Tour and Giveaway for Being West is Best by Monique Bucheger

12 Jan 2021 11 Comments

by Splashes of Joy in Celebration Lit Blog Tours, Celebration Tours, Monique Bucheger

About the Book

Book: Being West is Best

Author: Monique Bucheger

Genre: Contemporary Middle Grade

Twelve-year-old BFFs, Ginnie West and Tillie Taylor, are matchmaking geniuses. Together, they maneuvered Ginnie’s widower-dad into proposing to Tillie’s divorcee-mom. Sweet! Certain they are well on their way to sisterhood, each girl is floored when Tillie’s lousy-excuse-for-a-father puts in an appearance after a six year absence. Too bad “lousy dad repellant” doesn’t come in a can.

Even though Tillie’s dad has sobered up and is determined to make amends, Tillie would rather he just disappear again. If he stays, “Operation: Secret Sisters” may need to be renamed “Operation: Not Gonna Happen.” I

If that’s not bad enough, the biggest bully in seventh grade comes over often and wishes he could call the West’s farmhouse “home.” When the bully’s abusive dad shows up as well, Ginnie thinks it’s time to change her family’s motto from “When you’re here, you’re family” to “There’s no more room at the West’s.”

And now an interview with the Author

Hello Joy, Here are the answers to your questions for the Being West is Best Celebration Tour. We appreciate all you do for Celebrate Lit!

1. Where is your favorite setting for a story you have written? My series is set on a farm in Ohio.I used to babysit the kids who lived on the “real-life” farm. The blonde girl on my covers, Gracie (posing for Ginnie) actually lives on that farm. The brunette, Jessie (posing for Tillie) is her real life cousin and visits the farm quite often.

2. Do you enjoy writing stand alone stories or series? I prefer writing series. And Why? Because there’s never enough room in just one book to tell the whole story I want to share. 🙂 My characters take on a life of their own. I have 3 series at the moment–The Ginnie West Adventures series is published. I have a family drama series that may be published soon. My 3rd series is a fantasy series–that won’t get published until I write a couple more books in the series so I can figure out my magic system–and make sure I don’t break the rules of it. 🙂

3. Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story? For the most part–I am in control–but on occasion–one or more of my characters insists on having their way. I have learned that when they feel strongly about something–I should go with what THEY want–it makes for a better story. 😉

4. If I write a review of your book, what do you want to hear? That something in my book resonated with you enough to make a positive change in your life–or that by being willing to go along with Ginnie and Tillie’s journey, you felt inspired or uplifted. Or if their story made you laugh and/or cry with them.

5. If you had one piece of advice for new writers, what would it be? Write a story about something you are passionate about. Write a story you want to read and don’t worry about writing the book perfectly the first time. No one does. That’s what editing is for. Like an amazing editor once told me–you CAN fix bad writing–you CAN’T edit a blank page.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

When Monique isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her 12 children, plotting her next novel, scrapbooking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events.

Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children, twelve grand-darlings, too many cats, and many real and imaginary friends. She is the author of several books in three series and hopes to write many more.

More from Monique

Hello Everybody,

Welcome to the fourth book in my published series: BEING WEST IS BEST: A Ginnie West Adventure. This book is the 4^th installment of the Ginnie West Adventures, but NOT the last book in the series. Book 5 will be ready to publish in 2021, followed quickly by Book 6.

BEING WEST IS BEST is a redemption story and while it has the same family flavor of the preceding books, it does have an intensity that younger readers may benefit from reading this along with trusted adult teachers or family members as a catalyst for discussing some hard issues—though still in an age appropriate way.

As a former foster mom to over 100 foster kids, one of my goals as I write the GINNIE WEST series is to give a voice to kids who feel voiceless and invisible. There are some intense scenes in this book as Tillie, a formerly abused and abandoned child (by her birth dad—NOT her birth mom—who is a rock in Tillie’s world) She meets with her birth dad for the first time in 6 years.

I allow Tillie to say things to him that he needs to hear so that other kids, who will only have such a meeting vicariously thru Tillie and her dad, Jasper, can heal—and possibly form a bridge from a broken past to a happier future.

However, reuniting every formerly abused child with their abuser is NOT always a good idea.

In Tillie’s case, her birth dad left to fight his demons safely away from her. He returns after making some powerful changes so that both of their lives are better. Even so, Tillie is resistant to allow him back in her daily life. It is to this end that each will need to bend a little—and show the other compassion and kindness to truly heal.

Because Tillie is a child, I make sure this meeting is in a place where she feels safe and with adults who have her best interests at heart, who can protect her if need be. I would never suggest such a meeting without these safeguards in place. I am careful to allow Tillie the opportunity to advocate for herself—something that is not always possible in real life.

Being West is Best is a story that explores some hard realities in a necessary way, leaving my readers and characters uplifted and empowered. It also contains some fun times, interesting shenanigans, loving family relationships, imaginative solutions to some tricky problems, and a horse who is as playful as her owner.

Whether you’ve read the entire series or are joining this tour with this book, I hope you will be willing to join Ginnie and Tillie on this journey. There are plenty of opportunities to laugh, a few to cry, but more importantly, to take a stand and make deliberate decisions in your own life.

Laugh lots, love much, write on!!

Monique Bucheger

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, January 11

Splashes of Joy, January 12 (Author Interview)

Sara Jane Jacobs, January 12

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 13

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 14

Artistic Nobody, January 15 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

deb’s Book Review, January 16

Texas Book-aholic, January 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 18

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 19

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 20

Beauty in the Binding, January 21 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, January 21

Blogging With Carol, January 22

For Him and My Family, January 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Monique is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Apple, or Google Play!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10536/being-west-is-best-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tour and Giveaway for The Ginnie West Collection by Monique Bucheger

29 Dec 2020 2 Comments

by Splashes of Joy in Celebration Lit Blog Tours, Celebration Tours, Monique Bucheger

About the Book

Book: The Ginnie West Collection

Author: Monique Bucheger

Genre: Christian fiction, middle grade

Book 1: THE SECRET SISTERS CLUB

Twelve-year-old BFF’s Ginnie West and Tillie Taylor, want to be sisters. Ginnie’s widowed dad plus Tillie’s divorced mom could equal a lifetime of round-the-clock girl talk and slumber parties. Too bad Dad vowed to never marry again. Ginnie and Tillie come up with the perfect scheme to change his mind: ‘Operation Secret Sisters’ (aka OSS). After all, if they can’t get Dad to move on, Tillie can’t move in.
Things get more complicated when Ginnie stumbles across her mom’s hidden journals. Ginnie can finally get to know the mother she doesn’t remember and her dad doesn’t talk about—if Dad doesn’t take them away.

Book 2: TROUBLE BLOWS WEST

Putting her body in motion before her brain is in gear creates a mountain of problems for 12 year-old Ginnie West. She is certain that defending her twin brother, Toran, from the biggest bully in sixth grade was the right thing to do. But Ginnie couldn’t be more wrong. She quickly learns that Toran doesn’t appreciate being rescued by a girl any better than Pierce likes being knocked down by one.

When Pierce seeks revenge on Ginnie, Toran sets aside his anger and helps her plot a payback prank at Pierce’s house. Sadly, Ginnie learns that Pierce has a reason for being a bully when she sees his dad drop him to the floor like a ragdoll. Realizing he’s a boy in big trouble, Ginnie decides to be his ally, because he won’t let her be his friend.

Book 3: SIMPLY WEST OF HEAVEN

Twelve-year-old BFFs Ginnie and Tillie are matchmaking geniuses. Sweet! Not long after they schemed to get Ginnie’s widowed dad to fall in love with Tillie’s divorced mom, Ginnie stumbled upon her late mom’s journals, making life even more awesome sauce … until her dad confiscated the journals, determined to protect Ginnie from a danger he won’t name.

Ginnie is counting on her future sister’s help to make Dad change his mind, but Tillie’s not so sure the ghost of Ginnie’s mom will make a good addition to their new family tree. The girls’ world gets flipped upside-down when a blast from the past shows up and makes Tillie go nutburgers. Ginnie is torn between helping her best friend and what could be the answer to her deepest wish.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

More from Monique

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the Kickoff of The Ginnie West Collection (Books 1, 2, and 3) of the Ginnie West Adventures series. This omnibus edition includes The Secret Sisters Club, Trouble Blows West and Simply West of Heaven.

The series starts with The Secret Sisters Club and introduces the reader to 12-year-old best friends, Ginnie West and Tillie Taylor. Ginnie’s mother died when she was 3 ½ in a tragic accident and Tillie’s birth dad hit the road 6 years before the series starts.

Tillie, especially, wants a “whole” family again and who would make a better sister than her BFF? When she suggests to Ginnie that their parents would also benefit by marrying, their scheme, Operation: Secret Sisters is formed.

Things get more complicated when Ginnie discovers a box of her dead mom’s journals and reads one, getting to know the mother she doesn’t remember and her dad doesn’t talk about. Discovering the journals brings up questions and feelings that Ginnie didn’t expect and she struggles to reconcile her desire to know her real mom and while caring about her “new” mom.

Trouble Blows West takes a complete turn from Book 1 when the biggest bully in 6^th grade goes after Ginnie’s twin brother, Toran, and results in Ginnie knocking the bully, Pierce, on his rear in front of the whole student body in the cafeteria on page 2. Things get more complicated when the reader realizes that Pierce is being abused at home. Ginnie doesn’t find out right away—but when she does, Ginnie, Toran, and Tillie decide to become Pierce’s allies—because he won’t let them be his friends. Trouble Blows West is a story of kids on the opposite sides of many issues who try to come to some peaceful understandings.

Because of her great influence in my life, I made my high school creative writing teacher, Mrs. Marion Joyce Johnson, a character in this book years ago. A fun happenstance has recently occurred. Mrs. Johnson’s real life son is Col. Greg Johnson, pilot and astronaut for the Space Shuttle Endeavor. I reached out to Greg who read: Trouble Blows West and fell in love with Ginnie and her family. He has graciously written a Foreword for the book.

Simply West of Heaven starts three weeks after The Secret Sisters Club ends. The one thread that wasn’t reconciled in Book 1 is resolved in this book—and the thread opens up a whole lot of possibilities of fun and new adventures for Ginnie, Tillie, and the Wests. This book has my four best twists and guarantees the reader lots of surprises as the story unfolds. Hopefully readers will want to continue to read about Ginnie and Tillie in Book 4: Being West is Best.

The Ginnie West Adventures series truly is a labor of love for me. I enjoy sharing the West family and their stories with new and longtime readers. I especially love it when readers share with me their experiences of finding courage and peace to overcome their own trials and share those stories with me. I hope to empower and uplift my readers and love it when they connect with me.

Laugh lots … love much … write on!

Monique Bucheger

The Secret Sister’s Club is about best friends Ginnie and Tillie. I enjoyed reading about these two wonderful character and all of the fun they had as friends. The author does a really good job of writing a sweet book that is great for teens and pre-teens to read. I was so glad when Ginnie found her mother’s journals and was able to learn about her real mom and her life, especially since her dad never talked about her mom and that part of their life. I know if I was in her place, I would want to read journals my mom left behind. So this was a special part of the story for me. I give The Secret Sister’s Club Four solidStars.

Trouble Blows West is very different than the first book in this series. Gennie is now 12 years old and when the school bully is after her brother, she decides to take control and knock bully Pierce on his rear end. But Gennie’s brother wasn’t too happy about this. Again author Monique Bucheger creats fun loving characters to add to the ones we know from the first book in this series. I loved that Gennie took care of the bully like she did. But yet I csn see why her brother was so upset. You just can’t have your sister jumping in on your problems if you are a boy. And their dad did the right thing in taking care of it. This is a solid Four Stars for me!

Simply West of Heaven starts a few weeks after Trouble Blows West , and we see more of Ginnie, Tillie and Toran and journey with them through this book. As Gennie is more interested in finding out more about her mom, more questions are ask and we began to see with Gennie secrets that surface, making tension tight. I think the author does a great job with this book. This is by far my favorite of the series. There is a lot of emotions flying around in this book. Gennie is not sure she wants to share her dad. Could that be a little jealous streak we see in her? I give Simply West of Heaven Four Stars. Again, lots of fun reading in this third book as we follow Gennie and her journey. I’m looking forward to the 4th book in thr series.

This is am amazing series, and if you are looking for books for your pre-teen and older child, this is a series you should consider. I give the entire series a Four Stars!!

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.