Virtual Book Tour: Between Two Seasons by Marc Macdonald

 BETWEEN TWO SEASONS

by Marc Macdonald

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GENRE: Literary Fiction

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BLURB:

Haunted by regret and stalled by guilt, Alex Chambers arrives at Silver Springs Health and Rehabilitation Centre searching for redemption. What he finds instead is Mae Seasons—a sharp-tongued, fiercely independent resident with no interest in being anyone’s project.

Alex came hoping to make amends for the mistakes of his youth, especially to the woman he once hurt. But when that hope slips away, he’s drawn into an unexpected role: caregiver and reluctant confidant to Mae, whose irreverence hides a lifetime of buried truths.

As days at Silver Springs unfold in their strange, often absurd rhythm, Alex is forced to confront the tangled grief of his past. Through awkward silences, reluctant confessions, and moments of startling vulnerability, he and Mae forge an unlikely friendship—one stitched together by shared loneliness, reluctant compassion, and the possibility of healing.

At once poignant and quietly humorous, Between Two Seasons is a story about the lives we try to outrun, the people who challenge us to face ourselves, and the surprising ways connection takes root.

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EXCERPT:

I exited the food line like a camper in the mess hall, tray in hand and desperately seeking a friend or two to sit with. I, however, scanned the room for the opposite: an empty table. I didn’t have any friends here and wasn’t intent on making any. I wanted to eat and get back to my room. A budding headache and body ache were on the precipice of significantly derailing my first hours at Silver Springs. And these were crucial hours. I was banking on a good night’s rest to alleviate these symptoms but feared the anxious excitement of finally arriving here would preclude any such endeavour. 

“Hey, new guy, over here,” came a voice and welcoming wave from the person sitting at a table to my left. 

Shit. There goes anonymity. 

I had a split decision to make: be polite and kindly dismiss the invitation or accept and possibly be pulled into the labyrinth of Silver Springs politicking. My therapist would not be pleased with this thought. I was creating an outcome, a negative outcome, to a situation I had not yet experienced. But still, I mean, how was this place unlike high school? I’d already relived several moments from my burgeoning youth, and I’d only been on the premises a very short time.

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Author Interview

Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? 

MM: I currently live in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, which is about 20 minutes from Niagara Falls. I was born in Ontario, grew up in Alberta (western Canada) and graduated high school in New Jersey. I’ve been in St. Catharines now the longest I’ve ever lived anywhere. I met my wife at university here and we have two young boys and a pet dog Ozzie that makes up our awesome family unit.

I’ve always loved working with words and get to do so as part of my day job as the Chief Communications & Engagement Officer with the City of Welland. I’m an avid reader, a huge baseball fan, and would gladly live off grid (with amenities of course) in a heartbeat. 

What genre do you read? Who's an author you read? Name your top 5 authors.

MM: I’m literary fiction almost exclusively. My top five authors (and this is hard and in no particular order:

Amy Jones

Terry Fallis

Fredrik Backman

Jonathan Tropper

Nickolas Butler

What book are you reading right now, and what do you like about it?

MM: The Celebrants by Steve Rowley. I love friendship books; the ones that explore their evolution over time and what connects us on so many levels. The Celebrants does an excellent job of this.

Favorite sports. 

MM: Baseball, golf, football.

Favorite thing about your state you live in.

MM: I live in Canada, but I did live in New Jersey for a time, so I’ll go back to those days: proximity to the ocean. 

How long have you been writing?

MM: I’ve been writing seriously since about 2006 when I started writing for my university newspaper. From there, in some capacity, I’ve never stopped. Whether it was journalism, speeches, reports, and now novels, words have been central to everything I do for quite some time.

What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?

MM: I am a certified pantser. I can barely plot my breakfast let alone a book. I usually have a starting point and ending point in mind when I start writing, but what’s in the middle needs to be spontaneous for me. As a result, the first draft often requires quite the rearrangement, but getting the story out is the most important thing for me and not knowing exactly what that needs is something that makes my process successful for me.

How do you celebrate finishing a book?

MM: Honestly, pretty quietly and relaxed. I popped some champagne when I signed with a publisher, but at the end of the book, it’s just some subtle reflection. The celebration comes more for me when I get a note from a reader saying they enjoyed the book. 

How do you organize everything and finding the time to sit down and write?

MM: It’s a miracle. I’ve taken to using my lunch hours at work, times when everyone else has gone to sleep, and any other tiny moments I can steal. When writing isn’t your full time job, life’s responsibilities take priority, and I wasn’t always great at seeing that. But now, I try to ensure my writing never has a negative impact on my family.

Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing? 

MM: Certainly my family; they have unwavering belief in me. Outside of family, my publisher, Hannah Gordon, and a group of other authors who grinding away just like me (far too many to name).

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Marc MacDonald is an author who believes every great story starts with a spark—whether it’s a single sentence, an unforgettable character, or an idea that won’t let go. As the writer behind Between Two Seasons, a novel that celebrates the beauty of human connection, Marc weaves heartfelt narratives that linger long after the last page is turned.

When he’s not crafting compelling fiction, Marc applies his storytelling skills as a seasoned communications professional, proving that every message—whether in a book or a press release—deserves to be engaging. He’s also a fierce defender of the Oxford comma, an unapologetic pun enthusiast, and someone who firmly believes that coffee is the most essential writing tool.

Find him deep in his next manuscript, chasing inspiration, or justifying “research” as an excuse to buy more books. Catch up with Marc on his personal website: https://marcmacdonald.ca/ or @MarcMacWrites on Instagram.

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Marc Macdonald will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway