Counteract by Tracy Lawson

Hi there!

Welcome back to another EXCITING day here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers, where we look for any reason to spread the joys of reading EVERY day of the week.

Today, we're closing out the month by circling in on a newish title that places itself in the New Adult and Dystopian Thriller categories. It's the first book in a new series that is sure to get your adrenalin going whether you're a conspiracy theorist or that person who just needs to know the WHY of most situations. I fall in the latter camp myself so at first I was a bit worried if this book would be TOO much “they're out to get us” for me. Was it? Was it not? Ah, you'll have to keep reading to find out. (What? You didn't think I'd make it THAT easy now did you? ^_^) Ladies and gents, prepare to fork over a few minutes of your day because really what I'm asking is seriously a small price to pay in comparison to the folks in this book. Today's book of choice is....

Counteract

by

Tracy Lawson

9780941523018

Buddhapuss Ink

About the book...

TWO STRANGERS – their destinies entwined – must work together to thwart a terrorist the country never suspected.

The Office of Civilian Safety and Defense has guarded the public against the rampant threat of terrorism for the last fifteen years with the full backing of the US government. Their carefully crafted list of Civilian Restrictions means no concerts or sporting events, no travel, no social media, no cash transactions, and no driver's licenses for eighteen-year-old Tommy and Careen. The OCSD has even outlawed grocery stores, all in the name of safety.

Now there's a new threat: airborne chemical weapons that could be activated at any time. But the OCSD has an antidote: just three drops a day is all it takes. It's a small price to pay.

Or is it?

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So we begin with a world in which all social gatherings are cut down in any fashion, even that meaningless yet necessary trip to the grocery is null and void. We have the government to take care of all of that for us, so who needs it? Yeah...who indeed. *-* Can you imagine? I mean I know some things have gone mostly over to the virtual world but cutting out ALL social interactions in the name of safety doesn't sound like the best plan of attack. There is a cost for everything and it's up to us to decide if it's too high too pay. In this case with the OCSD's little antidote, I do believe I would have had to say NO, as in a BIG N and BIG O. Probably would have had to tone it down so as not to suffer the same fate as the martyr.... *gulp*  Then again he really didn't, I mean...*ahem*...never mind.  ~whistles~  Anywho...back to where we were.  The government is in charge of it all leaving mankind to ...NOT think for themselves; something that becomes clearer over the course of days we're about the experience and yet the WHY to it all we simply can't fathom.

There's murder, there's mayhem.  There's running for your lives and running towards them.  There's bigger pictures you can't possibly see and small details that at first glance may slip through the cracks.  You'll forge connections with many while watching others whither away...GLADLY.  Tommy and Careen may be at the center of the story but they are far from our only leads. The story is told through multiple viewpoints as the days and week progress giving you a more rounded look at what's occurring in many locations.  I loved watching Tommy and Careen interact.  It was awkward and messy, definitely not a match made in heaven or otherwise and yet, given time and circumstance, it worked, growing into something real.  Trina was a firecracker and one smart cookie....even if she WAS on the wrong side of things...initially.   (What?!  I can't say anymore!)  Wes was someone I wanted to believe in and yet his shadiness prevented it from fully happening despite some of his actions.  Kevin on the other hand had equal amounts of shadow cast on him yet I found him easier to accept.  Encompassing the characters was the story itself and as much as we'd like to believe it purely Fiction....I don't know.  It's not too far fetched to be somewhat believable on some levels.  Scary.  *-*

In conclusion, a tale of things we don't want to believe in and yet might could possibly exist in some fashion some day.  *ahem*  Maybe.  The multiple viewpoints take a few pages to get the swing of but it works in the end.  I myself was glued to the page literally finishing it within a 24 hour period and considering I also worked and 11+ hour day that day, that's REALLY saying something.  So, if you're looking to add a GREAT READ to your wish list and you're a fan of the genres tapped, this is definitely a series you need on your radar. 

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About the author...

Tracy knew she wanted to be a writer from the time she could read. She grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and attended Princeton High School. While in a student there, she turned her writing efforts toward journalism. She was an editor for the school newspaper, news director for the Princeton Instructional Television station, and also worked as a reporter and feature writer for the Suburban Press weekly newspaper.

She graduated summa cum laude from Ohio University in 1988, with a Bachelor of Science in Communications degree.

After working for a time in advertising and as an investigative analyst for the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, Tracy settled into a career in the performing arts, teaching dance and choreographing musicals.

Tracy has had a long-time interest in her family’s history and genealogy, and she never lost the desire to write.

In 1990, her parents gave her a special Christmas present. It was a journal written by her great-great-great grandfather, Henry Rogers. He, his wife, Maria, and her parents traveled on a horse-drawn wagon from Cincinnati to Philadelphia, then on to Trenton, New Jersey, during the summer of 1838. The purpose of this working trip was to observe working mills so they could improve the family milling business, and also visit relatives in Ohio and New Jersey. During this trip, Henry kept a journal of what he observed along the way. Tracy enjoyed reading it, and became curious about many of the places Henry and his entourage visited.

After making most of the same trip herself by automobile–along with her young daughter–during the summers of 2003 and 2004, and keeping her own journal, Tracy was inspired to compare and share information about both trips–taken over a century and a half apart–in her first published book, Fips, Bots, Doggeries, and More: Explorations of Henry Rogers’ 1838 Journal of Travel from Southwestern Ohio to New York City.

Tracy’s coming of age novel, Counteract, is slated for release on August 6, 2014–which just also happens to be her birthday! The sequel, Resist, is nearly done, and she’s starting to think about the third volume in the series.

Tracy lives in Dallas with her husband, daughter, and three spoiled cats.

BOOK SITE   |    AUTHOR SITE    |    FACEBOOK

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Review copy received courtesy of the great team at Buddhapuss Ink. (THANKS!) For more information on this title as well as their full catalog, be sure to catch up with them online or via social media. This title is available now, so be on the look out for it on bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing. OH! One more thing...there's a small teaser at book's end of book 2 in the series, Resist. According to my info at present day, it's slated for release in 2015. *adds to wish list*

Until next time....happy reading!

BLOG TOUR: Sweet William by Martie Odell Ingebretsen- Author Interview

Hi there!

Welcome back to the site that aims to please the reader in you, and you, and you, and you and yes, even YOU.  Today, in fact, should appeal to an even wider audience seeing as how there will be TWO blog tours stopping by that feature titles that couldn't be any more different if they tried; okay, well they probably could but their not in competition with each other so that's a moot point.  Anywho...

Today's first blog tour guest arrives courtesy of Buddhapuss Ink (Hi, MaryChris!) and features a book labeled Contemporary Fiction or Women's Fiction but with a story that well, in my mind, seems more general Fiction if I was forced to label it.  Alas, labels are for files not books but as much as we'd like to unbox all the reads we love, there has to be some guidance system in place to point us in the right direction of the next potentially fabulous book we interact with...but how's about you be the judge?  Let's take a peek at the story itself and get your thoughts on its given genre...

Sweet William

by

Martie Odell Ingebretsen

William’s arrest on suspicion of child molestation is the catalyst that finally puts him back on the road to recovery. For too long he was caught in a web of guilt that turned him from the owner of a successful chain of gas stations, and loving family man, into a homeless alcoholic who spent his time dreaming. What appears to be just one more turn of bad luck turns out to be the turning point that allows him to open the door to the past and, at long last, accept it, and the love of the people around him. Slowly, life welcomes back William, and he is ready to embrace it once more.

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So, whatcha think?

Contemporary?  Women's?  General?

After rereading the synopsis and glimpsing the cover, I can certainly see where it got the genre slap that it did because often times works in those categories do tend to deal with surface issues that really stem from the heart and a chance to start over one way or another.  For me though, I think the darker issue of the supposition is what shades it in a more general light....could be my own disdain for the crime itself leaking in as well.

Your thoughts?

When this tour opportunity circled around, I knew I wanted to take part even if the old schedule was a bit full (okay, it has sand bags up but there's still room for more, right? *-*)...and even though a review wasn't in the works.   If not only to satisfy my curiosity as to the author's choice of story, etc, but to help shine another light on something AWESOME that's been cooked up by both the author and publisher.  

Curious?  Read on, my friend, read on....

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INTERVIEW:  Author Martie Odell Ingebretsen

...author of Sweet William

In the synopsis, we learn that William is arrested for a pretty serious crime, or rather for suspicion of perpetrating it as well as other turns of bad luck.  Tell me, what made you choose this story line?  What felt right about the match up of the man and the fall?

People often jump to conclusions. The police did that with William because he was homeless. William enjoyed the sound of the children's voices and laughter at an elementary school because he wanted to remember a time in his life when his son was alive. I think it's just another way of showing how close we all are to getting caught in life's web. He was only guilty of innocence.

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I noticed your book was categorized as Contemporary Fiction or Women's Fiction.  Now, I'm not one for labels one way or the other but generally you find those types of novels with a female lead or predominantly female cast whereas here, it's a man.  So, tell me....what do you feel will reach out to readers in the intended audience most that can't be seen, felt or heard from the brief glimpse here?

William rebuilds love and self respect in his life after being caught in a situation that brought him grief and anger. I think many readers will connect with that, and how fragile our lives  and relationships are.  

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The marrying of poetry and mainstream literature has become more common place in our day and time.  What appealed to you about this combination so that it made its way into your work?

I have written poetry for many years. It is my way of connecting to the emotion or deeper meaning in a situation, or in this case, a story.

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Every author starts out as a dreamer with a pen in their hand and a story in their heart.  What made you put pen to paper?  Any particular person(s) that influence or influenced your writing?  Any sage words of advice to future writers in the making out there now?

I started writing to express my feelings and to share my deeper thoughts. I was, and continue to be, influenced by the books that I read. I advise future writers to write in a way that connects the reader to the heart of the characters in the story.

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10% of the profits from sales of SWEET WILLIAM for the first year are being donated to the Coalition for the Homeless.  That's a rather generous and commendable motion!  Tell me, what moved your heart to make this commitment...

This is a generous gift of my publisher who felt moved by the book to 'pay it forward.'

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About the author...

Martie Odell Ingebretsen was born in Pasadena, California. She studied English literature, creative writing, and child development at various universities. Inspired by her father—whose stories were published in The Saturday Evening Post—she has been writing since the second grade. She strives to create characters who are always learning, growing, and trying to find answers to big questions. Her poetry has been published in journals, magazines, and various anthologies. She and her husband currently live in California, as do their two sons and four grandchildren. Sweet William is her first novella.

BLOG    |    TWITTER

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Eye opening, right?

Thank you SO much Ms. Ingebretsen for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions and share a bit of yourself with your readers.  I think on speak on everyone's behalf when I say it's truly appreciated.  Now, for that extra fabulous part I mentioned in passing ....

Because the protagonist--a guy who might be your neighbor, cousin, or friend--shows how we are all just one crisis away from homelessness, Buddhapuss Ink LLC will donate 10% of the profits from Sweet William for the first year's sales, to the Coalition for the Homeless.  The coalition works with

homeless men, women and families, including those affected by recent Superstorm Sandy which devastated our area in October.  For more information on this organization, feel free to click through the links listed here or follow along on Twitter.

Pretty cool, no?

I thought so...and so I place the knowledge of it all in your hands.

So spread the word!

Grab a copy for yourself, your friend, your neighbor, your distant cousin twice removed.  Let's help get the word out on this new release and make steps with a great cause.

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Special thanks to MaryChris over at Buddhapuss Ink for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the opportunity to pose my questions to the author.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their full catalog, be sure to visit them online, stop by their blog, or follow along on Twitter.

Until next time...happy reading!

BLOG TOUR: Love is in the Air with Buddhapuss Ink and Author Mariam Kobras

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers....the place to be when you're looking for your next read and you need that spark of inspiration.  Speaking of sparks....today we have a special guest!  Author Mariam Kobras is making the rounds through the blogosphere to celebrate her newly published book, The Distant Shore.  From the publisher....

There's nothing like finding a letter on your breakfast table informing you have a teenage son you knew nothing about, but that's what happens to international rock star, Jonathon Stone. He drops everything to find the boy, and his mother-Naomi, the girl he loved so many years ago, who left him when his rock n roll life became too much for her to bear. Seeing her is like falling in love all over again, and everything seems perfect, until someone sets out to destroy their idyllic life.

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Intriguing, right?

It's being toted as a combination chick lit with a dash of suspense....which sounds like it just might fit the bill perfectly....and it's the first of a planned trilogy.  Thus far, it's been received rather well by the reading world and I for one am certainly curious to see just where this road might take us but alas, my reading schedule is full at the present time, so my review will have to wait for a bit....HOWEVER, that doesn't mean this potential jewel should be kept in the dark, away from you til that day comes.  No siree.  That's why when I heard about the tour, I jumped at the chance to host a stop and asked if the author would be so kind as to share a little of herself with my fellow readers.  Hence, this guest post was born.

What follows is a look at how one person turned a shared childhood past time into a creative outlet that would quite possibly take the world by storm.  It's unexpected.  It's touching.  It's real...and I most definitely want to say THANK YOU to the author for sharing this personal story with us.  Without further adieu, please welcome author Mariam Kobras as she explores...."The Spark"....

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GUEST POST:

Author Mariam Kobras

'The Spark'

I talked to a friend yesterday. We were best buddies in high school, during grades eight to ten. We did everything together, all the time. There wasn’t one weekend when we didn’t sleep over at each other’s houses, not one day when we didn’t spend hours on the phone after school, no lunch break we didn’t hang out together.


We had the same hobbies, shared the same passions…well, almost.


Carol always loved horses and dogs, and I’m scared of horses (they are so HUGE!) and I’m more of a cat person.


She preferred rock music, while I was (in the early 70s) more of a Neil Diamond, Albert Hammond and Simon & Garfunkel girl, with some Joan Baez and Janis Ian thrown in. There may or may not have been a Barbra Streisand album or two thrown in.


I remember learning some English words from Neil Diamond that were definitely not in my text books, like “transcend” and “overhear”. It must have been around that time when I decided I wanted to know every English word there was.

Carol and I wrote stories.


Like most teenage girls, we had our secret loves, TV stars, pop stars, and we made up stories about them. Well, Carol made up the stories. I designed the “covers” and came up with the titles. And I watched her write.


I helped her make up the plots, and I did write a bit myself, but generally I was too lazy.


I didn’t see myself as a writer. Carol was the writer. She was the one soaring in her imagination. She was the one who brought wonderful sentences to paper.


Her novels had a plot, they had a beginning, a middle, and an ending, there were characters in them that seemed alive and real. Normal, living people, while the heroes I made up were always some kind of celebrities, famous, rich, and carefree.


You see, there was enough dreariness in my real life to want to keep it out of my dream world. I wanted to escape to nicer, happier places, like California with its eternal sunshine. The music business, creativity, those were my subjects, while Carol wrote about a family living on a ranch, with horses and dogs.


My people had to struggle with their creativity, with their loves, but never with money, and certainly not with animals. They didn’t even have time for a potted plant, let alone a pet, they were that busy creating and loving.

I lost Carol when we were in 11th grade.


She drifted off into the drug scene, and I went to Canada for the summer. When I got back, she was in a clinic, and I changed schools.


We met once more, about ten years later. I was married by then, my first son in pre-school. My husband and I stopped for a brief visit with her.


She was married too, had three babies, and was living in an apartment overlooking a factory yard, as far away from that ranch and the horses as you can imagine.






We never reconnected after that, until yesterday. She had found me on Facebook.


I called her on the phone, and we talked.


She told me she is a widow now, her husband died of a brain tumor six years ago. There were four kids, she had to raise them on her own, and it wasn’t easy.


The family lives out in the country, in an old farm house, with horses and dogs and cats. Carol doesn’t have a lot of money, but, she told me, she’s happy.






When she asked me about my life, I told her about my just published book, about the new contract I’ve just signed with Buddhapuss Ink, about last year’s book tour, and the one coming up next year.






“I’ll be going to LA,” I told her, “And, as always, to New York. And Salt Lake City, and Phoenix. Some other places.”


There was a long pause.


“Wow,” Carol said, “I’ve never left my home town. We went on vacation once, but that’s it. I’m still here.”


She could hardly believe my life. She could hardly believe it when I told her I was a published author now, and my book was selling and getting good reviews.






“You lived our dream,” she said, “You’re going to all those places we were dreaming about, you are a published author! How did you do it? Where did you get the spark?”

The spark?


There was no spark. There was only a lingering dream, a constant, soft pull I had ignored for most of my life.


It almost felt like the dolphin of my heart’s desire playing in the ocean of my life, sometimes breaking through the surface, but never long enough to make much of an impact.


I don’t know what changed.


All I know is that, on a gloomy day in November of 2008, I woke up and knew the time had come. Suddenly, with every fiber of my soul, I knew I had to write that book.


My hubby bought me a laptop, and I sank into The Distant Shore, forgetting everything else. Often enough, there was no lunch for the family, and no ironed shirts for my husband.


I was too busy writing.


And I didn’t stop until the book was finished. I had left the surface, and I was dancing with the dolphin. The moment I put that first sentence on paper was like jumping from a cliff into that ocean where the dolphins were waiting, and I was free.






I’m still down there, frolicking in the freedom of the sun-dappled water.


And I’m never coming back.

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This was the fourteenth stop on Mariam’s The Distant Shore “Love is in the Air” Blog Hop & Giveaway. We hope you enjoyed this post and will join us tomorrow on the next stop at The Dudley’s for a post on Choosing Character Names.

Buddhapuss Ink is giving away copies of Mariam’s book, along with some pretty terrific (and very romantic) gifts, as we count down to that most romantic day of the year—Valentine’s Day!

Want to enter the giveaway?

Leave a comment for this post for one entry. We also encourage you to “Like” this blog and follow it! Tweet a link to this blog including the hashtag #TDSBlogHop for another chance to win.

Want more chances to win? CLICK HERE for all the info!

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Inspiring was it not?

I know I was moved and that only leads me to believe the book must hold some rare gems worthy of discovery.  So, take chance...enter for your chance to win and spread the word on the new author making waves in the literary world.

Special thanks to MaryChris at Buddhapuss Ink for the chance to host a stop on this tour.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their full catalog, feel free to visit them online, 'like' them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.

Until next time...good luck...and happy reading!