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Swallowed By a Secret - Book Tour and Giveaway

2/25/2021

57 Comments

 
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Swallowed By a Secret
by Risa Nyman
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery

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◆ 2020 Readers' Favorite GOLD MEDAL winner for Children's Mystery
◆ 2020 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards SILVER MEDAL for Pre-Teen - Mature Issues

One dead father. One lying mother. One giant secret.

12-year-old Rocky's father dies suddenly, and he learns the "his heart stopped" story is bogus. Immediately after the funeral, his mother sticks the For-Sale sign in the lawn and whisks them out of town as if living there has become too dangerous. As his trust in his one remaining parent unravels, Rocky is determined to crack the secret about how his father really died.

For Rocky, the road to the truth involves eavesdropping, snooping, and listening to advice from his dead father who urges him on a risky journey.

Will Rocky have to rethink who was the father he thought he knew? Sometimes it may be better to let a secret stay hidden.




Goodreads * Amazon


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Born in Boston with the accent to prove it, Risa lived within ten miles of the city for decades until a recent move to the neighboring Ocean State.

For many years, Risa worked in a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting active participation in our democracy, with a special focus on voting and elections.

Risa's deep dive into creative writing started with finding three pennies in a neat stack in a completely empty apartment that belonged to her mother. It's a long story.

When not writing, Risa is reading, exercising or doing therapeutic ironing (yes, there is such a thing.)



Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads


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How did you start writing?
My path to writing fiction was not direct or predictable. It began after I retired from a job that only included nonfiction writing for press releases, grants, op-ed articles, and testimony on public policy issues. I was president and executive director for the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, an organization dedicated to promoting active participation in our democracy.
My creative writing journey started with a mysterious occurrence when I found three pennies neatly stacked on a windowsill during my last sad walk through my mother’s empty apartment. I was convinced there was a magical and hopeful message in those pennies that would be perfect for a picture book.
Aware that I had no clue how to begin this project, I signed up for online courses, workshops, and conferences to learn the craft. What an eye-opener! There was so much to learn, and it wasn’t easy, but soon I discovered I couldn’t stop writing even after receiving some withering comments on a homework assignment. Simply put, I had found my passion. In the process I decided to put aside the pennies picture book, because I found my writing voice in middle grade fiction.
Swallowed by a Secret, a middle grade contemporary mystery, is now published, and I am officially on the wild author’s ride.

What was your road to publication?

Swallowed by a Secret’s road to publication started with a Twitter pitch. It is such a unique challenge to encapsulate your story in 240 characters, but Twitter pitch parties offer new writers a fantastic way to be noticed. If an agent, editor, or publisher likes your pitch, your manuscript will rise to the top of their pile.
I got a couple of manuscript requests from my pitch and lucked out when an acquisitions editor from Immortal Works, a small traditional publisher based in Utah, offered publication. After rereading that email dozens of times, I replied with a resounding YES!
The staff at Immortal Works are wonderful to their authors and work hard to promote their books. As an unexpected but lovely bonus, Immortal Works has a community of authors who generously help each other in many different ways. Signing with this publisher was simply the best decision.
P.S. Immortal Works will be publishing the standalone sequel to Swallowed by a Secret in August 2021. The title of that book is SPOOKED BY A SUSPICION. It is a middle grade adventure story about coping with major changes in family situations.


What are some middle grade books you love?

There are many books I love, but I always put Katherine Paterson’s classics, The Great Gilly Hopkins and Bridge to Terabithia at the very top of my list. There is an elegant simplicity to her writing of these heart-wrenching books that are the epitome of a page-turner.
Some more recent middle grade novels that should be on everyone’s to-be-read list are Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy Baldwin, Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams, and One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. These books are full of guts, sorrow, and courage and leave you crushed when you read the words “The End.” You want to know what is next for those characters you fell in love with.


How did you come up with the title of your first novel?

I like titles that give you a peek into what the book might be about. Sometimes titles are vague or misleading for me. My middle grade mystery, Swallowed by a Secret, is about how devastating family secrets can be, even if well-intentioned. The 12-year-old main character Rocky is determined to learn the truth about how his father really died, no matter the consequences. And I should mention, I love the alliteration in the title.


If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?
The scent that would be best to describe Swallowed by a Secret would be musk because it seems mysterious to me, hard to know exactly what you are smelling. My book is a mystery about a 12-year-old boy who is determined to learn the truth about how his father really died when he discovers that the explanation his mother gave him is bogus.


Where were you born/grew up at?
I was born in Boston and never lived more than ten miles from that city until 2019. I even when to college close to home. Anyone who listens to me speak for more than minute will know that is true, because I am the proud owner of an authentic Boston accent. There is a short audio clip of my accent in full bloom on my website.

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Feb 25
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
A Pinch of Bookdust

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Bedazzled By Books
Midnight Book Reader

Mar 1
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Mar 8
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57 Comments
Bea LaRocca
2/25/2021 07:27:22 am

An intriguing cover and synopsis, this sounds like an excellent read for my grandchildren and I. Thank you for sharing your guest post and book details and for offering a giveaway, I have enjoyed reading about you and your work and am looking forward to reading your story

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Jon Heil
2/25/2021 08:52:17 am

Wonder if the truth will flush out

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Rita Wray
2/25/2021 10:20:05 am

Sounds like a good read.

