Hello again!

If you saw Part 1 of this post, you know I recently held a virtual launch for my novel, It Doesn’t Have To Be That Way, complete with a raffle, featuring cool literary prizes. Unfortunately, due to a bunch of planning errors on my part, there wasn’t enough time to adequately promote the authors who generously donated books. Several people who attended the online launch asked for a list of these authors and their books, as well more info about them. So, here it is. Please read on to learn more about these wonderful writers and get two more chances to win a Kindle copy of It Doesn’t Have To Be That Way.

Oh, and if you read any of these books–whether by winning a copy or by purchasing–PLEASE consider writing an honest review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. In our commercialized world, reviews are incredibly critical to indie writers for so many reasons. Thank you!

1.Willful Avoidance by JT Twissel

According to the tax man, it’s a crime to trust your husband. A crime that could cost you everything but your skin; particularly if you are intelligent enough to know better.  Maya Bethany is a young woman with two children accused of that crime (willful avoidance) but, instead of compromising with the tax man, she decides to fight.  Two men enter her life, both claiming to want to help.  This book is really about navigating the post-divorce minefield with the added burden of an unfair tax debt.  Extra bonus is a bit of info about tax law and Innocent Spouse Relief which every married woman (and man) should know. The book is currently out of print, but check out Jan’s blog, Saying Nothing in Particular. So much thoughtful writing. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always poignant. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

2. The Passion Thief by Anne McCarthy Strauss

The Passion Thief, published by Booktrope, 2014. The Passion Thief is a story about the one who got away. Strauss injects humor into the tragic situation of a woman torn between a boring marriage and her still-exciting first love. She keeps you guessing until the book’s extraordinary ending.

Order on Amazon here.

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3. Love Notes from Humanity by Various Writers, Feminine Collective

Donated by Julie Anderson, founder of Feminine Collective.  The writers of some of these poems are award-winning authors, journalists, bloggers, and activists, while others are previously unknown artists. The poems are a collective made of a global community; the writers are from Australia, Canada, Central America, The United Kingdom, The United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, South Africa and The United States.

Order on Amazon here.

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4. Elevator Girl by Kim Hruba

Elevator Girl is a romantic comedy about a woman who steps into an elevator and comes face-to-face with her high school nemesis – which normally wouldn’t be so bad until two things happen: One, she gets assigned to work with him. Then she realizes that he has no idea who she is.

Order on Amazon here.

Also, check out this awesome blog (Wannaskan Almanac) to which Kim contributes regularly.

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5. Ferry to Cooperation Island by Carol Newman Cronin

Loner James Malloy is a ferry captain—or used to be, until he was unceremoniously fired and replaced by Courtney Farris. Now, instead of piloting Brenton Island’s daily lifeline to the glitzy docks of Newport, Rhode Island, James spends his days beached, bitter, and bored.

This salt-sprayed fourth novel by 2004 Olympic Sailor Carol Newman Cronin celebrates wilderness and water, open space and open-mindedness, and the redemptive power of neighborly cooperation.

Order here on Amazon, and check out Carol’s blog here.

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6. Secrets and Lies by Julie Anderson

Julie’s memoir is a brave, vulnerable look into the truest parts of her desires, longings, and shame while struggling to understand who she is: a beautiful, powerful, soul. She uses poetry and a bit of prose to take us through this epic, often ugly & heartbreaking journey, which includes being thrust into the modeling world at a young age, sexual assault, eating disorders, and being shamed by ones who are supposed to love us. It’s also about her desire to break free from that baggage and soar. And soar she does. Because ultimately, there is hope and active, powerful self-acceptance, self-belief and self-love, like a goddess clawing her way out of the flames.

Order on Amazon here, and check out Feminine Collective here.

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7. The Shape of Us by Jacqueline Cioffa

“Beauty lies in truth, hardcore, from the depths of the soul. Jacqueline Cioffa’ takes us there, brave, raw & unfiltered.” – Sandra Bernhard

The Shape of Us celebrates the complexities and authentic beauty of real, everyday women. Cioffa’s essays and poems are intimate and relatable; they are a deep dive into the roles of being female. Unapologetic, triumphant and poignant, Cioffa doesn’t shy away from complex mother-daughter relationships, sexual and physical abuse, body shaming, insecurities, self-worth, and complicated friendships, while celebrating the empowerment and admiration of the delightful and dirty business of being female. Self-discovery, self-love, and pearls of wisdom only discovered after a life in the trenches of modeling, fame, aging, and a nervous breakdown. The Shape of Us boldly asks and answers the question, what it means to be a strong, opinionated, independent woman.

Order on Amazon here, and check out Jacqueline’s blog here.

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8. A Medical Affair by Anne McCarthy Strauss

After suffering a life-threatening asthma attack, Heather Morrison ends up in a NYC emergency room, and opens her eyes to the handsome man she perceives to be the knight in hospital scrubs who saved her life. She falls instantly for this very married doctor, and ends up involved in a torrid affair that violates medical ethics and legal mandates…and that’s only the beginning.
A Medical Affair could be a game changer for many women as it exposes the truth behind her doctor’s behavior and Heather’s subsequent civil suit. Although a work of fiction, A Medical Affair warns women of the prevalence of and reality behind doctor-patient affairs.

Order on Amazon here.

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9. Raw & Unfiltered by Various Writers, Feminine Collective

Feminine Collective, Raw & Unfiltered Also donated by Julie Anderson, this is a collection of bold poems and essays about relationships: authentic, honest, and at times self-deprecating and humorous. First published on Feminine Collective from 2014 to 2015, the women (and a few men) bravely share their unfiltered realities. This collection represents new and emerging writers, most of whom were unpublished before Feminine Collective.

Order on Amazon here.

Check out Feminine Collective here.

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10. All the Tomorrows by Nillu Nasser

Akash Choudry wants a love for all time, not an arranged marriage. Still, under the weight of parental hopes, he agrees to one. He and Jaya marry in a cloud of colour and spice in Bombay. Their marriage has barely begun when Akash embarks on an affair.

Jaya can’t contemplate sharing her husband with another woman, or looking past his indiscretions as her mother suggests. Cornered by sexual politics, she takes her fate into her own hands in the form of a lit match. Nothing endures fire. As shards of their past threaten their future, will Jaya ever bloom into the woman she can be, and will redemption be within Akash’s reach?

Order on Amazon here, and check out Nillu’s blog here

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In conclusion, I’ll add that we raffled off various versions of my own three novels, Leaving the Beach, Living by Ear, and It Doesn’t Have To Be That Way (new, beautiful covers by Kabir Shah.) If you’re interested in ordering a paperback or ebook or any of them, please visit my Amazon Author Page , your local bookstore (you may have to ask the bookseller to order a copy for you), or wherever you purchase books online. You can also always email me at MaryRowenHorgan@gmail.com, and for help, or more info about any of the books on this page. Audiobooks, narrated by the wonderful Gryphon Corpus, for Leaving the Beach and Living by Ear are also available on Audible, Authors Direct, Apple Books, and other audiobook retailers.

Want a free Kindle copy of It Doesn’t Have To Be That Way? Please leave a comment below (any comment at all!) and you’ll be entered in a raffle to win one. I’ll pick two names on Friday, October 30th. Good luck!  xo, mary

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