Author Guest Post
A Typical Writing Day
I wake up with my husband very early and get him ready for work (he is a trainer with his own gym). I drink my coffee and spend some time reading the bible and praying and then check email, etc. Once the sun is up I take my dog for a walk or a run and workout. During my walk/run I ruminate about where the story is and where it's going. How is the plot moving? How are the characters developing? What inconsistencies do I already see? What's is and isn't working? When I finish my workout I start writing. I like to sit on a swiss ball in the living room with my laptop on a table in front of me. I can't write or really work at all in silence so I either have Pandora going with a radio station that I've created for that specific piece or I pop in movies that I've seen a million times. My goal is a minimum of two thousand words each day. Some days I reach the goal in a couple of hours and hitting the three or four thousand mark and other days are not so easy. Some days I'll write until I realize my legs are asleep and look at the clock to see that I've been writing for four hours without a break--I love those days!! Other days I fix myself a gourmet lunch and clean my house 'til it's spotless just to avoid the screen and my lack of progress and inspiration--I don't love those days but they keep my house clean so that's something.
My writing partner: Marble! She keeps me company and makes sure I get out of the house plenty of times each day.
About The Author
AUTHOR WEBSITE
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Book Review
The Golden Apple by Faerl Marie
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: October 31, 2013
Format: Paperback - 165 pages / Kindle - 350 KB / Nook - 259 KB
ISBN: 1493660586
ASIN: B00GDB0IHA
BNID: 2940045444095
Genre: Chick Lit
BUY THE BOOK: The Golden Apple
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
Book Description:
Austin Bandy has been in love with Poppy since the moment he laid eyes on her years ago, right before her wedding. Now she is back, grieving and broken hearted by her nearly-perfect husband’s death—not Austin’s ideal romantic situation. He needs to wait for her to recover but not so long that someone else has the chance to move in and sweep his dream girl off her feet and keep him as a “good friend” forever.
Poignant, hopeful and fresh, Faerl Marie’s enchanting debut novel will have you hooked and ready to pursue your own hopes and dreams the moment you turn the final page. The Golden Apple is a charming and fashionable novel about loss, love and moving on without betraying your self, your past or those you love.
Book Excerpt:
Before her husband died, Poppy had rearranged the furniture every few months—taking tables from one room and moving them to another, repainting walls, changing bed linens. Since he’d gone she hadn’t moved a single thing. The house was a museum to his last few weeks of life, like those houses that are furnished and set to look like they would have been when Benjamin Franklin had walked the halls or Emily Dickinson had written lines.
She didn’t think Josh was coming back or anything quite that delusional, she just wanted to be able to imagine him in their home the way he had actually been. If things changed it was like he’d never been there. He'd never sat on the sofa facing that wingback. He’d never eaten a meal in their kitchen painted blue. They hadn’t slept together under a green duvet. She was ready to leave their home, but not his memory in it. She slept fitfully her last night in their bed, thinking about what her life meant without him. They’d been together for so long that she could hardly imagine who she would be if she weren’t busy being his wife and partner.
It was like her first year in college, trying to decide which major to choose and imagining what her life course would be like if she were a design, business, marketing or public relations major. She would sit for hours in the grass that looked onto the quad and daydream about what her life could look like. Even after she chose PR she would think about all the what-ifs. She couldn’t do that with Josh. He was so crucial, so foundational and critical to what her life and who she turned into that it wasn’t possible to think of herself without him.
Poppy dreamt that she was walking with Josh through their pasture but he kept walking faster and faster. She asked him to slow down but he only turned to her and smiled. He crested the top of a hill and she lost sight of him. She ran to the top and looked over into the valley below but he wasn’t there. She woke up clammy and out of breath.
She didn’t think Josh was coming back or anything quite that delusional, she just wanted to be able to imagine him in their home the way he had actually been. If things changed it was like he’d never been there. He'd never sat on the sofa facing that wingback. He’d never eaten a meal in their kitchen painted blue. They hadn’t slept together under a green duvet. She was ready to leave their home, but not his memory in it. She slept fitfully her last night in their bed, thinking about what her life meant without him. They’d been together for so long that she could hardly imagine who she would be if she weren’t busy being his wife and partner.
It was like her first year in college, trying to decide which major to choose and imagining what her life course would be like if she were a design, business, marketing or public relations major. She would sit for hours in the grass that looked onto the quad and daydream about what her life could look like. Even after she chose PR she would think about all the what-ifs. She couldn’t do that with Josh. He was so crucial, so foundational and critical to what her life and who she turned into that it wasn’t possible to think of herself without him.
Poppy dreamt that she was walking with Josh through their pasture but he kept walking faster and faster. She asked him to slow down but he only turned to her and smiled. He crested the top of a hill and she lost sight of him. She ran to the top and looked over into the valley below but he wasn’t there. She woke up clammy and out of breath.
My Book Review:
In her debut novel, The Golden Apple, author Faerl Marie weaves an inspirational and heartwarming story that follows the journey of Poppy Parker as she learns to move forward with her life after the death of her husband.
After the unexpected loss of her husband Josh, Poppy struggles with grief and the ability to move on with her life. She makes the emotional decision to move from her home in Georgia to NYC to restart her life and open up a boutique.
Austin Bandy has been in love with Poppy since before her wedding. He has stood by Poppy as a good friend, but now that she is free, he wants to be the man to help Poppy move forward with her life.
The Golden Apple is a poignant story about one woman's journey of starting over and finding happiness after an unexpected tragic loss. The reader can't help but connect with Poppy as her emotional journey of healing and restarting her life is filled with highs and lows that will tug at the heartstrings. I enjoyed watching Poppy's transformation from a grieving and depressed widow to a vibrant woman who once again finds enjoyment in life. I think the author did a wonderful job of describing the spectrum of emotions that Poppy went through during her transformation, it was believable and easy to relate to. I loved the support system that Poppy had from her family and friends, when in times of need especially after the loss of a loved one, an emotional support system is a soothing balm that helps a person gradually move forward with their life. I loved that Austin was a caring and true friend to Poppy, he tempered his desire to take their friendship to the next level with patience as Poppy adjusted to her new life. I enjoyed watching how their friendship grew into a relationship with a sweet romance that left a smile on my face.
The Golden Apple is a feel good and inspiring story about loss, grief, family, friendship, restarting one's life, and getting a second chance at finding happiness and love.
RATING: 4 STARS ****
Virtual Book Tour Contest Giveaway
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Virtual Book Tour Schedule
Tour Schedule:
March 19 – Authors to Watch – Review
March 20 – Sweets Books – Excerpt
March 20 - Sweets Books - Q&A
March 21 – Steph the Bookworm – Review
March 25 – The East Village – Review
March 25 – Chick Lit Goddess – Review & Excerpt
March 26 – Books Etc – Review
March 27 – Books Etc – Guest Post
March 28 – Book Suburbia – Excerpt
March 31 – Annabel & Alice – Review
April 1 – Chick Lit Club Connect – Guest Post
April 2 – Ai Love Books – Review & Excerpt
April 2 – Authors and Readers Book Corner – Q&A
April 3 – Always With a Book – Review & Guest Post
April 4 – Books a la Mode – Novel Spotlight & Giveaway
April 7 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt
thanks for closing out the tour!
ReplyDeleteHi Samantha! Thank you for the opportunity to host the virtual book tour event.
DeleteThe Golden Apple does seem like a poignant novel. Thanks for entering me.
ReplyDelete1dozenstars(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi Tea Norman! Thank you for stopping by my blog. The Golden Apple was a wonderful, hope you get a chance to read it. :)
ReplyDelete