Friday, November 29, 2019

Write a Book







Non-Fiction
Date Published:  Hardcover November 30th

Your Book Might Suck…

But it doesn’t have to.

You are an awesome writer with an incredible fiction story the world needs to experience. But your book… well, it kind of sucks. So let’s fix that.

Setting your novel apart from the rest is a choice.

Fiction is more than a character doing stuff in a place you’ve invented. There are rules to magic and seasons to setting and double meanings to words, and a cadence to sentence structure if you want to write a book that doesn’t suck.

I guarantee you will find tricks and treats you’ve never heard or read before in any other writing book. If not, let me know and I’ll refund your money. But if I’m right, and my book helps you to write a novel that doesn’t suck, then I’m asking you, in return to leave a positive review. That’s fair, isn’t it?

Ready to get started? Great! There are questions with space to answer at the end of each chapter to help you along your journey. I’m super excited for you and wish you all the luck in writing your novel!



 photo Weekly Post Write a Book_zps8j8t1don.png

About the Author


Jaimie Engle writes fantasy thrillers for teens and tweens. Her anti-bullying message has reached tens of thousands of students throughout the US, and her books have hit #1 on the Amazon New Release List.  Before publishing her first novel, Jaimie danced at the Aloha Bowl halftime show, was an alien on Sea Quest, and modeled bikinis for Reef Brazil. When not writing books, screenplays, and comics, Jaimie can be found cosplaying at comic conventions. Learn more at www.theWRITEengle.com.

Purchase Link

Monday, November 25, 2019

See Me



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. L. Simpson will be awarding a $10 Boroughs Bucks to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.



Architect Ethan James's life is a mess. He's juggling being a single dad while fighting his infuriating ex who's trying to get full custody, while at the same time he's barely keeping his head above water in the job of his dreams. When he meets Mia Sullivan at a friend's engagement party, her bright spirit and kind heart shines a light into his life when he needs it most. With so much coming at him from all directions, he relies on Mia’s support but makes the heartbreaking mistake of not cherishing her love. Mia sees the writing on the wall and pulls back before her heart is shattered. Ethan can't lose the woman who makes his life complete, and shows her he is the man she needs him to be.


Read an Excerpt


After looping an arm through mine, she led me a few blocks before we came to an old building with a dodgy-looking doorway. I’d never been here before, but that didn’t mean much. We stayed joined as we walked up some old steps to a new-looking elevator with a security guard waiting in front. He pressed the button and we stepped inside.



“Don’t look worried, Ethan. We aren’t going to a CIA black site.”



I grinned. Eventually, the elevator stopped and we came out onto a rooftop in the CBD, which was bustling with people drinking and eating. It was another reminder at how much of the world I hadn’t explored yet. We walked to the edge and sat at a bar looking down over the busy city streets in the sunset.


“What’s your poison?” she asked.



I stood. “This is my shout. What can I get you?”



“Something white and dry. And can you get a menu? I’m starved.”



“How about I order?”



She nodded. I went to the bar and ordered fries, wings, and sliders, then brought my beer and her wine back. She smiled up at me, unguarded for a moment, giving me those sexy dimples that featured in my fantasies. Then the shutters came down, and what had happened between us hung heavy in the air.



“Mia, I want to apologise for how I was that weekend. I wasn’t meaning to lead you on. I was too drawn to you, having too much fun, and I forgot for a moment how my life actually is. I should’ve held back because I couldn’t do what we might’ve had any justice. I never wanted to hurt you. I was being selfish and I’m sorry.”



She didn’t speak for a long moment, taking a large sip of wine, and I held my breath. “I’m not going to lie, I was hurt. But when I saw you this afternoon, I got it. Complicated is right. Be kind to yourself. It looks like you have enough on your plate.” She gripped my hand and squeezed.



I squeezed it back, needing her to understand how much it meant to me, but knowing my words would come up short.



“But now it’s time to share your burden with me,” she said. “Tell me all about how you of all people ended up with a woman like that.”



