October 12, 2020

Writing About Pregnancy and Intimacy in FROZEN CRIMES + Giveaway + Free Ebook

 

So, I don’t have any children, and I’ve never been pregnant. What I knew about pregnancy and labor before writing Frozen Crimes, I knew from my sister, who’d had two boys, and a friend who had three boys. Throughout Frozen Crimes, Beth is pregnant, and I found myself having to Google quite a bit so I’d have even the smallest details right.


I researched:

-      Maternity jeans

-      Maternity underwear and bras

-      Best intimate positions for pregnant women

-      Labor (stages)

-      Contractions (stages)


One tricky moment was when I had to write about Beth and Donovan making love when she is seven months pregnant. As you can see from my list above, I took to Google to help me and found a great website called TheBump.com, which had an article titled 8 Best Sex Positions While Pregnant, especially during the third trimester. (Warning: the article does contain animated graphics to go along with the list/details, for visual aid.)

I scanned through this article, looking for one that would be intimate enough for my characters, who’d been separated a month, but wouldn’t be too awkward to describe in the simplest terms possible. If you’re wondering…I chose the side-by-side position. In a later scene, I chose the spoon position.

It’s true that when you’re a writer you have to Google strange things, and it’s very true that everything has to be realistic and accurate.


SEXY EXCERPT: He stripped down and made his way to her. On the bed, they lay on their sides, facing each other. After Donovan peeled away her underwear, he put one of his legs between hers and the other on top of hers. He entered her without breaking eye contact. They made love in the way Donovan had been dreaming about since he had left. Having her pregnant belly between them made it that much more intimate. He watched her closely as he varied the speed and depth, being sure not to cause her any discomfort. She gripped his shoulders and gyrated her hips. Sounds of pleasure escaped her. Her fingernails bit into his skin when she came. To the tune of her ecstasy, he released himself.


P.S. I do write steamy scenes, but they are not erotica. Just FYI. ;)


When disasters strike around every corner, is it possible to have a happily-ever-after?

BLURB: Beth and Donovan are expecting their first child. Life couldn’t get any better…until a stalker makes his presence known. This person sends disturbing messages and unsettling items, but it isn’t long before his menacing goes too far.

Hoping for a peaceful Christmas, Donovan takes Beth to Michigan. Days into their trip, a winter storm named Nemesis moves in with the goal of burying the state. Snowdrifts surround their house, and the temperature drops below freezing.

Except, the storm isn’t the only nemesis they must face. Everyone’s lives are at stake—especially that of their unborn child. Will they survive, or will they become a frozen crime?

BUY LINKS: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes

 

EXCERPT:

The crunch of the shovel pounding into the snow and ice filled his ears. It was all he could hear. The rest of the street was silent beneath its wintry blanket. Breathing was difficult with the icy air clogging his lungs. His nose burned. His throat was dry and on fire. But he ignored it, focusing on his task.

Crack, crack, crack.

He jabbed the shovel into a hunk of snow. On the third hit, it shattered into several pieces. He scooped them up and flung them to the side. He surveyed what remained. There was one big ball in the middle of the path that needed to be dealt with next. He moved over to it and struck it. That one impact had it severing in two. He was about to hit it again when something crashed into the back of his head.

Explosions of white light danced over his vision. Pain enveloped his skull. The shovel slipped from his fingers. Blackness cloaked his mind, coaxing him into its depths.

Beth. Her name was a whisper in his head, as if his thoughts were being sucked into a wormhole.

His legs collapsed under his weight.

Cold. It seeped into him, consuming him. And then his consciousness fled down that same void that ate his thoughts.

