Tag: author anthony avina

The Good Husband: How to Use Your Masculine Strengths to Benefit Your Family by Hagai Avisar Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author and counselor Hagai Avisar takes readers on a journey to understand what truly “masculinity” is and how it can be used not to control but to love and care for one’s family in his book “The Good Husband: How to Use Your Masculine Strengths to Benefit Your Family”.

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The Synopsis

If you feel confused and disempowered in your marriage, with the same arguments over and over, then The Good Husband is tailored for you. It will show you how to be at your best as a husband and father:

  • Follow a solid roadmap that taps into your masculine strengths. Apply the tools and exercises to start living out the four blueprints (archetypes) of your masculine identity: King, Lover, Magician and Warrior.
  • Get practical solutions to highly troubling problems such as lack of sex, angry partner, threats of divorce, disempowering your fatherhood and more.
  • Make your wife feel happier and closer to you by realising what she really needs from you when she raises young kids, and responding wisely to these needs.
  • Discover how you can get better responses to your important needs for purpose, appreciation, respect, and sex.

Your masculine power is your responsibility, not your privilege. Once you discover how your masculinity is a force for LOVE in your family, you will be inspired to use it confidently to benefit your family.

Written by a highly experienced psychologist and couple therapist, The Good Husband is packed with knowledge, insights, and strategies that are based on research, state-of-the-art marriage counseling, and decades of clinical experience.

The Review

As someone who has always felt a calling towards a more feminist frame of mind, I have always been wary of people who use the term masculinity to hide behind a mindset of control and lack of emotions in relationships. I respect everyone’s own perspective, and in that spirit wanted to delve into the author’s book and experiences with an open mind, and I am glad I did. The author did an incredible job of crafting a book and guide that showcases how a man can hold onto the things that he connects with that he feels make him a “man”, while also finding the balance to understand the feminine perspective as well.

The research and thoughtful approach the author had to this subject was both emotional and well-founded. The way the author not only identified the traits and aspects of masculinity that are important to understand but gave voice to the women’s perspective on these traits and why they are important to maintaining a relationship as both a spouse and parent were wonderful to see illustrated. The way the author was able to not only draw upon these experiences and lessons but show how to implement them into our daily lives made this a very compelling and enthralling reading experience and made for the perfect way to start out 2023 for those looking to improve upon themselves.

The Verdict

As someone who has always hoped to find a way of tearing down old ideas surrounding masculinity and instead finding a way of making masculinity healthy and in balance with femininity, I was pleasantly surprised and inspired by this book. Author Hagai Avisar’s “The Good Husband” is a must-read self-help and relationship-style nonfiction book and the perfect way to start out the New Year. The informative and insightful way the author was able to relay these lessons and the engaging way the author was able to connect readers to these experiences made this a brilliant story to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Avisar is an Israeli-born psychologist and couples therapist who has been in practice since 1987. Avisar moved from Israel to Melbourne, Australia with his Aussie wife and two kids in 1997.

With his passion to support young families, Avisar has specialized over the years in helping couples with their relationship issues. As an enthusiastic educator and therapist, he provides unique perspectives and effective solutions through counseling and workshops.

In recent years Avisar has developed an interest in helping men with their relationships. He says “There is an ever-increasing gap between the high expectations from family men and the poor support and empathy they receive from society. Public attacks on masculinity and men certainly don’t help these men”. Responding to this gap Avisar published in 2022 his book The Good Husband in which he offers married men guidance on how to use their masculine strengths to benefit their families.

Avisar has initiated and supported various social projects for parents and families. As an adoptive parent himself, he set up a network for adoptive families who raise children of Ethiopian origin.

www.thegoodhusband.online

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BDVYMYZ9/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F63024589-the-good-husband%3Fac%3D1%26from_search%3Dtrue%26qid%3D4ARu1id08q%26rank%3D1&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20

The Traitor (The Order’s Assassin Series Book Two) by D.C. Gomez Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

The search for a traitor and the culprit behind a deadly attack will bring back together two assassins from separate orders as they stand between the all-out war in author D.C. Gomez’s “The Traitor”, the second book in The Order’s Assassin Series. 

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The Synopsis

Witches, Demons, and Shifters are all landing in Salem. But who do you trust?

Eric’s search for Rafael, the Order’s betrayer, is leading to a dead end. Running out of time, he decides to enlist the help of some old acquaintances in Salem’s underground.

In the meantime, the Garcia Clan, the deadliest of all the shifter assassin families in the world, has been attacked. Tensions are rising as Sasha is forced back on the field to investigate and bring the culprit to justice.

With both the Order of Witches and the Garcia Clan searching for the truth, Eric and Sasha are the only ones standing between a full-on blood bath.

* The Traitor is book two in the Urban Fantasy Series The Order’s Assassin. Our favorite witch and former cop, Eric from the Intern Diaries Series, has a new job with the Order of Witches. With no way out, he must continue his mission to clean out the Order, before he is the one hunted down.

The Review

This was a rich and dynamic fantasy world the author has crafted. As a reader who comes into this series after having read the Intern Diaries, the series set before this one, I was already enthralled with the author’s ability to craft memorable narratives that skirted both the YA and NA genres. The way the author is able to build upon the world she has helped craft and infuse it with even more magic and mystery was great to see. The tension in the atmosphere of this book underscores the importance of the missions each protagonist is forced to undergo and allows the striking tone of the narrative to shine through.

The heart of this story rests in the character development and action-packed narrative. The chemistry between Eric and Sasha is palpable, and the evolution of Eric’s character from the Intern Diaries series into this spinoff series is great to behold. The rich cinematic quality of the author’s writing style allows readers to really see in their minds the setting and action come to life as if the novel held the quality of a great CW supernatural drama series. 

The Verdict

Magical, adrenaline-fueled, and cinematic, author D.C. Gomez’s “The Traitor” is a fantastic urban fantasy story and a great addition to the Order’s Assassin Series. The chemistry between the cast of characters and the thriller aspect of the narrative will keep readers glued to the pages of this book, and the twists and turns will have readers eager for more from this incredible author. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

D. C. Gomez is a USA Today Bestselling Author, born in the Dominican Republic and grew up in Salem, Massachusetts. She study film and television at New York University. After college she joined the US Army, and proudly served for four years.

Those experiences shaped her quirky sense of humor. D.C. has a love for those who served and the families that support them. She currently lives in the quaint city of Wake Village, Texas, with her furry roommate, Chincha.

https://dcgomez-author.com/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09S6QM2JJ/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F62705447-the-traitor%3Fac%3D1%26from_search%3Dtrue%26qid%3DV3OC0rvOuG%26rank%3D1&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20

Love & Madness by Athina Paris Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

After a father and powerful businessman manipulates his three sons and his empire begins to crumble, three women find themselves falling in love with the brothers and find themselves fighting to find happiness and stability in the wake of these manipulations in author Athina Paris’s “Love & Madness”.

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The Synopsis

Benjamin Powell believes he has begun an empire. He has three sons and owns the most successful construction company. But it all begins to crumble when he chooses to manipulate their lives. Twenty-seven years later, the consequences of his decisions are still being felt.

Three women enter this world and fall in love with the Powell men – Sofia, Christie, and Gloria – they will suffer, fight, win, and lose. Can one or all find their way back to happiness; whether with the man she loves, or with someone else? 

The Review

This was a rich and captivating romance novel. The detailed and engaging story does an incredible job of showcasing the complexities and emotional entanglements that come with relationships. The way author explored not only the romantic side of this narrative but the familial relationships of the narrative as well, showcasing how family relationships and bonds can be tested by everything from who we date to differences in career choices and even the cultural background of those we choose to spend our lives with. 

The character development and rich setting of this narrative added to the depth of emotional development that this story dove into. Immediately readers can feel the tension between Benjamin and his children, especially his oldest Robert. The complex story of how each of the Powell children was affected by both their mother’s passing and their father’s manipulations kept me as a reader invested in the story. The way the author was able to dive into the backstory of each of these characters showcased the depth that the author’s storytelling capabilities were able to reach, including the women who came into these men’s lives.

The Verdict

Heartfelt, emotional, and thought-provoking, author Athina Paris’s “Love & Madness” is a beautiful and epic romance and drama saga that readers won’t be able to put down. The twists and turns in the narrative, as well as the wellspring of emotions the narrative takes readers into, will have the reader enthralled and mesmerized at the same time, and the way the author is able to perfectly showcase the depth of humanity itself was a great storytelling device that will resonate long after the final page is turned. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Athina Paris lives in South Africa but spent her formative years in Mozambique, where she was born. Years in convents and boarding schools prompted a deep curiosity, which quickly developed into an avid interest in reading and storytelling that led to a lifelong obsession with the written word and books. By fifteen she had discovered ancient civilizations and became fascinated with various mythologies; a love she has kept to this day.

She became a spectator of human nature, but quiet and shy, she preferred recording conduct, and so built a treasure-trove of relationship observations from which she eventually drew backgrounds for the characters in her romantic novels.

She studied Interior Design then turned to Creative Writing, and followed that with Script-writing.

Set in faraway and exotic places, Athina’s epic romances take her characters on voyages of self-discovery while dealing with catastrophic love lives in an imperfect world.

A stint as a high school English teacher polished her skills but she now concentrates on her professional goals of writing, editing, and proofreading. 

http://www.authorathinaparis.com/index.html

https://twitter.com/athina_paris

The Sacred Mountains by Kinga Szumska Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young woman must leave her village and find her place in the world after discovering the power within herself in author Kinga Szumska’s “The Sacred Mountains”. 

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The Synopsis

We are all on a journey. Some of us see our mountain very clearly but some can see just a glimpse of it from a distance. Some of us are confident that there must be another world than the one we were born in, while others don’t question it. But far beyond the forests in a village was a girl who decided to go on a journey and learn which world she was really from. This is a story about finding the world we belong to. I am sure you’re on your quest too.

I dedicate this book to all who one day felt out of place but had the courage to cross the bridge.

The Review

This was a beautifully written and profound story of mythology and legends meets coming-of-age storytelling. The imagery and atmosphere spoke to the power of storytelling itself, exploring the power that stories have on a people’s culture and how future generations can learn from the past to grow into their futures. The themes the author explores here, from the iconic “hero’s journey” to the power of dreams and the importance of forging our own paths in life kept me invested in the story of Lola and her journey into the mountains outside of her own village.

The dynamic character development and world-building balanced out the emotional pull of the journey the narrative itself takes. The story of Lola will resonate greatly with many readers, as her heart and her passions in life lead her to an almost outsider status in her village, with her dreams separating her from the lessons taught and embedded into the majority of the villagers. The power she discovers and her otherworldly origins play well into the mythos the author builds upon and keep the reader both entertained and enthralled by the journey.

The Verdict

Thoughtful, captivating, and engaging, author Kinga Szumska’s “The Sacred Mountains” is a must-read folklore and mythology-driven narrative. The empowerment and encouragement Lola’s journey gives the reader and the magic of the storytelling made this a compelling and entertaining journey to go on and made this a brilliant story that showcases the amazing talent of this up-and-coming author. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Kinga was born in Poland and now lives in London. She writes inspirational stories on personal and professional development, work, and travel on her blog: http://www.kinga.blog. Kinga is certified by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and is a Qualified Performance Coach and talent hunter. Besides writing and creative living, Kinga is a keen traveller, speaker, painter, foodie, and social media junkie.

https://www.kinga.blog/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BLT7QJ8Z/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F68754902-the-sacred-mountains&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20

Children of the Revolution (Westward Sagas Book Three) by David Bowles Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A young woman works to keep her family together as she grows into a stronger role within her family and she begins to be courted by British nobility in author David Bowles’s “Children of the Revolution”, the third book in the Westward Sagas series.

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The Synopsis

Children of the Revolution is the story of the progeny of patriot Adam Mitchell, who fought during the American Revolution at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on March 15, 1781. This pivotal battle culminated in his cornfields, which adjoined the one-acre site of the first Guilford County, North Carolina courthouse.

The hundred-year odyssey of the Westward Sagas is not about war, but about how it affected the Mitchell family. Children of the Revolution: Book 3 in the Westward Sagas Series takes up where Adam’s Daughters: Book 2 left off-in Tennessee shortly after statehood. The series continues with the next generation of the Mitchell Family. Peggy, the protagonist in Adam’s Daughters, takes on a stronger role as she matures into a confident woman courted by British nobility. Children of the Revolution uncovers the untold reason North Carolina never ratified the U.S. Constitution. Adventure, intrigue, romance and tragedy are woven into the story of the first generation of Americans. 

The Review

This was an engaging and emotional addition to this captivating historical fiction series. The author did an incredible job of showcasing the realities of war and the psychological effects that these battles had on the survivors and the innocent people caught in the crossfire as a decisive battle that would eventually turn the tide of the war effort left deep scars on the land and those who worked it. The imagery really did an incredible job of breathing life into this rich setting as it not only showcased the hardships of life on the frontier, but early life in pre-American lands ravaged by war.

The heart of this narrative came in the author’s ability to bring a dash of emotion and heart to the character’s evolution along with the historical elements that made this story feel alive and vibrant on the page. The exploration of this family saga and the evolution of Peggy’s story in particular were fascinating to behold, and the strength of her character and her choices made the impact of those choices feel that much more prevalent. 

The Verdict

Captivating, engaging, and thoughtful in its approach, author David Bowles’s “Children of the Revolution” is a fantastic continuation of the Westward Sagas and the story of the Mitchell family. The history and culture of the era kept the story flowing smoothly, and the rich character development will keep readers invested in this growing historical fiction series. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

David Bowles is the fifth generation of his family to be born in Austin, Texas. Both parents are from pioneer settlers. His great grandmother Elnora Van Cleve was the first child born in Austin on April 14, 1841. His stories are based on many years of historical and genealogical research. He and Becka his yellow lab travel extensively telling the stories of the Westward Sagas. A prolific writer Bowles has written hundreds of stories about history and the true-life characters he has met. The fifth book in the Westward Sagas will be released in the Spring of 2023.

Home

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009GBTMRQ/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F16155075-children-of-the-revolution%3Fac%3D1%26from_search%3Dtrue%26qid%3Dpmk2RUVMjK%26rank%3D1&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20

Allaigna’s Song: Chorale by J.M. Landels Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young woman must return home and prevent a war from erupting in author J.M. Landels’s “Allaigna’s Song: Chorale”.

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The Synopsis

The breathtaking conclusion to the Allaigna’s Song Trilogy

In the six years since Allaigna left home, killed her betrothed, and joined the Brandishear Rangers, she has hidden her family name and her ability to sing music into magic. Confronted with the dire implications of her grandfather’s exploration into long-forbidden arcana, Allaigna must swallow her pride and summon her courage to return home with the ashes of her cousin to prevent yet another war, or worse, an arcane catastrophe to rival that of the legendary Cataclysm.

Bonus content includes the novella Allaigna’s Song: Oburakor.

The Review

This was such a powerful and captivating story. The author once again did a fantastic job of world-building and fleshing out the mythos greatly for this world. The powerful and lyrical nature of the author’s writing style lent itself greatly to the magic and sorcery behind the protagonist’s particular gifts with music and song, and the imagery the author used in that writing allowed the reader to feel transported into this magical realm.

The heart of this narrative was the character development and complex relationships the protagonist made. The slippery slope the character was forced upon by the dangers facing her realm and the way she was forced to choose between her only remaining family and the needs of the people themselves of her kingdom was what really helped push her into the final leg of her heroic journey, one brought with danger and loss over the course of this series. The emotional weight of this third book and the way the author explored so many different generations of the women of this family and how life impacted their shared connection made this a memorable fantasy read.

The Verdict

Heartfelt, engaging, and adventurous, author J.M. Landels’s “Allaigna’s Song: Chorale” is a must-read sword and sorcery fantasy read. The mythos and beauty of the magical realms of this narrative blend well into the more emotional and rich character evolutions we see perform here, and the twists and turns in the final pages of this book will have readers eager to have more adventures in this magical realm come to life. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

For the full series of sword fighter portraits, please visit http://www.markfeenstra.com/swordplay

JM Landels divides her professional time between writing, editing, drawing, and teaching people to swordfight from horseback. She has no hobbies, since they all tend to turn into professions.

http://jmlandels.stiffbunnies.com/

Guest Blog Post: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO WRITING POETRY by Raven Howell

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, Guest PostLeave a comment

“I’m a poet and don’t even know it!” At some point, you’ve probably said something in an unintentional rhyme. Poetry? Sure, maybe those two seemingly silly sentences you shared with your spouse or with a parent were a little poetic:

Every year an ornament cracks

And there’s the cat – his smile is back!

The main obstacle with those considering writing poetry or getting into reading it, is that they assume it has to be serious, Shakespearean, and therefore, a little irrelevant and bland. But poetry can be found everywhere and in everything. 

During one school visit, I asked the students to consider an ordinary object right there in the classroom to write their poem about. After several minutes passed, a flummoxed child asked, “Miss Raven, all the ‘good’ regular items are already being written about. How can I write a verse about a staple remover?”

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I asked her what those metal clamps reminded her of. Oh! Metal teeth! Suddenly she saw the staple remover as a metal-mouthed gnasher with only one goal: gnawing and twisting those tin soldier staples from a paper battlefield. How’s that for finding a little poetry in something ordinary?

Tell me, what happened today? Were you frustrated that the wind blew away your scarf or hat? Think there’s no poetry in that? Try a haiku to get yourself going. The pattern is simple (traditional haiku: 3 lines, 5/7/5 syllables per line).

Wind stole my red scarf

Old man winter craves color

Scarlet for snow’s white.

This is just a quick idea off the top of my head, but the point is, attempt to add a little wonder and mindfulness somewhere in your words. Here, the ivory white canvas of winter is unintentionally decorated with the red scarf you lost.

You can look up the various formats of poems and their history online or research in the library, but my goal is to stir up some inspiration because that spark will begin your poetry journey. And – it’s not as hard as you may think.

I’ve found even those who don’t think they’d have any interest in poetry, find themselves with a smile or a tear in their eyes when they hear or read a good poem. 

My new children’s poetry book, The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes explores the world around us from the whimsical child’s perspective. Because I’ve been a full-time writer now for decades, and somehow naturally end up composing a verse or idea daily, it wasn’t too difficult for me to pick out 20 poems from my files for the compilation. 

I already had the title of the book. Not much rhymes with “poems” and my manuscript was originally being submitted to a publisher called Gnome Publishing, so I put together that title – The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes, thinking it sounded cute and was appropriate. Although the publishing house I signed with is a different one, the book title was already etched in my brain and I believed in the verse I imagined a group of magical gnomes or elves would enjoy reading while enjoying tea and honey biscuits perched under a mushroom cap. And so it came to be! 

I hope that reading the poems in my book, and viewing the playful artwork illustrator Naz Tarcan provided, may provide a good place for you to jump start your own love of poetry – and your own way of expressing or enjoying it!

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Book Summary

Discover the magic in simple moments when a child peers in the mirror to unintentionally come upon his smile, where kittens nap in boots, fairy hugs feel good, mice delight in reading books, and January snowflakes taste yummy.

Twenty whimsical poems warm the heart and inspire cheer; a collection enticing both the young and seasoned reader to explore the enchantment of the wonderful world of poetry.

Publisher: Handersen Publishing

ASIN: B0BJNT69WG

ISBN: 1647030757

ISBN-13: 978-1647030759

Print Pages: 28 Pages

Purchase a copy of The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, or Bookshop.org. You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list.

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About the Author

Raven Howell writes stories and poetry for children. Having published several award-winning picture books, she enjoys sharing her love of literature by visiting classrooms and libraries. Raven is Creative & Publishing Advisor for Red Clover Reader, served as Poetry Director for Monster Magnificent, and writes The Book Bug column for Story Monsters Ink magazine. Her poems are found in children’s magazines such as Ladybug, Spider, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and Hello Magazine. She’s an editor, and collaborating author for Reading is Fundamental SoCal.

When not writing, Raven enjoys sunshine and the beach, spending time with her family, hiking, laughing, reading, goofing around with artwork, and inventing new recipes.

You can find her on: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/atpearthkeeper

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atpearthkeeper/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RavenHowellAuthorandPoetPage/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pickward/_saved/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raven-howell-5a813015b/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ravenhowell22

Blog Tour Calendar

— Blog Tour Calendar

December 26th @ The Muffin

Join us at our WOW! blog today, The Muffin, for the blog tour launch of The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes by Raven Howell. You can read an interview with the author and have a chance to win a copy of the book for yourself.

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

December 28th @ Strength 4 Spouses

Join Wendi as she reviews The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes by Raven Howell.

https://strength4spouses.blog/

December 28th @ Reading Girl Reviews

Gina reviews Raven Howell’s book The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes. 

https://www.instagram.com/readinggirlreviews/

December 29th @ The Faerie Review

Visit Lily as she reviews The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes by Raven Howell.

https://www.thefaeriereview.com

December 30th @ Anthony Avina’s Blog

Join Anthony as he features a guest post by author Raven Howell featuring a beginner’s guide to writing poetry.

https://authoranthonyavinablog.wordpress.com/category/blog-tours/

January 1st @ Page Peeks

Visit Jeanne’s book review column as she reviews The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes.

View at Medium.com

January 2nd @ Mother Daughter Book Club

Join Cindy as she reviews The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes.

Blog

January 4th @ AJ Kormon’s Blog

Join AJ as she reviews The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes.

https://www.ajkormon.com/blog

January 6th @ Knotty Needle

Visit Judy as she shares her insights into Raven Howell’s book The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes.

http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com/

January 8th @ Shoe’s Seeds & Stories

Join Linda as she features a guest post by author Ravne Howell about why we love gnomes so much.

https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/

January 10th @ Mother Daughter Book Club

Visit Cindy’s blog again for a guest post by Raven Howell about arts and crafts, making fun gnomes for all ages.

Blog

January 12th @ Anthony Avina’s Blog

Visit Anthony’s blog as he reviews The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes by Raven Howell. 

https://authoranthonyavinablog.wordpress.com/category/blog-tours/

January 12th @ The Mommies Reviews

Visit Glenda’s blog today to read her review of The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes by Raven Howell. You’ll also have a chance to win a book copy too!

https://themommiesreviews.com/

January 16th @ Word Magic

Visit Fiona’s blog as she shares author Raven Howell’s insights about the impact on children through author visits to schools or libraries.

http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/

January 15th @ Shoe’s Seeds & Stories

Linda treats us to her review of The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes by Raven Howell.

https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/

January 17th @ Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews

Lisa interviews Raven Howell about her book The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes.

https://lisahaselton.com/blog/

January 18th @ Bev A Baird’s Blog

Join Bev as she features a guest post by author Raven Howell about her lifelong journey as a poet and how she made it happen. 

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

January 20th @ Bev A Baird’s Blog

Come by Bev’s blog again as she reviews The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes. A must-read children’s book you’ll love!

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

January 20th @ Editor 911

Margo treats us to her review of The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes.

https://editor-911.com/

January 22nd @ World of My Imagination

Nicole shares her thoughts about The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes.

https://worldofmyimagination.com/

January 23rd @ A Storybook World

Visit Deirdra’s blog and read a guest post by Raven Howell about gnome fashion and how the fairy realm influences fashion today.

http://www.astorybookworld.com/

January 25th @ Carole Writes

Visit Carole’s blog for her review of The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes.

https://carolemertz.com/

January 27th @ Editor 911

Come by Margo’s blog again and read Raven Howell’s guest post featuring yummy treats with a gnome theme.

https://editor-911.com/

January 28th @ Lisa’s Reading

Join Lisa as she reviews The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes. You also have the chance to win a copy of the book too!

https://lisasreading.com/

January 29th @ Jill Sheets’ Blog

Visit Jill’s blog as she interviews author Raven Howell about her writing journey and her experience as an author.

http://jillsheets.blogspot.com/

Guest Blog Post: The best writing/life advice by K.E. Bonner

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, Guest PostLeave a comment

Preop is a hive of activity at 6:45am. Metal charts clink, heart monitors beep, and a mingled aroma of betadine, hand sanitizer, and rubbing alcohol wafts through the air. Nurses, aides, mid-levels, and doctors side-step one another as they check orders, see patients, and sign consents. 

“Hi, I’m Karen, and I’ll be your anesthetist this morning,” I say as I enter the preop bay. An elderly man is lying on a stretcher. He answers my questions and I turn back to the chart to double check his paperwork. 

“Young lady,” he rasps, and reaches out his liver-spotted hand out.  I take it. Wrinkles crisscross his face like a cracked desert landscape. “I need to tell you something.” 

After a long career in healthcare, I’ve learned to listen to my patients. Our eyes lock and he squeezes my hand.  

“You will never be able to accomplish everything that you want to accomplish without a life of sobriety.” An impulse flickered between us, an undeniable shared action potential. 

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“Okay,” I nod, taken aback. Why would he say this to me? Did I look like a heavy drinker? 

His matter-of-fact way of speaking stayed with me. There was no possible way that this man knew that I was struggling to accomplish my goals.  At that point I’d been writing, editing, and re-writing my first novel, not to mention that I was working long shifts at the hospital, raising two young children, and struggling to keep my marriage and our finances together. I wasn’t a heavy drinker, a few glasses of wine over dinner to unwind after a long day. What did he see in me that compelled him to speak his truth? I chewed on his words but wasn’t ready to quit drinking, yet.

One Sunday morning I lay in bed with a large bottle of Gator-aide praying for the nausea and pounding headache to recede. It was my day to write, and I could barely lift my head from the pillow. This hangover is a waste of my time, I fumed. I thought about my adoptive mother, and how she steadily drank herself into dementia. I spent most of that day on the couch lamenting the loss of the most precious thing that I possessed: time. I couldn’t write while I was drinking, and my hangover rendered me completely useless. This was the beginning of me developing a distaste for alcohol. 

Clarity followed sobriety. My energy skyrocketed, I was writing more consistently, and better. I reasoned that I’d unknowingly been in a constant state of dehydration. My scale started a downward trend as I began to exercise, which increased oxygenation to my brain, and increased my energy even more. I began to see how much time I had wasted by drinking, and to understand that I had been self-medicating with wine. 

Most people are not ready to hear my patient’s words, and in truth, it took me ten years to process and act on them. These days I drink half a glass of wine on special occasions, but I write every day. Time is precious and limited, make every effort to use your to the fullest.

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About the Author

K. E. Bonner, author of Witching Moon,was always the first kid to sit down during a spelling bee. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she was diagnosed with dyslexia, which explained why she always had to study three times harder than her peers. Being dyslexic taught her perseverance and kindness, her two favorite attributes. She lives in Georgia with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. When not writing, she loves to read, swim, explore new places, and meet fascinating people. If you have a dog, she would love to scratch behind its ears and tell it what a good pup it is.

Learn more about K.E. Bonner on her website or follow her on Instagram @kebonnerwrites. 

You can purchase a copy of Witching Moon on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You can also add Witching Moon to your Goodreads reading list.

Blog Tour Calendar

December 19th @ The Muffin
Join WOW as we celebrate the launch of K.E. Bonner’s blog tour of Witching Moon. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book!
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com


December 20th @ Mindy McGinnis’s blog
Stop by Mindy’s blog to read “Release the Idea of Getting Rich or Published and Focus on Your Craft.” by K.E. Bonner
https://www.mindymcginnis.com/blog

December 20th @ Rockin’ Book Reviews

Join us as Lu Ann reviews Witching Moon.

http://www.rockinbookreviews.com

December 21st @ All the Ups and Downs

Join Heather as she spotlights Witching Moon. Enter to win a copy of the book!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/


December 23rd @ Michelle Cornish’s blog
Visit Michelle’s blog to read her review of Witching Moon.
https://www.michellecornishauthor.com/blog

December 24th @ A Storybook World
Join Deirdra as she features a spotlight of Witching Moon.
https://www.astorybookworld.com/

December 27th @ Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews blog
Join Lisa for an interview with K.E. Bonner.
https://lisahaselton.com/blog/


December 28th @ Author Anthony Avina’s blog
Join us today for author Anthony Avina’s review of Witching Moon.
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com

December 30th @ Author Anthony Avina’s blog
Revisit author Anthony Avina’s blog to read “The Best Writing Advice I Received” by K.E. Bonner. 
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com


January 4th @ Bev Baird’s blog
Join us on Bev’s blog as she reviews Witching Moon.
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com

January 5th @ The Knotty Needle
Stop by for Judy’s review of Witching Moon.
http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com

January 6th @ Bev Baird’s blog
Meet us back at Bev’s blog for “Ideas are Everywhere” a guest post by K.E. Bonner.
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com


January 6th @ Look to the Western Sky
Join Margo as she reviews Witching Moon by K.E. Bonner.
https://margoldill.com/

January 7th @ Chapter Break

Visit Julie’s blog where she interviews author K.E. Bonner about her book Witching Moon.

https://chapterbreak.net/

January 9th @ Sue Edwards’s blog
Visit Sue’s blog to read “Magical Realism Surrounds Us” by K.E. Bonner.
https://suebe.wordpress.com/


January 10th @ Celtic Lady’s Reviews
Visit Kathleen’s blog and read her review of Witching Moon by K.E. Bonner.
https://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/

January 10th @ World of My Imagination
Stop by Nicole’s blog where K.E. Bonner is a guest for “Three Things on a Saturday Night.”
https://worldofmyimagination.com


January 12th @ Life According to Jamie
Join us as Jamie reviews Witching Moon. 
http://www.lifeaccordingtojamie.com


January 14th @ Boots, Shoes, and Fashion
Join Linda as she interviews author K.E. Bonner.
https://bootsshoesandfashion.com

January 15th @ Fiona Ingram’s author blog 

Stop by Fiona’s blog to see her spotlight feature of Witching Moon. 

https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com

January 16th @ the Freeing the Butterfly blog
Visit Freeing the Butterfly to read “Life is Short, Do What You Love” by K.E. Bonner.
https://www.freeingthebutterfly.com/blog

January 18th @ Jill Sheets’s blog 

Stop by Jill’s blog to read her interview with K.E. Bonner. 

https://jillsheets.blogspot.com/

Guest Blog Post: WHY A JOURNALIST WROTE A MEMOIR – ACROSS CONTINENTS by Ira Mathur

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, Guest Post1 Comment

In writing this memoir, I combined my two loves, journalism and creative writing.

The journalist’s task is to find the dark corners of the world of injustice and sadness and illuminate them. The bigger job is to be the watchdog of democracies, to ensure there are checks and balances in governance on behalf of the people.

If there is one thing it taught me is that humans are essentially the same. Everyone is looking for a way to survive the dark days of our mortality and the trials of being human, whether they are gangsters who end up getting shot at 20 and buried with gold chains down to their stomachs; or priests who have lived ascetic lives; or indeed, families around the commonwealth navigating the damage of Empire.

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It was with this understanding that I began to write a memoir.

As an immigrant to Tobago, where my parents moved when I was a child, and later to Trinidad, I felt the past was being cut away from me.

My son was born, and I had begun forgetting words in Urdu and Hindi. As an immigrant to Trinidad, I started feeling the past was being cut away from me. I wrote it to remember the past and understand the present of the glittering islands of Trinidad and Tobago, where my parents moved when I was a child. 

As I wrote about my experience as a journalist, somebody who chronicles the events that shape a country, I realised that my past was not unique. My grandmother told me how my ancestor was brought from Uzbekistan to put down the mutiny in India in 1856. As a recruited member of the British Army, he was forced to shoot his fellow Muslims, something he regretted till he died. I began making connections. It was also the story of colonial islands in the new world, where people were stripped of language. The narrative continued with my parents travelling to Trinidad and Tobago, which also has a complicated history of colonisation by the French Spanish and English. That interested me – how the personal can be so political, how the unravelling of one family living under decades of colonialism can echo a crumbling empire.

The overall theme of the crumbling Empire is relevant, especially now; after the death of Queen Elizabeth 11, we can see how similar post-colonial worlds are. The history of brutality was identical. In India, we grew up with stories of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar Puja when General Dyer ordered the British 

Indian Army to open fire on over a thousand unarmed, nonviolent protestors, Churchill’s active role in perpetuating the Bengal famine, or the signs my mother remembers in exclusive clubs that read “No Dogs or Indians” and the sly inroads of the East India Company. In Trinidad, as in much of South America, there is the brutal history of slavery, indentureship and genocide of millions of native Indians. In India from 1765 to 1938. the British got an estimated 45 trillion U.S. dollars’ worth of goods like textiles, rice, iron, and timbre, not to mention jewels from the Raj, which are housed in 

British museums today. Similarly, Caribbean islands like ours were looted for sugar and cocoa. It’s a shared history of exploitation.

 When my grandmother left India to join our family in Trinidad, she told me stories about a vanished India of the British Raj. She told me of generations of women born into Muslim Indian princely families of Bhopal and Savanur. I had to infer the calamity upon her life when my mother broke hundreds of years of tradition and understand why my grandmother disinherited my mother for marrying a Hindu army officer.

There were unanswered questions. I wondered why my grandmother ended up alone and penniless despite all her privileges- born a princess into Indian royalty, beauty, and musical talent. 

As I wrote the story, the puzzle came together. I began to understand how patterns are created in how we treat our daughters and how that damages the people we love. At my grandmother’s funeral, I was aware of how incongruous this was, a woman born in colonial India dying in the new world so far from everything she grew up with and knew. It was a way of bringing tother the old and new worlds and introducing the question of how and why this happened. How did a princess of the Raj die in Trinidad? 

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The colonial idea that subjugation, cruelty and even corporal punishment can be justified for the greater good filtered down to how people in colonies viewed their children.– how neglect, abandonment or abuse is passed on to their daughters and that pattern is continued. 

Migration is also a very personal issue. At the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth, dozens of security guards were of South Asian origin. According to an Indian Ministry of External Affairs report, 32 million Non-Resident Indians live outside India, overseas Indians comprise the world’s largest overseas diaspora, and over 2.4 million Indians migrate overseas yearly. Our family was just one in this ocean of movement. So the themes aren’t heavy, but 

illustrates how politics always becomes personal and affects families.  

When I wrote it, I did not expect it to resonate with so many people across continents. Michael Portillo for Times Radio was moved by the story of Poppet, the child in the book. Anita Rani of Times Radio was moved by the story of migration. The Observer found it was reminiscent of the times of the Raj in India, which has connected India and Britain for generations.

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About the Author

Ira Mathur is the author of Love The Dark Days – a Peepal Tree published a memoir on the emotional ruins of Empire on three generations of women set in Trinidad, St Lucia, India and the U.K., bookended with a weekend with Derek Walcott. Love The Dark Days was selected as a UK Guardian Best Book of the Year 2022 ( Memoir and Biography)

Mathur is an Indian-born Trinidadian multimedia journalist and columnist with a body of writing that includes over 800 columns over 20 years. (www.irasroom.org) She was longlisted for the 2021 Bath Novel Award for Touching Dr Simone. (Out in 2023)

Mathur studied creative writing in London with The University of East Anglia/Guardian & the Faber Academy with Gillian Slovo, Maggie Gee, and James Scudamore. In 2019 Mathur was longlisted for the Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize. She holds degrees in literature, law and journalism. 

Purchase on Amazon U.K.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Dark-Days-Ira-Mathur/dp/1845235355#detailBullets_feature_div

Purchase on Amazon U.S.: https://amzn.to/3YaoVmH