I wanted to laugh as she said the word that like it was a bitter taste in her mouth. Instead, I sighed because I hated recounting the story of my life.


About the Author: As a girl growing up in Australia, Laura was lost in the world of Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. During high school, volleyball dominated her life. There had to be something positive about being 6’1” with red hair. Representing Australia from a young age she eventually took a scholarship at the University of Iowa. Living in America and being a full time athlete in a college town was an eye-opening experience and lots of fun (from what she can remember). #gohawkeyes

Returning from the States, her career took a different turn as she started working at the Red Cross and completed her Masters of Law in Human Rights. As one of the few non-lawyers in the class, her essays were far more floral than the rest, something that caused the discerning professors to shake their heads. Through working and studying, she realised there are other ways to win hearts and minds.

While she’s spent the last 14 years as an advocate against poverty and homelessness, the desire to change the world through storytelling has only got stronger. She now lives in the Alpine Valleys of North East Victoria, Australia with her husband, daughter, son, two dogs and seven chooks. When she’s not doing the whole mum thing, working at a homelessness agency, renovating her farmhouse, or trying to do laundry bleary-eyed at midnight, she is writing.



Say G’day to Laura:


Website: http://www.lsimpsonauthor.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/l.simpson.romance

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lsimpsonauthor

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lsimpsonauthor

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-simpson-47278971




BUY LINKS:



http://boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/see-me


https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/see-me-l-simpson/1133838822?ean=9781951055202


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YDL2SV6


https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/960078


https://books2read.com/u/b5QBYR


https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/see-me-28


https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/en-us/details/1481621816






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Audition



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Skye Warren will be $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
awarding a



Blood and sweat. Bethany Lewis danced her way out of poverty. She’s a world class athlete… with a debt to pay.

Joshua North always gets what he wants. And the mercenary wants Bethany in his bed. He wants her beautiful little body bent to his will.

She doesn’t surrender to his kiss.

He doesn’t back down from a challenge.

It’s going to be a sensual fight… to the death.
Read an Excerpt:

Blinding lights. Aching lungs. Thunderous applause. The final show concludes the same way we rehearsed for months, the same way we performed for weeks. My muscles know the movements better than they understand rest. The prospect of after, of what comes next, makes my breath catch. Even as the primas take their bows, relief echoes around the stage. Vacations are planned. Relief for strained muscles. Everyone needs a break, even professional athletes. I’m the only one onstage dreading it.

We bow and curtesy with practiced grace. The curtain descends to the floor. Almost to the second we break formation—a flock of crows startled from the woods. The more exuberant among us, the young ones, the new ones, the ones using steroids, prance and jete toward the dressing rooms. Most of us limp our way out. One hundred percent of NFL players are injured every season. Professional dancing is the same. We hurl our bodies through the air, forcing massive impact through tired joints night after night. I catch my friend Marlena in my arms. Her face is white with pain.

“Ice,” she says. “Or better yet—tequila.”

I push my shoulder under hers as we exit the stage. “Don’t sell yourself short. You can have both.”

A delicate snort. “Not likely. We have to smile and flirt with the old men with big, fat wallets. And for what? I won’t be here next season. You won’t be, either.”

The reminder clangs inside me like a copper bell. I won’t be coming to the New York City Ballet after the break. We fall into our creaky chairs in the dressing room. “Are you going to miss it?”

“Miss it? Of course I’ll miss it.” Marlena turned twenty-eight last month. It’s comfortably retirement age for a dancer. “When the little children do their terrible pirouettes, when they sneeze and throw up and cry all over my leotard, I’ll think fondly of the beautiful art I left behind. Then I’ll be able to walk home. That won’t happen if I try to dance another season.”

“You’ll make a wonderful teacher. You know you were mine.” She didn’t teach me to dance. It was my first love, before I learned to flip and contort myself. Before I ever leapt from a trapeze bar.

Marlena taught me the ropes of the ballet company when I joined two years ago. Most of them thought I wouldn’t last a week. Some of them didn’t want me to. It’s a rigid world, the hierarchy stacked with graduates of Juilliard or the John Cranko school.

