We have a winner! Lori Brighton, congratulations on winning your pick of one of Amber’s e-books!
A big welcome to Amber Scott! Amber’s a talented, bestselling author with her hot and flirty contemporary books and her equally hot Irish historicals. In addition to her great post, she’s giving away one ebook for every five comments, randomly drawn and readers choice among Irish Moon, Play Fling, Love Lust or a Fierce Dawn e-ARC.
Where’s Your Towel?
By Amber Scott
Posting my first blog article. EEK!
Replying to a fan letter hoping I say just the right-write?-thing. Nerve-rack-ing.
Preparing to promote another new release. (Fierce Dawn, April 3rd) le Gulp.
It never fails, when I’m facing a new edge in my comfort zone, I feel like I’ve just stepped out of the shower. In public. And can’t find my towel.
Yep. Buck nakeeed and sopping wet.
An old Adam Sandler skit comes to mind. “Noooo! They’re all going to laugh at you!” a paranoid mom screams at her children (read as: in my head.)
Two Kindle bestsellers, eight published books, eleven successful manuscripts, two screenplays, umpteen articles and podcasts later, how can fear still wriggle its way in? I don’t know.
Okay, okay. So, I do know why. It’s how our brains work. I’ve read enough neuroscience books that I should know this is simply a normal function and part of life. Doesn’t help! Fear will never go away. But, luckily, thanks to a little magic, I’ve learned how to face it.
Here’s how:
1. Laughter.
“Ever-body farts!” said my 3 year old angel to her Uncle Matt after she let a toot loose on his lap.
“Grow a Pair!” the accidental great advice my career coach and laugh partner, Ann Charles, once emailed me. (It was supposed to be a link for a hilarious youtube video. I thought it must be her way of motivating for the latest roadblock.)
2. Belief.
Aunt Tammy’s magic dryer. My son is hooked on balloons and when we couldn’t take his onto the plane, my husband went to the local chain restaurant location and put an identical version in our dryer then gave my sister all the credit, saying she sent it to him.
“Big red balloon!” are three magic words that open any closed security gate. I dare you to try it!
3. Support.
The HOT Club is the misnomer for hard core Amber Scott fans. The first members of the Amber Scott Books HOT Club absolutely rock. Not only do they wear their flaming heart emblem with pride, but they post things like “Don’t hate me because I’m hot!” They show up when I write articles, they shout out my events on Twitter and high-five me on Facebook.
4. Love.
With each new release, each new book ‘baby’, I fall in love. Right now, I’m crazy for Elijah Stokes, the winged seeker from Fierce Dawn. I’m swept into this world where human blood is a drug and vampires are the immortals addicted to it. I’m fascinated by human changelings like Sadie Graves, evolving from human into immortal. *sigh* (Don’t worry, Ashlon Sinclair still makes me swoon in Irish Moon and he isn’t the least bit jealous.)
My family has learned to share me with my imagination, with characters so real they make me laugh out loud and cry. My children ask me if I’ve finished my chapter. My husband really means it when he asks how my writing went.
All these things and more, combined, remind me that while I might feel naked and wet in public from time to time, in fact, I’m wearing an oversized, plush towel that fans, friends and family will always be ready to hand me.
To celebrate my next brave adventure, Fierce Dawn, I’d LOVE to give some ebooks away. Please tell me one thing that helps you face your fears and be sure to include your email address. Readers choice among Play Fling, Love Lust, Irish Moon and an eARC of Fierce Dawn are up for grabs.
http://amberscottproject.wordpress.com/
Loved this article Amber! I just wanted to stop by, Love all your books. I will pass my entry on to the next poster as I have all your books and want to spread the love!
Thanks for sharing!
Amber, I loved this blog. I’ve hit all these notes, though it different ways. Reading this makes me want to buy all your books.
Thanks so much for being our guest today!
As cliche as it sounds my family (especially my 2yr old granddaughter) gives me the strength to face my fears. Our little one has Cystic Fibrosis so we try and live each day to the fullest.
Your books sound good. I have a couple of them on my wish list already.
habrewer23@gmail.com
Great post!
There are a few things I do. One is I try not to dwell and overthink, but just do. Another is putting things into perspective. In other words, realizing that even if something happens that I didn’t want, it’s not the end of the world. And another is to embrace the change! Things are always moving, always changing, and you never know what will happen. That’s exciting for me!
Hi Miranda! Thanks for stalking, er, stopping by! You’re the best!!
Edie, thanks for having me. We writers gotta stick together and laugh together, too.
Heather, that is a serious challenge and I admire your tenacity. My college roomie had Cystic Fibrosis and I always admired how grounded she was about it. I wish your granddaughter a full, rich, adventurous life.
Thanks Amber,
Usually when someone hear’s CF they think it’s the worst thing in the world but the way we look at it, there are a lot of things that she could’ve had that are worse. She has to take enzymes with every meal and has a vest that she does a treatment with 2x a day but other than that she is a normal little girl. She has only been in the hospital 3x since she was born and the Dr’s are amazed at that alone. Treatments have come so far over the last few years, can’t imagine what she’ll be able to do in another few.
Nice to hear the words College roommate that means she was a little older.
@Heather, the last time I saw her, she was twenty-eight and a mom. She had a great attitude and family and I think it made all the difference.
Thanks so much for sharing such a personal and inspiring story. Love makes for a great towel.
Amber, love your post. I used to have an insanely, unbelievable fear of public speaking. Then my son joined the cub scouts and I was the troop leader, pack leader, anything leader you can think. I had to get over my fear for my son. I had to speak to 50 little boys, and about 200 parents and guests for our Blue and Gold dinner. I just wanted someone to shoot me so I wouldn’t have to speak. Once it was over, it was like, “Wow, I’m still alive.” LOL
LMAO over Ann’s errant email without the link. Grow a pair! That’s hilarious. I can actually hear her in my mind saying that.
Amber, you rock. Best wishes with all your books and with facing fear. Fear should be afraid of you, not the other way around!
Hi Amber! I’m so excited for the release of Fierce Dawn! Ashlon is still my favorite too, but I have a feeling that he may need to make room for one more!
I was laughing out loud after reading your “everybody farts” on FB. I had no idea where you were going with that. I’m also proud to say that I am a member of the HOT Club! I always look forward to your posts, so keep them coming!
@Jill, Facing down that many kids takes serious guts! Go, you!!
@Misty, I know, right?! That’s why I totally thought it was one to add to our growing list like “Author up!” and “Girls Fight For Keeps!”
@Cindy, YAY! I can’t wait to hear what you think. So good to see your ‘HOTness’ here! I’m loving the Get Fanged community, too. Thanks for friending me there. Oh, the fun things we shall do there, right?
Okay, now you got me visualizing a big fluffy red security towel. Red because its bold, hot and will be easy to find. (I just won’t wash it with the whites).
Thanx for joining us here at MM. Terrific blog and the books sound wonderful.
Planning helps me face fears
I like to be organised and try and plan for all eventualities lol
emmad at xtra dot co dot nz
Amberrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!
I didn’t know you were here today – what a nice surprise.
I’m hoping to be able to read Fierce Dawn this weekend.
I can definitely identify with this post–thanks for letting me know I’m not the only one. Best of luck with the new release!
@Liz, Red? LOVE it! Dry off with a little attitude, right?
But, strength in numbers, right?
@Emmad, good point! Staying organized can definitely stave off that “what am I forgetting” panic.
@Kate, Hey, chickee!!!!! Isn’t this such a great blog? Can’t wait to hear what you think of it.
@Stacey, yep. You are not alone. That in itself can be a nice cozy towel although it also put a bunch of towel clad women standing on a street corner in my head.