R.F. Gammon Author: Blog Tour

THE DIVIDED NATION: BLOG TOUR!

by R.F. Gammon - August 14, 2019

Hello, everyone! Today I'm super excited to give you a blog tour post for my dear friend Angela R. Watt's new novel, The Divided Nation! I had the privilege of beta-reading this book for her and AHHH IT IS SO GOOD. Definitely one of my favorite books so far this year :D

PLOT SUMMARY

WHEN THE NATION DIVIDES, THE INFIDELS MUST RISE.

The United States has fallen. Three years after the 2024 presidential election and the declaration of martial law, the nation is at war against itself. Gangs battle, civilians struggle for survival, and officials of the United Nations thrive. West Johnston, heir to the most powerful ganglord in the country, refuses to continue the family legacy. But, in order to defeat his father, he must become him: bloodthirsty and willing to do whatever it takes for control.

West gains control by helping fellow gangsters, Nate and Simon, when they form an alliance with one of the last remaining townships in America. After years of surviving and winter fast approaching, Springtown is in desperate need of supplies from the two teenagers. When the town leader’s daughter, Rene’, is kidnapped by an unknown rival, Nate and Simon risk their reputations to save her and the town they now love. But without help from West, their rescue mission will fail.

Told in multiple bold, abrasive narratives, THE DIVIDED NATION steps into a future where brotherhood bonds must be stronger than iron to survive a broken world, and faith without courage is dust in the wind.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45150828-the-divided-nation

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WCPBZ6Z?pf_rd_p=183f5289-9dc0-416f-942e-e8f213ef368b&pf_rd_r=Y3XA08RV18PH6APMXV8F

Honestly, I can't say enough good things about this book. It's so good and I kinda desperately need the sequel. And of course, you need it too ;)

AUTHOR BIO

Angela R. Watts is a Christian fiction author who strives to glorify the Lord in all she does. She’s a homeschooled highschooler living at Step By Step Sanctuary, Tennessee, though with Gypsy and Norwegian in her blood, she tends to travel. She’s been writing stories since she was little, but also enjoys chores, painting, and watching sunsets.

GIVEAWAY

US shipping only. If an international winner is drawn, they will receive an ebook only.

1st place: hardback copy of The Divided Nation. A custom mug with a quote from the book, bookmark, and an exclusive snippet from The Infidel Books.

2nd place: paperback copy of The Divided Nation, bookmark.

3rd place: ebook copy of The Divided Nation.

THE GIVEAWAY :D

A huge congrats to Ang on her new book, and I hope you'll check it out!!!! It's so good. <33333

5 comments

BLOG TOUR: Fairy Tale Central! (featuring all the fairy tale stuff you never knew you needed) (and believe me, you need it)

by R.F. Gammon - April 04, 2019

Once Upon a Time two girls had a dream. A dream of a fairy tale site, an internet library, if you will, for all the fairy tale lovers of the land to gather and converse. To learn, to read, to fangirl/boy, to bask in the goodness that is fairy tales.

As this dream blossomed, the two girls recruited a third. Because, after all, all good fairy tales come in themes of three.

With the third member in place, the girls got to work. The dream began to take shape, until it was no longer just a dream. But something real.

Introducing…

FAIRY TALE CENTRAL

This newly launched site run by Arielle Bailey, Faith White, and Christine Smith, is your source for all things fairy tales.

Every month a single fairy tale will be featured, and posts will include:

Reviews for retellings/shows/movies/etc.
Essay, origin, and discussion posts on the featured fairy tale
Interviews with fairy tale retelling authors
Galleries featuring fairy tale artists and artisans
And a whole lot more!

The FTC’s goal is to unlock the magic that is fairy tales and build a community of fellow fairy tale enthusiasts. Arielle, Faith, and Christine are thrilled to share this new fairy tale-centric space and connect with all you epic fairy tale fans!

You can CLICK HERE to find the site and join the Fairy Ring! (Don’t worry, you won’t be enchanted or cursed.) And, if you want to connect even more, you can find the FTC on:

(If you’re inclined to share about the FTC in those places too, you may or may not be blessed by a fairy godmother. *smile, smile*)

Do tell a friend, or a dragon, or the fairy living in the hollow tree behind your house. All humans and mythological creatures alike are welcome!

Faith here: THIS LOOKS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING DOESN'T IT?! (And just to clear up any confusion, of which there has been none but I'd like to keep it that way: The Faith involved in this site is not me. She may even be more awesome than me. XD)

I hope y'all will go check the site out! I think it looks AWESOME <3

And you can expect a big long writing post from me TOMORROW! (Hint: it may or may not contain synopses for upcoming Pentegreen stories...*rubs hands together*)

12 comments

Decree Blog Tour

by R.F. Gammon - December 15, 2018

11 comments

BLOG TOUR: A Certain Sort of Madness by Nicki Chapelway (with Interview!)

by R.F. Gammon - October 12, 2018

Hello, my dear friends! Today I want to introduce to you once again my dear critique partner and friend Nicki Chapelway! She's about to publish her next book, A Certain Sort of Madness (you can find my post from the cover reveal here), and has given me the honor of interviewing her for her blog tour. So, let's dive in!

Insanity is catching…

Alicia Hareton is crazy. But that’s nothing new. Her insanity is inherited from her mother, just like her magical abilities and her blood ties to the strange and alluring world of Amar. She’s spent her life on Earth and yet Amar has always called to her, an intoxicating melody that she cannot ignore. Returning to Amar would put her life in danger, but Alicia has never let such technicalities stop her before.

However, when her mother is captured due to her reckless actions, Alicia will do anything to rescue her. That includes trusting her grumpy, sarcastic imaginary friend, who claims he doesn’t know her and doesn’t seem that imaginary anymore. Or that trustworthy. Together, with the help of her cousin and a band of misfits, they partake in an extremely ill-advised heist on the faerie court in order to find a way to defeat the most powerful mage in all Amar, who also happens to be Alicia’s grandfather. But not everything in the faerie court is as it seems, and soon this unlikely group find themselves fighting for their lives as well as the lives of those they love.

In a world of madness and magic, the lines between lies and loyalty are blurred and sometimes the only option you have left is to let the insanity loose.

About the Author:

Nicki has been writing since she was eleven years old. She published her first book A Week of Werewolves, Faeries, and Fancy Dresses at the age of fifteen, one year after she finished writing it. She enjoys reading, writing, swimming when she can, and fan-girling (in other words: obsessing over other peoples' stories almost as much as her own). She also enjoys watching TV, her favorite movies and TV shows include: Doctor Who, Avengers, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Nicki currently resides in Ohio with her family of eight and two dogs, Rylie and Zoey. She is now working on the next books in the My Time in Amar series- when she's not distracted by other stories (both hers and others'). You can contact her at http://pausefortales.blogspot.com

I'm lucky enough to be good friends with Nicki herself, and she was wonderfully gracious to me with my lateness on sending her questions for this interview. I tried to come up with some more unique questions, so we'll see how this goes. Read on for the interview!

Interview with Nicki Chapelway

Faith: What is your favorite thing to do outside of writing (and no cheating and saying reading)?

Nicki: Dang it, I was totally going to say reading. Um... I'm going to have to say watching TV, because I love movies almost as much as books. I also enjoy coloring but that's more of an off and on kind of hobby.

FT: If you could play a musical instrument which one would it be and why?

NC: Probably piano, because it's so elegant. Plus, it's the instrument we actually have at our house and it just sits there. Mocking. Me. Always asking the question, "Why can't you play me?"

FT: Laptop stickers: yay or nay?

NC: Considering I had to Google it to even figure out what it was I would say probably nay... but I'm a big enough fangirl that I'm tempted now. I am severely tempted.

FT: Which of your characters is the swooniest? (I'm cruel, I know).

NC: Okay, wow, you are cruel. Yeesh, this is so hard right now. I love all of my male characters for different reasons, Easton is so sweet and kind and generous, Dante is a sarcastic cinnamon roll, and out of my male characters Cedric is the most like me in a cute little anti-hero way- but I'm going to have to go with Dirk, who is a character that I have yet to finish the story of, but he's always been my favorite. And I long ago decided that if I could bring any of my characters to life and marry them, it would be him.

FT: Favorite genre to write besides portal fantasy?

NC: Eh... can I say high fantasy? Or is that too close? If so, I also love writing retellings (fairy tales, classics, etc.) and Sci-Fi is fun, though I haven't written a full book in that genre.

FT: If you had a thousand dollars what would you spend it on?

NC: I would probably save it the best I can, cracking it out to buy the occasional soundtrack or book that I want, but the majority would probably go toward publishing expenses: book covers, actually hiring a professional editor, marketing... etc.

FT: Favorite Bible verse and why?

NC: I've always been a fan of Psalm 23, especially the fourth verse because I was a fearful little girl, scared of pretty much everything and then some and that verse always comforted me.

FT: What's something you would say to all the aspiring indie authors out there?

NC: Know your options, I self-published because I thought that was my only option to getting my book out there, and while I don't regret doing it, I still would have liked to have known what was I was doing. Which leads into my next point, learn your trade. Just because you're not traditionally publishing doesn't mean that your book can't be as good as any traditionally published book.

Thank you so much for joining me today, Nicki! And I hope you're all interested in reading A Certain Sort of Madness--give Nicki a follow on Goodreads to keep up with its upcoming release!

Have you read any of Nicki's books yet? If not, YOU BETTER. XD

5 comments

BLOG TOUR: Worlds Beneath by K.A. Emmons! (Feat. interview!)

by R.F. Gammon - July 20, 2018

What's up, lovelies? Today I have a blog tour for you! The lovely K.A. Emmons is releasing the second book in her The Blood Race series, entitled Worlds Beneath, and while I have not yet read Worlds Beneath I have a review of the first book AND an interview with the amazing author today!

The Book

Buy on Amazon // Add on Goodreads

I’ve been running from my past for one hundred years. And I’m still just a teenager.

I was selected by my teacher, Sensei, to train in The Dimension: a secret place of refuge for the ‘anomalies’ of past, present, and future earth. Here I would learn to connect to my ‘warrior within’ as Sensei calls it - to channel energy orbs, commute between realms, and even shape-shift into an alternate form. But never did I guess that my training would include taking on an anomaly student of my own: a loose cannon of a college guy named Ion.

Late one evening, I invite him over to Sensei’s house for a little chat; one that will turn his life upside-down. Shoving him into the broom closet turned portal, I drag Ion into the Dimension, opening his eyes to his true homeland: a realm of anomalies. His kin.

As we train to become Protectors of future Earth, battling each other as well as our own demons, I begin to realize that there’s more to Ion than I originally thought: a darkness he’s spent his life running from. And beyond that, a looming threat hidden in plain sight - something that could destroy me, him, and the future of Earth.

(And while I haven't read this one yet...I kind of need to after that cliffhanger. Like, sheesh. *dies*)

The Author

When she’s not hermiting away in her colorfully-painted home office writing her next science fiction, passionate story-teller and adventurer Kate Emmons is probably on the road for a surf or hiking trip, listening to vinyls, or going for a power run. Emmons’ debut novel The Blood Race is the first book in her YA science fiction/fantasy thriller series. Get connected with Kate on your favorite social platform, and be sure to check out http://kaemmons.com/!

My Review

After giving myself ample time to process (read: over a month XD) I have finally decided to review this book. And man, it's so complicated, I just can't.

I'll admit to being a leeeeetle disappointed by this one, mostly because so many of my blogging friends absolutely LOVE it. That's not to say I didn't like it--it was really, really good! It simply didn't grab me and throw me into it the way my five-star reads have.

The characters and the prose were probably the best part. Ion was a definite highlight--I LOVED his character arc, as well as the unconventional way that Kate tackled writing a random guy chosen for a supernatural task he doesn't understand. It broke the mold in the best possible ways. Then Hawk--she was so harsh and cold, and I'm kind of growing tired of girls like that...but then her backstory broke my heart (poor, poor girl) and I understood her a little better. Fin was an absolute sweetheart and I'm looking forward to seeing him develop more in future installments. I liked Sensei well enough, although I'm still not sure I understand him (intentional, I'm sure). The other characters were all fine, although I didn't fall head over heels for any of them.

And then the PROSE. My goodness. I would recommend this book for the gorgeous prose alone. It's so beautiful, and I loved all the description. I felt like I was truly in all the scenes, and the flying parts? AMAZING. <3

The worldbuilding was pretty cool, especially the sort of stepping-between-realms stuff. I always love that kind of plot device. I didn't find myself blown away by the plot (it was well-paced and very character-driven, which I liked...but then it also confused me a couple of times, which I didn't so much like).

Probably the biggest negative for me is that I didn't really get the whole "student body government" thing at all? Like it just seemed so...I don't even know. It didn't make sense to my goldfish brain. XD That's probably just me though?

Overall I'm giving this 3.5 stars, and I am very eager to read the next one! At some point I'm DEFINITELY going to get my hands on it, because the cliffhanger was NOT OKAY. (And I want to know more about the chaaaaaaaaaaaaarrraaacteeeeeerrrrrrrs)

CONTENT ADVISORY
-Language: there's a handful of cuss words in this novel, ranging from lighter stuff (h*ll is used a few times) to cut-off f-words. I thought it was dealt with pretty well, though, and was in there for a reason...so I'm not counting off points on that account :P
-Sexy stuff: The main characters are largely a group of very secular college students, so there's some kissing and flirting and making out. One character's backstory deals with being raped.
-Alcohol: Again, secular college students, so there's quite a bit of drinking at some points :P
(Note about the content: I found it really cool how all of this stuff wasn't allowed anymore once Ion had his new calling. An allegory, perhaps? XD)

Overall, 3.5 stars, and I'd recommend this one to anybody who doesn't mind a couple of content concerns!

Interview

How long have you been writing for, and what got you into it?

Well, this response is as old as the hills, and honestly boring: I’ve been writing ever since I was a small, gangly kid who climbed on the countertops and stole candy from the cabinets while my mother was preoccupied on the telephone. I drew pictures of the mice from the Beatrix Potter stories and had my mom film me telling the story in a British accent and handing the pages off to my sister. True story.

There wasn’t really any big, interesting moment where I realized I wanted to be a writer, but if there had been it probably would have involved sunlight bursting through the clouds, and soft background music. But I always just had a messy, bubbling-over mind and the best outlet for that was writing it down so I did that. And I’m still doing it today. And probably tomorrow.

What a beautiful answer <3 What would you say is your trademark genre, and why that genre?

I’ve written so many different types of stories, so much so that I’ve begun to feel like I’ve entered a little realm where genre got run over by a bus, haha. However, to help explain what flavor my books are, I guess I’d say urban fantasy, sci-fi, thriller, with a splash of contemporary/literary for good measure. And sometimes I write just contemporary.

Or a more exciting illustration: if you put a moody forest, a plethora of supernatural occurrences, some cityscapes, wolf packs, car races, lots of things blowing up, and lots of various emotions and meanings and lessons learned into a blender and made a smoothie, that smoothie would probably taste like my writing.

OH MY GOODNESS, I LOVE IT. Smoothies are making me think of drinks now:Tea or coffee and why?

COFFFFFFFEEEEE. Bc coffee.

Honestly I love and drink both, lots of tea in the winter time. Tea of all sorts, all kinds, all backgrounds and walks of life. Tea with milk. Tea with maple syrup. Tea with tea. And then coffee is just a natural part of getting out of bed; it’s like putting on a tee shirt. You don’t even think about it. It’s just like, oh, huh, what is this burning hot liquid searing my throat? It must be coffee. Yay.

Do you listen to music while you write? Make separate playlists for every WIP? Make character playlists? (I go crazy sometimes with the playlists. Still trying to find someone as nuts as I am. XD)

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. But I LOVE CREATING PLAYLISTS. So, so much - so I can relate to the craziness! My sister is the same way too, and even creates character playlists like you mentioned. It gets pretty intense. But long story short, heck yeah I love listening to music while I write - I listened to a ton of Steve Jablonski scores while I wrote the third and final book in the series (I need a tee shirt that says “Steve Jablonski scores are like chocolates… you can’t have just one”) which was great. I also created playlists for all three of the books, and you can find ‘em on my Spotify. :) Super curious about how you curate all of your awesome sounding playlists now!!

I'll link to my own Spotify in case anybody wants to look at those playlists XD If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring indie authors, what would it be?

DON’T. GIVE. UP. Just don’t do it. Keep writing. Keep going - KEEP BELIEVING IN YOURSELF, in your craft, in your passion. There’s no right or wrong way to write a book, just different ways. Don’t play the down-talking game, don’t downplay what you’re doing. Go on google and type in “famous authors who threw away their manuscripts” and you’ll be amazed. We’re all the same, and we often can’t even see our own potential. So don’t get mad, don’t say mean things about your work, just keep getting after it: keep sitting at the desk and letting the words fly. You WILL be a successful author if you DO NOT GIVE UP.

Thank you so much for that beautiful word and for being a part of my blog today! I'm so happy to finally have gotten the chance to read this amazing book and to help celebrate the release of Worlds Beneath (which I can't wait to read, btw <3)