WITCHES, MONSTERS, AND A TRIBAL JOURNEY .... OH, MY....

HI, Everyone...

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I have been a bit under the weather. Getting better each day and I should be ready to ROCK by tomorrow. TONIGHT... In bed resting and READING. I know, real exciting, right?  Well it is! E.J. Wesley's Second book in the BLOOD FUGUE series is OUT! And I have my hot, little copy on my kindle ready to start!

HOW about you? NEED a GREAT READ FOR THE NEW YEAR?

E.J. is kind enough to give us a little taste, just to wet our appetites .... So let's show E.L. some blogger love!

~Description~

After receiving an ancient tribal journal from her grandfather, Jenny is sent on a mission of discovery in an attempt to unravel clues to her family's monster hunting past. The journey becomes more than academic when she is asked to confront a coven of dangerous witches who plan to cast an insidious spell on the plains of West Texas. 

Witch's Nocturne is the second of the Moonsongs Books, a series of New Adult, paranormal-horror-action novelettes--with a Texas twist--by author E.J. Wesley. 

~Excerpt~

My fingers tapped out an excited, tuneless rhythm on the steering wheel as I drove Beauty, my licorice black 4x4 truck, across town. Maybe the sudden change in the weather and the influx of warm, November sunshine brightened the gorgeous day and my spirits in equal measure. Or maybe, God help me, I was happy to be on my way to see Marshal again. Regardless, I couldn’t recall the last time a day held so much hope, like I’d been given a cheat code for infinite possibilities.

“How’s life?” Marshal asked, foisting himself into the cab of the truck.

He placed a brown, leather satchel between his feet on the floorboard. Marshal stared at me over the top of a pair of oversized, mirrored sunglasses. Combined with the plaid shorts, flip flops and pink polo shirt with a crocodile on it, he appeared to be beach ready. Or headed to a photo shoot for a store I wouldn’t be caught dead in.

“Fast.” I grinned and revved the engine.

He gave me a worried look, rushing to buckle his seatbelt. “You can’t afford another ticket.”

“Relax, Mr. Public Safety. I was kidding. Mostly. Where we headed?”

He patted the saddlebag between his legs. “I’ve gone through everything in here fifty times and have more questions than when I started. I wanted to go to the college library, try to learn more about your grandfather's tribe. Find some language books.” “So, we go to the library and learn about the tribe and the journal. Shouldn't be too hard. Texas is chock full of Native American history. I imagine there'll be lots of stuff on the Apache at a big university.”

Marshal shook his head, his spiky blond hair staying perfectly still.

“It won’t be that easy. Apache was a catchall term given to several tribes. They were nomads. Historians had a devil of a time trying to keep track of any one group—not to mention they weren't exactly friendly to outsiders. The name Apache was given to most of the warring, wandering tribes in the area.”

“Knew my cuddly personality couldn’t be all my own doing. How’ll we know which specific tribe Gramps belonged to?”

I turned onto the state highway that would lead us to Lubbock. It'd take us about an hour to get there, assuming there was no traffic. By traffic I meant some old farmer taking up both lanes of the highway with his tractor.

Marshal pulled the journal from the bag and flipped open the front cover. He held the book up, pointing to the inside corner.

“I think it's this.”

The word Navezgane had been branded into the leather.

“Cool. Wonder what it means?”

I started to make a joke about the word hopefully not translating to Squats-in-Woods or something. One glance at Marshal’s troubled face told me I was going to like the real name a lot less. 

“I looked it up online. The word means killer of monsters.”

***

~Witch's Nocturne is available now~

Amazon     Smashwords (ePub & PDF)

***

~Blood Fugue, Moonsongs Book 1, is also available~

Amazon (Free to borrow for Amazon Prime members.)

(Note: These stories contain some language and content better suited for mature readers.)

~About the Author~

E.J. lives in South Texas. He likes his words and food spicy, and tries to give a little extra 'kick' to the stories he writes. He enjoys reading horror, sci-fi, YA, MG, New Adult--basically anything with words. In true Texas fashion, E.J. is very neighborly, and welcomes you to say 'howdy' at:

Goodreads     Twitter     Facebook     Blog

*** SHORT BLOG POST (COPY/PASTE EVERYTHING BETWEEN THE ***) ***

Description: After receiving an ancient tribal journal from her grandfather, Jenny is sent on a mission of discovery in an attempt to unravel clues to her family's monster hunting past. The journey becomes more than academic when she is asked to confront a coven of dangerous witches who plan to cast an insidious spell on the plains of West Texas. 

Witch's Nocturne is the second of the Moonsongs Books, a series of New Adult, paranormal-horror-action novelettes--with a Texas twist--by author E.J. Wesley. 

Witch's Nocturne is available now:

Amazon     Smashwords (ePub & PDF)

Blood Fugue, Moonsongs Book 1, is also available:

Amazon (Free to borrow for Amazon Prime members.)

(Note: These stories contain some language and content better suited for mature readers.)
***

I would like to also take this time to thank ALL of you for your friendship, advice, support, and most of all KINDNESS. Our literary journeys are very difficult at times, and it's so nice to know that you are all there to keep me company and on track. I LOVE all of you .... REALLY! I hope to be a better blogger/friend this year. 2012 was a very stressful year for me, taking me away from home and all of you for five months while working in Florida. This year my obligations will be focused on my WRITING and keeping in touch.

I WISH you only AMAZING things for 2013. And if .... it's not as wonderful as it could be, just remember we have EACH OTHER to pull through another year. SENDING ALL OF YOU a BIG CYBER HUG!!!!!!

Health update.... FELLING MUCH BETTER for New Year's Day!

DECK THE HALLS .... AND EVERYTHING ELSE ... IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS WEEKEND EVERYONE!

With Christmas only a few short days away, I finally managed to complete my decorating venture and managed to bake almost ALL of my goodies for this festive time of year.

My Christmas post features my home and some of my traditional baked goods. This is also a blogfest entry for the Romantic Friday Writers. Create a post of ANYTHING that has to do with HOLIDAY SPIRIT.

Our host Denise Covey, and Donna Hole have the linky open, so you can still post yours if you wish.

Merry Christmas and welcome to my home!

I will start with a tour of my condo, located on the lake front in Chicago, IL. As many of you know I have just created an amazing office to do my writing, illustrating, or anything else creative. It also doubles as a guest room. So feel free to drop in anytime.

The entry welcomes you with lovely traditional red poinsettias draped on an antique grandfather clock. I believe that every space should feature some holiday decor. Why just limit it to the living room? Guests want to feel festive throughout a whole space.

The gallery features built-ins of rosewood and glass. How could anyone who celebrates Christmas not have a nativity scene?

I wanted to have a rustic, authentic feel to mine. Made of papier mache', I added in raffia and twigs to create the stable. A spot light illuminates the scene as the north star had at Christ's birth.

The next showcase features Santa, his sleigh, and a few of his reindeer friends. The upper shelf glitters with golden pinecones, a bit of crystal and candles. The crystal glistens from the glowing spot.

Displaying anything behind glass gives your decor a more polished and professional look.

Remember your kitchen is the heart of you home, so have baked goods at the ready. Feature holiday plates and subtle accessories that will not clutter you kitchen, but enhance it.

Don't forget to have a bit of whimsy too. An Anna Lee baker just happens to be overseeing the whole kitchen.

How do you like my fantastic new espresso/cappuccino maker? A nice bright red, perfect of the holiday season. Pops of color in a kitchen breathes life into the space!

The dining area should be simple, elegant, and functional. Keeping the table free from too much decoration is a wise choice. You don't want to have to move everything off the table every time you use it.

Placing a few festive candles, placemats, and perhaps a simple centerpiece. I chose to use a three-tiered display piece. As soon as I finish baking the Christmas cookies I will add them to the candies. By doing this it is east to immediately have some sweet at hand for any unexpected company.

One thing to remember when holiday decorating .... always have a sprinkle of Christmas around the room, but subtlety is the key.

In the master bedroom, I concentrated mainly on two surfaces. The table in from of the bed and on top of the turn-of-the-century armoire. (to the right of the table.)

Since my bedroom is period and more "old world," I used hand carved wooded nutcrackers and smokers set with a spray of everygreen. The holly garland adds a nice draped softness to the table. In the center of the poster, a potpourri ball adds a subtle spiced apple scent wafting through the room.

The top of an armoire is a perfect place to create a dramatic vignette. An old world santa and his elves are busy decorating the evergreens. Imagine the brass trumpets singing out a festive carol. 

Remember, it's all in the details. Decorating is jus like writing!

Why not take in all the festive elements, 

even while lounging in your bedroom. 

Many an hour is spent here.

The living room is your show room .... Let is truly represent your spirit! Since I no longer have a Grand space, opting to split my space into two rooms, I needed to create a feeling of coziness. Placing a huge evergreen in this space would have overpowered it. That is why I decided to make my tree out of tree branches. 

I decorated the sideboard with all crystal and glass items to keep it light and bright. Only a set of candles and a small fragrant dish dress the coffee table. Under the buffet, I hand made the snow family and tree skirt. I do love my crafts... LOL.

From this pic, the tree almost blends away... but in person, it's delicate and whimsical. The close ups below say it all.

IT'S ALL IN THE SPARKLE....

I always like the viewers eye to move throughout the "whole" space, and that includes the floor. To the entry of the final room on this tour, I placed two vignettes, one on each side. I love old world Christmas, so a few elves slumbering under a lit ceramic tree circa 1970's accompanied with a Steiff teddy bear (A classic toy) and the mink bear I made is quite appropriate for this time of year.

The office is probably the coziest room in the house. When I created this space only a few short months ago by splitting my oversized living room, I wanted a space that I could let my creativity flow.

This space I kept to a minimal only decorating the fireplace and placing a small vintage santa an reindeer on my desk.

Another vintage santa holds court on the day bed. The fireplace is festooned with a sting of holly garland along with two Dr. Suess-like stockings that I made after creating similar ones for a close blogger friends' children. I loved them SO much I had to have some for me. LOL. 

This fireplace is my favorite feature in this space. The great thing is, anyone can have a fireplace. this is a decorative one, but burns jel. So it creates real flames and crackles. It burns cleanly, so no muss or fuss. You can find them on line. This one I bought from a Spiegel catalogue eight years ago when I first moved into this condo.

On the floor, I have my treasured signed children's books, a plant and a charming view from my desk into the living room.

Well, friends that concludes the HOLIDAY DECOR TOUR. Now are you ready for a YUMMY recipe?

One of my FAVORITE things to make during the holidays is my Pumpkin, pecan rum cake. I found this recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens baking pamphlet. It's not really a book. Curious, very curious. BUT it has the most AMAZING recipes in it.

This is what it looks like when done. It smells as incredible as it looks.

Now you can use any type of mold, this one is your basic Corning ware. Anything round will do.

At the end I will show it in a different presentation.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of chopped pecans (I use more... I love pecans)

3 cups of all purpose flour (in the first batch I made I forgot to add about a cups worth of flour. I still baked it anyway since I hadn't discovered the error until I had the batter already in the forms. It came out lighter and even more delicious. Either way is amazing.)

2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

11/4 cups of butter ( 2 1/2 sticks), divided / softened

11/2 of granulated sugar, divided ( I cut the sugar down. I like it less sweet. If you do as well cut out the half cup.)

1 cup of brown sugar ... packed. (I used 3/4 of a cup)

4 large eggs

1    15 oz. can of pumpkin

I teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of water

2 to 3 tablespoons of dark rum (add more if you like the taste of rum... I did. LOL) I also put rum in the batter... JUST throw some in... I never measure. LOL.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease pan(s). They recommend a tube pan, but you can use any from, I even made them into cupcakes.

Sprinkle pecans on bottom.

Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.

Beat 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and brown sugar in large mixing bowl (use less sugar amounts of 1/2 and 3/4 if you so desire) until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beat well; add pumpkin and vanilla extract (and rum,,, ); beat well. 

Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, 1/3 at a time; beat well. Spoon batter into pan(s).

Bake for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. ALWAYS check because each oven is different and it also depends on the forms you are using. Cupcakes take less time, Deeper pans a bit more. Cool ten minutes on rack.

Melt remaining butter in small sauce pan; stir in remaining granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in rum. Make holes in cake with a long pick. Spoon on half of the mixture onto the cake. Let stand for five minutes. 

Invert onto decorative plate. Carefully make holes in top of cake and pour mixture over cake. (don't disturb the nuts too much. I generally just spoon it on and let it soak by itself.) 

Cool. 

When the cake is still just a bit warm ... just a bit. I wrap in plastic. It keeps the cake super moist for a longer period. 

This is what it looks like in a tube type form.

If you like it more "rummy," just add more rum with to the glaze. Be careful though, you don't want the cake to be too saturated or it will fall apart. 

ENJOY!

Well everyone. Thank you SO much for dropping by and letting me share my traditions with you. I know this was a very LONG post, so thanks again. I wish all you you the HAPPIEST and HEALTHIEST holiday. This time of year is all about sharing with friends and family. I think of all of you as part of my family, since mine is scattered and my parents are no long with me. You mean the world to me.                                                             HAPPY HOLIDAYS! May they be as MAGICAL as you DESERVE!

Hi, It's me again, I just realized I still would like to post a Christmas excerpt from my first novel, AMBER and the WHISPERING WILLOWS. For those of you who have the time, I hope you enjoy it. I am in the process of doing a tweaking on it to submit in the beginning of 2013. I also illustrated the whole manuscript.

Twin Noble pine trees, one on each side of the staircase, graced the grand foyer as Amber entered the following morning. They towered past the upstairs landing, as hundreds of lights draped on each and every branch. To Amber’s astonishment, dozens of oversized plastic containers lined the grand hall, filled to the rim with the most beautiful Christmas decorations she had ever seen.  

 Nina unpacked the first box filled with dozens of Krinkles ornaments. Amber liked their whimsy: different animals and elf-like characters painted in vibrant colors, wearing oversized shoes and zany outfits — even tutu’s. 

“These are my absolute favorites!” Nina gushed.

Box after box they opened, decorating the various rooms. After several hours, Phipps served lunch in the conservatory.

The rest of the afternoon they decorated the seven mantels in the house. Nina wove holly and mistletoe throughout fresh pine branches and then draped them along the mantel’s edge. By the time they had finished the last one in Nina’s room, they both collapsed on her bed exhausted. 

After breakfast the following morning, Mr. and Mrs. Landau joined Amber and Nina in the grand foyer. They spent the whole morning unpacking boxes of ornaments for the tree: Austrian glass blown ornaments, angel ornaments, musical instrument ornaments ... plus all the partridges, drummers, reindeers, and so forth from FAO Schwartz. 

Amber felt like one of the family. She loved her uncle and Justin, of course, but it was nice to be part of a family with a mother and father. She and Nina laughed for hours, running up the stairs decorating the upper parts of the trees. 

Mr. Landau joined in the fun, climbing the huge ladder to decorate the parts of the tree that couldn’t be reached by the staircase.

By late afternoon, Mrs. Landau draped the last of bead and pearl garlands, and then trimmed every branch with an individual strand of tinsel. 

Mrs. Landau opened the last box: two cut crystal stars reflected colorful spheres of light. She handed one star to Nina and the other to Amber. 

“Two twinkling stars — for my two twinkling stars!”  

Mr. Landau positioned the ladder. “Who’s first?” he asked. “Nina, how about you?” 

Nina blanched. “Not me. Guests first.” She smiled at Amber.

“Okay.” Amber stepped onto the first rung. Mr. Landau held the ladder in place. She sailed up the ladder, placed the star on top of the tree, and came to rest on the third rung. 

Nina shook her head. “How do you do that? You made that look so easy!”

Both Mr. and Mrs. Landau laughed.

“Your turn,” Amber said, sheepishly. She leapt off the latter, landing as light as a snowflake. 

Mr. Landau moved the ladder to the other tree. Nina lost the pink in her cheeks. 

“It’s okay, Nina. I’ll do it for you,” he said.

“No! If Amber can. I can.”  

Nina stepped on the first rung. Mr. Landau held the ladder in place. One rung at a time, Nina shakily climbed the ladder. Amber watched her every step. Nina made it to the top, wobbled a bit, and placed the star on top of the tree. Mr. and Mrs. Landau applauded. 

“No problem!” 

She bowed and lost her balance. Screaming, she headed toward the hard marble floor. 

Mrs. Landau shrieked. 

Amber focused on conjuring an air barrier in front of the tree. Nina hit the barrier and cradled into it. The Landaus stood in stunned silence. 

Nina, on the other hand, leapt up exclaiming, “That was so cool! Thanks, Amber!” She ran to Amber and hugged her. Nina turned to face her parents. “Mom — Dad, I’m fine — it was fun!” 

“W-w-what h-happened?” Mr. Landau croaked, his eyes bulging. 

Mrs. Landau came to her senses. “Miles, dear, it’s all right. Nina is safe.”

“I-I still don’t understand. W-What just happened?”

Amber knew that she would be discovered. What choice did I have? Nina was in danger — I had to do something.

“Mr. Landau, I-I ...” 

“Amber, let me,” Nina said. 

“Wait, Nina — I think it is time to tell your father the truth. Miles, dear, let’s go into the library and I’ll explain everything to you. Nina, please, take Amber to your room and call Mr. Sanders. It’s late, and she should be getting home.” Mrs. Landau smiled at Amber. 

Nina grabbed Amber’s hand and led her to her room. “Dad will be okay. Mom is good at smoothing things over.”

Amber raised a brow. “If you say so.”

An hour later, Uncle Paul pulled into the drive. The quaint little house looked alive with Christmas spirit. Amber’s eyes widened. Carefully strung icicle lights hung from the pitched eaves. Colored twinkle lights lit up the shrubs lining the front porch. Tiny white lights flashed like diamonds, reflecting off the snow. Two, five-foot high, lit snowmen flanked the front door, welcoming visitors. 

Amber marveled at the eight reindeer pulling Santa and his sleigh, lighting up the entire roof.

Uncle Paul faced Amber. “Not too shabby, is it?” He grinned.

“Awesome,” she uttered. 

CAVANAUGH .... THE ULTIMATE ALEX BLOGFEST

Hi all,

Welcome to THE ULTIMATE BLOGFEST.... Today we are honoring our friend and Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Blogger pals, Mark Koopman, Morgan Shamy, Stephen Tremp, and David Powers King are our hosts. So, make sure you drop by their blogs to say HI, and sign up! Honor our friend, Alex!

To join in the fun, all you need to do is answer these four questions ... and use these prompts ... Cavanaugh-Ninja-IWSG-Cosbolt-guitar.

And if you have a free moment, why not thank Mrs. Cavanaugh for sharing Alex with us... THANK YOU, MRS. CAVANAUGH... You are super sweet and ultimately patient to share Alex with us. We really do appreciate it! You must be just as special as him.

Now, here are the questions and MY answers ...

What does Alex look like?

I am always intrigued by bloggers who don’t post their picture. As for Alex, I see him as average height... oh, about five foot ten and a half. Tone, but not muscular. He plays the guitar ... and they are never super buffed.

Dark, but warm eyes. A dusting of grey on dark brow hair. And finally a single dimpled smile, with just a trace of laugh lines around the eyes. That’s how I picture our Ninja Captain.

Who could play Alex in a documentary? 

Hmm ... that’s tough. I am thinking Mark Ruffalo.

Who does Alex remind me of? 

Actually, no one. Alex is unique and one of a kind.

Flash Fiction:

Hushed fans hold their breath as nimble figures caress and strum a vintage 1968 Stratocaster guitar. No, it’s not Jimmy Hendrix ... it’s the one-and-only Ninja Captain Cavanaugh wailing the metallic masterpiece. 

Long gone are the days of writing space operas about Byron piloting Cosbolt and hosting the ISWG on his blog. 2000 mourning writers are now replaced by millions of heavy metal fans, lining up the night before to wait on line to buy a treasured ticket. 

Could he be happy in this new life? loved by music fans world wide? Or, could he possibly miss the writing community? What say you, Alex?

So, there you have it, My tribute to my buddy Alex. Thanks for all the support, care, and love you have given us over the years. TO YOU, ALEX! Enjoy your day!

Thanks for stopping by everyone. I will see around the blogosphere today visiting and honoring Alex. I am sure I'll see you there!

BELATED, BUT STILL ON TIME .... IWSG .... TACKLING THEM WITH A VENGEANCE ....

Hi, All,

I had a good reason to wait on this post, I wanted my previous post about BULLYING to have as much exposure as it could get. If you hadn't had a chance, PLEASE scroll down after reading my IWSG .... It takes a bit longer, but it's important reading.

Like SO many of us unpublished authors, I have my bouts of insecurities almost on a daily basis. I have kept myself so busy with other projects, IGNORING my writing and hoping that I would jump right back into it. I have several projects that need my attention, but I have chosen to concentrate on Christmas instead. Such a GREAT excuse ... right? WRONG! Escaping and making excuses is NOT the way to handle your insecurities.

I am RIGHT THERE WITH YOU .... such an EASY COP OUT! Don't fall into my pit. CRAWL OUT! I am digging my way out just by writing this post. I see the words I am writing and I HOPE and PRAY they are soaking into my brain. My excuses have run out. Have yours? It's time to TACKLE THEM like some 260 pound Line backer. Put on the shoulder pads, helmet, and team jersey and RUN HEAD ON!

I am happy to say I have finished the handmade gifts and sent them out into the world. I still haven't put up one Christmas decoration, or put a dent in my holiday baking ... BUT ... I plan to TACKLE my first insecurity tomorrow. I am geared up and ready. I am fortunate enough to have two AMAZING blogger friends waiting for my revision of my first novel to help me pull it together. I also have an author friend's daughter, who just happens to be my target audiences age, waiting to read it. I have to give myself the much needed "Kick in the butt".... Or you guys can ... I can take it.

After THREE years working on this story, something in the beginning still seems to be off. It has gone through at least fifty or more transformations, but I REFUSE to give up on it. It's a story I believe in and so do many others.

SO there it is .... The NASTY, LITTLE BOOGER has gotten me. Now I need to shake it off! IT'S TIME! We all need some space sometimes, but most of us pick up a new writing project. IF that is you.... then it's not insecurity, it's giving your WIP time to breathe. That's a good thing. It is INSECURITY when you are not writing more than the occasional post. GUILTY.... Turning beet red, and lowers head in shame.

BUT NO MORE. Raises head with a determined look.

So, how many have you fallen into the pit and can't get out? WE ARE HEAR! You are NOT ALONE! Let us help each other see the bright blue sky again. It's almost midnight, but I see a glimmer. You will too. Hang in there. As my buddy and our Ninja Captain Alex honored me by choosing me for the "T" in his A-Z  Challenge post ... I must live up to it, so call me TENACIOUS....

Thanks Alex for believing in me. Whenever the going get's tough, I think of your kindness.

Have a wonderful rest of week everyone, and if you have a few more minutes don't forget to check out my previous post. Thanks again everyone!

SPEAK OUT AGAINST BULLYING ....

Hi, all,

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season. It certainly is a time for joy and celebration. Since most of you know that I truly believe in positive thinking, there are times when we must be aware of certain atrocities in life ... for one ... bullying. This negative action has become COMPLETELY out of control. I have read about bullied children committing suicide! This must STOP! We must ALL be aware and prepare our children.

Sadly bullying happens EVERYWHERE. Not only in the schoolyards, but also in the home. This kind of abuse is much more common than you could ever imagine. So today I am host to my very good friend and amazing author Susan Oloier and her newest novel OUTCAST. Also today is a character interview with  Rebecca Green Gasper's book BREAK FROM YOU.

So please show your support and be AWARE of bullying.... SPEAK OUT AGAINST IT!


Here's the blurb from OUTCAST ...

Noelle dreams of a different life, one where Trina Brockwell doesn’t exist. Trina has bullied Noelle since junior high. Now she’s tired of it. With the help of her black-sheep aunt and a defiant new classmate, Noelle seeks revenge. But vengeance comes with a price: Noelle risks friendship, her first love, and herself to get back at those who have wronged her.

You can find Susan's book on these sites ...

Amazon

Smashwords

Blog

Goodreads

Moxie Writers

Here is the blurb from BREAK FROM YOU...

Love shouldn’t hurt this much…Brooke Myers wants to believe she has it all: the perfect guy, the perfect relationship, the perfect life. She wants to believe it so much that she's willing to overlook the fear, the isolation, and the pain her boyfriend has caused her. She knows it isn't right but tells herself that love isn't always easy. However, when a fire destroys the restaurant during homecoming dinner, she forms an instant bond with the boy who saves her, one her boyfriend wouldn’t like. With the pain of a concussion reminding her of how bad things can get, she is forced to re-evaluate the relationship she has with her boyfriend and face the ghosts that haunt her. Brooke once believed love was all it took…but is it enough? Is it truly love when you've lost yourself in it?

  Now for the interview...

Outcast’s Noelle Stark interviews Brooke Myers from Break from You

Noelle: Brooke, you’ve really shown a vulnerable side in Break from You. How does it feel knowing the entire world can read the story of your life and the details of your relationship with Drew?

Brooke: I guess it’s a good thing. I need to share my story. Can I ask you the same thing? How do you feel knowing the world will hear your story and the details of your family, your life?

Noelle: Well, I’m not proud of some of the things I’ve done. And at times I feel like the Kardashians, letting the whole world into my private business. But I think other teens can learn from my mistakes. That being said, what words of wisdom would you share with another girl who’s going through dating abuse? 

Brooke: Get help. Talk to your parents. And listen to your friends. What about you when it comes to bullying and revenge? 

Noelle: Revenge comes with a price. Sometimes a big one. Looking back, I think there are other answers to deal with bullying like find supportive people, reach out, and certainly rise above. I was wondering as I read Break from You, what about Drew made you stay with him? I mean, he pushed you and hurt you in all sorts of ways. There must be a reason. 

Brooke: Being with Drew is amazing. He’s amazing in so many ways. It’s easy to look past all the bad stuff. He loves me and I love him.

Noelle: Do you think of Drew as a bully? Whether your answer’s yes or no—tell us why.

Brooke: I don’t think so. It’s hard for me to think of Drew badly. But I know that Cooper, Dylan, and Jackie would answer yes to this question. Bullying is intimidating someone, either emotionally or with force, and they would say Drew did this to me. You have a lot of experience with bullies. Do you think Drew was a bully?

Noelle: Actually, I do. He and Trina would have made a great couple. Tell us about Cooper. He sounds pretty hot with his Stetson and way with horses. 

Brooke: I was drawn to Cooper from the moment I stared into his green eyes. There’s something about him that makes me feel safe and protected. I’ve never felt that way before. And he is pretty hot with the cowboy hat on. 

Noelle: If you could turn back time, knowing what you know now, would you still be Drew’s girlfriend?

Brooke: I don’t know. I really don’t. I love Drew and I’m not sure I would want to lose all the good times I had with him. Do you ever wish you could turn back time and change things? 

Noelle: Absolutely. More than you know. Seriously, that was just a little too deep. Let’s move on to something fun. Who do you like better? Robert Pattinson or Justin Bieber?

Brooke: 

Do I have to choose between them? 

Noelle: Um, yeah.

Brooke: I guess Robert Pattinson then. 

Noelle: If you were forced to go on a long road trip with your parents and their music, would you rather listen to the Rolling Stones or The Beatles?

Brooke: I don’t think my parents listened to either of those. I get stuck with old country songs.

Noelle: Ah, a country girl. I’m totally a city girl. Who would you choose as your dance partner on Dancing with the Stars? If you don’t watch the show, look up the pictures of the dance pros online. There’s no copping out of this one.

Brooke: Okay, I just saw Maks in a cowboy hat and I’d have to say, he’s now my favorite. Before that, though, I was a fan of Derek. 

Noelle: Yeah, Maks is kind of tough-guy hot. 

Brooke: What about you? Robert or Justin? Rolling Stones or Beatles? Your fav Dancing Pro? Is it Derek?

Noelle: Robert, 

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Thank you ladies for speaking out against BULLYING.

Have a wonderful day everyone.