tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42932828102604631692024-03-19T02:14:24.766-07:00JeanBookNerdBook Reviews, Author Interviews, Giveaways, Book Signing, Book Tours, and many more.
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Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.comBlogger3471125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-3084362805753552692023-11-09T05:00:00.053-08:002023-11-09T05:00:00.151-08:00Patricia Leavy Interviews - The Location Shoot<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Patricia Leavy</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Patricia Leavy</span></b><span style="color: #999999;">, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than forty book honors. She has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Leavy currently resides in Kennebunk, Maine.</span>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/WomenWhoWrite/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/patricialeavy" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PatriciaLeavy" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://patricialeavy.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/558738.Patricia_Leavy" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75f0njVJllexUufG4cnOsF_1BXSNCNl0o1MWb0BZGWxy8QZYL-7ws3YsiS5PlxBpmdPGecFpiMW3PeJdoigzKhAf_tSdh-fCBqp3a1UoQavovkcSrvZiSqadBURcdzUqRIbBL6yG5R7hN9wlTR8aQaKaGPVe8XLWk_GkGnwpOFStNtLEtEG3IqLDLn4WY/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I’ve known this since I was a little girl. My mother recently found some of my earliest “books.” Not only did I write and illustrate my stories, I also bound them with old wallpaper to make them look like proper books. The oldest one my mother found is from when I was six years old. Creativity, and writing specifically, have always been my passion and I believe my calling. But I wasn’t brave when I was young. Being a creative requires exposing yourself to endless rejection and critique. Moreso, the criticism is over the thing you love most, that you’ve poured your soul into. I didn’t think I could handle it, so despite it being my passion, I chose a different career path. Over time, I found myself knocking at the back door of the fiction publishing world. Eventually I realized that life is short, and I needed to follow my dream. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Why is storytelling so important for all of us?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Stories connect us. We feel less alone. We see ourselves reflected in the pages. We also see the possibilities of who we might become. Storytelling is a way of documenting the real world and our experiences of it. Storytelling is also a way of reimaging how things might be. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started THE LOCATION SHOOT, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I wrote it during the lockdown. Like many of us, I was feeling isolated, lonely, anxious, depressed. Life felt scary. We couldn’t even hug a loved one without existential fear. I wanted to escape to someplace joyful, romantic, and creative. I was watching a movie and Elton John’s song “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” came on and all of a sudden, I was watching a scene play out in my mind—a group of actors and a filmmaker in an inn, having a drink, and a beautiful woman walks in, and dances with the filmmaker to that song. I could see it clear as day. I didn’t see anything in the movie on the screen after that, only the story playing out in my mind. The next morning, I began writing the novel. I started with that scene. I realized that the novel was about a group of actors making a film over a summer and living together in seclusion. Romance is my favorite genre to write, so I knew it would be a love story between one of the actors and the filmmaker’s friend, who he invited to join them for the shoot. Due to the pandemic, I was thinking about the big questions of life, and so my heroine, Ella Sinclair, became a philosopher and the film became about the meaning of life. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What chapter was the most memorable to write and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">There are two. There’s a scene where Ella and Finn have a romantic night in her room at the inn. He has a special meal sent to her room and they end up taking a candlelit bubble bath and talking about their dreams for the future. I love this scene so much—the sweetness of it—and it turned out, unbeknownst to me at the time, it paved the way for more books about these characters. Another favorite was when the actors, filmmaker, and Ella all talk about her book manuscript, a provocative philosophical treatise on sex. The conversation between Ella and Jean, the filmmaker, is hysterical. It was so much fun to write. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> Develop a relationship with your writing that isn’t dependent on anything external, positive or negative. And allow readers to develop their own relationship with your work, which really isn’t any of your business. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Getting to write every single day. There have been countless other amazing experiences, from profoundly moving emails, letters, and in-person messages from readers that have touched me deeply, to the opportunity to travel the world speaking about my books, writing, and the arts. I’m grateful for all of it, but at the end of the day being published transforms you from a writer to an author. As an author, I have the privilege of doing the thing I love the most in this world every day: writing. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from THE LOCATION SHOOT<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The following is an excerpt from a scene when Finn and Ella are taking a stroll around the inn, after dinner. They are smitten with each other but have yet to act on their feelings. They’re discussing the filmmaker, Jean Mercier, known for his avant-garde, cinematic films, and his many affairs. I like this scene because it reveals a lot about who Ella is—she’s smart and marches to her own beat. I also love discussions about art and how it relates to life. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">They walked quietly for a few minutes, their hands so close they were millimeters from touching. Finn finally broke the silence and said, “That was funny how you called Jean out for sleeping with his cleaning woman.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“I doubt it’s much of a secret. Everyone knows what he’s like.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“He has a bit of a reputation for how he treats women. You’re such a strong person and you two are friends. I was wondering what you thought as a woman.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“People want simple answers, but life is complex. He’s created some of the greatest, most interesting, sensitive, and provocative roles for women in the history of cinema. There’s a reason so many actresses are dying to work with him. And yet, he can be quite a piece of shit to women in his own life. Tell me, which is better: the male director who never casts women or does so only in clichéd, trivial ways but may be a hell of a good guy in private, or the man who creates professional opportunities for women that wouldn’t otherwise exist and gives the collective imaginary new, powerful representations of women, but uses up women in his personal life as if they were pieces of gum he was chewing until the flavor runs out?” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“Wow,” Finn muttered. “I don’t know how to respond.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“That’s my point. When these are the choices, what’s the answer? How do we define morality? Who’s a good guy? Who’s a bad guy? What matters, life or art? How are they related? What’s public and what’s private? Despite what many claim, it’s rarely as simple as we might wish. Life is textured.” She paused and said, “As for me, I adore Jean as a friend and as an artist, but you’d never catch me in bed with him.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Here's another excerpt. The group has dinner at the inn each night. I loved writing the conversations thar ensued. You get a glimpse into each character, and you see how their friendships develop. They also talk about ideas—big topics—and it was through these scenes that many “big” ideas were woven into the novel. The following short excerpt is from right after Albie, British veteran of stage and screen in his 70s, tells the group about meeting his wife of forty years, the love of his life. These are his words about love. I’ve chosen this excerpt because the novel is very much about love, and I think this captures it. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“True love is the greatest gift in the world; one mustn’t squander it or be foolish enough to think it will simply wait until it obliges our schedules.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“So, it really was love at first sight,” Charlotte said wistfully. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“Indeed. Anyone who tells you that love at first sight isn’t real, well, those unlucky bastards have just never experienced it. Take it from an old fucker like me: when you get hit by lightning, you surrender to it. All the details, the little things you don’t know about each other, you’ll learn those over time, and if you really love each other, most of it won’t matter. There’s no replacing that inexplicable, inconvenient, all-encompassing feeling of love. Standing there in that moment, holding that slice of pie, I knew I couldn’t live without her. These days, people court each other like they’re applying for a job or running through a checklist. But this is where the artists—the poets, the novelists, the filmmakers—have always known better: true love has no reason.” </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Babysitting. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">English because I loved creative writing. When I was in the 5th grade, my teacher exempt me from some assignments to allow me to write fiction. I tried to write a novel, but since I was only 10 years old, it didn’t pan out.</span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I am an artist. It’s a part of my daily gratitude practice. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">True love. Always choose love. Disappointment is better than regret. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> If you had to go back in time and change one thing, if you HAD to, even if you had “no regrets” what would it be?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I would have been braver when I was younger and pursued being a novelist earlier in my career. </span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is one unique thing are you afraid of?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Boredom. Luckily, I’m a novelist. When the real world isn’t doing it for me, I create my own story worlds to crawl into. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is the weirdest thing you have seen in someone else’s home?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Framed poster size photographs of themselves. In leu of art, this woman lined her living room with massive photos of herself. For real. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When was the last time you told someone you loved them?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Today. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Writing a scene in one of my novels. Honestly, most days you can find me at my computer either laughing hysterically or bawling my eyes out, muttering to myself, “That’s so good.”</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Controversial filmmaker Jean Mercier is shooting a film on location in Sweden. While spending the summer creating his latest work of cinematic art, he lives in a nearby inn with his lead Albie Hughes, British veteran of stage and screen; Charlotte Reed, British indie film queen; Michael Hennesey, American TV heartthrob; Willow Barnes, fallen former teen star looking to make a comeback; and Finn Forrester, legendary Hollywood movie star. Mercier invites his friend Ella Sinclair—a beautiful, bohemian-spirited American philosopher known for her provocative writing—to stay with them for the summer. When Ella arrives, Finn is instantly enchanted by her, and soon they fall madly in love. Finn wants to plan a life together, but Ella harbors fears and convinces him to wait until the film wraps to decide their future. In a case of life imitating art, the film they are creating explores “the big questions” and prompts the stars to reflect on the crossroads they face in their own lives. How will their experiences on location affect them when they return home? The answers won’t come until months later, when the cast and crew reconvene on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival—but their revelation will make for one unforgettable night.</span><br /><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>The Location Shoot </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>PATRICIA LEAVY </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>The Location Shoot </i>by Patricia Leavy.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-12857586739530243402023-11-08T05:00:00.063-08:002023-11-08T05:00:00.158-08:00Matt Mendez Interview - The Broke Hearts<br />
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<div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Photo Credit: Chris Summitt</span></div>
<br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Matt Mendez </span></b><span style="color: #999999;">is the author of <i>Barely Missing Everything</i>, his debut novel, and the short story collection <i>Twitching Heart. Barely Missing Everything </i>has been called a “searing portrait of two Mexican-American families” by <i>Publishers Weekly</i> and “accessible and artful” in a starred review from <i>Kirkus Reviews.</i></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><i>Barely Missing Everything</i> was named a 2019 Best YA Book by Kirkus, Seventeen Magazine, NBC Latino, and Texas Monthly. It was a Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers Nominee, awarded second place in the International Latino Book Awards, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a Land of Enchantment Black Bear Book Award winner. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Like many of his characters Matt grew up in El Paso, Texas and continues to love and live in the Southwest, now in Tucson, Arizona. He is a military veteran and earned his MFA from the University of Arizona where has taught creative writing. Matt is the father of two daughters that he loves fiercely.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mattgmendez/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mattgmendez" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.mattmendez.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6591671.Matt_Mendez" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Z-k7mIbsk5GO-gxfzBHL6SJjFGpQkJaQX6sq6ijdOm43fTaSlP050GQ-eoBUJ1oD2L5VCgkRNmhxiq4VnZyKIEbcU2C4rtxQ4NjiMo_t8bcPeDGWybrcjVDqoFaVLjDP-iY9eFVxehhEEfWYFxpLnHPoi061K7XoY8uZyDxtQ-FjxHI3oq5yzWZo5S1E/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Greatest thing you learned at school.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I wasn’t the greatest student. I didn’t focus on lessons or teachers or anything like that. Instead I spent my time watching what else was happening inside the classroom, in the cafeteria and on the playground. How people acted depending on where they were and who they were around. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I observed that everyone had multiple versions of themselves, and these different versions moved through school, a place that from the outside could seem like one singular place but could actually be many wildly different places all at once. I remember having this thought while in middle school. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">This could be why I end up writing books with multiple points-of-view, to show the different sides of a character, of a place. To write as wild a story as I can. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Too often it was writing that felt like the distraction. I wrote a majority of The Broke Hearts in my car, while my daughters were in folklórico practice. I am in the military, and have been for 27 years, so writing pulls me away from work and family, which often leaves me feeling guilty. Am I being a good enough dad? I am putting in enough effort at work? But writing stories is such an important part of who I am that I feel (hope) that readers find the same kind of magic in them that I do. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What chapter was the most memorable to write and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The most memorable to write was the final chapter. I certainly don’t want to give away the ending (s0 I won’t), but after writing it the first time I felt the urge to immediately go back and start revising, feeling like the story wasn’t big enough for it yet. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">But as I continued revise The Broke Hearts, the ending kept getting stronger, even though I didn’t change it much. And that felt like a sort of magic. The entire story eventually grew into, and became as forceful, as the original ending, which has never happened to me before. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Why is storytelling so important for all of us?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Storytelling is how we let each other know what matters to us. What we’re thinking about. What scares us. What thrills us. What and who we love. It’s central to how we connect. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started THE BROKE HEARTS, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The Broke Hearts is a companion book to my first novel, Barely Missing Everything. There were multiple false starts with this one. I started a draft before BME came out in 2019, but it wasn’t working until and fell apart. Then 2020 happened. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">That year, during the panic and turmoil of the pandemic—as well as upheaval in my own life—a new story began to take shape. The Broke Hearts became a book about the different ways we all live with broken hearts. How we love imperfectly. Heal imperfectly. Living through 2020 and the years that followed allowed me the grace to write an inventive, funny book about grief and heartbreak. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from THE BROKE HEARTS<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The following scene is a lot of fun for a few reasons. There is chemistry between the characters—who’ve only recently met, a funny exchange, and we get to see a different version of JD, a side none of the other characters get to. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">JD is meeting Isabel (Isa) at a bookstore, and the two are flirting their hearts out. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“Well, look who’s a smitten kitten,” Isa said without taking her eyes off her book. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“Meow?” JD immediately regretted playing along. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“You are so weird!” Isa exclaimed correctly. She slipped a bookmark into her paperback and shut the cover. JD studied her expression, wanting to figure out if she thought he was the good or bad kind of weird. She had a sly smile going, a mix of amused and flirtatious. The truth was, JD was a smitten kitten. Sure, Isa was fine as hell, with long, impossibly black hair and perfect teeth, her bottom row crooked in the cutest way. Her nose was thin and her cheeks sharp, her eyes a honey brown. But it was her bold and sure-of-herself way that had JD right where she wanted him—at least he was hoping that she wanted him. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“You don’t speak cat?” JD said. “Speaking multiple languages is a sign of badassness.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“I took a year of it in high school,” Isa deadpanned. “But my teacher was a dog. I think he was the football coach, and they just made him do it. He also seemed kinda racist.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“Was he always telling you how cats were lazy?” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Isa shifted in her seat. She was reading Dominicana by Angie Cruz. JD didn’t read, not that he was against it. He quickly scanned the stacks and stacks of books, realizing that if he wanted to start, he would have no idea where to begin. “It was more subtle. Like he once told us he only bit Mexicans.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I really enjoy writing these types of scenes. Where characters are being mostly earnest with only a thin layer of humor to protect them. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Name one thing you miss about being a kid.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Riding bikes! I used to love jumping on my bike and pedaling around the neighborhood with nowhere to go—for hours. If I ride a bike now, it’s for exercise or to get somewhere. I don’t have a group of friends to ride back and forth on the street doing wheelies with me either. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">There is never undoing the past. But I do think we should try our best to repair the damage we have caused. To apologize. To make amends. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> At a movie theater which arm rest is yours?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Both. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is your greatest adventure?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Being a dad! Watching my daughters grow and learn, watching them write their own stories and having them reading them to me—they are both going to be much better writers than me one day. Watching them dance folklórico and learn to bake. Seeing their paintings and sketches. Listening to their jokes. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">It’s amazing.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your most memorable travel experience?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Like JD in The Broke Hearts, I deployed when I was still a teenager. I was sent to the Middle East when I was nineteen years old. Flying on a military transport jet, sleeping on a cot, living in tent city with my unit was surreal. At the time I remembered thinking how only a few months ago I was in high school and that many of my friends still were. I had no idea what I had gotten myself into.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Every single kind of relationship ends, so why not choose love? I would choose to love and then get crushed by heartbreak every single time.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you had to go back in time and change one thing, if you HAD to, even if you had “no regrets” what would it be?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I have plenty of regrets! And most of those come from times when I failed to be brave, when I didn’t have the courage to either stand up for myself or someone else. When I didn’t do the right thing. But I WOULDN’T go back and change any of those times because that isn’t the brave thing to do.</span><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span> <br /><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wvIPIPXHfGbEDt04PADGfEKGbrkf0plgZbmYOmqp1ZPkdMYeJLmyd0fPUyMLJ4af0A5k0wCv9ouQFvBTw6nvy2wYnwruCBL7Ngwkmy_aTU_SvSf6lFtVyj6G8v5Ymfh0u2oinExm-cnSUnwqidWtdUEw1pocIyPEhVLVB0xUP93kDuxqt41G09XSsan_/s620/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wvIPIPXHfGbEDt04PADGfEKGbrkf0plgZbmYOmqp1ZPkdMYeJLmyd0fPUyMLJ4af0A5k0wCv9ouQFvBTw6nvy2wYnwruCBL7Ngwkmy_aTU_SvSf6lFtVyj6G8v5Ymfh0u2oinExm-cnSUnwqidWtdUEw1pocIyPEhVLVB0xUP93kDuxqt41G09XSsan_/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<span style="color: #999999;">In this piercing follow up to Barely Missing Everything , JD and Danny, still reeling from the gutting death of their best friend by police gunfire, grapple with life-changing decisions and the kind of people they want to be, for Juan.<br /><br />A year after losing their best friend, JD and Danny are still brokenhearted. JD’s impetuous decision to join the Air Force only makes him yearn for “before” more than ever. Danny, who’d rather paint murals than open a book and certainly never thought of himself as college material, makes the equally impulsive choice to do what Juan will never be able to and enrolls in a community college.<br /><br />Danny’s father, The Sarge, is proud of him for the first time ever for living out Sarge’s own dream of being a first-generation college student, but Danny can’t shake the thought that it should be Juan, not him. And studying hasn’t gotten any easier for him despite his new academic goals. When Danny is on the verge of flunking out and JD gets notified of imminent deployment, the two are forced to confront their shared grief that led them to these paths. Can they learn to live lives that are their own in honor of Juan, rather than for him?</span><br /><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>The Broke Hearts </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>MATT MENDEZ </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>The Broke Hearts</i> by Matt Mendez.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-41719074395552786942023-11-07T06:00:00.084-08:002023-11-07T06:00:00.145-08:00Kim DeRose Interview - For Girls Who Walk Through Fire<br />
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<div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: #999999;">Sylvie Rosokoff</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Kim DeRose</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> grew up in Santa B arbara, California, where she spent childhood summers holed up in her bedroom, reading and writing stories (which she was convinced her local bookstore would publish). She now lives in New York City, where she still holes up in her bedroom reading, and writing stories. DeRose earned her MFA in film directing from UCLA, and she currently works in digital media. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can be found geeking out over her favorite obsessions (Twin Peaks, Harry Potter, and anything Halloween-related, to name a few), drinking way too much coffee, listening to way too many podcasts, and spending time with her family. </span><i style="color: #999999;">For Girls Who Walk Through Fire</i><span style="color: #999999;"> is her debut novel.</span>
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kimderosewrites/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kimderose" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://kimderose.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/37016669.Kim_DeRose" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2wjoBwjMdwFE9rl0m7-NDHP_nXXg8AZWCs5Rm_-mgjBLMzARZrioRHKy3UzT79Mx22uuJHFebjgyyPMdqhOPfz0PrIYbJSYzMq0jyHLJA9ogeigatEpesdGrUXpXE2v8Mjoqiox_72Dn1XVA9cEjJ8GJUuY8w9MYwF9_x7HQp25D-D1AwndGL8qxoGK2/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><br /><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a writer. I started dictating stories to my mom when I was three and started writing my own stories as soon as I was able. And by writing my own stories what I really mean is retelling famous fairytales—though, honestly, I still love a good fairytale retell. My best friend and I would spend summer afternoons holed up in my bedroom, writing and illustrating stories, which I was convinced we could just march over to our local bookstore to have published. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Then, when I was in third grade, my mom signed me up for an after-school writer’s workshop, and that’s when I really started thinking about my own stories and how to shape a reader’s experience. The class was taught by our teacher’s husband, who was a writer, and he introduced a lot of great concepts, including how to hook a reader early, and how to build cliffhangers into chapter endings. I still have the story I wrote, which involves death, grief, and ghosts (and, thematically, is actually pretty similar to the kind of thing I’d write today). </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">But all that said, as I got older, I let go of my writing and publishing dreams because I was convinced they weren’t practical. It took me a long time to circle back around and remember what I’d always known as a kid: that I am a writer. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I would say if you want a life in writing (which isn’t the same thing as having a life in publishing, totally different) the key is to write. Yes, that’s obnoxious, but it’s also 100% true. Finding the time to sit down and write is often the hardest part. Before having kids, it was easier to spend my evenings and weekends writing. Now, as a parent, I’ve learned to take my writing time where I can get it. It might be an hour before the kids get up, or 30 minutes after they’re in bed, or 20 minutes on my lunch break. I’m not precious about how and when I write—in coffee shops is lovely, but I’ve also written in doctor’s offices, corporate lobbies, the backseat of the car during road trips. I do make a big effort to write every day, though. Sarah Ruhl’s book “100 essays I don’t have time to write” really captured the idea of stealing writing time whenever and wherever you can, which deeply resonated. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you could have written one book in history, what book would that be? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Oh, hands down “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green. But, alas, the universe is not a wish granting factory. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Yes, there are a lot of books that have really changed me, but I’ll mention three that are specifically writing related.</span><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #999999;">The first is Anne Lamott’s brilliant “Bird by Bird.” I highly recommend this for all writers. I love all of her writing, but I return to this one again and again. I particularly love her suggestion to write “shitty first drafts,” which is great advice for anyone who is a recovering perfectionist. </span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">The second is Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic.” I especially loved her discussion of not relying on your art for your income. Yes, your art might make you money, but that’s not the reason to create it. And having a day job/alternate source of income can be quite freeing in that it puts less pressure on your art. I’d never thought about it that way. But I found that idea liberating, and I found her examples of all the writers who had day jobs to be quite validating. </span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">The last one is Beth Pickens’ “Make Your Art No Matter What.” Like the above books, this is one I revisit. This book explained me to myself. Artists are people who have to create in order to feel connected to themselves and the world around them. They are happier when they are creating. Understanding this helped me further value the writing process and how it feeds me—and it helped me separate the value of that from the end result. </span></li></ul><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">When I first saw the email from my agent with the subject line “OFFER” it was absolutely the moment I’d always dreamed of. I was elated. And then when I called my agent and she read me the offering letter from my editor I cried. My editor was so enthusiastic and made clear from the start how deeply she understood this book. My path to publication was long and winding, so finally learning that one of my books would be out in the world was profoundly emotional. </span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Seeing the cover for the first time was also amazing. I had the chance to first see it when my editor and I met for coffee. I knew how talented the artist, Katt Phatt, was, and was thrilled that they and the design team really captured a vibe that matched the book. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT FOR GIRLS WHO WALK THROUGH FIRE<br /></span></b><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #999999;">1. This is my first published YA novel but the 3rd YA novel I’ve written. I started brainstorming the book on and off in 2016, started outlining it in 2019 in between other projects, but didn’t sit down to write it until the spring of 2021. Once I did, the first draft came pouring out in 7 weeks.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">2. Like Elliott, I grew up in Santa Barbara and attended Santa Barbara High.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">3. Adams Elementary, where Elliott attends her weekly support group, is where I almost went to school (we lived nearby), but I ended up attending Roosevelt Elementary instead.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">4. The coffee shop Elliott and Madeline go to in chapter 2 doesn’t exist in real life, but it was loosely modeled after one that I used to go to in LA, which was, in fact, called Anastasia’s Asylum.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">5. The names Elliott and Madeline were both on my short list when we were naming our daughter.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">6. Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time at Franceschi Park, where the coven gathers. We had family picnics there when I was a kid, and as a teenager people from my high school used to go there to drink. I can neither confirm nor deny if I was one of those people!</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">7. There is now a park ranger on-site at Franceschi Park who actively kicks you out at sunset, so sadly, it’s not actually an ideal place for coven gatherings in real life. But a girl can dream.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">8. I was part of a Girl Scout troupe from private school Laguna Blanca (Chloe’s school) because my cousin, who is my age and whom I was close with, went there. I was the only public-school kid in the troupe and I always felt like a complete outsider—especially when we met at troupe members’ fancy Montecito or Hope Ranch homes.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">9. I based Mary’s house on my childhood home (though her décor is quite different).</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">10. The final moment in the book always makes me teary.</span></li></ul><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I started babysitting for families when I was in 7th grade. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">English; unsurprisingly, I loved reading and talking about books. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Name one thing you miss about being a kid. <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Trick or treating. I still dress up for Halloween every year (always and forever!) but the thrill of Halloween and trick or treating as a kid just can’t be beat. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Coffee. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What's your most missed memory? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Visiting my grandparents’ home. My grandfather had a huge collection of antique clocks in the basement that he liked to tell me about, and my grandmother, who loved to crack jokes, always made me a rhubarb pie, and after dinner we would sit around their kitchen table and play card games like Spite and Malice. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Which incident in your life totally changed the way you think today? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">When I was 15 years old, I witnessed the death of a close family member and it profoundly transformed me. I felt awakened by that experience, with a newfound awareness that we all die, and that we will all lose everyone we love—so we had better use our time well. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Yes, and I would do it again. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or to have never loved before? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">True love with a guarantee of heart break. All love eventually ends in heart break because inevitably we all die. But that’s all the more reason to love while we have the privilege of being alive. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you could be born into history as any famous person who would it be and why? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">David Bowie! To be a rock star who constantly reinvents themselves and always walks to the beat of their own drum? Yes please. </span><br /><b><br /><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Most horrifying dream you have ever had? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I’ve had a recurring dream most of my life where I see a mountain and then realize it’s not a mountain, it’s a tsunami headed my way. Terrifying. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a kid? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I actually think the late 80’s through the 90’s were a pretty great time to be a kid, so I don’t think I’d choose differently than what I experienced. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> First Heartbreak? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Oof. It hurt. I also should have seen it coming when my then boyfriend gave me a mixed tape that had a Charlie Brown quote on the front that read, “Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter like unrequited love.” When I asked him why he included that quote he claimed to not know what unrequited meant, but I mean… </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When was the last time you told someone you loved them? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">This morning.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your most memorable travel experience?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I went to Kenya to visit my cousin, who was doing research on hyenas in the Masai Mara. I stayed in her research camp for nearly 2 weeks and went on rounds with her every morning and evening. It was amazing and also, at times, terrifying. On my first night, one of the cars in our caravan got stuck and as we tried to get it unstuck a pack of lions showed up and we had to jump back into the car. I’m 100% certain we shouldn’t have even been out of the car! But as the city-dwelling visitor I didn’t want to sit around and not help. I’ll never forget seeing the glint of eyes in the headlights as the lions passed us by.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is one unique thing are you afraid of?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I don’t know how unique it is, but I can’t handle crawling through tiny spaces. I was once traveling in Vietnam and visited the Cu Chi tunnels—a network of tunnels that were the Viet Cong’s base of operation during the Vietnam War. Tourists were invited to crawl through part of the tunnel, and I decided to participate. I ended up having a full-blown panic attack. I started sweating and shaking, and my heart was racing. There were three exits along the tunnel, and I had to take the first one. I will absolutely never do something like that again.</span><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span><br /><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7vnGYLTag0FUqDD7ZQWwNZiBq9QV-fMPi39deLL9-1ndgLtyOnS3ABN7Jlg3i2cVz9ogN2j3WwHxoMsZ2ng7ZjGYl1OEMapgdyNyYLIwC5BEw-7x3W6MgJPVIragUT3qYtXat7DUSLmzOa7bkkLOrXUkVKkHuPDco077A5jdztYsR9rbaSsu0aNlfhP8/s632/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7vnGYLTag0FUqDD7ZQWwNZiBq9QV-fMPi39deLL9-1ndgLtyOnS3ABN7Jlg3i2cVz9ogN2j3WwHxoMsZ2ng7ZjGYl1OEMapgdyNyYLIwC5BEw-7x3W6MgJPVIragUT3qYtXat7DUSLmzOa7bkkLOrXUkVKkHuPDco077A5jdztYsR9rbaSsu0aNlfhP8/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /><b> Those who would suppress and destroy you stand not a chance when confronted with the power that lies within these pages . . .<br /></b><br />Elliott D’Angelo-Brandt is sick and tired of putting up with it all. Every week, she attends a support group for teen victims of sexual assault, but all they do is talk. Elliott’s done with talking. What she wants is justice.<br /><br />And she has a plan for getting it: a spell book that she found in her late mom’s belongings that actually works. Elliott recruits a coven of fellow survivors from the group. She, Madeline, Chloe, and Bea don’t have much in common, but they are united in their rage at a system that heaps judgments on victims and never seems to punish those who deserve it.<br /><br />As they each take a turn casting a hex against their unrepentant assailants, the girls find themselves leaning on each other in ways they never expected—and realizing that revenge has heavy implications. Each member of the coven will have to make a choice: continue down the path of magical vigilantism or discover what it truly means to claim their power.<br /><br /><i>For Girls Who Walk Through Fire</i> is a fierce, deeply moving novel about perseverance in the face of injustice and the transformational power of friendship.</span><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>For Girls Who Walk Through Fire </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>KIM DEROSE </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>For Girls Who Walk Through Fire</i> by Kim DeRose.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-19189494550257041632023-11-06T07:00:00.001-08:002023-11-07T01:02:00.193-08:00Guest Post with Kerry Winfrey - Faking Christmas<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Kerry Winfrey</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Kerry Winfrey</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> is the author of the romantic comedies WAITING FOR TOM HANKS ,</span> <span style="color: #999999;">NOT LIKE THE MOVIES, VERY SINCERELY YOURS, and JUST ANOTHER LOVE SONG, all published by Berkley. She’s also the author of two YA novels. She lives with her family in the middle of Ohio.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidw46HLkgFoJ1xsotCJ00pB-ru1vxB6LJYvRjjOUGVsKCFdCHIlcRoE2nyvnKaP2xLOaScS-SieY6CVg1ahuEPHAVzwOMZaisMSHe8F3TSlb2mHmTnfpmOsCd7fcZjrrOa3UicUcIF3LBhcNPzL3hZpe5MJ1HTC2EacjlIkytQScYZzLit_kTI9fqyi9T6/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT FAKING CHRISTMAS<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">1. I wrote most of Faking Christmas in the middle of summer, which is a challenging time to get into the Christmas spirit! I listened to Christmas music whenever I was writing and kept a Christmas candle on my desk to get the right vibes even when it was 95 degrees outside. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">2. Faking Christmas is inspired by one of my favorite Christmas movies, Christmas in Connecticut. A couple of years ago when I was watching it, I asked my husband, “Why has no one remade this?” And then I remembered that I’m a writer, so I could rewrite it! My version is very different from the original, but I kept the basic premise of a farmhouse and a woman who’s lying to her boss. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">3. Okay, so there’s technically a remake of Christmas in Connecticut from 1992. It was made for TV and directed by Arnold Schwarzenegger (!), but I’ve never seen it. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">4. “Last Christmas” by Wham! is my favorite song of all time, so I had to make the Laurel love it, too. And since many people (with horrible taste!) don’t love it, it was easy to make that the source of another argument between her and Max. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">5. One thing I love about Hallmark or other TV Christmas movies is their dedication to a theme, so I wanted to be as over-the-top about Christmas as possible. Hence the name of the main character and her twin sister: Laurel and Holly. And yes, they WERE born on Christmas.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">6. I included many of my favorite Christmas movies as Laurel’s favorites. I cry during It’s a Wonderful Life and Elf!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">7. “Snowed in” is my absolute favorite romance trope (closely followed by similar tropes “forced proximity” and “just one bed”) so it was a thrill to write a book that’s based around a group of people getting snowed in.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">8. Max is a Lego fanatic, which was very easy for me to write because my husband is VERY into Lego. If you aren’t part of the Lego world, you’d be surprised by how many acronyms are involved, many of which found their way into the book. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">9. I spent so much time reading about Beef Wellington for the scene where Laurel tries to make it, although I’ve never attempted it myself…maybe this is my year. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">10. Christmas in Connecticut is a screwball comedy, and I tried my best to translate that screwball spirit into book form. It was fun to write something that’s supposed to be zany, wacky, and over the top, but also it’s very hard to bring that energy to the written word! It reminded me of why I love classic screwball comedies so much (my favorites are the ones with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, specifically <i>The Awful Truth</i>). </span><br /><br /><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgja9Nh10-nUl1I5yRCnnEwZfzbmDoC28Qa2WeVEUGDSfK6M7qDlM6wzJnxOIqmI45HIn2Tq7sSuabb_F94R0AX23lVEEgwP4tRixl1aMO01m1fbCXL7dT_LMrzAAoN50C4a_7goP1xuLZ23SuJC8JuElPAi7ZQNOwky3osjSctRCouWO2_AHe9BzYTXIDt/s660/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgja9Nh10-nUl1I5yRCnnEwZfzbmDoC28Qa2WeVEUGDSfK6M7qDlM6wzJnxOIqmI45HIn2Tq7sSuabb_F94R0AX23lVEEgwP4tRixl1aMO01m1fbCXL7dT_LMrzAAoN50C4a_7goP1xuLZ23SuJC8JuElPAi7ZQNOwky3osjSctRCouWO2_AHe9BzYTXIDt/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<span style="color: #999999;"><b>Laurel Grant is playing house for the holidays--complete with a fake husband and kids--in this delightful, cozy rom-com by Kerry Winfrey.</b><br /><br />Laurel Grant works as the social media manager for Buckeye State of Mind, an Ohio tourism magazine and website. She is most definitely not an owner of a farm...but one tiny misunderstanding leads her boss, Gilbert, to think she owns her twin sister Holly's farm just outside of Columbus. Laurel only handles the social media for the farm, but she's happy to keep her little white lie going if it means not getting fired.<br /><br />And keep it going she must when Gilbert, recently dumped by his wife, invites himself over for the farm's big holiday dinner (as advertised on Meadow Rise Farm's Instagram, thanks to Laurel herself). Laurel immediately goes into panic mode to figure out how she can trick Gilbert into thinking she's basically the Martha Stewart of rural Ohio and keep her job in the process.<br /><br />Laurel and Holly come up with a plan--all Laurel has to do is pretend to own the farm for one dinner. But when Laurel shows up at the farm, an unwelcome guest is there: Max Beckett, her nemesis since Holly's wedding. The annoyingly attractive man she hates will be posing as Laurel's husband just for the evening, but when a snowstorm traps them all for the entire weekend, Laurel is going to have to figure out how to survive with her job and dignity intact. Whatever the case, this promises to be the most eventful Christmas in ages...</span><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Faking Christmas </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>KERRY WINFREY </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of Faking Christmas Kerry Winfrey.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-33152100270799022512023-10-02T07:00:00.072-07:002023-10-02T23:41:40.821-07:00Rachel Harrison Interview - Black Sheep<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny-ckyTn4RwPzS1fRo9InpB6V6RU5Zscz4uLtDiDwFtQ6BFj75WUMmlMZWuRwv9GZ1v9Eu1dheItgFXsP-zUM17sYFonVq5z1BgXaivx5yTkJ5izDIz41uH-C64mKXMhYeLiySuXXOOfcCMiaBcRQjvORfCjDDID4-EPm-tSv9gf_XLe2VXBq2QouPW4L/s500/00.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny-ckyTn4RwPzS1fRo9InpB6V6RU5Zscz4uLtDiDwFtQ6BFj75WUMmlMZWuRwv9GZ1v9Eu1dheItgFXsP-zUM17sYFonVq5z1BgXaivx5yTkJ5izDIz41uH-C64mKXMhYeLiySuXXOOfcCMiaBcRQjvORfCjDDID4-EPm-tSv9gf_XLe2VXBq2QouPW4L/w300-h400/00.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Credit: Nic Harris</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Rachel Harrison</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> is the National Bestselling author of CACKLE, SUCH SHARP TEETH, and THE RETURN, which was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. Her short fiction has appeared in Guernica, Electric Literature's Recommended Reading, as an Audible Original, and in her debut story collection BAD DOLLS. She lives in Western New York with her husband and their cat/overlord. </span><br /> <br /><div style="color: #999999; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachelharrisonsghost/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rachfacelogic" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.rachel-harrison.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19494009.Rachel_Harrison" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXI1EpLT37ceF1Zydns1nQ5xf3Rkr-B03MhT2kXfUgDlmsTO5gcf3Bz27J3UMMTLr06QMPolPs21NjBSeNQ2dz8mkqnAhEenjMu4hEiGImeljp-uQlM6VVpbhba1_rXE-ryzTzsflO27gxC6nAbxv2KhuSA1qJhdSPTNvV9fHoGp85yHkaaLc8EGBx41R/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">It’s too hard to pick all-time favorites, but my favorite book in recent history is The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay. It’s punk rock and heartfelt and scary all at the same time. I really connected to it; I think it’s a love letter to misfits. Recent favorite outside of my genre would have to be Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Twitter, for sure! It’s necessary to log out when writing. All social media, actually. It can be delightful but it’s also just a vicious time suck. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. It was the first book that made me feel less alone in the world, which was very profound at fifteen. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started BLACK SHEEP, how that came about? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I got the idea for BLACK SHEEP over the summer of 2021. Isolating during the pandemic gave me a lot of time to reflect and think existentially, and so I was pondering nature vs. nurture. Part of getting older is looking back on your childhood and your parents—seeing your parents as people rather than just mom and dad. Those Progressive Insurance commercials about becoming your parents always make me laugh, but they somehow also provoked a more in-depth analysis. Is it inevitable we become our parents? How much of us is them? These questions all inspired BLACK SHEEP. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your characters? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">My characters always surprise me. I start them off and they take me the rest of the way. The protagonist for BLACK SHEEP, Vesper, was the most fun to write because she’s braver than I am. I appreciated my time with her. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from BLACK SHEEP<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">One of my favorite scenes from BLACK SHEEP is the opening scene at the restaurant. It’s the reader’s introduction to Vesper, but it was mine, too! Her character clicked into place, and I had so much fun writing it. It was my agent Lucy’s idea for Vesper to work at a chain restaurant, and Shortee’s is just the best setting for hijinks. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">One of my favorite quotes from BLACK SHEEP is “It’s a cruelty of life that we can never protect our own innocence. We can only watch ourselves lose it in retrospect. Scream at memories.” I think one of the most difficult parts of adulthood is reflecting on our youth with new perspective. It can bring up a lot of complex emotions. It was an important thing for me to explore in this book.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I was a babysitter. I also worked as a waitress at an English restaurant/tea shop, and at a chocolate factory with one of those I Love Lucy conveyor belts. I ate a lot of the chocolate. I should have been fired. </span><br /><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Name one thing you miss about being a kid. </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">So much! I miss not knowing about taxes. What bliss! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Coffee! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> If you could be born into history as any famous person who would it be and why? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Maybe Mae West? She had herself a good time. Or Dorothy Parker, for the wit. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is one unique thing you are afraid of? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Gnomes. I have a serious phobia of garden gnomes. Which is objectively hilarious but very real to me.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a kid? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I loved growing up in the 90’s with Nickelodeon and Disney movies and TRL and American Girl Dolls and Bagel Bites…but maybe the late 70’s or early 80’s just so I wouldn’t have to grow up to these millennial problems. I’d trade Bagel Bites for the ability to retire someday. Or maybe not. It’s a tough choice.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">A cynical twentysomething must confront her unconventional family’s dark secrets in this fiery, irreverent horror novel from the author of Such Sharp Teeth and Cackle.<br /><br />Nobody has a “normal” family, but Vesper Wright’s is truly...something else. Vesper left home at eighteen and never looked back—mostly because she was told that leaving the staunchly religious community she grew up in meant she couldn’t return. But then an envelope arrives on her doorstep.<br /><br />Inside is an invitation to the wedding of Vesper’s beloved cousin Rosie. It’s to be hosted at the family farm. Have they made an exception to the rule? It wouldn’t be the first time Vesper’s been given special treatment. Is the invite a sweet gesture? An olive branch? A trap? Doesn’t matter. Something inside her insists she go to the wedding. Even if it means returning to the toxic environment she escaped. Even if it means reuniting with her mother, Constance, a former horror film star and forever ice queen.<br /><br />When Vesper’s homecoming exhumes a terrifying secret, she’s forced to reckon with her family’s beliefs and her own crisis of faith in this deliciously sinister novel that explores the way family ties can bind us as we struggle to find our place in the world.</span><div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Black Sheep </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>RACHEL HARRISON </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>Black Sheep </i>by Rachel Harrison.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-87808870542309903632023-09-22T05:00:00.001-07:002023-09-22T05:00:00.145-07:00Jarie Bolander Interview - Ride or Die<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Jarie Bolander</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Jarie Bolander</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> caught the startup bug right after graduating from San Jose State University in 1995 with a degree in electrical engineering. With 6 startups, 7.75 books, and 10 patents under his belt, his experience runs the gamut from semiconductors to life sciences to nonprofits. He also hosts a podcast called The Entrepreneur Ethos, which is based on his last book by the same name. When he’s not helping clients convert a concept to a viable strategy, he can be found on the Jiu-Jitsu mat (he’s a blue belt), interviewing entrepreneurs on his podcast, or researching the latest in earthship construction techniques. He’s engaged to a wonderful woman named Minerva, her daughter, and their Bernedoodle, Sage. Currently, Jarie lives and works in San Francisco, where he works as head of market strategy for Decision Counsel, a B2B growth consulting firm. </span><br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jarie" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jariebolander/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/thedailymba" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.jariebolander.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4062762.Jarie_Bolander" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlrkTlu--AaklN24NqoEYk28NIKEeEgI8Vn918OCu-c2_DDln9lsEhH4_OxzmKXUC7mJF5deqeo5oR1NjIahiBAqQKsugPD59dCRY6uW0OCnTeFETnceDlvZWDOBYYU-kHnC7SBnvo2RcHJM46vaVAUGMd4VPSokOzSCQcdw216RSXxu0eAOpoCQb776f/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Greatest thing you learned at school. <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">That the world is random and chaotic. You need to be ready for the zigs and zags of life since you really can’t control what happens – only how you react to it.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. It opened my eyes to the resistance that you have to overcome as a creative. It also gave me a good perspective that the creative act is something that needs to be manifested daily. </span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Favorite book outside my genre would have to be anything by Robert B. Parker. The Spenser for Hire Series. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">For sure. The War of Art changed the way I approach writing and creativity. Knowing that there is a thing called resistance that needs to be overcome and is natural to run into. It also made me appreciate how hard it is to complete a creative project. I have a ton of respect for anyone that follows through on any kind of project since they had to overcome their own resistance. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Why is storytelling so important for all of us? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Storytelling is how us humans survive and thrive. Without story, we would not be able to make sense of the world. I’m typing this and you’re reading this because our ancestors told the best stories. Full stop. In a sense, the best story wins, and that’s important to appreciate. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started RIDE OR DIE, how that came about? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I started writing Ride or Die the day Jane died. I felt that I had to capture the raw emotions of the moment. It also allowed me to do something that I felt I could control since I never felt I had much control during her illness. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">From that day forward, I pieced together the experience so that I could heal and hopefully help others who are dealing with the challenges and struggles of a loved one going through a terminal disease. </span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Your Journey to Publication<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I have self-published several business books, so I’m biased towards controlling the process. For Ride or Die, I started out with the intent to get an agent and find a traditional publisher. My radiational was that a book with such a powerful message needed to be published with a mainstream press. It turns out that I was wrong since the mainstream publishing model was not something that would give me both the results and the control I needed. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">That’s why I selected the hybrid publishing route with a fantastic publisher, SparkPress. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Before I even got to selecting a publisher, the journey to getting Ride or Die out in the world was emotional. The subject matter, especially for a man, is challenging and not many men talk about their feelings of grief, sorrow, and frustration with being a caregiver and losing a spouse. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">The courage and encouragement to make it all happen came from the realization that Jane would want me to share our story so that others might not feel so along. Couple that with the fact that our friends and family were supportive made it a lot easier to do the hard work to make it come to life. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Paper route. Nothing makes you appreciate the value of hard work when you must wake up at 6am to deliver 125 copies of the Sunday paper, on your BMX bike, up hills, in the rain. I have a tremendous amount of respect for anyone that must do similar things.</span></div><div><br /><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b> What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why? </b><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #999999;">I really enjoyed probability and random processes in college since it opened my eyes to the fact that the world is random and chaotic. If you understand that, then you can then focus on how to mitigate anything that might get in your way. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Chug a 16 oz class of water. Nothing wakes up the body and starts the day off right like hydration. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The day my wife Jane died. After that moment, I started to realize that every day is a gift. You must use every day you have wisely since there are only a finite amount of them left. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I’d choose true love for sure. Nothing like it in the world. Heart break, while painful, is also a great teacher and it helps put the world in perspective in that nothing lasts forever. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh? <br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I was visiting a friend and their son made an ironic yet witty observation about eating cookies for breakfast. I’m not sure why it was so funny but for some reason, seeing him with a mouthful of sugar cookies, deadpan saying “what better way to wake up in the morning than a sugar high!” I laughed so hard I cried snot.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Modern society has a warped sense of the partner-caregiver role, especially for men. Too often, men are ill equipped to handle switching from provider to caregiver, and the “just suck it up” advice so many offer up falls as flat as the Kansas prairie in the face of the reality of life and death.<br /><br />Ride or Die takes its audience through the intimate conversations and thoughts of a Gen-X latchkey-generation husband—a man who has always had to fend for himself and believed that it’s up to him to solve his own problems—as and after his wife, Jane, succumbs to a terminal disease.<br /><br />Jarie Bolander wrote this raw, heartfelt tribute to Jane and her handling of her illness to help men and the people who love them through the experience of loss and grief. A frank chronicle of how an intimate relationship can change and grow—even when the people involved feel there is nothing left to give— Ride or Die offers a detailed exploration of the male experience of grief, in the hopes that others suffering through it will not feel so alone.<br /></span>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Ride or Die </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>JARIE BOLANDER </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>Ride or Die</i> by Jarie Bolander.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-79561453741849960712023-09-11T08:00:00.086-07:002023-09-12T00:00:09.589-07:00Kim Imas Interview - Beast Mom<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Kim Imas</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Kim Imas</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> received degrees in engineering and urban planning, from Duke and Harvard respectively, before pursuing a career as a writer. Her work appeared in <i>Boston Magazine</i> and <i>The Boston Globe Magazine </i>before she turned to longform fiction. Her first novel, a romance, was initially published under a pen name and earned praise from <i>Publishers Weekly </i>for its “smooth prose and witty dialogue.” A former Oregonian, Kim now lives with her family outside New York and tries to do in novels what Dolly Parton does in song: deliver stories of women’s struggles in a way that’s too damn delightful to ignore. She loves a good crossword. </span><br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kimimasauthor" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kim_imas_author/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kjimas" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://kimimasauthor.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/37223251.Kim_Imas" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPf863TfXnTW2lBC6Rw3i-CN8Wpx8YAsz5ENT0ZLd41K7Sy96qteyJoBp152qr-HRqTIdjpN2G46NijuCt7bWriG5ZKgVp7QFBBdQ7C205p8YwTF2I9wois_7AbIXGvzMLnlJ8TdvY7B6nyPnA8K3w8DBskPHP1f3uQOjBtUM8-tA-zK_X0wFeyXE0aSR7/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Heading into my senior year of college, I was an unhappy (and regretful) engineering major. On a whim, I decided to fulfill one of my few and final electives with an Advanced Creative Non-fiction seminar. I happened to have an amazing subject to write about: I’d just spent the prior spring in a remote part of Chilean Patagonia, sea kayaking, backpacking, and mountaineering. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I felt like I’d been hit by a truck—in a good way!—in that seminar. In contrast to the assignments I had as part of my major, I absolutely loved this work and stayed up extra late in the public computer cluster polishing my essays. My instructor and classmates were encouraging and kind and the work was very well-received. I knew, then, that I was a writer at heart. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Soon after my first novel came out, I went to an event that had nothing to do with publishing or with my book. But when the organizer—a friend of mine—introduced me to everyone, a hand shot up in the crowd and the person said, “We just read your book in our book club!” It was such a great feeling to see first-hand that something I’d put so much into really did have a life out in the wider world, and that people were enjoying it. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I have ADHD, so for me, distractions are numerous, intense, and ever-present. What’s more, my family moved houses not once but TWICE during the years (yes, years) I spent writing Beast Mom, and one of those moves was entirely across the country. Also, a little thing named COVID-19 happened. My kids had to do some remote learning. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Throughout this time, I stressed about my slow and halting progress and felt like I “should” be doing more, faster. But looking back, I’m inclined to be much kinder toward myself. It was an unprecedented period of time, and we were all doing the best we could! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Yes—Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, by Richard D. Putnam, which first came out in 2000. It’s a robust sociological survey that looks at why Americans spend less time together than they did in previous generations. It carefully examines all of the extensive research that pertains even a little bit to how we spend our time. And in the process, the book debunks several of the hypotheses that are often put forward for why we all socialize less on the whole. It also affirms why that’s a problem, and why we should each try to increase the time we spend engaging with others in our communities, whether through dinner parties, church, the titular bowing leagues, or any number of other gathering opportunities. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I’m glad you asked this question, because Beast Mom is very concerned with the relatively low support that moms in the United States experience. And I think one of the many repercussions of Americans’ diminished community time is that new moms—who are already subject to certain isolating forces—are less connected to their communities than their predecessors were. This makes an inherently difficult period that much harder, and it serves to hide what these parents are going through and, crucially, the ways in which we could offer them more support. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Can you tell us when you started BEAST MOM, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I started conceptualizing Beast Mom near the end of 2017. Women had already shown how pissed they were during the women’s marches earlier that year, on the heels of a bruising defeat of a female presidential candidate the prior fall. And now, horrific allegations were coming out about powerful men like Harvey Weinstein, related to their behavior toward women. I decided to write a story about an angry woman, and I did. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from BEAST MOM<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I enjoy these excerpts on account of the way they describe Harry’s experience first of turning into, and then being, a monster: </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“[T]he thing that happened to me on the street that night? That I watched. That I heard and felt as it happened, limb by limb, in a state that approached rapture. Every part of me moved in a way that it shouldn’t. It was fascinating to me, and it was beautiful. I watched as my tendons, ligaments, and muscles slithered like snakes under my skin. I listened to the satisfying crackle of my bones, as they grew to new lengths and poked and prodded at the skin that bubbled and stretched to accommodate them. It reminded me of my emergency C-section for Jo and Frankie, when the doctors yanked my intestines this way and that before rearranging and re-stapling my organs together again—except this didn’t hurt, and I wasn’t scared.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“If…the monster wanted to roll and revel in her monsterness, like a dog in some foul carcass in the woods, who was I to tell her no? Harriet was—I was—part-monster now, and I can only assume nature intended monsters to love differently.”</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Lifeguard (like Harry!) </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is your happiest childhood memory?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Laughing with my family around the dinner table. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Name one thing you miss about being a kid.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My grandmother. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Why is it so freaking early??? </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is your most memorable travel experience?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My husband and I went to a family wedding in Venice, Italy, soon after we began dating. The entire trip was magical.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is one unique thing are you afraid of?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Quicksand, eek. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When was the last time you told someone you loved them?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Today</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your greatest adventure?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I spent three months off-the-grid in remote Chilean Patagonia. I was taking National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course in which we sea kayaked, backpacked, and mountaineered. We went to places that hadn’t been fully mapped. It was amazing.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">It’s a tie between social studies and English. Social studies because I loved learning about the world and its history and English because it came more naturally to me than any other subject.</span><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span><br /><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyV9SKkkmkYSde8ZWBvpMXJxtk2dp4Id4qj8WxqlE0e4J9AkS0jhK5zGab6bJgTzY6vk41e6w72W6xLA02e5p8n0gK35lSHMHCMQZ5NIsjxkPkLSEhiCGKcJVUuuRiEZ51foE02-QU5D0lFsQLg6Q89jvv61vt0mDA_bEtSQ3eWYFUq6lF19L8FaT40St9/s620/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyV9SKkkmkYSde8ZWBvpMXJxtk2dp4Id4qj8WxqlE0e4J9AkS0jhK5zGab6bJgTzY6vk41e6w72W6xLA02e5p8n0gK35lSHMHCMQZ5NIsjxkPkLSEhiCGKcJVUuuRiEZ51foE02-QU5D0lFsQLg6Q89jvv61vt0mDA_bEtSQ3eWYFUq6lF19L8FaT40St9/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #999999;">An Oregon mom is about to lose her $#!t.<br /><br />It might be what the government’s been waiting for.<br /><br />On the outside, Harriet “Harry” Lime is a typical American mom. But after years of packing all the lunches and picking up all the socks, she’s become a bit…off on the inside. And after stumbling upon the offensive new statue at her daughter’s school, she gets unusually angry and turns into a gigantic monster.<br /><br />Now she’ll have to figure out why that keeps happening—and why some mysterious uniformed men have begun lurking around town—all while keeping up with the grocery shopping, the carpool, and all those %@#!-€*&ing socks.<br /><br />As soon as Harriet discovers that other local women are undergoing their own amazing transformations, she faces the sudden danger of being ripped away from everyone and everything she loves. Still, she’s begun to wonder: How much of her old life—with its surplus of cleaning, cooking, and monthly cramping—does she want to hold on to, anyway?<br /></span>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>KIM IMAS </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>Beast Mom</i> by Kim Imas.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-54207145387260690642023-09-11T07:00:00.000-07:002023-09-11T23:18:50.335-07:00Jennifer Hamm Interview - One Friday in Napa<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Jennifer Hamm</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #999999;">Born and raised in Los Angeles, </span><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Jennifer Hamm</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> graduated with a BA in English at UCLA and began her writing career developing screenplays for movies and television. As a travel writer, she has covered the globe on assignment for various magazines and brands. She also writes It’s Only for A Year, a long-running blog chronicling her adventures raising </span><span style="color: #999999;">her four boys in two countries. Hamm currently splits her time between London and Los Angeles. One Friday in Napa is her first novel.</span>
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jenniferhamm04/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.jenniferhamm.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/42479765.Jennifer_Hamm" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHU9FouF3kBKGmYpRAO9Ovy494vsno6ddI-Q1qvj6_RZHOli6MPefw-XLsvVCxqRT5gZMl8zOdJCGTmTiFzYdhlbU7eXoPLr8710cgJCPMPy9OvAfSxylvI9dgPeQG8tUJbwBBeTvjlU-RX4YY2qCGyKLGVeLplTzfM55UjnT1izLlZQXPTBm8RWFbduB/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Haha. My four sons. Not their fault – I just didn’t really know how to juggle both motherhood and writing for years. A friend told me about Darren Hardy’s (life coach) 90-minute targeted time frames for any type of production. Basically, you tune out the world, email, calls, everything, and just do one thing for 90 minutes straight. And you will be amazed at your productivity. So, I tried it. Shut the door and the phone, tried not to panic that any emergency would arise, and began writing this novel. A year later I had a very workable first draft.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What chapter was the most memorable to write and why?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Probably the end. I cried. Without giving too much away, I felt so much for both of my main characters. Their journeys are life- long struggles that need resolutions for peace. And the ticking clock of Olivia dying makes their struggles heightened and intense up until the last moment.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Honestly, Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman. I was 16 and that book taught me a philosophy that influenced the rest of my life.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Why is storytelling so important for all of us?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I think people who write and tell stories give voice to everyone’s human experience. I wrote a blog for ten years telling stories about raising my boys in two countries. It wasn’t that my stories were so unique - the attention the blog received came from others who saw themselves in my stories and enjoyed ‘their’ stories being told.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Can you tell us when you started ONE FRIDAY IN NAPA, how that came about?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Six years ago. My house guest and friend, Kelly Hail, wanted to make a thank you dinner for us having her stay. She borrowed one of my cookbooks and started writing notes all over one of the recipes…in ink! When I said ‘wtf????’ she apologized as it was always something she did, her cookbooks read more like diaries than anything else. It reminded me of my grandmother’s cookbooks as well. That got us thinking …what if a daughter found her mother’s cookbook/diary and discovered a totally different version of the woman she knows? It was a great starting point for a story.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Total elation that a publisher like She Writes Press saw in my book what I intended. And then the finished product is so beautiful. Absolutely perfect.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your characters?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">That they started talking to me all the time, regardless if I was writing them or not.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Your Journey to Publication</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I chose to answer this question because I was/am always curious how authors figure it out! Not having much connection to the publishing world, this process required a huge learning curve for me. I spoke to the couple author friends I had, the few people I knew who had something to do with this world, and of course, my editor. Everyone was very honest about traditional publishing and how difficult that was going to be given I’m not a celebrity and I don’t have a huge social media presence. I was just an author who spent four years writing a book! But I tried the traditional route of submitting the book to agents to then get a publisher to see how the book was being received. I must admit, even that step was confusing. Most agents didn’t seem to accept cold submissions, but I didn’t know most agents! Felt like the acting days all over again. But, I did know a few. And so did a fellow author who helped me out. Together the list was under ten – enough to get a good feel. Must admit, I got the most incredibly kind rejection letters. People really loved the novel but simply couldn’t or wouldn’t take the next step with me. I too was looking for someone passionate about my work and wanting a partnership and felt submitting to round two in this path was somehow not going to ultimately give me what I was looking for.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">All the while, I researched hybrid publishers. For months the same name came back at me, She Writes Press. I kept their tab open on my computer for eight months. This process takes ages, mostly because you need others to actually read your manuscript. So after many months, I finally submitted to SWP. Their internal selection process involves a lot of work on the author’s part up front. You have to write out chapter summaries alongside all the other typical pitches/summary/one liners you present. When they ultimately said yes, and being a selective hybrid they only say yes to about 10-15% of all submissions, I was beyond thrilled. I knew instantly that this was my home – that these incredible women who started a publishing company to support authors they believed in, regardless of numbers/followers/track records, wanted my book, well, that was the best feeling in the world.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">As for friends and family support – I’m blessed to have both. Having a ‘debut’ in my 50’s means that I am in unmarked territory in my life and it comes with huge vulnerability and yet a lot of life experience to help keep me positive and grounded.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Mrs. Fields cookies. I got fired after putting walnuts in the chocolate almond cookie.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">English. It always made sense.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Name one thing you miss about being a kid.</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Not having to worry about anything.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your most missed memory?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">My dad. He died in 2001 and I think about him all the time.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Is there even a choice in that one?? Being in love is the most glorious states of mind to be in. It takes different shapes and energies over time, but it teaches you more about yourself than anything else possibly could. So yeah, I’d forsake a broken heart to feel what real love is for sure.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">At a movie theater which arm rest is yours?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I’m the youngest of four. So, the answer has always been, both! I’ve had to fight for my turn in the front seat, my food! Brothers, right??</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your greatest adventure?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">Motherhood</span><span style="color: #999999;">😊</span></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is one unique thing are you afraid of?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Waves. After a near fatal swim in the ocean at 11 and getting chewed up and spit out by monstrous waves, I just can’t bring myself to get beyond the break without totally freaking out. Not good.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When was the last time you told someone you loved them?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Five minutes ago.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your happiest childhood memory?</span></b></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="color: #999999;">I am lucky to have loads of happy memories of my childhood. I’d say playing knuckles card game with my two brothers and sister in a hotel room when our parents were out for dinner stands out. Not sure why, as the description of the game is in the title…if you lost the winner got to take the deck and smack your knuckles! But the joy and fun in just being together, room service and a lot of laughter. My mom took us everywhere together. That philosophy was passed down to me and my boys went en masse everywhere with me. No wonder I enjoy chaos so much!</span> </o:p></p></div>
</div></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzo9ILF20qDnx5AsUzLDSnd1XLrd2Bjhi5UcSkmJ_pnTfv3RD387yqDH4v9dzVlrIisQ5ocv0vfeoTIQ4rBt8g3q8oLsVJWMb_Sk7u1JtP9HVOn7aMs1vqjGonlv-Pqr4fwPAU59Oni-xOLEpioI_Ovo6wG4MYoaJQe968ITEquqszVRDfrcU1k5p42AG/s630/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzo9ILF20qDnx5AsUzLDSnd1XLrd2Bjhi5UcSkmJ_pnTfv3RD387yqDH4v9dzVlrIisQ5ocv0vfeoTIQ4rBt8g3q8oLsVJWMb_Sk7u1JtP9HVOn7aMs1vqjGonlv-Pqr4fwPAU59Oni-xOLEpioI_Ovo6wG4MYoaJQe968ITEquqszVRDfrcU1k5p42AG/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Vene feels like she and her mother have always been at odds—since she was a child, the first word she used to describe Olivia was “cold.” When news of her mother’s imminent death comes, Vene returns to her family’s home in Napa to see if their strained relationship can be mended, only to find Olivia as harsh as ever and their reconciliation seemingly unreachable.<br /><br />But when Vene stumbles upon Olivia’s old cookbook, she discovers a passion within her mother she didn’t know existed. The clipped tone and quick judgments of her dying mother don’t match the young woman whose voice she finds between the pages—one that tells a story of romance, longing, duty, and aching heartbreak. Curiosity consumes Vene, and she embarks on an intimate journey to learn about the Olivia she never got to meet—before it’s too late.<br /><br />A captivating story told in alternating perspectives a half-century apart, One Friday in Napa explores the pains and joys of devotion as two women learn the price of loyalty, the power of secrets, and the meaning of sacrifice.<br /></span>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>One Friday in Napa </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>JENNIFER HAMM </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of<i> One Friday in Napa</i> by Jennifer Hamm.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-65780883757459764782023-08-22T05:00:00.101-07:002023-08-22T05:00:00.133-07:00Erin Flanagan Interview - Come with Me<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3Er5vjPKESNwcUwZiHtWmPL47RBnfW-pY1DTZcGbv6EeQ1i0twwfykWbD5_CMVekCRielfWF9qRnoT1Jp9lIgWlk7JaFCPNMxLV86XhnCrs59Xc87uo4ujGQBVmT3WRP_PAyO3VKgaCYnwB1QERZpTt7nVrECnH1eGMHMtAr5X12AUhMMzkCiyhna7np/s500/00.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="441" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3Er5vjPKESNwcUwZiHtWmPL47RBnfW-pY1DTZcGbv6EeQ1i0twwfykWbD5_CMVekCRielfWF9qRnoT1Jp9lIgWlk7JaFCPNMxLV86XhnCrs59Xc87uo4ujGQBVmT3WRP_PAyO3VKgaCYnwB1QERZpTt7nVrECnH1eGMHMtAr5X12AUhMMzkCiyhna7np/s320/00.JPG" width="282" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Erin Flanagan</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Erin Flanagan</span></b><span style="color: #999999;">’s third novel <i>Come With Me</i> (Thomas & Mercer) releases in August, 2023. Her novel Deer Season (University of Nebraska Press) won the 2022 Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author and was a finalist for the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery and the Midwest Book Award in Fiction (Literary/Contemporary/Historical). Her second novel, <i>Blackout </i>(Thomas & Mercer) was a June 2022 Amazon First Reads pick. She is also the author of two short story collections–<i>The Usual Mistakes</i> and <i>It’s Not Going to Kill You and Other Stories</i>–both published by UNP. She has held fellowships to Yaddo, MacDowell, The Sewanee Writers’ Conference, The Breadloaf Writers’ Conference, UCross, and The Vermont Studio Center. She contributes regular book reviews to <i>Publishers Weekly</i> and other venues.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Erin lives in Dayton, Ohio with her husband, daughter, two cats and two dogs. She is an English professor at Wright State University and likes all of her colleagues except one.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/erinlflanagan/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/erinlflanagan" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://erinflanagan.net/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7257205.Erin_Flanagan" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAPoLgcSDQoL3IYNpEahQOCX3ASNZ0QsD1DbazdKYF6yD8FUjTklRvm4PtpcdOX_pywu7J_5pIk2UmzGJXAizP88icBthe4UPVoiIlBdlPCbjGIeGcRiyCyDygO4qlq2VVK4YuOf764ToSS8QhMpDDXRS89e7wAHG6FpQ2FRXyFoDwMh52vU_Wsf3fx7l/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Greatest thing you learned at school.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I had a friend in graduate school who used to say, “A publication for one is a publication for all,” and that’s always stuck with me. She meant that if anyone in the program landed a story or a publishing deal, ultimately that reflected well on the program and everyone in it, but I think it’s even broader than that. If a friend gets a book deal or wins an award or sells another copy, that demonstrates the value of storytelling in our lives and shows that people are hungry to connect through stories. It’s a much more humane and uplifting attitude than to see all writers in competition. Incidentally, I had another friend who used to say, “It’s not enough I win; everyone else must fail,” and while I’m (pretty) sure he was joking, I also get that it’s easy to slip into feeling that way. If someone else get X that means I can’t have X, but ultimately, it leaves a person feeling bitter and like they’re always reaching. I want to enjoy this wonderful community of writers, not compete with them. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">When I was in the fourth grade, my teacher, Ms. Burns, used to put creative writing prompts on the backboard every week for us to hand in on Friday. It was by far my favorite assignment. The week before Thanksgiving that year, I wrote a story from the point-of-view of the turkey. He was in a cauldron of hot water asking for a shower cap because he thought it was a bath, not soup. This was real ground-breaking stuff lol. But Ms. Burns loved it and walked me over to the fifth graders to read to their class. It was the most terrifying public speaking event of my life, and yet I’ve been chasing that high ever since. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Do your best to enjoy the process and keep your life in writing separate from you life in publishing. I think too often writers are worried about things they can’t control—whether someone will publish the work, whether the book will find its readers—and as soon as you get something, all you do is worry about the next thing. I think the real joy needs to come from the work, from sitting down and playing with language and solving problems and creating worlds. I try really hard to keep my head there, because that’s where the real joy is. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I read A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving in 1992, and as soon as I finished the book I thought, now, how did he do that? Everything folded together so perfectly, and it seemed like not a word was wasted, and I went back and read it again right away paying attention to the plot, the point-of-view, how he stacked scenes one after another, the humor. It wasn’t the book that made me want to be a writer, but it was the book that made me want to be a reader, and an engaged one at that. I started tracking every book I read and making a conscious effort to read more closely, and the joy that reading has brought me all those years later is one of the greatest of my life. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started COME WITH ME, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The night before I was to have a weekend retreat with my writing group my latest book idea was rejected. This isn’t unusual but the timing was awful, because rather than a weekend to really dive in and start that project, I was back to the drawing board. When we arrived at the retreat, we were all gabbing about how much we loved and admired each other—there are five women in the group—and how sometimes it takes a while to find the friends you really click with, and how that’s harder once you’re out of your twenties. We started talking about the less than wonderful friendships we’ve all had—those that were a little too intense, or happened a little too fast—and I realized what a universal experience that is. COME WITH ME was born out of those conversations. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT COME WITH ME</span></b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #999999;">1. The audio narrator pronounces one of the main character’s names differently than I do in my head (but I think she’s right; I pronounce it like the boy’s name).</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">2. This is my favorite cover of all my books.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">3. Nicola wants to have matching potted Christmas plants with Gwen outside their front doors, and I too am obsessed with matchies and always want to have them with my sister, mom, best friend, and daughter. They can be notebooks, purses, whatever. If I see we have the same thing I am contractually obligated to yell, “Matchies!”</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">4. I wrote all the point-of-view chapters for Nicola three different ways before figuring out her voice and that she would be telling about the past not the present.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">5. I was signing a book for a woman at a library event in South Carolina a year ago and her name was Onita. As soon as she said it, I knew that was the name I’d been looking for to give a character in the book. I asked if I could use it and she said yes, and I warned her that Onita would be a very bad woman. She said, “so am I,” but there was a definite twinkle in her eye.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">6. My favorite paragraph in the book is about a 2nd grade class bird. To paraphrase: “Mr. TopHat, the class budgie, was a light-green bird with black markings on his head who loved sweet potatoes, grated carrots, and scratches. He had had a neck goiter due to an iodine deficiency, but Mr. TopHat didn’t let that get him down.” This isn’t central to the plot in any way, but I just love the pluckiness of that bird. Incidentally, my husband and daughter made me a Mr. TopHat Christmas ornament painted to his coloring specifications and with a neck goiter made out of sculpie.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">7. I was subliminally trying to convince my husband we should adopt a Cavapoo by writing in Maxx.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">8. The cuts for this book (and all my books) are much longer than what actually makes it in the book.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">9. Gwen refers to salmon as having the “wow factor” for her wedding dinner. I am obsessed with having a “wow factor” when I pack a lunch. Be it a special bread for a sammy or a good piece of chocolate. It makes all the difference.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">10. I wrote most of this novel in the Oakwood Starbucks in Dayton, Ohio, where I have a campaign going to get all the baristas to love me.</span></li></ul><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Cleaning out hog pens on my parents’ farm. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Reading and writing the whole way through. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Name one thing you miss about being a kid.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Reading for 13 uninterrupted hours every Saturday. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">What should I do first? Pee, take out the dogs, or make coffee. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is your most memorable travel experience?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I was in London last month and my husband and I went to a Costco. It was amazing. A hotdog and soda is still only 1 and a half pounds there. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I hate emptying the dishwasher so finally timed it and it only took me 3 minutes. Now when I don’t want to do something, I think, how long is it really going to take versus how long will I dread it? It helps me to not procrastinate. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I can’t wait to have coffee in the morning. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Any Camp stories you would like to share?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I went to bible camp when I was ten and we were all sliding down the wood-floored hallway in our socks when I got the great idea to take it up a notch and slide on my pillow. But instead I tripped on my pillow, knocked out my two front teeth on the floor, and had to get two root canals the next morning. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> At a movie theater which arm rest is yours?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">All of them. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is one unique thing are you afraid of?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Honestly, all of my fears are mundane and very universal. Fear I’m not good enough, fear I won’t be loved, fear of looking like a fool. These things suck on the unique-ness scale but are very good for writing universal stories others will identify with. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When was the last time you told someone you loved them?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Five minutes ago on the phone with my daughter. </span><br /><br /> <b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">When my daughter was ten, she was obsessed with the game “would you rather.” “Would you rather swallow a bug or get bit by a spider?” “Would you rather poop your pants in public or break your arm?” I don’t mean to brag, but I got really good at demanding more information, debating both sides, and rationalizing my answer. So I will say here, I need to know if 1) I’ll know all along I’m going to get my heartbroken, which would make a huge difference because then I wouldn’t enjoy true love even in the beginning because I’d be waiting for the other shoe to drop. And 2) I feel it’s loophole that it doesn’t say in scenario #1 that this will be the only time I love, so things could still work out later, and so I would obviously pick that one. This is why my daughter finally stopped playing this game with me.</span><br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><b>Two women. An old friendship rekindled. A growing fear. Not everything is as it seems in a dark and twisty novel of suspense by the Edgar Award–winning author of <i>Deer Season</i>.<br /></b><br />Gwen Maner is a widowed single mom, returning to her Ohio hometown with her daughter. And thanks to former acquaintance Nicola Kimmel, this is the start of Gwen’s new and promising life.<br /><br />Nicola’s secured Gwen a lucrative job, rented Gwen a house on her same street, and won the heart of Gwen’s daughter, but she almost seems too good to be true. She’s so selfless. So charismatic. And so take-charge. Gwen is sure Nicola is yearning only for someone to get close to. After all, according to Nicola, her marriage is falling apart, and her best friend just up and left one day.<br /><br />But how well does Gwen really know Nicola? What does Nicola ultimately want? As their lives become more entwined, and Nicola’s grip tightens, Gwen begins to think that Nicola isn’t helping Gwen and her daughter but vying for control of every aspect of her life. And the consequences may be deadly.</span><br /><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Come with Me </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>ERIN FLANAGAN </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>Come with Me</i> by Erin Flanagan.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-17139595400415671732023-08-18T07:00:00.075-07:002023-08-18T18:16:55.560-07:00Alana Albertson Interview - Kiss Me, Mi Amor<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0RYFecJAiParzMNmwz3ZB3gDKjySISNblvzNrVFkCO1Q9JZS0IoX_ubTPWDp88dyF6cg_mNjBB9onNoQgVIMuAgOMde5tsC7VB3xdn0zuLkuRU94bWqEazL2U5q47wV-RoMNoHOCpLAVgBSNGpJPuyr-mzA9OyS-MNowBWE4bcD5oTKp_cWNdCiD1i-Y/s500/00.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="395" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0RYFecJAiParzMNmwz3ZB3gDKjySISNblvzNrVFkCO1Q9JZS0IoX_ubTPWDp88dyF6cg_mNjBB9onNoQgVIMuAgOMde5tsC7VB3xdn0zuLkuRU94bWqEazL2U5q47wV-RoMNoHOCpLAVgBSNGpJPuyr-mzA9OyS-MNowBWE4bcD5oTKp_cWNdCiD1i-Y/s320/00.JPG" width="253" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Alana Quintana Albertson</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Alana Quintana Albertson </span></b><span style="color: #999999;">has written thirty romance novels, rescued five-hundred death-row shelter dogs, and danced one thousand rumbas. She lives in sunny San Diego with her husband, two sons, and too many pets. Most days, she can be found writing her next heart book in a beachfront café while sipping an oat-milk Mexican mocha or gardening with her children in their backyard orchard and snacking on a juicy blood orange.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_eWv6CUxt9FPK4BiUOFY-jLiye5BXjwHxPL1rh5wyaeYaUDtpPgbOhOHfMth31IlKZZXlbJs9ckCXBLV07Oiv00OBBPmy3qLUet815jkarvvgnvQIVNx_3KA795KfJmET5Yq2vQG4zoksVi6-_4q0JftrYnqYv3byhxB9PBQSfKx2xByZOyX-IZYZqtsT/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Since being traditionally published, I have adored speaking at book festivals like San Diego Festival of the Books. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">It’s a super brutal career. Never quit, believe in yourself, and keep writing. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Why is storytelling so important for all of us?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Reading fiction can invoke emotions and create empathy. You can learn about history from historical fiction and also relate to people who may not be like you. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started KISS ME, MI AMOR, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I wanted to write a book based on my mom’s family—she’s the 9th of 10 (9 girls 1 boy). I wanted to show the contrast between a traditional Mexican-American family and a more progressive one. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I was over the moon when I sold the first book Ramón and Julieta of this series. The cover for Kiss Me, Mi Amor was breathtaking. I love the colors and the fields and the strawberry blossom in his hair. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Writing Behind the Scenes<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I spend months actively procrastinating—dreaming about the book, the characters, taking long walks thinking about them. Then I do extensive research on their careers and the locations. The names are usually inspired by the source material (in this case, Taming of the Shrew). When I actually write, I’m a binge writer. I draft very quickly—like a full horrible first draft in less than a week. Then I slowly and painfully edit the book. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Math—I liked getting right answers.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What's your most missed memory? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Anything with my late father.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is one unique thing are you afraid of? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I have an irrational fear of brain amoebas.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Name one thing you miss about being a kid. </span></b><div><span style="color: #999999;">Reading all night and doing ballet every day. <br /> <br /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxWKcKBjIbtXV407LYpFWjFXH-iKcM5QWc52JF9SRxlKtdvVAj-dzMbJ-nBbqtrECOQzSkY74cCWPNeIsG0s98HsZElLL3I8ElbTXWnelMOLMjIx3Px_vQVBdyRkRTbYemYMnmZpLn-bAtv-RgGzN-aIW4QJiUnj9zwl89s0TCjNkHhWJZ2chndH6gUkv/s620/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxWKcKBjIbtXV407LYpFWjFXH-iKcM5QWc52JF9SRxlKtdvVAj-dzMbJ-nBbqtrECOQzSkY74cCWPNeIsG0s98HsZElLL3I8ElbTXWnelMOLMjIx3Px_vQVBdyRkRTbYemYMnmZpLn-bAtv-RgGzN-aIW4QJiUnj9zwl89s0TCjNkHhWJZ2chndH6gUkv/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /><b> It turns out that a fake relationship is the perfect recipe for a love that sizzles hotter than Santa Barbara's spiciest salsa--when it's between enemies....<br /></b><br />Enrique Montez, smooth-talking heir to the Taco King empire, is man enough to admit that he made a critical error when he underestimated Carolina Flores. The agricultural hotshot should have been an easy conquest--who would turn down the chance to partner with California's largest fast-food chain? But instead of signing her name on the dotted line, Carolina has Enrique eating out of the palm of her hand, and when fate steps in with an unexpected opportunity, Enrique is willing to do whatever it takes to capture her heart.<br /><br />Growing up as the daughter of farmworkers, Carolina spent her youth picking strawberries in the fields of Santa Maria and vowing to improve the lives of people like her parents. Now, as one of only a few Latina farm owners, she has no time for romance and she's certainly not about to let the notorious Montez brother anywhere near her business--even if just being near Enrique makes her skin tingle.<br /><br />But she is willing to let him help get her overinvolved family off her back. When Carolina's father and her lovelorn sisters mistake Enrique for her (nonexistent) boyfriend, she reluctantly agrees to a series of pretend dates to their town's traditional Mexican-American holiday celebrations. Soon the fake feelings turn real and both Carolina and Enrique must convince each other to take a chance on love before their vacation romance is over.</span><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Kiss Me, Mi Amor </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>ALANA ALBERTSON </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>Kiss Me, Mi Amor</i> by Alana Albertson.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-910092565647924532023-08-15T05:30:00.082-07:002023-08-15T05:35:21.255-07:00Sherry Sidoti Interview - A Smoke and a Song<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from Chelsea</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #999999;">Sherry Sidoti is an author and the founder and lead director of FLY Yoga School, a yoga teacher training program, and FLY Outreach, a not-for-profit that offers yoga and meditation for trauma recovery on Martha’s Vineyard. A certified Labor Doula, Addiction Recovery Coach, and Somatic Attachment Therapy Program graduate, she leads spiritual courses, teacher training, and retreats globally. Her musings, infused by twenty years of practicing and teaching yoga, healing arts, and mysticism have been published by <i>The Martha’s Vineyard Times, Heart & Soul Magazine, Elephant Journal,</i> and <i>Anthropology and Humanism Quarterly</i>. Her essay “Mosaics” is featured in the 2022 She Writes Anthology: Art in Times of Unbearable Crisis. Sherry is most devoted to her greatest teacher, her son Miles, whose love, sensitivity, humor, and wisdom illuminate her path. A Smoke and a Song is Sherry’s first book. She currently resides on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. <br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sherry.sidoti" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sherrysidoti/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.sherrysidoti.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/31289632.Sherry_Sidoti" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWesR3XpYrEwzOMXzumGUALFaUB_-ml9Qhs5nH91q3HbP5btoXnkkpYPaKTHtmUAlRgPmcYsHsqTqUhLQK3REsnGuFru1GKmuMpSBNjgrl27HsSIu3cXr5W7jvcUMkcZE_envYBz4FVKWaC7mgiAV437T6wbstPYzpC72kGe2S0AYg2gml3vqdLbdQIqs/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Greatest thing you learned at school.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Befriend your teachers, question the teachings. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">It's a toss between The Collected Poems by my grandfather, the late poet Stanley Kunitz, and Mary Oliver’s Why I Wake Early. These two books of poetry are technically outside my genre, yet are memoir in their own right. These poets remind me to connect from my heart to the natural world from a felt sensory place, and, while not always good at it, to use words sparingly. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Be truly and madly in love with your subject matter. Writing is no fling, it’s long-term love. You will breathe, eat, walk, go to bed with your writing. Like any relationship, it deserves attention, open communication, respect, and a willingness to sit in the fire of transformation and learn from it. At times ruthless, others tender and caring, your writing serves as a mirror: you look to it, and it will reflect to you what you sometimes cannot see in yourself. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Be open to asking for support and create your “circle” of people along the way. Go to therapy! Move your body daily! Make sure you get out of the house sometimes! Live fully, even when consumed by your writing. Actively participating in life aside from writing will keep you whole and inspire your stories. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What chapter was the most memorable to write and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">“His Lamb”, 100%. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">The story was written minutes after my son drove off to move out of our home and into his own apartment. I was living the “feels” of empty nesting in real time. It was an overwhelming moment— I was cracked open, raw, desperate even. All I could do was spill that pure emotion to the page and give it a place to land. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started A SMOKE AND A SONG, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">A Smoke and a Song found me ten months into the COVID-19 pandemic. A confusing time for all of us and I, as the rest of the world, was taking major inventory of what mattered most. Exhausted from pivoting two back-to-back yoga teacher trainings to online, I decided to take a sabbatical from teaching. Quite simply, I was “tapped out,” with little left to offer others on their healing journeys. I had just turned fifty, was menopausal, and on the cusp of empty nesting. I was in the middle of moving out of the home where I lived and raised my son for eighteen years (the home I busted my ass to keep after my divorce!). Newly engaged, my fiancé and I purchased a parcel of land where we planned to build our “second-chance” life, literally from the ground up. Every aspect of my life as I knew it, was up for review. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Amid all of this, came the news: My mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Unable to sleep, I’d wake daily at 3:22 a.m. (side bar: that is my mother’s birthdate, which was not surprising). Memories long-since forgotten came bursting to the forefront again. Creative, spontaneous inspiration followed the memories. During the dark time of the morning that the mystics call “the shamanic hour,” I’d get up, make coffee, do a little breath work, move my body for a minute, meditate, then sit outdoors, and cathartically write until the sun came up. Over the next two years, what started as disorganized, frazzled, written snippets of my life, shape-shifted into my memoir. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What were your feelings when you first saw the cover of the finished product?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I cannot say it was love at first sight. But as a complete novice in the publishing world, I had made a pact with myself to trust the process and the professional experience of my publisher. We made some small tweaks, yes, but mostly, falling in love with my cover was a choice I made— like an arranged marriage.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT A SMOKE AND A SONG<br /></span></b><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #999999;">1. The entire book was written in the dark, outdoors on my deck, between 3:30am and 7:00am</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">2. The original name of the book was In the Folds of My Skin.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">3. The original subtitle was A Daughter’s Memoir of Living in the Layers.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">4. The first chapter “Kitchen Window” was originally the last chapter.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">5. I first wrote the book in past tense and about six months in the journey, I decided it needed to be in the present tense instead. I had to comb out the “ahas” of what I know now and simply tell the story from where I was at the age of each chapter. I chose this way so the reader could make their own meaning relative to their own experience.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">6. While writing and editing the book, I got engaged, built a house from the ground up, got married (and nearly divorced— just kidding!), closed my yoga business and non-profit, and my son left for college. Oh, and I decided to grow out my grays!</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">7. While editing my manuscript I took a four-month online course on Attachment Theory and Strategy and Polyvagal Theory to better understand and be able to “show” the complexities of what motivates our behaviors, how this looks physically in our bodily response, and how it effects our methods of communication in relationships. I used what I learned to enhance the scenes between the characters, specifically with dialogue, and relaying the physical reactions the characters displayed in the scenes.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">8. I used a meditation practice called “Five-Sense-Awareness” to go into each writing session, so that I could “plop” myself directly into a setting and into the hearts and minds of the characters. I used my yoga practice to come out of every writing session to rebalance my nervous system from the triggers that often took place while writing past experiences.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">9. My grandma’s painting “Tiger, Tiger” (mentioned in the book) currently hangs in my son’s bedroom.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">10. I still have my son’s stuffed animal lamb.</span></li></ul><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is your happiest childhood memory?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Sunset, riding the subway home, with my sisters beside me and my head in my mother’s warm lap, while she unknots my hair. I am salty and sandy and so darn sleepy after a full day of wave-tumbling, knish and ice cream-eating, and boardwalk-strolling at Brooklyn’s Brighten Beach. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Coffee. Always coffee. Café Bustelo, hand poured through a recycled filter, a little milk, a little honey. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Love with a broken heart, every time! It’s worth the pain. Plus, it lends itself for great writing material later! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">When did I turn into my mother? </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">There is no better feeling than this, right here, right now. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> If you had to go back in time and change one thing, if you HAD to, even if you had “no regrets” what would it be?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I would have added a disclaimer on the first page of the book. It would read something like this: </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Memory is not a life timeline of events, and neither is my memoir.<br />Memory is a felt sense that lives behind the knees, in the marrow of my bones, between toes. I taste it in my coffee, it’s in the ashes I haven’t yet cleaned in the wood stove. Mine is in the songs I no longer play, it’s on sticky skin, in open pores. I dream from memory. Memory meets my yoga mat, my meditations, words on the page. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">How and what we remember will always be deeply personal, subject to the complexities of who we are and the lens we look through: coping mechanisms, survival strategies, our interpretation of our upbringings, belief systems, traumas, triumphs, family inheritance, world view, politics, people, point of reference, spiritual practices, what we ate for breakfast even, to name just a few. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">My story will never be your story. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">And yet sometimes, it is. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I touch my pain to remember how I have healed. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">So you can do the same. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I touch my sweet and tender spots to remember my strength. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">So you can do the same. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I touch the loneliness to remember I am loved. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">So you can do the same. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I touch the chaos to repair-back/repair-forward, seven generations. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">So you can do the same. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Any Camp stories you would like to share?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">As a New York City girl, spending time outdoors during my six summers at Camp Wawa Segowea in Massachusetts was life changing. I have so many coming-of-age stories from camp, but the top three are:</span><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #999999;">1) Evenings on the lake in a rowboat with my bestie Erica (we were so inseparable everyone called us “Sherica”) eating Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and gossiping about boys we wanted to kiss before the summer ended.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">2) Hiking the Adirondack Trail through New England. Erica led the pack, I took up post behind the line of campers.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">3) My last summer, as a Counselor in Training, Erica and I nearly got kicked out because we had “three strikes” against us: The first, we were caught sneaking off campus to meet up with a gaggle of eighteen-year-old boys who drove from the city to see us (we were fifteen). The second, the camp director busted us smoking cigarettes behind the tennis courts. The third, we memorized a kid’s dad’s calling card number and used it to make long distance calls. Note: our parents made us pay back every cent to the dad.</span></li></ul><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is the weirdest thing you have seen in someone else’s home?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">A hidden underground chamber below the basement of a home my husband was painting. It was hidden behind one of those faux bookshelves. The chamber was made completely of stone and had iron hand shackles laid into the stone walls. It was horrific! Lord knows what creepiness happened in that house. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When was the last time you told someone you loved them?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">About three minutes ago, to my elderly and completely deaf cat Shadow, who often sits by my feet while I write. She looked up to me and I batted my eyelashes at her, which my son tells me is “cat-speak” for I love you. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">This past March, I took a trip to Mexico with a handful of girlfriends to celebrate one of their fiftieth birthdays. We laughed, deep-cramping-in-the-belly, pee-in-your-pants laughter about a hundred times a day for the entire week! </span><br /><br /> <div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VmMiDhYqIGtYsL3VwXXw0HizueriL7_vx9RmmkSj7gCHhEATm-paCZ-BJ9U4LrgYXsXdGLwTh22gC2pOxWdIp20PiT8GgFEwE3ZvgAho3ImfgEZC0cHYokxBybZf-HJinb3odHeJS1qCdTjSY3sgEEHNP_gtLx4ddsN2iJzaVyDraO92SRlW-Vkdm_H1/s620/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VmMiDhYqIGtYsL3VwXXw0HizueriL7_vx9RmmkSj7gCHhEATm-paCZ-BJ9U4LrgYXsXdGLwTh22gC2pOxWdIp20PiT8GgFEwE3ZvgAho3ImfgEZC0cHYokxBybZf-HJinb3odHeJS1qCdTjSY3sgEEHNP_gtLx4ddsN2iJzaVyDraO92SRlW-Vkdm_H1/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #999999;">January 2021, ten months into the global pandemic, Sherry Sidoti’s mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer—so Sherry prioritizes a trip to Manhattan over long-awaited empty-nesting and her “second chance” with fiancé Jevon. With new life blooming and loss looming, she is beckoned to answer the question that has haunted her since: Is freedom found in “letting go,” as the spiritual teachers (and her mother) insist, or is it found by digging our heels deeper into the earth and holding on to our humanness?<br /><br /><i>A Smoke and a Song</i> is Sidoti’s story of her quest to find meaning in her memories. Told with tenacity, tenderness, and wry humor, Sidoti stumbles toward self-actualization, spiritual awakening, and, despite it all, love. This is a story steeped in art and spirituality that explores the complexities of transgenerational maternal bonds, attachment, loss, and leaning in to our wounds to find the wisdom.</span></div><div><div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>A Smoke and a Song </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>SHERRY SIDOTI </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>A Smoke and a Song </i>by Sherry Sidoti.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-7563466567574281972023-08-14T06:00:00.106-07:002023-08-15T02:13:38.099-07:00Bill Boggs Interview - Spike Unleashed<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Bill Boggs</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Bill Boggs</span></b><span style="color: #999999;">, author of SPIKE UNLEASHED, is an Emmy Award–winning TV talk show host, producer, and writer who began his career in comedy. His earlier books include the novel The Adventures of Spike the Wonder Dog; a self-help book, Got What It Takes?; and At First Sight, a love story optioned by Hollywood. His TV credits include the long-running Midday Live out of New York City and programs on Food Network, PBS, CBS, NBC, ABC, ESPN, Travel Channel, and Showtime. Bill served as the executive producer of the groundbreaking The Morton Downey Jr. Show and was the co-creator and host of the syndicated series Comedy Tonight. BillBoggsTV on YouTube features hundreds of Bill’s interviews with some of the most notable personalities of our time. He divides his time between New York City, East Hampton, and Palm Beach.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/billboggs" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/realbillboggs/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RealBillBoggs" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://billboggs.com/index.htm" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/379950.Bill_Boggs" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjWxZWhsk8a2QWCoz4yrbdPfOyQbznozmTunUPXP04EyK6e8cl2TRiILWgN77MpIVSZVBkNK1sON6EkTSxakf9nRNr0QcJkPluuoHH0IRqnVvD5S8mZgS1FDpXTBDTHBWzFEIZa4MeC0zAG3bqB2lGF2THpuJUBTtZ8Gmwt_xrTVg1E6AQOftGufYcQl73/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Greatest thing you learned at school.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">That somehow I was actually able to get through school at the University of Pennsylvania and graduate. Beyond that, I learned to stay completely open to revisions in creative process, prepare to abandon preconceptions. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Very early in life, maybe age 4 or 5, when I started drawing. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Act One by Moss Hart, an epic story of success and overcoming disadvantaged youth. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Having people who read the book and tell me that they laughed out loud several times. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Read great books carefully and make sure you can type. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Squirrels. While I was writing, they’d be running around outside on the lawn and dangling by their tails on my birdfeeders. I’d stop to watch them. Squirrels don’t get credit for their agility, although I’ve seen Penn & Teller do similar stunts. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What chapter was the most memorable to write and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The first chapter of SPIKE UINLEASHED and what happens to the wonder dog when he meets “the Kardashian.” He’s not sure which one she is. With enough cosmetic filler, everyone starts to look the same to him. He’s a dog. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Ram Dass’ Be Here Now awakened n me the desire to live mindfully in the moment. Try being mindful for about five minutes. It’s not easy but crucial. Dogs do it very well. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Why is storytelling so important for all of us?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">It’s a great way to occupy time while you’re waiting for the squirrels to come back. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Can you tell us when you started SPIKE UNLEASHED, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I planted the seeds of the story that unfolds in SPIKE UNLEASHED in the first book, The Adventures of Spike the Wonder Dog as told to Bill Boggs. So when I felt ready to write the sequel, I sat down to do it. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product?</span><br /><span style="color: #999999;">That I had the discipline to prevail – to write the novel and get it published by Post Hill Press. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">What were your inspirations for the character development?</span><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Can’t say inspiration, but to create zany memorable characters that a reader would enjoy meeting.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT SPIKE UNLEASHED</span></b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #999999;">Spike tells me the story. We do this without the aid of ‘shrooms.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">Spike is an English bull terrier whose great, great, great, great grandfather was a war hero in Britain during WWII.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">Spike’s nemesis is the boxer and exotic services Mogul, Ike “I Got Money” Piles.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">Spike is having relationship problems with Daisy, his girlfriend at the start of the book. By book’s end he has a new love.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">One of the characters Spike befriends is a foul-mouthed African grey parrot named Herbie.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">Prince Harry has the title role as “Florida Man,” a Netflix movie that also stars Spike, Tim Allen, Jim Carrey and Lucie Arnaz.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">SPIKE UNLEASHED is set in Palm Beach, East Hampton, and Manhattan, all places where I live. That was a great part of the writing experience for me.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">Many celebrities appear in the book – a few (other than those mentioned above) are—Bill Maher, Nancy Pelosi, Jimmy Fallon, Bob Costas, the defrosted head of baseball great Ted Williams (it was frozen after he died), Jay Z and Beyonce, the voice of Brian Cox, and the ghost of Anthony Bourdain.</span></li></ul><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>Meet the Characters <br /></b><b>SOL "THE OLD SWEDE</b></span><span style="color: #999999;"> </span><span style="color: #999999;">—</span><span style="color: #999999;"> archetypal dirty old man who owns the TV station where Bud and Spike work. He has a major sexual hang-up over Nancy Pelosi, whom he, Spike and Bud meet in Washington, DC. When Sol approaches her, the Old Swede gives her a…well, read the book. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">LOMBARDO </span></b><span style="color: #999999;">—</span><span style="color: #999999;"> Bud and Spike’s brilliant boss at WGHP-TV where they work in High Point, North Carolina.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">BIG RANDY WOODY</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> </span><span style="color: #999999;">— </span><span style="color: #999999;">strip club operator who hits it big on crypto and wants to create a “national civility project” to get nation on the right track, but fails because…well…read the book.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">BRENDA </span></b><span style="color: #999999;">—</span><span style="color: #999999;"> Bud’s sometime girlfriend who wears a “sexbit” on her wrist during intimacy with Bud that gives Bud a score on his performance in the sack each time they go at it. The sexbit is one of my many inventions created for the book.</span></div><div><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Donald Trump appears in the book at Mar-a-Lago behind a podium with an “I’m Still the President” presidential seal as he welcomes a group of evangelical Christians for dinner and a movie – a screening of “The Aristocrats.” It’s a filthy film but DJT is not familiar with the content. He chose it because he thought the title reflected well on him. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">IVAN </span></b><span style="color: #999999;">—</span><span style="color: #999999;"> drunken Russian former special protection officer for Putin who is now working for Ike “I got money” Piles to eliminate Budd and Spike…and he almost succeeds, except for…</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">BILLY </span></b><span style="color: #999999;">—</span><span style="color: #999999;"> Spike’s brilliant brother with whom Spike is reunited and who helps the wonder dog in his hour of need.</span></div><div><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“How did three dogs and a parrot end up traveling to East Hampton unsupervised on a bus?” is how the CBS Evening News teased the story about what took Spike to the East End of Long Island. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">There are 18 illustrations in the novel from Jacob Below. We are endeavoring to get both Spike books made into a streaming cartoon series for Netflix or Prime Adult Animation. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">A troupe of washed-up celebrity lookalike performers figures in the plot. Bud, Lombardo, and Spike are involved in creating a reality show for Andy Cohen. Among the performers is a Joe Biden imitator who morphs Dean Martin’s confused drunk act into Joe at a press conference. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Writing Behind the Scenes<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I always start writing by editing the work from the previous day. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Stock boy in a grocery store, age 11. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your happiest childhood memory?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Too many to relate, maybe winning the American Legion Award for outstanding classmate as selected by my classmates in 8th grade. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Drama, it was easy.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a kid?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The fifties, the last decade of innocence. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Name one thing you miss about being a kid.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Not worrying about so much, but then I remember, “Be here now.” </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Best date you've ever had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">That’s saved for my memoir, but think French and initials B.B. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">“Today is going to be a great day.” </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your most memorable travel experience?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Meeting Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas at 4 AM, the day after I had a dream that I would meet him. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What's your most missed memory?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I don’t know. If I missed it, I can’t remember it. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Not one thing.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">All the time. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">True love, no contest. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My God, look at my hair, it must be really humid. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Of the things I accomplished during the previous waking hours. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you had to go back in time and change one thing, if you HAD to, even if you had “no regrets” what would it be?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Buying a used VW with no warranty that broke down the next day on the Pennsylvania Turnpike – I was age 22. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you could go back in time to one point in your life, where would you go?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My high school graduation, oh, to see my beloved classmates again. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was your favorite subject when you were in school?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">English</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">First Love?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">MaryAnn</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you could be born into history as any famous person who would it be and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Jonas Salk who invented a polio vaccine. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a kid?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The fifties, last decade of innocence and the birth of rock and roll, and, by the end of the decade, just when you are ready for it, the sexual revolution. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">First Heartbreak?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">MaryAnn</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Any Camp stories you would like to share?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Only camping I ever did was with the U.S. Army </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">At a movie theater which arm rest is yours?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Right</span></div><div><br /><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b> What is your greatest adventure?</b><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #999999;">Here’s the adventure yet to be… </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What event in your life would make a good movie?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The meeting Sinatra story and his subsequent appearance on my TV show and the headlines it made around the world. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is one unique thing are you afraid of?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> Ticks</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the weirdest thing you have seen in someone else’s home?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">A dinosaur skeleton </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When was the last time you told someone you loved them?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">That’s my business. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Laughing at the captain’s dinner scene in “triangle of sadness.” So, now, please get the book, and have some good laughs on me…over and out…</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Most horrifying dream you have ever had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">That I was a part of a group of people who did a terrible thing and knew we’d get caught.</span><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Our English Bull Terrier hero and his master Bud continue their hilarious antics in this latest installment of Spike the Wonder Dog’s adventures.<br /><br />This laugh-out-loud novel, with its interwoven and inventive plotlines, could be called Game of Bones . In the midst of being ensnared in a devious revenge plot, Spike the Wonder Dog manages to unleash his celebrated brand of absurdist humor, shrewd social commentary, and certifiably funny grievances at human shortcomings, while romping through all manner of sexy scenarios in the rich and famous playgrounds of Palm Beach, Manhattan, and East Hampton. Spike and the wacky but deeply developed characters he encounters will definitely tickle your funny bone as he and his talk show host owner Bud dig up some brilliant twists on popular culture scenarios, celebrities, and behind-the-scenes action in the world of entertainment.</span><br /><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Spike Unleashed </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/3OEn1H4" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spike-unleashed-bill-boggs/1142829044?ean=9781637589847" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKQz9WRyucW1iFkEVFm67XtDHCbhuEZxzJt8s49jt7GUZoy3spL8sydYJcFGHJ_aZ21m0_8arvutCWUTMpsvZN6b4Ggkd4megJtJIgSkdVoG9o_El5u-7ckYlN1NW08GhddhzTeIZsWs/s1600/bn.png" /></a> <a href="https://amzn.to/3sdfgR1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> </div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>BILL BOGGS </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>Spike Unleashed </i>by Bill Boggs.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-9758050893876258482023-08-10T05:00:00.063-07:002023-08-10T05:00:00.143-07:00Joelle Wellington Interview - Their Vicious Games<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Joelle Wellington</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Joelle Wellington</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where her childhood was spent wandering the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Her love of the written word led her to a BA in creative writing and international studies. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading and when she’s not doing that, she’s attempting to bake bread with varying degrees of success or strengthening her encyclopedia-like pop culture knowledge. Their Vicious Games is her first young adult novel.</span><br />
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<div> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jowellington/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/joelle_welling" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.joellewellington.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22575762.Joelle_Wellington" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMI-UrotHM1kIyBuOQYs351uoT9cV3ToWQlviNR5gcEH4390bOEIaSH9XNNra8kmfWyuJPtOsYhcA-X8cPRkD4nskfGTO9Ng3UQCVsie4rZWBsVbJKD9Y7-3EhlWx-f9jHcWMiO53-F9NPx78sdCv93mIvdvigOcx6W2abCZd6Hdjkac5w-tpfXP6jH3ov/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I always knew from when I was very young that I wanted to create stories. I spent so much time stapling together printer paper and drawing illustrations and writing the little things that I came up with in my head. My parents read to me a lot as a kid and I just admired the idea that someone could sit down and write my favorite thing. So, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to make someone’s favorite thing. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My favorite book of all-time is Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. I think it’s such a layered story and I love a good story that talks about familial relationships, particular sister relationships and mother-daughter relationships. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">But, that’s a thriller/mystery, and you asked also out of my genre. I used to write poetry, but I don’t anymore, so I’d have to say Crush by Richard Siken. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">This was right after I signed my contract—it was my mother’s 50th birthday, and my entire family (grandparents, aunt, sister, included) went out to dinner. It was a really nice restaurant, and at the end of it, I spoke to the waitress and took care of the bill. Being able to give something to my mother after she gave so much to me for my entire life was the most rewarding thing. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. I remember reading it my senior year of high school and being in absolute awe that someone could write something like this. Just a beautiful, intricate tale about a single family through multiple generations. That really changed my perspective on what storytelling could be and accomplish. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Why is storytelling so important for all of us?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">For me, storytelling is an avenue of truth-telling. I think that when you cut through the craft and the story, there’s always a central thesis that rings like truth in the author’s life. On the part of the reader, I think storytelling is important because you should have questions after you finish something. I don’t like the idea that a book should always provide answers. I think it should raise questions that you go out to answer in the real world.</span><br /> <br /><span style="color: #999999;"> What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product?</span><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Elation. The cover is perfect in every possible way. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THEIR VICIOUS GAMES<br /></span></b><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #999999;">1. It used to be called BLOODSPORT. I have that tattooed on my arm.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">2. Every single book I write begins in the form of a playlist and a Pinterest board. The first song on the playlist is Royals by Lorde.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">3. This is the funniest I’ve ever allowed myself to be in my writing.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">4. Adina Walker used to want to be a filmmaker, but only because at the time, I had been obsessed with the art of filmmaking.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">5. I was so, so sure of the ending until I actually got there, and then I realized that there had to be a change.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">6. I first drafted it through a terrible ear infection that lasted like 3 weeks, because I hadn’t realized I had an ear infection, like a 4 year old.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">7. I deleted an entire best friend for Adina from the first draft because she didn’t serve the story as well as I wanted her to. (RIP Imani, you were great.)</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">8. I decided to go with my current publisher while standing in the middle of a Trader Joe’s, debating over salmon.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">9. Besides Adina and Saint, the two characters that came to me fully formed in my head were Penthesilea Bonavich and Leighton Remington.</span></li></ul><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Assistant/secretary at an Early Childhood Center.</span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Name one thing you miss about being a kid.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> Reading under the covers after bedtime. It doesn’t have the same allure now that I set my own bedtime. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">What I’m going to wear tomorrow. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is one unique thing are you afraid of?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The sound of cardboard rubbing together freaks me out.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was your favorite subject when you were in school?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I had a class that was a mix of English and theater of about 12 kids and we would read three Shakespeare plays a semester. Every class, we were assigned roles for the reading. 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<span style="color: #999999;">A Black teen desperate to regain her Ivy League acceptance enters an elite competition only to discover the stakes aren’t just high, they’re deadly, in this searing thriller that’s Ace of Spades meets Squid Game with a sprinkling of The Bachelor .<br /><br />You must work twice as hard to get half as much.<br /><br />Adina Walker has known this the entire time she’s been on scholarship at the prestigious Edgewater Academy—a school for the rich (and mostly white) upper class of New England. It’s why she works so hard to be perfect and above reproach, no matter what she must force beneath the surface. Even one slip can cost you everything.<br /><br />And it does. One fight, one moment of lost control, leaves Adina blacklisted from her top choice Ivy League college and any other. Her only chance to regain the future she’s sacrificed everything for is the Finish, a high-stakes contest sponsored by Edgewater’s founding family in which twelve young, ambitious women with exceptional promise are selected to compete in three mysterious the Ride, the Raid, and the Royale. The winner will be granted entry into the fold of the Remington family, whose wealth and power can open any door.<br /><br />But when she arrives at the Finish, Adina quickly gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right with both the Remingtons and her competition, and soon it becomes clear that this larger-than-life prize can only come at an even greater cost. Because the Finish’s stakes aren’t just make or break…they’re life and death.<br /><br />Adina knows the deck is stacked against her—it always has been—so maybe the only way to survive their vicious games is for her to change the rules.</span></div><div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Their Vicious Games </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/4411D4k" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/their-vicious-games-joelle-wellington/1142483553?ean=9781665922425" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKQz9WRyucW1iFkEVFm67XtDHCbhuEZxzJt8s49jt7GUZoy3spL8sydYJcFGHJ_aZ21m0_8arvutCWUTMpsvZN6b4Ggkd4megJtJIgSkdVoG9o_El5u-7ckYlN1NW08GhddhzTeIZsWs/s1600/bn.png" /></a> <a href="https://amzn.to/448gp9S" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> </div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>JOELLE WELLINGTON</b> </span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>Their Vicious Games</i> by Joelle Wellington.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-53544988108154155562023-08-09T05:00:00.093-07:002023-08-09T05:00:00.133-07:00Sarah Sapora Interview - Soul Archaeology<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Sarah Sapora</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Sarah Sapora</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> is a writer, inspirational speaker, and the organizer of body inclusive personal growth events and self-love retreats around the world. Sarah uses her voice to make personal growth relatable to the nearly 70% of American women considered plus size. Online, her tight-knit community includes hundreds of thousands of “80’s and 90’s kids” searching for self-love and wellness free of diet culture. Sarah’s guiding principles of radical vulnerability, self-accountability and tolerance have solidified her reputation as someone who “talks about the hard stuff” with humor and heart. She lives in Las Vegas, NV with her 110lb “lap dog” Eliza, and loves cowboy boots, meditation, cooking, and crochet.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SarahSaporaOfficial" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarahsapora/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ssapora" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.sarahsapora.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23107601.Sarah_Sapora" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HYNVkkBoAdDkN5Bn6vwxPJwqNrYeVqnWvgLgZmhbmEZ8FY1bXX9uz0AXGaOeQ9Wf8L9XqyAxiu6s5MUMsAZheUfjELY9ntpXaOrJmpZNx3kExJzNmprhzvyGZwosr-Daivrt0INhq63ywDbaZIg8YDIs25iyt9HFS1c4VtwzDXM-ILpUhzcwtDJ6pL1i/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Greatest thing you learned at school.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">How to wear overalls with confidence. (Grin) I was a music major and studied performance in school – so I would say that learning how to be comfortable in my own skin when standing in front of people was a huge skill I cultivated in school. There is nothing about presenting or public speaking that scares me. </span><br /><b><br /><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I’ve always marched a bit to my own drum. As a writer, I used to write “as” other people. I wrote fiction that was me but under a different person’s name. As a marketer, I did the same for brands. At some point in time I realized that I, as myself, had something to say and that it would take bravery to SHOW UP as myself, but that it would be worth it. I didn’t feel this truly intill my late 30’s/ </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It is a juicy classic that really transcends genres. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Without a doubt, having women who read my book tell me that they were able to read things I wrote that the related to that nobody else has ever shared. When someone says “This book was really hard for me to read but I needed it so badly!” Being able to connect with people because my vulnerability has made it safe for them to experiment their own. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Buckle up, Buttercup. It will be a wild ride! Also… (lovingly) plan to have income come from other places or figure out how to leverage your book into income because book sales (most likely) generate real income for you. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My own ADHD. Holy sh*t! It wasn’t till writing that I realized just how hard it was for me to focus! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Absolutely. The books that have changed my life the most are the ones that have made me feel less alone. Books like Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth and The Truth by Neil Strauss both delt with sticky topics in a way that felt liberating and safe for me. Especially when it comes to non-fiction, I truly think it has the power to liberate us. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Why is storytelling so important for all of us?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">When we tell our own stories, we allow ourselves to process our feelings and our pain. Even if we speak stories that nobody heard and we tell them only to ourselves – they exist only on paper – letting our own stories flow through us paves the way for our liberation. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started SOUL ARCHAEOLOGY, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I knew in my heart that I wanted to write a book long before I did – I didn’t commit to it in my head until 2018 when I was in the bath one day. I didn’t actually start to write till 2019. I was prompted to put pen to paper by a soul-breaking split from a romantic partner that served as the catalyst for a tremendous amount of emotional growth. Without that relationship, without feeling that love, feeling that hurt and hunkering down to heal through it, I would not be the woman I am today and this book would not have happened. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT SOUL ARCHAEOLOGY</span></b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #999999;">This is the book I wish I had been able to read when I was at my lowest moment.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">Writing this book helped me realize the terrible ADHD that I have. I never saw what I hard time I had sitting down to focus until having to write this book!</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">I let the women who are profiled in the book pick their “Names” and I truly think they got a huge kick out of it.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">I wrote this book as if it was intended to be read aloud. I write like I speak, and I speak like I write – it’s very musical in its use of pacing and word choice! This makes sense as I was a music major in college. Pacing and journey played a huge part in how I wrote this book.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">My “go to” comfort food that I reached for when I was writing hard pieces of this book were ice cream sandwiches. They kind you ate as a child where the cookie would stick to your fingers. Writing this book really illustrated my connection to emotional eating and how, when feeling an emotional stressor, food is the first coping mechanism I reached for.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">The man referred to as “George” in my book is, no shocker, not named George in real life. I named him after a George Strait song called “Run” that carried me through our relationship.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">I wrote Soul Archaeology because I believed there was a huge lack of body diversity in the personal growth space. We need to see more bodies of all sizes going through the process of cultivating self-love!</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">Writing this book truly helped my dad and I work through difficult stuff together. I know that parts of this book scare him and yet, it is our healing together that really finalizes the books arch and journey.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">Grilled chicken. Cantaloupe. Grapes. Pilates three times a week. Gym twice a week. I was ruthless in my prioritizing my own self-care throughout the writing of this book! I knew it would be hard and I am proud of how I navigated the sticky feelings that came up as I wrote.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">I fought to have my image on the cover of this book. Not because I wanted to see it there for fun, but because I knew that, for a larger woman searching for a book to read that she could feel safe reading, that SEEING ME would make her realize this book was for her. Seeing my larger body on the cover will help other people to know this book is accessible for them!</span></li></ul><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I worked as a reception at a deaf Catholic school. That was my first ever real job. The job I worked that entertains people the most is that I am the former marketing gal for Chippendales. Yes, Chippendales. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Political communications. I initially wanted to be a speechwriter. I loved words. I loved the idea of being in politics. I was really enthusiastic to figure out how I could use words to inspire and connect with people. In essence, I’m doing that now, just in a different industry. I ended up being a Music major in college. When it came to study music, I loved musicology – I was fascinated with music history and how music reflected / shaped society at different points in time. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a kid?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I would choose to be what I was – a child of the 80s. Before the internet, so there was still the essence of childhood innocence, but with technological advances. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Name one thing you miss about being a kid.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Life without social media. Hands down. So much more free! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Best date you've ever had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your most memorable travel experience?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My heart is in Montana. For the last two years I have spent a month in a small town in Montana. Waking up and spending time trying to count and identify the different birds. Seeing the sky change. Fly fishing. All of that! </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Also, when I was in my early 20’s I picked up and went to Portugal on a whim. The sense of freedom combined with assurance and confidence! Without, you know … knee pain. (Grim) </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What's your most missed memory?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My grandmother. Anything to do with her. Staying at her house as a child and coming down the stairs early in the morning to find her drinking her instant coffee and Stella Dora Breakfast cookie while wearing Reebok sneakers and a velour track suit. I miss her every day. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">A breakup with a former partner with whom our relationship was a representation of my deepest core wounds. Without that relationship – loving him, losing him, and working through those feelings, I would not have the self-esteem I do today. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I like to think I stand up for women I will never meet every day of my life when I share on social media. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">True love with heartbreak. Without understanding the depths of our own darkness, we cannot see the brightness of our own light. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Ballet. A lot of times I do ballet in my head to help me fall asleep. Specially, the ballet Swan Lake. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> If you had to go back in time and change one thing, if you HAD to, even if you had “no regrets” what would it be?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I regret that I spent my entire youth believing my body needed to be fixed instead of spending that energy on doing things that built my confidence, strengthened my skills, and made me uniquely me. As an adult, I would say my relationship with my body, my weight, and physical fitness. I wish I had treated my body better so that it would feel better now, so that my body itself and my lack of mobility, was never a hinderance into my creating a life that brought me joy. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">First Love?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Junior high boyfriend who introduced me to Led Zeppelin and classic rock in general. We used to make out and make mix tapes. It was classic teenage stuff and so awesome. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Most horrifying dream you have ever had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I once had a dream that the leprechaun from the Leprechaun movie series of the 90s was chasing me up and down the stairs. Halfway through the dream he was replaced with a Zombie version of Bugs Bunny. Scared the daylights out of me – ever since then I have freaked out about walking up staris, thinking that the Zombie Bugs Bunny or Leprechaun was behind me. Truth. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">At a movie theater which arm rest is yours?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I lean right. So. Hunger Games fighting over that one if the person next to me leans left. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What event in your life would make a good movie?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My early 20’s as a plus size woman working in Las Vegas as the marketing gal for Chippendales would make for a hilarious movie but also one with a lot of opportunity for soul searching. You would see a character searching for herself, making some really shitty relationship choices, but always (always) feeling hopeful that something great was just around the corner! And, of course, good looking half-naked men. Who doesn’t like that? (Grin) </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is one unique thing are you afraid of?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Liquid nacho cheese. Really. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When was the last time you told someone you loved them?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">This morning. My mother. I tell people I love them all the time. I embrace how I feel and believe in expressing the words when I get the chance. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Sitting on the couch with my boyfriend watching an old episode of Homeland, the show on HBO, and watching Mandy Patinkin kick ass as Saul. My boyfriend and I got on track of making up nicknames for his character being awesome. We called him “Saul-A-Geddon” or, when he was wearing a black turtleneck, we called him “Tacti-Saul” after the expression in the show Archer where he calls black turtlenecks “Tactinecks.”</span><div style="text-align: center;"><div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">With the help of this powerful guidebook, meet your ultimate You and cultivate real self-acceptance and true self-love in the present moment. <br /><br />You want to love yourself. You want to let go of feeling invisible or unworthy or alone. You want to break free of others’ expectations (and your own) and live life on your terms . Let’s do it!<br /><br />In this highly anticipated debut, plus-size personal growth trailblazer Sarah Sapora redefines self-love, offering the knowing nod, the deep cleansing breath, and the older sister wisdom which women of all sizes have been waiting for. Soul Archaeology begins with a simple, illuminating “What’s hurting me right now?” Acting as your guide, Sapora helps you through the sticky, liberating process of self-discovery to uncover your Ultimate You, allowing you Weaving together practical, transformative guidance with her own deeply personal narrative, Soul Archaeology teaches readers to cast off the chains of traditional Before-and-After thinking so often found in self-improvement. Instead, it offers a strategy for self-accountability, honesty, and compassion that can help each of us to grow into our greatest selves–a person not defined by weight or age, but by our commitment to a more loving, honest, and powerful life.<br /></span>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Soul Archaeology </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/442XHQE" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/soul-archaeology-sarah-sapora/1142799589?ean=9781538725757" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKQz9WRyucW1iFkEVFm67XtDHCbhuEZxzJt8s49jt7GUZoy3spL8sydYJcFGHJ_aZ21m0_8arvutCWUTMpsvZN6b4Ggkd4megJtJIgSkdVoG9o_El5u-7ckYlN1NW08GhddhzTeIZsWs/s1600/bn.png" /></a> <a href="https://amzn.to/441ZwgL" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> </div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>SARAH SAPORA </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>Soul Archaeology</i> by Sarah Sapora.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-83908984357666813812023-08-08T06:00:00.083-07:002023-08-08T06:06:28.861-07:00Melanie Smith Interview - Unfinished Business<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Melanie Smith</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Melanie Smith</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> has worked in the field of heartbreak, grief, transition, loss, change, reinvention, and all things Unfinished Business for over two decades and has helped thousands of people change their lives profoundly. She started her career as a platinum-selling international songwriter and award-winning actress, starring and co-starring in shows such as: </span><i style="color: #999999;">As the World Turns, Melrose Place, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Deep Space Nine</i><span style="color: #999999;">, and </span><i style="color: #999999;">The Division</i><span style="color: #999999;">, to name a few. As an entrepreneur, her award-winning lifestyle, wellness, and yoga center was considered to be one of the most well-respected in the country by sources such as </span><i style="color: #999999;">Vogue, Yoga Journal, Philadelphia Magazine</i><span style="color: #999999;">, and others. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #999999;">Now a powerful motivational speaker, writer, and leader, Melanie has been a contributing writer for many national health and wellness magazines and holds the distinction of being an PCC-level ICF certified coach and an ICI-master-level coach. She is the proud mother of one grown son, Gideon. Born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, she presently splits her time between New Hope, Pennsylvania, and Naples, Florida. <br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniesmithofficial/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://workwithmelaniesmith.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/248777.Melanie_Smith" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1FNLU9nsHdyoONbsg4ENoGtXI08hcbRn6NW5sWaSi5Vrx4SN2g_EdXhfeVxxDRm6dYiyXIYwu0i4oA8XtDPr5b9rELfoSbC8PehkU9WMjfQdP9gGeUXnuL7LdfuKdZqjyqjFWw5SN8BXpAw2c6uaNBP6QRaEHf10WsbH7f8ShiHfeU6Fmh_1FhiSXC0W/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Greatest thing you learned at school.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">To take thinking seriously and how to make friends. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">At summer camp from the ages 11-14. We had a season-long competition that took place each summer called SING. It consisted of 3 teams and an overarching theme. Each team had to create characters, write songs, design, and built signs and sets, and make costumes, all around the chosen theme. There was a captain and a co-captain assigned to each team by vote and the captains had to lead rehearsals, produce all aspects of the show, and ultimately present the story and lead your team in performing the songs in front of the entire camp. The first year I went to summer camp I was chosen to be the co-captain. I was driven, obsessed even. I wrote all the songs and designed the signs and sets. I even stayed up until all hours of the morning sneaking into the arts and crafts hall to make the costumes I would dream up in my head in the middle of the night. We won! I never felt more in my flow than when I was leading, creating, building, writing, and manifesting my desired outcomes. I knew then that my purpose was aligned with the act of creating stories, guiding people, inspiring success, and producing whatever needed to be manifested to bring those creations, songs, and stories to life. It’s no wonder I became an actress, writer, songwriter, singer, performer, and coach as my ultimate profession. The breadcrumbs I followed on the path to my best life started way back then. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">That is such a tough question for me to answer. I’m in love with the English language and the use of it, so I read everything. Every genre, every era. It’s very difficult for me to narrow that down. I love Anne Lamott, Zora Neal Hurston, Lori Moore, Toni Morrison, Larry McMurtry, CS Lewis, Oscar Wilde, Somerset Maugham, Orwell, Uris, Fitzgerald, and Kahlil Gibran. I enjoy Malcolm Gladwell, Cal Newport, David Brooks, David Sedaris, and Nora Ephron. It’s endless! Four full walls in my home are lined with custom bookshelves, and in them, hundreds of books! I love them all because they each have a brilliant and profound way of sharing a personal world vision. I learn so much from books! I didn’t even include the writers of science, self-help, history, and philosophy in the list above. We’d be here forever, and I’d need to prepare. Let me put it this way; when I was a kid, I’d come home from school, lay on the floor, and read the Encyclopedia Britannica for hours. I still dream of getting a full set for my birthday one day! LOL </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I’m relatively new to writing so my advice is slim. Writing is hard work and requires a lot of discipline, clarity, and focus. It’s also very difficult to reap financial rewards from it. So, you must love it. More than love it. You must have something to say, and a profound need to say it. That is what takes you to the finish line. The deep desire to share a truth and an even deeper desire to be heard so you can have a valuable and meaningful impact on others. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you could have written one book in history, what book would that be?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Hmmmm, the Bible I suppose. It’s a goodie. Yes, I’ve read it! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Everything and anything I could find. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What chapter was the most memorable to write and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I think the chapter on Charge. It is, for certain the longest chapter and the most critical to understand. It’s dense with valuable information on how to understand your behavior truly. It also made me revisit a lot of traumas from my own life, which felt good because I could see how much clarity and complete healing I have experienced.</span></div><div><br /><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?</b><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #999999;">Yes. For sure. However, I could not pin the changes on one.</span></div><div><br /><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>Why is storytelling so important for all of us?</b><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #999999;">Telling stories is one of the most powerful means that people have to connect, learn, teach, and inspire. Storytelling not only forges connections among people but also webs people to ideas and a deeper understanding of themselves. Stories help us see ourselves in others and vis versa. Stories allow us to convey our history, our heart, and our values. Storytelling is the original craft that united people and our common stories become the ties that bind. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Also, stories and metaphors create a sort of leap in learning. If we can picture something and feel it, we understand it faster. Stories instill trust and open us up to more possibilities and a more powerful sense of learning because stories stick more than straight data does. They’ve studied the value of storytellers in communities and found that they were valued far more than any other members because of their ability to develop a greater sense of cooperation and enthusiasm within said community. Great stories make people feel inspired. They are carriers of hope. And quite frankly, good storytelling abilities make you more popular and more apt to survive. Nobody ever wants the funny, ebullient raconteur to leave the party, right? Great storytellers are always cherished, it’s basically a superpower. Great stories change people’s lives. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Can you tell us when you started UNFINISHED BUSINESS, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">It started as a workbook that I used for webinars beginning in 2017 but didn’t start on the book until about September or October of 2020. Then it took approximately two and a half to three years to complete. However, I started developing this IP nearly 30 years ago to deal with my own trauma and loss issues. It has evolved greatly over the years through many channels of study, practicum, and thousands of hours of one-on-one and group work that have supported its success. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">It felt wonderful. It’s quite an achievement to write and publish a book. No matter what the outcome. It takes a lot of courage, tenacity, and commitment. So, when you finally get it in hand, it’s like, WOW! I did this. My cover is beautiful, and SWP really worked hard with me to get it right. I’m very proud of it all, and I hope it has a true impact on the readers who can benefit from my work. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I was a Playboy bunny. Isn’t that funny? I was also the choreographer of several national cabaret shows for Playboy Corporation. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Best date you’ ve ever had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The first date I ever went on with my now fiancé. It was so natural and fun. It was love at first laugh. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Coffee. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your most memorable travel experience?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Ok, this is an amazing story. Well, to me, anyway. In 2006 I took a trip to Italy to stay at Sting (yes, that Sting) and Trudy’s (yes, that Trudy) home in Figline Valdarno. I could stop there, and that would kind of be enough, right, lol. But I’ll go on. If waking up each day and eating breakfast to the sound of Sting playing his guitar (which I think may have been his famous Ditson by Martin) in the stone stairwell of the main villa or drinking coffee with him in the treehouse on the property isn’t enough, it gets better. Sting knew that Shape of My Heart was my absolute favorite song so one evening during dinner as I sat beside Trudy chatting, I felt a foot move onto my chair and as I looked up it was Sting, guitar in hand. He proceeded to Sing my favorite song less than a foot from my face as Trudy squeezed my hand smiling. Tears poured down my cheeks. I think that takes the cake for my memorable travel experiences go. Oh, and once I rode a donkey down a mountain in Greece. You pick the winner. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What’s your most missed memory?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My memory. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My first yoga class and everyone thereafter. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Yes, In a car dealership. They were clearly ripping her off, and I’m a very good car negotiator. They call me “The Hammer!” and I’m proud of it! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">True love, for certain. And it always comes with a guarantee of heartbreak. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Ha. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Coffee. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you had to go back in time and change one thing, if you HAD to, even if you had “no regrets” what would it be?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I would have played the role of Curley’s wife in Of Mice and Men at the Roundabout when it was offered to me, and I would have started studying and singing jazz earlier. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you could go back in time to one point in your life, where would you go?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I’ve lost a lot of my family, so probably a family Thanksgiving where everyone was still alive, well, and joyous. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was your favorite subject when you were in school?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Creative writing and art. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">First Love?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Dance. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">First Heartbreak?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">When I accidently killed my goldfish, Goldie. It’s in the book. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">At a movie theater which arm rest is yours?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Both. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When was the last time you told someone, you loved them?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">This morning. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Sitting on my bed with my son and fiancé. They are two of the funniest people I know. That’s why I let them stick around.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you could be born into history as any famous person, who would it be and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Queen Margaret or Marie Antoinette. It would have been fun to say things like “Off with his head!” or “Let them eat cake!”. Actually, I would have to say Dorothy Parker. I absolutely adore her wit and who wouldn’t want to be a member of the Algonquin Round Table? Plus, she drank martinis with aplomb.</span><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span><div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVckJ3cfbaN9yWBu7KNhdpggkFbKj4BRBK5v9uBSy8Me8wPpvKP2T8pQ4rjg5yswy9CFLEVGo5RD2_tH0ws7hRqqjcFEqUCWXd5fXrHwKUQ9Cd5WZVfV22vvnW5Bqk30XItrOkdFa4mpgfogzOsKacv6u3j1mW2KNMZy3hPMkOuWfNTzy-tpxRFDSk3JS/s620/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVckJ3cfbaN9yWBu7KNhdpggkFbKj4BRBK5v9uBSy8Me8wPpvKP2T8pQ4rjg5yswy9CFLEVGo5RD2_tH0ws7hRqqjcFEqUCWXd5fXrHwKUQ9Cd5WZVfV22vvnW5Bqk30XItrOkdFa4mpgfogzOsKacv6u3j1mW2KNMZy3hPMkOuWfNTzy-tpxRFDSk3JS/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #999999;">Melanie Smith knows from experience how grief and trauma can feel complex and immovable. She used that experience to fuel her research into the issues of trauma, loss, and finding happiness, which led to the creation of <i>Unfinished Business</i>—an eight-step, actionable, step-by-step process that will help you uncover the story of your life from the perspective of heartbreaks, limiting beliefs, old patterns, and unconscious habits.<br /><br />As you work through this process, you will examine who your models and influencers were and are, as well as the relationships in your life that remain unresolved and incomplete; and you will learn to heal the past, forgive, and overcome long-held beliefs, patterns of behavior, negative self-talk, self-judgment, overwhelm, and misalignment that have held you back from succeeding in love, relationships, business, finance, and health. Through this work, you will come to know yourself at the deepest level, experience clarity of vision, and find complete self-awareness. Grounded in a scientifically supported and solution-based methodology, Melanie’s Unfinished Business system has already transformed many people’s lives through her one-on-one and small group coaching sessions; now everyone can access it—and change their lives once and for all.</span></div><div><div><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase </span><span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Unfinished Business </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>MELANIE SMITH </b></span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a <i>Unfinished Business</i> by Melanie Smith.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-1242565468311839892023-08-07T05:00:00.063-07:002023-08-07T05:25:07.358-07:00Susan Lynn Meyer Interview - A Sky Full of Song<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Susan Lynn Meyer</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Susan Lynn Meyer</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> is the author of two previous middle-grade historical novels—<i>Black Radishes</i>, a Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner, and Skating with the <i>Statue of Liberty</i>—as well as three picture books. Her works have won the Jane Addams Peace Association Children’s Book Award and the New York State Charlotte Award, as well as many other honors. Her novels have been chosen as Junior Library Guild and PJ Our Way selections, included among Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year, and translated into German and Chinese. She is Professor of English and Creative Writing at Wellesley College and lives outside Boston. </span><br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/susanlynnmeyer/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SusanLynnMeyer" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://susanlynnmeyer.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3420809.Susan_Lynn_Meyer" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimereb4F8KOhnB8VQWzxQybZ9-W5Kln_ydMsNoAMS35Ct0-07fLM-0O01wWkaChWwtRwZMGVpR8OBKu8n_TqMHz_n2RpPgh_XXj0h2nWe-WdFYnlTdyFFsO_pHr9Y0Xs4AdCqL8Hzl0u4xOvcNtid785HzomSAcoLv97Nn7h9sLgN0u-S8AwvFwa3-m-UA/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Can you tell us when you started SKY FULL OF SONG, how that came about?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I came across a photo of a family in front of a dugout in Oklahoma (see below) and I began thinking about homesteading. I wondered what percentage of the current American population descends from homesteaders (the answer is about 25-30%) and about whether any Jews were homesteaders. The answer, to my surprise, was yes! Some refugees from the Russian Empire settled in North and South Dakota in the early years of the twentieth century, relatively late in the homesteading period. I started reading about that history, and that was the beginning of A SKY FULL OF SONG!</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRx7HFUfPav0VlvQKSFV0ndI22EAHIyvglZFynwMK2KFTzfj9eQ6fExCmIOeBhso3krxRuW4X9uSeEdQLtriv7h31LlOORoXqP4Uxq-AwvJzGPpfIdu8bFqpO_SyVQ6cNM4kuBzadFEJpqSQlAc1oPEHIaLl0VOHZHrnLYCLlaOks3pGux1OLfTCz1U9S/w640-h397/pic.jpg" width="640" /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your feelings when you first saw the cover of the finished product?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I was absolutely thrilled and delighted when I saw the original of the spectacular cover art by Ramona Kaulitzki. It does an outstanding job of conveying the mood of the novel—the energy Shoshana falls in love with on the prairie, the wind, the animals, the cranes flying overhead. The vivid colors captures the beauty of the prairie landscape at sunset. The cover also conveys warmth of her home and the importance of her family’s Jewishness, with the menorah in the glowing windows of the dugout. The only tiny suggestion I had was that Shoshana’s hair should be made curlier, since her curly hair is important in the book. Ramona changed that and now her curly hair floats beautifully in the wind behind her.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What chapter was the most memorable to write and why?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">My heart was beating faster as I wrote the chapter where Shoshana is caught in the blizzard. When I have that feeling of intensity myself, of stress and almost fear or anxiety, I feel pretty sure that my readers will experience it as well.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your inspirations for the character development?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Shoshana has four brothers and sisters, and I have five myself. I enjoyed weaving my memories of my siblings into the book in some places. There’s a taunting older brother who bears some resemblance to my own, and remember where Anshel shoves Libke over backwards because she’s beating his record for standing on one foot repeating Rabbi Hillel’s words? Well, there’s still a scar on my left elbow I could show you. Remember, David?</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">The most helpful advice I could give, I think, is to read, read, read. When you feel you are ready to share your work, share it first with a fellow writer or group of writers and listen to their feedback. And then, when you begin to submit your writing, know that lots of rejections will come your way before the acceptances begin. It’s part of the experience of being a writer, and every rejection gets you closer to that moment when someone, gloriously, wants to publish your work!</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Writing Behind the Scenes</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I did most of the writing of this novel during the worst phase of the pandemic. When the pandemic began, I told myself I would deal with the isolation by making sure I walked outside every day and that I talked to one person outside my household and outside of my work (I’m a professor at Wellesley College) every day. My friend Jaya Mehta and I were both working on novels, and we soon devised a routine of meeting by Zoom every weekday, saying hello, then writing together silently for a couple of hours and then reading our work to each other and commenting on it. Jaya’s influence is everywhere in this book. She has twins and she shared many twin stories that shaped the representation of little Tsivia and Pearlie. (We also jointly wrote a picture book during this time [NISHA AND BABA’S JUST-RIGHT CHRISTMAS TREE, forthcoming from Beaming Books], based on an incident from her childhood, but that’s another story!)</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Choosing the names was interesting. I chose a Jewish surname I liked from Ukraine—Rozumny. I also looked for Yiddish names that would have been used in Eastern Europe when Shoshana is born. I wanted names that weren’t too familiar (not Sara or Rivka) but I also wanted names that wouldn’t sound too alien or hard to pronounce to an American child reader. And yes, Shoshana’s name isn’t Yiddish, it’s Hebrew! But I love that name so much (it is my own name in Hebrew) that I wanted to use it. So I googled the name “Shoshana Rozumny.” And, amazingly, I found one, a Roza Shoshana Rozumny, from Romania, born about the same time as my character. So I decided it was a realistic and plausible choice!</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Babysitting for my four younger brothers and sisters. Including my baby brother, who was impossible to get to sleep. And it was unpaid! Don’t you think I deserved SOME compensation?</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your happiest childhood memory?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I loved being taken to the public library. My parents had a challenging time making sure that six children’s library books were all returned on time to avoid late fees, so they had a rule that we could only take out as many books as we could carry. I quickly mastered the art of piling my books onto my extended arms so that the pile went right up to my chin. The only challenge was then wrestling them onto the checkout counter without dropping the whole pile!</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Name one thing you miss about being a kid.</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I miss all the time I had to read. And can I sneak in a second thing? I was a serious gymnast as a child and teenager. And I miss that. For years after I graduated from college and had to stop, I dreamed about the gym and woke up terribly missing it.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">My child.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you had to go back in time and change one thing, if you HAD to, even if you had “no regrets” what would it be?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I would have had more children and worried less about whether I could afford to support them. Who ever has enough money to support them? Not most people. And I would have been less prudent and started writing fiction earlier.</div> <div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was your favorite subject when you were in school?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Reading! And then English, when I was in junior high and high school. And now I teach English and American literature at Wellesley College. I feel very lucky to have a life filled with books.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">My father (and my aunt and grandmother) came to the US from France fleeing the Nazis. That history has really shaped who I am today. I believe that the way I value education, the way I value striving and hard work, the general feeling I have that life is to be taken seriously, that what we do here matters tremendously, the need to be self-reliant and to be able to do without less important material things in the interest of what is more important, the life of the mind—all of that comes from my background, I think. I don’t know if I ever was a lighthearted person. I wish I were more that way sometimes, but a kind of seriousness is part of me because of my origins.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When was the last time you told someone you loved them?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Today.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Have your childhood dreams come true?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I wanted to be a novelist and live in a big house with a turret and two dogs on the coast of Maine. The most important parts of that have come true. This is my third novel, I’ve had a dog though I don’t currently have one, and we often rent a cottage in Maine for a couple of weeks in the summer. So—that’s pretty close! (But if someone has a turret on their house, please invite me over so that I can see what one looks like from the inside!)<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlkWQ9AYFER6gAJwIfdneSe2l7yJRYDeVvE0zajdG2zozNb5H9E2Q8l26J-ePvA21pl-g9oksmgzEt2laAxYncDoLsKEq7FzpcsNzecj0reNP_hycBv4jovvlchO5dO4GeBg_TvdM0tmgrcVgyYPEG0dfDgs9aOijJgpYBVgakyN0RiTrk1m7VI5KueINO/s630/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlkWQ9AYFER6gAJwIfdneSe2l7yJRYDeVvE0zajdG2zozNb5H9E2Q8l26J-ePvA21pl-g9oksmgzEt2laAxYncDoLsKEq7FzpcsNzecj0reNP_hycBv4jovvlchO5dO4GeBg_TvdM0tmgrcVgyYPEG0dfDgs9aOijJgpYBVgakyN0RiTrk1m7VI5KueINO/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></b></div><p></p></div></div><div><div><span style="color: #999999;">This heartwarming, beautifully written middle-grade historical novel about an untold American frontier story is destined to be a cherished classic. <br /> <br />North Dakota, 1905<br /> <br />After fleeing persecution in the Russian Empire, eleven-year-old Shoshana and her family, Jewish immigrants, start a new life on the prairie. Shoshana takes fierce joy in the wild beauty of the plains and the thrill of forging a new, American identity. But it’s not as simple for her older sister, Libke, who misses their Ukrainian village and doesn’t pick up English as quickly or make new friends as easily. Desperate to fit in, Shoshana finds herself hiding her Jewish identity in the face of prejudice, just as Libke insists they preserve it.<br /> <br />For the first time, Shoshana is at odds with her beloved sister, and has to look deep inside herself to realize that her family’s difference is their greatest strength. By listening to the music that’s lived in her heart all along, Shoshana finds new meaning in the Jewish expression all beginnings are difficult, as well as in the resilience and traditions her people have brought all the way to the North Dakota prairie.<br /></span>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>A Sky Full of Song </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>SUSAN LYNN MEYER</b> </span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>A Sky Full of Song </i>by Susan Lynn Meyer.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-57846052323965280062023-08-04T05:00:00.059-07:002023-08-04T05:00:00.145-07:00Guest Post with Jamie Beck - The Beauty of Rain<br />
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<div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: #999999;">Kate Kohut</span></div>
</div><br /><i style="color: #999999;">Wall Street Journal</i><span style="color: #999999;"> and </span><i style="color: #999999;">USA Today </i><span style="color: #999999;">Bestselling author </span><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Jamie Beck</span></b><span style="color: #999999;">’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than three million copies. She is a two-time Booksellers’ Best Award finalist, a National Readers’ Choice Award winner, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/writerjamiebeck/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/writerjamiebeck" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://jamiebeck.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8020971.Jamie_Beck" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbSBzKPefPK4_eTfIGvXdRmEgE9Y08BJxh9PzDLykLNNshqf77pOQt5KrTpQuYyn4Yy-uUgR-5gUrnmGKEoNSfpdBTsHtu73FaYI5z_F8bSPvsQUCkGa22hCX5O7jmLPiJKWr4DApaG9XrGZYXvt-5l0Kb6B0FLwMXYxQqqogJPkOVMQ1N_5Raxvd0p2HL/w640-h484/Banner%20Guest%20Post%202.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THE BEAUTY OF RAIN.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">1. The Beauty of Rain was inspired, in part, by a medical crisis that led me on a soul-searching journey; </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">2. The book is set near my home, in a seaside village where two of my friends live; </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">3. Amy (one of the sisters in the story) is very loosely based on Madonna Badger, a woman from Connecticut who tragically lost her children and parents years ago in a house fire on Christmas morning. I read interviews and listened to her TedTalk to dig into the mindset of someone working through that level of grief; </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">4. I, like Kristin, was a lawyer at one point in my professional life; </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">5. Some of the afterlife encounters described in the story are based on experiences I or those close to me have reported; </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">6. The book’s title is adapted from a beautiful, if sad, Dar Williams song title (The Beauty of the Rain), which also addresses the challenges and complexities in relationships; </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">7. The cover art—my favorite of all my books—came together in the eleventh hour, after many, many rounds of different concepts (phew!); </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">8. The book does not end as originally planned because, as I was writing, it felt like the point of the story would be made stronger by a different ending; </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">9. Setting up a private foundation to help a struggling community (like the one Amy contemplates) is a dream of mine; </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">10. Unlike the characters in the book, I would never, ever jump out of an airplane. My intense fear of heights would keep me from taking that risk.</span><div style="text-align: center;"><div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><b>Two devoted sisters at a tragic breaking point discover the beautiful and painful truths of being alive in a powerful novel by <i>Wall Street Journal</i> and <i>USA Today</i> bestselling author Jamie Beck.<br /></b><br />Winning the lottery changed Amy Walsh’s life, but the cost was greater than she could bear. In the aftermath, she struggles to find joy and purpose. Only one thing feels certain now—she will never spend one cent of the prize money on herself.<br /><br />Worried, her older sister, Kristin DeMarco, invites Amy to live with her family while she heals. Unfortunately, this arrangement leads to trouble for Kristin: Divided focus affects her career. Her daughter prefers Amy to her. And Amy’s unsolicited opinions provoke tension between Kristin and her husband.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Amy is making drastic plans of her own, which include giving away all her money. But first she must convince Kristin not to squander her most valuable asset—time with her family.<br /><br />As the sisters help each other reimagine their futures, life’s unpredictability sends them to surprising places that test their love and resilience. Will they learn to live in the now, before it’s too late?</span><br /><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>The Beauty of Rain </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>JAMIE BECK</b> </span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">2 Winners will receive a Copy of <i>The Beauty of Rain </i>by Jamie Beck.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-61452660320621592222023-08-03T05:00:00.000-07:002023-08-03T05:00:00.130-07:00Alicia Thompson Interview - With Love, from Cold World<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Alicia Thompson</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Alicia Thompson</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> is a writer, reader, and Paramore superfan. As a teen, she appeared in an episode of <i>48 hours</i> in the audience of a local murder trial, where she broke the fourth wall by looking directly into the camera. She currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aliciabooks/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aliciabooks" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.aliciathompsonbooks.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2726745.Alicia_Thompson" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgligtWZymg2KUxblWEJFkfAz43AWxc28ePEZjOTP5qgLWCVwgTNwXJlE996pWw6ffXYI6pTtA58RJODGKbRk04WPoeZDrK09GCLGWwBl_Ks30pZ94E6vfpAxVa3zfAz8GVR_9Dza__gLrF3EAI_nBhlAaldTTRVDw1tFlAl6CLHg2cezl_OqP2nJHu0ADe/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The biggest distraction for me was probably the imposter syndrome that hit right on schedule just as I was about to finish the book. It’s like you’ve thrown all these threads out there, and only when it comes time to tie them all together are you like, wait, were those the threads I should’ve chosen? Am I doing this right? I keep a notebook for every project I draft, and it does help to refer back to those and really see, oh yeah, this IS happening right on schedule! Just finish the book and you can figure out which threads to go back and unknot later! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Reading The Diary of a Young Girl really changed my life. It’s my all-time favorite book, if I had to choose only one. Her curiosity, her powers of observation, the deft way she could describe people, her humor, her heart . . . I think reading that diary was truly what made me think I could be a writer, too. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Can you tell us when you started WITH LOVE, FROM COLD WORLD, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">When I started drafting WITH LOVE, FROM COLD WORLD, I didn’t have an agent or a book deal yet, so I was truly writing it just for myself. It was December and I’d always wanted to write a Christmas romance, so I thought, why not? I made myself a giant playlist of Christmas music and played it all the time, to my kids’ delight. My son was like, you never listen to Christmas music??? And I was like, well, now I do!!! The book was inspired by a lot of things, including a favorite Paramore song (“Hello Cold World”) and a winter attraction that had just opened up in Central Florida called Snowcat Ridge. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your feelings when you first saw the cover of the finished product?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> When I first saw the cover for WITH LOVE, FROM COLD WORLD, I was obsessed! Jenifer Prince is such a genius; I love her work so much. I really wanted a clinch cover for this book, and Asa and Lauren look exactly how I pictured them. There’s a lot of characterization even in the way they’re holding their hands – Asa is gripping her shoulder like he can’t pull her close enough, while her hand on his arm is a little more tentative, like she really wants to touch him but isn’t quite sure yet how far to go. That really matches the way they are in the story, so I love that detail. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your inspirations for the character development?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I really wanted to write two characters who seem to be polar opposites – Lauren is reserved, comes across as a little uptight. She’s very focused on rules and routines. Asa, on the other hand, is the resident jokester at Cold World, and doesn’t seem like he takes anything too seriously. But they’re really a lot more alike than they realize, and even the ways that they’re different fit together perfectly once they get to know each other better. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from WITH LOVE, FROM COLD WORLD<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My favorite scene in the story comes in Chapter 13, when Asa and Lauren get locked in Cold World overnight and spend time in her office talking and . . . doing other stuff. It’s a real turning point for them because they let down their guards and show each other more of who they are than they’ve ever felt safe enough to do before. There’s this one part when Asa turns to Lauren and says “Let me make it up to you” that still gives me butterflies even though I wrote it, because I’m like yessssss okay here we go!!! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The first job I ever had was working in the “arts and crafts” trailer at a summer camp. I had to be there super early in the morning and I remember my supervisor caught me sleeping with my head on the table once (before any kids had arrived, but when I was supposed to be getting supplies all set up). And one time I came up with what I thought was the best craft (little pirate boats out of egg cartons with toothpicks as oars, popsicle sticks and construction paper to make the masts, etc.), all the kids loved it, only I got in trouble for using toothpicks because someone could’ve gotten hurt? And I was like, why were they in the supply closet then??? </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is your most memorable travel experience?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">“Most” memorable feels like a lot of pressure, but I recently went to Chicago and got to see a game at Wrigley Field, which was a dream come true (except the part where the Rays lost lol). At one point there was a message on the Jumbotron that said, “Amanda, will you marry me?” and I barely had time to be like, aw, I wonder where Amanda is, before I turned to my left and THERE WAS AMANDA AND THERE HE WAS DOWN ON ONE KNEE A REAL-LIFE BASEBALL GAME PROPOSAL HAPPENED RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY EYES! That was pretty cool.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard as I did when I first saw the meme where it’s Jack from Titanic showing Rose his notebook of drawings and she says, “Jack, these are exquisite” but in the meme format it’s actually a binder of Pokemon cards.</span><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The time I said it was wild that they didn’t have any pizzas available for my daughter’s birthday party at a skating rink and the person I was talking to said, “Well, did you formally book the party? Because if you book the party ahead of time then they know to make the pizzas” and for some reason I said, “I did!” even though I absolutely did not, and then they said, “If you book the party ahead of time then they have to have the pizzas” and I was just like “huh, weird!” and I know that person would tell this story now and say “she was obviously lying, there’s no way she booked that party” and they’re right, I can’t tell you why I said that. I just thought that if we showed up and ordered a pizza from the counter where advertise pizza for sale they would be able to sell us one and I’m still kinda thrown that they didn’t.</span><br /></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span><div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPVv3_92v9wJHtuk4S0Xrokt5A0zM6-9AVE4r5fX-jX6u0sRH1LqTOLbXW7fxm8yDnFo_zEjaVGNCqixAzaupBaMlrPDkb2HJegr785IQLKYqyFD0Ldw1QHPUeZoWvrgJunGmB35mccof_pEtDVnml8f8J75pJUan9QIlF1WPAnl1mA7s73H3WQEFPkSv/s629/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPVv3_92v9wJHtuk4S0Xrokt5A0zM6-9AVE4r5fX-jX6u0sRH1LqTOLbXW7fxm8yDnFo_zEjaVGNCqixAzaupBaMlrPDkb2HJegr785IQLKYqyFD0Ldw1QHPUeZoWvrgJunGmB35mccof_pEtDVnml8f8J75pJUan9QIlF1WPAnl1mA7s73H3WQEFPkSv/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><b>She has a to-do list a mile long and falling for her coworker isn't on it--yet somehow he's become her top priority in this romantic comedy from the national bestselling author of <i>Love in the Time of Serial Killers.<br /></i></b><br />Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that's always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it's ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it's a fun place to work, even if "fun" isn't exactly Lauren's middle name.<br /><br />Her coworker Asa Williamson, on the other hand, is all about finding ways to enliven his days at Cold World--whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or teasing Lauren. When the owner asks Lauren and Asa to propose something (<i>anything</i>, really) to raise more revenue, their rivalry heats up as they compete to come up with the best idea. But the situation is more dire than they thought, and it might take these polar opposites working together to save the day. If Asa thought Lauren didn't know how to enjoy herself, he's surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn't serious about anything, she's surprised by how seriously he seems to take <i>her</i>.<br /><br />As Lauren and Asa work to save their beloved wintery spot, they realize the real attraction might be the heat generating between them.</span><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>With Love, from Cold World </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/3OHhiSg" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/with-love-from-cold-world-alicia-thompson/1142822309?ean=9780593639702" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKQz9WRyucW1iFkEVFm67XtDHCbhuEZxzJt8s49jt7GUZoy3spL8sydYJcFGHJ_aZ21m0_8arvutCWUTMpsvZN6b4Ggkd4megJtJIgSkdVoG9o_El5u-7ckYlN1NW08GhddhzTeIZsWs/s1600/bn.png" /></a> <a href="https://amzn.to/3QkNps9" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> </div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>ALICIA THOMPSON</b> </span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>With Love, from Cold World</i> by Alicia Thompson.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-10044788706395066862023-08-02T08:00:00.110-07:002023-08-03T04:44:27.185-07:00Tracy Wolff & Nina Croft Interview - Star Bringer<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TAoobBVNVYN4cLr_8AGOn5Kt0_E2A01scBWRBQM7A77nyxRsqBMkbrXZmmWEWHkWMtCBknvjSqWIhKxQR1OZiXqHlpaBbJeF_RmdO_cejZ_Q3GoLhWrLdVQHgLJd0mWCe93B4vh9ZcfUQjSzQ_p1qM-pWpXtH-vIEDJEl1sm1ORLsB7ErdB_KkLSbN5J/s439/00.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="439" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TAoobBVNVYN4cLr_8AGOn5Kt0_E2A01scBWRBQM7A77nyxRsqBMkbrXZmmWEWHkWMtCBknvjSqWIhKxQR1OZiXqHlpaBbJeF_RmdO_cejZ_Q3GoLhWrLdVQHgLJd0mWCe93B4vh9ZcfUQjSzQ_p1qM-pWpXtH-vIEDJEl1sm1ORLsB7ErdB_KkLSbN5J/w400-h281/00.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy Wolff and Nina Croft</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Tracy Wolff </span></b><span style="color: #999999;">is a #1 </span><i style="color: #999999;">New York Times</i><span style="color: #999999;">, #1 International, and </span><i style="color: #999999;">USA Today</i><span style="color: #999999;"> bestselling author as well as a lover of vampires, dragons, and all things that go bump in the night. She collects books, English degrees and lipsticks and has been known to forget where—and sometimes who—she is when immersed in a great novel. A one-time English professor, she now devotes all her time to writing dark, action packed, romantic stories with tortured heroes and kick-butt heroines. She has written all of her seventy-plus novels from her home in Austin, Texas, which she shares with her partner, her sons and their three dogs.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TracyWolffAuthor" target="_blank">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tracywolffbooks/" target="_blank">INSTAGRAM</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/TracyWolff" target="_blank">TWITTER</a> | <a href="https://tracywolffauthor.com/" target="_blank">WEBSITE</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2003596.Tracy_Wolff" target="_blank">GOODREADS</a></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Nina Croft </span></b><span style="color: #999999;">grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia, which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of nine-to-five work. She's since then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary), and has settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain. Nina writes all types of romance, often mixed with elements of the paranormal and science fiction. </span><div><span style="color: #999999;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Nina.Croft.author" target="_blank">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ninacroft_writer/" target="_blank">INSTAGRAM</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Nina_Croft" target="_blank">TWITTER</a> | <a href="https://ninacroft.com/" target="_blank">WEBSITE</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3378320.Nina_Croft" target="_blank">GOODREADS</a></span><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6s0tMIuJV9nOr2LpDbWc-Q1W65IQoMaBxJ08pEzmSYRKeppP6C2ogf-E-bSjh9gImAMp8OP0r0w_XmaiB4G-bP33N1JJ-GoTV2SUH3VQrqNw3ux4KX05xZRaB0x5ZlxEmyXtYriKyNnE16OoxUMxv-VB8xcOCkLGs0xNAn1I9lZMSYEvL7TYGfTtc5VC/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Nina: When I ran out of books to read and decided my only option was to write one myself.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">A long time ago (way before ebooks existed) and in a faraway place, I spent four years working as a volunteer in a remote village on the banks of Lake Kariba in Zambia. It was a beautiful place and a great life-changing experience but with one huge drawback. No books for miles and miles. I read a lot, so this was really painful. The only thing to do was write one myself. So I did. It wasn’t very good, but it did start me off on a lifelong passion.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: I cried buckets when my first novel was accepted—which thrilled the editor who called. She’d “never had a crier before” and had always wanted one. Harlequin bought my first book after I’d entered a contest they were holding. I placed in the contest and was asked to submit the final manuscript. Several months later, they asked for revisions, which I did while caring for my very premature newborn. Several months after that, I was walking out the door to take my baby to the doctor when the phone rang. It had a Canadian area code, but I’d been fooled by that before, so I kept walking. And then the editor—her name was Beverly Sotolov’s voice came over the answering machine and I freaked out. To this day I thank God my ex was standing beside me, because I shoved the baby into his arms and dived for the phone. Thirty seconds later my lifelong dream came true and I burst into tears.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Nina: I have so many favorites. But I think maybe my all-time favorite is The Lord of the Rings. I read the Hobbit when I was quite young, and it was a complete revelation that there could be whole worlds and fantastical beings inside the covers of a book. I moved on to Lord of the Rings and got lost in that world and never wanted to come back!</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">The other genre I read a lot in (other than romance I mean) is thrillers, and if I have to pick one, then I’ll go with The Bourne Identity. It’s such a fabulous complex plot and a great conflicted lead character.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Why is storytelling so important for all of us?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: The evolutionary answer to that question is it is important for survival. Before writing, stories were passed down by mouth and many of these stories dealt with things like don’t eat those berries, they killed my uncle or stay away from that gorge, a giant saber tooth tiger lives over there and he’s really fast. But beyond the safety aspect of storytelling, I think storytelling is important because it bonds people together. It gives us a way to connect with other people and share common experiences. Even if I’ve never been lost with a dogsled in Alaska or floated down the Mississippi on a raft, I can relate to the feelings expressed by Jack London or Mark Twain. And I can empathize with the characters, and hopefully, other people who had similar experiences as those characters.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Plus, storytelling—being the one who tells the story or the one who listens to/reads it—is a lot of fun and I don’t think the importance of fun can be discounted.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Nina: I think, write the sort of books you love to read. It’s not an easy life, writing can be incredibly hard, and you have to enjoy the process and love what you’re writing or there’s a good chance you’ll never get to the end.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div> <div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: Understand that a career in writing is a marathon not a sprint. There will be ups and downs your entire career, so keep your eye on your goals. And don’t be discouraged in the difficult times, because if you work hard and stay the course, something really great will be coming soon enough.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Can you tell us when you started STAR BRINGER, how that came about?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Nina: For me, it all started with an email from my agent. She told me Entangled publishing had approached her—they were starting a new imprint: Red Tower Books and wanted to know if I was interested in co-authoring a book for the new line—a book inspired by Firefly—with Tracy Wolff. Tracy is a fabulous writer and Firefly is my favorite TV series ever so, yes—I was very interested. And that’s how it all began.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: I like to say that I’ve wanted to tell stories since I understood that letters made words and words made sentences I could use to entertain people. My father was a fabulous storyteller and I grew up listening to his stories and practicing off prompts he would give me from a very early age.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">But I can also pinpoint the moment I decided I wanted to be a writer. I was seven years old and we were living in San Francisco and my parents had gone into the bank to do the paperwork for a car loan and I had a book I wanted to finish so I elected to stay in the car and read. I finished my book before they were done and I was bored so I looked around for something to do. All I had was a notebook and an aquamarine marker (I still remember the color) so I wrote my very first short story—it had a princess, a rainbow, a pot of gold, and an HEA. By the time I finished, I knew I wanted to write for the rest of my life.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your inspirations for the character development?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Nina: The inspiration for the character development came firstly from Firefly, we wanted the forced proximity of a spaceship and a group of strangers thrown together by fate. But we also decided early in in the planning process that we wanted to incorporate the sort of character interactions found in the Breakfast Club. We wanted to capture that sense of camaraderie and unlikely friendships amidst a backdrop of cosmic chaos.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What chapter was the most memorable to write and why?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: I think the chapter in the cafeteria, where we get to see the first moment of the characters beginning to bond. It’s at this moment where they figure out, first, that they really do need each other to survive and secondly, that they have more in common than they’d ever imagined. It’s funny and sweet and plays so much into what we were trying to accomplish with this book that it’s impossible not to love it!</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from STAR BRINGER</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Nina: I always think that the first kiss scene in a romance helps us understand so much about the characters. So here are two first kiss scenes from Star Bringer.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: I agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First kisses are THE BEST.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Rain and Beckett</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">“Tell me something,” Beckett murmurs, and her fingers go from stroking my hair to stroking my cheek.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">A strange, devastating heat flares inside me. “What do you want to know?” I whisper, afraid to speak too loud in case she moves her hand.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">But she doesn’t stop. In fact, her fingers keep moving, sliding along the sensitive skin of my jaw until they’re dancing along the nape of my neck. “Have you ever been kissed?”</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I gasp as shock runs through me, along with another delicious flare of heat.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">She laughs in response, then licks her lips. And just like that, my gaze is glued to her mouth. I couldn’t look away if the fate of Senestris rested on it.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I swallow hard but don’t answer her. I can’t.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Which I’m fairly certain is an answer in and of itself, even before she murmurs, “I’ll take that as a no.”</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I shake my head vehemently.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">“Well, I guess that leaves me with just one more question.”</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I wait for her to ask it, and when she doesn’t, a low, keening sound works its way up my throat. It echoes in the silent room, and I’d be embarrassed if I wasn’t so…hot.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">She laughs again, a low, wicked sound that makes my stomach flip even as it slides along my every nerve ending. But she still doesn’t speak.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">“What—” My voice cracks again. “What do you want to ask me?” I finally manage to get out.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">“That’s easy.” She smiles even as she leans closer to me. “Do you want to be?”</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Oh my goodness.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">It’s not easy. It’s not easy at all. In fact, the answer to that question is the very opposite of easy.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I know what it should be. What it has to be. I really, really do. But for some reason I can’t make my mouth form the word. Instead, all I can do is nod.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Beckett seems as surprised by my answer as I am. But she doesn’t let her surprise stop her. Instead, her direct yellow gaze holds mine as she moves closer, her hand cupping around my neck. And then slowly—so slowly that it barely appears she’s moving at all—she leans forward and brushes her lips against my own.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I can’t breathe. I can’t move. I’m burning up.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">“More?” she whispers against my lips.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">My head nods without any command from</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Ian and Kali</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">He leans in closer then, and I go entirely still. There’s a look in his eyes, half calculating, half fascinated. And all of a sudden I have this bizarre idea that he’s going to kiss me.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">My breath wedges in my throat as I tell myself that I’m mistaken. That I’m absolutely, positively misjudging his intent. After all, I’ve never been kissed before. How would I know what a guy looks like before he does it?</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">But then Ian’s rough palm is sliding around the back of my neck, and I decide that, never kissed or not, at this point his intent is pretty hard to mix up. Even before he tilts my head up so I’m gazing into his dark eyes and I can see the intent plainly written there.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">But there’s a reason I’ve never been kissed. People do not just kiss a princess of Senestris.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Unless you’re Ian, in which case you do anything you want. And as unbelievable as it might seem, it appears that what Ian wants is to kiss me.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">This close, I breathe in the scent of him, hot and rich and like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life. For just a second, his gaze goes vacant, almost like he’s thinking about something a million kilometers away from here. Then he’s back as he lowers his head until his lips touch mine, and all rational thought vanishes.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I close my eyes and lean into him, hoping that he’ll kiss me again. Harder and more thoroughly this time.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Except he’s already pulling away.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">I blink, fighting the urge to drag him back to me. But there’s a little frown line between his eyes that says he wouldn’t come even if I tried.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">“You act like you’ve never been kissed, Princess.”</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Nina: English – because even back then I loved making stuff up!</div> <div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: English—because writing and reading have always been my favorite things to do!</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your most memorable travel experience?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Nina: I once spent three months travelling around India with my husband. We just booked a flight into New Dehli and then travelled around the country. We visited some wonderful places; it’s such a fascinating country with so much history.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: The three week European tour I went on for the Crave series. It was so incredible visiting so many cities and getting to meet fans from all over as well as the publishing houses that work so hard on my books all over the world.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: True love with guarantee of heartbreak. Love is incredible in all its iterations and I wouldn’t miss any of them for the world. The pain comes because you had something that matters, and I can’t imagine missing out on that.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">At a movie theater which arm rest is yours?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: None. My children sit on either side of me and take both armrests every time.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: Playing Chameleon with guests and my family a couple nights ago. It’s such a fun game!</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: There isn’t enough hair product in the world to tame the mess.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When was the last time you told someone you loved them?</span></b></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Nina: This morning.</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Tracy: An hour ago</div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: #999999; text-align: left;"><div style="color: black;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Most horrifying dream you have ever had?</span></b></div><div>Nina: I occasionally have really vivid dreams about plane crashes!</div><div>Tracy: Sometimes I have dreams that something awful is happening to one of my kids and I can’t get to them. I just have to watch it happen ☹</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="color: black;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which incident in your life totally changed the way you think today?</span></b></div><div>Nina: Working as a volunteer in Africa in my twenties. It was such a life-changing experience (including setting me on the path to being a writer) giving us a view of a completely different way of living. It made us realize how little you need in terms of material things to have a good life but also left us with an urge to see more of the world. Which we did!</div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span class="scxw253890599"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span></p></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">The sun is dying...and it's happening way too damn fast.<br /><br />With the clock ticking, the Nine Planets' only hope of survival rests on a fancy space station and the alien artifact it's carrying. Which is why it really sucks when some jackass doesn't want the universe saved and blows that station up-while you're still on it.<br /><br />So if your only choices are flaming death or stealing a flying hunk of space junk-you pick that busted-ass spaceship. Even if it leaves seven strangers with deadly secrets trapped together: a princess, a prisoner, a con artist, a warrior, a priestess, a mercenary, and an asshole in charge of us all.<br /><br />Now every faction in the galaxy is hunting this ship-from the Sisterhood to the Corporation, and the rebellion's joining in on the fun, too. We just need to stop drinking, fighting, and screwing long enough to evade them all and save the freaking universe...somehow.<br /><br />Because apparently the only thing standing between a dying sun and ultimate salvation is seven unlikely misfits...ahem, heroes.</span><div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Star Bringer </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/3KpNlmV" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/star-bringer-tracy-wolff/1141872068?ean=9781649374066" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKQz9WRyucW1iFkEVFm67XtDHCbhuEZxzJt8s49jt7GUZoy3spL8sydYJcFGHJ_aZ21m0_8arvutCWUTMpsvZN6b4Ggkd4megJtJIgSkdVoG9o_El5u-7ckYlN1NW08GhddhzTeIZsWs/s1600/bn.png" /></a> <a href="https://amzn.to/47iFEsQ" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> </div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>TRACY AND NINA</b> </span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>Star Bringer </i>by Tracy Wolff and Nina Croft.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-63219563418107892272023-08-02T05:00:00.092-07:002023-08-02T05:00:00.136-07:00Allison Ashley Interview - The Roommate Pact<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Allison Ashley</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Allison Ashley</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> is a science geek who enjoys coffee, craft beer, baking, and love stories. When she's not working at her day job as a clinical oncology pharmacist, she pens contemporary romances, usually with a medical twist. She lives in Oklahoma with her family and beloved rescue dog. </span><br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorallisonashley/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/authorallisonashley/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AllisonAuthor" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://authorallisonashley.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19986543.Allison_Ashley" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSVg6185nvcSF0_bqSjbvJ0yQN69CYRlGOSnpFQgrRIG-gP0VNdtT_ZjDyYp6h38wUTCcu7pTcxNNSQvJxg9ToCSbGBPiLWBUlvcjIlOO6VnZu8pH8gdn8m55DfpjUwui0kf4W1IxsqNuC-nZjM1tJ-gDLRCJpcI5qghJMyRCo_D9_e7qFLSmIA-eZvv5/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I’ve always had sort of an unusual combination of strengths and interests. I love science and my day job is a pharmacist. My major in college was a science-based major, and I always excelled that those courses in school. But instead of math as another strength, which most science people have (NOT me, lol), I’ve always been into all kinds of art. I’ve always loved reading fiction, I minored in Art History in college, and I find music incredibly inspiring. I think I was always going to end up being some strange combination of science and art, which often don’t go together. During the day I focus on the science part, and when I come home I need that creative release, too. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I’m never able to nail down a single book that’s my favorite, so I’ll give an author instead – Amy Harmon is an author I love and whose books I pretty much always devour. Her writing is so diverse – historical, contemporary, some with elements of magic and fantasy, and always, always a deeply moving love story. I find her work engrossing and captivating. I rarely stray from books that have some romance thread in them, but for a book outside my genre, I’d have to say I recently really enjoyed all of those in the ACOTAR series by Sarah J Maas. Romance is obviously a big part of those so I’m sort of cheating, but they’re technically fantasy! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published. </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Recently a reader posted that one of my books was their comfort read they come back to when they need something they know they loved. I have some favorite books like that, and knowing how much I love them, knowing someone thinks of my book that way was just such an honor and incredible compliment. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Social media! When I started writing, well before I had an agent or was even thinking about making a name for myself, I wasn’t on Twitter or Instagram. Once I had a few completed novels and was ready to start querying and looking into publishing, I learned the importance of developing a social media presence. I started spending time cultivating that and networking in online author/reader spaces, and this quickly became an easy distraction from writing. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started THE ROOMMATE PACT, how that came about? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">THE ROOMMATE PACT stemmed from two side characters in a previous novel that just would not leave me alone. I don’t always write multiple books in the same world, but for this it was inevitable. As I was writing WOULD YOU RATHER, which is about Noah and Mia, these two side characters just came to life and by the end of writing the first book, they made it clear they deserved to have their story told, too. Graham and Claire were really fun as side characters, sort of balancing out the serious, stoic nature that characterized the couple in the first book, so it was really fun to pivot to something more fun and lighthearted when it was their turn. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your characters? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Honestly, they all surprise me at some point. One of the most fun parts of writing is how I truly feel as if the characters are their own people and I’m just here to tell their story. There are times when I sit down to write with a loose idea of what might happen in the next scene, and as I start writing and listening to the characters, they take me in an entirely new direction I never anticipated. It’s such a freeing experience to just be along for the ride and let them guide me. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from THE ROOMMATE PACT<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> In THE ROOMMATE PACT, the hero, Graham, suffers a rock-climbing injury where he’s bedbound for a few weeks. Claire suggests he start journaling to pass the time, but instead of journaling for himself, he starts documenting his days and thoughts to Claire in secret emails he never actually sends her. At first these emails start of sarcastic and entertaining, but as the book continues and he begins to let his guard down and fall for Claire, they become secret confessions of things he’s too afraid to say out loud. These emails became my favorite part of the book, and here's a couple excerpts from various emails he writes to Claire: </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Claire, </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I just googled what to write about in a journal and here are the suggestions: </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">1. Inspirational quotes. That seems cliche, but I heard something once I try to live by: </span><br /><br /><i><span style="color: #999999;">“A ship is safe in the harbor,</span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"> but that’s not what ships are made for.” </span></i><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I have no idea who said it. (Also, are you impressed with my formatting? I played around with it and went with italics and center alignment, and now I’m several seconds closer to Noah’s arrival and getting out of this fresh hell that is journaling). </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Claire, </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Another Google suggestion for journal topics is the high and low of your day. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">High: I woke up with you curled up against my side. Don’t get weird about it, I’m not. I’ve just always liked sharing my bed with someone else. Women, preferably, but I won’t lie and say Nathan, Noah and I never cuddled for body heat when camping in the winter. Anyway, it was nice, and I’d like to make a motion we keep that up even when I get my voice back. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Yes, I realize I’ll need to bring that up IRL at some point, because you’ll never read this. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Low: You left for work. Again, don’t get weird. I’m just bored and I hate being here alone. Gertrude is lovely company but she sleeps too much. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Claire, </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">You just left for your date with Mr. Real Estate. You wore the yellow dress. Which makes me an asshole, because while you look damn good in it, it’s the green top that would have made the guy lose his mind. And contrary to what I said, I guess I’m not ready to let this go yet. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I’m not sure what it is, but I’m inclined to blame you. You’ve been taking my dog on walks, for crying out loud. If there’s a faster way to my heart I don’t know what it is. Don’t freak out (me—I’m telling myself that), I’m not professing my undying love or anything ridiculous. I’m just feeling...something.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Claire, </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I’m writing this from my phone while you sleep beside me. We’re at my parents’ house and I just had the best night of my life. I tried to show you when we got back how much you mean to me, and I hope you felt it. I hope you know. I’m sorry I couldn’t speak the words out loud, but I have to say them somewhere. So here goes: </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">You. Are. Extraordinary. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">You’re an insanely beautiful, sassy, sometimes crass woman who takes no shit and isn’t afraid to ask for what she wants. You’ve experienced tragedy in the worst way and yet you emerged strong and resilient. You refused to let your past steal your ability to laugh. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Your laugh is the most incredible sound, did you know that? </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">And the final paragraph of his last email to her: </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I don’t know where I’m going with this, but (1) I got in the habit of writing things down (thanks to you) (2) I wanted to tell you how badly I want to hate you for how this turned out, but (3) I don’t hate you. I love you. </span><br /><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Science, because it fascinated me – I loved it so much I pursued a career in it. I still love it just as much. </span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><br /> </span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a kid? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I feel pretty lucky to have grown up in the late 80s, early 90s. I’d probably pick it again!</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Coffee</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is your most memorable travel experience? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Walking along the Great Wall of China</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Damn that’s a lot of freckles</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What do you usually think about right before falling asleep? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Whatever book I’m currently writing</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> At a movie theater which arm rest is yours? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Left</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is your greatest adventure? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Heli hiking in Denali, Alaska (helicopter flies you up above the tree line to hike in the Alaskan mountans – I’ve never seen anything so beautiful</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is one unique thing are you afraid of? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I have a pretty serious fish phobia. I don’t get in water that has fish – no lakes, rivers, not in the ocean, nothing.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When was the last time you told someone you loved them? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Today</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Today as I left the office, talking to my wonderful colleagues about, as moms of young children, the things we find under the seats in our cars (the winner was a popped can of biscuits lol)</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">My best friend’s parent’s gift shop. A big part of the job was offering professional gift-wrapping for things people bought, and I was so bad at first my boss had to rewrap everything I did. But now, after having that job for 4 years, I’m a master gift-wrapper and have friends to ask me to wrap their gifts at Christmas time</span></div> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><b>All of the fun, none of the heartache…as long as they stick to the agreement.<br /></b><br />The proposition is simple: if ER nurse Claire Harper and her roommate, firefighter Graham Scott, are still single by the time they’re forty, they’ll take the proverbial plunge together…as friends with benefits. Maybe it’s the wine, but in the moment, Claire figures the pact is a safe-enough deal, considering she hasn’t had much luck in love and he’s in no rush to settle down. Like, at all. Besides, there’s no way she could ever really fall for Graham and his thrill-seeking ways. Not after what happened to her father…<br /><br />Just as things begin to heat up way before the proposed deadline, Graham’s injured in a serious rock-climbing accident—and he needs Claire’s help to heal. She’ll do whatever it takes to nurse him back to health…even if it means moving into Graham’s bed and putting up with his little dog who hates her. But with this no-strings arrangement taking a complicated turn, keeping “for now” from turning into “forever” isn’t as easy as they’d planned.</span><br /><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>The Roommate Pact </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>ALLISON ASHLEY</b> </span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-80429934333961954592023-08-01T07:00:00.085-07:002023-08-02T04:19:14.405-07:00Kara H.L. Chen Interview - Love & Resistance<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: left;">Kara H.L. Chen</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Kara H.L. Chen </span></b><span style="color: #999999;">grew up near Cleveland, Ohio, where she once had to shovel snow off her car with a plastic trashcan. She now lives on the West Coast with her husband and daughters, and is learning how to use an Instapot. She has undergraduate degrees in English and economics, a J.D., and a MFA in fiction. She has used her economics degree exactly once, when she tried to make a joke about marginal costs and marginal returns. It did not go well. </span><br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kara.hl.chen" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hl_kara/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hl_kara" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://karahlchen.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22046781.Kara_H_L_Chen" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAgySN02-yqAolVbV7SaQeM2rjQvCfXakd2hzRtE6RTToiWFXbuk7XCjkkRpl5NkRP-FcxBz6dDDqmqCezWTpRJeomsN8FQvnoEIQM5nBpX2P8I2_5XGNIKZ9ZBK3188JPICD8QvL-5mfrXrdzXz-Cz08_86XkytMezNtr2i8aGekUP-QFK37VubldtFR/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Greatest thing you learned at school.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">With regards to writing, how to accept feedback and to incorporate it without losing the heart of your story.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">My phone!</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Why is storytelling so important for all of us?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Because it is one of the greatest tools that we have for developing empathy.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started LOVE & RESISTANCE, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">In 2013, I had an idea about a secret society of nerds that covertly fight against bullies.</span></div><div><br /><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b> What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product?</b><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #999999;">When I first got the email that my editor was taking the manuscript to acquisitions, I was on the way out the door to drive my kids to camp. So I dropped them off and then cried happy tears on the way home. It had taken me eight years at that point to write the book and I had no idea if any editor would be interested in it or not.</span></div><div><br /><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b> What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your characters?</b><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #999999;">That Peter was the moral center of the book.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT LOVE & RESISTANCE<br /></span></b><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #999999;">1. The title used to be THE NERD’S GUIDE TO STARTING A REVOLUTION.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">2. I first had the idea for it in 2013.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">3. It is the first manuscript that I have completed, but I have many half-finished ones, including an attempt at a fantasy series and a literary fiction novel. I had wanted to be a writer since I was a little kid, and my mom always encouraged it by getting me journals and cute pens and taking me to the library almost every week. (I still love journals and cute pens!)</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">4. Olivia Chang, the main character, is an expert in military strategy due to her immigrant grandfather’s love of history. This is partially based on my dad’s love of war movies and history and how he likes to tell those stories to my kids!</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">5. This book is my love letter to my high school friends, who were my OG Nerd Net and who showed me and continue to show me in a thousand ways what true friendship is.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">6. The poetry part of the book came about because my debate coach in college encouraged me to also compete in poetry interpretation.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">7. Almost all the references to French fries used to be jokes about Tater Tots, but I learned in copyediting that Tater Tots are trademarked term, so they would be have to be capitalized. I thought that disrupted the flow of the sentences, so I decided to switch to French fries. Sad! I love a good tater tot joke.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">8. The earlier drafts of this book were a very underwhelming 37K. After some insightful comments from an earlier reader, I decided to develop the characters of Heidi, Will and Peter more. I’m so glad that I did!</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">9. This book has gone through over twelve rounds of revisions but the beginning chapter has stayed essentially the same.</span></li><li><span style="color: #999999;">10. There is French in this book because that’s the language that I studied in high school.</span></li></ul><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Landscaping/lawn maintenance </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I loved English! Anything to do with reading or books. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Name one thing you miss about being a kid.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Having time to read in the summer.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">All the things I have to do today (see answer below, ha ha).</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">All the things I have to do tomorrow, lol.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When was the last time you told someone you loved them?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Just a little bit ago, as my kids went to sleep! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #999999;">J</span></span><br /><br /><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCvDOtKoxRMbaAjUHMKfWv35Uco3DOuo-hYSrDg13xSGRdhATzKiSOa0ZwJmKOSNVoYzi2a4R2VAKThtFbQWrrZYkqExyJvOqTG9s_AA39ZUa5aZRpzfp0GZW9BalA-igBBep-6kJd-oVuaJsIxPDyVw-7g0FhCGRuO7lcrg4tRhUA9e6hRAmbdSdRbKh/s620/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCvDOtKoxRMbaAjUHMKfWv35Uco3DOuo-hYSrDg13xSGRdhATzKiSOa0ZwJmKOSNVoYzi2a4R2VAKThtFbQWrrZYkqExyJvOqTG9s_AA39ZUa5aZRpzfp0GZW9BalA-igBBep-6kJd-oVuaJsIxPDyVw-7g0FhCGRuO7lcrg4tRhUA9e6hRAmbdSdRbKh/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Seventeen-year-old Olivia Chang is at her fourth school in seven years. Her self-imposed solitude is lonely, but safe. At Plainstown High, however, Olivia’s usual plan of anonymity fails when the infamous Mitzi Clarke (influencer, queen bee, bully) makes a pointed racist comment in class. Olivia knows what she must do: let it go. But Olivia is tired of ignoring things just so she can survive. This time, she defends herself.<br /><br />That is the end of her invisible life.<br /><br />Soon, Olivia discovers, and joins forces with, the Nerd Net: a secret society who has been thwarting Mitzi’s reign of terror for months. Together, they plan to unite the masses and create true change at Plainstown High.<br /><br />But in order to succeed, Olivia must do something even more terrifying than lead a movement: trust other people. She might even make true friends along the way . . . if Mitzi doesn’t destroy her first.</span><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Love & Resistance </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>KARA H.L. CHEN</b> </span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-37503742554182389642023-08-01T06:00:00.098-07:002023-08-02T03:15:36.179-07:00Brent J. Ludwig Interview - Those Who Would Be King<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Credit: Sliver Photography</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Brent J. Ludwig</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> is a reformed lawyer who currently runs his own boutique headhunting firm in Calgary and Vancouver, Canada. Brent practiced securities/mergers & acquisition law in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary, but did not let it stifle his love for storytelling and writing, first inspired while completing his undergraduate degree at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick. As a "mining brat" child, Brent’s family moved every year to remote towns, nurturing his broad, pan-Canadian outlook and an equally endearing and embarrassing small-town personality.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Brent currently lives in Calgary and spends his spare time cooking, drinking wine, and chasing soccer balls while coaching and shuttling three active children. He has a keen sense of interest in developing nations and trying to help as many people as possible by leveraging his writing and finance talents. Brent is currently working on the second book in the <i>Those Who Would Be King</i> trilogy.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BrentJLudwigAuthor" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brentjludwigauthor/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BLudwigAuthor" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://brentjludwig.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29764899.Brent_J_Ludwig" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtb9fyEQxbipvY5Vpa1PMKtmDIWbxiYRBON4eW3Y75M2HAvQVogirGboL08UMU3ASKQBu-nOLcc2kDkZlhpO7-QEXcYW6JdRmwVIZZ2TXAk56O9D_FD-nbqYi4xOvC-jQlTJiNB-0TF-U_dXsqpe1tQk5uVCIkt-GUA88SVi54WDDTm7k1rib1tozcKeLj/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Greatest thing you learned at school. </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I learned how to transcribe the stories I was always able to form in my head.</span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">In my third year of university, in an upper level history seminar, my Professor, after reading my historical essay on the treatment of lepers and leprosy in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada said “You could really make money writing these kinds of stories!”</span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Life is distracting. To properly “get into” writing a fiction novel and sorry-telling, one needs large blocks of time. Interruptions kill your story-telling flow, and make it extremely unproductive.</span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What chapter was the most memorable to write and why? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">The finale, of course. I had to make some hard decisions about how to end the story. I am told by readers that it’s a huge twist/shocker, yet somehow extremely satisfying.</span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and the theory that even the most civilized among us have an atavistic, dark side lurking within was absolutely pivotal for me. It explained a lot in this world that was otherwise inexplicable to me. And it opened the door to develop characters and storylines that had complexities and twists that otherwise would have seemed inconsistent to me.</span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">When I first saw the book in print it was shockingly a bit of a let-down. Make no mistake, I believe that the cover is AMAZING-I absolutely LOVE it. But I think that because I had spent so much time working on the cover with my publisher, and because they sent such realistic, computer-generated 3-D pictures of how it would look when in print, that it was as if I had already seen it before. Ho hum, yup that’s my book. But HOLDING it in my hands, and realizing that bar some kind of Fahrenheit 451 event, my book would now be part of the written history of mankind and might inspire other people hundreds of years from now, now THAT was cool!</span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your characters? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I learned that your characters are HUMAN, or at least that although fictional they are meant to be human beings. There can all have flaws and vulnerabilities, just like we do. They can make mistakes, and often it makes for a better story when they do!!</span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were your inspirations for the character development? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Throughout Africa’s post-colonial existence, there have been many elected and unelected leaders who have been brutal in maintaining their control, and have sapped away millions and billions of dollars from their people, living like kings. These people were the inspiration for the “royal family” characters within my book. The others were absolute creations of my own mind.</span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from THOSE WHO WOULD BE KING<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The condensation from the doctor’s fifth double scotch-on-the-rocks formed intersecting circles on the polished mahogany bar. Though many aficionados would disdain the use of ice in so fine a liquor, the doctor didn’t need to add to the already turgid heat and humidity with the fire of the rare beverage. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">These are the first two lines from the prologue of my novel. I had to come up with a plausible way/scenario for the newborn son of a King to be switched, intentionally, at birth, with a low-born child of the slums of a poor sub-Saharan African country. Once I came up with the way in which I could make it happen, I was lying awake at night, literally writing and re-writing the opening lines over and over. Finally, after weeks of sleepless nights, I sat down and started to write. Opening lines became opening paragraphs and pages; withing 3 hours I had over twenty pages written. Those Who Would Be King: The People’s Prince had been born! </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Writing Behind the Scenes<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">A family that I was very close to in New Brunswick, Canada had accepted a two-year stint in Malawi, Africa, to start up a modern, North American style dairy farm. Corruption and red tape drove them home after slightly more than a year, but I had heard the project eventually was turned over to the Malawi government after 10 years of development. Six years later the farm was in ruins and was sold at auction. I travelled to Malawi to research the book, and stayed in what is now a tourist lodge where the original family once lived! Although not named in the book as such, Maleziland and its history is loosely based upon the history of Malawi, including its post-colonial path towards and away from democracy. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Manually setting up bowling pins in a bowling alley-I often wonder if I got hit too many times in the head by fast-flying pins.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your happiest childhood memory? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Fishing in Northern Ontario, heading to shore, frying up some fish on the spot and then re-catching our daily limit before going home.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">History—it’s simply fascinating, and can be so helpful to understanding the world we live in today.</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Name one thing you miss about being a kid. </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I miss how long summer holidays seemed to be. Now holidays are over in a flash!</span></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your most memorable travel experience? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Travelling to Africa to do research for this book. Mind-blowing, eye-opening and life-altering.</span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Oh yes. My family’s greatest fear for my demise is that I will jump in and do something or stand up for a stranger and get myself killed in the process. It’s just who I am.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is your greatest adventure? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Skydiving</span></div></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">If you could go back in time to one point in your life, where would you go? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Fishing in Northern Ontario, especially when it was just me and my Dad. Those were special moments.</span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a kid? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">1930-1940 in rural Canada, living on a farm. It was extremely hard work, even for kids as everybody had to help and work, but was a simple, honest way to live. Simple things became such incredible events, like family get togethers and/or road trips in the family car. Values were solid.</span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">At a movie theater which arm rest is yours? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">The right for sure, or maybe both. I have ridiculously broad shoulders, and overhang my seat on both sides. I’m the person no one wants to sit beside on a theatre or plane …</span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCXlWy8PeE36eUMIeV30QH2g5AXW7Rplc1VxwkatYm7dR9an7472fgUZ0DlnDKUOUlThkuMvaFNgmTPpp27FUeY4UB-cNoP_lkv2IK5OyysGFsxcuncKn69gorrRsCJ-DQq7DjatIWvgntIsy3BEkHYelmhTpCiN2afPPumDvyyomJaLYqUjHJmuIyQdM/s630/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCXlWy8PeE36eUMIeV30QH2g5AXW7Rplc1VxwkatYm7dR9an7472fgUZ0DlnDKUOUlThkuMvaFNgmTPpp27FUeY4UB-cNoP_lkv2IK5OyysGFsxcuncKn69gorrRsCJ-DQq7DjatIWvgntIsy3BEkHYelmhTpCiN2afPPumDvyyomJaLYqUjHJmuIyQdM/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #999999;">This powerful novel—full of tantalizing twists and turns, powerful heroes and heinous villains—is set in the fictional, impoverished African country of Maleziland and explores the corruption of power, the legacy of colonialism, and the putative integration of democracy in sub-Saharan Africa.<br /><br />King Mabanda controls his country with a violent, omnipotent fist. The king’s son, Mandebala, is a tyrant-in-training who has grown up with the opulence and privilege of an uber-wealthy prince. But when the king meets Shigeku, the only captive survivor of a border war with a neighboring nation, the prisoner tells of switching his own brother at birth with the king’s actual son.<br /><br />The king immediately extricates his true heir, Mateyo, from the slums to the palace to take his rightful place as the prince of Maleziland, while the loathsome Mandebala is thrown out and forced to live in the nearby shantytown. The benevolent new prince experiences the trappings and privileges of wealth and power, and ultimately embarks upon a plan that will improve the lives of his people and country. Meanwhile, the true brothers, Shigeku and Mandebala, plot, with the keen support of the Catholic Church, to overthrow the regime so corruption and self-serving depravity can once again reign supreme.</span><div><div><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Those Who Would Be King </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>BRENT J. LUDWIG</b> </span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a Copy of <i>Those Who Would Be King </i>by Brent J. Ludwig.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-35283879047884254602023-08-01T05:00:00.000-07:002023-08-02T02:39:55.010-07:00Jessica Joyce Interview - You, with a View<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV5e-qLR17G1ySqoBIfUjtI65QctznsmoDMPM4NmJGLv6OndjRISKv-st8c5vqtQvpgC_kdRecPwEy4PlrHM_KiZ0B3nW5McaNK5gge0xAvCSA-_pomp7iXNffFvN2Vg5bckFfIKq7oL8B5L6y_kmhrlZZmCQtQiil_S3i-lsz2cMgMTwASD3o7tWsGdD/s500/00.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="499" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV5e-qLR17G1ySqoBIfUjtI65QctznsmoDMPM4NmJGLv6OndjRISKv-st8c5vqtQvpgC_kdRecPwEy4PlrHM_KiZ0B3nW5McaNK5gge0xAvCSA-_pomp7iXNffFvN2Vg5bckFfIKq7oL8B5L6y_kmhrlZZmCQtQiil_S3i-lsz2cMgMTwASD3o7tWsGdD/s320/00.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from Jessica Joyce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Jessica </span></b><span style="color: #999999;">grew up a voracious reader who loved to lose herself in books (ask her about her impressive ability to walk and read at the same time, mastered after many years of practice). Thanks to a family full of romance-novel-loving women, she discovered love stories and never looked back, especially when she realized she could lose herself in the words </span><i style="color: #999999;">she </i><span style="color: #999999;">created. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">She now lives happily-ever-ongoing with her husband and son in the Bay Area. When she’s not writing character-driven, realistic and relatable tales of millennials who are just Doing Their Best while falling in love, you can find her listening to one of her dozens of chaotically curated Spotify playlists, trying out a new skincare face mask, crying over cute animal TikToks, or watching the 2005 version of </span><i style="color: #999999;">Pride & Prejudice.</i></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><i><br /></i></span><i style="color: #999999;"></i><div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jessicajoycewrites/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/_jessica_bee" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://jessicajoycebooks.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22044161.Jessica_Joyce" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidY54QA9rVmSn1ePBQfClzGzq6bWcUawMZjE4cYin5Z2uqc08KFXeBiq8xeZvJPcynsl0y_7Zjk9xJqsd3yzB0p3oCuiMWdNyUfIzA0fVm453S_2v4ad-KP_AUhqKecWd7yox0y0gYoqgRv_7Okezt5mRWf1mEWxaPitddKQesod6pEr9hobgwt4zujIX/w640-h484/Banner%20Author%20Interview.JPG" /></div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">I’ve always written stories, ever since I was little, so in that way I’d say the realization has always kind of lived inside me. I have a photocopy of a book I wrote when I was 8 called The Horse (a riveting title), so even back then as a wee one I had a passion for writing. But I truly loved any creative endeavor—writing, drawing, sewing, painting. I grew up extremely right-brained. Put me in front of a math problem and I’d cry (and would today, too), but put me in front of a blank piece of paper and pencil? That was the zone. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I got serious about going after the writing dream in 2020, mid-pandemic, alongside many other people, I imagine! It was sort of that realization of, okay, life can pivot into wildness at any moment. Why am I not chasing this dream? So I went for it. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Without a doubt it’s connecting with people who have read You, with a View. It was pretty nerve-wracking when it started making its way into the hands of strangers, but it’s been amazing to see it resonate with people and to get to meet new people through the story. I love getting DMs from readers who want to talk about a specific part they loved, or ask questions, or talk about wonderful memories with their grandparents (which is a theme in the book). When I wrote You, with a View, I hoped that I’d get a chance to experience that connection, and it’s even better than I imagined. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">SOCIAL MEDIA. I have to shout it because it’s that huge of a distraction. Some days I’d be in the zone, and some days I’d write two sentences and then be like, “wow, I’m in a roll, let me just see what’s happening on TikTok/Twitter/Instagram” and suddenly I’d be thirty minutes down a cute animal video hole. I learned to write in 25-30 minute chunks and then give myself a 5 minute break where I could catch up on social media stuff, and that helped my productivity tremendously. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What chapter was the most memorable to write and why?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">Gosh, this answer could go about five different ways but I’m going to pick chapter 13. I don’t want to get too spoilery, but it involves wound-tending and is really the first chapter where I got to lean allllll the way in to the tension growing between Noelle, the main character, and Theo, her love interest. I always find writing unresolved sexual tension VERY fun, and I reveled in torturing them a little bit with this chapter, and also showing vulnerability with both characters. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Can you tell us when you started YOU, WITH A VIEW, how that came about?<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">The glimmer of the idea first came to me in 2016 when I found old photos of my grandma and a very handsome man. I asked about him and found out that they were interested in one another (which was VERY obvious in the pictures) but that my great-grandmother didn’t approve, so they never ended up dating. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">The rest of the idea came to me during the pandemic when I downloaded TikTok. I started seeing videos of people who had lost touch with relatives or friends or old loves, and some of them were hoping that TikTok could somehow reunite them. I thought about those old pictures of my grandma’s and wondered, “what would happen if someone found pictures of their grandma, similar to the ones I found, and wanted to know the story behind them but couldn’t ask their family? What if they made a TikTok hoping to find this mystery man, and ended up actually finding him through a relative?” And, being the romance reader/writer that I am, I knew the relative had to be a very attractive man whom the main character would eventually fall in love with. The rest is history!</span></div><div><br /><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b> What were your feelings when your first novel was accepted/when you first saw the cover of the finished product?</b><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #999999;"> As soon as I saw the final cover, I was absolutely in love. First of all, the Berkley team did an incredible job with it; it’s one of the most stunning covers I’ve ever seen, and I can’t believe it’s mine sometimes! And seeing my book with a cover, in a very book-shaped shape, really made it feel real. So it was an amazing moment, seeing it all come to life. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Your Journey to Publication<br /></span></b><span style="color: #999999;">As I mentioned, in 2020 I decided I wanted to write a book and try to get it published. I worked on it through the latter half of 2020 and in December, signed up for Twitter after doing some research and seeing that the writing community was super robust there. I had legitimately no idea what the steps were to getting published, so my first order of business was to connect with other writers who were on the same path as I was and learning the process. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I was lucky enough to meet a handful of absolutely amazing writers (who I’m still friends with today) guided me through revisions on that manuscript, preparing to query agents, and then actually querying with that manuscript. I sent out my first queries in April 2021. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I knew pretty quickly that this probably wasn’t going to be the manuscript that got me an agent, which was a really low point. When I sent it out, I had such high hopes (of course now I look back at it and am like, ohhh, yes, I see why it didn’t go anywhere. Perspective!) and it felt like everyone around me was nabbing an agent. It was a really difficult time for me. Querying can be a soul-crushing process—full of hope and rejection and obsessively checking your inbox for news of any kind. The tumbleweeds that passed through my inbox were epic, and for a minute I thought about scrapping all my plans. I was very lucky to be surrounded by those writer friends who encouraged me not to give up. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">And then I remembered my idea, and something inside of me sparked. In May, I started my first draft of You, with a View and let my first manuscript languish in the querying trenches. As I wrote into the summer, I just had a strange gut instinct that was telling me YWAV was it. This was going to be The One. I finished the draft in August, thrust it into the hands of several beta readers, and when I got the thumbs up, pitched it in the #pitmad pitching contest on Twitter in September. Now, sometimes in these pitching contests pitches would get eight, ten, fifteen agent requests. I got one. One single solitary request! Suddenly my gut instinct didn’t feel so strong. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Nevertheless, I submitted my full manuscript to the requesting agent—and two days later, she emailed me saying she read it all in one go, was in love with it, and wanted to talk to me. This was, as every querying author knows, The Call. I set up time to speak with her the following week and sent out a handful of additional queries. She did end up offering me representation on that phone call, and over the course of the next two weeks, I spoke with other agents, one of whom ended up being the amazing agent I have today. I signed with her on October 14, 2021. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Because my manuscript was in pretty good shape, we turned around and went on submission very quickly, at the end of October 2021. The submission process was very quick, which I didn’t expect, and by mid-November, I was signing my deal with Berkley. There was much celebrating and yelling and excited capslock texts. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">But to be honest, it also felt kind of surreal, like it was happening to someone else. I’d dreamed of being a published author for so long, but the process for this manuscript had been dizzingly quick, and it took me months to wrap my head around the fact that it was real and happening, that I was going to have not one but two books on bookshelves by the time 2024 was over. Even now, as my publication day approaches, I still have moments where it hits me. I’m a published author! </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">I also want to say that the road to publication is so different for everyone. There’s no blueprint. I have a ton of friends in the writing community and none of our experiences look remotely alike. There was a time where I thought about giving up because my path wasn’t looking like anyone else’s, so I hope anyone who’s reading this who’s about to go into that process knows that my experience isn’t a data point. It’s going to look different for everyone, but hopefully the end result is always going to be your work on a bookshelf, ready to be discovered by a new reader. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What is the first job you have had? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">A sales associate at Sam Goody, a music store. Every time it was my turn to have control of the sound system, I’d play *NSYNC’s No Strings Attached album. My co-workers h-a-t-e-d me. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">English, probably for obvious reasons, haha. I just loved to write. When everyone else was groaning about having to write an essay, I was already dreaming up what I was going to say. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Name one thing you miss about being a kid. </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Just the innocence of it all. The lack of awareness of responsibility. Oh, and I know this is a second thing, but having boundless energy. I REALLY miss that. </span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">“Am I late?” </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What's your most missed memory? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Spending summers with my grandma. My cousin and I would visit her every year growing up and they were such beautiful stretches of time (despite the 110+ degree heat of Southern Utah). </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Absolutely. I actually am incapable of minding my own business, so when I see something going down, I often find myself drifting over to step in if needed. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">True love with heartbreak. Life is so much richer with the ups and downs. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What do you usually think about right before falling asleep? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I fall asleep listening to music, so I’m usually daydreaming up story ideas or thinking about whatever characters I’m writing in the moment. </span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> If you could go back in time to one point in your life, where would you go? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">My early twenties so I could do it over again, MUCH less anxiously! </span><br /><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Any Camp stories you would like to share? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">I think this is an interesting factoid—I never, ever went to camp. I think I would’ve been way too homesick for it anyway. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">At a movie theater which arm rest is yours? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Both </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="color: #999999;">J</span></span><span style="color: #999999;"> (only if I’m sharing with my husband and not a stranger, of course. In that case, I’m angling for the right one) </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> What is one unique thing are you afraid of? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Space. I can’t even visit planetariums because I’ll have a panic attack. The thought of infinite….gah. I can’t even finish the sentence. It’s terrifying. </span><br /> <br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> When was the last time you told someone you loved them? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Today! I tell people I love them all the time. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">This morning my husband made some silly joke (I don’t even remember what it was) but we both cackling about it for minutes and minutes. My favorite.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"></span><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Most horrifying dream you have ever had? </span></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">When I was little, I used to have this recurring dream that I was at a circus at night and I’d go into these boxcar looking things and there’d be bodies in there, but instead of blood coming from their wounds, it was refried beans. It sounds ridiculous, but I had it ALL THE TIME and it was traumatizing!</span></div> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><b>Two weeks on the road... stuck in a car with your high-school enemy.<br /></b><br />Noelle Shepard is grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother when she discovers decades-old photos and letters that hint to a forbidden love in her gram's past. Needing to know the full story, she creates a TikTok video appealing for information - and it goes viral.<br /><br />Through her video, she manages to track down her grandmother's secret love, Paul, who offers to take her on the honeymoon road-trip he and Gram planned but never got to go on.<br /><br />Noelle jumps at the chance to make this one last connection with her grandmother. There's just one problem - Paul's grandson is Noelle's frustratingly handsome high-school rival Theo.<br /><br />And Theo has to come, too.<br /><br /><b>It's only two weeks. Surely Noelle can survive that long? But with one car between them - and often only one bed - it doesn't take long for things to heat up...</b></span><b><br /></b><div><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>You, with a View </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">1 Winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card.</span></div>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnlatestinterviews</span></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-88473725756634873922023-07-11T05:00:00.034-07:002023-08-15T04:51:42.566-07:00The Zone by Stu Jones Excerpt<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMitgvFm7T-VV-w6qXniCL4sKt2Zp1plWoxlA2j8sTW5POvSspHHqjRxFbAho6TNeOV71ulT7waJ7M39g_sKNDMGIxQjWuAVWdvvoyzphk1kzj7npoLdeeqkaTQoM-pdJaV8UrwlSLq2waCuzKHnOPooI4KmI7q7Qnp7c8nWiZzzXbpHuIVwZPq9pJqnwc/s700/Stu%20Jones.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="452" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMitgvFm7T-VV-w6qXniCL4sKt2Zp1plWoxlA2j8sTW5POvSspHHqjRxFbAho6TNeOV71ulT7waJ7M39g_sKNDMGIxQjWuAVWdvvoyzphk1kzj7npoLdeeqkaTQoM-pdJaV8UrwlSLq2waCuzKHnOPooI4KmI7q7Qnp7c8nWiZzzXbpHuIVwZPq9pJqnwc/w259-h400/Stu%20Jones.JPG" width="259" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from Stu Jones</span></div><br /><span style="color: #999999;">A veteran law enforcement officer, Stu Jones has served in patrol, narcotics, criminal investigations, as an instructor of firearms and police defensive tactics and as a team leader of a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team. He is trained and qualified as a law enforcement SWAT sniper, as well as in hostage rescue and high-risk entry tactics. Recently, Jones served for three years with a U.S. Marshal’s Regional Fugitive Task Force - hunting the worst of the worst.<br /><br />A Dragon Award Nominee, Jones is the author of multiple sci-fi/action/thriller novels, including the multi-award-winning <i>It Takes Death To Reach A Star </i>duology and Condition Black, written with co-author Gareth Worthington (Children of the Fifth Sun, A Time for Monsters).<br /><br />Known for his infectious storytelling and blistering action, Jones strives to create thought-provoking reading experiences that challenge the status quo. When he’s not chasing bad guys or writing epic stories, he can be found planning his next adventure to some remote or exotic place.<br /><br />Jones is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin & Fountain literary. He lives in Alabama with his wife, two children, and a golden-doodle who thinks he's human.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/stujonesfiction" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUJ5QrQvWZ9eFOHFPVuhnba_pkJeiNQ1bX7rEgeZ9-G2clrz61Z7IinIiMfflE0dYbVvejpBnkwj11YTU4CcUHCYayKvDdfVlVz4QSR3HF1wf02ZjzSQoIG5_lT7-uSrT52nwX4CSh8/s1600/Facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stujonesfiction/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYy16BCuC5NJqEnKuTKVqLiu5B8StABwkXQGK8KAycpYjOR5svgv_DcFVwWZ7bp19i_VKvnCgFA5BCC6aav1n8JiS0hmimYQn2G7NnyZSNF_29VHbc2AWl53Kg_tQlUuGOA-5agbOsFBg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/StuJonesFiction" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22t9azGhZvYga9sEk-F5tyzT_kgPkVeXWBjQe2qKbAojvpusK_h80es3_lGJOKOuzjLLjawwsaB_EcXrMIASzLW-8ffzJh0_KK0a4t1vljmhs8iDLjamToyKB8uxm6wp5uecKX2rw1mc/s1600/Twitter.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.stujonesfiction.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BH7qjAg9wxA-BfuTMfoG1IKg-6i0abt5vSBtLs42Jeoq6QU5AIBdzPWZGLtpikqsn9nIumtSzGdsXEiGuZukCzY4raUCe_gg_02ar7Da3EBCOKWLCTyx_lpes25gWfnq3XnzbuDNGsE/s1600/www.png" /></a> <span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5266877.Stu_Jones" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCeof93ArkU3kOSnjWPbVTWDytobfmU7kwp5LLJcwanGTLosD1goZL2J13T3gLJq8trzC-7T4qqZlel8J-DgPGRcpZ4HnctEX5j5BPxkGMzbbPZP3DKp07_9Jj7o7TFGX4OQVAfLW-Ao/s1600/goodreads.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div></div></div></div>
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<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdLHIkd7i3zb_suMo0IZMDmT6EV8w9cz4M8n5zDp1FwU5BfkWt89AwNUjAoqiJJvF4JHHoU2uCPVMZhma8oQ-JLSJ1ybw53vovHwMyz4Sf_Frr77qjvi7hj7wVJT17vbTqwLe575g-SH9fcqgLwstNf35rlZL_qKlnig__evDc7xbJdV9bGR3uoAvxw/s630/620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdLHIkd7i3zb_suMo0IZMDmT6EV8w9cz4M8n5zDp1FwU5BfkWt89AwNUjAoqiJJvF4JHHoU2uCPVMZhma8oQ-JLSJ1ybw53vovHwMyz4Sf_Frr77qjvi7hj7wVJT17vbTqwLe575g-SH9fcqgLwstNf35rlZL_qKlnig__evDc7xbJdV9bGR3uoAvxw/s16000/620.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #999999;">In a tech-addicted dystopia, a young cop struggling to survive is forced into a high-octane gladiatorial grudge match, where sinister corporate overlords pull the strings and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance.<br /><br />ONE WAY IN. NO WAY OUT<br /><br />In the super-city of Neo Terminus, millions of tech-addicted fans surround a walled-off inner-city wasteland to watch nano-boosted gladiators called Enforcers fight to the death in the Conglomerate-controlled event known as The Zone. Enforcers are promised wealth and celebrity—if they survive.<br /><br />Officer Chance Griffin fights to clean up the mean streets of Neo Terminus, and scrape together enough money for his infant son’s vital surgery. Driven by his family’s need, Chance signs on as an Enforcer for The Conglomerate.<br /><br />As Chance rises to the top of the Enforcer ranks, The Glom’s mysterious Founders coerce him into competing in the greatest Zone trial ever conceived. Chance knows he’s the favorite to win. He believes his family is safe. He believes his son will get the medical care he urgently needs.<br /><br />Chance is wrong.<br /><br />Too late, he uncovers a plot by The Glom to rig the trial and enslave the citizens of Neo Terminus, ensuring obedience—forever.<br /><br />Blinded by fame and fortune, and used as a pawn by the corporate machine, Chance resists. But he is about to discover that every deal with the devil has its price…</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">THE ZONE BY STU JONES EXCERPT</span></b><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“Hey.” Benny jerked his chin toward the window. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“What?” Chance said. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“Take a look at the scene down on Morgan.” Benny cut the wheel, and the VTOL banked left so Chance could see below them. A group of young men, all of them wearing purple jackets and hoodies, surrounded a young teenage male without colors. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“I see it.” Chance unbuckled his seatbelt. “Death Squad. Looks like a jump in—either that or they’re just being assholes.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Benny held up a hand. “Hang on, bro. Us getting in the middle of that is only going to make it worse.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Chance jabbed a yellow key on the console. With a clunk, the full-sized surveillance drone disconnected from the cab of the Aeron police-issue VTOL and lifted away. Blade-thin wings extended, it banked and circled slow, its telephoto camera capturing identities with facial recognition software. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“Technically,” RITA said, “a child is in danger. As sworn peace officers, you are obligated to intervene.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“That’s right, RITA.” Chance said, pushing up the wing door to the VTOL. He reached up and connected his tether to the eyebolt on the doorframe. “You do what you want, Benny, but I’m going in.” He slipped his Devcon assault helmet on and gave Benny the hang ten sign. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“You reckless son of a—” Benny called after him. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Bailing out of the VTOL, Chance zipped down toward the crowd, controlling his speed with a gloved hand by pulling the rappel cable away from his body. Chance landed and ripped the end of the tether free from his armor. He unclipped the sub-compact Electro-stream shock rifle from his chest and flicked it open, the stock clicking into position. The bulky rectangular muzzle snapped arcs of electricity as he snugged the minimalist stock into his shoulder. Oversized power coils in the frame glowed white, static-charging with a whine. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">Standing over the bloody, beaten teen, Chance swiveled back and forth, the “less lethal” shock rifle aimed at the furious gang members. The Death Squad goons encircled him, a sea of plum-colored jackets shifting, the gangbangers unzipping to produce concealed weapons. Chance slapped a raised orange triangle on the chest of his armor. A piercing siren shrieked from the hovering VTOL, followed by a concussion like rolling thunder. Blue lights strobed across the surface of his armor. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“Attention.” RITA’s voice boomed from the VTOL’s megaphone above, echoing across the street. “By section six-zero-nine-five-two of the Neo Terminus Criminal Code, you are engaged in criminal gang activity and will be sent to the Blocks if you do not cease and desist. Disperse immediately by order of the NTPD.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">The terrified kid at Chance’s feet stared in shock at the gang, then at the single cop standing over him. Blood dripped from his nose and off his chin. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“What’s it gonna be, fellas?” Chance said, his body coiled for action.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>The Zone </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div><div> <a href="https://amzn.to/4409Ber" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-zone-stu-jones/1143345028?ean=9781954386099" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKQz9WRyucW1iFkEVFm67XtDHCbhuEZxzJt8s49jt7GUZoy3spL8sydYJcFGHJ_aZ21m0_8arvutCWUTMpsvZN6b4Ggkd4megJtJIgSkdVoG9o_El5u-7ckYlN1NW08GhddhzTeIZsWs/s1600/bn.png" /></a> <a href="https://amzn.to/43UVyHa" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> </div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>STU JONES</b> </span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">3 Winners will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfcuHzt3eeHPWKI8BIzfYDwETBr7d4UvV5QNNShDO-0baheSQlydNxNV6karhwkWyuCWYAsdOXmvSP_C-64W1bZvOKUFlllO6rC79Vrm8f01ASxLXRe2F7g5nXceAHP7M3uSwJjcztHI/s1600/11.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfcuHzt3eeHPWKI8BIzfYDwETBr7d4UvV5QNNShDO-0baheSQlydNxNV6karhwkWyuCWYAsdOXmvSP_C-64W1bZvOKUFlllO6rC79Vrm8f01ASxLXRe2F7g5nXceAHP7M3uSwJjcztHI/s1600/11.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #999999;"><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: georgia;"><b>WEEK ONE</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 10th MONDAY </span><a href="https://cover2coverblog.blogspot.com/2023/07/blog-blast-giveaway-excerpt-zone-by-stu.html" target="_blank">Cover2CoverBlog</a><span style="color: #999999;"> EXCERPT</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 11th TUESDAY </span><a href="https://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2023/07/the-zone-by-stu-jones-excerpt.html" target="_blank">JeanBookNerd</a><span style="color: #999999;"> EXCERPT</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 12th WEDNESDAY <a href="https://abronxlatinareads.wordpress.com/2023/07/13/blog-tour-review-the-zone-by-stu-jones/" target="_blank">A Bronx Latina Reads</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 13th THURSDAY <a href="https://www.fundinmental.com/stu-jones/" target="_blank">fundinmental</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 14th FRIDAY <a href="https://casiascorner.com/2023/07/14/blog-tour-review-the-zone-by-stu-jones/" target="_blank">Casia's Corner</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: georgia;"><b>WEEK TWO</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 17th MONDAY <a href="http://www.ttcbooksandmore.com/2023/07/the-zone-by-stu-jones-blog-tour-with.html" target="_blank">TTC Books and More</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 18th TUESDAY <a href="https://fuonlyknew.com/2023/07/18/the-zone-by-stu-jones-review-and-giveaway/" target="_blank">FUONLYKNEW</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 19th WEDNESDAY <a href="https://rajivsreviews.com/" target="_blank">Rajiv's Reviews</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 20th THURSDAY <a href="http://www.crossroadreviews.com/2023/07/booktour-zone-cyberpunk-thriller-by.html" target="_blank">Crossroad Reviews</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 21st FRIDAY <a href="https://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-zone-blog-tour-spotlight-giveaway.html" target="_blank">A Dream Within A Dream</a> SPOTLIGHT</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: georgia;"><b>WEEK THREE</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 24th MONDAY <a href="https://moviesshowsnbooks.blogspot.com/2023/07/blog-tour-zone-by-stu-jones.html" target="_blank">Movies, Shows, & Books</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 25th TUESDAY <a href="https://laurasbookishcorner.wordpress.com/2023/07/25/the-zone-by-stu-jones-blog-tour-july-10th-27th/" target="_blank">Laura's Bookish Life</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 26th WEDNESDAY <a href="https://bookreviewvirginialee.com/2023/07/26/the-zone-by-stu-jones-blog-tour/" target="_blank">#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee</a> REVIEW</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 27th THURSDAY <a href="https://livinginabookworld.blogspot.com/2023/07/blog-tour-zone-by-stu-jones-excerpt.html" target="_blank">Living in a Bookworld</a> EXCERPT</span></div></div></div><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnpastinterviews</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293282810260463169.post-53610189795157610652023-07-10T08:00:00.064-07:002023-08-15T04:42:27.329-07:00|Podcast| The Genes of Isis - Justin Newland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IHhkHPT7sgx29__uqfFndC7j93__tzzrqE9VS8yv1VfUSPKioJnip7BDzp12UuqKYM4zT-bXhKKXMY9R_Ki_Hap9RMeC5mAJu4i3J93tsa0_k4ltabwLSUOfgLEArU4KpcjcHVaX3xaGJc2TArto4yJSj4Qp4D3RWxBB9fSFP0VfH7kE-tDM0PjM2U7N/s500/Justin%20Newland.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="451" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IHhkHPT7sgx29__uqfFndC7j93__tzzrqE9VS8yv1VfUSPKioJnip7BDzp12UuqKYM4zT-bXhKKXMY9R_Ki_Hap9RMeC5mAJu4i3J93tsa0_k4ltabwLSUOfgLEArU4KpcjcHVaX3xaGJc2TArto4yJSj4Qp4D3RWxBB9fSFP0VfH7kE-tDM0PjM2U7N/s320/Justin%20Newland.JPG" width="289" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Photo Content from </span><span style="color: #999999; text-align: start;">Laurie Forest</span><br />
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<div><span><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">JUSTIN NEWLAND</span></b><span style="color: #999999;">’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. His stories explore the themes of war and religion, and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, <i>The Genes of Isis</i> (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies. </span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">The historical thriller, <i>The Old Dragon’s Head </i>(Matador, 2018), is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall. </span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><i>The Coronation</i> (Matador, 2019) was another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution. </span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><i>The Abdication </i>(Matador, 2021) is a supernatural thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith. </span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">H</span><span style="color: #999999;">is work in progress is a two-book series, <i>The Island of Angels</i>. Set in the Elizabethan era, it’s an epic tale of England’s coming of age. <i>The Mark of the Salamander</i> (to be published September 2023) takes us across the open seas of discovery with Sir Francis Drake while<i> The Midnight of Eights</i> culminates the series with the repulse of the Spanish Armada. </span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, gives talks to historical associations and libraries and enjoys giving radio interviews and making podcasts. </span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">Born three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cccccc;">JEANBOOKNERD PODCAST 2023: </span></b><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">SEASON 5 EPISODE 9</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cccccc;">GUEST: JUSTIN NEWLAND</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cccccc;">JOURNALIST: NARRY OUK</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/justin.newland.author/" target="_blank">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drjustinnewland/" target="_blank">INSTAGRAM</a> | <a href="https://www.justinnewland.com/" target="_blank">WEBSITE</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13741278.Justin_Newland" target="_blank">GOODREADS</a></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/jeanbooknerd-podcast/id1392809015?mt=2" style="text-align: -webkit-center;" target="new"><img alt="JBN Podcast" height="34" src="https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/assets/shared/badges/en-us/podcast-lrg.svg" width="133" /></a><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"> </span><a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS8wc0lsVllneg" style="text-align: -webkit-center;" target="new"><img alt="JBN Podcast" height="34" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56vzJplraQNth3elXm8IQh9dBiQAkrDqIu1PNEDX18g8d5U1Ty3rhwl4ll2Oiqptv8PD_MhUUCYcC3s9acgXt_RLLNG8xXMOcgQX6UaHX5kAA7qiqFL-iOz6_AcbMVIaV8PJoWMsB15o/h120/googleplay_podcast.png" width="93" /></a><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"> </span><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5I6VeBDfVnfwchnSwIB4Af" style="text-align: -webkit-center;" target="new"><img alt="JBN Podcast" height="34" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyH0LtMSUrQIhbuqDLNqBTsEancjDBeFI6dJ9dyT45XOIEQtR6_oG55TsQF9qWvPCBjrNuZYeoKXvNzuGVps26bStLDJIfyUa1steyTZBw2jrj1prXfMRpay7e9eK9LX_fkA5EgQ9ZRzS/h120/spotify.png" width="93" /></a><br /></div>
<div><div><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Praise for THE GENES OF ISIS</span></b><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">“The book is exquisitely written, with good characterization and a compelling plot… Thoroughly recommended.” —</span><b><i><span style="color: #cccccc;">Jennifer’s Reviews</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">“The novel is creative, sophisticated, brilliant! I couldn’t ask for a more Egyptian-esque book!” —</span><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">Lauren</span></b><span style="color: #999999;">, Books Beyond the Story</span></div></div>
<div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglZ-cveFRz7vBMR6VM8BfPUeHz7yMdja0AYn7iH-KMvbkTXOooS6vj_q9f-R5bcL1i589Ivtsr5pjlLKoeSPNhU9Xmy9w3P4VsyOzi5Md8Z1B4_x7iXXsbq-qfXJ8u5xCwH4oMDHQBCYEMRihaVIF_AueHJ0TY0o4jWeDkj3qamydbUXcDkVHQ9HSzg/s620/The%20Genes%20of%20Isis.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglZ-cveFRz7vBMR6VM8BfPUeHz7yMdja0AYn7iH-KMvbkTXOooS6vj_q9f-R5bcL1i589Ivtsr5pjlLKoeSPNhU9Xmy9w3P4VsyOzi5Md8Z1B4_x7iXXsbq-qfXJ8u5xCwH4oMDHQBCYEMRihaVIF_AueHJ0TY0o4jWeDkj3qamydbUXcDkVHQ9HSzg/s16000/The%20Genes%20of%20Isis.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;">Akasha is a precocious young girl with dreams of motherhood. She lives in a fantastical world where most of the oceans circulate in the aquamarine sky waters.<br /><br />Before she was born, the Helios, a tribe of angels from the sun, came to Earth to deliver the Surge, the next step in the evolution of an embryonic human race. Instead they spawned a race of hybrids and infected humanity with a hybrid seed.<br /><br />Horque manifests on Earth with another tribe of angels, the Solarii, to rescue the genetic mix-up and release the Surge.<br /><br />Akasha embarks on a journey from maiden to mother and from apprentice to priestess then has a premonition that a great flood is imminent. All three races – humans, hybrids and Solarii – face extinction.<br /><br />With their world in crisis, Akasha and Horque meet, and a sublime love flashes between them. Is this a cause of hope for humanity and the Solarii? Or will the hybrids destroy them both? Will anyone survive the killing waters of the coming apocalypse?</span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="color: #999999;">You can purchase</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>The Genes of Isis </i></span><span style="color: #999999;">at the following Retailers:</span></div><div> <a href="https://amzn.to/42Ms79u" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-genes-of-isis-justin-newland/1125699839?ean=2940162019176" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKQz9WRyucW1iFkEVFm67XtDHCbhuEZxzJt8s49jt7GUZoy3spL8sydYJcFGHJ_aZ21m0_8arvutCWUTMpsvZN6b4Ggkd4megJtJIgSkdVoG9o_El5u-7ckYlN1NW08GhddhzTeIZsWs/s1600/bn.png" /></a> <a href="https://amzn.to/43PXiSg" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eP_NZCr4iMPCtYpMkwX-TvRc49NDodUMCsLLOsmu3yg675Tm8GRI1yQ3wg5oTLlepYFJpln-spYt5OPoVxcNIfigxgsYu4M7nuS4PTe8KbgFVYHyeuL5bR6JM9AbH_K25I6huFfmkVU/s1600/am.png" /></a> </div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjYT66U7RvhGl9_oQu3Ps5U-cs9nNj0skHlhfl5v_ekKMLuuB4MtK-qXmhU8QdSDY954a8IXYmUlHnS6KM-ekoLts6HnJPYb-jFXBpB9F4wXe_rtvFqyrAn8quVHRwbXHO4PpCegrEjw/s1600/00.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="20" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjYT66U7RvhGl9_oQu3Ps5U-cs9nNj0skHlhfl5v_ekKMLuuB4MtK-qXmhU8QdSDY954a8IXYmUlHnS6KM-ekoLts6HnJPYb-jFXBpB9F4wXe_rtvFqyrAn8quVHRwbXHO4PpCegrEjw/s1600/00.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: #999999;">And now, The Giveaways</span>.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Thank you </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>JUSTIN NEWLAND</b> </span><span style="color: #999999;">for making this giveaway possible.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cRiy7pfOjB5n1H_fNnx4ZNYsFy1z2VDJPUvcIvhv6FUA360TUcz9iinJdr_PGulXnPv50sXqLHbme3rD-3d36_MIYz2ENT48zVYs8gsITvRAFo2yw-CcUKApmtR8nqR0rgxrCHfAVBi-hzSzBxMMCOkbxy0JjcsT3QTBlz_jBPwZDHhWaUgx8Unf5A/s437/Giveaway%20Banner.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cRiy7pfOjB5n1H_fNnx4ZNYsFy1z2VDJPUvcIvhv6FUA360TUcz9iinJdr_PGulXnPv50sXqLHbme3rD-3d36_MIYz2ENT48zVYs8gsITvRAFo2yw-CcUKApmtR8nqR0rgxrCHfAVBi-hzSzBxMMCOkbxy0JjcsT3QTBlz_jBPwZDHhWaUgx8Unf5A/s16000/Giveaway%20Banner.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">2 Winners will receive a Signed Copy of THE GENES OF ISIS by Justin Newland.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHNYTfaWTh6l44dD46ZZi702d_2nJ7Rnec7-ygZ3wkm2AVPpWl9jEtTdTMI1imTe9ZlEfbApRRpntBtU9b1v-37BCJxRfUWHaoygP-e4fjBOsLOe3Zpl8uv8JpZmuYnGQ5ToKq31eeUc/s1600/11.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHNYTfaWTh6l44dD46ZZi702d_2nJ7Rnec7-ygZ3wkm2AVPpWl9jEtTdTMI1imTe9ZlEfbApRRpntBtU9b1v-37BCJxRfUWHaoygP-e4fjBOsLOe3Zpl8uv8JpZmuYnGQ5ToKq31eeUc/s1600/11.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: georgia;">WEEK ONE</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 10th MONDAY <a href="https://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2023/07/podcast-genes-of-isis-justin-newland.html" target="_blank">JeanBookNerd</a> PODCAST</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 11th TUESDAY <a href="https://cover2coverblog.blogspot.com/2023/07/blog-tour-excerpt-giveaway-genes-of.html" target="_blank">Cover2CoverBlog</a> EXCERPT</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 12th WEDNESDAY <a href="https://casiascorner.com/2023/07/12/blog-tour-review-genes-of-isis-by-justin-newland/" target="_blank">Casia's Corner</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 13th THURSDAY <a href="https://fuonlyknew.com/2023/07/13/the-genes-of-isis-by-justin-newland-review-and-giveaway/" target="_blank">FUONLYKNEW</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 14th FRIDAY <a href="https://abronxlatinareads.wordpress.com/2023/07/14/blog-tourreview-the-genes-of-isis-by-justin-newland/" target="_blank">A Bronx Latina Reads</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: georgia;"><b>WEEK TWO</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 17th MONDAY <a href="https://rajivsreviews.com/" target="_blank">Rajiv's Reviews</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 18th TUESDAY <a href="https://www.fundinmental.com/review-giveaway-the-genes-of-isis-by-justin-newland/" target="_blank">fundinmental</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 19th WEDNESDAY <a href="http://www.ttcbooksandmore.com/2023/07/the-genes-of-isis-blog-tour-with-tammys.html" target="_blank">TTC Books and More</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 20th THURSDAY <a href="https://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-genes-of-isis-blog-tour-spotlight.html" target="_blank">A Dream Within A Dream</a> SPOTLIGHT</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 21st FRIDAY <a href="http://www.crossroadreviews.com/2023/07/booktour-genes-of-isis-by-justin.html" target="_blank">Crossroad Reviews</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: georgia;"><b>WEEK THREE</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 24th MONDAY <a href="https://laurasbookishcorner.wordpress.com/2023/07/24/the-genes-of-isis-by-justin-newland-blog-tour-july-10th-27th-promo-post/" target="_blank">Laura's Bookish Life</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 25th TUESDAY <a href="https://moviesshowsnbooks.blogspot.com/2023/07/blog-tour-genes-of-isis-by-justin.html" target="_blank">Movies, Shows, & Books</a> REVIEW</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 26th WEDNESDAY <a href="https://bookreviewvirginialee.com/2023/07/26/the-genes-of-isis-by-justin-newland-blog-tour/" target="_blank">#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee</a> REVIEW</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999;">JULY 27th THURSDAY <a href="https://livinginabookworld.blogspot.com/2023/07/blog-tour-genes-of-isis-by-justin.html" target="_blank">Living in a Bookworld</a> EXCERPT</span></div></div></div><div><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">jbnpastinterviews</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div>
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Jean Vallesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880115967251338191noreply@blogger.com0