Blog Tour for Sailing out of Darkness and Becalmed

The blog tour set up by TLC Book Tours has begun. They gave reviewers the opportunity to receive and review either book, so we have a some who chose Sailing out of Darkness and some who picked Becalmed.

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Becalmed

 

My publisher for Sailing out of Darkness was snowed in (or out) for a while, which meant that the books didn’t get to some of the bloggers early enough for them to keep to the schedule. But today’s blogger did. You can read Ellie’s thoughts at Spiced Latte. I hope you’ll stop by with a comment!

The updated schedule for the tour will appear here on TLC’s webpage.

Normandie’s Tour Stops

Wednesday, January 22nd: Spiced Latte ReadsSailing Out of Darkness

To be Announced : The Most Happy ReaderSailing Out of Darkness

Friday, January 24th: The Book BarnSailing Out of Darkness

Monday, January 27th: Obsessed Italian BratSailing Out of Darkness

Wednesday, January 29th: Books and BindingsBecalmed

Monday, February 3rd: Time 2 ReadBecalmed

Tuesday, February 4th: Staircase WitSailing Out of Darkness

Wednesday, February 5th: Sammy the BookwormSailing Out of Darkness

Thursday, February 6th: Good Girl Gone RedneckSailing Out of Darkness

Monday, February 10th: Shelf Pleasure (guest post)

Tuesday, February 11th: Cerebral Girl in a Redneck WorldBecalmed

Wednesday, February 12th: The Most Happy ReaderBecalmed

Monday, February 17th: Patricia’s WisdomBecalmed

Wednesday, February 19th: Cruising Susan ReviewsSailing Out of Darkness

Thursday, February 20th: Obsessed Italian BratBecalmed

Monday, February 24th: Every Free Chance Book ReviewsSailing Out of Darkness

Date TBD: Mary’s Cup of TeaSailing Out of Darkness

Date TBD: Mary’s Cup of TeaBecalmed

 

 

 

 

 

Win an Autographed Copy of Sailing out of Darkness

ENTER TO WIN:

Now until February 1, 2014

 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Sailing out of Darkness by Normandie Fischer

Sailing out of Darkness

by Normandie Fischer

Giveaway ends February 01, 2014.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

 

Click the link to enter.

When Someone Gets It

You paint a picture, create a sculpture, write a poem or a book. Folk say they love this or that. A few say they don’t like anything you’ve done. Well, you try for a thank-you to them anyway, because that’s what you’ve been taught to do. Smile. Be polite.

And then someone writes a review of your newest and shows that she gets it. She gets the purpose and the heart of your story, although she doesn’t normally read in your genre–or in this case, genres.

Yesterday, that happened when a reader wrote these words about Sailing out of Darkness. I don’t care that she only gave it four stars while she gave my first (Becalmed) five. You’ll see what I mean when you read her words, these from Goodreads:

 

Lynne Hinkey

Normandie Fischer’s latest, Sailing Out of Darkness, includes some of my favorite things: sailing, travel, mystery, and even a bit of fantasy thrown in. Fischer’s latest novel seamlessly melds multiple genres–romance, Christian fiction, women’s lit, and literary–without settling entirely within any one. Don’t think that’s a criticism. For me, I found the balance just right: the romance never gets sappy, the thread of faith/Christian fiction runs through subtly, never pounding the reader over the head with it as so much of that genre does, the mystery and conflict over Samantha’s past coming back to haunt her kept me on edge without becoming melodramatic, and her literal and figurative voyage of self-discovery moves at an engaging pace that never falls over the line from relatable introspection to banal self-absorption. Sam, Teo, and all of the characters’ personalities come through clearly and their interactions and dialogue flow smoothly. Fischer is a master at transporting the reader into the scene. The beauty and foreignness of exploring new places is captured pitch perfect in Sam’s ponderings as she makes her way through Italy. I could picture the Italian countryside, feel the rhythm of the boat on the Mediterranean Sea, and my heart ached and pulse raced when Sam confronted…well, read it to see what and how she overcomes the ordeals she faces.

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Introducting Sailing out of Darkness in My Words

 

My publicist, River Laker of Silver Seas PR, shot these on board Sea Venture at Liberty Landing Marina, where we’d docked while I played grandmother to my daughter’s newborn a ferry ride away in NYC. Obviously, (sans doute!) I had no script. Nor the benefit of a make-up and hair artist (big sigh).  Still, they give voice to some of my thoughts on the story.

Sailing out of Darkness

Tomorrow is Launch Party Day on Facebook. And here is our party schedule of appearances. Please stop by and win one of these lovely books!

9:00-10:10 Barbara Davis
10:10-11:20 Lynne Hinkey
11:20-12:40 Jessica Topper
12:40-1:50 Robin Patchen
1:50-3:00 Jessica Dotta
3:00-4:10 Barbara Claypole White
4:10-5:20 Laura Wharton
5:20-6:30 Anne Barnhill
6:30 -8:00 yours truly

Click here to join the party!

 

 

Virtual Launch Party for Sailing out of Darkness: Prelude 1

As I did before the launch of Becalmed, I’ll be posting tidbits to whet your appetite.

The actual party takes place on Tuesday, December 17, on Facebook, and we’ll be there celebrating all day. Again, we’ll have a number of authors taking the floor for an hour or so who will give away a signed copy of their book to someone who comments during that time.

It’s great fun and offers friends of friends the chance to learn about new authors–and perhaps win a book!

Here’s a picture of the cover designed by the very talented Roseanna White.

Sailing out of Darkness Full final copy

 

Stay tuned for bits about the various characters in Sailing out of Darkness, along with information on each of our participating authors!

 

Alligator River to Little Washington

Heading from Coinjock across the Albemarle Sound and then down the Alligator River took us out of cell phone and Internet range. How foreign that felt when we’d been able to talk or interact from the middle of the Chesapeake Bay and from several miles offshore.  We left the frigid mornings behind and discovered windless days, the sound and rivers a mirror, reflecting a perfect sky. Look at what we experienced at anchor in the Alligator River:

Anchoring on the Alligator River

 

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Mama's enthralled

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After a night in Belhaven, NC, we headed to Little Washington. Once in the channel, we joined the fleet. I’ve never seen so many boats, all with the same idea: Go South. We had 17 boats surrounding us–until we turned to starboard and they continued on to Oriental.

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From Portsmouth, VA, to Coinjock, NC

After a lovely book event and signing at Studio One, Riverview Galleries in Portsmouth, we headed south.

Leaving Portsmouth, VA
Leaving Portsmouth, VA

 

We love the ICW, the quiet of the water, the shoreline. What we don’t like are the occasional sport fishers who think slamming past a sailboat at 20 knots and kicking up a big wake is a good way to say hey.

It was cold when we left and cold during the day, so we paused for the night at Atlantic Yacht Basin in Great Bridge, VA. Friendly and helpful folk, and one of the best deals in dockage and fuel on the entire trip. Here’s the view out the companionway. (And yes, I had to sweep the deck of pine needles this morning, but it was worth it.)

view out companionway
view out companionway

We only had two unhappy boaters to contend with today, the bridge and lock tenders were courteous, and certainly all the sailboats heading south were manned by folk who were friendly and happy to be out there.

There’s something about people who travel by a slow sailboat: the whole point is the journey. And isn’t that how we ought to live every day — instead of blowing past at high speed?

Early this morning. Love the mist.
Early this morning. Love the mist.
Mist along the ICW
Mist along the ICW
First signs of fall
First signs of fall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The froth on the water is from one of those not-nice captains (a female, this time) whose impatience made her a menace.

 

 

Waiting for the half-hour and the last bridge on this part of the ICW
Waiting for the half-hour and the last bridge on this part of the ICW

 

 

And she still had to wait for the opening of the North Landing Bridge along with the rest of us.  It must have killed her, all that effort to put the fleet off her stern, only to be stopped at the bridge like all the lesser folk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re now back in Coinjock, NC, at Midway Marina. And tonight? Dinner at Crabbies!