Meet Gretchen Williams: Heroine of her Leading Man. Find out her secret. #HerLeadingMan #AdalineRaine

The heroine of my newest release, Her Leading Man, has severe anxiety. I didn't plan it that way, and what's worse I didn't realize it until her first panic attack. She leaned on our hero, Tristan, and he got her through it. Anxiety, to be frank, is fucking scary. It's a horrible condition that can keep you in a terrible state of irrationality for no reason at all. Some days are amazing and you want to giggle and prance through hallways singing show-tunes, but then just as quickly you can be headfirst into any level of attack.



So....how did your character just develop anxiety?

Good question. I have severe anxiety. It's a fight. Sometimes every day. Sometimes it comes and goes. I've been on every medication known to man and they all turn me into a zombie. It's scarier than the anxiety.

Is Gretchen you?

Nope. She pulled a lot of things from my personal life, but she is her own being. Truthfully. I'm just happy she was able to work through her problems and have accountability again. Tristan is really quite a knight in shining armor. He sees so much potential in her, and helps her achieve what she wants.

Why tell us this?

I expect some readers not to understand the heroine's fight. I expect backlash from those who can't understand how she is always living in her head. It's a creative fight and an anxious one. I just want my readers to please read a little deeper. Gretchen is exhausted every day from the constant battle in her head. Please try her out before saying you don't think she's strong. She's the strongest heroine I've ever written.

Anything else?

I'm not a flake. Sometimes I forget to post blog posts as easily as I forget about a doctor's appointment or a family member's birthday. I don't do it purposefully, I just always have so much going on in my head. It's great when it is all creative but the other side is the constant downward spiral trap of worry. We all have our fights. We all have our demons. Some you can see, some you can't. Be kind always.