Guns & Smoke Blog Tour: Jazzy Book Reviews

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Guns & SmokeThe Fool's Adventure Series Book 1by Lauren Sevier & A. SmithGenre: Dystopian Western Romance

In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun dangers lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them. Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits. Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities he’d heard about his whole life. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him. Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.

TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains depictions of graphic violence, language, sexual violence, attempted rape, depictions of child abuse, and depictions of human trafficking.

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What is something unique/quirky about you? I collect antique tea cups and saucers, but I don’t drink tea. LOL! I know, it’s really strange. There’s just something delicate and beautiful about them. I love collecting different designs from different periods in history and I have a TON of them. I have one from the late 1600’s that was made in Austria and several that were made in Occupied Japan during WW2. But hey, you can drink coffee (or whiskey) out of teacups the same as anything else, right?

Where were you born/grew up at? Lauren and I both grew up in a small town north of Baton Rouge, LA. While it is close to the city, when we were growing up, the town was very rural. We spent a lot of time hanging out at each others houses because there was very little to do. Fun fact: we’ve known each other since we were four years old!

What kind of world ruler would you be? I’d be a terrible world ruler. Completely selfish. Bossy. I really shouldn’t be in charge of other people. The reason my family works so well is that my husband balances out my Type A, way-too-driven, OCD tendency, crazy neurotic personality by being completely and utterly unflappable about anything and having a very Hakunah Matata approach to life. If I literally ruled the world… *shivers* Well, I don’t even want to imagine it.

What are you passionate about these days? Rescue animals. I have adopted three (two dogs and a cat) within the last two years. I am always trying to get people I know to adopt animal that are in need of homes. I encourage everyone that I know they should adopt instead of shop for a pet, because there are so many rescue animals out there, especially ones that run a chance of being euthanized. I have three of the sweetest animals, including a two year old pitbull who loves every single person she meets, especially kids.

How to find time to write as a parent? I just don’t sleep anymore! LOL! No, but seriously, having a wild and wonderful little boy who is still in his toddler years can be quite demanding. During naptime, on weekends when my husband is home, and after he’s been put down to bed are prime writing times for me. To be honest, writing isn’t one of my top priorities. That probably sounds pretty blasphemous, but children are only little for a little while and although I try to be an example to him of hardwork and perseverance as I chase after my dreams… My main priority is to spend quality time with him. Children don’t remember if they had the nicest shoes or the most expensive birthday cake. They remember the times when you gave them your utmost attention, when you were at every game cheering them on, or when you took the time to teach them things. I never want my son to look back on life and say ‘Mom was always working’. So, I made peace with the fact that I would never publish more than possibly one or two books a year because I just couldn’t devote enough time to writing, editing, and publishing. I think my readers appreciate my candor on such things, even if several of them have already been banging down my door for sequels. LOL!

Describe yourself in 5 words or less! Kind, Organized, Hard Working, Passionate, Empathetic.

When did you first consider yourself a writer? I considered myself a writer from the time I was 8 years old and started writing little stories. I did a lot of fan fiction writing and text based roleplaying growing up, but I always knew that I wanted to write original, novel length stories of my own. It wasn’t until I was out of college that I allowed myself to really dive into that dream because that voice in the back of my head always told me that I wasn’t good enough to do it, but I fought back against that. I have so many stories that I plan on sharing with the world.

Do you have a favorite movie? I have had a lifelong love of the 1984 Jim Henson film Labyrinth. I saw it when I was a child, and then rediscovered it when I was in high school. There’s something about David Bowie in tights with 80s hair singing alongside a slew of puppets about stealing a baby that touches my heart. Three of my four office walls are covered in Labyrinth paraphernalia. If you’ve never seen Labyrinth or only ever saw it as a child, I highly recommend rewatching it as an adult. It’s a lot of fun!

Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie? Guns & Smoke. I have always been able to see Bonnie and Jesse in my head as real characters in real locations. Guns & Smoke has a lot of action and adventure, which would appeal to fans of action films, as well as the romance tie in, which would appeal to fans of romance! Could you imagine seeing the dusty streets of gang-filled Vegas in a post-modern world?

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? MERMAID! LOL! I mean, not just as a writer either. I frequently tell people that when I grow up I hope to be a mermaid. It’s literally my goal in life to just waste away my days singing on a rock, combing my hair, searching the sea floor for shiny things to collect. Luring men to their deaths. You know, just a typical Tuesday afternoon! LOL! I’ve been obsessed with mermaids since I was little, my husband and I even danced to ‘Part of your world’ at our wedding. So if I have a spirit animal for anything, it’s definitely a mermaid. https://www.youtube.com/embed/kC821NrfFGs

Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on Tiktok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future! Lauren's Links:Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

A. Smith's Links:Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

Guns & Smoke Blog Tour: Joanne Guidoccio

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I’m happy to welcome authors Lauren Sevier and A. Smith. Today, they share interesting tidbits about The Fool’s Adventure World and their new release, Guns & Smoke.

10 Interesting Things About The Fool’s Adventure World

1. The Fool’s Adventure series takes place in a dystopian America. The Culling, a nuclear holocaust, devastated every major country in the world. When the first bombs dropped on the United States Congress and the White House, a wave of nuclear bombs were dropped all over the world. While Guns & Smoke takes place in what remains of the American southwest, there are many, many places that we intend to explore in this world in this series and others.

2. After the Culling, social issues such as racial discrimination and sexual orientation were no longer as important. When the key focus of a population is surviving, everything else just sort of falls to the wayside. It was incredibly important to us to show the diversity of The Fool’s Adventure world from all sides. We live in a diverse world. It doesn’t make sense to not have characters who are people of color or characters that are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s even more normal in this world than it is in modern America.

3. A lot of things we consider normal are hot commodities in The Fool’s Adventure world. Because of the changing climate as a result of the nuclear bombs, coffee beans only grow in the humid climates of the Borderlands. Chocolate is something only the very rich can afford. Forget about having new clothes or fresh, organic food. Typically, you take what you can get and you’re happy with it, because it means another day of surviving instead of starving in the street.

4. Gangs reign supreme. When the government was destroyed and no one else stepped up to seize power, small factions of men and women came together to take control. Some of the more popular gangs are The Hanged Men, The Crimson Fist, and The Black Judges. Others don’t have official names, but utilize symbols to strike fear in the hearts of men.

5. Across the country, in the places that the nuclear bombs dropped, people began seeing strange creatures appear from within the crater sites. Some claim to have seen giant gator-dogs, great, snapping-lion-turtles or panther-scorpions. Our main characters in Guns & Smoke may even have a run in with one of their own crater beasts.

6. Glowroot is a nasty, spiny little plant that grows inside the crater sites beyond the fences. When it’s distilled, it has a faint phosphorescent glow and stains your lips blue. It is highly addictive, and one can find glowroot dens in their favorite cities.

7. There are eight rules to being an Outlaw:

○ Don’t fall in love. ○ Never go anywhere without telling your crew. ○ Keep your word. Outlaws may steal, lie, and cheat. But if you make a promise, you keep it. ○ Where there’s danger, listen to your commanding officer. ○ Never overstay your welcome. ○ Pay your debts. ○ No one gets left behind. ○ Know your weapons. If it’s supposed to keep you alive, you should know it inside and out.

8. Due to radiation, people who survived the Culling or have been affected by the radiation have suffered from physical deformities. They’re considered undesirable by the general population. It is rumored that they spread disease or bring trouble wherever they go. This could be, in large part, because they struggle for basic resources to survive, that they have had to possibly still or kill for basic necessities.

9. The fringes are those places around the edges. Burned out towns, small cities that never recovered after the Culling, where no one except for the undesirables or fugitives would live. It’s a hard place where resources are scarce. It’s even more “kill or be killed” here than the rest of the world. Usually marked with a white ‘X’ so that travelers know that it’s unsafe and to stay away.

10. Paper money lost all its meaning after the Culling. After plundering cities, homes, and other places for precious metals, a new system took place. Those metals were melted down and shaped into bits. There are brass, copper, silver, and gold. Gold bits are incredibly rare and worth a lot of money. Along with bits, they also utilize the barter system, and negotiate for things that can be traded instead of paid for.

ADDITIONAL FUN FACT

Today is Lauren Sevier’s Birthday!!!!! She’s a brilliant co-author and friend and we want to wish her a great next year.

Blurb

In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun danger lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.

Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.

Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.

Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.

Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.

Excerpt

“I didn’t mean what I said earlier, about turning you over to Sixgun. I was just…” He struggled for the words.

“Hurt?” I offered, and he nodded. “I know. I have a talent for pushing people away.”

“I still shouldn’t have said it,” he muttered near my ear, his arm tightening around my shoulders to hold me closer.

“Do you really think I’m stupid?” I asked.

“No, I think you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met,” he said, with all the conviction with which he said everything else. I smiled against his shirt. “Did you really climb into my bed because you thought I was upset about the train?”

“No,” I croaked, hiding my face as best I could. “I don’t have nightmares when you hold me.”

“I don’t have nightmares when I hold you either,” he admitted.

So I let him. I let him hold me all night. We didn’t speak, we just leaned against each other until the sky began to lighten and the shadows of our pasts seemed to fade into the distance.

Author Bios and Links

Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on TikTok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!

Lauren Sevier

Website | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

A. Smith

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter | Goodreads

Book Review: A Winter Rose by Amy Craig

Widow Eliza struggles to raise her young daughter and run her Washington state flower farm. Julien, a charming Southerner with a knack for business, stops his road trip to help her out of a tight situation. He has no intention of sticking around a sleepy farm town, but Eliza's grit and dedication warm his wounded heart. Can they look beyond a business partnership and see the beauty of second chances?

I had the pleasure of recently meeting Amy Craig at our launch party for Guns & Smoke! We connected via Facebook. She is super nice!

When I connected with her, I noticed she had a novel coming out in July and she had a link for ARC copies available for anyone who wanted to review. So I grabbed a copy. I'm all about supporting local authors.

Admittedly, I am still venturing further into the romance genre. One thing I really loved about A Winter Rose was the small town feel. It had a lot of things that I really love in romance: struggling small town main character with a tragic past, mysterious bad boy that rides into town on a motorcycle, and a shared love of creating things.

Craig infused a lot of Louisiana references into the story because the love interest, Julien, is from southern Louisiana. I always love books that are set where I'm from or have a lot of aspects of the culture down here.

A Winter Rose was a very whimsical story, set on a struggling flower farm in the middle of winter. It's the perfect locale for two people to fall in love!

★★★★★

Thanks for reading, Abbie