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Make no mistake: an international relocation entails a lot of CHANGE. If you followed my posts earlier this month, hopefully you saw my one about author Cherie Colyer’s virtual launch of her novel, Embrace. Just as the book’s main character, Madison, is compelled to adapt to the changes in her life, Ms. Colyer has asked virtual launch participants to share our stories about doing just that: embracing change. If you’re planning your relocation to London and blogging about it, I hope you’ll share your tale as well.
For what it’s worth, here’s mine:
Since I got married only three months before moving to London from the US (and my husband was still living in a different state at the time!) and had to quit my job, my international relocation transition was threefold—getting adjusted to a different country, finding a new job, and having a new roommie for life. 
That was WAY too much change in too short a time! And, unfortunately, since it was my husband’s job that brought us over here (a move that I strongly resisted from the outset because I loved my job and my peeps back home), it became too easy to use that as a reason for channeling my resentment toward him, and I spent those first few months working in opposition of him as opposed to teaming up to get through it together. That was a tremendous burden and had the effect of making me feel even lonelier here. It really just took some time and finding a new job and friends to fill the voids the move had caused; once I felt whole again, I could finally attain a better perspective and replace my resentment with more appreciation of my husband, the changes he’d had to embrace as well, the support he offered me, and the fact that we now enjoy London and each other so much.
I think a big part of what I needed to get past was feeling like a victim of my circumstances and resisting any changes to how I’d lived prior to relocating to London. The solution, therefore, was to take responsibility for my choices that had led me here as well (i.e., in choosing to marry my husband and stick with him through thick and thin). I needed to give support, too, rather than just demand it all the time, and that helped us reach mutual understanding and respect for each other’s individual life goals and how those can intertwine to help us achieve our shared ones. When it came down to it, I needed to embrace change, not kick-and-scream against it. To fight it was not only exhausting for a time, but, had I continued on that path, I wouldn’t have had the new professional and personal opportunities I’ve enjoyed since—great friends for life, work that indulges my passions, and gobs of international travel and exploring every nook and cranny of the phenomenal city of London itself. Change isn’t always for the better, but we need to stay open-minded to the aspects of it that are and how change that threatens to be bad can push us to grow…which, in the end, can only be for the better.
It’s not too late to participate in the Virtual Launch Party for EMBRACE! See the oodles of related info below.
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Embrace Launch Party Guest Posts!
Jennifer DeLucy Blog: Writing Embrace – From Idea to Release
Kym’s Quips: The Research Behind to Story
Once Upon A *Spark*: Mythology Behind Madison’s World
Nicki Elson’s Not-So-Deep Thoughts: Bring on the Romance
Jennifer Lane Books Blog: Facing Change
Embrace Launch Party Posts!
Susan Kaye Quinn, Conjuring Tales for Young Minds
Kim Winters, Kat’s Eye Journal
Carole, the life of fiction
Mina Burrows, books for paranormal & mystic minds
Joseph Rinaldo, Read Rinaldo
Angela Brown, in a Pursuit of Publishness
Debra Anastasia, Tell me a Story
Colleen Wagner, London Relocation
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Embrace
a novel by Cherie Colyer
Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.
Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him.
Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own.
Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.
AUTHOR INFO
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
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Prizes: To celebrate the release of her debut novel, Cherie is giving away an eCopy of EMBRACE and 5-Embrace Hemp Bracelets today. There are three ways to win:
1) Leave a comment here or at any of the Party Posts.
2) Tweet about the Virtual Party or any of the Party Posts with tag #EMBRACEnovels
Example:
Nothing could have prepared her for what she’s about to discover. #EMBRACEnovels @CherieColyer #YA avail NOW www.cheriecolyer.blogspot.com
Example:
Celebrate the launch of EMBRACE by @CherieColyer #EMBRACEnovels #paranormal #YA avail NOW www.cheriecolyer.blogspot.com
3) Facebook (tag Cherie Colyer, author) about the Virtual Party.
Example:
Celebrate the launch of teen paranormal thriller/romance novel EMBRACE by Cherie Colyer, author and enter for a chance to win Embrace prizes! http://www.cheriecolyer.blogspot.com
Do all three and you will have three times the chances to win! Leave a comment at each stop of the tour for a chance to win the Grand Prize.
If you haven’t already, remember to stop back by Cherie’s blog or click here to fill out the form to ensure your entry is counted.
