Just a Girl in the Whirl by Annie Wood - Book Tour + Giveaway

Just a Girl in the Whirl

by Annie Wood

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:   Young Adult

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

A 17 year old girl is overwhelmed with responsibilities trying to keep her messy family together. Everything spins out of control when her addict actor dad who bailed on the family three years ago leaving her with her lovable but bi-polar mom and her two little sisters, comes back into town and wants to reconnect.

Writing poems is her only escape. Just a girl in the is about family, forgiveness, and having enough courage to live your own life, your own way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

“I never know what to say to her.” Matty complains. 

“You don’t need to say anything. Just your presence is enough.” 

I put Sara’s old baby monitor in Mom’s room so I can hear Matty enter. I imagine Mom is watching TV with it turned off again. 

“This is my favorite part.” Mom says.

Matty doesn’t say anything. She’s probably just staring at her. Matty often just stares at her.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Mom says. 

After a moment, Matty says, “Did you know that Americans watch two hundred and fifty billion hours of television a year?” 

I can hear Mom applauding and then saying softly, “I love you so much, Matty.”  

Matty says nothing in response. I could almost hear her heart break into a million little pieces, then I heard footsteps, and then the door closing. Matty comes zooming down the stairs. She pauses and looks out the front window. “Grandma Gayle is here.”

Grandma Gayle is Dad’s mom and when she knocks on the door, it means one thing and one thing only: it’s payday.  

I open the door. She stands there, studying me. I know I look like a mess with my wild, unbrushed hair and olive oil stained t-shirt. I’m the polar opposite of this woman who stands before me. Gayle is tall, super thin, and doesn’t look like anybody’s grandma. Not at all. She speaks abruptly, using as few words as possible so she can get to the point quickly. I’m pretty sure she uses less words than the most mortals.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author Interview What fantastical fictional world would you want to live in (if any) given the chance?

I remember loving Bridge to Terabithia when they escape reality into a fantasy world but I’m probably forgetting the scary bits. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere but where I am but maybe visit there for a bit and a day tour of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

Did you want to be an author when you grew up?
My main focus was acting but I always wrote stories. I remember meeting a successful author once when I was a teenager and I still think about his room full of books and thinking, “this feels good to me.” So, somewhere in me, I think I knew I’d eventually write books.

 If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Enthusiastically, Joyfully, Creative.

What is your most unusual writing quirk?
For some reason, I can’t have any solo pens on my desk pointing at me when I write. I don’t know why, it just feels weird. I need them to be put away in a mug with the other pens and pencils.

What’s one movie you like recommending to others?
Harold and Maude! I wrote about why I love Maude so much here:
https://psiloveyou.xyz/why-my-obsession-with-the-movie-harold-and-maude-is-good-for-me-daa5e9985d5e?sk=4b6eb2cde818882728fb72ae6bf12270

Keep Creating, Keep Positive, Keep Showing Up! XO, Annie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Annie Wood is an Israeli-American, Hollywood native, and a lifelong actress and writer. The web series she created, wrote and stars in, Karma’s a Bitch, was Best of the Web on Virgin America (anniewood.com/Karma)

Wood was part of the NBC DIVERSITY SHOWCASE with her comedic scene, That’s How They Get You.  She’s written 100s of scenes for actors that have been used by Emmy Award-winning TV director, Mary Lou Belli in her UCLA course and casting director, Jeremey Gordon in workshops all around town. 

As an author, she has three books out:  Dandy Day, Just a Theory: a quantum love adventure and her first YA novel, Just a Girl in the Whirl (Speaking Volumes Publishing)

Annie’s also an Internationally exhibited mixed-media artist, a produced playwright, and was the third female solo dating game show host in the history of television with the nationally syndicated show, BZZZ! that she also co-produced. (Which just re-ran in 2020 on BUZZRTV!)

Annie writes and creates art daily. 

anniewood.com

Writing: medium.com/@anniewoodinhollywood

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anniewood

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anniewoodworld/

Art: ArtistAnnieWood.com

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoodVibesByAnnieWood

She also runs the Twitter account for the Women of the Writers Guild West Follow us here —> @WoWGAW 

She is part of the Middle Eastern Committee at WGA 

and a Dramatist Guild Member and an Authors Guild Member

Get the book! 

https://amzn.to/3xL4hMI 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Soul Touching Work Of Art!

"This book made me tear up multiple times, as I felt a real connection with the characters and their struggles. I recommend it for all ages."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

Annie Wood will be awarding a $40 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway