Life with Ollie by Donna Bourgeois – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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

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.

3. You never know who will be your biggest fan/supporter. There will be people that you expect to be big supporters and they will disappoint you. Not every one of your friends or colleagues of course, but some. On the other hand, there will be strangers or people that you barely know that will bend over backward to support you. So, be friendly to everyone who expresses interest in your book and never look a gift horse in the mouth! Be sure to ask friends and colleagues for their advice and help. Sometimes people don’t know you need help until you ask!

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.

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They Called Me 33 by Karen Chaboyer – Spotlight and Giveaway

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.


Twitter | Goodreads | LinkedIn

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


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

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

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.

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The PSP Chronicles Volume II: Keep on, Keeping On by Tim Brown — spotlight and giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tim Brown will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Readers will recall in September of 2013 and at the age of 57, Tim was diagnosed with early onset dementia. He was referred to a neurologist at London Health Sciences Centre – Parkwood, in south-western Ontario. Further physical and cognitive testing aroused the suspicions of the neurologist and Tim was referred to a neuro-ophthalmologist and a movement disorders specialist. In August 2014, just weeks away from Tim’s 58th birthday he was diagnosed with PSP – progressive supranuclear palsy. Frontotemporal dementia was concerning enough, but now he had to live with the fact of a life limiting illness. A disease that would steal him away bit by bit… inside and out. A journey with a certain ending. With a candid narrative he continues to share with readers his physical, mental wellness lamentations and their effects on the family dynamics. But Tim’s journey is more than these. More importantly for him, it is about a journey of unwavering faith in God, no matter the outcome.

Read an excerpt

There is so much baggage with PSP, some days you require a bell hop. The purpose of my journal/blog is to create awareness, and to keep family and friends updated. As you read and may already know, I infuse humour here and there into the narrative. It’s a coping mechanism for me and there are times and some things you just need to laugh at. I will never be so arrogant as to minimize the effects of this disease on the patient, their family, or friends. They all struggle, and they all suffer. I always say, “if you can’t win, you can always grin,” there are no winners with PSP. “PSP – it’s not a game.”

About the Author:

T. J. Brown – an ordinary family man with an extraordinary story. In 2018 Tim published his first book The PSP Chronicles Volume I. The narrative details his personal journey with PSP – progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare terminal brain disease and frontotemporal dementia. The first book, and now the second in a series, are a platform to raise prime of life disease awareness, and advocacy. Providing support to organizations like CurePSP® and the PSPA – UK through the proceeds of book sales. One of the more popular PSP awareness campaigns is the Ice Cream Challenge. You can see by his Author picture he takes these challenges seriously.

https://www.amazon.com/PSP-Chronicles-II-Keep-Keeping/dp/1699519633
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-psp-chronicles-volume-ii-tim-brown/1136037212
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50335820-the-psp-chronicles-volume-ii


Memoir of a Hockey Nobody by Jerry Hack — guest post and giveaway

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

Background of the Book
The background for the book begins when I was 9. At the time I was the youngest of four children and the only boy. My oldest sister Marlene was watching the NHL Stanley Cup Finals between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Montreal Canadiens. I walked into the room and saw what was on the TV and decided to sit with her and watch. Marlene was my hero. I thought she was the smartest person alive and I found her endlessly interesting and entertaining. I loved her as much as is humanly possible for somebody to love another. She was almost seven years older than me and instead of being my sister, she was more like a second mom. If I ever did anything of note, I always wanted to show or tell her first. In return, she was my cheerleader. Always encouraging me and happy whenever I accomplished the smallest achievement. When I learned how to ride a bike she was jumping up and down and clapping like I had just won the Tour de France. I absolutely hated to disappoint her. I would rather chew glass.

While we were watching the games in 1971, I was mesmerized by the two goalies. Ken Dryden and Tony Esposito. I knew what I my life’s ambition was to be at that moment in time. I was born to be a goalie. From that time on, I didn’t want to do anything else. I lived it and breathed it. It became my obsession for the next 45 years. I wasn’t able to play ice hockey as it was very expensive, and with 5 kids to raise (my younger sister was born in September 1971) it just wasn’t a possibility. But street hockey was another matter. All my friends seemed to be in the same boat. None of them played ice hockey but loved playing street hockey. It stayed that way until I was 18 and out of high school for a year. Through a twist of fate, I was able to join a men’s recreational ice hockey team (most people refer to it as “beer league”). I didn’t even know how to skate. People would tell me that the goalie has to be the best skater on the team. Let me tell you, I was far from being the best skater. I probably was 10 years behind the second worst skater on the team. I found myself always falling backwards. Somebody would be winding up for a slapshot and I would be flat on my back waving my hands in the air. My dream was to get paid to play hockey. And behind the scenes, there was always Marlene, cheering me on.

When a boy is born (since Manon Rheaume is the only female to ever play in an NHL pre-season game, we’ll stipulate the odds are even greater for girls) and starts playing ice hockey at the age of 5 or 6, his odds of making it to the NHL are about 0.1%. I was starting at the age of 18, so the odds of me making it were astronomical, but I didn’t care. I was finally doing what I was born to do. I played whenever I could, wherever I could, with whomever I could. Someone I knew referred to me as a “hockey whore” because I would play with anyone. As years went by, I got better and better and finally realized my dream of getting paid to play hockey. I didn’t make it to the NHL, but I got close enough. I met a lot of amazing people.

Best part is, I got to tell Marlene all about it. She was so proud of me. The worst part is, she only got to see me play one time. She had always planned on seeing me play more often, but our schedules just never seemed to jive. Marlene passed away on August 12th, 2005 from cancer. It is the toughest thing I have ever had to deal with. For the next five years, the grief was always with me, just below the surface, and I always felt that I could break down at any time. Whenever I played after that, I was hoping that she was watching and that she was proud of me. My book is, in part, dedicated to my big sister Marlene. She is, and always will be, my hero.

Jerry Hack

Memoir of a Hockey Nobody is the unlikely true story of an average Canadian kid who grew up playing street hockey. Although he didn’t learn how to skate until his late teens, he took a shot at entering the world of professional ice hockey with, shall we say, haphazard results.

This is an “against all odds” tale of one man’s journey from Vancouver, to all over Western Canada, California, The Yukon, and Alaska. Seemingly blocked at every turn, from managers who believed that someone who came from such humble beginnings couldn’t be any good, to coaches who would rather see big names with bigger reputations. It’s a story of tragedy, triumph and determination. A roller coaster ride with hilarious anecdotes of all the characters he met along the way.

This is a tale for those who dare to live their dream!

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In the spring of 1980, the New York Islanders won the Stanley Cup, beating the Philadelphia Flyers in 6 games. Bob Nystrom scored the Stanley Cup winning goal in overtime. I was happy, because finally someone other than the Montreal Canadiens won the cup. Despite rooting for the Canadiens when I was nine, I had grown to hate them. I was a diehard Vancouver Canucks fan by then. The Canadiens just kept on winning and winning. I was so tired of watching them win all the time. four straight years they won the cup without breaking a sweat. Little did I know that the Islanders were now on their way to doing the exact same thing. I would grow to hate them too. It was about a month after the Islanders had their first parade that I was over at the Aitken’s house. John and I still hung out, but not as often as in the past. At this time, I was eighteen and had my own vehicle, (a 1969 Datsun pickup). We were discussing how happy we both were that the Montreal dynasty was seemingly over, when the topic of his hockey team came up. He was always playing in one beer league or another. (At one time he played in the N.H.L. The “Natural Hockey League”) At this time he was playing on a team called the Burnaby Kings, and they were playing at the Columbian 4 Rinks. At one time, this was the largest indoor hockey arena in the world, and was even in the Guinness Book of World Records. As it turned out, the Kings were renting one of the rinks once a week, all summer long. Summer hockey was a new thing, all the other rinks became lacrosse rinks for the summer. John was telling me how terrible their goalie was. The guy’s name was Lonnie. I don’t remember his last name. John was telling me that the guy was the worst goalie he had ever played with. They had nicknamed him “Red Light Lonnie,” because he would let in so many goals. He said that Lonnie was so short that shots would regularly hit him in the head and deflect into the net. One time John said that the puck had been shot into the corner and Lonnie went to go get it, fell down, and while he was trying to get up, the puck went up on edge and had such spin on it after it hit the boards, that it reversed itself and curved right into the net. John said Lonnie was like “Bad Luck Schleprock” of the Flintstones.

About the Author: I was born and raised in Burnaby, British Columbia. My sisters and I were raised by hard-working blue collar parents. We were and are a tight knit family. I grew up loving sports but hockey most of all. In fact, it was my passion. I read about it, watched it and played it. I was an average student and a good athlete. I could play most sports without looking out of place. But I was born to be a goalie. I graduated from high school in 1979 and a year later began my journey playing ice hockey. 40 years later, I am happily married with a 12 year old daughter and loving life more than ever.

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UMPIRES OF THE OLD SCHOOL: TIM HURST by Jonathan Weeks – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jonathan Weeks will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

UMPIRES OF THE OLD SCHOOL: TIM HURST
At 5-foot-5, the diminutive Hurst was known to some as “Tiny Tim.” But true to the words of an iconic Star Wars character, he proved that “size matters not.” The pugnacious Hurst was known to keep players under control with both words and fists. Hailed by a writer from the The Sporting Life for “having the finest brand of keen-cutting, kill-at-a-thousand-yards sarcasm of any umpire in captivity,” his fiery temperament would eventually drive him out of baseball.

Born to Irish parents in Ashland, Pennsylvania, Hurst learned to fight at an early age. His father worked in the wholesale liquor business then purchased a horse and wagon to deliver coal. Young Tim was expected to help support the family and, as a youth, he picked slate for a local mining establishment. Rounds of fisticuffs were common among workers during lunch hours and Hurst was sometimes in the mix. His love of boxing led to multiple stints as a fight referee in the years that followed.

At twenty-two years of age, Hurst became a professional umpire in the Central Pennsylvania League. He called plays in the Southern League and Western Association before taking a job as manager of the Minneapolis Millers. The Millers came close to winning a championship on his watch, but Hurst failed to endear himself to club executives and ended up being replaced. In 1891, he joined the umpiring crew of the National League.

Hurst was well-suited to the rowdy days of early baseball. Hall of Fame arbiter Bill Klem recalled: “[Hurst] was so tough that if a ballplayer did not like one of his decisions and challenged him on the field, Tim would say ‘OK, we’ll stop the game and go right under the stands and settle it now.’”

With a reputation for making highly accurate decisions, Hurst had an interesting way of maintaining order behind the plate. “Never put a catcher out of a game,” he told a New York Herald reporter. “If the man in back of the bat is sassy and objects to your calling of balls and strikes, keep close behind him while doing your work and kick him every time he reaches out to catch a ball. After about the third kick, he’ll shut up.”

Sometimes Hurst’s feisty temperament led to amusing results. According to historian Fred Lieb, Hurst made a call that went against Cincinnati’s third baseman, Arlie Latham, one day. Latham tore off his glove and kicked it in protest. It landed at the feet of Hurst, who promptly kicked it right back to Latham. The festivities didn’t end there. According to Lieb: “taking turns, Arlie and Tim booted the glove all the way to the outfield fence.”

On a number of occasions, Hurst’s outbursts were less than entertaining. In 1897, he was arrested in Cincinnati after he picked up a beer stein that had been tossed onto the field by an angry fan and whipped it back into the stands. The projectile hit a local fireman named James Cartuyvelles, opening a deep gash over his eye. Several years later, Hurst got into a physical altercation with New York Highlanders manager Clark Griffith during an on-field dispute. Though Griffith denied being punched when questioned afterward, his swollen lip lent little credence to that claim. Both men were suspended for five games.

In addition to his violent outbursts, Hurst was known to generate prolific streams of profanity. In 1900, multiple NL owners requested that he be banned from their ballparks due to his “ungentlemanly language.” The final straw for Hurst came on August 3, 1909. During the second game of a doubleheader between the A’s and White Sox in Philadelphia, Hurst made an uncharacteristically erroneous call on Eddie Collins. Collins was evidently safe at second base, but Hurst ruled him out, believing there had been some sort of interference on the play. When Collins protested, Hurst resorted to reprehensible behavior. In the colorful language of Philadelphia North American sportswriter, Jimmy Isaminger: “…the umpire distributed a mouthful of moistened union-made tobacco in the direction of youthful Eddie, who immediately called Tim’s attention to the Board of Health ordinance which prohibits expectorating in public places.” Fans went ballistic, throwing cushions and bottles in Hurst’s direction after the game. It took police nearly half an hour to safely escort the embattled arbiter out of the stadium.

After a full investigation of the spitting incident, Hurst was fired by AL President Ban Johnson. He had already tested Johnson’s patience earlier in the season when he traded punches with infielder Kid Elberfeld. Few sportswriters were terribly surprised by the outcome. A correspondent from The Sporting Life remarked: “Umpire Tim Hurst’s excessive pugnacity has at last landed him outside the major league breastworks—as had long been expected.”

Cast out of baseball, Hurst turned to other sports as a promoter. He later made a living selling real estate. In 1915, he died suddenly after a bout with food poisoning. He had been ill for some time before then though his condition was not considered terribly serious.

In the words of former American League umpire Nestor Chylak, umpires are expected to “be perfect on the first day of the season and then get better every day.” Forced to deal with sullen managers and explosive players, they often take the blame for the failures of both. But let’s face it—umpires are only human.

For well over a century, the fortunes of Major League teams—and the fabric of baseball history itself—have been dramatically affected by the flawed decisions of officials. While the use of video replay in recent decades has reduced the number of bitter disputes, many situations remain exempt from review and are subject to swirling controversy. In the heat of the moment mistakes are often made, sometimes with monumental consequences.

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…The World Series opened in Pittsburgh with a convincing 4-1 Washington victory. The Pirates bounced back in Game 2, surviving a late Senators rally to win, 3-2. The third meeting took place in the nation’s capital, where the sale of more than thirty-six thousand tickets necessitated the construction of temporary bleachers at Griffith Stadium. Braving the elements on a cold, breezy Saturday afternoon, President Calvin Coolidge was among those in attendance.

The two teams pecked away at each other through six innings, scattering runs here and there. Facing right-hander Ray Kremer, the Senators loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh. First baseman Joe Judge—a fixture in the Washington lineup for over a decade—drove in Earl McNeely with a sacrifice fly. Right fielder Joe Harris followed with a single, putting the Senators up, 4-3.

Looking to protect the lead, Washington player/manager Bucky Harris implemented a defensive switch, moving Rice to right field from center to accommodate McNeely, who had been inserted as a pinch-runner. Firpo Marberry, the game’s first prominent relief specialist, was summoned from the bullpen. The Senators appeared to be safe from harm when Marberry struck out shortstop Glenn Wright and first baseman George Grantham in succession. But things got interesting when catcher Earl Smith came to bat.

Smith’s .313 average during the regular season was second best in the majors among players with at least ninety-five appearances behind the plate. A spirited brawler who rarely backed down from a challenge, Smith drove Marberry’s 2-2 offering to deep right field, where Rice sprang into action. The wide-ranging outfielder sprinted toward the ball and made a back-handed stab in front of the temporary bleachers. Unable to stop his forward momentum, he tumbled over the barrier into the stands and disappeared from view. What happened in the next few seconds remains uncertain.

In those days, umpiring crews consisted of four men with one being assigned to each infield station. Attending to second base that day, veteran arbiter Cy Rigler rushed to the scene to make the call. Several seconds passed before Rice reappeared. Years later, an eyewitness remarked that “it was longer than a TV station break with eight consecutive commercials.” Another spectator—a man named Norman Budesheim—claimed that Rice dropped the ball before he landed and then jostled with fans for possession. Whatever the case, Rice had the ball in his glove when he finally rose to his feet. Rigler signaled for the out and, after a lengthy discussion, his decision was supported by the rest of the crew.

On the heels of the Senators’ 4-3 win, more than 1,600 fans wrote to commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis to relay their side of the story. Some even sent notarized affidavits attesting to the fact that Rice had dropped the ball. Going straight to the source, Landis summoned Rice to his hotel the following day and asked him point-blank if he had made the catch. The tight-lipped Hall of Famer replied guardedly: “Judge, the umpire said I did.” Landis mulled this over for a few seconds and responded: “”Sam, let’s leave it that way.”

About the Author:Weeks spent most of his life in the Capital District region of New York State. He earned a degree in psychology from SUNY Albany. In 2004, he migrated to Malone, NY. He continues to gripe about the frigid winter temperatures to the present day. He has published several books on the topic of baseball. He would have loved to play professionally, but lacked the talent. He still can’t hit a curve ball or lay off the high heat. In the winter months, he moonlights as a hockey fan.

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7 Steps to Clarity by Nicole Stephen – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Please click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The sheer amount of decisions in life can become an overwhelming burden. Sometimes we just want to know the answers to our questions. We want to know we are making the right choices. It can be hard to see the right path with the noise of the world. There are voices and media all around us, influencing everything we do. In all that noise, where is the true voice, the one that knows? You can call it God or Source or the Universe or your Higher Self, but it is contained within you. Accessing it and giving it room and silence to speak to you is the real key to achieving your best life.

In seven steps, Nicole Stephen shows the way to a happier, more peaceful daily life. To reclaim yourself, you need to shut out the “shoulds,” but in order to do that, you need to notice them. Exploring the questions and challenges that Nicole includes in this book will open your eyes to the pressures that you may have been submitting to unknowingly. In clearing up the way you see the world, you can clear a path to knowing yourself, and with that true voice guiding you, you will always find the way.

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Do you ever wonder what your life is all about? Why you are here? You are not alone. As a coach and teacher for many years, there is a common thread that runs through students, young professionals, and even CEOs at the height of their careers: “So what? Now what?” And there is confusion, lots of confusion. “Do I stay in my current job? How can I get a better job? Do I start a family? Do I stay with my current spouse? Why haven’t I found love yet? Why didn’t I stay in the band? I would have had such a diff erent life. Maybe I should be doing something more important, something worthy to impact the world in a positive and meaningful way?” What if I told you that there is a guru—a genie perhaps—that can answer all your questions? This person can make themselves available to you day or night, can answer any question, and can give you clear insights on any situation or decision, no matter how small or diffi cult. And this guru is free of charge and full of love and support for you. Too good to be true? Well, it is true and the person who has all the answers to unlock your potential with ease and fun is, yes, you may have guessed it, YOU!

About the Author:

Nicole Stephen is the founder and principal consultant for Miramar Group. During her 20-year career as an executive coach and organizational development consultant she has worked to help individuals, teams, and organizations accelerate growth and realize their potential. She holds a Masters’ and PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Virginia Polytechnic and State University. Nicole lives on the coast in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband, two children, and dog Henry.

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Child of the Earth – Background of the Book by Susan Crow – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Susan Crow will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Child of the Earth – Background of the Book

Child Of The Earth has been waiting to take literary form for a very long time. You know how it is when you’re in love and you just want to talk about the person you’re in love with? Well, I am so head over heels in love with the natural world as I know it, that I can’t resist the opportunity to tell the world. My earliest memories are of birds, animals, trees, flowers, the sea, winter snow, frost patterns . . . the list is endless. I remember people too. I remember music. I remember literature and beautiful man-made things – but it is the natural world (along with those people I have loved the best) which stands out in my memory.

My life has been uplifted by my observations of nature. Sometimes I have written them down – usually at the end of that day because, when I have noticed something, I can’t take my eyes/ears off it. It follows then that the written observations are done from memory but almost always on the day they are made. I have a little diary which is just for garden notes and nature notes. I also have some journals. These have helped me formulate my book. Once I read an entry, I’m away! It all comes rushing back – and sometimes it won’t wait until I have typed it up. If I were using an old-fashioned typewriter, I would jam the keys many times.

Child Of The Earth has to get out there because I love this beleaguered planet and I desperately want to contribute to its healing. My belief is that my best chance of mending this broken world lies in touching others with the same awareness gifted to me. I offer my account of this life uplifted by the natural world to those who have a passion like my own, to those who are curious and to those who look for material to share with the next generation. It is the next generation which needs to love deeply. My generation can now see how we have trashed great swathes of this planet. We didn’t always know what we were doing but the evidence is out there. It falls to us then to nurture that deep love which will rescue our world from decay.

I resisted putting it out there for a time. I was a little bit afraid for a wee while. Then I thought it would be a good idea to keep it in the family. Now I know that I want to share my passion for the natural world, with its wholesome view, to help the healing process. Not just for my adorable grandchild, but for children everywhere.

Here is a nest egg of memories and anecdotes teased from a life uplifted by an appreciation of the natural world.

Memories of childhood in rural England, raising a family in Orkney and Lincolnshire, and retirement in Northern Scotland are threaded together into a broad tapestry of the natural year. These experiences meet with a view of Earth’s uncertain future to illustrate the necessity for respect of all lifeforms and shares a passion for the wellbeing of this planet with all generations.

Child of the Earth is a source of inspiration and delight – a literary garland of hope.

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The ninth day of January and it is frosty. Smells carry well. Hours earlier, we caught a whiff of cleaning-out-the-byre when we were coming down the hill and, a few moments ago, I went outside to empty the household rubbish and caught the same scent.

January in Caithness is not the same as January in Orkney. It isn’t the same as January in Lincolnshire. January in Caithness is completely unpredictable. A couple of years ago, when the year changed, I noticed the plants in the window boxes were suffering from windburn and the pond at Newtonhill Croft was very full due to melting snow and rain. And yet, last year, daisies were flowering, and we had gnats indoors. This week we have had some strange winds which sometimes became aggressive and then suddenly dropped, waved the flag of peace, and left behind an absolute stillness. Last year, same week, one of our number was nervous about walking home from work due to the threat of falling roof tiles.

About the Author:Susan grew up in the Isle of Axholme, which inspired the Crowvus best-seller, Child of the Isle. She has a deep love of nature which is apparent in all her writing from the poems she has had published in various anthologies, to her 2020 release, Child of the Earth.

Susan released Rosie Jane and the Swodgerump as part of the John O’Groats Book Festival. This story was written and inspired by raising her six children in Orkney. After moving to England for a while, Susan finally returned to North Scotland in 2009, and continues to write her monthly blogs, What’s It Like Up There?

Her latest book, Child of the Earth, is a nature companion, drawn from her own experiences throughout her life. It provides a colourful telling of Susan’s encounters with nature, told with a style which makes it accessible to all readers.

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