Sadie's Spotlight

July 11, 2022June 8, 2022

Spotlight & Author Interview: The Beached Ones + Giveaway

Join us for this tour from June 14 to July 11, 2022!

Book Title: The Beached Ones
by Colleen M. Story
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 354 pages
Genre: Paranormal, Literary, Ghost, Fantasy
Publisher: CamCat Books
Release date: June 14, 2022
Content Rating: PG-13 + M:

The book does explore suicide, and there is one scene indicating potential sexual abuse (that is stopped before it starts). There is the occasional swearword, but they are not frequent.

HE CAME BACK, DETERMINED TO KEEP HIS PROMISE.

Daniel and his younger brother grew up in an abusive home. Daniel escaped. Now an established stunt rider, he intends to go back to rescue his brother. But then one jump goes horribly wrong . . .

He recovers to find himself in Iowa, unscathed, yet his life has drastically changed. His best friend won’t answer his calls. Even his
girlfriend is hiding something. Increasingly terrified, he clings to the one thing he knows: He must pick up his brother in San Francisco. In five days.

From the isolating fields of Iowa to the crowded streets of San Francisco, Daniel must fight his way through a fog of disjointed
memories and supernatural encounters to face the truth and pay a debt he didn’t know he owed.

BUY THE BOOK:
CAMCAT BOOKS
AMAZON ~ B&N ~ Nook
IndieBound ~ Kobo ~ Book Depository

Author Interview:

What was the inspiration behind the book?
The idea for this book came to me after watching the movie, “Sarah’s Key,” which was based on the book of the same title by Tatiana de Rosnay.

The movie had a profound effect on me. Without giving too much away, the main character is haunted by the death of her little brother, for which she blames herself. At the end of the movie (spoiler alert), unable to shake her guilt, she commits suicide. Close curtain.

That movie haunted me for months. It seemed so unfair, what happened to the main character. And I kept feeling like her story was left unfinished. What happened after the suicide? The Beached Ones gave me a chance to explore that general question, although of course, within an entirely different story.

What’s the most interesting or unusual thing you learned while researching for this book?
I was lucky enough to be able to travel to research this book—I took the same journey the characters take from Harlan, Iowa, to San Francisco, California. I had researched and written the book beforehand, but taking the trip myself helped me improve the story in countless ways.

First, actually seeing, smelling, and hearing the locations encouraged more realistic and sensory setting descriptions. Taking the journey by car also helped me to feel in my bones the effects of the long road trip, and sharpened my sense of the time it would take.

Finally, I met some amazing people that influenced the story. One, in particular, had a big impact.

On the last day of my trip as the sun was about to set, I went to see one of the key locations in the story once more. I stopped to get some pictures and just happened to run into a security officer. He was patrolling, as was usual in this location, and wanted to let me know that the “gates” would soon close. I took advantage of the meeting to ask him some questions.

I soon realized that the muse had just introduced me to a very special person. I ended up talking to him for a good twenty minutes or more, and during that short spell, got nothing short of gold for my story. Pure gold.

This man had experienced exactly what happens in my climactic scene. He told me details I never could have imagined—details that were critical to the story.

It was surreal, as I hadn’t planned the meeting. But it was as if the universe had given it to me so I could write the best ending possible for the story.

I was so wrapped up in the moment that I neglected to get the gentlemen’s name. I feel horrible as I would have liked to have thanked him in the acknowledgments. I’ve related this story at the end of the book, instead, in the hopes The Beached Ones finds its way to him one day.

What do you hope the reader takes away from your book?
First of all, I hope readers enjoy The Beached Ones for pure entertainment. It has a bit of mystery and a bit of thriller in it, with intense pacing that accelerates as it goes.

But it would also be cool if readers came away from The Beached Ones with compassion for those who are at the end of their ropes, and more so, with the understanding of the theme—that we help ourselves by helping others.

I’ll never forget an experience I had a short time after my father died. I was feeling pretty down, understandably, and absorbed in my pain. I had to conduct a business meeting that day with a professional in the printing industry whom I had known for years. He was as congenial as always during our meeting and revealed only afterward that he had also lost someone special only a few days before.

My eyes were opened. I realized that at any one time, the people around us may be struggling just as much or more than we are. Being able to offer a shoulder that day helped lift my spirits. In my life it has never failed—when I can leave a smile on someone else’s face, improve someone’s day, or even just offer a listening ear, my load gets a little bit lighter.

Do you write every day?
I try to write every day, but often I don’t succeed. Work and other responsibilities can take up my time. But every day I recommit to writing. If I don’t, too many days go by without it, and then I have a hard time remembering what was going on in my story. It’s much easier if I write almost every day as then it stays fresh in my mind.
What is the last great book you’ve read?

I recently finished reading Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. I loved his unique descriptions and original ways of putting things. Plus the story was unlike any other I’ve read, and full of heart.

Meet the Author:

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker who loves animals, music, and the great Pacific Northwest.

Her novel, Loreena’s Gift, was a Foreword Reviews’ INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, among others. Her next novel, The Beached Ones is forthcoming from CamCat Books on June 14, 2022.

Colleen has written three books to help writers succeed. “Your Writing Matters” helps writers overcome self-doubt and determine once and for all where writing fits in their lives.

Her previous release, Writer Get Noticed!, was a gold-medal winner in the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards and a first-place winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards. Overwhelmed Writer Rescue was named Book by Book Publicity’s Best Writing/Publishing Book in 2018 and was an Amazon best seller.

With over 20 years as a professional in the creative industry, Colleen has authored thousands of articles for publications like “Healthline” and “Women’s Health;” worked with high-profile clients like Gerber Baby Products and Kellogg’s; and ghostwritten books on back pain, nutrition, and cancer recovery. She continues to work as a full-time freelance writer, helping clients create informative and inspiring communications in a variety of media formats.

Colleen frequently serves as a workshop leader, writing coach, and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and
emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers.

Go to Colleen’s website for free chapters of her books.

connect with the author: website ~twitter ~ goodreads ~ bookbub

Tour Schedule:

June 14 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / giveaway
June 14 – Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
June 14 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
June 15 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
June 15 – Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews – book review
June 15 – The Official Blog of Amy Shannon – book spotlight / interview
June 16 – Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway
June 17 – @twilight_reader – book review
June 20 – Review Thick And Thin – book review / interview / giveaway
June 21 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
June 21 – Ravenz Reviewz – book review / giveaway
June 22 – Kam’s Place – book review
June 23 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
June 24 – Splashes of Joy – book spotlight / giveaway
June 27 – Mostly Mystery Reviews – book review / interview / giveaway
June 27 – My Reading Getaway – book review / giveaway
June 28 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway
June 29 – The Momma Spot – book review / giveaway
June 30 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
July 1 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
July 5 – My Fictional Oasis – book review
July 6 – Bigreadersite – book review / giveaway
July 7 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight / interview / giveaway
July 7 – From the Book Reviewer’s Desk – book review /interview
July 8 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / interview / giveaway
July 8 – Literary Flits – book review / giveaway
July 11 – Sadie’s Spotlight – book spotlight / author interview

Enter the Giveaway:

THE BEACHED ONES Book Tour Giveaway

July 11, 2022July 11, 2022

Spotlight, Author Interview & Excerpt: Awakening + Giveaway

Awakening
The Inner Compass, book 1
by Abby Wynne
Genre: Magical Realism

When Marissa’s fiancé leaves her unexpectedly, she is left trying to put the broken pieces of her life back together again. The magical years of her childhood are now lost or long forgotten and, trapped in a downward spiral of worry and anxiety, nothing seems to be bringing the magic back any time soon. Training to become a therapist, Marissa discovers an unforeseen talent for helping others and, for a while at least, she puts her own needs and concerns to one side. An unexpected windfall prompts a spontaneous trip to Peru, and an encounter while she is there triggers an astonishing series of events. Shaken but excited, Marissa embarks on a wonderful journey of revelation and adventure – after which, her life will never be the same again.  Marissa’s story is your story, is my story, is everybody’s story: we each must find our own true path through life, our one true way.
Abby Wynne, author and Shamanic Psychotherapist, brings all her wisdom to bear on Marissa’s amazing tale of discovery and healing. A catalyst for people’s healing processes, Abby is a problem solver, a creative artist, an alchemist, a healer, a mother, a daughter, a lover of life – and it shows in this, her first novel.

Excerpt:

She went back to room number three and was surprised to discover a woman standing inside the door.

‘Hi, I’m Mandy,’ said the woman, smiling at Marissa.

‘Hi, I didn’t see you come in.’ Marissa became quite flustered and pulled out her list of clients for the evening. Scanning down through the names on it she saw that Mandy was her second client, but they weren’t supposed to start until 7pm.

‘I know, I’m quite early,’ said Mandy. ‘Sorry.’

