#LiveToday! #99cents! “Abuse, heartache, love and losing a child. Never did she give up on love. ‘When Angels Fly‘ well worth the read.”

Review: Sarah is wracked with every possible adverse event a mother could face. She grew up with the mother from “hell,” a woman who dragged her around the house by her hair. To get away, she married a man who was an alcoholic and a wife beater, mentally and physically. Sarah finally found the happiness she sought in the baby, Joshua, who passed away early on. Then came two other healthy boys, Noah and Eli. Things were looking up for Sarah. Until the unthinkable happened. Eli came down with Cancer, a rare and aggressive form that zapped the life out of him. This is the story of Sarah’s struggle to care for and keep Eli alive with the help of some superb medical professionals and despite some inept and incompetent doctors and nurses. To add fuel to this fire, mother Ethel and husband Henry do their best to sabotage everything Sarah tries to do for her son. There are the court hearings, the constant verbal abuse, recording conversations, and stealing Sarah’s documentaries about her son’s care. The divorce that takes way-to-long to finalize.

But, along with that, there are the good times. The moments when Eli sets up squirt water game at the medical professionals with a needleless syringe—and other games that make Eli and his mother laugh. There’s Eli’s little red tricycle that he races down he hallways. There’s Matt, a true and increasingly deep friend who surrounds Sarah with love, something she’s needed for a long time.

“What ever was attacking his thin little body was simply eating up all the platelets as soon as they were transfused.” ~ Sarah

“Just when I thought I couldn’t cry anymore, out poured more tears. I cried silently around Eli as my heart broke into a million pieces.” ~ Sarah.

“When Angels Fly” is a cross between memoir and journal. I can’t imagine the story being written any other way. 

The book engrossed me so that I fell into the lives and surroundings of Sarah, Eli, Noah, Ardy, Matt—Henry, Ethel and Gavin and all the medical staff. They were a fascinating study of humanity (and non-humanity.) I gave this story five stars. It was well-worth the read and embraced my entire emotional center. ~ Patricia A. Guthrie

#CoPromos #bestseller #Memoir #AuthorUProar #ASMSG #childhoodcancer #braincancer #IARTG #Romance #hairloss #BookBoost

Hi, everyone. Harmony here. Many thanks to Mary for hosting me today. I have a new book on pre-order called FALLOUT, which is a post-apocalyptic dystopia. This novel started out life by playing a little game. I sat and closed my eyes and imagined an empty room … in that room, a vial appeared. A dull orange plastic thing covered in scratches. It sloshed when I shook it. From that tiny beginning, the world of Exxon 1 and its deadly virus was born.

Who should Priya take the vial to?

Who can she trust in this uncertain world?

Does it hold the only known cure or not?

Fallout Blurb

WHEN EVERYTHING FALLS APART, WHAT CAN YOU DO?

The year is 3040.

The location is Exxon 1, part of a six-planet system in settled space.

Determined to avoid the mistakes of old Earth, the surviving humans avoided democracy and opted, instead, for a non-elective totalitarian system.

The new way worked well, until now.

A crazy, despotic president releases a nano-virus on the population.

No one was ready for the fallout. It came anyway.

In this post-apocalyptic world, can you stay safe?

Excerpt

Kaleb smiled, still at ease, and took a step toward the coffee-skinned man he’d called Marino. ‘We’ll go together. No need for the gun. We’re all friends here.’ 

Marino said, ‘Orders.’ However, his actions belied his words when he lowered the weapon so that it pointed at the floor. Kaleb took another step forward, then another. ‘I know, mate. I’m not fighting you on this.’

Marino’s shoulders came forward a little, and his spine lost its rigidity. Priya puffed out a soft breath of relief. This might work out yet. Then, in one fluid, sudden, and unexpected move, going from at-ease to a pouncing raptor in less than a second, Kaleb sprang. He grabbed the gun from the soldier, swung it ass-backward, and slammed the butt into Marino’s jaw. The man crumpled to the ground in an unconscious heap.

‘What are you doing?’ Priya yelled. Soldiers shouldn’t be attacking one another. ‘You … he … Who are you?’ She backed away, hands up in front of her, palms out, and cursed herself for not getting away from him before now.

Author Bio

After spending around thirteen years as an ordained Buddhist monk, living in a Zen Buddhist temple, and six years after a life-changing injury following a surgical error, Harmony Kent returned to the world at the tender age of forty.

Now, she is famous for her laughter, and has made quite the name for herself … she’s also, um, a writer … and fairly well known for that too. She’s even won a few awards. Harmony lives in rural Cornwall with her ever-present sense of humour, adorable husband, and quirky neighbours.

Harmony is passionate about supporting her fellow authors. 

Links

Website: https://harmonykent.co.uk/

Story Empire (co-authored): https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/

Amazon Author Page: author.to/HarmonysBooks

Twitter: @harmony_kent

LinkedIn: Harmony

Goodreads: Author Page

FALLOUT Pre-order Link: mybook.to/FALLOUT

Please welcome Suzy Davies to my blog reading friends. Take a seat, Suzy, and we shall begin. 

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

My name’s Suzy Davies, and I’m a multi genre author. I’ve written one romance novel and the rest of my books are for children and young adults. Thank you, Mary, for inviting me to be your guest.

Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book? 

I started writing when I was six years old – short stories and poems. Writing has always been something I’ve enjoyed doing. As a child, I had work published in a children’s magazine, “Pictorial Knowledge,” in the “Letters to The Editor” section. My poem, “Chess Board World,” was published in Nuneaton High School For Girls’ School Magazine. I realized people enjoyed reading my work. In the 1990s, Forward Poetry published my poems, “Crystal,” and “Love in Autumn.” However, I didn’t become a professional writer until 2014, when I wrote and published my debut novel, “Johari’s Window,” published by SilverWood Books. My very first children’s book came out in 2016, traditionally published by Snow Leopard Publishing. Getting my work published as a professional writer was a natural progression for me.

How difficult was it writing your first book?

Since my focus is on children’s books, I’ll talk about “Snugs The Snow Bear,” my first book written for kids. I was very lucky that after only 10 submissions to publishers, this book was chosen and published traditionally. Writing Snugs was like a breeze, to be honest. I think I had the first draft out in about 2 weeks. I was so excited – it felt so right! The challenge in this book was giving children insights into Green Issues without letting the facts detract from the entertainment value of the animal characters.

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

I have never thought about giving up, really! Why would I? Writing makes me feel happy!

Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

There are so many people who have helped me.

Apart from my late parents who always read to me at bedtime and encouraged me to read and to write, the first person ever to help me was a teacher at Nuneaton High School For Girls called Mrs. Pontefract. She admired an essay I had written, and told me I was a talented writer. I listened to her, but I didn’t really know much about what being a writer involved. I knew I could write, and that was all. But I think it made a big impact on me at a subliminal level. I always felt confident when I had essays to write. Writing is like a continuous thread in my life – the one thing I knew early on I could do well. The writing habit carried on into adulthood, and I went from strength to strength.

Among people who have helped me recently are Helen Hart, my first publisher, who is always very positive and supportive.

Sheila Graber, award-winning world-acclaimed famous artist, (known for drawing Paddington Bear for the British Broadcasting Corporation,) animator, educator, movie-maker and writer, who collaborates with me, has compared my work  in “Luna The Moon Pig” to that of Beatrix Potter. I feel honored and humbled.  I’m so thrilled to be working with her. She always tells me “keep going” and I will. We often chat on the phone or via email, and we love talking about creative ideas together. We share a deep love of the sea, art, cats, education, nature in general, and books.

Laurie Shanholtzer is great fun to work with and she is very supportive of me and my writing. Working with Laurie on “Sleepy Animals” was a joy. Laurie and I both enjoy the outdoors and the wildlife we encounter very near our homes. We share a love of art, wild animals, books and travel.

