Hey, lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Oby Aligwekwe and her new book, “The Place Beyond Her Dreams”! For other stops on her 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 $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!! Also, come back daily to interact with Oby and to increase your chances of winning!
Thanks for stopping by! Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!
The Place
Beyond Her Dreams
by Oby Aligwekwe
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GENRE: YA, Fantasy
(Black & African American Fantasy Fiction)
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BLURB:
“We are most courageous at our weakest; when we believe we have faced what we fear the most and have nothing more to lose.”
At the sudden death of her grandfather, Ona’s pain transports her to mystical Luenah—a place of infinite possibilities, free of turf wars and other ills that plague the earthly dimension she lives in. In Luenah, where her grandfather awaits her, Ona learns she is an Eri, one bestowed with unique intuitive and spiritual gifts passed down from generation-to-generation.
On her eighteenth birthday, she returns to Luenah and is handed a box to deposit her ‘exchange’ for love and happiness—her great desires.
Burdened by her quest, Ona crosses paths with danger and heartbreak as the two men that love her dearly are viciously pitted against each other. As evil looms, she learns that dreams carry a hefty price, and no one is who they seem. Now, she must unmask the villain and save the one she loves, even at the risk of losing everything she holds dear.
Set against the backdrop of two warring towns, Oby Aligwekwe’s Young Adult debut—told from the viewpoint of her main character—is inspired by her West African heritage, fables, and spiritual beliefs. Ona’s journey reveals the power of choice, the true source of happiness, and, most importantly, the transformation one must go through to realize and eventually occupy their purpose.
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EXCERPT TWO:
“How did I—I mean when did I become an Eri?” I asked wide-eyed.
“It started several millennia ago when Luenah was restricted to its original inhabitants—a handful of people living in utmost serenity and joy, never growing old or dying from diseases. Everything changed when a wily princess, Ani, found her way in through a portal in an ant hole. When she arrived in Luenah, panting from exertion, our ruler had taken pity and accepted her into our fold. With time, she proved to be loyal and imaginative, wildly so, that she found immense favor in his eyes, but she wanted more.”
“What did she want?” I urged.
“For her people on earth to inhabit Luenah. At the time, the earth was plagued with famine and diseases, and she felt Luenah would provide the respite they needed. As noble as the idea was, it wasn’t feasible.”
“Why not? There’s enough space here for everyone,” I claimed, looking around at the beauty and riches in Luenah.
“There’s enough space,” he agreed. “But there is no room in Luenah for conflict and turmoil. Look at Ide and Ntebe. See what has become of them.”
I nodded once, and he continued.
“A few years passed, and Ani presented her plea again. She threatened to expose the ant hole so her people could enter if our ruler failed to grant even a few ‘chosen ones’ access to live here.”
“Did they fall for it?” I asked, my heart beating in anticipation.
“The negotiation was tough, but they later struck a deal. Ani was permitted to select a handful of good earthly humans to visit Luenah. These humans, called Eris, were bestowed gifts to be passed on to chosen ones in their future generations, and they were assigned missions to help the earth regain its balance.”
“So, Eris are born?”
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GUEST POST:
Balancing Life and Writing During a Pandemic:
With everything going on in the world right now, not knowing what the future holds, and also not being able to interact normally with others, balancing life and writing has taken a whole new turn. Being able to work from home (previously considered a privilege by a few) now seems like a chore, especially as it feels your choice in the matter has been removed. To avoid the high levels of anxiety that many are reporting, below are some of the things I practice to make working from home more enjoyable.
I reduced information overload by using only credible sources to stay up to date. I’m also very selective about what apps I open to help me reduce distractions from the influx of information.
During the early stages of the lockdown, I came up with the ‘SELF’ (Sleep. Exercise. Love. Food) principle. This is basically a set of tips for self-care that anyone can use to balance their mental health. It suggests getting at least eight hours of sleep a day, practicing a daily exercise routine, loving oneself and others, and eating a balanced diet. Though it wasn’t always achievable, I have done my best to follow these tips for maintaining overall health and wellbeing.
I miss going out, so I dress up every morning and apply a little makeup to create the illusion that I’m going somewhere. I notice it brightens up my day and frees my mind so it can travel and generate new ideas.
When I finally settle down to write, I focus on what I can handle and do my best to effectively communicate and delegate everything else to ensure the wheel keeps rolling.
Lastly, I practice gratitude, and throughout the day, I stop at intervals to pray against the traumatic things going on around the world. I also pray for healing for everyone affected in one way or the other by the difficult situation.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Oby Aligwekwe is the author of Nfudu and Hazel House. The Place Beyond Her Dreams is her Young Adult debut.
Oby’s
first novel, Nfudu, a romance set in 1960’s Paris, received critical
acclaim and was featured in publications such as Excellence Magazine and
Mosaic Editions. Her second novel, Hazel House, paints a vivid
portrait of how the needs of humans collide amidst intense desire and the quest
for power. In her Young Adult debut, The Place Beyond Her Dreams, the
protagonist Ona goes on a transformative journey to discover her purpose.
A talented writer, Oby is also an inspirational speaker and a chartered accountant. She lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her family and supports her community through her charity Éclat Beginnings.
When Oby is not working on her day job or whipping up stories, she enjoys traveling to exotic locations and bringing pieces of her travel with her. She lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her family and supports her community through her charity Éclat Beginnings.
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CONNECT WITH OBY:
Website:
Blog:
https://www.obyaligwekwe.com/blog
Email:
info@obyaligwekwe.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/obyaligwekweauthor
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/obyaligwekwe
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/obyaligwekwe
Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/obyaligwekwe
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17239247.Oby_Aligwekwe
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57013830-the-place-beyond-her-dreams
Amazon Author Page:
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BOOK BUY LINKS:
Amazon US Kindle eBook:
Amazon US Paperback:
Amazon US Hardcover:
Amazon CA Paperback:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1775106446
Amazon CA Hardcover:
https://www.amazon.ca/Place-Beyond-Her-Dreams/dp/1775106462
Amazon UK Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08SLPGCFP
Amazon UK Paperback:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Place-Beyond-Her-Dreams/dp/1775106446
Amazon UK Hardcover:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Place-Beyond-Her-Dreams/dp/1775106462
Amazon AU Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Place-Beyond-Her-Dreams-ebook/dp/B08SLPGCFP
Amazon AU Paperback:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Place-Beyond-Her-Dreams/dp/1775106446
Amazon AU Hardcover:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Place-Beyond-Her-Dreams/dp/1775106462
Barnes and Noble Paperback:
Barnes and Noble Hardcover:
The Book Depository Paperback:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Place-Beyond-Her-Dreams-Oby-Aligwekwe/9781775106449
The Book Depository Hardcover:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Place-Beyond-Her-Dreams-Oby-Aligwekwe/9781775106463
BAM! Books-A-Million Paperback:
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Place-Beyond-Her-Dreams/Oby-Aligwekwe/9781775106449
BAM! Books-A-Million Hardcover:
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Place-Beyond-Her-Dreams/Oby-Aligwekwe/9781775106463
IndieBound Paperback:
https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781775106449
IndieBound Hardcover:
https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781775106463
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Oby will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.**This post contains
affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is 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**
Oby ~ Good morning! Welcome to FAB! It is so great to have you here! Congrats on your exciting new book and good luck on the book tour! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ally for hosting. This is so beautiful:)
DeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday - thanks for sharing the great post!
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday! Thank you for sharing the details about this book and author, it sounds like a wonderful read
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book.
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