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Showing posts with label IRead book tours. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

The 8th Island Trilogy by Alexis Marie Chute

 
Join Us for this Book Series Tour from Jul 7 to Aug 10, 2020!
“A Wrinkle in Time meets The Princess Bride.” - Review by Lee Lee Thompson, The Perpetual You Magazine



“Chute’s novel weaves STAR WARS-like characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for booklovers of all ages.” - US Review of Books



“Fast and bizarre… Never a dull moment.“ - Foreward Reviews


SERIES DETAILS:



Series Title:  The 8th Island Trilogy by Alexis Marie Chute

Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs) (368 to 448 pages)

Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult

Publisher:  SparkPress.

Release dates:   Jun 2018; Oct 2019; Apr 2020

Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.






Series Description:



The 8th Island Trilogy includes Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun.
Over the three books, we follow the adventures of a quirky family, the
Wellsleys. The main characters are frumpy senior citizen Archie, his
daughter-in-law, Tessa, and his ill fourteen-year-old granddaughter
Ella.



Archie, searching for his missing son, accidentally transports his
family—and a cruise ship full of people—to a magical planet. There, they
uncover the truth: all worlds are dying. Yet hope is not lost. A way to
restore all that will soon be destroyed is revealed, along with the
realization that Ella will play a role no one could have
imagined—especially not her.



On the mysterious island of Jarr-Wya, many races of
creatures battle for dominion and magic lurks around every corner. When
the world falls dark, that is when bravery must shine the brightest, and
the Wellsleys will reveal the strength they never knew they
possessed—as well as the power of love to save the day.





Books in the 8th Island Trilogy:






Book Details:



Book Title:  Above the Star by Alexis Marie Chute

Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 368 pages

Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult

Publisher:  SparkPress.

Release dates:   Jun 2018

Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.





Book Description:



When frumpy senior citizen Archie goes in search of his missing son in
the Spanish Canary Islands, he stumbles upon a higher mission: locating a
magical cure for his ailing fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Ella.
Using a portal-jumping device called the Tillastrion, Archie and a
stone-headed creature named Zeno are transported to Jarr-Wya, a
magnificent yet terrifying island in a connected realm―along with Ella
and her strong-willed mother, Tessa, who accidentally stow away on this
not-so-secret quest.



What they find on Jarr-Wya is an island tortured by a wicked Star
anchored in the sea, and a raging three-way battle for dominion between
the stone-wielding Bangols, the fiery Olearons, and the evil Millia
sands. Ella’s wit and resourcefulness emerge in this new world, while
Tessa is forced to confront her long-buried secrets and a confusing new
love triangle. When Ella is captured, Tessa and Archie―with the help of a
company of peculiar allies―set out to save her and unravel the terrible
mystery of her cure. A mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night adventure of
three unlikely heroes, Above the Star reminds us that even the smallest
act of bravery can transform our lives and the fates of the worlds
around us.





Book Details:



Book Title:  Below the Moon by Alexis Marie Chute

Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 448 pages

Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult

Publisher:  SparkPress.

Release dates:   Oct 2019


Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.

Book Description:


Ella Wellsley is not your typical teenager. Cancer left her mute, but
not powerless. Trapped in a parallel dimension, Ella rallies her
strength to join her family―her mother, Tessa, her grandpa Archie, and
her magical boyfriend―in locating the cure to her illness. This cure is
entangled in the fate of all worlds, and threatened by the presence of
an evil Star anchored in the sea. The Star has thrown life everywhere
into chaos―and it is Ella who holds the key to unlocking its mystery.



Caught in a web of betrayal, mistaken identities, secrets, and love
triangles, Ella, Tessa, and Archie must overcome their troubled pasts to
ensure a future for all worlds. On this journey―armed with unearthly
abilities and unexpected allies―each member of the Wellsley family will
learn the power of love in the face of their greatest fears.




Book Details:



Book Title:  Inside the Sun by Alexis Marie Chute

Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 384 pages

Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult

Publisher:  SparkPress.

