Stories From a Lifetime Virtual Book Tour June & July 2011

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Join Hugh Aaron, author of the short story collection, Stories From a Lifetime (Stones Point Press), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in June & July 2011 on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About Hugh Aaron

Hugh Aaron, a native of Worcester, Massachusetts, received a Liberal Arts degree in the Humanities at The University of Chicago. For three years as a Seabee he served in the South Pacific during WWII. He was CEO of his own plastics manufacturing business for 20 years before selling it to write full time. Several of his short stories have been published in national magazines and 18 of his essays on business management have appeared in The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Business Not as Usual: How to Win Managing a Company through Hard and Easy Times. Currently he’s writing and producing plays.

His latest book is a short story collection, Stories From a Lifetime.

You can visit his website at www.stonespointbooks.com or his blog at www.businesswisdom.blogspot.com.

About Stories From a Lifetime

Stories from a Lifetime carries readers through a widely diverse series of life’s peaks and valleys with poignant, clear-eyed vision and understanding that is only gradually gained across the course of a lifetime through endurance and honest appraisal of the emotional rollercoaster that we all ride.

These stories form a welcome, and increasingly rare, honest, grounded, and beautifully written collection that will touch nerves while sympathizing with what it means to be human.

Hugh Aaron delicately reveals the world through the innocent eyes of a young boy, through those of a soldier far from home during wartime, and those of a struggling businessman and faltering husband. He is unafraid to reveal panic beneath a façade of success, the deep and hollow sadness that may exist in an outwardly happy marriage, the yearning we feel to make a break for freedom from the rat race, the unexpected emotional responses that shift lives far beyond the expected course of events.

Read the Excerpt!

AN UNUSUAL DAY IN THE LIFE OF GEORGE AMEN
George Amen awoke at his usual hour of 7:00 a.m.; had his usual breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and coffee; smoked his usual first cigarette of the day; kissed his children and wife good-bye; scanned the state of his lawn as he backed his car out of the garage; and joined the usual morning traffic on his way to work. But George Amen never arrived at his office.
In accordance per his usual habit, he drove to the factory in which he had his office, and at 8:25 a.m. approached the driveway to the parking lot. At 8:26 a.m. he passed the driveway to the parking lot, then passed the entrance to the factory itself, and, without so much as a glance, continued into the countryside. This would not be—it suddenly became clear to George Amen—a usual day.
George Amen had not been aware of his intention either at 7:00 a.m. when he awoke or at 8:25 a.m., one minute before he normally would have turned into the parking lot. He was not in a trance; he was not ill. He knew what he was doing the instant he broke his routine. Although he was not aware why, he knew he had to continue driving into the countryside. He had no destination in mind; he simply had to head out on the open road.
At 10:30 a.m. he returned to his home. The children were at school. His wife had washed the breakfast dishes, made the beds, and had planned to spend the afternoon downtown with a neighbor; she was just preparing to sit down with a cup of coffee and a home decorating magazine when she saw George’s car enter the garage. She did not complete filling her cup, but instead put down the pot of hot coffee on the wooden kitchen table and rushed to the back door.
Accustomed to George’s routine of being away from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., she shouted to him in panic as he came up the walk.
“What’s wrong, George?”
George grinned and waved her back inside. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“Are you ill?” she asked as she examined his expression, which seemed quite normal.
“No, I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong, absolutely nothing.”
“Then you haven’t been fired or…”
“Don’t be silly. They wouldn’t be that generous.”
George Amen paused for a moment. He stood motionless in the center of the kitchen. His eyes widened and his forehead wrinkled upward. He felt a sensation of surprise.
“So that’s it,” he said.
“What do you mean?” his wife asked.
“I’m not sure.”
George Amen thought nothing was wrong, yet he sensed that everything was wrong. He assured his wife that he felt well, that his spirits were high. Perhaps a little too high, he thought to himself. He was aware of an inexplicable elation.

Here’s what critics are saying about Stories From a Lifetime!

“Stories from a Lifetime fascinates on many levels: stories from the point of view of a child, from that of the people in a community brutalized by the Japanese in war, in the struggle of two lovers torn by guilt, in dealing with inexplicable death. That these stories were written at different stages in Aaron’s life lends a certain charm. Interesting to notice, too, are the variations in his writing style over time, which is particularly enthralling and will surely reel the reader in.”

— Todd Rutherford, Book Reviewer

Stories From a Lifetime Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, June 6

Book reviewed at Life in Review

“I very highly recommend this book. Short stories are nice because you get a lot of stopping points for those of us who are busy moms or just busy and on the go without a lot of reading time at once. I enjoyed the wide range of subjects of his stories. They were written over a lifetime and you can see that when you read them. Some of them are wise and thought provoking, and others reflect characters who are still very much seeking answers. All of the stories are well written and written with honesty and heart.”

Wednesday, June 8

Book spotlighted at Literal Exposure

Thursday, June 9

Interviewed at Literarily Speaking

“Each story, written at a different period of my life, was inspired by what issues were most on my mind at the time. In a sense, the totality of the collection is a disguised autobiography.”

Friday, June 10

Book reviewed at Bri Clark: The Belle of Boise

“A truly remarkable talent for a short shorty series.”

Monday, June 13

Interviewed at Beyond the Books

“Stick to writing only the truth, be honest, write first for yourself, expect both criticism and praise for your work regardless of how good or bad it is.”

Tuesday, June 14

Book reviewed at Ohio Girl Talks

“I found this book to be enlightening and a fun read for me. If you like short stories you need to check out this book.”

Wednesday, June 15

Guest blogging at Broken Teepee

“I found having a book published is the easiest part of bringing a book to print. Promotion is the most difficult, mostly because of the enormous amout of time required to make connections and convince others that you are offering something that would have appeal.”

Thursday, June 16

Book reviewed at Reviews From the Heart

“I remember writing stories from the time I was old enough to really appreciate it and even now it’s something that calls to me on days from time to time. I still have those in a folder from when I was smart enough to begin saving them and even now, I savor and treasure all of my kids stories. I hope to pass them along when they are old enough to appreciate that I saved them.”

Friday, June 17

Book reviewed at One Day at a Time

“This would make a great book for literary clubs to examine, there is much to be found within its pages to give a group something to dissect and discuss. Rainy day readers would also appreciate the stories found within, you can pick the book up and put it down without worrying about where you left off. As well, those of you who enjoy short story collections, this is an excellent book to read and I would recommend it highly!”

Monday, June 20

Book reviewed at Freelancing Parents

“All in all, this book is excellent, and I highly recommend you add it to your list of must read books!”

Thursday, June 23

Guest participant in Literarily Speaking’s June Book Panel

“The experience has been beneficial and not at all exhausting.”

Friday, June 24

Interviewed at As the Pages Turn

“I rarely know how a story will end, but I know how my characters behave.”

Monday, June 27

Interviewed at Blogcritics

“I would like to have written War and Peace because of its enormous scope and amazing writing the puts you there.”

Wednesday, June 29

Book reviewed at Wakela’s World

“These stories form a welcome, and increasingly rare, honest, grounded, and beautifully written collection that will touch nerves while sympathizing with what it means to be human.”

Tuesday, July 5

Book reviewed at Colloquium

“Each story has a message for the reader, a lesson to be learned from Aaron’s own life experiences and keen insight into human nature and foibles.”

Thursday, July 7

Book reviewed at Book Reviews by Molly

“These stories form a welcome, and increasingly rare, honest, grounded, and beautifully written collection that will touch nerves while sympathizing with what it means to be human.”

Interviewed LIVE at Barry Eva’s A Book and a Chat Radio Show

Friday, July 8

Interviewed at The Writer’s Life

“I hope that my readers will find in the collection Stories from a Lifetime several stories that they can relate to.”

Monday, July 11

Book reviewed at Inspired by Savannah

“If you are looking for a great summer read, I highly suggest picking up Hugh Aaron’s book, Stories From a Lifetime today. No matter what your age, you will truly appreciate the stories, and begin to think about the journey you have been on and what lies in.”

Tuesday, July 12

Guest blogging at The Book Bin

“Promotion is the most difficult, mostly because of the enormous amount of time required to make connections and convince others that you are offering something that would have appeal.”

Wednesday, July 13

Book reviewed at Community Bookstop

“Hugh Aaron did a great job writing these short stories. A treasure for anyone to have.”

Thursday, July 14

Book reviewed at Avomnia

“Revealing oneself through guile and veiled words, to be set free from the immutable fetters of the soul and let those notions breathe in characters which speak for you is a tender yet frightful task. Mr. Aaron, through his stories, takes us on a winding journey through heartbreak and discovery, from hollow to full. A glimpse at his stories offers pause for each of us to take time to recall yarns of our own.”

Friday, July 15

Guest participant at Literarily Speaking July Book Panel

“Over the years as the giant bookstore chains established themselves in communities around the country the local bookstores suffered partly because they didn’t have the inventory, the variety, and partly because they couldn’t compete on price.”

Monday, July 18

Book reviewed at The Book Faerie Reviews

“There is truly a story for everyone in all kinds of situations within this book and once you’ve read them, you’ll eventually find yourself sharing it with another. I for one, will be sharing this lovely collection of stories with those at the office.”

Tuesday, July 19

Book reviewed at The Book Faerie Reviews

Wednesday, July 20

Interviewed at Book Marketing Buzz

“The publisher paid for all costs of promotion but did not advertise the book.”

Monday, July 25

Book reviewed at Celtic Lady’s Reviews

“Written with honesty, wit and candor, this collection of stories will appeal to a wide audience.”

Tuesday, July 26

Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book

“My childhood was happy despite our poverty during the Great Depression. I felt very free and motivated in everything I tried to do.”

Thursday, July 28

Interviewed at Review From Here

Interviewed at Broowaha

Friday, July 29

Book reviewed at Back Seat Writer

Interviewed at American Chronicle

Interviewed at Divine Caroline

Hugh Aaron’s STORIES FROM A LIFETIME VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘10 will officially begin on June 6 and end on July 29 ’11. Please contact Dorothy Thompson at thewriterslife@yahoo.com if you are interested in hosting and/or reviewing his book or click here to use the form. Thank you!

If you would like to book your own virtual book tour with us, click here to find out how!

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Maria Andrade, DEFIANCE AND REDEMPTION

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Irene Woodbury, HONEYMOON ROULETTE

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M.B. Lewis, THE PILATE SCROLL

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Kathleen Shaputis, HIS KILT DROPPED HERE

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Joni Ankerson, TO KILL OR BE KILLED

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Aiken Brown, SON OF A SOLDIER

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Lena Gregory, GRAVE CONSEQUENCES

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Jennifer Chase, FLOWERS ON HER GRAVE

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Elysia Strife, A PROMISE IN ASH

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Miri Leshem-Pelly, SCRIBBLE & AUTHOR

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Shami Stovall, KNIGHTMARE ARCANIST

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Suzanne M. Hurley, THE TEDDY BEAR EYE CLUB

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Sharon House, BRIMSTONE AND WATER

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Michael Allan Scott, GREY DAZE

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Bacon Press Books

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T.M. Wallace, WINTERGARDEN

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I’m in the middle of my third book and will definitely call on you again when it’s time to market it."
Deborah Serani, DEPRESSION AND YOUR CHILD

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Mary Lawlor, FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER

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Lee Papa, TEMPLE OF ALL KNOWING

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Madeline Wynn, DAUGHTER OF THE FALLEN

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Mary Lawlor, FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER

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Karen-Anne Stewart, ASH TO STEELE

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Lauren Carr, Best-Selling Mystery Author of Mac Faraday, and Lovers in Crime, Mysteries

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Kaylin McFarren, BURIED THREADS

"Thank you for a great virtual book tour. I thought it went really well and it was great to have a wave of PR that flowed through the two month period of my book release. I'm working on my next book - and will definitely reach out to you when it comes time to market! You were a delight to work with and really made me feel looked after. As I've mentioned before, I just don't know how you do it all."
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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach