Author: Marissa DeCuir

Loyalty and identity go to war in historical fiction debut inspired by author’s true family history

Santa Rosa, CA– Whisk away to India in this compulsive novel of two unlikely people who discover hidden truths about a high-ranking British official set against the backdrop of  colonial rule. Sleeping in the Sun (October 22, 2024, She Writes Press) transports readers to the past where a young American and his Indian servant must face the reality behind a faithful family friend and the consequences of knowing this truth. A must-read for fans of The Poisonwood Bible and The Inheritance of Loss.

While originally a part of her MFA thesis at Pacific University, this explosive novel dives into the author’s own grandfather’s story of living as a Christian missionary in British India. Through her extensive research on the British Raj, the work of her grandfather’s missionary group, the effects of colonization in India, and the rich descriptions of India in the early 20th century, Joanne’s story weaves a cinematic tale of discrimination and privilege showcasing the enduring impact of imperialism and the spark of revolution.

In the last years of the British Raj, an American missionary family stays on in Midnapore, India. Though the Hintons enjoy white privileges, they have never been accepted by British society and instead run a boarding house on the outskirts of town where wayward native Indians come to find relief. Young Gene Hinton can’t get out from under the thumb of his three older brothers, and the only person he can really relate to is Arthur, his family’s Indian servant. But when Uncle Ellis, a high-ranking British judge, suddenly arrives and announces he’ll be staying indefinitely in their humble house, far from his prestigious post in Himalayan foothills, life as Gene knows it is interrupted. While his brothers are excited at the judge’s arrival, he is skeptical as to why this important man is hiding out with them in the backwaters of Bengal.

Also skeptical is Arthur. Then an Indian woman appears on their doorstep—and, after growing close to her, he learns the sinister truth about the judge. Torn between a family that has provided him shelter, work, and purpose his whole life and the escalating outrage of his countrymen, Arthur must decide where his loyalties lie—and the Hintons must decide if they can still call India home.

“Sleeping in the Sun”

Joanne Howard | October 22, 2024 | She Writes Press | Historical Fiction 

Paperback | 9781647427986 | $17.99 

Joanne Howard is an Asian American writer from California. She holds an MFA in writing from Pacific University. Her poetry received an honorable mention from Stanford University’s 2019 Paul Kalanithi Writing Award. Her fiction has been published in The Catalyst by UC Santa Barbara, The Metaworker Literary Magazine and the Marin Independent Journal and her nonfiction has been published in Another New Calligraphy and The Santa Barbara Independent. She lives in Santa Rosa, CA. Find out more at her website.

Follow Joanne Howard on social media:

Instagram: @joannesbooks

Advanced praise for Sleeping in the Sun

“Sleeping in the Sun is a novel impossible to put down. A cinematic study of imperialism and the scars it has left. An outstanding debut.”—Willy Vlautin, author of The Night Always Comes and The Motel Life

“With meticulous attention to detail, Howard paints a vivid portrait of colonial India through the perspectives of an American family and their Indian servant, skillfully blending historical events with familial moments. Through the eyes of her characters, readers are transported to a world where identities are questioned and the true meaning of home is explored. As the narrative builds toward an explosive climax, Sleeping in the Sun becomes more than just a story—it is a poignant exploration of the human experience that resonates far beyond the last chapter.”—Veena Rao, author of Purple Lotus

“Joanne Howard’s Sleeping in the Sun is a quiet and deeply moving novel, a story of a nation trying to reclaim itself, while one man and one boy try to discover who they are themselves. Howard shows us all this not by looking at the big picture, but at the individuals caught at the center of their sometimes conflicting, sometimes heartbreaking goals. A beautiful story, beautifully revealed.”—Pete Fromm, author of Indian Creek Chronicles

“This is at once a gripping page-turner and book to savor and admire. It will light up your imagination and endure in your mind alongside all the memories from your real life. I was sad to see it end but delighted to welcome this impressive new voice into American literature. Joanne Howard is a writer to watch.”—Valerie Laken, author of Dream House and Separate Kingdoms

“Exquisitely rendered and highly nuanced, Joanne Howard’s debut novel, Sleeping in the Sun, immerses readers into the world of young American Gene Hinton as he comes of age in rural India in the 1930s. Battling inner and outer demons, Gene forms a unique bond with the Hintons’ Indian servant, Arthur, and gains an eye into life’s underbelly. Sumptuously written and detailed, this novel is destined to become a classic. A triumph!”—Ashley E. Sweeney, author of Eliza Waite

In an interview, Joanne Howard can discuss:

• How Joanne uses her own family’s history as Christian missionaries in India to provide setting for the book
• How colonialism, privilege, and imperialism impact the Indian society for generations
• How Christianity plays a major role in the Hinton’s lives and its effects on the people around them
• Why Joanne chose to write a story outside of own lived cultural experiences 
• How Joanne researched aspects of the setting and society to ensure a historically accurate story

An Interview with Joanne Howard

1. What message do you hope to convey about colonialism and identity through the Hinton family’s story and interactions? 

It’s definitely not a favorable portrait of colonialism; even though the main character, Gene, is a young boy with a naive view of the world, I didn’t want it to come off as unserious or easy going on the British Raj. But I also didn’t want history to be front and center to the book, but rather serve as a backdrop for the human story going on between the Hintons, Arthur, and the judge. Even though the novel is influenced by these huge forces of historical events, what I still hope readers take away is the detail of the everyday. 

2. How does the Hintons’ family story relate/differ from your own family’s history?

My grandfather was born and raised in India, and his first language was Bengali, but for the rest of his life he never returned to India because he knew it would have changed so much, and the India of his youth no longer existed. So this idea of “is India home?” I think was a question in real life for my grandfather and for the Hintons. 

3. How does your background as an Asian-American writer influence your portrayal of cross-cultural interactions and historical events in your novel

I was able to draw from my own experience as a mixed-race Asian American to inspire this dual reality that the Hintons occupy, and to a lesser extent the space Arthur occupies as a converted Christian Indian who both works for the Hintons but wants to stay connected to his Indian identity. The novel’s setting where a range of racial identities all interact with each other is a huge aspect of the story, and I’m glad I could bring my personal experience to the work.

4. What are some of the most significant historical and cultural details that you included in the novel to bring the British Raj setting in India to life?

When it comes to bringing the setting to life, it’s all in the little details, from the hand-cranked ceiling fans (punkahs) to the nightly ritual of shaking out the bedding for any critters, all things that I found in our family archives. I also loved including a scene at the Gope Gargh (The Old Gope as the Hintons call it), which is now an ecological park that preserves the ruins of an old fort from the Mahabharata. I visited this park on my trip to India and was inspired by the mythical atmosphere and the way the forest had grown over the ruins of ancient civilization.

5. What did your research process look like when building the world of Sleeping in the Sun?

For Arthur’s character, I just tried to expose myself to as many literary works that matched his background and the time period, and two books especially inspired his character: The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian by Nirad C. Chaudhuri and Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay. And lastly, I took a 3-week trip to India in 2018 to visit some of the locations that appear in the novel.

6. What advice would you give to a writer who is trying to write beyond their own lived experiences? What is important to remember regarding sensitivity in writing?

Do your research, write with respect, and work with a sensitivity reader who can catch any of your blindspots. Understand that you will never be able to relate 100% to the identity or community you are writing about, and that’s ok. If you have done it well, the work should stand on its own merit, regardless of who the author is.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

When Ann Lowry inherited an ancestor’s blue travel trunk, she had no idea that this artifact was about to take her on a three-year journey of discovery. She was told that the trunk’s previous owner, a great-great aunt, had been institutionalized for insanity. Despite meticulous genealogy research, she was unable to uncover any facts about her and concluded that she must have spent her entire adult life in an asylum. Lowry was inspired to write The Blue Trunk, (Sept. 10, 2024, Koehler Books) to help reclaim her ancestor’s voice and shed light on these all-too-common institutionalizations. Seamlessly weaving historical fiction with contemporary life, Lowry’s tale explores identity, strength, and connection across decades.

Rachel Jackson’s idyllic life takes a dramatic turn when she discovers a woman’s scarf in her politician husband’s computer bag. But in an election year, seeking answers to questions of infidelity is not an option. When her mother gives her a family heirloom, a travel trunk owned by an ancestor, she finds a distraction. As she immerses herself in its contents, she discovers a woman whose life is vastly different from her own. Or is it? 

Determined to dispel the notion that her ancestor Marit was insane, Rachel sets out to unveil her unknown story. In the interwoven narratives of these two women, who are bound by blood and a shared struggle, The Blue Trunk is a poignant exploration of identity, love, and unwavering strength.

Praise for The Blue Trunk

“Ann Lowry weaves a miracle of storytelling in The Blue Trunk, seamlessly blending past and present and the complications of gender, infidelity, and family battles across Norway and America. As a young woman searches for answers to her troubled, seemingly unfixable marriage, she finds solace and strength in the story of her forebears. This decades-long tale, influenced by figures from gangsters to politicians, finds its heart in the connection between an aunt and niece who’ve never met but whose lives are tightly intertwined.”

– Randy Susan Meyers, international bestselling author of The Murderer’s Daughters and The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone

“The Blue Trunk is a transformative story that weaves two women’s stories together, pulling you into a journey filled with heartfelt emotion, strength, and transformation. Lowry is an adventurous storyteller who masterfully creates depth within her characters, making us feel like we’ve known them forever. The Blue Trunk is a beautiful and seamless read you cannot put down.”

– Dianne C. Braley, author of The Silence and the Sound, winner of the NYC 2022 Big Book Award

“A gripping story of two women separated by a century, each facing battles that appear vastly different on the surface yet share strikingly similar underpinnings. Lowry delivers a gripping, emotional and beautifully written read, with characters whose journeys will resonate long after you turn the last page.” 

– Rachel Stone, Author of The Blue Iris

“The Blue Trunk carries readers through time in this story of two women whose connection is discovered through a family heirloom in the form of a blue trunk. While Marit’s emigration from Norway to America and into a life laden with hardship unfolds over the course of decades, Rachel’s struggle over modern-day challenges assumes remarkable reflections to those of her late ancestor. Lowry’s protagonists are propelled into their respective relationships and lives, buoyed by the enduring strength of the Sletmo women in this engaging, well-paced novel.”

 – Brenda K. Massman, author of Yet, Here We Are

The Blue Trunk

Ann E. Lowry | September 10, 2024 | Koehler Books | Historical/Contemporary Fiction

Paperback | $21.95 | 979-8-88824-439-5

Hardcover | $28.95 | 979-8-88824-441-8

More about Ann E. Lowry:

Ann E. Lowry’s journey into the realm of storytelling was foretold by a Sedona psychic in 2001. That prophecy became a reality two decades later when Ann discovered a family heirloom, a travel trunk from Norway, which sparked the genesis of her debut novel, “The Blue Trunk.”

A writer her entire life, Ann holds a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Minnesota.  Her career has been dedicated to teaching and helping others navigate communication and resolve conflicts. Ann is fascinated by the dynamics of relationships, discord, and the intricacies of the human condition.  Ann successfully completed the Loft Literary Center’s Novel Writing Intensive course in 2022.

Alongside her passion for fiction, she has contributed to academic journals, penned thought-provoking opinion pieces, crafted engaging content for online platforms, and provided insights on the federal management of disasters. 

When Ann isn’t immersed in the world of writing, she finds solace in the pool or the lake. She cherishes playful moments with her rescue-turned-therapy dog, Loki, and also enjoys reading, golfing, and indulging in the art of cookie and bread baking. Fly fishing is her newest hobby. Most of all, she savors precious time with her family.

Ann and her spouse, Karen, and fur child, Loki, live in Timnath, Colorado, where they enjoy the beauty of nature daily. Learn more about Ann at: www.annlowry.com 

In an interview, Lowry can discuss:

• Writing a fictional novel inspired by true events in her family’s history
• The research she did into mental institutions in the early 1900s
• The struggles faced by female characters decades apart from each other, and how “crazy” women have been treated throughout history
• Writing about gender identity with care and accuracy
• The importance of keeping history alive, even when it is not flattering
• Completing your novel in a writing intensive course

An Interview with Ann E. Lowry

1. What was your initial reaction when you heard your ancestor Marit’s story? 

I was sad and angry that my family had, essentially, taken away my great-great aunt’s personhood. While I understand that this was typical for the times, these behaviors set up family dysfunction (secrets) that can be carried on for generations.

2. What kind of research did you do to try and discover what happened to Marit, and how did that play into your writing?

I researched her on all possible genealogy sites and also worked with historical societies to find logs of individuals in state hospitals for the mentally ill. Ultimately, I discovered that institutionalized individuals often were not counted in the census and often were not issued death certificates (two ways to find information on ancestors). I found a cemetery in Eau Claire, Wisconsin that was used for the interment of asylum patients. Most of the graves on site were marked “Unknown.”

3. How do you think Rachel and Marit’s struggles are similar? How are they different?

They both want to create a life for themselves, but are faced with significant barriers to doing that. They both suffered childhood trauma with the loss of a sibling and both have unresolved grief around those losses. Even though she doesn’t realize it at first, Rachel has more agency than Marit and has the advantage of living in more progressive times. That said, Rachel is fighting contemporary political battles which threaten current day civil rights.

4. How did you craft Blake’s character?

When I first created Blake, I had planned to have him be a stereotypic cheating spouse. But as he developed, I started to really like him! At the time, I also happened to be reading Love Lives Here by Rowan Jette Knox and decided to add gender identity questions to his character.  I went back and re-wrote scenes with him and ultimately he became a kind, smart, and sensitive character whose struggles are unique but similar to Rachel’s and Marit’s.

5. What made you decide to add gender fluidity to your novel? How did you make sure to approach the subject with sensitivity and accuracy?

As I mentioned, I was influenced by Rowan Jette Knox’s book but also early feminists who advocated for more gender fluidity. I am a member of the LGBTQ+ community, but I am not trans, so I wanted to be very careful with the subplot about Blake to make sure that I wasn’t co-opting someone else’s story. And honestly, this story is not mine to tell. But, it is an important story, so I took a bit of liberty and wrote this. I did research, interviewed some pertinent people, and had beta readers give input into what I wrote.

6. Why were the themes of identity and grief so important for you to explore in this novel?

Here is the part where I admit that some of this is my story. I lost my sister when I was six, and to be honest, I still deal with that loss, all these decades later. When you lose a family member, you no longer know who you are or where you fit in the family system. Grief can be, and often is, complicated, and this compounds questions of identity. In the end, Rachel has a better sense of who she is, but as she notes, her sister will always be by her side.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

The oldest person alive today is 117 years of age. Which begs the question: in our lifetimes, what will a “lifetime” come to mean?  Could there come a day when the boomers stop dying? When long-term care facilities fill to overflowing, funeral homes and cemeteries begin to close, and Social Security, having flirted with insolvency for decades, finally implodes? When there are half a billion super-centenarians worldwide who should be dead, but live on? 

This is the world of Keith McWalter’s upcoming speculative novel, “Lifers” (October 15, 2024, SparkPress). With compelling action, exotic settings, provocative dialogue, and trenchant social commentary, it follows a multigenerational group of characters living through a global pandemic of radical longevity.  Drawing on nonfiction accounts of advances in engineered longevity such as Chip Walter’s “Immortality, Inc.” and Andrew Steele’s “Ageless,” McWalter forgoes fabulism in favor of gripping plausibility and delivers genre-bending speculative fiction grounded in cutting-edge science.
The novel follows three extraordinary women — an ex-CIA microbiologist, a Washington insider turned advocate for “gray rights,” and a philosopher of death and dying — as they navigate violent ageism, the politics of scarcity, love rivalries, and dreams of a centenarian utopia in a transgenerational struggle to redefine what it means to be mortal. Neural nets, headchip communication, deathwish algorithms, full body tattoos, and slow suicide pills form the backdrop of a near-future world where humankind must decide: do I choose to die, or am I a Lifer? 

“Lifers” is a deep, multifaceted dive into the unintended consequences of the quest for longevity, a searching interrogation of ageism, and a lyrical accounting of the cost of life without end. 

“By the time Marion and Dan turned one hundred in 2049, there were over twenty million people their age or older in the US alone, and close to half a billion worldwide—the size of a major nation—who should have been dead by then but weren’t, who continued to haunt the world. And more coming up behind them, not dying either. Depending on one’s language, they began to be called Lingerers, or the Undead, or Lifers. Or worse things. Because they weren’t just a miracle; they were a crisis.”

–  “Lifers” by Keith McWalter

“Lifers”

Keith McWalter | October 15, 2024 | SparkPress

Speculative/Social Science Fiction 

Paperback | 9781684632763 | $17.95 

Ebook | 9781684632770 | $12.99

Advance Praise for “Lifers”

“If Ann Patchett wrote sci-fi, this is what it might look like. What does it mean to live forever? To you? To your loved ones? To your country? To the world? A great read with a thought-provoking premise, and a sure-fire conversation starter for that dinner party you’re dreading.”

-Arlene Dillon, journalist and former President of the White House Correspondents’ Association

“Keith McWalter has turned in a stunner of a sci-fi novel with a surprising premise that draws on solid science while weaving a story loaded with twists and compelling characters. It’s a powerful combination that explores the unexpected directions ‘solving death’ may take us.” 

-Chip Walter, author of “Immortality, Inc.” and “Doppelganger”

“A stimulating, timely exposition on the political, social and familial implications of a sudden advance towards longevity escape speed. A fascinating read!”

-Avi Loeb, bestselling author of “Extraterrestrial” and Director of Harvard’s Institute for Theory and Computation

Keith McWalter’s first novel, When We Were All Still Alive, was published in 2021. His essays have appeared in The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, and the San Francisco Chronicle. He’s the author of two blogs, Mortal Coil and Spoiled Guest, which present his essays and travel pieces to a loyal online following. A collection of his essays, No One Else Will Tell You: Letters from a Bi-Coastal Father, won a Writer’s Digest Award for nonfiction. 

Keith is a graduate of Columbia Law School and earned a BA in English Literature from Denison University. He lives with his wife, Courtney, in Granville, Ohio, and Sanibel, Florida.

Find out more: https://keithmcwalterwrites.com/ 

Follow Keith McWalter on social media: 

Facebook: @keith.mcwalter | Twitter: @kgmcwalter | Instagram: @kmcwalter 

In an interview, Keith McWalter can discuss:

• What inspired him to write a novel about the negative implications of longevity.
• How longevity and the toll that age takes have become issues in our current political scene, with the advanced age and diminishing competence of the two main presidential candidates in the forefront of controversy.
• Why, in a novel about the sudden triumph of longevity science, death and mortality are central themes. 
• How the author’s observations and personal experience of ageism informed the writing of this novel.
• The presence of strong female protagonists as the principal movers of the plot.
• How the book straddles genres: it might be called nonfiction fiction, or sci-fi for people who don’t read sci-fi, or political-social satire in speculative fiction drag. 
• The ethical dilemmas of human life extension in a world of limited resources.
• The varied and sometimes exotic locations included in the plot (New York; Munich; San Francisco; Palo Alto; Napa Valley; Lake Garda (Italy); Santa Fe, NM; and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado), and to what extent the settings are drawn from real life.
• The concept in the book that self-sacrifice is expected of the elderly, both in our society, and in the fictional world where a “longevity plague” has taken hold. 

An Interview with

Keith McWalter

What drew you to the ideas of prolonging the human lifespan and its impact on the meaning of living?

Like so many of us, I’m attracted to the idea of living a long and healthy life (I’m in my seventies), so I’ve read fairly widely in nonfiction accounts of longevity science and its practical applications.

Two things struck me about most discussions of longevity enhancement: increased longevity tends to be viewed as a luxury product for the rich and the few; and no one discusses the economic and social stresses that a radically longer (even if healthy) lifespan would impose on individuals, on families, and on society at large.

I wrote Lifers to dramatize those unspoken implications, and to examine ageism from a different perspective in which extreme longevity becomes commonplace and there are so many super-aged individuals that they become a force that must be reckoned with.

How do you envision society’s attitudes toward aging changing in a world with dramatically increased lifespans?

After a brief period of confused euphoria, society’s attitudes might quickly change to resentment, then to fear, then to anger. 

Resentment, first, when it becomes clear that the wealth controlled by the aged is not going to be inherited by their children and grandchildren anytime soon – perhaps never – and that younger generations will continue to live in the older generations’ shadow. 

Then fear, as it becomes clear that the “young” (called “doublers”in the book, for double-digits, or those under 100) face decades more life in a world where youth itself has lost its distinction – that is, its relative immunity to death. 

Then, finally, anger, as the failure of the aged to die in the accustomed timeframe puts enormous strains on housing, social services, and national economies, and new political movements arise in an effort to impose “normative lifespans” and “common-good mortality.”

If there was one lesson or sentiment you would want readers to come away with after reading “Lifers,” what would it be?

The one sentiment that I hope would come out of a reading of this book is empathy. It’s really about the failure of empathy, both across age groups, and across socioeconomic lines. The young can’t imagine what it’s like to be old, and the old too often forget what it’s like to be young. The very fact that we use categorical terms like “old” and “young” is evidence of that failure. That’s the main function of the character Taubin in the book: he loves and learns so much from his grandparents, who raised him, and he’s a victim of progeria, or fast-aging, which forces him to experience what it’s like to be old when he’s still chronologically young.  He’s also a precursor of the utopian state where everyone is the same age, and age itself becomes a meaningless concept. [I can expand on this.]

How has your writing evolved from your first novel to now? What are some key lessons you’ve learned along the way?

My first novel was decidedly “literary” in an old-school way, and I learned a great deal about characterization and dialogue in the process of writing and rewriting it. But it was deliberately episodic and plotless, like life, and I wanted this new book to be more plotted, more provocative, and a lot more fun. The main learning experience was about how to dole out complex information in a way that doesn’t talk down to the reader but also doesn’t overwhelm them. That, and work discipline: that first book took almost ten years of intermittent writing. This one took eighteen months of much greater focus.

Would you be a Lifer if you had the chance? Why or why not?

I’m glad to be able to say that I’d be a Lifer. I’ve had a wonderfully fortunate life and don’t think I’d ever give it up willingly, no matter how long I lived. I also hope I’d be so outraged by some of the backlash against the super-aged that’s depicted in the book that I’d be a Lifer in political terms, too – that I’d ally myself with Marion’s “Lifer Liberation Front” and agitate for change. If they’d have me. 

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

OAKLAND, CA – In this stylishly-ambitious memoir, Janine Kovac blends her personal life with the events in ballet’s most famous show: “The Nutcracker.”

“The Nutcracker Chronicles” (She Writes Press, Nov. 12, 2024) tells the story of Janine’s pursuit of an elusive dream that compels her to endure blistered toes, weekly weigh-ins, second-hand pointe shoes, and constant insults from her directors. Why can’t you just dance like a pretty girl?

Janine Kovac was seven years old when she got a fluttery feeling in her chest while watching her first performance of The Nutcracker. From that moment, she knew she wanted to be a ballerina. It wasn’t long before she herself was dancing the part of a snowflake, flower, mouse, soldier, and Fritz, Clara’s brother, who snatches the nutcracker from her and yanks off its head—all in search of the magic she felt only on the stage. 

Over a twelve-year career, Janine dances with ballet companies in San Francisco, Seattle, Germany, Iceland, and Italy, returning home every holiday season to perform The Nutcracker with Ballet El Paso. Despite the challenges of the ballet world, Janine can’t resist the inner glow and effortlessness she feels on stage, under the lights, dancing to Tchaikovsky in the Land of Sweets, ruled by a sugar plum fairy. That’s when she feels beautiful. 

“The Nutcracker Chronicles: A Fairytale Memoir”

Janine Kovac | November 12th 2024 | She Writes Press | Nonfiction, Memoir

Paperback | ISBN: 9781647427924 | $17.99

Praise for “The Nutcracker Chronicles”

“Smart, vivid, and full of heart, Kovac nails what it feels like to be a little kid with a big dream, then fearlessly leads us to that dream’s realization and–maybe best of all–to what comes after.”

—Sara Nović, New York Times bestselling author of True Biz and Girl at War

“‘The Nutcracker Chronicles’ traces the root of one girl’s dream to dance and reach for the divine while laying bare the hard truths that come with that kind of stretching—the emotional, physical, spiritual and financial costs incurred in the name of relentless artistic callings. This book dazzles with vulnerability and vibrates with the unbridled innocence and energy of youthful convictions, reminding us that certain human needs, like love and confidence and simply being seen, are inside jobs, and while the human body has its limits, the search for that single thing that makes our hearts soar is illimitable. This book is a triumph for our times and a tribute to every one of us who knows what it means to feel more than see the beauty around and in us.”

—Putsata Reang, author of Pacific Northwest Book Award winner “Ma and Me”

“Filled with vivid, transporting descriptions of dance, from the fabric of sumptuous costumes to the fascinating mechanics of balance, The Nutcracker Chronicles is a true insider’s take on what transpires behind the scenes, on and off stage, and in the hearts and bodies of dancers.  Kovac highlights not just the pure beauty of ballet, but the interconnected waves of enthrallment, hard work, setbacks, celebration, and self-possession that shaped her life from childhood lessons to professional fruition and success.”

—Savala Nolan, author of Don’t Let It Get You Down: Essays on Race, Gender, and the Body

“A voice as distinctive and moving as they come. Kovac writes from deeply inside the experience and through it all we are privy to what isn’t seen on stage, for she not only knows she tells, ‘exactly what’s happening on the other side of the curtain.’ Janine Kovac has penned a new ballet of prose that will stay with you long after that final curtain call.”

—Toni Mirosevich, author of Spell Heaven

About the Author…

JANINE KOVAC enjoyed a twelve-year career as a professional ballet dancer in Iceland, Italy, San Francisco, and her hometown of El Paso, Texas. Outside of the ballet world, her distinctions include U.C. Berkeley’s Glushko Award for Distinguished Research in Cognitive Science, an Elizabeth George Foundation Fellowship from Hedgbrook, and the Calderwood Fellowship for Journalism from MacDowell. Janine is the author of “Brain Changer: A Mother’s Guide to Cognitive Science” and “Spinning: Choreography for Coming Home,” which received a National Indie Excellence Award. She lives in Oakland, California. Learn more about her life and work at: https://www.janinekovac.com/ 

Follow Janine Kovac on social media:

Facebook: @Janine.Kovac.Writer | Instagram: @Janine.Kovac

In an interview, Janine Kovac can discuss:

• How she finds balance in her artistic life and her role as a mother
• Tips for readers who want to explore their creative side and those who are seeking reinvention at midlife
• How her creative process as a dancer is similar to (and different from) her process as a writer
• Her experience being in a romantic relationship with a creative partner, including how to navigate ego and share ideas
• Little-known facts about The Nutcracker that readers may not know
• Whether or not ballet deserves the “toxic” reputation it is often given

An Interview with

Janine Kovac

1. What was your inspiration for this unique ballet memoir? 

When I was in high school, I wrote an essay about the disasters that befell a small ballet troupe from El Paso on its Nutcracker tour of West Texas. The essay was published in San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker playbill and I have been writing about the dramas that unfold onstage and backstage ever since. But it wasn’t until I married a ballet dancer and we had children of our own dancing in the Nutcracker did I realize that the ballet was like a metaphor for life.

2. Were there any stories that didn’t make it into the book?

Not in the book: all the antics onstage–like the time one of the mice donned skis and glided into the snow scene at the most dramatic point in the music. Dancing fifty performances in a single month gets boring after a while and sometimes the dancers would find ways to make it interesting–from dressing-room decorating contests to practical jokes hidden in plain sight onstage. Many of these stories didn’t make it into the book. And gossip–I left out lots of gossip. 

3. How do you approach writing about people who were unkind to you?

My rule of thumb is to be more generous to them in their depiction than I’d like to be. After all, they won’t be able to give their side of the story. So when I write about difficult relationships or unkind behavior, I examine ways that I, too, might have been unkind. And I focus on the facts that are the most relevant to the story.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Award-winning author Francine Falk-Allen’s two acclaimed memoirs have been featured by Buzzfeed and PopSugar, and have received a Kirkus star. A fan of genealogy research, Francine enjoyed uncovering her family’s history, and traced both her maternal and paternal ancestors back to the 1600s. She never imagined that one day she’d discover a jaw-dropping family secret.

Based on a true story, Falk-Allen’s “A Wolff in the Family” (She Writes Press, Oct. 1, 2024) is a riveting saga of prejudice, passion, and revenge, perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah’s “The Four Winds.” What mysterious scandals led a father to abandon his five youngest children—and the elder siblings to keep their shame a secret for eighty years? 

More about the book: Railroad engineer Frank Wolff and Kansas farmgirl Naomi Sims were happily married in 1908. Naomi was excited to take up her role as wife and mother and make a life with Frank in thriving Ogden, Utah. Despite Frank’s almost-constant absence due to his job riding the rails, their romantic relationship resulted in fourteen children. The young mother’s life was consumed with caring for her brood, who became helpers as soon as they could fold a diaper. Affection and conflict endured side by side in the humble house, but the marriage ultimately faced insurmountable challenges—just before the Depression took hold of the nation.

“A Wolff in the Family”

Francine Falk-Allen | October 1, 2024 | She Writes Press | Historical Fiction

Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-64742-802-0 | $18.99

Ebook | ISBN: 978-1-64742-803-7 | $12.99

Praise for the Author…

“A Wolff in The Family is an absolute page-turner!  Immediately immersive, readers will be drawn into the hardships and small joys of the Wolff family as they attempt to make a living in rural Utah—Frank as a philandering “railroad man” and Naomi as a suffering housewife and mother of ten children with little emotional support from Frank.  Falk-Allen paints a realistic picture of the West during the early part of the twentieth century with her vivid prose and realistic characters.   An intriguing story about social norms, gender roles, and, ultimately, love.  This is a fast, absorbing story that will keep you up long into the night.  Couldn’t put it down!” —Michelle Cox, author of The Fallen Woman’s Daughter

“‘A Wolff in The Family’ is an absolute page-turner! Immediately immersive, readers will be drawn into the hardships and small joys of the Wolff family as they attempt to make a living in rural Utah—Frank as a philandering “railroad man” and Naomi as a suffering housewife and mother of ten children with little emotional support from Frank. Falk-Allen paints a realistic picture of the West during the early part of the twentieth century with her vivid prose and realistic characters. An intriguing story about social norms, gender roles, and, ultimately, love. This is a fast, absorbing story that will keep you up long into the night. Couldn’t put it down!” 

—Michelle Cox, author of “The Fallen Woman’s Daughter”

“Heartbreaking at its core, Francine Falk-Allen’s ‘A Wolff in the Family’ takes the bones of a long-hidden family secret and fleshes it out to include a large cast of characters who come alive on the page. From abject poverty and a life saddled with a dozen children she’s raising alone, Naomi Wolff is drowning: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Seeking comfort in a forbidden friendship, she is stripped of her children by her abusive and vindictive husband. Kudos to Falk-Allen for taking this project on, making it both compelling and relatable, and shedding light into dark corners of family history. A bold and important read.”

—Ashley E. Sweeney, author of “Eliza Waite”

“Francine Falk-Allen has skillfully accomplished this family-story-to-novel rebirth in ‘A Wolff in the Family.’ Set a century ago in Utah and surrounding states, the hard-scrabble life, children and marriages of Naomi Wolff vividly recall a world of societal rules, privation, race and class restrictions, and the human spirit that can prevail over all of them with love and devotion. Another great read from this author!”

—Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of “Even in Darkness”  and “Hard Cider”

“An empathetic lesson in resilience and forgiveness, ‘A Wolff in the Family’ takes an unflinching look at complex familial ties, gender roles, and the hardships of women in the early 20th century through one family’s story across the United States. With the kind of drama that builds, this captivating book is a multifaceted tale with flawed and human characters and the complicated decisions that make a life.”

—Joanne Howard, author of “Sleeping in the Sun”

About the Author…

FRANCINE FALK-ALLEN: was born in Los Angeles and has lived nearly all of her life in northern California. She had polio in 1951, and has lived her life as a disabled person making an effort to be a “normie.” 

Falk-Allen was originally an art major and later completed her BA in Managerial Accounting, running her own business for over thirty years. She has always sought creative outlets, such as painting, singing, and writing. She began doing extensive family genealogy research in 1999, and has traced both her maternal and paternal ancestors back to the 1600s.

Her first book, “Not a Poster Child: Living Well with a Disability,” won gold and silver awards and was on several best books lists in 2018 and 2019, including Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2018, PopSugar and BuzzFeed, and was nominated to 25 Women Making a Difference in 2019 by Conversations Magazine.

Her second book, “No Spring Chicken: Stories and Advice from a Wild Handicapper,” received a Kirkus star, given to “books of exceptional merit” by Kirkus Reviews, and was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of August 2021. “No Spring Chicken” was also a finalist in Foreword Reviews’ Indie Awards in 2021.

Her third book, “A Wolff in the Family” is a riveting early twentieth century saga set in the western United States and based on scandalous family history.

Francine spends a significant amount of time managing the effects of post-polio. She facilitates a polio survivors’ group as well as a writing group, and volunteers on her town’s Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Committee. She loves the outdoors, swimming, gardening, movies, well-written literature, being with friends and sharing British tea and a little champagne now and then. She resides in San Rafael, California, with her husband. Learn more at: https://francinefalk-allen.com 

In an interview, Francine Falk-Allen can discuss:

• How a long-buried family secret came to light and inspired the writing of “A Wolff in the Family”
• How she blended fact with fiction to create an accurate and compelling rendition of her family history
• How she made the transition from nonfiction to fiction writing
• Why it’s important to portray how gender inequality, racism, and shame affected her ancestors
• What the research process was like for “A Wolff in the Family,” especially considering how historical records of women’s lives and accomplishments are often hard to come by
• Her journey with genealogy and her advice for others looking to uncover lost family histories

An Interview with

Francine Falk-Allen

1. What inspired you to write “A Wolff in the Family”?

At a memorial service for one of my mother’s myriad brothers and sisters, an aunt mentioned offhandedly, “When we were in the orphanage…” and I was taken aback. My mother, long dead and the eldest child, had never mentioned this. I said, “Aunt Dorothy, what orphanage? What are you talking about?” She then gave me two or three more surprising comments which led me to inquire with other family members, and meld it with what my mother had related… and I  thought it was just too juicy a story to pass up. I’m the author in the family, so I felt that it fell to me.

2. How much of the book is true-to-life, and how much is fiction?

The main events of the story, including how the youngest children ended up in an orphanage and some of the events that led up to that, are factual, and most of the resulting repercussions are true as well. I had to surmise how some of these things came to pass, and using census records and family birth, marriage and death records, I pieced together where people would have been, which led me to guess how some of the characters could have met in a particular way or place; so some of that is made up but based on possibility. I also included family vignettes which really happened. I made up nearly all of the conversations, of course, which took place from 1918 through the early 1950’s, but I set everything in places that really existed. All of the characters were real people, some of whom I knew, with most of the names changed.

3. What was the research process like for you?

As a genealogy buff, I loved doing the research. Not only was looking up the census material fun for me, but researching newspapers for bits on a divorce, and how much things cost in those days in the areas where the story takes place. For instance, I learned that my mother’s family would likely not have afforded a vacuum yet but probably used a carpet sweeper. Details like this add realism to the story. My mother loved to sing, and I assumed her mother probably did as well, so I looked up which songs were popular at different points in the story, along with which films and celebrities. I felt immersed in the era from 1918 through the 40’s, especially.

4. What advice would you give to readers who are interested in doing research on their own family histories?

Start with what you know, and ask the people who are the oldest in your life what they remember or know to be factual, such as the dates of your ancestors’ births and deaths, plus any stories they can tell. There are bound to be some myths which are not true (there were in my father’s family as well). Then you can do internet research such as is available in Family Search or Ancestry, but you have to be careful, because many people will insert things they think are true without having seen an actual birth, marriage, christening, baptism, military or death record. I originally went in person to the source, the National Archives, twenty-five years ago, and some other locations, and looked for copies of original documents, as did some of my cousins, especially the Allen cousins, not as much the Mormons on my mother’s side; they have been less careful even though they have a reputation for interest in genealogy. Notation should be made for estimates and unverified stories, but many amateur family sleuths do not do due diligence. In the process you may unearth written newspaper articles or other stories, such as whether a relative’s death record listed slaves as assets, or whether they owned a particular piece of property, which can lead you to their location and more possible stories! Once you get the bug, allow lots of time, because it’s a fascinating tunnel to pursue.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

LOS ANGELES – In her latest book, “Talking About Adolescence: Supercharge Your Body and Brain Power,” Dr. Eichin Chang-Lim draws on her impressive academic credentials and award-winning writing to offer inspirational and practical insights to young people.

Confused by changing moods and a growing body?

Embark on an exhilarating journey of self-discovery with “Supercharge Your Body and Brain Power”—the ultimate guide to navigating adolescence with confidence and empowerment.

Unveil the science behind your changing body and harness the secrets to unlocking your brain’s full potential. Learn to manage mood swings, conquer stress, and make healthy choices while building resilience to overcome challenges.

Written in an engaging, conversational style with a fun “PowerPoint” format, this book is not just a read—it’s a toolkit for shaping a bright future. Thought-provoking questions and reflective exercises ensure lasting understanding.

This book is a must-have resource for teens, young adults, parents, educators, and anyone invested in teen development. Don’t wait to unlock your full potential—order your copy today and supercharge your life!

“Talking About Adolescence: Supercharge Your Body and Brain Power”

Eichin Chang-Lim | Oct. 29, 2024 | BookBaby

Nonfiction | Adolescence

Paperback | ISBN: 979-8-35095-992-5 | $25.99 

E-Book | ISBN: 979-8-35095-993-2 | $8.99 

Dr. Eichin Chang-Lim holds a master of arts in psychology, a doctorate in optometry, and a master of science in microbiology. She is a multi-award-winning author of romantic fiction, short stories, memoirs, and self-help books. Her works explore the intricacies of human relationships and the human spirit’s resilience, evolving into inspirational tales that are both multidimensional and thought-provoking. Her books have won numerous awards, including the Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Award (first place), the IndieReader Discovery Award (winner), the Readers’ Favorite Book Award (gold medal winner), the BIBA™ Literary Award (winners), etc. 

Chang-Lim is passionate about using her writing to make a difference in people’s lives. “Every human being is valuable; every soul is unique and special,” she says. “I write with my heart and soul. My mindset is that if my writing can make a difference in even one person’s life, it’s all worth it, and that’s what love is all about.”

Chang-Lim lives in Orange County, California, with her husband and their poodle mix, Gabby.

For more information about Chang-Lim and her work, visit https://eichinchanglim.com. 

