Many thanks to the @reader_views podcast Inside Scoop for giving me a chance to talk in-depth about my new novel Holy Denver: A Novel of Shame and Redemption. Link to the whole episode in my bio, and here's a brief excerpt:
"I wanted to write about someone having a spiritual awakening that actually doesn't have anything to do with any particular religion. By 'spiritual awakening,' [I mean] the desire to behave better, and the desire to be kinder to other people. Not because your religion told you to, but based on your own experience and realizing that the way you've been acting is wrong. So that's the real kernel of the book."
Holy Denver touches on many themes, everything from adult bullying to parental neglect to being underemployed. Plus life in the great cities of Denver and Boulder. But I do think the heart of the book is transformation, and the way that the painful emotion of shame can lead to redemption.
Thank you @reader_views for featuring me! It's always a pleasure to collaborate, and I look forward to our next project.
#holydenver #holydenveranovelofshameandredemption #readerviews #insidescoop #denver
Grateful to @reader_views for spotlighting Holy Denver as Book of the Week!
#holydenveranovelofshameandredemption #readerviews #holydenver #denver #literaryfiction
@reader_views just published a long-form interview with me that delves into the origins of Holy Denver: A Novel of Shame and Redemption. Link in my bio, and here's a snippet from the interview:
Question: The subtitle, A Novel of Shame and Redemption, feels like it sets the tone for the entire novel. What made those two forces the foundation of this book?
Answer: Due to my own personal experiences with Buddhism and 12-step programs, I discovered the value of taking an honest look at my behavior, to do a kind of life review. This also involved making amends for past mistakes, doing my best to avoid repeating them, and then going forward aiming to be a more positive presence. This personal journey transformed my life, and I wanted to explore it through fiction, to show how an unflinching assessment of one’s own behavior could lead to a moral and even spiritual flowering.
***************************
I'm always grateful to @reader_views for providing a platform where indie authors can get the word out about their books. Their questions were thought-provoking and also helped me understand Holy Denver better!
#holydenver #holydenveranovelofshameandredemption #readerviews #authorinterview #denver
First review of Holy Denver: A Novel of Shame and Redemption comes from @reader_views . Here's an excerpt:
"Denver is “Holy” because this is where [the main character] Elizabeth confronts herself and begins her spiritual growth. This is what makes this book a very worthwhile read. There is nothing more moving and important than redemption, and an author who can show us that this is possible is definitely doing something right."
The reviewer also points out that Elizabeth is often unlikeable during the first half of the book. but it's well worth the effort to see what happens when a shocking event makes her reevaluate herself at the deepest levels -- hence the shame and redemption!
As always, I'm happy to collaborate with @reader_views and soon I'll be posting about a podcast episode and written interview with them about Holy Denver. Watch this space!
#holydenver #holydenveranovelofshameandredemption #literaryfiction #colorado #denver boulder
Looking for a great FALL Giveaway? I’m giving away two copies: OF LIES AND HONEY 🍯 🐝💛 Check out these amazing books & copy & paste the link below into your browser to enter today!
/book-giveaway/
#FallGiveaway #BookGiveaway #OfLiesAndHoney #ReadersOfInstagram #BookLoversUnite #FallReads #BookishGiveaway #WomenWriters #ReadersChoice #BookBuzz
@reader_views
✨❄️ A big thank you to Holly Smith from Reader Views for this ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review of The Roll-Away Snowman! ❄️✨
I’m so grateful for the kind words that celebrate both my storytelling and the enchanting illustrations that bring Marla’s snowy adventure to life.
☃️ This whimsical tale makes the perfect cozy bedtime read with your little readers. 🛏️📚
#juniawonders #kidsbooks #childrensbooks #readaloudfamily #bedtimestory #childrensbook #readalouds #bedtimestories #readaloud #winterbooksforkids #snowman #cozyreads #therollawaysnowman #therollawayseries
Grateful to @reader_views for hosting me on the podcast Inside Scoop. We talked about my book Aspasia and what it was like to revisit the story after 30 years. I always enjoy talking to Sheri, she's a great host! See link in bio to listen.
#readerviews #insidescooplive #aspasia #aspasiaanovelofsuspenseandsecrets #literarythriller #crete #greece
Many thanks to @reader_views for this interview about my new book, Aspasia: A Novel of Suspense and Secrets. Link is in my bio, and here's an excerpt:
"I’ve noticed that it’s often the most emotionally unstable person who has the most power. They’re the one everyone else seems to dance around, largely out of fear. This can be true within a family, a job situation, an entire village—even a whole country. I wanted to show how a bad person can take over a community and get other people to bend to his will."
I always enjoy working with @reader_views , and doing one of their Meet the Author interviews has become an essential part of my marketing for new books. Aspasia is a short book, but the themes are complicated, and it was interesting to unpack them via the interview.
#aspasia #aspasiaanovelofsuspenseandsecrets #readerviews #meettheauthor #authorinterview #literarythrillers
Thank you @reader_views publishing my blog post on trigger warnings! See link in bio.
My new book Aspasia deals with some difficult themes, including violence toward children. There's a short chapter that even describes this violence in a very blunt way. The violence is not gratuitous--it is the core of what I want to express in the book.
The blog post is my reflection on trigger warnings and my decision not to include one at the beginning of Aspasia. Grateful that @reader_views gave me a forum to express these thoughts!
#aspasia #aspasiaanovelofsuspenseandsecrets #literarysuspense #triggerwarning #contentwarning #readerviews
![Many thanks to the @reader_views podcast Inside Scoop for giving me a chance to talk in-depth about my new novel Holy Denver: A Novel of Shame and Redemption. Link to the whole episode in my bio, and here's a brief excerpt:"I wanted to write about someone having a spiritual awakening that actually doesn't have anything to do with any particular religion. By 'spiritual awakening,' [I mean] the desire to behave better, and the desire to be kinder to other people. Not because your religion told you to, but based on your own experience and realizing that the way you've been acting is wrong. So that's the real kernel of the book."Holy Denver touches on many themes, everything from adult bullying to parental neglect to being underemployed. Plus life in the great cities of Denver and Boulder. But I do think the heart of the book is transformation, and the way that the painful emotion of shame can lead to redemption.Thank you @reader_views for featuring me! It's always a pleasure to collaborate, and I look forward to our next project.#holydenver #holydenveranovelofshameandredemption #readerviews #insidescoop #denver](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_25692665231171402512656526262511236526266571_0_c035be79e91259a65418f5b2d334f0f8.jpg?o=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&h=27e2cc494f57caf69d108daa712b9172)
![First review of Holy Denver: A Novel of Shame and Redemption comes from @reader_views. Here's an excerpt:"Denver is “Holy” because this is where [the main character] Elizabeth confronts herself and begins her spiritual growth. This is what makes this book a very worthwhile read. There is nothing more moving and important than redemption, and an author who can show us that this is possible is definitely doing something right."The reviewer also points out that Elizabeth is often unlikeable during the first half of the book. but it's well worth the effort to see what happens when a shocking event makes her reevaluate herself at the deepest levels -- hence the shame and redemption!As always, I'm happy to collaborate with @reader_views and soon I'll be posting about a podcast episode and written interview with them about Holy Denver. Watch this space!#holydenver #holydenveranovelofshameandredemption #literaryfiction #colorado #denver boulder](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_25692665406126252625652365112511262640652511_0_c700da0da543ab4c5cb28de081d6e215.jpg?o=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&h=835d447c9d2a71102b3f485fa302680d)
