Category: Vulgarity in Literature

+Blog Tour+ To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis by Andra Wakins

Posted Tuesday, 1 April, 2014 by jorielov , , 7 Comments

Parajunkee Designs

To Live Forever by Andra Wakins

Published By: Word Hermit Press, 1 March, 2014
Official Author Websites:  Site | Twitter | Facebook | Pin(terest) Boards
Converse via: #ToLiveForeverTour | #ToLiveForeverBook
#MeriwetherLewis | #NatchezTraceWalk444miles
Available Formats: Paperback & E-Book
Page Count: 305

Acquired By:  As soon as I saw this particular tour come through my Inbox from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, I elected to request to be a tour stop on the “To Live Forever” virtual book tour. The premise of the book was awe-inspiring and I could not pass up this opportunity to read a book which shattered conventional genre orientations! I was given two spots on the tour, a book review & an Author Interview of which I was grateful! I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the author Andra Wakins in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Inspired to Read: 

Whilst reading the virtual tour information for “To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis” my initial reaction was thus: I love everything about this particular story, from the historical impact to the paranormal implications! There is suspense but there is also the human desire for legacy! A wicked chance to read a book that I cannot quite put my finger on which genre it belongs in! I love finding genre-benders and this one for sure has all the lovely ingredients of a historical novel interspersed with time slip, paranormal tendencies and psychological suspense! As a reader, who dances through genres and whose blood is stirred by the evoking narratives of inventive writers who dare to give a reader a new dimension of a reading experience — I will always champion the rebels with a cause, such as Ms. Wakins! Who boldly refuses to give up on their stories and forge their own path towards publication!

Book Synopsis:

Is remembrance immortality?

Nobody wants to be forgotten, least of all the famous.

Meriwether Lewis lived a memorable life. He and William Clark were the first white men to reach the Pacific in their failed attempt to discover a Northwest Passage. Much celebrated upon their return, Lewis was appointed governor of the vast Upper Louisiana Territory and began preparing his eagerly-anticipated journals for publication. But his re-entry into society proved as challenging as his journey. Battling financial and psychological demons and faced with mounting pressure from Washington, Lewis set out on a pivotal trip to the nation’s capital in September 1809. His mission: to publish his journals and salvage his political career. He never made it. He died in a roadside inn on the Natchez Trace in Tennessee from one gunshot to the head and another to the abdomen.

Was it suicide or murder? His mysterious death tainted his legacy and his fame quickly faded. Merry’s own memory of his death is fuzzy at best. All he knows is he’s fallen into Nowhere, where his only shot at redemption lies in the fate of rescuing another. An ill-suited “guardian angel,” Merry comes to in the same New Orleans bar after twelve straight failures. Now, with one drink and a two-dollar bill he is sent on his last assignment, his final shot at escape from the purgatory in which he’s been dwelling for almost 200 years. Merry still believes he can reverse his forgotten fortunes.

Nine-year-old Emmaline Cagney is the daughter of French Quarter madam and a Dixieland bass player. When her mother wins custody in a bitter divorce, Emmaline carves out her childhood among the ladies of Bourbon Street. Bounced between innocence and immorality, she struggles to find her safe haven, even while her mother makes her open her dress and serve tea to grown men.

It isn’t until Emmaline finds the strange cards hidden in her mother’s desk that she realizes why these men are visiting: her mother has offered to sell her to the highest bidder. To escape a life of prostitution, she slips away during a police raid on her mother’s bordello, desperate to find her father in Nashville.

Merry’s fateful two-dollar bill leads him to Emmaline as she is being chased by the winner of her mother’s sick card game: The Judge. A dangerous Nowhere Man convinced that Emmaline is the reincarnation of his long dead wife, Judge Wilkinson is determined to possess her, to tease out his wife’s spirit and marry her when she is ready. That Emmaline is now guarded by Meriwether Lewis, his bitter rival in life, further stokes his obsessive rage.

To elude the Judge, Em and Merry navigate the Mississippi River to Natchez. They set off on an adventure along the storied Natchez Trace, where they meet Cajun bird watchers, Elvis-crooning Siamese twins, War of 1812 re-enactors, Spanish wild boar hunters and ancient mound dwellers. Are these people their allies? Or pawns of the perverted, powerful Judge?

After a bloody confrontation with the Judge at Lewis’s grave, Merry and Em limp into Nashville and discover her father at the Parthenon. Just as Merry wrestles with the specter of success in his mission to deliver Em, The Judge intercedes with renewed determination to win Emmaline, waging a final battle for her soul. Merry vanquishes the Judge and earns his redemption. As his spirit fuses with the body of Em’s living father, Merry discovers that immortality lives within the salvation of another, not the remembrance of the multitude.


 {: Author Biography :}

Andra Wakins

Hey. I’m Andra Watkins. I’m a native of Tennessee, but I’m lucky to call Charleston, South Carolina, home for 23 years. I’m the author of ‘To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis’, coming March 1, 2014. It’s a mishmash of historical fiction, paranormal fiction and suspense that follows Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis & Clark fame) after his mysterious death on the Natchez Trace in 1809.

I like:

  • hiking
  • eating (A lot; Italian food is my favorite.)
  • traveling (I never met a destination I didn’t like.)
  • reading (My favorite book is The Count of Monte Cristo.)
  • coffee (the caffeinated version) and COFFEE (sex)
  • performing (theater, singing, public speaking, playing piano)
  • time with my friends
  • Sirius XM Chill
  • yoga (No, I can’t stand on my head.)
  • writing in bed
  • candlelight

I don’t like:

  • getting up in the morning
  • cilantro (It is the devil weed.)
  • surprises (For me or for anyone else.)
  • house cleaning
  • cooking

Meriwether Lewis | Enters stage right just past the grave:

Watkins has a gift for eluding to the story as its foreshadowed to unfold by giving her readers a nib and a tasting of where her characters are going to lead both the writer and the unsuspecting reader who bemuseful of curiosity picks up the book to engage in the mystery. She cleverly allows the three main protagonists to make a causal, unfiltered entrance whilst giving the reader a nibbling of suspense about the purported dimensional expanse in which they live. One of the reasons I was attracted to reading this particular story is the level of interest in the unknown. For as many near-death experiences there are of those who return back to earth as they stepped out of the light to come back to their earthly lives; there are a multitude of examples of what ‘lies beyond the veil’.

The Meriwether who steps into the forefront of this particular story is a nearly-jaded (here I refer to ‘nearly’ as a piece of his spirit half-hinges himself to a hope he no longer feels possible) downtrodden Meriwether who has lost the will to see the point in his existence. After attempting task after task to sort out where he is and how to exit the in-between world he’s tethered too, you gain the sense he is walking the path between madness and fugue.

Unbeknownst to Meriwether, I do believe is his fatherly nature and tendencies towards children. I think he was plumb aghast at how well he fared whilst in the company of Miss Emmaline. A natural bourne role model for young people, giving them something to chew on by appreciating their worth at their age of youth. He treats her with respect and talks to her straight, allowing her to process what she needs to hear. He listens and he’s attentive and that is one of the best bits to seeing Meriwether in this way. Emmaline humbles his weathered and jaded heart.

My Review of To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis:

The opening bits of To Live Forever surely by George tug quite a heap at your heart-strings! Emmaline is a young girl, all of nine years when her mother strategically out favoured her father in the judge’s eyes for sole custody. The very words sole custody etch out a shuddering straight to the core of a little girl’s soul! Dragged away from the one parent who loved her beyond selfish desires and needs, Emmaline is forced to grasp a hold of the whisperments of her father’s memory until the day could arrive where she could change her stars and reunite with him permanently.

Caught up in the darkest of night behaviours, Emmaline is fated of having a mother whose only intentions towards her daughter are to earn  her keep out of her. I cringed reading the passages of where only Aunt Bertie could save Emmaline’s life from being snuffed out from love completely! A measure of a man’s humanity is oft laid bare by his actions towards his children. If Emmaline’s mother had to stand trial on grounds of character choices and humanity she would no sooner see the daylight again than a bat caught in the nettles of a sewer tunnel! Young Emmaline is gifted by a singular grace of affecting herself to the light within the days she has never quite been free to live within. Her inner spirit hugs her close to the truths of life and its her raw courage which solidifies her ability to reach out to Meriwether in a darkened alley.

Words ooze out of Wakin’s narrative as sweet as a honeycomb to a tending worker bee. She has a way of conveying imagery, both hauntingly dangerous and tragically poignant with the flick of her pen and a dribble of her ink. All of which fuses into a new tangible version of Southern Gothic intermixed with historical fiction purveying the notion that our past is entwined to our present as much as our future. Time is temporal and To Live Forever is a living thesis towards that end. The novel breathes and extends its own narrator around the interjections of the characters on its flattened stage. 

Emmaline and Meriwether’s sojourn trek into the wilds of the Natchez Trace held me reflective of their plight. Not merely to reach Nashville, in order to seek out Emmaline’s father but of the greater disadvantages against them. Of Meriwether never truly seeing himself for the man he was but rather the disillusioned sigh of a lost legacy. Emmaline was still young enough to grow and find in maturity a strong path towards individual freedom. Each of them were tied to a future bent against them by situations out of their control. Striving to forge a better path to walk, they found reassurance in each other knowing that any journey worth taking is sometimes lessened in adversity when shared.

The natural world is the backdrop of To Live Forever, fraught with an indecisive urge to complicate their expedition by presenting new challenges neither of them had yet experienced. For Meriwether he’s being given the chance at redemption, and towards living a half-life of what his life could have been had he lived past his time of death. In Emmaline, I see an urchin of an innocent girl stalwart and strong in her internal hope to carry her through the aching tides of her adolescence. Her courage runs deeper than her confidence due to a few kind souls who crossed her path for the good.

The story is interwoven as a refractive mirror of the Natchez Trace itself. The harder you believe any blight of adversity is in your life to conquer and overcome, the more your spirit will start to believe your too fragile to try anything. The Trace is a test of wills as much as it’s a test of inner fortitude to re-strengthen our shield against unwanted storms and periods of stress which arise out of nowhere. Life can ebb and flow, bobbing us along until we’re ready to see what our eyes blinded us towards revealing. All of our passageways lead us further towards where our feet are meant to land, but what if we hold ourselves back from the greatest revelations of all? Simply because we’re not willing to alight where we’re lead to go? The Trace is unique in that it withholds its past like a tightly woven tapestry. Each piece of its innate soul is stitched inside the weathered path where feet and souls mingled into the mist. There lessons linger and their spirits shudder to grieve.

There is an ever-knowing pool of truth and hope awaiting us around each bend and turn. The people we feel we are ‘randomly’ encountering are the kind of teachers and advisers we might never expect would be important to our growth. Listen with compassion. Be kind to strangers who might one day become a cherished friend. Grow through friendship and rise each day realising the beauty of the hour. Our lives are leading us through the light and back inside it.

 

On Illustrations | Reflective fragments of text:

A delight for someone who appreciates illustration, art, and design as much as I do will appreciate the cover-art splashing out an array of the internal illustrations peppered throughout the novel itself! They arrive rather unexpectedly as you travel through the chapters. A bit of a sketch here, and an elusive sketch over here, attempting to give you another fragmented piece of the whole. I like the old-school approach to the sketches themselves and if I had thought to ask ahead of time, I would have asked Ms. Wakins about their origins whilst I was still composing my Interview which posts on Thursday! The vivid detail in carbon textured visuals is a treat for me, as I always felt one place most novels lose a bit of creative edge is from withholding illustrators from illuminating their novels with art.

There is a geometric shift in book production where stock imagery has morphed away the originality of most cover designs to where its hard to distinguish at times who was the forerunner and who took up the lead from the one who followed next. I miss the uniqueness of book cover art as only a few Indie publishers still strive towards giving us a peek of a view of the internal world inside the stories whilst gracing their covers with conversational stirring projections! I am blessed to host blog tours with the few I am referencing in this paragraph!

Not all book covers yield to this opinion, but you have to admit, how oft do you wander around a bookshoppe and feel as though you’re staring into the sameness of what was already released!? As though if you were to stack a heap of books end to end with each other, they would look like twins rather than fraternal cousins four times removed!? The differences in design and the elements in which covers resonate with us boil down to typography, colour, elemental ornamentation, and a cheeky clever way of cluing the audience in on a ‘slice’ of what they will find revealed by the ending chapters fall close. And, this dear hearts is where Ms. Wakins outshines the lot!

I loved the clever surprise in who “Mister Jack’ was in reality! This nature-loving girl felt all giddy inside when she connected the dots, which nearly occurred half a step ahead of Emmaline!

A note of gratitude on behalf of the author, Ms. Wakins:

I classified this novel several different ways to Sunday under “topics, genres, and subjects” because it fits quite easily into quite a few distinctive areas of literature! For me, its occupying the ethereal space between psychological suspense intermingled with Southern Gothic, with a pinch of Horror-lite (I blame the Judge!)! Horror-lite for me implies that there are bits and bobbles of ‘horror’ thrown in for good measure but not overtly so as to be disturbing or distracting. Once your reading a novel by Ms. Wakins your lulling in the water of the Mississippi, fully aware of where you are but caught up in her stream of lucid dream-state story-telling where you barely notice the darker points around the fringes of the story because your caught up in the adventure of the central plot surrounding Meriwether Lewis!

I earmarked ‘vulgarity in literature’ as a way to reference the lovely gift Wakins wrote into her début novel; with one singular foul-mouthed character she championed every inch of what I have been lamenting about myself for quite a while now on Jorie Loves A Story! That there are far better ways to express yourself and that sometimes, even though you walk a line in life yourself, you cannot always help but encounter a few people who might push your buttons towards one extreme or the other. It’s how you find the balance and how you learn to embrace the ruts in the road which will define your characters in the long run.

Virtual Road Map for “To Live Forever Tour”

To Live Forever Blog Tour via HFVBT

Be sure to scope out upcoming tours I will be hosting with:

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours - HFVBTon my Bookish Events page!

{: Natchez Trace Walk :}

Natchez Trace Map
Natchez Trace Map of the walking route Andra Walkins undertook to promote her début novel “To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis”. Map supplied by the author for the virtual blog tour.
The Natchez Trace is a 10,000-year-old road that runs from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. Thousands of years ago, animals used its natural ridge line as a migratory route from points in the Ohio River Valley to the salt licks in Mississippi. It was logical for the first Native Americans to settle along the Trace to follow part of their migrating food supply. When the Kaintucks settled west of the Appalachians, they had to sell their goods at ports in New Orleans or Natchez, but before steam power, they had to walk home. The Trace became one of the busiest roads in North America.

An extra special surprise for readers:

Whilst Ms. Wakins undertook the grueling 444 miles walk along the Natchez Trail, she brought a free-spirited funny-bone tickling sense of humour with her as a constant companion on the road! As evidenced through her cheekily humourous responses to “reader submitted author questions” whilst she walked! Filmed wherever she happened to be on the Trace, I implore you to sit back, pull up a comfy chair and a cuppa of your favourite brew! I’d personally go with hot cocoa or fresh brewed hot chai,…

 

[ To Live Forever | Natchez Trace 444 Mile Walk Start ] by Andra Wakins
Start with her video diary Question 1 & watch straight-through!
After you listen to several, come back & add your reflections in the comment threads!

 

To Live Forever is a humbling tale of adventure and the juxtaposition of immortality, death, and life as it evolves throughout our days on earth and what fore-falls us in the next. Atmospherically enriched by characters happily brought forward to meet as you journey with Emmaline and Meriwether. Do you feel you can relate to some of the life lessons and cardinal truths I hinted about in my review!? Have you noticed similar intuitive resonations in your own life which have led to either a renewal of hope or a resolution of an obstacle once on your path?! How did you react when you learnt the author walked the 444 mile Natchez Trace route!? Did you feel as I did that she not only undertook a trail to promote her book, but she re-traced a part of Meriwether Lewis’s life to where the past had a deep impact on the future? A cross-roads of one life intersecting with another? What do you like the best about reading stories like To Live Forever where the writer focuses you to think about ethereal dimensions just outside of our view!?

{SOURCES: Cover art of “To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis”, book synopsis, author photograph of Andra Wakins, author biography, the Natchez Trace map & Natchez Trace Walk Infomation and the tour host badge were all provided by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and used with permission. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. The video by Andra Watkins had either URL share links or coding which made it possible to embed this media portal to this post, and I thank them for the opportunity to share more about this novel and the author who penned it.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

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Posted Tuesday, 1 April, 2014 by jorielov in Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Debut Novel, Geographically Specific, Ghosts & the Supernatural, Good vs. Evil, Gothic Literature, Haunting & Ethereal, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Horror-Lite, Indie Author, Indie Book Trade, Magical Realism, Meriwether Lewis, Natchez Trace, Naturalist Sketchings, New Orleans, Parapsychological Suspense, Southern Gothic, Time Slip, Vulgarity in Literature, Wildlife Artwork

+Blog Tour+ My Wish List by Gregoire Delacourt

Posted Sunday, 23 March, 2014 by jorielov , , , 1 Comment

Parajunkee Designs

My Wish List by Gregoire Delacourt
Published By:  Penguin Group (USA), 25 March 2014
Official Author Websites:  Site | Facebook
Converse via: #GregoireDelacourt
Available Formats: Paperback & E-Book
Page Count: 176

Acquired By: I was selected to be a tour stop on the “My Wish List” virtual book tour through France Book Tours. I received a complimentary ARC direct from the publisher Penguin Group (USA), in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Book Synopsis:

A cathartic, charmingly tender, assuredly irresistible novel, MY WISH LIST imagines one answer to the question: If you won the lottery, would you trade your life for the life of your dreams? With sales of more than half a million copies in France alone, rights sold in twenty-five countries, and a major motion picture in development, this slim yet spirited tale has sewn up the interest of the literary world.

Jocelyne Guerbette is a forty-seven year old who runs a modest fabric shop in a nondescript provincial French town. Her husband—instead of dreaming of her—wants nothing more in life than a flat-screen TV and the complete James Bond DVD box set. And to Jocelyne’s two grown-up children, who live far from home, she’s become nothing but an obligatory phone call. Perpetually wondering what has happened to all the dreams she had when she was younger, Jocelyne finally comes to terms with the series of ordinary defeats and small lies that seem to make up her life.

But then Jocelyne wins the lottery: $25,500,000! And suddenly she finds the world at her fingertips. But before cashing the check, before telling a soul, she starts making a list of all the things she could do with the money. While evaluating the small pleasures in life—her friendship with the twins who manage the hairdresser next door, her holidays away, her sewing blog that’s gaining popularity—she begins to think that the everyday ordinary may not be so bad. Does she really want her life to change?

MY WISH LIST is an essential reminder of the often-overlooked joys of everyday life and a celebration of the daily rituals, serendipities, and small acts of love that make life quietly wonderful.

Author Biography:

Gregoire Delacourt

Grégoire Delacourt was born in Valenciennes, France, in 1960. His first novel, L’Écrivain de la Famille , was published in 2011 and won five literary prizes. MY WISH LIST has been a runaway number-one bestseller in France; publication rights have been sold in more than twenty-five countries. Delacourt lives in Paris, where he runs an advertising agency with his wife.

My Book Review of My Wish List:

I was a bit taken aback from the bluntness of Delacourt’s writing, as although I’ve been reading quite of heap of French Literature over the months since I first started touring with France Book Tours, I must confess, he has a unique way for telling it like it is in a very cutting way as to leave nothing for the imagination. Somehow the opening bits of the story felt a bit awkward as I was expecting this entirely different story to shape into the starting bits of My Wish List. Not that this is entirely bad per se, but what I was sort of expecting was slightly different than what I was being given. I suppose in some ways, I felt she (Jo) might have had an idyllic life whilst owning her fabric shoppe, and that might have complicated things when her tides changed. Instead, I found a middle-aged French woman whose woes out number her blessings, and where a bit of crudeness intersects with her musings on why everything is unfair simply because life took a different path than she hoped it would.

The one part of her life I could settle into is the fact she’s an avid knitter, with projects cast on the needles all the time. She off-sets her business in fabric during the slow seasons by selling her creations in fiber, and that intrigued me. If this story was more about the haberdashery shoppe & her knitting adventures, whilst Jo turnt sour on her marriage and was looking for a bit of adventure to spice it back together, I think I would have found my footing a bit easier in the narrative. The necessity to express that life is spent whilst engaging in one lie after another lie was a bit daunting as I personally could not make a connection with the train of thought Delacourt was enticing his readers to connect with him.

His crude way of expressing intimacy and passion was a turn-off for me, as I appreciate romance and love in purer forms of expression. This is clearly one book whose premise led me astray as far as what I would find inside its covers, and I was not overly thrilled by what I was finding on the pages. In fact rather than finding an uplifting novel bent against a life shift opportunity to change one’s stars, I found the story to be sordidly depressing and full of negativity rather than light or grace. The entire world of Jo is painted black, and not in the ways you’d expect someone to find themselves depressed with their life in their middle forties!

The shortness of the story in length I wish had made up for the blights I felt against it. It was such a tug and pull to get into the heart of what makes Jo tick and why she feels the way in which she does. Each time I felt as though the story was making a turn for the better, the undertone of the elements turnt stark dark again. For me I did not make it even half-way through and that was the most I could tolerate. This is one author who disappointed me greatly whilst giving me food for thought about stories in French turnt in translation to English.

Virtual Road Map for “My Wish List” Blog Tour:

My Wish List Tour via France Book Tours

Be sure to scope out upcoming tours I will be hosting with:

France Book Tours

on my Bookish Events page!

{SOURCES: Cover art of “My Wish List”, book synopsis, author photograph of Mr. Delacourt, author biography, and the tour host badge were all provided by France Book Tours and used with permission. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

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Posted Sunday, 23 March, 2014 by jorielov in ARC | Galley Copy, Blog Tour Host, France Book Tours, French Literature, French Novel Translated into English, Literary Fiction, Vulgarity in Literature

+Blog Book Tour+ Ryder on the Storm by Violet Patterson

Posted Thursday, 6 March, 2014 by jorielov , , , , 2 Comments

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Storm Sullivan Saga | Emerald Seer series by Violet Patterson Boxed Set Edition

  • [ The Storm Sullivan Saga | Emerald Seer series ]
  • Book One: Ryder on the Storm
  • Book Two: Light My Fire
  • Book Three: Love Her Madly
  • Book Four: End of the Night
  • Novella: Whiskey, Mystics, and Men

Published By:  Mad Hatter Ink Press, 20 January 2014 [Omnibus Edition]
Official Author Websites:  Blog | Twitter | Facebook
Converse on Twitter: #EmeraldSeer
Available Formats: E-book, Softcover, & Softcover Omnibus
Page Count: 180 [Ryder on the Storm] | 450 [Omnibus edition]

Acquired Book:

I had the pleasure of hearing Ms. Patterson on The Star Chamber Show ahead of electing to sign-up to be a stop on her blog book tour. I had a good feeling about her style as a writer, and I enjoyed her segment enough to request reading “Ryder on the Storm” in exchange for an honest review. “Ryder on the Storm” was originally published on 5 November 2011. I was selected to be on her blog tour by Tomorrow Comes Media, where I received a complimentary copy of the omnibus (print) edition of The Storm Sullivan Saga direct from the author, Violet Patterson. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Initial Thoughts:

I have always appreciated paranormal stories in motion pictures and television which are on the ‘cosy’ side of the genre, which means to say, I oft have to wait years in-between finding a series and/or a film that I can watch! The latest example would be “Ghost Whisperer” which I started to watch in 2012 via syndicated re-airings across two networks during daytime hours on basic cable! To the brink where requesting the series via ILL (inter-library loan) was most fruitious of me! I need to resume where I left off in 2013, which is between Season 2 or 3. The reason I am attracted to a series like Ghost Whisperer is because I love the paranormal elements which are contained within the story-lines but with the heart of a romance woven in for good measure! The dynamic of the lead character’s marriage is quite brilliant and I enjoy seeing where her adventures take her and her husband throughout the series.

To this end, I am always keenly open to seeking out paranormal stories in fiction, whether or not they are romantic in nature, even though I tend to be keen on the romantic side of what is offered! A good case in point is my dearly loved Ghost Harrison series by Heather Graham, which combines ghost-hunting and medium intervention on a deceased’s behalf with characters whose lives are either flawed or at a cross-roads. I am within the opening sequences of the series which has grown since I first picked up Ghost Walk set in New Orleans when I turnt twenty-ten. Shortly thereafter, I discovered the brilliantly delectable Aunt Dimity penned cleverly by Nancy Altherton!

I realise I am undertaking quite a unique spin to the genre, as most readers of paranormal stories like the barometer to be set more akin to horror than cosy, and surely do not flinch as easily as I might! Laughs. However, I think that this is what makes reading such a wonderful experience. There is a bit of something for each of us, and for those like me who want to stay ‘this side’ of hard-boiled whilst walking through a cosy, I can unearth the stories we can enjoy whilst the rest of the world devours the rest!

Author Biography:

Violet PattersonKnown in the convention circuit for her extravagant handmade top hats, Violet Patterson has also romanced her way into the hearts of Urban Fantasy readers with the Emerald Seer Series.   With a cast of Seers, Seraphs, Immortals and more, Violet strives to leave her Midwestern roots behind as she soars to the far reaches of her imagination to compose vibrant stories of action and intrigue, magic and fantasy.  Her current project promises to imbue part of the Emerald’s world with a healthy dose of Steampunk – stay tuned for Immortal Machinations.

Book Synopsis:

Ryder on the Storm by Violet PattersonStorm Sullivan is a Seer from an ancient line forced to return home after the brutal murder of her aunt. But Storm finds she’s inherited more than just the family estate.

Ryder Cohen is an Immortal, a former enforcer commissioned to eradicate the Sullivan line and prevent the rise of the Emerald. But Ryder has come to question his mission and the reasons behind it.

Ryder On the Storm is the first in the Emerald Seer series. An urban fantasy with a supporting cast of Immortals, Seraphs, and Deities this is just the beginning of Storm’s journey.

The Emerald Seer saga continues with rebirth in LIGHT MY FIRE and intensifies with an uncovered past in LOVE HER MADLY. Still craving more Emerald Seer action? Check out WHISKEY, MYSTICS, and MEN to discover Angeline’s secrets.

An Introduction into Storm Sullivan:

The gift of sight is one paranormal gift that I am quite familiar with as it was the same gift given to Johnny Smith from “The Dead Zone” tv series based on Stephen King’s novel. A novel I have not yet read and a series which changed my perception of what constitutes a King novel and story. The gift of second sight is one gift I always felt might be one of the hardest to gather one’s wits about oneself as you’re constantly struggling against the backflow of other people’s lives and emotions contained therein. You get only pieces of reality as it streams through your own mind’s eye and you have to process what you’re seeing and why those fragments are as important as they are. Storm Sullivan walks off the page as a curiously strong yet conflicted character who is confident in her gift, but perhaps not as confident in where her gift leads her. Her emotional world is a bit demurred and off-page, as she’s credited as being unemotional rather than completely self-centered. I oft wondered if for such a gift to work fully, if part of your other senses have to take a bit of a hit and defer to the one sense that is coming out of you at such a strong force? You can only be pulled so far in different directions before the body and brain will make the choice to save itself in the long-term.

The book cover for the omnibus edition (as featured above) is quite exquisite as it pierces your attention by seeing Storm’s emerald eye ancestry as well as (in my opinion) a rather poignant slice of suspense in seeing the lightning crackling across the pitch black night’s sky! I love books which taunt a piece of their stories ahead of being picked up to be read! I’d presume then, the lightning is an exclamation of how sight is a jolting force in Storm’s life as electricity is always super-charged and strikes without warning. Such then, I’d presume would be how the gift of sight would feel to the receiver!

Ryder on the other hand appears to be both ally and foe in regards to Storm, as he is introduced as a self-educated and self-assured immortal who’d rather go his own way than to fill a need or calling. Except to say, he has a strong sense of right and wrong, as well as a keen awareness that knowledge can benefit everyone who chooses to acknowledge the truth it sheds into light.

My Review of Ryder on the Storm:

The unique tone of the novel is set against the volley of moving and shifting between the lifepath of Storm and Ryder directly as they are living their days. I like the interchanging scenery and scope of the story being leveled between two protagonists who can handle the spotlight as much as share it equally. Time loops and bends between their worlds, and yet, their each living in the same dimensional space, with a few alterations therein. Ryder is presented as an Immortal Seer Slayer and Storm is the Seer who comes from a lineage of powerful women who are gifted with sight. The opposite nature of their trades, and the willingness Patterson has in placing them in each others path reminded me of Buffy and Angel outright. Generally speaking, a vampire slayer would not normally be woefully and romantically enticed nor entwined with a vampire! I loved the interplay of the previous paranormal character’s romantic arc and seeing how this story is aligning for Storm & Ryder to cross-sect gave me a renewed hope towards paranormal romance as a genre worth pursuing!

Whilst Storm’s story begins at the tragic death of her Aunt Trin, I felt a softening of the tragedy by Storm’s own perseverance to uncover the truth of her Aunt’s murder. Rather than be consumed fully by the eclipse of sorrow, she’s a woman who thrives on purpose. The inclusion of going through her Aunt’s house and belongings as her inheritance takes effect was reminiscent of how each of us looks for a bit of normalcy after the death of a loved one. Time always feels suspended a bit after a person dies, as though parts of their essence is still with us and not gone at the very same time. Whilst reading over the initial aftermath of Aunt Trin’s passing I brought back to mind what the Hollowell sisters went through on Charmed. As the Hollowells sister’s powers were bound to a certain extent as well.

Her Aunt’s death gives Storm a window into her life she had not yet come to bring into full focus. Her childhood friends who seemed benign and kind, were suddenly re-presented as her guardians. Known as Seraphs, I will admit I had not yet come into contact with this creature previously, but the fact they had delicate wings made me smile! I had a feeling they might be Angelic in nature due to their ability to sense when their charges are in danger and/or in need of protection. As much as the heated and rather intense attraction that Storm starts to feel for Ryder challenges everything she had previously conceived as her ‘normal’ setting in relating to the opposite sex. This is one version of instant attraction that is magnified by two fates being entwined to each other by a force yet revealed.

The firestorm that ignites into action soon thereafter is what starts to bring Storm and Ryder together, which at first felt serendipitous but later proved to be a bit more destined. There is a crossing of a path in their histories where neither can discern nor deny they are meant to be conjoined. Interspersed into their encounters are other paranormal characters shifting and moving around the center story. I admit I am out of my depth to understand the components of their histories, outside of rudimentary knowledge about werewolves and a baseline general scope for immortal races. (here I refer to the immortal race explored in “Highlander”) What captured my attention though is the conspiracy angle of what was driving the fixation on Storm Sullivan as far as her would-be attackers as well as the disillusion about who she is and what she is in the grand scheme of things. The intricacies of how Patterson chooses to reveal the labyrinth maze of plot allows even the novice reader of this genre to pick up on the energy that is pulsing throughout the text! It’s a riveting adventure underscored by the mystery of identity and destiny, of which I cannot wait to continue forward in the accompanying sequel Light My Fire!

Paranormal Romance or PNR as a genre:

I am always thankful when I stumble across a new genre to explore because it allows me to flex my literary wings and see if I can alight in a new setting, world, and timescape that is completely different from the regular realms I currently read regularly. I wasn’t quite sure what elements create the paranormal romance experience which is why I went in a bit blind into reading Ryder on the Storm, except to say I did pick up on the subtlety of seeing the irony held within the title! By conferring with articles related on the subject (as seen below my review), I discovered that some of my own experiences mentioned here are key examples of the evolution of the genre itself! This encouraged me a bit that perhaps I’ve been dancing around the genre without really knowing that I was involved with the steps! There are classic examples of phenom related to this genre that I bowed out of becoming attached too as well: Twilight for instance only served as a plausible decoy of a hiatus from Nanowrimo 2008 at a point in time where I needed a two-hour break away from my characters & computer! Sookie Stackhouse is at the opposite end of the spectrum from where I like to wander as well.

There are full-on aspects of this genre that have left me a bit puzzled whilst reading Ryder on the Storm, as I felt as though I was in the middle of a story arc already known and fleshed out. This is one aspect of trying a new genre which backfires a bit on you as a reader, as you do not have a point of reference to guide you as you make your way through. There is a whole undercurrent back-story I am sure to seraphs, immortals, and other worldly additions that fell a bit short on me. This did not present an issue as far as getting into the heart of what drove Storm and Ryder, but it did take me out of the belly of the story a bit as my mind tried to sort through a faded memory from my years watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Charmed, and even The X-Files. Nothing pulled to mind. The one element I struggled to remember the most is ‘why a person’s sense of smell’ is deeply important to a Seer & Immortal? Its like scratching at your memory and never being able to pull forward what you already knew previously!

I am thus intrigued and I want to continue to seek out novels which will continue to formulate my introduction. I’d be keen to know which authors and novels stand out in my readers minds as a point of reference of knowing where to go next? Especially taking into account my preferences to read the cosier stories verse the more intensely graphic? As much as I want to continue forward and read the further chronicles of Storm Sullivan which I now have on hand!

Possible next reads: (as searched through my library & ILL catalogues)

[all of which I have come across previously but never attached to this genre!]

  • A Discovery of Witches by Deborah E. Harkness
  • Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin*
  • The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (previously mentioned)
  • The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern*+
  • The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope by Rhonda Riley
  • The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
  • The Greatcoat by Helen Dunmore
  • M.J. Rose’s Reincarnationist series is being read for an upcoming review in May
  • {*} already in the hold queue at the library; {*+} itching to read!
  • {sidenote:} The Ghost Harrison & Aunt Dimity series are considered paranormal romance!
  • I clearly have a penchant for ghost-centered stories!

Fly in the Ointment:

By now, I think I have established that I always look for several Book Turn-Offs which run the gambit of what I disclosed in my Review Policy to what I wrote in the meme. Patterson doesn’t use vulgarity to carry the story, but rather inserts the occasional colourful word here or there to empathise a strong emotional conviction and/or reaction of one of the characters, and I am thankful to her for this as it shows that she doesn’t lean on vulgarity as a tool but rather as an exclamation of piercing a point. Having said that, I still find my eyebrows raising when certain explicit words are used irregardless of the context and mirth of usage. Which is why I am including this notice on my review in case a reader would prefer to avoid reading these expletives completely. I personally was not as offended due to the length of story you can read before arriving at a word that irks rather than soothes. In an ideal world, I’d never come across vulgar words in literature but that isn’t going to happen because even in classical literature strong language is generally favoured.

A Note on the Omnibus Edition:

I haven’t read a POD or print edition straight-off of a Kindle book series previously, so I am not sure if the formatting for The Storm Sullivan Saga is a regular occurrence or if it is limited to this edition. I thought at first I might have trouble adapting to the lack of page numbers and paragraph structures that I am used too in regular print editions of novels, however, it’s the words within the context of the story which pulled me into the world of Storm and Ryder which allowed me to suspend what I normally find inside of a book! So much so, that it reminded me a bit about watching foreign language motion pictures. After awhile, your mind gives you the illusion that your watching a film in English when in full effect your listening to Italian (“Life is Beautiful”) or Mandarin (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”). My mind has always given me the freedom to encourage my heart to soak into a story even if the regular format of finding the story is altered. Whilst watching both motion pictures listed in this paragraph, I could have sworn the characters were speaking English towards the ending chapters of their films! I heard the story by heart you see, and I never realised how quickly I had to read the subtitles in order to keep up with the dialogue of the action!

In this way, the beauty inside The Storm Sullivan Saga omnibus edition (boxed set – definition of the author) is that you get to become entreated into one parapsychologically gifted woman’s life as though you entered through a portal slipped to you inside her private journal! The mere fact I am reading a previously released Kindle e-book novel warms my little bookish soul’s heart because it proves that in due course all books are available for all audiences; including those of us who cannot read on a ‘screen’ and must await a print edition!

 

{Virtual Road Map for “The Storm Sullivan Saga” Blog Tour}

Violet Patterson Tour via Tomorrow Comes Media

Be sure to catch the next two installments of this showcase on JLAS:
Jorie interviews Ms. Patterson on the last day of the tour: 9 March,
and Ms. Patterson shares a Guest Post on Friday 7 March!

Be sure to scope out upcoming tours I will be hosting with:
Tomorrow Comes Media Tour Hoston my Bookish Events Featured on JLAS!

Cross-listed on: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fridays via On Starships & Dragonwings

{SOURCES: The Storm Sullivan Saga & Ryders on the Storm cover art, book synopsis, Violet Patterson photograph & biography provided by Tomorrow Comes Media and used with permission. Post dividers were provided by Shabby Blogs, who give bloggers free resources to add personality to their blogs. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

Related Articles:

Paranormal Romance Genre – (en.wikipedia.org)

Paranormal Romance: here, there, everywhere with the new science fiction – (irosf.com)

Urban Fantasy vs Paranormal Romance – (fantasy-faction.com)

Defining Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance: What’s the difference? – (heroesandheartbreakers.com)

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Posted Thursday, 6 March, 2014 by jorielov in Angel, Blog Tour Host, BlogTalkRadio, Bookish Discussions, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debut Novel, Familiars, Fantasy Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Go Indie, Good vs. Evil, Immortals, Indie Author, Paranormal Romance, Parapsychological Gifts, Premonition-Precognitive Visions, Reading Challenges, Romance Fiction, Seers, Seraphs, Supernatural Creatures & Beings, The Star Chamber Show, Tomorrow Comes Media, Urban Fantasy, Vulgarity in Literature, Werewolves, Witches and Warlocks

+Book Spotlight & Author Interview+ Snickering Out Loud with Jenny Sauer

Posted Wednesday, 5 March, 2014 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

Parajunkee Designs

with Jenny Sauer, the author of “Snickering Out Loud”

I must confess, that originally I wasn’t sure if this particular book and author would be a good fit for me, as we do have our distinctive differences in our personalities. It was after learning about her style of being frank and earnest whilst infusing her life’s antidotes with humour that I started to see a few underpinnings of where I could relate to Ms. Sauer. Ms. Curnette approached me to host a book spotlight and author interview in conjunction with her friend’s first book release, which is “Snickering Out Loud”. I approached the offer with an open mind, as I always like to keep myself apprised of new releases, even those in non-fiction as I do tend to read more non-fiction books each year. I think what touched me the most is that she’s a girl who grew up surrounded by a close-knit family on a farm, traded in the slow pace of the country for the high-octane of the city of Los Angeles and found not everything on the other side to be as rosy and bright as she had felt it might be.

I decided to ask her a series of frank and earnest questions in return, including noting how she appears to be the real-life counterpart to a beloved fictional heroine “Bridget Jones”! Another prime example of an honest spoken woman seeking love and trying to make the best life choices she can whilst she lives her life. I decided to take a chance and get to know this début author. I did not receive compensation in exchange for hosting both the book spotlight nor the author interview. This was coordinated by Marissa Curnette of JKS Communications Literary Publicity Firm, but is not an official blog tour per se.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

 

You’ve credited your experiences of growing up on a farm as a blessing in your life. I can truly understand how you feel as I too, lived on a ranch from fourteen til nineteen. These were some of the best years of my life. What I appreciated the most was the solitude and connection to wildlife. You can become completely wrapped in awe simply looking heaven-bound at the cosmos. What are some of your favourite memories from the farm?

Sauer responds: One would be working together with my dad and late grandfather. We had a lot of fun, just the three of us, working outside. My late grandpa Sauer was a very happy, positive man; he was wonderful to be around. I still remember building a fence, all by hand (shovel and manual post hole digger-no tractor attachment digger). It was terribly hard work, but it’s so cool today driving by that spot seeing that I helped make it. It always makes me think of those few days working in the hot sun with my dad and grandpa; it always brings a smile to my face. Another fun memory was when I had two steers to show in 4-H (one each year for my junior and senior year in high school). They were my pets. The first was named Butkiss, and the second one Butkiss II. I named them that because they always poked their wet noses in my and dad’s rear-end when they would see us. I was able to sit on Butkiss while he was laying down and just pet him. Both steers loved powdered donuts, Twizzlers, and Nutri-grain bars. I spoiled them, they were a lot of fun.

Whilst you are known for complete and brutal honesty, I gather the sense you’re a bit akin to Bridget Jones, whose colourful language lessons in abrasiveness due to her heart. Do you ever find yourself considered the real-life counterpart to the fictional character?

Sauer responds: Not completely, as I try to be a little more open-minded and listen to other viewpoints. However, having had read the book and watched the movie, she is a very entertaining character and I take it very much as a compliment being compared to Bridget Jones. She is hilarious!

You live by your own compass and garnish a variety of experiences out of adventure, love, and the excitement of living a life that your confident in pursuing. Where did you initially draw your strength to live boldly?

Sauer responds: I think I’ve always had that trait but would’ve never figured that out if it wasn’t for the immense amount of support from my parents. They trusted and had confidence in me to handle myself. I only made bold moves because I know that I ALWAYS have a place to go if a choice I made didn’t work out, which is back home on the farm. That security blanket is something that I am forever thankful for and truly appreciate.

Do you think you saved yourself from moving out of LA and exchanging it for Chicago?

Sauer responds: I saved my sanity. ;)

Being that my Mum is from Chicago and all the great stories she’s shared over the years, I can understand why you wanted to return. What are the three key observations you made about yourself once you were settled?

Sauer responds: That I wanted to settle down, not just with a guy, but be in one place for longer than 8 months-year. I got tired. All the moving was exhausting. I was happy with what I had accomplished. Do I want more? Of course and the career path I’m in is pretty scary and unknown, but I think it helps to make me stronger. Just have to keep chuggin’ along. That I’m ready to find a guy and be serious. I thought I wanted that at a young age, but realized once I started exploring that I really wasn’t ready. I was still living my life for me and now I know for certain I’m ready to share my life with a good guy. I suppose the last observation was that I’m sincerely okay with whatever outcome may happen in my life and relationships. I don’t dwell on the little things that really won’t matter in five years. I always find a way to make it work, no matter what, and I’m damn proud of that. I’m so happy I don’t just give up or not take responsibility for my own actions/consequences. Now I will say, I could live with my parents for the rest of my life, but that would kind of put a damper on finding a guy right? I’m very much a wiener when it comes to being around my parents; I can’t go long without seeing them.

Did modelling give you more confidence or did you find it made you self-conscience and a bit shallow? As the modelling industry is a tough one to survive. Of course, some models credit it giving them more depth of character. How do you feel it added to your life?

Sauer responds: It made me stronger actually. It also made rejection, in my later years, much easier to deal with in the acting world. I learned that it’s not just about you, it’s also based upon the eccentric people that work behind the lens. They can change their minds at the drop of a hat.

What did you read as a child which spark an interest in literature? Which writers stood out whose stories left an impression even now?

Sauer responds: I think mostly “The Chronicles of Narnia.” I loved the imagination it sparked in me. It was fun to read that type of fiction, it took me to my own place, and I loved that. My parents read to my sister and me every night when we were little. My mom would read “Little Women,” American Girl (we read all of the girls) story, and other larger sized books at a young age. She would read a couple chapters to us each night. I also read a lot of historical fiction, I love that genre. I would say C.S. Lewis and just the chronicles series because of the amazing descriptions of things and details that lead to broadening my imagination. I loved where I traveled in my mind when I read those books.

What was the impetus which gravitated you into writing? And, when did this occur? Did you plan to write ‘Snickering Out Loud’ as a journal or straight-up memoir?

Sauer responds: My mom is a grammar Nazi and passed that onto me. She was the one my brother, sister, and I went to for help on our “Vocabulary” book assignments in English class. I guess there was always a knack there for writing; I’ll say I’ve never had a really hard time writing a paper or even this book. The issues with this book was formatting and editing, that’s NOT the fun part for sure. Throughout school, I would write papers the night before it was due; that is when I write my best. If I have time and no deadline, then I will just procrastinate because I like finishing something, not leaving it and coming back to it multiple days. I never planned on writing this book the way I did, it all just happened. It started out as the tips section near the end. I then decided to throw in the relationship stories, but then realized to make the book have more depth, the reader would need to understand me and who I am in order to understand my actions/reactions in all the situations. I hate reading books where things seem kind of vague. I like the details, like I like my Bravo reality TV shows-details. Those people on those shows have the best gossiping skills. I don’t spread gossip but I sure as hell love to hear a juicy story. I wrote 75% of the book in about five days. It was a lot of long hours, but I didn’t notice because I was in my own little writing world; I loved it. I don’t want this book to be a memoir, but rather insight into another woman’s perspective on dating that isn’t all sappy and repeating “Mr. Obvious” comments. Kind of like those sex and dating articles in magazines like Cosmopolitan. Give me a break, if you’re performing 100 different sex positions, then you’re counting moving your right pinkie toe as the difference between two moves that are essentially the same. A lot of that “advice” is stuff people already know, it’s not new news. I wanted to put out the honest viewpoints that a lot of people might be afraid to say but are thinking it. Also, just to make people laugh, I love making people laugh.

Why do you think singletons are always being put down or in place whilst giving advice on dating simply because they have not walked down the aisle?

Sauer responds: It could be because some people are jealous that they are in an unhappy marriage because they settled and now can’t go out to do whatever they want to do like single people. It could also be some people think that because you’re single then you obviously don’t know what you’re doing in a relationship. I never paid too much attention to that idea because I think it’s pretty ridiculous. Just because a person is married doesn’t mean they would have wise advice to give to others. Being married doesn’t make you an expert, nor being single either. It’s based upon experiences and how you learn from them. Now my parents, they have been together almost 40 years and still love each other, so I think they have plenty of room to spread advice.

It’s wonderful to see someone in our age bracket best friends with their Mum! What kinds of things do the two of you like to go off and do together!? (I was not surprised she knew of your experiences in dating; as compared to those who felt she’d be aghast!)

Sauer responds: Ha! Oh yes, I have had so many people exclaim, “You told your mom that?! Seriously?!” Well, yes…I did indeed. I tell my dad quite a bit about my relationships too. They both have some years on them and varying points of view, I like to know what they think. They don’t tell me what I want to hear but rather the truth because they don’t want me sheltered. My mom and I do a lot together, kind of ‘fly by the seat of our pants’ types. We can go and workout together, take mini trips (somewhere close in driving distance), take naps (you do not come between me and my naps-same with mom), pedicures, order food so we don’t have to cook; whatever we fancy at the moment. She’s pretty cool, so is my dad, which is why I would be okay being around them every day for the rest of my life.

What is the biggest benefit in your mind you’ve gained from having lived in both large cities and small townes? What perspective of life endeared you to live the life you have?

Sauer responds: The biggest benefit is not being ignorant. I can pass truthful judgment on so many things associated with large cities and small towns because I’ve lived it; I’ve experienced it all. The perspective was mainly my parents never pushing me in any direction that they wanted or thought I wanted. I guess I would have more of a free spirit, but not hippie-style free. I’m more calculated and think about everything first. I’m a “calculated risk taker.” I enjoy new things, I’m good with change, just not a change in my morning routine. ;) I love my morning routine with my tea and computer.

In an interview you stated that your empathic towards others and like to put them at ease. I understand completely as I hope to do that in my own life. Do you find ways of giving back which not only uplifts the spirits of others but gives you joy in return?

Sauer responds: I love being the person that gives gifts. The smile on someone’s face, whether it be in reaction to the gift received or helping them out in any way, is the most wonderful feeling. It’s hard to describe but it’s one of the best feelings in this world.

What are your favourite tools to use whilst writing? And, where do you write to gain the most inspiration?

Sauer responds: I like my computer, and I also use my notepad on my iPhone whenever a thought pops into my head before I go to sleep. Jotting that stuff down helps me close the many tabs that are open in my brain and relaxes me for better sleep. I write in my apartment that is colorful and decorated to be happy and fun, but clean. I don’t have a bunch of clutter and unorganized messes, that creates a cluttery mind in my opinion. I’m pretty sure I just made up the word “cluttery.” It has to be quiet. People that write and read in Starbucks or Panera are a mystery to me. I don’t want to hear someone else’s conversation about the big lent ball they found in their pocket earlier in the day. I’d rather have full concentration and focus on what I’m doing.

Do you find writing to be a pursuit you want to attempt in fiction?

Sauer responds: I never thought I would do acting, but it happened. I never thought I would write this book, but it happened. This is a new path that I would like to continue on; I really loved the writing.

What is your greatest joy?

Sauer responds: Hmmm, that’s a tough question! I have a lot, but I’ll say my family and my chubs of a cat Sylvester. If I end up being “the crazy cat lady spinster aunt,” I’m totally okay with that. I’ll rock those kitty sweaters like no other until the day I die…that is if I become old with many cats.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comBook Spotlight

Snickering Out Loud by Jenny Sauer
Published By:  Grinding Gears Publishing, 1 March 2014
Official Author Websites:  Site | Twitter | Facebook
Converse on Twitter: #SnickeringOutLoud
Available Formats: Paperback
Page Count: 167

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Snickering Out Loud by Jenny Sauer

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comBook Synopsis:

Model and SAG-AFTRA television and film actress Jenny Sauer adds author to her résumé as she sets to release her first book on March 1. “Snickering Out Loud” is an autobiographical look into Sauer’s own dating life, showcasing her experiences from growing up on a small Illinois farm to her serial dating escapades in the big city of Los Angeles.

The book opens with an introduction into Sauer’s not-so-normal life – she’s gone from herding cattle on the family farm to publishing scientific research to modeling and acting in national films, commercials and magazines. And the dating adventures she shares next show how her various suitors have been just as much a mixed bag. College, work and love brought Sauer across the country to make lasting memories in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Little Rock, Oklahoma City and other small towns in-between.

The tall, funny and brutally honest female provides refreshingly unapologetic commentary on everything – yes everything – a gal or guy has wanted to say about those horrible dates, questioning a relationships status and waiting for “the one” to finally come around.

Tying everything up at the end of the book, Sauer includes a list of helpful advice on love and dating she’s gathered throughout her time in the field.

“The book is a nice heaping dose of Irish sarcasm, wit and humor for the dating impaired,” Sauer explained. “Let’s face it, dating isn’t always enjoyable, so I have taken my unexpected, yet surprising, experiences and made them into a big ball of side-splitting material for your reading pleasure. It’s okay not to be good at dating, just make sure you laugh about it.”

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comAuthor Biography:

Jenny Sauer

Jenny Sauer is a SAG-AFTRA television and film actress whose credits include Water For Elephants, Project X, The Hangover: Part II, Millionaire Matchmaker, The Mentalist and more. She has also appeared in commercials for Old Navy, Sun Chips, 901 Tequila and Swiffer. Born in Jacksonville, Ill. and raised in Winchester, Ill., Sauer is also a third generation farm girl. Sauer has also modeled for a national Corning Ware advertisement, now featured in the new spring issue of The Knot Magazine, and Chicago designers Boris Powell Designs and Anna Hovet. For more information, visit www.jennysauer.com or www.facebook.com/jennysauer.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comThis Author Interview & Spotlight is courtesy of Marissa Curnutte from:

JKS Communications Literary Publicity Firm

Be sure to scope out my Bookish Upcoming Events to mark your calendars!!

Please leave a note for the author if you have anything you’d like to say or ask!

{SOURCES: Book Cover art for “Snickering Out Loud”, Jenny Sauer photograph, book synopsis & author biography (taken from the Press Kit) were provided by JKS Communications Literary Publicity Firm and used with permission. I requested an Author Interview in which I submitted my Questions for Ms. Sauer via Marissa Curnutte and received the answers in return from her on the author’s behalf. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Book Spotlight badge created by Jorie in Canva.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

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Posted Wednesday, 5 March, 2014 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Bookish Discussions, Dating & Humour Therein, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Journal, Memoir, Non-Fiction, Reader Submitted Author Interview, Vignettes of Real Life, Vulgarity in Literature