Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Author S.E. Holden: Presenting the Big News!

It’s my pleasure to welcome author S.E. Holden back to Thoughts in Progress as the special guest blogger today as he makes a stop in blogdom promoting his latest book.

S.E.’s latest release is THE WET REUNION OF TWO SOULS. Here’s a brief blurb about it: On a glorious Thursday afternoon, May’s dream of having a baby is finally coming true. Bursting with excitement, she’s eager to share the news. But her best laid plans disintegrate when Jim returns home from work with a different idea…one that didn’t include her. Doubting whether they still share the same dream of a family, May contemplates her future with Jim until the rain washes in an unexpected tryst. Can their relationship weather the storm of emotions unleashed.

Thanks to S.E., one lucky visitor to Thoughts in Progress can win a copy of his new book. Visitors can win a copy of THE WET REUNION OF TWO SOULS by answering a question he has in his post within three days of this blog posting. The giveaway is open to international. Be sure to include your e-mail address with your comment if it’s not included in your profile.

S.E. stopped by today to talk about ‘Presenting the Big News.’

Life brings change. Getting published for the first time, getting married, having a baby, getting that big promotion or any other of a host of ginormous good news needs to be conveyed in a big way. Just saying, "Hey, guess what?" in a text or over a hot dog at the 7-Eleven doesn't cut it. You need to do it right. You don't get that many opportunities to tell someone they're going to be a father and watch their face light up. At least, you hope that's the reaction. I guess there are some times when the guy's face implodes, but let's not dwell on that case. We are talking about jubilant times here.

So, how have you shared some big news? Did you break it in a clever way or simply blurt it out over the bathroom sink around a mouth full of toothpaste? When my wife and I were trying to get pregnant, we were very, uh, diligent. Yeah, that's a good word for it. Diligent. Anyway, we were both keyed in to the timing of her cycle and the alignment of the planets so when things didn't flow as expected and Andromeda was in the lower house of Mars (just kidding, I have no idea what that means, but I wanted to distract you away from talking about my wife's, err, you know, uh, monthly thing) we both kinda knew at the same time. When she took the pregnancy test, I waited in the other room biting my nails and pacing like they do in those old-school black and white movies. My wife came out with a dazed look in her eyes and a radiant smile that told me all I needed to know. I wasn't surprised by the news, but it was still wonderful and the delivery of the message couldn't have been better.


My wife and I were clued in as to what was going on, but my mother wasn't. She knew we were trying to get pregnant, but not that we were successful. Hehe. It was a perfect opportunity to take this wonderful news and kick it up a notch. We found out we were pregnant about a week or so before Christmas and, though it was hard to keep it a secret, we decided to wait to tell my mother until she opened her presents on Christmas day. Borrowing a little toy crib from Barbie's dream house, my wife wrapped it up like a normal present and set it under the tree. That morning, we steered my mom to all the other gifts until only that one present remained—saving the best for last.

The last present on Christmas is always a little bitter sweet. At
least, I think so. I mean, all the build up and preparation and suspense for twenty minutes of frenzied unwrapping and it's over. Yes, I know, the season isn't about the presents. It's about all the spiritual stuff. Right. Gotcha. So after twenty minutes of torn paper and "what's next", the last present is a sign to me that it's all over for another year. Funny how I didn't feel that way that year. For the first time in my life, I actually looked forward to that last present.

Back to my mother…she opened that present like it was any other normal old present, not knowing she was holding a symbolic representation of her first grandchild. When she held that small plastic crib in her hand, she turned to me and said, "What's this?" I looked at her all serious like then let a small smile play across my face. It took her another minute, but she got it. The first sign was her hands. They started to tremble. I was watching for a reaction so I saw it move from her hands to her face. Her eyes opened big and filled with tears while her lips quivered as she looked from me to my wife to confirm. As my wife nodded, my mom lost it. Hell, we all lost it. It's one of those memories that'll stick with me forever.

But what if it hadn't happened that way? We were lucky and were able to plan around Christmas. But what if it had of happened in the middle of the year? No other big holidays or annual events to hide behind, but we cooked up something big anyway. Excited, anticipating a huge response from the big reveal, we wait for mom to show. But she doesn't show and then the phone rings. It's mom and she's calling to cancel because something came up, or she had a hair appointment that she forgot about or bleh, whetever else. How does one feel in this situation?


In my latest release, THE REUNION OF TWO SOULS, the heroine, May, has something similar happen to her. Only, it's not her mother that's a no-show, but her husband. Not realizing the night was special, Jim made other plans with his friends and spoils May's big night. This major blow-off leads down a road that could destroy their relationship…baby or no baby. Check it out to see what happens.

Share a brief example of your big news reveal in a comment for a chance to win a copy of THE WET REUNION OF TWO SOULS.

S.E., thanks for guest blogging today. I love your story of telling your Mom she was going to be a grandmother. Wishing you much success with your latest book.

Now for a bit of background on S.E. Since he was a kid, S.E. wanted to be an author and explored many genres through high school and college. After greasing the gears of the corporate machine for many years, he escaped the Information Technology vortex to focus full-time on his writing dream. A romantic at heart, S.E. loves to write about committed couples struggling with and overcoming life's obstacles only to emerge stronger. The fact that they have steamy, mind-blowing sex along the way makes it even better. S.E. lives with his wife and two children on the west coast of Florida.

For more on S.E. and his writing, check out his website at http://www.seholden.com, find him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001173999283&v=wall, on Twitter: @seholden25 or by email at seholden@verizon.net
 

Be sure to answer S.E.’s question and have a chance at winning a copy of his latest release. Thanks so much for stopping by. Miss y'all.




