Georgia Stories on My Mind Blog Tour And Giveaway

Come visit Georgia within these pages as you read heartwarming stories shaped by local traditions and legends. The characters live life to the fullest through joys and hardships. Inhale the essence of Georgia’s revitalized small town squares while eating hand- scooped ice cream on a park bench. Each town has its own magic. Sometimes the most real things in life are things we cannot see but those that deeply touch us, as the folks in these tales learn. Share smiles and shed tears as you travel the curving road of life with these Georgia characters. Are you ready for an unforgettable experience of hope, faith, trust, reconciliation, and love?

Print Length: 259 Pages
Genre: Short Story Anthologies
Publisher: Touch Not the Cat Books
ASIN: B07FXVRZGG
ISBN-10: 0999597612
ISBN-13: 9780999597613

Georgia Stories on My Mind is available to purchase on Amazon.com.

Book Giveaway Contest

To win a copy of the book Georgia Stories on My Mind by Jackie Rod, please enter using Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post. Giveaway ends on January 20th at 11:59 PM EST. We will announce the winner the next day on the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!

About the Author, Jackie Rod

“A good book transports me to another time and place. It lets me feel the sensation of heroes and heroines— dark loneliness, deep passion, a father’s pride and a mother’s grief.” Jackie Rod is a fiction writer, loving wife of a legal beagle, and mother of three children who has blessed her with seven fantastic grandchildren. After Jackie retired from teaching, her love of words and stories led her to begin writing fiction. Reading and traveling enrich her life and she jumps at the opportunity to teach a workshop or attend a writing conference. She belongs to five writing chapters/groups. Jackie’s work can be found in twelve published books on Amazon, in several Metro Atlanta libraries, and independent bookstores.

You can find Jackie at:

www.facebook.com/JackieRod
www.Twitter.com/Softnsilk
www.LinkedIn/com/in/jackie-rod-32bba255 www.Pinterest.com/JackieRod
www.JackieRod.blogspot.com
www.Instagram.com/jackierod039

---- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: Congratulations on your book! Tell us a little bit about Georgia Stories On My Mind. What can readers expect?

Jackie: Georgia Stories On My Mind highlights strong women living in small southern towns. In each heartwarming story a woman works through relationships with friends, family and lovers. Day-by-day she must deal with the realities of life that make her struggle through inner frailties to find her true self. We cheer for each heroine as she realizes her strengths. I invite you to take a short journey to Georgia and meet the people who live life to the fullest through joys and hardships. Share smiles and shed tears as you travel the road of life with them and experience the gamut of human emotions. Hope, faith, and love give each of us a purpose to move away from the doubts of yesterday and into the light of tomorrow.

WOW: I love it! And I know readers will too. What inspired you to write this book?

Jackie: I was born in Atlanta, Georgia and have lived here most of my life. We travel a lot, and my area of the world is hard to beat. We travel out of the country every year and love seeing the beauty of the people and the earth. There is a uniqueness about small towns across the land—especially the charming towns in Georgia. I wanted to share my part of the country with others: Stone Mountain, Gibbs Gardens, and Savannah. We are known for our southern hospitality. Come on down and have a cold glass of sweet tea or a slice of watermelon and sit a spell. Bottom line, there is no place like home.

WOW: You could invite me over for sweet tea anytime! I’m so impressed to find out that you taught for 31 years. How did teaching help you with your writing?

Jackie: Thirty-one years in the classroom immensely enriched my life. With a Master’s degree in more than one field, I taught thirteen subjects and in every department but math. Primarily I taught behavioral sciences and social sciences. History, Sociology, and Psychology gave me worlds of material to incorporate into my writing. The first thing I learned was how blessed I was to have three wonderful children at home. The second thing I learned was how much students appreciated a competent, caring instructor. Helping them grow intellectually and emotionally inspired me to be their best mentor. They filled my days with joy and made my job a walk in the park.

"You’ve got a book in you. Write it and change your life forever."

WOW: I am sure you have tons of material to draw from! For anyone who is struggling to write, what advice would you give them? 

Jackie: You’ve got a book in you. Write it and change your life forever. Be passionate about your work. Attend writing workshops to improve your craft. We can never learn too much about the writing industry. Make writing a habit and stick to a schedule. Create short term goals and long term goals. Join a critique group and learn from experienced, talented writers. Invest in a good editor for advice and ideas. Believe in yourself and your ability to touch others’ lives with your words. Don’t let anyone discourage you. Write on!

WOW: Fantastic advice! You have quite a lot of short stories published in anthologies! What draws you to short stories?

Jackie: I enjoy writing lengthy short stories, but I don’t write brief short stories. I don’t enter contests, because lots of the contests require short-short stories. The best thing about writing lengthy short stories for an anthology is working with 6-8 other authors who are friends. We plan the anthology and create a bible with a location, time frame, and theme. With a very busy life, I can write forty pages and keep it glued together. It’s more work to write a long book when I have to stop and start and stop again.

WOW: I totally agree about the appeal of short stories over writing a book. What's next for you? What are you working on right now?

Jackie: I have two books which will be finished in 2020. Driven is the story of a lonely truck driver who lost his only child in a hit-and-run accident. The death caused a breach in his marriage. The mother blamed herself for letting the little girl walk the puppy that ran into the street. He blames himself, because he gave his daughter the puppy for Christmas. Along the road, he identifies with needy families with children and becomes a beacon of hope for them. He asks for his wife’s aid, and she steps up to the plate. Their mission brings them closer and helps them overcome their guilt to feel alive and love each other again. The second book, Bittersweet, is about three writers who bond at a writing conference. They live near each other, become soul mates, and critique each other’s work. The youngest and most passionate writer is diagnosed with cancer. In a selfless act of caring, the other two women put their lives on hold and finish their friend’s book for her to hold in her hands. A blessing indeed.

