When you write a novel, you hope it will connect with readers and make some kind of impact. When I wrote JASMINE I prayed for that, and from letters, comments and reviews, those hopes are being fulfilled. But my fondest hopes never imagined JASMINE would be recognized in a contest. And certainly not a contest like the Carol Awards through American Christian Fiction Writers. To see the official announcement, click HERE. Jasmine is one of three finalists for debut novel!
So today, I’m going to highlight some of JASMINE’s reviews, and ask you to celebrate with me. If you’ve read JASMINE, would you please consider popping over to Amazon (here) and leave a review? Just a line or two. If you’ve read JASMINE or MACY and they touched your heart, would you recommend them to a friend? And if you leave me a comment below, I’ll enter you into a contest for a signed copy of JASMINE to give to a friend or keep for you own.
Thanks so much to my readers for sharing and getting the word out! You guys really are the best.
JASMINE review highlights:
“McGowan’s well-developed characters honestly portray the cost of abuse and victimization on the streets few escape from. It’s a tale of hope, restoration and budding trust wrapped in God’s love and grace.” –Gail Welborn
“I highly recommend this book! My heart ached, grieved, even feared through this novel – April McGowan has a true gift from the Lord for writing, for understanding the human heart, and for demonstrating what the Lord can do in the most painful situations of life. Typically I would anticipate any great non-fiction work to be one that does not leave the reader unchanged. Jasmine, a work of fiction reflective of that which is played out in cities across America today, also does not leave the reader unchanged.” –Jeanie
“A captivating read with passages that melt your heart with the pain of Jasmine’s past and the struggle to find normalcy when her life has suffered from the deviant behavior of others. This is a story unafraid to ask the difficult questions about why bad things happen. It does not provide all the answers–but directs readers to the One Who will never leave or forsake us, even in the darkest hours.”–Elaine Cooper
“This book is one I will long remember, and I’ll remember Jasmine and the women she helped. I’ll wonder what they are doing and how they are…The story is that real. April McGowan is a wonderful writer with a heart for women trying to escape abusive situations. Her love and dedication shine through as she weaves the ugliness of abuse and desperation of the victims into a beautiful story of rescue and redemption. This is a good read I highly recommend.” –D. Durrett
“I highly recommend this book if you yourself are a survivor of childhood abuse, if you have someone in your life who is, or if you just want to read a really good fiction book.” –Kim Counts
“Jasmine is a book to be read by so many–those who are hurting from abuse, sexual or any other kind. People who work with emotional scarred individuals will also love this book. But aside from being socially relevant, Jasmine is a really good story for its mystery, suspense, romance, and the redemption of lives and family.”–Christine Lindsay
“Jasmine is the story of a girl who runs away from an abusive father, only to return to her birthplace of pain as an adult. Though she may have left town years ago, she finds the love of friends and family didn’t go away, and to her surprise, neither did God’s love. Jasmine offers hope to many women who have ever felt alone in their pain. It’s a powerful story with hope and healing woven throughout. I especially enjoyed the way it ended! Very satisfying!”–Melody Roberts
A huge thanks to everyone for reviewing! Did JASMINE touch you? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below! I’ll draw from the comments below for a winner next Friday, June 11th.
Hi. You probably thought I forgot all about you. I know it’s been ages. I’m sorry. Let’s recap:
My novel launch went spectacular. Huge THANKS to Alexa Mason from Portland Rescue Mission and Sally Faddis from Door to Grace for coming and speaking about their ministry outreach programs for hurting women and children. It’s incredible what those two groups are doing to get women and children off the streets and love them for Christ.
We had a great turnout, ate lots of cookies, drank some wonderful coffee and tea and were safe and cozy away from the storm raging outside. I mean, what could be better than a good book and yummy treats? I know! If you were able to attend, thanks so much for being there sharing in a huge pinnacle moment for me. You made it extra special.
Well, then came the crash. My physical crash. It took a full week to really recover from the excitement and tension of the event–thanks chronic illness! And then the family got head colds. Now I have a head cold. You see the pattern? So, really, I didn’t forget you, I’ve just been bogged down.
Now you’re thinking, but what about the contest? Who won? Without further delay:
CONGRATULATIONS to Jessica G. for winning the autographed copy of Jasmine! WHOOP. (I actually let her know via FB right after the contest ended–but I feel it’s important to make a public announcement!). Thanks to everyone who shared about my novel launch and the paperback release. I couldn’t have done that without you! You were great!
Amazing and humbling reviews are coming in for Jasmine. If you’ll permit, I’m going to share a few here, and then I’ll let you go. Thanks again for all the support and love. You really are the best!
What readers are saying about Jasmine:
“Jasmine is an incredibly well-written tale – one of those stories that makes me feel as though I truly know the characters.”
“Authentic.”
“Couldn’t put it down.”
“A beautiful story of rescue and redemption.”
“Jasmine is a deep, poignant story which provides hope and help for any who’ve suffered from abuse.”
“Jasmine was a raw look at the life of a survivor.”
“A captivating read with passages that melt your heart with the pain of Jasmine’s past and the struggle to find normalcy when her life has suffered from the deviant behavior of others.”
Have you read Jasmine? I’d really appreciate a review at your favorite online retailer or Goodreads. Thanks for reading, thanks for sharing, and thanks for all your encouragement!
