Pretty Ugly Lies by Pamela Crane #BlogBlitz #GuestPost
I am delighted to share a fab guest post by Pamela Crane Pretty Ugly Lies on Blog Blitz
What causes a woman to murder her whole family?
Jo's idyllic life would make most people jealous. Until one day her daughter is abducted and the only way to find her is to unravel her dark past.
Ellie is a devoted wife... until she discovers the pain of betrayal. Now vengeance is all she can think about.
Party-girl Shayla knows how to hide her demons. But when she's confronted with a life-shattering choice, it will cost her everything.
June knows suffering intimately, though the smile she wears keeps it hidden.
Soon the lives of these four women intersect and one of them is about to snap…
From USA TODAY best-selling author Pamela Crane comes "a thought-provoking domestic noir novel perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and B.A. Paris ... A chilling look at the secrets mothers will hide for the sake of their families, and the gruesome reality of what can break an everyday woman."
From USA TODAY best-selling author Pamela Crane comes "a thought-provoking domestic noir novel perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and B.A. Paris ... A chilling look at the secrets mothers will hide for the sake of their families, and the gruesome reality of what can break an everyday woman."
Where My Girls At?
By Pamela Crane, USA Today best-selling thriller author
“I need a girl’s night out,” I complained to my husband a few weeks ago.
I’d been hibernating in my house far too long, stuck in a routine of kid-rearing, writing, and housekeeping (which always seemed to fall at the back of the list). It was time for a break from the daily grind…and a break from myself. I wanted company—girl company. Because only a girl knows how to relate to me the way I needed related to in this moment. (Sorry, hubby, but you wouldn’t fit the bill this time!)
“Then go out, honey,” my husband agreed.
My enthusiasm was short-lived when I realized I had no one to go out with. Where my girls at? I wondered while the hit 1999 R&B song played in my head (and maybe I even sang aloud on repeat, to the annoyance of my husband—you know when a sung gets stuck in your head you can’t stop it). How could I be a grown adult woman and have no friends to go out on the town with? My five-year-old had more friends than I did!
I was never the most popular kid in high school, but I had always had a handful of close friends and generally was well-liked (at least that’s how I choose to remember high school). My two closest gal pals lived hours away from me, which made last-minute gettogethers impossible with a seven-hour car ride. As I scrolled through my Facebook feed that night in bed, I realized I wasn’t alone in this. Post after post popped up of people looking for someone to hang out with, go to an event with, help them with moving…and so on.
You may have met Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda in the popular television series Sex in the City. They were BFFs forever, sticking together through thick and thin. They always had each other to turn to, and in today’s world, that seems to be sorely lacking.
Instead of the Sex in the City gals, let me introduce you to four new ladies who also know the value of friendship and why it’s important that we—even as grownups—meet friends and keep friends. Meet Jo, Ellie, Shayla, and June. These four come from my latest domestic thriller, PRETTY UGLY LIES. While the book is about a woman snapping and murdering her family (if you want to find out who and why, pick up a copy of the book and watch the drama unfold!), a key theme is the value of friendships.
Each character is placed in impossible situations that would be near impossible to get through without friends. Jo’s child is abducted, but her friendship with Shayla is a constant reminder that she’s strong and able to survive this, helping Jo keep the hope alive that she’ll be reunited with her daughter soon. While Shayla struggles with infidelity and an affair partner who turns psycho, Jo is there is hold her hand through it while Shayla learns the value of honesty, even if it costs her everything. When Ellie discovers her husband is planning to leave her for another woman, June reminds her that her life doesn’t have to be wrapped up in him—Ellie’s got brains and drive and can live out her dreams without him. June’s broke and working double shifts, but when her bank account is empty along with her fridge, Ellie makes sure June’s family doesn’t go hungry.
Friends don’t let friends go hungry.
Friends keep us sane.
Friends keep us real.
Friends keep us company when we need it.
After writing PRETTY UGLY LIES, I realized I needed local friends. So I set out to find some and I’ve made a couple wonderful ones that have brightened my life. Are you feeling a little friendless these days? Here’s some ways you can make a friend or two:
Join local social groups on Facebook and post honestly that you’re looking for a friend. You’d be surprised how many people feel exactly like you do! But the key to this working is to follow through with plans.
Use your kids to make friends. What better way to meet people with similar interests (uh, parenting!) than by reaching out to your kid’s friend’s parent? If nothing else, you can talk about your kids the whole time.
Want to learn something new? There are classes and clubs galore. I recently joined a police academy course to learn more about police investigation for my books and made a handful of friends along the way. Not to mention, I enjoyed the perks of a high-speed car chase obstacle course and interactive shooting range (highly recommended for adrenaline junkies!).
Have a religious affiliation? Join a church or religious group and connect in a meaningful way.
Volunteering will put you in touch with other caring individuals while you serve a higher good. Many organizations need extra hands, and being among likeminded people can open the doors to some new friendships.
And don’t forget your co-worker buddies! When I worked in an office, that was a great place to make fabulous friends who I hung out with. Just because you spend eight hours a day with them doesn’t mean you can’t add a couple more to it for dinner and drinks on a Friday night.
In today’s tech world we hide too often behind our tablets and computers and phones, making little human interaction with real-life people. But just like my gals in PRETTY UGLY LIES, those flesh-and-blood friends can get us through the tough times. Next time I need a girl’s night out so I don’t lose my sanity, I’ll be ready to answer the question where my girls at and enjoy the relationships I’m building, one friend at a time. And if you ever need a virtual friend, hit me up at pamela@pamelacrane.com, since I’m always eager to meet new online friends to chat with and get to know.
About Pamela Crane
Pamela Crane is a professional juggler. Not the type of juggler who can toss flaming torches in the
air, but a juggler of four kids, a writing addiction, a horse rescuer, and a book editor by trade.
She lives on the edge (ask her Arabian horse about that—he’ll tell you all about their wild adventures
while trying to train him) and she writes on the edge. Writing murder mysteries is her escape from the
real world of dirty diapers and cleaning horse stalls, and she bases her characters on real people, so be warned! She is a USA Today best-selling author of several award-winning thrillers, which you can find on her website at www.pamelacrane.com.
Connect with me here:
https://www.facebook.com/Author.Pamela.Crane
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