Today I am turning the blog over to H.A. Leuschel to celebrate the release of My Sweet Friend and we are lucky enough to have not just an extract from this new book but also a giveaway!
Hello
and thank you very much for inviting me to the Fabulous Book Fiend!
Lies have the ability to change loyalties, break up a
marriage or friendship, cause suspicion and confusion and they hence have the
ability to fundamentally change lives.
Lying is a symptom shared by the most
convincing, cunning and ruthless individuals such as psychopaths and
narcissistic manipulators. They have an invincible sense of self-importance and an addictive urge to project an image of power and
perfection of themselves at all cost which are fuelled by the rewarding skills like
charm, charisma, clever diversion and deception.
In my new stand-alone novella ‘My Sweet Friend’, I explore
the idea that when lies are a person’s habit, they transform not only the way
they will see themselves but their world-view shifts as fast as the utterance
of their next confabulation.
A stand-alone novella from the author
of Manipulated Lives
A perfect friend ... or a perfect
impostor?
Alexa is an energetic and charismatic professional and the new member of a
Parisian PR company where she quickly befriends her colleagues Rosie and Jack.
She brings a much-needed breath of fresh air into the office and ambitiously
throws herself into her new job and friendships.
But is Alexa all she claims to be?
As her life intertwines with Rosie and Jack's, they must all decide what
separates truth from fiction. Will the stories that unfold unite or divide
them? Can first impressions ever be trusted?
In this original novella, H.A. Leuschel evokes the powerful hold of appearances
and what a person is prepared to do to keep up the facade. If you like
thought-provoking and compelling reads with intriguing characters, My Sweet
Friend is for you.
Purchase Link - https://t.co/BtwZGcmEwt
I was brushing my teeth the next morning when Alexa called,
crying over another nasty phone call from her ex. I was running late as it was
but was unable to stop her barrage of insults against a man I didn’t even know
the name of.
‘He’s driving me
absolutely insane. I’ve really had enough,’ I heard her shout, the heels of her
shoes clicking on the pavement. She was clearly on her way to work while I was
only slipping my feet into my shoes. It had been her second frantic call that
morning.
‘Listen. Alexa, calm
down. I understand you’re upset but I’ll be late if you don’t stop.’
‘I’m there for you
when you need me but when I’m the one in need for once, you fob me off. Great,
really nice, thanks.’ She hung up, leaving me in an angry sweat. I was her
polar opposite - organized and calm - but lately I felt out of kilter myself.
I’d missed out on seeing my mum because, for one reason or another, Alexa
managed to ambush my attention.
When I eventually
rushed through the office door, Alexa was looking up at me indifferently, in
deep conversation with Jack, who tapped his watch with pursed lips and raised
eyebrows. I lowered my eyes, my stomach heaving with repressed fury. Alexa had
crawled under my skin yet I couldn’t pinpoint exactly why and how it had all
come about.
I hid in the ladies’
toilets, panic rising to my throat, and utterly lost for words. I realised that
if it had been Alexa running off, I’d have made sure I was giving her moral
support, coaxing her back to work. Where was she now that I needed her? Was I
getting hysterical, losing the plot?
Author Bio – Helene Andrea Leuschel grew up in Belgium
where she gained a Licentiate in Journalism & Communication, which led to a
career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh. She now lives
with her husband and two children in Portugal and recently acquired a Master of
Philosophy with the OU, deepening her passion for the study of the mind. When
she is not writing, Helene works as a freelance journalist and teaches Yoga.
Social Media Links –
Giveaway – Win a
signed copy of Manipulated Lives by H.A. Leuschel (Open Internationally)
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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