Autism affects over 700,000 people in the UK (more than 1 in 100).

Hello,

I am so proud to be able to join this blog hop organized by the awesome RJ Scott. We all read statistics. Maybe not every day but we do come across them.

Autism affects over 700,000 people in the UK (more than 1 in 100). 

And then we just go on and ignore them because those numbers can't possibly affect us, right?

Well, they can. I have to be honest, my knowledge of autism is very limited. I won't give you any facts about it or just start talking about it. I want to share an experience from my life, and, I hope, it will highlight why a fact like that isn't just statistic.

The World Health Organization estimates that about 121 million people worldwide have some form of depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 14.8 million adult Americans experience clinical depression in any given year -- or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population over 18. Women are more likely to have major depression than are men. In fact, people 65 years and older commit suicide at a higher rate than the national average.

More statistics, right? The point is, judging from those numbers, the number of people suffering from this is high but surely, since the numbers are still rather huge, the chances of me being among those is rather slim, right? Wrong.

My grandfather (on my father's side) committed suicide by driving his bike into an oncoming bus when he was barely thirty. My mother has been suffering from depression from years. As a matter of fact, my best friend suffers from depression too (and we aren't releated!)

Numbers are never just numbers. They affect everyone. Just because you read 1 in a 100 is affected by autism doesn't mean you can stick your head in the sand and go lalala. If you don't know anyone affect by it, don't think this isn't any of your concern. You might not be affected by those numbers but you might fall into another category and need help.

Don't treat people as numbers. Look around your circle of friends, of acquaintances, of people you work with, and help wherever you can. Might be with something small: a smile, a cheerful hello, a cup of coffee or by lending an ear. Often the simplest gesture can make someone's day!

We are all connected. We should remember that!

Now, for something maybe a bit more cheerful. If you want to participate in a contest, all you have to do is comment below. Please do not forget to leave me your E-Mail address otherwise you might win and never know!

The winner can choose 2 e-books from my book list.

Thanks so much for stopping by - and please check out all the other posts in this blog hop too!

Anna - now, let's all ride off into the sunset, right?

Chatting today over at Love Romance Cafe

Hello guys!

Anyone still reading this? It has been a while!

I am chatting over at All Romance Cafe today, if anyone is interested in dropping by. Here is the LINK.

Take care,

Anna

Love Romance & More: Anna Marie May is a guest!

Hello everyone,

I know it has been a while but I am back! Moving to a new country does create a lot of stress and exciting times!

Hopefully I will be able to come back with full force now!

Anyway, to start things off, I will be a guest at Love Romance & More blog today. I've done a Q&A, and I would be thrilled if you stopped by.

 The blog will be live at 1 pm EST. Here is the LINK.

Take care,

Anna

Talking about FEAR

I know there isn't much point in posting the links to the blog post after the fact, but I decided to do it anyway. 

I've been pretty busy with moving and setting up my new place, so I am really sorry for the lack of communication. However, once I am settled in my new place, I will be blogging a lot more frequently over at the Armchair Reader (HERE). 

The giveaway is over, I am afraid, but I still think my post on Fear is a good one. And of course, I would recommend reading all the other posts by other authors too! Interesting reads! I have plans to do a whole series of blog post on such topics, so watch this space for more news!

Here are the links to my two blog posts. Like I said, sorry the giveaway is over. I will make it up to you guys with a new one soon!

SITE 1

SITE 2

Take care, Anna

Prejudice - RJ Scott blog hop

2nd April is World Autism Awareness Day. I joined RJ Scott in her blog hop for the whole month of April to raise awareness for it. Many other authors have done the same, and you can find a list of the other blogs further down.

Here is a fact about autism that I wanted to share: If one identical twin is diagnosed with autism, the other twin has about 90% chance of develop an autistic disorder.

Autism isn't much I personally know about, so I will use this month to follow the blogs to learn more about it. However, I would like to take a moment to talk about prejudice, specifically about prejudice faced in every day life. I am sure everyone has come across some form of it (at work or at school, or because you can't neatly fit into the pigeon hole everyone wants to push you into).

Personally, I've been told many times I'm too strong a personality. It's hilarious, really. Apparently, I am too straight forward, I dare to tell people if I think they are talking bullshit, and this offends them. So, I'm the bad guy. I also a hide a huge part of myself because I know most might not react favorable to it. I also am a huge geek. Growing up, I always felt there was something wrong with me because I liked Star Trek and Doctor Who. I also never liked to play with dolls. I preferred to climb trees and swim in lakes. Apparently, not proper girl behavior.

Overall, I've been lucky. I know this. What I've learned (took years, moving across an ocean, coming back home only to move across a smaller ocean etc...) is that you need to stay true to yourself. Sure, sometimes you might have to make small adjustments, but overall, you should stay true to who you are...because if you don't like yourself, then no one else will. I know it has been said many times over but the statement is still true: it's their loss, not yours.

What are your experiences with prejudice? With any kind of it? And what are your suggestions of dealing with it? What tips can you give?

One of my books, Darkest Hour, deals with prejudice in a roundabout way. Basically, our hero's coming out ends in tragedy, and when he tries the second time around, it might just as well go all to hell. I thought it would be fitting to offer up this book to a lucky winner.



But I don't want to be just bleak (LOL). I've just finished my Watchtower Series, so I am also offering another lucky winner a book from the series. If you're interested in legends, snark/talking cats, warlocks, kings and old myths come to life, then I'm sure you might just have as much fun with the series as I had in writing it.



Anyway, how to enter? Simple. If you would like to be considered, just leave a comment below with your E-mail address so that I can get in touch with you.

Anyway, I am looking forward to all your comments, and please don't forget to check out all the other blogs this month too!
Here is the list of other authors who have joined the blog hop. Please take a moment and visit their blogs for facts, discussions, and I am sure great giveaways.

Siren Song on ARe bestseller list!

Siren Song (WT #5) is on the ARe bestseller list! Thank you so much to everyone who bought it and made my day! THANK YOU! Book can be found HERE.

Siren Song, WT 5

 The time is finally here. The last in the Watchtower Series - book 5 - has been released TODAY! I am not ruling out revisiting this world of mine at a later stage (namely in the book called The King Who Lived), but for now, this is it!

I hope you will join me for the final ride, see how it all ends! This is Rafe's story. A story about an end and a new beginning.

Join me in learning more about Rafe, his family, and his long forgotten heritage!

SIREN SONG, WT 5 - out now!

Purchase LINK.