens to consume them.
Who is the significant other in his life?
Cassie Andrews thought she’d met the perfect man, then he was gone, and she realized she was pregnant. Ten years later, she’s a single mom trying to rebuild her life when Heath Lawe’s return shatters her orderly life. Her son’s abduction forces them to work together and brings back the feelings she thought long dormant.
Sleepin’ Alone by Bernadette Jones
Genre Romantic Suspense
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
Under cover cop, Hunter Lawe, riding the line between enforcing the law and breaking it. Out for revenge on a case that went bad, he finds the perfect pawn in Ruby Leigh Dupree. He’ll use anyone to get the enemy, no matter the cost. After all, life is just the road to death.
Stressing Hunter Lawe
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your Hero.
Undercover cop, Hunter Lawe had a murdered in his reach and lost him when a woman betrays him. Every time another woman dies he feels the guilt and the shame. When he meets a woman who can lead the murderer back within his reach he takes her hostage to get his revenge. Too late he realizes he’s she’s the one woman he can trust. The woman who owns his heart.
Who is the significant other in his life?
Ruby Leigh Dupree was in the wrong place. Beaten and left for dead she narrowly escapes. When she wakes she has no memory of what happened to her. A haunting refrain fills her mind urging her to run, to hide in Spencer, Colorado. When Hunter finds her he tells her he has all the answers to her past. Will he lead her to the truth or her death?
Where to buy Aspen Gold The Series
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081YPJ5V8
Bernadette Jones Social Media
Website https://www.aspengoldseries.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/RomanceBJones
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AspenGoldSeries
Learn more about the Aspen Gold Series by signing up for the email newsletter.
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Stressing Matteo D’Cruz from Jungle Salvation by MA Jewell @MAJewell_author #RLFblog #PNR #RomanticSuspense #Shifter
Let’s meet Matteo D’Cruz from Jungle Salvation, The Jaguar Queens Book II, a paranormal romantic suspense novel, by MA Jewell. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your latest book.Jungle Salvation, The Jaguar Queens Book II by MA Jewell
Genre: Paranormal romantic suspense
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
Jaguar shifter males lost in their cats are all animal, feral. Execution is the only course. Enforcer Matteo D’Cruz has terminated two and doesn’t care that he’s next–until Dakota.
Dragged back into the human world by well-meaning friends, jaguar shifter Matteo D’Cruz realizes he’s been in cat form for over seventy years. With another transformation, he could lose his tenuous hold on his humanity. In their world, the only end for a feral is execution. Damaged by grief and guilt, he doesn’t care overmuch. However, when he discovers an unmated latent female, he can’t resist her scintillating allure or his instinct to protect her at all costs.
Carefree Dakota Gorman travels to Brazil to rescue her sister. Determined to expose the drug lords who have manipulated her sibling into a hurried wedding, she’s certain the baffling hottie Matteo is one of them. After Dakota’s sister turns into a giant jaguar before her eyes, she must confront a new reality, one including latent family traits.
Matteo helps her trigger her first exhilarating metamorphosis into a jaguar, leaving no doubt about her genetics, but unknown shifter enemies cut short her joy.
A blackmailer sends Matteo a video of her transformation, demanding DNA samples. The extortionist threatens to post the recording to the internet and expose the shifters to the world. Dredging up courage that she didn’t know she possessed, Dakota joins Matteo and the other jag shifters to save her family–and her new species–from scientific experimentation.
Stressing Matteo D’Cruz
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your hero.
Age: 133
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Brazilian Amazon Jungle,
Profession: Enforcer (Shifter code enforcement), Coffee
Ethnicity: Brazilian Culture; Mixed indigenous tribal and European appearance
Species (for scifi/fantasy characters): Jaguar ShifterWhat does your hero look like?
After living as a jaguar in the Amazon for a few decades too long, Matteo has a unique appearance. Natural, tawny dreadlocks followed him into his six-foot plus human form, along with rich copper eyes and a V-shaped pattern of ochre rosettes down his back. When he’s enraged, he snarls, ensuring his adversary gets a glimpse of a great-cat canine.
Who is the significant other in his life?
Brilliant adrenalin junkie Dakota Gorman is bold, courageous, and protective of the weak and family, yet others see her as a carefree fashionista with an irresponsible streak. With two partially completed bachelors, and an abandoned medical degree to her credit, some even call her flighty. Discovering her true inner strength rocks Matteo to his core.
The Hero’s Relaxed Side
This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.
Any shifter party is a danger zone. Jag males are solitary and territorial, and since the females died out over seventy years ago, most have never even seen an unmated queen. The discovery of the latent females in the United States invigorates the all-male clan with hope for the future. Now, however, their mixed gatherings are powder kegs with a flame licking at the fuse.
Matteo has two roles. As a guest, he would travel from table to table, exchanging arm clasps and man hugs with the older males and fist bumps with the young ones. However, no one at the party would mistake his congenial manner for relaxed.
How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?
Matteo had thought a gathering of mixed company a thing of the past. So when viewing a room filled with male and female jag shifters flirting and getting to know one another, a sense of awe and hope for the future often strikes him. Enough to make him clear his throat to cover the emotion.
Since he retains a keen jaguar sense of smell while in his human form, scents have an impact on him. Dakota’s alluring fragrance tortures him. Cat instinct to claim the formidable female often sends a shift’s heat racing over his skin. Seeking relief, he’ll rub at his nose, though it’s a wasted motion.
Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?
Matteo always resists a desire to find a solitary table. Because he must keep the peace, he makes frequent stops to greet young males flirting with the fair-skinned latents.
If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?
With a high need for carbs in human form, Matteo prefers fruit juice, specifically acai juice. Few drugs have any effect on shifters, and alcohol’s taste doesn’t appeal, but he’d thought he might enjoy the fun buzz reported by humans.
How much drink is his usual?
After shifting from cat to human, a need for carbs is impossible to ignore. A pitcher of fruity juice is not out of the question. However, if pastry is near, he prefers coffee.
The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?
As the Enforcer, Matteo will search any secluded areas regularly. In this particular party, the females don’t yet know they are cats and are uninformed about the risks of an accidental mating. Any male who takes advantage of a naïve queen will answer to the Enforcer.
Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?
Matteo has few close friends, and he values those males as brothers. These older males, the ancients, will coordinate security between them, following Matteo’s lead. No one “latches on” to him. He’s too intimidating to most jag males.
If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?
Any male who picks a fight with Matteo is likely driven by cat instinct rather than any logical thought. He’d employ a submission hold and pin the impaired male with a dominant glare until the shifter came to his senses.
Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?
See above.
Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?
If Matteo manages security at the party, he would not concern himself with sensitivities or perceptions. However, in a truly social setting, he will leave as early as politely possible.
The Hero’s Stressed Out Side
How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?
Those few with authority over Matteo must earn his respect, and even then, if their logic is flawed, he will push back.
How does the hero react to hearing a scream?
Having a naturally protective nature, he’d investigate.
If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?
Likely due to his roots in the previous century, and assuming the attacker is male, his initial reaction will depend on the victim’s gender. If male, Matteo wonders if the man deserves the beating. If female, he calculates how to intervene.
If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?
Regardless of the victim’s gender, he will stop the assault to determine the facts, and after he’s satisfied his curiosity, he’s not above allowing a deserved punishment to continue.
This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?
Having a military background, he views retreat as a strategy to win a war or to minimize casualties. That said if a shifter female is involved, all bets are off. No sacrifice is too high to save a single queen.
The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact in some way. What does he do?
He’d ignore the person with overt disdain, and if forced to interact, things will go poorly for any individual who has previously disappointed Matteo.
Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?
Despite his hardened nature, Matteo encourages young ones to challenge themselves, to become more than they are. He’d counsel the younger shifter in the moment, however, depending on the stakes; he’s also comfortable taking matters into his own hands.
The hero is in physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does he tell himself in order to get through the situation?
He focuses on his main objective, the endgame goal. And if an enemy caused this pain, he plots his revenge.
What mentor’s words come to mind in a bad situation?
“If you’d thought of any but yourself these last seventy years…”
What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?
Matteo endured decades of grief for a lost mate. He will spare Dakota that pain. (No more spoiler on that one lol)
What one thing would you like readers to know about your hero?
He’s an educated savage with a gentleman’s heart.
Where to buy Jungle Salvation, The Jaguar Queens Book II
Publisher https://www.evernightpublishing.com/jungle-salvation-by-m-a-jewell/
Amazon https://amzn.to/2I0prQF
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130750467
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/jungle-salvation
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/926141MA Jewell Social Media
MA Jewell began adulting as an operating-room nurse. An avid romance reader for many years, she traded in her reading addiction for a pen to write down all the stories clogging up her brain. Now, she can’t stop.
Recently transplanted to Dallas, Texas, she enjoys her own happily ever after with her biggest fan and supporter, her husband, Jim. Their two sons have fledged and married lovely, competent women. And if you have an extra twenty minutes, go ahead and ask about her two perfect grandchildren.
Book III of The Jaguar Queens series, Jungle Desire, is in the works. To get early details on releases, sign up for her Precious Gems newsletter below. Drawings are held with each issue, too!
Twitter https://twitter.com/MAJewell_author
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Get to know MA Jewell better by signing up for their email newsletter.
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/b9ril5yb96 (10% sample of Jungle Salvation download included) -
Stressing Sir Haven De Sessions from A True and Perfect Knight @RueAllyn #RLFblog #medievalromance
Let’s meet Sir Haven De Sessions from A True and Perfect Knight, a medieval romance, by Rue Allyn. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your latest book.A True and Perfect Knight by Rue Allyn
Genre Medieval Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
Baron Haven De Sessions knows a hundred reasons to despise the widow Dreyford. The widow is entirely too independent and a suspected traitor. Worst of all, she had been married to his best friend—a man Haven arrested for plotting against the king. Haven believes the treacherous widow should have given up her head, not his childhood friend. Now an oath to that same friend forces him to protect a woman he does not want and cannot trust.
Genvieve Dreyford has her own reasons to detest De Sessions. The man is far too handsome, and his reputation as Edward I’s most ‘true and perfect’ knight has swelled the baron’s head. Worst of all, Gennie believes he betrayed his friendship with her husband to curry favor with the English king. Now, because of Haven De Sessions, Gennie has lost her home, her title and nearly everything she held dear. Only for the sake of her family, will Gennie place herself in the power of a man she fears and mistrusts.
Stressing Sir Haven De Sessions
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your hero.
Age: Approximately thirty years old
Gender: Male
Birthplace: England
Profession: Knight
Ethnicity: English
Species (for scifi/fantasy characters):
What does your hero look like?
Golden Brown hair with eyes the color of dark topaz. Haven is the epitome of a tall, broad shouldered, narrow hipped, square jawed, leanly muscled knight at arms.
Who is the significant other in his life?
Lady Genvieve Dreyfore will be come his significant other, although at the time of this interview he probably doesn’t know that.
The Hero’s Relaxed Side
This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.
Sir Haven De Sessions entered the large hall in King Edward’s castle where the celebraton was already in progress. Dancers filled the floor and muscians played rondos in the upper gallery. Edward motioned from across the room for Haven to come to his king’s side. He crossed the room as quickly as possible but the attention given him by ladies married and not delayed his progress. He was saved from committing to any assignations by Edward’s obvious displeasure at being kept waiting.
How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?
Haven is eager, as he always is to obet his king. However, despite his impatience with the demands of the various ladies who approach him, Haven is unfailingly courteous.He smiles and kisses their hands, and appears saddened to be forced to refuse their requests for his time. They don’t realize that his smiles are those of a man relieved to have reason to say no. The attractions of the court ladies have beguen to fade for him. He is much happier to be about the king’s business and hopes that Edward has a mission for him.
Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?
Were, Edward not demanding Haven come to him, the knight would mingle and be socialble. He likes women and the men are his friends. He doesn’t understand the more dour knights who are standoffish.
If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?
He prefers ale, but Edward only serves the best French wines.
How much drink is his usual?
One or two mugs of beer no more than two goblets of wine.
The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?
Haven thinks hiding would be cowardly. Most likely he would be going to find a friend and bring him back to the party. He might, if the friend was drunk and becoming disorderly, Haven might try to hide his friend until the man could sober up some.
Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?
Haven is definitely the friend that others latch onto, especially the ladies.
If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?
In the king’s court, Haven would be the peace maker, and barring peace he would break up the fight as quickly and quietly as possible.
Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?
Haven would do the tossing. He is almost unbearably responsible.
Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?
Haven knows when to leave.
The Hero’s Stressed Out Side
How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?
Depending on the exact situation, Haven would most likely defend everyone involved, doing his best to keep the authorities from over-reacting.
How does the hero react to hearing a scream?
There are different types of scream. Assuming a shout of distress, Haven would grab his weapon and run towards the scream.
If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?
Break this up before it gets worse. Then find out what the problem is and try to resolve it.
If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?
He will stop the assault.
This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?
He fights on. Haven is never afraid of difficult odds. He does, however, try to prepare for all eventualities.
The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact in some way. What does he do?
He waits to discover what the other person will do.
Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?
Haven will first suggest alternatives. If his advice is not heeded and the situation endangers anyone he will act to mitigate any harm.
The hero is in physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does he tell himself in order to get through the situation?
That his is what he was born and trained to do as a knight.
What mentor’s words come to mind in a bad situation?
“I can only pray that God will provide, as I pray you will recognize a greater good than absolute loyalty to your king.” Gennie said these words to Haven when they disagreed over sending the Welsh away from the keep that was once their home. He often recalls these words when making a difficult decision. They help him decide where his true loyalties and responsibilities lie.
What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?
While on Crusade, Haven survived only because his friend was loyal and guarded Haven’s back. Loyalty is he watchword, however, he needs Gennie’s help to learn where loyalty should truly be given.
What one thing would you like readers to know about your hero?
Despite his courtly reputation, he is very far from a True and Perfect Knight when this story begins.
Where to buy A True and Perfect Knight
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/38EY0V
Rue Allyn Social Media
Hi, I’m Rue Allyn, I write heart melting romance novels. Books about characters and adventures in which love triumphs at the darkest moment. The kind of hopeful, steal-your-breath romance that melts a reader’s heart. The type of book I like to read. Hope you will too.
Website: https://RueAllyn.com
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BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rue-allynInterested in more by Rue Allyn? Sign up for her newsletter https://www.rueallyn.com/ravonsubscribe/ and get a FREE sneak peek at her May release, Forever Hold My Heart.
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Stressing Sammy from Sammy: Hero at Age Five by Mary L Schmidt @MaryLSchmidt #RLFblog #Inspiration
Let’s meet Sammy from Sammy: Hero at Age Five, a Juvenile Non-Fiction, by Mary L Schmidt. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your latest book.Sammy: Hero at Age Five by Mary L Schmidt
Genre Juvenile Non-Fiction
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): General
“Sammy: Hero at Age Five” is a book that breathes. It is a gallant saga of Sammy and his mother in battling cancer with incogitable courage and resolute determination. The story is a compelling, first-person narrative of the journey that Sammy and his mother undertook when cancer plagues Sammy. The story has Sammy, the child barely out of the toddler-stage, as the protagonist who gets affected with cancer but does not let it shred his substance, his spirit, his ebullience. The story is a slice of real life and it shines in its own glory of candor and courage. The story, with its impeccable sincerity, sets in the cascade of emotional pathways and the empathy is momentous and super-instant. The story does a mammoth job of air dropping the reader to a milieu in which the spirit of survivorship calls the shots, galloping courage sets the pace and unfolding of designs of destiny evokes the emotions. The child-like glee thickly layers the narrations of the mischiefs that Sammy and Gene (the brothers) indulged in. Their bond is profound and all scattered in the subtext, ‘two peas in a pod’ as the author sums up… the substance of the book is knitted with life-sized narration of events that induces a high-definition visual imagery, running on loop, giving a highway ride to the sensory nervous system. The incidents of childhood playfulness are peppered lavishly for the readers to know Sammy and his world before the pernicious designs of cancer came into existence. Yet, the sparkles of his eyes refused to bow down to the malicious intentions of cancer. The crisis is too real and crushing, with entire existence at stake. In the end the exposition is too powerful and surprising and Sammy’s heroic fight brings him perpetual glory like a soaring comet leaving a bright trail behind. He defeated bad guys, the cancer cells, and will continue to be a source of inspiration for millions of families who come across his life and the verve with which he lived it.
Stressing Sammy
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your hero.
Age: 3.5 then age 5
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Salina, Kansas
Profession: Preschooler
Ethnicity: Caucasion
What does your hero look like?
Mom would say, and I agree, that I am a sweet, blond towheaded little boy full of playfulness, and I’m loving and caring.
Who is the significant other in his life?
My mom and my big brother, Gene, and Jesus are the main characters in my life and my book.
The Hero’s Relaxed Side
This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.
My brother, Gene, turned five today, and we had lots of fun eating his chocolate Superman birthday cake that mom baked, and new toys were all over the house. I think we tried to outdo each other with all the noise we made, and we loved having friends over to our house and enjoy the party.
How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?
I was wearing a huge smile, and having fun in the moment, fun in being a three-year-old little boy soon to be age four. I feel great today and I have no sign of any illness or disease at all! I love being a healthy and happy 3 ½ year old precocious little boy. My brother, Gene, and I have lots of energy after eating that cake mom baked. Mom took pictures of us during the party and I smiled big!
Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?
I sat next to my brother when we ate some birthday cake. Afterwards we ran around with the guests and played with toys and read new books. Everyone was smiling and laughing along with each other. All the guests had a good time, too. I was a little tornado running around just like my brother, Gene. We also rode around on our red Big Wheels in and out of our garage with the other kids.
If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?
Apple Juice
How much drink is his usual?
One Cup
The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?
I hid under the dining room table and I was quiet. I was waiting for my brother to walk by so I could jump up and scare him! I did just that very thing and Gene yelled out – I got him good. Then we started running and playing tag with each other and the other kids. Mom let us burn off all the energy we had and then things quieted down.
Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?
Playing with the birthday boy – my brother Gene – was a large part of the afternoon. We both had friends at the party, and we played with the new toys. One friend read a book to Gene and me. We played together mostly, and with friends too.
If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?
No one fought.
Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?
I wasn’t tossed out of the party, but Mom closed the party down after two hours. She set a time limit and we had to stick to it. Mom was the boss.
Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?
Gene and I were still happy and smiling when Mom made us takes a bath that evening. Later, we went to bed with a new toy next laid next to us and I saw mom smile as she closed the door to our bedroom.
The Hero’s Stressed Out Side
How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?
(((At this point in the story, I am almost five and I was going to end up in the big hospital in Kansas City.)))
Mom took me to see yet another doctor who doctored ears, noses, and throats. Two days later, the doctor put tubes inside my ears. He had trouble getting the tube in my right ear to stay in place, and he didn’t take the time to find out why this was so. My cancer tumor could have been found if he had only looked. On follow-up visits all I was given was another antibiotic. My head hurt. I had a Big Head Hurt! I never told Mom that my head hurt though. Two weeks later, Mom was horrified to find the right side of my face drooping. The doctors could not tell her why this was, and she let them know that they better figure things out fast! All I did was see doctors for over six months! I was put into an ambulance for a trip to a bigger hospital. I was crying in pain and scared, and I wanted my Mom.
How does the hero react to hearing a scream?
The ambulance took me to the big hospital in Kansas City. I was scared the whole way there and Mom couldn’t be with me in the ambulance. Later, Mom came into my hospital room, and I knew then that she followed behind the ambulance. Mom just had to walk through a different entrance to get to me. I was scared and crying. My head and neck hurt bad. I had a big, bad head hurt! Finally, Mom took me back to the hospital in Salina, and they finally said I had cancer of my head and neck, and it spread to both lungs. It was Stage IV Rhabdomyosarcoma!
If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?
The doctors and nurses poked me and ran some tests. I had to have a Hickman placed in my chest so I could receive IV’s through it. I started chemotherapy and radiation therapy. After two weeks, my head didn’t hurt anymore! I was happy about that, but I missed my brother who was 230 miles away from Mom and me. Radiation was scary and Mom could not be with me when I received those treatments. One doctor told me that I had little cancer ghosts (bad guys) in my body that made me sick. He said the chemo and radiation were the good guys, and that they would kill the bad guys so I would get well. Ghostbusters was one of my favorite movies to watch, so I imagined how the good guys would go after the bad cancer ghosts. I’m just a little boy, just turned age five after four weeks in Kanas City. Mom helped me make things fun. I had birthday money to spend in a gift shop and Mom put me in a wheelchair and took me all over the big hospital.
If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?
One day I saw a little boy with no hair on his head, and I wondered if that would happen to me. I touched my head and I still had hair. I was curious about Mom because I would hear her talking to someone named God. I saw many kids in the hospital and some only had part of a leg! We all got to go to school on the hospital unit and my teacher was nice.
The next morning, Mom found my golden blonde hair all over my bed. I could tell she was crying and doing her best to hide it from me. I touched my head and knew I looked like the other kids on my hospital unit, but I never cried. I was going to be tough and hide my tears deep inside of me. Later that same day, Mom came back from the nurses’ desk and caught me trying to feed my goldfish some 7-up. I guess goldfish don’t drink what we drink. My goldfish found a new home, and that was okay with me.
This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?
I did not want to be in the hospital any longer, and I wanted the doctor to give me all the good guys at once so I could go home. The outside of my neck felt like it was on fire, so Mom put Aquaphor on my skin. My radiation treatment caused my skin to burn and hurt. I was sick and could not eat for over seven months.
I woke up in the middle of the night a few days later. I was hungry and I wanted watermelon. I demanded watermelon. The patient refrigerator didn’t have any and the kitchen didn’t have any, so Mom told me she was going to find a store with watermelon, and she did just that! I ate half of the watermelon Mom brought back to me. I had watermelon juice all over me and I was grinning. I was a happy little boy right then and my tummy was full. That was my first taste of food in a long time.
The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact in some way. What does he do?
The doctor came in to tell Mom that a biopsy (a tiny piece of tissue to look at) of my lung needed to be done. The surgery would not be done at this time though. They were talking about the good things, and the bad things that could happen during surgery. To do the biopsy, I would have open lung surgery. I was anxious and then I heard Mom praying for me to God. I decided it was time for me to get to know God! I never told Mom, but I did start talking with the Lord and I learned about Heaven. I think Mom didn’t tell me about Heaven because she was afraid that if she did, I would go to heaven and she would be sad.
The hospital had a lot of kids who were sick, I didn’t understand why so many kids were sick with cancer, and I wondered what God thought of this.
Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?
The days started running together again, and I was tired of being here. I wanted to go home! My doctor said it was too early for me to go home. That evening, Mom and I spoke with my big brother, Gene, on the phone. I told my brother I wanted to come home for a visit, but the doctor had said no. Seven days later I got to go HOME! I had been in the hospital for 140 days, and now my doctor said I could go home! I got to go home! I was grinning about going home. Mom loaded her car with my things and a nurse helped her. By the time we got home, it was late and nighttime! Mom set up my IV stuff and got me on my TPN – my IV food. She waited until I fell asleep before unloading the rest of our things from her car. Gene was awake when we home, and after my sponge bath, I talked to everyone! I hugged Gene lots of times and we played and talked. I had to go back to the hospital four days later. Brother and I cried when Mom and I had to leave.
The hero is in physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does he tell himself in order to get through the situation?
The next day, I wasn’t allowed to drink anything, as I was going to have surgery on my lung. The plan was to do a biopsy on the one big spot in one lung. Mom still looked worried to me. I could just tell. Sometimes moms are not aware of kids picking up anxiety from them.
In the early afternoon, Mom went with me and the staff down to the surgery area. I started asking her lots of questions about surgery. There was a nurse, Mom, and me in the room outside the operating room. I told Mom that I remembered they were going into my right lung and that I would be in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) after the surgery.
Then I asked my her a Big Question. I looked into her eyes and asked her, “Am I going to die?” Mom was stunned. The nurse went quiet.
Mom finally told me no—I wasn’t going to die.
Then I asked, “Am I going to go to Heaven where Shane is?”
Mom finally told me, “Only if God really needs you right now.”
“I want to go to Heaven, Mom,” I said innocently. Then I repeated, “I want to go to Heaven, Mom.”
It took a while, but Mom finally replied, “We don’t always get what we want in life, so you might have to stay with Mom for a while.” Mom didn’t understand. I was tired of the pain and surgeries. She didn’t know I talked to Jesus a lot. She didn’t know what Heaven was like. But Jesus talked with me many times, and I knew Heaven was a wonderful place. I loved Jesus. Then they wheeled me into surgery.
What mentor’s words come to mind in a bad situation?
I came through the surgery okay and I left ICU for the children’s unit. I was back in my old room! I heard Mom and a nurse talking, and the nurse told Mom that little Dot died today—she had cancer. Mom told her that God had another angel child in Heaven. Mom didn’t know this, but I already knew Dot was in Heaven because Jesus told me. We watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on TV before I went to sleep. Two weeks later, Mom gave me a huge surprise! She took me to Swope Park and the Kansas City Zoo! Mom put me in a zoo stroller since I wasn’t strong enough to walk the zoo hills. I got to ride a Shetland pony with a real saddle, and I fed a giraffe. Have you ever fed a giraffe? Do you know how tall they are? It was a Big Zoo and I had a lot of fun with Mom.
What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?
A week later my heart started to beat fast! They kept me on a monitor, and I received packed red blood cells, too. My heart went up as high as 170. No one could figure out why, except maybe my chemo caused heart damage. The next day I stopped breathing for about 20 seconds. I kept doing this off and on, so Mom would shake my shoulder and I would breathe again. My nurse watched me a lot, also. I knew all of this because Mom told me about it. Respiratory Therapy drew blood gas (arterial blood) from my wrist, I never felt the needle and I didn’t wake up. I was taken to the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit), as I was not conscious. I stayed the same all day and all night the next night. Mom didn’t know it, but I was with Jesus. Jesus was helping me by giving my body and my head a break from my cancer battle. I rested with Jesus as he told me about my Big Battle yet to come. The next morning, I just sort of “woke up” for Mom. Jesus had helped me back into my body and I just opened my eyes and blinked at the bright lights of PICU. I turned my head and looked at Mom. She was so happy! By noon I was off oxygen and back in my room on 5D. None of my doctors or nurses had any idea why this episode happened, but I knew. I had to rest with Jesus before my Big Battle. I didn’t tell Mom about Jesus and my Big Battle.
Seven months after being diagnosed with cancer, I caught a germ and it got into my lungs. My Big Battle had begun. I was rushed to PICU, I kept thrashing around in bed like crazy from oxygen depletion, and they had a special oxygen mask on me that forced me to breathe. But my lungs were too damaged. Finally, platelets were flown in for me from Wichita, and they were given to me in a Big syringe while my doctor tried to intubate me with a special breathing tube. It took him two times and I was terrified. Then I was hooked up to a ventilator (a breathing machine). We had to wait for platelets first or I would have bled to death and gone to Heaven. Mom stayed with me the whole time all of this was going on. Mom was with me when I was intubated. My body was kept eating up all my packed red blood cells and platelets. My organs had been starved of oxygen for over ten hours yesterday. I was terrified and in pain.
What one thing would you like readers to know about your hero?
I knew I wouldn’t win my Big Battle, and I also knew that I had to fight this battle because Jesus had told me so. I received bunches of blood, platelets, antibiotics, and more for fifteen days. Mom gave me sponge baths, and she put ointment in my eyes. She talked with me all the time and she read books to me. I couldn’t move because medicine was in me to keep me from pulling on tubes and wires.
On October 15, 1990, at 11:35 p.m. my heart stopped while Mom had her arms around me, as she held me the last fifteen minutes of my time on Earth. I was now in Heaven and with Jesus, and my Big Battle was over. Then Mom rocked my body in her arms for a good fifteen minutes.
Staff from the 5D nursing unit at KUMC drove 230 miles for my service. I meant that much to the nursing staff! The autopsy result came in and revealed that I was free of cancer. I had no cancer! I won my cancer battle! That is how I became a hero at age five!
Where to buy Sammy: Hero at Age Five
Publisher Fresh Ink Group and M Schmidt Productions
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NRV8CVY/
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sammy-m-schmidt/1130900239?ean=9781947867291
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sammy-hero-at-age-five
iBooks https://books.apple.com/book/id1456008372Mary L Schmidt Social Media
Mary L Schmidt aka S Jackson is a retired registered nurse, winner of the Leora Stroup award in Nursing for academic excellence and community involvement, as well as graduating with high honors and inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She has written 17 books and has been included in three anthologies. Many of her books have won international medals and awards. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She is a member of the Catholic Church, and has taught kindergarten Catechism; she has worked in various capacities for The American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Cub and Boy Scouts, (son, Gene, is an Eagle Scout), and sponsored trips for high school music children. She loves all forms of art but mostly focuses on the visual arts; amateur photography, traditional, and graphic art as her health allows. Together with her husband, Michael, the like fish, read, play poker, travel adventures, and spending precious time with their grandchildren, Austin and Emma.
Website: https://whenangelsfly.net/
Blog: https://whenangelsfly.net/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLSchmidt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MMSchmidtAuthorGDDonley
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marylschmidt/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/43748288-mary-schmidt
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/S-Jackson/e/B013NRRKR2?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1563485698&sr=1-1
Newsletter: https://us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e0ee1fac82f1a61eadffc9df1&id=3e4c8998c6
Art Gallery: https://www.deviantart.com/mschmidtartwork -
Stressing Dylan Haynes from Lyrical Embrace by Amber Daulton @amberdaulton1 #RLFblog #RomanticSuspense
Let’s meet Dylan Haynes from Lyrical Embrace, a Romantic Suspense, by Amber Daulton. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your latest book.Lyrical Embrace by Amber Daulton
Genre Romantic Suspense
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
Out-of-work violinist Erica Timberly decides enough is enough. She leaves her abusive boyfriend and flees the big city, but then her car breaks down in the middle of the night. Though wary of men, she accepts help from Dylan Haynes, a stranger driving by on the road, and soon recognizes him as the sexy former drummer of her favorite indie rock band. Maybe, just maybe, her run of bad luck is finally turning around.
Music teacher Dylan Haynes knows Erica is in trouble, and her black eye is only the first clue. The stubborn yet vulnerable woman needs a friend, but he’s determined to give her everything she deserves.
Will Erica listen to the music in her heart and trust Dylan, or will her past always threaten her future?
Stressing Dylan Haynes
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your hero.
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Willow Springs, Vermont
Profession: Music Teacher; Ex-Drummer for a rock band
Ethnicity: Caucasian
What does your hero look like?
He’s about six feet tall with short, spiky brown hair and blue eyes. He keeps in good shape because he’s a volunteer firefighter, so he has to be quick when disaster strikes. He has a sexy red dragon tattoo on his left arm, and it twists around his biceps. Erica loves licking it!
Who is the significant other in his life?
Erica Timberly is the perfect woman for him. She’s strong, beautiful, and stubborn, but vulnerable too. She’s an excellent violinist and loves music just as much as he does. After all the crap she’s gone through, she’s still trusting and kind. She loves with her whole heart, and Dylan is damn glad she picked him.
The Hero’s Relaxed Side
This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.
When Dylan lived in New York City, he went to wild parties all the time. Nowadays, back home in Vermont, he doesn’t live and breathe that crazy lifestyle anymore. If he and Erica went to the city for a concert or to go clubbing, he would probably run into some old drinking buddies or hangers-on from when he was performing with his band, Fortune’s Glory. Under pressure, he’d go to the party and see people drinking, snorting drugs in the living room, or having sex in backrooms.
How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?
He wouldn’t be happy about it and would feel embarrassed in front of Erica. He used to enjoy wild parties like that and wouldn’t want Erica’s good opinion of him to change. He’d stand around, all stiff, and probably wouldn’t talk a lot.
Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?
After a while, he’d try to mingle and make the best of a bad situation.
If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?
He’d keep it simple—just beer. He had a drinking problem back in the day and wouldn’t want to get wasted on whiskey or vodka.
How much drink is his usual?
Just one or two bottles. He doesn’t drink everyday.
The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?
Once he calmed down and started loosening up, he’d probably take Erica to a closet and make out with her. Even though he’s a reformed bad boy, he’s still a little naughty.
If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?
Dylan would try to stay out of it. If someone picked a fight with him and he couldn’t resolve it with words, he’d punch the hell out of the other guy.
Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?
He’s pretty responsible and levelheaded, so he’d be doing the tossing.
Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?
Dylan is a polite guy, so he’d hit the road at a decent hour.
The Hero’s Stressed Out Side
How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?
Dylan would try to stay calm and explain the situation.
How does the hero react to hearing a scream?
He’d investigate. He’s a volunteer fireman and a certified EMT, so it’s his job to help people.
If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?
To help that person.
If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?
He’d rush in and break up the fight or assault.
This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?
Dylan would keep fighting for as long and as hard as he could, even though he knew he would probably end up in the hospital.
The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact in some way. What does he do?
He would talk in short, choppy sentences and swipe his hand through his hair, a lot.
Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?
He’d make suggestions but not take control of the situation because he wouldn’t want to embarrass the other guy. If lives were hanging in the balance, he would take over and do what had to be done, no matter what.
What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?
He lived a wild, crazy hound dog life a few years earlier, but he grew sick of it. He didn’t like the person he was becoming, so he quit the band and moved back home. He’s changed a lot since then, and he’s proud of the person he is now. Thinking about that would help him relax him and focus on the situation at hand.
Where to buy Lyrical Embrace
Publisher https://bit.ly/2AIkSFk
Amazon https://amzn.to/2ChIhNT
Barnes and Noble https://bit.ly/2ChIhgR
IBooks https://apple.co/2M3T9mW
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/lyrical-embrace
Google Play https://bit.ly/2DqXlsVAmber Daulton’s Social Media
Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through The Wild Rose Press and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.
Amber lives in North Carolina with her husband and four demanding cats.
Blog http://amberdaultonauthor.blogspot.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/AmberDaulton1
Facebook Author Page www.facebook.com/amber.daulton.author
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/amberdaulton5/
Goodreads www.goodreads.com/author/show/6624921.Amber_Daulton
Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/14JoZff -
Stressing Aaron Belton from Passionate Destiny @DeeSKnight #RLFblog #romance #paranormalromance #PNR
Let’s meet Aaron Belton from Passionate Destiny, a paranormal erotic romance, by Dee S Knight. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your latest book.Passionate Destiny by Dee S Knight
Genre Paranormal erotic romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
Margaret Amis-Hollings moves to an old house in Virginia, never suspecting a ghost has first dibs. Soon her life is intertwined with a soldier from long ago and with his descendant, Aaron. Living with a ghost is one thing. Dealing with Aaron is quite another. They share the present; they might share a past. Do they share a destiny?Stressing Aaron Belton
Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.
