Spotlight & Giveaway: Never Let Me Fall by Abbie Roads

Posted November 6th, 2018 by in Blog, Spotlight / 34 comments

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Abbie Roads to HJ!
Spotlight&Giveaway

Hi Abbie and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Never Let Me Fall!

 

Name two things that inspired Never Let Me Fall.

1.Helena Grayse was inspired by Podcasts! Yes, Podcasts!

  • Serial (Season 1) introduced the listener to Adnan Syed. A seventeen-year-old boy who was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend. The podcast was riveting! Did he do it? Was he innocent? At the end, no real conclusions were drawn, and I was left wanting to know more. Then I discovered Undisclosed.
  • Undisclosed (Season 1) went so much deeper than Serial. I binge listened to the whole thing and by the time I reached the end I knew Adnan was innocent! And then I discovered Truth and Justice by Bob Ruff.
  • Truth and Justice. While listening to this podcast, Bob Ruff talked about a man who’d been wrongfully convicted of murder. As if that’s not horrible enough, while in prison he had been horribly physically and sexually abused. Eventually the man was freed, but the damage was done.

These podcasts must’ve been on percolate in the back of my mind as I started writing NEVER LET ME FALL.

Despite her innocence, Helena Grayse was convicted of murdering her boyfriend when she was eighteen years old. She’s spent the past decade in prison. NEVER LET ME FALL begins on her final night in Fairson Reformatory for Women. There, she’s faced with fighting off the The Sisters, a gang of women who’ve targeted her since the moment she entered the prison. Later in the novel, the reader learns why they set her in their sights.
 
2. Thomas Brown was inspired by Facebook Videos.

I can’t tell you how many videos I watched of people who were color-blind getting a pair of those special glasses that allow them to see all the colors. Their reactions were so emotional that I always ended up crying! And it got me thinking about what it would be like if a person couldn’t see any color at all. If their life was black and white. And Thomas was born!

In NEVER LET ME FALL, Thomas Brown suffered a kick to the head that left him with more than a scar. Optic nerve and brain damage robbed his life of color. Until he sees Helena. She brings color into his gray world and makes his life beautiful.
 

Please share your favorite excerpt from the book.

Without hesitation, she set her hand in his palm. While he unwound the elastic bandage, she watched him. Head bent over her, his brow furrowed in concentration. The sharp angles and panes of his face made all the more distinct from the shadows. And that’s when she saw the damage done to him.

Shiny pink skin spanned his cheek, his temple, and part of his forehead. Not a horrifying disfigurement that made her want to look away. No, the scar was a curiosity. Something she wanted to devote some time to examining. Some time to touching.

The damaged skin looked like a windswept tree of life. The trunk along his temple, the roots dangling down his cheek, bare branches spreading across part of his forehead. It was pretty in an exotic sort of way.

She reached out and touched it with her fingers. He froze. Didn’t look up. Just continued to stare downward as if he feared her reaction.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

I love this interaction between Thomas and Helena. Each of their lives have left them emotionally damaged. Neither trusts acceptance and kindness. Yet, here they are beginning to forge an understanding with each other. A subtle I-won’t-hurt-you-if-you-don’t-hurt-me. And that’s how they learn to trust each other.
 
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

 

Giveaway: Print copy of Never Let Me Fall (Fatal Dreams) by Abbie Roads

 

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Do you have a favorite Podcast? Have you ever seen a video where a color-blind person is finally able to see all the colors? Do you love damaged characters as much as me?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Book Info:

Seeing is believing…

Thomas Brown can’t see color, but he can see people’s true souls. His abilities allow him to work with criminal investigators and deliver justice to families of the wronged. And he’s starting to accept that his life will forever be in black and white…

Then he encounters Helena Grayse, and everything changes. She brings vibrant color to his world, and he brings acceptance and belief to hers. But Helena’s past is quickly catching up with her, and Thomas is in the crosshairs.

As an enemy hidden in plain sight threatens their every move, they’ll have to rely on their love to beat the darkness.

Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Abbie Roads loves Snickers Parfaits and acrylic pour painting. It’s her new obsession. The pour painting. Not the parfaits. Though the parfaits would qualify as an obsession too. She spends her days a mental health counselor always looking on the brightside, but at night she likes to write dark and dangerous things—with kissing and sexy times. She loves reading inspirational quotes and stories about serial killers. She is married to her favorite fellow and they have two cranky old rescue dogs that are not spoiled. Not at all. Okay. Maybe a little. Alright, the dogs are terribly spoiled, but they do give lots of cuddles and kisses in return.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | GoodReads |
 
 
 

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34 Responses to “Spotlight & Giveaway: Never Let Me Fall by Abbie Roads”

  2. Didi

    I don’t think I ever watch that kind of video. But I do love damaged character or one with disabilities yet could still live life to the fullest.

  4. janinecatmom

    The only podcast I have listened to was done by James Micheal and he talks about all sorts of stuff. I do love damaged characters in books. Most are easier for me to relate to.

  5. Juli Hall

    I have never listened to a podcast. I love damaged characters, they add so much to a story

  6. Olga

    No, I don’t have favorite Podcast. Yes, I have seen a video where a color-blind person is finally able to see all the colors. Yes, I like reading about damaged characters.

  7. kermitsgirl

    I only listen to podcasts because my husband likes them for long car rides. My Favorite Murder is pretty interesting.

    No, I’ve never seen a video like that.

    Damaged characters are my absolute favorite.

  8. Amy R

    Do you have a favorite Podcast? No
    Have you ever seen a video where a color-blind person is finally able to see all the colors? Yes
    Do you love damaged characters as much as me? Yes

  10. lea

    I don`t know what podcast is. And yes, I love stories with damaged characters.

  11. laurieg72

    I have not watched any podcasts.

    I have not seen a video of a color blind person seeing color for the first time. However when I worked a s a nurse I did see a young child hear for the first time after an operation. It was amazing. I cried.

    I like reading about damaged/wounded people finding their mate and attaining a HEA. These stories are so rewarding.

  12. Teresa Williams

    I listen to Rick and Bubba podcast.I like damaged characters sometimes.

    • nancy j burgess

      I do like damaged characters but dont know what a podcast is.

  14. Hannah Da Bink

    I love damaged characters. I love it when authors completely breaks a character in the book only to have them get back up and keep fighting. I don’t do podcasts I have a hard time keeping my attention on something just by listening to something no audio books either. I love those videos about color blind people finally getting to see color.

  17. Debra Branigan

    I enjoy all kinds of characters including damaged ones. I don’t listen to podcasts very often and haven’t seen a video like that.

  18. Dina Stornello

    dont really listen to podcasts but I do enjoy damaged characters.

  19. Theresa Fischer

    No, I have never listened to a podcast. Damaged characters are the best characters.

  20. Christina Anderson

    I haven’t listened to a podcast, does that make me abnormal
    I have seen videos of color blind people wearing glass that now let them see colors, and I cry every time.
    I do like reading about damaged characters, especially if they are written with a lot of heart.

  21. erahime

    No fave podcasts.

    If you mean those people getting those special glasses that helps them see in color, then yes. Christine Feehan’s Carpathian series also has color-blind people seeing in color after meeting their other halves.

    And depending on the author and the background of how they are “damaged, then I’m good. There are some damaged characters that I may not feel comfortable though.

  24. Mary C

    No favorite podcast.
    I have seen a video where students presented one of their teachers a pair of glasses that allowed him to see colors for the first time.
    Love damaged characters.

  26. erinf1

    I saw a video of a 12 year old finally seeing color. It was moving. Love damaged characters 🙂 thanks for sharing!

  27. rkcjmomma

    I havent seen any podcasts! No i havent seen any videos like that! I love damaged characters!

  28. BookLady

    I don’t have a favorite Podcast. I love reading about damaged characters.

  30. Jana Leah

    I’ve only listened to a few podcasts, so don’t have a favorite. I love damaged characters.

  31. Irma

    I’ve only listened to a few podcast, don’t have a favourite yet. But I do love damaged characters <3

  32. Nicole (Nicky) Ortiz

    I don’t have a favorite podcast.
    No I haven’t seen a video where a color blind person could see colors.
    Yes I do love damaged characters.

  33. Barbara Bates

    I have seen a video where a deaf person could hear for the very first time. Just beautiful!