Of course, I will continue to teach writing workshops, do readings and signings for libraries and bookshops, and attend writing conferences. My books are in several libraries and bookshops.

WOW: Those books sound amazing! I can't wait to read them. Best of luck on your books and on the blog tour!

--- Blog Tour Dates

Today @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Grab your coffee and join us as we celebrate the launch of Jackie Rod's blog tour of her book Georgia Stories on My Mind. You can read an interview with the author and win a copy of the book.

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

January 14th @ Lori's Reading Corner
Visit Lori's blog today and read author Jackie Rod's guest post about editing. You can also enter to win a copy of her book Georgia Stories on My Mind.
http://www.lorisreadingcorner.com

January 15th @ Cathy C. Hall's Blog
Visit Cathy C. Hall's blog today and read her review of Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories on My Mind.
https://c-c-hall.com/

January 16th @ Caroline Clemmons Blog
Stop by Caroline's blog today and you can see a spotlight of the book and an interview with author Jackie Rod. Also win a copy of the book!
http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/

January 18th @ A Day in the Life of Mom
Visit Ashley's blog today and you can read Jackie Rod's guest post about how time is limited and precious. Plus, you can enter to win a copy of the book!
https://adayinthelifeofmom.com/

January 20th @ Memoir Writer's Journey
Make sure you stop by Kathleen's blog today and read her review of Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories on My Mind. You can also win a copy of the book!
https://krpooler.com/

January 21st @ Amanda Diaries
Visit Amanda's blog today and you can read her review of Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories on My Mind.
https://amandadiaries.com/

January 22nd @ Look to the Western Sky
Stop by Margo's blog where you can read Jackie Rod's guest post about being a cheerleader for others. You can also win a copy of the book Georgia Stories on My Mind. Don't miss it!
https://www.margoldill.com

January 22nd @ Cathy C. Hall's Blog
Visit Cathy's blog today and reading Jackie Rod's guest post about being a homegrown Georgia peach.
https://c-c-hall.com/

January 23rd @ And So She Thinks
Visit Francesca's blog today where you can read Jackie Rod's guest post about the value of critique groups and writing groups.
https://andsoshethinks.wordpress.com/

January 24th @ Coffee with Lacey
Come by Lacey's blog today and read her review of Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories on My Mind.
http://www.coffeewithlacey.com

January 25th @ Bookworm Blog
Stop by Anjanette's blog today and you can read her review of Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories on My Mind. Enter to win a copy of the book as well!
http://bookworm66.wordpress.com

January 26th @ The Frugalista Mom
Visit Rozelyn's blog today and read Jackie Rod's guest post about precious moments.
https://thefrugalistamom.com

January 27th @ 12 Books
Visit Louise's blog and read her review of Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories on My Mind.
http://www.12books.co.uk/

January 28th @ A Storybook World
Join Deirdra at her blog today where you can read Jackie Rod's guest post about the importance of conferences.
http://www.astorybookworld.com/

January 30th @ Author Anthony Avina's Blog
Visit Anthony's blog today where he will be spotlighting Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories On My Mind.
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com

January 31st @ Author Anthony Avina's Blog
Visit Anthony's blog again where you can read his review of the book Georgia Stories On My Mind and you can win a copy of the book!
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com

February 1st @ Ali's Bookshelf Reviews
Come by Ali's blog today and you can read her review of Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories on My Mind. Plus you can win a copy of the book!
http://alisbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/

February 3rd @ Author Anthony Avina's Blog
Visit Anthony's blog where you can read an interview with author Jackie Rod and read her guest post about family and friends.
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com

February 4th @ Ali's Bookshelf Reviews
Visit Ali's blog today and read author Jackie Rod's guest post about how reading changes your life.
http://alisbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/

February 6th @ Memoir Writer's Journey
Stop by Kathleen's blog today and read Jackie Rod's guest post about the joys of life. Don't miss this one!
https://krpooler.com/

February 7th @ The Frugalista Mom
Stop by Rozelyn's blog today and you can read her review of Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories on My Mind. You can also enter to win a copy of the book!
https://thefrugalistamom.com

February 8th @ Bookworm Blog
Stop by Anjanette's blog again and you can read an interview with author Jackie Rod and read the author's guest post featuring writing tips. Don't miss!
http://bookworm66.wordpress.com

February 9th @ Leonard Tillman's Blog
Visit Leonard's blog and read his review of Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories on My Mind.
http://leonardtillerman.com/

February 10th @ Madeline Sharples Blog
Visit Madeline's blog and read Jackie Rod's guest post about marketing on social media.
http://madelinesharples.com/

February 11th @ 12 Books
Visit Louise's blog again and you can read Jackie Rod's touching guest post about wisdom. Don't miss it!
http://www.12books.co.uk/

February 12th @ It's Alanna Jean
Visit Alanna's blog where you can read a guest post by the author about faith, hope, and love.
https://itsalannajean.wordpress.com/

February 16th @ Joyful Antidotes
Visit Joy's blog today and you can read her review of Jackie Rod's book Georgia Stories on My Mind.
https://www.joyfulantidotes.com

Keep up with the latest tour dates on Twitter: @WOWBlogTour

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

To win a copy of the book Georgia Stories on My Mind by Jackie Rod, please enter using Rafflecopter below. Giveaway ends on January 20th at 11:59 PM EST. We will announce the winner the next day on the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway