Tag: The Garden of Second Chances

#WeNeedDIverseBooks, Books

Explore the Backstory of “The Garden of Second Chances” with the Free Prequel

Mona Alvarado Frazier

Hello, fellow book lovers,

In a couple of months, my YA novel THE GARDEN OF SECOND CHANCES debuts. I’m doing my best not to bite my fingernails and devour every chocolate candy in sight. Nerve-racking is the word.

But, I’m writing to you, not to detail my emotional rollercoaster, but because I wrote a prequel to the novel and I’m excited to share it with you.

The prequel is a chance to discover the backstory of the main character, Juana Maria Ivanov, and uncover the motivation that set her on a journey from Mexico to Los Angeles at age sixteen. (You’ll also find out how she acquired the surname).

You’ll find drama, romance, and action that I hope will grab your attention in ten short pages.

Photo by Min An on Pexels.com

So, don’t miss out on this opportunity to dive deeper into the world of Juana’s journey. Sign up now to receive the prequel. Just go to the home page and enter your email. It’s easy to do, and best of all, it’s completely free!

Don’t forget to spread the word to your friends and family who love a good book. This is the latest editorial review:

An undocumented teenager is charged with manslaughter and works to remake her life in Mona Alvarado Frazier’s searing novel The Garden of Second Chances. Candid when it comes to relationships, immigration issues, and the harms that young women endure and inflict upon others (this) is an affecting novel in which a…youth finds the courage to move past her mistakes.”

Foreward Review

You can also find the book on Goodreads and add it to your Want to Read list. Adding books to your shelf isn’t just an easy way to track books you’re interested in; it also helps build a book’s buzz and gives you inside access to when the book comes out on the Goodreads Giveaway.

If you’d like to check out a little more about the book, visit my Goodreads Author Profile.

Warm regards,

Stress

Sunday Share: No to Holiday Stress

Mona Alvarado Frazier

The middle of December approaches like a surprise snowstorm.

The time between November thru January may accentuate what is missing from the season, like losing a loved one, dwindling finances, or poor health.

On top of that, the holiday expectations to be ‘jolly and light’ or have the perfect decorations or bake elaborate cookies and meals are added stress.

This is my two cents, but when I’m feeling stressed, I stop whatever I’m doing and sit with my feelings. I give them room. Not all day, but an allotted time. Sometimes it’s five minutes, others it’s twenty minutes.

Holding space for your feelings validates their importance. And it gives you time to balance it with a way to fill the empty. A method that doesn’t sink you any lower.

A few actions I’ve thought about countering stress are assembled in this poem, my attempt at a Christmas tree.

Christmas List


🌟
Rest
Apologize
Give a hug
Forgive yourself
Be kind, be gentle
Give a soft answer
Seek to understand
Encourage someone
Express your gratitude
Seek out a forgotten friend
Have a cup of hot chocolate
Eat a Christmas cookie or two
Take pleasure in nature's beauty
Love

I received a few Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) of my novel, The Garden of Second Chances. Subscribers to my newsletter had a chance at a drawing. A random generator chose the name.

Subscriber Danielle B. won a copy of the novel. Thank you to the several subscribers who entered. I’ll let you know when I have a giveaway on Goodreads.

My monthly newsletter will go out on December 17th instead of December 24th. Also, the last Sunday is Christmas, so I’m forgoing the Sunday Share post until January.