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Thursday, March 30, 2023

SPARK: Journey from Success to Significance by Azim Jamal - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Azim Jamal and his new book, “Spark: Journey from Success to Significance,” here on FAB!!  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 $10 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Azim and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

SPARK:

Journey from Success to Significance

by Azim Jamal

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GENRE:   Self Help

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BOOK BLURB:

In a world vigorously chasing classic ideals of success, find your spark and become significant.

Your journey starts here.

Meet Steve, a hotshot lawyer fighting to climb the corporate ladder in this inspiring fable. His life transforms seemingly overnight as he is sent to India for a task he considers pointless. But things quickly fall apart. Steve, forced to reconsider his path, realizes that the curveball life has thrown at him is an opportunity to find his true purpose. This spiritual odyssey is about to transform him beyond his wildest dreams.

A powerful lesson follows each chapter, making up the SPARK that transforms Steve's life: Selflessness, Purpose, Attraction, Resilience and Knowing.

This SPARK is hidden within you too. It may be dormant now, but awakening to it will catapult you from the "Present You" to the "Best You." It's time to light up your SPARK today.

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EXCERPT ONE:

“What are you missing in your life?” I’ve put that question to successful leaders all over the world. Not surprisingly, I often hear similar answers: purpose, fulfillment, happiness, balance and the like. What I’ve found is that many of us resign ourselves to vigorously chasing classic ideals of success without realizing that it is, in fact, “significance” that we seek. The truth is, no matter your age, position or status, connecting your daily functions with authentic intentions and values is imperative. Otherwise, we are simply hamsters on a wheel—covering miles and miles in distance, yet never truly moving forward towards our desired destinations. Sure, there is some physical benefit from such rooted motion. But over time, it has a negative effect on matters of the heart and mind, creating a domino effect that has ongoing ramifications for our own lives and society at large. The subtitle of this book, “Journey from Success to Significance,” was borne from my own expeditions and explorations, all of which helped me form a steadfast belief: that we are all destined, by our very nature, to be explorers— pioneers who intrinsically understand that it is the journey, and not the destination, that matters. It is the twists and turns of life that guide our principles. What I wish for you to discover is that a life of significance is not some unattainable, pie-in-the-sky dream. Rather, it is a genuine pursuit that begins with a simple acknowledgment and appreciation of what already lies within you: Natural traits fuelled by a SPARK!

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GUEST POST:

SPARK Wisdom: What Writing This Book Taught Me

Writing my tenth book, SPARK: Journey from Success to Significance was probably my most telling experience to date. I used to hear about authors who proclaimed how the content of their books were ‘revealed through’ them and not really ‘written by’ them, but it never really hit home until I started scribing my latest book. This was most evident when formulating and organizing the chapters of the fable. Once the concept was formed (using experiences from my personal and professional life) and the characters subsequently developed, the story’s theme, twists, turns and teachings seamlessly manifested themselves as translations rather than creations. These translations seemed to take shape as answers to questions I had circulating in my mind before and when I was producing the book.

Questions like:

  What are the most driven individuals missing in their lives?

  How do they define success?

  Is success enough or is there something more significant or more valuable than success?

  What is the spark that drives them toward success or significance?

  Do they have a practical and inspiring blueprint to igniting and fueling this spark?

  Is their journey a solo one or filled with many key players that they could not do without?

  And finally, what is their flow state that helps them find purpose, value, fulfillment and balance?

I decided to conduct my search for answers through the main protagonist Steve, a hotshot lawyer fighting to climb the corporate ladder. Through his eyes, the story unfolded to show how a life can be transformed, seemingly overnight, when one is forced out of his or her comfort zone. Steve’s journey began when he was mandated by his boss to complete a task that would take him to India where he had previously never been, nor was particularly fond of going. He was also not thrilled by this assignment as he saw it as a needless hindrance on his path to success. Mainly, a promotion he was in the midst of vying for against colleagues he thought would now be given a leg up from his absence.

While Steve is initially unable to connect this compulsory errand to something larger and more important than his prescriptive plan for success, he soon finds hope in every circumstance and encounter of his journey. He soon grasps that the curveballs life throws at him are opportunities to transcend beyond his safe existence and engage with his desire for significance, not success.

After every step of Steve’s journey, the questions I set out to answer became more clear. Steve’s expedition and exploration revealed five essential principles that lead him to his chosen prosperity by igniting his inner S.P.A.R.K -

1.)  Service

2.)  Purpose

3.)  Attraction

4.)  Resilience

5.)  Knowing

I share these principles in more depth after every chapter. I highlight key messages and takeaways; offer up reflection questions for readers to ponder, and I share some tips on how to get started on their own path to a life of significance. I also provide readers an opportunity to journal their thoughts and responses. My hope is that this will act as a practical step in helping them find and nurture their innate SPARK.

So, in summary, what did I learn from Steve as I wrote this book? Let’s take each question I laid out previously:

What are the most driven individuals missing in their lives?

Plain and simple, most go-getters like Steve eventually realize it is Significance, not Success, that defines who they are and what they’ve achieved.

The truth is, no matter your age, position or status, connecting your daily functions with authentic intentions and values is imperative. Otherwise, we are simply hamsters on a wheel—covering miles and miles in distance, yet never truly moving forward towards our desired destinations.

How do they define success?

Impact! Truly accomplished individuals measure success on the degree of impact they are making or have made. As my friend and colleague Dr. Nido Qubein puts it, “Success is never enough. The people who are happy reside in the zone of significance, and significance comes from one word. That one word is ‘impact.’”

Is success enough or is there something more significant or more valuable than success?

Success is often a quest for fame, power, recognition or any other self-serving form of achievement. It is often driven by the ego. As Steve quickly discovers through all the people he encounters, residing in “the zone of significance” means impacting every person you meet in a meaningful way. A way that resonates beyond the need for affluence or possessions.

What is the spark that drives them toward success or significance?

A single-minded pursuit for success usually means we have resigned ourselves to chasing classic ideals - money, fame, power, status, etc. And more often than not, this ‘at-all-costs’ drive will lead us to doing whatever it takes to get there. Even if it means compromising our authentic self.

A multifaceted approach to achieving a life of significance is a genuine pursuit that begins with a simple acknowledgment and appreciation of what already lies within us - a natural drive to positively impact as many people as possible. Whether this impact be direct or indirect, it is the intention to effect constructive change that drives any quest for prosperity.

Do they have a practical and inspiring blueprint to igniting and fueling this spark?

The blueprint Steve showed us is the key to any SPARK is Service, Purpose, Attraction, Resilience and Knowing. And whether they know it yet or not, truly driven individuals naturally serve with purpose; attract results with true intention; show resilience in times of strife, and harvest a knowing that they share with others so they can pay it forward. And what comes natural is practical; what is for the greater good is inspiring.

Is their journey a solo one or filled with many key players that they could not do without?

Whether the pursuit be success or significance; whether in this world or the next, no journey is traveled alone. We do not arrive alone nor do we depart alone. As readers will find out, even Steve realizes the impact complete strangers can have on one’s life trajectory, let alone those we hold dear.

Ask any accomplished person and they will wax lyrical about how they did not get anywhere without someone else or many around them playing a huge part. This goes without saying, but ‘it takes a village’, not only to raise a child but to help achieve their goals. We are all a product of this village.

And finally, what is their flow state that helps them find purpose, value, fulfillment and balance?

Through Steve I learnt and subsequently shared with my readers that any flow state or being in the ‘zone of significance’ is achieved when one aligns what they do with their purpose and values. With this as the core of any action (intention), any result is bound to be fulfilling (action). And the more fulfilling our lives, the more balanced it becomes because we are living a life of integrity, positive impact and legacy.

When analyzing any significantly successful person this is abundantly evident. They align their purpose and values to any and all goals, which naturally creates a balance between challenge and skills, ultimately leading to an experience that is intrinsically rewarding.

In writing this book, I was hoping to find answers. I did. Now my wish is to inspire readers to be able to ignite the same type of fire from their SPARK. One that illuminates the path to their magnificence while also bringing light to the world.

