reckless beginnings Archives - Tina Hogan Grant

The Traveling Book Project is happening!

Hey everyone, I’m super excited to announce that two of my books are now on a road trip. As many of you know; the goal is to have two of my books, Reckless Beginnings, and Slater, travel to every state and be signed by a reader representing their home state. I hope to have it returned to me with fifty signatures, one from each state.

Follow the books.

I will be posting monthly updates on where the books are and which states they have visited along with pictures sent in by the readers. Oh, this is going to be so much fun!

You will be able to follow the trip on my social media accounts and this blog.

My Facebook Group ( If you are not a member you can request to join) – Read More Books

My Facebook author page –

My Instagram account

Twitter

Where the Road Trip Begins

Each book will be taking a different route.

Slater will be starting off in California with Elaine Ruff Gallo and Reckless Beginnings will be starting on the east coast from Maine with Dawn Mast. Below is the rest of the route. We will be keeping track of the travel route and notify each team member when the book is heading their way. As a reminder to all those participating, please make sure if you have not read the book, to do so as soon as you receive it, sign it, and put the date and state inside the front cover and send it to the next person via media mail. Thank you all for making this happen!

You may notice that a few of the states are blank. We are still searching for people from those states to receive the book. If you have any family or friends that may want to be a part of the team shoot me an email tinahogangrant@gmail.com or have them contact me.

RECKLESS BEGINNINGS

1. ME- Dawn Mast
2. NH – Audrey McGee Griffis
3. VT – SandiCadieux Goldring
4. NY – Pat Shupinski Fayo
5. MA- Linda Morgan
6. RI – Stephann
7. CT- Awilda Melendez
8. PA -Jodena Psycher
9. NJ – Sonnetta Jones
10. DE –
11. MD- Lynette Demskit Trotta
12. WV – Sheila Martin
13. VA – Linda Terreri
14. NC – Karen Agee
15. SC – Erin Kane
16. GA – Sandra Harmon Zimmerman
17. FL – Annamarie Calvino Scott
18. AL – Melanie Stickler Falconer
19. MS – Dede Cook
20. TN – Melodie Bertoli
21. KY – Laura Conway
22. OH – Janet Fetteroff Johnson
23. IN – Renee Bosgraaf
24. MI – Ashley Jessica Evans
25. WI – Donamae Clausen Kutska
26. MN – Liz Deshayes
27. IA – Paula Hess
28. IL – Lisa Quinlivan
29. MO – Linda Sutton
30. AR – Robyn Best Huffman
31. LA – Donisa Pierce Tingle
32. TX – Meredith Thompson
33. OK – Tamara Ward
34. KS – Jean Briggs
35. NB – Jennifer Bryan Vawser
36. SD – Teresa Padgett
37. ND – Daynelle Paulson Blake
38. MT – Carol Deegan
39. WY – Patricia Trumpower
40. CO – Lisa Casey
41. NM – Kris Rubi
42. AZ – June Schmidt
43. UT – Stephanie Williams Peterson
44. NV – Sabrina Kleymann
45. ID – Barb Metcalf Arehart
46. OR – Penny Knowlton
47. WA – Cynthia Novlin
48. AK – Holly Marie
49. HI –
50. CA – Vicki Robinson

SLATER

1. CA – Elaine Ruff Gallo
2. NV – Sabrina Kleymann
3. UT- Courtney Cochley
4. AZ – Eileen Horsman
5. NM –
6. CO – Ruth Brassell
7. KS – Bea Followi
8. OK – Kimberly McCoy Murrie
9. TX – Cheryl Buckley
10. LA – Christy Renee Amond
11. AR – Senia Clark
12. MO – Ruth Benson
13. TN – Sheila Harmon Grant
14. MS – Kimberly Moss
15. AL – Faye Burt
16. GA – Jennifer Kayes
17. FL – Robin Batterson
18. SC – Christine White
19. NC – Shannon Doutt Dolgos
20. KY -Samantha Humphrey-Vershum
21. WV – Jean Shahan
22. VA – Nancy Sheperd
23. MD – Rose Schmitz Marcin
24. DE –
25. NJ – Carole Sigle Doscher
26. CT – Christina Carmon
27. RI
28. MA – Cathy Friedland Yahiaoui
29. ME – Annie Lavoie
30. NH – Clenna Lyons Emery
31. VT –
32. NY – Pam Shear Vogt
33. PA – Christina Close
34. OH – Renne Tucci
35. MI – Teresa Pladgett
36. IN – Kelly Braun
37. IL – Ellie Raymond
38. WI – Sherry Hall Hanson
39. IA –
40. NE – Valerie Bush Stoj
41. MN – Cindy Sargent
42. SD – Delores Hansen
43. ND – Sherie Goff
44. MT – Donna Thomas
45. WY –
46. ID – Kelly Olson
47. OR – Adrianna Ross Downard
48. WA – LuAnn Morgan
49. AK – Dolly K. Gunter
50. HI

After Hawaii….. it will travel home to me!

Thank you, everyone, that has signed up to represent their home state. I can’t wait to hear from you when the books arrive in your mailboxes.

Enjoy the rest of your week everyone xoxox

Latest updates May 2021

Because of COVID-19, we had to take a break from shipping the books from state to state but I’m happy to say Slater is back on the road and has traveled through four states in just the lasts six weeks.

It visited Carol Sigle Doscher in New Jersey

Then it went on to spend some time with Kathy Richardson in Rhode Island before heading to Connecticut to visit with Annette Glahn. It then traveled to Massachusetts and stayed with Cathy Friedland Yahiaoui. It is now in Maine with Anne Lavoie

Thank you, ladies, for being on the team, and thank you Pat Shupinski Fayo for keeping track and organizing the journey.

Reckless Beginnings Has come to a halt

Sadly the journey for Reckless Beginnings has ended due to a reader keeping the book and not sending it onto the next reader. We were doing so well with over 25 states visited in just over a year. The selfish act of one person spoiled the trip not just for me but for the 50 readers that had signed up to be a part of this event. But I will not be defeated and will send out a second book on the road soon.

Earlier Updates

11-22-19 -Reckless Beginnings has arrived in Maine😍 Thank you, Dawn Mast, for being a part of the team and representing your state. I hope you enjoy the book! #travelingbook

11-30-19 – Reckless beginning arrived in New Hampshire. Thank you Audrey Mcgee Griffis for being a team member and representing your state. I hope you enjoy the book.

12-11-19 Reckless Beginnings has arrived in Vermont. Thank you Sandi Cadieux Goldring for being a part of the team. I hope you enjoy the book.

12-10-19 Slater has left California and is on its way to Nevada. Thank you Elaine Ruff Gallo. I hope you liked the book.

Continue reading “The Traveling Books Project has Begun” →

Everything books

How To Get ARC Copies Of Books From Your Favorite Authors

June 12, 2019 Tina Hogan Grant

I often hear readers asking how can they obtain ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) of authors books? You might be surprised that it’s not that difficult to do and I thought I would give you some tips on how to obtain them.

What is an ARC?

Arc is an abbreviation for Advanced Reader’s Copy. It is a pre-released copy given to certain people to read before publication day. The book may be in print copy or ebook format. It is required when you receive an ARC copy that you leave a review on one if not all of the major platforms – Amazon and Goodreads for example.

Sign up for newsletters

If your favorite author has a newsletter or blog, I highly recommend you sign up for it or follow their blog. This will be one of the places they will announce that they are seeking ARC readers or they may have a giveaway that you could enter.

Follow the authors on their social media accounts

Most authors have at least one social media account. The most popular being Facebook. It’s another place where authors will promote their books and seek ARC readers or host giveaway. Many of the authors on Facebook have readers groups – be sure to join those too. Other accounts to look into are Instagram, Twitter, and Goodreads. (Goodreads is a great place to get ARCs.

Here are my social media accounts

www.tinahogangrant.com

https://www.facebook.com/Tina.Hogan.Grant.Author/

https://www.instagram.com/tina_hogan_grant/

https://twitter.com/TinaHoganGrant

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11947664-tina-hogan-grant

https://www.pinterest.com/tinahogangrant/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tina-hogan-grant

Contact the publisher

If you are a book blogger and do reviews you might want to try and contact the publisher directly and request an ARC copy. Keep in mind you will stand a better chance if your blog is at least six months old and you have at least five hundred followers.

Net Gallery

Net Galley is a huge library of electronic ARC books where many can sign up to read books before they are published. It is required, that you leave a review. You can request books and the site will notify you if you have been picked. It’s free for readers to use. Authors have to pay a membership fee. In order to request a book from Net Gallery, you must meet certain requirements which you can read about here.

Goodreads

On the Goodreads site, you can follow your favorite author, ask them questions and be notified when they hold a giveaway for ARC copies. Many authors use this site for promotional purposes prior to a book launch to spread the word and giveaways are extremely popular. Your chances of winning an ARC book is pretty good.

Library Thing

This site posts a monthly list of ARC books available for review. I’m not sure how the program works but I’ve heard good things about it. More information is available here.

Here is my Library Thing profile https://www.librarything.com/profile/tinahogangrant

If you know of any other methods of getting ARC copies, let me know and I’ll add it to the list.

Final Word

Did you know Reckless Beginnings is now available on Kindle Unlimited? – You can read for free in the program or buy for $1.99 Click on the image to order your copy and start reading today.

My Life In Pictures From 2018 – What a Year

December 30, 2018December 30, 2018 Tina Hogan Grant

Saying goodbye to the year 2018

As the end of another year approaches and a new one is about to begin, I find myself reminiscing over events that have happened over the past year. I take out pictures I have taken and relive the moments of another year that has gone by so quickly before saying goodbye to it.

I come across pictures that didn’t seem like were taken that long ago when in fact some are almost a year old. Where has the time gone? I ask myself. These years are just whizzing by and I try to cherish every moment, live life to the fullest and make as many memories as I can with my family and friends.

I have gathered a collection of photos I have taken throughout the year and wanted to share them with you. Not only do I want you to know me as a writer but also as someone you feel you know. Once in a while, I like to give my readers a little insight into my life and allow them to know me as a person. So I thought it would be fun to show you my year in pictures and my favorite memories that I will cherish forever.

January 2018

December 31st is my birthday so the week after, in January, my husband surprised me by taking me to the Titanic Exhibit at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley CA. It was a fantastic tour and we spent the entire there, seeing the rest of the library too.

In the last week of January, I took my best friend Joanie to Laughlin NV for a weekend, to celebrate her birthday. We had an awesome time and on the way home, she talked about a small town in Arizona called Oatman. Well me being the spontaneous kind, looked at a map, saw we were close by and took a detour through the town and boy am I glad we did. I just love this place! I could spend days there and wished we had had more time to explore this magical place. The burros are descendants from the gold miners who used them to haul gear and food. When the miners left the town, they left the burros behind, where they remained and now live with the locals, who watch out for them, feed them and give them medical attention if needed.

February

I grew up reading Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter and wanted to see this movie myself. My grandkids loved it and I was not disapointed either.

March

Every year, in March, we attend the Fred Hall Show in Long Beach. It is a family event that we have been doing for many years. My husband and I, our son, daughter-in-law and grandkids all enjoy the many outdoor activities they have to offer including, kayaking, fishing, log sawing, ax throwing, dog jumping and seeing all the latest gear for outdoor activities.

In March we had our first big snow fall and it happened when we had the grandkids up for the weekend. It was just before St Patrick’s day so we spent the morning making cookies and by the afternoon we had a few good inches of snow on the ground. Luke, (The youngest) spent an hour on the front porch just watching the snow come down. He was mesmerized. By night time we were surrounded by a blanket of snow and spent the evening playing in the snow by flashlight. The next morning, Luke was in awe looking at the snow that had fallen overnight.

April

After twenty years of parts being stored in the garage, my husband finally begins building his custom Harley Davidson Panhead. What a beauty she turned out to be.

When the grandkids come to visit I always try and take them some place and always include my best friend’s grandson, (Johnathan, who is sitting in the middle.) On this visit in April, I took them all to the Western Cowboy event.

May

Mother’s Day I was shocked when I received a guitar from my husband. I’ve always wanted to learn how to play one. Well now I have the tool, I just need to find the time. It will happen one day, I promise.

Mother’s Day is also an emotional day as I think of my mother, bedridden in England, suffering from Vascular Dementia. She no longer recognizes me and I miss her smile and her visits to the United States. Without fail every year, my sister sends me a photo of her reading the card I had sent her. Thank you sis!

June

June was a proud month for all of us when our eldest grandson, James won first place in his Jiu-Jitsu tournament. Way to go James!

July

July was when we had the temperatures souring in the 100’s and it was time to head to some waters. So we packed up our bags and tents and headed to Kernville with the kids and grandkids where we spent the weekend, kayaking, swimming and lazing around on inner-tubes. What a glorious weekend it was.

August

Finally, after months of anticipating and waiting, I see the cover to my book for the first time and absolutely fell in love with it. I think the publishers did an outstanding job.

As many of you know, we live in the mountains and see many sitings of wildlife. While at a friends house one afternoon, I see a mama bear and her cub strolling down the street while I was sitting on the deck. It took my breath away and a memory that I will not forget anytime soon.

August was also a month to spend more time on the water with the family. This time we decided to spend the day on my husband’s nephew’s boat in Redondo beach. The kids and grandkids joined us and also family members we hadn’t seen in a while also showed up. It was a great day spent catching up, swimming and of course kayaking.

September

In September I received the first copies of my book. What an emotional day that was. To hold my book in my hands for the first time, brought tears to my eyes. All the hard work and frustrations to get it to this point was absolutely worth it. My husband also managed to make me cry when he came home with a beautiful bouquet of roses and a sweet card. I love you Gordon!

September was also the month to celebrate our youngest grandson’s birthday who turned 3 in 2018.

After twenty-five years in the making and eight years to write, RECKLESS BEGINNINGS went live at the end of September. A date I will never forget.

When I received this picture of my Mum with my book, I broke down in tears. Seeing my mother and my book together, tore at my heart strings. I know she will never read the book, but she was there in the beginning and read the first three original chapters before dementia took over her life. At times I wished I had written the book sooner.

October was also the month when I held my book signing at our local library. I have never felt so proud of myself. I loved the support I received from family and our little community that I’m happy to call home.

November

While driving to work one morning I was listening to the news about the wildfires that were rapidly spreading through Malibu and up ahead in the distance I could see the smoke plume from my car. It was so eerie to see and such a sad day in Southern California. It was a devasting fire that took over 1000 homes. My heart goes out to all those that were affected by these deadly fires.

November was also the month Luke received his first belt in Jiu-Jitsu. (He is only 3) Well done Luke 🙂

I also got my new car. A Honda CR-V. It was time. My last car had 250,000 miles. (Also a Honda CR-V)

I had my first televised interview with KBAK 29 NEWS from Bakersfield. I thought I was going to be a nervous wreck but thanks to the interviewer Rayna Harvey, I felt completely at ease and it went extremely well. Thank you!

December

December is all about Christmas. And what a Christmas we had. We went to our small town Christmas parade, made cookies, had more snow and of course celebrated with the family.

So there you have it. My best moments from 2018. What fond memories do you have of 2018?

Happy New Year

I want to wish all of you a happy new year and success in whatever you have planned for 2019. I hope the road you take is an easy one.

Reckless Beginnings is $0.99 (eBooks Only)

Reviews

REVIEWS

“Reckless Beginnings by Tina Hogan Grant is engaging and riveting, a well-written story injected with a lot of realism and pathos. Told in a strong and mellifluous tone, this is a story about family and a woman’s search to make sense out of the chaos of her life.” – Readers’ Favorites

“I read the book in a day and a half. A great book I couldn’t put it down. ” – Angie Hardy

“What a story to be told. Moments that are gut-wrenching, some that are comical, some moments where you just want to scream why are you doing that…. but in the end a very good page turner. The main character of the book is very well written and I felt so connected to her life, her choices and her pain and happiness” – Dana D.

A day in my Life

An Unexpected Flashback to my Childhood

November 2, 2018November 3, 2018 Tina Hogan Grant

Once in a while, I like to break away from the subject of books and give you a little insight on events or special moments occurring in my life. This is one such post. It’s been an eventful couple of weeks that have stirred up many buried memories that I had forgotten about and revisiting them warmed my heart and unexpectedly took me back to my childhood days.

Voices From The Past

I had mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the Ilkley Gazette newspaper from my hometown, Ilkley in England had written an article about my book Reckless Beginnings. You can view the article here. Well since the article was published, a number of my schoolmates have contacted me via Facebook. Our friendships began around the age of seven in Primary school and continued until we graduated from Grammar school at sixteen. Afterward, we all went our separate ways and lost contact with each other.

When they reached out to me on Facebook, I was immediately thrown back into my childhood days as we texted back and forth, reminiscing the schools, teachers, hanging out at each other’s houses and pretty much sharing the same memories. A few days later one of them sent me our class picture from 1972. Wow! Now I really was thrown back in time.

This is our class picture at Primary school. I was nine years old and I’m in the front row, third in from the left, with the overly short crooked bangs. (Fringes, as they are called in England). It’s funny while looking at this picture from so long ago that I’m able to remember it like it was yesterday. In fact, I even remember the night before because my mother was furious with me. Wanting to look my best for the school photo I decided to cut my own bangs. Well, you can see the result was not very flattering and explains why my mother was angry. The dress I’m wearing was one of my favorites. It was bright orange with white polka dots. I seemed to have worn it for many photo shoots. Here is another picture of me, wearing the same dress.

Pulling Out the Old Photo Albums

After revisiting the past with my lost friends, I didn’t want it to end. I wanted to remember more and began pulling out the old photo albums and low and behold I found a picture of me with one of the girls that had reconnected with me on Facebook. I’d forgotten I even had this picture of us together.

My husband and I spent hours on the couch rediscovering our childhood while we laughed together at the memories the pictures were taking us back to. We talked about our favorites toys and all the mischiefs we used to get in to. We were amazed at the freedom we use to have. I would walk three miles home from school. After doing my homework, I would spend the rest of the day outside frolicking on the moors and I wouldn’t be in trouble as long as I was home before dark.

Life was so simple back then. We didn’t realize as kids, how good we had it. We learned from our mistakes and grew a tough skin. If we fell down, we got back up. I remember if I cried my father would turn to me and say, “Oh hush! If it hurts, it means your still alive.” The value of a dollar was taught at a young age. Chores were expected to be done in lieu of a weekly allowance. I was also required to get a paper route, delivering the morning paper before school to help pay for the new bike I wanted or the new shoes I just had to have. We grew up respecting our elders and being inventive when it came to entertaining ourselves. Oh, how the world has changed.

Take Time Out & Revisit your Past.

I wanted to share this with you because unknowingly I had let my childhood slip away. There was so much I had forgotten but going through the old photos brought me such joy and took me back to places I hadn’t thought about in years. Even after being married to my husband for over twenty-five years we realized while going through the pictures together that we still had stories to share with each other.

Don’t let the memories of your childhood fade away. Once in a while, turn off the TV, put down your cell phones and pull out those old albums. Blow off the dust and share them with someone close, your spouse, parent or child. You’ll be surprised at the memories each picture will trigger and the stories you will have to tell. I can guarantee it will be a long night.

What are some of your fondest childhood memories? I would love to hear them.

BUY RECKLESS BEGINNINGS HERE

RECKLESS BEGINNINGS is currently available in paperback only. The Kindle/ebook edition will be available in about six weeks.

Ordering the book is easy from any of these fine online retailers.

BOOK DEPOSITORY

Celebrating the book Release of RECKLESS BEGINNINGS

October 15, 2018 Tina Hogan Grant

Celebrating the Release of RECKLESS BEGINNINGS

Saturday, October 13th, I celebrated the release of RECKLESS BEGINNINGS with a book launch and signing party at our local library. What a fantastic time I had, shared with family and great friends. I live in a small rural town and was touched by the turnout and the support this little community has given me through this entire journey leading up to this event. I was pleasantly surprised when the local newspaper showed up to cover the event. Thank you Mountain Enterprise. It was a joyous occasion where many tears and laughter were shared.

The event lasted about two hours. During which time I gave a little history behind the book and why I wrote it, read an excerpt and talked about my next book titled BETTER ENDINGS and the prequel, titled, THE JOURNALS OF TAMMY. Here is a little snippet of the presentation.

Involving the kids

Being a family affair, my grandsons were present along with a few of their buddies. (All of which were remarkably well behaved by the way). I wanted to involve them in this special day and gave them the important job of pulling out the raffle tickets for the five prizes. They did a great job! Thank you, guys 🙂

The amazing cake

One of the highlights of the event was the amazing cake made by my daughter-in-law’s mother, Gloria. In fact, she made two of these. She did an outstanding job with decorating it and using the cover of the book. Thank you, Gloria! And it was delicious too.

I love this community.

I have lived in Frazier Park for over fifteen years and could not imagine living anywhere else. I absolutely love this town. It’s a small mountain community, about seventy-five miles north of Los Angeles at five thousand feet elevation, settled at the base of Frazier Mountain.

Here there is no fast lane. We lead a slower pace of life, breathe in only clean air and see the stars at night. It’s a place where everyone knows everybody and the people of this town will support you one hundred percent on your adventures in life. The town has proved that by following me on this amazing journey since announcing, I was writing a book. They’ve followed me on social media, offering me words of encouragement and praise and by attending the book signing. Thank you, Frazier Park!

So where can you buy Reckless Beginnings?

RECKLESS BEGINNINGS is currently available in paperback only. The Kindle/ebook edition will be available in about six weeks.

Ordering the book is easy from any of these fine online retailers.

BOOK DEPOSITORY

https://www.bookdepository.com/Reckless-Beginnings-Tina-Hogan-Grant/9781642985801

BAM! Books-A-Million:

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Reckless-Beginnings/Tina-Hogan-Grant/9781642985801

If you prefer to shop at a brick and mortar store, you can order the book at your favorite bookstore and it will be available for pick up in a few days.

Live radio interview by KHTS Radio

Along with the Book signing event, I was also interviewed by KHTS Hometown radio last week. The interview was also videotaped so you can watch it by clicking on the link below.

Once again, thank you, everyone, for your support!

Fantastic Tuesday Giveaway

Starting Tuesday, October 16th, I will be running a ten-week giveaway from my Facebook author’s page. Each week I will be giving away a signed copy of RECKLESS BEGINNINGS. (Sorry U.S residents only). Simply, like the post, share the post and comment in order to be entered. The winner will be announced every Monday at 5:00 pm PST and a new contest will begin on Tuesday morning. You have a chance to win one of ten copies that will be given away.

What is a Book Aesthetic? And why I made one for my novel

June 30, 2018July 18, 2018 Tina Hogan Grant

What is a Book Aesthetic?

A book aesthetic is a group of pictures/photos that relate to a story or even possibly tell the story. Basically, this collage of pictures represents the aesthetic of the story you are trying to tell. But it doesn’t have to be about the entire story. You could do a collection of aesthetics, each representing a character in your story. Or maybe a scene in your book. Aesthetics are a great way to add visuals to your novel and bring aspects of your book to life, not only to yourself but also to your readers.

Ideas for Book Aesthetics

Once you begin thinking about different types of aesthetics you could create for your book, the list can be endless. Here are a few ideas.

Create one for each character in your book
A city/town where the story takes place
A business/dwelling/building
vehicles used in the book
Hairstyles & clothes worn by the characters
An action scene
The mood of the book
Tell the whole story in pictures (This is a fun one)

Character Aesthetic for “Reckless Beginnings”

Here is the aesthetic for my main character Tammy Mellows. I had a lot of fun with this one and I plan on posting other character aesthetics in the upcoming months, prior to launch day.

This one shows Tammy at the young innocent age of fourteen when the reader first meets her. With a strong desire to move to America, she takes on a waitress job to try and save for what she called the America Fund. Over time life becomes a roller coaster of ups and downs but one thing keeps her grounded. I tried to capture each of these emotions in the Aesthetic. I also included a quote that expresses Tammy’s life at some point in the book.

When making an aesthetic, you not only want to capture images of possible look-a-likes but also the moods. Look for facial expressions, quotes that set the mood. Even colors will set a mood.

The fun thing about these is that you can keep adding to them. When I come across images or other quotes that describe Tammy, I will add them to the collage of pictures.

What is a Book Aesthetic? — Main Character Tammy Mellows – “Reckless Beginnings”

Raymond, Tammy’s forbidden lover. She couldn’t escape his eyes. They had to keep their affair a secret. Her father could never find out. Fascinated by the drug, Tammy was willing to try it. But would she go through with it?

How to Make a Book Aesthetic

The first thing you’ll want to do is gather pictures that reflect your story. You could use your own or use stock photos off the internet. All of the photos I use are stock photos. There are three sites I use solely for this purpose. All of them are free to use and have a great selection of photos to choose from.

Pixabay (My favorite)
Pexels
Stocksnap

Once you have your pictures saved on your computer, you’re going to want to organize them into a collage. For this I use Canva. The site is easy to use. and you can upload all your pictures on to their site. Pick the template “Picture Collage” and have fun, arranging your photos on the blank template provided. The best part is. It’s free!

When it comes to adding a quote or adding more pictures to the board, I use Pinterest. This site is a wealth of information and there are some wonderful ideas that are great for this project. Oh, and the best part is, I can link each image that I save to my Pinterest board to this site. How great is that?

So there you have it. If you are an author, I highly recommend creating some of these for your books. Give your readers visuals of your story and characters. Use Aesthetics to promote your book. People tend to remember images rather words.

Over the next month, I plan on making more aesthetics for the other characters in my book. I hope you will check back to see what I came up with.

Press Releases – Tina Hogan Grant – Author – Reckless Beginnings

June 18, 2018July 21, 2019 Tina Hogan Grant

Debut Novel Reckless Beginnings Press Releases

The release date for Reckless Beginnings by Tina Hogan Grant is now October 4th, 2018. All press releases regarding this event can be found here.

PR Tina Hogan Grant will be this Year’s, Grand Marshall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Tina Hogan Grant,

Phone: 310-822-1355, Email: tinahogangrant@gmail.com

Author Tina Hogan Grant will be this year’s Grand Marshall at Frazier Park Fiesta Days

Grant’s debut novel Reckless Beginnings, was published in October 2018 and is based on true events that have happened in the author’s life. Focusing on the flip side of addiction and how the loved ones of addict’s lives are affected

Tina was born in England and moved to the United States in 1979. She is the youngest daughter of science fiction author, James P. Hogan. After moving to California, she became a commercial fisher-woman and spent ten years fishing off the southern coast of California with her husband Gordon. After retiring from fishing, they moved to Frazier Park and spent the next ten years building their dream home, doing most of the work themselves.

he loves being a part of this small community and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. “This is and always will be my home,” Grant says. It is an honor to be the Grand Marshall in the parade this year. Thank you, Frazier Park, for your continued support.

Grant will be holding a raffle. The prize includes a signed copy of her book, a signed poster, a magnet and a $20.00 Amazon gift card.

Grant will have signed copies of her book available for purchase at a discounted price.

Link to the Event:

https://frazierfiestadays.org/pages/grand-marshals/

Grant is currently working on a sequel, titled, BETTER ENDINGS.

Press Kit – Contents – Author’s photo, contact, publisher info, book blurb, Book trailer and book cover.

Recent Interviews include: KBAK Channel 29 News

Hometown Santa Clarita Radio (KHTS)

Central Valley Radio (KVPR)

Voyage LA Magazine

The author is available for interviews to discuss the events at Fiesta Days and her novel

CONTACT:  Tina Hogan Grant, Phone: 310-822-1355 Email: tinahogangrant@gmail.com

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PR #1 Released – 6/12/18

Author Focuses on the families of Addicts

Frazier Park CA – Author Tina Hogan Grant’s debut novel “Reckless Beginnings” to be released October 4^th, 2018, reveals what it’s like to be living with an addict.

Women’s Fiction, based on true events, Hogan Grant shows us how these family members of addicts have become the silent and forgotten ones.

In the media today, we hear how drug and opioid addiction continues to spiral out of control and how drug-related deaths are at an all-time high. But we never hear about the spouses, partners, or other family members of addicts and how their lives have been affected, Hogan Grant explains.

Written from the author’s own experience, Hogan Grant puts the reader into the shoes of the main character, Tammy Mellows. A woman shadowed by her boyfriend, Steven who is also the father of her child and struggling with heroin addiction. Eventually, Tammy loses her identity as Steven’s addiction spirals out of control.

Like Tammy in my book and myself who lived with an addict, so many women live in fear every day. Each day is a fight for survival. Normality doesn’t exist. As the addiction intensifies, so does the violence and abuse, Hogan Grant says.

“Reckless Beginnings,” tells one woman’s story. How she found her strength and took back her life when she realized she didn’t have to settle and had choices.

Review – Readers’ Favorite – 5 stars “Reckless Beginnings by Tina Hogan Grant is engaging and riveting, a well-written story injected with a lot of realism and pathos. Told in a strong and mellifluous tone, this is a story about family and a woman’s search to make sense out of the chaos of her life. The theme of family stands out in the narrative and the author does an incredible job in exploring the conflict within the family context. The characters are well-imagined and developed with skill. Tammy is young and naïve when we meet her, but as she evolves through the story, some of her fantasies begin to fall away as she faces the crude reality of life. Reckless Beginnings demonstrates a great character development curve and readers will be pulled in by the emotional intensity of the story. Tina Hogan Grant has a great sense of storytelling and she succeeds in keeping readers engaged through each page of her gripping story.”

Cover – to be revealed Release date – October 4^th, 2018 (ARC copies sent by request)

Press Kit – Contents – Author’s photo, contact, publisher info, book blurb

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PR #2 Release date 9/10/18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Tina Hogan Grant,

Phone: 310-822-1355, Email: tinahogangrant@gmail.com

Local author invites the community to a book launch and signing event.

Longtime resident, Tina Hogan Grant wants to share in the celebration of the release of her debut novel, RECKLESS BEGINNINGS. Publication date October 4^th, 2018.

The event will be held at the Frazier Park Library, 3732 Park Drive on Saturday, October 13^th at 3:00 pm. Admission is free. Snacks and beverages will be served. Grant will discuss her book, read an excerpt and answer questions. All attendees will receive event souvenirs. A raffle will be held at the event. Prizes include An Amazon Fire 7, a $20.00 Amazon gift card, A Cavey’s Pizza gift card, and other small prizes. Books will be available for purchase for $15.95. Cash or check only. In appreciation for hosting the event, Grant will be donating $1.00 from each book sale to the library.

Twenty-five years in the making; Grant’s novel, Women’s fiction, based on true events, shows the flip side of addiction. Focusing on the families and loved ones of addicts and how they become The Silent and Forgotten Ones.

Written from the author’s own experience, Grant explains; even though these events took place decades ago, today drug and opioid addiction continues to spiral out of control and is at an all-time high. Heroin usage has hit a record high because it’s much cheaper than prescription drugs and can be easily bought on the streets.

We hear about these numbers all the time, but we never hear about the loved ones of addicts and how their lives have been affected. Every day is a fight for survival. Normality doesn’t exist. As the addiction intensifies, so does the abuse and violence.

Grant’s novel, RECKLESS BEGINNINGS is one woman’s story, (Tammy Mellows) trying to make sense of the chaos surrounding her life and fighting to gain it back. Her journey shows that anyone in these situations has choices and that they don’t have to settle.

Grant, commercial fisherwoman turned author was born in England and came to the States in 1979. After moving to California, she spent ten years fishing off the southern coast of California with her husband Gordon. After retiring from fishing, they moved to Frazier Park in 2003 and spent the next ten years building their dream home, doing most of the work themselves.

Grant is currently working on a sequel, titled BETTER ENDINGS.

Press Kit – Contents – Author’s photo, contact, publisher info, book blurb. Book trailer.

CONTACT:  Tina Hogan Grant, Phone: 310-822-1355 Email: tinahogangrant@gmail.com

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"Reckless Beginnings" Journey

May 25th – National Missing Children’s Day – Know the Facts

April 21, 2018April 21, 2018 Tina Hogan Grant

When a sibling goes missing

In my debut novel Reckless Beginnings, the main character, Tammy Mellows is devastated when her older sister, Donna runs away and couldn’t be found. With no leads and nothing to go on, three years later, she’s still missing. I don’t want to give too much away, so you’ll have to read the book to see what happened to Donna. But I do want to bring awareness to National Missing Children’s Day which is on May 25th and organized by OJJDP – Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

When did National Missing Children’s Day Begin?

In 1983 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 25th as National Missing Children’s Day on the anniversary of Etan Patz’s disappearance. Etan was six years old when he was abducted and was the first child to be profiled with a photo on a milk carton.

Each year the U.S Department of Justice, through OJJDP recognizes individuals, organizations, and agencies that have recovered missing and abducted children and protecting children from exploitation. The department recognizes the awareness each May at the annual Missing Children’s Ceremony in Washington D.C.

The flower, Forget-me-not is the recognized emblem for this day.

Facts about missing children

In my book, Tammy Mellow’s sister Donna was a juvenile when she ran away. According to the FBI National crime Infomation Center, (NCIC) – as of December 31st, 2017 there are 88,089 active missing person’s records. 32,121 of those are juveniles under the age of eighteen.

Statistics show many of these are runaways or abducted by family members, due to family disputes and custody battles.

Common law jurisdiction – A missing person can be declared dead in absentia or legally dead after seven years. The time frame can be reduced in major battles or massive disasters. Such as the attacks on 9/11.

In 1982 Jonny Gosh was reported missing to the West Des Moines Police Department by his parents, while he was delivering newspapers. At the time there was a customary three-day waiting period before police responded to a missing persons’ report. Gosh was never found, but his case prompted new laws, resulting in missing person’s reports involving minors are given immediate attention.

Kristen Smart – A student at California Polytechnic State University, disappeared after leaving a late night party on May 25th, 1996 during Memorial Day Weekend. Campus police were unsure if she left on vacation and did not treat her disappearance as a potential crime. She was never found. The delayed response resulted in the passing of the Kristen Smart Campus Act two years later.

Amber Alert – America’s Missing Broadcast Emergency Response. A child abduction alert system that originated in 1996. It was named after Amber Hagemania, a nine-year-old girl who was abducted and murdered in Arlington, Texas. The system has saved over eight hundred children in America.

Using today’s technology to find missing juveniles

In my book, Donna ran away during the late seventies. A time when there were no cell phones or internet. If she’d had a cell phone, it could have been traced. A photo of her could have been splashed all over social media. Connections could have been made. More people would have been involved and the response would have been quicker.

Technology has aided in bringing many abducted and runaway children home to their families.

The Flip-side of Technology

Unforchantly, with the rise and popularity of social media, a world of risks and danger exists for young teens. A high number of runaways and abduction cases are because of social media interactions. Everyday juveniles are lured into meeting strangers they’ve met online.

If your child is active online, strict rules need to be enforced. Most importantly, talk to your child. Discuss the dangers and the signs to look for. Be involved with your child’s accounts. Check their friend’s lists. If they experience anything that seems suspicious, let them know its okay to talk to you about it and as a parent, make sure you follow up and report it.

Remember those still lost

On May 25th – National Missing Children’s Day I will be lighting a candle next to a bouquet of Forget-Me-Nots, for all the children that are still missing and hope they will be returned to the families safe from harm. I hope you will do the same.

You’ve Edited Your Book – What’s Next?

April 14, 2018 Tina Hogan Grant

What comes next after the editing of a book is complete?

I never thought I’d see the day where I could finally say – I’ve finished editing my book. Oh, what a joyous feeling it is. Halleluja! I began editing my debut novel “Reckless Beginnings” in August 2017. It’s been a grueling eight months. Hours have been spent checking every word, sentences, and paragraphs. Rewrites have been done, paragraphs have been shifted or removed completely. Once I had done everything I could possibly do, I handed it over to my editor to complete the task and return it to me polished and squeaky clean. She didn’t fail me.

The Final Read

After ten days with my editor, the manuscript was now back in my hands. I needed to do one more final read before returning it to my publisher.

After weeks of rain, snow, and winds where I’ve been cooped up indoors, we finally had a weekend of glorious weather with temperatures in the seventies. I took advantage of the perfect conditions by setting up the office outside on the grass to do my final reading.

With laptop in hand, plenty of bottled water, a fresh pot of hot tea, I dug my bare toes into the cool soft grass and began the process while admiring the wonderful view of Frazier Mountain. (I love my office:) )

Six hours later, I read the last line and smiled. With very little changes, I’m thrilled how the book has turned out and hope my readers will feel the same. What started out as an idea in my head over twenty years ago is now a novel, that I created. At that moment, I was feeling pretty damn proud of myself, if I must say.

What’s Next?

With the editing stage behind me. (Oh, how I love to say that.) It’s time to move onto the next stage, which is page formatting. Satisfied with the manuscript, I emailed it back to the publisher to begin the process.

What is page formatting? This is where my publisher will transfer the manuscript into the format of a book. Margins will be added, font size and style will be decided. Pages will be numbered and the style of the chapter headings will be chosen.

For me this is exciting! The next time I see my book, it will look much different. The publisher told me that the process will take about five weeks. At that time I will need to go through it, making sure nothing got deleted or switched around. I’m estimating the task will take a few weeks.

Final Thoughts

This has been such a learning experience. My father was an author but I never saw this side of the process. There were many times I wanted to quit and just walk away. Unable to find the right words, burned out with editing, having no motivation and fearing criticism. Tears have been shed, many late nights have been spent with explosions of frustrations. I have put my heart and soul into this book and I’m so happy I didn’t give up. Even though we still have quite a ways to go before I actually get to hold my book in my hands, I’m beginning to feel the rewards. I’m not expecting to be the next Nora Roberts. I had a story to tell and I actually sat down and wrote it and to see someone reading my book, well that feeling will be priceless.

Never give up on your dreams, keep pushing through the obstacles that may come your way and tell yourself you can do this. What have you done that you’re proud of? Was there a time where you almost gave up? I would love to hear about it.

Other Authors that have achieved their goals and I’ve interviewed

Additional Reading

"Reckless Beginnings" Journey

Are you like Tammy Mellows? Did you move to another country?

April 7, 2018April 7, 2018 Tina Hogan Grant

Tammy Mellows is the main character in my debut novel “Reckless Beginnings.” Due to be launched this summer. At the young age of seventeen, she leaves her own country, England to move to the United States. Leaving the securities of her home, job, family, friends, and neighbors behind. Are you like Tammy Mellows? Did you move to another country?

While writing the story, I asked myself, why does someone move to another country? What’s so important to them, that they’re willing to leave so much behind? If you’re wondering why Tammy did? Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out. 🙂

The book is fiction based on actual events. Tammy Mellow’s character is based on me and yes I left England to move to America. But again you will have to read the book to find out why. 🙂

What motivates a person to make such a big move

Moving to a new country is a life-changing event. You have to be one hundred percent sure you’re making the right decision. Some of the most common reason for someone wanting to move are:

Job/school related
Joining a family/loved one
Cost of living
Better climate
Retirement
Sparked by a vacation

For those moving abroad because of a new job or attending a school, college or university, it’s probably safe to say, they’d never visited the new country before. But With the offer of a good education or a better paying job, many will sacrifice and take the plunge. Hoping they will like the country they are about to call home.

In many cases, some may have visited their new destination prior and for some reason or another fell in love with it and a desire to move was ignited. Did Tammy Mellows Visit the States before she left England? Was she trying to better her life? Again, you’ll have to read the book to find out. 🙂

Moving to another country is no easy task

Once the decision has been made, that you’re going to take the giant leap and immigrate to a new country, it’s time to start planning for the move. You’ll want to organize the transition so everything goes smoothly. Start planning early and make an extensive list so nothing is forgotten and there are no loose ends. Sometimes a move as large as this can take up to a year to plan in advance. My character Tammy Mellows had just one week. Why only one week? You know the answer – read the book 🙂

What might be on your list will depend on your current living situations and the reason for the move but here are some things you should be considering:

Secure all important documents – Passports, birth certificate, insurance policies, tickets and visa/work permit if needed
Will you have health insurance in the new country?
Your home – If you own, will you be selling. renting or leaving vacant? What about the utilities?
Bank accounts – Will they need to be closed?
Vehicles – Are you going to sell them or have them shipped to your new destination. Consider the cost of shipping a car and buying a new/used one.
Pets – What are the laws for bringing animals into the country?
Furniture – Keep or sell?
If you have children – what are your plans for their education?
Income – How will you earn a living? Retirement? A secured job? What is the job market like in your field?
Once you arrive, where will you be living?
Make time to say goodbye to families and friends.

Was Tammy able to accomplish everything on her list? in just one week. Aah, you’ll just have to read the book. 🙂

Dealing with the emotions of moving

No matter how much you prepare for the transition to a foreign country, you can expect to experience a turmoil of emotions throughout the whole ordeal. From the stress of having everything in order to anxieties and doubts as the departing date becomes closer. You’ll probably be wondering if you’re making the right decision and at times fearful of leaving your home and loved ones behind. You’ll be flooded with memories you want to cherish and take with you as you share your last night with those close to you. How did Tammy spend her last night in England? Was she surrounded by loved ones? You know what I’m going to say – Read the book 🙂

It’s never easy to say goodbye, especially when moving so far away, not knowing when you’ll see friends and family again. Thanks to today’s technology and social media, we’re able to shorten the distance through video chat and texting. Unforchantly the internet wasn’t around when Tammy left 🙁 How did she handle it? If you want to know, I suggest you read the book. 🙂

What about you?

I would love to know if any of my readers made the brave move to another country. Why did you move and are you happy you did?

The Traveling Book Project is happening!

Follow the books.

Where the Road Trip Begins

RECKLESS BEGINNINGS

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Latest updates May 2021

Reckless Beginnings Has come to a halt

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BUY RECKLESS BEGINNINGS HERE

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PR Tina Hogan Grant will be this Year’s, Grand Marshall

PR #1 Released – 6/12/18

Author Focuses on the families of Addicts

PR #2 Release date 9/10/18

When a sibling goes missing

When did National Missing Children’s Day Begin?

Facts about missing children

Using today’s technology to find missing juveniles

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Remember those still lost

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What comes next after the editing of a book is complete?

The Final Read

What’s Next?

Final Thoughts

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Moving to another country is no easy task

Dealing with the emotions of moving

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