Please tell me about your hero.
Age: Mid-thirties
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Palmyra, Virginia
Profession: Former professor, now carpenter and historical restorer
Ethnicity: Southern gentleman
Species (for scifi/fantasy characters):
What does your hero look like?
Eyes were the darkest blue, hair the deepest black, teeth the whitest white. And straight. Over 6 feet, muscular due to hard work and not a gym. Dimples.
Who is the significant other in his life?
Margaret Amis-Hollings, new owner of River Peace.The Hero’s Relaxed Side
This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.
Relaxed backyard barbecue, with all the fixings and beer to drink. He likes smaller groups with close friends and easy conversation.
How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?
He’ll spend some time playing with the children running around, stand around the grill with the guys and shoot the breeze, and later sprawl in a deck chair at the fire pit holding hands with Margaret. He’s casual and comfortable, but also ready to help out when needed.
Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?
He’ll mingle and mix. Even in more formal situations he wouldn’t be allof. He’s very comfortable with who he is.
If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?
Beer. And not a fancy foreign brand. He’ll try a local microbrewery, but his usual choice is simply a Sam Adams or a Bud.
How much drink is his usual?
Aaron cares too much for family and friends to drink much. He’d never take a chance on hurting anyone through word or action by drinking too much. He might have a couple of beers but he’s just as happy with sweet tea.
The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?
He wouldn’t go to hide or to avoid anyone. And he wouldn’t go to drag someone back. He might go to check to be sure they’re okay—and in the case of youngsters, to be sure they aren’t getting ready to make trouble. ;)
Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?
He’s definitely the guy others migrate to. He’s intelligent and with a good sense of humor. Aaron is generally a really great guy but in his mind he’s just normal.
If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?
He’ll break it up. If the fight is verbal, he’ll try to calm things down by changing the subject. If the fight is physical, he’s big enough and strong enough to step in and force the combatants apart. At the kinds of parties he attends, there are often children around. Aaron wouldn’t put up with bad behavior around his kids or Margaret.
Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?
He would definitely do the tossing.
Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?
Nope, he’s a family man—and he was even before he met Margaret because he has parents and siblings nearby. He won’t stay late.The Hero’s Stressed Out Side
How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?
He might be exasperated but he’ll be polite and rational. He’s a scientist and engineer and staying calm and rational is part of his personality.
How does the hero react to hearing a scream?
He rushes to discover the cause.
If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?
Stopping the brutality.
If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?
He won’t hesitate to stop one person assaulting another. And if it’s a woman—or certainly a child—bearing the brunt of someone else’s anger, he’s likely to be a bit forceful when stopping the assaulter. Just to be sure he (she) stops acting badly, you understand.
This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?
Aaron doesn’t just fight with his fists, he fights with his intelligence, too. So first he makes sure the person he’s tried to rescue is away. Then he might try a fast escape himself. He’s no fool. Staying to fight a battle he can’t win if the first victim is gone, if not smart.
The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact in some way. What does he do?
He’s polite but not friendly. If things go too far he’ll be a bit terse and as soon as he can he’ll escape the situation.
Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?
Aaron isn’t one to jump in and undermine someone else. If he can he’ll speak to the younger person privately or he’ll deal with things as best he can without making a scene. On the other hand, he won’t be taken advantage of by being in an awkward situation. If things pass the point of politeness, he’ll excuse himself.
The hero is in physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does he tell himself in order to get through the situation?
“It’s all mind over matter. Get the job done and then you can rest.”
What mentor’s words come to mind in a bad situation?
“You can do whatever you have to do.”
What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?
Aaron has lived a pretty charmed life. He hasn’t had many upsets and no disasters that teach the hard lessons. But he recognizes that not all things are equal or fair. He changed his life in order to help make things as fair as possible for his family and community.
What one thing would you like readers to know about your hero?
He’s a really good guy. Margaret describes him as looking like Superman and he kind of fits the mold. There are some genuinely good people in the world, and Aaron is one of them. But he’s still fun and interesting. And sexy ;)Where to buy Passionate Destiny
Publisher http://liquidsilverpublishing.com/product/passionate-destiny/
Amazon http://tinyurl.com/yytslhcl
Barnes and Noble http://tinyurl.com/yyw6bo6h
Dee S Knight Social Media
A few years ago, Dee S Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That’s how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she’s lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret.
Website https://nomadauthors.com
Blog http://nomadauthors.com/blog
Twitter http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN
Newsletter (sample) https://preview.mailerlite.com/o2g1i0?fbclid=IwAR0COlyuPY-Hu30KTBdT092j_GZeuN5z4pc1LtsvHTyr6IbiSpsGqeIgT90
