Interview with romance novelist Krysten Lindsay Hager

The author spotlight turns to Krysten Lindsay Hager today. She’s here to chat about her new YA contemporary rom-com, In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety.

During her virtual book tour, Krysten will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, Competing with the Star, Dating the It Guy, and Can Dreams Come True. True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book and the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for childen/teens. Competing with the Star is a Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist. Landry in Like is a Literary Classics Gold Medal recipient.

Krysten's work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News and on Living Dayton.

Welcome, Krysten. Please share a little bit about your current release.

In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety is a romantic comedy about a high school girl who has started dating her favorite singer and all the challenges that come with that. Cecily gets the chance to achieve her dreams as well as an opportunity comes up to help her get exposure for her acting career. Who wouldn’t want to see what it was like to live the life of your dreams and date the singer you love?

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to take a regular teen and give her the chance to have her dreams come true, but in a realistic way with all the thoughts you’d have if you had these opportunities present themselves.

 

Excerpt from In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety:

One day I had the career and the guy of my dreams. Then Danielle King came along. If people could be trusted, maybe it would have been okay, but they can’t. They suck. And now my dream relationship was gone and no one would ever know what had actually been in my grasp.

How can a person go from having a whole life with someone, and then it ends like you were never even together? No wonder people talk about how awful divorces are. That must hurt a million times more. Sure, I don’t have to see Andrew every day at school like I did Zach, but it seems like Andrew was everywhere. I went to the grocery store with my mom and they were playing one of his songs because he’s technically a local.

Andrew’s music was always what I listened to when I was sad. His heartache music got me through the worst times and now, not only could I not stand to listen to it, there was now the chance I could end up hearing music about our breakup. Actually, I didn’t know which was worse: the possibility he’d use our relationship as inspiration for a song, or finding out I was barely a blip on his radar and not even warranting a mention.

What was I supposed to do now?

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m working on the next book in the Cecily Taylor Series which has Cecily back in New York and this time in a music video for another singer. I’m working on another YA book as well as some adult rom-coms as well.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

It was when I was in college when the column I wrote for the university newspaper started getting attention. It was when my dad said I was becoming more of who I was and he liked seeing the confidence I was building by sharing my work. I wrote about my thoughts on popular culture and it was a lot of fun. Sometimes it would be a tribute to someone who passed, worries about the future (after college), or just fun observations.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I don’t have a typical work day, but basically I do something writing related every day even if I’m not actually at my desk typing or writing away. I try to get a handle on my emails which is a losing battle and there’s so much writing admin stuff that takes up a lot of time. I do little mini blogs on my Instagram page which I enjoy. I might write about things that have inspired certain books or where certain themes came from. You can find those here: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I put humor in everything I write because it’s how I deal with things. I had several family members pass away suddenly in a short amount of time and it makes you realize you need to do what you can to get through life. For me humor helps me get through a lot.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer, screenwriter (particularly for soap operas and comedies), or reporter. I was always making up stories.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I watched a lot of music biographies while working on this book and I was really surprised to see how many big music stars past and present dealt with anxiety issues. It was something I felt needed to be addressed in the rock star character, Andrew Holiday, and how he would find relief from his overwhelming life.

Social links:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

Buy links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | Walmart

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with Dr. Friedemann Schaub

Today’s guest is Dr. Friedemann Schaub to talk about The Fear and Anxiety Solution – A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind

Bio:

Friedemann Schaub, MD, PhD, is a physician specializing in cardiology and molecular biologist who has helped thousands of people to overcome fear and anxiety with his breakthrough and empowerment program that combines his medical expertise with NLP, Time Line Therapy™, clinical hypnotherapy, meditation, and more.

Please tell us about your current release and what inspired you to write this book?

Anxiety is the most common mental health challenge in the U.S. More than 50 million people have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Countless others continue to struggle with low self-esteem, isolation, insomnia, and other debilitating effects of anxiety. Most people who suffer from anxiety feel powerless in the face of these overwhelming emotions. They feel flawed and stuck. The Fear and Anxiety Solution introduces a new, self-empowering perspective on fear and anxiety, one that helps readers understand and connect to the innate wisdom and healing potential of these emotions. This book is a step-by-step guide that explains how to transform fear and anxiety into powerful allies, messengers, and healing catalysts that lead to greater confidence, self-worth, and success.

Excerpt:

Is Anxiety a Biochemical Problem Requiring a Biochemical Solution?

Medical research has focused largely on a physiological solution to emotional problems such as anxiety and depression. The most prescribed antianxiety drugs are either benzodiazepines (such as Valium and Xanax), which are often used for anxiety, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, such as Zoloft and Prozac), which are more commonly used for depression. While benzodiazepines directly affect the amygdalae by reducing their activity, SSRIs increase the level of serotonin in the brain, which is associated with mood improvement.

The good news is that using prescription drugs to alter the brain’s physiology and chemistry can indeed successfully dampen fear and anxiety and make these emotions more manageable. However, this “improvement” often comes with a price. One of the challenges with antianxiety medications—besides their common side effects, such as drowsiness, nausea, constipation, and lower sex drive—is that they potentially lead to physical addiction, and you must wean yourself carefully when you want to stop taking them.

Many of the clients I have worked with complained that their medication didn’t only reduce their anxiety; it also dulled or even turned off their emotions in general. It appeared to my clients as if their minds had been wrapped in cotton or a lid had been placed on their ability to feel anything. But what still hadn’t vanished were their deep-seated insecurities and the limiting core beliefs they had struggled with for a long time. Beliefs such as “I’m not good enough” or “The world is not a safe place” still remained a part of their mind-set, even though they didn’t have the same emotional impact. As a client put it, “I basically still have the same issues, but I don’t feel them as intensely. They seem to be further out of reach. It’s a relief, but not really a resolution.”

Unfortunately, the development of effective pharmaceutical treatments fostered the belief that emotional challenges are mainly caused by neurotransmitter imbalances in the brain and are therefore more a biochemical than a psychological problem. More and more people subscribe to a “let’s get it fixed” attitude, which has been reflected in the fact that the use of antidepressant drugs in the United States doubled between 1996 and 2005. At the same time, the number of people who visited psychotherapists declined.

There is no doubt that changes in the brain chemistry are connected to different emotional states. There is also no doubt that antianxiety medications have helped countless people disrupt the downward spiral of fear and anxiety and escape a state of emotional paralysis and entrapment. But what came first—the chicken or the egg? Are neurotransmitter imbalances in the brain the root cause of fear and anxiety, or are they a consequence, a biochemical symptom of our emotions? If the latter is true, does restoring the biochemical balance really address the root causes of fear and anxiety?

It boils down to a very fundamental question: what is a human being actually? Are we just an accumulation of cells controlled by neurotransmitters and hormones? Are our emotions, thoughts, and beliefs nothing but random biochemical and electrophysiological signals? Or are our minds and bodies, with all their connections and interactions, much more complex than that? And does what we call “consciousness” transcend far beyond our current scientific understanding? I believe the answer to both of the last questions is yes and that the human mind is simply unable to wrap itself consciously around its own complexity and vastness. To quote Albert Einstein, “Do you remember how electrical currents and ‘unseen waves’ were laughed at? The knowledge about man is still in its infancy.”

I like to look at antianxiety drugs as a form of emotional painkiller. The purpose of pain medication is not to mend the fracture or close the wound that causes the pain, but to make the time it takes to heal more tolerable. It would be denial or plain ignorance if you would drown out the pain without tending to its root causes. If fear and anxiety are like physical pain, then their natural purpose must be to call your attention to the deeper emotional and mental wounds they are caused by. What if tending to these inner wounds—whether they are unresolved traumas, self-sabotaging patterns, or limiting beliefs—could lead to greater peace, wholeness, and self-empowerment? Would it still be enough for you to just fix and get rid of fear and anxiety? Or would you want to take advantage of their true meaning, heal yourself from the inside out, and gain access to your true potential? This is what I call the healing power of fear and anxiety. As you’re moving step by step through this book, bridging the conscious with the subconscious and higher consciousness, you will learn how to address fear and anxiety and take advantage of their healing power.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t take antianxiety medication or can’t work on the deeper root causes of fear and anxiety while you’re on it. Taking medication can be a first empowering step. Just don’t let it be the entire journey.

One final note on this subject—something taught to me by my father, who was a truly amazing physician. To paraphrase him: “Remember, it’s the patient who does the healing, not the doctor or the drugs.” Our potential to heal is much greater than we believe or have been led to believe. In fact, the power of belief is a major key. Clinical studies have shown that placebos, sugar pills without medicinal value, can significantly reduce moderate depression and anxiety. So just believing that you will feel better can be as effective as using a drug that is designed to alter your brain chemistry. Imagine what is possible when you apply the same trust and belief in your own power to heal, change, and thrive.

What writing project are you working on next?

I am working on two projects – one on developing confidence and self-worth, another on discovering and healing the root causes of chronic illnesses.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

As a physician and molecular-biologist I became increasingly fascinated by the role of our emotions when it comes to health and healing. Studies have shown that positive emotions can boost the immune system, decrease diabetes, and improve heart conditions. On the other hand, negative emotions, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, have the opposite effects and can cause serious health problems.

The problem is that we usually interpret negative emotions such as fear and anxiety, as flaws and weaknesses that need to be overcome, managed, or suppressed, rather than trying to understand their deeper meaning. In other words, the real problem is that we don’t know how to listen or relate to our emotions, let alone consciously guide and work with it. This is why it is so important to learn how to consciously work with the source of our emotions – our subconscious mind.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am working with clients all over the world via Skype or the phone on breaking through physical or emotional challenges. But I dedicate at least twice per week several hours to work on my writing projects.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I share information that is beneficial for you and your loved ones in The Fear and Anxiety Solution. People who read this book and implement the step by step program will find a difference in their lives by the time they reach the end of the book. For more details about The Fear and Anxiety Solution, visit my website. Order your copy from Amazon. Connect with me on Facebook or through Twitter.