J.D.R. Hawkins

One bullet can make a man a hero… or a casualty.

Archive for the tag “writer”

30 Nov 2022

Featured on Several Sites

I wanted to share with you some websites where I am being featured. The first one is on AllAuthor. Here is the link:

https://allauthor.com/author/jdrhawkins/

I also have a new author page on Leaders Press. Here is the link to that one as well:

https://leaderspress.com/our-published-authors/julie-hawkins/

As always, I want to express my sincere appreciation for your support! Please feel free to like and follow me at the following websites:

Amazon

Facebook

Goodreads

Instagram

Linkedin

Pinterest 

Smashwords

Twitter

YouTube

And my latest novel, Double-Edged Sword, is free right now on Kindle Unlimited. Make sure to get yourself a copy!

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18 Nov 2022

Five-Star Review for A Beckoning Hellfire

I received another five-star review for my novel, A Beckoning Hellfire. This is the second book in the Renegade Series. Thank you so much, Jose Popoff, for your outstanding review!

Jose Popoff

5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase

A beautiful tale set in history

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸

America will always remember the Civil War as one of the most tragic events in their history. This story is set in that time and it is quite engrossing. The details and narrative are captivating and you can see how the author easily conveys a bevy of feelings in its characters.

But I think that, more importantly, there is a strong powerful message embedded within the words, sentences, and paragraphs. This is like a poetic salute to the delusion that war is honorable and whatnot. I have never seen a man die but I am guessing that there is nothing beautiful about it. This book exposes this through the experiences of David Summers.

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16 Dec 2021

More Flattering Reviews

I hope y’all aren’t getting tired of my sharing these reviews, but I’m just over the moon with receiving them! I feel very fortunate that I have been able to receive these reviews for my novel, A Beckoning Hellfire, in recent weeks. Here are a few more that I’d like to share with you!

Phil Bolos

5.0 out of 5 stars Great historical fiction
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2021
Verified Purchase
A Beckoning Hellfire by J.D.R. Hawkins takes us into the heart of the Civil War and shows us the harsh realities of what it was like to be a soldier in the bloodiest conflict in American history. On Christmas Eve 1862, David Summers finds out that his father has died at the hands of the Union Army. Caught up in rage and seeking revenge, David does the honorable thing and joins the Confederate Army so that he can goes against the Union and get revenge for what happened to his father. But, all honor is quickly forgotten when he is thrown into numerous battles and he sees what war is really like. Revenge begins to fade away as David becomes more focused on just staying alive so that he can get back home again.
I am a big history buff, so reading this was a lot of fun. The author has done a nice job of creating a piece of historical fiction that gives the reader a chance to get a glimpse of what it was like to go through this horrific conflict. I think that fans of history and of fiction will really enjoy this read and the efforts the author took to make this as realistic as possible.


JoJo Maxson

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating novel

Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2021

Verified Purchase

A Beckoning Hellfire: A Novel of the Civil War by J.D.R. Hawkins brings one of our country’s devastating times to life. David Summers is angry, hurt, and wants revenge. He can’t fathom a war that would have killed the man he idolized. His passion now is to make everyone pay who represented a small part in the death of his father. As he fights this war, brother against brother, father against son, he realizes there isn’t glamour or pride when you win a battle. The destruction and despair are unimaginable.

I found J.D.R. Hawkins a skillful writer as she brings the Civil War alive with a fierce reminder of our country torn apart. A Beckoning Hellfire is well-written and a fascinating novel. The characters are just as you would imagine them with hopes, dreams, and disappointments. They strive to live one more day and to keep their family and friends alive. People will show their true light during their darkest days. History lovers will enjoy this novel.


astrofan5.0 out of 5 stars A look at what it might’ve been like to be the family of a Confederate soldier.

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2021

Verified Purchase

I would say, if you’re going to go into this easily offended by the vivid descriptions of a Confederate soldier and his family, don’t bother picking this one up. But if you want to know what it might’ve been like to be part of a family whose father has gone off to fight for the Confederacy and was killed, this is the book to get. It’s a vivid look at how ugly the war was and what it’s like to have one’s images of glorious warfare and revenge shattered.

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18 Nov 2021

I’m Officially a Best-Selling Author!

Several months ago, I was invited to participate in an anthology titled Success Mindsets. Several other authors and I contributed chapters to the book, describing what we thought success looks like and how we have achieved it. Here is a sample from my chapter:

“There’s nothing like validation to motivate someone, and this was incentive enough for me to keep going, believe in myself, and never give up. Like any career, there are ups and downs, good experiences and bad, but with a success mindset, anything is achievable. I credit my success one hundred percent to all of these attributes: luck, talent, writing habits, persistence and perseverance…

“…Three takeaways I’d like to share, which made a vast difference to me, are perseverance, confidence, and dedication. These three things made me successful, and I believe anyone who has these same attributes has the ability to be successful as well. I have persevered by conquering my obstacles and completing my projects, my confidence in knowing I was capable of creating a work of art and of being the best I can be at my craft has paid off, and my dedication to thoroughly research and accurately communicate gained knowledge about my topic has been rewarding in so many ways.”

Because of my perseverance, I have won several awards, and now I am officially a USA Today bestselling author! I can’t tell you how much this means to me, but I couldn’t have done it without you. It’s because of you that I’m a success. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me!

If you’d like a copy of the eBook, here is the link:

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22 Apr 2021

New Developments

This past week, I received some recognition, which I would like to share. The first is this: I was chosen as the winner of the 2021 Best of Horn Lake Awards in the category of Book Publishers.

According to the award committee: “The Horn Lake Award Program was created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of businesses and organizations in and around Horn Lake. Our mission is to raise the profile of exemplary companies and entrepreneurs among the press, the business community, and the general public. 

“The Best of Horn Lake Award Program was created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of businesses and organizations in and around Horn Lake. Our mission is to raise the profile of exemplary companies and entrepreneurs among the press, the business community, and the general public. The selection process does not include nominations, voting, contests or surveys. The Award Program uses only empirical data supplied by independent third-parties as input into our award algorithm.

“Selection as a 2021 Award Winner is determined by the marketing success of your organization in your local community and business category. The Best of Horn Lake Award Program uses information gathered internally in conjunction with third-party data as a part of its selection process.”

The second is this: I was chosen to be featured on a new website called Shepherd. My book, Horses in Gray, is featured on the site. Here is the link: https://shepherd.com/best-books/civil-war-novels

It has been a crazy week in so many ways. Please follow and share! Thank you so much.

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17 Jun 2020

Guest Post Article

As you know, I frequently feature writers who are looking to get their blog posts published. Here is another article I found interesting, especially since my dad was into woodworking and was very good at it. His beautiful creations still grace my home. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this post by James Draper.

Dad 1

Five Reasons Why You Should Get Into Woodworking This Year

Woodworking can be much more than a profession or a hobby. It’s, for a lot of people, an art that has serious impacts on your body and mind! Many people find it a relaxing and productive activity for their overall development. Planning, starting, and finishing a project can be a major improvement for your physical health, as well as for your focus and determination.

If you’re a woodworker already, then you have plenty of reasons for loving your job. If you are brand new, or still thinking about getting into the handy craft world, here are some reasons why you should start this year:

1. Health Benefits 

Woodworking is not only good for your body but for your mental health, as well. If you suffer from stress or anxiety, this activity will certainly refresh your mind. An easy-to-do woodworking project will instantly boost your mind and self-esteem by diverting your attention from destructive thoughts. There are also plenty of studies that show that this art is perfect for slowing down depression related problems. Refinishing, for example, is an easy and very effective solution – from the first sanding process all the way up to completion, you’ll love every moment of it. Coming from a personal side, woodworking can really be a natural boost. 

2. Focus Improvement

It can, sometimes, be a dangerous activity, one that involves complex and strong power tools that require focus and extreme attention. Make sure safety is your main priority – you can easily check for tool options that regard safety and efficiency at the same time. 

But believe me, a simpler and safer woodworking project will greatly improve your focus and concentration, a benefit that will definitely help you in other areas of your personal and professional life. It will also help you gain confidence in yourself and in your skills, and change the way you look at smaller insignificant tasks of your daily life.

3. Better Planning and Organizing Skills

Truth be told, many people are not able to do proper planning of their time, which can greatly affect their quality of life, as well as their health. A woodworking DIY project requires you to follow a step by step process, in order to finish a workpiece. This way, you’re bound to think ahead, from the start, like what materials you should choose, what tools to use, among other things. If you’re able to accomplish simple tasks, you may carry on with more complicated woodworking projects and reach a point where making a wooden chair from scratch is peanuts. Transfer that improvement to your daily life, and you’ll notice how much more motivated you are in tackling boring and monotonous tasks.

4. Helps Replacing Bad Habits

We all know it is very easy to acquire a bad habit but extremely difficult to get rid of it. Since woodworking projects require dedication and a great deal of time, you won’t end up with that much mental space to think about your bad habits. A lot of rehab clinics have introduced woodworking to their patients, showing great results, especially in drug addiction situations.

5. Profitable 

Believe it or not, it’s a tremendously profitable hobby. Since you’re able to build any piece of furniture (with enough practice), you avoid purchasing one at a DIY store for a much higher price. If you build it yourself, the costs are much cheaper, and since it encourages creativity, which allows you to keep improving your skills, you’ll reach a point where the outcome’s quality is so good you can actually sell them! That way, you’ll balance the costs of materials, energy, and time and even get some extra cash. Trust me, you’ll start with a simple chair and in a couple of months, you’ll already be working on a customized table to your sister’s parents-in-law. That will not only bring satisfaction but will keep your creativity alive, so remember, the more art pieces you make, the more creative you become.

Jay

In a Nutshell 

There are a lot of reasons for liking woodworking, and there are also many benefits that this hobby brings into your life that you might not really think about. Woodworking can really turn you into a better problem-solver. It’s an activity that will make better use of your downtime, as well as making you capable of giving amazing gifts to people you love! I’m sure they will be received with much love since it comes from your own hands. 

Lastly, there is something amazing about being able to use your mind and your body to produce a project from start to end – almost like the primitive nature of our ancestors. It will surely give you the opportunity to make decisions, think, design, and change a pile of wood into something greater! Once you see that you can produce something of value with your own hands, it will fill you with excitement and the desire of accomplishing many other things. So, one question remains: What are you still doing here?

(Just a note, these are two creations that my dad made.)

 

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13 Feb 2020
2 Comments

Release Day Blitz – Something Old, Something New

Just in time for Valentine’s Day! A compilation of seven bestselling authors, with seven romance stories. Check it out!

Something Old Something New Banner 1 copy

Something Old, Something New
– A DRA Production

Something Old, Something New Cover copy

Seven bestselling authors. Seven incredible second chance romances. One epic anthology.

What would you do for another chance with the one you love? 

Something Old, Something New – a unique novella anthology – tries to answer this question with fantastic, different, desi dramas.

Whether it is shapeshifters or shifting interracial relationships, single moms in small towns or rich alpha heroes, friends-to-lovers or passionate ex-husbands; this anthology has something for everyone.

Something Old, Something New explores the many different facets of love, forgiveness, fated mates and more in seven, distinctly Indian tales!

My Warmest Sorrow

by Preethi Venugopala

Something Old Something New Creative (5) copy

What would you do when you come face to face with your past?

When Ajay, now an IAS officer, is added into his college WhatsApp group, he is welcomed warmly by all his classmates. Except by Diana.

Diana is still living with the repercussions of what had happened in the past. She is thrown into despair by Ajay’s presence in the group.

Diana and Ajay were inseparable while in college. Their relationship had transitioned from being best friends to love overnight. But then fate had intervened in the form of Diana’s tyrant father who had separated them ruthlessly.

Five years of silence has created a wall of sorrow between them. Their interactions in the class WhatsApp group are nothing like what they once used to be. Every moment is churning out more anguish and unpleasantness.

How much have they changed?

Is love still hiding underneath their public facades?

What are the lies they are hiding?

Read an Excerpt from My Warmest Sorrow

My mobile phone rang as I unlocked the door to my flat. Who was calling me now? It was eleven o’clock on a Wednesday night.

As the project deadline was looming near, I had stayed back in the office till nine to complete the chunk of work I had scheduled for today. Structural designing demanded full dedication, even for a small-scale project. And my current project was unbelievably complex.

Wearily, I slumped onto the couch and rummaged in my bag to locate the phone.

“Diana, you won’t believe what happened today. And, where were you? I called you so many times,” shrieked Ashima, my engineering classmate, the moment I answered the phone.

I rolled my eyes but a smile curved my lips. Ashima had a flair for theatrics. What was it now?

“Go slow. I just returned home after a gruelling day. We have a deadline this Saturday.”

“Eek. Be like me and find a government job. The perks of a government job are endless. Private jobs suck, ” said Ashima.

“Now, now… you must go to that magnificent job tomorrow, right? Why are you staying up all night?”

Ashima had been like our dorm room alarm while in college. She dozed off at exactly nine and got up at five in the morning, every day, without fail. What had kept her awake today? Or had her so-called relaxing job altered her lifestyle?

“Idiot, check your WhatsApp messages. I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Thank me later. Goodnight for now.”

No! I wasn’t in the mood to drown in some WhatsApp group debate she might have started. Mostly, she called me for some additional support when she was on the verge of losing. Who was she arguing with today? Rahul or Avinash?

Most of my classmates were politically active and any new government decision or policies would undergo acute post-mortem inside our class WhatsApp group. Rahul was a devout follower of the Congress party, Avinash was a self-confessed Modi Bhakt and Ashima was a red comrade entirely. On some days, their arguments would last long into the night. I didn’t have the energy to jump into another such nonsensical discussion. All I wanted to do now was eat and sleep till the alarm rang at seven tomorrow morning.

I switched on the geyser to take a quick bath. Then I transferred the biryani I had bought into a plate and placed it into the oven to reheat it. In the present Bangalore climate, nothing stayed warm for long. I was not fond of the winters. It wasn’t the cold that bothered me, though. The winter season brought back long-lost memories, making me long for the warmth of a specific loving embrace. It also reminded me of my twenty-two-year-old self who had almost given up on life.

By the time I returned from the bath, there were two more missed calls from Ashima. What was wrong with this girl today?

As I dug into the tasty biryani, I turned on my phone data. Notification beeps began. I swiped left till I found the WhatsApp icon. I had 1200 plus unread messages just from the 2013 Civil Gang, my class WhatsApp group. Some serious discussion must be happening. I groaned inwardly. I was certainly not in the mood to drown in nasty arguments. But Ashima would probably kill me if I didn’t hop in and speak my bit.

Avinash and Ashima had sent me private messages as well. What was so urgent?

Curious, I opened the group chat. Avinash had added a new member. Though our class had a total strength of 60 students, there were only 45 were members in the group currently. Many of my former classmates were pursuing higher studies whereas some had landed jobs in distant lands. Hence, we had lost contact with many of them in the five years that had elapsed after graduation. Occasionally, a new member would be found and added by one of the admins. Then there would be a mad rush to get reacquainted with the new entrant.

The name of the person added today drove away all my lethargy in a second. I blinked twice to confirm if I had correctly read the name mentioned in Avinash’s welcoming message. Ajay Menon. Ajay… after all these years?

About the Author:

Preethi Venugopala copy

Preethi Venugopala stepped into the world of words during a sabbatical from her hectic civil engineering job after the birth of her son. She began as a blogger and wrote fiction to pass time. Her debut novel ‘Without You’ came out in 2015 and was received well. She was then mentored by eminent author Anita Nair at her writing platform ‘Anitas Attic’ in 2016. Since then, she has published 7 novels on Amazon and more than 15 short stories in various anthologies and platforms.

Giveaway:

First Prize – A Kindle

Second Prize – 6 Months Kindle Unlimited Subscription

A Rafflecopter GIveaway

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29 Jan 2020

New Cover in the Works for A Beautiful Glittering Lie

As I may have mentioned in an earlier post, my three novels in The Renegade Series are being republished with a new company called Westwood Books Publishing. This is a fairly new publisher that is run by several literary agents. It is an indie publishing company, but has an interesting marketing plan in place.

Book Cover - Highest Resolution

The first book in the series, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, is the first to be republished. I have been working with Westwood Books to create a new book cover. This is the original cover of the book, which is a painting done by Don Troiani, titled “Up Alabamians.” The new cover will be completely original.

I can’t wait to share it with you and find out what you think. I’m hoping I can share it with you as soon as next week, so stay tuned!

 

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22 Jan 2020

Five Star Review For A Beautiful Glittering Lie

Book Cover - Highest Resolution

Recently, I have been sharing my novel, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, with readers who are members of a group called Voracious Readers. The version I’ve been sending is from my previous publisher, but the book is about to be republished with Westwood Books Publishing. It should be out again by March.

In the meantime, I have been fortunate enough to receive interest, as well as several reviews, for my book. Here is a five-star review I received last week. (This is the old book cover. I will have a new cover reveal in a few weeks.)

** spoiler alert ** Although not the genre of book I would normally read I was given the opportunity to read and review this book by the author through Voracious Readers. Looking for something different I jumped at the chance and was glad I did. Hawkins writes in such a way that the reader feels they are part of the story. A novel written about America’s battle between the North and the South the closest I’d come to reading anything around this period was Gone With the Wind so it’s definitely not my normal style. However I saw every battle scene clearly felt every emotion and experience expressed by Bud, Hirarm, David, Jake and their families, friends and comrades. I found myself praying for Bud and Hirarm’s safe return, internally yelling warnings at the boys, and reaching for tissues when Sally was stolen and Hirarm didn’t return as planned. A great book well written and one I’d highly recommend.

 

 

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06 Jan 2020
2 Comments

Book Blitz & Giveaway!

Book Blitz Saved by Love

About the Book:

Saved by Love 3d (1) copyThey meet under impossible circumstances.

She is kidnapped by terrorists blackmailing her father, a Supreme Court Judge. He leads the team sent to rescue her.

Trekking to safety through Ladakh… They are in danger of falling in love. But, Lt. Col. Arjun Rathod knows that Naina Ahuja, engaged to politics’ rising star, is not meant for him.

Forever changed by her trauma, Naina walks out of her controlling family and forges a new life.

And then, she meets Arjun again. But this time, he is engaged to someone else.

Can they save their love or is it too late?

Book Links:

Goodreads * Amazon * Pustakmandi

Read an Excerpt:

“Miss Ahuja? Naina?”

The almost soundless whisper had Naina’s eyes snapping open in the dark. A hard hand came up to cover her mouth even as a terrified squeak left her lips. A pair of dark, intense eyes in a face streaked with camouflage paint floated into her vision. “I’m here to rescue you. Your father sent me. I need you to stay completely silent when I remove my hand. Can you nod if you understand?”

Keeping her eyes on his strong, reassuring ones, Naina nodded quickly. The stranger waited to make sure she wouldn’t scream, and slowly lifted his hand from her mouth. Slipping a knife out from seemingly nowhere, he cut the rope binding both her hands and feet within seconds and levered her up from her prone position. Helping her to her feet, he watched intently to see if she was steady on her feet. Reassured that she wasn’t going to faint at his feet, Arjun moved quickly to the door and looked out. The guards were still unconscious from the light taps to the back of their heads administered by his teammates, and so far there was no sign of any other movement in the camp. Coming back into the room, he put his lips close to her ear to whisper, “Can you walk?”

Nodding mutely, Naina craned her neck to get a glimpse of his face from this angle. The stranger was so tall that he towered over her by almost a foot. Dressed all in black, with a mini arsenal strapped on to him, he looked like he’d arrived straight from hell. Apparently, the devil was her hero tonight.

About the Author:

Shilpa Suraj copy

Shilpa Suraj wears many hats – corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.

An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

Contact the Author:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Giveaway:

2 Winners. Signed Paperback copy of Saved by Love & Bookmarks. Open to Indian Residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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