The Archivist by Christy Sloat (Interview + Giveaway)

I am thrilled to be a stop on the book tour for The Archivist by Christy Sloat, hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! You can read my interview with Christy below but be sure to check out the tour schedule at the end of this post, or click the banner above, for more!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Series:	The Librarian Chronicles#2
Genre:	Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication Date:	May 28, 2018
Pages:	144 (Kindle)
Published By:	CHBB Publishing
Website:	Christy Sloat
	The Archivist on Goodreads

Where to get:

"With the whimsy of Alice in Wonderland and the romance of Outlander dive back into the next installment in the Librarian Chronicles."

Savannah Preston has a rare and precious gift: The ability to time travel through books. She, and others who share this unique ability, are faced with the insurmountable task of preserving history. They are known collectively as The Librarians.

While researching infamous Scottish outlaw Sir Malcolm Wash during the raging conflicts of the 14th Century, Savannah loses the only thing that tethers her to her own time. She must rely on her knowledge of both the present and the past to survive long enough to find a way home. Along the way, she enlists the help of a misfit named Eoin. With his guidance, she might just get home. It’s a risky and dangerous adventure, but then, so is Eoin…

(Goodreads)

 
The Librarian

Series: The Librarian Chronices #1

Published: June 17, 2017 by CHBB Publishing

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

He’s from 1892 England, she’s in a small library in 2017. And that's just the start of their troubles.

Emme never meant to stay in Maine. She'd come only to find a librarian for her Gram's library, a custodian for the collection of mysterious books she'd promised to protect. On a dark, wintery night, alone in the library, she takes her first glance into one of the antique novels and finds herself transported to 1892 England staring into the eyes of handsome and dashing hero Jack Ridgewell. As each chapter passes she learns you can truly fall in love with a character in a book, that book boyfriends are real and Emme must choose between the real world, and his.

When the last page is read he's gone and Emme feels the cold loneliness of lost love. Will she find Jack again, or will their love be forever lost? The answer lies within the pages…

Interview with Christy Sloat

Welcome to Bookish Lifestyle, Christy! As mentioned in the book synopsis, Savannah has the ability to time travel through books. If you could time travel through one book (or series) which book and why?

That’s a very hard question. I love so many stories. I think I would travel through Harry Potter because who wouldn’t love to see Hogwart’s in person? My hope would be to survive Lord Voldemort’s wrath.

What made you choose 14th century Scotland? Why this time period and location?

As a kid I was obsessed with medieval times. I took a class on that period and even worked at the Renaissance Faire for a summer. It was a lot of fun and I learned so much. I chose Scotland because I am part Scottish and someday I hope to visit. My favorite movie is Braveheart and I had to use that as my theme. There is something so fascinating about a girl from our time period being dropped in the rolling hills of Scotland during the most tumultuous time in their history. How would she survive? And what would she learn?

What is the weirdest thing you Googled or came across during your research?

Well we all know about Outlander and James Fraser. I’m literally in love with Diana Gabaldon’s work. One day I was reading about the clans and the Fraser’s came up. There really was a James Fraser, but he was not a hot kilt wearing stud. Nope, he was short, stumpy, and bald. This definitely made me laugh.

If you could spend a day with one your characters, who would you choose, where would you go, and what would you talk about?

I think I’d chose Savannah, because we have a lot in common. We are both cut from the same cloth, you could say. She’s not a typical girl, she’s a book nerd, like me, and she’s curvy, like me. I think we would peruse Barnes and Noble and talk books.

When you're not writing or editing, what are you doing with your free time?

I’m probably hiking, fishing, or spending time with my family. If I’m not doing that, then I’m reading.

I am Southern California native, now living in New Jersey! How did that happen? I am married and have two beautiful little girls who love to read just like Mommy. I have had a passion for books since I was a little girl and an imagination for just as long. I hope my books can inspire others to read and to write too.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

One winners will receive a signed finished copy of The Archivist.

US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

5/21/2018 - The Young Girl Who Loved Books & The Cozy Reading Corner
5/22/2018- Reading Is My SuperPower & BookHounds YA
5/23/2018 - Never Too Many To Read & Two Chicks on Books
5/24/2018 - Wonder Struck & Sincerely Karen Jo
5/25/2018 - Fire and Ice & TMBA Corbett Tries to Write

5/28/2018 - To Be Read & Owl Always Be Reading
5/29/2018 - Books of Teacups & Novel Novice
5/30/2018 - Book-o-Craze & Parajunkee
5/31/2018 - Bookish Lifestyle & RhythmicBooktrovert
6/1/2018 - Bluestocking Bookworm & Paperback Princess

If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say by Leila Sales (Review, Interview, Giveaway)

I am thrilled to be a stop on the book tour for If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say by Leila Sales! Be sure to read my review and interview with Leila and check out the tour schedule for more.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction
Publication Date:	May 1, 2018
Pages:	324 (ARC)
Published By:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Website:	Leila Sales
	If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received in exchange for an honest review

Where to get:

Before we go any further, I want you to understand this: I am not a good person.

We all want to be seen. We all want to be heard. But what happens when we’re seen and heard saying or doing the wrong things? What then?

When Winter Halperin—former spelling bee champion, aspiring writer, and daughter of a parenting expert—gets caught saying the wrong thing online, her life explodes. All across the world, people knows what she’s done, and none of them will forgive her.

With her friends gone, her future plans cut short, and her identity in shambles, Winter is just trying to pick up the pieces without hurting anyone else. She knows she messed up, but does that mean it’s okay for people to send her hate mail and death threats? Does she deserve to lose all that she’s lost? And is “I’m sorry” ever good enough?

First and foremost a novel about public shaming in the internet age, If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say is also an exploration of the power of words, the cumulative destructiveness of microaggressions, and the pressing need for empathy.

(Goodreads)

Quotes and page numbers are obtained from the ARC and are subject to change

When we decide someone is an angel, she is an angel only until she falls from the sky. But when we decide someone is a villain, she is a villain forever. Everything she says or does in only more proof of her villainy. She cannot be redeemed. (14)

Over the past seven months, so many people had shown me such cruelty. But there was also occasions that stuck in mind when people briefly shone kindness into the darkness that surrounded me. The one that I returned to now was Claudette Cruz, on my first day to school back after The Incident, saying to me in science class, What's happening to you is wrong. Hold your head up, girl. They don't know you. (319-20)

 I think the moral is that we can do bad things and not be bad people. That we can make mistakes and do better next time. That we can hurt those who love us, and lie to those who trust us, and criticize those who are trying their hardest - and still our lives do not end. That no matter how many times we do wrong, we still have it within us to do right. (324)

We've all said things that came out wrong or were misconstrued in one way or another - especially when it comes to things on the internet or over text. I myself am guilty of having a coworker read over emails because in my head the words come across as bitchy or snarky, but in her mind they sound fine - but maybe you should take that sentence out.

It's the world we live in and the world to which we've all adapted. After tweeting what she believes to be a humorous and lighthearted tweet, but was in fact rather racist, she wakes to find that the internet feels vastly different than she does. Over the course of a few hours, her tweet goes viral and her reputation is destroyed. BuzzFeed, Jezebel, The Washington Post, etc. all pick up the story of "White Winter."

A few days later, another story pops up and Winter's tweet and story are all but forgotten by the general population. But Winter has not forgotten and left to deal with the repercussions:

"It takes such a brief time to destroy someone's life and forget that you did it. But rebuilding a life - that's different. That takes forever" (70).

This quote holds so much truth. We live in a world where Individual A messes up and it's all over the news. A few days later Individual B messes up and nobody remembers Individual A. Except Individual A is still dealing with the consequences - lost job, damaged reputation, etc. And then Individual C steps in to the lime light and the cycle continues.

The sad, and scary thing, is that I have seen real responses Winter received on real articles about real people. People wished her dead, raped, murdered, and all manner of horrific things. Leila's characters are fictional, but the world they live in is entirely real. The internet isn't policed. Winter's mother's lawyer even tells them there is nothing to be done about the comments - they cannot sue anyone, they cannot press charges against anyone. The internet is the Wild West and it's vicious.

Honestly, I couldn't tell if I liked Winter or not - she tells us from the beginning that she is not a good person and I find that fact hard to argue. Throughout the first half of the book, she doesn't feel she did anything wrong. Even while she was writing her apology the next morning, I knew it wasn't going to be well received. She comes off as the person who is "sorry you were hurt by what I said." The individual who is "sorry you feel that way." She doesn't have true remorse and doesn't understand why people are upset. When someone tries to tell her why people, themselves included, are hurt or angry she ignores their feelings because it's "obviously not what she meant" (26).

However, to her credit, Winter seeks help in not only improving her reputation, but also improving herself. She acknowledges that it's not enough to seem better, you actually have to be better. Do better. Leila takes us into the mind and life of someone who has messed up and messed up big, but is (eventually) determined to truly learn from their misstep and better not only themselves but those around them. To apologize and to mean it. Winter is not a stranger on the internet with an offensive and derogatory tweet, but an individual who had to learn the hard way that in the age of the internet your intent can me almost nothing, and your words can mean everything.

Interview with Leila Sales

In today's world where it's easy to misconstrue meaning of text (whether that be a text message, Facebook post, or in Winter's case a tweet), why did you decide to write from Winter's point of view? Why was your inspiration for telling her story?

That was exactly what I wanted to explore: how easy it is to misconstrue text, to read into somebody’s words intentions that may not be there. And then of course I wanted to look at the very question of intentions: do they matter? Should we give someone a pass for doing something wrong—as Winter does—if they didn’t “mean it that way”? The books’ epigraphs take opposite sides of that issue, and personally I can see both.

I’m kind of a perfectionist, and my default state is to think that if I’ve screwed up one thing, then I’ve screwed up everything, most likely due to my intrinsic character flaws. Obviously, that’s not healthy, and it’s not rational. So I wanted to show a character move through that, to realize that it is possible to make mistakes and bad choices and still be a good and valuable human being.

Was there a particular scene or chapter that was especially fun or challenging to write?

The entire second half of the book was challenging to write! I had many models for what the first half looked like—there are so many stories of people who have misguidedly done or said something ignorant and hurtful that has gone viral. We know what that looks like, and what the immediate repercussions are. But we don’t really have a sense of what the path to redemption looks like after that. I wrote entire drafts of a few very different options for Winter—hundreds and hundreds of pages—before I came up with the concept of Revibe.

We've all made decisions that result in unexpected consequences, good and bad. So let's put a positive spin on things and tell us about a decision you've made that led to unexpected, but wonderful, consequences.

I love that way of looking at things! Though it totally does not come naturally to me. I’d say my decision on where to go to college. I hadn’t gotten into any of my top-choice schools, which was disappointing, and then I could not decide between two of the schools that I had gotten into. I’m sure either of them could have been great, and there was no one obvious “right” choice, but the decision that I made ultimately led to all sorts of positive outcomes: I got involved in improv comedy, I connected with my literary agent, I did an internship that allowed me to later get my job, and a bunch of other stuff that I couldn’t have anticipated when I was trying to make that choice.

Is there a particular message you hope readers will take away from If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say?

When trying to understand another’s motivations, do not attribute to malice what can just as easily be explained by ignorance.

And always remember that you don’t know what’s going on in other people’s lives. So don’t treat them as though the part of them that you can see constitutes the entirety of who they are.

I love that! We only see a fraction of a persons life and we have to remember they are more than just those few aspects. If you could write a letter to your 16-year-old self, what would you talk about?

I think I’d tell myself, “There is nothing wrong with you.” And also, “Be nicer to your dad.”

What's the last show you binge watched?

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Such glorious characters, and dialogue, and outfits!

I really need to watch that myself! I keep meaning to, but life! Thanks for stopping by, Leila!

Leila Sales was born in 1984 and grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in psychology in 2006. Now she lives in Brooklyn, New York, and works in the mostly glamorous world of children's book publishing. Leila spends most of her time thinking about sleeping, kittens, dance parties, and stories that she wants to write.

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter |  Email List

One copy of If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say by Leila Sales

Must be 13+ to enter

Open to US and Canada

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Tour Schedule

April 29 - Page Turners Blog
April 30 - Books and Ladders
May 1 - Who Ru Blog
May 1 - Bookish Lifestyle
May 2 - Fab Book Reviews
May 3 - Good Books and Good Wine
May 3 - Across the Words
May 4 - Alexa Loves Books
May 5 - The Book Bratz

Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian (Interview, Giveaway)

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction
Publication Date:	April 24, 2018
Pages:	368 (hardcover)
Published By:	Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Website:	Siobhan Vivian
	Stay Sweet on Goodreads

Where to get:

A summer read about first love, feminism, and ice cream.

Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery—the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best of friends.

Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia even has her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure that the stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew Grady arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady’s got some changes in mind…

(Goodreads)

"A delectable mixture of ice cream and romance…an empowering novel for young women with big dreams.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“With a strong message about female empowerment and hard work, this YA book will be a great read for spring break or summer vacation.” —School Library Journal

“A rare, enjoyable portrait of a woman-run business.” —Kirkus Reviews

Interview with Siobhan Vivian

The fact that Molly created an ice cream shop to cheer up her friends during WWII, and continued to have it run by girls, just makes my heart happy. What was the inspiration for this part of the plot?

Female friendships have always been creatively inspiring to me, and recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about female-only spaces. I never went to summer camp, but have always romanticized the idea of being in a bunk full of girlfriends. Same thing with an all-girls high school. It’s a completely different energy, and a chance to be intimate in ways that wouldn’t happen with boys around. I wanted to explore that.

Can you tell us a bit more about "Head Girl" Amelia?

Sure! Amelia is smart, kind, and a hard worker...but in her mind, those qualities don’t really distinguish her from her peers. She’s never been a leader and conflict makes her uncomfortable. She struggles to try and collapse the distance between being called the manager and actually acting the part.

She just really wants to do a good job and give the girls of Meade Creamery a great summer, because that’s what she got out of it for the previous four years of working there. That is her primary motivator...to do right by the stand, to honor the traditions created before her time, and to not screw anything up.

This is your ninth published book, what are some of the biggest differences you've noticed this time around than when you wrote and published your first novel?

There are soooooo many more books out on shelves. It was easier to break out and be noticed all those years ago.

But I think the quality and diversity of what is available has definitely increased and that is nothing but great news.

How much ice cream did you eat while writing this? Be honest! And what's the best ice cream flavor or combo? For instance, as far as I'm concerned anything in a waffle cone is the best thing ever.

A lot! Basically any chance I get, any time I pass an ice cream shop I haven’t been to before, I stop. It’s a bit dangerous.

And I have a brand new favorite, from an ice cream shop I just visited in Denver called Little Man. It’s Chocolate Whopper Malt, which I had in a waffle cone with rainbow sprinkles. I alllllllways get sprinkles because I like what it does to the texture.

I can't argue sprinkles! Sprinkles just make everything better. :) What are five things you would buy if you won a million dollars (tax free!)?

A vintage car...something small and brightly colored and Italian.

A week-long trip to a spa with rooms booked for my best girlfriends.

Donate money to my favorite local charity ... SisterFriend.org ... which provides menstruation products to homeless and at-risk women.

Visit all the James Beard nominees for Best New Restaurant in the US.

And a new, fabulous coat!

Thanks for stopping by, Siobhan! And thank you for mentioning this charity - this is definitely something I would love to donate to. 

Siobhan Vivian was born in New York City on January 12, 1979 . . . which might sound like a long time ago, but really isn’t. She grew up in Rutherford, NJ, where she got into trouble for such things as constantly talking out of turn, bringing a stray dog into school in a stolen shopping cart, passing notes to her friends, telling jokes, sneaking out, and not doing her homework. It is something of a miracle that she grew up to be a New York Times best selling author.

Siobhan attended The University of the Arts, where she graduated with a degree in Writing for Film and Television. She received her MFA in Creative Writing: Children’s Literature from The New School University.

Siobhan has worked as an editor of several New York Times best-selling novels at Alloy Entertainment, a scriptwriter for The Disney Channel, and she currently teaches Writing Youth Literature at the University of Pittsburgh.

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Email | Tumblr

Thanks to Simon Schuster I have two copies of Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian up for grabs!

US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

Siobhan has already started touring, but make sure to check out her remaining tour dates below! 

BROOKLYN, NY
Friday, April 27
Moderated by bestselling author Jenny Han at 7:30 PM
Books Are Magic
225 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231

CLIFTON, NJ
Saturday, April 28 at 2:00 PM
Barnes and Noble
Clifton Commons
395 Route 3 East
Clifton, NJ 07014

PITTSBURGH, PA
Sunday, April 29 at 2:00 PM
White Whale Books
4754 Liberty Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Blog Tour: Posted by John David Anderson (Review + Interview)

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publication Date:	May 2, 2017
Pages:	384 (Hardcover)
Published By:	Walden Pond Press
Website:	John David Anderson
	Posted on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received from the publisher via Jean Book Nerd tours in exchange for my honest review

Where to get:

From John David Anderson, author of the acclaimed Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, comes a humorous, poignant, and original contemporary story about bullying, broken friendships, and the failures of communication between kids.

In middle school, words aren’t just words. They can be weapons. They can be gifts. The right words can win you friends or make you enemies. They can come back to haunt you. Sometimes they can change things forever.

When cell phones are banned at Branton Middle School, Frost and his friends Deedee, Wolf, and Bench come up with a new way to communicate: leaving sticky notes for each other all around the school. It catches on, and soon all the kids in school are leaving notes—though for every kind and friendly one, there is a cutting and cruel one as well.

In the middle of this, a new girl named Rose arrives at school and sits at Frost’s lunch table. Rose is not like anyone else at Branton Middle School, and it’s clear that the close circle of friends Frost has made for himself won’t easily hold another. As the sticky-note war escalates, and the pressure to choose sides mounts, Frost soon realizes that after this year, nothing will ever be the same.

(Goodreads)

Point is, none of us is alone. We might feel alone sometimes, but more often than not we are just lonely. There's a difference. We aren't alone because it's basic human nature to band together. Herd mentality. We are programmed to find our people.

But some things, I guess, you can't shy away from. Some things you just have to tackle head on, whether it's safe or not. Even if it means losing a part of you. 

      Posted is a heartfelt and sincere book about what it means to be a teenager nova days. It's about standing out in the crowd, being bullied and witnessing others being bullied, feeling lost and confused, but it's also -- or most of all -- about belonging, finding your tribe and having people in your life that really uplift you and make even the hardest days better, brighter and more hopeful. As someone who has experienced bullying in school first hand, I really appreciate this book. It's a wonderful reminder that despite middle-school being hell sometimes, we can all make it through. We can all get by with a little help from our friends. And as long as we stick together, we can do more than just survive -- we can be truly happy. 

      After an incident involving one student, her cellphone and a couple of unfortunate text messages caught by the teacher, cellphones are banned at Branton Middle School. The void created by the fact is quickly filled by a new form of communicating -- sticky notes. They're the new text messages now, and they're everywhere: left on the desks, slipped into backpacks, stuck to the lockers. Unfortunately, not all of them are harmless. Some can be mean and hurtful, and they're out there for everyone to see, packing an even stronger punch and causing more damage. 

     Caught in the middle of this mess are our protagonists: a tight group of misfit friends (Frost, Wolf, Bench and Deedee) and the new girl at school, Rose. Through the eyes of Frost, we watch the events unfold.We see how the friendship between the boys gets more and more strained as the new girl warms its way into their tight-knit circle; their tribe. 

     It's been a while since I've read a book that captures so beautifully and accurately the angst, comedy, drama, tragedy and exuberance of adolescence. John David Anderson does it so well. His characters are brilliant. They're perfectly imperfect and prone to making mistakes. They're all realistically flawed, but also kind of heroic in their hearts (especially Rose). Their friendship -- with the nerdy D&D sessions and quirky dialogs at the cafeteria lunch table -- is wonderfully realistic; so much that it made me think about my own friendships from middle and high school days. I found myself relating to these characters and the hardships they were going through, and I finished this book with a feeling of satisfaction. I was so pleased with the ending and so proud of the characters for doing what they did. It felt awesome. 

     Rose is a new favorite character of mine. She's so incredibly fierce and strong. She's different from all the other kids and she knows it. In fact, she wants to be different, she wants to stand out, she has her own style, she's bold, charismatic, unique and unstoppable. Most of all, she is such a wonderful friend. I want so badly to have a friend like Rose. She is there for you, not only in theory, but for real, even if it puts her own life and safety on the line. And she's so incredibly wise for her age. I absolutely adore her. 

     Overall, I feel that Posted is a book that gets it right. Regardless of the reader's proximity to his or her own high-school experiences. I grew up in Poland, I went to school there, and yet this book felt very personal on more than one level. I could relate to the characters -- to Frost most of all, but also to Rose, and even Wolf. In many ways, Posted feels timeless and I think it's well worth reading. 

Author Interview:

1) Welcome to Bookish Lifestyle, John! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to visit us today. Could you tell us a bit about yourself? 

Thanks for inviting me, Evie. And sure! Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. Lego collector.Chocolate fiend.Well-versed in Star Wars lore.Collector of nerdy t-shirts. Often wears socks inside out due to laziness. Once stepped on a hornet’s nest and was stung thirty times. Father of twins.Writer of novels.Baker of brownies.Believer in the basic goodness of humankind.

2) I found POSTED to be a very poignant and heartfelt story about bullying and the challenges teenagers face when it comes to communication and self-expression. As someone who experienced bullying first hand (in elementary school), I found your book incredibly insightful and relatable. Could you tell us what (or who) inspired you to write it? 

POSTED was a personal book, based, at least emotionally, on my own experiences in middle-school—as a target, yes, but also as an observer of the cruel things kids can say and do to each other. I also remember keenly what it’s like to have friendships fall apart at that age. I think I took those emotional experiences and added my own current reflections on the power of language and a more contemporary youth culture where the avenues for bullying have multiplied, making it even harder to escape or ignore. At the same time, I also remember the solace I found in the friends I managed to hang onto, which I hope comes through in the book as well.

3) Frost, Wolf, DeeDee,Bench and Rose are all wonderfully crafted, realistic characters. Do you feel particularly close to either one of them? 

Aw, thanks! I feel for all of them, certainly. Every one of them is struggling to define themselves and determine where they stand on the social hierarchy. Many of them have family issues. They certainly have issues with each other. This is the reality of middle school. I would love to say I identify most with Rose because she’s the wisest and most courageous of the group, but I’m afraid I see much more of myself in Frost, the struggling narrator who is never sure what to say or do, despite his poetic inclinations. Sounds like an average day of writing, come to think of it.

4) What is your all time favorite book? Which writer influenced you in your writing the most?

I can’t pick an all-time favorite—there are just too many. But the writer who influenced me the most is probably Kurt Vonnegut Jr.—not because I emulate his style (as if I even could), but because reading Vonnegut was when I first started paying attention to the beauty of language and the inner workings of fiction. Before Vonnegut I read mostly to escape; after Vonnegut I read to become a better writer, to see how all the pieces fit together.

5) What is the most memorable reaction you've had from a reader?

This past year I’ve gotten a tremendous response from adult readers of Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, many of whom have shared their experience as teachers or as students of great teachers, as well as people who have lost loved-ones to cancer and found solace in the book. It’s humbling and heart-warming to hear that my book in some way pays tribute to such outstanding, courageous people. Of course, I still can never get enough of the eleven-year-old kid who says one of my books is the best he’s ever read. I know I won’t hold the title for long, but it’s nice to hear!

6) What can you tell us about the book you're working on right now?

It’s a lot of fun. It’s about a fairy and a wish she just can’t manage to grant, despite all her efforts. I think it’s hilarious and hair-raising and heartfelt and should appeal to anyone between the ages of 8 and 80. Also it has a talking dog who loves doughnuts.

About the Author:

John David Anderson is the author of Sidekicked, Minion, Standard Hero Behavior,The Dungeoneers, Ms. Bixby's Last Day and Insert Coin to Continue. He lives with his patient wife and brilliant twins in Indianapolis, Indiana, right next to a State park and a Walmart. He does not wear ties but will wear sandals in the snow. He enjoys hiking, reading, chocolate, spending time with his family, playing the piano, chocolate, putting off the dishes, watching movies, and chocolate. Those aren't his real teeth. Seriously. The middle four on top? Lost 'em in a car accident. It's all right, though, the plastic ones look nice and he can still eat corn on the cob.

There are lots of ways to contact him. Telepathy, for example. Carrier pigeon. Alien distress beacon. Sky writing. Failing those, you can always e-mail him here. Be sure to tell him how his book has revolutionized your life, or, barring that, how you used it to smash a bug or something.

WEBSITE: http://www.johndavidanderson.org/

TWITTER: @anderson_author

GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6981617.John_David_Anderson

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/JohnDavidAndersonAuthor

Giveaway:

7 Winners will receive a Copy of POSTED by John David Anderson

Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule:

May 15th Monday Bookish Lifestyle REVIEW & INTERVIEW
May 15th Monday A Dream Within a Dream DREAM CAST
May 16th Tuesday Wishful Endings FILL IN THE BLANKS
May 17th Wednesday Here's to Happy Endings REVIEW
May 17th Wednesday BookHounds YA REVIEW & TENS LIST
May 18th Thursday CBY Book Club EXCERPT
May 19th Friday Crossroad Reviews REVIEW
May 19th Friday Books, Dreams, Life RANDOM THINGS
May 20th Saturday Sabrina's Paranormal Palace REVIEW & FAVORITE BOOKS
May 21st Sunday Twirling Book Princess REVIEW & EXCERPT
May 22nd Monday Wonder Struck RANDOM THINGS
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Indiscretion (Andalucían Nights #1) by Hannah Fielding {Book Review, Interview & Giveaway}

Indiscretion

by

Hannah Fielding

Published by London Wall Publishing

August 4, 2016 Paperback $11.99

Written in Fielding’s signature style, infused with an old-school Hollywood glamour, Indiscretion evokes the drama and passion of 1950s post-war Spain.

1950’s London. Alexandra, a young writer is bored of her suffocating but privileged life amongst the gilded balls and parties of Chelsea. Keen for an adventure, Alexandra travels to Spain to be reunited with her estranged Spanish family on a huge estancia in Andalucía. 

Arriving in sun-drenched southern Spain for the first time, Alexandra is soon caught up in the wild customs of the region. From bull fighting matadors and the mysterious Gypsy encampments in the grounds of the family’s estate, to the passionate dances of the region and the incredible horsemanship of the local caballeros, Alexandra is instantly seduced by the drama and passion of her new home.  

When Alexandra inevitably falls for Salvador, the mercurial heir to her family’s estate and the region’s most eligible man, she finds herself entangled in a web of secrets, lies and indiscretion.  Alexandra soon falls prey to scheming members of her own family, the jealousy of a beautiful marquésa and the predatory charms of a toreador, all intent on keeping the two lovers apart.  

But nothing can prepare Alexandra for Salvador’s own dangerous liaisons with a dark-eyed Gypsy.

Can Alexandra trust that love will triumph, or will Salvador’s indiscretion be their undoing?

Praise for Hannah Fielding’s Award-Winning novel, Indiscretion…

‘A captivating tale of love, jealousy and scandal.’  The Lady

‘A compelling read, Fielding’s novel is entertaining, shocking, exciting and charming: the perfect way to indulge and distract yourself.’ Latino Life

‘Indiscretion grips from the first. A powerful and romantic story, one to savour and enjoy.’   Lindsay Townsend - romance author

Welcome to Bookish Lifestyle, Hannah! I'm so excited to have you here with us today! In your own brief words, how would you describe the stories you write and why should readers be interested?

I write evocative, epic, romantic fiction set in inspiring locations worldwide. Probably the best description of my style is this, from a British newspaper: “romance like Hollywood used to make.”

Readers of my books are transported into beautiful story worlds full of emotion and drama. From wherever they are reading, they visit the plains of Kenya (Burning Embers) or the Bridge of Sighs in Venice (The Echoes of Love) or a fiesta in Andalucía (Indiscretion, Masquerade and Legacy). My fiction is a little like a passport!

What is the hardest part of the writing process? Favorite part?

The hardest parts for me are the opening paragraph and the closing paragraph. The first must encourage the reader to continue his or her journey into the novel, to want to get to know the characters and their story; and the last must leave the reader with a feeling of contentment and maybe a tinge of melancholy because the voyage has come to an end and it is as if he or she is saying farewell to a friend.

For me, the easiest part is writing descriptively. My style is mainly descriptive because that is what my French education gave me and that is what I most like to read. I try to convey to the reader every detail my imagination is conjuring up, so I pay keen attention to the setting. I carefully describe sights and sounds and smells and tastes and textures. All the senses are involved so that the reader can form a clear picture of the environment in which the plot takes place and grasp a better understanding of the characters and their reactions. I am careful to use the right word and I am always looking for the nuance that will best describe what I am trying to say. This could be due to the rigorous language training of my French education. The nuns at my school, and later my teachers at university, were very strict about style.

Since childhood I’ve loved writers who really paint a scene in your mind, and I knew when I started writing romance that I wanted to transport my readers to the time and place in which I situate the story.

What do you do to recharge your batteries?

I read: I love reading romantic novels – the thicker the book, the better.

I cook: I love cooking, using the various produce from our vegetable garden. Jams, chutneys, stuffed vine leaves (dolmadis), stuffed savoury and sweet filo pastry cushions that I serve as nibbles when I entertain and stewed fruit for winter crumbles. All for the freezer. The list could go on for ever.

I entertain: I find nothing more satisfying than having friends over; and as I often travel, it’s great to catch up with all the news.

I travel: To research my books. I find it exciting and exhilarating. Discovering new places, new people, new traditions and new cuisines, of course.

I collect antiques: Chinese porcelain, Japanese sculptures and French and Italian glass, so you will often find me rummaging in flea markets and dark second-hand shops in the hope of discovering a hidden treasure.

What truly motivates you in general? In your writing?

Love – always love! Those beautiful moments in your life when your heart is just bursting; I seek them out, and I capture them on the pages of my books. 

What is your all-time favorite book? 

My debut novel, Burning Embers, because it is the embodiment of a lifelong dream.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

My husband and I answered this question long ago, and that is why we now divide our time between our homes in Kent in S.E. England, and Ste Maxime in S.W. France. We love both of these countries, but so many others too, which is why we travel often. This year, we have spent a lot of time in Ireland, for example, where I find the windswept vistas very inspirational.

What was the last book you bought?

I just pre-ordered Les Diners de Gala, which is a book that has been virtually impossible to buy for decades, and is now being republished in time for Christmas. It’s a cookbook created by the Surrealist artist Salvador Dalí and his wife, Gala. Not your average cookbook: the illustrations are literally works of art, and the recipes are not for the faint- hearted. Dare I try the frog pastries? The thousand-year-old eggs? Perhaps the toffee with pine cones is a safer option…

What writer has influenced you in your writing the most? 

My favourite writer of this century is Mary Margaret ‘Mollie’ Kaye, author of worldwide bestseller The Far Pavilions in the early 1980s. She has been an inspiration to me in my writing, because, like me, she was a traveller at heart and she wrote wonderfully descriptive stories set in exotic locations that really transport you to far-off lands. Her stories transport you to a time and a place as if you are there and then. If you have not read her books, I do recommend them: pure escapism… pure romance. See http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1040250.M_M_Kaye

Do you have any hidden or uncommon talents? 

When I was a little girl, I was torn between two dreams for the future: to be a writer, or to be a ballerina. I trained in ballet with my sister for many years, and we would put on little shows for family and friends. I gave up my ballerina dream long ago in favour of writing, and I don’t train any longer. But I am still capable of executing a fair number of pirouettes in a row.    

Indiscretion is a steamy, exciting romance novel. Alexandra, the main protagonist in this book writes romance novels yet she has never experienced it herself. That is until she meets her mysterious admirer in Spain. Alexandra was at many points a bit naive, even though she was in her mid-twenties. Especially when it came to real life problems. Her upbringing had been a bit sheltered so when she is set free for the first time in her life there are so many new things for her to learn. At times her naivety really got to me, but through out the book the character really grows into a beautiful and intelligent woman you come to really respect and admire. 

Salvador's life has been rocky these past couple of years. He had an accident that left him  immobilized for a while, his engagement got broken off and he got involved with the gypsies. So when he meets the innocent Alexandra the timing is completely off. He is not exactly the man she believes him to be. I was really intrigued by him and by his mood swings. There were so many things to learn about him. Their relationship had a lot of drama and obstacles. Most of it thanks to Salvador and his many secrets. Salvador was an extremely complex character which I really loved because the author did a great job at making you hate him and love him at the same exact time.

The level of descriptions in this book is amazing. The author did an astonishing job describing the customs at the masquerade ball, the bull fights and the different settings in Spain. Reading this book was a whole new experience because of all these descriptions that the author provides seamlessly. It was easy to imagine how life must have been in Spain around that time.

Overall I really enjoyed reading Indiscretion. It is a great historical fiction book filled with romance, tension and drama. I found a new author that I just fell in love with in her character depth and writing style and I have already read the next book in this series with glowing reviews. Pick this first book up if you want to experience this romance for yourself! 

About the author

Hannah Fielding is an award-winning romance author, who grew up in Alexandria, Egypt, the granddaughter of Esther Fanous, a revolutionary feminist and writer in Egypt during the early 1900s. After graduating she developed a passion for travel, living in Switzerland, France and England. After marrying her English husband, she had little time for writing while bringing up two children, looking after dogs and horses, and running her own business renovating rundown cottages. Hannah now divides her time between her homes in England and the South of France.

She has written four novels, all featuring exotic locations and vivid descriptions: Indiscretion and Masquerade (the first two titles in the Andalucían Nights Trilogy set in Spain); Burning Embers (set in Africa); and The Echoes of Love (set in Italy). Hannah’s books have won many awards, including Gold Medal for romance at the Independent Publisher Book Awards and Silver Medal for romance at the Foreword Reviews IndieFab Book Awards (The Echoes of Love), and Gold and Silver Medals for romance at the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards (Indiscretion and Masquerade). Indiscretion has also won Best Romance at the USA Best Book Awards.

A copy of Indiscretion and Masquerade (Books 1 & 2 in Andalucian Nights) and "Echoes of Love" by Hannah Fielding to one lucky winner. 

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