I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young woman searching for a way out of her current life finds herself experiencing a historic moment in time in author Sea Gudinski’s “1969”.
The Synopsis
Take a trip down the rabbit hole without ever leaving the comfort of your living room…This is a novel in which history meets science fiction and psychedelics meet spirituality through a seamless blend of fact and fantasy. 1969: A Brief and Beautiful Trip Back is one girl’s account of her fantastic and unique experience of the hippie counterculture and how it changed her and those around her for the rest of their lives. From a run-of-the-mill existence in the ultra-conservative town of Fresno, California, formerly naïve teenager and rock devotee Rhiannon Karlson takes the trip of a lifetime after a drug dealer sells her a particularly potent and mysterious substance, sparking her unparalleled journey of soul-searching, consciousness-expansion, and unyielding search for the Truth. The rest, you may say, is history.
The Review
This was a beautiful and well written story that really did an amazing take on the historical fiction genre. The story does a great job of capturing the era of the period, both the highs and the lows.
The cast of characters really stole the show with fully fleshed out storylines and histories that made them come alive off the page. The protagonist goes on a fully realized journey of growth and understanding that many readers will recognize as a journey they themselves took. It’s a wonderfully relatable story for a historical fiction novel.
The Verdict
An engaging, lengthy yet powerful story, author Sea Gudinski’s “1969” is a must read book that speaks to the heart and spirit of the era. A brilliant historical fiction, this is the perfect book for fans of rock music, historical moments of the past century and emotional storytelling with relatable and powerful characters. Be sure to grab your copy of this book today.
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Sea Gudinski is a life-long native of the small town of Holmdel, New Jersey. She has written prolifically since the age of ten, producing six novels and one collection of poetry. 1969: A Brief and Beautiful Trip Back is her first published work. She is an avid reader and a lover of all things historical. With a wide breadth of knowledge and an unquenchable desire to learn she has delved into several eras in recent history with the hope of shedding some light on the issues faced in todays world. Her works are a delightful marriage of fact and fiction, peopled with vibrant characters, each with a unique and meaningful story to tell. She writes with depth and passion in the hope that her work will inspire others the way other literary works have inspired her.Sea graduated Holmdel High School with high honors; however, she chose not to go to college and manages her family business instead. When she is not writing, she enjoys listening to old radio programs and live music and playing gin rummy.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A couple tells their story of love and addiction through passionate love letters in author Sarah Dickinson’s “Silver Spoons: One’s Journey Through Addiction”.
The Synopsis
Silver Spoons: One’s Journey Through Addiction takes an intimate and raw look at the current face of addiction and recovery. Talking about the current opioid epidemic, we follow a young couple while one of them goes through the recovery process. Told through letters, we get an understanding of their relationship as it struggles through his addiction and resulting recovery. From detox, rehab, sober living and the 12 steps of A.A, you get a raw and honest look at the effects of addiction and how they affect relationships.
AUTHOR NOTE: There is explicit and graphic content.
The Review
A wonderfully written book, the author has done a marvelous job of creating a realistic and emotional story of love, addiction and the pain that comes with it.
The story really does a fantastic job of showcasing the painful reality of both sides of addiction, from the addicts struggle to overcome the addiction to the loved ones who must struggle to support their loved ones and the hope they must hold that they will overcome their need.
The Verdict
A powerful story and evenly paced novel, this book is a must read fiction of a very real problem in our world. If you haven’t yet be sure to grab your copies today!
Rating: 10/10
Print Length: 380 Pages
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN-13: 978-1717868947
ISBN-10: 1717868940
Silver Spoons: One’s Journey Through Addiction is now available to purchase at Amazon.com.
About the Author, Sarah Dickinson
Sarah Dickinson is a lifelong resident in beautiful upstate New York. Mother of two amazing daughters and three equally awesome rescue dogs, she is the author of Silver Spoons: One’s Journey Through Addiction. She currently attends college and is in the midst of switching careers. When she isn’t doing it all, she reads comic books, blogs, and takes weekend getaways.
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Visit our blog today and you can read an interview with the author of Silver Spoons: One’s Journey Through Addiction and also enter to win a copy of the book!
Visit Anthony’s blog again where you can read a guest post by author Sarah Dickinson. Make sure you check out her easy self-care tips to add to your daily routine.
Make sure you visit Francesca’s blog today and read her review of Sarah Dickinson’s book Silver Spoons: One’s Journey Through Addiction. You can also read an interview with the author!
Visit Rozelyn’s blog today and you can read her review of the book Silver Spoons: One’s Journey Through Addiction by Sarah Dickinson. Also, win a copy for yourself too!
Let me start off by saying this: I love NaNoWriMo. I’ve participated twice in the last four years, and each time I felt myself challenged, excited and creatively supercharged with each passing day. The process of writing in 30 days a full 50,000 word or more novel is exhilarating to say the least. So this post is not a knock to the event at all. In fact the event is still a very huge presence in my writing in the month of November.
However, for any authors out there who are not participating or can’t participate in the event, know that it is ok. You do not have to participate in the event to be a great writer in life or even just in the month of November. I struggled for a couple weeks on whether or not I wanted to participate in this year’s event.
Am I participating?
So many factors came into play when it came to my ultimate decision. I am working four jobs right now, all of which take up a lot of my time. In addition to this, I have responsibilities at home that take up even more time of my day, so by the time I get to the point where I have time to write, I’m either exhausted or have very little time to write, only getting a few hundred words in at most. I also have a project I am deeply committed to, but I am already at over 40,000 words. I’m not sure how many more words my project will end up taking on, but I don’t want the pressure of having to write another 50,000 just to satisfy the goal of NaNoWriMo and writing more than I really needed. Each story is unique (as many of you writers know), and should not be constrained by word counts for the sake of statistics. It usually sacrifices the story and flow of the novel overall as a result. I started coming up with an outline for a short story anthology I want to write to create a whole new project to work on, but with all of the other factors in play, the timing for NaNoWriMo 2018 just didn’t feel right.
So I decided ultimately to hold off for the year. I felt at first like I was failing to join the writing community or failing to be the best writer I could be. Then I started to ask myself: why? My day jobs consist of writing. I have a whole project I’m in the midst of working on that will include more writing. I’m neck deep into the world of writing. Why should I feel any less of a writer just because I’m not participating in the event.
Your Terms
There is no shame in taking your own path when it comes to writing. Whether you have an existing project, a project that doesn’t require 50,000 words or more or already is near that goal, you don’t have to commit to an event to feel like a great writer. The best advice I can give to a writer is to just be you. Write what you love, and write it on your own terms. Whether it takes you a month or ten years, don’t let anyone else tell you, (although, unless you are writing the next great novel, ten years is a bit long. Just kidding). Even I am still growing as a writer, and learning that you cannot rush the creative process or a project as a whole. To anyone participating in NaNoWriMo, good luck to you guys and I wish you well. I look forward to reading some of these projects in the future, and to interacting with you guys throughout the month as we all write alongside you. To everyone else, be you, and write on your own terms.
What do you guys think? Does this help any of you writers out there? Do any other authors have advice for anyone not participating in NaNoWriMo? Leave your comments below and be sure to share this post on your social media sites.
Check out my latest review of Firstborn by Tosca Lee here! Also grab your copy of my first two YA novellas in the Nightmare Academy series here!
I wanted to let you guys know that two of my books will be free starting today and ending on the 17th! The first is Blood and Romance and the second is At First Glance.
It’s a new year, and that means it’s time to start tackling some brand new book reviews. The first book of the year is a beautiful yet haunted book of poetry that explores the pain and friction that comes with one’s early 20’s. In author Erin Geil’s book Podunk Moon: An Anthology, readers get a personal, in-depth look at one person’s struggle to overcome life’s most grueling and heartbreaking challenges. Here’s the synopsis:
Podunk Moon is an anthology of mostly non-fiction poetry starting in 2016 and time traveling back through the years ending in 2003. A time capsule of heartache, depression, and the overall state of confusion that comes with being in your twenties. An excerpt of the suspense thriller novel, The Great American, follows after, leaving the reader with a taste of something that is altogether a darkly different breed of beast.
The blend of emotional poetry with a new dark and twisted fiction novel makes this a fantastic way to start the year! While the book is filled with some incredible poetry that deals with the struggles of love, loss and heartbreak, one poem in particular spoke to me. It was titled “I Know”, and while i won’t spoil anything for you guys, the raw emotion that spilled out from every line in that poem was overpowering to say the least, and is a shining example of the talent this author has. The incredible excerpt from The Great American brought a fantastic new and twisted tale of love, lust and violence that few books these days have been able to capture, and showcases the incredible range and variety this writer has.
Overall this was a wonderful start to the new year. A fantastic roller coaster of emotions, Podunk Moon: An Anthology by Erin Geil is a must have book to begin 2018. This is an extremely powerful book to have for young people meeting life’s challenges for the first time or already struggling with those very same challenges. Pick up your copies today!
Hey guys I wanted to share an incredibly powerful short film from YouTube creator Melanie Murphy. It’s an emotional look at unplanned pregnancy and the impact it has on people, as well as the sad reality of abortion still being illegal in Ireland. I hope you guys will watch it and help share and support this important film.
Time.
Time has produced new innovations in the world of writing and publishing. In today’s world of publishing authors have more opportunities than ever to showcase their work without traversing through the process of traditional publishing houses. However as many self-published and traditionally published authors can agree, time allows us all to learn from our mistakes and improve ourselves and our writing. With self-publishing it is easier now than ever before to improve on our previous work.
In a month and a half, I will be releasing I Was An Evil Teenager: Remastered. This is a three novella series telling the story of Lisa Etron, a seemingly innocent teenage girl with a dark persona bubbling just beneath the surface. I originally published the first novella, I Was A Teenage Killer, in 2010. This story was fun to write, but as the years have gone on i recognize so many grammatical and story based errors that the time to fix it was here. Not only have i and my skills as a writer changed and improved, but the world has changed as well. Whether its our current political climate or the tragedies of our world reshaping our views or the wisdom and strength that comes with age, this book began to feel outdated and in need of serous improvements. So i went through all of the novellas and realized this would make a great remastered novel, and so i began to work.
In the end, i think this remastered book is stronger and more character driven then it ever was before. The themes are more prevalent and the show versus tell style of writing has helped me to improve how the story is conveyed. This is something all authors can do. Our experiences and our understanding of the world can reshape how we view the past, and with the innovation that is online self-publishing it is easier than ever to strengthen the works that came before. I highly encourage any author out there to take the time to reread their books and look to see if time has given them any new insights or views that can improve their work. I hope you guys enjoyed my brief viewpoints on re-releases and book publishing. If you guys want to check out my work for free be sure to sign up for my free newsletter here on my blog, and if you guys are interested in seeing what a remastered book looks like then be sure to preorder your copies of I Was An Evil Teenager: Remastered today on Amazon and soon to be available on iBooks, Barnes & Noble and more!
I Was An Evil Teenager: Remastered https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756SVSGD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wwqRzb0T6F1VC
I had the pleasure to speak with author Tom Starita, author of the book “Growth and Change Are Highly Overrated”. Check out some of the amazing things he had to share with us.
1) What was your inspiration for Growth and Change Are Highly Overrated?
A) We’re going way back to the weekend before Valentine’s Day in 2013. It was the lowest point of my entire life. I was alone and I had the flu. Not just the flu, like the worst flu in the history of modern medicine. I’m actually in the Weehawken Journal of Medicine because my strain was so rare and severe.
When I finally awoke from a three-day coma late Friday night I was starving. I looked outside my bedroom window and saw eight inches of snow. No big deal. The falling snow looked straight out of a Bob Ross painting and as I gazed out I appreciated the beauty of the situation. I leaned forward to appreciate the beauty even more and saw my car had been buried by the plow.
I would not be going out for food.
No matter, I wasn’t in any condition to drive so I made my way to the kitchen to find a takeout menu. I began dialing the Chinese place on the corner when I noticed the time on my microwave said 11:30pm, thus killing my dream of takeout.
Okay, okay, it’s not the end of the world. I’m not the best of cooks and I’m not in the mood to cook but I was starving so I opened my fridge and found the absence of food. I looked in the freezer and found empty ice cube trays. I opened cabinets and found shadows where boxes once stood. At that moment I realized I had hit rock bottom. I was sick, alone and in danger of starving to death.
I also realized that this would be a great way to start a book! So I dragged my decaying body to the computer and started typing. That’s when Lucas James’ voice appeared crystal clear in my mind and I just kept typing.
2) What would you say is Lucas James biggest driving force in this book?
A) Himself. He has one long term goal, rock n roll immortality and is blind to everything else. That means he has no short term goals other than attaining his one long term goal. That means he lives hour to hour, day to day figuring out how to turn whatever situation he’s in to his advantage.
3) What theme do you hope your book embodies to the readers?
A) That there are shitty people in this world and there’s nothing you can do to change that. Sometimes people fall into the trap of dating someone, or befriending someone who is toxic and will only bring doom and misery into your life. This book is about what happens when you don’t walk away from the doom.
OR if you’re an optimist…
It’s about trying to succeed at life, on your terms. Consequences be damned.
4) What inspired you to become an author?
A) I was seduced by the thought of being paid to make things up. Anyone can be a liar, but a professional liar? That’s something.
5) If you could sit down for a meal or drink with Lucas James, what would you ask him?
A) That’s a great question! First of all I would know in advance that I’m paying. If I wanted to act high and mighty I would ask him if he realizes the damage he causes to the people who care for him? Of course that would lead him to get defensive and the dinner would end right then and there.
If I wanted to shoot the breeze with him I’d ask what’s the first thing he’ll do when he officially becomes a rock god.
6) What social media tool or site has been the most beneficial to building a readership?
A) Facebook has been my best friend. It’s an easy way to connect with people and convince them to like my author page for updates. *cough* @TomStarita* cough
7) What advice would you give to any aspiring writers out there?
A) That you have chosen the hardest path for survival and to have a backup plan. That success is limited and victories are fleeting. But the moment you hold something that you created in your hands is one of the best feelings in life. You’re guaranteed to live forever.
8) What are your future plans? Any new books on the horizon?
A) My current plans are to do anything and everything to introduce Lucas James to the world. After that it’s see where the tide takes me. I have ideas that are percolating around right now but nothing imminent. I think the next goal is to write a script. When I’m on my deathbed I’d love to know that I wrote books, created a cartoon, putzed around a podcast and wrote a movie.
I just want to end this by saying that my sister recently came down with a nasty cough. She went to the doctors and was told that antibiotics wouldn’t work in a situation like this. It’s too far deep into the metacurlis lining of the lungs. Obviously my sister was upset and asked if antibiotics wouldn’t work what would? He placed her chart down on the counter, took a deep breath and removed his glasses.
This made my sister even more nervous.
“Tell me doctor. What can we do?” He looked her dead in the eyes and said,
“Your brother has to make the New York Times Best Seller’s List for his book, “Growth and Change Are Highly Overrated.”
If you don’t want to buy my book I understand. It might not be for everyone. But think of my poor sister. Coughing. Buy my book for her.
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