AM I DONE YET - OH YEAH! THE SEQUEL - CHASING GEORGIA

Finally, the sequel to Winter's Captive is done! 

Why is it called Chasing Georgia? Because ever since Georgia's adventure in Winter's Captive, someone wants a piece of her. She's been sought after by journalists, publishers, agents, publicists, talk shows, movie producers, and even the man in her life. 

Just as Georgia decides to settle down into a quiet, normal life with her five-year-old daughter, Kaela, she finds herself on another roller-coaster ride. 

This time her ex-husband suddenly passes and she's pursued by the mistress who became his second wife, Julie's insistant request forces Georgia to examine all that she learned during the course of her survival five years previous and she's feels impelled to make a life-changing decision that could effect not only her own well-being, but that of her daughter and Julie's daughter, Kaela's half-sister, Shelby. 

The pressures of her relationship with Sean Dixon, leaves her in a state of confusion and she must examine her ability and desire to sustain a long-term relationship.

Finally, thrown into the mix, Georgia becomes exposed to a demented stalker, determined to make her his own. 

Once again, she finds her life in peril. This time it is not just she who is in danger, but the lives of Kaela and Shelby.

Winter's Captive was written in the first person because it mainly centered on Georgia Charles and her fight for empowerment and survival, alone and lost in a cold northern winter. I felt first person suited the story because it helped create an intimacy with the readers. Georgia could talk directly to them.

Chasing Georgia, on the other hand, is in the third person. The reason I changed the format was because I wanted to carry some of the secondary characters from the first book into the second book. This time, I wanted those characters to have a story of their own. I needed the readers to understand their lives and how they would come to interact with Georgia's life. The relationships between Georgia and these characters could not be developed and understood if the readers didn't have first-hand knowledge into their lives as well as Georgia's life.

Chasing Georgia studies the lives of a blended family. Family dynamics play an important role in this story of love, redemption, and the fight for normalcy in a complicated world.

A large percentage of children today are products of divorce and blended families have become the norm. Single parents, divorced parents, parents of multi-marriages try hard to raise their children. Such families bring on new complexities and my hope is that my readers can relate to this story and the characters within.

Chasing Georgia is in the editing stages now. I will let you all know when it is ready for publication.

Meanwhile, all you writer's out there: Keep on Keeping on Writing! 

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A CHANGE OF SEASON

I love the fall. Looking out my office window with coffee in hand, the various shades of leaves from green to yellow, orange, and red set against the surrounding dark green mountains is breathtaking. The warmth and coziness inside my cocoon masks the cool air outside. Today will be a beautiful sunny, day.

What a great way to start this day. The quietness and tranquility totally inspire my creative spirit and is much needed after a stressful week, albeit positive stress, but non-the-less a crazy, full-impact experience.

After fifteen months on the market, we accepted an offer on our home. We are pleased that the couple that want our place are suited to it. Life is so strange and co-incidental. They are both an artist and a writer, just like my husband and myself. Very down-to-earth, they will settle into life in this beautiful little valley with ease. And like us when we first moved here, they have family here. We won't be leaving anytime too soon as the deal is subject to them selling their house, which probably won't happen when the snow starts to fly.

Unbelievably, another party wants our place as well. So much so, that they are waiting to make sure our deal goes through. He, also, is well suited here.

On top of this, we are agents for my sister's house which is rented out at the moment. We showed her house three times last week.

What's our future plan? To downsize, relocate to Vancouver Island where most of our family are, and live in a 33' Silverback Fifth Wheel by the ocean or on the river. Minimal housework, no yard work, and lots of time to write all those books bumping into each other inside my head.

I am also Chair of a committee putting on a fundraiser and talent show on November 8th to raise money for Variety - the Children's Charity in Vancouver. We are holding it at our Memorial Hall here in Clinton as a way for residents to give back for services they have been provided with over the years when their kids on occasion were ill and stayed in Children's Hospital in Vancouver. We are in the throes of rehearsals, gathering donations for a silent and live auction, and handling advertising. Truly an enjoyment, but a worry that all will go according to plan. The students are rehearsing for performances and we are working with them as well. I love to see the kids enthusiasm. Opportunities for them to explore their creative side is limited in our little village.

Meanwhile, I had a breakthough with my sequel and am busy plotting and creating. I expect to finish before Christmas.

We just celebrated Thanksgiving here in Canada and I feel truly grateful to be in a safe and happy space in my life. I wish the same to all of you.

Until next time, all you writer's out there, "Keep on Keeping on Writing!"

 www.facebook.com/june.bourgo

I'M STILL HERE...AND MY EBOOK IS FREE FOR THE MONTH OF JULY ONLY

It's been a few months since I posted. Just thought I would say hello and give you an update on my author status. I'm still writing and selling. Life has been busy...too busy.

I have two big news items to share with you.

First, my ebook for "Winter's Captive" is FREE for the month of July, 2013. That's right. So get your copy by clicking HERE. Follow the instructions for purchasing a copy and use the following code SW100 in the Coupon Box. Please leave some feedback.

Secondly, I'm retiring from my job in local government in two weeks. I will truly miss the work and the people I work with but it's time for me to do for me.  All the advice for retirees say the same thing. Have a hobby or part-time work lined up when you retire or you will go crazy with boredom.

Well I have no fears in that department. My time will be spent WRITING, WRITING, WRITING. So excited to reach this stage in my life where I can dedicate my free time to something I love to do. Empowerment! Just like Georgia, my protagonist.

Don't forget to download my free ebook. If you don't have an e-reader you can download Kindle for PC - free software for your computer or laptop. Then you can download a .pdf copy right onto your desktop.

So get ready to hear from me more often and get reading

For you writer's out there, Keep on Keeping on Writing!

NATIONAL POST TOUTS "WINTER'S CAPTIVE" AS AN OBSCURE TITLE IN THE RACE FOR THE GILLER PRIZE

In wondering what my next post should be about, and thinking about featuring a fellow artist, the decison was taken out of my hands. I guess it will be all about me again.

I have my name and book name in Google Alert. Anytime my name or book is mentioned in Google anywhere, an email is sent to me and I check it out. Imagine my surprise last night when a Google Alert showed up telling me I was linked to the Giller prize. 

Check out this article in Thursday's edition of the National Post.

http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/08/31/the-giller-deflect/


Okay so a name mention isn't winning, short listing, or long listing (announcement on Tues Sept 4) but to be mentioned as an obscure title along with best selling author, Vincent Lam, in an article about the Giller Prize (One of Canada's prestigious literary awards)...I'll take obscure any day. Am I flying? Oh yeah!

As the article says, after the long list is announced, the other 214 eligible titles could slip into oblivion. I appreciate the fact, as I'm sure do all the other authors, that we are available for viewing on the Scotiabank Giller Prize website,

http://www.scotiabankgillerprize.ca/ 

The past six months of marketing since my book was released has been exciting, yes...but also hard work and not always fruitful. But I keep slogging along because I believe in my story and what I think it has to offer my readers,  in the hope that my efforts and that of my publisher, Asteroid Publishing Inc., will pay off.

As a family friend said, "Ironically, having your name mentioned might just bring your book out of its "obscurity". I can't think of a better plug for it." He's so right. So if after the long list announcement on Tuesday, my book disappears into oblivion, I will have had my "mention" in a Giller article. It's humbling and inspires me to keep on writing. 

To all my fellow competitors, good luck on Tuesday and keep on keeping on writing.  

WINTER'S CAPTIVE PRESALES AVAILABLE

Publishing Update for "Winter's Captive".

The journey continues. My books arrived and what a feeling. How can I express that feeling in words? Think of the most satisfying, exciting, surreal moment in your life and I guess that would explain it.


My release date has been pushed to November 2011, still out for Christmas. So keep it in mind for that special gift for stocking stuffers, or that special person you think would enjoy it. 


Another first, I had my first Press Release online, here's the link: http://www.prlog.org/11650809-young-pregnant-woman-abducted-by-bank-robbers-escaped-and-then-lost-in-canadian-wilderness.html

"Winter's Captive" is available at great discounted presale prices on various sites such as Chapters Indigo, Canadian Bookshelf, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. Follow the link below to my website for more details and links to these sites. And don't forget to enter Giveaways on the Goodreads link above. Five books will be given away to randomly picked winners.


At the moment, I am setting up a signing/reading event in my Village for next month. An exciting and daunting venture, it should be a lot of fun as well. My publisher is setting up more for me at book store chains. When I know my events schedule, I will post it here and on my website.


I want to feature as well, a fellow writer who has just released an ebook entitlted: "Agartha's Castaway". If you like young adult, fantasy, past worlds and prehistoric animals, author Chrissy Peebles has the book for you.   Here's the link to her blog:
 

http://chrissypeebles.blogspot.com/

Good luck Chrissy and welcome to the world of publishing.

That's it for now. Off to work on my sequel.

www.junebougoauthor.com

Keep on keeping on writing!

...THE IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Did you know that 70% of all people have suffered at least once from the Imposter Syndrome?

Today, I'm choosing to write about the imposter syndrome because the majority of us suffer with what I call this "condition", with mild to extreme reactions that can affect our daily living. It is a very common phenomenon. We are not alone and yes, I have suffered with this syndrome too.


The following is one description of the Imposter Syndrome. 

The impostor syndrome, sometimes called impostor phenomenon or fraud syndrome, is a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. It is not an officially recognized psychological disorder, but has been the subject of numerous books and articles by psychologists and educators. The term was coined by clinical psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978.[1]


Despite external evidence of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.


I once read an article on a local news anchor who suffered for years believing she was an imposter. Here was an educated, competent young woman fully qualified for the position; yet, she feared she would be "found out" and people would see she wasn't as intelligent as they believed her to be. Jody Foster admitted in an interview that when she won an Oscar, she felt like an imposter who had "lucked out". She felt "they" would find out and knock on her door and tell her they made a mistake. A very talented actor, and one of my favorites, I was confused by this admission at the time.


But I was soon to recognize this condition in myself when writing a blog post about my book, "Winter's Captive". It was difficult for me to write about the abuse of my first marriage because I felt like a fraud. My abuse had been mainly mental, with only a little amount of physical abuse. So many women suffered so much more physically than I had. How crazy is that? Abuse is abuse, regardless of its form, or how much more or little one form is over the other.


Then, a publisher knocked on my door and handed me a publishing contract. That old syndrome really knocked me aback. I mean, who was I to think I could fool people into thinking I was a writer? After all, I didn't have any formal education or writing degrees. Nor had I lived the life of the long-suffering, struggling writer. After much soul-searching I accepted the words of one editor who said I was a natural writer and that my education came from life and those who have passed through it.


Georgia Charles is the main character in "Winter's Captive". As her character developed, I recognized that she too suffered from the imposter syndrome as a wife and as a woman. She overcame her insecurities and became empowered. With the editing and re-editing of this heroine, she became my healer and my hope is that my readers will relate to Georgia and draw from her confidence and strength.


Here is the final paragraph of the description above for the Imposter Syndrome:


The impostor syndrome, in which competent people find it impossible to believe in their own competence, can be viewed as complementary to the Dunning–Kruger effect, in which incompetent people find it impossible to believe in their own incompetence.


Hmm...I think I would rather have to deal with the Imposter Syndrome than the Dunning-Kruger effect. I would rather be humble than believe I'm something I'm not.

There's nothing stranger than people! Aren't we though?

http://www.junebourgoauthor.com/