Author Tifani Clark

(Originally published on 2/3/2015)

Today I am reviewing the newest release from Creative Prose Publishing: Honorable Disgrace, by author Stephanie N. Pitman. 

First, here’s the blurb for the book: 

 

Angie Adams joins the powerlifting team her junior year, but
she has more in mind than just toning up—like getting closer to her crush,
football star Cory Jacob, who, as luck would have it, is assigned as her
spotting partner. When Angie’s feelings are unexpectedly returned, her life is
suddenly filled with the giddy electricity of first love. But why, then, does
Angie get a little flutter when her older and very hot boss, Brad, looks at
her?

 

Angie seems to have everything going her way, until her
world is torn apart by her sister’s betrayal which leads to a brutal rape.  Heartbroken and reeling in the aftermath,
Angie has to find an internal strength to rival her record-breaking power lifts
if she ever wants to feel worthy of love again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Review:

 

Wow. What an amazing book. First of all, the author’s writing is fantastic. Her characters really come alive because of her descriptions of each of them. I love reading books where I feel like I ‘know’ the characters. The main character’s father is a potato farmer and so is mine … maybe that’s why I liked her right away. Angie, is strong–both physically and emotionally–but something completely awful still happens to her. I’m glad the author didn’t portray her as weak. Bad things can happen no matter your age, race, size, etc. You’ll want to cry for Angie and hug her and go back and tear out a few pages of her story so that the rape didn’t happen … but you can’t. She’s got friends to help her, though. (Every high school girl needs a best friend like JJ and a boyfriend like Cory!) 

 

Great job, Stephanie Pitman!

 

Note: Even though some YA books are appropriate for all ages, because of the content of this story, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone younger than high school.

Here are a few questions for the author of Honorable Disgrace:

TC: Honorable Disgrace is your debut book. When did you start the journey of your first novel?

 

SP: I began my journey into writing novels in 2008. I had written a children’s PB previous to that, but always felt I was a young adult writer. Honorable Disgrace was not the first novel I wrote, but it is the first to be revised and to be published. I never intended to write Honorable Disgrace, I never wanted to say anything about what happened to me to anyone, let alone the world. But someone else had other plans and I felt compelled to tell my story through Angie.

 

TC: I know the feeling. When a story needs to be told, it needs to be told. Tell us something about yourself that might surprise us. (Funny, embarrassing, serious…)

 

SP: I can’t snap. I’ve tried for years, but just can’t seem to get it. On a rare occasion when I have wet hands I can get a passable snap. But its a skill I’ve never really lamented, either. Life goes merrily on just fine without my ability to snap. Though my son thinks its funny.

 

TC:  That’s funny. My pre-schooler is working on that skill. Now, to a more serious topic. Honorable Disgrace deals with a tough subject that you have experienced in real life. What made you decide to write about something so hard?

 

SP: About six years ago, I began having nightmares about my attacker and my rape. I would wake in a cold sweat and be unable to go back to sleep for a long time. One time, I felt prompted to journal about it. My nightmares became fewer and fewer, until they didn’t come anymore, but by that time I had realized this was not just for me. It was for everyone else who had ever been raped or had to deal with a tragedy they felt was their fault when in fact they had no control over. The only control we have is how we deal with it.

 

TC:  Considering what you went through, that’s a great attitude. I hope this book will help others dealing with rape to see that it wasn’t their fault and they still have worht. What’s next from author Stephanie Pitman? Are there other books in the works?

 

SP: I have so many projects and ideas I sometimes don’t know where to start. I have a YA trilogy outlined and I am midway through the first book which deals with Mayan mythology in the heart of Montana. I have another one I started for NaNoWriMo set in Paris with reincarnation, suspense, and romance, of course. It is Paris. 

 

Other projects and ideas include revisions of my PB, a middle school mystery, another middle school fairy tale, and at least another three or four YA novels and an Adult one as well. 

 

My biggest problem is time. There is never enough time in the day to do everything needful and necessary and have time for my writing, which as of right now has to go on the back burner until things start to boil over in that front. 

 

TC: Agreed! If I only had more time … sigh …  Thanks, Stephanie!

 

 

Here’s a little bit about Stephanie N. Pitman:  

 

Stephanie N. Pitman has
taught preschool for over 12 years and is a motivated entrepreneur, currently
operating two successful businesses with her husband, Travis. She is a writer
of fiction and nonfiction. Her first novel, a YA Contemporary, Honorable
Disgrace, is based on her own story of overcoming the ugly side of life,
betrayal and rape. She is a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature
and an active member of the SCBWI. Stephanie enjoys spending time with her
husband of 16 years, and their two boys, visiting the beautiful splendor and
diversity of their home state of Montana. Along with being an avid reader and
dedicated writer, she enjoys pushing herself to her best by competing in
triathlons, relay races, and half marathons along with being a Zumba and Yoga
Instructor.

 

Stephanie on Facebook

 

Stephanie on Goodreads

 

 

Where can you find Honorable Disgrace?

 

Amazon

 

Barnes and Noble

 

Pinterest

(Originally published 1/30/2015)

Today I’m featuring fellow author, Sara Burr. Having just published my book, HAVEN WAITING, it’s fun to see other stories about witches. This one sounds great!

After her surprise discovery of a mystical gift, fourteen-year-old Rose Wilson thinks her life is ruined. It turns out she comes from a long line of gifted women, and despite her protests, Rose’s mom ships her off to her grandmother’s house to spend the summer learning about her family’s well-hidden secrets. To make matters worse, Rose is expected to carry out this tradition alongside her mousy, bookworm cousin, Megan. What a waste of a summer.

With some effort, Rose and Megan manage to find common ground and by the time they get home, they’re working together to adjust to their new life. But everything is turned upside down again when their families are exposed by witch hunters who call themselves The Witches’ Hammer. With killers on the loose, their tiny town isn’t safe anymore. Rose’s entire family is fragmented and forced to flee through a network of hiding places, dubbed The Witches’ Underground Railroad.

As she journeys to the sea, Rose learns more and more about who she really is. The closer she gets to her destination, the more danger she encounters, until she is forced to make the ultimate decision: follow her family’s edict of non-violence and become an orphan, or save her mom’s life.

Here’s an excerpt from Underground Rose: Was It Magic?

A pool of blood already surrounded Amber’s head, and she was as pale as a ghost. Her breathing was shallow and labored.

Rose started parting her wet hair, little by little, trying to find the wound. Finally, after the longest minute of her life, she found it. The wide cut was right on the crown of Amber’s head – how could she have missed that? – and it was bleeding fast.

Fighting not to gag at the metallic smell, Rose put her hands on the slippery gash and pushed, like the lady said, but the blood just seeped through her fingers. The bleeding wasn’t stopping. Was she doing it right?

Feeling completely helpless, she began to sob.

She didn’t dare leave Amber again to go back to the phone.

“I don’t know what to do!” she cried out. “Help,” she croaked, knowing no one could hear. “Please help.”

Suddenly, she felt something strange happening, deep inside her chest. A comforting warmth, like hot chocolate on a freezing cold day, heated her from the inside out. It spread and expanded from her chest, bubbling and tingling like a fizzy drink, growing like wild morning glory vines, covering every part of her insides.

Was it coming from her heart?

It grew until she felt like she couldn’t contain all that heat for one second longer. Then, when she thought she might just explode, the heat-vines raced down her arms. An effervescent mixture of blue, pink, and purple light exploded from her hands, and surrounded Amber’s head like a quivering, transparent cocoon.

Rose sucked in a breath and blinked in disbelief.

She was frozen – afraid to move or even breathe. She stared with her mouth agape, her emerald eyes wide, as the bleeding slowed.

What the heck is happening? she thought. Is this a dream?

She didn’t understand what she was seeing. Was it … magic?

The glimmering cocoon continued pulsating from her fingertips, surrounding Amber’s head. Rose didn’t dare let go, for fear of undoing this miracle.

Then Amber started to stir.

This was not something Rose wanted to discuss. What kind of a freak would Amber think
she was? Reluctantly, she removed her hands.

The vines of warmth snapped back into her, like a recoiling measuring tape. Then, the peculiar sensation was gone. No more heat. No more colors. She looked at her hands in a mixture of awe and disgust.

What was that? she asked herself.

She didn’t know, but she was glad it was over.

A few short seconds later, Amber opened her eyes. Her face so pale her freckles looked three dimensional and her icy blue eyes were even more clear than usual.

(Originally published 1/9/2015)

COVER REVEAL:

DREAMTHIEF by Tamara Grantham

RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2015

GENRE: Fantasy Romance

SERIES: Fairy World MD

PUBLISHER: Crimson Tree Publishing

LEARN MORE ABOUT:

ABOUT TAMARA GRANTHAM:

(Originally published on 1/5/2015)

Welcome to the Haven Waiting Blog Tour! Click on a new link each day to read fun interviews, reviews, and spotlights about Tifani Clark’s latest release: Haven Waiting.

January 12: Peering Into…the inner workings of Alison Miller Woods

January 13: Author Linda Covella

January 14: The Literary Pit Stop

January 15: Author Krysten Lindsay Hager