Blog Tour - Freedom Road

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FREEDOM ROAD Blurb

**FINALIST, USA Book Awards, Young Adult Fiction, 2012**
**FINALIST, Next Generation Indie Awards, Young Adult Fiction, 2013**
**Second Place/Quarter-Finalist in the YA category of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards**

A father’s selfish demands, broken booze bottles, and unconscious mothers are everyday fixtures in eighteen-year-old Samantha Becker’s life. Armed with her guitar and music to keep her comfort in a volatile world, Sam’s one dream to study classical guitar at Juilliard may very well be her salvation. But when her father’s careless actions lead to an “accident,” Sam’s ability to play the guitar dies along with her dreams of attending the renowned school. Losing all confidence in her future, Sam hides behind the emotional barriers that have protected her for years.

Just when Sam has given up, a budding friendship and an unexpected romance give her the hope she needs, forcing her to reevaluate all she’s ever known. With fresh conviction, Sam battles her father’s plans for her future, band mates using her for personal gain, and a permanent injury. But will it be enough? Julliard auditions are almost here. Time’s running out, and Sam must re-learn to play the guitar or give up her dreams forever.

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Author Bio

T.M. Souders was born in Johnstown, PA and grew up in the suburbs outside of Pittsburgh.  She graduated in 2004, from Youngstown State University, with a degree in Psychology and minor in Women’s Studies.  She is the author of bestselling women’s fiction novel, Waiting on Hope, as well as the novelette Dashing Through The Snow, and the three-time, award-winning YA novel, Freedom Road. She is the founder of The Serious Reader, a site dedicated to connecting with readers one book at a time. She currently lives in rural Ohio with her husband and children.

Guest Post

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WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

After the birth of my son, I was sitting around one day, thinking, “I need a hobby.” As an avid reader, I decided writing would be a cinch, and thus, my first novel was born. Kidding! I’m SO kidding! Writing is, by far, the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, including childbirth, and my first was a nightmare, so that’s saying a lot! I first decided I wanted to become a writer in college. I started a novel, which I worked on here and there over the course of a year and a half. And, boy, was it awful. lol. I was trying too hard and forcing myself to write this Harlequin type romance (because at the time I was too into Nora Roberts). Eventually I learned that I have to write what comes natural to me, what “feels” right and not what I “think” I should be writing. For me, this tends to be books where the character is met with some form of tragedy in their lives and must overcome some very real and very large obstacles. My mom asks me all the time if she should be worried because of my ease with writing things that have more of a dark undertone. Lol. But I think really getting inside the characters head and conveying their feelings is my strong suit.

After the birth of my first child is when I became really focused on developing a career and working on my writing. The desire to write had simmered throughout the years, and I was at a point in my life where I could fully commit to writing as a craft. I took some writing courses and wrote another novel (which I never published). That’s where the journey started, and I knew there was no going back.

My newest release, FREEDOM ROAD, was a long time coming. I actually rewrote this book three times, front to back. This doesn’t include revisions, additions, and edits. The plotline and even some of the characters from the first version of the book are completely different, other than the main character and one or two others, than the first version. Needless to say, I’ve become extremely attached to the characters in this book. Especially the main character, Samantha Becker. After all, we’ve been through a lot and have grown together for more than a year. This book has tested my patience, commitment, and dedication to the craft, and there are definitely some sweat and tears put into it. In the end though, it was all worth it.

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