tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32650415955207263242024-03-13T01:36:41.493-05:00Queen of the ClanJoin me for book reviews, stories about raising angels-in-training, tips for working with kids with disabilities, and strategies for staying sane while working from home.Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.comBlogger741125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-40621158511235925062020-10-21T20:30:00.000-05:002020-10-21T20:30:04.935-05:00Covid Blues. Covid Blessings. <div style="text-align: left;">It's been seven long months since Covid invaded my life. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It was supposed to be the beginning of Spring break 2020. We had fun surprise vacation plans for our family. We had purchased plane tickets to bring home our college daughter for a long weekend and I was sooo freaking excited to surprise the rest of the family! Instead it was a chaotic mess of school being canceled, canceling plane tickets, renting a van and finding emergency child care so we could drive across the country to pack up and bring our oldest daughter home from college, and worrying about our son who was on a band trip in Florida. That was just the first weekend. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Then came the anxiety that took away my ability to sleep. Oh, and all the new mama duties. My anxiety was "pushed" to the side as I concentrated on helping my college student get set up to finish her semester from home, filtering the news my kids had access to, and constantly re-evaluating my family's mental health. All while my personal mental health spiked. Making masks. Oh my heck, we made a bunch of masks! And all the early morning trips to Walmart! It was the only time we could hope to find toilet paper, hand sanitizer, or Clorox wipes. I tried writing - hahahahaha. My brain definitely wasn't functioning on that level. TV shows didn't help. Exercise . . . well, I never was super fond of running. Oof. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Rescue came in the form of home projects. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Just prior to the Covid shut-downs, we had refinanced our home with the intention of hiring businesses to replace flooring, paint everything, and re-do the kitchen. At the time, there was a possible job transfer on the table and we wanted to get everything prepped in case we needed to sell quickly. The company put all moves on hold. That was a blessing. My hubby suggested that perhaps I'd like to focus on the home repairs. That ended up being my saving grace. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Can I just tell you how satisfying it is to rip out hardwood floors? I was totally channeling my inner-Charlee from Love Under Construction. All the old, yucky water-stained hardwoods came out and new flooring went in. I got the kids involved and we remodeled the entire main floor from April through August. I even set up home MTC for my daughter in July and sent her off in August. Home repairs were good for working through all of that angst too. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">September was all about setting up the kids for school and running the Storymakers & Indie Author Hub Writers Conference. Everything is still all virtual - school, conferences, etc. And now it's October. And all I want to do is . . . </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Go to a store just to hang out and browse. Oh, and touch things. Lots of things to just feel the texture of the product. Smooth china. Soft, snuggly bedding. The various textures of home decor at Hobby Lobby. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Go to see a movie at the AMC theatre, specifically in one of the dine-in theatres with the semi-comfortable recliners, a big bucket of extra extra butter popcorn and a giamongous vanilla coke. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Eat out at a restaurant. Not grab take out and eat it in the car for a date night or take dinner home for the family. Like actually go into the restaurant and let them all serve me. Unlimited chips and salsa, yummy yummy food I didn't have to cook, and no clean up for the mama. Sigh. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Travel. Oh man. I sooo miss traveling. Getting on an airplane. Hiking a mountain. Enjoying the sound of the ocean. Sight-seeing. Browsing museums. All the things. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Hugs. I really, really, really miss hugging my friends. I mean, I super miss seeing my friends. Social media is the closest I get to them these days. But what I really miss is that happy moment you reconnect with a friend and you give him/her a big squishy hug. Ah. It's the happiest feeling. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The list could go on and on. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">So yes, I have the Covid Blues. And it's totally okay to have the blues. It's pretty darn normal actually. And I'm honest about it with my kids, because they need to know that it's okay to feel down about all the things they're missing too. But you know what else we talk about? The things we like about Covid.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We discovered my kids actually enjoy remote school classes. Don't get me wrong, they'd prefer to be at school because, hello, friends. But what they don't miss is all the drama and bullying that happens at school. They love to learn and have awesome remote teachers through our school district. So blessings for that. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We've had a chance to remember that we actually enjoy being together as a family. I mean, we did know that, but middle school/high school/college/church missions have kept us so freaking busy, the opportunities for family time really just happened during vacations. And man, Covid created on super crazy long summer vacation. And we actually liked that part of it. We did lots of walking, setting family goals, reading the scriptures together, lots and lots of board game and video game marathons. LOL. And thank goodness for Amazon. We bought a ton of books since the libraries were closed. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We got to be a part of Sister Ferguson's home MTC. That was so much fun! We loved hearing about the things she was learning, her district, and hearing her share her love for the Savior each day. What a blessing we will treasure forever. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">What I'm grateful for the most is that so far we've been safe. We've been masking, social distancing, and doing the best we can to stay healthy. That's not to say we won't get Covid. It's a virus and there's nothing you can do to completely stop such a teeny tiny menace. We just do what we can to stay as safe and healthy as possible. I've seen so many friends get sick. Some who have recovered, and some who have died, leaving giant gaping holes in their families' lives. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">So while there are so many things I miss and am super yearning to do, I'm praying for patience. I'm praying to focus on the blessings and not the challenges. I'm praying for safety, comfort, and peace for me, for my family, and for my community. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm praying for all those things for you, too. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div>Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-37104864337034697442016-03-15T05:30:00.000-05:002019-07-05T09:11:04.964-05:006 Tips for Writers to Avoid Burning Out<br />
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A writer's balancing act is a complicated one we can all relate to, no matter what our personal circumstances may be. All it takes is a few too many commitments in any area of our life and everything spirals out of whack.<br />
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Two years ago, before my novel Sweet Confections came out, I made the mistake of thinking I could "do it all". Not only did I indie publish my first novel, but I also put my house up for sale (months of painting and prep, it sold in an hour), went on a mad dash to find a house the next day and moved two months later. But I didn't stop there. Nope, I volunteered to be a co-chair over registration for the Utah Storymakers conference and the Conference Queen for the Midwest Storymakers conference. Plus I had all my normal mommy/wife/church responsibilities. From beginning to end, it was nine months of crazy stress. By the end, I was so burned out, just the thought of writing made me want to curl up in a ball and cry. I spent almost a year caught up in a Netflix binge cycle that was incredibly difficult to break out of.<br />
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Perspective teaches us a lot - and man, I learned a lot when I looked back and analyzed that time frame. Today I wanted to share six things I learned to help you avoid becoming burned out.<br />
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<ol>
<li><b>Carve Out Time: </b>In other words, create a schedule for the things that are most important in your life. For me, that's my family, church, and writing. Some of you may have full or part time jobs as well. My schedule is simple. Mornings are focused on prepping my family to conquer their day at school or work, then whatever I need to do for my own home or church responsibilities. I have an early lunch between 11-11:30, then the rest of my afternoon is spent on writing goals until school pick ups at 3 pm. After school comes a flurry of carpools and homework. If I feel crunched on deadlines for writing, I'll pick it back up again after the kids are in bed. This is what my schedule currently looks like, but there was a time when I only wrote on Saturday afternoons because that's when my hubby could help with the munchkins. No matter what your personal schedule looks like, guard the parts that are high on your priority list and don't allow other responsibilities to intrude on them. </li>
<li><b>Find Your Team: </b>I'm a happier and more consistent writer when I work with my writing team - Heather Justesen, Lisa Swinton, and John Waverly. We brainstorm plots and characters together, join in on Gmail IM for writing sprints on weekdays, and support each other through the publishing process. It doesn't matter if your team is local or on the other side of the country, or even if you write in the same genre or not. Finding your team is like finding your bosom buddies. It's a lifesaver. </li>
<li> <b>A Healthier You:</b> An active writer's brain/body is imperative for both your creativity as well as to avoid burning out. Take the next few days to track how much time you spend sitting vs. walking/stretching, how much water your drink and what type of snacks you keep on hand while working. I try to take a short break every 30 minutes (stretch, fold some laundry, whatever - for just five minutes). At the minimum, you need to get up at least least ten minutes each hour. I work mine in around sprints with my team or I set a timer on my phone if I'm working alone. For more ideas and information about being a healthy writer, check out these two articles: <a href="http://www.queenoftheclan.com/2013/04/combating-dreaded-writers-butt-and.html" target="_blank">Combatting the Dreaded Writer's Butt and Other Curses</a> and <a href="http://www.queenoftheclan.com/2013/04/stretching-survival-guide-for-writers.html" target="_blank">The Stretching Survival Guide for Writers.</a> </li>
<li><b>Love Your Work Space:</b> Our environment effects our productivity. Are you someone who likes a consistent location, like an office or certain chair to sit on? Or do you like to mix things up? I've done both during different seasons of life. When my kids were younger, I had a desk set up in my breakfast nook. It was the perfect spot to tune out the happy noises as I worked, but also to hear when things turned grumbly so I could intervene. Now that the kids are at school all day, I find my house is way too quiet. I like to move around to different spots around house--the recliner in my bedroom, the dining room table or in the basement on a comfy couch. A few times a week, I leave the house and have lunch at a spot where I can stay and write until it's time for school pick ups. Often it's Panera Bread, Applebee's or a picnic at the park. This summer, I'm hoping to purchase a comfy chair for on my back deck so I can enjoy writing outside more often. No matter where you work, be sure it's a space you enjoy. My laptop has a sticker with a NaNoWriMo quote on it: "Whatever you think you are, you are more than that." It's my inspirational quote to keep moving ahead even when I think my writing sucks. What do you have in your writing space that inspires you?</li>
<li><b>Delegate & Set Boundaries: </b>Let's be honest, being a writer is so much more than simply putting words together--and there are a million things that distract us from even doing that. Talk with your family, delegate responsibilities, create goals & rewards together, and also set boundaries so they know when (or how) to get your attention if you're in deep work mode. Don't be afraid to say no. My kids often want to go to the store/park/ride bikes, and in typical kid fashion, their requests always seem to come when I'm in the middle of a deadline. I explain what's happening (then ignore the groans because they know they aren't going to get their way), then set a day and time to do what they asked for. I do the same when I'm asked to help with school or church stuff. Don't automatically say yes. Take the time to consider your schedule, say yes if you really can, but don't feel bad if you need to pass. There will be lots of other opportunities to help. </li>
<li><b>Love Yourself:</b> The most important thing you can do is to pay attention to yourself. Consistently evaluate how you're feeling and what your to-do list is looking like. If you're feeling over-stressed, is it because you're spending too much time on one project? Is there anything you can delegate? Do you need to shorten that list and send some no RSVP's? Or perhaps you need a break? A date night with the hubs, a girls night out, or maybe some time to soak in your tub to decompress. When I'm stressed, I often talk down to myself and tell myself I suck at whatever I'm not accomplishing. My hubby and writing team have kicked my butt many times and are always reminding me to be kind to myself. So that's my advice--be kind to yourself. </li>
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I would love to hear your tips about what helps you to avoid burn out. Or if you've experienced burn out, how do you recover and get back on track? I love it when writers brainstorm to help each other. So bring on your tips and suggestions!<br />
Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-33899888020432013162015-09-28T12:50:00.000-05:002015-09-28T12:50:30.988-05:00How I Made My Husband CrySo, there we were, Mr. Ferguson and I, in steamy Palm Springs, California enjoying a little vacation just the two of us. Well, actually, it was a business trip combined with some 'us' time, but the desert was definitely hotter than Kansas City! My sweet hubby took some time off work to help me at the InD'Scribe Author and Reader Conference, where my book, Sweet Confections, was up for a RONE Award.<br />
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It was a great weekend! We met so many wonderful authors and readaholics and made some fantastic new friends. But I'm going to skip ahead to the good stuff - making Mr. Ferguson cry.<br />
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We were at the RONE Awards - Mr. Ferguson looking quite dapper in his tux and I admit, I was feeling gorgeous in my deep purple chiffon gown. I had the honor of accepting two awards on behalf of my friends, Sarah Eden (Best American Historical) and Donna Weaver (Best New Adult). The awards had this fun thing going on with some of their male cover models. When the winner stood, one model met the winner and escorted her up to the stage, another model gave her the award, then yet another model escorted her back to her seat after the acceptance speech. So, having done this twice, hubby leaned over to me and said, "I think it would be really funny if I escorted you up if they call your name. Kind of a, 'I got this one' nod to the models." I agreed, but honestly, it had more to do with wanting my hubby by my side to share the moment.<br />
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So we had a little plan *just in case* my name was actually called for the award.<br />
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Then the amazing Anne Perry was called up to announce the award in my genre. I remember leaning over to Mr. Ferguson and telling him that if she called my name, I was just gonna die, right there. #FanGirlMoment<br />
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Those were the longest five minutes . . . A blurb about the category, a fun slide show of the finalist's covers and author photos, then . . .<br />
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and the winner is . . . .SWEET CONFECTIONS by Danyelle Ferguson!!!<br />
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What did I do? Cry, of course. Then Mr. Ferguson urged me to my feet and escorted me up to the front.<br />
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Okay, this is where it was overwhelming for me. Remember all those new friends we just met? There was this roar of cheers from all those amazing, sweet authors and readers. Friends who just filled my heart. <i>Side note:</i> <i>Waterproof mascara isn't as waterproof as they want you to think it is.</i><br />
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So there I am, Model Guy is handing me this gorgeous crystal award and holy smokes - it has MY name on it! Someone gave me tissues. One of the models? Maybe Catherine Bybee? I honestly don't remember. And then, I pulled out my speech. <br />
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<i>First, I'd like to thank InD'Tale Magazine, the RONE Awards committee and my readers for nominating Sweet Confections for this awards. I am so honored that you love Rachel and Graydon's story as much as I do.</i><br />
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<i>Every writer has a story, a journey they traveled to get to the moment they hold their first book in their hands. My story has lots of twists and turns, just like proper novel should. There's even a love story moment involved.</i><br />
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<i>About 14 years ago, our oldest son was diagnosed with autism. I set aside my dreams and goals and jumped into therapy programs and the all consuming disabilities world to give our son the best chance to grow. After several years, my hubby gifted me with a writing themed Christmas and encouraged me to put something I once loved back into my life. He attended my first writers conference with me and took notes in all the classes I couldn't get to. When I'm in editing mode and think I suck, he's my cheerleader. When I want to binge watch Netflix, he nudges me back in to being productive. He even reads romance novels and has studied the craft of writing to support me. Of all the love stories out there, I'm so grateful he's mine. Thank you, sweetie. I love you more.</i><br />
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<i>On this writing journey, I was reminded that challenges make us stronger, to not waste the gift of storytelling Heavenly Father blessed us with, and that there really are love conquers all moments. To all my writing friends here this evening, I challenge each of you to keep dreaming, to keep reaching for that goal that seems impossible. To show the world that it is, in fact, possible and that you totally rocked accomplishing it. </i><br />
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<i>Thank you for this beautiful award!</i></blockquote>
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The only other things I remember are Catherine Bybee hugging me and whispering that I had mascara all smudged under my right eye (love that woman!) and my hubby wiping his eyes as he escorted me back to our seats. I believe Mr. Ferguson made some type of comment about me sabotaging him and making him cry. He had no clue what was in my acceptance speech. My head just spun and was all fuzzy for the remainder of the awards ceremony. I remember I kept squeezing my hubby's hand and saying, "I can't believe it." The awards ceremony was followed by a dance party and so many hugs from the RONE Awards attendees.<br />
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It took me until mid-morning the next day to fully process everything that happened. The thing I felt so strongly was gratitude.<br />
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Gratitude for all my supportive, amazing readers who love Sweet Confections and keep hounding me for the next book (which is coming, promise!). For my new friends who, even though we had just met, truly felt like ladies and gents I had known for a long time. Gratitude for all the hard work the InD'Tale and InD'Scribe staff put into the event, for their bubbly personalities. So thankful for my friend, Heather, who stayed in the Land of Oz to take care of my children so my hubby could attend with me. A heart full of love for my best friend, Mr. Ferguson. I am so incredibly grateful he was there by my side.<br />
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Now, a week later, I'm thankful for the blessing of jumping right back into a busy family routine. There's no time for my head to swell when I'm back to being the carpool queen, refereeing squabbles and prepping for homecoming. Ah, the lovely real-life of a mama/award-winning author.<br />
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If you'd like to see more pics from the Con or the RONE Awards, hop over to my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDanyelleFerguson?ref=hl" target="_blank">author Facebook page</a>!Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-26201389696982762162015-09-15T14:10:00.000-05:002015-09-15T14:10:36.264-05:00InD'Scribe Con & RONE Awards Gala Schedule!I'm super excited to see everyone at the <a href="http://www.indscribe.com/" target="_blank">InD'Scribe Authors & Reader Con</a> this week. If you'd like to catch up with me, here's my signing & presenter schedule:<br /><br />Friday - I'll be signing books from 11 am - 12 noon, then again from 3:30 - 4:30 pm. <br /><br />Saturday - I'm a presenter on the Let's Talk About Sex panel at 11:45 am in the Pueblo room. Following the panel, I'll be signing books from 1-2 pm. I hope to see you at the <a href="http://indtale.com/2015-rone-awards" target="_blank">RONE Awards </a>Gala where Sweet Confections is a finalist in the Sweet Romance category.<br /><br />Want a signed copy of Sweet Confections but won't be in the signing room during the times I listed? Stop by my table and visit with my hubby. He'll be selling books & setting them aside for me to sign. You just need to stop by again before the book store closes at 2 pm on Saturday.Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-84863318897690385702015-08-20T11:44:00.000-05:002015-08-20T14:43:23.520-05:0017 Things I Love About Us<div style="text-align: left;">
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Look at those two innocent 20-somethings. The world before them all bright and glorious. The sweetness of young love . . .<br />
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Fast forward a few years to today . . . . Mr. Ferguson and I celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary. To mark the occasion, I thought I'd make a list. Mr. Ferguson and I love lists.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>17 Things I Love About Us</b></span><br />
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17. <b>The Real Us</b>. On the way to school today, my daughter asked if we could listen to a
song on my iPod. It was actually back at home, so we decided to try the
radio. A song came on I never heard before, but part of the lyrics
jumped out and grabbed me.<br />
<br />
"If I showed you my flaws, If I couldn't be strong, Would you still love me the same?"<br />
<br />
Other
than God, my hubby is the only person I've ever been able to share the
real me with. My weird quirks, annoying traits, etc. It was a gradual thing, little bit by little bit when we
were dating. He was the first guy I felt like I could be honest
with who didn't get scared away. He stuck. Now I tease him that he's mega super glued to me and is never allowed to unstick. =)<br />
<br />
16. <b>Talk, Talk, Talk.</b> We don't really fight - as in yell at each other. We just talk. Sometimes we get annoyed with each other and need to take a short break. But then we come back together to talk some more until we figure things out. <br />
<br />
15. <b>Listen, Listen, Listen.</b> I am so totally not a computer person, but Mr. Ferguson is the geek of geeks. He works all day with technology I can't even begin to understand, but we still share our day with each other. I may not understand the ins and outs of his job, but I get that he has deadlines, projects, and coworkers. I listen, ask questions, and yes, he can totally tell when he's gotten too techy and my mind went mushy. He just smiles, dials the tech talk back and hugs me. I love that.<br />
<br />
14. <b>Giving Advice . . . Or Not.</b> Mr. Ferguson listens to me too. All. Day. Long. Oh the joys of working from home together. Something will happen - an email from a reader, the kids forgot their lunch again, someone annoyed me, a hilarious video I discovered on Facebook, and the list goes on. I pop into his office to see if he's on a conference call. If he's not, then he's fair game for a quick conversation. Usually, it's a fast "Guess what?" or "Watch this!" But when I'm annoyed, he patiently sits, lets me vent, then evaluates my openness about receiving advice or staying quiet until later. It took several years to fine tune this amazing gift, but master it he has. <i>Note:</i> Reining in my tidbits of wisdom is still a work in progress. It may take another ten or so years.<br />
<br />
13. <b>Staying Connected. </b> Speaking of working from home together - I absolutely adore it. We've worked this way through most of our marriage. When he actually has to go into the office, I miss him dreadfully. When the kids were still at home, he took lots of 10 minute play breaks throughout the day to spend time with us. Once the munchkins were all in school, we started using the breaks to go on walks, have lunch together, and just chat for a few minutes here and there.<br />
<br />
12. <b>PDA</b>. I love that my hubby gets embarrassed by PDA (public displays of affection - outside of our home). Holding hands, hugs, arms around the waist - that's all okay. I give him a kiss and the man is on the verge of blushing. Of course, I take advantage of that and tease him as sneakily as I can, as often as possible.<br />
<br />
11. <b>Teasing Our Children</b>. Yep, this counts as things I love about us. When it comes to teasing, we keep it gentle and follow up with hugs. Lately, my teens think affection between mom and dad is gross. Which totally means we do things like, "Oh sweetie, come here. I need a big smoochy kiss," while the kids cover their eyes, gag or melt to the floor in agony. Parenting together is so much fun. (Well, most of the time.)<br />
<br />
10. <b>Hey You Sexy Thang!</b> I'm no longer the little 96 lb, size two, 20-something from the day we got married. In fact, I haven't seen that size since about six months after our wedding when I was prego. Over the years, I've fluctuated up to size 20 and down and up and down. It's a never ending battle of frustration, health and fitness. The one thing that's helped me to stay positive is my hubby consistently telling me that I'm beautiful and sexy. The number on the pants don't matter to him. He loves my smile, my hugs, and yes, everything about my body. I thank God for Mr. Ferguson's attitude every single day.<br />
<br />
9. <b>Chasing Dreams. </b>When hubby wanted to run his own software contracting company, we figured out how and made it work. When I wanted to go back to college, he adjusted his work schedule so I could attend classes and he could take care of the kids. One year, Mr. Ferguson did a themed Christmas. He had been thinking about the things I loved to do, but gave up when our oldest son was diagnosed with autism so I could be active in therapy programs, etc. The theme he chose was writing. He wrote me a beautiful letter, gave me all sorts of supplies and even a briefcase to organize it all into. Then he pushed me back into my love of writing. Look where we are today. We're each doing work we love, with people we admire. We wouldn't be here without the dreams, and most especially, each other's support.<br />
<br />
8. <b>Play Time.</b> Board games have always been a big part of our marriage. As newlyweds, we didn't have a kitchen table, chairs or a couch. So we cooked dinner, then sat on the living room floor and played Sorry or card games. And let me tell you, I'm competitive. We weren't allowed to stop playing until I sufficiently kicked his butt. Mr. Ferguson was competitive enough to not give in and let me win, no matter how late it got. We had so much fun in that little living room. Our game collection has expanded and our kids share our love of board games with us. It's not an every day thing, but school breaks are guaranteed to be kicked off with a huge stack of games to make our way through.<br />
<br />
7. <b>Try New Things.</b> Over the years, we've tried a lot of new things together. 5K's with the kids (he ran, I jogged down the hills and walked the rest), home projects, planting flower beds (sadly, my black thumb caused my plant deaths), geek cons, writing conferences, pallet projects and so much more. Last year, it was a Jane Austen ball. Mr. Ferguson was hesitant at first, but we both had a fabulous time! We keep a running list of things we think would be interesting to learn about, travel to, or try. Some turn out to be one time disasters, others we enjoy and do again. But I really like that we do it together.<br />
<br />
6. <b>Holding Hands.</b> We dated for a while before Mr. Ferguson first asked if he could hold my hand. When our hands met, they shifted one way, then another, until they settled together into an unique lock, with our pinky fingers twined around each other. It makes me feel safe and loved and just ours.<br />
<br />
5. <b>Mr. Ferguson Cooks and Does Laundry.</b> 'Nuff said.<br />
<br />
4. <b>Sense of Humor.</b> It's gotten us through A LOT of rough times. For instance, one year just before Thanksgiving and in the middle of NaNoWriMo (I was less than 5K words from finishing), Mr. Ferguson's appendix decided it was done with his body and wanted out. Right before going into surgery, Mr. Ferguson said 2 things - 1) Go to the waiting room, get to work on your book and finish your word count before I'm done, and 2) I always thought it would be cool to have your author friends kill me off in all sorts of interesting ways in their books. We could have a "John got killed off" bookshelf collection. Yeah. I think the drugs had kicked in by then. But I did go to the waiting room and write. Then I sat in his hospital room and wrote a whole bunch more. He'd wake up for a few minutes, ask about my word count, then conk back out. A very stressful time for us both, but is something we laughed about then and now. Looking for a different point of view than the most obvious really does help in tough situations.<br />
<br />
3. <b>Praying Together.</b> There's nothing sweeter than hearing your spouse pray for you, your family, and specific things we need help with or that he wishes for us. Prayer also helps us to find calm when we aren't connecting and are annoyed with each other. It heals and brings us together.<br />
<br />
2.<b> Ending the Day Together.</b> Each night, we fall asleep holding hands. I hope we're still doing that when he's lost every single hair on his head and I'm a chubby, wrinkly gray haired grandma.<br />
<br />
1. <b>Forever.</b> I'm grateful we have a perspective of loving each other and being best friends so that we want to be together forever.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm so grateful for the 17 years that have turned our initial sweet young love into a stronger, more enduring love filled with friendship, respect, laughter, hugs, empathy and support. We've shared many beautiful moments, a bucketful of challenges I
wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, and oh so many tears, laughter, and
joy. Neither of us are perfect, but together we are an incredible team. I can't help but think that this is what love really is. But there's a little niggling something in my mind that says after another 17 years of life together, I'll say again, "This is what love really is."Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-77017182391962978932015-05-13T04:30:00.000-05:002015-05-13T04:30:01.744-05:00#StrongWomen: Perseverance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispO9Irj_87S2gqGAwjWLbwwexkkLWqppiXJ62WkBIjQM_KVqeE9W8Zan17tvB-NSKtOTQLrfQj6i8nb5X2nn-i3zumdbNiIkQZNj1NioukHPlUZTT_BynRzxvx-8h0f1BbEM4OhX1atM/s1600/Danyelle+Ferguson+-+Perseverance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispO9Irj_87S2gqGAwjWLbwwexkkLWqppiXJ62WkBIjQM_KVqeE9W8Zan17tvB-NSKtOTQLrfQj6i8nb5X2nn-i3zumdbNiIkQZNj1NioukHPlUZTT_BynRzxvx-8h0f1BbEM4OhX1atM/s320/Danyelle+Ferguson+-+Perseverance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>per-se-ver-ance</b>, noun, steadfastness in doing something despite difficulties, failures or opposition.</span></span><br /><br />We don’t get to pick our challenges.<br />
<br />
They are dropped into our lives without warning or permission. I found the only control I had was the ability to choose my reactions. Over the years, I’ve been frozen by fear, overwhelmed by work, cried out in prayer, and would have loved a “Get Out of Your Challenge Free” card.<br />
<br />
I’m grateful that I’ve always felt driven to move forward, search for resources, connect with others, and count my blessings. Some days I failed and had to pick myself up and try something else. Some days I succeeded and paused to celebrate, then set bigger goals. It’s vital to persevere and just keep trying to make life better and happier, no matter what hand you are dealt.<br />
<br />
<u>Your Turn</u><br />
<br />
What helps you push through your challenges? Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments section.Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-45941816964162129302015-03-16T04:00:00.000-05:002015-03-16T04:00:06.036-05:00Unique Tips for Writers to Set Up a Blog Tour, Cover Reveal or Other Social Media Event<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Most authors – no matter if they are traditionally or self published – set up their own blog tours. Some authors band together with peers who write in the same genre, then do a big blog tour or contest together (like the Massive Romance Reader Squee Moment Ahead contest). Other authors send a “Call to Review” on their blogs, social media or newsletters.<br />
<br />
But what if you want to hit a broader market? Or to target certain niche readers? A great blog tour has reviewers with both small (100+) and big (1000+) follower counts, reviewers who have relationships with the author & those who don’t know the author, as well as covers a variety of geographical locations.<br />
<br />
For my first book – <a href="http://www.danyelleferguson.com/non-fiction/">(dis)Abilities and the Gospel</a> – I wanted to get a wide variety of reviewers. Very few people on the tour were writer friends. My goal was to have a lot of reviewers who didn’t know me, who attended different churches, and who either had kids with cognitive disabilities or were church teachers who had someone in their class with a cognitive disability.<br />
<br />
My second book, <a href="http://www.danyelleferguson.com/indulgence-row-series/" target="_blank">Sweet Confections</a>, was a whole other ball of wax. I went from nonfiction to fiction. Specifically sweet romances. I had a some great reviewers from my established circle who reviewed both nonfiction and fiction, but my goal was to hit the much-better romance market. And not just in the USA. <br />
<br />
It sounds complicated. <b>It's not.</b> It sounds time consuming. <b>It is.</b> But each tour was totally worth it. Here’s how I found the right reviewers for each book: <br />
(PS - this method works for cover reveals, contests, giveaways, etc.)<br />
<br />
<b>First: Get Organized.</b><br />
<br />
I’m a huge spreadsheet organization freak. It’s probably the only area I’m really good at keeping everything on track (Ask my hubby. I’m horrible at keeping my desk organized!) But spreadsheets – I can whip them out like crazy and keep track of gobs of things that way. And a good spreadsheet is essential when putting together a blog tour.<br />
<br />
So, let’s get started. Create a spreadsheet with the following fields:<br />
Reviewer’s Name, Blog Title, Blog Address, Email Address, # of Followers, Target (for me this was either parent, church teacher, or book reviewer), Contacted On (date you emailed review request), Response, Scheduled Review Date and Review Copy Sent.<br />
<br />
Add blogs you are interested in to this list. Once you’ve done all your research, sort the list by number of followers and pick some of the bigger blogs and mark those lines in another color. Then sort the list by targets to see which demographics you need more of and mark those with a different color. Then look for location, etc. until you have the right mix for the amount of blogs you want on your tour. <b>Remember -</b> bigger doesn't always mean better. Getting your book into the hands of the right reviewers is more important than getting it into a lot of reviewers' hands (especially if those reviewers have a limited reach or have a major crossover in followers).<br />
<br />
<br />
Then start sending emails to the bloggers. I had a lot of people return my emails saying they had never done a book review or participated in a blog tour. I sent them additional information, along with expectations for the tour (I gave them the option to choose a date within the tour time frame and told them I wanted their honest opinion about the book). Don’t be afraid to choose reviewers who don’t have book blogs, but have a connection to the topic related to your book. During my tour, one of my reviewers was a cake decorator who had a child with autism. Her review not only introduced my book to a large group I wasn’t connected with, but was also picked up by several e-magazines. (<a href="http://ashleemarie.com/disabilities-and-the-gospel-book-review/">See Ashlee Marie Cakes</a>)<br />
<br />
<b>Tip: </b>The first spreadsheet is essential for research, but Google forms
are freaking AMAZING! With my Sweet Confections blog tour, I set up a
Google form for the reviewers to use to sign
up. When I emailed them, I invited them to visit the link and sign up on the form. It saved me so much time! They entered all their info, dates they
preferred, if they were doing a book review, author interview or book spotlight, etc. The form can be embedded into your blog, website or you can use the private link Google gives you. The fabulous thing is no matter which form is used (because you can have it in multiple locations at the same time), all the info goes directly into the same spreadsheet, in all the right columns, on your Google Drive. Holy awesome, Batman! You can see an example of the form here for my Love Under Construction cover reveal sign up. On the Google form spreadsheet, I added additional columns to track when I send the confirmation emails and the cover.<br />
<br />
<b>Start with Your Contacts</b><br />
<br />
If you’re traditionally published, shoot an email over to your marketing team and ask if they have any blog book reviewers they recommend. My publisher actually had a few and even offered to send those bloggers review copies.<br />
<br />
I also emailed out to some disability and church groups I work with to see if they had recommendations, blogs they frequently went to for information, etc. If you write YA, email out to your nieces, nephews, church youth groups, your friends’ kids, etc and ask them what blogs or social media accounts they go to check out cool stuff. Don't forget your writers groups. My Romance Writers of America group was a fantastic source to recommend reviewers.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Blog Tour Services</b><br />
<br />
For my Sweet Confections tour, I researched blog tour services that specialized in romance. Then I checked out the lineups in the current tours. Some reviewers went for just spicy and hot, while others had a mix of all heat levels. I kept track of which reviewers gave good reviews to clean romances and added them to my research spreadsheet. By pulling select reviewers from a variety of blog tours, I created a wider marketing audience. <br />
<br />
<b>Note:</b> Blog tour services are fabulous for authors who prefer to go the hassle-free route. I know many authors who've had successful blog tours with good services. I, personally, feel like each blog tour service has a particular group of reviewers, who then have the same group of readers or giveaway fanatics who follow that group of reviewers. So if you are going this route, check out previous tours to see how wide their review circle is in the comment section (are the same people commenting on each blog).<br />
<br />
<b>Twitter</b><br />
<br />
Twitter was actually my best resource to discover new reviewers. If you’re not on Twitter, then you should start a profile. It’s a great way to connect with others – even if you don’t post daily.<br />
<br />
On the Twitter homepage, there’s a link at the top that says “Who to Follow”. If you click on it, it brings you to a page with a search box. You can search for anything here (book reviewers, YA Romance, etc). You can also search for books that are like yours – for example, In Your Dreams by Kristan Higgins. Twitter searches through status updates and profile descriptions to suggest friends for you. For my DAG tour, I searched for autism, LDS autism, Down syndrome, special needs, and church to name a few. I went through about a hundred profiles, checked out their activity and following. I also looked who that person followed. I often found more good leads that way. After narrowing down who I wanted to review, I contacted them through either Twitter email or an email address that was listed on the profile.<br />
<br />
Another tip is to do geographical searches – such as Autism Canada or Sweet Romance Reader Arizona. Take advantage of hashtag searches too. Check out authors who write in the same genre and see what they are doing on Twitter. <a href="https://twitter.com/ElanaJ">Elana Johnson</a> did a huge Twitter promo for her book Possession using the hashtag #tagged. You could go through the postings with that hashtag to find readers who loved her book, then contact them to review your book.<br />
<br />
<b>Amazon & Goodreads</b><br />
<br />
The awesome thing about Amazon and Goodreads is that they link to their reviewers profiles. Some of those reviewers list their websites or blogs. So you can check out books similar to yours and do some research on readers. Find a few who you really like, then send them an email through their website or blog.<br />
<br />
<b>Check Out Other Authors</b><br />
<br />
It’s time to go hit the websites for all the big authors who write in your genre. Especially if you know of an author who has a book coming out in the next few months. They often list all the stops on their blog tour. Go check out those reviewers and their guidelines. (BTW - Keep all this info in your spreadsheet for future reference!) To find more authors: Go to Amazon.com, type in an author’s name and hit enter, then check out the “Related Searches” results just under the search box.<br />
<br />
<b>In Closing</b><br />
<br />
Putting together a good blog tour involves a bit of internet <strike>stalking</strike> sleuthing. But it’s totally worth it when you put together a completed list of reviewers from all over. The goal of a blog tour isn’t just to get (hopefully) awesome reviews, but to reach reader circles you currently don’t have connections with. Go for variety! Happy book tour scheduling!Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-84207517644530672742015-01-23T09:22:00.000-06:002015-01-23T09:22:21.926-06:00How to Write Creative High School, College and Scholarship Application Essays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My middle school daughter is applying for one of our high school programs, called Distinguished Scholars. She spent several weeks before Winter Break working on two different essays. One that was to introduce herself, her interests and why she wanted to apply to the program. The other essay requirement was to set up a non-profit organization of her choice and explain why she chose that society issue to address. I thought she did a great job of brainstorming different ways to approach each essay and wanted to share that process for future high school and college essay writers.<br />
<br />
<b>Friendship First Essay (2 pages)</b><br />
<br />
I watched as for a week, all she did was plan out her non-profit, including detailing the programs it would provide so she would have a good understanding of what she was representing. She based it on the peer mentoring program she's in and mixed it with wanting to help kids with disabilities (her oldest brother has autism). But she took it from just being a middle school program to being a full school journey experience. Pages and pages of details, programs and ideas. It was inspiring! Then she decided to write a business letter to address that essay. Specifically, a business letter requesting a donation for her non-profit. Here's the non-profit essay. PS - I deleted the street addresses, etc for privacy.<br />
<br />
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">MJ
Ferguson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">xxx
Street</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">City,
State Zip</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">xxx-xxx-xxxx</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">December
12, 2014</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paul
Williams</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">XXX
High School</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">xxx
Street</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">City,
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">xxx-xxx-xxxx</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">RE:
Friendship First</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Dear
Mr. Williams,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Thank you for your interest in the Friendship
First Program. Our program helps children with disabilities feel like they fit
in. Many students with disabilities are left out or bullied. We want them to be
welcomed by their peers and enjoy positive social experiences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In elementary school, we have developed
a curriculum for teachers and school counselors to use. In the curriculum,
there are short videos that model different disabilities and positive peer
friendships. Teachers follow up with a series of questions to spark classroom
discussion. The Friendship First website allows students to interact with animated
characters that model friendships. The animated characters go through different
situations and the students can make choices for the characters to do and see
what happens. Along the way, students receive positive guidance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The program changes as the students move
from elementary to middle school. There is a Peer Mentor Program for incoming 6<sup>th</sup>
to 8<sup>th</sup> graders who can apply to join. These mentors are matched up
with special needs kids in their grade level. The mentors help with making
friends, social situations, and stay buddied through middle school. The mentors
train over the summer and through the school year. Ideally these friendships
will follow into high school and even after that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In high school, the Peer Mentor Program
is continued but with an added social media aspect. On a Friendship First
Forum, there are links for groups to chat with other students, with special
needs or not. The goal of the social media addition is to teach teens to
interact appropriately on social media. We also have events organized to get
the mentors and students with disabilities together to create positive social
experiences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We hope that with this program, students
with disabilities will be accepted in the student body, be bullied less, as
well as teach the general student body to have more respect and understanding
for working with people with disabilities throughout their whole lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This program came to be because I grew
up with an older brother who had autism and to understand him, you either had
to take the time and make an effort to get to know him or grow up with him. I
know people probably look at him weirdly when he does certain things, but that
is who he is. This program also came to be because when people act differently,
the easiest choice is to either ignore them or even bully them to look “cool”.
It takes a courageous person to stand up for them and be their friend.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I appreciate your interest in the
Friendship First program. If you have any questions, you can contact me at xxx-xxx-xxxx.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sincerely,</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">MJ Ferguson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Director of Friendship First program</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Why the Distinguished Scholars Program (1 page)</b><br />
<br />
This was the most difficult essay for MJ to write. She had a hard time adjusting from the attitude of focusing on others and not yourself to needing to brag about her talents, service she's given and her interests. Because really, that's what the essay is for. It's the judges/professors first glimpse at who you are. If they aren't excited or impressed with what they see, then they'll move on to the next person. MJ spent a few days organizing lists of the awards she's received, competitions she's participated in, her talents, service projects, and what specifically makes her interested in the program she's applying for.<br />
<br />
*As a side note - this is a great document to create on your computer and continue adding to it every semester. This way you don't forget important activities or awards from earlier in your education career. <br />
<br />
For this essay, MJ played with writing it as a serious essay, but it just wasn't working well. She brainstormed some more and decided to use her creative writing talents to make it into her own little fairy tale. I really liked how it hit all the requirements of the essay, but was done in a way that is so totally my daughter.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once upon a time, in the kingdom of
Olathe, there lived a girl named MJ with caramel-brown frizzy hair. On hot and
humid days, her hair looked liked Taylor Swift with an Albert Einstein twist. At
least until she discovered the wonders of anti-frizz hair products!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">One day in eighth grade, her teacher
asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. MJ thought and thought and
thought. But there were so many choices.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She loved going to the Kansas City
Astronomy Club to view the stars through their humongous telescopes. But wait!
She also loved hiking and adding fossils to her rock collection. But wait
again! She enjoyed learning about the world and other countries’ histories. She
was even in the Geography Bee twice and really liked it! Maybe she should study
science and teach about the stars, the earth, or even the world. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mixed in with all that geeky stuff was a
very creative side, too. Oh so much creativeness. Acting and crafting and music
– oh my! The frizzy-haired girl participated in three middle school plays (in
one role, she even barked like a dog). Craving cinnamon rolls? She learned how
to make the most delicious, moist rolls using potatoes. And music. Oh the joy!
Singing, playing the flute, and bringing music to life on the piano brought her
happiness every day. Not to mention books. MJ was a readaholic. Friends and
teachers almost never saw her without a book in hand. She not only loved to
read, but to also create her own stories. Attending writers conferences helped
her learn about plot, conflict and how to make her characters interesting.
