Tag Archives: Women’s Fiction

Vera Jane Cook, Author of The Story of Sassy Sweetwater: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on January 14th, 2014

storyofsassysweetwater-140Publisher: Musa Publishing (January 20, 2012)
Category: Southern fiction, Contemporary fiction, Women’s Fiction
Tour Date: July, 2013
Available in: eBook,  289 Pages

Finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year Awards for 2012! Won the Eric Hoffer Award for Sassy Sweetwater for 2013 – Honorable Mention Best ebook Fiction!

After thirteen years on the run Violet McLaughlin returns to Carter’s Crossing, South Carolina, in 1962, with her young daughter, Sassy. The Crossing is right outside of Beaufort and the turmoil of the Civil Rights movement will forever leave its scars on the young and impressionable girl. As Sassy stands before the imposing white farmhouse for the first time, with no knowledge of her history but that the McLaughlin’s are her kin, Sassy begins a journey that will tear her apart before it heals her. Growing up among secrets that will forever damage her relationship with her mother, she attempts to make sense of her past. But will her passion for art and her love for Thomas Tierney be enough to sustain her future? Will the puzzles she must solve to discover who she is be worth the journey?

Praise for The Story of Sassy Sweetwater:

“An extraordinary second in the southern fiction genre, Vera Jane Cook explores the bonds of family and the fragility of love. The Story of Sassy Sweetwater is a sparkling debut novel.
Cook has penned a sweeping coming-of-age saga that is sure to appeal to fans of romance and drama. Sassy, an assertive, observant protagonist, gains the reader’s sympathy at the outset; in the manner of Jane Eyre, she survives the hand fortune has dealt her through sheer will, rising up to meet every challenge.
It is not just the gripping love story that will hold the audience’s interest; it is also Cook’s nuanced portrayal of Sassy’s positive relationships with people whom others are prejudiced against.
Drama lovers will be pleased to note that Sassy faces lies, cover-ups, violence, murder attempts, and the rediscovery of loved ones once thought dead. None of this descends into soap opera, however, because Cook skillfully grounds these events in her protagonist’s emotions. Those who know the agony of a family rupture will feel Sassy’s pain as she wishes for Violet to return, yet hates her for leaving. Along with the main story, as Cook delves into the lives of Sassy’s family (particularly those of Violet and Edna) she paints a haunting portrait of physical abuse filtering through multiple generations. Despite its violence, though, The Story of Sassy Sweetwater is an uplifting read.”- 5 Star ForeWord Clarion Review

“The Story of Sassy Sweetwater” by Vera Jane Cook was an excellent read. This story was one that I couldn’t put down until I had finished it….so I read all nite long … (smile).
Sassy (meaning….attitude and Sweetwater..a stream…. was a very strong, desirous, and daring person. How this author was able to present such a well written novel was simply amazing….dealing with a young Sassy trying to understand the grownups in her life….mainly her mother…going from one relationship to another…then returning home… to Carter’s Crossing, South Carolina…..where Sassy remained there until the end… then it was France.
Ms. Cook worked her magic in bringing out Sassy emotions to the audience. The writing was well written and each of the characters were brought to life in this great read.  I know you will find it a great read. These characters really made this a well understood novel.
The Story of Sassy Sweetwater” is a real journey that while you are on it, you will find out just what Sassy needed most in her life. Will Sassy be able to get this in the end? I found this novel an excellent novel and I would recommend this for the Adult audience.”- Arlena Dean, GMTA Literary Community

“Vera Jane Cook has quickly become one my favorite writers. Her stories are always interesting and lively and The Story of Sassy Sweetwater is no exception.
In this book we follow the journey of Sassy Sweetwater as she grows and matures from a child to a woman. What a ride it is! Sassy’s life is full of ups and downs but through it all she stays sweet and endearing. She is a strong and passionate character and she always seems to find a way to prevail.
If you love strong, character-driven stories you’ll love The Story of Sassy Sweetwater.”-Sweet Tea, Amazon.com Reviewer

” I really enjoyed how the author brought Sassy Sweetwater to life. You can almost hear her southern drawl as you read her words. The characters are richly created and bring the story even more to life. Other than Sassy, my favorite character was Grandma Edna. This woman starts out as someone who seems untouchable, and turns out to be Sassy’s greatest champion. She has so many facets, like a true southern lady who married young and to a very volatile man, she finds her own way of taking control of things and people around her and still keep her charm.
Anyone looking for a solid story of life, its ups and downs with great female characters would really enjoy this book.”- Kmusings

About Vera Jane Cook:jaynecolor1 copy

Vera Jane Cook, writer of Award Winning Women’s Fiction, is the author of The Story of Sassy Sweetwater, Lies a River Deep, Where the Wildflowers Grow, Dancing Backward in Paradise and Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem.

Jane, as she is known to family and friends, was born in New York City and grew up amid the eccentricity of her southern and glamorous mother on the Upper West and Upper East Side of Manhattan.

An only child, Jane turned to reading novels at an early age and was deeply influenced by an eclectic group of authors. Some of her favorite authors today are Nelson DeMille, Calib Carr, Wally Lamb, Anne Rice, Sue Monk Kidd, Anita Shreve, Jodi Picoult, Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. Her favorite novels are too long to list but include The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, Cheri and The Last of Cheri, The Picture of Dorian Grey, Wuthering Heights, Look at Me, Dogs of Babel, The Bluest Eye, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Body Surfing, Lolita, The Brothers Karamazov, She’s Come Undone, Tale of Two Cities, etc., etc., etc.,

The Story of Sassy Sweetwater is a finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year Awards for 2012. Her first novel, Dancing Backward in Paradise won the Eric Hoffer Award for publishing excellence and the Indie Excellence Award for notable new fiction, 2007. The Story of Sassy Sweetwater and Dancing Backward in Paradise received five stars from ForeWord Clarion Reviews. The Story of Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem is her first paranormal novel.

The author works by day for an education publishing company as an account manager and lives on the Upper West side of Manhattan with her long term partner, her Pomeranian, Daisy, her Basenji/Chihuahua mix, Roxie, her Chihuahua, Peanut and her two pussy cats, Sassy and Sweetie Pie.

Vera Jane Cook’s Website: http://www.verajanecook.com/

Vera Jane Cook on Twitter: https://twitter.com/verajanecook
Vera Jane Cook on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vera.j.cook

Buy The Story of Sassy Sweetwater:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Follow the Tour:

So Many Precious Books July 8 Review & Giveaway
Library of Clean Reads July 9 Review
Library of Clean Reads July 10 Interview
From Isi July 10 Review
I Feel So Unnecessary July 11 Review
Silver’s Reviews July 12 Review
Girl Who Reads July 15 Interview
A Book & A Lattee  July 16 Review
Romance & Inspiration July 17 Review
The Eclectic Reader  July 19 Review & Giveaway
Joy Story July 22 Review
Faerie Tale Books July 23 Review, Guest Post
Reading Renee July 25 Review
VW Stitcher July 30 Review
Maniac Mama of 2 July 31 Review
M. Denise C. Aug 1 Review
Books, Books & More Books Aug 5 Review                                                                       Books, Books & More Books Aug 6 Interview
The Self Taught Cook Aug 8 Review
Wall to Wall Books Aug 9 Review & Giveaway

Lisa D. Ellis, Author of Finding Lily: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on June 12th, 2013

Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing  (January 22, 2013)
Category: Women’s Fiction, Literary Fiction, Relationships, Touching on supernatural
Tour Date: Mid May, 2013
Available in: eBook, 180 pages

Sometimes the ties that bind people together can also tear them apart. In FINDING LILY, first-time novelist Lisa D. Ellis explores that delicate balance that exists in all relationships and tries to find meaning in a world that is sometimes kind and sometimes harsh.

Her narrator Claire, who is reeling after the unexpected loss of a newborn baby Lily, walks the fine line between love, loss, heartache and healing. Unable to cope with her grief, which seems magnified by her husband Jim’s colder coping style, Claire leaves Jim behind and runs away to live in a lighthouse she had fallen in love with as a child.

At first all Claire wants is an escape but slowly, the lighthouse sheds new light on her situation and helps her reimagine her life in a new way, sometimes with her feet on the ground and sometimes lifting up beyond the boundaries of reality to help her reconnect with Lily. Claire’s memorable journey to the lighthouse — and back again — is a story of hope and of possibility.

Readers will fall in love with Claire and with the rich images and rhythmic tones that Ellis masterfully weaves from the very first page through to the satisfying conclusion of FINDING LILY.

Praise for Finding Lily:

“In Finding Lily, Lisa D. Ellis offers up a lyrical–yet practical–first novel that so accurately depicts not only a woman’s first love, but her first loss as well.  As the narrator grapples with the death of her infant daughter, Claire slips between the surreal gossamer world of devastating grief and the unknown turf of the inevitable marital discord that accompanies the death of a child–as represented by that  “invisible line in the bed” between Claire and Jim.

Her husband is an attorney, she knows that–but she is still horrified that, even while her “arms still felt the shape of Lily in them,” Jim tells her to be “reasonable,” saying between forkfuls of homemade cake, “We can have another child soon.”

Although she is aware of what she calls “the grateful way he looks at me when he thinks I am asleep,” Claire’s anger incites her to retreat–alone–to the  lighthouse in the cold of winter.

Her thoughts and feelings about Jim are further clouded when she sees an image of Lily “suspended inches above the frozen sand in the cold air, like a dancer caught at the end of a leap from which she can never land.” The real question here is whether Claire’s grief–and the apparition of her daughter–will create another loss:  the loss of her marriage.         

In the end, Claire must decide whether her ethereal child is more real and permanent than the foundation of her marriage.  In so doing, Claire’s journey to the lighthouse resonates with the voices of women everywhere who simply want to love, and to be loved, even within the cold grasp of tragedy.  Like Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, a novel more concerned with lyrical introspection than predictable plot points, Finding Lily is a must-read for anyone who has ever pondered the vagaries of human existence–as defined by both men and women”. –Karen E. Peterson, Ph.D., author of WRITE:  10 Days to Overcome Writer’s Block 

About Lisa Ellis:

Lisa Ellis is a writer whose short fiction has appeared in a number of literary journals and magazines. FINDING LILY is her first novel. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University and provides health content regularly for hospitals and websites in New England and the tri-state area.

Lisa’s Website

Lisa D. Ellis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisadellisauthor
Lisa D. Ellis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaEllisauthor

Buy Finding Lily at:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
SoulMatePublishing

Follow the Tour:

So Many Precious Books May 15 Review & Giveaway
My Life One Story At a Time May 16 Review
My Life One Story At a Time May 16 Guest Post & Giveaway
Mom in Love with Fiction May 16 Review & Giveaway
Peeking Between Pages May 17 Review
JoyStory May 21 Review & Giveaway
Bookworm  Brandee May 22 Review & Giveaway
A Booklover’s Library May 24 Guest Post
Reading With Tea May 24 Review & Giveaway
From Isi May 28 Review
Rainy Days & Mondays May 30 Review
A Booklover’s Library May 31 Review
Rainy Days & Mondays May 31 Guest Post
Wall to Wall Books June 3 Review
DWED Blog June 4 Review
The Book Diva’s Reads June 4 Interview
I’d Rather Be At the Beach  June 5 Review & Giveaway
Midnight Musings June 6 Review
Books, Books & More Books June 7 Review
Every Free Chance June 7 Interview & Giveaway
Of Books & Reading June 10 Review
Reviewing Novels on Line  June 11 Review
Raging Bibliomanania June 12 Review

Shobhan Bantwal, Author of The Reluctant Matchmaker: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on August 25th, 2012

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp, June 26, 2012
Category: Women’s Fiction/ Romance
Tour Dates:  August, 2012
Available in print and eBook, 352 pages

It starts with a bizarre accident. When young and petite Meena literally collides with her strikingly tall boss, Prajay, she takes a nasty fall, but doesn’t count on falling in love with him. So imagine her dismay when he makes an astonishing request. He wants her to craft a personal ad that will help him find a suitable wife, a statuesque, sophisticated Indian-American woman who will complement his remarkable height. Despite Meena’s attraction to Prajay and the complications of balancing work and her “marriage consultant” role, she can’t refuse his assignment. And yet, she comes to some surprising realizations about love, tradition, and the sacrifices she will—and won’t—make to win over her giant.

Advance Praise for The Reluctant Matchmaker:

“One of the best [novels] I’ve read this year. I couldn’t put it down…this book is a gem!” –Mary Monroe, New York Times bestselling author on The Unexpected Son

“Compelling and memorable.” —Mary Jo Putney, New York Times bestselling author on The Forbidden Daughter

“Vivid, rich…expertly portrays a young woman caught between love and duty, hope and despair.” —Anjali Banerjee on The Dowry Bride

“Dazzles you with a taste of Desi culture in America.” —Caridad Piñeiro

Praise for Shobhan Bantwal’s The Full Moon Bride:

“I enjoyed The Full Moon Bride – it had all the heart and wisdom I’ve come to expect from Shobhan Bantwal’s books, as well as the discussion of contemporary issues facing Indians today. I thought Soorya was an excellent character, I so enjoyed watching her grow and learn so much about herself and the world around her. This was a light, quick novel that fans of multicultural and women’s fiction definitely should pick up.“- S. Krishna’s Books

“I very highly recommend this book. The story is beautifully written with characters that seem so real and are very easy to relate to. I loved Soorya from the very start and I was rooting for her the whole way through. I was totally pulled into her story right from the beginning and could not put it down. No matter what nationality, religion or culture you are from, I think you’ll care about these characters and relate to them in some way. It is a lovely story about family, different cultures, relationships, love and romance. I really enjoyed Ms Bantwal’s writing and would definitely look for more of her work in the future!”-Life In Review, Michelle Vasquez

“Ms. Bantwal has formulated a treasure of words for an engaging read remaining long after the final scene has been deliciously absorbed. Frankly I cannot tell if I am more enamored by Soorya or the author herself. The author has obviously internalized the emotions of her character leaving the impression that the line between writer and actor is an invisible one. I thoroughly enjoyed The Full Moon Bride for the emotion, education, and entertainment. What I appreciate most is the total lack of manipulation I felt while being led through Soorya’s awakening of herself and the man she loves. In summary The Full Moon Bride is sophisticated, eloquent, and difficult to put down and cements a lasting impression.- Suspektme, Coffee Time Romance

“I couldn’t stop reading The Full Moon Bride. Even though I had a pretty good guess about which man Soorya would end up with, there were plenty of plot twists to keep me reading. I loved Soorya’s spunkiness, and her struggle to reconcile the modern, professional side of her personality with the traditional, good-girl side.  I highly recommend The Full Moon Bride.”- Susan Meim

About Shobhan Bantwal:

Shobhan Bantwal is an award-winning Indian-American author of five multicultural women’s fiction books with romantic elements, branded as “Bollywood in a Book.” Her articles and short stories have appeared in The Writer magazine, Romantic Times, India Abroad, India Currents, and New Woman. The Reluctant Matchmaker is her sixth book, scheduled for release on July 1, 2012. Visit her online at www.shobhanbantwal.com to learn about her books, trailers, contests, photos, recipes, and more. Visit her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ShobhanBantwal.author.

Shobhan was featureed on USA Today, here!

Tour Stops:
Broken Teepee  Aug. 1 Review & Giveaway
Books, Books,& More Books   Aug. 2 Review
Geeky Girl Reviews Aug. 3 Review
Thoughts in Progress  Aug. 6 Review
Joy Story  Aug.7 Review
Joy Story  Aug. 8 Giveaway & Interview
Drey’s Library  Aug. 9 Review
Drey’s Library  Aug. 10 Giveaway & Interview
From the TBR Pile  Aug. 13 Spotlight
Thoughts in Progress  Aug. 14 Giveaway & Interview
Poisoned Rationality   Aug. 15 Interview
A Bookish Affair   Aug. 16 Review
Amused by Books Aug. 17 Review
A Bookish Affair    Aug. 17 Giveaway & Interview
Mocha Girls Read  Aug. 20 Review
The Book Faery Aug. 21 Giveaway & Interview
The Book Faery Aug 24 Review
From the TBR Pile  Aug. 25 Review