Welcome Author Sara R. Turnquist

Aug 30, 20205 min read

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog. I hope everyone is having a great summer! Today I have Author Sara R. Turnquist visiting with her newest release, AMONG THE PAGES! This is a stop on Goddess Fish Virtual Book Tour. The author will be awarding a $50 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card at the end of the tour via rafflecopter, so be sure to follow all the stops!

GENRE: Historical romance (sweet)

AMONG THE PAGES

A woman’s choice…is in question.

Brianne is a somewhat naïve college freshman. She becomes disillusioned as her professors and peers challenge many of her long-held beliefs. When she finds a diary that belonged to a distant relative, she hopes it will offer much needed distraction. And she is soon drawn into the story of a passionate woman who seems to whisper from the past.

In 1915’s New York, idealist and primary teacher Margaret struggles with the problems women face at home and in society. She is first timid about speaking her mind, but in time cannot keep her impassioned spirit hidden—not even from the gentleman who teaches in the classroom next door. His concern for her stretches the limits of their friendship, pressing into something more. Caught up in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, she faces down authority figures and others who question her beliefs.

And so, Brianne is whisked along on this journey as Margaret joins the fight for women’s rights, all the while trying to work through her own questions and experiences with modern feminism.

Before long, things spin out of control and she wonders where her newfound relationship fits into everything? Are there any clear answers? Will she land on her feet? Or be forever lost to herself?

READ AN EXCERPT

CONTEMPORARY TIME PERIOD – Brianne goes to hear a Speaker from NOW (National Organization for Women)

“Ask yourself,” the woman continued, now staring at Brianne.

Heat crept into her cheeks.

“What am I worth? Where does my value lie? What can I take hold of and rely on in this life?”

Ms. Mason scanned the room, and Brianne shivered.

As much as she’d like to dismiss all of this as nonsense, the woman’s questions would not quiet. Where was her worth?

Wasn’t it in Christ? That felt rather abstract. Could that be a foundation?

Her parents believed she was special, but they wouldn’t always be there.

Scott seemed to think her worth his time and attention. Should she rely on a man to give her value? That made her uneasy.

Where did she belong? On what truth might she base her life? Her value?

She rolled the question in her mind. Stymied.

Thunderous applause broke out around her; several of the students and faculty around her rose.

Brianne clapped and stood. Except… she didn’t know what to think about the speech. Still, it was the polite thing to do. Wasn’t it?

The applause quieted, and the crowd started moving, some toward the exit, some toward the speaker.

Brianne gathered her notebook and pen, bending to grab her bag.

“I’m going to ask her some questions,” Daria said, leaning over her.

Brianne shot up and looked at the front of the room. A small crowd surrounded Ms. Mason. “Sure.”

Daria gripped at her elbow. “Come on.”

Did she wish to face down Ms. Mason? The thought made her stomach do a little flip. She met Daria’s eyes. “I think I’ll head back to the dorm. I’ve got that Chemistry homework to finish.” And I want some time to think. Alone.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Sara is a coffee lovin', word slinging, Historical Romance author whose super power is converting caffeine into novels. She loves those odd little tidbits of history that are stranger than fiction. That's what inspires her. Well, that and a good love story.

But of all the love stories she knows, hers is her favorite. She lives happily with her own Prince Charming and their gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written, even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.

Sara is an avid reader and enjoys reading and writing clean Historical Romance when she’s not traveling. Her books range from the Czech lands to the American wild west and from ancient Egypt to the early 1900s. Some of her titles include The Lady Bornekova, Hope in Cripple Creek, The General’s Wife, Trail of Fears, and the Convenient Risk Series.

Happy Reading!

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR

Website: http://saraturnquist.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarat1701

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorsararturnquist/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarat0103/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/saravturnquist/

YouTube: https://bit.ly/sara-youtube

WHERE TO BUY

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BH42H5X/ref=sr_1_1

How to Handle Negative Criticism

by Sara R. Turnquist

As a writer, you do some pretty scary things. You pour your heart and soul into a work of art and brilliance (or so you believe). And then you get up the courage to submit it. After a million and one years (or several weeks/months) of waiting, you have a contract.

Then you have to get up the nerve to send it for editing. Boy is that “send” button hard to push! And when you get that manuscript back with red on it (any red really), your heart falls into your stomach. But you tell yourself, “they’re on my team, they only want to make my manuscript stronger” (which is true). So you go through that editing process…three times…or more.

Then, it’s as good as you can make it. It still (hopefully) has mostly you in it and your message is clear, untainted (because you got all diva on that editor for wanting you to change that one part, but that was the last straw and you held your ground).

Then you send it out to the world. Another hard thing to do. A “biting nails” hard thing to do. Because, as difficult as the editor thing was…they were on your side. John and Jane Doe won’t be. They won’t care. They might be mean.

And then people say nice things. Really nice things.

Whew.

But then that one review comes in. The one among many. And it crushes you.

And you decide that everyone feels this way. They must. Because the things this person said…it’s horrible. You’re a fraud!

Well…let’s get some perspective…

Some people are haters. And, as Taylor Swift says, “haters gonna hate, hate, hate…” She’s not wrong. But let’s not throw all of it out.

The only reason you should read any reviews – positive or critical – is to learn. Otherwise you get a big head or get discouraged.

Is there a pattern among the reviews? Any truth in what’s being written about the book? Take out anything that is true and that you can learn from. Then improve upon those things. And let the rest go. You don’t own it. And it doesn’t define you as a person or a writer.

At some point, you might need to reach this place where your book, in your mind, becomes a product. Any reviews are about your book. Not about you. The reader doesn’t get the point behind the book. They don’t get the story. They don’t like the book. Face it; they don’t know you enough to say anything about you. And, it is true that they are entitled to their opinion about your work. It’s a product. It may just not be to their taste.

We’d all be a little better off if we could be more like Elsa…and just… “let it go.”

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to grab your copy of AMONG THE PAGES today! Don't forget to enter the $50 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card via rafflecopter.