A Reservoir Man Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot  on the A RESERVOIR MAN by L.J. Ambrosio Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out  my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

   

 

A RESERVOIR MAN
Author: L.J. Ambrosio
Release Date: May 3, 2022
Publisher: Film Valor
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Pages: 253   

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/u/38VgZV     

Everywhere Michael turns he sees a Reservoir Man.
 
Born with a birth defect leaving a  scar on his lip, Michael’s endless trials of survival include sexual assault,  The Vietnam War, an arrest in Spain, Hollywood scandal, the AIDS outbreak, 9/11  and beyond.
 
 If only Michael could find the one thing he values most, his freedom. Michael’s coming-of-age is tarnished by many but the courage to live his truth may just  keep Michael one step ahead...or will he succumb to the embraces of a Reservoir  Man?
 
 A Reservoir Man, critics have hailed this explosive and timely work as:
 
“a must-read coming-of-age story of 2022.”
 
Twists and turns further pull the reader in to Michael’s action-packed tale, with powerful themes, from betrayal and family to secrets and identity.
 
“Be sure not to blink because you just might miss a pivotal moment in Michael’s  rousing, larger-than-life story.” -- R.C. Gibson, Indiestoday(dot)com.
 
“This book is a dream, a gamble, a utopia, even.” -- Kalyan Panja, Bookmarkks.

On New Year's Day, the children went with Michael to brunch in Venice and walked on the boardwalk. For dinner, they ate at their favorite Chinese restaurant in West Hollywood. Arriving home, they noticed someone sitting on the porch. Michael quickly got out of the car and went over to the man. It was Joe, a young client of Michael’s.

Two years earlier, Michael brought Joe into the agency as a client; they had a very respectful relationship. Joe asked Michael if he had time to talk. Normally, Michael would have asked Joe if it could wait till the next day, but Michael saw the urgency in his tone. He told Joe to come in and to give him some time to put the children to bed.

Michael came back into the living room with a martini for himself and his guest. He finally broke down and had liquor in his house. Joe sat down and told Michael to listen before he commented. He told Michael that there was an action to take over the office, and his LA staff were aware of it, as well as the New York staff. Gail had also secured a replacement for Michael to run the LA office. The clients were not informed. She was waiting for the proper time after Michael left the office. Gail had secured all the bank statements and hired a lawyer.

Michael was shocked. “Who told you, Joe? Do you know a timetable for when she intends to do this?”

Joe said he was dating someone at the union who told him, and he was not aware of a time she was going to act on this. Joe seemed very pale; Michael became concerned about Joe’s health, asking him how his T-cell count was. Joe did not respond to much of anything.

“There is nothing you can do,” said Michael.

“Just be healthy. There are some experimental drugs. Stay away from AZT. That is AIDS by prescription.”

Joe finished his drink and got up to leave. Joe hugged Michael, and while he was holding on to Michael, he whispered in his ear, “I'm scared. What is going to happen?”

Michael replied, “You are going to live and have fun. Just be gay.” They both laughed. Before Joe left, he stopped in the doorway, turning to Michael.

“What’s wrong Joe?” asked Michael.

“I did not call. I wanted to.”

“Why didn’t you?” said Michael, staring at the young man, who was in a world of anxiety and apprehension.

“I was afraid they tapped your phone,” said Joe, and he left.

Louis J.  Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los  Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running  two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio taught at 7  Universities. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film  producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Tumblr | YouTube  | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

   

 

       

(1) winner  will receive a finished copy of A RESERVOIR MAN - US Only.

Ends January  24^th, midnight EST.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:                                                                                                                          

1/9/2023	Mythical  Books	Guest Post or Excerpt/IG Post
1/9/2023	Lady Hawkeye	Guest Post or Excerpt /IG Post
1/10/2023	#BRVL Book  Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt /IG Post
1/10/2023	Writer of Wrongs	Guest Post or Excerpt /IG Post
1/11/2023	Two Chicks on  Books	Guest Post orExcerpt
1/11/2023	A Dream Within  A Dream	Guest Post or Excerpt
1/12/2023	Review Thick  And Thin	Review/IG Post
1/12/2023	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
1/13/2023	@flying_through_books	IG Review
1/13/2023	Quirky  Night Owl	Review

   

Week Two:                                                                                                                          

1/16/2023	Jeff_of_allmedia	IG Post
1/16/2023	Lifestyle of  Me	Review
1/17/2023	the book near  me	Review/IG Post
1/17/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
1/18/2023	Pick a good book	Review/IG Post
1/18/2023	@carlysunshinebooks	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic
1/19/2023	@secretrhs05	IG Review
1/19/2023	Books and  Zebras	IG Review
1/20/2023	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
1/20/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post

 

The Year of the Bear Blog Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE YEAR OF THE BEAR by Douglas J. Lanzo & Ambassador International Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

THE YEAR OF THE BEAR
Author: Douglas J. Lanzo
Release Date: November 1, 2022
Publisher: Ambassador International
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Pages: 316

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

A remarkable story of a bear and the coming-of-age journey of a teenage boy.

Thirteen-year-old Jason is on the cusp of manhood, striving to find his place at school and at home—especially after his mother has abandoned them and his father is left to deal with his own anger. When Jason and his father encounter a bear while out hunting, they shoot and kill it, not realizing that they have left a cub without its mother. When Sasquot of the Penobscot Tribe, a part of the Bear Family, discovers what they have done, he decides that Jason needs a lesson in caring for God’s creatures. Thus begins a year that Jason will never forget as he begins to care and train the cub in order for it to survive. As Jason forms a bond with the bear, he, in turn, learns valuable lessons for life.

“Fans of classic, enthralling adventure (and I’m one) are in for a rare treat.”-Josh Lieb New York Times best-selling and Emmy Award-winning author of I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President

What motivated me to write my novel and novella?

As a writer, I feel truly honored to have my award-winning, debut novel, The Year of the Bear, nominated by Ambassador International for the John Newbery Medal and endorsed by a NY Times bestselling author. Releasing November 1st, it was a work combining great passion for delving deeply into the lives of authentic characters, my fond personal days growing up in rural New England and lifelong love of nature, and meticulous research into Maine, the Penobscot Tribe, and the history, culture and the majestic nature surrounding Moosehead Lake and the towering peak of Mount Katahdin.

My romance suspense novella, entitled I Have Lived, also being released internationally by Ambassador International, shares riveting scenes about the life of Lieutenant Brian Johnson, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient and Army Ranger combat medic and his beautiful and inspiring bride, told in a series of dramatic flashbacks. It was inspired by the death of a good friend in 9-11 and my research into the patriotic struggle against terrorism that ensued, including the incredible work of our Special Forces in battling the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. My love of nature was nourished since my kindergarten days living in a streamlined, semi-mountainous tract of land teeming with birds of prey and aquatic wildlife. From that rugged plot in Easton, Connecticut, we then moved to a sprawling 3-and-a-quarter acre tract in Easton with a pond, swamp, forest, fields, and huge climbing rocks flush with deer, fox, rabbits, raccoons, opossum, skunks, geese, pheasants, egrets, muskrats, bass, frogs, water snakes, and turtles of every kind.

My lifelong admiration for Native American Indians, including their rich culture, fascinating legends and wise stewardship of nature, stemmed from my childhood day. I voraciously read accounts of Native American Indians and the colonization of the New World and how the two worlds tragically collided, resulting in a decimation of a once thriving Native American culture in the New World. My fascination was only further piqued by my sister’s unearthing of a perfectly preserved arrowhead buried in our very own backyard.

My father would read to us accounts of nature each night from a huge hard-bound book filled with pictures and information about the very nature I saw in my yard and at the Audubon each day and week. One night he especially captured my attention and imagination by showing us a picture of a black bear, informing us of its ingenuity, resourcefulness and importance to many Native American tribes.

Living in such a nature’s paradise, my imagination was spurred to write short stories of all kinds, ranging from lands of giants and caves to magically transforming butterflies to all kinds of nature adventures which my elementary school classmates seemed to really enjoy.

My fascination with bears was fueled later in life when I observed the seeming supernatural connection between man and bears depicted in Legends of the Fall, including in its dramatic concluding scene. Having researched the quasi-sacred, legendary role of the black bear in the Penobscot Tribe and kinship to its namesake Bear Family members, I excitedly explored these themes and these wondrous connections in The Year of the Bear.

An award-winning and featured inspirational author published in Vita Brevis Press’ bestselling 2021 poetry anthology and Café Haiku’s upcoming 2021 Fifth Poetry Anthology and featured in WestWard Quarterly’s Winter 2021 issue, since 2020 Douglas’ poetry has found homes in thirty-eight literary publications across the U.S., Canada, England, Wales, Austria, Mauritius, India, Australia, and The Caribbean. A graduate of Harvard College and Law School, where Douglas enjoyed writing editorials for The Harvard Crimson and articles for various other Harvard publications, he has published professional legal articles throughout his career. A General Counsel by day and writer by night, Douglas resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with his wife and twelve-year old identical twin boys, fellow published poets, enjoying nature, traveling, biking, tennis, and chess. 

Website | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

(1) Winner will receive a finished copy of THE YEAR OF THE BEAR - US Only. 

Ends November 29th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

11/14/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
11/14/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Post
11/15/2022	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
11/15/2022	Mythical Books	Guest Post/IG Post
11/16/2022	Jazzy Book Reviews	Excerpt
11/16/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Guest Post
11/17/2022	For the Love of Kidlit	Excerpt
11/17/2022	YA Books Central	Excerpt
11/18/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
11/18/2022	Kim"s Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

11/21/2022	@allyluvsbooksalatte	IG Review
11/21/2022	Fire and Ice	Review
11/22/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review/IG Post
11/22/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
11/23/2022	Girls in White Dresses	Review/IG Post
11/23/2022	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic
11/24/2022	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Review/TikTok Post
11/24/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
11/25/2022	@froggyreadteach	IG Review/Read Aloud
11/25/2022	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post

Release Day Spotlight: A Million Things by Emily Spurr

A Million Things
Author: Emily Spurr
Genre: Contemporary/Coming of Age
Release Date: August 24, 2021
Publisher: Berkley

Description:

A bursting, heartfelt, debut following fifty-five days in the life of ten-year-old Rae, who must look after herself and her dog when her mother disappears.

For as long as Rae can remember, it’s been her and Mum, and their dog, Splinter; a small, deliberately unremarkable, family. They have their walks, their cooking routines, their home. Sometimes Mum disappears for a while to clear her head but Rae is okay with this, because Mum always comes back.

So, when Rae wakes to Splinter’s nose in her face, the back door open, and no Mum, she does as she’s always done and carries on. She takes care of the house, goes to school, walks Splinter, and minds her own business—all the while pushing down the truth she isn’t ready to face.

That is, until her grumpy, lonely neighbor Lettie—with her own secrets and sadness—falls one night and needs Rae’s help. As the two begin to rely on each other, Rae’s anxiety intensifies as she wonders what will happen to her when her mother’s absence is finally noticed and her fragile world bursts open.

A Million Things transforms a gut-wrenching story of abandonment and what it’s like to grow up in a house that doesn’t feel safe into an astonishing portrait of resilience, mental health, and the families we make and how they make us in return. 

Originally from Tasmania, Emily lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her partner, their twins and a deaf geriatric cat. Shortlisted for the prestigious Victorian Premier’s Unpublished Manuscript Prize, A Million Things is her first novel.

https://www.emilyspurr.com/

http://www.twitter.com/SpurrEmily