The Broken Darkness by Theresa Braun - [Book Review] #WriteAPageADay

 Book Details:

Title: The Broken Darkness

Author: Theresa Braun

Genre: horror, thriller, short stories, an anthology

Print Length: 264 pages

Blurb:

In her debut collection, Theresa Braun explores the inner workings of the human heart and what it is we most desire—forgiveness, acceptance, love, fame, or merely to escape who we really are. Whether we are battling ghosts, demons, mythical monsters, the past, or other dimensions, we are really facing the deepest parts of ourselves. 

These thirteen tales of horror and dark fantasy may appear to be a matter of good versus evil, but they are all a reflection of the hidden corners of the soul that are often shades of broken darkness. The characters in these stories must face their inner and outer terrors or else suffer the consequences.

Purchase Link: Amazon

My Review :

I always love reading short stories. Liked this book but I felt a few stories are not very clear to me. The plots / the details are confusing. The narrative might have been better.

I liked that the stories selected in this book are of good variety. Each one's plot is unique. Except for a few, I didn't feel the stories are scary. A few are really good and unpredictable though.

Loved the following stories:

Dead over heels
The ending is completely unexpected and the story is interesting. I wouldn't say scary but intriguing.

Guilty as cell
Loved it. A story about not texting while driving

Stillborn
Interesting and unpredictable. Loved the story and ending.

Dying for an invitation
A true vampire story and is narrated well. Loved it.

Stay tuned
The story is gory with a lot of violence.

While my Guitar gently weeps
This story is like a little mystery. Loved the characters and the plot. Simple, yet interesting.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My Rating: 3/5

About the Author:

Theresa Braun was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and has carried some of that hardiness with her to South Florida where she currently resides. An English teacher and adjunct college professor for over twenty years, she continues to share her enthusiasm for literary arts with her students.


She earned a Masters in English literature with a thesis on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. In her spare time, she enjoys delving into her own creative writing, painting, photography and even ghost hunting. Spending time with her family and traveling as often possible are two of her passions. In fact, her world meanderings are often backdrops for her work. Striving to make the world a better place is something dear to her heart. When she's not writing, she can be found looking for romance or shopping for antiques.

Until next time,

Wordcount: 455 words

Short Horror Stories Vol.3 by Brendon Faife - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Title: Short Horror Stories Vol.3: Aliens, Reptiles, Paranormal & Supernatural Hauntings (World Creepy Tales Collection)

Author: Brendon Faife

Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Short stories

Print length: 58 pages

Blurb from Amazon:

Not all Gods are benevolent….

I am thrilled to put together this collection of creepy short stories set in different parts of the world!!
From the pristine beaches of the Andaman Islands, a quaint seaside town in Bali or the rugged plains of Oregon — the locations are as beautiful as the horrifying events which unravel in them!

This volume contains 3 horror stories that will have you feverishly turning pages, wanting more—

Whether it is the mysterious tribe of the Sentinel Island who violently reject contact with outsiders , an abandoned theme park in Bali that holds a dark disturbing secret, or the sinister undertones of mysterious cattle mutilations that take place in Oregon, I hope you find every story as creepy and exciting as I imagined it in my mind’s eye!

The fast-paced, simple narration will keep you hooked until the chilling climax!

So, settle down in a quiet place, dim your lights and let the stories transport you, across different cultures and continents, into another world!

This horror short story collection contains:
1.The Island
2.The Theme Park
3.The Visitors

Purchase Link:

Amazon

My Review:

This book is a collection of short stories mostly themed around horror, alien, supernatural, reptile / alien creatures. I would say, the stories are mysterious, not gory or scary. But, only 3 stories in a collection felt very short.

By the way, the book cover is amazing!

The island

This story about a mysterious creature on a remote island is riveting and well written. But, it felt a bit predictable and fell flat at the end. 

The Theme park

This story is interesting throughout and has a good unpredictable end.

The Visitors

This alien suspense is my favorite in the book. The suspense build-up is good till the end. The theme of the story is unique and the ending is not predictable. 

My Rating: 4/5

About the Author:

Brendon Faife is an engineer by profession and works for a leading MNC in Bangalore. If he was not an engineer he would have been a teacher! He is passionate about writing short stories and is inspired by the works of Ruskin Bond, RK Narayan and Kenneth Anderson. His short stories are a mix of supernatural events, human relationships and everyday life. He likes to think of himself as a free thinker, a dreamer and a great singer when no one is listening!

Until next time,

Ekleipsis by Tamel Wino - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Title: Ekleipsis

Author: Tamel Wino

Genre: Short stories, Anthology, Suspense, Horror

Print Length: 178 pages

Source: A free review copy from the author

Blurb:

Winner of Literary Titan Gold Award.

The sun has finally set on humanity…
What happens when we give in to the darkness?

Ékleipsis is a short story collection that explores the havoc wreaked when ordinary people abandon their humanity to pursue their darkest desires, and questions just how far people will go to follow their baser instincts.

Each story takes a version of a person we’ve known in our own lives and transforms them into something completely unnerving—yet all too familiar.

These dark, complex characters and twisted tales of the once ordinary will change your perception of humanity forever.

Purchase Link:

Amazon

My Review:

The first thing that seemed mysterious about this short story anthology is its name. This ancient Greek word Ekleipsis means an eclipse. A good name for the collection of horror stories that expose darkened souls of ordinary people.

I don't see an index at the beginning of the book, which might have been useful to go to a specific story and see the list of stories. Each story is divided by a picture of the eclipse into different stages going darker story by story. That really helped to set the mood for each story.

Stories touched a few mental disorders, alcoholism, and the dark side of human emotions. 

I liked a few stories. My favorite is closing costs. The characterization is very good. The climax is unexpected and spine-chilling. My Second Favorite is All-In about a person addicted to gambling. A good story with suspense and morals. 

I didn't enjoy a few stories well. Some stories are very good with narrative and suspense build up till the end, but the climax wasn't impressive for them. For a few, I thought the narrative is confusing a bit and I couldn't understand the characters/storyline that well. 

My Rating: 4/5

PS: I have received this book in exchange for a review and this is my honest opinion of the book. 

Until next time,

I'm a Gigolo by Andrew Segal - [Book Review]

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Book Details:

Title: I'm a Gigolo 

Author: Andrew Segal

Book one - The Aberration Series of short stories
Genre : Short Story, Crime thriller & Romantic suspense

Publisher : Happy London Press (Expected Publication: July 1st, 2020)

Source : A digital Advanced Review copy from RABT Book tours

Blurb:

I am a Gigolo

He’s gorgeous, cool and slick. Small wonder those wealthy American dames are falling over themselves to taste his flirtatious skills, just where it counts. Seduction is the name of his game, and he knows how to keep
a secret. 

Trouble is, our Gigolo is also a mischief maker, a man with a mission - to make a killing. So he’s got a secret of his own. But, can he keep it that way?

Deliciously sensual, with a touch macabre, the opening tale, I am a gigolo contains ten startlingly original and provocative short stories, that you’ll need to be brave to read at bedtime.

Purchase Link:

My Review :

I love short stories, but this genre is a bit new to me. Erotic and Horror.

I loved most of the stories and all are having the perfect narration which is gripping throughout. Most of them have unpredictable endings.

 I glued to the book when I read a few stories and couldn't put it down until finishing the story. Some are average, too gory, and not that impressive. Whereas some are unique in their storyline and characters. 

Here are a few stories that I loved:

I'm a Gigolo

This title story is erotic and humorous too. I love the climax.

Killing me slowly

This is an interesting read with cunning plots and again, climax wins my heart.

Rosenfeld's ghost

This story is amazing and thrilling.  I couldn't put down without finishing it. Completely unpredictable.

Death zone, Everest

It's interesting with the gripping narrative throughout.

End game

The mind games and some unexpected behaviors. Yes, interesting and not predictable. 

Beads of Blood

Another unpredictable climax. A different take on abusive relationships and mindsets.

The book cover is ok, and the title is good as I'm a Gigolo is a unique story that stands out in the book.

My Rating : 4.5/ 5

About the Author:

My inspirations have come from real people, events, or situations that have presented themselves. Titles like, I am a Contract Killer, I am a Gigolo, Death Zone, License to Kill, are all based on my own life experiences, questions asked, incidents occurring.

Let me be reassuring, thus-far, nobody has been murdered on my watch. But the notion gave rise to the impetus to write my first murder mystery, The Lyme Regis Murders. Could I make the jump after years of writing macabre short stories to a full-length drama? That familiar beating in the gut, said, ‘Yes, try it. Give it a go.’

And so to that cozy coastal town where nothing untoward ever happens. Or perhaps it does. The author seeks to shatter notions, change people’s perceptions, spoil long-held views. That was my intention in entering into the world of crime thrillers. I’ve found that ‘nice’ people are not always what they seem. The helpless can be transformed into the most dangerous, the most dangerous become the most harmless. It’s all up to the writer and what they’re hoping to achieve. 

For me, there have been 10 children’s books, 4 books of short stories and so far, three novels, with a fourth in the mixer.

Whilst a short story might be written with a flurry of adrenalin in the space of a few hours, a book will need more than just a flash of creativity. It will need perseverance, discipline, and dogged determination.
But then, isn’t that what is required of every ambition?

Contact Links

Author Links
Website
Facebook

Until next time,

Route 13 : Highway to Hell - [Book Review]

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Book Details:

Title: Route 13: Highway to Hell
Authors: 
Varadharajan Ramesh (Goodreads Author),
Srivalli Rekha (Goodreads Author)
Priya Bajpai (Goodreads Author)
Meha Sharma
Sarveswari Sai Krishna
Ell P
Anshu Bhojnagarwala
Venkataraman Ganesan
Kanika G. 
Tina Sequeira 
Jaya Pillai, Sreeparna Sen, Yatindra Tawde 
The Hive
Genre: Horror
Print Length: 290 pages
Publisher: The Hive
Source: A free e-review copy from the author

Blurb:


What happens when 13 writers of horror are trapped in a bus on a stormy night?

They try to outdo one another with blood-curdling, spine-chilling tales. Read these riveting, terrifying tales, where the authors themselves become the characters.

Be warned; it is Route 13- a highway to hell. Will you survive the journey?

Trigger warning: This book contains scenes of abuse, violence, death, rape, and swearing. It includes instances of children being harmed.

Note: The stories are written in US and UK English.

Purchase Link:

Amazon

My Review:

I love horror and short stories as well. This book is a collection of 13 unique horror stories. But, I should warn you that it is not for children and there are certain scenes related to rape, abuse, and violence in some stories.

The book starts with different authors traveling on a bus getting bored about passing time until they reach the destination. So, each author recites a thriller/ horror story one after the other to pass time. What happens to the Bus and the passengers on that dark rainy night is a suspense.

Stories :

Welcome by Sarveshwari is spine chilling but it is disappointing that we can't understand the reason behind the happenings in the story.

Pastel of the past by Priya Bajpai is beautiful with enough twists and a great climax.

Ill-conceived by Meha sharma felt wonderful. The story is unpredictable and had good twists.

The silver beast by Srivalli Rekha is interesting and emotional as well. I loved the narration and pace.

Old McDonald had a farm by Varadharajan Ramesh is a supernatural revenge story that is awesome though gory.

The Haveli by Anshu B is real with emotions. Not very scary to me but I loved the way the author explains the Rajasthani dishes, culture, and houses as part of the story.

The Artist by Yatindra Tawde is quite a creepy and unique story. Enjoyed reading it.

The adventures of a Virgin by Tina Sequeira
Wow! This is dark, intense and mysterious with unpredictable twists in the story.

Macabre melody by Sreeparna sen
I enjoyed this story. It is like a moral story that we read in childhood but not that scary.

Memory of a face by Kanika G is a scary one based on suppressed memory. The mind plays really dangerous games!

The case of Seance by Ell P
Oh my God! This story is my favorite from this book. A perfect horror, best narration, and a climax like a bang.

The following 100 word stories are nice and worth a mention.

The Environmentalist by Shwetha Bose, Mistaken Identity by Pavi Raman, Nurse Elena - Riddhi Katira Bhatti, The Spirit - Moonmoon Chowdhury, Forbidden - Natasha Sequeira, and The Specimen - Seema Taneja.