More than ever, the world needs your glow in full flow. The time to light up your SPARK is now!

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AUTHOR BIO:

Azim Jamal is one of the finest inspirational life-altering personalities with a global following. He is the CEO and founder of Corporate Sufi Worldwide, whose mission is to inspire individuals and corporations to unleash the power within and find harmony between Business, Balance and Beyond.

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CONNECT WITH AZIM:

Website:

https://www.corporatesufi.com

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/realazimjamal

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/129666.Azim_Jamal

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77287693-spark

Author Amazon Page:

https://amzn.to/40F900b

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/40KNXcN

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3Zm4PFB

Amazon US Hardcover:

https://amzn.to/3TMBCm7

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Spark-Journey-Significance-Azim-Jamal-ebook/dp/B0BRQKL3D2

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Spark-Journey-Significance-Azim-Jamal/dp/0228885957

Amazon CA Hardcover:

https://www.amazon.ca/Spark-Journey-Significance-Azim-Jamal/dp/0228885965

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spark-azim-jamal/1142786704?ean=2940165973291

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spark-azim-jamal/1142786704?ean=9780228885955

Barnes and Noble Hardcover:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spark-azim-jamal/1142786704?ean=9780228885962

Kobo US eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/spark-160

Kobo CA eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/spark-160

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Azim will be awarding a $10 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

**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 fabulous community outreach projects and 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.

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Bells and Bombshells by Trixie Silvertale - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hey, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Trixie Silvertale and her new book, “Bells and Bombshells,” here on FAB!!  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 $75 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Trixie and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

Bells and Bombshells

Harper and Moon Investigations Book Series

Book One

by Trixie Silvertale

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GENRE:   Paranormal Cozy Mystery

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOOK BLURB:

A pattern of murder. A threadbare case. Can our psychic sleuth pick out the guilty before time spools out?

Mitzy Moon is finally tying the knot. And she’s loving the whole town’s excitement for their upcoming big day. But when their tailor is found buttons up behind a jazz lounge, the almost-newlyweds will have to hem in a murderer before their dreams rip apart at the seams.

Knowing they’ll get no help from the new sheriff in town, the couple embarks on a tightly woven undercover assignment. But Mitzy fails to heed ominous warnings from her mentor, Ghost-ma, and her entitled feline. When another body drops, she could be the next target erased by the mounting powers in the darkness…

Can Mitzy and Erick unravel the twisted clues, or will their wedding be eclipsed by a funeral?

Bells and Bombshells is the first book in a hilarious new paranormal cozy mystery series, Harper and Moon Investigations. If you like snarky heroines, supernatural intrigue, and a dash of romance, then you’ll love Trixie Silvertale’s wedded whodunit.

Buy Bells and Bombshells to stitch up a killer today!

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EXCERPT TWO:

“Once you wake up, head over to the station for a going away party. I wouldn’t want you to miss it.” A wonderful text from my fiancĂ©, Sheriff Harper.

A thrill of excitement rockets up my spine. A going away party? Dear Lord baby Jesus, it can’t be true. Is my arch-nemesis and resident bully, Deputy Paulsen, finally leaving the force? I never thought I’d see this day. Now I have two amazing things to celebrate this week!

I place my dishes in the bus bin behind the counter, wave to my grandfather, and practically run out of the diner.

When I burst into the station, I’m not surprised to find the front desk abandoned. The deputy I’ve nicknamed Furious Monkeys is usually in residence, deep into said video game by this time of the morning. However, it seems the entire force has shown up to celebrate the end of Deputy Paulsen’s reign.

I glance around the overflowing bullpen, and several familiar faces toss smiles my way. All the local deputies, of course, but there are also a number of deputies from the nearby town of Broken Rock. Including the sharpshooter, Boomer. He’s helped out on a few previous cases. Not surprising he’d be here. However, the presence of two of the FBI agents that assisted Erick and me in nabbing an interstate train robbery gang seems highly out of place.

Sheriff Harper was the one who worked with them and —

It’s at that precise moment I see the makeshift sign flapping in the breeze near the overhead heater vent. The handmade signage reads:

“You’ll be missed, Sheriff Harper!”

What the —?

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AUTHOR BIO:

USA TODAY Bestselling author Trixie Silvertale grew up reading an endless supply of Lilian Jackson Braun, Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew novels. She loves the amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries and obsesses about all things paranormal. Those two passions unite in her Harper and Moon Investigations series, and she's thrilled to write them and share them with you.

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CONNECT WITH TRIXIE:

Website:

http://trixiesilvertale.com

Email:

trixiesilvertale@gmail.com

Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/TrixieSilvertale

Facebook Group – Paranormal Cozy Club:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2055115108114758

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trixiesilvertale

BookBub Author Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/trixie-silvertale

BookBub Book Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/books/bells-and-bombshells-paranormal-cozy-mystery-harper-and-moon-investigations-book-1-by-trixie-silvertale

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19595781.Trixie_Silvertale

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63847690-bells-and-bombshells

Audible Author Page:

https://www.audible.com/author/Trixie-Silvertale/B07XGGRTWK

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/3FSBY4T

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AMAZON BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3KaSVZN

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3nvbW11

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Bells-Bombshells-Paranormal-Mystery-Investigations-ebook/dp/B0BMHPPYV9

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Bells-Bombshells-Paranormal-Mystery-Investigations/dp/1952739616

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFO:

Trixie will be awarding a $75 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**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 fabulous community outreach projects and 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.

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Marked by K. A. Gandy - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host K. A. Gandy and her new book, “Marked,” here on FAB!!  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 $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with K. A. Gandy and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

Marked

Populations Crumble: Resurgence Book Series

Book One

by K. A. Gandy

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GENRE:   YA Dystopian Romance

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BOOK BLURB:

On the run from the men who murdered her parents, there's only one way to save herself. Marriage to a genetically-matched stranger.

Demy has been on the run since she was thirteen years old. Mysterious men in black cloaks have been chasing her, and so far she's evaded them. Something, though, has changed since she turned eighteen. Their attempts to capture her have gotten closer and closer, until she's only got one option left: turning herself over to the NLC, for the compulsory marriage program.

She doesn't want to get married, but with her would-be captors on her heels, she's got no choice but to hope the NLC's strict security protocols will be a safe haven. Marriage is a small price to pay for her life, after all. And maybe, just maybe, she'll finally have the space to discover why she's being hunted.

***

Marked is a new entry point in the Populations Crumble world, but many familiar characters will be present from the original trilogy.

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EXCERPT THREE:

“Do you think one of the guys got here early? I already picked two of my three.” She does an excited little shoulder shimmy at the thought, but I want to run back to my room. I’m not ready to meet my guys, and I really hope we’ll get a little more time.

I still haven’t even opened the app. Though, if people are going to start showing up . . . I need to get on that. I trail behind Cammie and Leilani to the top of the grand staircase, and we only make it halfway down before a chipper, feminine voice calls out.

“Whassup, my ladies?!”

My head snaps up from the woven stair runner, and I see another blonde girl waiting in the middle of the foyer.

Cammie and Leilani both call out excited greetings, and I belatedly add a, “Hello,” to the mix.

We make it down into the foyer, and she’s bouncing on the balls of her feet like a boxer. Though, as a boxer I can’t imagine she’d do much. She’s maybe a hundred fifteen pounds soaking wet, short and delicate-looking in a slouchy green t-shirt, ripped jeans, and scuffed-up tennis shoes.

“My name’s Nell, and I’m joining you three for this round of matches! Have you guys met your dudes yet?”

“Uh, no? We just did all the medical exams this morning. The schedule in our e-planners says we have a week of training classes before the introductions,” Cammie answers, mirroring Nell’s peppy tone.

A week before any guys show up? Oh, thank God.

“Okay, so the fun is just beginning, nice!”

“Uhm, have you done this before or something?” Leilani asks.

“Oh, yeah. Couple years ago, now. But, uh, things didn’t work out.” She shrugs one shoulder blithely, but doesn’t offer any other explanation. “So, this is round two for me. Sucks I couldn’t have gotten here after the boring classes, though.” Nell rolls her eyes dramatically.

“So, what was it like?” I blurt the question, suddenly needing to know everything, while simultaneously afraid to hear what she has to say.

“Which part? The matching? The honeymoons? The breakup?”

“The matching—let’s start with that,” Leilani cuts in, anxiety ratcheting her voice up to a higher register than usual, and for a moment, I feel a sense of camaraderie. We’re all going through this roller coaster of unease and unknown.

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GUEST POST:

Writing When You're Facing Burnout

Friends, whether you're a writer or not, if you're an adult in the 21st century, I'm willing to bet you've faced burnout at one point or another in your life. Whether it was pandemic restrictions, your first (or worst) job, the daily struggles of parenthood, or the words that just won't come . . . we've all been there.

The question is, as that adult with responsibilities—and an author, with a book due to the editor!—what do you do about it? Let's talk about that.

I hit burnout hard last summer. I had a book due for a pre-order, my Pre-K kiddo home from school for the first time ever, a two-year-old also home full time, and we'd just moved. Boxes and paint cans were still piled in almost every closet, dinner was takeout more often than not, and the words just wouldn't come, for love nor money. Oh, and our en suite bathroom was under construction, meaning everything in my room was coated in an inescapable layer of dust.

Fun times. Not.

First of all, we're going straight for the jugular. Self-honesty. What is causing you to burn out? If you're struggling to make it through the day, you're going to need to take a really honest look at your life, priorities, obligations, and stress levels. Is there one thing, or one group of things, that are causing you stress? Are you getting enough sleep? Is your day job soul-sucking? Are you burning the candle at both ends, and, as my husband likes to add, in the middle? Whatever the cause, it's okay to admit it. It's okay to be honest with yourself about how something is taking much more from you than it's giving back. If we can't be honest with ourselves about that, we can't find a way forward. And we need a way forward.

If you're able to come up with the what/why, let's move on to what's next. You're going to need some rest, most likely. Whether that's couch time, nature time, active time (let's say you LOVE EXERCISE, but even you can't drag yourself to the gym at 4 AM before your soul-crushing job starts), or just some good old-fashioned heads-down freewriting time is up to you. What makes you feel charged up? Energetic, and ready to face the day? How can you incorporate more of that into your life today, even if it's literally five minutes?

A few things that refill my well (as examples, not a prescription) are below.

Introvert activities:

- Reading a good novel

- Re-reading an old favorite, if none of the new options are drawing me in

- Going for a walk, alone or with only the dog.

- A nice soak in a bath or hot tub

- A walk on the beach while the sun sets

- Meditation or stretching

Extrovert activities:

- A girls' day out with my bestie (can be any activity or lack thereof you desire)

- A date night with my husband

- A fun activity with the kids, such as the zoo, park, etc where I don't have to entertain them myself

- Yoga Class

But, Gandy, I don't have time for any of that! Didn't you get the message—I'm exhausted?!

It's painful, but if you want to get out of the burnout, something has to change. Even if all you have is the five minutes you're laying in bed before your eyes close, I want you to try to do something in those five minutes. Whether that's read, bake, re-watch trashy tv, or simply closing your manuscript for the weekend (or week days, if those are the hectic ones). It's okay to prioritize yourself, your health, and your mental health. I'm going to say that again, in case you don't have someone in your life to tell you that as often as you should hear it, are you ready? It's okay to prioritize yourself, your health, and your mental health.

If you really don't know where to start at all, I challenge you to five minutes of stretching. You can choose whether that's first thing after waking, or last thing before bed.

For me, last summer, I had to realize that some days, there wouldn't be words. That was a hard pill to swallow, but trying to wring words out of an exhausted brain only made me feel guilty and more stuck. It also meant cooking easier, less complicated meals at night, and encouraging the kids to spend at least an hour outside every day. I also gave myself permission to read, guilt-free, for an hour every single weeknight after my husband was home from work to take care of the kids. Small changes, but they really helped me get through that stressful time and start the momentum back in the right direction.

