April | 2023 | "CAT'S BOOK LIBRARY 4 READERS"

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers’ Favorite

Our Mothers, Our Daughters by Candace Gish reminds us that the relationship shared between mother and daughter is deep. It’s not always positive, but it defines the identity of both mother and daughter and the way that the world sees them. We grow together and learn together and, for better or worse, we create ourselves in the image of the other. It’s like a road trip, one that takes many dips and turns and leads us, hopefully, to a positive and pre-destined place. As Jacqueline Biollo writes in her story, Alethea, “Metaphorically, road trips, like relationships, can be expensive.

They take time and energy to foster. But with some planning, we can successfully navigate the road ahead and avoid some bumps along the way. Relationships can be adventurous and advantageous to exploring new things, building confidence, and making memories.” Simply put, life and relationships are journeys we must take that will lead us to places unknown.

Candace Gish’s book, Our Mothers, Our Daughters, is an anthology of stories honoring the mother-daughter dynamic. This book is part of the Divas That Care Collection, bringing together the positive and the negative (and the most loving and challenging) connections that define who we are. The stories feature three distinct themes: Connection, Inner Self, and Unconditional Love. The accounts are meant to inspire all of us mothers and daughters as we embark on the mission of bonding and love (or, sadly, the lack thereof). Some of the stories may spark a similar memory in the reader’s mother-daughter relationship. The narratives are accompanied by prompts and suggestions to further strengthen, or at least comprehend, the complexity that makes up our own stories.

Through the words of other mothers and daughters, this anthology will both inspire and encourage all of us to look deeper into our emotions as we make that poignant, sometimes difficult, journey.

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite

Our Mothers, Our Daughters: The Stories That Make And Create Our Lives (Divas That Care Collection) is an anthology of non-fiction stories that revolve around maternal relationships and the ties that bind mothers and daughters. The collection has multiple individual authors who share a slice of their stories with the contributions having been pulled together into its present book format by Candace Gish.

The stories range from the inspiring My Daughter, My Valentine by Brenda Pearce in which the author, who thought she couldn’t have more kids, feels an overwhelming desire for a baby while admiring a newborn girl at work. Weeks later, she discovers she’s pregnant and gives birth to a healthy baby girl on Valentine’s Day, whom she considers a miracle and a gift from the Divine; to A Study in Golden Rule and Persistence by Rosanna Pittella, wherein Pittella recounts her decision to send her gifted daughter Jessica to school at 18 months old, despite opposition from others. Jessica thrived and went on to earn three degrees.

All told, Our Mothers, Our Daughters by Candace Gish contains over two dozen stories that each pack a huge heartwarming punch despite their compact sizes. I like that the stories are categorized into three distinct and interconnected parts: Connection, Inner-Self, and Unconditional Love. I was most touched by My Beautiful Miracle by Jennifer Herron who reflects on the joys and challenges of raising her daughter Lauren, who was born premature and faced health and developmental obstacles.

Through their journey together, Herron has learned the importance of embracing uniqueness and adapting to the unknown, and she feels truly blessed to have learned so much from her daughter. All of the stories are polished and wonderfully composed, and I loved that each section ends with action steps, journal prompts, and affirmations. I walked away from this collection feeling whole and happy and completely fulfilled.

Very highly recommended.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Candace is a best-selling Canadian Author from Alberta. She is a wife, homeschool mom, author, “Radio Host, Entrepreneur, and Change Maker. Living life to the fullest!“

Full Bio:

Candace Gish is a motivator and empowering change agent who understands the challenges women face while finding success in their everyday lives and businesses. She is an advocate for mentorship and strong, supportive networks.

Her four daughters and wonderful husband have inspired her to create a better world, thus the Divas That Care Network was born. Candace enjoys connecting with goal-oriented women and has a commitment to making a difference. She believes in the power of women converging to implement change and has ensured that the purpose of the Divas That Care movement quantifies just that.

Visit & Connect With The Author

Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Pinterest, Linkedin,

On Sale Now for Mother’s Day! Both E-books in this collection are now on sale on Amazon Kindle and have HIT #1 on Amazon Canada in several categories>> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QQP4DRJ/ …

HAPPY READING!

New Literary Fiction Novel Series By Pavane Ravel.

An In-depth Interview About The Backstory of How The Series Came To Be…

Newly Released on Amazon in Paperback and E-Books on Sale At Amazon Kindle for Just .99 cents! https://www.amazon.com/stores/Pavane-Ravel/author/B09QLNP5RN/

Interview with Author Pavane Ravel

How many books have you written and which is your favorite?

So far, I have written seven complete novels.

This includes my first book which I wrote as a teenager just for me. I have always wanted to be a fiction novelist. At a young age, the only way I could discover if my dream was feasible was to actively write a novel. I wrote at night when I was supposed to be in bed and rested for high school in the morning.

My first book was 300 handwritten pages and took me 5 years to write. When it was finished, I put it in a drawer and never looked back. But I had my answer.

I love all my books; they are my creation and like my children.

When I began the first book (Revelation of Lies) of my Larry Martin Novel Series — The Other Shoes of Larry Martin” — I had no clue the work would turn into a series. Prior to writing this book, I had just finished my second novel, “Hepplewhite.” I had planned to publish Hepplewhite, but then, Larry Martin got in the way.

Much to my family’s alarm, I was obsessed with “Revelation of Lies.” I could not stop writing, not even when we were on vacation at the beach. I hardly ate or slept. I came close to ruining our vacation. But still, I could not stop. I did not want to stop.

If I had to choose my favorite books of what I have written, they would be Book One, Revelation of Lies, and Book Five, Revenge Served Cold, of the Larry Martin series.

If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?

The Other Shoes of Larry Martin will be a seven-book series. Currently, I am writing Book Six. I do have an idea for the title of this novel, but as I am not settled on it yet, I won’t mention it.

I am happy to say that the first two books of the series are now published. I plan for Book Three, The Board Extraction, to come out at the end of this year.

Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?

Yes, I want each book to stand on its own. For readers who have not read the previous books in the series, I try to provide some background of what’s happening in the opening of each book.

All the books are connected though. They are one long story of Larry Martin’s life. His outlook. Why he does what he does. His metaphysical approach to life. Larry is a uniquely progressive character.

How did you come up with the title for your book?

In Book One, Revelation of Lies, Larry starts off as an awful person. He is part of the Incel community and a misogynist. I never saw him as evil, just misguided.

He was raised by an abusive father who hated everyone … women, gays, and minorities. This was all Larry knew. Before graduating college, he got a job as a journalist with a cruel alt-right website. Larry’s job was to mock the poor and homeless. And after he got fired and became homeless himself — everything he despised — he had a revelation of all the lies that had brought him down this sad path. Hence, the title.

In Book Two, On Becoming Laurie Roberts, Larry has changed his life so radically by embracing kindness, he’s managed to become an entirely different person. And this is where his life alters in the best of ways. After beings adopted by a wealthy architect, his transformation becomes complete. Larry Martin becomes Laurie Roberts. The book is about this transformation. Hence, the title. But it is not an easy ride. Laurie does the best he can and he is brilliant. But the betrayal of the men he loves the most nearly destroys him.

How long did it take you to write this book?

Ah. Well. Right now, we are talking about two different books. Revelation of Lies took me three months in a concerted effort to write. ‘On Becoming Laurie Roberts’ took me five months to accomplish.

Like anyone else, in all this, I still have other responsibilities. I am often distracted to please my family and clean the house. My family is settled with me writing now. That’s a good thing. They help me in every way. But I still must break from my writing to get other things done. I find myself slowing down now. Books Three, Four, and Five are written, so I can rest a bit too.

What does the title mean?

I create my titles in direct correlation to something happening in my book. I often finish a book before I select a title.

