Saturday, September 15, 2012

#CharacterInterview Lilly Price from ALWAYS AND FOREVER #RomanticSuspense by @ChantelRhondeau


Who's that sexy redhead on the cover of Chantel Rhondeau's debut novel, Always & Forever?

Lilly Price is a very private woman, a woman with a painful past. It wasn't easy for her to do this interview, but with the resolution of her story, she has started the recovery process.

Lilly, glad to have you here. When you first met Zach, could you tell right away that he was not the kind of man who'd be abusive to women?

Ummm…well, I hoped he was a good man, but it is hard to tell. He seemed nice, not to mention sexy. I was immediately attracted to him. He always treated me good when he came to visit his grandmother, but sometimes I worry whether I know how to judge anyone’s character anymore. Charles fooled me for a long time before he showed me his dark side.

Why was it so hard for you to tell Zach about your past? After all, you hadn't hurt him.

It’s difficult to talk about my life with Charles. I’m so ashamed of what I allowed to happen for so long. Besides, no one ever believes my side of the story. I didn’t know if Zach would believe me or believe the cops’ version of what happened the night Charles was murdered. Also, I was afraid once he learned what I let Charles do to me, Zach might be so disgusted he’d never speak to me again.

What do you really feel about your father? Is there anything you wish you could tell him?

I love Stewart, I really do. I just wish he loved me back. I often felt worthless in his eyes. I knew from a young age, if I didn’t find some way to be helpful to him, he didn’t want me around. Being myself was never enough. I wish he would have hugged me once in a while and called me his angel. My life might have turned out differently if I knew how to recognize love earlier on.

Zach has definitely help you there, hasn't he? What one trait of Zach's is your favorite? How about one thing he does that peeves you?

There is definitely a lot to admire about that man--his sexy green eyes and gorgeous body are just the beginning. It's hard to pick just one thing, but Zach’s a true gentleman. He opens car doors, takes my arm when we are walking. He treats me like a queen. That's what I love most about him. If he has one failing, I would say it’s his tendency to be a bit arrogant. He says things without thinking, especially when it comes to money. We fight about that sometimes. However, I love him so much, I can put up with a little bit of arrogance.

A tad bit of arrogance from a hot guy is kind of cute. Now for the more painful bit. Tell me about domestic abuse. I've never experienced it. What is the hardest step to take in the recovery process?

This is a tough topic. I don’t know how to explain it properly. Charles was so convincing about everything he said. He was like a salesman selling snake oil. I was so brainwashed by him to the point that I believed it was okay he hit me. I starting thinking I deserved the beatings I received. I tried to get away once, but he threatened to kill my father. I just gave up. I decided to do whatever I could to please Charles and keep him happy.

The recovery process has been hard. Some days, I’m still not okay. Slowly, I’m gaining back my self-esteem and self-confidence though. The most important thing is to forgive myself for my actions, and learn to love myself again. I’m worth so much more than he led me to believe. I know that now. I’m ready to start my life with Zach and find happiness.

I wish I’d know there were places to turn to and get help. Maybe I could have escaped him sooner. I hope other people who find themselves in my predicament can find support and get away from their abusers.

Every victim always feels so alone, and taking that first step to talk about it, or even to admit it is happening is hard. There are organizations that will help. No one should have to suffer in silence.

Resources: National Domestic Violence Hotline:  Phone number 1-800-799-SAFE(7233) or visit their website at www.thehotline.org

Thank you, Lilly for sharing your experiences with us. I just wanted to let you know that I cheered for you through the book.

Always and Forever is available at Amazon. Please follow Chantel Rhondeau's blog hop by visiting Melinda Dozier's Blog on Sept 17th for a Book Spotlight

2 comments:

  1. Thanks, Rachelle, for talking with Lilly. I appreciate it!

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  2. Hi Chantel, Lilly is a character that really grows on you. Good luck with your book!

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