Monday, March 13, 2017

#GiveAway - He Gave Me BARN CATS by Maria Santomasso-Hyde

 He Gave Me BARN CATS
by Maria Santomasso-Hyde




There  is a tour-wide giveaway for two (2) print copies (U.S only) and two (2) eBooks (international). Please use the RaffleCopter below to enter. 

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Q&A with  Maria Santomass0-Hyde:

Crystal: Today I have the pleasure of hosting Maria Santomasso-Hyde. Welcome Maria! I'm so excited to have you here today.

Maria: Hi Crystal!  Thank you for inviting me to Reviews by Crystal.

Crystal: Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?

Maria: I always knew I wanted to be a writer. I even took double the number of English classes required at my high school. I majored in English in college, graduating from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, where I was editor of a poetry journal and an arts magazine.
My first job out of college was as a reporter for a small town daily newspaper (The Concord Tribune). After that, I was a public relations writer.
Now, I own and manage Alta Vista Gallery in Valle Crucis, NC, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where I live with my husband, Lee Hyde. Running in and out of the gallery is our current Barn Cat, Roma. 

Crystal: What are you currently working on?

Maria: This week, I’m working on marketing ideas for my book and creating a website for it.  (www.MariaSantomassoHyde.com). March 25 is my BOOK LAUNCH PARTY, here in my art gallery, so I’m working on that, too. 
Meanwhile, my next book is brewing.  I often write inside my head first, before it ever reaches a keyboard. Often, I’m “writing” (in my head) while driving, or showering, or other tasks.
The new book is Cat-Tales, which features Roma as narrator. She sits on the front porch and eavesdrops on the humans’ conversations and then tells readers―and offers her wisdom, of course!

Crystal: Do you have a favorite snack that you like to munch on while writing? If so, would you mind sharing what it is with us?

Maria: My snacks are caviar and truffles. No, seriously, I’m fighting mid-life spread, so I don’t snack much, but I do eat lunch while writing. Evenings are when I really like to snack, so it’s no wonder that I’m spreading!

Crystal: When you are not busy writing wonderful stories to keep us lucky readers entertained, what do you like to do? Do you have a hobby?

Maria: Your readers will appreciate this: My favorite hobby is reading! Operating my art gallery is not a hobby, but a fulltime job, but I love it so much that it takes the place of most hobbies. I do still enjoy a hike sometimes, because when you live near the Blue Ridge Parkway, it’d be a sin to not enjoy it and the many hikes along it. As Tony says in my book, “You need to get outside and get the air.”

Crystal: Thanks for visiting. It has been a pleasure having you visit today. Can you think of anything else you would like to share with us today?


Maria: I hope your readers will enjoy my book and stay in touch with me via my website. However, more importantly, I hope that readers will enjoy all the little moments of life and all of the joy and love that each moment has in it. As Barn Cat Jack says in my book, “If you want treats, you can’t be afraid….  If you don’t reach out, then you don’t get treats.”  (“Treats” is the Barn Cat word for “Love.”)

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BLURB:

Inspired by true events...

        Maria has cared for her very ill mother for many years. Her burdens are heavy, causing a sadness bordering on darkness.  When she discovers her historic barn is now home to a mother cat and kittens, she feels lighter than she has in years. As the kittens grow, they teach her as only animals can do.
          Then tragedy strikes. As Maria loses her family, the darkness envelopes her like the heavy fog that blankets her Blue Ridge Mountain home each morning. She creates a scorecard:  God: 9, Maria: 0.  Her questions turn into anger at God.  She searches to find answers as to why her loving God would take away so much in such a short time.
          How will she learn to trust again? Can the kittens in her barn help her heal?

Release Date March 14, 2017
 $10.95, 6x9 Trade paperback, 134 pages
Genres: Christian Fiction / Christian Life-Death, Grief, Bereavement
Print ISBN 978-1-939844-21-7 eBook ISBN 978-1-939844-22-4
Order through Ingram, Follett Library Resources, or from the publisher
$3.99 eBook available in all formats

HE GAVE ME BARN CATS is available for pre-order in print format at following sites: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books A Million, Everything Cats, Foyles, and Chapters-Indigo.

HE GAVE ME BARN CATS is available for order in eBook format at the following sites: Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes, and Amazon.

Be sure to add HE GAVE ME BARN CATS to your shelf on Goodreads.


About the Author: 

Formerly a newspaper reporter, Maria Santomasso-Hyde now owns Alta Vista Fine Art Gallery.

She lives in Valle Crucis, North Carolina, with her husband, Lee, and The Queen of the Universe (Roma, their Black Cat) … and other Black Cats who decide to move in.



Come join the blog tour and learn more about Maria and HE GAVE ME BARN CATS by visiting the following blog:

March 8 - 
Rockin' Book Reviews - Guest Post

March 9 - 
Mello & June, It's a Book Thang! - Feature

March 10 - 
Defending The Pen - Excerpt

March 13 - 
Reviews by Crystal - Q&A
Alex J. Cavanaugh - Guest Post


March 14 - 
Thoughts in Progress - Review

March 16 - 
A Bluestocking's Place - Excerpt
deal sharing aunt - Review


March 17 - 
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit - Q&A

March 20 -
Reviews From the Heart - Review
The Story of a Writer - Feature
CBY Book Club - Excerpt


March 21 - 
bookworm1102 - Excerpt
Storey Book Reviews - Excerpt
Celticlady's Reviews - Feature

4 comments:

  1. Enjoyed the interview. It's always fun to learn more about an author's background. Crystal, thanks for being a part of Maria's tour.

    Mason
    MC Book Tours

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  2. I'm sure Roma has a lot of wisdom to dispense!

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  3. Thank you for interviewing me for your blog! I look forward to hearing from your readers!

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  4. Congrats on the release and on providing what sounds like an inspirational story.

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