Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Welcome guest author Sarah McNeal

I'd like to welcome guest author Sarah McNeal.  Let's find out more about her and her books.




My name is Sarah J. McNeal. I write romance stories in several genres: paranormal, time travel, historical and contemporary.  I have written for several publishers including New Concepts Publishing, Amira Press and, at present, Publishing by Rebecca Vickery and their Western Trail Blazer line.
I live in Charlotte, North Carolina with my four-legged children, Lily (my Golden Retriever) and Liberty, a six pound cat who rules us all. Both of my children are rescue pets.
My new release, Heart Song, is a short story about a man struggling with breast cancer. Originally, I wrote Heart Song for a breast cancer anthology but the group fell into disarray and the project was abandoned. After a few years, I decided to revamp the story and add some romance.
It wasn’t easy to write a story about a man whose life is on the line and he wrestles with his feelings about having what is widely considered a woman’s disease. I researched like crazy to get the facts about breast cancer and men. I was astounded to learn that 50 % of men who contract breast cancer die from it. That makes it a particularly deadly disease for men. My hero, Gideon, struggles with his self-esteem and the fear that he may not survive. His friends try to joke about the type of cancer he has, his self-absorbed girlfriend leaves him and Gideon finds his only support comes from his dead father’s spirit and someone he just met.

HEART SONG
E-Book for 99 cents
 Facing death might change Gideon’s life.
Blurb:
Gideon thought he had the perfect life as a musician with a beautiful model as his girlfriend, until he was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Ashamed and afraid he may die, Gideon hits bottom when his girlfriend dumps him for a real man.
Hope comes in the form of his father’s ghost and a person he has just met. Can he beat the odds and survive? And if he does, can he ever find happiness again?
Excerpt:
It’s not as if he expected her to stay through his illness. That would have been uncharacteristic of Sylvia. Nevertheless, her words stung him like acid rain. George Montif was mature alright, twenty years her senior, but he had wealth and power; a ruthless business man if ever there was one. Maybe they deserved each other. After he read the letter, he grabbed the nearest chair and slumped into it, his strength gone. With his eyes closed, he leaned his head back against the warm wood of his mother’s rocking chair. The chair was one of the things of hers he had kept and treasured. It was her favorite chair. Gideon sucked in a deep breath then blew it out slowly sorting out what had become of his life. Even though the wound on his chest was healing and the incision had begun to pale into a pink line, on the inside, he felt broken.
He had only himself to blame. Choosing a woman like Sylvia, beautiful, sexy, and narcissistic had proved ego boosting but emotionally exhausting. Every day her drama filled the house with tears or anger. A broken nail led to wailing that life wasn’t fair. A missed opportunity for a botox treatment led to tears and hysteria. She was, however, the perfect trophy girlfriend. Her perfect figure and her Elisabeth Taylor beauty perked up every social event. Envious males gathered around her at parties and wished they were Gideon with this exciting woman on his arm. If they only knew. A woman like that may be a great lover, a stimulating sexual partner in bed, but she wasn’t much of a friend and certainly no companion or partner.  First sign of trouble and she skedaddled into the arms of another man. He had chosen Sylvia for all the wrong reasons. Maybe he really wasn’t good enough.  He sure wasn’t a good judge of character. He felt about as empty as his house.
Buy Links:
Amazon.com
Smashwords
Monkeybars
Other Books by Sarah McNeal:

THE VIOLIN (time travel/historical): E-Book or Paperback
Publishing by Rebecca Vickery
Loneliness...Mystery...A step through time
Buy Links:
Amazon.com

HARMONICA JOE’S RELUCTANT BRIDE (time travel/western/paranormal elements):
E-Book or Paperback
Western Trail Blazer
A haunted house, a trunk and a date with destiny.
Buy Links:
Western Trail Blazer
Amazon.com

FOR LOVE OF BANJO (historical western/sequel to Harmonica Joe’s Reluctant Bride)
E-Book or Paperback
Western Trail Blazer
Deceit stands between Banjo Wilding’s love for Maggie O’Leary and his search for the father he never knew.
Buy Links:
Amazon.com:
Print:
Lulu :
Monkey Bars :

The Christmas 2012 Anthology: Gifts From The Afterlife
E-Book or Paperback
Victory Tales Press
How dark must it get before Lydia sees the light?
Buy Links:
Amazon.com
Smashwords Ebook
Lulu Ebook :
Barns and Noble:
Places where you can find me:
Sarah’s Provocative Ponderings:  http://pasttheprint.blogspot.com/
My website blog: Sarah McNeal





13 comments:

  1. Loved the excerpt, Sarah and what a fascinating subject to explore... So much so I that I've downloaded and tweeted!

    Good luck with all your stories and books - can't wait to start reading x

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    Replies
    1. Suzie, thank you so much for, not only the kind words, but for helping spread the word about my new release. I really appreciate that.

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  2. Dear Sarah,

    You are an amazing and prolific author. And a daring one, to judge by the subject of your book. I've long wanted to read Banjo; and now I can add another to my list. And someday they'll actually get read, when my own stuff has quieted down a bit!

    I wish you tons of (more) success...you who are definitely a relative of my hero's uncle Owen MacNeill...All the best from Erin x

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    1. I hope for you that your "stuff" doesn't quiet down and that you have lots of sales, Erin. LOL Good to know I have another relative out there.
      I do hope you get the chance to read Banjo and Heart Song. I have to admit, I was a bit intimidated by the subject of breast cancer and how to create a believable male survivor.
      Thank you for coming by and commenting today, Erin.

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  3. Hi Sarah,
    Wow! That is a different story to explore. Good luck with all your stories -- looks like you've been busy!

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    1. Cynthia! How wonderful to have you come by and comment. I appreciate your kind words.

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  4. Sarah--you have so many good books out. And to write across several genres just boggles my mind--which can't stretch that far.
    Heartsong sound intriguing, and so I'll have to get it. The topic is one we never hear about, or at least I don't. I do know it exists...but don't know anyone personally. How heartbreaking if a loved one can't accept that.
    Good job, Sarah, all around!

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    1. Celia, how very kind of you to come by and to have such lovely things to say about Heart Song. I found this story a bit daunting to write but I'm so glad I took the challenge. It means more to me now than ever.
      Thank you so much for your constant support.

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  5. Sarah,
    I love your books, as you know, and must have them all! LOL Heartsong sounds so good. I can really relate to that in a way because of a situation in my own family--it seems that when a person gets ill, that's when you really know who your friends are, isn't it? And to lose someone that you might have thought would be your mate for life under those circumstances is sad, but really a blessing in disguise--it's best to find out what they're made of before you invest any more time in the relationship. I never really thought much about men having breast cancer--I knew it could happen but it's one of those things we don't hear too much about. So of course, the intrigue is going to make me click that "buy" link and trot over to amazon as soon as I get done writing this. LOL Congratulations! It sounds like another winner!
    Hugs,
    Cheryl

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    1. You are absolutely right, Cheryl, you really do find out who is there for you and who is just a lot of blooey when you end up with a devastating illness. Those who were there for us in those times, will always be in our hearts with gratitude and love.
      Thank you so much for coming by and leaving such uplifting comments.

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  6. Hey Sarah, halfway through Heart Song--I too look forward to Harmonica Joe & Banjo--something to cheer me up! Keep writing and posting--Meredith

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    1. Meredith, thank you so much for reading my book and for being inspired to read more of them. I can't tell you how happy that makes me. You are such a dear to come by today and comment.

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  7. I want to thank Lila Sawyers for having me here on her blog and a special thanks to those who came to comment. It means so much for authors struggling for recognition to have wonderful comments about their work. We work in isolation and don't really know how our work will be received so it's particularly uplifting to have such positive comments. Thank you all for taking the time to come by.

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