Breathe In

Title: Breathe In

Author: Michelle Bellon

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Release Date: June 27, 2017
Publisher: Limitless Publishing

“If you like dark thrillers THIS book is right up your alley! If you've never read a Michelle Bellon book-this one is, seriously, her best book yet! I have loved them all, but this one ..WOW!” - 5 Star Amazon Review

“I couldn't set it down!!” - 5 Star Amazon review

Breathe in, breathe out. This mantra gets Tessa Benson through the day.

The man she loves walks all over her, and she just wants to get by without her heart shattering to pieces. If she could find her voice, she’d scream.

Everything changes in one night, when she’s snatched from the streets and tied to a bed, a camera set up to capture her dying moment. And the person who paid to watch her die...is still out there somewhere.

Tessa prowls dark neighborhoods in a quest for justice, but she doesn’t find the killer. Not until they strike again…in the place Tessa is least expecting, and where it hurts worst.

Blindly, I run across the lot. As I round the corner, I run smack into someone as they are coming the opposite direction.  
“Tessa? Are you okay?”
I glance up through the stream of tears to see a blurry image of Gerald. “No, no. I just want to go home.” I push off his chest and stumble backward, then turn and flee the opposite direction without saying a word, ignoring Gerald’s plea of confusion as the distance between us widens. I pray he won’t follow. I just want to get away from this place. 
I keep running until I’m at least a few blocks away. Winded, fatigued, and little sick to my stomach, I stop. I lean against the wall of a building, taking in sharp gasps of air, and look around. Thankfully, Gerald didn’t follow. Where am I? Terin. I left Terin back at the club. I can’t go back there. I’ll have to call her and let her know I’ve gone home. She’ll be fine. 
My phone? Where is my phone? It was in my handbag. I had my handbag when I left the club with Tom. Shit. It must be in his car. Fear, pain, shame, anger, guilt, all well up tight within my chest and rise until I feel as if I will go mad. I run my fingers through my hair and cry so hard I start to gag again. I want to puke. Get that man out of me. Get him out!
“Can I help you? Are you okay?”
Startled, I spin around. The man from the library is standing at the corner, maybe fifteen feet away. My crying wanes as muddled thoughts spin around in my mind, trying to make sense of it all. Why is he here? Did he follow me from the club? His brow is pinched with a look of concern. He takes a step forward. “Are you okay?”
My knees and hands are trembling violently. “I’m…I’m fine.” I drag both hands across my face, swiping away the tears.
He takes another step forward. “Are you sure? You seem upset. Are you ill?”
I take a step back. I don’t want any further interaction tonight. I’ve had more than enough. All I want to do is go home. And this guy…he seems friendly, but he freaks me out. “No, really. I’m fine. I’m just on my way home.”
Another step forward. “Do you need a ride?”
Another step back. Why won’t anyone listen to me? “No. I’m fi…”
Something is pulled over my head from behind. The world is dark and muffled. I scream. Hands go around my waist. My arms arc outward, side to side, hoping to hit anything in my path. What is happening? Fear, stark and white, drains the blood from my head to my toes. I’m dizzy. 
Voices bark out sharp orders but I’m flailing about and screaming so I can’t make out what they’re saying. Another set of hands grab my legs and pull them out from under me so now I’m being carried by two men…one by my waist and the other by my legs. I writhe and twist. I have to get out of this. I need to get away. What is happening? My breath plumes in and out in short, hot gasps inside the small bag over my head. Claustrophobia flares up. A stronger wave of panic follows. I’m…going…to pass…out.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Michelle Bellon lives in the Pacific Northwest with her four quirky and beautiful children. She loves coffee, Superman, rollercoasters, and has an addiction to chapstick.

She works as a registered nurse and in her spare time writes novels. As a multi-genre author, she has written in the categories of romance suspense, young adult, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. She has won four literary awards. You can visit Michelle’s website at http://www.michellebellonauthor.com/

HOSTED BY:

Summer Countdown Blitz: Day 17

Michelle Bellon lives in the Pacific Northwest with her four quirky and beautiful children. She loves coffee, Superman, rollercoasters, and has an addiction to chapstick. 

She works as a registered nurse and in her spare time writes novels. As a multi-genre author, she has written in the categories of romance suspense, young adult, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. She has won four literary awards. 

Connect with the Author here: 

~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Amazon ~ Twitter ~

Breathe in, breathe out. 

This mantra gets Tessa Benson through the day. 

The man she loves walks all over her, and she just wants to get by without her heart shattering to pieces. If she could find her voice, she’d scream.

Everything changes in one night, when she’s snatched from the streets and tied to a bed, a camera set up to capture her dying moment. And the person who paid to watch her die...is still out there somewhere.

Tessa prowls dark neighborhoods in a quest for justice, but she doesn’t find the killer. Not until they strike again…in the place Tessa is least expecting, and where it hurts worst.

~ Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ 

~ Amazon Canada ~ Amazon Australia ~

Q & A:

1.         If you had 3 wishes, what would they be?

That my children find their inner warrior and achieve their full potential. For the human race to get back in touch with true empathy and kindness so that we might stop self-destructing as a whole. To feel proud of myself and satisfied with my achievements.

2.         Where do you write?

Typically, in bed, at night, while the children are sleeping.

3.         How long does it normally take you to write a novel?

That has changed over the years. When my children were younger and I was home with them, I was able to dedicate a lot more time to my writing. I could write the first draft within three to four months, sometimes shorter if I was really on fire. Now that I’m a single mom and working full-time, my writing time has dwindled down significantly. This last book, Breathe In, took me almost exactly a year to write. Then I did rewrites and edits for the next couple of months after that before finding it a home with Limitless Publishing.

4.         What are your inspirations?

Anything and everything that has stirred emotion within me. Often, this stems from dark emotions as I face challenges or struggles in my life and then watch as those struggles bloom into my own personal growth and become positives. Those periods of my life stir creativity as I imagine story lines and characters facing their own personal challenges that, while fictional, strike a chord in my reader which allows them to connect with the experience in their own way. Writing has become an outlet, as it often does for writers. It’s very cathartic.

5.         How did you come to write this particular book or series?

A lot of my ideas come to me while I’m driving. The concept behind Breathe In, was no different. Not to go into too much detail, but to summarize, I was in an emotionally abusive marriage for many years. Anyone who has lived with any kind of abuse will tell you that a person can lose their sense of who they really are while immersed in that kind of toxic situation. You question everything about yourself: who you are, what you want. You don’t even trust your own thoughts and feelings. Doubt clouds everything.

Well, I was definitely immersed in self-doubt and personal angst as I struggled to make that relationship work On a day that my spouse was particularly angry and verbally destructive, I left for the day in an attempt to gather my thoughts. I drove an hour and a half to see my best friend. On the drive, listening to loud, angry music, I was in touch with only two emotions: feeling powerless and feeling rage. In my rage, an image came to mind of a broken-spirited woman rising up against those who have taken her power. In only a few moments, I could see her so clearly. First, a spineless push-over she thinks of herself as only weak, but after facing extreme adversity and darkness, she kicks ass and takes her power back. I could see her evolve out of her weakness, work through her rage through violence and destruction, a vigilante of sorts, and finally find peace as she discovered her inner warrior. I named her Tessa that day. Finding that character gave me a sense of purpose. I knew there would be many women that would relate to her on a primal level. It took me a few years to start writing this story as my own personal life evolved but I’m so glad I finally gave her life. I believe she will inspire many.

6.         What was the hardest part of writing your book, and how did you overcome it?

The hardest part was making sure I didn’t hold back. I desperately wanted everything about Tessa’s story to be raw and dark and painful and beautiful all at the same time. I wanted the reader to feel her shame and pain and struggle right alongside her. However, I found myself a few times softening a scene here and there out of fear it might make the reader uncomfortable because maybe it’s too raw or too frightening. Each time I found myself doing this, I went back and rewrote the scene exactly how I imagined it, without a filter. I want the reader to feel uncomfortable, and even cringe at times, because some of what Tessa goes through is terrifying. It should evoke that sort of response while also inspiring a fighter spirit.

7.         What is your writing drive? The power that keeps you going when your writing gets difficult?

That’s such a good question for anyone who is crazy enough to go into this business. Why in the hell do we do this to ourselves?! Because we all know, it ain’t easy and it’s a whole lot of work for very little pay off. Yet, we cannot stop. Why?

Because we simply cannot give up. These stories and inspirations inside of us have to come bubbling out or else we will go mad, or sad, or crazy. It’s our passion. It’s our burden. It’s our release.

8.         How did you come up with the title?

This book had about 14 million names before I finally settled on one. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. But seriously, it had a lot of names. In the end, we settled on Breathe In because Tessa says, “breathe in, breathe out” like a mantra throughout the story. First as she faces her anxieties and then ardently as a more sinister plot unfolds.

9.         Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of a family member?

For this story: Me.

For the first time ever, it wasn’t an outside source that I leaned on for this story. It was me and me alone. It was my drive to share Tessa’s evolution with my readers. It was a need to connect with my audience as they experienced those emotions through her. I know who I am and what I’m made of. I know what I’m capable of. That understanding, is what Tessa sought and found. It’s what all of us seek.

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Breathe In

Title: Breathe In

Author: Michelle Bellon

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Release Date: June 27, 2017
Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Breathe in, breathe out. This mantra gets Tessa Benson through the day.

The man she loves walks all over her, and she just wants to get by without her heart shattering to pieces. If she could find her voice, she’d scream.

Everything changes in one night, when she’s snatched from the streets and tied to a bed, a camera set up to capture her dying moment. And the person who paid to watch her die...is still out there somewhere.

Tessa prowls dark neighborhoods in a quest for justice, but she doesn’t find the killer. Not until they strike again…in the place Tessa is least expecting, and where it hurts worst.

Standing closer than I want to be, I can’t stop my muscles from trembling. He sneers down at me. His teeth are crooked. His jaw is wide. His skin is covered in acne, and I’m sure he takes steroids on a regular basis to gain his bulk. His scent is heavy with sweat. It mixes inextricably with the smell of frying pork. 

He holds a finger in front of his face in warning. “Do not play with me, little girl.” He gives the rope another jerk. “Do you understand me?”

“Y-y-yes,” I whimper. 

“Good. Now let me explain a few things. You see that camera over there?”

When I don’t take my gaze from his to look toward the camera, he moves faster than I can react and clutches my chin in his large hand, his thumb and forefinger digging into the flesh of my jaw. My lips pucker out. He jerks my head to the right so that I’m facing the camera. He points to it with his other hand. “There. Do you see it now?”

Face still in his grasp, I nod adamantly to show I’m listening now. This man is frightening beyond measure.

His thumb and fingers squeeze harder. “Good. That camera will watch you day and night. You hear me?”

I nod, unable to suppress the incessant whimpering that bubbles from my core.

“You will not go near it. You will do as you’re told. Or I will hurt you. You got it?”

I nod.

He releases my chin and slaps me across the face. My head snaps hard to the left and my right cheek flashes hot where his palm connected. Instant tears stream down my face. He grabs my chin again and hauls me upright. 

“Answer me when I ask you a question. Understand?”

“Yes, yes.” 

“You and that camera right there are going to make me a lot of money. Do you understand?”

I don’t understand at all. I’m afraid to. “Yes.” I nod over and over again.

“Yes.” 

“Good. Now sit your ass down.”

Before I can do as I’m told, he gives me a shove. I topple onto the bed. Unable to catch myself with my hands behind my back, I fall to my side, then scramble to sit upright. 

He gives me a look of disgust before walking out the door and slamming it behind him. 

Defeated and scared beyond words, I’m paralyzed. I need to escape, but I fear this man’s wrath if he catches me. I bite my lip and earnestly try to fight back the tears. But they are relentless and gush forth anyway. I give in and let them come. Racking sobs engulf my body. I look toward the camera, no longer innocuous. It stares at me menacingly, my only witness.

What will it see?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Michelle Bellon lives in the Pacific Northwest with her four quirky and beautiful children. She loves coffee, Superman, rollercoasters, and has an addiction to chapstick.

She works as a registered nurse and in her spare time writes novels. As a multi-genre author, she has written in the categories of romance suspense, young adult, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. She has won four literary awards. You can visit Michelle’s website at http://www.michellebellonauthor.com/

HOSTED BY: