Blog Tour- MATRIARCH by @AdamWingWriting With An Excerpt & #Giveaway! @RockstarBkTours

 

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the MATRIARCH by Adam Wing Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: MATRIARCH

Author: Adam Wing

Pub. Date: December 1, 2019

Publisher: Adam Wing

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 124

Find it:  Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, TBD, Bookshop.org

Read For FREE With A Kindle Unlimited Membership!

The story is over. It’s already too late.

At the end of the Turkish War of Independence, a British soldier disobeys orders to return home. Setting out to explore a country he had only known as trespasser, he uncovers danger, mysteries, and magic—adventure, obsession, and true love.

One hundred years later, the soldier’s great-granddaughter sits at her great-grandmother’s deathbed while the old woman recounts this very tale; it is the last she will ever tell.

Secrets are revealed as past and present collide, and as one woman’s future draws toward its inevitable close, another finds hers thrown into uncertainty.

 

Book Playlist:

It was suggested to me that I might make a song playlist to go with my novella Matriarch. But, while I’m certainly passionate about music and have MANY thoughts on what songs or artists might pair well with my writing, I also recognize that music is extremely personal, and songs that carry tremendous meaning for me may be little more than noise to just about everyone else.

 

Not to mention, virtually every scene in Matriarch is a major spoiler, so it would be hard to say which songs go where without spoiling everything!

 

If pressed, I could tell you a few songs I’d include. A number by Regina Spektor, of course: Blue Lips, Grand Hotel, Apres Moi. The ’59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem. Hands in the Sky by Straylight Run. Probably an assortment of Lindsey Stirling Song. Johnny Cash? Sinead O’Connor?

 

But as I said, music’s too personal for any list of songs I give to mean much to anyone but me. Probably.

 

More interesting, would be to offer you a playlist—or mixtape, if you will—of books. A curated list, presented in just the right order to create an experience—a journey—for anyone who wants to read along. And so, I present you MY BOOK PLAYLIST:

 

1.      The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – A. A. Milne

A stuffed bear finds adventure in the woods behind Christopher Robin’s childhood house

Yes, you read that right. Because if you haven’t read Pooh, you are seriously missing out. It’s a work of genius. Not just children’s stories, but an exploration of the worlds children create, and of their imaginations, from the appreciative perspective of an adult. It’s pure and it’s knowing and it’s wonderful.

Moreover, it’s a great entry point into the list. Inviting and easy to appreciate.

 

2.      Coraline – Neil Gaiman

A young girl discovers a sinister world behind a secret door in her new home

Spooky, engrossing and fun, Coraline is a nice easy read, but with hints of real danger behind every page.

A ghost on the face of the doorknocker, as Scrooge himself once saw, this book signals the tone of what’s to come.

 

3.      If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again – Zen Cho

A wannabe dragon attempts to achieve her life’s dream

Here’s an uplifting novella steeped in Korean mythology, about love, family, failure, perseverance, and how truly complex life’s goals can be.

This wonderful little book is the perfect way warm your heart after Coraline eery chills.

 

4.      Spinning Silver – Naomi Novik

A deconstructed retelling of Rumpelstiltskin

Spinning Silver is one of the finest novels I’ve ever read. It begins so simply, telling a variant on the familiar fairy tale. But then it branches; it develops; it opens up in ways you never expect, which feel wholly natural—wholly necessary—nonetheless, developing layer upon layer of complexity. The work is stunning.

Okay, the warm-up’s over, here. Now we’re into the meat of this list. You’ll seen that while we’re keeping a sharp focus on books that are fun to read, you’re going to get some substance from me.

 

5.      A Million Little Souls – Chase Connor

Four young bibliophiles are brought together for the adventure of their lives

This short indie-novel is filled with adventure and populated by well-wrought characters. It’s light, it’s fun, and as a book about loving books, it absolutely belongs on a books playlist.

This is a perfect little pause before we begin our dive into the heavier stuff.

 

6.      American Gods – Neil Gaiman

An ex-con finds himself entangled in lives and politics of ancient and modern deities

American Gods is a brick of a book. But it’s a gorgeous brick, beautifully told. There’s whimsy in this tale—as there is on this list—but it’s tempered with inky threads of darkness. Beautiful and grotesque. Cynical and idealistic. Here’s a book you can lose yourself in and come out changed on the other side.

Approaching the middle of the list, we’re going to slow things down. And intensify them. The reads are getting harder, but also more involved.

 

7.      The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay – Michael Chabon

Two young Jewish artists help kickstart the Golden Age of Comics in 1940s New York

Michael Chabon writes so well, his prose makes me angry. This book, is in my opinion, his finest work. A powerful story about loss, art, ambition, sacrifice, pride, love, fear, rage, and beauty. And also comic books.

After American Gods, your brain should be good and limber; so we’re ready for Michael Chabon. In many ways, this book belongs with the previous; it’s dense, smart and beautiful, and it never fails to take you in a direction you couldn’t have possibly expected.

 

8.      Matriarch – Adam Wing (that’s me!)

A dark fairy tale crossing generations, from the Turkish War of Independence to modern times

This bite-size novella serves up beautiful prose, constant surprises, and an ending that will leave you breathless.

I’d be foolish not to include any of my own books on this list! Besides, after the last two heavy hitters, it’s about time for a nice, easy read. But don’t be fooled; it’s going to hit you, and it’s going to hit you HARD.

 

9.      Tuff Voyaging – George R. R. Martin

An unlikely space buccaneer travels the universe in a futuristic seed ship

GRRM is one of my favorite authors, but I wanted to avoid putting large series on this list. So A Song of Ice and Fire is out. (Also it’s just too long.) (And not finished yet.) Tuff Voyaging is a fun alternative, though. It’s exciting and filled with high-concept sci-fi.

We’re going to hold onto the light-reading momentum we found with Matriarch. A bit of space opera is just what the doctor ordered.

 

10.  Axiom’s End – Lindsay Ellis

A young woman making first contact with an alien species is pulled into the resulting chaos

Axiom’s End is a difficult book to describe. Written by acclaimed video essayist, Lindsay Ellis, it’s a fish-out-of-water / government conspiracy / alien invasion / pseudo-romance / coming-of-age story. Transformers meets District 9. Kinda.

This book keeps things easy and fun, but maintaining a level of intelligence in the stories that we’re going to be thankful for later.

 

11.  Icarus – Adam Wing (me again!)

A period-true retelling of the ancient myth

My first novel, Icarus is short and a little dense, but a fun read and not overly difficult. It tells a powerful story that will upset you. You will fall in love with this character who you know, right from the beginning, will have a tragic end. Then you’ll watch it happen.

Yes, this is another of mine. It’s a light read with heavy emotions. A signal that we’re moving back into deeper waters, and that the list will soon reach a crechendo.

 

12.  Hyperbole and a Half / Solutions & Other Problems – Allie Brosh

A series of anecdotes told in silly drawings and words

These two hilarious books are deceptively deep. What begins as humorous stories, fast becomes painfully earnest, and painfully painful examinations of the author’s troubled life and many internal and external challenges. You’ve never thought anything could be this hilarious and this heartbreaking at the same time.

This one’s a bit of a fake-out. After the emotional gut-punch of Icarus, you’ll think this is going to be care-free dance on dust motes. So when the heavy stuff hits, it hits all the harder.

 

13.  STET – Sarah Gailey

A troubling tale told in the revision notes of a textbook author

STET is an unconventionally told short story in which part of the drama is realizing what’s actually happening. But when you do…

Okay, STET is a bit short to be called a book. But after you’ve been primed by all the trauma involved in the previous books, it’s a perfect outlet to vent back at an unfair universe.

 

14.  The Revisionaries – A. R. Moxon

…I can’t … I don’t even know how to describe this book

The Revisionaries is a sweeping epic that fully implodes its own plot halfway through the narrative. It’s maybe the smartest book I’ve every read (and beautifully written, to boot). There’s so much going on. So much at the same time. It’s big. It’s stunning. It’s brilliant. It’s silly but serious. It’s so dense, yet somehow endlessly readable.

After all the disorientation of the last few books, after the heavy lifting we did with those middle books and continually exercising our intelligence as we progressed through the list, I think we’re ready for The Revisionaries.

 

15.  The City We Became – N. K. Jemisin

New York City comes alive, literally, as each burrow awakens as a person to fight an evil invasion

Here’s a complex, magical story about people coming together, about prejudice and hate, but ultimately about hope.

This book pairs well with the previous, as it has a complexity of theme. But this is the prefect book to end our list on; hope permeates its every page. There is darkness, or at least, evil—in the story and in life—and in The City We Became, we see that evil can be defeated.

 

And that is my book playlist. Now if you’d like a music playlist to go with this absolutely massive booklist I’ve set upon you. Well, you, uh … might have to give me a bit more time on that one.

 

 

About Adam: 

Man of many hats: teacher, engineer, editor, scholar, mountain climber, bar tender, student, world traveller, and through and above it all, writer, Wing has dedicated most his life to the craft of writing fiction.

Wing's published works include the novel, Icarus, and a book of short stories, Apoca Lypse Sink Ships, and he has fantasy work on the way.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will win a finished copy of MATRIARCH, US/Canada Only.

2 winners will win an eBook of MATRIARCH, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/4/2021	Two Chicks on Books	Guest Post
1/4/2021	Rockstar Book Tours	Excerpt
1/5/2021	Jaime's World	Excerpt
1/5/2021	JaimeRockstarBookTours	Instagram Post
1/6/2021	BookHounds	Excerpt
1/6/2021	BookHounds	Instagram Post
1/7/2021	Books A-Brewin'	Excerpt
1/7/2021	Books A-Brewin'	Instagram Post
1/8/2021	Fire and Ice	Review
1/8/2021	Fire and Ice	Instagram Post

 

Week Two:

1/11/2021	I'm Shelf-ish	Excerpt
1/11/2021	Three gals and plenty of books	Excerpt
1/12/2021	@minnesota_mailer	Review
1/12/2021	100 Pages A Day	Review
1/13/2021	Westveil Publishing / @thewestveilarchives	Guest Post
1/13/2021	Westveil Publishing / @thewestveilarchives	Instagram Post
1/14/2021	Adrienne Woods Books and Reviews	Excerpt
1/14/2021	Books and Zebras @jypsylynn	Review
1/15/2021	She Just Loves Books	Review
1/15/2021	Two Points of Interest	Review