“Death of a Boy” by Aja LaGrand Blount

Death of a Boy cover

Death of a Boy

Aja LaGrand Blount

Genre: Genre Fiction/African-American/Urban

2.99 at time of posting! Kindle Unlimited!

Life is hard for David Thrine. While some exaggerate their conditions, his life is a true testament of living a hard knock life.

At the age of thirteen, the only thing he can be grateful for is the roof over his head. But that’s all he has. There’s no food in the refrigerator. Every morning he awakes to the same grumbling he laid upon the night before. He has no clean clothes and no means to wash them. His mother doesn’t want him, and she makes sure he knows that on a regular basis. His biological father resides directly across the street with his mother’s ex-best friend. He also doesn’t want anything to do with him. Living under these conditions leaves David in a precarious situation.

Left to fend for himself, his chances of survival are slim unless he takes matters into his own hands. Set on overcoming these obstacles, he turns to the streets. What else does society expect from a teenager when his stomach touches his back, his mother sells the food stamps for cocaine, and he doesn’t know when his next meal will come?

At this point, what society expects means nothing. That’s until he meets a man who takes a genuine interest in his well-being. This man, knowing David’s background, takes him under his wing to show him a different life. David, falling into the crease of the man’s fold, soaks up every ounce of energy oozing from the man, while preparing for the future. Except, the Universe had other plans.

When the one person who could change his life is snatched away, David has to pick up that old shovel he sought to abandon and return to the streets to dig his own grave. He realized that his preparation for a different life has been an illusion. When headed back to reality, the grief associated with dancing with the Devil is heartbreaking. He’d been running the streets for far too long to know that the streets had no love for a young soul. The streets ultimately loved everyone who played in them accordingly. Aware of that, he anticipated having to sign over his adolescent rights to those very streets if he intended to make it another year. And in the end, it will be that signature that lays the foundation for his future.

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“Reckless: A Steamy Contemporary Romance Anthology”

Reckless cover

Reckless: A Steamy Contemporary Romance Anthology

Genre: Contemporary Romance Anthology

2.99 at time of posting! Kindle Unlimited!

FOUR swoon-worthy never before published, standalone stories. HEAs guaranteed.

You’ve done what’s expected.
You’ve stayed in the “good girl” lane.
How’s that working for you?

If you have a chance at falling in love . . .
Will you take matters into your hands?
Kiss a stranger with wild abandon?
Throw caution to the wind along with your clothes?

Don’t think about the consequences.
Dive into the forbidden, the off-limits.
Be fearless.
Be wild.
Be unpredictable.
Be reckless.

***Each novella in the Reckless anthology is an never before published, standalone story by Mika Jolie, Kylie Stewart, P M Carson, and Sharla Lovelace.

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Fibromyalgia and Suicide

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Fibromyalgia and suicide. It’s one of the main ways that fibromyalgia is fatal, as depression and anxiety are often present in fibromyalgia patients.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the muscles and tissues of the body, causing them to ache and become stiff. This pain can range from moderate to severe, and can cause pain and aches all over the body. This pain can be debilitating, and can cause people to become lonely, anxious and depressed. People with fibromyalgia suffer from pain that can be so bad, they do not want to leave their bed or even get dressed in the morning.  This is terribly sad, as people often begin to feel despair and loneliness. Which means there can be a higher coincidence of fibromyalgia and suicide, as in some cases, people with fibromyalgia lose the will to live, as their depression becomes more and more severe.

Fibromyalgia & Suicide

Although pain of fibromyalgia may bring great suffering to people- both mentally and physically- people need to work hard to maintain optimism and positive outlook. It is important to maintain as regular a schedule as possible, even if this schedule only takes place in the house and in the front or backyard of a person’s home.

This routine could be simple, including beginning the morning with a warm bath to loosen muscles, eating healthy meals, spending some time outside, and taking time to socialize with others. Maintaining a routine can take some of the exhaustion out of the day, as surprises and activities can be overwhelming for those who have fibromyalgia and are in a great amount of pain. People can have flare-ups that occur at any time, and therefore need to be prepared for their course of action if a flare-up should occur.  Maintaining a regular schedule as much as possible can help reduce fatigue.

Extreme fatigue is a symptom of fibromyalgia that can be debilitating.  This fatigue gets worse as sleeping gets more difficult due to pain. People who are very tired and not rested will have a difficult time waking up in the morning and carrying on with their day.

But this is why maintaining a schedule is so important- because tiredness is hard to kick. Waking up and going to bed at the same time can help, as can taking multiple breaks throughout the day to relax and recharge.