‘Yes, you are half an hour early, it’s only 6:30. But my first client didn’t show up, so I suppose we could start our session now, if it suited you.’

‘That would be great, thanks. I thought I’d have to wait around ‘til 7…’

‘Well, if the first client had shown up, then you would have had to wait…’ said Marissa, feeling a little irritated at Mandy’s lack of boundaries.

‘Oh dear, well, the door was open and nobody was here, so I thought I could just come in.’

She sighed. ‘It’s okay this time, yes, as there was nobody here, they didn’t turn up, but maybe next time they will.’

‘That happens here a lot,’ said Mandy, taking off her coat and hanging it on the hook behind the door. She chose a chair and sat down in it, putting her handbag on the floor beside her. She was about twenty, not much younger than Marissa. Her hair was dyed dark red, (some of the dye was on her scalp) and she had dark eye make-up. She had a tattoo of a rose on her left wrist, which took up most of her forearm, and she had three earrings in one ear and none in the other.

‘Have you been here before?’ asked Marissa, taking the cushion from her own chair onto her lap as she sat into it.

‘Yeah, I came before, a few times last year, and then last Christmas when my father died. And then before that too, when I was 19 when my brother killed himself.’

Author Interview:

1. Tell us a little about how this story first came to be.
I’ve written more than 10 self-care books, the marketplace is cluttered with them now. I felt that to write another one wouldn’t be adding value, so I took a step back and went inside myself to see if I could merge my life-long wish to write a novel, with the information that I want to share with the world – which is, we are not alone, and there is more to us, and to this reality than meets the eye.

I had read Isabelle Allende’s book ‘The House of the Spirits’ many years ago and was inspired by how she illustrated the main character’s ability to see the dead, while everyone else was unable to. That’s a little like the world of healing. I came up with a main character, Marissa, who was like me but enough unlike me to not be a straight autobiography. And the story came together from there.

2. What, if anything, did you learn when writing the book?
I learnt how much I enjoy writing books! This book was such a joy to write, I let it speak to me when it was ready. I worked energetically with it, as if it was it’s own being and waited for it to crawl up and sit in my lap and whisper to me. It did. And I enjoyed following Marissa’s adventures as much as I know some of my readers have, because I didn’t honestly know what was going to happen next!

 3. What surprised you the most in writing it?
What surprised me was how it all came together, and how real the characters became to me. I didn’t mock up anyone, they all formed before me as I wrote them. For example, the clients. These are minor characters in a way, but they do shape how Marissa sees herself as a therapist, and are a useful vehicle to impart some wisdom to the reader. When it was time for Marissa to meet a new client, so I would sit with her and wait with her in her therapy room, just as interested as she was in wanting to know who would show up at her door. They were always interesting, each of them had a different issue so the reader won’t be bored with repetition, and many of them made progress, which I think would inspire people to do their own inner work. I hope it does, anyway!

 4. What does the title mean?
Awakening is about spiritual awakening. Marissa, the main character, goes through a spiritual crisis in the books and we follow her through her awakening process, then to transformation (which is book 2), and then expansion (book 3, which I am currently writing.) The Inner Compass Trilogy, well, Inner compass is your intuition. You’ve got to keep your inner compass clear and then you can always find your way home. Where home, is your heart.

5. Were any of the characters inspired by real people? If so, do they know?
There’s one real person in the book, and she has her right and proper name, and she knows! Everyone else is an amalgamation of someone that I know, or is completely unique to the book. One of the main characters is based on archetypal energies, I have a feeling there are a few people who will see themselves in the book but I can assure you, it’s not them! Ha ha!

 6. Do you consider the book to have a lesson or moral?
Yes most definitely. It’s about good and evil, why we are here, finding out who we are, and why we need to heal. And it’s about becoming empowered in your life, and allowing magic in. So many lessons are woven in, I don’t think any of them are hidden, or preachy. I do like to let the readers make up their own minds.

7. What is your favorite part of the book?
I think in Awakening, one of my favourite parts is her trip to Peru, when she connects with the force that drew her there in the first place and realizes that there are more beings in the world than just human beings.

 8. Which character was most challenging to create? Why?
Séamus was definitely challenging because he is wise, but funny, a showman and a teacher who has a big heart. Or does he? You’re left wondering… You’ll have to read the book to find out more.

 9. What are your immediate future plans?
I’m currently finishing book 3, then I think I’ll take a break, write some poetry, and make space for the next book to come in, whatever that may be.

About the Author:

Abby Wynne is the bestselling author of the “One Day at a Time Diary”, “How to Be Well” and “Energy Healing made Easy.” The Inner Compass Trilogy is her first novel, weaving her knowledge of shamanism, psychotherapy and energy healing into an exciting, fast-paced story which spans across many dimensions. Abby’s based in Ireland and lives with her husband, 4 children, a dog and a cat! Abby offers many ways to feel supported while you are on your path of healing; her mission is to empower people by teaching them how to heal themselves.

You can find Abby on either of her websites: here or here.
You can listen to her podcast Healing for Healers.
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

You can buy The Inner Compass Trilogy on all good online bookstores.

Giveaway:

Abby Wynne will be awarding a International – €50 off any of the digital products on the author’s website www.abbysonlineacademy.com to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Direct Link

July 11, 2022July 10, 2022

Spotlight + Giveaway: The Wounded Hearts Duology, by Debbie Cromack

Someone Exactly Like Me

The Wounded Hearts Duology Book 1

by Debbie Cromack

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Drama

#1 Best Seller in AU and CA in European Drama

“Wow! That was the most intense slow burn that I have ever read.” ~ Sharon, Amazon Reviewer

He offered me a deal…

A deal I shouldn’t have taken.

Now that I’m in, how do I get out?

Niccolo Mancini is the last person I expected to steam into my life. Me, a struggling romance author. Him, a scorching-hot, Italian, film star who’s just skyrocketed to fame.

Our business agreement has us spending a lot of time together, much of it under the same roof.

As the terms of the deal play out, undeniable attraction ignites.

Secrets are exposed. Hearts entangle.

What’s a girl to do?

You’ll love this tantalizing, push-and-pull relationship because everyone yearns to experience the tumultuous journey that leads to a happily ever after. Get ready for a raw, real, emotional love story that will suck you in, hit all your feels, and leave your heart smiling.

Get it now!

Someone Exactly Like Me is a slow burn, friends to lovers, forced proximity romance about an off-limits celebrity and the romance author who unexpectedly steals his heart.

This is Book 1 in the Wounded Hearts Series. While it can be read as a standalone, your experience will be better if you read this book first. I hope you enjoy this soul mates, strong female friendship, broken hero, contemporary romance story. Great summer beach read!

**On Sale for Only .99cents July 11th-12th!!**

Amazon * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

Kiss Away Your Pain

The Wounded Hearts Duology Book 2

“When it comes to captivating slow burn romance, Ms. Cromack is a master at it. In this emotionally charged contemporary romance, she weaves a complex story of grief, heartbreak, family, friends, love, and happiness that is bound to etch a lasting impression on your soul.” ~Angela Ford, Romance Author

I’d had it all…

Career of my dreams. The best friend a girl could ask for.

And the love of my life. How could I have known he’d be gone too soon?

That kind of love doesn’t happen twice.

Until…

One. Single. Touch.

A passion ignites between us that neither of us have ever felt.

When the reality behind our intense connection comes to light, that passion explodes in our faces.

Once it’s revealed, there’s no undoing it, no changing it.

And I don’t know if I’ll ever get him back…

You’ll love this emotional love story filled with passion, grief, and learning to love again because everyone roots for a second chance at finding love. Grab your tissues and get ready for a raw, real, emotional love story that will suck you in, hit all your feels, and leave your heart smiling.

Get it now!

This is Book 2 in the Wounded Hearts Series. While it can be read as a standalone, your experience will be better if you read Someone Exactly Like Me first. I hope you enjoy this SLOW BURN, soul mates, broken / Mediterranean hero, contemporary romance story. Great summer beach read!

**PreOrder now for Only $1.99!**

Amazon * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

Debbie Cromack is a contemporary romance author who writes realistic, romantic love stories with a lot of heart and a hint of steam. She’s been called the master of the slow burn.

After spending 25+ years in corporate America, being the CEO of an event decorating company, and then an online business coach, she tried her hand at writing romance novels late in life and has been writing ever since.

She’s an Amazon international bestselling author and has been featured in Forbes.

The Personal Side of Her:

She has a bunny named Nutmeg, who’s quite the little snuggler. She also has two Nigerian dwarf goats, Patches and Tiny Tim, and many chickens.

She does her best to eat healthy and organic however, she does have a wicked sweet-tooth for chocolate and tries to only indulge on special occasions. Her biggest indulgence…hot cocoa!!

Website * Facebook * FB Group * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway