Book tour, review, & giveaway: Still Breathing, by E.A. Fournier

Women’s Fiction

Date Published:  November 17, 2018

Designer: Damonza

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Newly widowed and on the threshold of seventy, Lizzie Warton questions the value of her remaining years. Uncharacteristically, she decides for the first time in her life to do what she wants, instead of what everyone expects.

Against the wishes of family and friends, she sets out for Africa to work at a Ugandan middle school. When she lands at night in the Entebbe airport, her hosts are not there to meet her. Near panic, she hires a local taxi. The driver drugs her, steals everything, and dumps her limp body in a slum. Waking in the dark, she feels someone tugging off her shoes.

Without money, a passport, clothes, or medications, Lizzie is forced to start over and find a way to survive.

Soon she learns that nothing in Africa is as it appears. The grind of daily life in the third-world is beyond anything Lizzie imagined. Nevertheless, encouraged by budding friendships in surprising places, and against every sensible instinct she’s ever developed, Lizzie’s own personal search for meaning becomes the grand adventure of a lifetime.

*My Review*

Welcome to my stop on the tour for E.A. Fournier’s, Still Breathing. This beautifully moving novel is about a sixty-nine-year-old widow, Lizzie, and her experience traveling to Uganda as a missionary to set up a library. Lizzie had spent years caring for her husband as he battled Alzheimer’s and then prior to his death he requested that she do something that she wanted to do and to do something big. After hearing a guest speaker at her church and feeling that she had been called by God, she sets off to Africa with high hopes of what she could accomplish. Things go terribly wrong at the start of her journey, however, she perseveres to carry on and do the things that she had set out to accomplish, learning so much about life and herself along the way.

I was not sure about this novel when I started it. I liked the interactions between Lizzie and Jon (her husband) but her grown children were so annoying I was ready to give up in the beginning. Luckily, I continued on with Lizzie’s journey. The author wonderfully described the sights, sounds, and smells of Uganda and especially brought to life all of the people that Lizzie met along the way. There were times that I felt like she had voluntarily traveled straight into hell but then the author was able to portray beauty and happiness that made me envious of her journey. 

Sometimes in novels, the secondary characters truly shine right along with the main character, which was exactly the case with Dembe. He enriched the story so much and the author made Lizzie’s feelings appear to jump off the page when it came to her gratitude and affections for Dembe. Speaking of feelings, I have to comment on the talent of the author in his development of Lizzie and portrayal of her thoughts and emotions. I have not read women’s fiction written by a man prior to this and would have never known it was written by a man just by reading it.

Still Breathing is in an incredible novel that is so full of life – it’s challenges, losses, hardships, and victories. I read in a blog post where the author was asked to describe his novel in four words, in which he responded, “you still have time.” While the theme of it never being too late to try something new is certainly prominent, there are so many more wonderful themes interconnected within the novel about inner strength, giving, and never giving up. This is an amazing read that everyone should add to their TBR. 

*Thanks to RABT and the author for providing this review copy in exchange for my honest review!

About the Author

Originally from South Minneapolis, Gene Fournier earned a BA in Philosophy & Literature from St. Louis University followed by a Masters in Film from USC. Gene is a member of the Writers Guild of America West (WGA) and worked as a screenwriter and editor in Hollywood, but sadly, he never got that big break.

Seeking a return to his roots after twelve years in California, he accepted a Director of Media position with a multinational company headquartered in the Midwest. For thirty years he wrote, directed, edited and distributed corporate video programs around the world, managed live presentations, and orchestrated the creative elements for national and international meetings.

Retired now, with his seven children grown, and a dozen grandchildren to distract him, Gene is finally able to write down the stories he’s been carrying in his head all these years.

 

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*Giveaway*

Enter for a chance to win 1 of 2 paperback copies of

Still Breathing!

Enter here and good luck!

 

 

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