Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: Just a Girl in the Whirl by Annie Wood

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Just a Girl in the Whirl by Annie Wood. This book tour was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an excerpt from the book as well as an interesting guest post from the author. There's also the tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a $40 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Be sure to visit the other stops on the tour for more content. Enjoy!

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Title: Just a Girl in the Whirl

Author: Annie Wood

Publisher: Speaking Volumes

Publication Date: May 11th 2021

Print Length: 247 pages

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

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A 17 year old girl is overwhelmed with responsibilities trying to keep her messy family together. Everything spins out of control when her addict actor dad who bailed on the family three years ago leaving her with her lovable but bi-polar mom and her two little sisters, comes back into town and wants to reconnect.

Writing poems is her only escape. Just a girl in the is about family, forgiveness, and having enough courage to live your own life, your own way.

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble *

Book Depository * Books-A-Million *

Bookshop * Google Books * Half Price Books *

IndieBound * Kobo * 

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EXCERPT:

“I never know what to say to her.” Matty complains.

“You don’t need to say anything. Just your presence is enough.”

I put Sara’s old baby monitor in Mom’s room so I can hear Matty enter. I imagine Mom is watching TV with it turned off again.

“This is my favorite part.” Mom says.

Matty doesn’t say anything. She’s probably just staring at her. Matty often just stares at her.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Mom says.

After a moment, Matty says, “Did you know that Americans watch two hundred and fifty billion hours of television a year?”

I can hear Mom applauding and then saying softly, “I love you so much, Matty.”

Matty says nothing in response. I could almost hear her heart break into a million little pieces, then I heard footsteps, and then the door closing. Matty comes zooming down the stairs. She pauses and looks out the front window. “Grandma Gayle is here.”

Grandma Gayle is Dad’s mom and when she knocks on the door, it means one thing and one thing only: it’s payday.

I open the door. She stands there, studying me. I know I look like a mess with my wild, unbrushed hair and olive oil stained t-shirt. I’m the polar opposite of this woman who stands before me. Gayle is tall, super thin, and doesn’t look like anybody’s grandma. Not at all. She speaks abruptly, using as few words as possible so she can get to the point quickly. I’m pretty sure she uses less words than the most mortals.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Annie Wood is an Israeli-American, Hollywood native, and a lifelong actress and writer. The web series she created, wrote and stars in, Karma’s a B*tch, was Best of the Web on Virgin America.

Wood was part of the NBC DIVERSITY SHOWCASE with her comedic scene, That’s How They Get You. She’s written 100s of scenes for actors that have been used by Emmy Award-winning TV director, Mary Lou Belli in her UCLA course and casting director, Jeremey Gordon in workshops all around town.

As an author, she has three books out: Dandy Day, Just a Theory: a quantum love adventure, and her first YA novel, Just a Girl in the Whirl (Speaking Volumes Publishing)

Annie’s also an Internationally exhibited mixed-media artist, a produced playwright, and was the third female solo dating game show host in the history of television with the nationally syndicated show, BZZZ! that she also co-produced. (Which just re-ran in 2020 on BUZZRTV!)

Annie writes and creates art daily.

She also runs the Twitter account for the Women of the Writers Guild West.

She is part of the Middle Eastern Committee at WGA and a Dramatist Guild Member and an Authors Guild Member.

Website * Amazon * Instagram *

Medium * Pinterest * Shop * Twitter

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GUEST POST:

- Do you think kids today have too many responsibilities compared to 100 years ago?

It was hard for me to wrap my mind around what life must have been like 100 years ago so I googled some photos of kids back then and wow, It seemed like it was a lot tougher to be a kid a century ago. They didn’t have child labour laws so kids worked, and they worked hard! They worked in factories and often under dangerous conditions. I saw a photo by Lewis Hine of little kids working in the mines and it really makes you think. I mean there’s pluses and minuses for every time in history, I suppose, but I’d say my answer your question is that even though in our current time we all have more social pressure and overwhelming distractions but 100 years ago feels like it was a lot harder to be a human at any age. So, I don’t know about you, but I’m happy to be here now.

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GIVEAWAY:

Annie Wood will be awarding a $40 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Good luck!

(All the Ups and Downs is not responsible for this giveaway, its entries, or the prize. Goddess Fish Promotions assumes all responsibility for this giveaway.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway