Books are food for my soul! Pull up a beach chair and stick your toes in the sand as the Jersey surf rolls in and out, now open your book and let your imagination take you away.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Unexpecting by Lori Verni-Fogarsi (Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews welcomes Lori Verni-Fogarsi, author of Unexpecting!







Author Guest Post


I'm originally a native New Yorker. And while I don't generally believe in stereotypes, I'll be the first to admit that I do have that "shoot from the hip" quality that is a trait commonly seen with New Yorkers, although I now live in North Carolina.

Anyhow, my two kids and two step kids will be the first to tell you that I definitely do "tell it like it is," even if I do sometimes provide a bit more shock value than they may have expected. After all, that is the "value" of shocking someone, isn't it? The unexpected aspect?

With them currently being 12, 15, 18, and 20, they have each experienced various age-appropriate versions of me talking about how careful they should be when considering sharing their bodies, and how should they choose not to accept my advice, they need to know that it will not be me who ends up raising a baby I didn't sign up for. Harsh? Maybe. But my hope is that neither my life nor theirs will be the irrevocably affected by a bad choice made on one steamy summer night.

So when I came up with the idea of Unexpecting, a story in which the main character does end up raising a baby she didn't "sign up for," it involved a lot of soul searching on my part. Despite my tough exterior stance on this, how would I really feel over the course of time? Would my resentment honestly prevent me from warming up to a sweet, innocent baby? Or would I end up feeling just as strongly about him as I did when my own kids were babies? Or maybe I would feel somewhere in between?

Writing Unexpecting really challenged me to examine myself on a deeper level and explore who I am, who I think I might be in the future, and how I might handle crises with my children or husband, should they ever come up. In fact, there were times when the emotional struggles became so difficult, I had to set aside writing for weeks at a time.

In the end? I'm not sure whether in real life I myself would handle things exactly the way the main character in the story did, but it sure was fun exploring it along the way! I very much look forward to hearing what readers think, and whether they think they would handle things the same way, differently, or somewhere in between!

Thank you for hosting me on your blog! I hope everyone enjoyed the above perspective and I look forward to getting to know you and your readers more in their comments!



About The Author




Lori Verni-Fogarsi has been an author, speaker, and small business consultant since 1995. She has been featured in major media including Lifetime Women's Network, the My Carolina Today Show, and Boston Globe Forums Live.

Her public speaking has occurred at many prestigious venues including North Carolina State University, Nassau Community College, and many more.

She has received two awards for her novel, Momnesia, and her nonfiction, Everything You Need to Know About House Training Puppies and Adult Dogs, continues to be one of the most highly recommended in its genre since 2005.

Lori is a happy married mom of two, step mom of two more, and has two cats, both rotten. Originally a native New Yorker, she now divides her time between Raleigh, NC, and Lake Gaston, VA.

She is very excited about the release of Unexpecting, and looks forward to her book tour, interviews, launch parties, and other festivities!


AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
PINTEREST
GOOGLE+
LINKEDIN
GOODREADS
Unexpecting by Lori Verni-Fogarsi ~ Virtual Book Tour Page: Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours




Book Review



Unexpecting by Lori Verni-Fogarsi
Publisher: Brickstone Publishing
Publication Date: March 14, 2013
Format: Paperback - 272 pages / Kindle - 507 KB 
ISBN: 0984028439
ASIN: B00BUTM2R4
Genre: Chick Lit / Women's Fiction


BUY THE BOOK: Unexpecting


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.


Book Description:

Shelley and David are a couple of almost-empty-nesters preparing to embark on the next stage of their life. They've just ordered white furniture and are planning the vacation they've waited their entire lives to take.

Their lives are catapulted in a completely different direction when Alexandra, seventeen and pregnant, shows up on their doorstep and announces that she's the daughter they never knew they had! Their life becomes filled with dilemmas as they add not only another child, but also a baby to a household that was just about to become serene.

Shelley feels like she no longer fits in anywhere and to top it off, having two teenaged girls suddenly plunged into being sisters and school mates is not exactly warm and fuzzy. When Alexandra's behavior becomes erratic, the couple is faced with even tougher decisions to make.

Hold on for an emotional yet witty ride as you join this family of characters in a story of love, loyalty, heartbreak, and humor that will stay with you long after you turn the last page!


Book Excerpt:


Alexandra’s Perspective (Chapter 5)

Alexandra sat in her room with the curtains drawn, the only light coming from the flicker of the small, ancient, black and white TV she’d brought from her mom’s house. It was ridiculous, the stupid thing, with tin foil scrunched around the old-fashioned rabbit ears that were not removable even though it was hooked up to cable and they weren’t doing anything.

I should at least take off the tin foil, she thought. But she was so exhausted. And the noise might wake up Patrick who was sleeping right there in the bassinet. It seemed like he never slept and she’d gotten to the point where she’d do anything to avoid waking him up during the tiny breaks from his constant needs.

It had been a week since he was born and honestly, she felt like crap. Nothing was what she’d expected. Not that she had any idea what to expect once her mom died. But before that, she was excited about the baby and her mom was too.

They had cleaned out and painted the extra room in the apartment they lived in, and although his room was small, at least it was a separate room. She remembered laughing with her mom when they were painting together; they’d both turned at the same time and gotten paint in each other’s hair. Eyes filling with tears at the memory, Alexandra’s stomach felt as if it were being pulled downward by the weight of missing her mother.

Lying back on the bed, ever so slowly in her effort to be as quiet as possible, Alexandra heard the distant sounds of people talking and laughing. It sounded like it was coming from the driveway and it took her a moment to remember that even though her room was so dark, it was the middle of the day.

With a pang of regret, she recalled sitting at the breakfast table that morning when Rose mentioned that she and a friend were going to the mall and asked if anyone else wanted to go. Grace had squealed, “Oh yeeeah!” in that annoying, cheerleader-type voice of hers and immediately started texting her friends. Rose, who was looking for something in the pantry threw over her shoulder, “What about you?” and Alexandra had mumbled “No thanks.”

Who were they kidding anyway? She knew they were only including her because they felt obligated to, and besides, what would she do at the mall with no money, still wearing maternity clothes, and no friend to invite?

Tears threatening at the back of her eyes, she rolled onto her side and was reminded of yet another thing in her miserable life: her stomach. It still felt almost as huge as when Patrick was still in there. She couldn’t believe it! She knew it wouldn’t be quite as flat and toned as it was before she was pregnant, but she was completely unprepared for it to still be very round in shape and all mushy, like a deflated balloon. He was a week old and she still couldn’t even remotely consider putting on her pre-pregnancy clothes, or even ones she’d worn in the early months.

With tears streaming steadily now, the only thing she could hear was the sound of Patrick’s breathing. In, out. In, out. Every now and then he would make a little sound that brought a bolt of fear to her heart, thinking that he was waking up. It seemed like he was always up. And not only that, but it seemed like he needed something every minute when he was up.

She knew babies cried a lot and you had to change their diaper and stuff. She’d read books and even took that stupid new mom class that Shelley had signed her up for at the hospital. But still, it was all just so different than she’d imagined. Whenever she had pictured what it would be like, she’d visualized pushing an adorable toddler in a swing at the playground, or even a cute infant, crawling around the living room like you see on diaper commercials. But all Patrick did was sleep, eat, poop, and cry. Not much else. He didn’t even smile yet but he sure made it known that he wanted to be carried around, like, all the time.

And Shelley wasn’t much help either. Sure, she watched Patrick for a couple of hours every day and would make suggestions like why doesn’t she take Tiny for a walk or call her old friend Amy from her mom’s neighborhood and invite her over. Yeah, right. As if she would want to spend her only free time exercising when she was already so tired, or would want to invite an old friend over when she looked like this! She knew Shelley was just trying to be nice but couldn’t help feeling like everything would have been so much better if her real mom were there.

In her mind’s eye, she always felt normal—not exhausted—when visualizing what it would have been like to have Patrick with her mom around. Her mom wouldn’t act like it was mainly Alexandra’s job to take care of him; he would have been their baby. And her mom wouldn’t have that underlying attitude of disapproval like everyone had around here. She’d had Alexandra as a single woman after all, so it wasn’t such a big deal to her like it was to the Morsonys.

Alexandra struggled to deny the truth that lurked in her subconscious: That her mom had, in fact, been very upset about her getting pregnant. That she’d spent weeks encouraging Alexandra to “really, seriously think about what you want to do,” and talked about how much it was going to change her life. She’d never come right out and said that Alexandra should have an abortion, but she had made it clear that it was an option to be considered, and had talked extensively about how hard it would be to have a baby while still in high school, and what about college, and all that crap that moms say.

Nonetheless, somehow Alexandra just knew that everything would have been better with her mom around. And besides, if her mom didn’t help her it would be because she was at work. Not like Shelley who didn’t even work but still expected Alexandra to, like, wash bottles, and do laundry and stuff.

There was a light knock at her bedroom door and Alexandra’s head whipped around to see if it woke Patrick. He was still asleep. Thank God! She tiptoed to the door, wiping her tears quickly with her index fingers before cracking it open. It was Shelley.

She whispered, “I’m taking Tiny for a little walk. You want to come?”

“No thanks.”

“Are you sure? David’s home so he can keep an ear out for Patrick. It might be nice to get outside a bit.”

Alexandra noted the look of hopefulness in Shelley’s face and the sound of encouragement in her tone. “No thanks,” she replied dully.

“Oh. Okay then. We’ll see you later.” Shelley turned to walk back downstairs and Alexandra felt a stab of… something. Happiness that she’d made Shelley sad? Regret that she’d made her sad? She didn’t know what she felt but she did know that it kind of hurt, either way.



My Book Review:

Shelley and David Morsony are relishing the day that they will be empty-nesters. With three children in college and one a senior in high school, they're planning the next stage of their married life. But life sometimes has a funny way of unexpectedly throwing curve balls that will ultimately change their plans.

Unexpecting is a poignant story about family, heartbreak, forgiveness and unconditional love. Author Lori Verni-Forgasi weaves a realistic tale written in the third person narrative that documents the changes, challenges, responsibilities and obligations that occur in a blended family when a new and unexpected family member comes into their lives.

Set in Spring Valley, North Carolina, the reader follows along with the trials and tribulations that Shelley and David Morsony along with their children Michael (24), Russell (22), Rose (19) and Grace (17) face when Alexandra Johansen (17) shows up on their doorstep eight months pregnant and claiming to be David's daughter. This emotional tale of family drama, turmoil and emotional baggage is mainly told from the perspective of Shelley, but does include the perspectives of David and Alexandra, which provides the reader with a view into the family's complexities as they face and overcome the troubling issues of teen pregnancy and substance abuse that Alexandra brought into their already blended family. The story has a way of captivating the reader, it takes you on a palpable roller coaster ride where you feel the full gamut of emotions, you can't help but become emotionally invested in the Morsony family's story.

With a realistic cast of characters who are complex and flawed; witty dialogue and dramatic interactions; and a powerful storyline about a family that could be yours or mine; Unexpecting is a compelling story that will tug at your heartstrings and stay with you for a long time.

Unexpecting is an amazing story that captures the gritty, real-life portrayal of a family's emotional journey to overcome life's challenges with unconditional love.


RATING: 5 STARS *****



Virtual Book Tour Contest Giveaway

There are three contest giveaways for you to enter! Good luck!


Win (1) Kindle or Paperback Copy of Momnesia

Contest Dates: April 30 - May 7



Use the Rafflecopter Entry Form to enter the contest giveaway!

Note: The winner can choose either (1) Kindle eBook or (1) Paperback format of Momnesia. The paperback format is only available in the Continental US Only.



a Rafflecopter giveaway


******

Author Lori Verni-Fogarsi's Giant Giveaway

Win A $100 Amazon Gift Card or Kindle Fire





a Rafflecopter giveaway


******


Win A $20 Amazon Gift Card

Contest Dates: April 29 - May 13


Everyone who leaves a comment on Unexpecting by Lori Verni-Fogarsi Virtual Book Tour Page: Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours will be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Unexpecting before May 13 and sends their receipt to Samantha@ChickLitPlus.com, will get five bonus entries.




Tour Participants



April 29 – Lavender & Camomile Press – Excerpt
April 29 – Samantha March – Q&A & Excerpt
April 30 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt
May 1 – Mrs. Mommy Booknerd Book Reviews – Q&A & Excerpt
May 2 – Trashionista – Review, Guest Post & Q&A
May 3 – Notes from a Rumbly Cottage – Review
May 6 – Storm Goddess Book Reviews – Review & Q&A
May 6 – The Book Bag – Review & Excerpt
May 7- The Book Bag – Guest Post
May 8 – Create on the Side – Q&A
May 9 – A Blue Million Books – Q&A & Excerpt
May 10 – Karma For Life Chick – Review
May 13 – Chick Lit Plus – Review



Monday, April 29, 2013

The Trouble With Charlie by Merry Jones (Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews welcomes Merry Jones, author of The Trouble With Charlie!







Author Guest Post

A Day In My Writing Life


One thing that I like about being a writer is that there is no typical day. Even with publishers to produce for, I’m pretty much my own boss. And, as the boss, I get to decide what I do or don’t do and when I do or don’t do it. I can wear or not wear what I want. I don’t commute. I don’t get a limited time for lunch or coffee break or vacations. No one stands over me, supervising my work. I can procrastinate for days, even weeks, if I want.

One thing I don’t like about being a writer is that my boss is a relentless, merciless tyrant. The workday never ends. Five pm comes and goes, but until a book is finished, the boss won’t let me leave it. Even if I stop writing, the plot and characters persist in my head, distracting me from “real” life. If I skip more than a day or two of writing, I get nervous, cranky, panicky and, yes, bitchy.

So a typical day? No such thing. But what is typical is pressure. The sense that I should always be at my computer, writing. That I am never ever finished.

Granted, when I’m starting a new book, there are days I don’t actually write at all. I spend a lot of time away from my office, thinking of situations that would lend themselves to a thriller or suspense novel, taking notes, making lists of ideas and fragments of ideas. Once I’ve got some interesting possible topics, I go to the computer and do research, learning more about them. I’ll read about, say, honor killings or artifact smuggling or brain injuries—whatever I need to study up on in order to plot a novel based on the subject. I’ll interview experts. I’ll visit locations.

If the book is part of a series, I catch up with the characters, putting them in new circumstances, noting how they’ve changed. If the book stands alone or starts a series, I spend days with the new characters, getting to know them, figuring out their back stories, learning about their foibles.

Meantime, I go about my daily chores, grocery shopping, doing laundry, going to the gym, whatever, but my head is busy sorting out a storyline or a psyche. I’m so involved in this non-existent world, that I tend to be distracted in the existing one, making wrong turns in the car, forgetting a hair appointment, etc.

By the time I actually get to page one, I’ve pretty much thought out the book. That is not to say that I follow this plan, but I always have a workable storyline to fall back on if nothing better arises as I write.

When beginning a book, I write for two or three hours, five to six days a week—more if I can. As the book progresses, so do my hours. By the time I’m writing the climax, I’m up to five to seven hours a day. I know people who do put in longer hours, but I can’t. My head empties. I lose my rhythm and the pacing slows down. If I force myself to keep writing when I know I should stop, I usually have to toss those last few pages the next day.

Here’s my pattern: Every day when I start to write, I begin by reading what I wrote the day before. This is partly for continuity—so I can pick up the mood and the momentum where I’ve left it. But it’s also for revision—I tighten and tweak as I read. Then I add anywhere from three to ten pages. No more. Usually about five.

So that’s my writing routine. But it’s not the whole deal. Every day I allot time for book promotion and social networking. After the release of a book, I write between ten and thirty guest blogs and do as many on-line interviews as I can get. I schedule on-line radio chats, book giveaways, lectures, workships, signings. I prepare and send out a newsletter about four times a year and put writing related stuff on Facebook and Twitter. I revise my website. I attend writers coffeehouses and speak at book clubs and writers’ groups. Promoting and connecting with readers and other writers are like writing; the processes are never finished. No matter how much I do, there is still more that I could/should have done.

I try to structure my days into chunks: Exercising, writing, promoting, chores and family. Sometimes I manage to follow that pattern. More often, this writer’s day is full of unpredictable interruptions, long to-do lists and the nagging sense that no matter how many pages I type, how many blogs I post, how many ideas I research or panels I sit on, my boss will never be satisfied. For her, nothing I do will ever be enough.




About The Author




Merry Jones is the author of the suspense novel The Trouble With Charlie, as well as the Harper Jennings thrillers (Winter Break, Behind The Walls, Summer Session),and the Zoe Hayes mysteries (The Borrowed And Blue Murders, The Deadly Neighbors, The River Killings, The Nanny Murders).

Jones has also written humor (including I Love Him, But...) and non-fiction (including Birthmothers: Women Who Relinquished Babies For Adoption Tell Their Stories.)

Jones has a regular contributor to GLAMOUR, and her work has been printed in seven languages and numerous magazines. Her short story, BLISS, appears in the anthology LIAR LIAR, a project of the Philadelphia Liars Club.

In addition to the Liars, Jones is a member of Mystery Writers of America, The Authors Guild and International Thriller Writers.

For the last fifteen years, she has taught writing courses at a variety of institutions, including Temple University and Delaware County Community College. She has appeared on radio and television (local and national), and participates in panel discussions and workshops regularly.


AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
GOODREADS
The Trouble With Charlie by Merry Jones ~ Virtual Book Tour Page: Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours




Book Reviews



The Trouble With Charlie by Merry Jones
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Format: Hardcover - 272 pages / Kindle - 1936 KB / Nook - 2 MB
ISBN: 1608090744
ASIN: B00AN8A2M0
Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller


BUY THE BOOK: The Trouble With Charlie


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.


Book Description:

The biggest trouble with Charlie is that he's dead. His soon-to-be-ex-wife, Elle Harrison, comes home from a night out with friends to find his body in her den, her kitchen knife in his back. And, oddly, Elle has no memory of her activities during the time he was killed.

Another trouble with Charlie is that, even though he's dead, he doesn't seem to be gone. Elle senses Charlie's presence--a gentle kiss on the neck, the scent of his aftershave wafting through the house, a rose that seems to move from room to room on its own. And a shadow that appears to accuse her of murder--and with whom she argues.

In the process of trying to prove her innocence, Elle investigates Charlie's death--and his life. A psychiatrist diagnoses her with a dissociative disorder that causes her to "space out" especially when she's under stress. This might explain the gap in her memory, but it doesn't clear her.

As Elle continues to look into Charlie's life, she uncovers more and more trouble--an obsessed woman who might have been his lover. Siblings with unresolved bitter issues. A slimy untrustworthy business partner. And wealthy clients with twisted, horrific appetites.

Before she knows it, Elle is involved in more murders, a struggle for her life, and a revived relationship with Charlie, whom--for all his troubles--she has come to appreciate and love only after his death.


Book Excerpt:


PROLOGUE

Sometime before Charlie moved out, I began reading the obituaries. It became a daily routine, like morning coffee. I didn’t just scan the listings; I read them closely, noting dates of death, ages of the deceased, names of survivors. If there were photos, I studied faces for clues about mortality even though they were often grinning and much younger than at death. Sometimes there were flags at the top of notices, signifying military service. Salvadore Petrini had a flag. Aged 64. Owner of Petrini’s Market. Beloved husband and father and stepfather and brother and uncle. Viewing and Life Celebration at St. Patrick’s Church, Malvern.

Some notices were skeletal, giving no details of the lost life: Sonia Woods went to be with the Lord on August 17. Viewing Friday, from 9 to 11, First Baptist Church. Service to follow. These left me disturbed, sad for the deceased. Was there, in the end, really nothing to be said about them? Were their lives just a finite number of breaths now stopped?

For weeks, I followed the flow of local deaths and funerals. I tried to surmise causes of death from requests for memorial contributions in lieu of flowers. The American Cancer Society. The Vascular Disease Foundation. The American Heart or Alzheimers Association. When there were epigraphs, I read about careers accomplished, volunteer work conducted, music played, tournaments won. Lives condensed to an eighth of a page. Less, usually.

Though the notices were brief, the words and patterns of language had a gentle rolling rhythm, comforting, like prayers, like nursery rhymes. And between listings, stark and straight lines divided one death from another, putting lives neatly into boxes, separating body from body. Soul from soul. Making death quantifiable and normal, a daily occurrence neatly announced on paper in black and white, on pages dense with ink, speckled with gray smiling photos. Smiles announcing that death wasn’t really so bad.

I don’t know why I was compelled to read those listings every day. At the time, I’d have said it had to be about the death of my marriage. After all, my own life, in a way, was ending. My life as Charlie’s wife was dying, but there would be no public acknowledgment of that demise. No memorial service. No community gathering to mourn. Maybe I read the listings to remember that I wasn’t the only one grieving, that others had lost even more. Still, I would have felt better if the obituary page included dead marriages and lost identities: Mrs. Charles Henry Harrison (nee Elle Brooks) ceased to exist on (date pending), when the couple’s divorce became final. Maybe it would help to have some formal recognition of the demise of my former self. Maybe not.

It’s possible that my own losses brought me to the daily obits. But I doubt it. Looking back, I believe what drew me was far more ominous. A premonition. An instinct. For whatever reason, though, every morning as I chewed my English muffin, I buried myself in the death notices, studying what I could about people who were no more, trying to learn from them or their photos or their neatly structured notices anything I could about death.

Of course, as it turned out, the notices were useless. None of them, not one prepared me for what was to happen. According to the obituary columns, the circumstances of one’s life made no difference in the end. Dead was simply dead. Final. Permanent. Without room for doubt. The pages I studied gave no indication of a gray area. And the boxes around the obituaries contained no dotted lines.


My Book Review:

After ten years of marriage, Elle Harrison is divorcing her lying, cheating, inheritance stealing husband Charlie. But her chance to move forward with her life takes a traumatic setback when she comes home from a night out with best friend Becky at a local bar to discover Charlie sitting on the couch in her den stabbed to death in the back with one of her kitchen knives. Everything turns into a blur for Elle, she doesn't know why Charlie is in her house or how he was killed, she doesn't even remember portions of her day. Could it be that Elle killed Charlie? Has she "pulled an Elle" by zoning out like best friends Susan, Becky, and Jenny claims she always does, or has something more sinister occurred and Elle is the scapegoat?

The Trouble With Charlie is an intriguing whodunit that engages the reader in solving the mystery all the while keeping them guessing along the way. Author Merry Jones weaves an entertaining tale of murder, mystery and suspense set in Philadelphia and written in the first person narrative with Elle Harrison taking the reader along for the ride on her zany adventure to uncover the mystery surrounding the murder of her soon-to-be ex-husband Charlie.

Mixed with humor, danger, paranormal involvement, potential suspects and enough twists and turns that keeps you turning the pages until the surprising conclusion, you'll find yourself recruited as one of Elle's amateur sleuths on a quest to solve the puzzle that was Charlie's murder. The author weaves a masterful tale that takes the reader in many directions: between the murder mystery, Elle's psychological backstory, Elle's relationship with her best friends, and the paranormal activity, you can't help but try and keep up with this fast-paced riveting thriller.

With a quirky cast of characters who are very entertaining: from zany Elle and her hilarious best friends Susan, Becky, and Jenny; to ghostly Charlie who communicates with Elle from beyond the grave; to a host of potential suspects who each have a motive for murder; they keep the reader on their toes wondering who really was Charlie's murderer. With witty and humorous dialogue and interactions; an intriguing storyline that takes the reader on a madcap adventure that alternates between the present with Elle's memory flashbacks to the past; and a richly detailed description of familiar Philadelphia landmarks; The Trouble With Charlie is a tantalizing whodunit that will engage your imagination to the very end!


RATING: 4 STARS ****




Virtual Book Tour Contest Giveaway

Win 1 of 10 Copies of The Trouble With Charlie


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Tour Participants






Friday, April 26, 2013

Virtual Book Tour Events: Week of 4/28-5/4/13


Virtual Book Tour Events: Week of 4/28-5/4/13


Monday 4/29/13


The Trouble With Charlie by Merry Jones




In association with Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

Author Guest Post / Book Review

Book Description: The Trouble With Charlie


The biggest trouble with Charlie is that he's dead. His soon-to-be-ex-wife, Elle Harrison, comes home from a night out with friends to find his body in her den, her kitchen knife in his back. And, oddly, Elle has no memory of her activities during the time he was killed.

Another trouble with Charlie is that, even though he's dead, he doesn't seem to be gone. Elle senses Charlie's presence--a gentle kiss on the neck, the scent of his aftershave wafting through the house, a rose that seems to move from room to room on its own. And a shadow that appears to accuse her of murder--and with whom she argues.

In the process of trying to prove her innocence, Elle investigates Charlie's death--and his life. A psychiatrist diagnoses her with a dissociative disorder that causes her to "space out" especially when she's under stress. This might explain the gap in her memory, but it doesn't clear her.

As Elle continues to look into Charlie's life, she uncovers more and more trouble--an obsessed woman who might have been his lover. Siblings with unresolved bitter issues. A slimy untrustworthy business partner. And wealthy clients with twisted, horrific appetites.

Before she knows it, Elle is involved in more murders, a struggle for her life, and a revived relationship with Charlie, whom--for all his troubles--she has come to appreciate and love only after his death.










Tuesday 4/30/13


Unexpecting by Lori Verni-Fogarsi




In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours

Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway

Book Description: Unexpecting


Shelley and David are a couple of almost-empty-nesters preparing to embark on the next stage of their life. They've just ordered white furniture and are planning the vacation they've waited their entire lives to take.

Their lives are catapulted in a completely different direction when Alexandra, seventeen and pregnant, shows up on their doorstep and announces that she's the daughter they never knew they had! Their life becomes filled with dilemmas as they add not only another child, but also a baby to a household that was just about to become serene.

Shelley feels like she no longer fits in anywhere and to top it off, having two teenaged girls suddenly plunged into being sisters and school mates is not exactly warm and fuzzy. When Alexandra's behavior becomes erratic, the couple is faced with even tougher decisions to make.

Hold on for an emotional yet witty ride as you join this family of characters in a story of love, loyalty, heartbreak, and humor that will stay with you long after you turn the last page!










Wednesday 5/1/13


Saving Saffron Sweeting by Pauline Wiles




In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours

Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway

Book Description: Saving Saffron Sweeting


Quarter finalist, 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award

Grace Palmer's British friends all think she's living the American Dream. But her design business is floundering and when she discovers her husband is cheating with her best client, she panics and flees home to England.

The tranquil village of Saffron Sweeting appears to be a good place for Grace to lick her wounds, but the community is battling its own changes. Reluctantly, Grace finds herself helping her new neighbours as they struggle to adjust and save their businesses. However, not everyone has the same opinion on what's good for the village. The charismatic new man in her life may have one speculative eye on Grace, but the other is firmly on profit. How will she navigate the tricky path between her home and her happiness?

With gentle humour and generous helpings of British tea and cake, Saving Saffron Sweeting explores one woman's need to define herself through her career and community, before she can figure out who should be by her side.






******


David's Song by A.R. Talley




In association with I Am A Reader Not A Writer 

Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway

Book Description: David's Song


Annie only ever really loved two men in her life. One broke her heart, the other married her. Four children and fifteen years later, Annie’s marriage is in jeopardy. Money is tight and her husband questions the very foundation of their relationship. When Annie is unexpectedly given the opportunity to see the young man who broke her heart — a man who is now a megastar in the music industry — Annie is faced with choices. Choices that will determine what is of more value — a second chance at lost love and unfulfilled dreams or commitment, trust, and love built on years of experience.

A psychologically subtle, yet compelling tale about how the instinct and need for love overcomes self-doubt and personal inadequacy.











Thursday 5/2/13


Pastors' Wives by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen




In association with Litfuse Publicity Blog Tours

Book Review / Contest Giveaway

Book Description: Pastors' Wives


What's it like when the man you married is already married to God? asks Pastors' Wives, an often surprising yet always emotionally true first novel set in a world most of us know only from the outside.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen's debut novel Pastors' Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch.

Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith---in God, in her marriage, and in herself.

Candace is Greenleaf's "First Lady," a force of nature who'll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband.

Ginger, married to Candace's son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past.

All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen's reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors' Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors' wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.














Friday 5/3/13


Transplanting Holly Oakwood by Di Jones




In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours

Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway

Book Description: Transplanting Holly Oakwood


Finding her lover in bed with her best friend was the worst thing ever, but leaving London for Los Angeles pushed trouble to a whole new level.

Holly Oakwood’s cosy life is shattered when her boyfriend has an affair with her best friend. Determined to mend her broken heart by throwing herself into her career, but unable to hide her contempt for her new boss, she loses her job as well.

She lands a dream job in a Consulate in LA, but that’s when her troubles really begin. She struggles to settle, loneliness begins to bite, and everyone around her is thin and shallow. She loses her confidence, makes a fool of herself once too often, and her new boss hates her. Can she salvage anything from the train wreck of her new life, or should she return to England?

What ensues is a comically entertaining series of events that catapult Holly into new friendships, the promise of romance and the realization that home is where the heart is.




Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans by Joanne DeMaio (Author Interview / Book Review)

Jersey Girl Book Reviews welcomes back Joanne DeMaio, author of Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans!







Author Interview


Welcome back to Jersey Girl Book Reviews, Joanne!

Before we get to the interview, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

Hi Kathleen and readers. Thanks so much for having me here. As an author, it’s always fun to talk about the connections between writing and life. I write contemporary women’s fiction, and when I’m not writing I love spending time with my family walking, talking and sharing coffee. Music, the sea, art and relationships are all a part of my days and inspiration.

Do you have a day job, or is being an author your career?

I am a full-time author. It is my career; I write and work on my books every single day.

Please give a brief description/storyline about Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans.

Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans is the story of a group of friends who reunite at the beloved summer beach of their youth. But while sorting through their tangled adult lives, lost friendships and loves surface and intertwine, changing the course of these friends’ lives in ways they couldn’t possibly imagine …

What was the inspiration for this story?

A little treasure of a beach nestled in a crook of the Connecticut coast where I’ve spent many summers. I owe the story’s inspiration to Point O’ Woods Beach, the type of seaside haven where I could just picture my characters coming to life.

Do you write books for a specific genre?

Yes, I write contemporary women’s fiction. I love to explore themes of friendship, mothers and daughters, love and choices on the page.

When you write, do you adhere to a strict work schedule, or do you work whenever the inspiration strikes?

I write full-time, but love the morning writing hours with coffee the best. My week’s writing schedule is always planned ahead in my favorite leather itinerary-journal. This keeps my production always moving forward.

What are your favorite things to do when you are not writing?

It’s interesting that the things I love tend to inspire and appear in my writing—walking, spending time by the sea, visiting coffee shops, working in my garden, hanging out with my family, going to concerts together, exploring beautiful sites in New England. It’s a “whole latte” fun.

What is/was the best piece of writing advice that you have received?

Write the book you would want to read. Authenticity, genuineness and passion for the writing and storyline will shine through. Don’t chase a trend. When you stay true to your vision and your heart, your readers will stay true to you.

What is the most gratifying thing you feel or get as a writer?

The most gratifying experience came last June, when my debut novel Whole Latte Life was awarded First Place in the 2012 Discovery Awards at Book Expo America. To have my novel so well-received was a fulfillment of many of my writing goals and desires. I’m thankful for that recognition.

How do you usually communicate with your readers/fans?

I love interacting with my fans on my Facebook Page, Twitter and my Author Newsletter. For my readers who enjoy lingering with coffee and a good book, that's what I'm brewing on my social media. Books, talk and life ... They're all part of the mix.

Are you currently writing a new book? If yes, would you care to share a bit of it with us?

I’m immersed in the writing of my next novel. It’s set in Whole Latte Life's fictional town of Addison, Connecticut, where one sunny spring morning, lives are forever changed by an unexpected tragedy.

Thanks so much, Kathleen, for hosting me. I’ve loved visiting at Jersey Girl Book Reviews today.
Coffee Cheers. ~Joanne

Joanne, thank you for visiting Jersey Girl Book Reviews and sharing a little bit about yourself and your writing career with us. 




About The Author



Joanne DeMaio is the award-winning author of Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans and the bestselling novel Whole Latte Life, which won First Place in the 2012 Discovery Awards and was named a Kirkus Reviews Critics' Pick. It has also been featured in USA Today, The Huffington Post and other outlets. Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans is her second novel. Both books explore the intricate relationships between mothers and daughters, sisters and friends. In addition, her music essays have appeared in literary journals, celebrating her passion for song.

Joanne lives with her family in Connecticut, where the coffee and stories are always brewing. She is currently at work on her next book.


AUTHOR WEBSITE
SUBSCRIBE - AUTHOR NEWSLETTER
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
GOODREADS



Book Review



Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans by Joanne DeMaio
Publisher: Independent Self-Publishing
Publication Date: March 11, 2013
Format: Paperback - 319 pages / Kindle - 510 KB / Nook - 892 KB
ISBN: 1479262773
ASIN: B00BORGOVC
Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction


BUY THE BOOK: Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.


Book Description:

Escape to Stony Point, cuff your jeans and walk along the water's edge in this nostalgic story bringing old friends, and their lives, back to the sea.

After years of pursuing a denim design career, Maris Carrington never imagined trading her Chicago studio for a New England shingled cottage. But a forgotten home movie tucked inside a dusty attic box leads to an unexpected summer ... One of uncovering family secrets while settling her father's estate, one of inheriting a forlorn German Shepherd, one of reconnecting with old friends on a weathered boardwalk, beneath starlit skies on a beach nestled in a crook of the Connecticut coast.

Her design career had become a shell, curving around her like the intricate whorls of a conch, shielding her until now. Until fried clam dinners and carousel rides beckon a lost love. But can Maris ever really go back? Can these beach friends ever be who they were to each other all those summers ago? Now one of her circle is dead; another unemployed and struggling in a tenuous marriage; another regretting a fateful decision; while one is missing a mother, ever seeking a connection she longs for.

To the backdrop of seaside cottages and a boarded up beach hangout, to the soundtrack of whispering lagoon grasses and a vintage jukebox, Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans asks if we can really design our own lives, or if our fate lies somewhere in the stars.


Book Excerpt:


Time moves like the sea. She always felt so. Living right at the beach, time is placid and calm, soft waves of it rolling onto the shore of her days. One day follows the other, over and over, in a comfortable and reassuring way. No matter what she is doing, at any age, that awareness of the movement of the sea, and of waves of time, keeps her grounded.

But as volatile as the sea can be, so too is any hour, any moment. Washing ashore, overtaking her very self with its insistence, with its forward movement rushing over her so powerfully, she can be knocked senseless by the force of time. Waves of the past have that way of pulling at her, leaving her gasping and struggling to get her bearings, to breathe evenly.


My Book Review:

Just like the ebb and flow of the tide, life brings issues and changes to one's life, but the bonds of friendship, sea air and salt water are cleansing, they cure what ails you.

For a group of old friends, a summer reunion spent together on the shores of Long Island Sound in the idyllic seashore town of Stony Point, Connecticut, will bring them a chance to strengthen the bonds of friendship and provide a healing balm as they each deal with a variety life issues: love, relationships, loss, secrets, private demons, seeking redemption and second chances.

Maris Carrington is a top denim fashion designer living in Chicago, who comes back to her hometown in Connecticut to settle the estate of her late father. Old memories of summers spent in Stony Point linger, it has been twelve years since her last summer at the Connecticut shore. Maris faces an indecision of what she really wants in life: an engagement/marriage to her corporate attorney boyfriend Scott in Chicago, or the peace and tranquility of living in Stony Point. While viewing old home movies a family secret is revealed and a chance to rekindle an old love keeps Maris from wanting to return to Chicago.

Eva Gallagher is a Stony Point Realtor and is married to her childhood sweetheart Matt, a State Trooper. They have a teenage daughter named Taylor. But a happy marriage and family life isn't enough for Eva, she was adopted at the age of one and is haunted with not knowing who her birth parents are or her true identity. The wondering never goes away and her obsession with online searching of adoption websites causes issues and tension with her husband and daughter.

Jason Barlow is an architect who owns Barlow Architecture, a small design and construction business specializing in renovating beach cottages that he started with his deceased brother Neil. Seven years ago, Jason and Neil were in a motorcycle accident that took Neil's life and left Jason with a prosthetic left leg. Wracked with guilt over the loss of his brother, he is consumed with grief, Neil is now but a shadow and a whispered voice in his head. Trying to heal and move forward with his life and business, perhaps a rekindling of old friendships and an old love may be just what he needs to quiet his private demons.

Kyle Bradford is an unemployed shipbuilder who works part-time as a cook in a diner. He is married to his childhood sweetheart Lauren, and they have two children: Evan (six) and Hailey (four). Cooking is his passion, but it is also his downfall, as his continued unemployment stands in the way of maintaining a happy marriage. Lauren is unhappy with the constant financial struggle in their marriage, she longs for a lost lover and a time when she used to paint seascapes on driftwood.

For this group of old friends, a summer in Stony Point will strengthen their bonds of friendship and provide a healing solace that will help rebuild their lives.

Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans is a poignant story of rebuilding friendships and dealing with life's issues that tug at your heartstrings. In her second novel, author Joanne DeMaio weaves an emotional tale written in the third person narrative that alternates between five character perspectives, and is set in the present with flashbacks to the past. The reader is transported to the tranquil seashore town of Stony Point, Connecticut, where they follow along with Maris, Eva, Matt, Jason, Kyle and Lauren as they reconnect and deal with challenges of real life, secrets and personal demons. Each has a story to tell, they come alive as their hopes, regrets, love, loss, choices and memories are revealed to the reader.

Author Joanne DeMaio easily captivates her readers' attention with this beautifully written and emotional tale through a seamless and flowing storyline, and with a wonderful description of a tranquil beach setting that wraps itself around the reader like a sun-warmed beach towel. The characters draw you into their lives with a strong emotional pull, their complexities and flaws are true-to-life, it is easy to relate to each of their stories with compassion, empathy and hope.

Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans is an intricate story of interweaving friendships and real life challenges that is both heart wrenching and inspirational. It is a powerful and compelling story that will have you feeling the full gamut of emotions while soothing your soul, it is a story that will resonate with you long after the last word has been read.


RATING: 5 STARS *****