The Horseshoes and Hand Grenades Blog Tour continues with a review of my Contemporary Women’s Fiction story on Savvy Verse & Wit in the U.S. We then jump across the pond to the U.K. where Book Inspector hosts my guest post.
Book Review on Savvy Verse & Wit
Savvy Verse & Wit writes about Horseshoes and Hand Grenades:
“Horseshoes and Hand Grenades by S.M. Stevens is a look at the effects of sexual harassment in the workplace during the 1980s and how women were stuck with few options — tough it out or move to another company. It also examines the lasting effects of sexual molestation and abuse that occurs too often in the home — forever shaping the worldview of the children it directly impacts.”
She wraps up with this high praise: “Stevens is a talented storyteller and the book is a page-turner.”
Click here to read the full review.
Guest Post on Book Inspector
On Book Inspector, I write about “The Birth of Shelby and Astrid: My Narrative Choices.” The post explains why I opted for two narrators/heroes, and how I developed them and made related narrative choices. Here’s a taste:
“[One] choice was which narrative point-of-view to employ. For Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, I knew third-person narrative wouldn’t be personal enough to effectively convey the rough-and-tumble thoughts of my victims as they process confusing and conflicting emotions that ebb and flow over time.
“Ditto for an omniscient author, even though she would have had the ability to peek inside my main characters’ heads and hearts. That left me with first person.…
“At the end of the day, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades is an intensely personal story, about two women living through painful and traumatic situations as well as uplifting, funny and heart-warming ones. I hope the first-person, dual narrative approach helps readers who have had similar experiences connect with Astrid and Shelby. And I hope it helps readers who have not had similar experiences understand a bit better what it’s like to be one of those women.“
Click here to read the full post on Book Inspector.
#HAHG #AlmostCounts #MeToo #TimesUp
Tune in tomorrow for the final day of the Horseshoes and Hand Grenades Blog Tour.
