GUEST POST: #CheatingNotCheating and I'm #SorryNotSorry by Linda Grimes, Author of All Fixed Up (@linda_grimes)

Today we welcome Linda Grimes to the blog!  Linda is the author of ALL FIXED UP, the latest release in the Ciel Halligan series.  And stay tuned tomorrow for Jena’s review of the book!
 

#CheatingNotCheating and I’m #SorryNotSorry

by Linda Grimes

It may shock you to learn that a respectable middle-aged married woman such as myself cheats on her husband all the time. It’s true. I do. All. The. Time. And I get away with it!
Don’t look at me like that. You do it, too. You know you do. Every time you open a book with an attractive guy (or gal–let’s not go making assumptions) in it, your mind can’t help but wander into what-if territory. It’s normal. It’s natural. That vicarious thrill is likely a huge part of why we read. And don’t try to tell me you only read to ennoble your spirit, or my eyes might glaze over. Ennobling spirits is a worthy goal, but please. Ever hear of multitasking? One can be ennobled and thrilled at the same time. The two things aren’t mutually exclusive.
Oh, and here’s little secret you might not have considered: Your significant other cheats on you, too. If not with a character from a book (let’s face it, not everyone is a reader), then with some smokin’ hot celebrity they happened to see on TV or in a movie. It’s just the way human brains are hardwired. If it makes you feel better, you can pretend that while your SO is #CheatingNotCheating on you, he or she is pretending the character is (essentially) you. I’m *ahem* certain that must be the case.

 

KEEP READING TO FOR THE REST OF LINDA’S GUEST POST
AND TO LEARN ABOUT THE BOOK!

 

And you know what? I say three cheers for book/TV/movie boyfriends (or girlfriends)! All the fun and none of the guilt. As far as I’m concerned, the fantasy corner of your brain is like Vegas–what happens there, stays there. Unless you and your SO are into sharing details with each other, in which case have fun with that! I mean, I have a friend who convinced her husband to dress up in a kilt like her book boyfriend, Jamie Fraser from Outlander. Let’s just say it worked out well for both parties concerned.
As a writer, I’ve taken my #CheatingNotCheating a step further, and invented a few of my own guys to carry on with while I’m on the job. Don’t worry, my husband is perfectly okay with it, because he knows he’s the one I turn to for inspiration. Now, you might be saying to yourself, Aha! But why write two sexy guys, Linda? Isn’t that a bit much?
To which I would respond, I’m married to a Gemini. I had no choice but to write both incredible guys. Just one of them couldn’t possibly cover my husband’s dual-natured fabulosity! (Have I mentioned that I’m highly skilled at rationalizing questionable behavior? You should practice it yourself. It’s useful. And fun!)
Trust me, whoever said workplace romances never work out couldn’t be more wrong. Well, in my case. On the other hand, hubs happens to work with real live people, so  tomfoolery at his place of business is strictly forbidden. Unless, of course, he’s stealing a few minutes to read a book or watch a TV show, in which case he’s welcome to fool around—in his head—as much as he likes. I’m nothing if not fair.
So, are you #CheatingNotCheating with a book character? Do you feel a twinge of guilt about it, or are you #SorryNotSorry?
 

About All Fixed Up

Ciel Halligan, aura adaptor extraordinaire, has a lot of experience filling in for her clients–as them. A rare genetic quirk gives her the ability to absorb human energy and project it back out in a flawless imitation. She’s hard at work, posing as a well-known and celebrated astronaut, about to make a stunning announcement on behalf of the space program…when the photographer documenting the job sees right through her aura. Worse, it soon becomes apparent that he not only knows Ciel’s not who she’s supposed to be, but means her harm.
When Ciel’s elderly Aunt Helen—also an aura adaptor—is murdered in Central Park, and the same photographer shows up at the funeral, Ciel starts to feel even more exposed. Then more adaptors are killed in the same way, and she becomes terrified her friends and family are being systematically exterminated … and it’s starting to look like she’s the ultimate target. She turns to Billy Doyle, her best-friend-turned-boyfriend, for help, but when an unexpected crisis causes him to take off without a word, she’s left to rely on her not-so-former crush, CIA agent Mark Fielding.
Staying alive, keeping control of her romantic life, and unraveling the mystery of why adaptors are being pursued becomes a harder balancing act than ever in this new Ciel Halligan adventure from Linda Grimes.
All Fixed Up
by Linda Grimes
Series
Ciel Halligan #4
Genre
Urban Fantasy
Paranormal Romance
Publisher
Tor Books
Publication Date
May 24, 2016

 

The Ciel Halligan Series

      
 

About Linda Grimes

Linda grew up in Texas, where she rode horses, embarrassed herself onstage a lot, and taught teenagers they’d have to learn the rules of English before they could get away with breaking them for creativity’s sake. She currently resides in Virginia with her husband, whom she snagged after he saw her in a musical number at the now defunct Melodrama Theater in San Antonio. (There’s nothing like a rousing chorus of “If You Wanna Catch a Fish You Gotta Wiggle Your Bait” to hook a man for a lifetime.)
Like her globetrotting main character, Linda has spent her fair share of time overseas, though fortunately under less stressful circumstances. Kidnapping and daring rescues are all well and good in fiction, but she prefers sanity in her real life.

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