Follow Eichin Chang-Lim on social media: 

Facebook: @authoreichinchanglim | Twitter (X): @EichinChangLim

 Instagram: @eichinchanglim 

In an interview, Eichin Chang-Lim can discuss:

• Personal Inspiration – Witnessing her own children’s challenges growing up and working with teens struggling with addiction, gangs, gun violence and suicide during her career as an optometrist. Plus, how her own upbringing in Asia and how the lack of open conversations about mental health fueled her drive for helping teens.
• Interdisciplinary Influence – How her backgrounds in psychology, microbiology and optometry helped her understand the intricacies of human health, mind and behavior.
• Parental and Educator Support – Tips for adults to have open discussions and navigate sensitive topics with teens.
• Challenges Facing Teens – Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance addiction, social media obsession and making sound decisions when facing challenges.
• Building Resilience – Practical strategies for self-care, managing stress, avoiding harmful behavior, learning from role models, creating support systems and seeking professional help.
• Empowering Teens – Providing knowledge to help teens stay on the right path, helping them build resilience and making smart choices. Plus, why understanding their development helps promote self-acceptance, better decision-making and empathy.
• Neuroscience Insights – The importance of understanding brain development and its impact on behavior and decision-making.
• Influence of Fiction Writing – Using her skills as a romance and memoir writer to create engaging, relatable self-help books for teens.

An Interview with

Eichin Chang-Lim

What inspired you to write “Talking About Adolescence: Supercharge Your Body and Brain Power?”

As a mother of two adult children, I have witnessed firsthand the struggles they faced during their difficult teenage years. Additionally, throughout my 30-plus-year career in eyecare, I have worked closely with many teens and young adults. It is heartbreaking to see some of them go astray—lacking inspiration for the future, succumbing to substance addiction, joining gangs and losing their lives to violence, or appearing outwardly healthy but ultimately committing suicide or engaging in criminal behavior.

These young individuals never intended to ruin their lives, but the powerful influences of social media and peer pressure often led them astray. This inspired me to write the “Talking About Adolescence” series. My goal is to provide these vulnerable youths with the guidance and knowledge they need to navigate these challenging years and stay on the right path.

Book 2 is “Supercharge Your Body and Brain Power.” This book aims to empower them with knowledge about their body and brain development during critical times so they can build resilience, make smart choices, and confidently navigate the complexities of adolescence. Reach their full potential, have fulfilling lives, and become contributing citizens to the community. 

Can you discuss your diverse and multifaceted academic background? What motivated you to pursue several advanced degrees?

I began my academic journey with an undergraduate degree in medical technology. My passion for microbiology brought me to the USA in my early 20s, where I pursued a master’s degree in the field. Following this, I spent two years conducting research at the UCLA Medical Center. However, my curiosity didn’t stop there. The intricate and essential nature of the human eye inspired me to attend optometry school, leading to a career where I could make a difference in people’s lives.

While practicing as an optometrist, I found myself particularly drawn to the developmental stages of my younger patients. This interest sparked the idea of writing books for teens and young adults. To deepen my understanding and enhance my writing, I pursued a master’s in psychology focusing on developmental psychology. This multifaceted academic path has allowed me to explore and integrate diverse fields, ultimately enhancing my professional and personal endeavors.

How did your background in psychology, optometry and microbiology influence the content of your book?

My background in microbiology, optometry, and psychology has profoundly influenced the content of my book. Microbiology is closely linked to human health and daily life, offering valuable insights into the microscopic organisms that impact our overall well-being. Optometry, which focuses on vision, affects our movements, decision-making, and overall world perception. Psychology explores the workings of the mind, shaping our behaviors, emotional regulations, and behaviors.

Despite their apparent differences, these fields are deeply interconnected and play crucial roles in our daily lives and overall well-being. My understanding of these disciplines has allowed me to present a comprehensive and holistic perspective in my writing. By integrating microbiology, optometry, and psychology, I aim to provide readers with a profound understanding of how these aspects influence their body and mind.

What personal experiences shaped your approach to writing self-help books for teens?

My upbringing in Asia, where strict family discipline often associated physical punishment with success, profoundly influenced my journey as a self-help book author for teens. Aside from harsh discipline, I didn’t always have access to open conversations about mental health or any teen-related issues with adults. This is why I’m so passionate about writing self-help books for teens. While challenging, this experience has given me a unique perspective on the long-lasting effects of childhood adversity. 

Childhood trauma can come in various forms. I addressed them in the book, and some of them are heart-wrenching. Current research supports the notion that childhood trauma can profoundly impact mental health and even echo through generations. This knowledge motivates me to illuminate these issues and promote the welfare of young people. Through my writing, I aim to empower those who have faced adverse childhood distress to seek support and healing. 

How does your newest book promote making healthy choices and building resilience?

“Talking About Adolescence” empowers teens with neuroscientific-based knowledge to build inner strength and foster healthy habits.

The two main elements of resilience are internal and external resources. Adolescents can build their inner strength by encouraging open communication, celebrating growth, and providing safe challenges. Teens learn coping mechanisms and build confidence through goal-setting and problem-solving practice. Adolescents can acquire external resources by building support networks, such as by involving teens in community activities and providing access to counseling and support groups. 

The book emphasizes the importance of self-care in sleep, exercise, and nutrition, as well as avoiding harmful behavior and substance addiction in forming healthy habits. It also encourages teens to learn from positive role models, build a strong support system, and seek help from professionals when needed without hesitation. 

The book is a comprehensive guide, equipping teens with the indispensable tools to navigate adolescence and lay a solid foundation for a healthy future. This will make the audience feel prepared and confident. 

How does your book differ from other teen self-help guides on the market?

In several ways, my book stands out from other teen/adolescent self-help guides:

1. Personal Experience and Engagement: As a parent who has navigated the turbulent waters of adolescence with my own children, as well as someone who has worked closely with youth groups, I have a deep understanding of what resonates with teens. My aim is to engage them in a way that feels genuine and relatable, fostering a sense of connection and understanding.
2. Conversational Style: I steer clear of dense, academic language and the stern, preachy tone often found in self-help books. Instead, I opt for a conversational style that presents research-based facts in a way that is approachable and simple to grasp, making the audience feel at ease and comfortable.
3. Relevant Information: I focus on providing material pertinent to teens and young adults’ lives. The content addresses their specific concerns and challenges, ensuring they find the material practical and applicable.
4. Interactive and Thought-Provoking: My book includes thought-provoking questions and exercises to encourage self-reflection and a more profound understanding. This interactive element helps teens actively reflect on the concepts, internalize them, promote a deeper understanding, and empower them to make informed choices and apply the information to their own experiences.

My book combines these elements to inform, engage, and empower teens, making it a unique and valuable resource in the self-help market for adolescents.

Did your background in writing romantic fiction and memoirs influence your approach to writing self-help books?

Absolutely! My experience writing romantic fiction and memoirs has significantly influenced my approach to writing self-help books for teens and young adults. In both genres, the focus is on emotional connection and understanding.
Romantic fiction taught me the importance of creating relatable characters and navigating complex emotions—both crucial writing aspects for teenagers grappling with their own emotional journeys.
Memoir writing honed my ability to craft personal stories that resonate with readers. This skill allows me to weave relatable anecdotes and real-life experiences throughout “Talking About Adolescence,” making the sometimes complex scientific concepts more engaging and easier for teens to understand.
Drawing on these skills from different genres, I can present information in a way that feels personal and engaging rather than simply technical, dry or prescriptive in nonfiction writing. For me, writing transcends mere words, regardless of genre. It’s a heartfelt exchange, a connection with readers that reflects the spirit of humanity.

How do you hope your new book uplifts those who read it?

Ultimately, I want to inspire hope and show that mental health and happiness are achievable, even in the face of invisible pain. By encouraging teens to seek help and support, the book aims to help them reach their fullest potential through healthy body and brain development.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

SCARBOROUGH, North Yorkshire, U.K. — Close your eyes and immerse yourself in a story of love, separation and uncertainty, experiencing the magic of theater — without ever leaving your home.

“Hannah: The Soldier Diaries” is an innovative musical audiobook by author Steve Wallis that features narration and vocals by Zoe Wright and a foreword by Ross Kemp. This original musical audiobook, similar in presentation to Jeff Wayne’s “War of the Worlds,” contains 11 narrated chapters with each chapter being complimented by its own song, as well as a special bonus track specifically written for the show by the U.K.’s premier wartime act, the D-Day Darlings.

When the gorgeous Hannah meets Lance Corporal Jack Webb in summer 2012 she is quickly smitten. However, Hannah has to decide quickly whether to embark on a whirlwind affair or walk away, as the couple only has four weeks together before Jack has to return to the army to fight in the Afghan War. Hannah follows her heart and spends the most amazing four weeks of her life with Jack before he has to leave. Then, over two months later, Jack is missing, and Hannah — who is three months’ pregnant — is beside herself with worry. Out of nowhere, a face she knows only too well appears at her door. Are all Hannah’s worries over? Or is this the beginning of the end for Hannah and Jack?

“A triumph … A funny, moving, pop tune-filled, uplifting experience that is also a timely reminder of how fragile peace is and how what is happening miles away can be brought to our doorstep.”
— Yorkshire Evening Post

Stills from recording the audiobook

Listen to a sample of narration from the audiobook

Listen to a sample song from the audiobook

“Hannah: The Soldier Diaries”

Steve Wallis  | Fiction / Musical / Contemporary

Audiobook | $6.95 

Steve Wallis is a professional theater writer, producer and audiobook author. He has just produced to critical acclaim the musical stage version of “Hannah: The Soldier Diaries” in both his and “Hannah’s” hometown of Scarborough, United Kingdom, where he lives with his wife and two dogs. Wallis previously worked for the National Health Service but much prefers to be in the recording studio or sitting at his laptop writing the follow up audiobook to “Hannah: The Soldier Diaries,” which is due for completion later this year.
Stay in touch with him at hannahthesoldierdiaries.co.uk. 

Follow Steve Wallis on social media:

Facebook and Twitter @hannahthesoldierdiaries 

In an interview, Steve Wallis can discuss:

• His innovative decision to write an audiobook in the form of a stage musical
• Creating a book while also writing music and producing the two together
• How his grandparents’ tales from WWII motivated him to write the book
• The book’s more contemporary setting in Scarborough, North Yorkshire
• How the themes of love, loss and passion can resonate with a wide audience
• Involvement from the D-Day Darlings — the biggest-selling female group to come out of “Britain’s Got Talent”
• Upcoming plans for the second part of the series as well as the stage musical
• His collaboration with performer Zoe Wright, who plays the title role of Hannah

An interview with Steve Wallis

1. Where did the inspiration to write the audiobook come from?

The original inspiration for the story came from my grandparents who both lived through the second World War. I remember my grandmothers telling me what it was like waiting for her husband’s (my grandfather’s) letters to arrive and how she just had to “live her own life” the best she could — never really knowing if he would ever come home. Although “Hannah” is set many years later, in 2012, the themes are still very much the same as they were back in the 1940s.

For a good few years, I wanted to write a collection of songs for an album that followed a narrative — a story from beginning to end — rather than just write a bunch of songs that have no relationship to each other. “Hannah” and my grandparents gave me the opportunity to do just that.

2. Why did you decide to write the audiobook in the style of a stage musical?

I have tried to offer and create something a little different, so it’s not a straightforward album or full-length audiobook or a recording of a stage musical. It’s a narration plus songs in a musical theater style. I have always enjoyed stage musicals and produced a good few over the years and felt that this was a format I really enjoyed producing and writing. Writing in this style gives the listener a chance to imagine being in the theater without actually going to the theater. And it offers songs that tell a story with added narration to provide more depth to the story and characters, which a collection of songs I feel on their own would struggle to achieve.

3. What are some of the benefits in writing the book this way? Are there any drawbacks?

I think if a listener wants a story with songs and doesn’t have time to either read a book or listen to a full-length audiobook, it fills a needs gap. This audiobook also offers the listener the ability to enjoy the songs over and over again without buying the actual album.

The songs tell the story in their own way. This format is relatively unique, which could be a positive as it offers something relatively new — but as it is relatively new, that could also be its weakness.

4. Zoe Wright plays the title role of Hannah; how did the two of you meet and what’s it been like to work with her?

I saw Wright in a production at my local theater in Scarborough and was blown away by her talent. I contacted her agent and asked if we could meet up. Fortunately, Wright agreed and we went to the recording studio together and played through the songs and she loved them.

We subsequently spent a good few months recording all the songs and the narration and we loved every minute. She is a dream to work with, highly professional in every way. And the folks who have heard the audiobook so far love her North Yorkshire accent; they love how its so real and down to earth.

5. Can you tell us a bit about the bonus track, specifically written for the show, by the D-Day Darlings — the biggest-selling female group to come out of “Britain’s Got Talent”?

When I first heard the D-Days sing on “Britain’s Got Talent,”  I absolutely loved them and wanted them to make a guest appearance in “Hannah.” I contacted their management team and they very kindly agreed to join the project. So, I  wrote a song especially for them to sing in the stage musical version of “Hannah” called “Where Are You?”

The song is a little different to the other songs in the stage musical as it is deliberately nostalgic and reminiscent of Vera Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again.” The track does not appear in the audiobook but is available to download as a bonus track on the “Hannah” website. The purchase is price of choice, meaning you can choose whatever price you want to pay — from $0 on up.

6. What kind of audience do you think the book will resonate the most with?

Listeners who like to listen to (mostly) modern music. Listeners who like music to tell a story. Listeners who don’t have time to either read a novel or listen to an audiobook that is hours long. A wide range of listener groups of all ages as the story is a love story at its core. Listeners who like to invest in characters and the story as this is book one of two (so far).

7. What can you tell us about the second part in the series, due to release in December 2024?

“Hannah: The Soldier Diaries (Part 2) will be released in December 2024. The second audiobook is a continuation story picking up where the first book ends. The story follows the relationship Hannah has with her boyfriend’s brother. The book contains 11 brand new songs each designed to compliment and move the narrative forward as before. This second book will complete the initial Hannah story, but there is definitely more to come …

8. What’s next for the stage musical?

The musical will take to the stage once more in summer 2025. Plans are being made to enable “Hannah” to be the summer show in Scarborough, which means it will run two or three times a week for a two-month period, which we are incredibly excited about. Beyond that, we are putting together plans for a 2025 tour around thenorth of the UK with a follow up tour in 2026 with the aim of hitting the West End in London shortly afterward.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Set in small-town Louisiana, perfect for fans of “A Flicker in the Dark” and “Sharp Objects”

An atmospheric debut that will keep you on the edge of your seat! Broken Bayou had me hooked from the first page!

— Ashley Elston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of First Lie Wins 

SHREVEPORT, LA – In this compelling murder mystery, Dr. Willa Watters, a celebrated child psychologist facing the looming threat of a career-shattering scandal, seeks refuge in the embrace of her childhood sanctuary, Broken Bayou. However, her quest for solace plunges her into an intricate and perilous web of long-concealed secrets. “Broken Bayou” (Thomas & Mercer, July 1, 2024), by Jennifer Moorhead transports readers to Louisiana’s darkest corners, as Watters confronts her past to evade a deadly threat.

“People in small towns don’t forget.”

Dr. Willa Watters is a prominent child psychologist at the height of her career. But when a viral video of a disastrous television interview puts her reputation on the line, Willa retreats to Broken Bayou, the town where she spent most of her childhood summers. There she visits her aunts’ old house and discovers some of her troubled mother’s belongings still languishing in the attic—dusty mementos harboring secrets of her harrowing past. Willa’s hopes for a respite are quickly crushed, not only by what she finds in that attic but also by what’s been found in the bayou.

With waters dropping due to drought, mysterious barrels containing human remains have surfaced, alongside something else from Willa’s past, something she never thought she’d see again. Divers, police, and media flood the area, including a news reporter gunning for Willa and Travis Arceneaux—a local deputy and old flame. Willa’s fate seems eerily tied to the murders. And with no one to trust, she must use her wits to stay above water and make it out alive.

Broken Bayou

Jennifer Moorhead | July 1, 2024 | Thomas & Mercer | Thriller

Paperback | 9781662518775 | $12.78

Ebook | 9781662518768 | $4.99

More about Jennifer Moorhead

Jennifer graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Geaux Tigers! She has written and produced three indie short films that each made top 20 at the Louisiana Film Prize and were awarded at festivals around the world. She lives in Louisiana with her husband, two needy doodles, one very un-needy shelter kitty, and a plethora of farm animals. Her grown daughters are off creating their own life stories. When she’s not writing, she’s photographing the swamps and winding trails in her backyard or she’s on a tennis court laughing and providing job security for her coach. You can learn more about her at her website.

Follow Jennifer Moorhead on social media:

Facebook: Jennifer Moorhead Author | Threads: @jen_moorhead

Instagram: @jen_moorhead

In an interview, Jennifer Moorhead can discuss:

• How she taps into the ambiance of her Louisiana surroundings, infusing real-life inspiration into the atmospheric setting of the book
• How the story was shaped by true crime stories, and weaving that into her novel
• Writing a story heavily based on how our past experiences shapes us
• What every new writer should know about traditional publishing
• What it’s like to transition from stay-at-home mom to debut author and the importance of finding passion
• How failure can lead to success and defining what success means and how it is achieved

An Interview with

Jennifer Moorhead

1. Where did your love of writing come from, and what has your writing journey been like up to this point? How did it lead you to write Broken Bayou?

My love for writing started with my love for reading. I was the kid who loved the summer reading list. I wrote short stories and poems in college then started writing novels in my late 20’s after taking a creative writing class. I went on to write three novels, all of which fall into the practice of making a perfect pile. Then I read an article about a missing school teacher and the premise for Broken Bayou started taking shape. 

2. How has your real-life home of Louisiana inspired your writing and the atmospheric setting of the book?

Since I was a kid, I’ve loved exploring in the woods (Poison Ivy be damned!). I live in Louisiana on a wild piece of property where I get to experience swamps, woods, and trails as well as all of the critters that live in those places. I’m immersed in the sights, smells, and sounds of Louisiana every day and I love sharing those things in my writing. 

3. How was Broken Bayou shaped or inspired by true-crime stories, and how did you weave those similar events into the story?

It started with a newspaper article about a missing school teacher in south Louisiana who the police believed drove her car into a bayou. Divers were brought in to search the bayou and they did ultimately find her but they also found something else buried in that murky water. That’s what piqued my interest. So I took the idea of a missing school teacher and used it as a catalyst to uncover the real story of Broken Bayou.

4. Why did you choose to write a story so heavily focused on how past experiences shape us? 

Because I have always been fascinated by the idea that past behavior predicts future behavior, even when we know better. The psychology behind that and behind how to break patterns is something I wanted to explore through my protagonist.

5. What are three things you’d say helped make this book a reality?

Perseverance, failure, and collaboration are my ingredients for success in publishing. Traditional publishing takes a long time. You have to be willing to grind through it and keep going despite how many times you hear the word no. It’s also good to embrace failure. It’s going to happen. I had a book that failed to sell and because of that I turned my attention back to Broken Bayou. Lastly, find your people. I believe there is strength in numbers and my writing group is my strength.

6. What advice would you give a writer who wants to traditionally publish?

Hone your craft with online courses, books, podcasts, and/or in-person conferences. Read books in your genre. Edit but don’t over-edit. This is a tricky balance. Join writing groups in your town or online and start networking. And start researching agents. They are the gatekeepers to traditional publishing.

7. What was the journey like from stay at home mom to debut author?

It was wild! I wrote books while my daughters lived at home but I didn’t try to sell a book until they left for college. Something strange happens when your “job” drives away from the house and doesn’t come back. It’s the perfect time to step outside of your comfort zone. I’d hidden my writing for so long it was hard at first to even talk about it, much less allow someone to read it. But I did and after years of editing, networking, learning, and querying I caught a dream I’d been chasing. I highly recommend moms find something out there that is just for them. It’s freeing.

8. Can we expect anything else from you in the world of writing?

Yes. I’m working on a companion book to Broken Bayou. I’m following the story of another character from the book who would not leave me alone!

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Advocate, teacher, and author Bridey Thelen-Heidel pens a raw and immersive account of growing up alongside an abusive, narcissistic mother. Bright Eyes (She Writes Press, September 24, 2024) is an astonishing narrative of Bridey’s tenacious spirit, commitment to optimism in the face of unspeakable trauma, and dedication to breaking cycles of abuse. 

Bridey is tethered to her mom’s addiction to dangerous men who park their Harley-Davidsons in the house and kick holes in all their doors. Raised to be her mother’s keeper, rescuer, and punching bag, Bridey gets used to stuffing her life into black trash bags, hauling them between Alaska and California, and changing schools every time her mom moves in a new monster—or runs away from one.  

Desperately seeking the normal life she’s observed in sitcoms and her friends’ families, Bridey earns her way into a fancy, private college, where she tries to forget who she is—until her mom calls with a threat that drops Bridey to her knees. Watching doctors and police interrogate her mother at the hospital, Bridey realizes her mom has become a monster herself… and she doesn’t want to be saved. But Bridey does. 

Bright Eyes is about the indomitable spirit of a young girl forced to be brave, required to be resilient, and conditioned to be optimistic, and how she ultimately uses the same traits that helped her to survive her mother’s chaos to create her own happily ever after. 

Bright Eyes: Surviving Our Monsters and Learning to Live Without Them

Bridey Thelen-Heidel | September 24, 2024

She Writes Press | Distributed by Simon & Schuster | Autobiography, Memoir 

Paperback | 978-1647427382 | $17.95 

E book | 978-1-64742-739-9 | $12.99

Bridey Thelen-Heidel’s chaotic upbringing meant changing schools between Alaska and California more than twenty times. A Lewis and Clark College graduate, she lives in South Lake Tahoe with her husband and daughter and teaches at her alma mater. 

A TEDx speaker and frequent podcast guest, Bridey performed in Listen to Your Mother NYC and has been published in MUTHA Magazine. A fierce youth advocate who’s been voted Best of Tahoe Teacher several times by her community, Bridey’s work with LGBTQ+ students has been celebrated in Read This, Save Lives by Sameer Jha and the California Teachers Association’s California Educator.  Find out more about Bridey at her website.

Follow Bridey Thelen-Heidel on social media: 

Facebook: @bridey.heidel | Twitter: @BrideyHeidel | Instagram: @brighteyesauthor 

In an interview, Bridey Thelen-Heidel can discuss:

• How Bridey found the courage to break family ties to heal, pursue her dreams, and salvage an unshakable sense of self
• The difficult, but important, decision to go no-contact with a parent 
• Advice for people considering going no-contact with a narcissistic family member 
• How she broke the cycle of abuse when she became a mother 
• Her deep connection to Duran Duran and how their music profoundly inspired her and helped her heal in adulthood 
• How her adventurous spirit and inspiration to share her story with others ultimately led to her meeting her heroes: Duran Duran 
• How her upbringing shaped her career as a teacher and compelled her to become a staunch advocate for students, especially LGBTQ+ youth
• How her motto “ROB the trauma and steal back your life” turned into a widely viewed TEDx Talk 

Advanced Praise for “Bright Eyes” 

“At once tender and fierce, Bright Eyes is an astonishing story of perseverance and the power of hope. In clear, sharp prose, Bridey Thelen-Heidel reclaims the narrative of her life from the monsters who shaped her early years. Bright Eyes is engaging, essential, and impossible to put down.”

–Jen Bryant, Editor, MUTHA Magazine

“This incredibly written, immersive memoir is a heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting journey through the author’s chaotic childhood, marked by neglect and abuse. Bridey’s vivid and evocative writing style makes you feel like you’re right there with her on the ‘constant crazy train’ – never knowing what’s coming next…With unflinching honesty, she shares the raw, vivid details of her childhood and the long-term effects of trauma on her physical and mental health…Bridey’s story is a beacon of hope, reminding us that no matter what we’ve endured, we have the strength to overcome and rise above.”

–Stephanie Thornton Plymale, Author of American Daughter, CEO of Heritage School Of Interior Design 

“Thelen-Heidel’s vivid, vulnerable prose contains plenty of hard-fought wisdom—among other things, never underestimate the solace provided by Duran Duran’s music—and pragmatic inspiration driven by her traumatic experiences. In the end, Bright Eyes asserts that betting on yourself is a powerful move, one that can even lead to forgiveness, healing and new beginnings.”

 –Annie Zaleski, music journalist and author of the 33 1/3 volume on Duran Duran’s Rio

“Bright Eyes is Bridey Thelen-Heidel’s compelling account of surviving a chaotic childhood with a cruel, narcissistic mother who has a penchant for beer and violent boyfriends. Although the understory of Bright Eyes is one of trauma, the greater narrative is about mustering the courage to break family ties to salvage a sense of self and daring to dream big, seemingly unreachable dreams—that eventually come true. Honest to the bone, this memoir will keep you turning the pages until its final, hard-won, uplifting moments.” 

–Suzanne Roberts, author of Animal Bodies: On Death, Desire, and Other Difficulties

“Bridey Thelen-Heidel’s thousands of fans begged Duran Duran’s Simon LeBon to meet her even before she became a debut author. In her unputdownable memoir BRIGHT EYES, Thelen-Heidel mends the shards of a shattered childhood, forging a glittering gift for readers and survivors. Fans of MAID and Tiny Beautiful Things will devour Thelen-Heidel’s pages full of her gripping storytelling, enduring strength, and “Duranie” heart.”

—Ann Imig, LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER founder/editor

“With warm, tender guidance, Bridey Thelen-Heidel invites us into her story, painting the portrait of extraordinary resilience in the face of searing trauma. Music has always been a comfort in times of chaos, and while I relished how Bridey seized control of her own destiny, it was a personal joy to see Duran Duran light up the darkness when Bridey needed it most.”

—Andrew Golub, Author of Beautiful Colors: The Posters of Duran Duran

An Interview with Bridey Thelen-Heidel

1. Why did you decide to write “Bright Eyes?” In what ways did writing about your experience impact your healing journey? 

I wanted to not only share what I survived but how I severed ties and managed to heal myself enough to become a loving mother and wife, which I know is a fear for many of us raised in similar chaos because we are scared to have kids for fear we’ll be the same kind of abusive parent or scared we won’t be able to have loving relationships because we didn’t grow up knowing how to love or be loved in a healthy way. 

2. How has your abusive childhood impacted your career as a teacher and advocate for students? 

As a kid, I appreciated being held to the same standards as all the other students because expectations made me feel “normal” and gave me a sense of pride and dignity that I didn’t necessarily feel from well-intentioned family members who’d somewhat written me off as becoming “just like her mother” and ending up as a young mom on welfare. 

Advocating for students who are scared to speak up because they’ve been taught to stay quiet and small and teaching students who have yet to find their voice how to advocate for themselves is something I’m most proud of in my teaching career. Even at my age, I’m still learning the power of my own voice and telling truths that I’ve kept secret for too long because it gives permission for others to do the same. 

3. Duran Duran provided comfort during your tumultuous childhood, tell us about your relationship with music and why you connected so deeply with the band. 

I was twelve when I discovered Duran Duran’s music, and I think at the time it was an escape into a world that felt my age—a world I had rarely been part of because I was burdened with adult responsibilities and worries. Giggling and screaming about cute British boys was joyful, and something my mom couldn’t take away because the band’s music followed me when I moved—songs I knew by heart and lyrics I sang myself asleep to—turning up the record loud enough to drown out whatever was happening on the other side of the wall. 

As an adult who made her own money and decisions, I was able to recapture some of those teen experiences I missed out on by attending Duran Duran concerts as often as I could, and because memories are in the present tense, their music and lyrics whisked me back to being a scared, lonely teenager who could now heal those parts of myself.  

4. How were you able to leave your abuser, what helped you stay away, and what decisions did you make to ensure you broke the cycle of abuse? 

The decision to break the cycle of abuse and sever all ties took many false starts and failed attempts. I didn’t leave when I could have or should have because leaving was hard. Staying was hard, too. When I finally chose my “hard,” it was the least popular decision I’ve ever made—and I am someone who likes being liked. I got called selfish, inconsiderate, ungrateful, a pain in the ass, rude, high and mighty, dramatic, and—of course—a bitch. But what I didn’t get called was back. No one asked me to come home. No one called to apologize. No one admitted there might be a reason I left. No one wondered why I wasn’t answering the phone because they knew.     

5. What do you hope that readers take away from reading your memoir? 

I hope readers who need to will find their own way out—their own path to leave, to heal, and to forgive themselves and anyone else they feel deserves it. What I learned by leaving is that you’re going to have to accept that you might lose everything and everyone you’ve known—including the person you’ve known yourself to be your whole life—but you’re also going to find yourself and the life you deserve. Your real self. Leaving is hard, but not leaving might kill you—if not physically, mentally and spiritually. But surviving it all has given you a resilience, optimism, and bravery that are superhuman strengths you get to use because you’ve earned them and they’re yours—forever. 

Leaving is hard. Staying is hard. But not leaving means the bad guys won. Not only did they own your past, but now they’ll control your present and, undoubtedly, will predict your future.  

6. Is anything else on the horizon for you as an author? 

Odd as of departure as it seems, I’m working on a set of children’s books titled MAD MARTHA AND GRACIE based on me and my Irish Setter and all the weird anxiety/dissociative disorder I developed as a kid who whose mind was trying to explain to her mind how to survive life with my mother—writing in the air, leaving my body and flying up and away from the danger, and watching myself like scenes in a movie. It’s Junie B Jones meets Pippi Longstocking’s therapist 🙂 The young girl is nine years old, long red hair with bangs, bucked teeth, scrappy clothes and mismatched socks. Her name is Martha, but the neighborhood calls her “Mad Martha” (like my grandmother’s racing nickname) because she seems a bit crazy to them—all the writing in the air and wacky behaviors—and the only one who can read the words she writes is her trusted friend, Gracie, her Irish Setter. 

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/

Bravery meets betrayal in this dystopian tale where a human and a rodent bridge their different worlds as an interspecies war rages, in the award-winning YA novel illustrated and written by  A.T. Balsara. “The Great and The Small” (Common Deer Press, Sept 3, 2024) follows a young tormented teen who befriends a rebellious rat and the inexplicable way their lives intertwine in this dark yet hopeful story of resilience, acceptance, and strength. 

Filled with beautiful graphic illustrations, the Nautilus Book Award silver winner is being released with a new cover and expanded story that offers a deeper, nuanced exploration into themes of coping with buried sexual abuse, trauma, and PTSD that will resonate with teens.

Ananda is a troubled teen who feels like a misfit, and her unusual ability to connect with animals makes her feel like even more of an outsider. Still raw from her grandmother’s death, Ananda’s dreams are haunted by a long-buried memory that causes her to push people away. Fin is a Tunnel rat who lives in the dark places humans overlook or despise. Orphaned, he is the nephew of the Tunnel’s charismatic leader and will do anything to please his uncle. When Ananda protects Fin during a chance encounter in the market, neither can foresee how their lives will forever be inextricably linked, but as the Chairman launches a plague war against the humans, both Fin and Ananda wrestle with secrets so terrible that they threaten their very existence.

Told as mirroring narratives that reverberate with the effects of buried trauma, and informed by historical accounts of plague and dictatorship, this stunning tale examines what it takes to grasp for light in the darkness and survive the threats both beyond us and within us.

The Great and the Small

A.T. Balsara | 2nd edition Sept 3, 2024 | Common Deer Press

Contemporary YA fantasy

Paperback | 978-1-988761-10-7 | $15.99 USD, $19.99 CAD

Ebook | 978-1-988761-95-4 |  $10.99 USD

A.T. Balsara is an award-winning children’s and young adult author/illustrator, motivational speaker, and energy medicine practitioner. Her passion is to inspire joy through storytelling and energy healing, helping young people and adults to walk “the Hero’s Journey” in real life. She writes and illustrates for young children under her full name, Andrea Torrey Balsara, and for young adults under A.T. Balsara.

Andrea is also a painter, an avid amateur explorer of quantum physics, and a keen environmentalist. She advocates for the humane treatment of animals and regularly volunteers at a donkey sanctuary where she uses energy medicine to help previously neglected and abused animals regain their health and vitality.

To learn more about her and sign up for her newsletter, visit: www.torreybalsara.com

Follow A.T. Balsara on social media: 

Facebook: @AndreaTorreyBalsara | Twitter: @torreybalsara | Instagram: @andreatorreybalsara 

Praise and awards for the first edition of The Great and The Small

• 2020 Page Turner Book Awards, shortlisted; won the Spectrum Audiobook prize 2018 Nautilus Book Awards, Silver
• 2018 Literary Classics, Eloquent Quill Award (top honors); Golds in Upper MG Adventure category and Special Interest-Epic category
• 2018 ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Competition, Semi-Finalist 
• 2018 Moonbeam Book Award, Silver 
• 2018 Purple Dragonfly Award, Silver 
• 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards, Finalist Spring 
• 2018 Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s BEST BOOKS for Kids & Teens Magazine selection 

“This YA book ‘The Great and The Small’ is George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘1984’ meets Hemingway’s ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’…”

-Richard M. Grove, publisher, editor, writer, poet laureate

“A. T. Balsara’s The Great and the Small is an irresistibly compelling graphic novel that weaves Gothic and Modern eras into a dark tapestry at times both tender and violent…It is the storyline that pulls you down the page with urgency, yet these pictures are so arrestingly beautiful, you simply find yourself stopping to luxuriate in them…In this age of intense scrutiny of the destructive nature of humankind towards the entire world, The Great and the Small is an enlightening parable that is as irresistible as it is timely.”

-Philip Roy, author

“Exploring the complex layers of the human (and animal) heart, and what it means to love and struggle with ties to family as well as the greater good, A.T. Balsara deftly weaves a tale that is compelling and thought-provoking. Asking the reader to understand how ignorance, misunderstanding, blind ideology, hatred, and betrayal can lead us only into the darkest abyss, The Great & the Small reminds us of the higher ideals that unite us all, whether great or small.” 

-Leila Merl, poet and former high school teacher

“This gripping tale speaks volumes on many underlying themes which add greater depth and symbolism to an already powerful story. Highly recommended for home and school libraries, The Great & the Small has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.”

-Literary Classics Review

In an interview, A.T. Balsara can discuss:

• Why she decided to revisit her YA book to include more of Ananda’s story
• Why she decided to write a story from two separate perspectives (one of a rat and one of a young girl) and the process of intertwining the two stories together
• How she approached writing a YA story after years of writing and illustrating children’s books
• How the character of Fin battles with his personal struggle with blind obedience
• How Balsara incorporates themes of racism, dictatorship, authoritarianism, and “the other” through the guise of a rat colony
• How Ananda’s story is a personal reflection of her own struggles with PTSD and sexual abuse
• How her work in energy healing has helped her overcome her personal trauma and how she uses to help others

An Interview with A.T. Balsara

1. Where did the inspiration for the story come from? And why did you want to write a story about rats? 

There are two distinct and yet intertwining stories in The Great and The Small. Both the human girl Ananda’s story and Fin the rat’s story tell the story of being estranged from one’s true self, one because of buried trauma, and the other by his culture, in this case a rat colony’s culture that was based on the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union.

2. What is your creative process like when writing and illustrating your novels?

I suffer from a serious case of imposter syndrome, as many writers do, and so to get myself out of my head, I start with picking soundtracks that have the feeling and tone of the story I have brewing. I have soundtrack playlists for every project I work on. At the moment, I have 9 playlists on the go, for projects I’m either writing, illustrating or am stewing about. It’s a way of easing into the project, of sneaking in the backdoor, that puts my inner critic at ease. If a story is coming to me, ideas come fast– and can leave just as quickly. At those times, I keep pencil and paper handy, or my phone, and frantically jot down whatever notes or scene ideas come to me before they disappear into oblivion, and file them with the collection of  jotted notes and reference photos I’ve kept for the project. That stewing/brewing process of gathering ideas often takes years. When a project rises to the top and feels ready to work with, I choose a song that fits the moment and play it on a loop, as loud as my poor dogs can stand. With my scraps of notes and photos spread around me, I start fleshing out characters, writing a rough outline of significant events in the book, and clarify the conclusion I want to reach. And then I “gird my loins” and dive into that dreaded first draft, which feels less like creative writing and more like drilling through rock (my head, in this case). For me, the joy comes in the rewrite. As the book takes shape under my hands, there are moments where scenes write themselves and the characters move and act of their own accord–and I’m writing with eyes half-closed, recording what I “see.” That’s the joy. That’s when all the drilling falls away and I feel like I’m flying. It’s addictive, joyful, and deeply satisfying.

3. You have two unusual storylines that interconnect in the novel (a story about a colony of rats and a teenage girl struggling from buried trauma). What are the overarching themes that connect these stories?

Both Fin and Ananda’s stories reflect the oppression of not knowing who you truly are. I have always loved the Hero’s Journey archetype and as I walked through my own “dark night of the soul,” I found that in those darkest times there was always a thin sliver of light. There was always something, some way forward, even when the way seemed impossible. We love reading about a character’s struggles and can see their heroism, but somehow we never frame our own struggles and cycles of growth in terms of the Hero’s Journey. Our instant-gratification culture is deathly afraid of pain, and of self-sacrifice, but if we walk the Hero’s Journey, and as we surrender illusion to seek truth, we find a return to our true self. It is a painful, and yet unspeakably joyous journey.

For Ananda, the buried abuse makes her doubt herself, veils her from who she truly is, and drives her to the edge of the abyss. For Fin, the environment of his home, tunnel culture, and the love he has for his uncle, blinds him to his uncle’s true nature and from truth. He finds himself doing acts of incredible cruelty in the name of the “common good,” and yet still tries to run and hide from what he’s become until finally he can’t anymore. In those moments of the story where Fin and Ananda interact, they help each other take another step towards the light and away from the darkness. Both must walk the Hero’s Journey to find their true selves. 

4. The 1st edition won several awards, so why did you feel the need to rewrite the book and re-release it as a 2nd edition?

It became clear to me after the first edition was published in 2017, that Ananda’s story wasn’t finished. When I was given the opportunity to rewrite it by Common Deer Press, I was finally at a point where I could tell Ananda’s story and to explore those dark corners of my own experience through her eyes. It was a deeply painful, cathartic, and yet joyful experience. I loved being able to dive back into this world I had created, which I loved so much. Ananda’s character unfolded as I wrote and revised, until she became real to me. Through her, I saw my own struggles with new eyes, and gained compassion and understanding for my younger self. I hadn’t realized the compounding impact that buried memory has on a person and on their sense of self. I wanted to write about what it’s like to feel crazy, to know truth but doubt it, and to have the time bomb of suicide ideation ticking inside you. Many people have gone through what I have, and many are still stuck in the abyss. I want people to know that there is light after the darkness, and that although sorrows and pain carve furrows into you, as you heal, those furrows are filled with joy. There are gifts that are only revealed through trauma and deep suffering, like the jack pines whose cones only open in the fire. I want those who still suffer to know that there is not only hope, but there is joy if they keep walking.

Download press kit and photos

Marissa DeCuir

A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.

Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.

booksforward.com/about-us/marissa-decuir/