Characters Just Like Me #LongandShortReviews #BlogChallenge

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

This week's topic: Characters Who Remind Me of Myself and Why

Excluding my own books because I put a lot of myself into my characters, I've read books written by other authors that have resonated with me regarding their main characters. 

The first one that pops into my head is Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn. Oh, if Penelope Featherington isn't me, then I don't know who is! She's a shy wallflower who is considered plain, a bit overweight and has clothes that make her look...blech! She's intelligent, but quiet. No one ever really sees her. She's always in the background, never the center of attention. And trying to withhold certain spoilers, I'll just say that Penelope has a hobby of rather scandalous and witty writings that she keeps secret. I may not keep my writing as secret as Penelope, but Penelope Featherington is just like me! 

If only I found my Mr. Bridgerton like Penelope did! I love this story! It brought me to tears!

Another heroine that I fell in love with was Daphne Pembroke from Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase. She's another bookish heroine (I guess I have a type), who has a secret passion for studying languages and heiroglyphics. When her brother is kidnapped, she has to come out of seclusion to rescue him. So, she finds a man who will provide the brawn while she provides the brains. She's rather strait-laced, no-nonsense, insecure and self-conscious. But she's so much more inside, more than even she knows, and I enjoyed watching her discover this part about herself as well as the journey she makes with Rupert Carsington (who also remains one of my favorite heroes!). Since my pending divorce, I've discovered I'm more than I thought I was, too. Even if no one else can see it.

Stephanie Plum. Ha! I laugh just saying her name. From the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I don't look like her, I'm sure I'm not as brave as her, but so many parts of her life just mesh with mine that it's impossible to think of characters who remind me of myself without thinking of her. Her family is a lot like my family. Okay, neither of my Nana's were gun-toting grandmas, but if I could combine both of my grandmothers into one, I'd have Grandma Mazur for sure! And Stephanie's luck seems to be about the same as mine. Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. She sort of stumbles through life, doing the best she can and helping others along the way. She's always trying to get her bills paid with little income and no food ever seems to be in her kitchen. She's got some crazy and outlandish friends (you know who you are!) and her love life is always a mess. Yep, sounds a bit like me. Okay, so I don't have a Ranger and Joe Morelli do deal with (oh, if only!), but the rest feels spot on. I often feel if anyone did a movie of my life it would be a drama/comedy. What is that called these days? A dramedy?

Elinor Dashwood from Sense & Sensibility and Anne Elliot from Persuasion by Jane Austen. These two women pulled me into their stories like none other! They both were devoted to their families and had to be the responsible ones, taking care of everyone including their parents. They both were also taken for granted, expected to give up their dreams for the sake of caring for their families and the responsibilities forced upon them. Both had financial strains that left them destitute. 

They're both quiet, keenly intelligent, and often overlooked, being outshone by their prettier and more outgoing siblings. Both of their stories made me cry, especially when they both found their happily-ever-afters! They both deserved that incredible happiness!

When it comes to movies, the character who reminds me of myself is Evelyn Carnahan from The Mummy, starring Brenden Fraser and Rachel Weisz. She's another intelligent, bookish heroine who is quite comfortable with her life in a library studying ancient texts and languages. Being without parents, its come to her to take care of her brother, even with him old enough to take care of himself, she has a sense of honor, duty and family loyalty. She's also passionate and yearns for adventure. Although, she stumbles along and makes plenty of mistakes, often getting her into more trouble, but she has the bravery to keep going forward and at the end saves the day. I'm hoping to save the day one day, too. And find my own Rick O'Connell!

One more movie, then I'm done. Bad Moms. Oh, there's so much about this movie that resonated with me! I fall into a blend between the characters of Amy and Kiki. To the outside world, I had the illusion of a perfect life. A wonderful husband, nice house, great kids. But inside, my world was complete chaos. I was overworked, underappreciated and considered myself a married single mom since I had no support from my husband with raising our kids. With all the activities and responsibilities and being a caretaker for everyone, but having no one to take care of me, I'd often find myself sitting in my minivan after dropping my kids off at school, in my driveway where no one could see me and just sob until I had no more tears left. If you haven't watched this movie and you're a parent, I highly recommend it. It's hilarious and touching. Now, I haven't gone to the extreme as these moms have, I can't say that I haven't thought about it. But my life has gotten amazingly better since my husband left and I don't cry in the driveway anymore! I wrote a blog post that you can read here because this movie hit me so profoundly. Right in the feels! 

Phew! I know this was a lot and if you hung around to the end, you're my hero! This was fun and surprisingly therapeutic to write and gave me an insight into myself that I didn't think about before, so I want to thank Long and Short Reviews for suggesting this topic!

Be sure to check out the other blogger's suggestions at ...

I write sensual paranormal and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Sign-up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, writing tips, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!

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Beth-Ann Miller returns to her Tennessee mountain home to find chaos erupting between her family and their shape-shifting neighbors. Her father is convinced the were-cougar clan is responsible for the murders occurring in their area and interrogates one of the shifters, Boone Evans, her childhood sweetheart. When Boone declares several members of his shifter family have gone missing including his little brother, Beth-Ann suspects someone else is behind both the murders and abductions.

Boone never expected to see Beth-Ann again. When she frees him from her father's cabin and promises to help find his brother, Boone doesn't plan on rekindling their passionate love affair or facing the pain of past mistakes. Nor does he plan on coming face to face with the man responsible for altering his family's life forever.

With men hunting the were-cougars, can Beth-Ann and Boone risk all to have a future together? Or is loving Boone too high a price to pay? 

