WINTER'S CAPTIVE, Book 1 of the Gerogia Series - NOW RELEASED!

On Friday, October 3rd, my book was released through Fountain Blue Publishing of Los Angeles. I held my first ever Release Party, and it was a success. Lots of people came and prizes were handed out. It was a little exhausting, moving back and forth between additional added posts to make sure I didn't miss any comments left by my guests. But I enjoyed the process immensely.

I'd like to thank all my guests for coming. I hope I didn't miss acknowledging anyone.  Know that I will reciprocate-just ask.

A little about the second release of Winter's Captive. My new editor and I had an extensive chat about Book 1, once he provided me with a Creative Edit Report. Because the story for all books in the series takes place in part in the north western area of British Columbia, which is Tahltan Indigenous Lands, we chose to change the character of Kaela, the angel to Kaela the native spirit, and her indeginous name Nonnock. It made sense since their is more native spirituality in Chasing Georgia, Book 2, to be released soon.

I added about 10,000 more words to the story, which includes more angst for Georgia at the cabin and more history of the Tahltan people.

I'm very excited at the re-release of this book and hope you all enjoy the new book.

Here are the links for purchasing in paperback or e-book format:

Amazon.com 

Amazon.ca

Smashwords

Fountain Blue Publishing

To all my writer friends, never give up the dream, keep on keeping on writing.

"WINTER'S CAPTIVE" SEQUEL

Writing is such an elusive activity that is so tied to your emotions. One can feel empty and a failure or fulfilled and ecstatic at the accomplishment. Last month my creative pool was dried up, tapped out, painfully non-existant. This month the muse found me again. Well...I'M BACK!


Reading the above paragraph sounds like a description for manic depression or bipolarism, which I don't suffer from to my knowledge. But writing can feel like that at times. And I certainly hope I don't sound like I'm demeaning those who suffer with the any of these conditions. I can walk away and forget my writing for a while and gain a new perspective, whereas diagnosed sufferers have to deal with their symptoms on a day to day basis. They have my utmost empathy and respect.


My sequel to Winter's Captive, tentatively called Finding Georgia is coming to fruition. The story is in two parts. One more chapter and part one is complete. Two more chapters in part two with a little flushing out, and the book is complete. At least this book only took a little over a year and half to write, as opposed to the first one that took me nine years LOL.


I do believe the sequel will be the end of Georgia's journey. As much as I love Georgia Charles, who is my alter-ego and I hope the alter-ego of many women out there,  I'm ready to move on to a completely new heroine, a new story with new twists and empowerment of a different kind.


Just for those who are in the nieghbourhood, I have a signing at Cole's Bookstore in Vernon, BC on Saturday, Augst 11th, Noon-3:00 p.m.  Love to see you there.


Have a great week and those who write, keep on keeping on writing.


http://www.junebourgoauthor.com/

THE LAMENT OF JUNE BOURGO

Hmm...I wrote a post last year regarding action and how if you get writer's block keep moving forward. There are other options like research, creating business cards and book markers, reading for idea stimulation, etc., etc.. I thought it was an informative and helpful piece. 

Now here I am. At a stalemate. The past two months of my life have been full of stress and decision making that have had nothing to do with my writing. Writing became non-existant, promoting my exisiting published book has become secondary. I've been facing the exact dilema I offered advice about in my December 18th blog post. 

Just so you agree that I have a right to whine, here's some of what I've been facing. My 90-year-old mother fell and broke her hip. Visits to Vancouver for a coupleof weekends were a necessity. She had surgery and survived. She is back at the care home and a physiotherapist visits her three times per week to increase her walking and strength. Now if I could tap into some of her determination...wow. But it was a very stressful time for the family as I'm sure you would agree.

Our toilet broke and had to be replaced. Then our sewer pipe backed up and we had to replace the whole system. Not only did that stress me personally, it stressed our savings too. I had to cancel a visit from the brother and his wife who are over from England because I couldn't very well send them into the bathroom with a bucket. Then, there was the fact that the water was shut off, so no showers, no washing dishes, laundry, etc. Onto the Greyhound bus I went to Vancouver to visit them at my sister's while hubby stayed home and dealt with holes in the ground and new pipes. Fortunately, we got it all together and my brother and wife were able to come up here last weekend for a few days. 

Onto my job. I went full-time at my job as an Admin. Asst in local government. My choice, yes. But definitely a few adjustments have become necessary to accommodate a full-time job as writing time became scarcer. 

My sister's husband had an emergency quadruple bypass surgery where he left us on two occasions. He's back home now recuperating and my husband's brother had a stroke and lives in Saskatchewan. Plans have been made to get him back to BC and around family. He too is recuperating.

Life has settled down. I feel back in control. Yea.... Here I am with a weekend all to myself. Time to write and do marketing. Not!  I'm tapped out. I can't focus, can't concentrate. Don't want to market, don't want to write, have my book markers and cards already. Research seems like a chore today.

So...in keeping with my own advice and staying in the genre. I'm writing this blog post to whine, whine, whine. I think I've done a pretty good job-don't you?

Off to reread my December 18th posting and see if I can motivate myself. For those of you who are writing... keep on keeping on writing. 

www.junebouroauthor.com

THE BOXER HOBO AND JUNE BOURGO??

Today, I want to talk about a book that moved me so much. After I finished reading it, it haunted me for days before I felt able to write a review. This tale is a true story written as creative non-fiction. Because it reads like a novel in the first person, I had to keep reminding myself that this is someone's real life testimony, one full of courage, grit, and vulnerability. The author has a unique writing style all his own. I warn you the language may offend some. However, they are just words, descriptive words that are unique to this man's true life account.

Our lives in comparison couldn't be further apart, thus the title above. In fact, some people in my circle would call him a homeless, alcoholic. Well, that is exactly what he calls himself. But the author of Boxer Hobo, Johnny T. Noctor, tells a riveting tale that not only chronicles his life as a boxer, exposing his demons and vulnerabilities, it also exposes the underworld element of the boxing world in Australia. A courageous expose by a man not afraid to talk about how that world affected his life professionally and personally.


What moved me was his battle to sobriety. I found it amazing that after falling into the depths of alcoholism on numerous occasions over the years, his mental focus was so intense that he was able to overcome the physical affects and throw himself into the extreme physical training required of a boxer and find his way back to sobriety and another fight. And it wasn't just his journey that fascinated me. This man wormed his way into my mind and into my heart because he is a writer. A VERY TALENTED WRITER, in my opinion. I love his writing style.


Here is a description of his book from Amazon:


When a homeless alcoholic boxer wakes up in a Tasmanian Neuro-Trauma ward with a fractured skull, doctors inform him he won't be able to box or drink alcohol ever again. Though he's now having seizures and in excruciating pain, that's not an option for this thirsty pugilist. While in hospital, he has no visitors or phone calls because nobody it seems has contacted his family. No one is willing to help him find out who attacked him on the dark streets of Hobart, they say he probably fell over drunk, but this old tramp knows different and is determined to find out who the perpetrator was. The Hobo refuses to give in to the prejudice of society's laws and is determined to get well and fight again. After all, he took up boxing to keep off the grog.


This is the review I gave him:


I don't even know where to begin about how this story affected me. I have never been a boxing fan, or understood the need for men to bash each other's brains out, but this story is spellbinding. Johnny Noctor gets under your skin, into your head and has you feeling his pain, sharing his dreams, and rooting for the underdog. Entering a world filled with criminal intent came as no surprise but reinforced that the boxing world is a corrupt one that feeds on human prey.

Our worlds couldn't be further apart, but the author writes with such an intensity and passion that I not only lived every step of the way with him, but understood his frustrations, his demons, and his hobo existence. On one hand, I'm angry at him and want to shake him and tell him he is a highly intelligent man who has many talents, writing and boxing just two of them. So why does a self-proclaimed alcoholic healing from brain damage, whose behavior is up one day and down the next, let his low self-esteem drag him under and allow himself to be used as a human punching bag?


On the other hand I admire his courage, his tenacity, and his ability to keep dragging himself out of the lows and put himself back on his feet. I admire him for not giving up on his dreams. I respect his intelligence and his obvious writing ability and unique style.


This is a story of a man who isn't afraid to expose his frailties and the corruption and injustice of others. A must read for anyone who has the guts to enter the world of boxer hobo.


Keep writing Johnny, I want to read more.


Johnny Noctor self-published his book through Amazon. He has received 5-star reviews. He remained sober during the editing and publishing process,  and has been travelling through Tasmania and Australia promoting his book. He is writing a sequel book as you read this. His book is available on Amazon. See the link below and a link to his blog site.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Boxer-Hobo-The-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0078NXI0G
 
http://boxerhobo.blogspot.ca/2012/02/boxer-hobo-by-johnny-t-noctor.html
 
        To all the writer's out there, keep on keeping on writing!
                     http://www.junebourgoauthor.com/