#HobbyCareerPassion: “Basic Self-Defense” ~ Author Chrys Fey ~ A Fighting Chance

Welcome to my weekly feature where authors share about the hobbies, careers, or passions of their characters.

I’m pleased to introduce today’s guest, Chrys Fey…

In A Fighting Chance, Amanda is an assistant self-defense instructor at Beth Goldwyn’s studio The Fighting Chance. Amanda is a survivor of domestic/sexual abuse. For years she has been a student at The Fighting Chance, building her courage and self-esteem and strength. Now she helps to teach others how to defend themselves and how to heal from trauma. In A Fighting Chance, we see her get to use some of the techniques that she teaches in a real situation.

I believe all women and girls, as well as young/teen boys should know how to defend themselves. Here are 20 basic self-defense and safety tips that you can begin implanting now and learn.

20 Basic Self-Defense and Safety Tips:

1. When you’re walking by yourself in a dark garage, parking lot, or neighborhood and you don’t have something that can be used as a weapon (umbrella, cane, etc.), make a fist and hold a key or pen between your fingers. If someone tries to grab you, punch him with that fist, aiming at the shoulder or other limb.
2. Carry mace or a pepper spray keychain while walking by yourself. No mace or pepper spray? Carry perfume, room spray, disinfectant spray, or hairspray. Aerosol works best.
3. If someone starts following you when you’re walking alone, call a friend or family member on the phone. Tell them you’re by yourself and where you are. As soon as you see other civilians, go up to them, or enter a store.
4. If you get away from your attacker, run in a slight zigzag pattern, in case your attacker has a gun. This makes aiming more difficult.
5. Wear a whistle around your neck or have a whistle keychain. Use it to get someone’s attention.
6. Scream! Get someone’s attention.
7. Bite, pinch, and scratch. All of these things can hurt.

8. Grab anything you can get your hands on and use it against your attacker. Even dirt or sand. Throw it in their face.
9. Kick your attacker’s shins. If you’ve played a sport, you know this can hurt.
10. Hit your attacker’s ears with your fist or elbow. A good hit can rupture an eardrum.
11. Kick the front or back of your attacker’s knees. Doing so will cause him to fall.
12. Lift your arm with your hand rigid as if it is a butcher’s knife and chop (karate chop) your attacker’s neck.
13. Hit the nose. Noses are sensitive and can easily break. Give the nose a good punch or even hit it with your elbow. If you don’t know how to punch, try creating a fist and pretending it is a hammer. You can also drive his nose up with the heel of your hand.
14. Go for the throat. No, not with your teeth but with your fist. Doing so could collapse your attacker’s windpipe. I was hit in the throat with a football…it’s not pleasant. You’re gasping for breath, your eyes are tearing up, and pain is radiating.

CHOKE HOLDS:

15. If you’re attacker is in front of you (choking you), take your thumbs and gauge his eyes by applying as much pressure as you can. Once he backs up and releases you, run.
16. Also if you’re attacker is in front of you, grab his shoulder and lift your knee with as much force as you can to strike him between his legs. Even if you’re aim is higher, you’ll hit him in the gut or sternum.
17. Another technique if you’re in a choke hold is to bring your arm between your attacker’s arms and flatten your hand in the middle of his chest by his collar bones. Push hard while turning your body away from him. He should release his hold.
18. Yet another move is to swing your arm across your attacker’s arms almost like a windmill to break his hold. You can do the same thing if he’s behind you but you’ll just swing your arm back.

BEAR HOLD/WRIST HOLDS:

19. If you’re ever in a bear hold with your back to your attacker, lift your arms and swing your elbows back, striking him repeatedly until the hold loosens and you can free yourself.
20. If someone grabs your wrist, bend your knees so you’re in a squat, lean forward slightly while you bend your elbow, bringing your fist toward your body and your elbow to your attacker’s elbow. Doing this will force him to let go.

BLURB:

*A FIGHTING CHANCE is Book 6 in the Disaster Crimes series, but it’s a spin-off featuring a new couple, so it can be read as a standalone.*

Thorn has loved Amanda from afar, giving her whatever she needs as a survivor of abuse—space, protection, and stability. He yearns to give her more, though, to share his feelings, kiss her, love her, but he’s worried the truth will frighten her away.

And Amanda is afraid. She’s scared of her attraction for Thorn. Most of all, she’s terrified of her ex-boyfriend, who is lurking nearby where no one can find him. When she grows closer to Thorn, Damon retaliates, jeopardizing their happy ending.

Up against an abusive ex and Mother Nature, do Thorn and Amanda have a fighting chance?

Book Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

EXCERPT:

Amanda looked up from the current list of up-to-date payments for classes. A movement outside the glass storefront caught her eye. She tilted her head to see a man coming up the sidewalk from the side where the picnic bench sat. Through the vertical blinds, she glimpsed a square face—a short, rugged beard and long, dark hair pulled into a man bun. Her breath fled from her lungs. Her body went from icy cold to flaming hot in the span of a millisecond. She dropped to the floor and slid under the counter, beneath the ledge where they put their purses and cell phones.

“What—” Beth peeked at the windows. Then she snapped her fingers at April and pointed at the stools.

April jumped into action. She pushed the stools in so they blocked Amanda. The bell attached to the door jingled as April removed the jacket she wore and draped it across the stools, creating a curtain to shield Amanda.

From a crack, Amanda watched Beth move to stand in front of the twins, who were in their walkers playing peacefully. “I’m sorry, but we’re going to be closing.”

“I don’t give a shit. I’m here for Amanda.”

The sound of Damon’s voice had her heart beating even harder. That voice had haunted her nightmares, had come back to life in her memories.

Beth cocked her head to the side. “Who? There’s no one by that name here.”

“Don’t bullshit me. I know she works here.”

His voice was closer now.

***FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME***

THE DISASTER CURSE

Book Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

Author’s Note: I wrote The Disaster Curse to answer a few lingering questions readers may have after reading A Fighting Chance, and to tie the whole series together with a neat, shiny, perfect little bow. Plus, there was one disaster that I hadn’t written about yet. *wink*

The Disaster Crimes Series:

*The Crime Before the Storm (prequel)

Hurricane Crimes (novella, #1)

Seismic Crimes (#2)

Lightning Crimes (free short, #2.5)

Tsunami Crimes (#3)

Flaming Crimes (#4)

Frozen Crimes (#5)

A Fighting Chance (spin-off, #6)

The Disaster Curse (short story, #7)

*Free exclusive story to newsletter subscribers.

***LAUNCHING A WEBSITE***

TheFightingChance.org is a website dedicated to domestic violence and sexual assault awareness. Inspired by the Disaster Crimes series.

***GIVEAWAY***

Prizes: Hurricane Crimes (Disaster Crimes 1) and Seismic Crimes (Disaster Crimes 2) eBooks (mobi or epub), Hurricane Crimes Playing Cards, Girl Boss Sign, and a Volcanic Blast Scented Candle

Link: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a92670/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chrys Fey is author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept that blends disasters, crimes, and romance. She runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Book Club on Goodreads and edits for Dancing Lemur Press. https://www.chrysfey.com

Author Links:

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