Playing the Genetic Lottery

Caitlin Kane knows more about the impact of schizophrenia than most people could imagine. Both her parents were afflicted with the devastating mental illness, a disease that tends to run in families, and Caitlin and her brother grew up trying to navigate the chaos of living with two schizophrenics. Her tumultuous childhood left Caitlin determined to forge a peaceful and serene life for herself. Now 32, she is living her dream. Married to her best friend, she and her husband are raising two bright young children in the suburbs of Seattle. While her unusual upbringing has left Caitlin with emotional scars, she enjoys the love and support of her extended family and her challenging career as a pediatric nurse. But no matter how hard she tries, she can't shake the obsessive fear that the family illness will strike again, robbing her of her mind or stealing away the sanity of one or both of her children.

Here is a sneak peak inside!!

"Every morning when I first wake up I wonder and I worry. Before getting out of bed, before registering my full, aching bladder, before remembering what day it is and what responsibilities await -- I assess myself for signs of the disease."

Keep reading at the other blogs on the tour!



Monday Feb. 18
Java John Z's Giveaways and Reviews 
izz "pingle" bookish place 
Bubbles. Deux. 

Tuesday Feb. 19
Library Girl Reads & Reviews 
Recent Read 
Lidnsay and Jane's Views and Reviews 
Brooke Blogs  

Wednesday Feb. 20
Mary's Cup of Tea 
Books R Us 
Girl Who Reads 

Thursday Feb. 21
Ali's Bookshelf 
Tyrneathem 

Friday Feb. 22
Alberta Ross 
Uttley's Take

Buy it Now on Amazon!

Author Bio:

Terri Morgan is a book junkie and freelance writer from Soquel California. She reads at least 3 books a week, and gets nervous if she doesn't have new reading material available. When not reading, she is often found writing. Over the past three decades, her work has appeared in hundreds of different magazines, newspapers, newsletters and on websites. The author of 4 non-fiction books for young adults, and the co-author of four additional non-fiction volumes, Terri released her first novel, Playing the Genetic Lottery, as an e-book in late 2011. Now, Playing the Genetic Lottery is also available in paperback.

Find Terri Morgan here:

Website

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***The Playing the Genetic Lottery ebook is FREE at Amazon Feb. 20, 21, and 22!***

Winter Got you Down?

Winter have you down? Need a 'pick-me-up'?  Perk up with a $50 Amazon gift card from Terri Morgan, author of Playing the Genetic Lottery. Enter to win below!

Does winter have you down? Perk up with a $50 Amazon gift card from Terri Morgan, author of Playing the Genetic Lottery. Enter to win below.

"Caitlin’s story touched me deep in my soul" ~ Marina, Chick Library Cat

"Terri Morgan's depictions of [schizophrenia] are realistic as well as haunting." ~ Allizabeth Collins, The Paperback Pursuer

Will Caitlin succumb to the disease that has claimed her parents and brother? Will her daughters be the next victims of the family curse? Find out in Terri Morgan's fictional memoir Playing the Genetic Lottery.


Available at Amazon and in paperback directly from TerriMorgan.net *
*$1 of every paperback purchased from Terri's site goes to support mental health research.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beat the Winter Time Blues Giveaway is sponsored by Terri Morgan and organized by GWR Publicity. No monetary compensation was received nor should this post be considered an endorsement under FTC's advertising and endorsement policy.

Beat The Winter Time Blues!

Participate in the "Beat the Winter Time Blues $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway" sponsored by author Terri Morgan.

Giveaway: January 16 - February 6

One winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card from Terri Morgan.

All you need to do is to make an announcement about the FREE sign-up on your blog by grabbing the code under the graphic (you can post the whole message, if you want) and then on January 16 post the giveaway (html post will be provided). This is a great way to gain more followers on your Facebook page. There will not be a "host page", each blogger's Facebook page will be listed individually on the Rafflecopter.

Sign up here

Guest post by Terri Morgan, author of Playing the Genetic Lottery

Today, I have a treat for you here on the blog...it's my very first author guest post! YaY! First, I'm so happy an author wants to guest post on my blog and second though I haven't read it (yet) this book seems like it will be really good! I've been interested in psychology type things since middle school, so Playing the Genetic Lottery by Terri Morgan seems like it would be something I'd find interesting. After reading Terri's guest post I'm really looking forward to reading Playing the Genetic Lottery and I hope you are too!

Pic and more info on Goodreads.

In my first radio interview after my novel, Playing the Genetic Lottery, was published the talk show host started off by lobbing me a softball. I had sent him the first six chapters of my book, which is a memoir-style novel of a 32-year-old wife and mother who grew up with two schizophrenic parents, to read before we talked on the air. Noting that a good half of the book covers my protagonist's teenage years, the first question he asked was if it was challenging to write from a teen's point of view.

"That was the easy part," I replied. “because I feel like I'm still in high school.”

Despite being in my 50s, I still have vivid memories of what it was like to be young. And since I have not yet reached senility, my memories of my teenage years are still very strong. Perhaps it's because I still am in contact with a lot of my friends from high school. Or, more likely, because one of my favorite sayings is "Getting older is mandatory, but growing up is optional."

That's an adage I've tried to live by. But before you envision a total slacker still living with their parents, using a scooter for transportation, and babysitting for pocket money, let me explain. I'm a responsible adult. I pay my bills on time, run my own business, and maintain a household. I use my turn signals when I drive, floss my teeth daily, and pay taxes. Inside this aging body, however, is an inner child who just wants to have fun. So, at the risk of blowing my adult cover, I'm going to admit it. I not only wanna have fun, I make it a priority.

So in addition to washing dishes, reading the newspaper and deciding how to vote in the upcoming election, I play with my dog and I play with my friends. I play outside, in my yard, at the beach or on one of the many hiking trails near my home. I play card games, go to movies, ride my bike, and I try to laugh as much as possible. And I remember what it was like to be a kid. I remember how wonderful it was to spend hours lost in conversation with a friend. The spine tingling excitement of my first kiss. How intensely certain songs touched my soul. I remember how good it felt to jump into a cool mountain stream on a hot day. I remember trying out new identities, like Ava does in my book when she changes her name to Caitlin.

My teenage years weren't all fun and games. I clearly remember how my emotions ran wild, and how impulsive and impatient I was. I remember how much I worried about my friends' opinions of what I wore, said, and did. I remember how my friends and I talked, using sentences full of slang and four letter words. I remember, with embarrassment, how immature I was, despite thinking at the time I knew everything. I remember being completely frustrated when my parents "just didn't understand." I remember reacting in irrational anger sometimes at minor irritants, like misplaced book. Fortunately most of the angst has faded, but a lot of the fun remains.

So channeling my inner teenager was easy. She's still a big part of me.

Terri Morgan is a freelance journalist from Soquel, California. She is the author or co-author of eight books, including many for young adults. Playing the Genetic Lottery is her first novel. When not working, she enjoys reading, surfing, romping with her dog, and shooting the bb gun her husband bought her for her 50^th birthday. She can be found on the web at http://terrimorgan.net.