Friday, August 31, 2012

Distraction from J.L. Campbell - The Friendship is Forever Tour

First off, know that Distraction is FREE on Amazon right now. :)))) Get your kindles and download! If you don't mind, please tweet about this so that Joy can get maximum exposure for her free book and hopefully climb the rankings.

Please welcome author J.L. Campbell who has written a wonderfully enticing book called Distraction.  I've been reading this book over the last couple of weeks, and it's a real page turner thus far (at least a four star book if not a five star). Campbell has an expressive sensuousness to her writing that leaps off the page. Each chapter begins with a Jamaican proverb, which she graciously translates for the reader who would most likely be unable to understand the meaning.  And each proverb does come into play in the chapter's content.  Distraction isn't filled with the most likeable characters, but they feel like real people.  In Distraction, Justine is hopelessly in love with Xavier (a real hunk). Only there's one hitch, she's married and so is he. And therein lies the tension. I will part by dropping these lines written by Ms. Campbell:
"He made love to her again, smothering her beneath him, holding her climax at bay. He meant to frustrate and punish her, and when she lay exhausted, he wouldn't meet her eyes."
J.L. Campbell, author
Good stuff, don't you think? Oh and did I mention that every chapter begins with palm trees in silhouette? Gotta love palm trees. Ah Jamaica. Take it away J.L. Campbell.

***

As with anywhere in the world, island living has its peculiarities. Many things have changed in the past twenty years in Jamaica. We’ve seen the development of a network of highways, our public transportation system has been upgraded, and most buses now have air-conditioning. Many homes have cable television and at least half of us have two cellular phones, owing to high cross-network charges.

Despite the passage of time and changes, at heart Jamaicans are conservative. I see this in the public outrage over things that aren’t considered the norm, and I also know there are many narrow-minded people in the world.

While I was writing Distraction, I had many stirrings of doubt over whether I should finish the story. I posted chapters as I wrote them on my writing network, and there were people reading along who were outraged by the behaviour of the women. I knew I’d probably get this reaction from other readers. However, I’ve found that writers are more open to scenarios outside of what the average person considers normal and many understand need, motive and resulting choices. To date, I haven’t seen more than a single one-star review on Amazon, but I’ve conditioned my mind to the fact that more will come.

I’d like to invite you to download a complimentary copy of A Baker’s Dozen: Thirteen Steps to Distraction. In this prequel, you’ll meet Dionne, Kyra and Justine a year before Distraction takes place (and before they start doing the forbidden).

The actual novel Distraction will be free to download from Amazon today through September 3rd! How cool is that?

Leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win an e-copy of Distraction. At the end of this Friendship tour, there’ll be a main prize of a Distraction note pad & pen and a $10 Amazon gift card. The second prize is a paperback copy of Distraction. Sign up for that at the Rafflecopter here.

I appreciate you taking the time to read.

Michael, thanks so much for hosting me.

Distraction on Amazon

J.L. Campbell on Amazon

J.L. Campbell on Facebook

J.L. Campbell on Goodreads

J.L. Campbell on Twitter

J.L. Campbell is a proud Jamaican and the author of Contraband, Distraction, Dissolution, Don’t Get Mad…Get Even, Giving up the Dream and Hardware (pen name Jayda McTyson). Campbell is always on the lookout for story making material, loves company and can usually be found lollygagging on her blog at http://thecharacterdepot. blogspot.com

37 comments:

  1. Joy, this is fabulous. I'm sorry I didn't see this tour sooner, I would have joined.

    The novel sounds interesting, and I've enjoyed your posted excerpts. I've downloaded Distraction, and hope to reading/reviewing soon.

    Good luck on the tour Joy.

    .........dhole

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  2. Love the excerpt and just downloaded myself a copy. Thanks J.L. I look forward to a good distraction. (;

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  3. ...great interview, Michael, and yes, palm trees are a most excellent way of beginning one's chapter ;)

    Wishing you the best of sales J.L!

    El

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  4. Glad you wrote what you wanted to write, JL!

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  5. Just downloaded my copy. Looking forward to reading it. :)

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  6. Mike, thanks ever so much for hosting me.

    Donna, no worries. There's so much going on this month. I know I have your support, so it's all good.

    Elise, hope you enjoy.

    Thanks for the good wishes, Elliot!

    Alex, yeah, it would probably still be bugging me if I hadn't got the story written.

    Thanks, Cynthia. Happy reading.

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  7. For me? It's the outrage by some that make me want to read her book. It's why I read 50 Shades, but Distraction sounds like a better story written by a more seasoned author. And you don't have to convince me of palm trees.

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  8. I think you're right about writers being more open minded about book content. We tend to be an "anything goes" kind of crowd at times. Yay us! Your book sounds great. Best of luck with it!!

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  9. Em-Musing, hope you enjoy your armchair visit to Jamaica.

    Thanks, L.G. Writers are definitely more willing to open their minds to things outside of the ordinary.

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  10. Joy's book covers are always very compelling! Good luck, Joy! Will be happy to tweet about it as well. :)

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  11. I'm getting on my Kindle right now. Best of luck with your book, Joy!

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  12. Congrats! I'm off to download a copy and to help spread the word. :)

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  13. Moral compasses are hard to keep set on a fixed point because there are so many ambiguities. Your characters are realistic and many of us can identify with them. Being a writer is definitely a gift, to be able to explore the human psyche as we do is simply amazing.

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  14. Thanks, Liz. Appreciate it.

    MJ, hope you enjoy.

    Thanks so much, Cherie.

    Agree with you there, Melissa. Balancing the good and bad in characters takes work.

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  15. It's great to add this book of yours to my collection, Joy. You're a wonderful writer. Don't let others 'distract' you from your gift.

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  16. Thanks so much for your kind words, Mary.

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  17. Thanks for this, Michael! J.L.'s work looks fantastic! Steamy stuff from the excerpt! Fun, fun, fun!

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  18. You might be in good company, Joy. D. H. Lawrence wrote what he wanted to as well. I hope in this day and age you don't have to suffer for your art the way he did.

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  19. Sounds like her book should be required reading for my book group The Writer's of Mass Distraction!

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  20. Morgan, thanks!

    Bish, I think times have changed enough for writers to go after the stories on their hearts.

    TDR, that lol funny.

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  21. Hi, Joy and Michael. I really enjoyed the characters from Distraction and found them likeable. Probably because they had clear motives for what they were doing, and were aware that what they were doing wasn't good. They were definitely well rounded and believable which is what we want!

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  22. Good for you for sticking with the story. I'm looking forward to reading it. Going to tweet now.

    Hi, Michael :)

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  23. "Palm trees in silhouette" ... oooh, that sounds enticing and
    your book covers look amazing. It's great that you got to write the story that you really wanted to write.
    Hi Michael. Nice to meet you.

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  24. Thanks, Nick. Glad you enjoyed the book.

    Carol, thanks so much for your support.

    Laughingwolf, thanks.

    Michelle, the woman who did the cover and the formatting is amazing.

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  25. Michael, glad I stopped by. You talk so often a out TV programs and since I have no TV, I rarely comment even when I come by. Nice review, sounds good in. Bad way, ha- I'll ha e to download. Thanks JL.

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  26. Congrats to Joy! I'm going to download a copy. Thank you, Joy. I've missed keeping up with your blog. Am babysitting grandbaby 9 hrs. a day, so my blogging time is cut down to almost nothing these days. :( Best of luck to you with all your books!

    Michael, thanks for hosting Joy!

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  27. Excellent! I've downloaded both - thanks Michael for featuring J.L.'s books. :)

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  28. Faraway eyes and Lyn, hope you enjoy the read. Hope you get more time to write soon. Lyn.

    Happy reading, Trisha.

    Mike, many, many thanks for giving me the run of your blog.

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  29. So happy for JL! I've got both her books just waiting to be read!

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  30. I love those little accents in a book, so the palm trees are cool.

    I can't wait to read A Baker's Dozen.

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  31. I like the sound of Distraction... who wouldn't with deceit and infidelity thrown in there:)

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  32. JL, good you pushed past your own doubt. The writing is vivid and sensual.
    Catherine Stine’s Idea City

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  33. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and kind words.

    Michael, again, thank you for hosting me! I'll be back in a bit to see what's going on with Oculus.

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  34. Congratulations, Joy! I can't wait to read them both!

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