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Tara Zarecky
2/25/2021 10:53:45 am

This story sounds very interesting!

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Beyond Comps
2/25/2021 02:01:54 pm

Great cover!

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Marcy Meyer
2/25/2021 02:23:05 pm

The cover looks great. Thanks for sharing!

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Wendy Jensen
2/25/2021 02:41:36 pm

The book details make me want to read this and find out what is happening.

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Peggy Salkill
2/25/2021 02:42:19 pm

Sounds good!

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wendy hutton
2/25/2021 03:06:52 pm

sounds like a great book

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Bernie Wallace
2/25/2021 04:47:21 pm

How long did it take you to write your book?

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Risa Nyman link
2/27/2021 12:09:46 pm

Thanks for asking. I worked on this manuscript for a year and a half before I signed the publishing contract.

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Debbie P
2/25/2021 07:39:34 pm

This book sounds very intriguing. I want to know what happens next!

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Sherry
2/25/2021 07:46:09 pm

The book sounds good.

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bn100
2/25/2021 08:28:17 pm

nice interview

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Victoria Alexander
2/25/2021 11:09:46 pm

Thanks for sharing!

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Susan Smith
2/26/2021 06:21:44 pm

Sounds like a good book. I like the cover.

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Barbara Montag
2/26/2021 06:47:26 pm

Middle Grade Mystery - what does that mean?
I love the fantastic cover!
Thank you for sharing the review.

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Robert Young
2/27/2021 11:12:41 am

Nice Cover!

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Risa Nyman link
2/27/2021 12:12:05 pm

The cover designer thought that it lent an air of mystery not to see the face and expression of the boy.

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Kelly D
2/28/2021 01:11:05 pm

The book sounds good, I like a mystery.

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David Basile
2/28/2021 07:34:47 pm

Sounds good

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Ann Fantom
2/28/2021 07:50:58 pm

This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.

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Abigail Gibson
2/28/2021 08:06:41 pm

keep up the great work!

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Terri Quick
2/28/2021 11:01:46 pm

Nice cover

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Cynthia C
3/1/2021 09:12:33 am

The story sounds very interesting.

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beth shepherd
3/1/2021 12:22:28 pm

This looks like a great read!

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Emily B.
3/1/2021 03:58:58 pm

Very intriguing sounding story, and the cover adds to the intrigue.

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kelly tupick
3/1/2021 05:43:08 pm

sounds like an interesting read.

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Tiffany S
3/1/2021 06:53:34 pm

I think the book details sound great and I like the cover.

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LYNN CLAYTON
3/1/2021 08:04:29 pm

oh nice cover looks like a great read

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Stephanie Liske
3/1/2021 11:41:08 pm

I like the book details.

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David Hollingsworth
3/2/2021 02:23:40 am

Incredible cover!

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Thomas Gibson
3/3/2021 12:45:08 pm

Nice cover and excerpt!

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Nicole Martin
3/3/2021 07:29:21 pm

I'd love to read this!

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Mary Cloud
3/3/2021 09:20:35 pm

Sounds very interesting - thanks for sharing.

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Heather Mahley
3/7/2021 03:53:14 pm

Sounds like an intersting read. going to add it to my list

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Jamie Martin link
3/8/2021 04:01:56 am

What's your advice for new writers?

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Christy R
3/9/2021 03:06:28 pm

Hello, Sounds like an interesting story. Thank you for the giveaway, and best of luck with the book.

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Paula
3/9/2021 04:23:12 pm

Interesting summary. Looks like a good read.

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Karin
3/10/2021 06:24:59 am

Interesting cover and blurb

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JUSTINE KINCH
3/13/2021 03:59:34 pm

Amazing cover and I so want to read it!

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Sarah L
3/16/2021 12:54:09 am

Looks like an interesting book.
Thanks for the contest. 

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Daniel M
3/18/2021 06:37:44 pm

like the cover

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Francine Anchondo
3/22/2021 12:48:25 pm

Sounds likes a great read

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Lisa Ellison
3/23/2021 05:35:43 pm

The book sounds very interesting, I hope to read it soon.

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Candie L
3/23/2021 06:05:35 pm

I must say I am quite intrigued. Thank you

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Jessica Hays
3/23/2021 09:09:19 pm

The cover looks very intruiging!

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Renata
3/24/2021 09:50:13 pm

I like the cover

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Teresa Kunberger
3/25/2021 07:11:31 am

Love this cover, author what made you pick it?

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Anita Jude
3/25/2021 10:57:24 am

No question the books sounds great

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latisha depoortere
3/25/2021 12:54:06 pm

Thank you so much for sharing!

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jose rosado
3/25/2021 02:16:46 pm

What do you think of the book details? Do you have any questions for the author?


Very good blurb

THX

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Leigh Nichols
3/25/2021 08:29:47 pm

I love the intriguing cover- suspenseful!

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Sand
3/25/2021 09:24:47 pm

Sounds like a good book!

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Stacey A Smith
3/25/2021 09:28:58 pm

thanks for sharing about your book.

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Jerry Marquardt
3/25/2021 11:06:46 pm

I would like to give thanks for all your really great writings, including Swallowed by a Secret, and wishing the best in keeping up the good work in the future.

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megan allen
3/25/2021 11:20:30 pm

This sounds like a must read!

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