Our series on 'Writing; The Alphabet' continues with 'A' is for Adversity. Today my guest is brilliant author, Tatum Throne, who has to deal with a dreadful illness which affects all three of her children.
*excited
waves* Thanks for featuring me on your blog today, Bella! My name is Tatum
Throne. I’m an author of ManLove romance. I have three boys who keep me very
busy. My boys have a chronic medical disorder called eosinophilic esophaghitis,
EoE. It’s a genetic disorder that causes their entire esophagus to close due to
severe food allergies and environmental allergies. My oldest is also
anaphylactic to various foods and to bees. Did you know that you can’t test for
a bee allergy? Only a sting will tell you if you’re allergic.
After years of painful symptoms, my oldest was diagnosed in 2009 with EoE. He’s
now 13. My other two children, 11 & 7, were diagnosed a year later. It can
be very challenging for my boys and us as a family. We haven’t been able to get
everyone on a treatment that works. Right now, they are eliminating foods and
are on swallowed steroids, but it doesn’t always work and they have flares. We
usually have three to four upper endoscopies a year to check for improvement in
the esophagus. My oldest, Bud, is having a rough go right now. He’s on a very
strict elimination diet. We have just reintroduced wheat as a trial to see if
he passes the food. We find out in August how his trial has gone when we scope.
I started writing when my boys were young to have something fun to do while I
stayed at home with them. After my children were diagnosed with EoE it became a
lifeline for me. I needed writing as an escape from the surgeries and the day
to day of dealing with a chronic illness. I was on the phone with nurses,
doctors, the pharmacy, and support staff at the hospital on a daily basis. We
were at the hospital every two weeks seeing various specialists from genetics,
allergy, to GI, and are involved in various research. Did you know that you
live a few minutes from one of the number one children’s hospitals in the
country that treats eosinophilic disorder? We have patients who fly in to see
us.
No one understood what we were going
through as a family. My children look normal from the outside. Society says you
have to look sick to be sick. I found a wonderful local support group and have
made great friends who carry me through the ups and downs of having children
with a chronic illness. I can honestly say it has been more downs as we are
having many issues getting them on a stable treatment. We’ve been working on it
since 2009. It’s one step forward two steps back.
Writing is my balance. Everything around you can stop when you’re dealing with
a chronic medical condition. One of the most important things I’ve learned from
my children is that you can’t stop being who you are just because you have EoE.
When I look at my boys, I see their brown hair, their dark brown eyes, and
their broad smiles. Don’t ever give up no matter what life throws at you!
~Tatum x
Bull rider Luke Pendleton is a Dom who only plays by his rules.
When he accuses a competitor of cheating, he gets into a good old fashioned
fistfight. When they’re both arrested, Luke knows he’s made a career ending
mistake.
Border agent Dade Riley is a submissive without a Dom. He’s always
had a secret crush on Luke, but he’s never had time to explore his fantasies
until now. When he arrests one of his favorite bull riders, Dade gives Luke an
ultimatum that he knows he will never accept.
Luke only sees one way out of the tight spot he’s in. He has to
play by Dade’s rules to avoid jail time. As things intensify, Luke takes
control and discovers that Dade’s brother is missing. Luke knows that Dade
needs him, but will he be willing to play by his rules or will he search for
his missing brother alone?
Buy Link
Story Excerpt
Luke Pendleton
flew through the air and hit the ground hard. The bull stomped around his legs,
kicking and flinging its hooves up toward his chest. Dust from the bull’s
hooves hit him in the face. Luke had to get away before he was trampled. He
landed wrong on his shoulder as he rolled away. He staggered toward the edge of
the ring. The crowd gasped as the bull charged him. Luke jumped up onto the
fence just before the bull could take a piece of his ass. He looked up at the
scoreboard. That was not eight seconds. Fuck him. He was in last place.
Across the arena, he caught sight of his ex, John, watching him
closely. Pain twisted through his heart. Luke spent a long time getting over
that idiot. John had cheated on him far too many times for him to ever give him
a second chance. To his chagrin, the man had some nerve to come to one of his
comps. John was the least of his problems tonight.
He had enough of his competitor, Trevor Stokes, getting preferential
treatment. Luke sauntered out of the ring as the crowd went wild. He dusted off
his Stetson, putting it down hard on his head. He caught sight of Trevor across
the way. He was going to find out how or who he was paying off to get the tamer
bulls. This thing was going down now. He didn’t know how he was doing it, but
he was cheating. Maybe he was paying somebody off. As he crossed the outer edge
of the ring, Luke didn’t bother listing to the announcers or his scores. He
knew he did piss poor tonight. He wanted only one thing. He wanted to confront
Trevor now.
“Hey, Trevor! You fucking piece of shit!”
Trevor froze, turning around.
“Bring it,” Trevor said.
“You fucking cheated,” Luke said.
“You can’t freaking cheat in bull riding,” Trevor replied.
“Bullshit. I don’t know how you did it, but you fucking cheated!”
“I don’t know where you got your information from, but I did not
cheat.”
“I don’t know how you did it, bribery maybe,” Luke said. “You
got one of the tamest bulls out here tonight.”
“That don’t mean I cheated. I can’t help it you lost. You’re just a
sore fucking loser,” Trevor said.
Luke grabbed him roughly by the waist, taking him hard to the ground.
People circled around as the punches flew. Most backed up, giving them lots of
room. Luke didn’t care that they were drawing a crowd. Shouts erupted around
them as a punch landed on his ribs. Trevor’s fist came flying at his face and
connected, making his teeth rattle. Luke fell back, hitting the ground. Blood
pooled in his mouth. He was not about to let Trevor win. Luke charged again,
but Trevor kicked him away. Luke stumbled backward as his size-ten cowboy boot
cut into his skin. He grabbed his side where Trevor’s boot had been. He felt
the wind get knocked out of him.
Trevor’s arm cocked back and his hand slammed into his jaw with enough
force to rattle his emotional cage. Luke never lost a fight. Never. Luke fell
back onto the ground. He fisted his hand into the dirt, grabbing a handful. He
swung his hand out, throwing the dirt into Trevor’s face. A wave of dust went
through the air. Trevor groaned as the dirt connected with his eyes, but he
didn’t take the bait to rub them. Luke threw several wild punches, but only
connected with a few. Luke drove Trevor back against the fence. They landed
with an audible gasp from the crowd. Luke was quite certain that they were
drawing a huge crowd and it wasn’t going to be good when it ended.
Trevor took him to the ground, wrestling him into a hold. Luke tried
to push him off, but he couldn’t. All of a sudden they were grabbed by the arms
and pulled off of each other. Police officers were tearing them apart. Luke was
swung off of Trevor and taken down hard. Luke’s face was planted in the dirt.
Dirt brushed against his mouth. He stared at Trevor, hating him, hating his ex,
and hating the fact that he let his emotions get the better of him. He was
shocked that the man had the balls to buy his way in. Somehow, someway he was
paying somebody to give him an easier bull to ride. Luke didn’t know how he was
doing it, but he sure as shit was going to find out.
From faraway, Luke was suddenly aware of the police officer patting
him down. He felt his hands move down over his ass, grabbing it hard. His rough
hands went down and up over his thighs. They slid inside, grabbing his balls.
Luke couldn’t remember the last time any man had manhandled him like this. As a
Dom, he decided when and how anybody touched him. Luke was dragged to his feet.
He was taken outside the arena to an unmarked patrol car. His face was pushed
up against the hood.
“Do you have any weapons on you that I need to be aware of?”
“No.”
Thank you so much, Tatum, it's been great having you here today.
Join me on Friday when my guest will be Cait Reynolds who is continuing our theme 'A' is for Adversity. Until then enjoy the rest of the week and have fun with whatever you are reading and/or writing.
Lovely post, Tatum.
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