Overall, this is an interesting collection of horror stories that you might enjoy on a lazy day. The book cover is great. The climax is good. I wish, a few stories are scarier.

My Rating: 4/5

PS: I have received a review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion on the book.

Until next time,

Pin it for later!

Stories in a Satchel by Shyamala Shanmugasundaram - [Book Review]

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Book Details :

Title : Stories in a Satchel
Author: Shyamala Shanmugasundaram
Source : Kindle Edition
Print length : 165 pages

Blurb:

Tanna's wedding is happening soon. He takes it on himself to clean the house and stumbles upon a satchel belonging to his dead postman father. Even worse, he discovers a bunch of letters that never got mailed. Tanna almost tosses the letters out but acting on an instinct of responsibility, he decides to post them. 

What happens to people when these letters arrive after more than a decade is explored through twenty-six stories that contain generous doses of love, betrayal, suspicion, frustration, ambition, and redemption. 

Strangely, each person would have chosen a different route in life had they received them in time…A misplaced letter, a new path…such is LIFE!

Purchase Link: 

Amazon.com

My Review:

The collection of stories is about some unposted letters found in a satchel. When these letters are posted after so many years, they bring a mix of emotions in the people who receive them.

The concept is beautiful and each story though simple strikes an emotional chord in the hearts of readers. 

The Late winner is a simple story about a fictional piece submitted to the editor for a contest. The thought of what happens when bullets can become roses is interesting indeed.

Ambani heights Mani is a beautiful story of fate. How the life of a building security guard changed overnight with one letter. I loved the story.

The Closed Door - interesting characters. The climax was disappointing though.

Google Baba is a cool story with a tinge of humor. Nowadays, who doesn't know the helpfulness of Google?

Clipper is an emotional tale about relationships and trust. This is one story that shows how a single letter can break the trust or a strong relationship.

The story Second Chance is awesome. How good it would be if parents can take an act of revenge against the kids who completely ignore their parents after growing up.

Actually,  every story is beautiful with the required emotions.  If I have to do justice to the book, I should mention all stories. Since I cannot, I would simply say my rating.

My Rating : 5/5

I would recommend this book as a good gift, not only to the avid readers but to the beginner readers too.

About the Author:

Shyamala Shanmugasundaram is an author, freelance writer and the chief ideator of Kahani Takbak, a platform to promote Indian children's books, authors and illustrators.

 Reading and writing for children have been her priority over the last fifteen years. Her written works have appeared in national and international books, magazines and newspapers. 

Stories in A Satchel is her first short story collection for adults. To know more about her, visit www.shyamala.in

Until next time,

The Monster in the closet by K Kris Loomis - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Title: The monster in the closet
Author: K Kris Loomis
Genre : Fiction, Short stories
Length of the book: 152 pages
Publisher:  Lililoom Publishing; 2 edition (December 20, 2016)
Source: A free kindle copy from the author for review

Blurb:

Growing up is tough. So is growing old. And everything in between? Well, it’s all tough.

Between the pages of this short fiction collection, you will find internet daters, shy bus drivers, talking corpses, playground bullies, and monsters in the closet. Spies, old friends, unhappy teens, grieving sisters, overworked businessmen, and novice chess players bare their struggles and triumphs in local parks, cafes, funeral homes, bus stops, even their bedrooms. 

These poignant, often humorous, contemporary short stories remind us how important human connections are in this crazy, yet beautiful world. 

Fifteen stories in all!

My Review :

This book is a collection of different short stories for children. A few stories are great, some are silly and some are real. The collection is categorized to bedtime stories, the cafe stories, the park stories, the funeral stories, and the bus stories.  

The first story which is also the title of the book is unique and sends across a message that every individual has to learn to overcome their fears and use their sixth sense to detect danger and act accordingly.

The story ' self-improvement ' in cafe stories is very funny. 

'The Gossip Grind' is very nearer to the truth. I wish many people would think like Beth and stop gossip.

The story "Now at peace" is very nice. It is about an elder sister who comes for her mother's funeral to realize a few unknown things about her mom. This story shows how relationships change with time.

"Glue it to your butt" story is cool when we minus the swear words.

"Say something " is emotional and real. I loved the human connection depicted well in this story.

Overall, this is a good time pass read. I enjoyed reading most of the stories. I would have loved to see some twists in the storyline, but a few are simple.

I recommend this book to the readers who love short stories. 

My Rating: 4/5

PS: I have received this book from the author in exchange for a review and this is my honest opinion on the book.

About the Author:
K. Kris Loomis is an eclectic author who writes both fiction and nonfiction books. She is the author of the novel, The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane, as well as the short story collection, The Monster in the Closet and Other Stories. Kris has also written several books about yoga and meditation and a humorous travelogue about the time she, her husband and their handicapped cat moved to South America called Thirty Days In Quito: Two Gringos and a Three-Legged Cat Move to Ecuador. 

When Kris isn't at her standing desk writing, you will find her playing chess, folding an origami crane, or practicing a Beethoven sonata on the piano. She lives in Rock Hill, SC with her husband and two cats.

Until next time,

Knitted Tales - A collection of emotions by Rubina Ramesh - [Book Review]

Book Details: 

Book Title: Knitted Tales - A collection of emotions

Author: Rubina Ramesh

Genre: Anthology, fiction, short stories

Publisher: The Book club

Length of the book: 126 pages

Source: A free e-review copy from the book club for review

Blurb:

 What forces an innocent girl to become a sex symbol? Her desires? Or cruel fate? 

Is a lifetime enough—for avenging a betrayal? How do you hide secrets that never stopped haunting you? 

Can vengeance and secrets of your past devastate your present? How can long-buried crimes of yours suddenly raise their head? Can sinning be saving?

Is your spouse your soulmate? What if they never understood your feelings? Can you still live with them?

Lastly, does life give only two options? Live or die? What if there is a third?

In her debut anthology, Rubina Ramesh tries to find answers to these questions that are often from the heart and yet makes the mind ponder over the solution. Or is it the other way round? Either way, Knitted Tales is a bouquet of emotions that is bound to touch both your head and your heart.

My Review:

I love short stories. I like to read a variety of stories with different concepts one after the other without knowing what comes next. But, It's difficult to review an anthology as you cannot say the book is bad if one story doesn't meet your expectations and cannot say it's good only because you loved a few stories.

I didn't feel difficult to review this book as it really kept me glued till the end and exceeded my expectations. The title is very apt as all stories cover different emotions in a heart touching way. This is my first book of the author and I look forward to read more. 

Here is my take on some stories:

A secret in their closet - This story is amazing. The mystery element, the narration and good twist in the climax are great. 

Betrayal- This story is in the perspective of an abuser. It is sad that men who hurt their wives and feel that it's their duty to keep their wife supressed will never understand the victim's perspective. This story also brings out another important point that the victims being silent when abused is also one of the contributing factor to the abuse. Well written.

Chicklit - This story is about racism that immigrants are facing in US. Very nice story. I agree that sometimes even children can teach us great lessons. 

I loved these lines and you know, so true.

"We hate racism if we are the victims but dare our children marry outside our race! We put all other racists to shame"

Lolitha - This story is full of emotions and real. 

No regrets- This is a fun story of a gynocologist turned to a housewife in USA due to visa rules. Iam in the same boat too but couldn't relate to the story well. I felt like something is missing in the story which I cannot pinpoint.

The other woman - The story is very good and I feel pity about the young kid Aru. Relationships are complex and sometimes, kids involved in relationship issues suffer more than actual people. But, i felt, the ending of story is abrupt.

Daddy, hear me out - This is a heart wrentching story of a school girl who gets insulted, scolded every day for her poor marks. For a change, i liked the climax which is positive and unexpected.

The stories 'Suvarnarekha', 'the missing staircase' and 'cliff notes' didn't impress me. 

My Rating: 4.5/5

PS: I have received this book from the author in exchange for a review and this is my honest opinion on the book.

Purchase Link:

 Amazon

About the Author:

 Rubina Ramesh is an avid reader, writer, blogger, book reviewer and marketer. She is the founder of The Book Club, an online book publicity group. Her first literary work was published in her school magazine. It gave her immense pride to see her own name at the bottom of the article. She was about 8 years old at that time. She then went to complete her MBA and after her marriage to her childhood friend, her travel saga started. From The Netherlands to the British Isles she lived her life like an adventure. After a short stint in Malaysia, she finally settled down in the desert state of USA, Arizona. Living with her DH and two human kids and one doggie kid, Rubina has finally started living the life she had always dreamed about – that of a writer.

Until next time,

Love, Murder & Mayhem - Anthology - Release Day

~ Book Blitz ~

Love, Murder & Mayhem

About the Book

Love science fiction stories that all include
elements ofLove, Murder & Mayhem?

 

Then welcome to the latest anthology from Crazy
8 Press! This amazing collection from 15 all-star authors will delight you with
superheros and supervillains. AIs, off-worlders, and space cruisers. We’ve also
got private eyes, sleep surrogates, time travelers, aliens and monsters—and one
DuckBob!

 

With tales ranging from wild and wacky to dark
and gritty to heartbreaking and fun, take the deadly leap with authors Meriah
Crawford, Paige Daniels, Peter David, Mary Fan, Michael Jan Friedman, Robert
Greenberger, Glenn Hauman Paul Kupperberg, Karissa Laurel, Kelly Meding, Aaron
Rosenberg, Hildy Silverman, Lois Spangler, Patrick Thomas, and editor Russ
Colchamiro.

 

You’ll never look at Love,
Murder & Mayhem the
same way again—and that’s just the way we like it.

Goodreads * Amazon

About the Editor

Russ Colchamiro is the author of
the rollicking space adventure, Crossline, the hilarious sci-fi backpacking
comedy series, Finders Keepers, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, and is editor
of the new anthology, Love, Murder & Mayhem, all with Crazy 8 Press.

Russ lives in New Jersey with his
wife, two children, and crazy dog, Simon, who may in fact be an alien himself.
Russ has also contributed to several other anthologies, including Tales of the
Crimson Keep, Pangaea, and Altered States of the Union, and TV Gods 2. He is
now at work on a top-secret project, and a Finders Keepers spin-off.

As a matter of full disclosure,
readers should not be surprised if Russ spontaneously teleports in a blast of
white light followed by screaming fluorescent color and the feeling of being
sucked through a tornado. It’s just how he gets around — windier than the bus,
for sure, but much quicker.

Website * Facebook* Twitter * Instagram

Until next time,

Falling for the stars by Lisa Loving Dalton - A Guest post and Give Away

Book Description:

AMAZON #1 BESTSELLER!

This Behind-the-Scenes Tell-All About Doubling for Celebrity Superstars Also Reveals the Compelling Life Story of an Insecure Hollywood Arrival Who Rises to the Top of Her Field, But Pays a Hefty Price.

• Addiction
• Chauvinism  
• Big Egos collide with the surprising kindness of superstars.

Discover the magic and the tragic stories of many great films & TV shows through the eyes of a stuntwoman. Dalton reveals what it took to hang over cliffs, get hit by a moving car, drop from five stories up, dodge an avenue full of speeding cars--and to ignore the Universe's more gentle prompts that it was time to quit and follow her passion into acting full-time or teaching acting.

The resulting career-ending spinal injury has a story of its own, how she researched medical and alternative paths that form the heart of what she shares with the world today. "What stands out in this book is the indomitable spirit the author has, despite the extraordinary price she paid for her stellar career--including misogyny, a miscarriage, and a life-long back injury. And each juicy story she relays in her fascinating chronicle, brings home an important life lesson for the reader--one that she learned the hard way.

• Stunt Gal Lisa Dalton tattles about humorous and harrowing tales culled from over 200 films, television shows and commercials including
• Ghostbusters
• Money Pit
• Crocodile Dundee
• Married to the Mob
• FX
• Legal Eagles
• The Last Dragon
• Saturday Night Live  
• Splash
• The Highlander
• World According To Garp

Working with or doubling such superstars as Meryl Streep, Cher, Madonna, Grace Jones, Robert Redford, Katherine Hepburn, Sean Connery, Tom Hanks, Chevy Chase, Robin Williams, Ed O'Neill, Michelle Pfeiffer and more.

Author's Bio:

From a bullied, dyslexic, messy, freckle-faced, klutzy pixie, Lisa Loving Dalton grew into a statuesque and skillful stuntwoman, actor, director, teacher, author, filmmaker, leadership and life coach, and ceremonial minister. Always seeking and finding the silver lining, she has made the most of whatever life threw at her. She says, “I spill stuff, trip and drip all of the time so I made a career out of it. My advice: Embrace what is as perfect.”

​

Dalton appeared in more than 200 films, television shows and commercials in New York, Hollywood and Texas, including work in Ghostbusters, Money Pit, Crocodile Dundee, Married to the Mob, FX, Legal Eagles, and Splash on the big screen and ER, HBO’s Carnivale, Dr. Quinn and Melrose Place among her many TV credits.

Connect with the author:  

Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Pinterest  ~  Youtube  ~  Instagram

Guest post by Lisa

                        Five Alarm Gal

 By Lisa Loving Dalton

Being a stunt gal taught me a lot about fear. Once, when I was a talk show guest on an episode called  “Dare-Devil Women” a psychologist said I was a five-alarm gal. This meant that my “threshold of stimulation” was high and I needed five alarms to wake me up and get me going.

At four years old, it was so hard to wake me up in the morning, my mom sent me to afternoon kindergarten. And while there, I was knocking the boys off the top of the jungle gym, but only when I had an audience. The teacher tried to flunk me. She told my mother I was in no way ready for first grade. With an October birthday, she felt one more year of maturing would be prudent.

Mom said “Nonsense.”

I actually got suspended from first grade. That’s pretty rare. I was such a disciplinary problem, never shut up in class, was terribly disobedient and sneaky good at it.

By the spring, Mother Saint Mel kicked me out. The principal sent me home, telling my mother not to bring me back. Mom and Dad were not happy.

When I finally agreed to behave after several days of a major “time-out”, the teacher warned my mother that she would likely fail me because I hadn’t paid attention to anything the whole year. My mom said “Nonsense.” Then I got the highest achievement test results in the 30+student class. Perhaps it is fair to say, I was, at that time, a five-alarm gal.

I needed more stimulation than what the teachers were giving me. The way I got that stimulation was by doing scary things that got my adrenaline flowing. Creeping into the marsh behind the school during recess and harboring frogs in my lunch bag were working for me. Yes, there were alligators and water moccasins in this Miami suburb but they were harmless babies, mostly.

I think I activated a lot of fear in my teachers. Had they understood I was a five-alarmer, they might have created much more stimulating teaching tools, rising to the occasion instead of trying to tame the fire in me.

Somehow, it is as if I was born in relation to fear, that I have an innate drive to find it and meet it head on. And overcoming it makes me feel alive. This is dangerous all by itself. It means that if I don’t know this about myself, I might even create my own chaos if things get dull enough. (Think: dull=peace). Eventually, my adrenals will burn out.

Plus, I might just have a tendency to put myself in completely unnecessary danger, and drag others with me. After all, if I’m a flame, who are the moths that are drawn to me and die?

Are you a natural, a double, a five or a silent-alarmer? Tell me a story about how your threshold of stimulation has created chaos or protection in your life movie.

  

Thank you for spending time with me. I love connecting with readers so please find me on social media and my website.

Lisa

Giveaway:​

Grand Prize Package: one winner will receive:

1) a paperback copy of Falling For the Stars by Lisa Loving Dalton with autographed Last Dragon Pic

2) a paperback copy of A Balancing Act by Emmanuelle Chaulet

3) an e-copy of Murder of Talent

4) a 30-min video chat with author

2nd and 3rd Prize Packages: 2 winners will each get:

1) a Kindle copy of Falling for the Stars by Lisa Loving Dalton with an autographed Last Dragon pic

2) a paperback copy of A Balancing Act by Emmanuelle Chaulet

3) an e-copy of Murder of Talent

USA only

Giveaway ends Dec 17

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time,