Hope. Dreams. Life... Love: The Strong Within Us

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.

A Word With the Author

Did you always want to be an author?

Yes, every since I remember. There was never a question about it. My high school teachers urged me to continue in the writing field. I took Photojournalism in college but switched to a financial career to pay for my expenses and my children were born shortly afterwards. I spent many years listening to everyone that writing was not a job. After my divorce, I spent many years lost, wondering who I really was.

During a normal day of work in early January 2019, I was reflecting over details that I had found of these Icelandic settlers. It puzzled me because I had no idea why I was so consumed with this interesting piece of history. Then, like a jolt of electricity, it came to me. This is the book I needed to write.

I stood up and left my desk to write the outline. Nine months later, I had finished the entire book. A few months afterwards, it was split into two books. The Strong Within Us is the captivating sequel but it can also be read as a stand alone.

Tell us about the publication of your first book.

The Strong Amongst Us was published on April 29, 2020 at the start of the pandemic. It was my first book in The Olason Chronicles series. It was an amazing feeling publishing it. It felt like I had journeyed a long way and that I had finally arrived. I am so grateful for these pivotal moments in life.

Besides yourself, who is your favourite author in the genre you write in?

Ken Follett is my favourite historical fiction author. His novels are engaging and raw. I love curling up with a fuzzy blanket and reading a good Ken Follett book.

What’s the best part of being an author? The worst?

The best part of being an author is writing the first draft, definitely. The feeling of releasing my imagination on a regular basis is like breathing fresh air everyday. I love writing.

Copyediting is brutal though! I have to structure my days and force myself to put in as many hours per day as I can get through. It’s painful!!

What are you working on now?

I’m working on Book 3 of The Olason Chronicles. I decided to create a bad boy as my main character. Hopefully, I will surprise people yet again.

Thank you for joining me and thanks to everyone that followed me on my blog tour! This is my last stop and I wish everyone a healthy happy 2021! A big thank you to Hope Dreams Life Love for hosting me! Watch out for Book 3 in winter of 2021!

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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 Mossio.

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/NormalFemale

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