I don’t have a pedigree.

All I have is a body that does what it must, no matter how much it hurts.

Which means changing out of my sweaty leotard into a fresh one. We’re contractually obligated to attend the ball. Like Marlena said, we should smile and flirt with the high society people who attend. Both the male and female dancers have to do it. It’s what convinces the sponsors to write checks that will fund the next season. By the time they’re rehearsing The Nutcracker I’ll be in New Orleans, the place I swore I’d never return.



About the Author: Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her books have sold over one million copies. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.

Website: http://www.skyewarren.com/books/audition/



Buy Links:



Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Audition-Skye-Warren-ebook/dp/B07VZTRXJ3

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/audition/id1475290521

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/audition-skye-warren/1132969928



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Saturday, November 23, 2019

Seven Sides of Self

Short stories explore the shards of human personality
Former scientist-turned-artist examines how we seek to understand the world around us

BROOKEVILLE, MarylandAs a musician, artist, writer, and former scientist, Nancy Joie Wilkie’s first collection of short stories is designed to stimulate the intellect and engage the imagination. “Seven Sides of Self” (Nov. 5, 2019, She Writes Press) explores seven aspects of an individual — the storyteller, the skeptic, the survivor, the saint (or the sinner), the scholar, the seeker, and the savior.
Through the lives of the central characters, Nancy examines themes of battling strong emotions, the lengths we might go to for self-preservation and self-sacrifice, the inability to accept things as different, and taking responsibility for what we create.  Each story seeks to contribute something to our ability to better understand ourselves, the world around us, and the conflicts we all face. Original and thought-provoking, these stories will delight any fan of science-fiction and fantasy.



An Interview with
Nancy Joie Wilkie

  1. The stories in “Seven Sides of Self” are so thoughtful and engaging, and at times very personal. What was your creative process
Actually, the stories really are quite personal.  If you know me well, the collection can be thought of as a scavenger hunt. There are little pieces of me in each of the seven stories — hence the title. As for my creative process, there is no one magic formula. As an example, “An Intricate Balance” came to me while out on a long walk. I got home and started writing — several hours later, I had the first draft of the story. “The Ledge” is based on my longstanding fear of high places. Pieces of “Journey To Pradix” started out as part of another story. “Microwave Man” came about during a long drive with not much to think about. You just never know when the Muses will show up!

  1. As a former scientist, musician, artist, and now published author, your resume is really impressive. What drew you first to science and then to music and art, and do you see connections between these?
My maternal grandfather was an organic chemist. As a youngster, I would watch him work in his laboratory and always thought, “That’s what I want to do when I grow up,” and so I did!  I’m lucky to have known what I wanted to do; not everyone knows their calling. As for the music and the art, I had two musically gifted grandparents and a bunch of mostly older cousins who were musicians, artists, and writers. They were my inspiration. As for a connection, all of these fields are about creating something — taking what one sees or hears in one’s mind or feels in one’s heart and then bringing the thoughts and feelings out into the real world — hence my moniker: mindsights.

  1. You’ve mentioned what you call “spiritual dynamics,” referring to the connection between souls and physical bodies. Why are you interested in souls, and can a reader find that interest in the book?
Being a distant relative of William Thomson — better known as Lord Kelvin, a major contributor to the Third Law of Thermodynamics — and having been a scientist myself, I have always been interested in the Three Laws of Thermodynamics. After I lost my father to cancer 13 years ago, I started to rethink how I viewed the soul and the afterlife — trying to make some sense of my father’s passing — and then started thinking about our “before life.”  It was then that I thought developing the Three Laws of Spiritual Dynamics would be an interesting analog and might be used in some of my stories. “An Intricate Balance” is really my first venture into that arena. I do plan to more fully explore these ideas in future stories.

  1. Can you talk about the relationship between the stories in this collection?
One set of stories revolves around the life of an author and are, I suppose, loosely connected (“There Once Was A Man …,” “Microwave Man,” and “Old Mims). A second set of stories is set in an incredibly far future and introduces the reader to Mothersouls and the Oversoul (“The Ledge” and “An Intricate Balance”). “Microwave Man” also introduces the reader to the fictional planet of Aurillia and sets the stage for the events told in “Of The Green And Of The Gold.” Lastly, “Journey To Pradix” and “Old Mims” both portray rather exceptional views of our inevitable transition to an afterlife. The stories were never designed to be connected — it just sort of worked out that way. I do plan to introduce additional stories that also will be loosely connected to some of these same topics.

  1. You’ve said that the book is a collection of “original stories for original thinkers.” How do you define an original thinker?
I actually borrowed that line from a much earlier project with which I was involved. I was in a band that played pretty much all-original music — music that dealt with some socially progressive themes. We would play various benefit shows and eventually released a collection of our songs. When I built the website in support of the band and its music, I came up with the phrase “Original music for original minds.” Back then, I defined “an original mind” as someone who is thinking outside the box, someone with different ideas about things the average person hasn’t really considered. I suppose I still think that’s an adequate description. I’d like to think I have an original mind!



NANCY JOIE WILKIE worked for over 30 years in both the biotechnology industry and as a part of the federal government’s biodefense effort. She served as a project manager, providing oversight for the development of many new products. Now retired, she composes original music, plays a variety of instruments, and records many of her compositions. “Seven Sides of Self” is her first fiction publication. She is currently working on more short stories, a novella, and a science fiction novel. Nancy resides in Brookeville, Maryland. 

More about Nancy and her work can be found at www.mindsights.net





Seven Sides of Self”
Nancy Joie Wilkie | Nov. 5, 2019 | She Writes Press
Paperback | 978-1-63152-634-3 | $16.95
E-book | 978-1-63152-635-0 | $9.95
Fiction/Short Stories





Friday, November 22, 2019

Smoke Screen

Smoke Screen

by Terri Blackstock

on Tour October 28 - November 30, 2019

Synopsis:

Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock


One father was murdered, and another convicted of his death. All because their children fell in love.

Nate Beckett has spent his life fighting wildfires instead of the lies and rumors that drove him from his Colorado home town. His mother begs him to come to Carlisle now that his father has been released from prison, but it isn’t until he’s sidelined by an injury that he’s forced to return and face his past. But that means facing Brenna too.

Fourteen years ago, Nate was in love with the preacher's daughter. When Pastor Strickland discovered Brenna had defied him to sneak out with Nate, the fight between Strickland and Nate's drunken dad was loud—and very public. Strickland was found murdered later that night, and everyone accused Roy Beckett. When the church burned down, people assumed it was Nate getting even for his father’s conviction. He let the rumors fly and left Carlisle without looking back.

Now, Brenna is stunned to learn that the man convicted of murdering her father has been pardoned. The events of that night set her life on a bad course, and she’s dealing with a brutal custody battle with her ex and his new wife where he’s using lies and his family’s money to sway the judge. She’s barely hanging on, and she’s turned to alcohol to cope. Shame and fear consume her.

As they deal with the present—including new information about that fateful night and a wildfire that’s threatening their town—their past keeps igniting. Nate is the steady force Brenna has so desperately needed. But she’ll have to learn to trust him again first.


Book Details:

Genre: Suspense (Christian)

Published by: HarperCollins-Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: November 5th 2019

Number of Pages: 352

ISBN: 0310332591 (ISBN13: 9780310332596)