Release dates:   April 2020

Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
Book Description:





All worlds are dying, and it’s up to one broken and dysfunctional family from Earth―the Wellsleys―to save the day.



Cancer-ridden Ella celebrates her fifteenth birthday beneath an
enchanted mountain, but it is what lies even farther below―the
mysterious Star in the sea―that demands she grow up quickly. While Ella
grapples with the sacrifice she must make and the lies she is forced to
tell, her mother, Tessa, is hell-bent on protecting her.



Through bizarre encounters, love-sick Tessa realizes that she is not the
lonely orphan she believes. Her husband, Arden, and father-in-law,
Archie, are not the only ones with magical bloodlines. This revelation
changes everything. As Archie chooses to embody his unexpected ancestry,
he learns that leading the charge in the ultimate battle against evil
won’t be as easy as he thought. He’ll need his family―and the strange
allies he has gained―by his side to give Ella enough time to set things
right.



Can they defeat the unstoppable Millia sands―and another unexpected
foe―before everything they hold dear is destroyed? Or will their
adventure tear them apart for good? The finale to The 8th Island Trilogy
will hold you spellbound until the final page, and long after.




Meet the Author:



Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning author, artist,
photographer, art curator, filmmaker, and public speaker. She has
received over 40 noteworthy distinctions for her visual and literary
work. Her award-winning fantasy series The 8th Island Trilogy includes,
Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun. The series has been
described as “A WRINKLE IN TIME meets THE PRINCESS BRIDE” by The
Perpetual You magazine, and “Fast and bizarre… never a dull moment” by
Forward Reviews. The 8th Island Trilogy “weaves STAR WARS-like
characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for
blooklovers of all ages” – US Review of Books. Chute’s bestselling
memoir, Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy
After Loss, was a top Kirkus title of 2017 and received a plethora of
other literary distinctions. The memoir was accompanied by the feature
documentary of the same name, which has screened internationally for the
last three years. Chute received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and
Design from the University of Alberta, Canada, and studied at Media
Design school in Auckland, New Zealand. She graduated valedictorian with
her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Lesley University in
Cambridge, MA, USA. Chute is a highly regarded public speaker. She has
presented on art, writing, bereavement, and the healing capacities of
creativity around the world. Contact the Author/Artist for bookings
info@alexismariechute.com When not in her art/photo studio or at her
computer, Chute loves to spend quality time with her family, read
fiction and non-fiction, watch reality TV, paddleboard, and canoe. She
is not a winter person but lives in frosty Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
with her husband and their three living children.



Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ YouTube ~ LinkedIn





Tour Schedule:



July 7 – Splashes of Joy – series spotlight / guest post / author interview / giveaway

July 7 - Working Mommy Journal – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 7 - fundinmental - series spotlight / giveaway

July 7 - Corinne Rodrigues | Booksnista - series spotlight / giveaway

July 8 - Leels Loves Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 8 – Book Bustle – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 8 - Living in a Bookworld – series spotlight / giveaway

July 9 - Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 9 – I'm Into Books – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway

July 10 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 10 - She Just Loves Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 13 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 13 - Books and Zebras – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 14 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 14 - Cheryl's Book Nook – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 15 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 15 - Blooming with Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 16 – Working Mommy Journal – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 16 - Books and Zebras – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 17 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 17 - Writer with Wanderlust – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway

July 20 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 20 - Rockin' Book Reviews – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 20 - Adventurous Bookworm – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 21 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

July 21 - Stephanie Jane – series spotlight / giveaway

July 21 - Leels Loves Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 22 – T's Stuff – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway

July 22 - She Just Loves Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 22 - Blooming with Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 23 - Rockin' Book Reviews – book review of Inside the Sun / guest post / giveaway

July 23 – Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 24 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 24 - Books and Zebras – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

July 27 –  Book Bustle – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 27 - Adventurous Bookworm – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 28 –  Working Mommy Journal – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

July 28 - Olio by Marilyn – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 28 - Library of Clean Reads – series spotlight / giveaway

July 29 – 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway

July 29 - Blooming with Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

July 30 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 30 - Cheryl's Book Nook – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 31 – She Just Loves Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 3 – StoreyBook Reviews – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Aug 3 - Leels Loves Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 4 –  Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 4 - Cheryl's Book Nook – book review of Inside the Sun / guest post / giveaway

Aug 5 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 5 - Adventurous Bookworm – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 6 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 6 - Olio by Marilyn – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Aug 7 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 7 - Jazzy Book Reviews – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway

Aug 10 - Books for Books – series spotlight

Aug 10 –Book Bustle – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway


Interview with author-artist-filmmaker Alexis Marie Chute
  1. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a child, I always wanted to be an artist and author—exactly what I am doing right now. I also wanted to be an actress and big business woman. I’ve always had many dreams and still think it would be a great challenge to be a lawyer or a firefighter. I don’t subscribe to the idea that we must pick one career and stick with it. Life is more fun with adventure, change and challenge.  
  1. Where/When do you best like to write?
Mornings are best for me. When I’m working on a book, I like to write first thing in the morning until 11am or sometimes, with a lot of coffee, till 1pm. Then CRASH (crash = nap). I like to write surrounded by candles and incense. I cannot have distractions or a cluttered desk. My music choice is typically classical, like Vivaldi or Mozart, and nothing with words as I find I begin typing what I am listening to. I like to write at my vintage style black wood desk by the window in my room. My actual work-desk in the office is too distracting. When I am crunching a deadline, I don’t have a “best time” to write; I simply sit down and get it done, no matter if I feel like it or not. I love deadlines as external motivators.
  1. What do you think makes a good story?
A good story has characters that are simultaneously loveable and deplorable. The plot is unexpected and varied. There is a lot at stake, and the risks and rewards are always in flux. I can tell a story is good when it keeps me up at night, lingers long after the last page, and I wish I had thought it up!
  1. What inspired the three main characters in The 8th Island Trilogy (Archie, Tessa, Ella)?
I was inspired to create the Wellsleys—Archibald, Tessa, and Ella Wellsley—based on real families. They have interesting relationships with each other, some good, like Ella and Grandpa Archie, and some more tense and complicated, like Tessa and her estranged husband Arden. I created characters with flaws, but also redeeming characteristics. In Ella, Tessa, and Grandpa Archie, my goal is for readers to relate, to see themselves, as well as have protagonists they can root for. 
The order of the trilogy:
  1. How does a new story idea come to you? Is it an event that sparks the plot or a character speaking to you?
I get new ideas all the time. From everywhere. From everyone. A new lightbulb is constantly illuminated above my head. My struggle is not finding ideas, but choosing which ideas are worth my attention and which ideas should be the focus for right now. Typically, however, plot precedes character for me in the developmental stage, but character always shines in the end. 
  1. Do you always know what the ending of your books will be when you start writing?
When I began writing book one, Above the Star, I had no idea what the ending of the trilogy was going to be—not even after I began writing book two, Below the Moon. I had to pause writing at that point to outline and plot right to the end so I could make sure all the storylines resolved and surprise the reader.
It was a fun experience to outline—I’m typically a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of writer—although I always leave room for the magic of creativity while writing. I even surprise myself. For example, I cried when writing the end of Below the Moon. At the end of Inside the Sun I shed no tears but felt a strange sense of completion and satisfaction. It was eerie and beautiful, surprising and addictive all at once.  
  1. Is there a message/theme in your novels that you want readers to grasp?
The resiliency of the human spirit is what percolates up in most of my work. It’s the dogged determinedness that I see in so many people, no matter the hardships they face. They inspire me, and because of them, I want my work to inspire others.
  1. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Not in winter—I hate snow—but typically I love being outdoors! My favorite activities are paddle boarding, canoeing, hiking, trail running, and sitting in a hot tub outside and talking for hours with friends and family.
Also, aside from my writing, I am a visual artist, curator, filmmaker, and public speaker. So those things, plus family time, keep me super busy. I do, however, always make time for the important people in my life. I LOVE getting together with friends and playing games… you might say I’m a game addict; Mario Cart, Ticket to Ride, Hand and Foot, Uno, Cards Against Humanity, puzzles, escape rooms… You get the idea.
  1. What’s the best writing advice you have ever received?

I have a friend who is an amazing illustrator. His name is Kelly Mellings. We weren’t talking about writing specifically, but about working in creative fields. Kelly gave the absolute best advice that I have applied to every area of my life—personal and professional. He told me he always does things before he’s ready—and I took that lesson to heart. 
I was not ready to write a book, but I learned as I went and got ‘er done!
I was not trained on how to create and produce a documentary film, but I did it anyway. It’s called Expecting Sunshine and is based on my memoir of the same name. 
I had a general concept of how to be an art curator, I learned on the go, and now curate an annual exhibit called InFocus Photo, and curate for two other spaces; the Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel and the Multicultural Heritage Centre. 
  1. Where can people find you online?
Twitter: @_Alexis_Marie 
Instagram: @alexismariechute 
YouTube: AlexisMarieChute 
LinkedIn: Alexis Marie Chute 
Pinterest: AlexisMarieArt

Enter the Giveaway:


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Friday, July 17, 2020

The Takeaway Men by Meryl Ain

Join us for this tour from July 14 to Aug 10, 2020!



Book Details:



Book Title:  The Takeaway Men by Meryl Ain

Category:  Adult fiction 18 yrs +,  264 pages

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Publisher:  Sparkpress

Release date:   August 4, 2020

Content Rating:  PG-13 + M because there are references to extra-marital affairs. There is no explicit sex in the book.






Book Description:



With
the cloud of the Holocaust still looming over them, twin sisters Bronka
and Johanna Lubinski and their parents arrive in the US from a
Displaced Persons Camp. In the years after World War II, they experience
the difficulties of adjusting to American culture as well as the
burgeoning fear of the Cold War. Years later, the discovery of a former
Nazi hiding in their community brings the Holocaust out of the shadows.
As the girls get older, they start to wonder about their parents’ pasts,
and they begin to demand answers. But it soon becomes clear that those
memories will be more difficult and painful to uncover than they could
have anticipated. Poignant and haunting, The Takeaway Men explores the
impact of immigration, identity, prejudice, secrets, and lies on parents
and children in mid-twentieth-century America.



Now Available for Pre-order!
Release date: August 4, 2020
Amazon.com ~ Barnes & Noble ~ IndieBound
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:



Meryl
Ain’s articles and essays have appeared in Huffington Post, The New
York Jewish Week, The New York Times, Newsday and other publications.
The Takeaway Men is her debut novel. In 2014, she co-authored the
award-winning book, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last, and
in 2016, wrote a companion workbook, My Living Memories Project
Journal. She is a sought-after speaker and has been interviewed on
television, radio, and podcasts. She is a career educator and is proud
to be both a teacher and student of history. She has also worked as a
school administrator. The Takeaway Men is the
result of her life-long quest to learn more about the Holocaust, a
thirst that was first triggered by reading The Diary of Anne Frank in
the sixth grade. While teaching high school history, she introduced her
students to the study of the Holocaust. At the same time, she also
developed an enduring fascination with teaching about and researching
the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case. An interview with Robert Meeropol,
the younger son of the Rosenbergs, is featured in her book, The Living
Memories Project. The book also includes an interview with Holocaust
survivor, Boris Chartan, the founder of the Holocaust Museum and
Tolerance Center of Nassau County, New York. Meryl holds a BA from
Queens College, an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an
Ed.D. from Hofstra University. She lives in New York with her husband,
Stewart. They have three married sons and six grandchildren.



​Connect with the author:  Website  ~ Facebook ~  Twitter ~ Instagram


Guest Post by Meryl Ain
BOOK CLUBS, ANYONE?
While I pursued a full-time career in education, I always wrote on the side – essays, opinion pieces, and cooking columns. Once I retired, I wrote two non-fiction self-help books, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last, and its companion workbook, My Living Memories Project Journal. The books helped me overcome the loss of both of my parents and I learned ways to keep their memories alive. Readers tell me it did the same for them. And I am very grateful for that.
I was not much of a novel reader while I was working. I didn’t have that much time to read, and when I did, it was usually a biography, autobiography a memoir or something related to education. Maybe I read two novels a year. But then I decided to join a book club, and the whole world of fiction opened up to me. I found that I enjoyed reading novels and especially, discussing them with other women. It was very satisfying. Soon, I began to seek out book recommendations outside of the monthly meetings. I was hooked. I loved thinking about and discussing the characters and the narrative, but still, I never thought I would be able to write a novel.
About the third year into my book clubbing and novel reading, a light bulb went off in my head. I had a story that I wanted to tell about Holocaust survivors and their children living in New York in the ‘50s and ‘60s. But I still knew I didn’t have the tools. So I started reading every book I could find about novel writing. I watched videos. And I took classes. I continued to read novels. I found I was beginning to read critically; I was unpacking how the author put the story together.
After that, I began researching in earnest. What country would my characters come from? I decided on Poland. Where would they live once in the United States? I situated them in the neighborhood in which I grew up in Queens, New York. I talked to friends and family about twists and turns and secret identities. Soon, I started writing. The characters began to lead me. After several edits, it was ready to be published.

I credit my family and friends for their support and inspiration. And I also am so grateful to the book club that motivated me. That’s why I’m so thrilled to be able to meet virtually with book clubs all over the country. On my website, I have a list of questions for discussion.  One of the best parts of being a novelist is to meet with fellow book club members from near and far.

Tour Schedule:



July 14 – Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

July 14 - Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway

July 14 - Book World Reviews  - book review / author interview

July 15 – 100 Pages A Day – book review / giveaway

July 16 – RebeccaReviewedIt – book review / author interview

July 17 – T's Stuff – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

July 18 - Just One More Chapter – book review

July 20 – Pick a good book – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

July 21 – Splashes of Joy – book review / author interview / giveaway

July 22 - Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway

July 23 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight / author interview

July 23 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway

July 24 – THE WORLD AS I SEE IT – book review

July 27 – Book after Book – book spotlight / author interview

July 28 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

July 28 - Leels Loves Books - book review / giveaway

July 29 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway

July 30 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway

July 31 – Reading is My Passion – book review / giveaway

July 31 - The Eclectic Review – book review

Aug 3 – I'm All About Books – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Aug 3 - Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight

Aug 4 - Library of Clean Reads – book review / giveaway

Aug 4 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway

Aug 4 - Peaceful Pastime – book review

Aug 4 - Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway

Aug 5 – Svetlanas reads and views – book review

Aug 5 - Books and Zebras – book review / giveaway

Aug 5 - Alexis Marie Chute – book review / author interview

Aug 6 – Pen Possessed – book review / giveaway

Aug 6 - Books for Books – book spotlight

Aug 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

Aug 10 – My Fictional Oasis – book review

Aug 10 - Adventurous Jessy - book review / giveaway




Enter the Giveaway:
 
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Monday, July 13, 2020

Five Before Rome: 5 preludes to the Roma Series by Gabriel Valjan

 
Join us for this tour from July 7 to July 27, 2020!



Book Details:



Book Title:  Five Before Rome: 5 preludes to the Roma Series by Gabriel Valjan

Category:  Adult fiction 18 yrs +,  215 pages

Genre:  International Crime Thriller

Publisher:  Wild Goose Publishing

Release date:   June 2020

Content Rating:  PG-13 + M. There is violence (not graphic) and mention of child abuse by the clergy. There are 4 instances of the F-Word.


Book Description:



These five novellas precede Roma, Underground,
the first novel in the Roma Series. Meet the five men, who form the
team around Bianca, and learn about their personal history, their
respective parts of Italy, and why they each have a stake in the fight
against organized crime.



Buy the Book:

Amazon.com

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:



Gabriel Valjan lives in Boston’s South End where he enjoys the
local restaurants. When he isn’t appeasing Munchkin, his cat, with tuna,
he documents the #dogsofsouthendboston on Instagram. His short stories
have appeared online, in journals, and in several anthologies. Gabriel
is the author of two series, Roma and Company Files, with Winter Goose
Publishing. He was nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Historical
Mystery for Company Files: 2. The Naming Game in 2020. Gabriel has been a
finalist for the Fish Prize, shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, and
received an Honorable Mention for the Nero Wolfe Black Orchid Novella
Contest in 2018. Dirty Old Town, the first in the Shane Cleary series,
was published in 2020 by Level Best Books. Gabriel attends crime fiction
conferences, such as Bouchercon, Malice Domestic, and New England Crime
Bake. He is a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime.



​Connect with the author:  Website  ~ Facebook ~  Twitter ~ Instagram




Tour Schedule:



July 7 – Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway

July 8 – Book Bustle – book review / giveaway

July 9 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway

July 10 - Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / guest post/ giveaway

July 13 – Pen Possessed – book spotlight / giveaway

July 14 – T's Stuff - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

July 15 – Library of Clean Reads – book review / giveaway

July 16 – My Reading Journeys – book review / giveaway

July 16 - Books for Books – book spotlight

July 17 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

July 20 – I'm All About Books – book spotlight / giveaway

July 20 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway

July 22 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway

July 23 - Leels Loves Books – book review / giveaway

July 23 – StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

July 24 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight / author interview

July 24 - Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway

July 25 – Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight

July 27 - Adventurous Jessy – book review / giveaway

July 27 - On My Bookshelf - book review / guest post / giveaway

Guest post by Gabriel Valjan
This Thing of Ours is Not What You Think It Is

 Cosa Nostra. Our Thing. The Syndicate. The Mob. Mafia. It’s an Italian thing, but here I will correct misconceptions about the mafia in Italy, so you can appreciate Five Before Rome.
These days, mafia is a generic term for organized crime. What Americans call mafia is specifically the Sicilian criminal organization but there are others in Italy. The Camorra is indigenous to Naples and the region of Campania. The ’Ndrangheta is based in Calabria. 
Structurally, the Sicilian mafia is hierarchical, with a chain of command and agreement over territories and activities. The Camorra is a confederation of local clans in Campania. The Calabrian mafia is overtly familial, with members related to each other by blood or marriage. 
The portrayals of mafiosi in American popular culture have ranged from the charismatic Don Corleone to the thuggish Tony Soprano. The Italian-American gangster has been mythologized and canonized alongside Jesse James and Bonnie and Clyde. Contemporaries considered Al Capone more honest about his business practices than, say, such ruthless captains of industry as Ford and Rockefeller. While the mafia has become transnational, involved in money laundering, violence remains its standard operating procedure. 
There is no consensus as to how the mafia started, but it’s generally accepted that southern Italy’s feudal past encouraged its creation. The landed gentry hired help to collect rents and keep the peasants obedient. As Italy unified, standardized its language and modernized, the country developed a pronounced North and South divide, mercantile versus agrarian. The mafia, however, did move north. The Sicilian writer Leonardo Sciascia’s famous one-liner about how the line of palm trees moved more and more north each year is often quoted as an example of how the mafia migrated north. 
The Sicilian mafia thrived in southern Italy because there was social approval and local support. The don, for example, paid pensions to families whose members were in jail. Cooperation with the mafia has changed dramatically in recent years because businesses have refused to pay protection money. While Sonny in The Bronx Tale waxed philosophical about whether it’s better to be feared than loved, a boss preferred not to use violence. It’s far more effective to provide jobs than intimidate people. In fact, a don’s use of violence or his failure to control it diminishes his power. 
American films has romanticized omertà, the vow of silence. Herein is a major difference between the Italian-American mafia and its Sicilian cousin abroad. U.S. law enforcement “flips” a mobster to go undercover and testify against colleagues. The incentive is to avoid or minimize prison time. In Italy, a pentito is not a rat. The Sicilian mafioso provides evidence, which must be corroborated before he can enjoy the protection program, and he must disavow his affiliation with the mafia in public. The most common reason a repentant mafioso “turns” in Italy is to spare his or her children from a crappy life. And yes, there are women “godmothers.”   


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Monday, June 29, 2020

Bound: A Daughter, a Domme, and an End-of-Life Story by Elizabeth Anne Wood

Join us for this tour from June 24 to July 10, 2020!



Book Details:
Book Title:  Bound: A Daughter, a Domme, and an End-of-Life Story by Elizabeth Anne Wood

Category:  Adult non-fiction 18 yrs +,  296 pages

Genre:  Memoir

Publisher:  She Writes Press.

Release date:   August 2019

Content Rating:  PG-13 + M. In addition to its primary
focus on confronting terminal illness in the context of a complex
mother-daughter relationship, this book addresses mature themes of
sexuality (specifically BDSM), death, and illness. Conversations about
sexuality are related, sex toys and body parts are mentioned by name,
but there are no actual erotic sex scenes. There are healthcare scenes
that describe procedures and bodily functions and fluids. There is a
fair amount of poop in some scenes. The F-word appears once, on page
167, used in an expletive sense. The word "shit" appears twice, once as
an expletive on p. 51 and once in reference to bodily waste and also
metaphorically.






 Book Description:



What happens when a forty-something, community college sociology
professor learns that her mother―a charming, passive-aggressive, and
needy woman who hasn’t had a lover in decades―has started seeing men who
want to be bound, whipped, and sexually dominated? What happens when
that same mother, shortly after diving into her newly discovered
sexuality, develops a cancer that forces her to accept radical changes
to her body, and then another that forces her, and everyone around her,
to confront her mortality? In Bound, Elizabeth Anne Wood addresses these
questions as she chronicles the last eight months of her mother’s
life―a period she comes to see, over the course of months, as a
maternity leave in reverse: she is carrying her mother as she dies.
Throughout their journey, Wood uses her notebook as a shield to keep
unruly emotions at bay, often taking comfort in her role as advocate and
forgetting to “be the daughter,” as one doctor reminds her to do.
Meanwhile, her mother’s penchant for denial and her childlike tendency
toward magical thinking lead to moments of humor even as Wood battles
the red tape of hospital bureaucracies, the frustration of planning in
the midst of an unpredictable illness, and the unintentional inhumanity
of a health care system that too often fails to see the person behind
the medical chart.


In honor of her mother's birthday, Dr. Wood has arranged to the price of the e-book to $0.99 for the length of this tour (June 24, 2020 to July 10, 2020)
Buy the Book:

Amazon.com ~ Barnes & Noble

Indiebound ~ Kew and Willow*

Add to Goodreads
* Kew and Willow is Dr. Wood's local indie bookstore. If you
put a comment in the order form saying that you want a signed copy,
they'll call the author to come down and sign your book. They also do a
lovely wrapping job.




Meet the Author:



Elizabeth Anne Wood is Professor of Sociology and Chair of the
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work at Nassau
Community College in Garden City, NY. She is also Senior Strategist for
Woodhull Freedom Foundation, the nation’s only human rights organization
working full time to protect sexual freedom as a fundamental human
right. She earned her PhD at Brandeis University in 1999 and has written
critically about sexuality and society ever since. Born on an Army base
in Kentucky, Wood grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and now
divides her time between Queens, New York and Jamaica Plain, Boston. She
is a devoted fan of Amtrak and an avowed cat person.



​Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Interview with Dr. Elizabeth Anne Wood



How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing since I was a child. I still have my copy of Dr. Seuss’s My Book About Me, which I filled in happily and with help when I was about 5 years old. Not long after that I wrote a short book of words to help teach my sister how to read. It was written with crayon on construction paper. I also have the first book I ever wrote and “published,” when I was in 5th grade. The book is called The Adventures of Mina the Monkey and I wrote it for our school’s Young Author’s contest. Mina was a misfit monkey who preferred lettuce to bananas and could never manage to stay with the group. We wrote these with pen and ink, and even had templates to use so we could keep our lines straight, and we learned how to bind them with oaktag covers and cloth bindings. In Bound there’s a scene where I remember the way I used to talk to myself as a kid walking home from the bus stop - like Mina, I was a misfit - and one of the things I would do was pretend I was being interviewed about some new novel I’d just published. I didn’t realize it would take until I was in my late 40s before I’d publish a real-live-sold-in-bookstores kind of book.
What advice do you have for budding writers? 
Tell the stories that feel real and vivid and true. Write the stories you want to read. Write because you’re driven to, because the ideas in your head need an outlet. Worry less about marketing than about the quality of your story. Lots of bestsellers lack the insight and literary quality of many books that sell fewer copies. 
Embrace revision. Listen to criticism and to praise with equal eagerness. Be willing to tear your work apart and rebuild it. Writing is not a linear process. It’s a process of accretion. Oh, and keep all the scraps. You never known when you’ll need them!


One of the main themes in Bound is the difficulty people have talking about sex and death. Why do you think it’s so hard for doctors in particular to talk to patients about sex or death?
I think it’s fascinating that sex and death remain hard to talk about despite how pervasive the representations of them are in our media. Game of Thrones comes to mind immediately! But very few of our media representations of sex and death depict the most common experiences of these facets of our lives. Nor do we see enough thoughtful conversations about them. So that’s one thing: at least in the dominant culture we don’t have a lot of modeling of these things. 
Specifically related to medicine: doctors don’t typically get much training in talking about sex with their patients, or even in sexuality in general. And death is hard for many doctors to talk about because so many are trained to see death as a failure of treatment. The focus is on healing, not on creating the best death possible for a person.


You use Buffy, the Vampire Slayer as a touchstone throughout the book. Why is she so important to you?
I first encountered Buffy at a point in my life when I was pretty depressed and trying to get over a terrible break up. It was so easy to see bits of myself in each of the main characters, and so comforting to see them all fighting demons and preventing the apocalypse together. 
Many adult children of alcoholics will recognize the tendency to be hypervigilant, to have an overdeveloped sense of responsibility. “She alone will stand against the forces of darkness,” and all that. As I was growing up, and as an adult child, I often saw myself as a person helping my mother fight her demons. Buffy gave me a metaphor for that. When my mother was sick, the Buffy metaphors became all the more vivid. I took on different roles (Buffy, Willow, Giles, Xander), terminal illness was the hellmouth, and the cancer symptoms, chemo side effects, and resulting infections were the demons that needed to be battled back. 

Buffy was a source of comfort and a way for me to make sense of what was, ultimately, an incredibly difficult and painful experience.

Tour Schedule:



June 24 – Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway

June 25 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway

June 25 - Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway

June 26 – Books for Books – book review

June 29 – I'm Into Books – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

June 29 - T's Stuff – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

June 30 –Pen Possessed - book spotlight / giveaway

July 1 – Svetlanas reads and views – book review / guest post

July 1 - Lamon Reviews - book spotlight / author interview

July 2 – Leels Loves Books – book review / giveaway

July 5 – Cheryl's Book Nook – book review / giveaway

July 7 – Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight / giveaway

July 8 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / giveaway

July 10 - Adventurous Jessy - book review / giveaway


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