Wherever you start, give yourself grace, and remember that this is a process. Realizing that your job isn't a good fit isn't something that will likely be resolved overnight. Realizing you've got a HUGE, TERRIFYING PLOT HOLE might take some serious noodling to work through. Breathe. You didn't fall down the rabbit hole in a day, and you likely won't hop out in one, either.

Okay, what's next?

This is the part where we keep putting one, grace-filled foot in front of the other every day. Keep building the things that refill your well into your life. Keep working to change those things that drain it, as the energy comes back and you're up to tackling them. Open your manuscript, and write the next sentence, paragraph, page. Whatever you're able to do, when you sit down to do it.

If you're a writer and you find yourself with the energy to delve further into the topic, Becca Syme's book "Dear Writer, Are You in Burnout?" helped me immensely with building my own list of well-filling activities, as did finding a supportive group of other authors to talk about the struggles and joys of this career we've chosen. Being an author can be very isolating, and talking to other people on the same path as you (rather that's parenthood, entrepreneurship, or an author caree—it still applies) can lighten the mental load significantly.

Whatever is causing your burnout, you're not alone, and you can turn it around. One step at a time.

Love and Books,

K. A. Gandy

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AUTHOR BIO:

K. A. Gandy was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, and is married with two kids. She has worked as a restaurant hostess, library book shelver, ranch hand, tour guide, Realtor, tech whiz, landlord, and small business consultant, all in addition to pursuing her passion of writing. She likes to write late in the evenings and thinks drinking hot tea and baking great cookies fuels hopes and dreams. If you would like to find more of her works, you can sign up for her newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/kagandy. You can also get updates on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KAGandyAuthor. I’ve also recently started a facebook group for readers, who enjoy YA Dystopian books, and am available by email at kagandyauthor@gmail.com as well, if you’d ever like to drop me a line directly!

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CONNECT WITH K. A. GANDY:

Website:

https://kagandy.com

Newsletter:

https://www.subscribepage.com/kagandy

Email:

kagandyauthor@gmail.com

Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/KAGandyAuthor

Facebook Group – YA Dystopian Romance Book Lovers:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/yadystopianromancebooklovers

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20945272.K_A_Gandy

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63883204-marked

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/3z88sUP

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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3KaC3Dv

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3LQZEKL

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Marked-Dystopian-Adventure-Populations-Resurgence-ebook/dp/B0BD69239C

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Marked-Dystopian-Adventure-Populations-Resurgence/dp/1956423125

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFO:

K. A. Gandy will be awarding a $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

**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 fabulous community outreach projects and 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.

The Beautiful Misfits by Susan Reinhardt - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Susan Reinhardt and her new book, “The Beautiful Misfits,” here on FAB!!  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 $15 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Susan and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

The Beautiful Misfits

by Susan Reinhardt

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GENRE:   Women's Fiction

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BOOK BLURB:

Eighty-four seconds can change your life. Or destroy it. Josie Nickels is an Emmy-winning news anchor, poised to rise through the ranks of television journalism. On a bitter March evening on live TV, the pressures and secrets burbling behind the closed doors of her ridiculous Victorian mansion explode and the overwhelmed journalist spills family secrets like a Baptist at altar call. The aftermath costs her much more than a career. It robs her of a beloved son—a preppy, educated millennial trapped in the deadly world of addiction. Desperate for a new start and a way to save her son, Josie packs up her pride, her young daughter, and accepts a new job slinging cosmetics at a department store make-up counter with other disgraced celebs. In the gorgeous mountains of Asheville N.C., known for hippies, healings, and Subarus, Josie is faced with a choice for her son: Take a chance on a bold, out-of-the-ordinary treatment plan for her son or lose him forever. This heart-wrenching and, at times, hilarious novel, will delight fans of book-club women’s fiction and inspire and give hope to those with addicted sons and daughters.

