S.M. Stevens's Blog, page 5

Official Trailer: Beautiful and Terrible Things

Trailers aren’t just for movies anymore…

I’m very excited to share with you the official trailer for my forthcoming novel, Beautiful and Terrible Things:

Beautiful and Terrible Things comes out on July 18th.

I’ll be sharing advance reviews from trade publications and readers in the coming months, as well as special materials related to the book.

Screenshot

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March Madness

My version of March Madness–any brackets are the punctuation kind. A lot of exciting things happened in March on the book front. Here are three tidbits I have not yet shared on this blog, and one ICYMI.

The Wallace House of Pain Advances to the Finals for Chanticleer

My novelette about a troubled father-son relationship has been named a Finalist for the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) in the Short Stories & Essays category. As the organizers of the program point out, this means The Wallace House of Pain has survived four rounds of CIBA judging!

For more on the book and the award, check out my last post on the subject, from when The Wallace House of Pain made it onto Chanticleer’s Short List.

New Reader Review of Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

This new review of my first adult novel Horseshoes and Hand Grenades was posted on Amazon and Goodreads under the title, Powerful and Important:

S.M. Stevens’ Horseshoes and Hand Grenades is a realistic, engrossing story about a difficult subject, the emotional trauma of sexual abuse. Her depiction of two women, the first who experienced family trauma, while the second encounters a workplace predator, is realistic and disturbing. What Stevens does exceptionally well is illustrate how the abuse is pervasive, both in terms of the number of women affected, and equally important, the trauma’s long-term effect on the individual abused. Horseshoes and Hand Grenades is also a coming-of-age story about two women who successfully navigate their early careers amidst this and other challenges. Well done!

Successful Book Event at Local Library

Also in March, I participated in the first Bookport celebration at the Richards Free Library in Newport, N.H. The organizers did a fantastic job. I met many wonderful readers and many wonderful authors, including these guys:

Matt Forrest Esenwine, Simon Brooks, Christine Nih’shaw, me, and Marty KelleyCover of Beautiful and Terrible Things Revealed

And ICYMI, in March my publisher and I revealed the cover for my forthcoming novel Beautiful and Terrible Things. Read more in the original post here.

That’s it for now. I hope you enjoyed my version of March Madness!

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Cover Reveal for Beautiful and Terrible Things

At last, I can reveal the full cover for my contemporary novel Beautiful and Terrible Things, which comes out in July. I couldn’t be happier with how the publisher and designer treated my characters and my story about multiple social justice issues. My fellow authors are also enthusiastic, calling the cover stunning, gorgeous and a work of art.

What Do You Think of the Cover?

Are you as enchanted with the cover as I am? If not, that’s okay. All opinions are valid!

Let me know what you think of the cover in the comments section below. If you’re reading this in email, click here to leave a comment.

Summary of Beautiful and Terrible Things

What is this novel about? It’s a compelling portrait of modern American life in a major city with its vibrant culture, diversity and rampant social issues. It reminds us that friendship has the power to validate, destroy, transform, and save lives.

More specific to the plot:

Charley Byrne isn’t really living. At age 29, she hunkers down in her apartment above the bookstore she manages, afraid of a 7-year curse. Then quirky activist Xander Wallace lures her out of social exile with the prospect of friendship and romance. Charley joins Xander’s circle of friends diverse in their heritage, race, gender and sexual orientation. She thrives, even leaving her comfort zone to join protests in a city struggling with social justice ills.

But the new friendships bring back-to-back betrayals that threaten the bookstore—Charley’s haven—and propel her into a dangerous depression. Can her friends save the store? And Charley?

Stay tuned as more materials related to the book are rolled out in the coming months, including a pre-order link (with a discount), and Bonus Materials.

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“Beautiful and Terrible Things” Book Update

My contemporary novel Beautiful and Terrible Things is moving through the pre-publication process and is on track for a summer release. The publisher is finishing up the cover, which I will be able to reveal to you in all its glory very soon. For now, here’s a teaser:

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Publishing Process

As you may know, it takes over a year for most publishers to release a book, from the time the author signs the contract until the book is finally for sale in bookstores and at online retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org (which supports independent bookstores). Have you ever wondered what goes on in all that time? Here’s a partial list:

The manuscript is reviewed by an editor and any necessary changes madeAn ISBN (International Standard Book Number), the book’s unique identifier, is assigned to the workThe print book’s interior file is created and formattedThe ebook is created and formattedNegotiations for an audiobook take placeA cover is designed and producedThe author receives a “galley” or “bookblock” — a file that looks like the final book. We are given one final chance to make edits and, well, if you give an author a chance to edit, we’re going to edit!That means another round of back-and-forth on the galley until everyone is happy with the contentThe publisher begins working with its distribution partners to sell your bookAdvance Review Copies (ARCs – also called Advance Reader Copies) are sent to big-deal book review publications that require many months notice.Advance Praise for Beautiful and Terrible Things

Speaking of advance reviews, here’s a taste of what early readers of Beautiful and Terrible Things are saying:

“A poignant, whirlwind read that grabs you. A story so relevant it vibrates.” – Author Tina O’Hailey

“A moving, character driven story that includes frank explorations of contemporary debates on migration… Thoughtfully conceived–an engaging read!” – Robert Irwin, Director of Humanizing Deportation Project, University of California, Davis

“Disparate millennials grapple with social justice issues while navigating their personal and professional lives. Beautiful and Terrible Things challenges readers to move away from ingrained patterns of thinking, breathing life into modern social structures in an authentic and refreshing manner.” – Author Annabel Harz

But perhaps my favorite so far is this summary of the plot by Harz: “Six friends. Five ethnic backgrounds. Four romantic attractions. Three genders. Two mental illnesses. One turtle.” What on earth does that mean? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

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Upcoming Book Fairs in Southern NH

If you live in southern New Hampshire, mark your calendars with these two upcoming book fairs — one right away in Newport and one in June in Hillsborough. Both are free and open to the public.

Saturday, March 16, Bookport 2024 at the Richards Free Library, 58 N. Main Street, Newport, NH, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PMSaturday, June 29, Local Author Meet-and-Greet at the Fuller Public Library, 29 School Street, Hillsborough, NH, 10:00 AM – Noon

Both book fairs are in gorgeous, historical buildings. If you haven’t visited, come to these events and revel in the amazing architecture of southern New Hampshire’s older construction.

Bookport 2024

Bookport is a celebration of vibrant local authors, set to take place at the beloved Richards Free Library in Newport, NH. On Saturday, March 16th, from 10 AM to 2 PM, the library will transform into a hub of creativity and imagination, welcoming readers of all ages to explore the rich tapestry of storytelling woven by talented writers from the area.

Whether you’re a retiree seeking new adventures, a family looking to spark your child’s love for reading, a homeschooler eager for educational enrichment, or a teen searching for captivating stories, Bookport has something special in store for you. This event is designed to appeal to everyone in the diverse Newport community!

Connect with fellow Newport residents while you check out some new titles, have your book signed by the author, and maybe purchase a book or two to support the dozen artists who will be participating.

Click here for more information. (Thanks to the library for the event description.)

Local Author Meet-and-Greet

The front lawn of the historic Fuller Public Library will come alive with over a dozen local authors. Come browse books of all types: fiction, non-fiction, memoir, adventure, literary, children’s stories, and so on.

You’ll have the opportunity to purchase books directly from the authors at discounted prices, and have them signed by the authors.

Click here to visit the Fuller Public Library website.

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It’s Smashwords’ Read an Ebook Week 2024

What is Smashwords? It’s an online store where you can buy ebooks from around the world—nearly a million of them.

More important, what is Read an Ebook Week? It’s seven days, starting today, in which you can obtain scores of new ebooks at steep discounts or even free in some cases.

3 of My Books are Free This Week

I’ve got three titles available to you FOR FREE if you order the ebook from Smashwords between March 3 and March 9. Here’s a link to my page. The books I’m able to offer are:

The Wallace House of Pain, my award-winning novelette that features the same cast of characters as my forthcoming novel, Beautiful and Terrible Things. Black Rose Writing will release BATT this summer. WHOP is about a father and son who cannot see eye-to-eye, particularly on social justice issues and the son’s sexual orientation.Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, the coming-of-age story of two young women starting out their careers in Boston’s PR world (including a stint at the zoo, for you animal-lovers!). Past and present demons threaten to derail their search for the perfect job, boyfriend and life.Shannon’s Odyssey, my Middle Grade chapter book for kids roughly ages 8-12. The story features a spunky heroine (a must!), animal communication (yes, you’re noticing an animal theme in my stories), and a dash of magic – not Harry Potter-level magic, but a touch of witchcraft and mysticism to keep those children who love fantasy engaged. (Why the dabble? Because the lighter the magic, the greater the possibility that it’s not actually magic after all…) Thousands of Books to Choose From

And, of course, my books are a handful among hundreds available from Smashwords this week. So many great authors are participating in Read an Ebook Week 2024 that you will have no problem satisfying your need for some new reading material. And it’s not just fiction—there will be plenty of non-fiction available as well.

Here’s one of the other books you’ll want to check out:

Agave Blues by Ruthie Marlenée – Mix together a little family, drama, ghosts and Tequila, and you get a hell of a cocktail! Marlenée is an award-winning Mexican-American author whose work has twice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Her novel Agave Blues is 50% off during Smashwords’ Read an Ebook Week.

Not sold on the glory of ebooks yet? Check out my post exploring the pros and cons of paperback versus ebook format.

Happy reading!

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“The Wallace House of Pain” Short-Listed for a CIBA Award

My novelette The Wallace House of Pain has made it onto the “short list” for the 2023 Shorts Book Awards competition sponsored by Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA). “Shorts” encompass short stories, essays, novelettes, novellas and short story collections.

From here, finalists are named, and then the winners will be chosen.

About The Wallace House of Pain

This 45-minute read offers “a great study in character and relationships” according to book review blog A Little Book Problem. An Amazon reviewer wrote that the story is “Disheartening. Familiar. It will ring true to many. Subtext and subtleties that keep you thinking.”

But my favorite feedback is from a Gen X-er who thanked me for writing the story because it struck home for them. (See that review on Amazon.)

The Wallace House of Pain is available in ebook and paperback formats on Amazon and Bookshop.org. Libraries and bookstores: it is also available through Ingram.

What is Chanticleer? (CIBA)

In their words, “The Chanticleer International Book Awards program discovers today’s best works. The Short Story Awards discover the Best New Shorts in Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction.” The CIBA program was started 13 years ago and is going strong today.

Sneak Preview

Xander, Terrance, Sunny, Jess, Charley and Buwan, who you’ll meet in The Wallace House of Pain, are also the main characters in my forthcoming, full-length novel Beautiful and Terrible Things. Black Rose Writing will publish Beautiful and Terrible Things in July 2024.

So if you like The Wallace House of Pain and want to spend more time with the characters, watch for the Beautiful and Terrible Things release. The novelette, by the way, is not an excerpt of the full novel. There is no overlap between the content of the two works.

To be notified when Beautiful and Terrible Things is available, sign up on the right to receive my very occasional e-newsletter.

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What’s Cookin’ in My Book Kitchen

I realize I haven’t posted in a while, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy! In fact, things are cookin’ in my book kitchen. The book projects keeping me busy are:

1) Publishing Beautiful and Terrible Things, with my new publisher Black Rose Writing. Their awesome team is plugging away behind the scenes to prepare the inside and outside of the novel for launch this summer — July 18 to be exact. I’ve had a sneak peek at a cover design and it is amazing. Can’t wait to share it with you. Look for a cover reveal down the road.

2) Polishing up my next novel, 101 Ways to Screw Up a Kid. If you like cranky, somewhat-difficult characters like Ove in A Man Called Ove or Elizabeth Zott in Lessons in Chemistry, then you will love my Caro Dunn. I’m done stewing on the manuscript now and have put the final garnishes on.

3) Co-writing a memoir with two wonderful people who found love after a horrific crime. I am proud to be their sous chef. Much more on that later.