Jasmine is officially released to paperback….TODAY! I’m super excited! Are you excited?? You can order your copy from your favorite online retailer below:
Please join me in person on September 22, 2013 for my book launch and signing party. I’ll also be selling books on site at that time. Part of the proceeds from my book sales will be donated to Portland Rescue Mission’s Shepherd’s Door and Door To Grace. Both ministries reach out to hurting homeless women and children. Two representatives from these wonderful ministries will be joining me and giving short talks.
Jasmine Novel Launch Party
September 22, 2013 From 3 p.m to 5 p.m
Newberg Christian Church 2315 Villa Rd Newberg OR 97132 directions and map HERE
Will you help me spread the word that Jasmine is available in paperback? Please share, share, share on your Facebook, Twitter, G+, Blog, email, phone, text…um..word of mouth…tie little notes to your cat’s collar, carrier pigeon….um…oh, I know! Enter the contest below to win an autographed paperback copy of Jasmine. Make sure to leave me a comment on a creative/silly/wacky way YOU would promote my novel. You never know, I might just try it!
Good news! Jasmine is now available on the Kindle as well as the Nook! Hop on over and get one. And if you’ve already read it, would you be so kind as to leave a review for me? I’d so appreciate it! The reviews coming in so far are very good and incredibly touching to me.
Would you do me a favor and spread the word about Jasmine? I’ve created my first contest to help you share. At the end of the contest, three people will be chosen randomly to win a free ebook copy of Jasmine and the Jars of Clay album, Good Monsters (an album that inspired a scene or two in the novel). If you’ve already purchased them, no worries! You can gift them to a friend! Remember, the more often you share, the more entries you get in the contest, and the higher your chances of winning are!
Saturday approacheth! What’s so great about Saturday? Lawn work? NOPE. Well…maybe. But, better than that, you can download the digital release of my novel, Jasmine. Can I get a hurrah?
Ever since June hit, I’ve been hearing that Rocky theme song music in the back of my head—complete with wakka wakka guitar riffs and string section. You know the part where Rocky is running and training and he finally gets to the top of the stairs and tadah! Then he goes on and fights a lot and gets brain damage. Um…Where was I going with that?
Writing is a bit like Rocky. You develop a story idea, get it all on paper, edit it to death, let others edit it, polish it and start pitching it (this process can take years). Then it’s all cake, right? Nope. You’re just at the top of the stairs, exhausted, hoping for a Gatorade—because now starts marketing. Actually, you’ve got to be marketing all along, really, but you really start pushing and connecting and chatting up your book at this point. The hard work keeps going—hopefully without the brain damage (this is in direct proportion with how many times you whack your head against your computer screen).
To whet your interest, here’s the Jasmine book trailer. You didn’t know that book trailers existed? Yep, they do. Would you do me a favor? Forward this blog post to a friend or two. Share the video. All that lovely social media stuff. I’m in your debt.
And please don’t forget to hop over to the Shepherd’s Door at Portland Rescue Mission (indicate women and children’s recovery) and Door to Grace websites to donate to their amazing ministries, helping hurting women and children. You can make a difference in someone’s life today.
Jasmine works with young women, giving them a plan not just for survival, but hope for a rewarding future. You see, she knows how important that is—because she was one of those girls once. She had nowhere to turn, so she ran. And things went from bad to worse. While my novel, Jasmine, is a fictional tale, it’s based on some pretty horrible facts.
Take a minute to imagine with me. You’re a twelve year old girl with a neglectful family. Your parents fight—even beat you. Your mom’s addicted to alcohol, and your dad’s always angry. The refrigerator doesn’t have much food in it. School’s tough. You feel like an outcast because you can’t connect with anyone. Every instinct in you tells you to stay where you are, because home is the only place you’ve ever known—even if bad things happen there, at least you know what to expect. And then comes along this guy. A wonderful, attentive guy that dotes on you and listens to you. He’s a little older than you, too. Suddenly, you feel appreciated—even adored. He buys you nice gifts and tells you how pretty you are. It’s the first time anyone has shown you true concern and affection. You feel special. So when he asks you to run away with him, you don’t have to think about it long. This is it and he’s Mr. Wonderful, your very own Prince Charming. You go.
And that is where the fantasy stops. Before you know it, this guy has given you over to another guy. He’s not kind or adoring. He’s demanding and cruel. There’s no getting away. If you did get away, you’d have nowhere to go. Your parents don’t want you (or so this man keeps telling you)—and now you’re damaged goods. You’re more alone than you’ve ever been. Plus, that cruel guy, your pimp, is now controlling your every move—he’d probably kill you.
Such is the plight of many runaways. Some meet Mr. Wonderful in their own home towns, or at the mall. Some meet him after they’ve ended up on the streets. Either way, the result is the same. It’s all a huge lie, and now they’re trapped in a life they don’t feel they can escape. They need help.
Most of us don’t know what to do with that kind of information. How do you help someone like this? But there are places that know just what to do. Door to Grace is such a ministry. They’ve built a wonderful network to reach out to exploited children and give them a safe place to live while recovering. And they lead them to the Savior that can heal the hurts—the ones deep down that no one else can see.
Please take some time to check out their web page (click here) and donate. Help get a girl off the streets, give her back a secure life—let her know there are real people who thinks she is special and worth saving. Thanks.
When you write a novel, you hope it will connect with readers and make some kind of impact. When I wrote JASMINE I prayed for that, and from letters, comments and reviews, those hopes are being fulfilled. But my fondest hopes never imagined JASMINE would be recognized in a contest. And certainly not a contest like the Carol Awards through American Christian Fiction Writers. To see the official announcement, click HERE. Jasmine is one of three finalists for debut novel!
