Season of Hope Blog Tour!
Hello readers and friends! Today I have a fun post to share with you. I'm participating in the Season of Hope blog tour! Read further to find out more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I began writing as a hobby while raising my two children. In 2015, I dusted off my stories and my dreams to see if I could turn my hobby into a career. My first story, Season of Hope, was inspired by summer vacations which always included a trip to Franklin, North Carolina, to visit family and explore The Smoky Mountains. When I'm not writing, I enjoy spending time with family. I love most any activity that involves being outdoors, especially camping, hiking and spontaneous excursions to splash in the ocean. I currently live along the Emerald Coast of Florida with my cat Selah and her delightful offspring, Colby, Jack and Tuesday.
AUTHOR CONTACT LINKS:
ABOUT
THE BOOK:
When Amanda Jarvis prays that a special friend will move into the vacant
house near her isolated mountain home, she isn't upset when God sends a boy
instead of a girl. But Amanda's not the only one receiving unexpected answers
to her prayers. After fleeing with his mother from an abusive father, Tyler
Armstrong finds much-needed love and acceptance with Amanda's family over the
next ten years.
As high school graduation nears, Tyler is shocked when one carefree afternoon with Amanda churns up an inner turmoil he would have never imagined; he's crushing on his best friend. And for the first time in his life he's hiding a secret from Amanda. Convinced the timing is all wrong, Tyler pushes his feelings aside as he and Amanda prepare for the future. He will soon begin training to pursue his dream of becoming a Navy SEAL, while Amanda makes plans to spend the summer in Manhattan with her aunt and then return home to the community college.
When Amanda's summer job catapults her into a modeling career, she readily accepts the much-needed distraction. Tyler's impending deployment is turning her world upside down. Along with the fact that she's falling for her best friend. And, for the first time in her relationship with Tyler, she's hiding a secret, too.
Phoebe Garrison, Amanda's controlling aunt, is thrilled when she is given the power to act on behalf of her underage niece. Bored with her Fortune 500 advertising agency, becoming Amanda's manager is just what she's been looking for to rekindle her aspirations. But as Tyler becomes aware of Phoebe's obsession to push Amanda into supermodel status, tensions rise. As the three of them become entangled in a mass of concealed ambition and desire, each will make decisions that will send ripples of turbulence across their futures.
As high school graduation nears, Tyler is shocked when one carefree afternoon with Amanda churns up an inner turmoil he would have never imagined; he's crushing on his best friend. And for the first time in his life he's hiding a secret from Amanda. Convinced the timing is all wrong, Tyler pushes his feelings aside as he and Amanda prepare for the future. He will soon begin training to pursue his dream of becoming a Navy SEAL, while Amanda makes plans to spend the summer in Manhattan with her aunt and then return home to the community college.
When Amanda's summer job catapults her into a modeling career, she readily accepts the much-needed distraction. Tyler's impending deployment is turning her world upside down. Along with the fact that she's falling for her best friend. And, for the first time in her relationship with Tyler, she's hiding a secret, too.
Phoebe Garrison, Amanda's controlling aunt, is thrilled when she is given the power to act on behalf of her underage niece. Bored with her Fortune 500 advertising agency, becoming Amanda's manager is just what she's been looking for to rekindle her aspirations. But as Tyler becomes aware of Phoebe's obsession to push Amanda into supermodel status, tensions rise. As the three of them become entangled in a mass of concealed ambition and desire, each will make decisions that will send ripples of turbulence across their futures.
BOOK
LINKS:
Amazon: http://a.co/aDtFaUz
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-season-of-hope-sara-jane-jacobs/1125877392?ean=2940157214357
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/708666
Enter to win the SEASON OF HOPE giveaway! One person
will win the following items…
- A copy of the DVD, Sabrina (featured in the book)
- Costa Rican Tarrazu Dark Roast Coffee (a character’s favorite
French Roast)
·
An eBook of Season
of Hope
Enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I began writing as a hobby while raising my two children. In 2015, I dusted off my stories and my dreams to see if I could turn my hobby into a career. My first story, Season of Hope, was inspired by summer vacations which always included a trip to Franklin, North Carolina, to visit family and explore The Smoky Mountains. When I'm not writing, I enjoy spending time with family. I love most any activity that involves being outdoors, especially camping, hiking and spontaneous excursions to splash in the ocean. I currently live along the Emerald Coast of Florida with my cat Selah and her delightful offspring, Colby, Jack and Tuesday.
AUTHOR CONTACT LINKS:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/sarajanej
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/sarajanejacobs
Website:
http://www.sarajanejacobs.com
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/jacobsjanesara
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/jacobsjanesara
When people ask, “What
writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?” my initial reaction is
more of a feeling. When I started writing, I had two small children. I loved
writing and I dreamed of becoming a published author but I was focused on my young
family. After my youngest graduated from high school, it would take seven years
before that “feeling” caused me to move my computer, set up my workspace and
make the decision that I was going to finally make that dream come true. It
didn’t matter how long, how hard, or how many obstacles I had to overcome.
After I became serious about writing, I began to have these moments where
things were clicking and it felt like I was really growing. I started following
Clean Reads Publishing and I would see authors posting about their books. That
would just fuel my determination to keep going. The Olympic Games were on
during that time which always inspires me. Olympic athletes work so hard to
reach their goals. Another inspiration was Navy SEAL training which was part of
my research for Season of Hope. These were great (although, extreme)
reminders of what one can accomplish once they make up their mind to do
something and stay focused. Below I’ve shared a few things that might be
helpful on your journey.
1. Keep God first! It’s so
easy for us to get wrapped up in our goals that we neglect our most vital
relationship. Any plan that doesn’t include God is not only a waste of time,
it’s also futility. Our pursuits should be with Him and for Him. Even a difficult
day in His will is better than a carefree day outside of it.
2. Own it. *do people still
say that?* When I was hobby writing, it wasn’t something I shared with very
many people. And even when people found out, I didn’t really talk about what I
was writing. I never referred to myself as an author. My novel had been
finished over ten years before I would finally make that claim. I only created
my author page after an editor insisted that I should do it before I was
published. It would be two more years before it happened. If you’re a writer
working towards publication, put it out there! It doesn’t matter if there are
people who don’t take it seriously. The important thing is that you do!
3. Show up. Treat it like a
job even if it’s only a part-time job. Don’t let not writing be an option. Have
two or three places that you write even if that means using pen and paper. That
way you have other options if another day at your desk feels impossible. Three
of my routine writing places are at my desk, outside on my carport and at the
local coffee shop.
4. Stay calm. Writing can be
frustrating. Especially after your story is finished and you start editing.
You’re always going to see something that you know you can write better. I lost
count on how many drafts there were of my first story. Even after a story goes
off to the editor I’m sometimes doing major rewriting. Author Robin Hardy told me the following in an email: "I know
from experience that an author can go on refining her piece forever. I'm the
worst offender of anybody here--I went back and made major plot changes to a
book that had been out for 20 years! Obviously, that won't do; at some point
you have to step back and say, "It's as done as it will ever be.””
5. Keep
writing. Even on those days when you don’t feel like it. Author
Don Roff said, “A day of bad writing is always better than a day of no
writing.”
6. No distractions. Turn off
your phone notifications, don’t check in on social media when you need to
google something for research, and download a good Pomodoro app to keep you
focused!
I hope you found some of
these helpful!
Excerpt from Season of Hope
Tyler began a short
discourse on gun safety and basic shooting tips. “This is the gun your dad
started me off on when he taught me to shoot.” He lifted the Remington 770
rifle off the table, pulling back the bolt to make sure the chamber was clear.
Reaching for the empty magazine, he loaded four rounds.
Anticipating his
next set of instructions, Amanda placed the ear muffs in a ready position
around her neck and slipped on the glasses.
Tyler noted her
preparation. “That’s perfect.”
Pulling a small,
sand-filled gun rest from his shooting bag, he positioned it on one of two
bricks sitting on the table. Next, he slipped on his shooting glasses and
continued his demonstration. “When you push the bolt forward it loads the round
into the chamber. Rotate, and you are locked and loaded.” Positioning his
earmuffs, he motioned for Amanda to do the same.
Amanda covered her
ears while Tyler took aim at one of the farthest targets. She jumped as the gun
fired. He pulled back on the bolt, extracting the spent round and repeated the
cycle: push, rotate, fire; hitting the targets without effort each time until
the magazine was empty. “Your turn. You ready?”
Nodding, she sat
forward, eager to take on the challenge while Tyler reloaded the magazine. He
wrapped his arms around her, guiding her hand as she pushed the bolt forward
and locked it. The feel of her next to him created a cocktail of chemicals,
catching him off-guard. He noticed his palms growing sweaty and took a step
back, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
Hoisting the gun,
she glanced over her shoulder for confirmation. “Like this?”
Tyler watched her,
forcing himself to re-engage “Yeah, yeah. Just be sure you keep it tight in
your shoulder and position your cheek like I showed you.”
“Okay, I think I’m
ready,” she said, holding her aim steady.
“Okay. Just watch
your breathing and slowly release the trigger.”
The shot fired, followed by the sound of silence. She frowned, stating the obvious. “I missed.”
The shot fired, followed by the sound of silence. She frowned, stating the obvious. “I missed.”
Tyler smiled at her
with an overwhelming relief that the initial shot went off well. “That’s okay.
It was your first try. How’s your shoulder?”
“It’s fine. I had
it tight,” she assured him.
“Well, keep going.
You’ve got three more rounds.”
She fired again.
Another miss. Holding it steady, she fired once more. The clink of the target
sent her excited smile in Tyler’s direction, creating another shot of that
cocktail.
“Nice.” He fumbled,
trying not to act as awkward as he felt, his mind racing as fast as his heart.
What is going on with me? It’s Amanda. Are you crazy? He pulled himself together.
“You have another shot left.”
Amanda took it,
satisfied at the sound of another clink. “Yes! I think I might like this!”
There it was again;
the smile that was suddenly melting his heart.
Q & A With Sara Jane Jacobson
1. What is your
best marketing tip?
Don’t get distracted.
*or am I the only one who has this problem?* I believe social media can be a
useful marketing tool for authors, but it also has a lot of rabbits to chase on
it. I can think of people that I follow who are interesting and entertaining
but we have no relationship, and it’s just a big distraction. Thirty minutes
later, I’m repenting for not being a good steward of my time and trying to get
back in the zone.
2. Are you a
plotter or a punster?
Outlines,
storyboards, and plotting – oh, my! I’m definitely a panster and I’m happy that
there are authors in both camps!
3. What is your
least favorite part of the publishing/writing process?
The amount of time
it takes to take a book from start to finish. I’m just ready to tell the story!
The waiting gets a little tougher in those final months, kind of like having a
baby. You’re ready to bring it into the world!
4. Do you have a
favorite conference?
Not yet! There
haven’t been any that I have been able to attend. I need to try some out and The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference is
currently at the top of my list .
5.
If you had a superpower what would it be?
I
always thought that flying would by my answer for this question but I think
being able to write one book a month from start to final edits (and still have
a life!) would come in very handy!
July 14 – Julie Arduini
July 21 – Leslie L. Mckee
This blog tour was coordinated by A Latte of
Literature Blog Tour Services. Find out more:
Thank you, Miranda, for the opportunity to be on your blog! I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for letting me join the tour, Sara! Congratulations on the book! :)
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