Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read: Whichever Way The Road Leads by J. A. Boulet Virtual Tour

A music playlist for my book

Every author has a vision of their book in the movies, picking out the actors and playlists with accuracy. As a dedicated novelist, I personally use music and music videos as inspiration to get into the heads of my characters. Sometimes, it’s the characters themselves that come to life and propel me to the music videos!

In this case, it was Zee Collard who pushed me into country music. I have never been a huge fan of country, with the exception of a few songs, but Zee Collard has changed this!

She was raised on a farm in the Niagara Region of Upper Canada in the early 1800s. Zee became somewhat of a tomboy and enjoyed farming and horses more than anything society could offer. Growing up as an attractive girl with heterochromia, she views the world as uniquely as her different-colored eyes see things. Her father’s tough and determined spirit has rubbed off on her as she searches for her path in life.

Many videos and songs from ZZ Ward fell directly in line with Zee Collard. I was astonished that, by coincidence, even the first letter of her name was similar to the current music artist, ZZ Ward. The songs that would be included on my playlist for Whichever Way The Road Leads would be Tin Cups and Put The Gun Down, both by ZZ Ward. I found these songs on Instagram just by browsing song titles to include in my promo posts! They so eerily portrayed Zee Collard’s strong sensual side and rugged exterior that I still get shivers watching those music videos. Listen to the songs if you get a chance. ZZ Ward is a wonderfully and unique current female country artist.

As for my other main character, Jesse Eastman, the song I found the most inspirational was Stuck in the Middle With You by Stealers Wheel. Even though it is an old song from the 70s, it still has the power to portray Jesse. He was just a young man who was intent on blazing his own path in life, but it led Jesse into situations that may very well be a death sentence.

Until he meets Zee Collard. She could be an omen for the end or the beginning of something Jesse’s never dreamed of.

I hope you enjoy my newest book, Whichever Way The Road Leads, and thank you for stopping by on my book tour!

Meet Jesse Eastman, a young man from a powerful and wealthy American family. When he joins a group of rough fur traders on a journey to open up the American Northwestern Frontier, Jesse thinks his days are numbered.

The looming War of 1812 and a rugged farm woman from Upper Canada may prove him right.

Zee Collard and her father, George, are half-American, and half-Canadian. They will stop at nothing to protect their livelihoods in Upper Canada. The Collard's family history goes back to the Revolutionary War and their past is not something many Americans are keen on.

Whichever Way The Road Leads will pull you into the lives of two American families on both sides of the border who struggle as war breaks out in 1812. This engaging and graphic first book of The Eastman Saga will take you through raging mountainous rivers and early Northwestern Frontier landscapes to the bloody Niagara battlefields of 1812.

Be careful which road you take, you never know where it'll lead.

Jesse Eastman cradled his head in his calloused hands and wondered when he had lost his mind. He thought back to several incidents and still could not accurately pinpoint what had prompted him to make the ridiculous decision to risk his life with the Overland Astorian explorers. However, one event was obvious. The argument with his father two years ago had changed his life, for better or for worse. Jesse had never fully recovered from the sting of being thrown out of the Eastman family.

He looked up as his friend threw another log on the fire. Samuel was a tall, gangly fellow he had met last year in St. Louis when the Astorians were adding men to the team. Samuel was as close to a best friend as he’d ever met.

“Still wondering how crazy you are to be here, boy?” Samuel chuckled as the Mad River sloshed menacingly behind their backs. Samuel spit and kicked a stray log with his dirty boot into the camp fire. His long hair was firmly slicked back from his forehead, and the stray ends wisped onto his shoulders with every movement.

“Yes,” replied Jesse. “I’m wondering when I’m going to die, too.” Jesse wiped his grimy hands on his pants. The Mad River was so loud it almost drowned out the conversation at times. Jesse shouted towards the river. “How the hell are we going to ride those rapids tomorrow?”

Samuel grimaced and spat again. “With difficulty,” he responded manically.

Jesse laid down on his cot and gazed up at the night skies, feeling a shiver run through his spine.

It would be September 30, 1811 tomorrow, and Jesse imagined this was the date that would appear on his young gravestone. That is, if anyone ever found his body

J. A. Boulet is the passionate author of six historical fiction novels. Raised in a Hungarian refugee family, J. A. was born and grew up in Canada with a strong moral foundation, which she has stood behind all her life. Ms. Boulet began writing poetry at a very young age and progressed to short stories and novels easily. She quickly became a history geek and became fascinated with ancestry and the rough path of immigration. Her university studies ranged from photojournalism to accounting. After decades of working in accounting, J. A. published her first book in 2020 and has since published one to two books annually.

She lives in the Niagara region of Canada with her two sons, a crested gecko, a large Doberdor dog, and a small orchard of fruit trees.

Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit.

Website: https://jaboulet.ca/

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Whichever-Road-Leads-Eastman-Saga-ebook/dp/B0D4FCQ66D

Twitter link: https://twitter.com/love_walk_life

Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/jabouletauthor/

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHyJHrncBj09F5119oxt6Vw

Reddit link: https://www.reddit.com/user/NormalFemale