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Thomas Nelson

Read an excerpt:
I woke up in a blinding bright room, my clothes off and something clamped to my face. I tried to reach it, but I couldn’t bend my right arm, and my hand stung. An IV was taped to my other hand, but I moved carefully and touched the thing over my face.
An oxygen mask. I tried to sit up. “What happened?”
T-bird came to my bedside, a sheen of smoky sweat still soiling his face. “Nate, lie back, man.”
“The fire,” I said. “Need to get back. My men.”
“They’re still there. Making progress. But you’re not going anywhere near a fire for a month or so.”
I took the mask off and coughed a little, but managed to catch my breath. “A month?”
“Yep. Second degree burns on 20 percent of your body. Some of the burns are deep.”
It came back to me, the event that had gotten me here.
“The family. Were they injured?”
“Not a scratch or burn. Turns out it was a U.S. Senator from Kansas. He says you’re a hero.”
“You know I had no choice. They were in the path—”
“Take the praise where you can get it, man. We don’t get that much.”
I looked at my right side. My right arm was bandaged, and so was my side and down my right leg to the point where my boots had stopped the flames. Second degree wasn’t so bad, I told myself. Third degree would have been brutal. I’d be able to leave the hospital soon. I’d heal.
“I won’t need a month,” I said.
“Yes, you will. They can’t let you go back. Doctor’s orders. You’re grounded until he releases you.”
I managed to sit up, but it was a bad idea. The burns pulling on my skin reminded me why I shouldn’t. “I can’t be grounded during fire season. Are you crazy? I need to be there. You don’t have enough men as it is.”
“Sorry, Nate. It is what it is. Why don’t you go home to Carlisle for a while? Take it easy.”
Go home? Pop had just been pardoned, and he and my mom were trying to navigate the reunion. Though she would love to have me home, I didn’t know if I was up to it. My father could be challenging, and fourteen years of prison hadn’t done him any favors.
***
Excerpt taken from Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock. Copyright 2019 by Terri Blackstock. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/. All rights reserved.





Terri Blackstock

Author Bio:

Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series.

Catch Up With Terri Blackstock On:

TerriBlackstock.com
Goodreads
BookBub
Twitter
Facebook






Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!










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Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Red Pearl



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Chloe Helton will be awarding $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.



"The Red Pearl is a delight. Meticulously researched, it transports the reader to the inns and backstreets of Boston in 1778. Lucy Finch’s personal tragedy spurs her on to take an active role in the revolutionary war, despite the immense danger it brings to herself, her family and friends. Ms. Helton’s characters are warm, living beings with gifts and flaws. Their relationships are altered — broken or strengthened — by the battles on distant fields and the evil of individuals closer to home." - Carrie Bedford, Author of Nobilissima



There’s something peculiar about the small group of men who have begun to frequent The Red Pearl, the tavern that has hosted a variety of Boston’s men since before the Revolutionary War began. In a rebellious city that does not tolerate Loyalists, men could come here and speak freely without fear of the repercussions -- and Jasper Finch, the tavern-keeper, has always been proud of that.

But now the war is in full force, and Lucy Finch -- the tavern-keeper’s wife -- is growing nervous about The Red Pearl’s most loyal customers. Their clandestine meetings and hushed whispers suggest dark secrets -- secrets which may threaten the safety of Boston, and the future of the war itself.

Lucy struggles to stay loyal to her husband’s wishes while grappling with the surprising truths of America’s war for independence. When a terrible assault makes her ache for revenge, she must make a choice: Will she keep quiet about the explosive secrets she has learned, or will she expose them and risk her marriage and possibly her life?

Set in the wild and unpredictable world of the Revolutionary War, fans of historical fiction will fall in love with Lucy Finch, who faces impossible choices that may change the fate of a nation.

Read an Excerpt

“I came to tell you something to pass to your captain.”

“Such as?”

“Information. Men talk, especially when they’re drinking in the tavern, and I’ve heard things that might be of interest.”

“Tavern gossip is not our concern, Lucy. It was good to see you.”

My lips pursed. Jonathan had never been the most friendly of us, but this was rude. “No. I paid fifteen pennies and took a whole day to come here, which my husband would have my hide for if he knew of, by the way, and I won’t let you pass me off. As your sister, I deserve to be listened to, at least.”

He looked away, then sighed. “I regret my rudeness. You may speak.”

Tempted to clench my jaw - you may speak, how patronizing of him - I launched into the story immediately, my enthusiasm spiralling with every word, and when I finished I glanced at him proudly, anticipating his astonished and impressed smile.

His fingers twitched. “Thank you,” he said flatly. “I’m sure it will be taken care of.”

That didn’t sound right. “You’re not going to do anything about it?”

There were a few other soldiers on the other side of the empty pit, and they perked up for a moment at my urgent tone.

“We get dozens of tips like this,” my brother informed me quietly. “The colonists never have a problem foiling British shipments.”

“You don’t understand. They’ve gotten away with it so far; they said they’ve never had a ship that didn’t pass through.”

He considered this. “Okay.” It wasn’t a rejection, but it wasn’t a promise, either. It was less than he would have given Thea, who had married a good patriot, whose first love had not been so wild as to scare our father into marrying her to someone so absurdly sensible as my husband.

“I promise you, I am speaking truth,” I told him. “I wouldn’t bring this to you if I didn’t believe it.”


About the Author:

Chloe Helton is the author of four historical fiction novels, including And the Stars Wept and the Wattpad favorite A Thousand Eyes. Her readers have journeyed with her from the shores of Elizabethan England to the stormy battlefields of the Civil War in search of the often-hidden stories of women who made history.



Website: http://www.chloeheltonbooks.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9884117.Chloe_Helton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chloeheltonbooks/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/chloe-helton

Twitter: https://twitter.com/heltonbooks



Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Red-Pearl-Novel-American-Revolution-ebook/dp/B07P76J9BZ/ref=sr_1_1



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Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Chance for Rain

Chick Lit/Romance
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tricia Downing will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

See below to sign up for the GIVEAWAY.




Elite athlete Rainey Abbott is an intense competitor on the outside, but inside, she feels a daunting apprehension about her chances of finding true love. Her life as a downhill skier and race car driver keeps her on the edge, but her love life is stuck in neutral. A tragedy from her past has left her feeling insecure and unlovable. 

Now that she’s in her thirties, Rainey’s best friend Natalie insists she take a leap and try online dating. Rainey connects with brian85 and becomes cautiously hopeful as a natural attraction grows between them. Fearful a face to face meeting could ruin the magic, Rainey enlists Natalie to scheme up an encounter between the two where Brian is unaware he is meeting his online mystery woman. Rainey is left feeling both guilty about the deception and disappointed by something Brian says. 

When they finally meet in earnest, Rainey’s insecurities threaten to derail the blossoming romance. As she struggles with self-acceptance, she reveals the risks we all must take to have a chance for love.



read an excerpt...

“Okay, you have a choice,” Natalie says as she begins on one of her famous lists of options. “A – You can either choose to love yourself so that someone else will love you or B – you can wallow in self-pity for the rest of your life. But I can’t sit by and watch you get in the way of your own happiness. I will always be your best friend, but there is so much you’re missing by avoiding a true, intimate relationship. You’re in your thirties for heaven’s sake, and the last time you even tried dating was in college. Sure, it’s hard to open yourself up and be vulnerable. It’s scary to let someone in so completely that they know your most intimate thoughts. But it’s a miraculous thing to know you don’t have to explain every little detail in your mind, and he gets you anyway. It’s fulfilling to be loved for exactly what you bring to the table, knowing your partner isn’t looking for one thing different. But I can’t make you want it. I can’t make you do it. Someday, though, I think you’ll look back and regret it if you don’t at least try. Being single and free certainly has its perks, but ending up lonely and alone? You deserve more.”

It is such a well-thought-out speech there is little I can say in protest. I want to mouth off and tell her that she is being a drama queen, but the truth is, she’s right. When I lay on my deathbed one day, will I wish I had someone beside me to hold my hand? Will I wish I would have taken the risk to love and be loved? Although her nagging words are not new to me, I still choke on their bitter sting. I don’t disagree. I only wish I believed it was so simple. But—it’s complicated. For a moment, I am speechless.



Read an Interview with Tricia Downing:


Does this book have a special meaning to you? i.e. where you found the idea, its symbolism, its meaning, who you dedicated it to, what made you want to write it?
Chance for Rain is my first fiction novel, and for me, it represents something I never thought I could or would accomplish. At the time I began writing this novel, I had no intentions to write, but one night in bed as I started to fall asleep, one of the scenes for the story kept coming to me. Each time, I sat up in bed and wrote down the words and dialogue that continued to surface and before long I had a solid section written, which would become one of the scenes in the middle of the book. Still I didn’t sit down and begin to write, but over months, more of the plot would surface and reach a point where I could no longer ignore it. The book was going to write itself. Of course, it took time (8 years) to convince myself that I would complete the writing, editing and publishing process, but I am glad a saw it through, because now I have the confidence that book number two is on the way.
One of the reasons I followed through is that my protagonist, Rainey, a young woman in her 30’s, looking for love—has a disability. As an individual with a disability myself, one of my hopes is to continue to see a rise in the number of characters in books, on television and in the movies, who have disabilities and are portrayed in positive, real-life scenarios. Often disabled characters are the pity characters and I would like to see that changed. Disability is simply another version of the human experience.

Where do you get your storylines from?
The story line for this book came from both my experiences as an individual with a disability, as well as the experiences of other women I know who have experienced the search for a meaningful relationship, while navigating the perceptions and often bias of others. My goal was to create both an entertaining and interesting novel as well as, creating educational elements for people to understand that living with a disability does not have to be a negative experience. Quite the opposite. Many individuals with disabilities life extraordinary lives.

Was this book easier or more difficult to write than others?  Why?
My first book, Cycle of Hope, was a memoir. I tried for over six years to write that book and could never quite get the first words on paper. But once the book was ready to be written and I had a focused mindset, I wrote the first draft in nine days. Chance for Rain, on the other hand was an eight-year process. Though, part of the reason it took so long to write was that I didn’t quite believe in myself as an author and didn’t have a clear picture of what I wanted out of the process. Once I figured out where I was headed, the process became much more streamlined. However, the process of writing and re-writing was still time intensive.

Do you only write one genre?
As I am still creating my identity as a writer, I can imagine that I will experiment with different genres as I work my way through the different subjects and stories I have in mind to explore. I’d like to think that I can diversify my writing and build a variety of skills.

Give us a picture of where you write, where you compose these words…is it Starbucks, a den, a garden…we want to know your inner sanctum?
To the present, I have done all of my writing in my home office. Several years ago, my husband and I redecorated—painting the walls Tangerine Orange and a Turquoise Blue. I decorated the space with paintings I had done myself at one of my favorite places to relax and have fun—Canvas n’ Cocktails in Denver, Colorado, where I live. To me having my own work on the walls and on display reminds me of my creativity and willingness to put my work out in the world.  

And finally, of course…was there any specific event or circumstance that made you want to be a writer?

I was prompted to write my memoir as a companion to the motivational speaking I have done around the country and at the request of many people to hear more of my stories. Once that book was completed, I didn’t think I’d write more. But after having finished Chance for Rain, I am sure that I will write more fiction and already have the beginnings of many manuscripts started on my computer. I just have to figure out which one I will publish next! 


AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Paralympian, Speaker, Author, Disability Advocate

On September 17, 2000, Tricia Downing went from being a competitive cyclist to a paraplegic requiring a wheelchair for mobility. Her life was changed forever, but Tricia’s competitive spirit and zest for life continued on. Making the transition from able-bodied cyclist to an athlete with a disability, Tricia has completed over 100 races, including marathons and triathlons, since her accident. She was the first female paraplegic to complete an Ironman triathlon and qualified for the Hawaii Ironman World Championship twice. Additionally, she was a member of Team USA at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Tricia’s professional life has been immersed in sports as she earned a master’s degree in Sport Management in 1995 and worked at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. She was the press officer for the USA Table Tennis team at the 1996 Olympic Games.

She has received many sports accolades, including the USA Triathlon Physically Challenged Athlete of the Year (2003), Sportswomen of Colorado—Inspiration (’03), Triathlon (’05), Hall of Fame (’12) Awards, the 2006 Most Inspirational Athlete from the Challenged Athletes Foundation and the 2008 Courage Award from the Tempe Sports Authority.

As a community leader and disability advocate, she was a member of the 2013 class of the Girl Scouts Women of Distinction. She also received the 2019 Inspiration Award from Craig Hospital for outstanding community contribution from a Craig Hospital “graduate.” (Craig is a world-renowned spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation hospital) Tricia has truly excelled despite her life-altering injury.

In addition to her sports pursuits, Tricia has taken an active leadership role in her community as a peer mentor to others experiencing spinal cord injuries, she founded Camp Discovery (and subsequently The Cycle of Hope non-profit) dedicating 10 years to helping female wheelchair users gain confidence and self-esteem through a yearly sports and fitness retreat. Additionally, she serves on the board of USA Shooting, which is the National Governing Body for the Olympic sport of shooting.

Tricia published her memoir: Cycle of Hope—A Journey from Paralysis to Possibility in June 2010, with the second edition released in January 2017. In August of 2018, she published her first fiction novel Chance for Rain.








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Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Rich and Gone


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Mystery
Date Published: May 29, 2019
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing

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PI Red Farlow is on the hunt to find $300 million a Florida insurance executive has bilked out of family and friends.

Woody Cunningham stashed the money in safe havens around the world before disappearing. Has he been done in by one of his enemies? Or did he skip town with his girlfriend to live off the ill-gotten wealth? If that’s the case, where is he?

Farlow must quickly learn how and why people hide their money in offshore accounts if he's to find out what happened to Cunningham.

When a tough guy from Farlow's past resurfaces, wanting to settle an old score, Farlow discovers he also has links to the missing man. Clues lead him across Georgia and Florida, and Europe, to find the answers.

Is Woody Cunningham dead, or just rich and gone?


I READ THIS BOOK SOME MONTHS AGO AND LOVED IT. RED FARLOW IS THE ULTIMATE CHARACTER. I HOPE YOU'LL TAKE THE TIME TO READ MY REVIEW. 


read an excerpt...

(Chapter 10)
I walked through the rest of the house, with Julie behind me. I turned down a long hallway, at the end of which glowed light from what we found to be the master bedroom. I stepped cautiously to the door and looked inside. The horrible scene instinctively sent me bringing my gun out and at the ready. But instead of proceeding, I turned around and pulled Julie back down the hall.
“What is it?”
“You don’t need to see this, Julie.”
She paused and put her hands over her face. She stood there a moment, dropped her hands, and said, “Red, I’m a reporter. I’ve probably seen worse.”
“Lord, lady, I hope not.”

With that, she stood beside me to look into the bedroom. Her scream wasn’t nearly as loud as I expected, but it echoed throughout the house. She screamed again, and yet again. I put an arm around her shoulder. She sank into me.
In the room, Rye Whitworth’s body sprawled face up across his bed. The sheets, which likely started out white, bore a strong resemblance to a ritual slaughter pit. Blood soaked into the covers and mattress. Rye’s right hand dangled over the bed over a large pool of blood. Someone had stabbed him repeatedly.
Uncannily, though, the scene told a story of horror beyond death and bloody gore. In his mouth, the killer had placed two unfired twelve-gauge shotgun shells.
“It’s time we call the cops,” I told Julie. We retreated to the living room. I hit 9-1-1 on my cell and spoke to a dispatcher.
In a matter of perhaps a minute, sirens sounded in the distance, breaking the silence of the suburban neighborhood.
We walked outside and waited as a police cruiser rolled up, followed by EMTs.
“Did you make the call?” the young officer asked after he jumped out of the car.
“Yes. He’s in the master bedroom in back,” I told them.

The cop and his partner disappeared around the house. 
I held Julie as the scene unfolded, so familiar to me and yet, always so dreaded. 


About the Author

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W.F. Ranew is a former newspaper reporter, editor, and communication executive. He started his journalism career covering sports, police, and city council meetings at his hometown newspaper, The Quitman Free Press. He also worked as a reporter and editor for several regional dailies: The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle, The Florida Times-Union, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Ranew has written two previous novels: Schoolhouse Man and Candyman’s Sorrow.

He lives with his wife in Atlanta and St. Simons Island, Ga.



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