November 2021 - A Life Through Books

Monday, November 22, 2021

Virtual Book Tour: When I Was Her Daughter by Leslie Ferguson #blogtour #memoir #giveaway #interview #rabtbooktours @oleslieferguson @PublishingAcorn @RABTBookTours
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Memoir

Date Published: November 12, 2021

Publisher: Acorn Publishing



Seven-year-old Leslie has a serious problem: someone is trying to kill her.

She must fight to save herself and her little brother from the stark realities of living with their mother’s raging psychosis. To evade the evil Russian spies her mother believes are after them, they forgo sleep, speak in whispers, and live on the run. Her mother searches for hidden listening devices, writes rambling manifestos about the impending Communist takeover, and attempts to kill herself and her children to protect them from rape, torture, and murder at the hands of the government. Controlling the chaos seems impossible—Leslie rebels, which only angers her mother, but when she obeys, terrible consequences follow.

Eventually, the police place Leslie and her brother in foster care. Freedom from her mother’s paranoia and violent tendencies offers the young girl a glimmer of hope, but she plummets into despair under the oppressive weight of abusive, alienating homes. All seems lost until a teacher intervenes, risking everything to bring Leslie to safety, to show her the redemptive power of trust and patience, and to prove unconditional love is possible, even without the bond of blood.

When I Was Her Daughter is a raw, honest account of one girl’s terrifying childhood journey through madness, loss, and a broken foster care system, where only the lucky and most resilient survive.




Interview

Can you tell us a little about the process of getting this book published? How did you come up with the idea and how did you start?

Over the years, I firmly believed I wanted to publish traditionally. I researched that publishing path and agents, and I queried a couple dozen or so--all rejections. I heard again and again that memoir is notoriously difficult to sell to publishers unless the author is well-known and has a massive social media presence. I kept thinking, my memoir will be the one that breaks through these barriers and blows agents and publishers away. I also became increasingly aware of the fact that landing an agent and a publisher is a time and numbers game. I very well may have landed an agent for my  memoir, but would it be a year from now? Two? Five? So I researched other paths, and the hybrid model attracted me for many reasons, the main reason being that, if I were offered a contract, I could potentially see my book in print in less than a year’s time.

As someone who has already spent two decades getting this book ready for publication, I did not want to spend any more time waiting, especially not if my book were good enough to publish right now. I might have had a different opinion on this if my book were still in the early stages of development and I thought I could write, edit, and polish it very quickly. Then, my writing journey and the path to publishing would not have seemed so laborious. I might have had the patience for that. However, traditional publishing is not what it used to be. It is more common than not that authors are doing much of their own marketing and social media management. And traditional publishers take a huge cut of the royalties earned--and an agent takes a cut, too. The more I learned, the more I realized that I didn’t like any of the drawbacks--and the perks didn’t make the drawbacks worthwhile.

When I learned more about Acorn Publishing and about Holly Kammier and Jessica Therrien, Acorn’s owners, I felt certain that Acorn would be the best place for me and my memoir. When I finally signed my contract, a huge weight lifted from me. I was no longer in limbo, wondering, deciding, ruminating over what would become of my memoir, this manuscript I’d been pouring so much sweat and tears into for so many years. The months leading up to publication were challenging, but Acorn’s hybrid model includes guidance about every aspect of publishing, from cover design to formatting, from social media and platform-building to book launch planning. Now that my book is published, I cannot believe I spent so much time agonizing over what to do. Of course, I had to put in the time and do the work to understand where I wanted to go in this industry, but I would make the same decision again in a heartbeat.

 

What surprised you most about getting your book published?

The thing that surprised me the most about getting my book published was knowing I could actually regard my book as complete enough and good enough for publication...that meant I needed to allow myself to stop working on it. I think a part of me was afraid to stop because I’d been working on the book for the better part of two decades. If I couldn’t work on it anymore, what did that mean for me? Did it mean I would no longer have any direction or purpose in my life? Did it mean I wouldn’t know myself anymore--who am I if I’m not writing my memoir? I think when we shift gears in life, we inevitably experience a sense of loss. To stop working on this memoir meant I would no longer be forced to confront my past. It also meant I wouldn’t be spending time remembering or thinking about my childhood and my biological mom. I was afraid to say goodbye to my childhood because I am perpetually locked in a state of nostalgia and saudade. Even though my biological mom and I haven’t had a relationship since I was ten, writing this book was a way of keeping her alive, keeping her with me. Completing this book meant I had to be brave enough to let her, and my childhood, go. This was a pivotal moment for me.

 

Tell us a little about what you do when you aren’t writing

When I’m not writing, I love to read and to watch movies and drama series. I particularly like anything dark, haunting, or character-driven, including coming-of-age stories that take me back to a time in my own life when anything seemed possible. I also enjoy taking walks. I used to love doing yoga and working out at the gym, but for now, my knees and COVID are making things difficult.

As a published author, what would you say was the most pivotal point of your writing life?

The most pivotal point of my writing life was my divorce from my first husband in 2005. That major change gave me the perspective I needed to rediscover who I am. I started traveling more, listening to music again and attending concerts. Also, thanks to the encouragement and compassion of a very spiritual and emotionally tuned-in guru, I began drafting my memoir. Essentially, this is when I started doing the deeper work of healing from the trauma of my childhood.

 

Where do you get your best ideas and why do you think that is?

I get my best ideas when I’m sleeping (dreaming) or in the moments right before I fall asleep. I think these ideas come to me because I am returning to a vulnerable state as the rest of the world and its stressors fall away from me, allowing my creativity space to breathe. I also get some great ideas when I listen to music and while I walk. The lyrics of some of my favorite songs spark creativity in me, and walking in nature seems to oxygenate my body and brain and put me on a higher plane of existence.

 

 

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

One of the toughest pieces of criticism I’ve ever received was from someone in a new writers group who blatantly said, “I don’t even know who your audience is. I mean, I would never read this book.” It stung in the moment, but it forced me to clean things up (after a few wrong directions) and continue learning about the art of memoir. Once I felt confident that I could write my memoir for myself and for the reader in me, I knew I was on the right track, and I never looked back. I’ve tried to do that--take every bit of hard feedback and use it to be introspective and objective in the interest of telling better stories.

 

What has been your best accomplishment as a writer?

Completing and publishing my memoir has been the writing accomplishment of which I am most proud. There is something so exhilarating about reaching a major writing deadline, and the fact that my story now belongs to readers restores my faith in myself--in my ability to see important and difficult  things through to the end.

 

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

Haha! This is a good question! I have an unpublished poetry chapbook, which is easily part of a longer compilation of poems. I have two novels in progress and two memoirs dancing around in my head. I also have two short stories that have been workshopped and are just about finished. And I have about a zillion short stories, essays, and poems that seem more like dead ends than new beginnings.



About the Author

Leslie Ferguson is an accomplished educator, editor, and writing coach. As a youth in foster care, she dreamed about becoming a teacher. She earned her credential at the University of Redlands and returned to her alma mater to teach advanced English before obtaining a master’s degree in English literature and an MFA in creative writing from Chapman University. Her work has been published in numerous literary magazines and anthologies. A member of the San Diego Memoir Writers Association and the San Diego Writers and Editors Guild, Leslie is a repeat performer at So Say We All’s VAMP! and Poets Underground. She lives in the greater San Diego area with her husband, where she binge-watches coming-of-age character dramas and reminisces about her glory days as an All-American basketball player and collegiate Hall-of-Fame athlete. When I Was Her Daughter is her first book.

Visit the author online at LeslieFergusonAuthor.com.


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Sale Blitz: Hometown by Wendy Rich Stetson #promo #sweetromance #romance #giveaway #sale #rabtbooktours @StetsonRiches @RABTBookTours
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Book 1 in The Hearts of the Ridge Series

Sweet Romance

Date Published: August 11, 2021

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press



On Sale for $0.99 for a limited time


When Tessa's big-city plans take the A Train to disaster, she lands in her sleepy hometown, smack in the middle of the most unlikely love triangle ever to hit Pennsylvania's Amish Country.

Hot-shot Dr. Richard Bruce is bound to Green Ridge by loyalty that runs deep. Deeper still is Jonas Rishel's tie to the land and his family's Amish community. Behind the wheel of a 1979 camper van, Tessa idles at a fork in the road. Will she cruise the superhighway to the future? Or take a slow trot to the past and a mysterious society she never dreamed she'd glimpse from the inside?


Excerpt

The girl entwined her fingers in her skirt and tugged the fabric tight. “Your hair is the same color as my cat, and she’s the best cat in the world.” In [w1] a heartbeat, she fled and buried her face in the man’s lap.

My goodness. What a compliment. Thank you.” She fumbled with the clasp of her wallet, discovering only then she smooshed her thumb deep into the whoopie pie.

The elfin child giggled and bounced on bare toes.

Standing, the man swept her into his arms and smiled down at Tessa. “Rebecca has not seen many women with ginger hair.”

Ginger hair. For years, she was tormented by boneheaded boys shouting, “Carrot Top” and “Flame.” No one ever called her mane ginger. Beneath his candid gaze, her curls heated like embers, warming her from top to toe. Who was this man?

The girl wriggled, knocking askew his straw hat.

He tossed her under one arm like a sack of flour and righted it, loosening a tawny curl that escaped the wide brim and fell over one brow. His gaze passed over Tessa’s face.

Her unruly hair and short shorts tweaked at her consciousness. What did the Amish call outsiders? English? She was definitely dressed like an English woman. And not one from a Jane Austen novel.

He deposited the giggling girl right-side up on the floor and approached the table. “I’ve rarely seen hair that color myself. Like a copper penny.”

She stared at the mangled whoopie pie and blushed even deeper. For a brief moment, she felt his gaze trail down her body like a caress. Or did she?


About the Author

Wendy Rich Stetson is a New York City girl who still considers the Central Pennsylvania countryside to be her home. She grew up road tripping in a 1979 VW camper van, and she keeps a running list of favorite roadside attractions from coast to coast. Now an author of sweet, small-town romance, Wendy is no stranger to storytelling. She’s a Broadway and television actress, an audiobook narrator, and a mom who likes nothing more than collaborating on children’s books with her teenage artist daughter. Wendy lives in Upper Manhattan with her family of three and rambunctious Maine Coon kitty. Follow Wendy’s journey at www.wendyrichstetson.com


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Saturday, November 20, 2021

Book Blitz: Led by Obsession by Martha Wickham #promo #womensfiction #crime #rabtbooktours @MarthaWickham @RABTBookTours
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Women's crime, sisters fiction

Date Published: January, 2015



Deanna buys her travel tickets from a travel agent, but they don't arrive in her mail. It becomes a struggle to get the tickets and the suspicious travel agent Greg uses that as an excuse to have more time with her. Is there something more there than a scam? Soon Deanna's friend dies and Deanna must run from his obsession. In Deanna's eye's Greg is a murder suspect. She wants an end to it all so she and her sisters become detectives.


Excerpt

He’s Greg Wager and he works at Travel World. We’re also inviting Beth and Tara. If you see them tell them I want them to meet me at the pond.” Sheryl nodded in agreement.

Ashley shut the door and grabbed her cell phone to call her other two sisters to invite them. She called Tara but had to leave a message about the camping trip because no one answered.

When Ashley called Beth and told her about the trip Beth immediately became excited and accepted the invitation.

While they still spoke on the phone Beth Forester took out her suitcase and opened the top. The trip would be in two days and time always seemed to go by fast for her. She packed two bags of food and got a fishing pole out of the garage.

“Don’t worry about anything but driving yourself to the camp site. I’ll bring all the food and after we get off the phone I’ll make everyone’s reservations for them.” As soon as the camping reservations were made Tara called Ashley back and she also accepted the trip invitation.

Ashley spent at least an hour on the phone that evening. Deanna came back into the living room when Sheryl left and then Ashley called lawyer Veronica Cane to make an appointment. She asked for advice, “Can she sue him to get the money back?”


About the Author

Martha has studied writing with Writer's Digest and has an associate’s degree in Social Behavioral Science. She has also written poems and songs and even studied screen writing and horror. She still practices writing and likes getting writing prompts and continues to study writing. Her favorite author is VC Andrews.


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Friday, November 19, 2021

Virtual Book Tour: Babe in the Woods by Yvonne Wakefield #blogtour #giveaway #memoir #nonfiction #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours @
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Biography and Memoir, Adventure

Date Published: October 26, 2021

Publisher: Pepin Enterprises



At age eighteen, Yvonne set out to build a home from trees on 80 acres she bought on an Oregon mountainside. In 1975, log by log she creates a cabin and heals from an orphaned past, finding a new family in the forest, and with people in a valley named John Day.

Babe in the Woods: Self Portrait is the second in a three-book series. It chronicles a span in Yvonne's four decades long relationship with her log cabin and the people she meets in the valley. The book continues Yvonne's story of learning to live in the wilderness within and outside of herself. It is also a story of rogue bears, building a bear-proof log studio, a young artist's development, and the trials and triumph of finding oneself, alone in the backwoods.



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Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Virtual Book Tour: Get Out of Your Head by Peter Francis #blogtour #interview #givewaay #selfhelp #nonfiction #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
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How to Stop Negative Thoughts and Emotions and Live a Positive Productive Life.


Self-Help

Date Published: 6/15/21

Publisher: Blue Sails Publishing


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We live in uncertain times and due to this anxiety rules over manys daily lives. The spiral of toxic thoughts can leave you paralyzed, In this book you will find many ways to overcome your negative self defeating thoughts and behaviours. From meditation, daily routine improvement , C.B.T therapy skills, healthy habits and much more. This is a tool kit designed to help you stop negative thoughts and emotions as well as tips on how to live your best life with no regrets. I personally have struggled with my own self defeating thoughts and emotions and through these steps I was able to take control of my life.




Interview

Can you tell us a little about the process of getting this book published? How did you come up with the idea and how did you start?

The first book was hard because I did not really know what I was doing it was a lot of trial and error. I really enjoy publishing now after getting the hang of it.

 

What surprised you most about getting your book published?

I’m very new to the community so I think I still have a lot of surprises to come, but for sure how hard it is to get reviews is for sure a surprise.

 

Tell us a little about what you do when you aren’t writing

I enjoy watching movies, relaxing, walking my dog, and traveling.

 

As a published author, what would you say was the most pivotal point of your writing life?

 

 

Where do you get your best ideas and why do you think that is?

My Personal life for sure it’s easy to pull ideas from what you know. I enjoy the thought that I might be helping someone that is reading my book.

 

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

I haven’t received any yet. Being that I’m very new to the community everyone has showed a fantastic amount of support. I’m sure as I put out more work I will defiantly get some constructive criticism. 

 

What has been your best accomplishment as a writer?

Simply getting started I am proud to now be a published Author and I look forward to publishing more books.

 

 

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

 

2 in the works now the first one is about to be published early this month it is called

  ANNIHILATE ANXIETY which is about the science of anxiety and what causes it also how anxiety can be reduced in our daily lives The second has yet to be given a title yet but will focus more in the health and fitness genre.

 



About the Author

Born and raised in Calgary alberta I am 28 years old.I enjoy writing, walking my dog watching movies and being out in nature. when im not working on a new book Im out with my dog enjoying nature and the fresh air.


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Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Release Blitz: Winter Storm by Ellie Gray #promo #releaseday #romanticsuspense #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours @elliegray58
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Romantic Suspense

Date Published: 11-17-2021

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press



Willow Daniels has a heart of gold and is willing to help anyone who needs it. When she helps Ethan McCormick one snowy night, she may have made the biggest mistake of her life. Trapped by a winter storm in a tiny North Yorkshire village, Willow is forced to re-evaluate everything she believes in and wonders if anyone is truly who they seem.

Fate may have brought her to Ethan, but as danger closes in, she must draw on strengths she never knew she possessed in order to protect the man she has grown to love.

Protection—not only against Ethan's worst enemy but also against himself


About the Author

I love to write heartwarming, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense novels, with characters I really want my readers to engage with. I live in the beautiful East Riding of Yorkshire in the UK and, although I work full-time in the public sector, my favourite pastime, when not writing, is wandering around old stately homes and castles, or sitting at a pavement café in the sun and watching the world go by – always on the lookout for something that might spark the idea for my next novel.


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Virtual Book Tour: Clipped by Adrienne Alitowski #blogtour #interview #memoir #nonfiction #giveaway #rabtbooktours @aalitowski @RABTBookTours @PublishingAcorn
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Memoir

Date Published: November 4th 2021

Publisher: Acorn Publishing



Clipped is a quirky memoir about a new mother whose desperation to get her baby to sleep catapulted her into becoming an inventor and a small business owner—just before the world fell apart in 2008.

As a full-time mother and entrepreneur, Adrienne Alitowski rolled out her invention, blankyclip®, to retailers across the country, including over thirty stores in the Buy Buy Baby national chain. LA Parent Expecting and Kids Today both made blankyclip a “Top Pick.” The United States Patent and Trademark Office awarded her three utility patents and a trademark. All that fabulous glory aside, Adrienne also learned what it’s like to fly halfway around the world to a Chinese factory and to be pregnant, throwing up on the street just before an investor meeting. These experiences led her down a path to write this memoir about sticking to your vision and being open to finding gold in the muck.




Interview

What was your main drive to write this book?

 

I shared my journey along the way with a dear friend and one day she said to me, “You need to write about what happened to you. As a catharsis, but also as a cultural artifact of the time.”  So, I did. And as far as I know, no one else has written a memoir about those years. We’ve only had the perspective of economists explain that time. I wanted to share what it felt like personally.

 

What do you hope readers will learn by reading this book?

 

I am sure that readers will learn what it takes to go from “I have an idea for a product” to “There’s my product in a store!”  I hope my journey is helpful to others. It is one thing to say, “greatest economic disaster of our time” and it is another to see it through the eyes of a new mom, trying to keep her family and her business together. I have always found it helpful to read about someone else’s journey when shared authentically. My goal was to share my story so that people would understand that “Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” (Helen Keller)

 

Did you do much research when planning this book?

 

I did so much research! My goal was to share my personal story while at the same time share the bigger economic story happening worldwide. The research was about what was happening in the financial sector, but it was also about mining my notes and emails and journal entries for all the details I needed to write a memoir. Fortunately, I write things in paper journals and had a lot of information I could pull from to include details that would make the book specific.

 

Did you have any main people who helped you in the process of this book or influenced you to write it?

 

My husband is an incredible writer, so he was my reader along the way. His notes were invaluable. When I doubted myself, he was always there to encourage me and tell me that I was on the right path. This book would not exist without him.

 

How long did this book take you to write from initial thought to hitting publish?

 

Is it crazy to say ten years? It took that long!

 

Do you have plans to write more about this topic or new topics?

 

I am focusing now on getting this book out into the world. That is a very fun stage to be in with a book! Stay tuned on upcoming projects, for sure…

 


About the Author

Adrienne Alitowski invented, patented, and manufactured blankyclip®, a stroller accessory. She sold blankyclips nationally in Buy Buy Baby as well as in many boutiques across the country and around the world. As an actress, she performed on Broadway and toured with the National Theatre of the Deaf. Her television credits include Will & Grace, Just Shoot Me!, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Beverly Hills, 90210, among others. She produced and co-wrote her one-woman show, Just Tell Them You’re From Scarsdale, which she performed in New York and Los Angeles. She created, produced, and performed in the celebrity benefit Glen Mary Glen Rose: Women Do Men, in Los Angeles, which raised funds for breast cancer research as well as awareness about the lack of diverse roles for women. She is the mother of two and lives in Los Angeles with her family. Clipped is her first book.


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Monday, November 15, 2021

Book Blitz: Christian Princess Diary of Confessions by Iletha M. Dodds #promo #childrensbook #christian #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
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Children’s Christianity Books

Date Published: March 2021

Publisher: WestBow Bress



Confessing words are powerful! As a child, being able to understand who they are in Christ Jesus will help them to develop confidence and an unwavering faith in what God's word says about them. Christian Princess Diary Of Confessions is a multicultural picture book, based on biblical truths young readers can use to build a strong foundation to succeed in their Christian walk as they live in this world. It will empower the young readers to have confidence in who they are in Christ Jesus and understand how His love for them is perfect. The author believes that Christians are loved, favored and forgiven by Christ Jesus and this book encourages them to daily examine and confess these views.


Excerpt

We are created in the image of God. When God created the heavens and the earth, he did so by speaking. Because we are made in God’s image, we should speak as he did, creating and bringing into being what our Father said, and believing it. Making confessions daily will help to agree with what God has already said about us, and remind us of who we truly are, and not what others in the world may have labeled us as being.


About the Author

Iletha M. Dodds Riggins is a Christian author who has a desire to see kids grow up in the things Iletha M. Dodds Riggins is a Christian author who has a desire to see kids grow up in the things of God. She received her encouragement from watching her mother, Rosemary, read the Bible every night before going to bed. She also attended Sunday school and church in Kansas City on a weekly basis. She realizes her upbringing in the church, and a desire in her heart to serve others, are keys to having true fulfillment in life.

She has received both her associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. While recognizing these accomplishments, more importantly, she knows that her love for God’s word and living a life that represents Him and His Kingdom brings benefits that will reap everlasting rewards. She has served as secretary and facilitator in two separate ministries within her church home in College Park, Georgia for more than 20 years.


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