So that’s what’s cookin’ around here. There’s not much that you can actually get your hands on. However, remember that Horseshoes and Hand Grenades has been published in a second edition, if you haven’t checked that out yet. It’s a tale of friendship, sacrifice and…gorillas. And the audiobook of my kids’ adventure story Shannon’s Odyssey, which combines animal communication with a touch of magic, is now available.

Thanks for reading!

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New Reader Reviews of “The Wallace House of Pain”

I’m happy to share two new reader reviews of my award-winning novelette, The Wallace House of Pain. Both readers gave the short fiction work five stars, for which I am grateful. I am especially grateful to hear that my story resonated so strongly with this first reviewer; nothing makes an author more appreciative than knowing their writing helped someone.

Teri wrote:

“I am GenX. I relate to this work so much. How difficult it is to be vulnerable with those who are supposed to love you unconditionally but the relationship is so strained. How hard it is to crave love and acceptance from parents who seem to not want to understand just judge.

“When I came out as Bisexual it was after a huge fight with my parents and they accused me of making things up to hurt them. Thank you for writing this.”

And Mary wrote:

“This book can be a roadmap for families in a society where traditional values collide with new ways of thinking. It’s a story about Xander Wallace who feels he can’t communicate with his straightlaced father about their politically differing views on race and immigration. Even more important, Xander can’t be honest with his father about more personal differences–ones dealing with gender and sexualty.

“Add to this communication nightmare Xander’s unresolved pain from the death of his mother and his resentment when his father remarries within the year.

“Only truth can heal this family and Stevens does a remarkable job at gradually bringing them together through family dinners where Zander brings a different friend each time. This book resonates the realities of broken families and how they can heal. Kudos to Stevens!”

Where to Buy

The Wallace House of Pain is available in paperback and ebook, at these locations. Click on the image below to access the retailer of your choice:

More on The Wallace House of Pain

If you liked the new reviews, you’ll love the older ones. Find them here, on Amazon and Goodreads.

And here is information on the book’s awards:

2023 American Fiction Award2023 Chanticleer International Book Awards Long List

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Children’s Chapter Book Now in Audiobook

My children’s chapter book Shannon’s Odyssey is now available in audiobook format!

Did you know audiobooks are hugely popular with kids (and their parents)? I’ll be honest, I was surprised to learn this. Studies have found that listening to audiobooks encourages children to use their imaginations. Audiobooks serve as a gateway to reading print books and ebooks, and they can provide a connected experience when listened to with friends and family members. I say, if you need to entertain your kids on a long car trip, tune them into an audiobook instead of letting them stare at a screen for hours. They’re a lot less likely to get car sick!

Shannon’s Odyssey is for children ages 8-11 who love adventure and animals spiced up with a touch of magic. (Or is it magic? You decide.) Tucked in for the parents are messages of family, forgiveness and love.

Here are more details:

Book Description

Shannon Simpson has a kind soul, sometimes questionable judgment, and courage to spare. And she has no idea she can communicate with animals when she sets off on a 100-mile trek through the forest seeking her long-lost grandmother.

Finding Gran means winding her way safely through the woods with only a compass, her wits and a mysterious, possibly magical, marra mamba stone to guide her. During her journey, Shannon faces bad weather, injuries, hunger, thirst, and wild animals—some nice and some not so nice. And along the way, she uncovers secrets about her family and herself.

Where to Buy Shannon’s Odyssey

The audiobook is available on Audible, Amazon and Apple Books.

In addition to the audiobook, Shannon’s Odyssey is available in paperback and ebook format on Amazon, as well as Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo etc.

Click on this image to get to your preferred book-buying site for any format of the chapter book:

Kudos to My Narrator

I can’t leave without thanking my tremendous narrator, Jamie Lynn of North Loop Productions. Voicing multiple characters including a talking wolf and a talking bear is not easy! But Jamie nails it. I promise you will love her storytelling skills.

(She also narrated my adult novel Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, and did a stellar job with that one too.)

Sneak Previews

You can read reviews and an excerpt of Shannon’s Odyssey here, and listen to me reading an excerpt of the chapter book to an elementary school class here.

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