Winter Blogfest: Mandy Swiftson

December 30, 2020 By 10 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed paperback copy. I will post to wherever the winner is.

The Magic of Christmas

Santa is real! Let me just start by making myself clear on that point, so all of this is hypothetical anyway :-p

Do you think you should ever tell a child that Santa isn’t real, or do you think they should discover it for themselves?

Me personally I still believe so it isn’t a question I can answer, (you have to believe in him, right?)

I clearly remember my brother telling me there was no such thing and that Mum and Dad just brought the gifts and hid them. 

I was devastated. He took great pleasure in my distress, but then he was that kind of brother.

When would it be better to spoil the illusion? I think once a child stops believing it somewhat spoils the magic of Christmas.

So many things change, writing to Santa, getting a letter back, cookies, carrots and milk left out for Santa and the reindeer, laying awake as long as you possibly can to try and catch Santa or hear the sleigh bells, and no matter what you always seam to be asleep when he comes.

I guess it would depend on the child and if there are any younger siblings, if one child knows the truth will they like my brother take pleasure in spoiling it for the younger ones? Or would they play along?

To me I don’t think you should ever come out and tell a child, yes at some point they will question but lets face it, in this day and age there are so many things that happen to steal our children’s innocence, from clothing to TV to bad things happening, so why cant we just allow this small piece of innocence to remain in childhood as long as it’s needed?

I love Christmas, from the pretty twinkling lights to the gifts shared to family fun times, but when you have child believing in the whole magic and wonder of Santa and the north pole and flying reindeers and magical elves it is so much better. So much more fun and so much more special.

Let’s keep Santa alive.

I believe!


All your life you are taught to forgive. It doesn’t matter who or what your beliefs are, even as children we are taught we should forgive.

Is forgiveness ever the wrong thing to do?
What if forgiving someone alters your life in ways you could never imagine?
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Is it still the right thing to do?
Surely there must be exceptions to the forgive and forget rule?

One forgiveness.
One mistake.
One life-altering decision.

Which is right? Which is wrong?
Forgiveness or survival?

I am a married lady, on the higher side of 45, I have lived in Nottingham England (Robin Hood Land) all my life apart from a few years where I moved to the posh Harrogate, I am not posh and it didn’t work.

I am a bit like Henry V111 but instead of “divorced beheaded died” I have Alcoholic, Psycho and died. So I am a bit of a serial name changer, I am married to hubby number 4 but I know this time I have found my soul mate. He is the fish to my chips, the salt to my vinegar, the yin to my yang. My Dude is my life.

I have an older sister and an older brother plus an array of nieces and nephews, some blood some adopted, but I love them all.

I currently work in a betting shop which whilst I love it can sometimes be stressful.

I am Big, I am Inked, My hair colour changes like the weather (which in England can be four seasons in a day) and I am in your face loud. I don’t do egg shells and I don’t do cotton wool.

I am very much the kind of person who is happy in herself and if someone doesn’t like me they can turn right around and find the door they came through.

I have worked hard and shed many tears to be happy in my own skin.

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What would I tell a new author? by Nino Gugunishvili – Guest Blog and Giveaway

December 15, 2020 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nino Gugunishvili will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What would I tell a new author?

Inhale! Congratulations! You’ve started writing your book! Quite possibly, it’s going to be one of the most challenging, exhilarating, nerve-wracking, exasperating experiences in your life. Still, if you have enough determination not to quit, it’ll eventually pay off. Write until your fingers refuse to type those words and edit mercilessly. Edit more. Edit and polish and write and rewrite and play with words, and don’t forget to enjoy the process. Find people who’ll eagerly be there for you when you need advice, a second pair of eyes, and a real opinion. Find fellow authors who’re either at the same stage of their writing journey or have just published their books. Share your experience with them; believe me, it’ll help you feel less frustrated and lonely, and when you hit the finish line, you’ll have like-minded people to pop up champagne or any other beverage of your choice and celebrate with.

At times, writing may feel as if you’re standing in front of a massive brick wall with no available tools to break it. Still, you’ll be amazed by the amount of extraordinary, supportive people out there who’ll eventually become your community. There will be many setbacks, rejections, and failures. Don’t let them scare you off. There won’t be unicorns, magic wands, rainbows, butterflies, and fairies involved. It’s just you alone, your effort, your determination, your fearlessness, and nevertheless, somewhere along that crazy ride, you’ll find a tiny bit of your own magic.

Canceled Plans? –Check!
Panic and Fear? – Check!
Self- Isolation? – Check!
Missing Friends? – Check!
Gaining Weight? – Check!
Binge-Watching TV? – Check!
Lengthy Self- diggings? – Check!
Hope? – Check, check, check!
Who would have thought that Global Pandemic, Self-Isolation, Cluster, and a Lockdown were to become the trendiest words in 2020? Who would have imagined the world would freeze and people would stay home shattered with fear, panic, uncertainty towards their future?
How do we adjust to this changing reality, when none of our questions have answers when plans turn upside down, things get totally out of control?
In her new book: “From My Balcony to Yours,” author Nino Gugunishvili shares her personal account during the first several months of the COVID -19 global pandemic in the form of short stories and observations.

Nino Gugunishvili’s writing biography includes a collection of short stories “You Will Have a Black Labrador” and a women’s fiction novel “ Friday Evening, Eight O’Clock.”

Enjoy an Excerpt

Manicure, Hair and Oh, La, La …

I think it was my aunt that gave me an electric manicure kit on my birthday many years ago. So many years ago, in fact, that I had no idea how to use it, stored it into a cupboard, and, after not much of thinking, gifted it away. Oh, what an idiot I was! But how was I supposed to know that in less than twenty-five years from there, we would find ourselves living in reality, where a simple manicure and pedicure routine would become hard to obtain luxury? That whether to invite or not to invite manicure specialists to our home would almost equal an act of heroism?

The same goes for hair. Goodbye highlights, “Chatouche,” asymmetric bobs, and extensions! And have you stocked up your depilatory creams and waxing essentials? Lucky you, if yes, is the answer.

My very recent fear is that in two more weeks of self-isolation, I’ll resemble a Lumberjack. My body will be toned due to excessive exercising, the cellulite will be gone, my legs will get muscular and maybe even longer, but! I’ll have a beard! Well, as the saying goes, nobody’s perfect!

Clearly, instead of worrying about my lack of cooking skills, I should have watched the youtube brow trimming tutorials more. Instead of regretting not learning riding a bicycle, I should have honed applying manicure to my right hand with my left hand.

About the Author:Nino Gugunishvili is the author of the two collections of short stories, “From My Balcony to Yours” and “You Will Have a Black Labrador.” Her women’s fiction novel “ Friday Evening, Eight O’Clock” was published in 2015. Nino lives in Tbilisi, Georgia. Her educational and professional background includes film, television, and journalism.

Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

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Please Don’t Divorce Me by Vickie Hall – Spotlight and Giveaway

November 27, 2020 By 6 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Vickie Hall will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Whether your decision was made by you, or made for you, it is within your control to make the right decisions for your children.

Vickie’s parents divorced when she was only nine, wedging her in the middle of a dispute many kids face every day. It still remains one of the toughest times of her life. As she shares parts of herself and other people’s experiences with you, she hopes you will be better prepared to make good choices for your children.

“Please Don’t Divorce Me” is candidly written as a parent’s guide from a child’s perspective aiming at fostering a healthy transition and minimizing hurt for what is already a difficult time in a child’s life.

Divorce is not pretty, but it doesn’t have to be ugly either.

Choose children, love, and happiness above all else!

Enjoy an Excerpt

Your children want to feel confident that the love you have for them is going to remain the same. They do not want to hear negative things about their other parent. They will need to meet with a counselor or confide in someone they trust. Changes are inevitable, but explain the changes and help work through them. Children want to see your face and speak to you in between visits. They want to maintain relationships with all family members. Regardless of what they say, they do want a complete family again.

About the Author:

Vickie grew up in a small town in Louisiana. She graduated with a degree in Business Administration and played in the college marching and symphony bands to foster her love for music since fifth grade. Vickie has been married for over twenty two years to the love of her life and best friend. She and her husband have two sons. They have shared in the joys and tears of raising boys and refer to themselves as the “A-Team”. One is going to college in the fall and “half” of the empty nest will begin! Her youngest son is in high school.

By day, Vickie has enjoyed a 24-year career in contracts management and operations and by night has written many poems and cards and scrapbooks to capture fun memories. She loves spending time with family and friends!

She is known for and recognized by many traits, but freckles, red hair, loud sneezes, compassion, love and laughter tops the list. She is also the Co-founder and President of Krewe de Halcyon, a social organization dedicated to positively impacting the community and embracing the Louisiana tradition of Mardi Gras (one of her favorite holidays!)

Facebook | Instagam

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Viking Voyager: An Icelandic Memoir by Sverrir Sigurdsson with Veronica Li – Q&A and Giveaway

November 24, 2020 By 11 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Any weird things you do when you’re alone?

I like to eyeball my surroundings and check to see if everything is plumb and level. Is the sign post straight, are the pictures hanging evenly on the wall, the wheels on the car in front of me aligned? Being an architect and a carpenter, the least crookedness sends me off kilter. When Veronica (my wife and coauthor) catches me cocking my head and staring at something with one eye closed, she’d laugh and say, “There he goes again.”

What is your favorite quote and why?

“God is in the details.”—A quote from the German American architect, Mies van der Rohe

I learned the importance of details in my father’s basement workshop. When I was twelve, I carved the front of a bookshelf with a Viking motif. This design is now used as a decorative border on the front and back covers of my book. I believe the final detail I’d added to this carving made all the difference. Instead of leaving the background as it was, I made a tool with many points to roughen the smooth surface of the wood. This texture gave the pattern a new dimension and made it appear to rise up. Since then I’ve applied this principle of “God is in the details” to all my undertakings, from designing buildings to writing my memoir. The difference between a mediocre product and an outstanding one is in the details.

Who is your favorite author and why?

Halldór Laxness, the Icelandic Nobel Laureate for literature. His writing is concise, sharp witted, sometimes outright funny, and his characters are so vivid they remind me of people I know. Much of it is a searing social critique of current or historical norms in Iceland. His books have been translated into many languages, but nothing beats reading it in Icelandic. If a book can sing, his does, which by the way is the title of one of his novels, The Fish Can Sing.

What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

The first and foremost element is the theme, and memoir writing is no different. In my memoir, the theme is the backbone that prevents the narrative from collapsing into a mishmash of anecdotes. Unless you’re famous and readers will devour anything you tell about yourself, a memoir needs to focus on a certain aspect of your life, usually one with a compelling revelation worth sharing.

Vividness is another important element. Readers like to be transported to another world, and the only way to do this is to bring out details that enable the reader to see, hear, and smell the scene. This applies to characters as well. When I start talking to a character I’m reading about in a book, this means the author has succeeded.

Where did you get the idea for this book?

My writing started as an incoherent collection of episodes from various stages of my life. I thought it would be a nice document for my descendants. Then Veronica, a former journalist and published author, became fascinated with my stories. She connected the dots and saw the picture that explained who I was. (My quirks had puzzled her for many years.) She could see how my country’s history and Viking heritage had shaped me. So we embarked on a more coherent effort to capture my journey: growing up in Iceland, which cultivated an outward-looking Viking mindset and inspired my subsequent worldwide travels. My memoir became a story about the making of a modern-day Viking and his adventures.

This vivacious personal story captures the heart and soul of modern Iceland. Born in Reykjavik on the eve of the Second World War, Sverrir Sigurdsson watched Allied troops invade his country and turn it into a bulwark against Hitler’s advance toward North America. The country’s post-war transformation from an obscure, dirt-poor nation to a prosperous one became every Icelander’s success. Spurred by this favorable wind, Sverrir answered the call of his Viking forefathers, setting off on a voyage that took him around the world.

Enjoy an Excerpt

My maternal grandfather, Þorkell Magnússon, was the captain of a fishing vessel called Gyða. In early April 1910, he and his seven-man crew, including his eldest son, set sail from Bíldudalur, a small town in northwest Iceland. Their destination was the rich fishing grounds beyond the fjord. April was the beginning of the fishing season, which lasted until September. These were the “mild” months. In reality, the weather was often stormy and below freezing, pushing both the boat and men to the limit of their endurance. Three weeks later, on April 23, Gyða headed for home, her hull laden with cod, the valuable cash fish many fishermen had died for. Nearing their home fjord, the men’s hearts must have lifted. A hot meal, a warm bed, and the family’s embrace were within a day’s reach.

That night, a furious northerly gale pounded the region with snow and sleet, whipping the sea into a deadly cauldron of crashing waves. All hands would have scrambled on deck to wrestle with the wind, jibing and tacking to keep the gusts from capsizing the boat. The battle went on all night. The next morning, Gyða was still upright and staggering closer to home. Einar, my grandfather’s neighbor and a former crew member, attested to seeing her from shore during a visit to his family’s farm on the outer reaches of Arnarfjörður (Eagle Fjord). The wind was still howling, pummeling the boat from left and right. But Einar was confident the boat could hold herself together. After all, Gyða was a sturdy oceangoing vessel, one of the first to be built in Iceland with state-of-the art technology. In just a few more hours, she would reach the safety of the harbor.

About the Authors:Sverrir Sigurdsson grew up in Iceland and graduated as an architect from Finland in 1966. He pursued an international career that took him to the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the U.S. His assignments focused on school construction and improving education in developing countries. He has worked for private companies, as well as UNESCO and the World Bank. He is now retired and lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and coauthor, Veronica.

Veronica Li emigrated to the U.S. from Hong Kong as a teenager. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and her master’s degree in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University. She has worked as a journalist and for the World Bank, and is currently a writer. Her three previously published titles are: Nightfall in Mogadishu, Journey across the Four Seas: A Chinese Woman’s Search for Home, and Confucius Says: A Novel.

Website | Sverrir’s Amazon Author Page | Veronica’s Amazon Author Page | Sverrir’s Facebook | Veronica’s Facebook | Sverrir’s Twitter | Veronica’s Twitter | Goodreads
The Book will be $1.99 during the tour.

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How to Handle Negative Criticism by Cory Mortensen – Guest Post and Giveaway

November 10, 2020 By 8 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

How to handle negative criticism

Step 1: Read negative criticism.
Step 2: Pretend to blow it off as nothing.
Step 3: Re-read negative criticism and then criticize them back, only in your mind (never respond to their criticism).
Step 4: Continue to pretend to blow it off as nothing.
Step 5: See how it effects your overall “5-Star” rating.
Step 6: Realize they probably didn’t “get” the story.
Step 7: Re-read 3 other positive reviews you have received.
Step 8: Look up one of your favorite books and realize they too have negative criticisms.
Step 9: Keep writing.
Step 10: Pretend it doesn’t bother you even though it does.

Life-Changing Journey…
…But this is NOT a typical blah-blah-blah memoir

Planning is for sissies. A solo bike ride across the country will be filled with sunshine, lollipops, rainbows, and 80 degree temps every day, right? Not so much. The Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, an alkaline desert, and the Sierra Nevadas lay miles and days ahead. Disappointment with unrealized potential, and the thirst for what’s next drew farther away in the rotating wide-angle shockproof convex rear-view mirror.

“I will ride my bike down a never-ending ribbon of asphalt wearing a backpack.”

Cory Mortensen began his bike ride across the United States from Chaska, Minnesota, to Truckee, California, without a route, a timeline, or proper equipment. Along the way, he gained more than technical skills required for a ride that would test every fiber of his physical being and mental toughness. Ride along as he meets “unusual” characters, dangerous animals, and sweet little old ladies with a serious vendetta for strangers in their town.

Humor ■ Insight ■ Adventure ■ Gratitude ■ Peace

From long stretches of road ending in a vanishing point at the distant horizon, to stunning vistas, terrifying close calls, grueling conditions, failed equipment, and joyous milestones he stayed the course and gained an appreciation for the beauty of the land, the genius of engineering and marvel of nature.

Enjoy an Excerpt

DAY SEVEN
AUGUST 28, 2001

Today’s Ride: Ogallala, Nebraska – Sterling, Colorado Today’s Distance: 90 Miles

Though the Oregon Trail Motel didn’t offer breakfast, it did have coffee and a stack of foam cups in the front office.

I wasn’t that hungry, still pretty bloated from the beer, noodles, and MSG I had for dinner.

Hanging around the motel sipping cups of watered-down coffee, watching as the sun rose over the dusty town, bustling with early morning activity, I waited for the coffee to do its trick before checking out.

When nature called, I preferred a bathroom with an abundant amount of toilet paper over squatting behind a tree. I waited on the curb outside my door.

Perhaps a conversation regarding bowel movements wasn’t classy this early in the morning, but real nonetheless. When you found yourself reading a book about someone biking cross-country, you might otherwise ask yourself: Where did they go to the bathroom whilst out on the open road?

If the sudden need to shit arose on the road, you could only hope there was a bush, tree, or berm to hide behind. The other option was to keep walking as far away from the road as you could until you were out of sight, or at least blurry. Of course, without the proper equipment (toilet paper), things could get messy. You might find yourself sacrificing a sock. Personally, I had a dresser drawer of mismatched cycling socks at home.

Public options, if you were lucky enough to be in a town or city when things started moving, were:

Restaurants: Now, I would stay clear of anything fancier than a Cracker Barrel. The best were fast food joints, as the bathrooms were typically really clean and out of sight of the counter (so you could get in and out without running into an employee).

Truck Stops: If you came across one of those truck stop fortresses like a BP or Bosselman, take it. Nobody would give you two looks, even if you were dressed in Lycra. The bathrooms were surprisingly clean, and there was typically an abundance of stalls.

Gas Stations: You knew you were in trouble when you asked the attendant for a key and he said the bathroom was outside around back. Check to see if there was any toilet paper in the room before starting. You might find rust stains on the sink and toilets surrounded by a lake of urine. The whole process would become an exercise in squatting. By no means did you want to make any sort of physical contact with anything in that room. Lift the seat with your shoe, flush the toilet with a hand wrapped liberally with a paper towel. It was probably best to find a tree.

So, you could see why I opted to wait before I left Ogallala.

About the Author:

https://www.tonytaafe.com/
Headshot Photographer
Headshot Photography

Cory Mortensen has ridden his collection of bicycles over a million miles of asphalt, dirt, mud, and backroads. In addition to the cross-country journey detailed in this book, he has traveled to over fifty-five countries, cycled from Minneapolis to Colorado solo to raise money for children born with congenital heart defects. He’s completed sixteen marathons on five continents, and survived three days of running with the bulls in Spain.

Cory is a certified Advanced PADI diver, and has enjoyed taking in life under the waves in locations all over the world. In 2003, he took time off from roaming, and accidentally started and built a company which he sold in 2013. That same year he married his best friend and explored the state of Texas for two years. The couple sold everything they owned, jumped on a plane to Ecuador and volunteered, trekked, and explored South America for sixteen months before returning to Phoenix, Arizona, where he works as a consultant and is soon to be a bestselling author.

The Buddha and the Bee is his first memoir in which he shares how a two month leave of absence redefined his life’s trajectory of sitting behind a desk and his decision to break society’s chains so he could live life on his terms.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

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Life with Ollie by Donna Bourgeois – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

November 6, 2020 By 8 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Donna Bourgeois will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

If you are of dating age or married, I wrote this book for you.

This is not a self-help or a how-to book. This is the story of the metamorphosis of a timid, fear filled child who finally blossomed into a warrior. I have many scars that no one can see, but they are healed now. Through these battles to become a warrior, I have helped the wounded souls that have come to me and seen them overcome their demons to stand tall and proud of who they are. It has brought me great joy.

Through the years, I have heard along the way that the ancient Chinese would fix their broken china cups or figurines with gold to make them whole again, and more valuable. I believe that humans can be repaired with love and a sense of self-worth. Each and every one of us are here for a purpose and we are given gifts to help fulfill our purpose.

I would love for you to come on this journey with me.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

When we met the next week, we all laughed at the response we got from our families. That did a lot to break the ice. I brought a circle-of-friends candle holder with me. It had been broken, the heads snapped off, but I’d glued it back together and I said that it reminded me of our group. We continued our session with Mandy leading us in a meditation. We were to clear our minds of all the internal voices in our heads so we could have a clear mind when we talked with each other. It took us about two months to warm up to each other and trust the group enough to share our deepest, darkest feelings that we carried around with us. There was a sacred trust amongst us that anything we said stayed there and was never to leave the room.

It was several months in when one of the girls said to me something that I will never forget: “Donna, you are being held hostage by your mother. She is a narcissist.”

She then explained to us what a narcissist was.

I was not losing my mind. I was not coming apart. Maybe I could be free from her terror and begin to have my own life, make my own decisions. I knew it was going to be an uphill battle to free myself from her chains. But I now had a name for the demon—narcissism—and, by God, I was going to fight. I can never thank this woman enough for seeing what was strangling me.

Why hadn’t any of the doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists or counsellors I’d had before clued into this?

About the Author: Donna G. Bourgeois enjoys writing and painting, both excellent activities to soothe the soul. She went to university at 65-years-old and earned an associate degree in theology, just to keep the grey matter healthy. She considers her greatest quality to be the ability to love greatly and be kind to those who life have put on her path. Life with Ollie is her first book, although she has many more story ideas waiting in the wings. She believes if you listen to your inner voice, you will find your bliss.

Website | Goodreads

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What Would I Tell a New Author? by Lindsay M. Chervinsky

October 5, 2020 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lindsay M. Chervinsky will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What would I tell a new author?

1. Celebrate small victories. Writing is hard and it’s a long, long process. Especially for non-fiction writers who have to submit their work for peer review, it can take years and years. During that time, you rarely get validation or public celebrations. Positive feedback might also be fairly rare. You will need to celebrate every milestone to keep up your moment. Finish a section? Excellent! Have a glass of something special. Finish a chapter? Brilliant! Grab a meal with a friend, get a message, go for an awesome hike, get your nails painted, play a video game. Finish a draft? Huge! Go for a mini trip. Celebrate with a fancy dinner and a special someone. Buy yourself those shoes you’ve been dreaming about. Have a movie marathon.

For what it’s worth, I use this strategy all the time when writing down to the paragraph when I’m struggling. If I get a paragraph done, I get to walk the dog, make lunch, or have another cup of tea. The rewards don’t have to be big, but sometimes you just have set really reasonable goals and find a way to stick with them.

2. Be your own best advocate/promoter. No one can promote your book with as much passion as you can. You will also have more longevity and commitment to the process. Don’t be afraid to pitch podcasts, or ask bookstores, historic sites, or other relevant locations about events. Be respectful, polite, and tailor your pitches to each place and they will be happy to consider it. The worst thing they can say is no. Too many people are afraid to put themselves out there or promote their own work. As long as you promote other people as well, no one will be too upset about it.

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The US Constitution never established a presidential cabinet―the delegates to the Constitutional Convention explicitly rejected the idea. So how did George Washington create one of the most powerful bodies in the federal government?

On November 26, 1791, George Washington convened his department secretaries―Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Henry Knox, and Edmund Randolph―for the first cabinet meeting. Why did he wait two and a half years into his presidency to call his cabinet? Because the US Constitution did not create or provide for such a body. Washington was on his own.

Faced with diplomatic crises, domestic insurrections, and constitutional challenges―and finding congressional help lacking―Washington decided he needed a group of advisors he could turn to. He modeled his new cabinet on the councils of war he had led as commander of the Continental Army. In the early days, the cabinet served at the president’s pleasure. Washington tinkered with its structure throughout his administration, at times calling regular meetings, at other times preferring written advice and individual discussions.

Lindsay M. Chervinsky reveals the far-reaching consequences of Washington’s choice. The tensions in the cabinet between Hamilton and Jefferson heightened partisanship and contributed to the development of the first party system. And as Washington faced an increasingly recalcitrant Congress, he came to treat the cabinet as a private advisory body to summon as needed, greatly expanding the role of the president and the executive branch.

Enjoy an Excerpt

At eleven thirty in the morning on August 22, 1789, a large cream-colored coach pulled up to the front door of Federal Hall at 26 Wall Street in New York City. Six matching, perfectly groomed horses pulled the elegant carriage with sparkling gold trim. The coachman, outfitted in crisp white- and red-trimmed livery, jumped down from the back of the carriage and opened the door. An elegantly dressed man with powdered hair stepped down with a portfolio of papers under his arm. He towered over his companion, Henry Knox, the acting secretary of war, and his slaves tending to his horses. His ornate coach and his imposing presence drew curious stares from strangers passing by on the street. He walked up to the front door of Federal Hall and was immediately announced to the Senate. George Washington, the first president of the United States, had arrived for his first visit to the United States Senate.

This was no ordinary meeting. Two years earlier, the delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia had agreed that the Senate would “advise and consent” on treaties and other questions of foreign policy. But in practice, how the president and the Senate would interact remained for the first officeholders to work out….

About the Author:Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Ph.D. a historian of Early America, the presidency, and the government – especially the president’s cabinet. She shares her research by writing everything from op-eds to books, speaking on podcasts and other media, and teaching every kind of audience. She is Scholar-in-Residence at the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies and Senior Fellow at the International Center for Jefferson Studies. Previously, she worked as a historian at the White House Historical Association. She received her B.A. in history and political science from the George Washington University and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. She has been featured in the Law and History Review, the Journal of the Early Republic, TIME, and the Washington Post. Her new book, The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution, was published by the Belknap Imprint of Harvard University Press on April 7, 2020.

The New Criterion recently said of her book, “Fantastic…Unlike many works of popular history, The Cabinet never feels like hagiography. It lacks the reverence of works like Joseph J. Ellis’ Founder Brothers or the revisionist obsequiousness that now greets Alexander Hamilton’s name on stage…Chervinsky exemplifies the public-history ethos in her new book. The writing is clear and concise…She takes what could have been a dry institutional and political history of the Early Republic and transforms it into a compelling story of people and places.”

When she isn’t writing, researching, or talking about history, she can be found hiking with her husband and American Foxhound, John Quincy Dog Adams (Quincy for short).

Readers can request a personalized book plate here.

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Website

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They Called Me 33 by Karen Chaboyer – Spotlight and Giveaway

September 16, 2020 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Karen Chaboyer will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Karen longed for acceptance, validation and love, but had no ability to form healthy, meaningful relationships. Born into a large family already suffering the effects of two generations of residential school, and surviving her own nine years at St. Margaret Indian Residential School, Karen (like everyone she knew) had been systematically stripped of her dignity, identity, language, culture, family and community support systems.

Not wanting to be alone as an adult, Karen tolerated unhealthy relationships with family and partners. Still, she was coping. But after suffering further trauma, Karen turned to alcohol and other addictions to numb her pain.

Eventually, Karen found the strength to reach out for help. She learned to grieve through layers of shame and was finally able to embrace her identity. Karen also discovered what has long been known in her culture – the healing power of sharing your story. Karen would now like to share this book, her story, with you.







Enjoy an Excerpt

My Childhood


It was a hot sunny day; a soothing breeze was flowing off the lake through the open screened windows. My mother and I were both lying sideways across a double bed, next to the open window, enjoying the afternoon together. I was on my stomach, legs in the air, as my eyes followed a bee buzzing around outside the screen window. My mother was lying on her side, legs dangling off the bed. She was a hard-working woman, young in spirit, all the while loving her family. There was no rest, having twelve children to tend to, but that afternoon she was taking a break with me anyway. Out of the blue, I asked, “Mom, what was it like when you gave birth to me?” 



Mom looked out the window, reminiscing on the day she gave birth to me. Her face brightened as she began to tell her story. She said she went into labour the wee hours of the morning, and as the sun began to appear across the horizon, she prepared for her journey into town, packing a suitcase with her belongings and some baby clothes. My mother prayed that she would make it to the hospital on time. She had plenty of experience giving birth. 





Dad took the suitcase down to the boat. There, he carefully prepared our big ole fishing boat for the trip by making sure there was plenty of gas and by laying blankets on the floor of the boat, so Mom could lie down as she bore each contraction. As my mother wobbled down the hill toward my dad, he grabbed her hand and helped her into the boat. He made sure she was comfortable on the blankets before starting their journey. Like all dad’s, he was nervous. He remained silent and hoped they would make it into town on time. The two-hour ride seemed like eternity. 


The water was calm and serene and looked like a glass mirror. There was no breeze, and all you could hear was the motor putting slowly across the lake. Occasionally, my mother moaned in pain as she would breathe into each contraction. While gasping, Mom saw a stork flying across the lake as they approached our Couchiching First Nation reserve. Immediately, upon seeing the stork, Mom had suspicious thoughts that her baby might be taken away. She prayed that she would make it to the hospital safely and that I would be healthy. 



As my parents approached land, houses appeared on the lakeshore, and she knew that things would be fine. As Dad docked the boat, he climbed out of the boat and opened his hands to help Mom out of the boat. Once he had the boat docked and Mom was safely on land with her personal belongings, he ran to the nearest house to call a taxi. The trip to the hospital was only a ten-minute drive, but they had railway tracks to cross. If the tracks were blocked by a train it would prevent them from getting into town.




God answered their prayers, and everything turned out fine. Mom explained that I was a dry birth because her water broke several hours before I was born. Despite it all, Mom and Dad became proud parents once again. I was now the tenth child and second girl in the family. It was mandatory that we stayed in the hospital for the next ten days as my mother recuperated and regained her strength. When we checked out, I had a good bill of health.


About the Author:

Karen Chaboyer is an Ojibwa mother and grandmother from Rainy River First Nations, a community in northwestern Ontario. She is proudly admired by her children, who have witnessed her transformation as she worked through layers of shame and learned to embrace her identity. A second-generation survivor of residential school, Karen now shares her experiences with audiences throughout the Toronto area, where she now resides. Karen’s goal is to educate people on the extent to which the tragedies of the residential school system have impacted individuals, families, communities and entire cultures to this day.


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We Remember More than You’d Remember! by Leon Acord – Guest Blog and Giveaway

August 21, 2020 By 8 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Leon Acord will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

We Remember More than You’d Remember!

Let’s face it. It’s more fun to have written than it is to be writing.

It’s even more fun still to finally see your work in print.

Since releasing my first book this summer, the comic memoir SUB-LEBRITY* (*The Queer Life of a Show-Biz Footnote), I’ve learned there’s something even better than that!

It’s feedback from readers. I had hoped I’d make them laugh with my silly stories. But I’m completely humbled and sometimes absolutely floored how closely some readers identify with my tales of growing up gay in rural Indiana, or how others related to my struggles as an out-and-outspoken gay actor. Reading their emails, and the life stories they offer in exchange, has been an unexpected perk at the end of this long journey.

But after their always-unique stories and comments, practically every email- and message-writer ends with the same question. Friends, family and fans alike all want to know:

“How did you possibly remember all of that? Do you keep journals? Scrapbooks?”

I understand their surprise. I’m just as stunned! At 57, I often walk into a room then immediately forget why I did. (Scientists call it the “Doorway Effect,” and say the brain “resets” as we pass through a doorway. Just wait, you’ll get there, too, someday!)

And while I do write in a journal daily, I don’t keep them (except for one volume containing 1989). I’m a firm believer that journals are for writing, not for reading. And while I also used to keep detailed scrapbooks, that pretty much ended around the turn of the century as digital replaced film, prints, hard copies, letters and the rest of the “scraps” you’d glue into the books.

So, it was just me and my memories.

Accordingly, when I first decided to write SUB-LEBRITY, I conceived it as a book of comic essays, each about a specific life event I could remember – childhood events, certain films or plays I’ve done. I assumed there would be many, many gaps in my memory. I’d just stick those gaps in-between essays, and leap over them without a second thought to continuity (or senility).

But when I began writing – at the risk of sounding like a click-bait headline – what I found instead completely stunned me!

Let’s go back to my “walking into rooms” motive, and say each memory is a “room.” As I wrote each story – and relived each memory – I’d “cross that room.” And almost invariably, when I reached the far side of the room, there’d be a door awaiting me, leading me to the next room/memory. And that room led to another door Another room. Then another.

Fortunately, passing through those imaginary doorways did not reset my brain, like doorways do in real life. I was quickly stunned by not only how much I remembered, but much detail my memories still contained.

That “book of essays”? Forget about that! I now had more memories – more stories – than I possibly could use. After getting it all down on paper, I had to start cutting.

SUB-LEBRITY is about the challenges and rewards of being a gay actor. Any stories not related directly to being gay, being an actor, being a gay actor, or what that led me to become all-of-the-above, were CUT!

(OK, I may have bent my rule once or twice for a truly funny or moving piece of my history.)
No, I didn’t remember everything. After all, I came of age in the late 1970s and 1980s. I inhaled.

For example, I almost always forget auditions quickly unless I get a call soon inviting me to a callback or, better yet, giving me the role.

And while I discuss many of the “frogs I kissed” in the book, there were more – many more, in fact – whom I didn’t list because I could remember neither the names nor the details. (Oh God. I’m a slut.)

And as for all the other things I’ve forgotten for good? If I can’t remember them, it’s like they never happened!

Wait, what was the point of all this? I forget.

Oh, yeah. I remember! I encourage you to get to work, to write your memoir. Whether you’re a writer or not. Whether you have the nerve to publish it or not.

Because in the act of writing, of walking through your “rooms,” you’ll find many treasures long thought lost and forgotten. Most importantly, you discover lifelong patterns, habits, even themes, that were there all along, that played out your entire life, but perhaps you never before noticed.

I know I did. For example, do you realize how it feels to realize your parents were right all along? At least they loved finding that out!

I’m curious what you will discover! You won’t know until you start!

A droll, oddly inspirational memoir from the actor Breitbart once called “a gay leftist activist,” SUB-LEBRITY by Leon Acord (Old Dogs & New Tricks) is an honest, sometimes bitchy but always sincere story about growing up (very) gay in rural Indiana, achieving acting success outside the closet, and generating headlines with his very-public smackdown with Trump-loving Susan Olsen (Cindy, The Brady Bunch)

Enjoy an Excerpt

One of my nemeses from the jock clique, Rick Sisson, was slumming, playing the bit part of an “Old Man” about to be poisoned by two murderous old ladies in Arsenic & Old Lace.

As Mortimer, I was to rush on stage, see the Old Man about to drink a glass of poisoned elderberry wine, grab him by the jacket, and shove him out of my crazy aunts’ house.

That was how we’d been playing it.

For closing night, he and his jock buddies thought of a hilarious prank. Instead of setting his glass of fake wine on the table before I grabbed him, he’d throw the full glass of Hawaiian Punch into my face! It was closing night, why not? Smear the queer!

The sizable high-school auditorium was packed with a rowdy closing-night crowd of parents, faculty and friends, unaware they were about to witness my humiliation.

The moment arrived. I entered, rushed to the Old Man with the glass near his lips, and SPLASH!

I was stunned. Rick rushed through the door and off stage before I could do a thing.

The audience erupted with laughter. Erupted! And didn’t stop!

I’d seen it on sitcoms all my short life. Actors forced to hold for a laugh. I lived for the moments on the Carol Burnett Show when something went wrong or when the actors tried not to laugh. And now, I was experiencing that myself. It felt wonderful!

Rick wanted me to feel like Carrie White. Instead, I felt like Cary Grant.

The two teenaged actresses playing my aunts just watched, trying not to laugh themselves.

I felt myself about to smile. I turned my back to the audience and fumbled through a desk on stage, pretending to blindly look for a handkerchief – a cover until I could wipe the now-gigantic smile off my face. The audience found this hilarious and continued howling.

Back in character, I gave up at the desk and turned to face the audience just as the laugh was softening. I instinctively yanked off my clip-on tie and began dabbing my wet face with it.

The audience screamed with laughter again – this time, the laughter morphed into applause.

The song from the Broadway musical Applause is right – it’s better than pot, it’s better than booze. Waiting out a long laugh break, instinctively finding ways to prolong it, riding it like a surfer on a wave, then crashing against the shore in a loud burst of applause, is the best feeling in the world.

I had flirted with the idea of being an actor, among other creative pursuits, all though childhood.

But in this moment, I knew. I’d spend the rest of my life chasing that feeling.

About the Author: Leon Acord is an award-winning actor and writer who has appeared in over 35 films you’ve never seen and 30 plays you’ve never heard of. Possible exceptions include the digital TV series Old Dogs & New Tricks on Amazon Prime Video (which he created, wrote & co-produced), and the stage hit Carved in Stone (in which he played Quentin Crisp in both SF and LA productions). His memoir, SUB-LEBRITY: The Queer Life of a Show-Biz Footnote, is now available in paperback & e-book on Amazon. He wrote his one-man show Last Sunday in June (1996) and co-authored the 2014 play Setting the Record Gay. He was a “Take Five” columnist for Back Stage West throughout 2009 and a former contributor to Huffington Post. He has also written for San Francisco Examiner and the journal Human Prospect. He currently lives in West LA with husband Laurence Whiting & their cat Toby.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Blog | Old Dogs & New Tricks website

Buy the book at Amazon.

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The Three Kitties that Saved My Life by Michael Myer – Spotlight and Giveaway

August 21, 2020 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Michael Meyer will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Michael Meyer will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

“This is like drinking tea and honey on a cold day.” When tragedy struck, I thought for sure that my own life was at an end. I was wrong. This is the true story of how two stray rescue cats and a woman named Kitty, whom I finally met after a wild ride of internet dating, brought love, romance, and laughter back into my life.

Love was then.
Love is now.
Love is forever.

WINNER of the 2018 Stephen Memorial Award
FINALIST for the 2014 RONE AWARD
A True Romance Memoir

If you love reading feel-good memoirs, then don’t miss THE THREE KITTIES THAT SAVED MY LIFE, where “Mike Meyer pens a tender tale of love, loss, and renewal. The depth of emotion is palpable…The Three Kitties will tug at readers’ heartstrings, as they ride through the emotional highs and lows of Mike Meyer’s remarkable story.” – InD’tale Magazine

Enjoy an Excerpt

It is amazing how time helps. In time, I have learned to overcome my own albatross. I have learned to live again, to love again. Life is a gift reads a plaque on our dining room wall, and that sums up what I have gained from the three kitties that saved my life. From Coco, I learned to care again. From Kitty, I learned to love again. From Pom Pom, I have learned how to cope with my own demons, the effects of aging being one of these. Pom Pom has taught me to accept what is and then to move onward. Yes, I have learned plenty from my three kitties.

About the Author:

Michael Meyer is the author of mysteries, thrillers, humorous fiction, and non-fiction: Love and romance, laughter and tears, thrills and fears.

He has resided in and has visited many places in the world, all of which have contributed in some way to his own published writing. He has literally traveled throughout the world, on numerous occasions. He has lived in Finland, Germany, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He gained the wanderlust to see the world, to experience other cultures, at an early age, and this desire has never left him. If anything, it has only gained in intensity as he has aged.

As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, he now lives in Southern California wine country with his wife, Kitty, and their two adorable rescue cats.

Website | Facebook

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