Reading: “Sullied at the Police Station”

What happens when an attempted rape is reported at the police station? This reading from my novel Horseshoes and Hand Grenades gives you an idea. The story is set in the 1980s but how much has changed since then? You be the judge. This reading, which I call "Sullied at the Police Station", was recorded … Continue reading Reading: “Sullied at the Police Station”

Reading: “Frenemies”

author s.m. stevens

Who doesn't love a good enemies-turned-friends story? That's what you get in Horseshoes and Hand Grenades. In this reading of an excerpt from the Contemporary/New Adult Fiction novel, our two heroes meet for the first time. Shelby and Astrid couldn't be more different, and they do not hit it off right away, to put it … Continue reading Reading: “Frenemies”

Reading: “Astrid in the Alley”

graphic slide for novel excerpt video

Hello everyone! Work on my new novel is keeping me from posting as much as I'd like, but we can't forget about Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, my modern coming-of-age novel for two young women building their careers and lives while dealing with demons from the past and present. The novel continues to garner glowing reviews. … Continue reading Reading: “Astrid in the Alley”

Reading: “Porch Steps”

Shelby is beginning to heal in this short passage from Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, recorded at a virtual reading I did recently. Click on the video to watch. I call this passage "Porch Steps" - I hope you enjoy it! https://youtu.be/uRaOeHduKlE If you don't know the story of Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, it might help … Continue reading Reading: “Porch Steps”

HAHG Blog Tour: Day 3

snipped from masthead book review blog reading nook

In honor of it being Day 3 of the Horseshoes and Hand Grenades Blog Tour, we have three postings to share with you today. (Just kidding. It wasn't planned that way. It just turned out that Review Tales by Jeyran Main split her post into two pieces: my guest post about why I wrote HAHG … Continue reading HAHG Blog Tour: Day 3

#HAHG on Chat About Books

author s.m. stevens on chat about books blog

So grateful to Kerry Parsons for covering Horseshoes and Hand Grenades on her Chat About Books blog, which has been nominated for Best Book Blog in the Annual Bloggers Bash three years running. Kerry published an interview with moi, filled with fun questions like this one: If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title … Continue reading #HAHG on Chat About Books

Excerpt: At the Police Station

Thanks to Don Jimmy Reviews for the recent publication of this excerpt from my #MeToo novel Horseshoes and Hand Grenades. As Book Week Launch week continues, I'll let "Don Jimmy" do the talking. I'll just set up the scene by saying co-narrator Astrid is at the police station. The rest becomes clear as you read. … Continue reading Excerpt: At the Police Station

Excerpt: Astrid’s Secret

man and woman at office desk working

Book Launch Week continues with this brief extract from Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, in which Astrid has just been cautioned by her mother about maintaining professional relationships with the men at work, especially her boss Brad. You'll see where this is going... Best not to tell her about the flirting relationship Brad and I had … Continue reading Excerpt: Astrid’s Secret

Excerpt: On the Ferry

Today's Book Launch Week excerpt has our Horseshoes and Hand Grenades narrators Shelby and Astrid on the ferry to Martha's Vineyard for a summer weekend. Our two heroes are joined by their good friend Tina, who doesn't get much attention in snippets about the book, but is a very important figure in the lives of … Continue reading Excerpt: On the Ferry