Jill!

Congratulations, Jill! Thanks again for stopping by!

~~

Ellie looked up at Hazel. “Mommy, can I have a duck? A real one with feathers and quacks?”

“I’m afraid not. We don’t have a good place to keep a duck.” Hazel dried her daughter’s hair. “Ducks like water, remember? And we don’t have a pond or a stream for one to swim in.”

“We could keep it in the bathtub.”

“Then where would you take your bath? Ducks don’t like bubbles.” Hazel held out the pajama top.

“Oh.” Ellie pulled on the shirt and sighed. “I guess I can’t have a duck. Can we get a puppy?”

“Not right now.” Hazel helped her daughter finish dressing and led her out of the bathroom.

Ellie looked up at her as they walked. “Is it because Mr. Ian is here?”

“No, I just don’t think we’re quite ready for a puppy yet. They take a lot of work, you know.” Hazel guided the child into her bedroom and tucked her into bed. “And when I go back to work and you’re at Miss Daisy’s, who would let the puppy outside to potty?”

“I didn’t think about that.” Ellie smothered a yawn as Hazel grabbed their latest book off the nightstand. “Can we get a kitten? Miss Daisy has a kitty, and it uses a kitty pan in the house.”

Hazel fought back a smile. The girl sure was determined. “Sweetie, we’re not adopting any kind of animal right now. Maybe someday, but probably not any time soon.”

“What about a baby?”

~~

If you’d like to read more, Finding the Way Back is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and many other online retailers.

You can enter to win a copy of Finding the Way Back if you visit the Rachel Van Dyken blog hop post and leave a comment by May 19, 2013.

Finding the Way Back has also been nominated for the RONE Awards. To cast your vote, visit the InD’Tale website before May 24, 2013.

As always, be sure to stop by Sweet Saturday Samples for links to more tasty bites!

In case you didn’t know, Rachel is a multi-published (and very talented) author. Check out some of her gorgeous covers! (psst…if you click on the cover, it will take you to the book’s page on the publisher’s website)

And now, because Rachel is such a sweetheart and insisted on it, here’s the cover and blurb for my most recent release, Battlefield of the Heart.

What started out as a bit of research for a sociology paper quickly turns into much more than Cindy ever expected. But can she survive Danny’s PTSD long enough to form a relationship with him?

Cindy Waymire, a college senior in search for a topic for an upcoming sociology paper, finds more than a topic when she meets Army veteran and college freshman Danny Flynn outside the student union. An undeniable attraction to this troubled veteran leads her on a difficult and wind-ing path that brings her to a crossroads — get into a relationship with a man who has serious mental health problems or turn her back on one of the best men she’s ever met.

Can Cindy set her fears aside and follow her heart, or will the ghosts haunting Danny’s mind end their relationship before it begins?

~~

Battlefield of the Heart is available from Astraea Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, and most online booksellers.

Now for the fun part. Because this is a blog hop, I’m giving away an ebook copy of my self-published book, Finding the Way Back. Entering is easy. Leave a comment, and your name goes into the (virtual) hat. Then on May 20, 2013, I’ll use Random.org to pick the winner.

Want to know more about the prize? Here are the cover and blurb:

Nurse practitioner Hazel Baker is stunned when the Agency asks her to take a traumatized field agent home with her. Her immediate concern is how it will affect her four-year-old daughter. But, after meeting the broken man, she can’t deny him the opportunity for healing and opens her home to him. If only she could find a way to help him regain the ability to speak, which he lost after being captured during a mission…

Ian Grant may not have a voice, but he still has a conscience — something many of his colleagues at the Agency seem to have lost. Their unethical behavior set back his recovery from the torture he endured, but his move to Hazel’s house gives him hope that perhaps someone truly does care about him, not just what he knows. But can Hazel’s gentle presence and her daughter’s innocence help him find the strength to fight against the corruption riddling the Agency?

~~

If you’d like to purchase a copy (and I would be ever so grateful!), Finding the Way Back is available from Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other online booksellers.

Be sure to visit the rest of the blogs in the hop! You can find a complete listing here.

~~

Jordan spotted Alaina approaching from the opposite direction with three other people.

She lifted a shapely eyebrow when they met by the closed metal doors. “Have you all met each other?”

Jordan scanned the unfamiliar faces and shook his head. “Not yet.”

“In that case, Jordan Blake, meet Greg Parker, Devon Marshall, and Jana Stevens. They’re all programmers, like me.”

Alaina glanced at her friends. “Jordan is the new IT guy who’s going to become our webmaster at some point.”

“Rock on!” Greg pumped his fist with a grin. “Dude, you have saved my life.”

“What?” Jordan shifted his questioning gaze to Alaina as Abe brushed against his leg.

She laughed. “Greg hates working on the website, but he’s good at it, so he gets volunteered regularly. Since you’re going to take over the work on the site, he won’t have to deal with it anymore.”

“Ah.” Abe nosed Jordan’s leg again, and he reached down to reassure the dog he was okay with a quick pat to the head. Yes, Greg’s reaction had sped up his heart rate, but he felt as calm as he could, considering he was going to lunch with his brand new coworkers.

Devon pressed the call button for the elevator as Jana stepped closer to Jordan. “Cute dog,” she said with a friendly tone. “What’s his name?”

“Abe.” He looked at the dog, who now sat beside him. “Greet.”

The dog glanced at him, then lifted his right front paw and held it out toward Jana. She laughed and leaned down to shake the large paw, earning a wag of his tail. When she straightened, she met Jordan’s gaze with a sparkling smile. “He certainly is polite, isn’t he?”

“Absolutely.” He scratched behind Abe’s ears. “I wouldn’t have my boy be any other way.”

~~

You can purchase a copy of Jordan’s Battle from Astraea Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers.

Be sure to stop by Sweet Saturday Samples for links to more tasty excerpts!

You can find the poll here.

Blurb:

A visit to the Highland games goes awry for Alasdair Buchanan when his cousin abandons him in the crowd. His guide dog is terrible at describing the sights, but he does a great job of finding the river. Too bad Alasdair has no clue where that river is in relation to his cousin’s apartment.

When Trisha Wright stops to speak with him in her angelic voice, Alasdair is certain his cousin did him a favor by abandoning him. Trisha loves the Scot’s flirtatious ways and basks in his compliments, but she can’t shake the fear that he’ll hate her when he learns the truth about her—a truth everyone can see but him.

Imperfect Beauty is available from Astraea Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers.

~~

Blurb:

Computer programmer Alaina Howard has a new office mate, and she couldn’t be happier that he’s handsome and unattached. Although initially uncertain of his position in the company, she quickly realizes that he’s good at his job and a valuable asset. If only she knew why the seemingly non-disabled man needed a service dog, things would be perfect.

Army veteran Jordan Blake is thrilled to get a job that allows him to pursue his dream of learning web development. The position is even sweeter thanks to the beautiful woman he shares an office with. The only drawback is that she seems suspicious of his need for a service dog to assist with an invisible disability.

Will Alaina’s suspicion and Jordan’s reluctance to talk about his disability keep them from developing the relationship they both desire?

Jordan’s Battle is available from Astraea Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers.

According to what I had heard about this report, it would essentially tell parents how they could cure their autistic kids through behavioral therapy. Great news, right? Well, only sort of. I could see several ways for this report to go, so I decided to hold off forming an opinion until I had a chance to watch it.

The report turned out to be about what I expected, where they implied that autism can be cured through applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy, but they made sure to avoid coming right out and saying it’s a cure. Throughout the report, I listened to parents who were amazed and thrilled that ABA therapy cured the signs of autism in their children. Only one couple actually claimed their child had been cured of the diagnosis.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled that these parents had such a great experience and that their children are doing so well. It’s wonderful that they were able to overcome huge challenges and make tremendous progress toward acting “normal.”

But here’s my concern, and it’s based on my own experience and the experiences of other adults on the autism spectrum. Let me preface this by saying I wasn’t officially diagnosed with autism until I was an adult, and as a result I never had any kind of behavioral therapy or social skills classes or any of the other treatments children routinely receive now. However, I have read the stories of and heard from other adults who were diagnosed as children and have been through those treatments, and our experiences are quite similar.

The parents in this news report mentioned typical autism behaviors such as hand flapping, meltdowns, verbal challenges, etc. Through ABA therapy, their children ceased to show these unwanted behaviors and gained the ability to speak plainly. This is good, but it’s also where the concern comes into play. While these children now appear normal by all outward signs, what’s going on inside them?

I spent a good portion of my childhood and teen years learning to act like everyone else around me. I wasn’t always good at it, but I could do it well enough that I came across as occasionally quirky and pretty shy to most people. They couldn’t tell that I was autistic just by looking at me, and I became well-trained to hide those behaviors that would make me obviously different. I never really cared what people thought of me, but hiding the signs of autism was easier to deal with than putting up with ridicule or being told I shouldn’t do whatever it was (although I was never given a reason why beyond, “people your age don’t act like that”).

Sounds good, right? I mean, I could blend into a group, I wasn’t walking in circles and flapping my hands, I wasn’t having meltdowns in the middle of church. The outward signs of autism weren’t obvious, so no one could tell I was on the spectrum.

But you have to keep in mind autism isn’t just an external presentation. No matter how normal I looked or how well I appeared to fit in, I was still suffering on the inside. I still didn’t understand the social cues, body language, and jokes that everyone around me did, but I could fake it well enough that I just came across as a little naïve or gullible. I had friends, participated in choirs, was included in social activities… you know, all those things “normal” kids do. Yet inside, I always knew I was different and never felt like I fit in with any group. I couldn’t explain why that was, but I knew from an early age I wasn’t like everyone else and no amount of pretending I was changed that.

Fast forward a few years to adulthood. I began to hate hiding who I am on the inside, but by that time I was so well trained to appear normal that I was scared to death to just be me. Sitting on the floor and rocking when anyone other than my closest family members were around was out of the question. Half the time, I wouldn’t even do it around family for fear of ridicule or being told I shouldn’t. People my age behaved a certain way, and I pretended I could do the same things, but I always felt out of step, like I had to run to keep up when everyone around me strolled at a leisurely pace. If I said, “Hey, I can’t do that,” I was told to try harder and to quit limiting myself. I couldn’t get through to people that the limitations were real because of a neurological disorder, not because of laziness or fear.

My story is not that unusual, and neither is the anger at having to hide myself just to make the people around me happy or more comfortable. So many of us have become adept at hiding who we really are, but all that does is make life harder, not easier. Fitting in and acting like everyone else may seem like a blessing to parents of autistic kids, but being true to yourself is more important. The ability to accept yourself, weird and repetitive behaviors and all, goes a long way toward finding the happiness that all parents want for their kids. This is why I push acceptance so hard. If I could have been accepted as I really am instead of as who I pretended to be my life would have been so much easier. I’m still working toward allowing my autism to show when other people are around, but it’s not easy to let people see me as I really am after so many years of hiding behind a mask.

Autism, regardless of external appearances, still affects the way a person experiences life. It creates real challenges and limitations, no matter how normal the autistic person may appear. The more normal an autistic person appears and acts, the higher the expectations that are placed on them. Maybe they can live up to them, maybe they can’t. But by thinking a few years of full-time (forty hours or more per week) behavioral therapy will make an autistic kid into a neurotypical kid, I’m afraid a huge disservice is being done to those kids.

I firmly believe ABA (when done properly) plays an important role in helping kids on the autism spectrum learn to cope with the world around them, but I don’t think it should be touted as a way to cure autism. By all means, make life easier for those of us on the autism spectrum, but please don’t try to force us to be people we’re not. We are autistic. It’s hardwired into our brains, and no amount of therapy will change that reality.

So, what is sensory processing disorder? Well, basically it’s when your brain has trouble integrating sensory input properly. This is why it’s sometimes referred to as sensory integration dysfunction. I once wrote an article on sensory integration issues, and I have yet to think of a better explanation than the one I used in it:

Simply put, it means the brain doesn’t process sensory input in a normal manner. It can cause under-sensitivity to stimuli, such as not feeling pain. It can cause extreme sensitivity to stimuli, such as finding a light touch painful. It can cause a person to taste something odd, such as coconut tasting like a brush fire smells.

Now, those of you who have never dealt with sensory issues are probably wondering, “What is it like?” To answer that, I’m going to share an excerpt from The Key to Charlotte, my inspirational romance that has an autistic heroine.

~~

Pastor Ed walked over, his usual welcoming smile in place as he shook her hand. “Good morning, Charlotte. The church looks wonderful, as always.”

She withdrew her hand from his, resisting the urge to wipe it on her skirt to rid her skin of the feel of someone touching her, and signed “thank you.” Then it hit her. She hadn’t wanted to wipe away the feel of Zakaria touching her hand yesterday. What did that mean?

Confusion caused anxiety to form, and her defenses against sensory input failed. The noise of the people overwhelmed her, the numerous scents from soap and perfume threatened to suffocate her, and the lights burned into her brain like lasers. Unable to deal with the heavy assault on her nervous system, she walked away from the pastor and went to the basement.

More people were down there, finishing up cups of coffee while they talked, their voices echoing off the cement‐block walls. The lingering scent of coffee, the sticky sweet smell of doughnuts, and more soap and perfume filled the air, and Charlotte escaped into the hall that led to the janitorial closet, praying for a quiet place with no people and few scents so she could destress before she went into a meltdown. The uncontrollable crying might relieve stress and enable her to function, but it was exhausting. Plus, having others witness it was embarrassing. She didn’t know what she’d do if Zakaria saw her crying like that. Would he think she was a freak, or worse, reject her? She couldn’t bear the thought of losing him as a friend because of something she couldn’t control. She wanted him to see her as a woman, someone who was strong and capable—a person who could love.

The shrill voices of small children in the nursery surrounded her, making her already overloaded system threaten to break. She fought the emotions lurking just below the surface, knowing that if she started crying now, she wouldn’t stop until all of the environmental stress overloading her system had washed away with the tears.

She quickly climbed the other set of stairs, struggling to figure out where she could go to calm down enough to survive Sunday school. Although home would be quiet, her parents would worry if she left the church. No, she had to find somewhere inside the building. The restrooms were out because people would undoubtedly need to use them. The classrooms wouldn’t work, either, because everyone would be trickling in for Sunday school. Maybe the office?

Stepping into the hall, she spotted a couple of the women going into the office, talking and laughing. Her last hope of peace vanished, and she nearly lost her battle with the tears. She wrapped arms around her middle and rocked from side to side, fighting to hold herself together.

~~

While sensory processing issues aren’t always this severe, it does give you a glimpse into what it’s like to live with sensory processing disorder. And I can assure you that even though Charlotte is a fictional character, the descriptions are accurate. After all, I based this scene on my own experiences.

If you want to learn more about sensory processing disorder, there is a ton of information online that a quick Google search will help you find. You can also check out my article “What are Sensory Integration Issues?” which provides a few links to informative websites.

If you’d like to read more of The Key to Charlotte and find out how an autistic woman finds and experiences romance, you can purchase a copy from Pelican Book Group, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, or other online retailers.

~~

Charlotte switched off the vacuum and breathed a sigh of relief. The silence in the small church was pure bliss. She pulled the plug from the wall and coiled the cord around the top of the vacuum, then returned it to the janitorial closet in the basement. Turning around, she pulled out her cell phone and checked for reminders.

Take the rag bucket home.

Yes, she needed to wash the rags and kitchen towels. She returned the phone to her pocket and grabbed the bucket handle. As she headed upstairs, she heard the sound of a guitar coming from the sanctuary. Was someone playing a CD? It sounded like live music, but she’d never heard anyone in the church play a guitar.

Drawn by the soothing strains of the strings, she turned right at the top of the stairs.

No one ever came in the church while she was cleaning. The entire congregation knew her schedule–Tuesday and Saturday afternoons–and they always made sure to come at a different time. Charlotte had never been sure if it was because they didn’t want to get in her way or if her parents had talked to them about the importance of routine for her. When she was little, she’d gotten upset by people showing up unannounced, but now that she was twenty-three, she liked to think she could handle surprises a little better.

She peered through the open doorway and saw a man sitting on the edge of the platform by the plain wooden altar playing a battered acoustic guitar.

Her breath caught in her throat and her heart raced as she studied him. Not only was he a talented musician, he was gorgeous, more gorgeous than anyone she’d ever seen in this small Indiana town. His black hair was a little shaggy but stylish; his straight nose, high cheekbones, and tan complexion made her think of Native Americans and Italians; his lean build clothed in faded blue jeans, an olive green T-shirt, and worn-in sneakers, made him look laid back. Peace filled his face as he strummed his guitar. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, making Charlotte wonder if the sound of a guitar brought him as much joy as it did her.

Suddenly, he stopped playing and looked up at her. She tightened her grasp on the bucket handle.

He studied her with the most beautiful, warm brown eyes she’d ever seen. His smile caused her heart to flutter. “Hi there. Are you Charlotte?”

She nodded.

He didn’t seem to mind that she shifted her weight back and forth. Just as well. If she didn’t rock to release it, the nervous energy building under his gaze would make her cry.

“Pastor Ed told me I might run into you if I came this afternoon. I’m Zakaria Rush, the new director of children’s ministries.” He laid his guitar across his knees and chuckled, a deep, rich sound that warmed Charlotte clear through. “It’s a fancy title for a guy who didn’t want to grow up and found a way to turn it into a career.”

~~

You can purchase a copy of The Key to Charlotte from Pelican Book Group, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers.

Be sure to head over to Sweet Saturday Samples for links to more excerpts!

Tell us a little about yourself.

Hmm. Well, by day I am a pediatric therapist. I specialize in the autism spectrum, sensory processing and feeding disorders. So I spend my days with food, puke and tears. And no that is not a rock band lol.

By night, I write. I’ve been published since 2006. I was research assistant to NY Times Best Seller Jodi Picoult for her autism book, House Rules.

What is autism?

Well, depends who you ask. With the advent of the DSM 5, there will only be one autism. I, for one, believe in the spectrum.  From full blown autism the whole way up to asperger’s syndrome.

Here’s the wikipedia defintion:

Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction andcommunication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. The diagnostic criteria require that symptoms become apparent before a child is three years old.[2] Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize; how this occurs is not well understood.[3] It is one of three recognized disorders in the autism spectrum (ASDs), the other two being Asperger syndrome, which lacks delays in cognitive development and language, and pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified (commonly abbreviated as PDD-NOS), which is diagnosed when the full set of criteria for autism or Asperger syndrome are not met.[4]

How does are people on the autism spectrum affected?

I would say the most prominent feature is impaired sensory processing. Their senses are either over-reacting or under-reacting.

An example of a feeding child, with over sensitive skin may gag at the sight of food on her tray. Touching it feels noxious and the inside of her mouth is so sensitive, she prefers NOT to eat rather than tolerate the texture. Fun, right. Fun, no.

Please tell us about a personal experience with autism.

Autism is no longer a death sentence—ie you will be institutionalized. With the gamut of interventions out there, both biological and behavioral  and therapy options out there, many many people make significant progress.

We hear so much about the challenges faced by people on the autism spectrum and their families. Can you tell us something about the other side, the good things about autism?

Well, half of NASA probably is on the spectrum lol. It’s often paired with genius level intelligence. If you are able to control the sensory issues and tweak the social anxiety, there is often a massively complex and intelligent person underneath.

Thank you for being here today!

About R R Smythe:

R R Smythe writes Young Adult Historical Thrillers and Fantasy, with romantic elements. She can be found digging in her garden, tapping out secrets on her laptop or hiding behind her enormous to be read pile. She believes in six impossible things before breakfast, and is in visual nirvana with any Tim Burton film.

Blurb:

Mia Templeton is dying. Or was dying. After receiving a heart transplant, her world is forever altered. Before her eyes open, she overhears her donor was a murdered girl of the same age. Whispers invade Mia’s head before she’s even left the recovery room. She develops tastes for foods she once hated, and dreams so vivid, she feels they’re someone else’s memories. Her personality is altered—once a quiet doormat, she’s now inexplicably flippant, and confident. And her unexplained longing for the new boy at school is borderline obsessive.

Morgan Kelley is new. Adopted by his aunt, a descendant of Louisa May Alcott (Little Women), he’s thrown into life at a new high school, and as a historical guide for his aunt’s store—a homage to all things Alcott. Conspiracy theories abound about his mangled lower leg—but no-one has been brave enough to ask. Till Mia.

Something is awry with the Underground Railroad tunnels beneath his aunt’s home. Mia and Morgan enter the world of a secret Literary Society–and are drafted to help bring a rogue Literary giant to justice, solve the mystery of her heart donor, the the real fate of Beth from Little Women.

Heart Murmurs is available from Astraea Press, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

~~

Hazel turned to face the director and Mr. Wolenczek behind him. “I want to speak with Ian for a moment before I make a final decision. If all goes well, I will take him in and do whatever I can to aid his recovery.”

A furrow formed between Director Cole’s eyebrows, and he drew in a breath. “I’m not sure—”

“Let me go in first,” Mr. Wolenczek said. “Ian knows me, so it might go better if I introduce you before you talk to him.”

“That’s fine.” Hazel ignored the director’s displeased expression and followed Mr. Wolenczek to the door of the observation room.

He typed a code into the keypad by the door, and the light turned red. Opening the door, he stepped inside and spoke in a low, even tone. “Ian, let me know you hear me.”

Ian lifted a hand in a halfhearted wave before letting it fall into his lap again. Mr. Wolenczek stepped farther into the room and motioned for Hazel to join him.

“Ian, this is Hazel Baker. She’s a nurse practitioner and would like to speak with you. All right?”

The same hand lifted briefly in acknowledgement, but otherwise Ian showed no sign that he was aware of the world around him.

Hazel glanced at Mr. Wolenczek, and he nodded. Drawing in a calming breath, she stepped forward and knelt before her soon-to-be patient and housemate. “Ian, they’ve asked that I bring you to my home so you won’t have to stay here any longer. Would you like that?”

He lifted his head ever so slightly and met her gaze with chocolate brown eyes. The shadows of horror were unmistakable, but she suddenly had a feeling he was aware of a lot more than he let on.

She gave him a smile and laid her hand on his arm in a show of friendship. “I have a four-year-old daughter. Her name is Ellie.”

Ian studied her for what felt like an eternity before he finally gave a single small nod. He dropped his gaze again, and Hazel glanced at Mr. Wolenczek. He shrugged, offering no help in deciphering the nod. She turned back to Ian.

“Does that mean you want to come stay with me?” He nodded again, and Hazel gave his arm a gentle squeeze. “All right, then. We’ll make arrangements to transport you to my house.”

She stood and followed Mr. Wolenczek out of the room. As he and the others discussed the transportation plan, she glanced through the glass wall. Ian met her gaze and held it for a few seconds before looking away again. He stretched out on the bench with his back to the hall, and Hazel tried to return her attention to the discussion around her. Unfortunately, she couldn’t get those troubled brown eyes out of her mind. It felt like he was trying to tell her something, but what?

~~

Finding the Way Back is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and other online retailers.

Hop on over to Sweet Saturday Samples for links to more sweet treats!