Music – Such a Muse for #MuseMondays by Addison Brae

MUSE MONDAY

Addison is back with a really unique post. Please pour yourself a cuppa, give a read, and enjoy!

I never had enough talent and drive to be a professional musician, but that didn’t stop music from being a muse. I played instruments all the way through school. My favorite tunes were on while I did homework. In college, the songs that inspired me most calmed my nerves before the most dreaded finals. My first marketing job was radio and music video promotions for a major record company. 

The music muse hit again while writing Dark Energy and Becker Circle. Both novels take place in the bar scene around live music. The adorable guy in one of the bands falls for Gillian, the main character, who inspires him to write a song called Dark Energy, a song I realized had to be written in reality. This is the conversation in Becker Circle when he tells her about it. 

“Okay, this one’s called Dark Energy.” He opens a file on his phone. “I wrote it. Guitar parts too.”

 

“The song’s really good. I’d buy the single.”

 

“You think so? Do I sound okay?”

 

Ha! Mister confidence asked for my musical opinion? “Like it could be on the radio. Tell me about the song.”

 

“I wrote it about someone who had a streak of bad luck and how they changed it with good karma.”

 

Yeah, sounds familiar. 

The song symbolizes the dark energy and dark matter theory in the cosmos. Dark matter allows gravity to pull stars, suns, planets, and other matter together the way I see some people draw us together. Dark energy is the vast empty space that opposes dark matter. It lurks and slips into the voids of our lives trying to disrupt like it pushes matter apart attempting to destroy our universe. 

As someone who has always loved and even depended on music, I never dreamed I would become a songwriter. Thanks to Brian Miller, Dark Energy was written, recorded, and will release on December 11, 2020, and John Harrell for the beautiful song art. If you are a Foo Fighters fan, you will like Dark Energy. If you have experienced the craziness so many have in 2020, the song’s poignancy might reach your heart. The chorus below represents the strength people possess that can help them push past economic, emotional and other hardships that strike even the most careful and good people. 

Chorus

Find someone else to conquer

What does it mean this dark energy

Dark energy won’t control my fate

Why do I deserve dark energy 

If inspired, find and follow your muse. And do the things you love this holiday season. You deserve it. 

You can find Dark Energy (Return to Becker Circle) on Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia, Smashwords, Apple Books, Kobo, and B&N Nook. Music lovers can find the song Dark Energy on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Pandora, and all major digital music retailers and streaming sites. Author proceeds go to Hope’s Door New Beginning Center to help fight domestic abuse. 

Bio

Addison Brae lives in Dallas, Texas on the edge of downtown. She has been writing since childhood and continues today with articles, video scripts and other content as an independent marketing consultant. Addison enjoys traveling, collecting interesting cocktail recipes, reading, jogging in her neighborhood park, sipping red wine, binge-watching TV series, vintage clothing, and hanging out with her artistic other half and their neurotic cat Lucy. 

Connect with Addison on her website, Tirgearr Publishing, Amazon, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Text “AddisonBrae” to 69922 or visit addisonbrae.com/contact and be the first to receive a text message (no more than 1 per month) on book launches, appearances, and book sales.

Who’s Your Favorite Creepy Character for #WickedWednesdays by Addison Brae #villain

WICKED WEDNESDAY

One of my favorite subjects--villains. They're fun to write, and we love to hate them. Addison knows a thing or two about writing villains. Enjoy my guest today! 

Who are the characters that creep you out most in books or movies? Aunt Lydia in The Handmaid’s Tale, Herbert, the whistley-voice pervert in Family Guy, Mrs. Danvers from Rebecca, and Hannibal Lecter come to mind. Some characters’ creepiness is more overt and for others, it may be hard to put your finger on exactly what makes you squirm. They’re just disturbing. 

Has someone in your life creeped you out? Maybe the neighbor or a coworker who’s just always there? I did at work for a while - a man I always felt like I needed to hide from when I heard his voice. 

This type of creepy character inspired a colorful antagonist in my two romantic suspense novels, Becker Circle and Dark Energy. He’s a regular in the Becker Circle pub where Gillian, the heroine, tends bar. He’s a distraction from the first time she sees him. 

“Lot of miles for one day.” I notice a man dressed in solid black sitting alone at a table at the end of the bar. It’s the one with the antique church pew Eddie says came from some old pub in Ireland. His head never turns away from the TV, but his eyes follow Bobby. “You’re a pilot?”

 

“Ever since the Air Force.” He nods. “Normally I love the job, but this route is grueling.” He sips his drink. “Good to be home…”

 

Wherever Bobby goes, through the bathroom door, talking to Kyle on the patio, the man’s eyes never leave him. He has an odd look. The right side of his face droops slightly. His cheek also twitches. A straight scar continues his eyelash line about an inch down his cheekbone. I’m curious what happened and if it has anything to do with why he’s so fixated on Bobby. A chill runs up my spine. Creepy. 

Gillian nicknames the man Creepy and Coke after the cola with no ice he always drinks. He haunts Gillian for weeks before she can prove he really is a bad guy. And he continues to unnerve her in Dark Energy. 

When I round the corner, I stop. The red truck. Not Jon’s red truck with the apartment parking permit and bandana hanging from the rearview that his dad got when they went to an Eagles concert before he was killed. The bad red truck. The one Creepy drives. The man who’s deep into the drug scene and helped bring Kyle down. My heart revs.

 

Whose side is Creepy on now? Does he still work for the guy who says he’s my friend but keeps kidnapping me? Did he go to the competition—the Russian guy who’s trying to take over Dallas? The one even the bad guys are afraid of?

 

A twig cracks. I glance behind me. No one. Quicken my pace. The shadows seem larger. The sky seems darker. 

What’s wickedly funny is the twist in Gillian’s relationship with Creepy and Coke. Yeah, he is still a bad guy. But when there is a mutual - and powerful - enemy, Gillian can use as many friends as she can find. 

Today’s Wicked Wednesday and the start of the holiday season is a perfect time to change a potentially bad outcome to something fantastic. Next time someone creeps you out, say hello. Talk to them. Maybe they just need a kind word. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

You can find Dark Energy (Return to Becker Circle) on Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia, Smashwords, Apple Books, Kobo, and B&N Nook. Author proceeds will go to Staff Meal to help provide meals and other aid to restaurant workers in need during the pandemic. 

Bio

Addison Brae lives in Dallas, Texas on the edge of downtown. She has been writing since childhood and continues today with articles, video scripts and other content as an independent marketing consultant. Addison enjoys traveling, collecting interesting cocktail recipes, reading, jogging in her neighborhood park, sipping red wine, binge-watching TV series, vintage clothing, and hanging out with her artistic other half and their neurotic cat Lucy. 

Connect with Addison on her website, Tirgearr Publishing, Amazon, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Text “AddisonBrae” to 69922 or visit addisonbrae.com/contact and be the first to receive a text message (no more than 1 per month) on book launches, appearances, and book sales.

#FearlessFriday and Facing your Fear of #Fridaythe13th by Addison Brae

Welcome back Addison Brae to Discover... I love her post for Fearless Friday today. That crazy number 13 can throw people (it's my lucky number) and Friday the thirteenth is particularly scary for some. She's got some great tips on conquering fear and becoming a little more fearless.

Friday the thirteenth invokes uncontrollable panic in many people. Some experience the terror because of real events. For example, in 2010, lightning struck a 13-year-old boy in England on Friday the thirteenth at 13:13. The practical side of me says these details are fudged a bit, but I wasn’t there to prove or disprove what happened. It certainly makes you think.

There’s even a name for the fear of Friday the thirteenth:  Paraskevidekatriaphobia (Kudos for anyone who can pronounce it!). The name comes from Greek words “Paraskevi” for Friday and “dekatreis” for 13. I understand that the superstition is so widespread in the U.S. that airlines offer cheaper rates to travel on the day.

This Fearless Friday is a great day to stare down a fear. Maybe it’s tackling trepidation when Friday the thirteenth comes around. Maybe something else causes you distress. Since my income depends on working with clients, I terribly dread saying “no” to them. I did recently when a project went south. It was difficult. Afterwards, I realized the project had been so stressful I could actually laugh again.

A good friend dreams of traveling to Europe and randomly selecting a rail pass to wherever sounds interesting. No plans. Just explore. Her baby step is looking for new places to visit close to home. Another friend had a terrifying fear of heights. She took a ride in a WWI era open-air biplane. The second time was much easier. Last spring, a dog bit me while I was jogging in my neighborhood park. This Fearless Friday, I’ll be braver facing these dogs’ owners and not fear another bite.

In my romantic suspense called Becker Circle, Gillian experiences Friday the thirteenth almost every day. Her luck is rotten. It doesn’t turn in the sequel either where dark energy seems to find her. No matter her intentions or if she does anything at all, this overpowering bad karma follows her. She uses her determination to fight back and turn her luck.

There are two Friday the thirteenths in 2020, in March and November. We get a break the following two years with only one per year in 2021 and 2022.

The next full moon occurs on December 12 at 12:12 a.m. EST – a full 24 hours before we all face Friday the thirteenth. This full moon is called the Cold Moon or Long Nights Moon based on the moon’s high path across the sky that causes it to sit above the horizon longer. This special moon provides an opportunity for us to gather strength to face anxiety on Fearless Friday.

On Fearless Friday the thirteenth, what fear will you stare down? You don’t have to be fearless, but I challenge you to at least take a baby step.

About Becker Circle

My boyfriend believed I was too gutless to leave. He was dead wrong. I graduated Harvard early and left his hot temper and everyone else behind for Dallas. Determined to make it on my own, I land a second job bartending at the neighborhood pub, smack in the middle of drama central, where almost every jerk in the neighborhood hits on me.

A week into the job, the neighborhood’s very popular drug dealer falls to his death a few feet from the table I’m serving. The cops say suicide, but the hot guitar player in the house band and I suspect foul play, and we intend to prove it. Digging deeper, we’re drawn closer to each other. Then we make a shocking discovery. We know the murderer. Watch the trailer, and look for Gillian’s next experiences in the sequel, Dark Energy, in 2020.

Find Becker Circle on Amazon US ($0.99 through December 15), Amazon UK (99p through December 15), Smashwords, Apple Books, Kobo, and B&N Nook. Proceeds go to Hope’s Door New Beginning Center to help fight domestic abuse.

About Addison Brae

Addison Brae lives on the edge of downtown Dallas, Texas. She’s been writing since childhood and continues as an independent marketing consultant. She’s addicted to reading and enjoys jogging, sipping red wine, traveling the world, collecting interesting cocktail recipes, binge-watching TV series, vintage clothing, and hanging out with her artistic other half and their neurotic cat Lucy.

Connect with Addison on her website, Tirgearr Publishing, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

A #WickedWednesdays Glimpse into the DNA of Evil Characters by Addison Brae #villain

Please join me in welcoming back Addison Brae to Discover... She always has a good take on subjects, and she's tackled one of my favorites--villains. Villain DNA...read on!

Who are your most hated villains? My most recent favorites are Walter White from Breaking Bad, Gus Fring from Better Call Saul, Serena Joy from The Handmaid’s Tale, Kilgrave from Marvel’s Jessica Jones, and Marlo Stansfield of The Wire. All of these characters have three things in common. They’re authentic. They’re interesting and unique. And they’re evil to the point of having no soul, even though they may earn your sympathy on occasion.

Authentic, interesting and evil make up the DNA of an effective villain. Then match the villains’ traits with what scares the main character most. The combination has the effect of oil and water or two like ends of magnets and hopefully makes it hard for readers to put the book down.

Developing villains is fun. Think about all the bad bosses you’ve had mashed together. Combine characteristics, traits, and wicked things they did. That’s very similar to how Kim, Gillian’s boss at her first real job at an accounting firm, came about in Becker Circle. Gillian has a horrible fear of controlling people and how they belittle her. Here’s how her fear plays out during a staff meeting. It’s after Gillian tells her boss she suspects embezzlement after auditing a client’s records.

  

“I know, Gillian, you’re doing your job.” Kim turns back to the table. “But someone with more experience needs to handle this one.” She pauses and scans the faces around the conference table. Everyone’s looking somewhere else but at her. “Get with Bryan this afternoon. He’ll take it from here.”

What? My body goes hotter than a raging bonfire. I found the problem but I’m not smart enough to finish? She’s just like Connor—controlling and always cutting me down. And Bryan? He’s about a minute more experienced than I am. My face must be as red as it feels because everyone’s looking at me. Sara’s expression reaches across the table like a warm hug. I take a few slow deep breaths and force a smile. “Okay. Bryan, come by and I’ll explain everything to you.”

He does. And I do. And whatever.

Kim is one of the kinder wicked characters that show up in different parts of Gillian’s life in Becker Circle. She also has a love interest with multiple personalities and few other evil people she encounters while trying to solve the murder she witnessed. The most fun part of writing great scenes for mean characters is how the author can write the ending they want. This is especially satisfying in scenes based on truth—events that you always wish you had that second chance for a different outcome.

Today’s Wicked Wednesday and a perfect day to change a bad outcome to something fantastic. I challenge you to chase down something wicked and turn it into good.

Connect with Addison Brae on her website, Tirgearr Publishing, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube. You can find Becker Circle on Amazon, B&N, iTunes, Kobo, Smashwords.  

About Becker Circle
My first and only boyfriend believed I was too gutless to leave. He was dead wrong. My name’s Gillian, and I graduated Harvard early and left his hot temper and everyone else behind for Dallas. Determined to make it on my own, I land a second job bartending at the neighborhood pub smack in drama central where most every jerk in the neighborhood hits on me—at a huge price.

A week into the job, the neighborhood’s very popular drug dealer falls to his death a few feet from the table I’m serving. The cops say suicide, but the hot guitar player in the house band and I suspect foul play, and I intend to prove it. We dig deeper, grow closer, and make a shocking discovery. We know the murderer. Watch the trailer.   

#FearlessFridays and Facing Your Fear of #FreshStarts by Addison Brae

FEARLESS FRIDAY

Since I'm a Bathophobic (fear of being underground or underwater), I'm enjoying today's Fearless Friday. I haven't conquered mine yet, but you'll be delighted to read about Addison Brae and some other phobias.

Do you ever get dizzy, breathless, or nauseous at the thought of flying, sharks, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, or even learning something new? The National Institute of Mental Health reports an estimated 9.1 percent of U.S. adults had a specific phobia over the year of the study, and the prevalence was 12.2 percent for females.

Here are some achievements I certainly didn’t tackle fearlessly, but rather faced my fears head-on. These adventures may not be phobias, but at times my heart raced. I felt like I would throw up any second. The good far outweighed the bad, and in hindsight, I don’t regret any of these journeys.

·     * Attended high school in another country—inspired my first manuscript

·     *Got my scuba certification

·     *Learned to figure skate as an adult and competed—inspired my second manuscript

·     *Rode in a hot air balloon

·     *Quit my corporate job to start my own consulting business—August was 18 years

·     *Learned to shoot a pistol

·     *Bought a sports car

·     *Published a novel

The achievement that sticks with me most was leaving my second husband. It was an emotionally abusive relationship about to explode to violence. Before I left I was afraid for my life at times. The fear of stepping out into the single world again brought an entirely opposite fear. These experiences inspired Becker Circle, my third manuscript and first to publish.

Seventy-four percent of people in America know someone who’s a domestic abuse victim, which is why a portion of my proceeds go to Hope’s Door New Beginnings Center, to help raise awareness and stop the horrible trend. The good news is we always have a way out. Fresh starts are scary. They almost always come with doubts like Gillian, the main character in Becker Circle, experienced, but those doubts are rarely worse than what already happened. Fresh starts come with experimentation. We screw up. The sting reminds us we’re not numb.

Facing fear of leaving and a new beginning led to another adventure, vacationing in Puerto Rico--alone. A few years later, it led to something else that causes shortness of breath and racing heartbeats--falling in love. 

Today’s Fearless Friday. You don’t have to be fearless, but I challenge you to stare down a fear today.

You can find Becker Circle on Amazon.  Connect with Addison Brae on website, Tirgearr Publishing, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.

About Becker Circle

New degree. New job. It’s Gillian’s fresh start across the country. So much to experience. A giant past to forget. Gillian’s sense of humor and best friend help her maintain her self-respect when most every jerk in the neighborhood hits on her. Who know a fresh start could threaten her dignity—and even her life. Watch the trailer.