AMAZON

Writing is My Lifeline #IWSG #writingtherapy

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. 

The Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! 

IWSG Asks: How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something? 

Writing has become therapy for me since I was a teenager. My mother died when I was 11 and shortly after that my father abandoned me and my brother. Writing was the only way that I could cope with all the grief. I'd write stories about a girl in a similar situation, but I'd write a happy ending to her story. That was something I couldn't guarantee for myself, but I could in the stories that I wrote.

And recently, after years of trying to help my husband cope with a mental disorder, our marriage has fallen apart. I won't go into the nasty details, but he simply walked out and left. Since I'm a stay-at-home mom, I can't begin to tell you what sort of situation that puts me and my 4 children in. Despite being in an extremely difficult financial situation that often leaves me sleepless at night, I have one thing I can certainly rely on.

My writing.

Even if I don't ever publish another word, I will still write. After all of these years, I know that writing will never leave my life. This year, I focused more on my writing than I had in a long time, loosing myself in other worlds because I needed a respite from my own terrifying troubles. I finished more stories this year than I have in a long time. Three of those stories were recently published in these anthologies; Pirates: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, A Wink and a Smile and A Kiss and a Promise.

Writing has always made me feel better, so throughout every major life event, I always fell back to writing like it was my lifeline. Writing has always been like breathing to me. It's the one thing that helps me more than anything else. My only guarantee in a life filled with uncertainties.

And, I hope that one day I can make a decent income with my writing that I can properly support my family. My children deserve better. And, I believe that I deserve to be happy. Right now, more than anything, I want to see my writing career dreams fulfilled. And I'm more determined than ever to see that happen.

Be sure to visit the other writers in the 

Insecure Writer's Support Group!

I write sensual paranormal and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Become a VIP Reader by signing-up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, writing tips, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!

Happy Writing!
~ Tricia 

National Coloring Book Day! #creativity #relaxing #coloringbook

August 2nd is National Coloring Book Day! Yes, such a day does exist. There's a website and everything. I looked it up because I didn't believe it myself.

I am a huge advocate of adult coloring books! I've enjoyed coloring books since I was a kid, sitting at the kitchen table with crayons strewn about, sharing a page from my coloring book with my mom. I remember how I thought she colored so beautifully, staying carefully in the lines and making the picture on the page come alive! I continued coloring long after my friends stopped. It was something I enjoyed. Years ago, I felt a little strange buying kid's coloring books as an adult, especially when I didn't have any children of my own at the time, but now that the coloring book wave has hit, I fit right in!

People find coloring therapeutic. There's even neuroscience now that explains how coloring elicits a relaxing mindset and can reduce stress and anxiety. It allows us to focus on the art instead of dwelling on our life's problems. I've read that its considered another form of meditation.

We all need a little creativity to unwind from our busy days. It's another way to escape and enjoy our imaginations. So, take some time today, grab some colored pencils or crayons, pick a book, and lose yourself in a world of vibrant colors. 

Here's a look at some of my favorite coloring books as well as some new ones that are on the way.


Doctor Who Coloring Book

Lots of timey-wimey wibbley-wobbley creative pics to engage your imagination with our favorite time traveler!




Sherlock: The Mind Palace

The first official coloring book from the hit BBC series, filled with more than fifty intricate scenes and cast images from the show

The game is on . . .

Sherlock: The Mind Palace is a unique celebration of the rich visual landscape of the BBC series Sherlock, featuring more than fifty intricate pieces of artwork by artist Mike Collins. Recreate classic scenes, add color to intricate interiors, and illuminate the fascinating world of Sherlock with the power of your imagination.

A vital clue from each episode is hidden within the original black and white illustrations, and only by completing the scene can they be found. Fill Sherlock’s world with color and find the secrets hidden within The Mind Palace.

Supernatural

Based on WB’s hit show Supernatural, this deluxe coloring book features line art and patterns inspired by Dean, Sam, Castiel, and the monsters that they hunt.

The perfect gift for the aspiring hunter, this gorgeous coloring book is filled with detailed illustrations of the characters and creatures of Supernatural. From the rich black of the Winchesters’ car to the blood red of a devil’s trap, the world of Supernatural is yours to design and color. Featuring patterns inspired by Dean, Sam, Castiel, Crowley, and a host of angels, demons, and other creatures, these minutely detailed drawings offer hours of creative fun.

Serenity

 Join the crew of the Serenity on an adventure through the 'verse where you can relive your favorite moments from the Firefly series- and more! This stunning adult coloring book is filled with 45 detailed and completely original black-and-white illustrations for you to color however you desire.


Dark Horse enters the adult coloring book market in their ususal grand style with popular licensed properties and all-new, original art. The Serenity Adult Coloring Book is based on Joss Whedon's massively-popular Serenity/Firefly television series. Dark Horse also offers a full line of Serenity graphic novels.

And for those romance fans...



The World Debbie Macomber Come Home to Color 

From beloved author and Hallmark Channel favorite Debbie Macomber, this special adult coloring book features forty-five original illustrations depicting scenes from the Rose Harbor and Blossom Street series. Unplug and let the creativity flow!

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME

The heartwarming novels of Debbie Macomber are known for their colorful locales, cheerful themes, and inspiring messages, and that spirit of comfort and generosity is on display throughout this one-of-a-kind collector’s item. The World of Debbie Macomber: Come Home to Color is packed with black-and-white illustrations of intricate knitting images, soothing landscapes, and cozy scenes from the long-running Rose Harbor and Blossom Street series—all of which you bring to dazzling life. There’s no place like home—and there’s no coloring book quite like this one.