THE GOODBYES
Helen Gillespie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Women’s Fiction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Struggling with becoming an adult in a small mid-western town, Dianne must confront family secrets, deception, and discovery during her last year of college. As she cares for her ailing mother, her world begins to unravel and she is challenged to navigate through lies, friendships, love...and murder.
Meeting the wrong person makes it possible for her to recognize the right ones and to find the strength she needs to survive. Realizing that she is responsible for her own destiny, she learns that to say hello to a new life, she must first say goodbye.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
All living creatures hold secrets for basic survival. Humans keep secrets to preserve their image, hide their misjudgments, or protect those they care about. Only in the safest conditions, absolute trust or vulnerability, can humans feel safe divulging their secrets, laying bare their hidden selves.
Katrina England and her husband did not keep secrets from Dianne or indulge in the usual childhood fantasies of princesses or fairy godmothers with her daughter. Even Santa Claus was introduced from a historical perspective rather than as a magical elf. The Englands were doting parents who disciplined their daughter when necessary and answered her questions honestly, only withholding information that surpassed Dianne’s maturity. Yet, despite this philosophy, Katrina did hold a few secrets, one very close.
As Dianne approached adulthood, Katrina began to share these secrets. By then, Dianne’s father had died, leaving the two women to navigate life together as a family with no other relatives living close by. Katrina often grappled with the lifelong weight of a childhood secret and her secret of late, a terminal cancer diagnosis. Both became weightier as her cancer took hold. When Dianne began dating the MegaMart store manager, Katrina’s concern of her daughter’s future turned to worry.
Dianne, nearing graduation while dealing with her mother’s illness, found herself facing unexpected challenges. When Michael D. Glossen entered her life, her challenges became problems. Oddly, she met “Michael D” when a cream rinse emergency arose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Interview
Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?
HG: I’m originally from Miami, Florida. I joined the Army in 1971. From there, my adventure began. I’ve lived across the country, but oddly, I never lived overseas, just visited.
Favorite sports.
HG: I like college football. Of course, I must root for my alma mater, the University of Florida. Obviously, I enjoy a good cry after a game because they have been losing games this season. Pickleball is my next favorite. However, because of respiratory issues, I’m only able to play for a few minutes.
Favorite thing about your state you live in.
HG: I live in Florida. Admittedly, it’s the Florida Panhandle, so some people have designated this area as “Lower Alabama.” Given that the culture is similar, I can understand that. Need I say that I love the beaches the most? I’m torn between enjoying the Gulf beaches and the Atlantic side the most.
How long have you been writing?
HG: I picked up the art of writing during the kindergarten/first-grade timeframe. {smile}. My love for constructing stories was born much later, in 1981.
How did you come up with the ideas for your series?
HG: After living in Marshfield, Missouri, for about six months, a muse hopped on my shoulder and kept whispering scenes and dialogue to me.
How do you celebrate finishing a book?
HG: I send it to my editor, then have a nice dinner at a local Mexican Restaurant. From there, I share my accomplishment with all my friends, trying not to reveal the storyline.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Throughout grammar school and college, Helen Gillespie loved developing story sketches or full stories but kept them hidden within herself. That creative spark proved valuable in unexpected places, first on assignment as a musician in the US Army, and after leaving the Army, when she earned a degree in elementary education. After reentering the Army in 1981, she put pen to paper, or rather, “fingers to an Olivetti.” She officially learned the art of journalism to serve the Army, but it quickly became a personal passion. Interviewing fellow soldiers, exploring their jobs and personalities, and publishing useful information for the military community formed the basis of her skill and enjoyment. Those years of thought, training, education, and experience laid the foundation for crafting her first novel, The Goodbyes.
Social Media
Personal Social Media
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Helen Gillespie will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
9 comments:
Thank you so much for featuring Helen Gillespie and THE GOODBYES today.
This should be a very interesting novel. Thanks for sharing.
Without giving away any spoilers what's one "hello" or beginning in this book that completely surprised even you as you were writing it?
Sounds like a interesting book.
Terrific excerpt
Ken surprised me. I kept thinking, "Why would a dying woman have a boyfriend/manfriend?" Simply, it was the meeting of one another's needs. Ken had a strong need to be needed. Katrina needed assistance as cancer took hold in her body. As I wrote the story, I discovered that I needed Ken. I felt he was the rock. However, all rocks have fractures.
Hi Michael! I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Sherry! I hope you enjoy it.
Thank you Nancy! I look forward to reading what you think of the book.
Post a Comment