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EXCERPT TWO:

She’d felt the bump of her lower abs, firm with life as she stood from the vanity and twirled in the fitted, beautifully cut gown, its swishy A-line skirt floating beneath her waist. In the mirror, the iridescent beads shimmered against the sun drifting through her bedroom window.

Her parents’ fifteen-room Beaux Arts mansion spoke Southern elegance at its uppity best. As she admired the gown, she heard staccato raps at the door. Without invitation, her mother burst into her pink-and-cream bedroom with its billowing canopy bed that made Josie feel protected. “You look beautiful,” she said, scanning her in her entirety. Josie waited for the “but.” “Turn around and let me see you from the side.”

Katherine looked striking—and intimidating—in her ruby mother-of-the-bride gown, its ruched waist showing off her incredible figure and a front slit opening to reveal a long, tanned leg. “The dress is deliciously posh. However…” she said, hands on Josie’s shoulders as she angled her in the light. She rubbed her forehead. “I’m having second thoughts about you wearing white. Anyhow, too late now, isn’t it?”

Josie inhaled sharply, refusing to let her mother ruin this day. “Can’t you wear a support garment? Around your middle?”

“I’m four months pregnant, Mother. It’s not exactly a secret.”

“Secret or not. We’re not the bloody sort to display our premarital lust at the altar.”

Josie flushed but said nothing. Her mother’s barbs and put-on British jargon would not get to her today. She had nothing to hide. It was 1994, for heaven’s sake, and not puritanical times when young women like her had been shuttled away to stay with “beloved relatives.”

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AUTHOR BIO:

Susan Reinhardt grew up in LaGrange, GA. and Spartanburg, S.C. where most girls twirled batons, entered beauty pageants, and became debutantes.

Bucking the norm, Susan spent her free time water skiing almost every day, fishing, and pining for a ragamuffin boy who was always up to no good.

Earlier in her college years, she pursued nursing, but most of her patients were terminal and her mastery and frequency of giving enemas had her questioning this line of work, though she adores nurses and often wishes she’d have stuck with the field.

She recently took a part-time job caring for adults with disabilities and loves the work, figuring it would at least make up for past misdeeds and get her a better shot at the Pearly Gates.

Writing has always been her first love. And she became good enough at it to earn many dozens of awards, including three Best of Gannetts for her feature stories and columns. Along with a bunch of other junk that really doesn't matter in the end.

What matters to Reinhardt is making people laugh. And think. And love others.

She is married to her second and final husband, country and genius lawyer Donny Laws who is bald but has a ponytail and loves to ride a bike. She has two adult kids, three steps, and a granddaughter.

She’s been on national TV, has modeled for one glossy magazine, and was the subject of a British documentary on aging and body image. She hopes that the documentary is lost and never resurfaces.

She once had a radio show called Susan Uncensored; a sold-out one-woman show called “From Hilarity to Insanity and Back.”

She no longer water skis but performs fairly decent front and backflips from a diving board and half-ass rides a unicycle and twirls a baton simultaneously.

Her hobbies include a vintage camper obsession and she’s owned three. Recently she’s settled on her 1968 Scotsman, which she hopes to paint pink and teal with polka-dots and haul on book tours.

She has two rescue cats who vehemently hate each other.

In her next life, she’d like to be a figure skater.

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CONNECT WITH SUSAN:

Website:

https://susanreinhardt.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SusanReinhardtAuthor

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/SusanGReinhardt

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/susangambrellreinhardt

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7160417.Susan_Reinhardt

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58019268-the-beautiful-misfits

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/42JNGIF

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3K8PTGm

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3TJRPIL

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Beautiful-Misfits-Susan-Reinhardt-ebook/dp/B0BT54BXD1

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Beautiful-Misfits-Susan-Reinhardt/dp/1646033043

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-beautiful-misfits-susan-reinhardt/1141672312?ean=9781646033058

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-beautiful-misfits-susan-reinhardt/1141672312?ean=9781646033041

Kobo US eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-beautiful-misfits

Kobo CA eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-beautiful-misfits

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Susan will be awarding a $15 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

**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 fabulous community outreach projects and 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.