Having My Baby , an anthology by Various Authors:
"Tabitha's Solution" in Having My Baby: Tabitha has had the perfect pregnancy. She wants a perfect birth: all natural, with midwives, in the hospital (just in case). Her supportive husband Alex is by her side. So why does everything else have to go wrong?
This short story about first-time motherhood is based on real-life experiences -- both my own, and those of my friends. One thing about having babies is for certain: it's never what we expect it to be! What poignant, funny, or sweet baby stories do you like to tell? Please share your favourite true baby story in a comment below (with your email, please), and you could be the winner of the Swag Bag!
***Leave your NAME & EMAIL in the comments for a chance to win a fabulous 'swag bag' (see the prize list & photo below). Drawing 3/28/13***
Tori is giving away to ONE lucky commenter a terrific prize pack! The Swag Bag (a lovely printed Romance and Other Dangers tote) will include:
- a handy Having My Baby key chain, featuring a picture of the cover AND bonus pics of her other published works!
- a collectible Having My Baby book-cover pen for poetry, stories, love letters, etc.!
- a signed print copy of Having My Baby, the anthology!
- Bonus Prize! A signed print copy of Midnight Thirsts, which includes Tori's novella "Mist and Midnight" -- the prequel for Wind and Shadow: Book One of the Talbot Trilogy, coming this April!
- and MORE!
Excerpt:
From "Tabitha's Solution" in Having My Baby (Melange Books, 2012):
“Honey, what are you doing with that shovel?”
Tabitha huffed and puffed, her breath coming in little clouds of condensation. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m shoveling.”
Alex approached her with the caution of a bomb defuser approaching an unknown container. “I can see that. But sweetheart, you’re nine months pregnant. Why don’t you let me do that?”
She glared at him over her muffler, without breaking her rhythm. “I’m fine. It’s just a couple of inches of snow.”
“Then why are you out here?” He gestured helplessly.
“I’m trying to get this baby moving!” Tabitha bent at the knees, forcing the blade of the shovel under a crust of snow by the walkway to their door. “I figured, if I do a little bending and lifting, maybe it will get my water to break or something.”
“O...kay...then...”
She saw his hesitation and skepticism, and sighed. “I missed out on the damned draw, all right? I’m pissed off, and pregnant, and overdue, and I want to have this baby!”
Alex held up his hands. “Hey, I respect that. I’m just trying to help.”
Tabitha swallowed her crankiness. She tried to smile. “You can help by moving, dearest.”
Obediently stepping to the left, Alex watched her attack the next section of sidewalk. “I brought you home some rotisserie chicken, with mashed potatoes.”
She didn’t stop moving. “Super. Go ahead and plate it, I’ll be down in about five or ten minutes.”
“Do you want a cup of tea?”
“I’d really love a martini, dirty. But I guess tea will have to do.” Tabitha relented as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Dropping the shovel, she threw her arms around her husband, stretching to accommodate their winter coats. “I’m sorry, I’m just in a bitch.”
“It’s fine, I understand.” Alex rubbed the small of her back, in just the place she liked. She made an appreciative noise, and he continued, “I mean, I sort of get it. You’re tired, and frustrated. We’ll get there soon. But you really don’t need to be out here.”
“I promise, I’ll come down just as soon as I get this path cleared.” She released him and thrust her belly forward. “This baby is coming out tonight!”
Click the link to read another excerpt at her blog! http://torilridgewood.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/new-release-tabithas-solution-in-having-my-baby/
Buy Links:
Contact the Author:
Find me on Facebook: Tori L. Ridgewood
Follow me on Twitter: @ToriLRidgewood
Subscribe to my Blog: torilridgewood.wordpress.com
***Leave your NAME & EMAIL in the comments for a chance to win a fabulous 'swag bag'. Drawing 3/28/13***
Extra! Extra! About "Mist and Midnight" (Midnight Thirsts, 2011) -- your Bonus Prize!
Charlotte Fanning, a professional artist and a natural witch, is on the run from the ruthless, malevolent vampire stalking her. Fleeing the city for a remote former mining community of Talbot in northeastern Ontario, a chance encounter on the train with the maddeningly arrogant and ruggedly handsome prospector Pike Mahonen further complicates her fight for her life. When it quickly becomes apparent that the bloodthirsty creature is closer than she thinks, endangering everyone around her, Charlotte and Pike discover that their love and passion for each other might be the only force standing between their friends and the gruesome death awaiting them in the abandoned tunnels beneath the town.
"Mist and Midnight" is the prequel to Tori debut novel, Wind and Shadow: Book One of the Talbot Trilogy, coming this April!
Click the link to read an excerpt! http://torilridgewood.wordpress.com/2011/01/16/excerpt-from-mist-and-midnight-coming-in-july-from-melange-books/
Thanks so much for having me, Mysti!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure as always! <3
DeleteWhat a timely post. My granddaughter went to the hospital this morning to have her baby, hopefully soon. She has a 14-month old son also who has days and nights mixed up. She may never sleep again.
ReplyDeleteI had four kids and my worst misery came from the doctor being a month off on my delivery date. My parents came from two hours away near my original due date to be with the other kids. I think that month went by in slow motion. I certainly empathize with Tabitha in shoveling snow. lol
leona59@msn.com
Yay!! Congratz, great grandma!! I remember those sleepless nights very well :)
DeleteOh, I do hope everything goes well with your granddaughter! Both of my children were a week overdue, but those last months seemed eternal anyway… My biggest fear was going into labour and delivering on the highway!
DeleteThanks so much for commenting, and please let us know how it goes with your newest great-grand!
xo
Tori
What a sweet treat this looks like. Sometimes after all the baddie bashing, I love a story that will set my mind on other life issues and this looks like it fits the bill. Enjoyed the excerpt and of course the cover is awwwww-worthy. Thank you for sharing with us. Of course once all things have calmed in the adrenalin valley and the box of puffs has been given some exercise, we need to get back in the swing and Midnight Thirsts looks like a fun workout ;=D
ReplyDeletedz59001[at]gmail[dot]com
Thank you so much, Denise! I really enjoyed writing Tabitha's story, and "Mist and Midnight" (Midnight Thirsts) has gotten some lovely reviews so far. I'm so glad you liked the excerpt! Thank you for commenting!
DeleteI had such complicated pregnancies. My daughter was two months premature and weighed 3 lbs&1/2 ounce. She was in the NICU for two months. My son was six weeks premature. He decided he wanted to be born at the doctors office. My water broke after my appt. We were getting ready to leave and ...boom..water and stuff running down my leg. By the time they got me to the hospital his foot was coming out. They had to do an emergency c-section. Kind of scary.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway.
christinebails at yahoo dot com
Wow! What an amazing story, thank you for sharing! And thank goodness for modern medicine. You are definitely a warrior mom. Some babies just cannot wait to join the world, right? I like to think of these experiences as tales of battle, because our babies are so worth the fight. Thanks so much for being here!
DeleteThat sounds really scary!! My girls were both a little early, but the boy was right on time, and during a snow storm, too :)
DeleteThe characters sound intriguing.
ReplyDeleteL
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
Thanks -- I hope they are, and I've had some lovely compliments on both stories presented here. I appreciate you stopping by and reading my post!
DeleteCheers,
Tori
I have three wonderful grown daughters. I was pre-eclampsia with all three and on BED rest the last 2 weeks. The first ended in c-sec but I had V-bac w/other 2, but they were both over 8 lbs but it is all worth it once that precious New life is in your arms! Rhonda
ReplyDeletenashhall@aol.com
That's great that you could do v-bac with the last two. A lot of docs are leery of that, or did you use a midwife? I had a certified nurse midwife for my last two and LOVED them!!
DeleteI am always amazed at what we can go through for our children… My son was a fraction away from 9 lbs, and his birth was very similar to the one described in "Tabitha's Solution", with midwives. You're absolutely right about it all being worthwhile -- once you're holding your darling, nothing else really matters. Thank you so much for visiting and sharing!
DeleteHugs,
Tori
Both my pregnancies & labor were pretty 'normal'. In fact I felt so good after my daughter's birth, and the fact that I had a 3 year old at home who needed me, that I took her home when she was 18 hours old. The hospital arranged for a midwife to visit us at home. It was great.
ReplyDeleteMary P
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
That's so fortunate, Mary!! I felt the same after my third. We stayed two nights with both our girls, but took the boy home the next day. It's too hard to get rest in the hospital. I just wanted to be home!!
DeleteMary, you are amazing, too! I'm so impressed with all of these stories! And aren't midwives fabulous? My first I had at home, with midwives, so they came regularly to visit / check on me for the first three days, but the second was in hospital as it was a higher risk…and there aren't any midwives where we live now, so I couldn't have had a home birth unless it had been an emergency. I found it was nice having someone there to look after the baby, instead of me by myself, but then again with #2 I was closer to my mother for help. My son was almost 5 and right away he wanted to be helpful.
DeleteThanks so much for coming, and for sharing your story!
Cheers,
Tori
Congrats, and all my good wishes for your publishing in 2013! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, dearest Tar! Here's to a successful year! xo
DeleteHello Mysti. Thank you for having this AWESOME madness!!!
ReplyDelete--DREW
andrew.g_2013@yahoo.com
Hi, Drew! Thanks for stopping by -- can't wait to see who wins!
DeleteCheers,
Tori
Looks and sounds awesome!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteTobi
tobihelton at gmail dot com
Thank you, Tobi! Much appreciated -- and thanks for coming!
DeleteHugs,
Tori
Hello again. I just want to say that babies are sooooo adorable!!! My niece is 3 this year so she is not a baby anymore. :( Oh well!! Have a great day!! And gl everyone!!!
ReplyDelete--DREW
andrew(dot)g(underscore)2013(at)yahoo(dot)com
I agree -- little bundles of sweetness, even when they're poopy and screaming! And they do grow so fast… I will admit, as much as I enjoyed my babies, I was very happy to get out of the diaper stage.
DeleteHugs!
Tori
Now the youngest one has learned the word "no" and she uses it all of the time!!!
DeleteDREW
andrew(dot)g(underscore)2013(at)yahoo(dot)com
That's always fun… I recently learned how quickly my daughter can pick up my expressions and make them back at me. Funny and infuriating at the same time…
DeleteHave a great night!
Tori
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win
Kristin
kristindream at hotmail dot com
Thank you for posting, Kristin -- I appreciate you stopping by!
DeleteCheers,
Tori
Wow! That's a great swag prize. I don't have any children so I don't have any baby stories :(. I've been around babies my whole life though.
ReplyDeleteSankofa0509(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks, Alex! I appreciate your coming by!
DeleteCheers,
Tori
Congratulations to L, the winner of the Swag Bag! Thanks, everyone, for visiting my post and commenting! Stop by my blog, Romance and Other Dangers, (torilridgewood.wordpress.com) for more giveaways in the coming weeks.
ReplyDeleteWoohoo!!
Delete