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Friday, April 13, 2018

Songs for Lucy by Philip Wilson - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hi lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Philip Wilson and his new book, “Songs for Lucy”!  For other stops on his Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a signed paperback copy of the book!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Philip and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!


Songs for Lucy
by Philip Wilson

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GENRE: Women's Fiction

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BLURB:

It’s spring, and Allison Connelly has it all – pretty, popular and smart. With a summer job teaching tennis and starting Harvard Law School in the fall, Allison plans on a successful law career, marriage and kids – and dreams of becoming a Supreme Court Justice.

When relentless headaches drive her to her doctor, Allison receives a terrifying diagnosis that destroys her plans and imperils her life. Devastated, Allison struggles to accept her shattered dreams and uncertain future. One night, she happens into a small-town pub and, on a whim, takes a job singing, finding solace and a measure of peace in her music. She settles in the town, and from that small beginning finds love, a new life and a new reason for living.

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EXCERPT TWO:


Doctor Mackay spoke for the first time. “Allie, I’ve known you since you were a kid,” he began sadly. “You’re a fighter. Your first reaction is to look for other options, to refuse to accept defeat. But — both Doctors Smythe and Graham are experts in their fields. They’ve conferred with some of the leading oncologists at Johns Hopkins, the Cleveland Clinic, and others; and the response has been unanimous and unequivocal. If I thought there was the remotest chance that something might work, I’d say go for it. You’re young, healthy, and should have your whole life ahead of you. But I just don’t believe there are any legitimate realistic treatment options out there, and I don’t want you spending your remaining time chasing false hopes, only to be disappointed. I’m so terribly sorry.”

Allison looked at him, hearing the pain in his voice and seeing the anguish in his face. Doctor Mackay had known her since she was a baby. He’d watched her grow up; he had been close friends with her father. Now he was telling her she was going to die – and it was tearing him apart.

“How long do I have?” Allison asked quietly.

“Each case is different,” Doctor Graham replied.

“We’d estimate two months. Could be one, conceivably three. We’ll prescribe corticosteroids which reduce the swelling around the tumors. This should also reduce the headaches and any drowsiness you’ve been feeling. You will probably feel fine for a month or so.”

“And then?”

“The headaches and nausea will eventually recur, and will increase in frequency and severity. All we’ll be able to do then is treat the symptoms.”

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GUEST POST:

Evolution of My Writing Habits and How I've Grown Into a Better/More Experienced Writer

My first inclination was to skip this question. My feeling was that I’ve never taken any writing courses and I don’t think about how I write, I just write. However, on further reflection I think I’ve probably unconsciously developed some views on what works and what doesn’t. So here goes:

Firstly, on writing courses and techniques. I once taught an investment course that included some fairly complex mathematics. I would always start the course by making two points. Firstly, I doubted that Warren Buffett could pass my course; and secondly that it obviously hadn’t held him back. The point I was trying to make – that I think applies to writing, investing and most other occupations – is that while it helps to know the technical aspects, they can become a distraction if you get preoccupied by them. I have never taken a writing course and doubt I will.

Secondly, I do think you need a distinctive and compelling storyline before you start writing. If you’ve got a great plot, I believe you’re halfway towards a great novel before you write the first word. If it’s not a great plot, it’s a struggle to get there. Let me use John Grisham as an example. The plot from his first book, A Time to Kill, was a father on trial for murdering the men who had raped and tortured his ten-year-old daughter. Simple, powerful and provocative. It was a great book and kickstarted his career.  The plots of many of Grisham’s more recent novels seem less compelling. While they are great reads, I don’t believe they have the impact of some of his earlier novels.

Thirdly, I think most chapters need a hook that pulls you into the next chapter. I learned this from reading kids’ books to my children, especially R. L. Stein’s Goosebumps series. Frustrating for a parent trying to get his kids to bed, but instructive nonetheless – and I believe it applies equally to books for adults.

My last point is on character development. I was recently on a flight where I’d already seen every movie except for Wonder Woman. I didn’t think it was my type of movie, but I wasn’t going anywhere so I watched it. And I thought it was great. I wondered why it worked and I think the answer is largely the emotional range of the lead character, Wonder Woman. She was variously naive, impetuous, angry, uncertain and reflective; and I believe this is what made the movie work. (I don’t recall Superman or Batman having much emotional range.) The obvious point, and they probably do teach this in the writing classes I don’t take, is that people are human and have a range of feelings and reactions.  If you want your readers to feel that your characters are real and to connect with them, it helps to draw this out.

I hope these elements have become further developed in my second novel – Songs for Lucy, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

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AUTHOR BIO:


Philip Wilson is a retired financial executive who spends winters in Florida and summers sailing on the Great Lakes in his 32-foot sailboat. Songs for Lucy is his second book. His first, The Librarian, was rated one of the best reviewed books of 2017 by IndieReader and featured in the Huffington Post. Learn more at www.philipmwilson.com and the links below.

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CONNECT WITH PHILIP:

Website:

Facebook:

Goodreads Author Page:

Goodreads Book Page:

Amazon Author Page:

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon Kindle:

Amazon Paperback:

Amazon Hardcover:

Barnes and Noble:

Kobo:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Philip will be awarding a signed paperback copy of the book to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

3 comments:

  1. Tks for hosting. Look forward to any thoughts or questions. Will check in regularly. Philip Wilson

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just checking in. No questions? Must be a question or comment out there somewhere? Philip Wilson

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nite folks. Thanks for hosting & thanks for dropping by. Hope you like the book. Cheers, Philip Wilson

    ReplyDelete