Maybe she should be a baker, a music teacher, or a novelist? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Poor MJ’s head hurt from all the career
paths she could take. How could she possibly choose? Then she heard about the
Distinguished Scholars program and just knew it could help her explore her
geeky side and creative side – and hopefully discover a way to mesh them
together for her own happily ever after. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>In Closing</b><br />
<br />
A few things to take from this article are:<br />
<ol>
<li>Be organized and take the time to really prep before you start writing.</li>
<li>Don't be afraid to think outside the box. Sometimes that's what makes you stand out above everyone else. </li>
<li>Be creative in a way that is totally you.</li>
<li>Start tracking all your awards, accomplishments, camps, clubs, etc now so you don't have to rethink all those years every time you write an essay.</li>
</ol>
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</div>
Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-24204648268974029722015-01-13T14:23:00.000-06:002015-01-13T14:23:58.792-06:00How to Make Sunday School Class Journals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJWmIzOwitHlC3xTbNw8Tj3uJawNart1NeIfuMoAsLBTWHgCRbGgzdjZYnDBDfvHWsh8EB7jhCKa2Jam4AZhZwEWI5NHdRctDnP4mKS6bHa-A2hBuhhwZAzMKnmL_1ABPnYpNWbZnKN4/s1600/20150110_174104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJWmIzOwitHlC3xTbNw8Tj3uJawNart1NeIfuMoAsLBTWHgCRbGgzdjZYnDBDfvHWsh8EB7jhCKa2Jam4AZhZwEWI5NHdRctDnP4mKS6bHa-A2hBuhhwZAzMKnmL_1ABPnYpNWbZnKN4/s1600/20150110_174104.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmy2KdtBESSn-LO81RTeiaJvATK5RtNdKrxYj7vNrWXuZg_Pu2ASJfNVyLraulCCi91yDS5Gj36QzaamNVUVXbdEgu0XjMNP83WF3-yp0OUE6kU3oYHZ_KzvSB8HV3ftNCxTN-2RByz1Y/s1600/20150110_173943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>I'm a Sunday school teacher for the 13 year olds. It's become one of my favorite church classes to teach. In our congregation, we get a new class each January. As I thought about the upcoming year, I wanted to do something fun for my class. I took a few weeks to consider different ideas and finally settled on making Sunday school journals. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The benefits of class journals:</span><br />
<br />• The kids have a place to write thoughts and promptings any time during class, rather than trying to remember it for later. My hope is that they'll develop a habit of taking notes on things that are important to them, as well as write down and follow through with promptings they receive.<br />• If you have any kids with special needs in your class, the journal will help them remember topics when they return home and is a great visual for review.<br />• I am planning to print out 3x5 cards with quotes to go along with the monthly themes and sometimes the individual lessons. <br />• At the end of the year, the kids will have a book full of their own thoughts on gospel related topics.<br />• And hey, no need to bring paper to pass out for writing activities. It does mean one more bag of stuff to bring to church. I let the kids decide if they wanted to keep the journal in their scripture case or leave it with me to bring each week. Half the class kept them and the other half preferred to have me keep them (as one kid said, to protect it from his younger siblings).<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmHSg3T6Lwo0oe3RLixxuA4kU4V2Qh9euy2xFh9HhohQ5OY88PQygxLeA85xkHCAsvGqUaig8Lnkb21Lm8TpTAIpDfRahfSb3s0cU6BkqH64q3t77K9j4_MITAdTLKDMKXaskEdqPGm8/s1600/20150110_174228.jpg" height="190" width="320" /></div>
<br /><br />I'm not a crafty person, so I looked up several tutorials on Pinterest to find the best way to cover composition notebooks. <a href="http://www.rachaelsbooknook.net/diy-journal-composition-notebook/" target="_blank">This tutorial</a> helped me the most, except I didn't use Modge Podge. A crafty friend of mine suggested Elmer's Adhesive Spray - which was seriously awesome. <br />
<br />A word of caution: It is uber sticky. Protect your crafting area. I covered my dining room table with a plastic table cloth from the Dollar Store. Then also used paper towels where I was spraying the glue so I could swap it out when it got too sticky. What I didn't realize is the spray kind of billows out. I ended up getting some residue on one of the chairs and had to do some clean up afterwards. Thank goodness for Clorox wipes!<br />
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<br />Back to the journals. <br />
<br />I used 12x12 sheets of coordinating scrapbooking paper. 4 sheets (2 of one pattern, 2 of another). Then I cut an 8" wide strip, leaving a 4" wide strip. The 8" strips were the base pattern to cover the front and back of the composition notebooks. Then I added the 4" coordinating strip. 4 sheets will cover 2 notebooks. Then I added some awesome <a href="http://www.myjoyfilledlife.com/2014/04/27/printable-scripture-subway-art-free/" target="_blank">subway art scripture</a> or <a href="https://lovelydesigned.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/general-conference-april-2014/" target="_blank">church leader quotes</a>. On the inside of the front cover, I also added a quote and our class promise.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutyeOTFPINwSCp7_gw5arEErPK8rBYQdftwru-X_0EpZn6HWt6Br-S0KuO4BW8jmBernEZ3dd_T_qRH3kbLZPi3L_cC0R1FM5xlML-IizxhYM6tCBDdChF4cTMZC6ob94AtIIoPmgwxk/s1600/20150110_174140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutyeOTFPINwSCp7_gw5arEErPK8rBYQdftwru-X_0EpZn6HWt6Br-S0KuO4BW8jmBernEZ3dd_T_qRH3kbLZPi3L_cC0R1FM5xlML-IizxhYM6tCBDdChF4cTMZC6ob94AtIIoPmgwxk/s1600/20150110_174140.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a> </div>
<br />Then I crossed my fingers & hoped the kids would like them. And . . . <br />
<br />They loved them! My hubby told me he even overheard some of the boys talking about them and showing them off to their friends. Score! If you decide to make some Sunday school journals, I would love to see pics of them & your ideas.<br />Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-86160222798785594482014-10-20T04:30:00.000-05:002014-10-20T04:30:02.833-05:00Surviving a Broken Heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Broken hearts come in so many different ways. Hurtful words. Lies. Betrayal. Physical pain. Being left behind. <br /><br />
Each can rip at you. Tearing away pieces of yourself. Your love. Your self-esteem. Little bit by little bit until all that remains is a lump of a person you don't recognize. <br /><br />
Not every broken heart goes to that extreme, but they are almost always accompanied by tears and suffering.<br /><br />
Eventually the pain lessens and becomes easier to bear, but each time, a sadness has remained with me. <br /><br />
Watching a friend go. A relationship change. Saying final goodbyes to a loved one. Helpless as a dear one suffers. Pain and anger from gossip, lies, and consequences from choices. <br /><br />
Regrets. <br /><br />
Yesterday at church, we talked about loving one another. Serving each other. There was a beautiful quote read about how we should have a perfect love for each other. Never judging another. Always forgiving. It sounds so nice - but oh so unrealistic. <br /><br />
Or maybe I'm just too imperfect. <br /><br />
But I'm apparently not alone. A handful of ladies shared some perspective and thoughts about the quote read. One reminded us that while the gospel is perfect, the members of the church are merely humans, who make mistakes that may hurt others. Another shared how things someone says or does may not be related directly to you. Consider that there may be other things happening in their lives, frustration that has built up and unfortunately was released onto you with sarcasm, harsh words, or actions. <br /><br />
While I had heard these things before, today they came with comfort and consoled my heart. <br /><br />
A little piece was ripped away recently. I've been in tears, praying to find peace, forgiveness and how to handle the situation. How to let it go. How incredibly difficult that is. But today, the ladies who shared their insights, words I've heard before, sunk in and glued back together some of my heart. Yes, I still hurt and am sad, but have found a tiny bit of comfort and am holding onto it, grasping it with white-knuckled fists.<br /><br />
Because while it hurts, knowing relationships will never be the same, trust that will be slow to be rebuilt - if it is ever rebuilt - I will move forward. I will be kind, respectful, but I will also guard my heart from being hurt by the same person again.<br /><br />
It will require a little spiritual CPR, but I will survive this broken heart. Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-25086039851237718852014-10-15T14:19:00.001-05:002019-07-05T14:15:40.358-05:00The Meanie Mommy Sparkle and Shine!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymu9-q9w2IjEQDFWIaRbq6DbWgRRnbmRy_cswNvxDJczTH8giOemCvVbeuwMCg8w9yX8e6lvUGOH4fWvVl8qtcvmUDCT3WZAYbO-QS2mOHvA2YaGRRvKMrJBxpbdvdQMm3Dne6oiwtuE/s1600/kids+cleaning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymu9-q9w2IjEQDFWIaRbq6DbWgRRnbmRy_cswNvxDJczTH8giOemCvVbeuwMCg8w9yX8e6lvUGOH4fWvVl8qtcvmUDCT3WZAYbO-QS2mOHvA2YaGRRvKMrJBxpbdvdQMm3Dne6oiwtuE/s1600/kids+cleaning.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Tomorrow kicks off a 5 day "weekend" for parent/teacher conferences and in-service days - and I'm so excited!<br />
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Sure, about four years ago, these long weekends meant a chaotic, disastrous house. Sometimes some fighting, but often lots of laughing. <br />
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There's still some fighting, but mostly laughing - but now, now . . . My kids are old enough to actually do a good job cleaning! My munchkins know these long breaks now mean we do a little deep cleaning each day before diving into the "fun" portion of our activities. For the most part, they don't complain. They just get the work done and get excited about checking off their to-do list. Girly Girl cleans everything she can reach with the Clorox wipes (kitchen handles, knobs, outside of the oven, fridge, and dishwasher. Even the microwave.) Squirrely Girl cleans the bathrooms and windows. The boys vacuum and sort and organize all those Legos (that's a feat all on it's own). Hubby and I usually take on a project or two. Cleaning out the garage and other fun stuff to prep for winter. I may even hang some more pictures.<br />
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So my house gets to sparkle and shine!<br />
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Then we have fun, fun, fun! I'm hoping for good weather so we can make good use of our bikes one last time before winterizing them until spring. Thursday evening, we're having our family photos taken - so excited about that, too! Squirrelly Girl is into baking, so I'm sure we'll whip up some delicious treats. Have a game board competition - maybe even a dance off and I just might let my kids kick my butt on the Wii. (Simply because there's no way I'll win. LOL). <br />
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But most of all, I'm so happy to have five days of family time.<br />
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And that's the best sparkle and shine of all.Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-29972557529754018992014-10-13T12:07:00.001-05:002014-10-13T12:07:26.079-05:00Mismatched Socks and Mondays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once upon a time, Mondays were a necessary evil. Dragging myself out of bed to drag my kids out of bed, throw together breakfast, outfits, cleaning off faces, overseeing the brushing of the teeth, hunting, hunting and more hunting for matching shoes before piling into the van, double checking and triple checking that everyone is buckled in before dropping half of the kids off at that fabulous building where they get to learn and socialize. Then back to home where it was dump out all the toys time, snack time, nap time, clean up all the toys time, then repeat, repeat and pick up the school munchkins and go, go, go until I dropped into an exhausted heap on my bed. <br />
<br />Then Monday repeated itself over and over and over and over until finally it was Saturday. My day to sleep in and rest and let Dad take care of everything.<br /><br />
But now my kids are older, all in school including teenagers. TEENAGERS! Which means my Saturdays and Sundays are as busy as every other day of the week. <br /><br />
My Mondays have become my former Saturdays. <br /><br />
Yeah, I still drag myself out of bed, but now it's for family scripture study and prayer. The kids take care of everything else while I review my day. After dropping off everyone at their schools, I get to come home, chill on the couch, catch up on my favorite TV shows or a little Netflix love while I do laundry and did I mention chill? All day long. Well, at least until 3 pm when I get dressed for the day and pick up the munchkins again. At this stage of my life, my after school hours and weekends are consumed with my kids and their activities. I really love my kids and all their activities. But man, I'm so glad I have Mondays to recover. <br /><br />
So on this chilly autumn Monday, I'm enjoying the smell of Snuggle, watching a little Gilmore Girls, and sipping my favorite chocolaty cocoa. <br /><br />
Ahh, Mondays . . . Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-24830763305884875182014-10-10T09:50:00.002-05:002014-10-10T09:50:54.542-05:00Shave Your Legs, Girlfriend!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvX95MEAs9r5WkKKnMUIkfg94QZhiFwWG4Xm2zl6GKJjZSqieKa4NB4inU16VSXwoLJupRmXXcQW9O28fzeYIBfjUOxW7wFmpAPdLVVsoREsbfDjqudXwEPwIQkhdLqsI6KuAurrPXg-A/s1600/Keep+Calm+and+Shave+On.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvX95MEAs9r5WkKKnMUIkfg94QZhiFwWG4Xm2zl6GKJjZSqieKa4NB4inU16VSXwoLJupRmXXcQW9O28fzeYIBfjUOxW7wFmpAPdLVVsoREsbfDjqudXwEPwIQkhdLqsI6KuAurrPXg-A/s1600/Keep+Calm+and+Shave+On.png" /></a></div>
My friend, Alison, has the oddest dreams ever. She often shares them with her friends on Facebooks and we all get a good laugh. Well, I was sharing a very weird dream I had with my daughter and realized it was Alison-worthy. And that my blogger friends would get a good laugh out of it, too.<br />
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So, there I was, prepping to run a 5K race. I went in to register and they wouldn't let me. I was very upset. "But why? Why can't I run the 5K? I've been training, I promise!"<br />
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The ruggedly good looking guy behind the registration table replied, "Ma'am" (that's never a good sign for a young chick like me) "You need to shave your legs."<br />
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Gasp! What? How dare he imply . . . I look down and holy freaking hannah!<br />
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My legs are hairy. No, no. Not just hairy. They are gloriously hairy, with long golden-reddish blonde hair. Thick and beautiful. Totally worthy of expensive hair products and a hair dryer after stepping out of the shower (cause there's no way you'd take a bath with all that hair!).<br />
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It was so long and beautiful and glorious that it put the hair on my own head to shame.<br />
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Which is so, so, so wrong.<br />
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So what did I do? I immediately went out to buy a men's industrial size electric razor to hack off the I'm-better-than-your-head hair. The you-look-like-that-furry-Star Wars creature hair. The hair that I couldn't figure out how to pull a pair of yoga pants over. It was terrifying!<br />
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Then I woke up, rubbed my legs and sighed. Because I had just shaved my very hairy (although not as hairy as my dream's legs) the night before. Whew!Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-44367528120653910182014-10-07T10:45:00.000-05:002014-10-07T11:13:53.086-05:00A Generation of Ungrateful Parents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A new home comes with new schools and consequently a new PTO. At a recent meeting, this new PTO discussed the upcoming Holiday Mart.<br />
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Do you remember Holiday Marts from when you were young? I totally do! My elementary school would put out all the trinkets - necklaces, mugs, note pads, pens, little plaques, and toys. I remember walking past the tables, making notes about what items I'd like to buy for my mom and siblings. Then returning with my envelope of money, showing my math to my teacher for how my budget would work. The thrill of excitement when I took my wrapped gifts home and placed them under the tree. How awesome it was when Christmas morning arrived and I truly had surprise presents for each member of my family. <br />
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My mom cherished those gifts. She wore the fake gem necklace and earrings occasionally, but even when she wasn't wearing them, I knew exactly where she kept them in her favorite jewelry box with her other favorite jewelry. I distinctly remember the World's Greatest Mom key chain I gave her, with a drawing of a woman wearing a crown in the center. It was always on her key chain, with her everywhere she went.<br />
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When my mom passed away, I inherited these precious items. No, they didn't cost a lot of money, but yes, they are precious. Why? Because of my mom's attitude. She was grateful for my gifts, for the time I took to consider what special item I would give to her - but most simply, because it was from her daughter. <br />
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So imagine my surprise when this new PTO expresses their very poor views about hosting a Holiday Mart for the kids. Oh, for sure they want all the vendors to come for THEM. The fun crafty booths, make-up and jewelry stuff, and yummy smelly candle stuff. Oh yes, all of that, they want. But a section for the kids? To buy what they called 'a bunch of junk'? No way! Instead, let's entertain the kids with mani-pedis and coloring pages while the parents shop. The principal even said she's received letters from students who said they wouldn't go to the Holiday Mart because it was a bunch of crappy junk.<br />
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Ungrateful parents whose terrible attitudes are raising ungrateful children.<br />
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Do these parents not see the value in their children learning budgeting skills? Or building their self-esteem when they surprise mom or dad with a gift they chose all on their own? Of learning to be independent?<br />
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No, apparently these children hear their parents calling the gifts 'junk' and a 'waste of money'. Shame on the parents who don't find joy from these precious opportunities and gifts from their children.<br />
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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The worth of a gift comes from the receiver appreciating the giver's love and desire to give. It's not equal to the number on the price tag.<br />
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My cupboards are full of Queen Mom and Dad's the Best mugs. I have lots of glowy pens and multi-functioning tools with Awesome Dad emblazoned on the side. On my kids' beds are the stuffed animals they've purchased for each other. <br />
