The Strong Within Us by J. A. Boulet

 

The Strong Within Us

by J. A. Boulet

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GENRE: Historical Fiction

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BLURB:

A struggle. A war. The past. Would you recover?

Nathan Olason picks up the pieces of his life in 1893 and becomes a devoted father and grandfather. Except something from his past is holding him back.

His grandson, Mike grows up in a loving family with Nath almost raising him as his own. Mike develops a passion for hunting and guns, while his family supports him with trepid hearts as WWI looms.

Nath feels helpless to stop this dangerous chain of events, as Mike announces that he is joining the Great War. Armed and deadly, Mike hones his marksmanship skills to a perfection not seen in any other soldier. He is taken on a wild ride of following his passions, courage and gruesome fighting, arriving at Vimy Ridge, France for the fight of his life.

Nath fearing the worst, flees to a place that he thought was his salvation; an old weathered cottage that holds the key to his future.

Follow in the footsteps of heroes.

Be vulnerable.

Would you recover?

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Excerpt : 

She was a stunning woman with beautiful long black hair, shockingly rare blue eyes and tanned skin. She was captivating and absolutely gorgeous. Ivan thought that he didn’t have a chance until he found out that she lived down by the pier with her father. He bought fish from her father regularly, trading vegetables and grains some days. Every time Ivan visited the large fishery at the pier, he was always scanning the crowd for the beautiful blue-eyed fisherman girl. He found out that she was almost the same age as himself; she was 18, and he was 19. How she had managed to remain single was something beyond his stretch of knowledge. Maybe she was too beautiful, he thought. No man was courageous enough to approach her. Until this day, he thought. 

Ivan straightened his tie and proceeded to the fishery. He ran his fingers through his hair, adjusting his cowlick. The pesky tuft of hair at his crown annoyed him greatly. It seemed to have a mind of its own, especially in tense situations; it would stick up like a fork in a haystack. Otherwise, he thought that he was quite a handsome fellow, standing at six feet tall, slim but fit, with dark blonde hair, a young uneven beard and captivating green eyes. Women looked at him often, so he knew that he was attractive, but he still felt unsure of himself some days, especially around stunning women like her. Ivan pulled the door to the fishery open, unconsciously licking his hand and smoothing down the cowlick again as he stepped inside. 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:  

J. A. Boulet is the passionate author of The Olason Chronicles, a historical saga of war, courage,

love and strength. The Strong Within Us Book 2 was released on Amazon November 11, 2020.

J. A. Boulet was born and raised in Western Canada as a first generation Canadian from European 

descent. Her father was enlisted with the Hungarian military and fought bravely during the Hungarian 

Revolution, changing sides to stand up for what he believed in. He was granted asylum in Canada and 

built his family here. 

J. A. Boulet was born many years later, raised with strong morals and values, which she stands behind to this day. She started writing poetry at the age of five and progressed to short stories and novels. She has a keen interest in settlers, healing, family bonds and military history. J. A. Boulet writes with a spine-tingling realism like none other, grabbing your emotions and refusing to let go. The Strong Within Us Book 2 will be the book you’ve been waiting for. She currently lives in Canada with her two teenaged sons and a crested gecko named Mossi.

Follow her on

Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit.

Website: https://jaboulet.ca/

Twitter link: https://twitter.com/love_walk_life

Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/jabouletauthor/

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/WnGkybvfMM4

Reddit link: https://www.reddit.com/user/NormalFemal

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Within-Us-J-Boulet/dp/1777211239

NOTE: the book will be on sale for $1.99 at Kobo during the tour

Kobo (US):  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-strong-within-us

Kobo (Canada): https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-strong-within-us

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-strong-within-us-j-a-boulet/1137976794

Chapters Indigo:

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-strong-within-us/9781777211240-item.html

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION :

J. A. Boulet will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview: 

Hello and welcome to my blog! Can you tell me a little about yourself, and how you became an author?

Hello! Thank you so much for having me on your blog! I’m a single mother of two teenage boys and ever since they were born, I felt a deep connection to the issues that men face. When I was growing up, I also bonded with my brother rather than my sisters, which lent me some tomboyish tendencies. Curiously enough, I always dressed very feminine and always spent considerable time on my hair and dresses. Although once I was outside, I often ended up in the garage or in the dirt making a terrible mess of my frilly dresses. It was definitely a source of frustration to my exasperated parents.

I started writing when I was five. It started with poetry and progressed to articles, short stories and historical fiction novels.

What is your book about?

The Strong Within Us is the continuation of The Olason family saga. It is Book Two of The Olason Chronicles and starts in 1893, spanning all the way to WWI. Nath picks up the pieces of his life and becomes a loving family man, raising his daughter and his grandson, Mike. Once his grandson chooses to join The Great War, he fears the worst and is forced to confront his deepest fears.

Who is your hero/heroine? Is he/she based on someone in real life?

Nathan Olason is the main character although the supporting character Mike Kozak is a pivotal point in the book, joining the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade and travelling to Vimy Ridge, France. They are both very strong men with admirable values, steel determination and family bonds. Neither of my heroes are based on anyone I know in real life, but as with all my characters, they all contain little parts of my own personality.  

What are your favourite times for writing? Morning? Evening?

I write mostly in the late evenings, sometimes until 2 am. I schedule my writing times to keep things consistent. I edit during the day, though, it mostly puts me to sleep if I try editing at night!

Who are your favourite authors? Did they influence your writing, and if so, how?

Ken Follett is my all-time favourite author. He has influenced my writing by helping me develop a style of my own and just generally becoming a better writer. I hope to one day meet him in person and thank him.

Did you have a favourite book as a child? Did it influence your choice to become an author?

I was a bookworm geek when I was a child. In my afternoon pastimes, I would walk to the library and take out five books and be happily skipping home to read them all! I also became intensely interested in Shakespeare during high school, eventually dragging my mother to many plays, including Othello, Caesar, Taming of the Shrew and many more. My teachers in high school were thrilled! I was a sponge for written words and artistic performances. 

I don’t believe there was one particular author that had influenced my choice to become a writer, I guess I always just knew that writing was my thing. There was never a question in my mind about where my passions lay. Writing gives my life meaning more than anything I have ever known. The ability to touch so many souls with my words is the most heartwarming feeling in the world.