Goodnight, Brian
by Steven Manchester
on Tour January 2013 – March 2013

Book Details
Genre: Fiction
Published by: The Story Plant
Publication Date: January 8, 2013
Number of Pages: 308
Purchase Links:   Amazon   B&N

Synopsis:

Fate was working against little Brian Mauretti. The food that was meant to nourish him was poisoning him instead, and the doctors said the damage was devastating and absolute. Fate had written off Brian. But fate didn’t count on a woman as determined as Brian’s grandmother, Angela DiMartino – who everyone knew as Mama. Loving her grandson with everything she had, Mama endeavored to battle fate. Fate had no idea what it was in for.

An emotional tale about the strength of family bonds, unconditional love, and the perseverance to do our best with the challenging gifts we receive, GOODNIGHT, BRIAN is an uplifting tribute to what happens when giving up is not an option.

Read an excerpt:

Enough time had passed for the shock of Brian’s condition to wear off. Joan had stumbled beyond the grieving process and had given up negotiating with God. She was now at a place called rage. Mama sat with her daughter at the kitchen table, trying to help her make sense of it all. “Maybe Brian’s a test from God?” Mama suggested.

“Why would God test a little baby who’s never done a thing wrong? Why would He test an innocent child?” Joan snapped back.

Mama shook her head. “I didn’t say God was testing Brian,” she said evenly. There was a thoughtful pause. “Maybe He’s testing everyone around Brian?”

“I don’t want to hear that!” Joan roared. “My son will never be able to enjoy the life of other people who don’t…”

Mama slapped her hand on the Formica table, stopping Joan in mid-sentence and turning her face into that of a seven-year-old girl’s. “Not another negative word, do you hear me?” she yelled back, quickly grabbing her daughter’s hands and holding them tightly. “Positive, Joan – everything must be positive! Negative calls for negative and positive brings forth positive. Brian’s already facing some unfair challenges. We have to be positive, Joan. We just have to be!”

Joan wiped her eyes. “But what if the doctor’s right, Ma?” she muttered in a tortured voice. “What
if…”

Without letting Joan’s hands go, Mama took a deep breath and started in on her own tirade. “The doctors don’t know what the hell they’re talking about! I had a grandmother who lived her whole life as a brittle diabetic, but she ate anything she wanted. She died three days before her eighty-fifth birthday. Your grandfather supposedly had cirrhosis of the liver, but lived with his bottle for forty more years until old age took him. They don’t know beans! Besides, we need to have faith in a higher source.” She pulled her crucifix away from her neck and kissed it. “You have to believe, Joan. Before any of the healing can take place, you have to believe that it will.” She nodded and lowered her tone. “Only God knows how… and that’s enough.”

Joan placed her face in her hands and began to cry. She was now completely removed from her rage and safely returned to the stage of grief. “I’m…just… so…scared,” she stuttered, sobbing.

Mama stroked her hair. “Don’t you worry, love. They say that children are raised by a village.” She nodded her gray, curly head. “I think it’s about time we had a village meeting.”

 

Author Bio:

Steven Manchester is the author of the #1 bestseller TWELVE MONTHS and PRESSED PENNIES, THE UNEXPECTED STORM: The Gulf War Legacy, and JACOB EVANS, as well as several books under the pseudonym, Steven Herberts. His work has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, CNN’s American Morning and BET’s Nightly N ews. Recently, three of Steven’s short stories were selected “101 Best” for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or his four children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing.

 

Tour Host Participants:

Jan 6 Review ~ Cheryl @ CMash Reads
Jan 8 Review ~ Mary @ The Mary Book Reader
Jan 9 Review & Interview ~ Julie @ Julzreads
Jan 10 Review ~Teena @ Teena in Toronto
Jan 15 Review & Giveaway~Kristin @ Kritters Ramblings
Jan 21 Review ~Victor @ Vic’s Media Room
Jan 30 Guest Post ~ Ann @ Ann’s Reading Corner
Jan 31 Guest Post ~ Jo @ Writers and Authors
Feb 1 Review & Giveaway ~Kathleen @ Reviews From The Heart
Feb 4 Review ~Katie @ Turner’s Antics
Feb 5 Review ~Cherie @ Cherie Reads
Feb 6 Review & Interview ~ Vicky @ Deal Sharing Aunt
Feb 8 Review ~Paula @ Community Bookstop
Feb 10 Guest Post ~ Vivian @ The Book Diva’s Reads
Feb 11 Review, Guest Post & Giveaway ~ Ruth @ My Devotional Thoughts
Feb 12 Review ~ Wendy @ Minding Spot
Feb 15 Interview ~ Laurie @ Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
Feb 19 Review & Interview ~Sue @ Books, Books The Magical Fruit
Feb 20 Review & Guest Post ~Wendy @ Wall-to-wall books
Feb 28 Review & Guest Post ~Danica @ Taking It One Day At A Time
Mar 1 Guest Post ~ Kathleen @ Jersey Girl Book Reviews
Mar 2 Showcase ~ Gina @ Hott Books
Mar 5 Review ~ Fenny @ Hotchpotch
Mar 12 Guest Post & Review ~Donna @ My Life. One Story at a Time.
Mar 16 Review ~ Mandy @ Literary R&R
Mar 18 Review ~Kathleen @ Celticlady’s Reviews
Mar 20 Review ~Nicole @ purple penguin reviews
Mar 21 Review ~Beth @ Candle Beam Book Blog
March 22 Review by Tammy @ The Self-Taught Cook
March 23 Review by Naila @ Just The Stuff Ya Know
March 27 Review by Dana @ Little Lovely Books

This tour is now closed!