Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Secrets of a River Swimmer by S.S. Turner - Book Tour and Giveaway

 


Goddess Fish Promotions is organizing a Virtual Book Tour for Secrets of a River Swimmer by S.S. Turner, an Adult Literary Fiction available February 8, 2022 from The Story Plant.



As Freddy gazes at the majestic river gushing past him in the depths of a Scottish winter, he's ready to jump in and end his life. But what happens next is not what Freddy expects. From the moment he enters the river, Freddy starts a journey which is more beautiful, funny, and mysterious than he could have imagined. And through this journey Freddy's story becomes interweaved with a cast of unforgettable characters who are equally lost and in search of answers. Eventually they all unite in their quest for an answer to the biggest question of them all: will the river take them where they want to go?

In the tradition of inspirational works of fiction like The Alchemist and Life of Pi, Secrets of a River Swimmer is at once a profound exploration into living with meaning and an affecting story of people on the cusp of change.

Read an Excerpt

From Page 21-22

My thoughts drift to picture what life as a gillie must be like. I imagine you start the day by carrying all the fishing equipment your fat and wealthy clients will need for a day of luxurious and fully-catered fishing. You carry everything while they take it easy, and you locate the best spot to fish for the largest possible salmon. Your local knowledge about fishing spots has to be extraordinary. You then set up the fishing rod, position your client in the right spot, and talk them through what they need to do to catch that magic fish they’re all searching for. Of course, your clients are always searching for the largest catch of the season, so they can go home and brag to their friends and family about what skilled fishermen they are. It’s obvious to you, if not to them, that the subtext is being able to sing to the world that they have massive willies, bigger than everyone else’s.

Beyond fishing, you’re forced to listen to whatever the hell it is your clients want to talk about for the eight long hours you’re on the river. Your clients are all obscenely wealthy, so it’s more than likely you’ll hear a lot of moaning about all the small things in life they’d like changed. Many of them will complain about local wind farm developments, council plans to develop their neighborhood, and, of course, the big one: immigration. They all believe immigrants are responsible for all the problems in the world. These people are your quintessential NIMBYs, and will always complain about progress if it affects them in any way, no matter how minor. You do whatever you can to bring the conversation back to fishing because it’s an easier conversation for you, and less productive grounds for their complaining. They’re slowly sucking the life out of you with their negativity, so you carefully select your words to bring the conversation onto a more positive pathway. And, of course, your ultimate back-up plan, as it is for many British people, is to pull out the ultimate conversation filler when you’re at rock bottom: the weather. Yes, it’s a desperate move and the equivalent of holding up a white flag, but needs must.


Interview

Do you ever wish you were someone else? Who?

I’m generally happy being me these days. But I’ve had days I wished I was someone else when I was younger. On those days, I always wished I was Superman, but Superman from the eighties when he had a sense of humor and his underwear was far too tight to pass as good dress sense. I love the idea of flying in to save the day and making everyone’s lives better whilst also providing them with a giggle or two before I fly away.

What did you do on your last birthday?

I got up at the crack of dawn and headed to a nearby beach with my golden retriever Mia who passed away a few months ago. Mia was my best friend so all memories with her in them are special. On my birthday, we went for a long beach run together followed by a glorious swim in the ocean. Mia rolled on the sand with so much joy that day. After the beach, I met my wife Jess for a lovely lunch at a local café. It was a great day.

What part of the writing process do you dread?

I love most of the writing process! However, the most challenging part for me is editing the sections of the first draft which clearly need to change. I know which sections fall into this category because they don’t energize me as much as they should when I read them back. The famous advice to “kill your darlings” is exactly what it feels like when I delete those large sections of writing which appear to be friends who so wanted to make the cut but didn’t. I often feel a tinge of sadness as I bid them farewell for the greater good.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

Not often but I’ve experienced it a few times. It’s like someone is patting you on the back and telling you to leave the writing alone for the day because you’re a liability. I’ve always found being physically active to be a great way to get the little grey cells moving again when writer’s block strikes like that. When I’m in the depths of physical exhaustion during and after a long run I’m always amazed by way the ideas start to flow again.

Tell us about your latest release.

Secrets of a River Swimmer is a fictional novel about change and finding meaning in life.

It starts with the main character Freddy gazing at a majestic river gushing past him in the depths of a Scottish winter. He's ready to jump in and end his less than fulfilling life. But what happens next is not what he expects. From the moment he enters the river, Freddy begins a journey which is more beautiful, funny, and mysterious than he could have imagined on dry land. And through this journey, Freddy's story becomes interweaved with a cast of unforgettable characters who are equally lost and in search of answers. Eventually they all unite in their quest for an answer to the biggest question of them all: will the river take them where they want to go?

The novel shares a number of key themes with The Alchemist and Life of Pi in that it’s an exploration of the pathway we all follow towards living a meaningful life.

About the Author:


AUTHOR Bio and Links:

S.S. Turner has been an avid reader, writer, and explorer of the natural world throughout his life which has been spent in England, Scotland and Australia. Just like Freddy in his first novel, Secrets of a River Swimmer, he worked in the global fund management sector for many years but realized it didn't align with his values. In recent years, he's been focused on inspiring positive change through his writing as well as trying not to laugh in unfortunate situations. He now lives in Australia with his wife, daughter, two dogs, two cats, and ten chickens.

https://www.thestoryplant.com/secrets-of-a-river-swimmer


Buy Links:

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JWTK3WN/

B&N- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secrets-of-a-river-swimmer-s-s-turner/1139673873 

AppleBooks- https://books.apple.com/us/book/secrets-of-a-river-swimmer/id1591209788

Indigo- https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/secrets-of-a-river-swimmer/9781611883213-item.html

Kobo- https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/secrets-of-a-river-swimmer


Giveaway

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

6 comments:

  1. Good morning. Thank you for sharing your interview and book details, my question for you today is, are you able to read or write when it is noisy or do you need peace and quiet as I do?

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  2. Thanks very much for hosting this interview Edgar! Appreciate it...

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  3. S.S., I enjoyed the interview and the excerpt and your book sounds like a great read and I like the cover! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a spectacular weekend!

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