 

***HUGE DISASTER CRIMES GIVEAWAY*** 



Prizes: 4 eBooks (Disaster Crimes 1-4: Hurricane Crimes, Seismic Crimes, Tsunami Crimes, Flaming Crimes) + Girl Boss Magnets (4), Inflatable Cup Holder (1), Adventure Fuel To-Go Cups (2), Anchor Fashion Scarf (1), Mermaid Nail Clippers (2), Citrus and Sea Salt Scented Candle (1), Snowflake Handmade Bookmark (1), Insulated Cooler Bag (1)

Eligibility: International

Number of Winners: One

Giveaway Ends: October 30, 2020 12:00am Eastern Standard Time

LINK: RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY


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 ***FREE EXCLUSIVE EBOOK***

To get the exclusive prequel to the Disaster Crimes series, sign up for my newsletter. By signing up, you agree to receive my newsletter. After you confirm subscription, you will receive an email (so check your inbox and spam folder) with directions on where to snag your eBook copy of THE CRIME BEFORE THE STORM.

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25 comments:

  1. such a beautiful cover and i loved the book. now, i just need to get my review written. when an author does their research it reflects in the book and i am glad you are so good at it. :-)
    sherry @ fundinmental

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sherry! I enjoy doing research, and actually had a lot of fun researching labor, childbirth, etc.

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  2. Research is really helpful, and I think it matters even if you've had the experience you're writing about. I have given birth twice, but both experiences were different, and every woman I know has a different experience. Getting the key elements right is good, but even if someone thinks it should have gone differently, know that it's a highly individual experience. I didn't scream, or cry, until five seconds before they put me to sleep for an emergency C-section after 16 hours of labor and 2 hours of pushing; but I know women who screamed the entire time - even before the pushing stage. So, it really is different for everyone.

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    Replies
    1. Certainly. Just like with anything we go through, it's always different for everyone. And we all have different pain thresholds, too. Beth's labor won't be like every woman's labor. Plus, not many have to give birth in her situation. lol

      For my research on labor, I really needed to know the stages (water breaking, what contractions are like, how long they last, how frequent they are during different times of labor, etc.).

      What I like is that labor/childbirth is different for every woman, so Beth's experience is valid, but not totally unique. :)

      Delete
  3. I have a great resource for this sort of thing if I ever want to write it--my mother was a labor and delivery nurse for a good portion of her working career.

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  4. I would have the same challenge as you if I wrote about a woman who is pregnant. Now I know where to go to if I need research resources.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. At least there's a lot of resources out there. :)

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  5. That's sexy without being prurient. Well done. If you ever have a character who has terrible morning sickness, I'm an expert in that area.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you think so, Janie! That's what I was going for. :)

      Delete
  6. You're so much braver than I am, Chrys. I've never written a sex scene. That day will likely come ~ LOL. You did well!

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's kind of funny. One of the things I write is erotica, but I get embarrassed about sharing the spicier scenes. Also, I have the libido of an old log, so it would seem strange that I'd write things in that genre, but the stuff I write tends to be deliberately over-the-top and silly.
    I always wonder what I should tell young women who ask me about what it was like to be pregnant and give birth. I had a complicated pregnancy, a horrendous labor, and my son and I nearly died. As a caveat, I'm an exception rather than the rule.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deliberately over-the-top and silly is fun!

      Oh wow!

      Delete
  8. Hi Chrys - congratulations on being brave enough to write a birth scene, or sex even ... I admire you - so well done on all the research etc ... I'm certain you brought the right timbre to the whole. Good luck with Frozen Crimes ... Hilary

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  9. I enjoy research, but never have I researched any of these topics! ;)

    I’m now blogging at www.fromarockyhillside.com

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  10. You now probably know more about pregnancy than me and I've done it four times. :)

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  11. I had three children, each birth entirely differnet but a wonderful moment when holding that new born in your arms.
    Great post Chrys,

    Yvonne.

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  12. I love how much research you did. That's great! I always wonder what Google thinks of me after I've done some research on my mob characters. I'm afraid police are going to come knocking at my door! haha

    Warmly,
    Elsie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wonder the same. I've researched some very strange things.

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  13. It's clear that you put so much into your work. This series is a testament to your creativity, skill, and research dedication.

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  14. Haha! I have a character who is pregnant through several books. XD

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