UPDATE: The winner of an eBook copy of Fear Of Flying is Elaine Swinney!
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Confession: I’ve pretty much always been afraid to fly. It started at age 18, with a rough plane ride on my first flight to Europe. Since then I’ve tried not to let my fear of flying control my life, but every time I board a plane, I can’t help but get a little nervous. Ironically, (since I didn’t actually search them out), I’ve had a fortune teller assure me I’ll never die in a plane crash and an astrologer friend tell me I will live to a nice old age. I think of those two women every time I buckle my seatbelt!!
But now I’ve found a way to turn my fear of flying into a positive thing:
I’m the author of nine books, and the advice always given to writers is “write what you know.” So for my latest story, aptly titled Fear Of Flying, I decided to get semi-autobiographical. I gave my heroine, Jessie Jordan, a fear of flying and wrote her story based on many of the real-life experiences I’ve had.
A job as a book publicist? Check. On a nationwide book tour with a travel writer? Check. Winter de-icing of plane wings and bouts of white-knuckle clear air turbulence? Check!
Everyone probably has stories of scary plane flights, me just more than most people. And I included them all in this book! Pretty much everything in it is true, except for the ex-military travel writer hero of the story, Regan Quade, whose lust for Jessie helped make this a very hot contemporary romance!
Here’s the blurb:
“You’re never going to die in a plane crash…”
A mysterious fortune teller’s prediction plays right into book publicist Jessie Jordan’s biggest fear. A difficult childhood has left Jessie determined to control all aspects of her life, but she can’t control airplanes…
Travel writer Regan Quade also has control issues. A devastating event during his time in the military has scarred him into believing he needs to remain single. He can’t risk being responsible for anyone else’s life.
But during a nationwide media tour to promote Regan’s newest travel book, Jessie’s fear of flying prompts Regan to help calm her anxiety in a shocking – and highly intimate! – way.
The sudden change in their relationship unleashes their mutual attraction, but Jessie doesn’t know if there’s any way to pierce the wall Regan’s built around his heart.
This romance is definitely one wild ride! I’ve gotten some great reviews and some wonderful feedback from readers. Here are two buy links if this sounds like a fun read to you…
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1CNHQX5
Nook: http://bit.ly/1xoXbsy
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1xuh2tH
Now that you know I’m afraid of flying, it’s time to share! Tell me about one of your fears and how you cope with it. I’ll pick a comment at random to win an e-copy of Fear Of Flying.
Best,
Leigh
www.leighcourt.com
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Hi Leigh! I have a fear of driving in heavy rain. I was in a serious accident several years ago in which my car was totaled, which happened in a thunderstorm on A highway exit ramp known for its accidents. So no if I’m on the highway during a torrential downpour the only way I can cope is to take the nearest exit and drive on back roads to my destination 😕
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I have a huge fear of being in open waters, like the ocean. I have no rationale for it though, so I choose to believe the fear is because I died by drowning in a previous life. I deal with it by never, ever having swam in the ocean, taken a flight that went over an ocean, nor a cruise or any other activity that might lead to my ending up in vast amounts of water. Irrational but real fear! 😯
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I am blessed that I don’t have any big fears. I don’t like spiders and I don’t like heights but I will “confront” a spider and I will climb a ladder when I have to do it. I am glad that you have been able to control your fear so that you can get on with your life.
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Hello – One of my big fears is an easy one to avoid. I hate roller coasters or any ride that has big dips like that. Normally, I would just skip them, but once in a while I get stuck and then I am terrified the entire time.
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Ooooh, thanks for being so honest, everyone!!
Charlene – one of my fellow bloggers at Fierce Romance (Jenna Ives) has a fascinating post today on past lives. She’s *also* afraid of water and talks about whether it possibly means she drowned in a past life! You might want to check that out: http://fierceromance.blogspot.com
Karen – your fear is totally valid and grounded in reality!
Joan – I also “confront” my fear of flying, and so does the heroine in my book. She doesn’t let her fear deter her from getting on a plane, even if she is white-knuckle the whole flight!
