Tips for choosing the right person to date

Class is now in session....

Although I may be the self-appointed, “relationship expert,” most people would be surprised to know that in fact I have not been in many relationships at all. I’m proud to say that I’ve never been a serial dater. What matters most to me is quality….. not quantity.  I’ve always believed that I’d rather be single than miserable, and for the majority of my adult life I’ve managed to dodge the bullet of, “being in a relationship with the COMPLETELY WRONG person.”  When it comes to first dates, most of the guys I’ve met in the past have been first class losers. Fortunately, a first date is as far as it goes.  When I’m looking to be in a relationship, I won’t settle for what’s around the corner. Interestingly enough, my requirements aren’t that hard to come by.  All I really wanted was for the dude to have some common sense, which many men (as well as women) seem to lack. After six years of NOT searching for anyone or anything, I happened to meet someone who’s made the past six years of dating hell suddenly dissipate.  *Knock on Wood* To me, this just approves that If women were more patient and didn’t rush into things, they would find that good things are worth the wait.

#1: Don't Choose Based Solely on Physical Attraction

-          This may be the # 1 reason why so many women are desperate and lonely.  The majority of the female population has grown up with this preconceived notion of what their future man should be like “physically.”  Never mind  brains, manners, or class….they are more worried about making sure they meet someone who just walked out of the pages of GQ magazine or whatever constitutes “attractive” in their book.  Hate to burst the bubble on this one, but these women are headed for a life full of loneliness just because they will never find what they are looking for, or yet be satisfied with what they have. I got news for all you ladies out there…YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT! And if you think otherwise… get ready to be single for the rest of your pathetic life.  When I ask my female friends to describe what they are looking for in a man I always get the same response. “Well, he has to be really tall, good looking, blond hair, blue eyes, good job, rich…” Hey, sure you could get exactly what you wanted in a perfect world, but this is reality, honey. If you decide to not give a guy a chance because he’s not your height requirement or he doesn’t have the movie star looks you’ve been dreaming about, just know that you are selling yourself short.  But let me tell you what DOES happen when you do choose a guy solely based on looks. The odds are that he probably knows he’s good looking and he’s going to use this to his full advantage. Yes, extremely attractive men are usually natural born douche bags.  Moral of the story--- if you want to be a shallow bitch, you’re only going to get what you deserve. I don’t feel an ounce of sympathy for women whom behave this way.

#2:  Ask History Questions

-          Many of us rush into relationships without getting the full 411 on a person’s background. When this happens it usually comes back to bite you in the ass because you most likely had  no idea what you were getting yourself into until it was too late. It’s best to know as much as you can about a person before you get serious. Seek details such as: family, prior relationships, job history. Acknowledge any potential red flags so that you will spare yourself from grief. Remember that a relationship is like getting hired for a new job, so prepare yourself thoroughly before deciding to take it on.

#3: Make Sure Chivalry is not Dead

-          This is vital when choosing someone to date exclusively.  The way he treats you on the first date will set the precedent for the entire relationship.  Granted, some men wait a few months before they show you their true colors. But when it comes to respect and treating you like a lady, he shouldn’t even have to think about it. There are no excuses or do-overs on this one. Once he fails on this, he is DTB!  A man should never belittle, or physically or verbally abuse you for any reason. If you experience any of this, run away as fast as you can.

# 4- He will be there through good times and bad.

-          One way to find out uncover the truth about someone’s real personality and see their true colors is when a tragedy strikes or maybe even when you’re having a brief stint of tough times. For example, a guy I dated last year took it upon himself to disappear when my father died last November. His excuse was that he didn’t know how to “help me”…such a cop out. When he revealed his selfish and inconsiderate nature, my whole view and attitude toward him changed. I have little tolerance for this bullshit. Someone true and genuine will stay by your side even if they don’t have all the answers. Needless to say, I wanted nothing to do with him after he showed me his real, ugly, egotistical self.

 Class dismissed.

On sale now....my novel, Forever blue, as paperback or ebook by Amazon Trade paperback publishing, and now the sequel as an eBook.

What would you do if your first love suddenly walked back into your life? This is a question Alexa Moore finds herself asking the moment she comes face to face with her childhood sweetheart, nearly fifteen years after his mysterious disappearance.

In this coming of age novel, it is the summer of 1992. Carter Storm is a precocious thirteen-year-old child actor awaiting his big break in the entertainment industry. Alexa Moore is just a regular teenager, seeking acceptance from her peers. With heartbreak and humor, these two friends expose a world of secrets and learn to survive in the face of life’s contradictions and tragedies. When Carter’s dark life suddenly unveils before Alexa’s eyes, she witnesses her best friend beaten down mercilessly by his stage mother’s antics, but Alexa’s strong will and determination helps Carter pull through his darkest hours. The two are bonded by a love that only deepens as they grow. However, Carter’s mother will do everything she can to keep them apart, so that her prodigy is not distracted. As a result, the two are forced to keep their childhood romance hidden from prying eyes. When Alex discovers Carter’s family packed up and gone without so much as a chance for goodbyes, her world shatters.
Over a decade later, Carter Storm resurfaces as a Grammy award winner, with a new name, a new life, and an entourage of screaming girls and paparazzi following him everywhere he goes. When Alexa randomly comes face to face with Carter Storm, the encounter sets off a string of events that will have her torn between the man she loves and the man she once loved. How far will she go when the man from her past suddenly walks into her future?

Purchase for ebook at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-ebook/dp/B004O0U7NW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311265142&sr=8-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1101047200?ean=2940012671165&itm=1&usri=jennifer%2bedlund

Or paperback at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-1-Jennifer-Edlund/dp/1463727534/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1316036646&sr=8-3

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1030036015?ean=9781463727536&itm=7&usri=forever%2bblue

Buy the sequel-Forever Blue: New Tears to Cry, Old Songs to Kind on Kindle at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-Tears-Songs-ebook/dp/B007R54N5O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1333478776&sr=8-3

The do's and don'ts of texting in relationships

Class is now in session....

Once upon a time, I couldn’t have been more against text messaging. I believed it took far more effort to frickin type out a word than to dial a damn phone number. But my beliefs have suddenly changed. Like it or not, texting is the way of the world. For me and everyone else, we have to agree that texting is obviously more of a convenience factor. For instance: so you can’t be on the phone at work making personal calls? Hey, try texting! It will make you look more inconspicuous. Some people can get away with texting all day and no one at the office will know what’s going on as long as they work it right.  And you bet that texting affects all relationships. Many women as well as men have no clue about texting etiquette. If you don’t know what you’re doing, the relationship could easily end up being shit canned just by simple miscommunication of a meaningless text message.  As I’ve stated on this blog before--- when I briefly dated a guy last year, we would somehow manage to get into these massive texting fights over the most inane things. It seemed to me that he got off on stirring up drama by text message. Soon enough, I dreaded texting him for anything due to the fear of having a “texting argument.” It goes to show that having a full on conversations by text message can lead to things becoming terribly misconstrued. It’s best to not take anything too seriously when it comes to text messaging. Analyzing every text you receive will only make things more complicated than they seem.

1.       DON’T: Text Incessantly- Honest to God, there is nothing more irritating to a guy when he sees you blowing up his phone with your “100” mindless text messages.  I know plenty of chicks that can do this all within an hour.  The best part is that these girls basically will have a conversation with themselves because he most likely will never respond to one text. But a women will go on like he has texted back for hours.

DO: Send only one initiation text. If you do not receive a response, then DO NOT continue texting him. The ball is in his court, so you WILL wait. Unless you plan on making yourself look really desperate, I suggest you control yourself.

2.       DON’T: Have serious conversations by text: If you have something vitally importantly to talk about, don’t hide behind text messages.  Text messaging is generally considered the most impersonal way of communication. Plus, the message you are trying to get across could end up going a totally different direction than you intended.

DO: If you must talk about something important, send a message stating that you need to talk by phone and leave it at that.

3.        DON’T: Nag by or harass a guy by text message:  Many women love to pull this card. They think they have the right to text a guy every five minutes asking him where he is, or state how pissed she is until she is blue in the face.  You want to kill a relationship? This is a surefire way to do it.

DO: Get over yourself and save the drama for yo momma: If you want to keep that boyfriend, pick your battles. And yeah, rethink about bitching him out by text message. Ask yourself if it is truly worth it and proceed from there.

4.        DON’T: Text at inappropriate times: Unless you know him well, don’t be texting him at all hours of the night. It’s rude and inconsiderate and he’ll probably get turned off by it. Also, if he’s at work and specifically asks you not to text him at such and such time…you best listen.

DO: Find out what times are best for texting each other before you get text happy and blow it for yourself.

5.       DON’T: Keep texting all day: Like everything in life, texting must also be done in moderation.

DO: At some point, cut the conversation and give your thumbs a break. He’s not going anywhere. No need to wear things out.

Class dismissed.

On sale now....my novel, Forever blue, as paperback or ebook by Amazon Trade paperback publishing, and now the sequel as an eBook.

What would you do if your first love suddenly walked back into your life? This is a question Alexa Moore finds herself asking the moment she comes face to face with her childhood sweetheart, nearly fifteen years after his mysterious disappearance.

In this coming of age novel, it is the summer of 1992. Carter Storm is a precocious thirteen-year-old child actor awaiting his big break in the entertainment industry. Alexa Moore is just a regular teenager, seeking acceptance from her peers. With heartbreak and humor, these two friends expose a world of secrets and learn to survive in the face of life’s contradictions and tragedies. When Carter’s dark life suddenly unveils before Alexa’s eyes, she witnesses her best friend beaten down mercilessly by his stage mother’s antics, but Alexa’s strong will and determination helps Carter pull through his darkest hours. The two are bonded by a love that only deepens as they grow. However, Carter’s mother will do everything she can to keep them apart, so that her prodigy is not distracted. As a result, the two are forced to keep their childhood romance hidden from prying eyes. When Alex discovers Carter’s family packed up and gone without so much as a chance for goodbyes, her world shatters.
Over a decade later, Carter Storm resurfaces as a Grammy award winner, with a new name, a new life, and an entourage of screaming girls and paparazzi following him everywhere he goes. When Alexa randomly comes face to face with Carter Storm, the encounter sets off a string of events that will have her torn between the man she loves and the man she once loved. How far will she go when the man from her past suddenly walks into her future?

Purchase for ebook at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-ebook/dp/B004O0U7NW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311265142&sr=8-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1101047200?ean=2940012671165&itm=1&usri=jennifer%2bedlund

Or paperback at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-1-Jennifer-Edlund/dp/1463727534/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1316036646&sr=8-3

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1030036015?ean=9781463727536&itm=7&usri=forever%2bblue

Buy the sequel-Forever Blue: New Tears to Cry, Old Songs to Kind on Kindle at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-Tears-Songs-ebook/dp/B007R54N5O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1333478776&sr=8-3

Love is number one reason for suicide

This just in....


Love may be the first thing that a person considers when entering a relationship, but it is also the number one reason why one commits suicide, a marriage and family counselor said.
Citing studies and personal experience with patients, Maribel Dionisio of Love Institute Philippines said love -- or lack of love -- is usually what causes a person to decide to end his or her life.
Dionisio made the statement as two suicide killings in separate malls in a span of a week sent security experts and parents into a frenzy.
Both the September 20 shooting in SM Pampanga involving two minors and the September 14 incident in SM North EDSA have been labeled by police as a "crime of passion."
"The number one reason for suicide is love. The number two reason for suicide is no love," Dionisio said in an interview on ANC's "Headstart" on Monday.
"It's about the lack of love, either from a special friend or from the family -- or too much of it -- that a person feels bad."
Dionisio noted that teens are at a much higher risk for suicide since "they are still maturing."
Given this, she stressed the need for "proper guidance and love and affection" to prevent them from "doing things on their own."
"The 13-year-old had a problem and he did not share it with a responsible adult. The error is in not creating a network where the child can talk. So we have to do that," Dionisio said, referring to the young man who killed himself after shooting his 16-year-old friend in SM Pampanga.
"Teenagers will imitate anything. Maybe in this case, this teenager is desperate, he feels so bad and has no one to talk to...they do the same thing."
Meanwhile, Dionisio said parents should watch out for significant changes in their child's behavior to prevent suicide attempts.
"Before they get suicidal, there's a feeling of sadness, depression. That's why the parents should be alert. Their ears and eyes are open. Watch out for significant changes, such as in grades, in going out and other activities, or eating habits," she said.
Avoiding heartbreak
To avoid unnecessary heartbreak (which may lead to suicide), have your first boyfriend or girlfriend in third year college, Dionisio suggested.
This as high school kids tend to like to collect what Dionisio called as "special friends," causing them to have a harder time staying loyal to their current partners.
"It's the nature of a teenager to collect and collect. You have special friends, but not exclusive...Your mindset changes when you get to college," she explained.
By second year college, Dionisio said a person probably has a "whole list" of special friends.
"From there, you get the best. Just don't get the first one who comes around," she said.
Acceptance
Single or in a relationship, straight or gay, children should be loved and accepted by their parents, Dionisio stressed.
The love of a parent, she said, is crucial in building a person's self-worth which, in turn, affects his or her actions.
"It's the foundation of the child to feel good about himself and to do the right things. Kasi the feeling is if my parents don't love me, the whole world doesn't love me," she said.
Dionisio then gave the "ABCs of Parenting" so moms and dads can make their children feel important and loved:

• Attention - the regular time you give is 30 minutes to two hours per day per child. Make it a point to have a once-a-week date with each child so there is no competition.
• Building self-worth - Emphasize all the good stuff about them. Children will slowly shut you off if you're always negative.
• Communicating regularly - Know how to listen and how to talk. Listening means repeating in your own words what your child said. Paraphrase.

Asked if it's best for parents to add their children on Facebook, Dionisio said, "If they allow you, why not? But you have to know also how to behave."
"Say nothing negative. Preferably, don't say anything anymore."

On sale now....my novel, Forever blue, as paperback or ebook by Amazon Trade paperback publishing, and now the sequel as an eBook.

What would you do if your first love suddenly walked back into your life? This is a question Alexa Moore finds herself asking the moment she comes face to face with her childhood sweetheart, nearly fifteen years after his mysterious disappearance.

In this coming of age novel, it is the summer of 1992. Carter Storm is a precocious thirteen-year-old child actor awaiting his big break in the entertainment industry. Alexa Moore is just a regular teenager, seeking acceptance from her peers. With heartbreak and humor, these two friends expose a world of secrets and learn to survive in the face of life’s contradictions and tragedies. When Carter’s dark life suddenly unveils before Alexa’s eyes, she witnesses her best friend beaten down mercilessly by his stage mother’s antics, but Alexa’s strong will and determination helps Carter pull through his darkest hours. The two are bonded by a love that only deepens as they grow. However, Carter’s mother will do everything she can to keep them apart, so that her prodigy is not distracted. As a result, the two are forced to keep their childhood romance hidden from prying eyes. When Alex discovers Carter’s family packed up and gone without so much as a chance for goodbyes, her world shatters.
Over a decade later, Carter Storm resurfaces as a Grammy award winner, with a new name, a new life, and an entourage of screaming girls and paparazzi following him everywhere he goes. When Alexa randomly comes face to face with Carter Storm, the encounter sets off a string of events that will have her torn between the man she loves and the man she once loved. How far will she go when the man from her past suddenly walks into her future?

Purchase for ebook at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-ebook/dp/B004O0U7NW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311265142&sr=8-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1101047200?ean=2940012671165&itm=1&usri=jennifer%2bedlund

Or paperback at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-1-Jennifer-Edlund/dp/1463727534/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1316036646&sr=8-3

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1030036015?ean=9781463727536&itm=7&usri=forever%2bblue

Buy the sequel-Forever Blue: New Tears to Cry, Old Songs to Kind on Kindle at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-Tears-Songs-ebook/dp/B007R54N5O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1333478776&sr=8-3

'Stayover' relationships defined in study

Jennifer Edlund's website

Just two more idiots in this world.....DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE!





Are you paying rent, heat, hot water, electric, cable and wireless Internet ... only to sleep at your boyfriend's house six nights a week?

Congratulations. It sounds like you're in a "stayover" relationship.
You might not have heard anyone refer to your relationship that way — or any way, for that matter. That's because stayover relationships, while nothing new, haven't really been defined or studied until recently.
"I knew it was happening, but it wasn't being named anywhere else," says Tyler Jamison of the University of Missouri, who published "We're Not Living Together" this summer in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
The crux of her research: While those interviewed spent three to seven nights per week together and hoped to live with a partner or marry someday, they weren't ready for that level of emotional, logistical or financial commitment. They instead cherished the mix of intimacy and independence afforded by their current arrangement.
New step in dating

Josh Keaton, 27, who works at PAETEC, and Cate Lape, 25, a registered nurse at Strong Memorial Hospital, met on Lape's first day living in Rochester. Neither wanted to rush the relationship, so they kept sleepovers to a minimum. "Your lives are connected to a certain extent (when you're dating), but you haven't made that next level of commitment where your home lives will be completely wrapped around each other," Keaton says. "You want to take it one step at a time. You don't want to go from hanging out once or twice a week to waking up together every morning and doing each other's laundry."
It's also healthy for a new couple to spend time apart so that each partner can experience that feeling of missing the other, Lape says, while at the same time reflecting on how the relationship is going.
As it got to summer and their schedules started coinciding more, they spent more and more time — and nights — as a couple. But they didn't rush to move in together.
Keaton preferred Lape's place in Corn Hill to his own and began spending more and more nights there. Before long, once or twice a week had turned into every night. They didn't feel the need to have a conversation about the frequency of their stayovers until the prospect of living together came up. Their conversation was about both emotions — neither had any qualms — and practical matters. They were both transitioning into their lives as young professionals, and they wanted to combine their buying power so they could live in a nicer apartment.

On sale now....my novel, Forever blue, as paperback or ebook by Amazon Trade paperback publishing, and now the sequel as an eBook.

What would you do if your first love suddenly walked back into your life? This is a question Alexa Moore finds herself asking the moment she comes face to face with her childhood sweetheart, nearly fifteen years after his mysterious disappearance.

In this coming of age novel, it is the summer of 1992. Carter Storm is a precocious thirteen-year-old child actor awaiting his big break in the entertainment industry. Alexa Moore is just a regular teenager, seeking acceptance from her peers. With heartbreak and humor, these two friends expose a world of secrets and learn to survive in the face of life’s contradictions and tragedies. When Carter’s dark life suddenly unveils before Alexa’s eyes, she witnesses her best friend beaten down mercilessly by his stage mother’s antics, but Alexa’s strong will and determination helps Carter pull through his darkest hours. The two are bonded by a love that only deepens as they grow. However, Carter’s mother will do everything she can to keep them apart, so that her prodigy is not distracted. As a result, the two are forced to keep their childhood romance hidden from prying eyes. When Alex discovers Carter’s family packed up and gone without so much as a chance for goodbyes, her world shatters.
Over a decade later, Carter Storm resurfaces as a Grammy award winner, with a new name, a new life, and an entourage of screaming girls and paparazzi following him everywhere he goes. When Alexa randomly comes face to face with Carter Storm, the encounter sets off a string of events that will have her torn between the man she loves and the man she once loved. How far will she go when the man from her past suddenly walks into her future?

Purchase for ebook at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-ebook/dp/B004O0U7NW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311265142&sr=8-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1101047200?ean=2940012671165&itm=1&usri=jennifer%2bedlund

Or paperback at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-1-Jennifer-Edlund/dp/1463727534/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1316036646&sr=8-3

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1030036015?ean=9781463727536&itm=7&usri=forever%2bblue

Buy the sequel-Forever Blue: New Tears to Cry, Old Songs to Kind on Kindle at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-Tears-Songs-ebook/dp/B007R54N5O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1333478776&sr=8-3

Why some people stay in bad relationships

Class is now in session...
Jennifer Edlund's website

Call it common sense, but when I see red flags in a relationship, I won’t stick around long enough to find myself stuck in a situation I can’t get out of.  I have my friends to thank for this sixth sense. Over the years, I’ve heard numerous horror stories about past relationships gone awry. And you bet I want to be sure to avoid their same mistakes at all costs. The funny thing is, when these friends tell me how miserable they are--- usually they are STILL in the relationship.  If he/she is so unhappy then why don’t they just break it off for good? What is wrong with these people that they can’t cut cancer out of their lives? I know a guy who told me that his friends told him to dump his girlfriend because they didn’t like her, and so did he get a clue and do it? Nope. Now he’s paying the price. Well, over the years and through extensive research I’ve figured out that these types of individuals fall under one of the following categories:

SELF-DELUSION

Even if deep inside you know that you’re in a bad relationship, you delude yourself into believing that everything is fine.  So what if your boyfriend/girlfriend treats you like crap. You convince yourself that it’s just a phase or that he/she will eventually come around and everything will be fine. Uh—wrong! The number one problem in a relationship is believing that you can “change” your significant other. I’m sorry to break the bad news, but once someone is set in their ways…there ain’t no going back. If she’s a controlling self-absorbed bitch, she’s going to stay a controlling self-absorbed bitch. If he’s a lying, cheating, douche bag, he will be one for the rest of his sad pathetic life. Honestly, sometimes people don’t show their true colors at the beginning stages of a relationship. This is what makes it so hard to leave a person when we fall head over heels in love with someone. When the relationship starts out, everyone is sweet and on their best behavior. We believe that this person is the genuine article. Ah, but then later down the road they get comfortable in the relationship. This is when their true personality is slowly revealed, and it’s not always pretty.  You might end up hearing yourself say, “Well she wasn’t like this when we met.” Well of course not! Dating is like a job interview where everyone is acting prim and proper until they are hired for the job. This is why I urge people to get to know someone really well before getting into a relationship. It’s best to start off as friends so you know them inside and out.

HABITS

Some habits are difficult to root out. Once we get into the routine of being in a bad relationship, it becomes a normal way of life. You end up tolerating a lot, sometimes more than you’re willing to up with. Basically, you become immune to every ruthless thing your significant other does to you. You end up dodging the shit they flung at you because you are genuinely in love with this person and you’re the nice guy/girl. You want it to work out. You get used to the fights and accusations. Once you get into this groove, it’s hard to find a way out. As they say, old habits die hard.

GUILT

We often feel guilty about hurting the other person when we decide that we want ditch the relationship. I’ve been here before, many times in fact. Listen up! If you feel this way you need a reality check. When it comes to your self-worth and happiness…you are number one. You have to think about what’s best for you first, instead of thinking about your boyfriend/girlfriend’s feelings.   You probably tend to think, “Well what’s going to happen to him/her, when I leave?” Rid those feelings immediately, it’s only going lead you down a dismal and miserable future.

Low self-esteem/ The fear of being alone

This is the number one problem as to why most people can’t leave a bad relationship. It’s also precisely why they ended up in the relationship in the first place, regardless of it being good or bad. He/she will jump into the relationships impulsively. Low-self esteemers can wreak havoc on anyone’s love life. When they get into a relationship, they begin to believe that they can’t live without the other person, which drives them to do crazy things. People with low-self-esteem don’t care who they get into a relationship with as long as they aren’t alone. These types of people have some real psychological issues.  Honestly, you should never revolve your life around someone in that capacity.  This seems be more of a female problem than a male. I know many women who attain boyfriends and then it’s as though they can’t function unless they are with him 100 percent of the time. It’s the old, “I’m nothing without you,” garbage.  Any man or woman who can’t function on their own has some real mental problems and shouldn’t be in a relationship in the first place.

Class dismissed.

On sale now....my novel, Forever blue, as paperback or ebook by Amazon Trade paperback publishing, and now the sequel as an eBook.

What would you do if your first love suddenly walked back into your life? This is a question Alexa Moore finds herself asking the moment she comes face to face with her childhood sweetheart, nearly fifteen years after his mysterious disappearance.

In this coming of age novel, it is the summer of 1992. Carter Storm is a precocious thirteen-year-old child actor awaiting his big break in the entertainment industry. Alexa Moore is just a regular teenager, seeking acceptance from her peers. With heartbreak and humor, these two friends expose a world of secrets and learn to survive in the face of life’s contradictions and tragedies. When Carter’s dark life suddenly unveils before Alexa’s eyes, she witnesses her best friend beaten down mercilessly by his stage mother’s antics, but Alexa’s strong will and determination helps Carter pull through his darkest hours. The two are bonded by a love that only deepens as they grow. However, Carter’s mother will do everything she can to keep them apart, so that her prodigy is not distracted. As a result, the two are forced to keep their childhood romance hidden from prying eyes. When Alex discovers Carter’s family packed up and gone without so much as a chance for goodbyes, her world shatters.
Over a decade later, Carter Storm resurfaces as a Grammy award winner, with a new name, a new life, and an entourage of screaming girls and paparazzi following him everywhere he goes. When Alexa randomly comes face to face with Carter Storm, the encounter sets off a string of events that will have her torn between the man she loves and the man she once loved. How far will she go when the man from her past suddenly walks into her future?

Purchase for ebook at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-ebook/dp/B004O0U7NW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311265142&sr=8-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1101047200?ean=2940012671165&itm=1&usri=jennifer%2bedlund

Or paperback at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-1-Jennifer-Edlund/dp/1463727534/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1316036646&sr=8-3

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1030036015?ean=9781463727536&itm=7&usri=forever%2bblue

Buy the sequel-Forever Blue: New Tears to Cry, Old Songs to Kind on Kindle at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-Tears-Songs-ebook/dp/B007R54N5O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1333478776&sr=8-3

How to behave when meeting your girlfriend/boyfriend’s parents

Class is now in session...
 Jennifer Edlund's website

So you made it to critical the next level in your relationship: meeting the parents. Consider yourself lucky. These days, most relationships don’t make it this far.  If you’ve never gotten to this step, there are just a few guidelines you should follow to ensure that everything goes smoothly. You see, by the end of the encounter you still want to be in a relationship. Meeting the parents can make or break you. A majority of sons and daughter’s will take their parents criticism on a pending relationship into consideration. My philosophy on making this meeting successful would be to keep it simple.

Dress appropriately: It’s a matter of respect. Unless your boyfriend/girlfriend’s parents are hippies, it’s best to dress to impress. If you’re a woman, do not dress in anything too skimpy. For example, there is no need for your boobs to be hanging out of your dress, or to show how proud you are of your cleavage. This gives off the impression that you have no class. Also, if you’re going to wear jeans, make sure they fit.  The ‘rents don’t want to see your hot pink thong or your ass crack when you bend over. Trashy! If you’re a guy don’t even think about wearing holy jeans or that dirty tee-shirt. You best shave before you go as well. Don’t dress like you’re going to the beach either.

Keep the conversation and behavior appropriate: You will not be using ANY foul language. If the f-bomb slips even once, there is a high chance you will be kissing your relationship goodbye. As I’ve said before, I had an ex-boyfriend who within the first thirty minutes of meeting my parents slipped up with the f-bomb and I never heard the end of it. Also, don’t overdo it with the booze and let yourself get sloppy with your behavioral conduct. You are supposed to be on your best manners, so stick with the plan.

Don’t show up empty handed:  You don’t have to bring a gift certificate or anything expensive. Of course that’s not to be expected. What is appropriate to bring to a family function might bring a bottle of wine, some sort of side dish or appetizer whether you prepared it or not, dessert or anything edible. Even if your boyfriend/girlfriend insists that you don’t bring anything, do it anyway. You will score major points with the ‘rents.

Lend a helping hand: Before and after a meal or get together, ask if there is anything you can help out with. Usually your help won’t be needed, but it’s always nice to ask and it’s another way to score major points with the ‘rents. This shows you have some manners.

Be a little mysterious: You should pretty much be behaving the same way you did on the first date. So the one thing you don’t want to do is reveal too much too soon. Try and keep the conversation simple by only revealing things about yourself that are interesting and impressive. Don’t go telling your boyfriend/girlfriend’s parents how you were an alcoholic or drug abuser way back in the day. No matter how proud you are of redeeming yourself. This will only wave red flags. Stick to neutral topics and it’s best to only open up about yourself when the questions arise.

Don’t get cocky: Don’t think you’re funny guy/girl by telling embarrassing or inappropriate stories about your girlfriend/boyfriend in front of their parents. Skip the dirty and racist jokes as well. You don’t know them, so you don’t know how they are going to react. You might find it humorous at that moment, but later on you’re going to pay for it by totally blowing it with their parents. Once again, if you are going to tell stories or be a wise guy, make sure they are appropriate in nature.

Class dismissed.

On sale now....my novel, Forever blue, as paperback or ebook by Amazon Trade paperback publishing, and now the sequel as an eBook.

What would you do if your first love suddenly walked back into your life? This is a question Alexa Moore finds herself asking the moment she comes face to face with her childhood sweetheart, nearly fifteen years after his mysterious disappearance.

In this coming of age novel, it is the summer of 1992. Carter Storm is a precocious thirteen-year-old child actor awaiting his big break in the entertainment industry. Alexa Moore is just a regular teenager, seeking acceptance from her peers. With heartbreak and humor, these two friends expose a world of secrets and learn to survive in the face of life’s contradictions and tragedies. When Carter’s dark life suddenly unveils before Alexa’s eyes, she witnesses her best friend beaten down mercilessly by his stage mother’s antics, but Alexa’s strong will and determination helps Carter pull through his darkest hours. The two are bonded by a love that only deepens as they grow. However, Carter’s mother will do everything she can to keep them apart, so that her prodigy is not distracted. As a result, the two are forced to keep their childhood romance hidden from prying eyes. When Alex discovers Carter’s family packed up and gone without so much as a chance for goodbyes, her world shatters.
Over a decade later, Carter Storm resurfaces as a Grammy award winner, with a new name, a new life, and an entourage of screaming girls and paparazzi following him everywhere he goes. When Alexa randomly comes face to face with Carter Storm, the encounter sets off a string of events that will have her torn between the man she loves and the man she once loved. How far will she go when the man from her past suddenly walks into her future?

Purchase for ebook at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-ebook/dp/B004O0U7NW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311265142&sr=8-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1101047200?ean=2940012671165&itm=1&usri=jennifer%2bedlund

Or paperback at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-1-Jennifer-Edlund/dp/1463727534/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1316036646&sr=8-3

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1030036015?ean=9781463727536&itm=7&usri=forever%2bblue

Buy the sequel-Forever Blue: New Tears to Cry, Old Songs to Kind on Kindle at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-Tears-Songs-ebook/dp/B007R54N5O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1333478776&sr=8-3

How being overweight can affect your dating life

Class is now in session...
Jennifer Edlund's website

You can’t deny it. When you first meet someone, the first thing you notice is their physical attributes whether it be, hair, eyes, butt, etc. If this person is in some way ascetically pleasing, you don’t care how smart, or nice they are, or even if he’s a douche bag. All that’s going through your mind in that instant is how good this person looks. Anyone who says “personality,” as the first thing they notice when they met a person is feeding you a steaming pile of crap and most likely is fugly themselves. Yes, I find this depressing because I don’t think people should be judged solely on their appearance. But that’s the type of world we live in today, especially if you live in Southern California. We live in a society where men think we should look comparatively to the big-breasted, rail-thin girl on that swim suit magazine sitting in the newsstand. Too bad they don’t realize that ninety-nine percent of those photos are airbrushed.  Honestly, it doesn’t matter how sweet, or great someone’s personality is---if you aren’t in some small way, shape or form, physically attracted, there can be no chemistry in the relationship and it will never work. Some exceptions are: arranged marriages, and fugly desperate people looking for love.

For me, assessing someone physically can instantly tell me about a person, especially if he/she is obese, morbidly obese, or overweight to the point where they are no longer sexually attractive. Truthfully, being overweight is a sign of laziness. Sometimes I have to wonder: how did this person get so fat in the first place? I mean, you can’t say to me that your ass got as wide as dump truck overnight. To me, there is no excuse for anyone letting themselves go like that. This tells me that this person has no pride for their physical appearance. This person is someone who sits at home and orders fast food or take-out almost every night of the week because it’s too much of an effort for them to cook a healthy meal. And when you think about it… what decent man wants to date a woman like this? You’ve heard the saying, “you are who your friends are,” and “birds of a feather flock together.” An attractive, fit, man who has a lot going for him wants a woman to compliment him, both physically and mentally. So does that mean it’s a complete loss for all overweight women? Well, unless the uber hot guy has a fetish for fat chicks or he’s some sort of chubby chaser, maybe. Otherwise, you can forget about dating a man who’s considered a 9 or a 10. Granted, there are some decent guys out there that will give overweight girls a chance simply because they are nice guys, but honey, the chances of that happening are slim to none. Over the years, I’ve been friends with many girls who’ve had weight problems. I’ve heard people make comments like, “such a pretty face, if she only she lost the weight.” The good thing is that girls like this at least have some potential, if they tried to make a change. I’ve witnessed these same girls become interested in a guy across the room at a bar. And she will work up enough guts to go up and talk to him. Unfortunately, the outcome is usually not in her favor. Sure the guy was nice and they had a good conversation, but he had no interest in her on a romantic level. To him, she’s physically out of his league. This just goes to show that in order to have a good dating life you must be physically desirable to a men. After I lost fifteen pounds, things drastically changed for me too, and I was never bigger than a size seven dress. When you lose weight, you feel good, and when you feel good, you look good and people start to notice. It’s like a whole other world opens up for you. So I suggest all you fatties get off your ass and get on that treadmill if you actually want prince charming to come around soon.

Class dismissed.

On sale now....my first novel, Forever blue, as paperback or ebook by Amazon Trade paperback publishing....

What would you do if your first love suddenly walked back into your life? This is a question Alexa Moore finds herself asking the moment she comes face to face with her childhood sweetheart, nearly fifteen years after his mysterious disappearance.

In this coming of age novel, it is the summer of 1992. Carter Storm is a precocious thirteen-year-old child actor awaiting his big break in the entertainment industry. Alexa Moore is just a regular teenager, seeking acceptance from her peers. With heartbreak and humor, these two friends expose a world of secrets and learn to survive in the face of life’s contradictions and tragedies. When Carter’s dark life suddenly unveils before Alexa’s eyes, she witnesses her best friend beaten down mercilessly by his stage mother’s antics, but Alexa’s strong will and determination helps Carter pull through his darkest hours. The two are bonded by a love that only deepens as they grow. However, Carter’s mother will do everything she can to keep them apart, so that her prodigy is not distracted. As a result, the two are forced to keep their childhood romance hidden from prying eyes. When Alex discovers Carter’s family packed up and gone without so much as a chance for goodbyes, her world shatters.
Over a decade later, Carter Storm resurfaces as a Grammy award winner, with a new name, a new life, and an entourage of screaming girls and paparazzi following him everywhere he goes. When Alexa randomly comes face to face with Carter Storm, the encounter sets off a string of events that will have her torn between the man she loves and the man she once loved. How far will she go when the man from her past suddenly walks into her future?

Purchase for ebook at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-ebook/dp/B004O0U7NW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311265142&sr=8-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1101047200?ean=2940012671165&itm=1&usri=jennifer%2bedlund

Or paperback at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Blue-1-Jennifer-Edlund/dp/1463727534/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1316036646&sr=8-3

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-blue-jennifer-edlund/1030036015?ean=9781463727536&itm=7&usri=forever%2bblue