Garden of the Lost by D.J. Donaldson
Publisher: Dingbat Publishing
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (241 pages)
Rating: 5 Stars
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Is Conrad Green alive? The answer seems obvious. He moves, he breathes, he occasionally takes food. But inside, he’s dead, unable to write a word on his next novel, barely able to take care of himself, ruled by despair over the sudden death of his beautiful wife, Claire, six months ago. Since that dreadful day, he’s done only one significant thing. Feeling strangely drawn into a salvage yard, he discovers and buys an antique wrought iron fence that he installs around Claire’s beloved iris garden.
That night, at precisely 1:00 a.m., a little boy shows up in the garden. He’s holding onto the fence, looking inside at the flowers, and sobbing with such intensity, it pierces the gloom around Conrad’s heart. Conrad goes outside to help, but by the time he reaches the garden, the boy is gone. The same thing happens the next night. On the third night, when the boy reappears, a shocking event sends Conrad on a crazy quest that ultimately rocks his small town, uncovers its deepest secrets, and shows him there’s a lot about life — and death — he hasn’t understood.
Archives for February 2020
February 2020 Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Garden of the Lost by D.J. Donaldson
Ancestral Whispers by Jo Hiestand – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jo A Hiestand will be awarding a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Each year the residents of Nether Haddon celebrate the village’s founding in the time-honored way with games, music, and performances by their sword dancers. But something new is added to the fancy footwork this year: a team member dies … murdered. Fear, jealousy and suspicion quickly engulf the group, emotions as tightly interlocked as the five swords used in the dance: a series of turns, jumps and clogging steps intricate as Celtic knots. Was the victim the intended target, or should it have been someone else? In the course of the CID investigation, a mysterious 17th century puzzle is discovered. Does it hold a clue to the murder? Detective Brenna Taylor and her colleagues have more than enough to worry about. But unbeknownst to her, career criminal King Roper has escaped from prison where he was serving time for murder. Now free and eager to settle the score for his capture, Roper tracks down Brenna’s whereabouts, ready for revenge…
Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt
Dr. Robert Paladin had never operated on so notorious a criminal as King Roper. He’d been with Leeds General Hospital his entire career, since leaving his residency at Manchester Royal Infirmary twenty years prior. Yet that Monday morning, for the first time in his twenty-four years as a surgeon, he found it necessary to remind himself that he’d taken an oath all those years ago, an oath to assist everyone who needed medical attention, regardless of the patient’s social status. Still, the fact that he was about to operate on a known murderer made Paladin uneasy. He nudged the edge of Roper’s file folder, squaring up the bottom with the edge of his desk. The handwritten sticky note on the file cover stated the man’s condition in layman’s terms:
He picked up the folder, angling it in the sunlight. Surprised at the thickness of the file, he leafed idly through the papers. Typewritten pages gave way to computer printouts. Officials’ names varied, police departments and prisons changed, but the constant of King Roper’s career remained unvarying. Unless severity in his crimes constituted a shift. Paladin glanced at the top page. Smuggling, trafficking, kidnapping, murder. An assault on at least three in law enforcement.
Paladin lowered the folder slowly to his desktop. This was not going to be easy, surgery on the arm of someone so vile, so repulsive to his own morals. He gazed at the window, not really seeing it, but instead picturing what Roper might look like, what his personality might be. The face never did come into sharp focus, but no matter the presumed height, weight, or body type, Roper’s image always ended up with dark hair and eyes. Perhaps it was a throwback to good versus evil, light versus dark. He most likely was muscular, Paladin thought, and perhaps his body carried physical remnants of fights he’d had. Perhaps he was unscathed, his fingernails manicured and his face clean-shaven, signs that his underlings did the actual dirty work. Or perhaps he stuck his manicured hand into it every so often, the taste for blood or the thrill of wielding the knife too strong to cede. Whatever Roper turned out to be, both visions repulsed Paladin, and he found himself stiffening. Am I patching him up so he can continue inf
licting harm, perhaps murdering again? Is that why I’m a surgeon?
The minutes slipped away as the sunlight slowly slid across his desk. His Hippocratic oath guaranteed he’d do his best during Roper’s operation. But his family and faceless, nameless others whispered to him, silently asking for a surgical accident. Things routinely go wrong on the table; could he rid the world of this monster? Would it honestly matter to Society if he did? He glanced at the brass-cased clock on his desk. 0610 hours. Surgery on King Roper wasn’t until 1100. He had five hours to struggle with his conscience.
About the Author: 
A month-long trip to England during her college years introduced Jo to the joys of Things British. Since then, she has been lured back nearly a dozen times and lived there during her professional folksinging stint.
Jo’s insistence for accuracy–from police methods and location layout to the general “feel” of the area–has driven her innumerable times to Derbyshire for research. These explorations and conferences with police friends provide the details filling both her Peak District mysteries and the McLaren mystery series.
In 1999 Jo returned to Webster University to major in English. She graduated in 2001 with a BA degree and departmental honors.
Her McLaren mystery, BLACK MOON, received the ‘N.N. Light Best Mystery Book’ award for 2019.
Jo lives with her cat, Tennyson, and way too many kilts in the St. Louis-area.
Buy the book at Amazon, Kobo, or Barnes and Noble.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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The Other Family by Loretta Nyhan
The Other Family by Loretta Nyhan
Publisher: Lake Union
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (306 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by AloeWith a dissolving marriage, strained finances, and her life in flux, Ally Anderson longs for normal. Her greatest concerns, though, are the health problems of her young daughter, Kylie. Symptoms point to a compromised immune system, but every doctor they’ve seen has a different theory. Then comes hope for some clarity.
It’s possible that Kylie’s illness is genetic, but Ally is adopted. A DNA test opens up an entirely new path. And where it leads is a surprise: to an aunt Ally never knew existed. She’s a little wild, very welcoming, and ready to share more of the family history than Ally ever imagined.
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Coping with a skeptical soon-to-be-ex husband, weathering the cautions of her own resistant mother, and getting maddeningly close to the healing Kylie needs, Ally is determined to regain control of her life. This is her chance to embrace uncertainty and the beauty of family—both the one she was born into and the one she chose.
Ally’s separated from her husband. A divorce is coming. She also has a sick child that doctors aren’t able to diagnose. She’s living with her Mom. She loves her dearly but they don’t always see eye to eye. And now, her soon to be ex, husband is thinking of dating again because he’s lonely.
This author does a good job of showing all the character’s emotions. The main character is trying to do the right thing but she runs into roadblocks. She keeps going though. The author writes compassionately, with smooth flowing words, and really draws you in to her story.
She decides to try a new doctor that she liked the reviews on. The doctor is a bit odd but Ally hopes she can help her daughter. When her husband finds out, he wants to go the appointments too. He’s skeptical about the doctor but she is helping. Since Ally was adopted, the doctor suggests DNA testing to see Kylie’s genetic footprint. The only surprise is that Ally finds out she has aunt not far away.
She decides to visit and is welcomed. The aunt owns a bridal shop. The funny part is that she meets one of the bridal customers. She’s an old woman of ninety years old. She’s not shy.
Then she decides to run for the school board. She’s running against the new woman in her husband’s life and an attractive man. Her daughter is slowly getting better. It’s a long road to wellness with an auto-immune disease that has gone off the rails…The author makes you cheer her characters on. She also makes you want to read more about them. It’s a good read that will hook you.
Bad Girl Gone Good by Kenzie Mack
Bad Girl Gone Good by Kenzie Mack
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short story (62 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by FernJill Whitney uses her independent lifestyle to keep her heartbreak hidden. Her carefree attitude worked for years, but casual hook-ups no longer leave her satisfied. Perhaps it’s time to open more than her legs to the next man she desires.
When Kyle Darren lost his wife and parents within months, his life became joyless and gray. A fresh start in a new city fails to relieve his dark funk. Until he meets a woman who infuses his world with color and opens his heart to new possibilities.
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Until recently, Jill had found plenty of sexy satisfaction from hot, no-strings-attached flings from handsome strangers. But after eight non-orgasmic interludes she knew something needed changing up to get her back on her game. For years she’d used quick sex and fleeting orgasms to run from her past pain and family’s betrayal. Much as Jill was loathe to admit it, maybe it was time for her to allow a man access to more than just her panties?
I found this to be an interesting and steamy read. I was pleased that there was a lot more complexity and depth to Jill than just a burned woman seeking gratification in an endless stream of men. Under her blasé attitude and string of conquests she was relatable and vulnerable – both characteristics which I could understand and appreciate. Kyle, was also more than just a shy nerd feeling slightly depressed and quite lonely in a new town. I enjoyed watching these two characters circle each other and try to work out what, exactly, lay between them.
It was delightfully refreshing to me how Kyle, initially at least, simply wanted friendship with Jill. I was amused how much this perplexed her – it was completely different from most of her previous experience and totally threw her for a loop. But while Kyle could feel attraction to Jill, he still mourned the death of his wife and I found it just wonderful how for a change it was the hero who needed time and space to sort his feelings out and come around to an intimate relationship. I thought this change-up in the usual stereotypes, as well as the balance between building a proper, romantic relationship and keeping the sensuality simmering between Kyle and Jill was handled really well by the author.
Sexy and romantic, this story checked a lot of the boxes for me and I really found myself interested and invested in Kyle and Jill’s relationship. The conflict aspect of the story was quite clichéd (I could see it coming from a mile off) and while it was understandable and realistic a part of me felt let down that it was so predictable. I was extremely relieved that this misunderstanding was put right very quickly and even to a degree helped Kyle and Jill deepen their relationship. The slower pace of the growing relationship between Jill and Kyle, their characters and complexities were all really well written and quite refreshing to me. The sex, when it finally came, was scorching hot and the perfect level of naughty.
With an interesting and slightly different style of plot and two really relatable and intriguing characters overall I found this short story to be a great read. Recommended.
…
Finding Frances by Kelly Vincent – Spotlight and Giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kelly Vincent will be awarding a $40 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Retta Brooks thinks her life is on track after convincing her overprotective mom to stop home-schooling her and allow her go to Buckley High. She comes home from a night out with friends to find that her whole world has changed, and she has extremely hard decisions to make. Not to mention finding the answers to questions some people would rather she not know. Is she strong enough for what lies ahead?
Enjoy an Excerpt
I Googled everything I knew about the crash. I had the rough date, so I searched for news records of wrecks then. But there were tons, and the old newspaper records required payment. I found a few sites that would let me search accident reports by state, which made me realize I didn’t even know for certain where the crash had happened.
I did know that right after it happened, Mom had moved us to Buckley and rented this house. I’d been born in Lincoln, Nebraska, so maybe it had happened in Nebraska. Yet I’d always assumed we had already been living somewhere in Iowa. Maybe it was Mom’s family who was from Nebraska. But where else in Iowa had we lived? Des Moines, since that was the newspaper I’d found?
Also, it occurred to me that it was weird we didn’t have much money. If all those people had died, surely Mom inherited money or got insurance money. It made no sense.
Googling everybody who had died brought up records of long-dead people with similar names and nothing more. What if it was all made up? What if those weren’t their names at all? What if I was adopted—or worse, kidnapped? That would be crazy. But it also would explain why Mom was so paranoid.
Could that really be it?
About the Author:
Kelly Vincent wrangles data weekdays and spends the rest of her time playing with words. She grew up in Oklahoma but has moved around quite a bit, with Glasgow, Scotland being her favorite stop. She now lives near Seattle with three cats who definitely help her write her stories. She’s also working toward the Red Earth Master of Fine Arts in creative writing at Oklahoma City University.
Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Poisoned Pawn by David Siegel Bernstein
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. David Siegel Bernstein will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
I want to start by thanking Long and Short Reviews for taking the time for this interview. Okay, let’s get down to business. Here are a bunch of things that (I think) most people don’t know (or guess) about me. Well, here we go.
1. I was on the television show Bozo the Clown. Don’t judge me. I was a cute kid.
2. To go with my tough guy motif, I own a Toy Poodle named Ringo Biggles Woofington. He may, or may not, have a guess appearance in Poisoned Pawn. I have included a photo of him.
3. I am a black belt in Tae Kwon Do (the style of combat the main character uses in Poisoned Pawn)
4. To support my writing addiction and excessively extravagant lifestyle, I am a data scientist and forensic statistician.
5. My hobbies include reinventing the wheel, the Sisyphus relief project, and referring to myself in third person as THE David lest fools confuse me with the other ones.
6. I have a kick-ass comic collection (which makes me popular with the ladies… right?).
7. I am a firm believer in supporting the writing community. I am on the board of directors for the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference and I lead the writers group Words-in-Progress.
8. I have a PhD.
9. I enjoy a good game of chess.
10. I served in the Civil Air Patrol
(bonus: I play a mean Axe. Yep, I jam on the guitar Guitar)
That’s it from me. Feel free to comment with interesting facts about yourself. Or impress me by posting a fact about me that you’ve discovered. Cheers!
Caleb Jacobs is a man with a past. After serving on a failed dark ops assignment in Afghanistan, he leaves Marine Corps Intelligence to try to build a new life in Philadelphia as a homicide police detective.
Jacobs is happy, for a time, until he is assigned to solve the murder of Shannon Faraday. During the investigation, he is convinced the evidence points to him as the killer. He knows it is only a matter of time before other investigators see the same. He has no alibi and the clock is counting down.
Behind his partner’s back, Jacobs hires a private investigator named Lawrence Holmes. The PI is an irritation to the police, but he is unmistakably brilliant. And, many powerful people in the city owe him favors. Holmes is a bit odd. He insists on calling Jacobs Watson but claims to never have heard the name Sherlock. Jacobs can live with this kind of crazy as long as together they find the real killer.
They quickly link the murder to a series of seemingly unrelated crimes occurring throughout Philadelphia, and Jacobs becomes convinced the murder is related to the truth of what had happened during his time in Afghanistan. Old secrets have come back to haunt him.
Read an Excerpt
I felt like shit for having to hire a private investigator, especially one who was most likely insane. Still, I couldn’t deny that his type of crazy got results. Reluctantly I handed over an envelope to the man sitting on the sun-bleached bench.
He opened it. Satisfied with my offering, he slid it into his jacket. “Ah, Watson,” he said. “Good to see you again.”
I shook my head and dropped onto the bench next to him. “My name is Jacobs. Caleb Jacobs,” I said, hoping the reminder might stick this time.
He turned to me. “Did you say something?”
I sighed. “No, Holmes.”
If I wasn’t desperate for his help, I’d strangle him. Of course my superiors at the Philadelphia Homicide Unit wouldn’t appreciate that. But I wondered if a cop hiring a private investigator was any worse of a violation. I needed Lawrence Holmes for his connections and unique viewpoint, things my PHU colleagues couldn’t provide. He might not be the fictional character he played at, but he was a talented PI.
About the Author:
To support his writing addiction and excessively extravagant lifestyle, David Siegel Bernstein, PhD, is a data scientist who consults as a forensic statistician. That sounds really boring until you realize that his clients include the US National Security Agency (NSA), the Secret Service, the FBI, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and a host of other acronymonious agencies who cultivate exciting and shadowy reputations. Alas, those reputations are mere facades that disguise the real reason these organizations exist, which is to keep him entertained and fed.
When David wants a break from this spellbinding work, he writes. His fiction credits encompass two novelettes and sixty shorts. His nonfiction has appeared in newsletters, popular blogs, academic journals and he is the author of the book Blockbuster Science: The Real Science in Science Fiction.
He lives within the shadow of Philadelphia with his wife, Michelle, two children, Seth and Gwendolyn, and a dog named Ringo Biggles Woofington.
Blog | Amazon Author Page | Facebook/ | Twitter | Instagram
Buy the book at Amazon, Kobo, or Barnes and Noble.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Garden of the Lost by D.J. Donaldson
Garden of the Lost by D.J. Donaldson
Publisher: Dingbat Publishing
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (241 pages)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe
Is Conrad Green alive? The answer seems obvious. He moves, he breathes, he occasionally takes food. But inside, he’s dead, unable to write a word on his next novel, barely able to take care of himself, ruled by despair over the sudden death of his beautiful wife, Claire, six months ago. Since that dreadful day, he’s done only one significant thing. Feeling strangely drawn into a salvage yard, he discovers and buys an antique wrought iron fence that he installs around Claire’s beloved iris garden.
Acid heartburn On the off chance that there is no impact of this medication please abstain from taking more pills of buy kamagra online and buy kamagra from any of the online kamagra shop. buy tadalafil cheap It works by smoothing muscle relaxation which allows increase in blood flow into certain areas of the penis, which results in the strong and long-lasting erections.Caverta contains Sildenafil citrate as the active constituent. viagra canada online Lie on your back on the floor or on your cialis discount online bed. Normally, doctors start the treatment through non-restorative strategies for managing the issue of erection. generic levitra 10mg That night, at precisely 1:00 a.m., a little boy shows up in the garden. He’s holding onto the fence, looking inside at the flowers, and sobbing with such intensity, it pierces the gloom around Conrad’s heart. Conrad goes outside to help, but by the time he reaches the garden, the boy is gone. The same thing happens the next night. On the third night, when the boy reappears, a shocking event sends Conrad on a crazy quest that ultimately rocks his small town, uncovers its deepest secrets, and shows him there’s a lot about life — and death — he hasn’t understood.
Sometimes the past can’t help but to bleed into the present.
Conrad was such an interesting protagonist. His profession as a writer meant he was quite used to doing research and following every rabbit trail he found. These strengths of his came in pretty handy as he attempted to find out what happened to the child who appeared in his garden. What endeared me to him even more, though, was how his weaknesses also affected his investigation. For example, he could be stubborn at times and occasionally had trouble recognizing when he should ask others for help. While I can’t go into any more detail than that without wandering into spoiler territory, I was pleased with how much effort the author put into creating such a three-dimensional and sympathetic protagonist. He was a wonderful character to get to know.
Not only was Conrad well-developed, the supporting characters were as well. I especially enjoyed meeting his elderly neighbor, Ann. She was a warm, kind person who was far more complex than she might have appeared to be at first glance. I enjoyed getting to know her on a deeper level as her friendship with Conrad grew and she began revealing things to him about her past that she didn’t seem to want to discuss with most other folks.
The mystery of what happened to the little ghost boy was nicely written. There were exactly enough clues about his life and death for me to have something to think about as I kept reading. I also liked the way the storyline gradually introduced new details about this child that made me look at the previous hints about him in an entirely new light.
Exploring the small town setting was also a treat. Figuring out the politics of living in this sort of place can be tricky, especially for city folks like the main character who have no idea just how interconnected everyone is when most folks are born, live, and die in the same community. The author captured the both the upsides and the downsides of living in an insulated place like this perfectly.
Garden of the Lost was hauntingly beautiful. I highly recommend it!
The Two-Date Rule by Tawna Fenske
The Two-Date Rule by Tawna Fenske
Publisher: Entangled Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Lengt (320 pgs)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review by: HoneysuckleWilla Frank has one simple rule: never go on a date with anyone more than twice. Now that her business is providing the stability she’s always needed, she can’t afford distractions. Her two-date rule will protect her just fine…until she meets smokejumper Grady Billman.
After one date―one amazing, unforgettable date―Grady isn’t ready to call it quits, despite his own no-attachments policy, and he’s found a sneaky way around both their rules.
Throwing gutter balls with pitchers of beer? Not a real date. Everyone knows bowling doesn’t count.
Watching a band play at a local show? They just happen to have the same great taste in music. Definitely not a date.
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With every “non-date” Grady suggests, his reasoning gets more ridiculous, and Willa must admit she’s having fun playing along. But when their time together costs Willa two critical clients, it’s clear she needs to focus on the only thing that matters―her future. And really, he should do the same.
But what is she supposed to do with a future that looks gray without Grady in it?
Is it really a dating rule when you go out of your way to break it? This book had me looking forward to each new ‘non-date’ that Grady and Willa came up with to work around her self imposed ‘two date rule’. The author built the tension with each meeting and the chemistry was hot enough to warrant a fire hazard. Such a fun story!
Willa has a history that made such an impact on who she is today. It impacts every decision she makes for herself to not become her mother, to not go down the path of her father. To make a better life that she can call her own and be proud of. To a fault. Ms Fenske sprinkles in bits and pieces along the way and I could see Willa creating these rules (not just for dating) to protect herself. To have control of her life. But she needed to have that life plan shaken up a bit and one seriously sexy smokejumper was just the right slice of perfect to show her that plans can be changed.
I’m not sure what amused me more. The not so smooth attempts at justifying the ‘non-dates’ or the witty dialogue. It was all good and kept me turning pages. They just had to figure this out. Grady and Willa needed each other and I love love love finding stories where I want to get to know the characters so I can help them find their HEA. That’s not really an option so second best is reading an author who brings me right into the story. This is one of those books.
Willa’s relationship with her dad tugged on all the feels. She says more than once that he’s ‘complicated’ and I got that. I felt her anxiety when she remembered or spoke of her childhood. I knew Willa would have to come to terms with her past and I had no doubt there would be way more sparks between her and Grady before that was settled. I mentioned the feels this book stirs up. It was on both ends of the spectrum including wanting to throw something at her through my Kindle at one point.
Grady had work to do and I loved the advice his father gives him. And it was going to require patience and perseverance. He’s not perfect, he also had his own issues to work through. That’s why I loved them together. They had their own independent lives but they gravitated to each other. It was beautiful and I want more smokejumper stories now.
The Two-Date Rule ends on the perfect note. Tawna Fenske is a fantastic story teller and I’ll be watching for new stories to be released as well as checking out her book log.
The Captain & the Best Man by Eleanor Harkstead & Catherine Curzon
The Captain & the Best Man by Eleanor Harkstead & Catherine Curzon
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (152 pages)
Other: M/M, Anal Sex
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by MoonflowerWhen Josh meets handsome airline pilot Captain Guy Collingwood on a sun-kissed island, he finds out what flying first class really means!
When Josh leaves the rainy shore of England for the sun-drenched tropical island of St Sebastian, his biggest worry is remembering his best man’s speech. But a chance meeting with handsome airline pilot Captain Guy Collingwood leads to a hot and raunchy holiday romance.
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Guy’s everything Josh is looking for in his ideal man. Mature, dashing and confident, he’s also single and more than happy to show Josh the pleasures of St Sebastian. Yet Guy’s unruffled demeanor hides a past regret. Is the wedding of Josh’s best friend about to reopen a painful chapter that has never fully closed?As a fearsome tropical storm threatens the island paradise and a broken family threatens Josh and Guy’s happiness, the stakes have never been higher. Can St Sebastian work its magic to heal past wounds and will Josh and Guy’s holiday fling take flight?
What happens if you put an older pilot with a young HR Manager? Well, let me tell you. Bliss in St. Seb’s would be the correct answer!
Guy and Josh – or Gosh – enter a whirlwind romance that starts with a cinnamon bun at the airport but quickly transforms into real emotions. Josh is there to be best man to his best friend and Guy is at St. Seb’s for some well-deserved downtime in his home. Now, of course, the path of true love can’t run smoothly. Where’s the fun in that? However, in this book, it’s not THEIR path that is troubled. I won’t bother telling you about it, that’s what the blurb is for. Just trust me when I say the storm isn’t only on the outside!
The descriptions in this book are outstanding. St. Seb’s is now an island I want to visit after reading about the blue seas and white sands. The emotions are also really well-written, making it easy to understand just how something becomes the big deal as it is.
I found the pacing to be smooth and the characters genuinely likeable. I’d love to actually have some of the fiction become fact on my next flight but I really can’t see that happening somehow. All in all, this was a great read with love being the star of the show. Absolutely recommended by me.
How to Handle Negative Criticism by Nino Gugunishvili – Guest Blog and Giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nino Gugunishvili will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Hurray! Your book is published, its cover attractively glowing on a virtual or physical shelf, or ideally on both! Congratulations! That’s when you’re trapped! You’re now stepping into the least comfortable parts of the road, nervously waiting for feedback from your potential readers.
I think it’s better if I say it now: Listen, you’ll have gigantic bumps on that road, and do not under any circumstances believe anyone who tells you otherwise, ever.
You’re going to have readers who, unlike your immediate family members or few of your close friends, won’t necessarily think that you’re the next Jane Austen, Donna Tartt, or J.K. Rowling.
Sadly, the ones not believing in your inner brilliance and that unparalleled talent of yours will often be in the majority. Yes, that’s exactly how tough it is! And it won’t help a tiny bit that your genius mind is to remember every word of every critical feedback you’ll ever receive, every sentence and comma in all of the negative reviews of your book!
Let’s be honest, there are so many reasons why your book can be hated; For the cover? Yes! For the story? Yes! For the characters? Definitely! For the beginning? Yes! For the middle?Undoubtedly! And for the end? Yes, yes, and million times yes! You may even become a queen of one-star reviews, and if you think you can prepare yourself for it, well, the truth is, no single human being living in the entire galaxy, has ever been prone to negativity and criticism. It’s painful, it shatters you, you feel betrayed and destroyed! Yes, I know, been there. Yes, life is unfair! At least sometimes. Read, often.
But guess what? As much as you’d want it to, luckily, the world doesn’t stop because someone has criticized your work. The universe doesn’t give a damn about it. Neither about you nor about the author of your bad review. You’ll both live happily ever after, in the parallel worlds. So, be the universe, keep moving forward, keep writing, that’s the only way to deal with it, I’m afraid.
Love, memories, family, enduring friendships, cooking, movies, dogs, travels, hairstyles, and saying Yes to many No’s in a witty, yet often sentimental, journey of self-discovery…
You Will Have a Black Labrador is a collection of semiautobiographical essays forming a narrative about a modern Georgian woman. Her stories range from the search for a perfect romantic partner to exploring food as an integral part of the Georgian culture. Many of the vignettes center on childhood memories or weird family traditions, such as the way family members stay connected no matter if they’re deceased or alive. One essay reveals how making a simple omelette can change your life; and that No can be the most powerful word in any language. She shows us, too, that a haircut can be a tribute to the movies you love as well as a path to your freedom; and how owning a dog always brings unexpected experiences. In this poignantly humourous collection, reality mixes and interferes with an imaginative world in so many surprising ways.
Enjoy an Excerpt
For my first-ever cooking fiasco, I blame my brother and the day he asked me to make two boiled eggs. I threw myself into the task unaware of the consequences it would have on my life.
‘Don’t forget to salt them, okay?’ he told me nonchalantly, and that detail of adding salt completely ruined my teenager years. The dish I prepared after an hour of struggle resembled boiled eggs like a giraffe resembles a cat. I had no idea how to boil and salt the eggs simultaneously, so I decided to simply smash them into the hot water. By the end of my first-ever culinary attempt, we had no more eggs in the house and I had to clean every surface in our kitchen, accompanied by my brother’s hysterical laughter.
This story became an anecdote. My family members would tell it over and over to their friends and to friends of friends. It mercilessly followed me everywhere I went, and resurfaced when I least expected it. Two boiled eggs—the embarrassment of my life.
That’s why, from the age of eleven or twelve, I was willing to have a go at any new challenge except, well, cooking. But—I have to add a huge but here—in my family, cooking and serving a meal always was, and still is, quintessential. The most important question you’d hear at our house is either ‘Are you hungry?’ or ‘Have you eaten?’ presuming that as long as you were not hungry, everything else was secondary.
About the Author: 
“You Will Have a Black Labrador” is Nino Gugunishvili’s recently released collection of short essays. She is also the author of a women’s fiction novel, Friday Evening, Eight O’Clock, published in English and Russian. She resides in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Buy the book at Amazon.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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