Lisa – Isn’t it interesting how we’re afraid of unexplainable things? My nephew is actually afraid of CLOWNS! Go figure!!
Thanks for your comments, everyone!
Leigh
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Flying insects – I totally freak out! I have to duck or run off and wait for someone to take get rid of it.
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I have a fear of heights so I have gone to the Grand Canyon walked close to the rim, gone to New Mexico and walked over a bridge that is a mile high, done the Tower of Terror at Disney World and I love to fly. I have also been up in the Tower of the America’s in San Antonio… I do things to prove I can…. On my bucket list is to do zip line just because!!!! LOL Oh yes, so you know how bad it is I get nauseous when I look at pictures ( the Dubai hotels, high suspension bridges.. ect.) 🙂
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Like Elaine, above, I also have a fear of heights but I’m not really brave enough to do most of what she mentions. I did go to the Grand Canyon with friends in October 2014 but I stayed well away from the rim. LOL I love the Tower of Terror at Disney but I think that’s because I’m strapped in and I try to look out, not down.
Your books sounds good. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
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I just today did a blog for Iberia on this. See buff.ly/1w5MFCV
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I have a fear of falling. Heights don’t bother me – I love a majestic view from the top of a mountain. However, I have never skied down said mountain for fear of falling. I could climb to the top of the barn with my siblings when younger, but I could not jump off into the haystack below. I climbed back down they same way I went up. These days, my balance isn’t very good. I use a cane – mostly because I fear falling. Have now idea why, but there it is.
I commend you for making lemonade – well writing a book – from your fear. What a wonderful thing. I look forward to reading. Thank you for sharing.
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What an amazing array of fears we all have! I’m loving this discussion 🙂 Thanks to everyone for contributing.
Leigh
http://www.leighcourt.com
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I have a fear of roaches. No other bugs bother me, but let me just see one and I’m gone!!
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In 1974 a tornado ripped through Louisville, Ky (one of many cities hit that day). Because we lived in the highest elevation in the county, we literally watched it eat up homes, businesses and parks as it moved along. My parents would guess it’s location and then the helicopter reporter following it would confirm their guesses.
My dad worked for the gas company and as soon as we lost sight of the cloud, sat down and put his shoes back on. He had just finished when the phone rang. It was his boss calling him back to work.
My mom was the nursing director of the ER at a local hospital. Just as dad was hanging up the phone she came down stairs dressed for work. She had to go in for a little while to make sure things were running smoothly.
Later that night before they got back from work, sirens started going off. I had never heard such a sound before, so I called a neighbor, whose husband was a fireman. She told us that another tornado had been sighted pretty close to our home. She said to go to the basement ( we didn’t have one). It was dark outside plus the impending storm made visibility almost impossible. We decided to run across the street to her house, but the wind picked up. Trash cans, yard furniture and even things I couldnt identify were blowing around. The thunder and lightning started in earnest, so we (my younger siblings and I) went to the crawl space under the the upper section of the house. I turned couches over to shield our hiding place and we waited.
Luckily for us it turned out to be only a funnel cloud that didn’t touch down until it was miles from us.
Keep in mind that that was years before Doppler radar.
Since that time, I have had several close encounters including a touch down in my back yard which lifted my above ground pool and flipped it over and a touch down one street over.
I now have a basement, a plan in place and cable tv in the shelter area. I watch the weather channels and now stay on top and ahead of potential problems. I remain scared of bad storms, even today some 40 years later,but because I am an adult and have others depending on my remaining calm.
I you could look inside me durning one of These bad storms you would see me quivering to badly it makes the Jello wiggle look like standing still.
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Thanks to everyone for your comments!
I sent everyone’s name through a random number generator, and the winner of an eBook copy of Fear Of Flying is Elaine Swinney!
Elaine — could you please contact me at leigh@leighcourt.com so I can send you a copy of the book?
Thanks!
Leigh