Diane Bator's Blog, page 40
September 9, 2021
Nikki Lewen tells us about Three Sisters Trilogy and her life as a writer
Welcome to fanatical surfer and climate change fiction author, Nikki Lewen!
Nikki Lewen was a secretive writer. Something she did when alone. Something kept private. It wasn’t until the publication of her first book in the Three Sisters Trilogy that she exposed a hidden aptitude for the written word. With that exposure, came accolades. She received the Readers’ Favorite 5 Stars Award and (Pre-Covid) was featured at the National John Steinbeck Center—to a sold-out crowd!
Besides a fondness for writing, Nikki maintains an active lifestyle and is usually found outdoors—if you know when and where to look. She splits her time living between two remote and distinctively different locations. Neither of which make staying connected easy. In one, she resides in a small cabin nestled among the redwoods of Coastal California. This is where her trilogy was born and brought to life.
When not among the trees and giant ferns, Nikki can be found south of the U.S. border happily residing in a small fishing village. The oceanside pueblo she also calls home doesn't even have power in the traditional sense. The town runs a generator for certain hours each day to supply the needed electricity.
Eco-minded in all matters, Nikki strives for a zero-waste lifestyle, finding pure joy knowing her fictional trilogy inspires those who before didn’t consider a greener path. Nikki is also a fanatic surfer who spends countless hours out in the waves. Her husband often jokes that “if I want to see me wife, I have to paddle out.” Although this often gets a laugh from others, he’s deadly serious.
Website and links to Amazon Author page.
https://www.amazon.com/author/nikkilewen
What is your latest release?
My latest release was Three Sisters Destined, the highly-anticipated final installment of the Three Sisters Trilogy. It was released in August of 2020 and very well received! Here’s an excerpt from an exemplary editorial review:
“Nikki Lewen closes the Three Sisters Cli-Fi (Climate-Change Fiction) trilogy in bold style with Destined—Sadie Larkin's last stand for sustainable survival in the post-Ender world. While the apocalyptic approach may not seem new, Lewen succeeds in her message where others get lazy—in her line-by-line, a clean yet textured syntax with strong dialogue—creating vivid characters battling for earth-and-self in a hostile world that feels very real.”
“…For, with Sadie Larkin—her intelligence, her cunning, her bow—Lewen has created what some term the 'code hero' for this third-wave of feminism, Sadie's strengths and struggles metaphoric for the sustainability mindset of this new- and ever-needed surge in female geopolitical influence.”
*Use this link to access the full editorial review.
What are you working on now?
Currently, I am on hiatus from writing—at least books. But I have been journaling, doing guest blogs, and writing lots of reviews for other authors. This past year, my focus has been on the marketing aspect of authorship, which many of us don’t really enjoy. I’ve also created and launched my own website. Not to brag, but I also set a new personal daily sales record. Over 400 books went out on the 4th of July!
I’m also reading. Lots. Actually, I’ve become quite a greedy reader, devouring any and all books I can get my hands on, especially fiction. While writing the Three Sisters Trilogy,I took a sabbatical from reading to prevent any influence over my work. Now that my trilogy is complete, all I want to do is read!
But… Don’t fret. Fans keep reaching out. More writing is definitely in my future.
Was there a person who encouraged you to write?
There was never any one person who specifically encouraged me to write, besides subject-specific instructors during my schooling. I was however, encouraged to read by an aunt who kept me supplied with fantasy fiction and sci-fi series all through my grade school and middle school years. It’s definitely the origin of my love affair with fiction.
It might be strange to say, but I felt I had no choice in writing the Three Sisters Trilogy. The story, characters, and settings came to me in vivid detail. I always knew that the story of Sadie Larkin—the brave heroine of Three Sisters—was a trilogy. I knew where each book would start and end. I’d wake up with dialogues running through my brain. Complete scenes would materialize. I couldn’t turn it off. That is…until, I’d written and shared it.
What would you say are your strengths as an author?
Creativity! I love being able to write what I want, when I want, and how I want. I see blank pages and screens as total freedom!
How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?
I write whenever I can, nothing too strict. While writing the Three Sisters Trilogy, I was a full-time teacher and multi-sport coach. I’d get up early to write for about an hour before work, squeeze in a few segments during my breaks, and then, often late into the night. Now that I’m retired, I write whenever and wherever the mood hits me!
With all this said, though, I do typically have a “writing season.” It begins in the winter months as the days shorten and I’m forced to surf less. (I’m an avid surfer—to say the least!) Then my writing season peeks and cumulates during the NCAA March Madness College Basketball Tournament. At this time, my husband has no qualms when I’m dialed into the laptop, mindless to my surroundings. He gets nonstop college hoop action and I get uninterrupted segments of writing, game after game. It’s a win-win.
Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?
Five years from now, I’ll have traveled further, surfed more, learned, loved, and prepared for the next decade of adventure. Might even have another book or two out ;)
Three Sisters Trilogy
Could you survive a global catastrophe and the uprising of ruthless militants? Sadie Larkin does. After a decade of isolation and solitude, everything changes when Sadie discovers she’s no longer alone. With an inner strength and the means and training to help, she sets out on a mission to save those she can and protect the ones she now calls family. But can this uncommonly courageous woman be the catalyst for sustainable survival in a devastated and cruel new world?
Books of Three Sisters Trilogy include:
THREE SISTERS: A TALE OF SURVIVAL
Three Sisters Trilogy Book 1
If you run into a survivor, they’ll tell you about the day the Enders crashed upon the world’s shores.
Sadie Larkin survived. She escaped the global catastrophe and violent chaos by venturing back to her childhood home in the old growth forest in the mountains by the sea. She dug in deep among the fallen redwoods and those that still stood.
Solitude. Survival. Ten years hunting. Ten years of unanswered questions.
With fate on her side, Sadie runs into someone from her past. He’s been badly beaten, lies unconscious and is nearly dead. Through this man, she learns the horrible truth—the Splitter Nation has arrived. And they’re on her front doorstep!
Sadie grabs her bow—and ends up saving much more than just one man.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QWFG4MK/
Three Sisters Trilogy Book 2
The Splitter Nation has built a new base on the Isle of Big Sur to mold abducted children into soldiers for their army.
But as long as Sadie Larkin still has her crossbow, they've got an enemy.
Sadie commandeers a ship and recruits a team of commandos and civilians to breach the island and fight for good in a world of evil. She battles with wit and bow to free the children of the Isle of Big Sur.
But the fiercest warrior in the Splitter army, the female who commands men, stands in Sadie's way.
Will Sadie find the strength to defeat the Commander and stop the Splitter Nation from destroying all light in the new world?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SBGN5RB/
THREE SISTERS DESTINED
Three Sisters Trilogy Book 3
Sadie Larkin has relocated survivors from the Yosemite Colony to a new life on Three Sisters. She’s rescued the firsties from becoming child soldiers at the Isle of Big Sur. She’s saved women and men alike from the abuses of the Post-Ender world, offering hope for justice and a pathway to peace. But she’s not done yet!
The evil Splitter Nation must be stopped, once and for all!
Armed with wits and her bow, Sadie and her team of soldiers and civilians are trained and ready for their final act of courage. Even the Nation’s fiercest warrior—the bold and enigmatic Commander—now fights by her side.
Sadie has a plan and the means to see it through. But it’s not going to be easy to defeat President X and the last stronghold of the Splitter Nation.
Will Sadie Larkin finally be able to end injustice—and fulfill her destiny to free the New World?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FF8SFDS/
September 7, 2021
Constantine Dhonau's raw and rattling memoir Collateral Intentions
Welcome to author Constantine Dhonau!
Constantine Dhonau was born in St. Petersburg, Florida and raised by his mother and his aunt. A wholesome Boy Scout and frontman for Tampa ska/punk band: H1N1, he attended St. Petersburg College for his Associate of Arts and New College of Florida for his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He escaped to Colorado in 2015 where he served with AmeriCorps and later pursued his dream to become a wilderness therapy field guide, completing 550 field days.
He enjoys writing,
tea, cooking, brooding, dancing, yoga,
astronomy, reprehensibly long walks, movies, being outdoors
etc. & suchforth.
Networking:
Author Website/Blog: https://www.constantinedhonau.com/blog
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdhonau/
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20431911.Constantine_Dhonau
Reedsy: https://reedsy.com/discovery/user/constantinedhonau
THE ARGONAUTS (Nelson) meets SEE A GROWN MAN CRY/NOW WATCH HIM DIE (Rollins) in this raw & rattling Memoir-meets-Chapbook spanning more than 10 years of writing [50k words]! Rummagings of journals, shoebox scraps, forgotten notes, and letters to loved ones come together to tell one writer's coming-of-age and his quest for unconditional self-love by dissecting his darkness. Each one-year chapter explores love, regret, identity, existence, ambition, depression, and the insanity of it all, neatly coming to a close with Constantine Dhonau's fireside banter of contextual backstory for each chapter.
Book Purchasing:
Author Website/Blog: https://www.constantinedhonau.com/blog
Amazon (eBook & Print): https://www.amazon.com/Collateral-Intentions-Stories-Journal-Entires/dp/0578663422/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/collateral-intentions/id1503092314
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1009139
A few top reviews:
"...a veritable gift of living poiesis for the soul...a divinely inspired offering of transparent truth and personal revelation born from a life-transforming encounter with all too often denied, and at times necessarily despised parts of oneself."
"...exactly the kind of unpretentious yet sophisticated document that serves as both a spiritual handbook and an inspirational artifact."
"Without fail, the compelling images, thoughts, and feelings, expressed through the self explorations of a young person straddling the thresholds of adolescence to adulthood have provided potent learnings into understanding what's most important - how to be wholehearted and genuinely human."
"Even now as I read the first page I laughed out loud. I think if you choose to buy this book, I believe you may find something in it to make you wonder, make you laugh, make you want to be a better person, and make you appreciate life just a little bit more."
"...it peels back layers and defenses in one's own psyche and relays the message of vulnerability that is universally common in being human and necessary in the journey of self-love."
September 4, 2021
Kassandra Lamb talks about One Flew Over the Chow-Chow's Nest
Welcome to mystery author, Kassandra Lamb!
In her youth, Kassandra Lamb had two great passions—psychology and writing. Advised that writers need day jobs—and being partial to eating—she studied psychology. Her career as a psychotherapist and college professor taught her much about the dark side of human nature, but also much about resilience, perseverance, and the healing power of laughter. Now retired, she spends most of her time in an alternate universe populated by her fictional characters. The portal to this universe (aka her computer) is located in North Central Florida where her husband and dog catch occasional glimpses of her.
WEBSITE: https://kassandralamb.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KassandraLamb
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/kassandralambauthor
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/kassandralamb/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/kasslamb/
BOOKBUB PROFILE: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kassandra-lamb
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Kassandra-Lamb/e/B006NB5WAI/
Do your characters come before or after your plot?
Definitely before. I’m a panster, as in I write by the seat of my pants. So I start with a main character. Maybe I have a sidekick and/or a love interest in mind, and a few major plot points. Then I start writing and watch the story unfold.
How do you choose a villain and how do you make them human?
Narcissists and psychopaths make the best villains normally, and greedy people. I don’t tend to dig real, real deep into my villains’ character in most of my stories. But sometimes I do, with a fairly complicated back story. Making them human is the hardest part for me, especially making them not too obvious. They need to look like nice people, until you realize they’re not.
Do your reading choices reflect your writing choices?
More the other way around. Many years ago, I stopped reading anything but mysteries. In my younger years, I’d read romance and family sagas and historical fiction as well. But at some point, I got hooked on the puzzles in mysteries. And in a good mystery, the challenges of the situation bring out the main character’s flaws and strengths and force them to grow.
So when I started writing, there was no doubt that I would write mysteries. I’ve tried my hand some with romantic suspense (under the pen name of Jessica Dale), but I find the romance much harder to write than the suspense.
Which type of characters are your favorite to write?
Strong, independent women with trust issues. The events that have made them strong and independent have also left some emotional scar tissue.
In my Marcia Banks and Buddy cozy mystery series, the main character trains service dogs for military veterans with PTSD. She has moved to Florida for a fresh start after the end of a disastrous marriage, and when she finds herself attracted to the local sheriff, it scares the bejeesus out of her. During the course of the series, she struggles with her anxiety about commitment and her ambivalence about having children.
What are you working on now?
I’ve got two projects going at the moment. One is Book 12, the next-to-the-last story in the Marcia Banks and Buddy series. I’m having so much fun writing that series that it’s really hard to let it go, but it’s almost time.
The other project is Book 1 in a police procedural series. The main character, Judith Anderson, was a secondary character, a police detective, in my first series, the Kate Huntington Mysteries. I’m moving her to Florida and making her the Chief of Police in a small fictitious city.
What sort of research do you do for your work?
There are so many little things to check on as one writes a story. In mysteries, in particular, you need to make sure the murder methods are accurate. God bless the Internet! I’ve learned more than I really wanted to know about guns and poisons and such.
But I’ve researched some other crazy things as well, like how to get out of a straightjacket and how to build a secret room in an existing house (both for Book 7 in my Kate series, Fatal Forty-Eight). And for the last Marcia and Buddy book, One Flew Over the Chow-Chow’s Nest, I had to explore the workings of small private airports, which was great fun. I actually went to a local small airport.
ONE FLEW OVER THE CHOW-CHOW'S NEST
The latest release in the Marcia Banks and Buddy series, Book 11
The world moves toward normal, but Marcia’s life is rarely “normal”…
Newly vaccinated, Marcia Banks can finally schedule the human phase of training with her Air Force pilot client—the soon-to-be owner of a Chow-Husky service dog named Bear. But when she calls to set things up, she’s informed that the veteran has been in a private psychiatric hospital for months, with no one allowed to visit due to Covid.
Marcia puts out feelers to find out what is going on, and suddenly he is discharged…only to have his private plane crash in a fiery ball two days later. Convinced this is no coincidence, Marcia attempts to find out how her veteran client became the target of a murderer.
What she uncovers looks suspiciously like a scheme to defraud the Veterans’ Administration. But who’s behind it, and did they sabotage her client’s plane? Or did the saboteur have a more personal motive?
And just how determined are they to silence Marcia?
(Note: This story occurs during the end of the pandemic, but it focuses on the optimism and relief of the spring of 2021 in the U.S.)
LANDING PAGE on website (with all links and preview): https://kassandralamb.com/books/6893/
BUY LINKS:
AMAZON US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094SWRH25
APPLE US: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1567284573
AMAZON: smarturl.it/ChowChowNest
APPLE: smarturl.it/AppleChowChow
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/one-flew-over-the-chow-chow-s-nest
NOOK: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-...
GOOGLE PLAY: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=1RYuEAAAQBAJ
TO KILL A LABRADOR
Book 1 in the Marcia Banks and Buddy series, which is FREE (no dogs die in the series!)
MULTIPLE MOTIVES
Book 1 in the Kate Huntington Mysteries, which is FREE
C.O.P. ON THE SCENE MYSTERIES
Kassandra’s new police procedural series
September 2, 2021
Free Book For the Month of September - Dead Without Honor by Diane Bator
FREE BWL PUBLISHING NOVEL DOWNLOAD FOR SEPTEMBER
DEAD WITHOUT HONOR
BY DIANE BATOR
The scroll of the Four Possessions of the Samurai holds the key to a deadly mystery…
Gilda Wright thinks she’s landed a dream job as the receptionist at a karate school. Her boss, Sensei Mick Williams, is almost as demanding as he is sexy, but Gilda is inspired by the strength and courage of the people around her. When Gilda finds the body of one of the instructors in the dojo with a sword through his chest, she must find her own inner strength and fast! The police regard everyone in the school as suspects, including her boss, and it’s up to Gilda to find out what really happened. She follows the clues of the missing scroll of the Four Possessions of the Samurai down a deadly path filled with lies, deceit, and poisoned ninja stars. If she doesn’t watch her back, she just may become the killer’s next target.
To Get Your FREE Copy click here!
Have you checked out the rest of the Gilda Wright Mystery Series?
Gilda Wright thinks she’s landed a dream job as the receptionist at a karate school except she’s surrounded by handsome instructors, a local bookie, and more mysteries than she’d counted on.
Book 2 – Dead Without Glory
One body on the beach.
One crazy man with a sword accused.
One feisty receptionist on the case.
Gilda Wright’s life seems to finally be on track. Her love life is looking up and she’s planning and promoting a grand opening extravaganza for Sensei Mick Williams’ new martial arts school. But things go awry when their special guest referee for the opening exhibition match is found dead on the beach. To make matters worse, the school’s new weapon’s instructor Kane Garrick, who is enough to make any woman lose her head and her heart, stands accused of his murder. In spite of her promise to Mick and nearly everyone else in Sandstone Cove not to get involved, Gilda wades into danger one more time. The only question is, can Gilda catch the killer before the killer catches up to her?
Book 3 – Dead Without Pride
Gilda Wright has always had an open mind about the spiritual world. Dating the hot sensei at her martial arts school, Mick Williams, has taught her that mind, body, and spirit have a strong connection. But when her good friend and sometimes flirtation, Kane Garrick hires a pretty psychic at his New Age store, Gilda finds herself torn between being glad he's distracted and feeling just the teeny-tiniest bit jealous. A feeling that quickly turns to suspicion when the psychic's predictions begin to come true—including one about the murder of a well-known person in their small town! Suddenly Gilda wonders if the psychic's involvement in both her predictions and Kane's life are mere coincidence or a clever set up. It's up to Gilda to find the truth and track down a killer...before her own death becomes next on the
psychic's prediction list!
Book 4 – Dead Without Shame
Once more, Gilda considers leaving the karate school to work for her friend Happy (no one has ever called him Harvey). When three men rob Happy Harvey’s Hangover Hut killing the woman at the front counter, Gilda is stunned to think that could have been her. Was this a mere robbery, or does someone have a vendetta against Happy, including his good friend Gary del Garda? The evidence keeps piling up while both her mother and another karate instructor come to town bearing secrets that may cost Gilda the life she loves in Sandstone Cove.
Book 5 – Dead Without Remorse
Someone has destroyed the building that housed the former Yoshida Martial Arts School leaving numerous people injured and one dead. Considering Mick Williams owns the building, Gilda Wright needs to clear his name as well as track a killer before her suspects scatter like debris.
Check out more books by Diane Bator at: https://bookswelove.net/August 31, 2021
Life's not Yoga...or is it? Jacqui Burnett's captivating memoir
Welcome to author Jacqui Burnett!
I'm so excited to share that I've read Jacqui's book! It's a captivating story of her life and quest for love. I was drawn in from page one by her writing and the incredible story of all she's endured - including facing death. It's an enlightening peek behind the doors of a "perfect" family and how one woman sought love and found herself after many trials and tribulations.
Jacqui Burnett is an adventurer – both in journeys of the Spirit and in the world of financial strategy. Raised in South Africa, she is qualified in business studies, which has enabled her to help numerous businesses achieve their strategic and financial goals. However, Jacqui has always pursued a parallel interest in spirituality, which has guided her into her writing career.
Jacqui wrote her memoir, Life’s Not Yoga, in a quest to make spiritual sense of the traumatic life events she has experienced. Inspired by her discoveries on her life journey, Jacqui created the Dare to Be Love platform, which quickly attracted an audience of over 43,000 followers also seeking answers on how to deal with life’s challenges and trauma. The Dare to Be Love platform is a space for readers to share and learn how this connection is made through LOVE. Here, she also shares her inspirational thoughts, poetry and personal life stories told through the lens of her unique Dare to Be Love self-enquiry practices.
As an impassioned student of life, Jacqui continues to practise and promote living a Spirit-led life of courage, kindness, compassion and LOVE.
Jacqui has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of South Africa in Industrial Psychology and Economics, and an MBA from the University of Witwatersrand, including a semester abroad at Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) Erasmus. Jacqui is also a certified Integral Coach through New Ventures West, and trained as a yoga teacher with Yoga Tree, acquiring both these certifications in San Francisco, California.
This memoir, Life’s Not Yoga, is Jacqui’s first published book.
My social media links:
Website: https://jacquiburnett.com
Facebook: @jacquiburnettauthor https://www.facebook.com/jacquiburnettauthor
Instagram: @jacquiburnettauthor https://www.instagram.com/jacquiburnettauthor/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquiburnett
To Buy: https://jacquiburnett.com/buy-book/
What would you say are your strengths as an author?
I’ve developed some daily practices to strengthen and support me as a writer.
One is to silence my ego and surrender to my Spirit. That way I can integrate body, mind, and soul, and listen, allowing my creative voice (Spirit) to express itself through me. I achieve this through silent meditation. This process requires me to watch my thoughts and acknowledge the emotions attached to each thought. From this space of silence, I can see that my thoughts are just thoughts and that the attached emotions are only real if I give life to them in the present moment. I then let go of the thought and the attached emotion. Once I have achieved this, I get off my cushion and write from an integrated and open space.
It’s the ego that likes to come up with limiting beliefs like ‘writer’s block’. Through my daily practices, I can ‘get out of my own way’. This way I can access the words that want to flow through me and onto the page.
How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?
At the heart of it, I am writing all of the time, every day. I don’t only see the act of sitting down to write, as the only form of writing.
My meditation practice has taught me how to watch my thoughts, and so as every day progresses, I write these thoughts down or record them on a voice note to ensure they stay with me, even if they are very disorganized. I never know if I will use the content, but if I don’t get it out, it blocks new thoughts and therefore any new content. So, this is my only strict routine.
When it came to writing my book, or when I write a blog, I am very focused on a broad-based end result. I carve out time, commit to myself, pitch up and ask for whatever support I may need, from others or myself. This keeps me honest in order to move towards what I want to achieve.
To sum up, I set an intention, trust my intrinsic value and then I don’t let my ego get caught up in anything that does not serve the writing. When it does, I have compassion for myself, take the lesson from the experience and get back to doing what I love.
Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?
I see myself having completed at least two of the four books I still want to write in this lifetime.
I see a movement of people equally inspired to bring peace and abundance into the world by spreading their stories of healing, as I have in my memoir, Life’s Not Yoga.
If you could offer one piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?
Take time to notice what you want to write about and get the words out in one way or another, even if this is just in notes scattered all around. In time they will come together exactly as they are meant to.
Don’t make excuses, don’t be surprised by the timeline and don’t be shy to share your work. Ask for help or input, and listen deeply to what others have to say.
When I first started on my book, Life’s Not Yoga, not only did my book have a different title, but I expected a different outcome. Once I set the general broad-based vision and moved towards it each day in some small way, the writing took a life of its own and I was then able to put it together in a way that made sense.
I achieved this by trusting my writing with others, be it my online community on social media, blogging, sharing it with friends, family as well as experienced writers. I found a way to trust my own ability to discern what was helpful or not.
When I felt uncomfortable about others’ opinions, I knew it was an opportunity to go deeper and allow it to challenge and improve my writing. Despite this discomfort, I believe my writing was elevated in a way that now allows readers to not only enjoy the experience of reading my memoir, but also to connect to themselves in the process. When I felt comfortable about others’ opinions, even when I disagreed, I knew it was okay to let the writing stay as it is and publish the content.
Trust the process, do the work and be prepared to stumble.
Oops, that was more than one J
What would you consider to be the best compliment a reader could give your book?
I love this question. When the readers can see and feel themselves on the pages. When their story becomes as relevant as mine. I love it when readers share how my writing gifted them some understanding and healing of their own life stories.
Wilma’s review below of Life’s Not Yoga sums it up.
I read Jacqui Burnett’s book 3 times.
The 1st time I was a character in this book - I read it slowly, almost acting the part. I was a lot like Dan.
The 2nd time around I read with empathy for Jacqui…. As I read, Jacqui was unwrapped. She is a whole lot of courage, love, spirit, tenacity, and honesty coupled with a steadfastness in what she believes to be right. She is beautiful.
The 3rd time, I learned that this book was a tool for ME. It was like a manual on how to work through the crap that I thought I had my hand on. I backtracked and started sorting out my crap by unwrapping it, and putting it back together in a way I would never have, had I not read Life’s Not Yoga.
It teaches us to discover or rediscover who we are and to step up to the plate – to be just who we are without any excuses or reservations. To BE LOVE.
I now see beauty in the madness, and I laugh at it. Jacqui’s book has equipped me to face my past emotional, painful stories, which includes coping with Cancer.
I would recommend this easy, gripping read to anyone, whether it is reading for learning or pleasure.
My review of Life's Not Yoga could be a book too as each time I’ve read it, there were new awakenings, fresh eyes, a wide-open soul, a heart-pumping love and a clear conscious as I understand me. Xx - Wilma, Goodreads Review and Rating, 10 July 2021
Most days, I get similar private messages from readers around the world. This is when it all makes sense to me. It’s this compassionate connection between reader and writer that makes the writing worthwhile.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on marketing my memoir, Life’s Not Yoga, and the Dare to Be Love message.
Daily, I create and post content for my social media followers, who like me, I see as Spiritual Revolutionaries, inspired to see, and bring more peace into the world.
Towards the end of the year, I plan to start working on my next book.
"Some people travel to India to find themselves, others to the USA! Life's Not Yoga is a compelling UPLIFTING must-read memoir. Through her story Jacqui Burnett shows us how to stay present in the face of our pain and fear, to overcome anxiety, heal our inner child and build a brighter future." - Natasha Dom, @sashadomyoga
She was born into a perfect family, but by age 16 Jacqui Burnett wants to kill her father.
Decades later Jacqui believes she's left her turbulent childhood past and the trauma of multiple near-death experiences behind her.
On the surface, she has everything she’s ever dreamed of – a solid education, success, and a wonderful husband.
What Jacqui doesn’t know is that she’s about to lose everything.
She was about to step into a board meeting but instead she slid from her office chair and cowered under her desk, sobbing. As managing director, she was meant to announce a year of outstanding results; instead, she was paralysed.
In a desperate search for answers, Jacqui travels to America. Alone in the Rocky Mountains, her life starts unravelling and the truth of her chaotic childhood begins to emerge.
Amidst confused attempts to find love and meaning, Jacqui has to face death one more time, along with an avalanche of unexpected obstacles, before rising from the ashes to heal.
To Buy: https://jacquiburnett.com/buy-book/
"Life's Not Yoga bounces between stream-of-consciousness and the exasperation of 'moving-on' and honest to goodness declarations of frustration at her own life choices. Burnett opens to her readers in the most admirable and courageous of ways, and I would be remiss as an empathetic reader if I did not acknowledge how difficult that must have been. Jacqui Burnett is a superb storyteller. Her life has not been easy, and it is an honor to read the prose of an incessantly curious and deeply courageous human being who seems to have made a lot of sacrifices to pursue her dreams. – Meg Orton, For the Love of MEG Book Reviews
"Equal to the power of Jacqui’s circumstances is the power of her voice (her written word). It is one of the most commanding voices of any memoir I have read, filled with clever observations that ring true. Thank you, Jacqui Burnett, for being so courageous to share and thus providing 'an educational tool for readers also wanting to live a life of joy'. - Natalie Wittwen, Stillness in Motion
"It’s Jacqui’s engagingly frank voice and fierce self-enquiry that drives this fast-paced gripping tale through all its spirited twists and turns.” - Nina Geraghty, Writer and Developmental Editor
“On one level, this is a tale of looking for love in all the wrong places, but on a deeper level, it’s a story of how adversity, viewed through the lens of insight and wisdom, leads to hope and redemption. The miracle is that she comes out the other side alive - and willing to use her life story to inspire others to survive and flourish.” - Giles Griffin, Writer and Writing Guide
This memoir is for anyone who has battled with emotional abuse, financial loss, depression, heartbreak, divorce, burnout, PTSD, anxiety, or fibromyalgia, looking for understanding on how to heal themselves.
August 28, 2021
Little Owl by Lauri Schoenfeld releases August 31!
LITTLE OWL
By Lauri Schoenfeld
Published by Twisted Whisperings
This title is available through all retail booksellers
Releasing August 31, 2021
Adaline and Cache Rushner are falling apart. Their daughters are missing, presumed dead. Their marriage is crumbling. Their attempt at starting over in a new city is failing. Adaline is sure their daughters are alive somehow, but Cache finds it too painful to hope and only wants to move on with their lives. Adaline’s certain that the current tragedy has something to do with her childhood, and the lost memories that she can’t seem to recall. She wonders whether her marriage to Cache can be saved amidst the doubt and uncertainty taking hold of all that she knows to be true.
LITTLE OWL is a tale of truth, redemption, and the hope that urges us onward in spite of our worst fears.
Amazon.com: Amazon.com: Little Owl (9781735233116): Schoenfeld, Lauri: Books
Amazon.ca: Little Owl : Schoenfeld, Lauri: Amazon.ca: Books
ABOUT LAURI:
Lauri Schoenfeld currently resides in Utah with her hubby, three kids, and dog Jack Wyatt Wolverine. She’s a child abuse advocate, a Nancy Drew enthusiast, and is part cyborg. Teaching creative writing classes to her community is one of her favorite things to do. When she’s not having long conversations with her characters and creating stories, she’s hosting the Enlightenment Show, reading, or solving a mystery.
Lauri’s a well sought-after speaker and a frequent guest with multiple writing groups, podcasts, and businesses, talking about Connecting to Your Artist, Embracing Your Fears to Succeed, and Learning to Love Yourself After Abuse.
She’s the owner of Inner Enlightenment, a business built around connecting to your inner light and child within through stillness, creativity, play, and self-expression. Lauri teaches and holds creativity workshops, retreats, and one-on-one coaching.
More information about Lauri can be found here:
Website: https://laurischoenfeld.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauriSchoenfeld
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurischoenfeld/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurischoenfeldevents
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Lauri-Schoenfeld/e/B096ZFRXB9/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
To request additional review copies or an interview with Lauri Schoenfeld, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: Mickey.CreativeEdge@Gmail.com | (403) 464-6925.
We look forward to the coverage!
August 26, 2021
Author Jay Lang releases her newest novel Storm
Welcome to mystery novelist Jay Lang, a fellow BWL Publishing author!
Jay Lang is the author of four Lesbian thrillers published with BWL Publishing Inc., including the February 1, 2021 new release Storm - now available in pre-release at all the primary retailers and in print from Amazon.
Jay Lang grew up on the ocean, splitting her time between Read Island and Vancouver Island before moving to Vancouver to work as a TV, film and commercial actress. Eventually she left the industry for a quieter life on a live-a-board boat, where she worked as a clothing designer for rock bands. Five years later she moved to Abbotsford to attend university. There, she fell in love with creative writing. Hush is her first published novel. She spends her days hiking and drawing inspiration for her writing from nature.
https://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2021/01/featured-author-jay-lang.html
Do your characters come before or after your plot?
My characters generally come after I have a rough plot in my head. I usually think of a story outline long before the characters walk into my mind.
How do you choose a villain and how do you make them human?
I think we all have a little good and a little bad in us. When creating a villain, I tap into the darker parts of my psyche.
Do your reading choices reflect your writing choices?
I'm ashamed to say that I don't read enough. Do audiobooks count? Actually, I am heavily influenced by poetry, especially when I'm writing descriptions about nature. Too, I find that after I've listened to a novel, example: Stephen King, it puts me in the suspense zone which also helps me with motivation and flow.
Which type of characters are your favorite to write?
This is a great question. I love to write about characters that are developing from timid, scared and vulnerable to ass-kicking powerhouses that aren't about to lie down and take crap from anyone anymore.
What are you working on now?
Right now I'm writing a book called The Immoral. It's about a girl who's a recluse and lives on her boat. The only close friend she has gets mixed up with a really bad guy that has ties in the sex industry. The two friends join together to not only sabotage the creep but to free vulnerable girls as well.
What sort of research do you do for your work?
Because I write suspense, murder mystery types of novels, I have to do A LOT of research for each story. Everything from contacting forensic specialists, police detectives and an array of other institutions and experts.
STORM
After taking the fall for her former lover, Paisley Stewart comes out of a stint in prison only to stay in another: her childhood home on Vancouver Island, where memories of her homophobic childhood linger. To her relief, her parents plan to vacation in Florida for part of the summer, leaving her to take care of the rental cabins. However, the relief is short-lived. She has a co-landlord: the know-it-all Ivy Logan, a family friend and childhood enemy. Little do they realize that their friction is setting off sparks, and a summer romance blooms.
However, their happiness doesn’t last. Ghosts from Paisley’s past emerge, and what was once an idyllic dream becomes a living nightmare. The girls find themselves in a desperate fight for their lives, and Paisley must decide—how far will she go to save the woman she loves?
HUSH
Jade Banks thinks she has finally found happiness. A home on a beautiful little island, and a good woman, Annie, by her side. But that all changes when her father dies and leaves her brother, Denny, in charge of the family fortune—a brother Jade knows is seeking to destroy her. After a night away, Jade returns home to find Annie hurt. A short time later, a body is found in the bay. Over a hellish few weeks, Jade is caught up in a police investigation while her insecurities and paranoia push Annie away. With the intention of restoring peace to their lives, Jade gathers clues that point to the murderer. However, she is not prepared for the shocking truth revealed by a shotgun blast that echoes over the bay.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51148146-hush
SHATTER
Jules Gordon has spent the past fourteen years as a recluse after her mother was brutally murdered and her father framed for the crime. Things seem to improve after she accepts a job as a private investigator for a local firm where she meets the enigmatic Katie, and a passionate romance develops. However, just as Jules’ life starts to show promise, she receives a call from a parole officer who tells her that her father is being released from prison. Apprehensive, Jules lets her father move in. Her father, now terminally ill, divulges the name of the man who framed him. In a twist of fate, while investigating her first case, Jules believes that she’s stumbled on the trail of her mother’s murderer. As Jules slowly unravels the truth, her pursuit for retribution turns deadly. A game of cat and mouse leads her deep into the underworld, and she realizes that she has been played for a fool as she stares into the eyes of the true killer.
August 24, 2021
Joan Havelange talks about her mystery novels and upcoming releases
Welcome back to Canadian mystery author Joan Havelange!
Joan Havelange is a Canadian author of three cozy mysteries and lives in a beautiful little town in the prairies, surrounded by hills, valleys, and many lakes.
I’m an avid traveller. Before this pandemic broke out, I was able to travel to over 45 countries. This has helped my writing as I take my protagonists to places I have visited. I follow that old adage, write what you know. I directed little theatre for 15 years. And I find writing is a lot like directing. The difference is my characters show up on time and always know their lines. Although sometimes, they do go off in a direction that surprises me. I began writing romances, but I soon realized I was not the romantic type; murder is my line. My change of genre was the right choice, as my first whodunnit mystery, ‘Wayward Shot,’ was published in 2019.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mabelmysteries
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoanJhave
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanhave/
What would you say are your strengths as an author?
I write good dialogue. My mysteries are fast-paced and fill with humour and twists.
How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?
I try to write every day. In the winter, I write for three to four hours in the morning. In the summer, I golf every morning, so my writing takes place in the afternoon.
Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?
Still writing, I don’t expect to get rich; that’s not why I write. I have stories to tell, and I hope the readers will still be enjoying them.
If you could offer one piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?
Write a story you want to read.
What would you consider to be the best compliment a reader could give your book?
I can’t wait for your next book. And I didn’t figure it out who dun it
What are you working on now?
I have a new release coming out on October 1st, 2021.
‘The Suspects’
Mable Havelock and Violet Ficher are on a scenic bus tour of the Nordic capital cities of Europe and Russia. The tour culminates in Moscow. Where The tour director is murdered. There is a busload of suspects to choose from. A flirtatious woman and her jealous husband. A professor of Nordic History who is ill-informed. Two world travellers who describe themselves as gypsies, a mysterious man who is hiding something. And the tour director’s assistant and bus driver; both have an axe to grind against the tour director Hilda Karlson. Add to the mix smugglers and thieves. And a case of mistaken identity. But unfortunately, the prime suspect is Mabel. Mabel and Violet will have to use all their skills and ingenuity to solve the murder in Moscow. And prove to the Russian police Mabel’s innocence.
And I’m working on my next whodunit. ‘Murder Exit Stage Right’
WAYWARD SHOT
When Mabel slices her golf ball into the town cemetery. She and her best friend Violet think the worst that could happen would be a lost ball. That is until they discover a dead body, and it isn’t six feet under. Mabel’s golf ball lays in the middle of his forehead; it’s murder. The ladies take it upon themselves to solve the mystery of the dead body in the graveyard. Using the information gleaned from Coffee Row, a collection of eccentric townspeople. Leads them to investigate golfers and relatives of the deceased. Their investigation frustrates a newly appointed RCMP officer, who does his best to put a stop to their interference. But nothing stops the intrepid detectives. Not the RCMP, a stampede of cattle or even shots fired at them in the dark. They have an uncanny ability to find trouble and dead bodies. Almost getting themselves killed before solving the murders.
https://books2read.com/Wayward-Shot
DEATH AND DENIAL
My next Cozy Mystery took my ladies to Egypt.
On her way to visit Egypt and its ancient past, Mabel Havelock stumbles upon a murder plot. Mabel is trapped on board a boat with a dead body and a boatload of suspects. And in the middle of the Nile River, a passenger disappears. Although language difficulties put her at odds with the lone police officer on board the boat. Mabel is determined to untangle the web of lies and deceit. She will have to use all her wits and ingenuity to solve the murder in the locked cabin.
https://books2read.com/Death-and-Denial
THE TROUBLE WITH FUNERALS
My latest mystery was published in 2020
The trouble with funerals is there are too many of them. Mabel's mother is convinced there is something nefarious going on at the senior's condo 'Gravenhurst Manor.' She convinces her daughter to look into the death of her best friend, Mini, who died in suspicious circumstances. If there is a cold, calculating murderer at work. Mabel needs to find the killer before it's too late. Her mother could be next. But what is the motive? Why would anyone want to kill a senior? And Her main suspect has a perfect alibi, namely Mabel.
Her reliable sidekick Violet is no longer reliable. Violet may have gotten herself involved with a con-man. Against the backdrop of the peaceful little town of Glenhaven, Mabel's challenge is to solve the motiveless murders; and save Violet from herself.
https://books2read.com/The-Trouble-With-Funerals
August 21, 2021
CARNAL KNOWLEDGE, A NEW BOOK IN THE DEADLY SINS SERIES By Rachael Tamayo
CARNAL KNOWLEDGE
A STUNNING NEW BOOK IN THE DEADLY SINS SERIES
By International Best-selling Author, Rachael Tamayo
Set for release this July and published by Tangled Tree Publishing!
The book will be available worldwide, in digital and print, across all platforms!
“Carnal Knowledge” is a twisted tale of lust, but not the kind of lust that anyone is expecting. A woman is hunted by a killer in a world that is turned rapidly inside out as her life is put on a countdown by a madman. This killer has authorities baffled, and will leave readers with one question: What do you do when you know you’re on a serial killer’s hit list?
One thing is certain, some appetites are best left unsatisfied.
A serial killer on the loose, driven by darkness and obsession. A woman determined to not go down without a fight and refuses to be a victim. International bestselling author Rachael Tamayo is back with a highly anticipated Deadly Sins novel. With twists and turns to keep readers gripped, fans of Teresa Driscoll and Rachel Caine will be hooked in this unforgettable thriller.
"A well-written thriller that keeps the reader guessing until the end!" - InD'Tale Magazine
OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:
Book Tagline: When rage holds you together, love will tear you apart.
Hook: Sticks and stones do break bones, and words will surely hurt you.
Synopsis:
Staring down the barrel of a loaded 9mm is a wake-up call, especially when it’s your husband’s finger on the trigger. Brooklyn James’s only thought is to take her baby and run. It's better to end up on the streets than suffer one more day beneath her husband's hand.
Finally back on her feet, Brooklyn is stronger, better prepared, and determined not to run. That is until she gets the call that her husband has been released from prison after serving his three years for DWI.Cain James has his wife on his mind, always. With his friend Donovan at his side, anything is possible. He can find her, bring her home, make her love him again. While Cain has serious anger issues, Donovan is much worse. Cain can’t control his friend's sick, twisted mind and even sicker actions.
Donovan has Cain's best interest at heart, and he'll do whatever it takes to help Cain bring his wife home—including murder. After his time in prison, Cain doesn’t want to hurt his wife again and becomes a man torn—divided between the darkness inside him, his twisted love, and his lifelong protector, Donovan.
As Cain tries to convince his wife that he’s changed, he watches the bodies hit the floor one by one at the hands of his sidekick. Enraged by his estranged wife’s new love and conflicted by his own anger and need to protect his family, Cain unravels.
He can’t live without her, and he won’t let her live without him.
ABOUT RACHAEL:
Rachael Tamayo is a former 911 emergency operator and police dispatcher. After twelve years in those dark depths, she’s gained a unique insight into mental illness, human behavior, and the general darkness of humanity that she likes to weave into her books. A formerly exclusive romance author tried her hand at thrillers in her award-winning novel, Crazy Love, and loved it so much that she decided not to turn back. Rachael is also the author of the internationally renowned domestic thriller, “Break My Bones and her newest
novel Carnal Knowledge, the second in the critically acclaimed stand-alone Deadly Sins Series is out this July. Born and raised in Texas, Rachael lives in the Houston area with her husband of sixteen years, and their two small children. More information can be found about Rachael at:Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RachaelTamayowrites
Facebook fan page https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheRTAsylum
Twitter https://twitter.com/rtamayo2004
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01HC2VZ0C
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15251093.Rachael_Tamayo
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rachael-tamayo
To request additional review copies or an interview with Rachael Tamayo, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925. We look forward to the coverage!
August 20, 2021
Round Robin Blog Fest August 21 - Favorite Words
I'm back with another fun Round Robin Blog Fest! This month's question is:
Do you have any character habits or favorite words that always crop up in your writing?
Since I've been writing a non-fiction writing book lately, my thoughts went a totally different way to words and habits I tend to overuse.
I had to laugh when a friend read one of my earlier books and commented how there was a lot of nostril flaring. Nostril flaring and eye rolling are two of my biggest, most overused reactions for characters. Apparently, I must do a lot of both in real life.
Sighing is another reaction I tend to overuse. In one of my books I was doing a first edit on, I gave up counting the number of sighs. I should have done a search when I plugged my edits into the computer. I think there would have been at least three per page.
I’ve also had characters groan several times on a page. Some of the time I plug them into a rough draft with the intention of going back and replacing them with something better and…sometimes I forget.
Just and very pop up often, too. So does A LOT, which I’ve already used three times in this blog!
Speaking of overused, I went back and did a quick edit and got rid of four exclamation marks. I did leave one for effect, but the others were far from necessary. One of my first editors used to constantly rap my knuckles for using them more than once per book. I have snuck a couple more in there lately when the situation calls for them.
Nice. “It’s a nice day.” What does that mean? Nice is one of those words that can be used by a character but really doesn’t say anything. I try hard to elaborate while going through edits.
We all tend to do comparisons and sometimes like can get a real workout. “The puddles were like tiny oceans to the bugs that bounced with every raindrop.” If you’re writing those sorts of comparative sentences several times a chapter, your readers will start to notice. One way to get around that is to add more description of the item instead of likening it to something else.
Actually, I think I overuse actually a great deal, too. The good thing is this is one word I actually delete when I go through my first round of edits. Unless it’s actually needed by a character, I automatically cross it out.
One issue I tend to have lately is dialogue tags. I’ve gone from many “said” and “asked” to action tags. And I got called out for it by a big league author. I’ll be much more careful going forward.
Being an author there’s a real learning curve. Just when you think you’ve figured things out and are following the “rules”, someone points out a bad habit that you never even noticed. That’s when we roll our eyes and sigh before we actually make a lot of changes…
If you haven't seen my newest release, introducing:
An explosion leaves a gaping hole in the streetscape where the Nine Lives Consignment Shop and the former martial arts school once stood. When police find remains of a bomb inside, Gilda Wright needs to track a killer before her suspects scatter like debris.
Check it out at: https://books2read.com/Dead-Without-R...
Also be sure to check out our wonderful authors:
Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com
Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-2ow
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com