17 comments:

  1. Fun question!

    With our first, it was right before Christmas so I bought little wicker baby carriages from the dollar store and crocheted miniature baby blankets, made a yarn doll, and (just in case it wasn't immediately obvious) printed an announcement out and tucked it in at the foot of the carriage. We mailed these packages to all the extended family to open on Christmas day.

    With our last - my mom's 12th grandchild, I painted and decorated twelve wooden eggs - labeling each with their name. The twelfth just said "coming June 2003" and put them in an egg carton.

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  2. I enjoyed this reveal post. Just delightful and perfect. Since we had been married many years no one expected that we would ever have Children. Well, we did and when it occurred it was on my birthday. No one expected that and everyone was unprepared. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  4. Hi S.E.,

    I erased my first post because I forgot to tell you, I really liked how you told your mom about your first child.

    When my son was 11 yrs old, he got into riding rodeo. The people he stayed with after school were rodeo people and he learned to rope & ride bulls and do barrels & poles.
    I decided it was time for him to have his own horse. He was visiting he father. When he came home I told him we were going for a car ride. I drove him the 45 mins. to the barn that had the horse I bought for him.
    When we got there the horses were out in the pasture. Blessing our horse was only 13 months old than. When he seen my son Brion he came running up to the fence. My son went to rubbing on him and laughing at him.
    It was so funny to see them bond so fast together. I asked him what he thought of this scrawny horse. My son said; "he's cute mom look at his color." He than asked me his name and how did I know about this barn. I fibbed and told him I happen to come by when I went to rodeo around the corner. I also told him the people called the horse Monkey.
    I said to my son; so you like him huh?" My son said, he's beautiful mom. I than proceeded to tell him good because he's yours! It took a few minutes before what I said register to him. But when he comprehended what I said those big brown eyes of his lit up, he laughed and actually cut a cartwheel and just started yelling and hollowing yes, yes, yes. And oh yeah Your the best mom!
    That was 1998. My son still has that horse and we named him Comanche Blessing.

    Thanks for letting me share. See you around on the author boards S.E.

    Teresa K.
    tcwgrlup41(at)yahoo.com

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  5. Hi Vicki,

    Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you put a lot of work into the telling. I love that. The twelve eggs were really a creative idea.

    Scott

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  6. Hi Traveler,

    Thanks for sharing. A little extra birthday surprise is always fun.

    Scott

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  7. Hi Teresa,

    Thanks for sharing. Your son's reaction made all the planning worth while. You don't got too many chances to make something like this happen. I'm glad you made the most of it and you'll have the memory forever.

    Scott

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  8. Awesome post Scott. I don't have anything as dramatic as that. I prefer to just let it out as it comes.

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  9. Hi Avril,

    Thanks for stopping by... as commended. lol

    Scott

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  10. let's see, if my significant other/later my spouse passed me in the hallway I would get knocked up so the "omg I'm pregnant" for us was like WTF? Again!? anyways....He told ME we were headed into an 8-year stint as ex-pats (with me as somewhat surly trailing pregnant spouse) the EXACT DAY I found out I was WTF, Again? with our third (and final) child. Here's how it went down:
    I knew he was gonna take the overseas assignment from Unnamed Large Corporation really but as I stared at the bright blue pregnancy test pee-stick, my eyes glazed over with surprise and my 5 and 3 year olds started hitting each other with plastic hammers hard enough to break skin, he opened the door and said "Guess What Honey?" with a bottle of my favorite craft beer and a shit eating grin on his face.
    He still has a slight scar....
    GREAT post SE. It's a pleasure having you as a colleague!
    love
    Liz

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  11. Awww, shucks. Thanks, Liz. The feeling is mutual. And thanks for sharing. It looks like you both exchanged big news at the same time. The scar to mark the occasion was a nice touch. lol

    Have fun,
    Scott

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  12. Thank you for sharing how you told your mom about her first grandchild. I enjoyed reading it.

    My mom took me down to planned parenthood, so I could take the pregnancy test. Hubby and I had been married for nearly ten years by this time and he knew I was my mom was taking me.

    But when hubby came home from work, he walked right by me heading to the kitchen. I walk up behind him as he drank a glass of water. He told me later he was nervous and afraid I wasn't pregnant.

    After he turned around I handed him the paper that planned parenthood gave me. He asked what it meant.

    "Well," I said, "This means I'm really pregnant."

    He picked me up and laughed right in my hear. A hearty Ha-Ha-Ha!

    Yeah, he was happy.

    Janice~

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  13. LOL! Great post, SE! And what a lovely way to share the news with your mom! What a lovely time to have that news, too! I'm drawing a blank on any cool revelations (for instance, I usually shared my suspicions about being pregnant in advance, so that we were both waiting for the result of that "magic" stick), but some friends of ours recently surprised their kids with a road trip to Disneyland. They bundled them into the car that morning, and headed off. They were halfway there (i.e., HOURS into it) before the kids figured out that this was no simple drive to Grandma's house ;) Much happy shrieking ensued...

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  14. Hi Janice,

    Thanks for sharing. Sounds like your husband was sweating the results. Glad it worked out for both of you.

    Thanks again,
    Scott

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  15. Hi flchen1,

    Thanks for sharing. Surprise trips to Disney are really cool. Maybe I'll get a surprise trip to IReland or Scotland one of these days. IT's a little tougher to hide a plane ride, but there must be a way.

    Thanks again,
    Scott

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  16. I pretty much blurt it out instantly--I can't keep a secret. =)

    headlessfowl at gmail dot com

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  17. Ooh, that would be awesome, Scott--I'm sure you can find a way to pack in advance ;) Or if you just want the planning of the trip to be the surprise, you can always surprise with the tickets/reservations, and then the actual leaving isn't quite so frantic/hectic. What a lovely thought! And then maybe you can work it into a story... :D

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