For example, as I mentioned, I am writing Book Six of the series now. While I do have an idea, I would rather wait and see if there is something specific I can select for an even tighter title. I like specifics.

‘Revelation of Lies’ and ‘Becoming Laurie Roberts were specific to what occurred in those books.

What did you learn when writing the book?

Ha! This question is like asking a brain surgeon, “What did you learn in medical school?”

Okay. Here’s how I feel. Or perhaps, the best way to say so is from a 5-star review from Kevin Terres M. on Barnes and Noble:

“Larry is some kind of odd study between cruelty v. kindness, laziness v. self-discipline, and internal strength v. fragility. There is something profound going on here.”

Or from Armando Rodriquez on Amazon, another 5-star review:

“Although fictitious, Pavane develops a character that symbolizes hope for humanity.”

Hope for humanity? Did you ever? Yes, I did mean that, but to accomplish it in a reader’s eyes is a truly wonderful thing.

I believe that people are starved for kindness. I believe people can forget how powerful kindness can be.

Most of us in America live in a world of cruelty. Our rights are being stripped from voters, women, gay and trans communities as well as minorities. The costs of living are escalating out of control. Homelessness is growing. The billionaires are reaping it all while too many are hungry. The costs of healthcare remain frightening. Medical bankruptcy is on the rise and the expense of senior living has become astronomical.

How do we live? How do we survive? How do we teach people what is happening in a simple way that can be understood?

Through a story. And that’s what Larry Martin is … just a story, not a dissertation or a lecture. I wanted to cover these societal issues in a way that’s easy to understand.

What surprised you the most?

While I don’t plot my books from start to finish, I do make internal notes of details and directions to keep my story straight. So, most of the time, I think I know what’s going to happen. It always surprises me when I don’t see something coming, yet it’s far better than what I originally intended.

Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?

Yes. This is a good example of a surprise. There is a character I love. I had plotted future scenes involving this character deeper into the series. I thought I knew where the story was headed, but none of it happened. Yes, my character died, even as I understood why. Book 5 emerged from that why. I have not offered this novel to readers yet, but the death caused my editor to cry. He was surprised and shocked. Since the loss was not predictable, he was truly saddened. If he had such a reaction, I know it will be the same for my readers.

What do you do to get inside your character’s head?

When I am writing, I am watching a movie in my mind. That’s the best way I can describe it. I am transcribing a mental movie. I see things through Larry Martin’s eyes. I know what he thinks and what he feels. I understand how he sees the world around him and his approach to that world in response.

It’s interesting to me that Larry is far more intelligent than I am. I don’t try to control him; he shows me what he wants. And he is very direct about it.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pavane Ravel is an acclaimed influential writer of political literary fiction and is the author of her introductory novel series, “The Other Shoes of Larry Martin” with book one released in Oct. 2021 titled “Revelation of Lies” and book two titled “On Becoming Laurie Roberts” in Feb. 2023. Ravel’s books are available for purchase on her official website (pavaneravel.com), Amazon Books, and Amazon Kindle while being featured in many fine online books and reader sites.

Ravel has always wanted to be a full-time writer and finally has reached the point in life where that dream is a reality. She traveled extensively over the years and has seen nearly the entire United States, much of Canada, Europe, and some of South and Central America. Pavane also studied political science and journalism at universities in the United States and Europe.

Pavane is happily married and has raised successful grown children. She enjoys discussing economics after working as a commodities broker. She and her family reside in New York, and she shares her time concentrating on family, close friends, and writing. She also continues to enjoy international traveling.

For Pavane, who is passionate about politics and societal issues, these books and series are an important story to tell. Larry Martin is also a truly complex and fascinating character as a unique progressive hero.

Pavane enjoys humor and loves to engage and connect with readers. She welcomes readers’ thoughts and comments through her website.

You may connect with her on social media!

VISIT AUTHOR: Website, Join Author’s Newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon,