Stories that make you throw your eReader at the wall #amreading

December 17, 2017December 17, 2017 ~ Felicia Denise ~ 3 Comments

Karissa’s on full blast – Listen Up! 😉

Most of the time when I read a book I didn’t enjoy, I just move along and pick up another book without saying anything about it or leaving a review.

However, there are times when a book rouses very strong emotions and I’ve just gotta vent.

First of all, I’ve got to vent about stories that masquerade as romance novels.

Why do some authors label erotica as romance?

I read erotica. I’m not ashamed of it. But it pisses me off when I buy a book expecting a romantic story and get pure erotica instead.

Secondly, why do some writers equate being submissive to being spineless and senseless?

We get a female character who supposedly has her act together. But the minute she likes a male Dominant, her sanity and safety flies out of the window.

In this story, whose title I shall not mention, I was cringing and screaming…

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AWP Writers Club Has Moved! (Also 25% Off)

December 17, 2017December 17, 2017 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

Are you IN? I am! 😉

A Writer's Path

Hi all!

A Writer’s Path Writers Club has moved!

The previous platform I’ve been using has made some changes that I didn’t perceive to be positive to the atmosphere of the club, so I’ve decided to move it here, to this website.

Having it on my own website means that I can have far better influence on the experience and do even more to make it the best club it can be.

If you’ve checked out the Writers Club before, you’ll want to do it again. The scope of services and benefits have been revamped, some areas slimmed and some expanded, all to focus on what matters most. No more long registration and no more credit card on file stuff.

On top of that, the Writers Club is 25% less expensive than it was before.

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Backstory: The Most Important Sub-Plot You’ll Never Write

December 17, 2017December 17, 2017 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

Good tips here! Check out Matt Frick’s post on backstory… and his back! 😀 😀

A Writer's Path

by Matt Frick

I suffer from one of the more visible ailments of the Florida tourist. While this particular malady can afflict anyone, regardless of age, race, or sex, a recent non-scientific study at [insert name of beach here] determined those most susceptible were white males over the age of 40.

While I am a match for three of the four descriptors of this largest group, I am no longer a tourist, having established Florida residency over a year ago.

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#SongLyricSunday | Don’t Close Your Eyes Tonight – John Denver

December 17, 2017December 17, 2017 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

So nice, I did it twice! 😂😂😂 #SongLyricSunday

Felicia Denise, Author

Song Lyric Sunday banner

Song Lyric Sunday is hosted by Helen Vahdati over at This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time and all the rules can be found here.

The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “pretending”.

As always, you can go your own way and post a song that has nothing to do with the prompt. We’re all here sharing our love of music and lyrics, and most of all, having a great time!

Helen is teaming up with Simply Marquessa and this week’s SLS theme was inspired by her weekly #LyricalFictionFriday theme: “I think it’s so sweet…how you let your friends encourage you to try and talk to me…but let me stop you there…” from the song NO by Meghan Trainor.

“Don’t Close Your Eyes Tonight”
Written by Frank John Musker, Richard Kerr

There’s a tenderness that I feel, very real you see. I can…

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Believe in your dreams…

December 17, 2017December 16, 2017 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

Believe in your dreams

The Signs of Fibromyalgia

December 17, 2017December 16, 2017 ~ Felicia Denise ~ 2 Comments

Fibro Cloud

Fibromyalgia is a horrible condition to have to live with. That’s partly because of the fact that it causes chronic pain and fatigue and partly because of how hard it is to treat. And part of the reason that getting effective treatment for fibromyalgia is so difficult is that it often takes a long time to get a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. The early signs of fibromyalgia can be so subtle that it takes years before you actually get diagnosed and begin treatment.

That’s why it’s important to be aware of the signs that you might have fibromyalgia and see a qualified doctor right away. Starting treatment early gives you more time to find a medication that works for you. And it also means less time that you have to spend suffering for no reason. So what are the early signs of fibromyalgia? And how do you get a definite diagnosis?

Signs of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a condition that results in chronic pain and fatigue. So the most obvious signs of fibromyalgia are pain and fatigue. Obviously, because fibromyalgia develops slowly, that pain and fatigue may not be immediately obvious. Instead, the early signs of fibromyalgia are often more subtle than that.

Often, people first notice their fibromyalgia symptoms beginning with a numbness or tingling in the limbs. The feeling has been described as though there was a pinched nerve. You know the sort of feeling of pain and numbness that seems to radiate up your limbs? This feeling can be an early sign of fibromyalgia, but by itself isn’t really enough to suggest that you definitely have fibromyalgia.

Usually, fibromyalgia seems to progress with pain originating in the muscles. The pain then seems to radiate outward from a number of specific points near the neck or joints. This pain is probably the best early sign of fibromyalgia. It can range from mild discomfort to sudden crippling pain depending on the patient. But either way, in most cases this is the first sign of fibromyalgia that people notice. And when it gets severe enough, it is almost always the pain that sends people to the doctor for a diagnosis

But in addition to physical pain, there are a number of mental symptoms that serve as early warning signs of fibromyalgia. The most obvious one is chronic fatigue. While it’s perfectly normal to get run down during the day, people with fibromyalgia have constant and often nearly debilitating fatigue. Imagine not having slept for 24 hours and feeling like that every day no matter how much sleep you get. That’s the kind of fatigue that people with fibromyalgia deal with, so it’s easy to see how fibromyalgia fatigue can make your daily life difficult.

And in addition to that fatigue, there is also a sort of mental confusion that comes with fibromyalgia. People often refer to this as “fibro-fog,” and it often manifests itself in the form of difficulty with remembering basic details like people’s names or where you left things. Like pain and fatigue, this fibro-fog is one of the best early signs of fibromyalgia.

How Fibromyalgia Is Diagnosed

If you have these symptoms, you should check with a doctor as soon as possible. But be careful about which doctor you go to see. Many doctors don’t have a lot of experience working with fibromyalgia patients and may not be able to give you a diagnosis. You’re better off doing a bit of research to find a doctor who specializes in the condition in your area.

But once you do settle on a doctor, they will perform a basic diagnostic test for fibromyalgia. Doctors determine if you have fibromyalgia by checking to see if you have pain in eighteen specific tender points. These points are usually located along the base of the neck and near the joints on both sides of the body. Your doctor will press their thumb into these points and if you have pain in at least eleven of them then there’s a good chance you have fibromyalgia.

At that point, your doctor may want to perform additional tests to rule out any other possible causes before giving you a definitive diagnosis.

If you are diagnosed with fibromyalgia you’ll probably feel a bit confused and frightened at first. That’s a perfectly normal to feel after being diagnosed with a painful, chronic condition like fibromyalgia.

The preceding article is from FibromyalgiaTreating.com and posted here for sharing purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. For additional information, visit their website or consult your physician.

“Just Like the Bronte Sisters” by Laurel Osterkamp #Excerpt2 #Giveaway

December 17, 2017December 17, 2017 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

Just Like the Bronte Sisters banner

Title: Just Like the Bronte Sisters

Author: Laurel Osterkamp

Genre: Women’s Fiction/NA/Magical Realism

Sisters Skylar and Jo Beth adore skiing and they virtually share the same soul. After an accident, Jo Beth flees to Brazil, leaving Skylar behind in Colorado to obsessively read the Brontë sisters. While abroad, Jo Beth meets Mitch and her life takes some unexpected turns until tragedy leads free-spirited Mitch right into Skylar’s empty arms. With their Heathcliff/Catherine romance in full swing, Skylar wants to trust Mitch, but did he harm her sister? Loving Mitch could make Skylar lose everything. Just Like the Brontë Sisters is an unconventional romantic page-turner inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s My Cousin Rachel, full of magical realism, literary references, a ghost, and some healthy doses of suspense.

Excerpt #2

Mitch used tweezers to not-so-gently remove all the glass from Jo Beth’s skin. They sat in the bathroom, her atop the toilet with its lid down, and Mitch on the floor, his back leaning against the edge of the tub as he picked out the glass piece by piece, shard by shard, dropping each one into the wastebasket.

Occasionally he’d look up and his wide, dark eyes pooled with distress.

Jo Beth couldn’t keep silent. “Mitch, I swear that she started it. Magda hit me with that spoon and then she cut herself to make it seem like it was my fault.”

Mitch’s chest heaved up and down. He kept his eyes on her knees. “Jo Beth, you have to stop.”

“But I’m telling the truth.”

“Jo Beth!” His inhale was sharp like he’d just been hit. “Once the baby is born, we’ll leave. I don’t care where we go, but we’ll figure something out. Until then, you have to keep it together.”

“She’s still in love with you, Mitch.” Jo Beth could say this as loud as she wanted because Magda was out, having taken herself to the emergency room after Mitch said that her cut probably needed stitches.

Mitch vehemently shook his head. “No. It’s not like that. She dumped me.”

“Wait, what?” Jo Beth felt her brain synapses coil tightly in confusion. “I thought you said that your breakup was mutual.”

He dug the tweezers into the base of her ankle, right where some glass was lodged. Suddenly Jo Beth felt like he was playing that board game, Operation, and she was as real to him as the clownish cartoon character who needs gas bubbles removed from his stomach.

“No,” Mitch replied. “She decided it was time after I lost my ability to see through the blood-red cloud that surrounds her. That’s what happened.”

“Ouch!” Jo Beth yanked her foot away. His excavation attempts were just too vigorous. “What are you talking about? What blood-red cloud?”

Mitch grabbed her foot back and held it tight as he mined for more glass. “The one that surrounds Magda?” His tone was condescending and impatient, almost as bad as his nursing skills. “Don’t tell me you don’t see it.”

“Mitch…”

He wouldn’t look at her but stayed focused on his task.

“Mitch, you’re honestly telling me that a blood-red cloud hovers around Magda?”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I realize that not everyone can see it, but I can. I’ve always been able to see things that other people can’t. My ability is more a curse than a blessing.”

The pressure behind Jo Beth’s eyes was uncomfortable, just like the pricking of Mitch’s tweezers. Could he possibly be for real? “Why haven’t you ever mentioned this before?”

“Magda wanted it to be our secret,” he said simply. “But things changed, she broke up with me, and it was fine. There was no tidal wave, no crisis, she didn’t disappear, and we stayed friends.” Mitch finally dislodged the last pieces of glass and after depositing them in the trash can, he dropped the tweezers like he was dropping a microphone. “And I love you, Jo. But you have to stop acting so crazy.”

She had to stop acting so crazy? Jo Beth just nodded and gripped the edges of the toilet beneath her. How could one little statement from this man change everything?

she kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks for taking such good care of me.”

Jo Beth went to bed and lay there until she heard Magda come in, and then there was the sound of their voices speaking in low, romantic tones. Were they kissing? Had they been intimate with each other this entire time? She was surprised to realize that she didn’t even care. But when Jo Beth was sure they were too consumed with each other’s company to worry about her, she got out her cell phone, hid under the covers so her voice would be muffled, and called Skylar. It was the middle of the night where she was, so Jo Beth thought for sure she’d answer, but it went straight to voicemail.

“Sky,” Jo Beth whispered. “You have to believe me because Mom doesn’t. Magda and Mitch have charmed her into believing that they’re innocent. But I know the truth. Magda is an evil bitch and Mitch is crazy.” She took a deep breath, trying not to feel claustrophobic underneath the covers. “I’m actually sort of relieved,” she continued. “Maybe Mitch actually does love me. Maybe’s it’s not his fault that he’s insane. I don’t know how long he’s been like this, maybe his whole life, but it explains everything. It explains why I can’t trust him.” She tried to keep her tears out of her voice. She had to stay strong. “Skylar, where are you? Why didn’t you come? I have to get myself and my baby away from Mitch. Once she’s born I’m going to leave and I’ll need your help. Promise that you’ll help me.” She took a deep sniff. “We need to talk in person. I don’t know how that will happen, but just know that I love you. You’re my favorite and I love you best of all.”

She pressed end, emerged from the covers, and sat up. Then she reached under the bed and removed the knife she’d kept beneath the mattress for over two weeks. Jo Beth gripped it in her sweaty hand, wondering if she was capable of murder, or if her subconscious just liked to pretend. Hell. She was pretty sure she was capable. The bigger question was whether she was up for the effort that murder required. Exhaustion slowly dripped through her, turning her muscles and mind to slush. She must have fallen asleep with the knife still in her grip because after what seemed like hours, she woke to Mitch’s face looming above hers.

“Why are you holding a knife?” His voice was sharp, like the blade she clutched.

“Huh?”

He took the knife from her and her breath caught. If he wanted to kill her, right here, right now, there was no stopping him. “Are you afraid of me, Jo Beth?”

She pushed him away and struggled into a sitting position. “No, Mitch. I’m not afraid of you. But I think we should break up.”

“What?”

“As soon as I have the baby I’m going home with my mom.”

Mitch closed his eyes and fell back against the bed. “You can’t do that,” he whispered.

She took the knife from his hand and he let it go without protest. “Yeah, I can.”

His eyes rolled toward the ceiling. “So much water,” he said, holding out his palms as if to catch a nonexistent flood. “Like the roof is crying.”

“Mitch…” She placed her hand on his shoulder. He sat up abruptly and swiped back the knife. “Why can’t we just be okay? Is that too much to ask?”

Suddenly Jo Beth was afraid, but not of Mitch. There was a flood, but it wasn’t coming from the roof. It came from between her legs. “Mitch!” she cried. “Stop being delusional. My water just broke.”

~ GIVEAWAY ~

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Laurel Osterkamp is a Kindle Scout/award-winning author of women’s fiction and suspense. Her “day job” is as at Columbia Heights High School, where she teaches creative writing, college writing, and AP Lit. She resides in Minneapolis with her husband, two chatty children, an overweight cat, a gecko, and a hissing cockroach (don’t ask). Her other loves include chocolate, jogging, and boots.