EXCITED! WINTER'S CAPTIVE IS AVAILABLE FOR PRESALE

Hi everyone!  Winter's Captive, Book 1 of the Georgia Series is now available for a limited time only at a reduced presale price on my publisher's web site. 

Release date is soon. I will repost when I have the exact date. 

If you enjoy suspense, adventure, and women's empowerment stories, this one is for you. Georgia Charles is a survivor and a heroine. And the world needs heroes. 

Here's a sample preview:

     I slowed and glanced around me.  The near darkness provided deep shadows in the trees.  A tangle of fallen trees and branches on my left looked like a good spot to hide in.   Branches scratched my face and caught in my hair as I pulled myself over the decaying trunks.  I tumbled face first into a hollow under a log, filling my mouth with dirt and leaves.   The smell of musty, rotting debris turned my stomach.

    Gary charged over the top of the incline and came to a dead stop.  Damn.  I hoped he would miss the game trail and keep going. 

To order an autographed presale copy visit my publisher, Fountain Blue Publishing HERE.

To my fellow writer's, I did it, so can you!

Keeping 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" 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 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/

"WINTER'S CAPTIVE" - BOOKS ARE IN THE MAIL

...Just a short post today to share my excitement!

My publisher mailed me a box of books today. I am SOOOOO EXCITED. Can't wait to see the real thing. I have been doing a lot of marketing along with my publisher for the big release date. It was to be October, but was pushed to November.

Meanwhile we are setting up book tours with indie stores, chains, and libraries, and I have been designing  a bookmark and other promotional materials.

Now back to designing a poster and then working on the sequel.

Speaking of which, I have had a problem with voice for a couple of five-year-olds in the sequel and my good friend and fellow writer, Patricia Puddle in Australia, who writes children's books is helping me catch the voice. So glad to have her help.

Meanwhile, to all of you waiting for the book release, won't be long. And for all you writer's out there -

Keep on keeping on writing.

http://www.junebourgoauthor.com/