Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Guest Laurel Garver, and Did I Notice Your Book?

As you may have guess I accidentally double-booked, but I think the more encouragement, the better, right?

First I would like to give a warm welcome to Laurel Garver with her guest post, "Why Dads matter"!


 
 
Why Dads matter

 

My novel NEVER GONE is about a teen girl grieving the death of her father. As I was writing it, I discovered there haven’t been many YA books that focus on loss of a parent, aside from The Truth About Forever and Cures for Heartbreak. I suppose that’s because of the tendency to focus on peer relationships in the teen years, so sibling death stories like Losing Faith and The Sky is Everywhere are more the norm.

 

But as painful as it is to lose a sibling, losing a parent is far more world changing. The family’s income is cut in half, or lost entirely, which might require major transitions like moving or a career change for the living parent. College might suddenly become out of reach financially. As much as teens struggle to develop an individual identity, they still rely on parents for most of life’s necessities. They also receive a lion’s share of emotional support from parents.

 

I was especially interested in exploring the father-daughter dynamic because girls first learn how to relate to boys from interacting with their dads. As much as the overprotective dad who scrutinizes boyfriends is the butt of jokes, especially in TV sit-coms, it’s a natural and normal phenomenon for dads to protect their daughters from predators. Despite the eye-rolling, daughters know they’re valued when their dads don’t let just any guy get close to them. In healthy families, girls will start to look at potential partners through Dad’s eyes and pick up red flags. A girl who has a close bond with her dad is far less likely to seek sexual intimacy too young, or stay in abusive relationships.

 

In NEVER GONE, Dani has lost her protector to death. So naturally, she struggles with a new sense of vulnerability and must find ways to be savvy about guys without Dad’s direct intervention. Her interactions with most of the male characters in the story are charged by this dynamic. There are both protectors and predators all around her, and at times she mistakes one for the other. Her ability to see correctly doesn’t come until she grasps the love and protection of God, her eternal Father, the true and ultimate protector of her life.

 

Laurel Garver is a magazine editor, published poet and author of NEVER GONE, a novel for teens about grief and faith. An indie film enthusiast and incurable Anglophile, she enjoys playing word games, perfecting her backstroke, and working with her church youth group. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter.

 

About Never Gone:

Days after her father’s death, fifteen-year-old Dani Deane begins seeing him all around New York — wading through discarded sketches in her room, roaming the halls at church, socializing at his post-funeral reception. Is grief making her crazy? Or could her dad really be lingering between this world and the next, trying to contact her?

 

Dani desperately longs for his help. Without him keeping the peace, Dani’s relationship with her mother is deteriorating fast. Soon Mum ships her off to rural England with Dad’s relatives for a visit that Dani fears will become a permanent stay. But she won’t let her arty, urban life slip away without a fight, especially when daily phone calls with her lab partner Theo become her lifeline.

 

To find her way home, Dani must somehow reconnect with Mum. But as she seeks advice from relatives and insights from old letters, she uncovers family secrets that shake her to the core. Convinced that Dad’s ghost alone can help her, she sets out on a dangerous journey to contact him one last time.

Thank you Laurel!!!
 
You can view the book trailer on YouTube.
Add it on Goodreads
The e-book is available at Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, KoboSmashwords
The paperback is available at CreateSpace, Amazon


And now for those of you encouraging bloggers involved in Did I Notice Your Book? Blogfest


(I hope you noticed Laurel's book, because I did, but I'm also going to spread some of the love around.)

One book I noticed earlier this year that keeps sticking with me, so I plan to re-read it again soon is:

Rising Book 1: ResistanceResistance by Laura Josephson! This is a fun, fantasy adventure that had some unexpected twists and turns, and loveable characters. Thank you Laura for a great read!
Official blurb: All Alphonse wants is a quiet summer at home before his final months at university. What he gets is a half-dead stranger on his doorstep and the task of delivering a package to the leader of his home country. Not long after he boards a train toward the capital, he's attacked by knights, elite soldiers of the neighboring king.

Alphonse is temporarily rescued by Mairwyn, a mechanic with a haunted past and a deep hatred of knights. Together, they attempt to carry out Alphonse's urgent errand, only to learn that if they fail, countless people will die.

And even if they succeed, they may not be able to prevent the war that lurks on the horizon.


Again, Many Thanks to Laurel for her awesome guest post!

47 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Laurel as a guest and you noticed Laura's book - now that is wild!

Trisha said...

This sounded good, until I got to the God part. That's just not for me, but I still think that Laurel makes a great point about the tremendous impact the loss of a parent can have on a teen's life. There do seem to be a lot of stories around where the teen characters have lost a parent/both parents, but I don't think these books go into great detail about the practical impacts that Laurel talked about here, more just the obviously emotional ones.

Emily R. King said...

Aw, what a great premise. Thanks for sharing!

mshatch said...

I think it's great Laurel is writing about loss. It's a tough subject.

Laura Josephsen said...

First, that's such a tough subject that Laurel's writing about--but it's a really great thing that she can do it, and that maybe it can speak to kids who have lost a father.

Second, EEEK! Thank you for posting about my book!!! :D :D It's such an encouragement to me, especially as I'm on a crunch deadline to finish and publish the second (final) book. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Unknown said...

Tough subject to write about!

Laurel Garver said...

Thanks for hosting today, Tyrean, and you handled your double-booking with grace and flair!

It was great getting to know about Laura's book too. Sounds like a great read!

Tyrean Martinson said...

Alex - glad you liked that!

Trisha - Loss of a parent is a tough subject, and I think the practical aspects are definitely a part of the emotional aspects.

Emily - Glad you liked it!

mshatch - I agree.

Laura - You're welcome!!!

C.M. Brown - agreed.

Laurel - You're welcome! I loved your thoughts on grief and the ways that it touches people, especially with fathers and daughters. Dads really matter.




Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Sounds like a book with a grand adventure. Thanks for sharing two great books.

Sherry Ellis said...

That's cool that you had a guest. Good publicity for her!

Marta Szemik said...

Oh, what a great premise! Nice choice.

Jennifer Lane said...

Hey, you get to notice two books today! I love YA and NA so I will check both of these books out. I can imagine losing a parent is difficult at any age, including being a teenager. Dads are very important!

Unknown said...

One of the more unique sound stories I've seen for DINYB so far. Great choice, Tyrean. :-)

Tyrean Martinson said...

Susan - You're welcome!

Sherry - I wish I could say that I planned it, but I really did double book today mistakenly, and just hope it works out.

Marta - Thanks!

Jennifer - I agree.

E.J. - Thanks!!

Amy Jarecki said...

Cool - Death or success. I LOVE IT! So nice to meet you through this blog fest!

Write on!

cleemckenzie said...

Seems like some super books to notice!

Tyrean Martinson said...

Amy - Nice to meet you too!

cleemckenzie - Glad you think so!

Yolanda Renée said...

Looks like we both chose books with a serious subject. It's the talent of the author that makes them stand out.
Nice to meet you via the blog hop!

Tyrean Martinson said...

Yolanda - nice to meet you too!

Kyra Lennon said...

Ooh, I heard about Never Gone on someone else's blog the other day, it sounds great!

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, interesting. Never Gone sounds like a good exploration. I lost my dad when I was ten, so you are right about how life-changing that is. It's huge. I like the cover for the other, too.

Ciara said...

Yay, I got to learn about 2 great books here. This is so much fun. Thanks for participating.

Unknown said...

Love the cover of rising. I too believe love is stronger than death.

Nancy Thompson said...

Ooh, Laurel's book sounds so good!

Unknown said...

They both look really compelling reads. So much to read...so little time :-)

michelle said...

I read about Laurel's book on another blog... I think it was sometime last week... it sounds really good! Great theme...

Christine Rains said...

Excellent guest post, and I love your choice for the blogfest. Laura's book is fantastic!

Laura Eno said...

Both books sound like great storylines. :)

Livia Peterson said...

Never Gone looks intriguing to me. I should put that on my TBR list.

Great guest post, Laurel!

Double booking is good for any day - the more the better. I try not to double book on my blog so I'm always looking on my calendar. :)

J.L. Campbell said...

Never Gone sounds like interesting reading. That mountain peak on rising seems symbolic.

M Pax said...

I'll have to check Laurel's book out. The topic hits close to home as my bil passed away two years ago in two weeks, and I know my sister and nieces are still grieving.

Brinda said...

I used to avoid the books with "heavy' topics, but I think I've been wrong to do that. I've read some great contemp. YA books that deal with more than the light stuff and Never Gone sounds great.


Rising is a book I haven't seen before. You must like it if you're reading it twice!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I need to add Never Gone to my list of books.

Patricia Stoltey said...

Don't you hate it when you double book? Of course, in this case double book has a double meaning. :D

Never Gone and Resistance both sound like good reads.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I love both covers. My first WIP was about a daughter losing her father. I don't the storyline will ever get tired. Nice choice for the blogfest.

Susan Oloier said...

Never Gone is going on my TBR list.

LTM said...

Yay for Laurel--beautiful book; I've read it--and all best to Laura! Thanks for sharing her book. :o) <3

Tara Tyler said...

laura hasnt found you yet! great books
and i especially love laurel's cover!

Cally Jackson said...

Two similar author names but two very different books! I like the sound of Never Gone. Will have to check it out! :-)

Unknown said...

Sounds like an interesting book. Great find!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Tyrean .. both books sound interesting - I'll certainly be considering them .. cheers Hilary

LynnRush said...

Never Gone has a great cover. Love that drawing. Awesome. :)

Tyrean Martinson said...

Kyra - I'm glad that Laurel's book is getting attention!

Hart - Loss of a parent is a huge issue.

Ciara - You're welcome!

Scribbles from Jenn - Love is definitely stronger!

Nancy - It is!

Susan - I know what you mean. Today my TBR list grew by leaps and bounds.

michelle- great!

Christine - Thanks!!! And I agree!

Laura - they do have great storylines!

Livia - glad the double booking worked out!

J.L. - it is!

M Pax - that's tough and painful . . .I think Laurel's book takes a good look at grief.

Brinda - I only read so many heavy books but the ones I read are usually well worth the it. And Rising is good!

L. Diane - my list of TBR grew today too.

Patricia - love the double book comment!

Joylene - Thanks!

Susan - great!

LTM - Thanks for stopping by and sharing the encouragement!

Tara - she actually found me right away . . .as one of my first commenters.

Cally - I think different books keep us reading!

Michael - thanks!

Hilary - good! Cheers!

Lynn - I think it's cool too!

Jack said...

Both of these books sounds really good. I don't really read ghost stories, but it sounds like maybe the ghost is just the daughter confused and missing her father. I would be willing to give the book a try.

The second book sounds like one I would love. If I can find it I will be picking it up.

Thank you for the comment. It is nice to meet a fellow Christian in the wide, blogging world.

Allons-y

Margo Berendsen said...

"Despite the eye-rolling, daughters know they’re valued when their dads doesn’t let just any guy get close to them" - this hit me right where i needed encouragement since there has been a lot of eye-rolling and tension lately between my teenage stepdaughter and her dad over her boyfriend. Thank you!

Tyrean Martinson said...

Jack - nice to meet you too. And the first one is definitely not a "real" ghost story.

Margo - glad you liked Laurel's post!

erica and christy said...

I'm excited to read Never Gone...it's been on my TBR list fooooorever!! Christy