Author Spotlight: Karen Tyrrell

Today, we have the honor of welcoming non-fiction author Karen Tyrrell to our little corner of the world. 

I recently had the privlege of reading Karen's first novel - Me & Her: A Memoir of Madness, and I was simply captivated by the sheer honesty and heart wrenching story.

I connected with Karen and her plight in more ways than one, and felt a sense of relief after I closed the book over.

This novel is a MUST read for anyone out there who suffer's daily at the hands of mental illness. I can assure you that you will not be disappointed.

Now, it's over to Karen, who will share with us her story....

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My name’s Karen Tyrrell, survivor of parent-teacher abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder. Parents of one of my school students inflicted psychological, written and verbal abuse until I could take no more. Each night I screamed out with night terrors, traumatizing my family.

 I escaped to a lonely motel where police discovered me, incarcerating me into the frightening world of the psychiatric system. I wrote Me and Her: A Memoir of Madness to make sense of what was happening to me.

In my tell-all memoir, I take the reader back to the classroom, showing how the harassment triggered my gradual decline and disintegration.

Later I perform an ‘experiment’, purposefully stressing over a disturbed student, keeping myself awake at night–in order to kick-start the creative ideas I craved.

I reveal my relationship with my psychologist, my pitch-black manic dreams and my two personas. ME ─ wife, mother, writer and teacher. HER ─ manic, psychic, healer to the living, telepathic to the dead, and SHE’s very psychotic.

Why did I become so crazy?

How did I reclaim my life?

In the sequel, Me and Him: A Guide to Recovery I reveal shock discoveries casting my first memoir Me and Her: A Memoir of Madness in a new light. I highlight the crucial role my husband, Steve played as carer in my recovery.

Part 1: of my self-help memoir, I share practical mental-wellness advice, demystifying meditation, solving sleep problems and how to beat depression and anxiety. I offer clues, HIM alerts of what mysteries I divulged next.

Part 2: I disclose the dreaded secrets Steve finally revealed to me.

What did Steve finally divulge six years on?

What impact did those revelations have on my marriage and recovery?

"Brisbane teacher who cared too much, ended up in psychiatric facility. Serves as a warning to all of us. Make a great movie!" Spencer Howson: ABC Radio 
"Karen’s story of courage and inspiration-- a very special and personal gift. Understand the impact of mental illness and what the joy of recovery really means." Richard Nelson, CEO of Queensland Alliance of Mental Health
ME AND HER: A Memoir Of Madness reveals how Karen Tyrrell, a dedicated Australian teacher is repeatedly harassed by parents at her school to breaking point and beyond. In a fit of desperation, she escapes and runs. Police and medical professionals discover her hiding in a lonely motel, forcing her into the frightening world of the psychiatric system. 
The reader is taken back to the classroom, discovering how the harassment affected Karen as we journey through her gradual decline and disintegration leading to her incarceration. Later Karen performs an ‘experiment’, purposefully stressing over a disturbed student, keeping herself awake at night – all in order to kick-start the creative ideas she craves. 
Karen reveals her psychic relationship with her psychologist, her pitch-black manic dreams and her two personas. ME ─ wife, mother, writer and teacher. HER ─ manic, psychic, healer to the living, telepathic to the dead, and she’s very psychotic.
Why did she become so crazy?
How did she claw her way back from Insanity?

                                                                                               

A Guide to Recovery reveals the shock discoveries that cast Karen Tyrrell's first memoir Me and Her: A Memoir of Madness in a new light. An Australian author and teacher, Karen highlights the crucial role her husband Steve played, as carer, in her recovery from parent harassment and subsequent mental illness. In this self-help memoir, Karen shares practical mental-wellness advice, demystifies meditation, addresses sleep problems, and explains how to beat depression and anxiety. Karen also discloses the dreaded secrets Steve finally revealed to her. On that fateful blue-sky day, my life as I knew it fell apart. 'You better rewrite that memoir of yours. What I'm going to tell you now will change everything.' What secrets did Steve finally divulge six years on? What impact did those revelations have on their marriage and Karen's recovery?

About Karen

Karen Tyrrell is a multi-genre Brisbane author, passionate mental health advocate, teacher, accredited speaker and blogger. Karen creates writing and mental health articles for magazines. She talks on national and international radio, sharing HOPE and empowerment.

Karen presents the Life Writing program and Resilience Training workshop to hospitals, wellness centres and the workplace. She presents creative writing workshops to schools and memoir writing workshops to libraries.

In 2012, Karen Tyrrell won finalist in the Queensland mental health achievement awards for her tell-all memoir ME & HER: A Memoir Of Madness about her recovery from parent-teacher harassment and mental illness.

ME & HIM: A Guide to Recovery is a self-help mental health manual for everyone, sharing empowering resilience skills.

Learn more about Karen at www.karentyrrell.com

Links of interest

Me and Her: A Memoir of Madness http://www.amazon.com/Me-Her-Memoir-Madness-ebook/dp/B008219QQS

Me and Him: A Guide to Recovery http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BMMQ036

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Thank you Karen for sharing your traumatic story with us today. 

Now why don't you all go and grab a copy or two of Karen's books.

Blog Tour: Author Spotlight & Interview with Gabrielle Lepore

Today we are joined by Evanescent author, Gabriella Lepore. 

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                                                                      Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ
                                                                            Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ

Gabriella Lepore lives on the coast of Wales in the United Kingdom. She began writing at an early age and grew up with a passion for all things supernatural. Evanescent is her third young adult novel and she is currently working on her next book, Tarantula.

Books by the same author:

The Witches of the Glass Castle

How I Found You

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“Then it is settled,” Felix declared. “Come hell or high water, when this is all over, at least one of us here will not make it out alive.”

When Bronwen Snow is pulled from her cottage in the middle of the night, she finds herself seeking the help of three mysterious boys who reside in an abandoned castle deep in the hillside. With only a hasty handwritten note and a vague sense of dread to guide her, Bronwen is forced to put her trust in the eccentric and willful Felix Cavara and his eternal curse – immortality.

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     “May I see?” he purred, extending his hand towards the letter. 

Bronwen clutched the envelope to her chest. “It’s for Felix.”

“I am Felix,” he said. “Congratulations, you’ve found me.”

Bronwen took a step backwards. “You’re Felix? That’s not what you said a minute ago,” she challenged. Actually, she’d expected Felix to be… well, older. 

“Yes, but that was when I was trying to get rid of you. Now I want my letter.” He held out his palm steadily.

Bronwen tensed. What choice did she have? Grudgingly, she handed over the letter.

Without missing a beat, Felix tore the envelope and tossed it over his shoulder. He hastily unfolded the note and began reading. At first his expression was one of mild interest, but then he paused and looked up at Bronwen with a smirk.

“You are Bronwen Snow?” he asked, waving the letter at her.

“Yes,” she replied.

“And you want me to protect you?”

“I…” So that was what the letter had said? “I don’t know.”

Felix laughed. “Are you quite mad?” His eyes twinkled in amusement, glowing as red as the oil lamps’ flames. 

“I’m starting to think so,” Bronwen muttered.

“In all my years I’ve never seen anything so…” he grinned down at the letter, “absurd.”

     ~

 “Sometimes visions are the key to unlocking the most coveted of secrets. And they are always given to me for a reason. I believe this particular reason was to save my granddaughter’s life.”

“Why should I trust you?” Felix challenged. “What if there is no cure? What if this is merely the reckless act of a desperate woman?”

“All I can give you is my word.” 

“Then, in return, I shall give you mine. I vow to protect Bronwen. However,” he went on, staring deeply into Ada’s eyes, “I will not be played for a fool. If you do not produce the cure, then I will take both of your lives instead. Those are my terms. Decide now if you wish to accept.”

“You can’t threaten us like that!” Bronwen exclaimed.

But Ada offered her hand to Felix, sealing the deal.

“Then it is settled,” Felix declared. “Come hell or high water, when this is all over, at least one of us here will not make it out alive.

~

“You don’t have to do this, Felix,” Bronwen said under her breath. “Not for me.” 

He laughed again. “Bronwen,” he said, tautly, “I’m not doing anything. This is the cure. The cure happens to be lemon flavoured.”

“I need to see the paper.”

Alistair stiffened. “What’s going on? What paper?”

“I have to see it,” Bronwen repeated. “I need to know.”

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Now, here's our chance of getting to know Gabrielle just a little bit more!

What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

Try to stop checking reviews and rankings! Every now and then, you have to walk away from the computer. Get back to simple daydreaming and remember why you love writing in the first place.

Have you ever read or seen yourself as a character in a book or a movie?

I'm sure I have, but I can't think of anyone specific. I'd quite like to be a Buffy-type character, that'd be fun!

Do you believe in God?

Yes.

Do you laugh at your own jokes?

Absolutely!

Have you ever found true love?

Yes.

What makes you cry?

The Rolf Harris song 'Two Little Boys'. I can't even think about it without getting tearful!

What makes you laugh?

Oh, I'll laugh at anything.

Top five dinner quests and why.

Bette Midler, Cilla Black, Lou from 'Neighbours', L J Smith if she's not too busy, and Ben Barnes can be my date for the evening!

Lastly, where do you see you and your writing career in 10 years time?

Having regular dinner parties with Bette, Cilla, Lou, L J, and Ben. Still writing, hopefully with a better laptop :)

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That was brilliant, Gabrielle. 

Now where can you find Evanescent and connect with, Gabrielle? Check out the following links:

Website   Twitter     Facebook   Amazon

Thank you so much for joining us today, Gabrielle. We look froward to reading your work and following your success. 

Shadow World Series Trailer

The Official Book Trailer for the Shadow World Series.

All images courtesy of Victoria Tolkacheva.

COVER REVEAL: ANASTASIA PART 1. BY DAWN WHITE & REVIEW

Today, I am excited to share with you the beautiful cover reveal of bestselling author, Dawn White. 

  

Anastasia’s entire family had been killed by something quite unnatural. She has her own obstacles to face.  Let’s follow the journey to see what happens with Anastasia and The Dregg Chronicles. 

Dawn White

Dawn White resides in West Virginia with her husband and three daughters. She has always been an avid reader and seems to live a busy life as a wife and mother. In between home schooling her children and taking care of the house she finds a few minutes at a time to write her novella series Wingless and Damned, and Wingless and Forsaken. Wingless and Cursed  is the YA version of Wingless and Damned and is published under D.M. White. Dawn is also the co-owner and operator of Nevermore PR and Nevermore Press.

Review

Gisselle is frightened, unable to think straight she does the one thing we'd all do in the horrific situation she is in: she hides. But as she hides, she witnesses the cruel and savage murder of her sister Kara. A feral beast is on the loose within the once protective home she shared with her father, the Mayor of Savannah, her mother and her two sisters, Kara and Trinity. 

Faced with a life or death situation she makes a run for it, but soon comes face to face with someone she once knew and loved; Trinity. But Trinity is no longer herself, she has been taken over by a disease which has left her hungry and in need of food -human flesh.

Throwing herself across the banister of the staircase, Gisselle is almost free of Trinty's aim, but only to fall victim to a bite that will change the course of her future life. 

Falling hard against her bolted front door, she scrambles at the locks and quickly makes haste, leaving her mother behind to be mauled by a starving Trinity.

Running and in pain, the next few sequences sees her on a bus, fighting unconsciousness and falling to the ground, only to be lifted into the arms of Marshall, an undesirable soul, who Gisselle is quick to judge as "a wife beater". But we soon learn Marshall isn't so bad and take Gisselle to the safety of a community of people who are wary of the beasts lurking in the outside world.

Gisselle knows something is wrong, she's young, naive and at times a little to flighty with her language, but given the situation I think we would all howl a few curses.

The story ends on a cliffhanger, with Gisselle being offered a human; a child molester to feast on, but the ultimate decision is up to her.

This story has so much promise, and whilst I enjoyed the fast paced, frantic tale woven, I feel there could have been just a little more time taken when Gisselle closed the door on her mother. I think it would have allowed us as readers  to get inside her head, and see the emotions running through her mind, not only the obvious adrenaline.

Dawn has done a good job on not giving too much away, but I was just a little confused as to where Gisselle was taken to, again, this passage could have done with a little more description.

Overall, I really liked this introduction to a new spin on the zombie genre. I feel there will be plenty of choices ahead for Gisselle to make, and I am curious about the old woman, and why she hold so much power over the rest of the group. She kind of reminds me of an old, frail version of Rick from "The Walking Dead", but this is just my own opinion.

I give the beginning of this short story series:  ☠☠☠☠

      

Blog Tour : Lainy Lane Euphoria Series & Interview

Today, we are joined by the lovely Lainy Lane, Author of  the Euphoria Series.

Lainy Lane is a 27-year-old mother of 2 beautiful girls, one of which is now the family guardian angel. She has a wonderful husband that is a large part of the reason she is where she is today. She has always had an obsession with fantasy worlds. When she was younger, she always said that Peter Pan would be the perfect man because when things got rough, he could whisk you away to Neverland, where all your problems would simply disappear. As she grew up, she learned the harsh reality that life can be cruel, and no world (even fantasy ones) is completely without issues and that was when her love for writing really grew. She has always written in some form or fashion, starting out with poetry and song lyrics. She’s always had a story in her head and voices talking to her. Thanks to lots of motivation from her husband, a wonderful laptop with a word processor, more hours than she could ever count, lots of sweat, blood, and tears, and a wonderful woman with an awesome little publishing company believing in her, she has finally managed to watch her dreams become a reality.

Life is a fragile thing, not only in the mortal sense. It’s like a big glass ball waiting above your head, and sometimes one simple thing can send the glass crashing down around you into a million tiny pieces. All you can do when this happens is stand by and watch as the pieces of your life fall, shatter, and settle around you. You have two choices: You can try and piece them back together one by one. Or you can start all over and try to build a new one. Hopefully a better one. Somewhere in between those two options is where you find the person you’re actually meant to be. The person that’s somehow strong enough to take destiny face on, no matter how impossible that may seem.

Calandra thought she lived a normal enough life. She fought constantly with her dad, like any other teenage girl. She had a boyfriend that she knew was it for her. School was coming to an end, and she was going to have all summer to spend with Tristan, while her father was out of town. it doesn't get much better than that. But when a stranger comes to her in a dream, life takes an unexpected turn. Calandra is thrown into a whirlwind where she discovers the heritage her father has been hiding from her for years, learns of a whole new world, and finds that destiny doesn't always hand you the life you dreamed of. Now, the question is- can she handle it all? Will she accept what she's meant to be?

In the first installment, Field of Innocence shows us that not all Faerie tales start with once upon a time or end with happily ever after. Sometimes Destiny is far too dark to give us a normal faerie tale!

What would you sacrifice for the life of your child? 

Hollyn is faced with this very question when she gives birth to Calandra alone in the woods at only 7 1/2 months. Hollyn suddenly finds her new daughter’s life hanging in the balance when Akiye, the faerie of the autumn equinox, offers her a lifeline in exchange for saving the life of her newborn daughter. Now Hollyn must leave everything behind, including Calandra, and return to Faerie to set things up to ensure her daughter can fulfill her destiny and fix the things in the world that her own family has been screwing up for generations now. 

Will Hollyn be able to ensure her daughter is the one to put a stop to the cycle, or will something else take all of her energy and use her up in the process?

 Destinies set into motion, wills are tested, and lives are changed forever in this prequel to the Euphoria series.

Lainy Lane Interview

Hi Lainy, welcome today, it is GREAT to have you here.

Can you tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from, who you are and what your hopes and aspirations are?

I am a mother of two little girls, one of which is now the family guardian angel. I am a stay at home mother, author, publisher, and student. I hope to inspire others to know that dreams do come true if you’re willing to work hard enough for them.

Describe your novels in no more than 500 words.

The Euphoria Series is a new kind of Faerie Tale. When the world of Faerie is thrown into turmoil due to an in-balance of human interaction that is caused by a love affair gone wrong, Faerie is left in need of something to repair the damage to their world before it spirals out of control completely. One innocent girl with a heritage that has been hidden from her just may be the answer they've been searching for… if she doesn't corrupt herself in the process and doom them all. 

While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?

No, but there are times when I wished I could be one of my characters! 

What are your expectations for the book(s)?

I hope to see many readers be touched by it in the same way I’ve been touched by my favorite series. 

What are the morals of your stories?

There are many morals between my different stories. Field is a coming of age and finding yourself story

Have you ever hated something you wrote?

I have a love/hate relationship in my writing. I tend to hate my writing during the editing process, luckily I like it again before it releases! 

Your names are interesting, how did you come up with Calandra, Hollyn and Akiye – I find them very intriguing.

Calandra is actually a Greek name that I personally fell in love with but my husband wouldn’t let me use it for my own child, so I used it in my story instead. Hollyn was a spin off of Holly to give it a bit more of a unique feel. Akiye is a Japanese name that means Autumn Painting which seemed perfect for the Autumn Equinox Fae. 

What do you get from writing? Do you find it therapeutic?

I get a lot from writing, it is for sure my release. I love to be able to get all of my emotions out and transfer them into my writing. 

What books/authors have influenced your writing?

Too many to list quite honestly. I love Melissa Marr and her interpretations of the Fae world and she is a great inspiration to me, especially to this particular series. 

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

I try not to allow myself to think about that. Once a book is completed, I have to let it go with what it is and I can’t let myself ever regret where my muse has led the story.

5 Fun Facts:

Lover or Fighter?

Lover

Tea or Coffee?

Tea – and LOTS of it, I have a serious tea addiction! 

Sex or Chocolate?

Chocolate

Twilight or True Blood?

Hmm… that’s kinda hard.

Night or Day?

Day for myself but my muse prefers night! 

Links to books and Amazon author page:

Equinoctial Sacrifice :

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AM7I80K

Field of Innocence (Euphoria Series):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BU54NM0

      

Amazon Author Page:

 http://www.amazon.com/Lainy-Lane/e/B009YPC5GO/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

I don't know about you, but I am going to be getting myself these books ASAP. 

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us today, Lainy. Light and love as always.