Blog Tour: THE GOODBYES by Helen Gillespie

THE GOODBYES

by Helen Gillespie

 

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GENRE: Women’s Fiction

 

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BLURB:

Struggling with becoming an adult in a small mid-western town, Dianne has to confront family secrets, deception, and discovery during her last year of college. As she cares for her ailing mother, her world begins to unravel and she is challenged to navigate through lies, friendships, love...and murder. Meeting the wrong person makes it possible for her to recognize the right ones and to find the strength she needs to survive. Suddenly realizing that she is responsible for her own destiny, she learns that to say hello to a new life, she must first say goodbye.

This is a family drama that follows a woman's struggles with her mother's death, a murder and how she deals with all of this and learns how to say goodbye to all that she has known in her life.

 

 

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Excerpt Two:

 

Although hesitant, Dianne prepared for her date with more apprehension than she had earlier when she prepared for her first day in the classroom. Weirdly, she hoped she would be stood up.

“Sorry I’m late. The ladies at work needed me to stop by and help them,” Michael told Dianne when she answered the door.

“Hi, Michael. Please, come in. Do people ever call you Mike?”

 

“Naw, ever since the second grade there was this other Michael, and everyone called him Mike and me Michael. It kinda stuck.”

 

“Makes sense. I’m almost about ready. I’m going to finish putting these towels away, and I’ll be ready to go.”

 

“Your momma okay?”

 

“Yes, she’s in the room sleeping. Thank you for asking.”

 

Dianne was surprised to hear Michael ask about her mother and not instantly jump into something about himself.

 

“See, I’m not as bad as you thought this morning.” Michael stared at Dianne as though he expected appreciation for his politeness.

 

“I hope not,” Dianne said, smiling while placing the last of the towels in a nearby closet.

 

“Dianne, you leaving?”

 

“Yes, Mom. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

 

“No, I was getting up and heard Michael come in. Ken should be over in about an hour, and he’s bringing me something to eat.”

 

Dianne disappeared briefly from Michael’s sight into her mother’s room to kiss her goodbye.

 

“You going to be okay, Mom?”

 

“Yeah, my boyfriend’s coming over and bringing dessert,” Katrina said, smiling and forcing her eyes open.

 

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 Review: Dianne was a young woman with a new teaching job and living with a sick mom in a small town. Right away she gets a taste of small-town living when some store manager finds her to show her his newest lawnmower. Weirdo! Talk about being too much of a salesman.

The story takes a while to introduce the reader to the various “country folk” characters and the tight-knit town. The pace is as slow as the country living that they do there. Generally, this was a nice read though. What I liked best was how much Dianne cared for her ailing mother, whose only wish was for Dianne not to put her life on hold for her. Things get a little interesting with the mystery of her mother’s box, but again the development is long and somewhat daunting. Story seemed to focus more on the drama surrounding the mom’s illness rather than the mystery of the box. Story is a long and emotional journey, which might resonate with some readers, but I found it to be mildly interesting at best. All in all, this was a fairly nice read.

Rating: 3 stars

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Throughout grammar school and college, Helen Gillespie loved developing story sketches or full stories but kept them hidden within herself. That creative spark proved valuable in unexpected places, first on assignment as a musician in the US Army, and after leaving the Army, when she earned a degree in elementary education. After reentering the Army in 1981, she put pen to paper, or rather, “fingers to an Olivetti.” She officially learned the art of journalism to serve the Army, but it quickly became a personal passion. Interviewing fellow soldiers, exploring their jobs and personalities, and publishing useful information for the military community formed the basis of her skill and enjoyment. Those years of thought, training, education, and experience laid the foundation for crafting her first novel, The Goodbyes.

 

Social Media

 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565442142189

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/hgillespie/

Website:  https://www.helengillespiewrites.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hgillespe/

 

Personal Social Media

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/helen.gillespie/  

 

 

 

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GIVEAWAY 

Helen Gillespie will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

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