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WOW! Women On Writing announces Lisa de Nikolits blog tour!
Blog Tour dates:
February 27, 2012 - March 30, 2012
Come and join the fun! Meet Lisa and visit her fabulous blog hostesses.
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Hi ,
"On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again..."
Not everyone is a Willie Nelson fan, but we all recognize that urge to hit the open road. But how strong is that desire to roam in you? Would you give up your apartment, pack everything you own in one suitcase, spend weeks on a bus with strangers heading into the wilderness?
 | | Lisa signing books at the Ontario Library Association Conference |
Not many of us would. We like our comfy chairs and snuggly jammies more than we like adventure. Benny, the star of West of Wawa, is not one of those people. She abandons everything she knows and owns to head out in search of...what? Adventure? The meaning of life? Love? Not even Benny knows but she sure has fun finding out!
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Lisa is a hoot! In today's interview she chats about her travel habits, which include photographing llamas, the inspiration behind her book, and how she must write like crazy before the end of the world--before the Mayan calendar runs out!
Stop by The Muffin today for a writerly interview and leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of West of Wawa! For an extra entry, link to the post on Twitter with the hashtag #WestOfWawa. The giveaway contest closes this Thursday, March 1 at 11:59 PM, PST. We will announce the winner in the comments section the following day, Friday, March 2.
Bloggers: If you'd like to host Lisa, please e-mail us with your request, or simply reply to this e-mail. Also, be sure to check out our Upcoming Tours in the section below.
If you'd like to schedule a tour for yourself, please reply to this e-mail. We look forward to hearing from you!
Write on!
~ Jodi and Robyn ~ (Your Hostesses)
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 About the author:
Originally from South Africa, Lisa has been a Canadian citizen since 2003--although she still retains a lilting voice that causes fellow Canadians to ask, "You aren't from Canada, eh?" With a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature and Philosophy, Lisa has also lived and worked in the United States, Australia, and Great Britain.
Lisa thought she was on her way to fame and fortune when the South African edition of Cosmopolitan bought two of her poems in 1986. Sadly, the road to being a published writer was not as easy as she had hoped! Throughout her writing career, Lisa has tried her hand at everything from children's picture books to short stories to novellas to feature magazine articles. Her first novel, The Hungry Mirror, which won an IPPY Gold Medal for Women's Fiction 2011, was inspired by her work as art director for magazines including Vogue and Marie Claire. Lisa is now working on her next novel, Between the Cracks She Fell.
Find out more about Lisa by visiting her online: Author website: http://www.lisadenikolitswriter.com/
Art design website: http://www.lisadenikolitsdesign.com/
  
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 West of Wawa
by Lisa de Nikolits
Emotionally battered and bruised, 29-year-old Australian immigrant Benny is looking for escape, not redemption. Escape from herself and the dismal failures of her life: her first solo art exhibition is panned by critics and her husband left her for an Andy Warhol look-alike. Isolated from her family, her career as an abstract artist in ruins, she comes to Canada and finds solace working eighteen hours a day as a graphic designer in a disreputable agency. Numbing her pain with hard work, she self-medicates with prescription meds, and becomes involved in a series of increasingly dubious relationships with ill-suited unreliable men who lead her into danger. Cutting off all ties with normalized daily routines, Benny leaves her job and sets off on a road trip adventure across Canada, hoping she will discover who she wants to be and where she wants to be it.
During the bus trip she discovers junk food, cigarettes, hash and drinks a lot of alcohol. She confuses sexual attraction with love in a series of relationships with loser bad boys and continues to put herself in destructive, potentially dangerous situations. Hardcore, she travels for the most part by Greyhound bus, sinking deeper into the underbelly of a world that offers her the anonymity she seeks. Funny, aggressive, fearless and vulnerable, Benny is a road-warrior with a backpack of opiates, a map and a guileless sense of naiveté. In seventy-two days, she travels nearly ten thousand miles overland and more by flight and train; she's a determined modern-day pioneer.
This coming-of-age novel is narrated with wry humour and filled with a cast of engaging characters. A tale of sexual adventure and feminist learning, Benny looks for escape but emerges a heroine instead; with mistakes, epiphanies and friendships helping forge her a home and a sense of identity in the true North.
"Travelling along with Benny on her journey of self-discovery is an adventure - I kept wanting more of this witty character. Living vicariously through her fearless choices and adventure-filled travels made me want to hop on a bus to see the country. Through West of Wawa's funny and fulfilling story, you can't help but root for Benny and her broken heart. And there's no doubt you'll be pleased by the story's outcome."
~ Daniela Payne, web editor, Canadian Living
"Travelling along with Benny on her journey of self-discovery is an adventure - I kept wanting more of this witty character. Living vicariously through her fearless choices and adventure-filled travels made me want to hop on a bus to see the country. Through West of Wawa's funny and fulfilling story, you can't help but root for Benny and her broken heart. And there's no doubt you'll be pleased by the story's outcome."
 "Pill-popping, wisecracking Benny may only be 29, but she's on the run from a failed marriage, ruined art career, unhealthy food - pretty much life in general - and seeking salvation on a cross-Canada bus journey. And the true north strong and free may just have some hope in store for this Aussie wanderer. A funny, moving journey towards self-realization. Benny is a treat."
~ Chatelaine Magazine
West of Wawa was an editor's pick in the September '11 issue.
Paperback: 260 pages
| West of Wawa book trailer |
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Publisher: Inanna Publications
ISBN-10: 1926708245
ISBN-13: 978-1926708249
Twitter Hashtag: #WestOfWawa
West of Wawa is available at Amazon, Indigo, as well as at local bookstores.
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Let's Kick Off the Blog Tour!
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Monday, February 27 @ The Muffin! - Today!
Stop by The Muffin for an interview with Lisa de Nikolits, and enter to win a signed copy of West of Wawa!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/
Thursday, March 1 @ Book Bags and Cat Naps Don't miss Lisa de Nikolits' post "The Road to Publishing is as Long as the Transcanada Highway" as well as a review of her novel West of Wawa. And stop by @wowblogtour to tell us how long you think the Transcanada Highway is-you could win a prize!
http://bookbagsandcatnaps.com
Friday, March 2 @ Book Bags and Cat Naps Interview with Lisa de Nikolits, author of West of Wawa, and a chance to win a Twitter contest by visiting @wowblogtour.
http://bookbagsandcatnaps.com
Monday, March 5 @ A Writer's Life Learn more about author Lisa de Nikolits during an interview today and stop back on Thursday for more fun!
http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com
Wednesday, March 7 @ A Writer's Life Don't miss today's review of a West of Wawa, the tale of a life's journey...by bus!
http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 8 @ Selling Books Get the insider's scoop on Lisa de Nikolits, author of West of Wawa, a novel about self-discovery.
http://SellingBooks.com
Friday, March 9 @ Books, Books the Magical Fruit Novelist Lisa de Nikolits tells readers why Canada should be their next vacation destination...and she should know, her latest novel West of Wawa is about a trip across Canada.
http://www.booksbooksthemagicalfruit.blogspot.com
Sunday, March 11 @ Lit Endeavors Don't miss a review of Lisa de Nikolits' novel West of Wawa, the story of a woman's search for her life along the transcanadian highway.
http://litendeavors.blogspot.com
Friday, March 16 @ Me and Reading Lisa de Nikolits shares "Five Tips to Make You a Better Writer" and a review of her new novel West of Wawa.
http://www.ingasilbergbooks.com
Monday, March 26 @ Selling Books Don't just write postcards on your next vacation-novelist Lisa de Nikolits tells how to "Weave Your Travels into Fiction Writing."
http://SellingBooks.com
Tuesday, March 27 @ Lit Endeavors Today Lisa de Nikolits answers questions about being a novelist, the beauty of Canada, and more.
http://litendeavors.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 29 @ Cathy C. Hall All your dreams are coming true! They're publishing your book. But before you can pop the champagne the publishing house closes. Sound like a horror story? Actually, it's novelist Lisa de Nikolits' real experience. Stop by to find out what happened next!
http://www.cathychall.wordpress.com
Friday, March 30 @ Cindy's Love of Books Get some insight about the drive to write in this interview with Lisa de Nikolits.
http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.com
We may have more dates to come, so be sure to check out our Events Calendar HERE.
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| Want to host one of our touring authors? |
 Upcoming Author Tours: If you have a blog or website and would like to host one of our authors below, we are still accepting a few choice blogs to participate in our Partnership Program.
Come and join the fun! Please email Jodi & Robyn at blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com and put "Blog Tour Partnership" in the subject line. Please tell us the author you are interested in and your available dates. We'll get back to you with the details if you are accepted. We look forward to hearing from you!
Content for your blog: All of our touring authors are available for interviews, or they will provide a guest post on a topic related to the writing process or their book. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Tour Dates: March 12, 2012 -April 13, 2012
Title: Caring Lessons
Author: Lois Roelofs
Genre: Memoir
Synopsis: Lois Roelofs describes herself as a rebellious minister's daughter, a reluctant nurse, a restless mom, and a perpetual student who eventually became a fun-loving teacher of mental health nursing. During her forty-year nursing career, she cared for patients and taught nursing students in primarily mental health and medical-surgical settings. As a caregiver, she learned the value of caring for herself and did so by changing jobs to suit her interests, going back to school more than once to feed her crave for learning, and seeking professional help when personal and family crises invaded her life.
You will be amused, saddened, and inspired as you read this intimate and introspective memoir. Plus you will learn the importance of faith, family, and friendship--whatever your profession--and come away with a new appreciation of caring for yourself as well as caring for others. Participate! Please email us with "Blog Tour Partnership" in the subject line and your available dates. We schedule 2-3 stops per week from March 12 - April 13. You will receive a copy of Caring Lessons by Lois Roelofs. We look forward to hearing from you!-----  About the Author:
Lois long to fly the friendly skies but in 1968 minister's daughters did not become stewardesses. They chose practical careers like teaching or nursing. For the entire first year of nursing school, Lois made weekly calls home to beg her parents to let her come home. Then her instructors decided she had a "bad attitude." Despite her lukewarm feelings about a nursing career Lois set out to prove those cranky old instructors wrong.
Lois's attitude, as well as her feelings about nursing, changed radically during her over thirty-year career. She retired in the year 2000 as professor emerita from Trinity Christian College with Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees in nursing. But even that wasn't enough classroom time for Lois. She recently completed three years of the University of Chicago Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults. She now spends her days writing and being a happy grandma. Author's Website: http://loisroelofs.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Tour Dates: March 19, 2012 - April 13, 2012
Title: The Smiley Book of Colors
Author: Ruth Kaiser
Genre: Picture Book
Synopsis: The Smiley Book of Colors contains a rhyming verse written to get parents talking to their children about optimism, specifically about choosing happiness. The photo illustrations--arranged by color--are "Smileys" found hidden in fire trucks, flowers, clouds, even mommy's latte. Although it is a children's picture book, The Smiley Book of Colors is really for anyone who needs a burst of happiness in their day.
Participate! Please email us with "Blog Tour Partnership" in the subject line and your available dates. We schedule 2-3 stops per week from March 19 - April 13. You will receive a copy of The Smiley Book of Colors by Ruth Kaiser. We look forward to hearing from you!-----  About the Author:
Ruth is proud to be a self-proclaimed, happy-go-lucky, cockeyed optimist. Also known as a Pollyanna, a goofball, and little Miss Sunshine, Ruth is an easy breezy, cup runneth over, top of the world, outgoing, people loving, fun seeking gal. This perky gregarious, cracking herself up child at heart is filled with gratitude every minute of every day!
She is mom to three of the greatest kids ever who, even though they are all out in the world pretending to be grown-ups, will always be her babies. To pay for all those kids' college tuitions, Ruth owns a small chain of preschools called TOT DROP where for 18 years she has been known and loved as "Teacher Ruth" by hundreds of preschoolers and their parents. To quote one of her mommies, "Everyone should have a 'Teacher Ruth' in their life!"
Although completely allergic to cats, she is also completely enamored with them. So Philbert, Noodle, Rooster, and Mr. Simon have the run of the house and Ruth sits on a plastic chair and washes her hands a hundred times a day.
Ruth studied art at the University of California at Berkeley, but really believes that everyone is an artist. With excitement she proclaims, "How cool is it that the Internet has given us all an avenue to share our art!"
Smile. Be happy! It's a choice you can choose. Give it a try, You've got nothing to lose. Author's Website: http://www.spontaneoussmiley.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Pack your bags and join us on this cross-country adventure for Lisa de Nikolits novel, West of Wawa.
Stop by The Muffin today and comment for a chance to win a signed copy of West of Wawa!
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