Happy International Women's Day!

Doing a author reading at the

Keshen Goodman Public Library in Halifax

...And, Happy Anniversary to Mental Pause! One year ago today was the book launch of my first novel, Mental Pause. It's been a great year with amazing feedback and recognition with a 2013 Independent Publishers Book Award. I'm a proud Indie Author, still happily writing away on various projects and hope to launch my second novel soon (stay tuned).

Book signing at Stayner's Wharf on the Halifax, NS waterfront

If you've read Mental Pause and enjoyed it feel free to drop by Amazon or Goodreads and share a review if you're so inclined ;)

Amazon Reviewer Compares Mental Pause with Thelma and Louise!

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Okay... I have to share this review because it got me grinning from ear to ear! I'm pink with delight!

Anne ;)

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast and furious! March 15, 2013

By Jennifer Elizabeth Hyndman

Format:Paperback

First of all, it elaborates on a very real and misunderstood medical condition that is more often the brunt of jokes rather than sympathy. Menopause is a life-altering change to the human body and this book combines that aspect with how it affects the soul of the body. In this book, Abbie will take you through this change and more!

With a Thelma and Louise type of abandon (minus the abuse), the character is confused at whether she is being redefined or being smothered under the change. I can only hope to have the support she has because without it, this change in life can/will change a person's life itself forever. You can/will lose friends and family and even lose your sanity. So, it makes perfect sense that the book developed from a girl read to a murder mystery. Entertaining as high-speed all the time, this is a one-two sitter. That means you'll read it in one-two sittings.

It's educational to those whom have yet to experience menopause and it should be given to your husband so that he can understand that the craziness is to be expected.

The author does an incredibly detailed job of explaining and describing symptoms and emotions. While reading this, you will also experience this. Fact. You can't help it. The author plants things into your mind so that the depth of the symptoms are at least attainable. A glimpse of the unknown and a touch of the hem of the garment of the robe.

With Thelma and Louise I was able to connect deeply deeply deeply with the characters and unbelievably I did so with the same depth in this book with Abbie. The author writes very well and any formatting errors were few and far between. I did not find this distracting because I expect that with ANY book from anyone even J.R. Tolkien I mean come on we are all only human.

At times a bit gritty but not dark at all. It's not what I would call a light read, but a fast read. It wasn't light, but I still read it fast because it was intense and I HAD to know where the author was taking me. It's really that simple, she writes a story like a pirate makes a treasure hunt; the treasure is elusive but the clues are excitedly honing you in and you will work feverishly to get there. Try to read it any other way lol.

I don't even know how to place this in a genre so I'm having to split it as a Crime Drama/Family/Mystery/Chic...it's a weird combo but it works.

Mental Pause - Cover Reveal and Chapter 4 (excerpt)

Drumroll please!! After a lot of soul searching, re-reading many passages, input from amazing friends, colleagues and family and six sets of designs painstakingly created by my amazing designer Graham Booth, I have finally chosen the cover for Mental Pause!

I feel that the design I finally chose is a nice representation of the split personality that Abbie is dealing with... her contemplative, sweet self is somewhere in the shadows trying to figure it all out, while the outward persona becomes crazier and more unhinged as the story unfolds. Even her lipstick matches the background color and her red shirt matches the title!  Abbie is even sporting the dark roots like she complains about on a couple of different occasions. I hope it captures the essence of the novel and, more importantly, entices people to buy it! I've written a little more about cover design when self-publishing on my other blog so feel free to give it a read.

In the meantime, here's an excerpt from Chapter 4!

Mental Pause - Chapter 4 (excerpt) 
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The chairs were like the biggest, most comfortable lazy boys you’ve ever seen in your life.  Abbie sat in the middle one, with Rachel and Joan on either side, eyes closed, feet soaking luxuriously in a warm, bubbly footbath attached to each chair. The chairs had built-in roller massagers that could be adjusted to whatever pressure and speed your heart desired. Abbie had hers set on slow and steady. It rolled from the base of her spine, over her butt cheeks, and made its delicious way, pulsating along the muscles that flanked her spine up to her neck and shoulders, pausing on the base of her skull, where it vibrated gently, and then started its happy journey back down.

            Abbie squeezed the hands of her two best friends… one she had known forever and one who had just entered her life, just at the right time. She hadn’t had a second of irritation, or one irrational thought for at least a couple of hours. She wished she could bottle this feeling and take it out whenever she needed it.

            Joan squeezed back. “You know, if the rest of your family is anything like Winston, you’re a very lucky lady.”

            “They are,” Rachel replied for her. “Both boys are charmers and Conrad is as solid as the rock of Gibraltar.”

            “Yes, I guess I am…” Abbie didn’t want to talk about her family. She wanted to pretend the only person she was responsible for was herself… just for a few hours. She felt the irritation rising and swallowed it back.

            “This feels heavenly,” she changed the subject. “I can’t remember the last time I had a pedicure.”

            “Hmmm… I started having them regularly after my husband and I split up,” said Joan. “I figured if I was going to be out on the singles scene again I’d better get fit. And, have pretty toes. You know, the important stuff… like smooth legs because you never know when you’re going to be rubbing them up and down someone else’s!” Joan ran her tongue along her upper lip. Rachel laughed.

            “Right! I started doing a little regular pampering after I met Joan in our singles group,” she added, smoothing down her newly highlighted hair. “She made me realize that if I was going to survive as a single mother I had to find a way to relax once in a while. It’s actually easier now that Todd has the kids every other weekend and next week they’ll be with him for the summer.  I’ll be a free woman!”

            “You make it sound almost appealing,” said Abbie wistfully.

            “Actually, I miss them like crazy but I’ve gotta make the best of it.”

            “Do you mind me asking, how long have you been separated, Joan?” Abbie swished her feet in the footbath as the three technicians took their places on the stools at their feet.

            “No I don’t mind at all… as you heard from my phone call yesterday from my ‘husband’, he’s dragging his feet on the divorce but we’ve been separated almost six months now,” Joan shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh. “His lack of cooperation has made it really difficult for both of us. I guess I can understand. It was shocking for him when I finally came out of the closet, and it’s really sent him for a loop.” Joan picked out a deep red nail color from the tray of polish the nail tech held out towards her.

Mental Pause - Chapter 3 (excerpt)

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Author's Note: I'm only sharing a short snippet today. Next week I'll make up for it with a special treat!  I have chosen the cover design and will reveal it here so, until then, here's this week's chapter excerpt:

The alarm jolted her out of a very erotic dream. Joan had been in it and so had Rachel. There were limbs everywhere. She couldn’t tell whose were whose but it didn’t matter. Skin glistened, laughter peeled and hearts raced. Even awake, Abbie’s heart was racing. She hoped she hadn’t been talking (or moaning) in her sleep. What an insane dream. It was amazing how a little bit of information and a slight nudge can make the subconscious go wild.

Then she saw the shopping bag sitting on her dresser. She pictured the slinky little deep purple number inside that she had bought to wear ‘out on the town’ after Joan and Rachel assured her that it didn’t show her muffin top. It had a swooping panel with pleats from hip to hip to camouflage the bulges that had formed almost overnight after she hit her mid-forties. It had a scooped neckline with a built in push up bra that the girls insisted made her boobs look perky. It had been a while since Abbie would have described them that way so she let her friends talk her into buying it, along with matching stilettos. She wasn’t sure how she was going to walk in those but they did make her legs look great. Her legs were the one feature that Abbie still liked on her body.

            After they had dropped Joan off when they were finished their shopping excursion, Rachel confirmed that yes, Joan was gay and had shared it with their singles group on day one.  It was the reason her marriage had broken down. She had told the group that she had been suppressing it all her life. When she finally recognized why she always felt so out of place everywhere she went; why she felt stifled in her relationship; and finally left her husband, she blossomed. 

            Abbie was dying to know more and hoped there would be more stories shared in the day ahead...