Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Spotlight and Giveaway: Not Exactly Love

In honor and recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we're featuring Betty Hafner's memoir, Not Exactly Love, which was published today. Thanks to She Writes Press, we have TWO copies to give away.


He was the perfect man… Until he wasn’t.

Flavored with the sights and sounds of the ’70s, Not Exactly Love is the riveting story of one woman’s struggle to build the strength within to break free from an abusive relationship.

It was 1969, and all the rules were changing, when Betty, a woefully single French teacher on Long Island, met the handsome but edgy new teacher at her school, a hippie just back from Woodstock. His vitality opened up a new world to her―but when they married, his rages turned against her, and often ended with physical violence.

Nearly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men in the United States have suffered severe physical violence by an intimate partner. Like the millions of women who discover they’ve married an abusive man, Betty was forced to make daily decisions―to suppress her feelings or risk confrontation, to keep it secret or report, and ultimately, to live with it or leave.

Part gripping drama, part warm-hearted look at the ’70s, and part therapeutic journey, Not Exactly Love: A Memoir (She Writes Press / October 11th, 2016 / $16.95) is an intense and inspirational story of a woman who grew from her experience. Not Exactly Love is being published in October in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is an annual designation evolved from the “Day of Unity” held in October 1981 and conceived by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Betty Hafner lives outside Washington, DC and has written a popular monthly book column for twelve years in The Town Courier newspapers in Montgomery County, MD. With a M.S. in counseling she was a teacher and counselor in high schools and colleges for twenty-five years. She continues to lead workshops, give talks and facilitate groups. She wrote two practical career-change books that stemmed from her workshops―Where Do I Go From Here? (Lippincott) and The Nurse’s Guide to Starting a Small Business (Pilot Books). Always ready to converse, she also loves telling stories through her drawings, photographs, and writing.

For more information, visit Betty at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here

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Giveaway ends October 19th at midnight EST

10 comments:

Janine said...

It's amazing how many people are effected by domestic violence. What's even worse is when it starts at home when you're a child and you grow up thinking it is normal. Then, the women get in relationships that are also violent and think it is normal.

Jessica said...

I think it's great that they created this website to stand out against domestic violence.

traveler said...

To inform and have information which is vital.

susieqlaw said...

People can get anonymous help by calling a toll free number for free assistance or by emailing a form to ncadv for help. The information is right there in the website. For anonymous and confidential help call: 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 1.800.787.3224 (TTY)

cpr040304 said...

The video animation was simple but the message was powerful! This is a great resource to educate young girls and women about domestic violence.

Grandma Cootie said...

This sounds like such a powerful story. The statistics on the website are one thing that stand out, and so disturbing. I remember when "The Burning Bed" was first a book and then a movie and although it was quite dramatic it really showed just how hopeless those in abusive relationships can feel.

Susan Roberts said...

I was surprised by this statistic. I knew that domestic violence was a problem but had no idea that it was so prevalent. 'On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide'

Mary Preston said...

Getting involved and raising awareness - something I can do.

Tatum Rangel said...

I like that the site speaks on behalf of men, women, and children who are or have been victims of DV. No matter the gender or age, anybody can become a victim. Educating ourselves on the topic is important.

bn100 said...

like the ideas to spread Domestic Violence Awareness