Falloir (Passion Noire Book 2) (39 page)

The model image on the book cover is courtesy of the talents of FuriousFotog. Golden, you’re a legend!

The cover design is courtesy of Chris Young at Fidra Media. Chris, you define the word 'legend'and your patience and indulgence with my constant interference is greatly appreciated. Yes, that's another pint I owe you!

It’s not easy to make the inner pages of a book as pretty as the cover but Stacey at Champagne Formats manages it effortlessly. Cheers, Stacey—you’re just awesome!

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, thanks to you guys. I was told that BDSM stories were ‘so yesterday’ because they’d been done to death. I was told that books about Dommes were almost universally unpopular, in the main so it's foolish to write one. Well, that’s like waving a red rag to a bull—a bull wearing five inch heels in my case! Thank you to every single, gorgeous one of you who read the blurbs, shrugged your shoulders and decided to give Passion Noire a go. And thank you for the honesty and generosity in your reviews. The Passion Noire series is different. It’s unexpectedly rewarding for those who’re bold enough to dive in. Not everybody is … a fact which makes me grin delightedly. It’s like a well-kept secret and the discussion group on Facebook, Vocally Vouloir, is like a badge of honour for those who gambled … and won!

Oh and apologies in advance … I can’t say too much but, after ducking kindles aimed at the back of my head, when you all reached the end of Vouloir, I have serious reason to fear for my safety when you get to the end of Falloir. Just remember: if you murder me, there’ll be no Avoir … you’ll forever be left dangling. And, if that’s not enough persuasion, if you hunt me down and exact revenge … THERE WILL BE NO MORE JONES! I am sorry though … the ending of Falloir even made me shiver—and I knew it was coming!

I’m standing by and waiting for the flood of messages that I know you won’t be shy about sending. That’s why I do what I do—to make you feel. To make you lose yourself in another world, investing in the characters and their welfare. It wouldn’t be half as much fun if you guys didn’t accompany me on the journey. You all rock!

Much love,

J.D. xxx

A message from J.D.

I hope you enjoyed the second (and penultimate) part of the Passion Noire series. Another book that was not always easy to write and, I’m sure, not always easy to read because of the subject matter. Yet again, I went to great lengths to research the issues I touch upon carefully and yet again, Veuve’s thoughts and opinions are not necessarily my own. I’ve taken a liberty with the use of the verb Falloir (to need) because it matched Vouloir (to want) and Avoir (to have). I am aware of the grammatical liberty but hey, it looks good!

Why write about such harrowing and depressing subject matter? In the UK alone, over 1600 young people (under the age of 35) take their own lives. That puts suicide as
the
leading cause of young deaths in the UK. I, like many, believe that most of those are preventable. The coroner, under UK law, is able to return a verdict of suicide for children from the age of ten. Ten! To me, children of that age are still babies. And what’s worse, coroners arrive at their conclusion using a criminal standard.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, thousands more young people arrive in accident and emergency departments after attempting suicide and survive. But many remain at serious risk of reattempting the unthinkable for some considerable time. I believe that we’re all responsible for attempting to prevent such deaths. I’ve written about children who are driven to despair by matters of a sex or relationships nature because Veuve is a sex therapist. However, there are a whole range of reasons why a young person feels compelled to attempt to end their life.

One of the worst things is the stigma associated with it. When do we talk about suicide? Suicide is far more common than most people realise. Young suicides are not as frequent as older age groups in the UK. Middle aged men is currently the most at risk group, if we go on statistics. Talking of figures, the World Health Organisation states that, worldwide, there is a death by suicide every forty seconds. Yet only 28 countries have suicide prevention strategies. Why aren’t we talking about this? Why do schools shy away from talking about this? Why is there a stigma?

Did you know that talking to someone who is feeling suicidal about their thoughts does not make them any more likely to take action? But just listening to them without judging or criticising could be the opportunity they need to begin to get the care and treatment they so desperately need. Their self-esteem is most likely very low. Tell them that these feelings are common. Tell them you care—better still, show them. A hug can be more powerful than a thousand words. This is my well intentioned advice for a crisis situation—I know how parents and friends can find themselves in an emergency situation without warning and that it’s not always practical or possible to get immediate help. But please follow it up with professional advice and assistance as soon as you are able.

Please seek professional advice immediately if you suspect someone has suicidal thoughts. Don’t be afraid to ask them outright. Youngsters in particular can be fearful of telling someone how they feel. This can further isolate and stress them. Help them. Ask them. It can be a huge relief to offload how they’re feeling. Listen. Reassure. Then seek help. Don’t be put off when doctors/psychiatrists and psychologists tell you they can’t talk to you without a teen’s permission. They can’t talk to you but you could tell them something that’s incredibly useful that could help a youngster recover.

Who am I to give advice? Why am I writing this here? Out of respect for others, I can’t comment as frankly and honestly as I’d like. Maybe one day … but not today.

However, I’m willing to stand up and bang my drum—if we talked about suicide openly, we’d know what to do and maybe, just maybe, youngsters wouldn’t feel so confused and guilty about their thoughts. If we tackled the pointless stigma, it would make everyone’s life easier. So why don’t we?

Much love and gratitude,

J.D. xxx

To request your free personalized authorgraph (digital book signing) for
Falloir,
click here

I love to chat about books—mine and other authors'. Come and find me (click on each link to take you directly to each page).

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Vocally Vouloir
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Falloir

For deleted scenes, up-to-date news on book signings and my new fictional blog, Bella's Boudoir, please click on the web address to visit my website:
www.jdchase.co.uk

More books by JD Chase

The Hunter (Orion the Hunter Part One)

The Hunted (Orion the Hunter Part Two)

Hunting Lust (Orion the Hunter Part Three)

Hunting Truth (Orion the Hunter Part Four)

Orion the Hunter: The Complete Anthology

The Player (Rouge Passion Part One)

The Redeemer (Rouge Passion Part Two)

The Passion Noire Series Box Set

Vouloir (Passion Noire Part One)

Watch out for
Avoir
, the third and final part of the Rouge Passion Series—coming June 2015

UPDATE: AUTUMN 2015

Unfortunately, JD sustained a brain injury in a car accident in the summer which has resulted in the delayed release of Avoir. JD is recovering slowly but is not well enough to complete the final edits. Much to her frustration, she is being forced to follow medical advice while her brain heals. Please rest assured that the book will be released as soon as possible. You understanding in this matter is greatly appreciated. JD passes on her thanks and best wishes.