Blog Blitz - Manipulated lives H A Leuschel

Last but not least today I am the final person to take part in the 3 day blog blitz for the manipulated lives series by H A Leuschel.

A series of 5 novellas highlighting how easy it is to be manipulated or indeed to become a manipulator.

Five stories – Five Lives

Have you ever felt confused or at a loss for words in front of a spouse, colleague or parent, to the extent that you have felt inadequate or, worse, a failure? Do you ever wonder why someone close to you seems to endure humiliation without resistance?

Manipulators are everywhere. At first these devious and calculating people can be hard to spot, because that is their way. They are often masters of disguise: witty, disarming, even charming in public – tricks to snare their prey – but then they revert to their true self of being controlling and angry in private. Their main aim: to dominate and use others to satisfy their needs, with a complete lack of compassion and empathy for their victim.

In this collection of short novellas, you meet people like you and me, intent on living happy lives, yet each of them, in one way or another, is caught up and damaged by a manipulative individual. First you meet Tess, whose past is haunted by a wrong decision, then young, successful and well balanced Sophie, who is drawn into the life of a little boy and his troubled father. Next, there is teenage Holly, who is intent on making a better life for herself, followed by a manipulator himself, trying to make sense of his irreversible incarceration. Lastly, there is Lisa, who has to face a parent’s biggest regret. All stories highlight to what extent abusive manipulation can distort lives and threaten our very feeling of self-worth.

I'm delighted to Welcome Helene to my blog:

MANIPULATED LIVES by H.A. Leuschel
Hello and thank you very much for inviting me to ‘Beadyjansbooks’!

There are many fantastic publications out there explaining narcissistic personality disorders, as well as self-help books and insightful websites that offer advice and support. What I wished to achieve with my fives stories in ‘Manipulated Lives’ is to make readers think about the idea that nothing is ever what it seems. Our capacity to interpret fellow human beings may be successful most of the times and helps us navigate through social life yet, when we are in the presence of a manipulative individual with a perversion, it’s a very different ballgame.

 Most manipulators are very shrewd, and research shows that it’s all too easy for a person to fall under their subtle control, with many victims not even realising this.
Each of the five fictional stories aim to depict how important awareness in this area has become and they are also written to engage in a compelling way.  Also, after witnessing someone close be abused, or even being a victim of abuse themselves, some people may find it consoling to read about fictional characters who have gone through and survived comparable experiences, whereas other readers may find it informative as well as thought-provoking.

In the fourth novella of my anthology ‘Manipulated Lives’ called ‘The Narcissist’, the reader meets the person himself - the manipulator in denial despite his incarceration and the evidence of the dark past that haunts him but which he refuses to endorse.

Blurb
Five stories - Five Lives
Have you ever felt confused or at a loss for words in front of a spouse, colleague or parent, to the extent that you have felt inadequate or, worse, a failure? Do you ever wonder why someone close to you seems to endure humiliation without resistance?

Manipulators are everywhere. At first these devious and calculating people can be hard to spot, because that is their way. They are often masters of disguise: witty, disarming, even charming in public - tricks to snare their prey - but then they revert to their true self of being controlling and angry in private. Their main aim: to dominate and use others to satisfy their needs, with a complete lack of compassion and empathy for their victim.

In this collection of short novellas, you meet people like you and me, intent on living happy lives, yet each of them, in one way or another, is caught up and damaged by a manipulative individual. First you meet Tess, whose past is haunted by a wrong decision, then young, successful and well-balanced Sophie, who is drawn into the life of a little boy and his troubled father. Next, there is teenage Holly, who is intent on making a better life for herself, followed by a manipulator himself, trying to make sense of his irreversible incarceration. Lastly, there is Lisa, who has to face a parent's biggest regret. All stories highlight to what extent abusive manipulation can distort lives and threaten our very feeling of self-worth.

Excerpt
I seem to have lost all sense of time because the nurse is already back and holding my neck, while I struggle to lift my head towards the new glass of water. Is there something floating in it? My eyes strain to focus on the slight mist that is clouding my drink. They are poisoning me, I think, but my thirst is stronger than I, and I drink greedily. The freshness of the water lining the dry walls of my mouth and running down my parched throat is the best feeling I can remember having for a while. But keeping me company are painful thoughts, pulling me to and fro without making sense. I give a small nod as I lick my thin, chapped lips, trying to catch every remaining droplet of water, and sink back into my pillow, exhausted. A whiff of stale body odour reaches my nostrils. Argh. What kind of a place is this where I am simply left to rot?
The image of a spacious bedroom comes to my mind. The carpets are thick and my bare feet dig into the welcoming softness. The bathroom is heated, and the towel I pull off the rail to dry my wet hair is warm and soft. Only a 5-star-hotel can provide this kind of ostentatious comfort, a luxury they make you believe you deserve. I am addicted to being treated with such opulence. My mind has worked so hard to find a way to keep coming back to this haven. The food is layered delicately on porcelain dishes when I come down to the breakfast buffet. I raise my hand arrogantly to one of the waiters and order him to serve fresh coffee. The waiter says, ‘Certainly, with pleasure, sir’. This is the way I should be treated.
With a sigh, I let go of the surrounding white walls and close my eyes, suddenly convinced that the hospital room must surely be part of a bad dream, one I need to avoid at all cost.

 ‘Good morning. How are you?’
I don’t remember hearing or, for that matter, seeing the lady now sitting next to me enter the room. She looks to be in her mid-forties and is dressed in black trousers and a buttoned-up, light pink blouse. She is wearing no jewellery, but a soft smile is etched on a small mouth, and her eyes are a mix of brown and green, gentle but with a gleam of determination.
‘Another letter has arrived for you. Would you like me to read it?’
First encounters shape the impression we have of a person and can have an impact on how we predict and interpret them, I remember reading somewhere, a long time ago. I used to be good at that, excellent really. But now everything’s too foggy and vague to make any sense. The lady sitting cross-legged next to me on an uncomfortable-looking plastic chair rings a bell, somewhere in the depth of my memory, but not more than that.

Book Purchase Link:
https://books2read.com/u/3RoZ1L

About the Author
Helene Andrea Leuschel grew up in Belgium where she gained a Licentiate in Journalism & Communication, which led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh. She now lives with her husband and two children in Portugal and recently acquired a Master of Philosophy with the OU, deepening her passion for the study of the mind. When she is not writing, Helene works as a freelance journalist and teaches Yoga.

Author Links
https://www.facebook.com/HALeuschel
https://twitter.com/HALeuschel
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15337013.H_A_Leuschel
http://www.heleneleuschel.com

About H.A. Leuschel

Helene Andrea Leuschel grew up in Belgium where she gained a Licentiate in Journalism & Communication, which led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh. She now lives with her husband and two children in Portugal and recently acquired a Master of Philosophy with the OU, deepening her passion for the study of the mind. When she is not writing, Helene works as a freelance journalist and teaches Yoga.

Follow H.A. Leuschel

Website: http://www.heleneleuschel.com