I’m currently also working with a self-taught artist who creates colorful paintings and illustrations. I’m super-excited about our first book together which is top secret at the moment. Already I have discovered we have much in common – we are both David Bowie fans, love flowers and animals!  She has a very upbeat approach and she creates her work, which has fabulous colors, at lightning speed! Her identity will be revealed when our upcoming young adult/children’s book is ready to be launched.

My husband, Craig, encourages and supports me a great deal. He is a very good sounding board, and listened to my “Sleepy Animals” bedtime story poems all the way through. He has great ears, and, as a writer, he knows what works.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

A huge thank you for your support. Thank you for reading my work.

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

Craig, my husband, has advised me to give my writing my all, and regard it as a long-term project. I understand that this is very good advice, and that instant results never come. Hard work, focus and dedication get there in the end. A bit like the tortoise, right? I write from the heart, and I think my readers can feel that in my words.

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

For my children’s picture books, my target audience is 4-7. Children at this age are inquisitive about the world around them, and they love animals. They also like to have something to read that is simple, but with a few challenges to help them develop and grow as readers. I feel that my picture books, “Sleepy Animals,” and “Luna The Moon Pig,” match  the interests and needs of my target audience.

“Snugs The Snow Bear” is aimed at middle-grade readers, and the language is more sophisticated in this book with “chapters” at just the right length to hold their attention. The world of the book has an equal emphasis on family and peer group. The green issues theme in this book ties nicely in with what children are learning. Children at this age begin to take in the wider world even more and there is less of a “me” focus. They grow increasingly curious and aware of the world around them. They are beginning to form their own opinions about things, and like to chat about what they read with their peers. My book offers them a way to engage with what is happening in the world that is non-threatening and informative. The illustrations by Peter Hall are a little more grown up than those for my picture books to reflect the ideal readership for Snugs which is 6 to 8 years.

Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

The cover for my new picture book release, “Sleepy Animals,” is illustrated by notable artist, Laurie Shanholtzer. Laurie is a third generation artist, whose family members include the nationally recognized Vincent Maragliotti, Aunt Iris Guarducci, a Pulitzer Prize winner in portraits, and her mother, Gina Tetzlaff, a prominent New York dress designer. Laurie is former President of the Tri State Arts Association, and has been juror for numerous exhibitions in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. Laurie presented extensive lectures and workshops including the Armand Hamer Collection, area school workshops for students and teachers, and various civic groups. She is a member of the American Society of Portrait Artists, The New York Society of Portrait Artists and the Tri State Arts Association. Laurie’s focus is now on doing what she loves most – art for children and their grown-ups. All of the pictures for “Sleepy Animals” were originally for children’s bedrooms, and they are available on Laurie’s Etsy shop site. Laurie has adapted them as the cover art and illustrations for our book. Laurie’s whimsical artwork was a great inspiration for my little animal poems which tell each wild animal’s bedtime story.

What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I’m just putting the finishing touches to another book of narrative poems called “Celebrating The Seasons.” This book is the follow-up book to “Sleepy Animals” and it is aimed at children a little older who are 7-9 years. Laurie Shanholtzer’s illustrations in pastels are wonderful! It will be coming out later on this year so look for the cover reveal!

I’m also working on a young adult story which is a reimagining of a classic fairy tale. Sorry, I can’t reveal any of my secrets about this upcoming book yet.

I continue to work on the adult novel, “The Blue Talisman”  about a ring with magical powers.

Any last words before we wrap things up?

Thanks, once again, Mary. And thank you to all those lovely readers who support me and my work.

Amazon.com: https://t.co/7uKxN5Cs94 

Suzy Davies, Author – Author Profile and Social Links.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/473767.Suzy_Davies

“Sleepy Animals,” on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45857687-sleepy-animals

Quora platform: https://www.quora.com/profile/Suzy-Davies

Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/SuzyDaviesWrites

Bookbub platform: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/suzy-davies 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/birdwriter7

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/birdwriter2/