There are many different ways people choose to relax- they may listen to music, create art, play with a pet, or others. It is only important that a person identifies what relaxes them and brings them joy- and then do that activity as much as possible. It is important to maintain interests and hobbies, especially those that can be done at home or close to home.

Some people are naturally more social than others, and for these very social beings, it can be extremely difficult to deal with the pains of fibromyalgia and still maintain their very active social life.

But just because it is more difficult does not at all mean it is impossible.  People who are naturally social need to maintain social activities in order to keep their spirits up. Being around others is energizing for social people and cutting others off because of pain will be more harmful in the end. Having social activities nearby one’s house can be very beneficial.

If there is a restaurant nearby that a person enjoys, they should try to go there once or more a month, just to be in the world and around others, in an energetic environment. The same is true of people who love music, and enjoy seeing concerts and other live events.

Even though it may seem like the pain is too much to bear, it can be even worse to stay home in bed alone for days, weeks, and months on end. This is when depression strikes, and this is definitely not a place anyone wants to end up. It can be difficult to gain any energy to get out and participate in activities, but it is definitely possible and very beneficial.

If getting out of the house seems overwhelming, it is just as fair to invite a close friend over to the house for an hour or two, just to catch up and chat.

Speaking with friends and family, and maintaining regular positive contact is not only beneficial for those dealing with chronic pain, but is also necessary. It can be difficult to stay positive when experiencing so much pain, but people need to focus on maintaining positivity in their lives in whatever brings them happiness and joy.

Some people may enjoy socializing, while others may enjoy cooking, reading, listening to music, or millions of other things.  The most important thing to do is to continuously bring joyful activities into one’s life.

What are you suggestions for preventing incidents of fibromyalgia and suicide?

The preceding article is from RedOrbit.com and posted here for sharing purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

“A Cotswold Christmas (Willoughby Close Series Book 1)” by Kate Hewitt

A cotswold Christmas cover

A Cotswold Christmas (Willoughby Close Series Book 1)

by Kate Hewitt

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Holidays

FREE at time of posting!

Welcome to Wychwood-on-Lea… a not-too-quaint village where frosty evenings, welcoming fires, and second chances will make this a Christmas you’ll never forget.

Anna Vere has escaped to the Cotswolds for Christmas to try to heal from her broken engagement and, far worse, her broken dreams. When her reserved room at a bed & breakfast is flooded, she takes up the offer of camping out in Willoughby Close, the converted stables of the nearby manor house… and is taken under the wing of sexy local carpenter Colin Heath.

What starts out as merely helping a neighbor in need turns into far more as Colin and Anna share a surprisingly intense and emotional connection, weaving their own Christmas magic as they spend the holiday together. But Anna has a secret she’s scared to reveal, something that could destroy the fragile bond they’ve just created, and Colin knows she’s only in England for a short time. Can these two sudden soul mates risk their hearts for a love that has yet to be tried and tested?

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“The Andromeda Strain” by Michael Crichton

andromeda Strain cover

The Andromeda Strain

by Michael Crichton

Genre: Hard Science Fiction/Post-Apocalyptic

2.99 at time of posting!

From the author of Jurassic Park, Timeline, and Sphere comes a captivating thriller about a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism, which threatens to annihilate human life.

Five prominent biophysicists have warned the United States government that sterilization procedures for returning space probes may be inadequate to guarantee uncontaminated re-entry to the atmosphere. Two years later, a probe satellite falls to the earth and lands in a desolate region of northeastern Arizona. Nearby, in the town of Piedmont, bodies lie heaped and flung across the ground, faces locked in frozen surprise. What could cause such shock and fear? The terror has begun, and there is no telling where it will end.

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“From the Heart (Sandy Cove Series Book 5)” by Rosemary Hines

From the Heart cover

From the Heart (Sandy Cove Series Book 5)

by Rosemary Hines

Genre: Christian/Inspirational

FREE at time of posting! Kindle Unlimited!

After the loss of her husband, Joan struggles to stay afloat in a sea of grief. Then she discovers something that changes everything.

Married for decades to the man of her dreams, Joan suddenly finds herself alone and grappling with her future. Why should she go on? What purpose remains now that she is no longer a wife and partner in the ministry of her husband? She’s never experienced adult life without Phil by her side. The void he’s left behind is a chasm she sees no way around, until one day, she discovers that even in his death, Phil was looking out for her.

Join your Sandy Cove friends in a tale of love and unexpected gifts in this poignant and inspiring tale of starting over ~ From the Heart.

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