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Where did these fun items come from? Why, yes, our previous school's Holiday Mart. One day, those mugs will be passed down to my kids as gifts when they have their own children. Do you think they'll appreciate that Mom and Dad gave them such meaningful gifts? Or do you think they'll be looking for the price tag?<br />
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I'm confident the only thing running through their minds will be the memory of Mom and Dad unwrapping the gift one long-ago Christmas morning.Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-28296381676003151982014-10-06T05:00:00.000-05:002014-10-06T05:00:01.502-05:00Rediscovering Myself and My Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last month, I compiled the first year of my blog into a nifty book. It was fun and also a bit sad. I read those sassy, thoughtful posts and wondered "What happened? How did my blog go from the 'real' me to so stifled and blah?" <br />
<br />For weeks, I considered when blogging stopped being fun to kick off my day to a chore, something I dreaded, but felt obligated to do. Did life become too busy and blogging was one thing too many on my to-do list? Did something discourage me? <br />
<br />As I considered the past eight years, one thought stuck out in my mind. <br />
<br /><i><span style="font-size: large;">I went from being ME to being neutral.</span></i><br />
<br />I set aside my sass, my opinions of right and wrong, what I loved or hated and instead went into middle-ground mode. And let me just say, the middle-gound sucks. In a big way.<br />
<br />So, this is me, reclaiming my blog, reclaiming my throne as the Queen of the Clan. I'm going to write for me, myself and I. The stuff I love, funny things that happen in life, profound moments and why they are so significant to me. <br />
<br />What you won't find on my blog - no more platitudes, no more blah blah blah. <br />
<br />Yeppers, just good old Danyelle. <br />
<br />I hope you enjoy having me back.<br />Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-43953731897575562042014-09-07T10:40:00.002-05:002014-09-07T10:41:38.022-05:00Kansas City Teen Writers Workshop with Young Adult Authors Lisa Mangum & Janette Rallison!I am absolutely thrilled to host an awesome teen writing workshop with the amazing <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2830341.Lisa_Mangum" target="_blank">Lisa Mangum</a> and <a href="http://janetterallison.com/" target="_blank">Janette Rallison</a>! These ladies have not only incredible Young Adult authors, but are also genuinely fun, hilarious, and excellent teachers. If you have a teen who is addicted to books and writing, then this is a definite must-have experience. <br />
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<b>Who's invited?</b> Youth ages 12+ who want to learn more about writing<br />
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<b>Price:</b> $25, includes workshop, pizza and beverages. <br />
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<b>When & Where:</b> Thursday, Sept. 18th from 5-7:30 pm at Danyelle Ferguson's house. 15693 S. Blackfeather St. Olathe, KS<br />
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<b>What you'll do:</b> Enjoy a pizza dinner and spend 2 hours exploring plotting, creating great characters, dialogue, setting and other writing essentials. Lisa and Janette will have you laughing and brainstorming together as they share their expertise and stories from their own publishing experiences. <br />
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<b>What to bring with you:</b> A notebook and pens<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>About the Authors</b></i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7nuF8K8DmCZ8zJyNd0vmHXmEbgcFE4IwTvNLZBlZNTIHurSi_pxIBo4r8DFG39LsUvv0sIaJwi8u0K5khAPmRAvIgU9FvNIT_ZmUeorE7POGFH5iGnfQ2azoKVWPNpq4vEU8X3Go5mg/s1600/Lisa+Mangum.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7nuF8K8DmCZ8zJyNd0vmHXmEbgcFE4IwTvNLZBlZNTIHurSi_pxIBo4r8DFG39LsUvv0sIaJwi8u0K5khAPmRAvIgU9FvNIT_ZmUeorE7POGFH5iGnfQ2azoKVWPNpq4vEU8X3Go5mg/s1600/Lisa+Mangum.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Lisa Mangum</i></span> has worked with books ever since elementary school, when she volunteered at the school library during recess. She attended the University of Utah, graduating with honors with a degree in English. She has worked in the publishing industry since 1997. In 2014 she was named the Editorial Manager for Shadow Mountain.<br />
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Besides books, Lisa loves movies, spending time with her family, trips to Disneyland, and vanilla ice cream topped with fresh raspberries. She lives in Taylorsville, Utah, with her husband, Tracy. She is the author of four award-winning YA novels (the Hourglass Door trilogy and After Hello) and the editor of One Horn to Rule Them All: A Purple Unicorn Anthology.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ86_hGvBGyRlI457ZbgACu4FAPOnK7-lkGg637hlrOOW0PSDoQzJmrZ_m5EU5SuC3XSHQJBHWpPju3SO70bEVBi1IHMUJLfNryKIWm1uRWtvGy-SNw9zXEDf168hAZdNcIKwNmJH_kQU/s1600/Janette+Rallison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ86_hGvBGyRlI457ZbgACu4FAPOnK7-lkGg637hlrOOW0PSDoQzJmrZ_m5EU5SuC3XSHQJBHWpPju3SO70bEVBi1IHMUJLfNryKIWm1uRWtvGy-SNw9zXEDf168hAZdNcIKwNmJH_kQU/s1600/Janette+Rallison.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Janette Rallison</i></span> writes books because writing is much more fun than cleaning bathrooms. Her avoidance of housework has led her to writing 23 novels that have sold over 1,000,000 copies. Her novels have been on many reading and state lists. Most of her books are romantic comedies or action because hey, there is enough angst in real life, but there’s a drastic shortage of humor, romance and hot guys who fight dragons. She lives in Chandler, Arizona with her husband, five kids, and enough cats to classify her as eccentric.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16uo3MoGhjshpJlkL8ZrapbjnT6J44MS2Z66JqrJCrqI/viewform?embedded=true" width="540">Loading...</iframe>Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-20026481563377046602014-08-19T17:20:00.003-05:002014-08-19T17:22:38.297-05:00One Dirty Bowl: Fast Desserts, Faster Clean Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPUua9uCBrpLKeH2IWcEdxX_fOjWfaO22FBLEV3PWac7FWf7syY3pKMtYoeL6x4rUg4hUXzwcj36N2Vli-7FAei_xavu5f5cTNazD7zMFoY2z_NiYl8JufqwzJ_cjcAUtQP1JdJ5f5gM/s1600/Front+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPUua9uCBrpLKeH2IWcEdxX_fOjWfaO22FBLEV3PWac7FWf7syY3pKMtYoeL6x4rUg4hUXzwcj36N2Vli-7FAei_xavu5f5cTNazD7zMFoY2z_NiYl8JufqwzJ_cjcAUtQP1JdJ5f5gM/s1600/Front+Cover.jpg" height="320" width="284" /></a></div>
Quick desserts and even quicker clean up mean more time with your family and friends, and less time in the kitchen. With One Dirty Bowl, whip up show-stopping desserts like Hazelnut Puffs, Peanut Butter Truffle Bars, and White Chocolate and Strawberry Cupcakes, all while dirtying just one bowl. Grab your bowl and get ready to bake!<br />
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<b>A Mom and Her Teen Review</b><br />
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One Dirty Bowl . . . plus measuring spoons, cups, and general clean up . . . all make for some fabulous and easy baking. Personally, I'm not much of a cooking queen, but my teen daughter is the kitchen <strike>queen</strike> princess. Here are some things we both liked about One Dirty Bowl.<br />
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<ol>
<li><b>The way the recipes were organized</b> - and the section titles were so cute! They include: Small & Scrumptious; Beautiful Brownies & Bars; Decadent Dessert Breads; Enticing Cookies; Divine Sweets; and Charming Cakes, Cupcakes, Cobblers & Pies. There's also a section with measurement equivalents and an index in the back. </li>
<li><b>Easy to find ingredient lists.</b> Each recipe has a banner to the side that lists all the ingredients and measurements. It makes the grocery list so much easier to compile!</li>
<li><b>Gorgeous pictures!</b> There should be a warning attached to this book. When you flip through it, you'll see so many delicious treats, you won't know which recipe to start with!</li>
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What did we make? Paper Bag Cookies. It name doesn't sound impressive, but can I just say YUM!!!<br />
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I'm looking forward to my daughter making many more treats from One Dirty Bowl!<br />
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<br /><iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=danyefergu-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=1462114016&asins=1462114016&linkId=YMOC4MWKAE5FFZEL&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true">
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For more yumminess by Christina Dymock, check out her website <a href="http://christinadymock.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Hungry Family.</a> It has gobs of fabulous recipes and tips! Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-62983177833333591522014-07-21T11:02:00.001-05:002014-07-21T11:02:49.943-05:00Attitude and Gratitude<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzdf2Gl2GobrDpMxK4IGSlHG4o4TDB3dLywFGOhcLW-Z_u3wu99bRD7cSEUnNekRS4VJV80OQsHXRmUBYmPAyPAvw8aK1g81dVLwXiXXQx_-jseXgMzjaVHMpZAwC9vDEwqeQ23lJ7o8/s1600/attitudeGratitude-460x249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzdf2Gl2GobrDpMxK4IGSlHG4o4TDB3dLywFGOhcLW-Z_u3wu99bRD7cSEUnNekRS4VJV80OQsHXRmUBYmPAyPAvw8aK1g81dVLwXiXXQx_-jseXgMzjaVHMpZAwC9vDEwqeQ23lJ7o8/s1600/attitudeGratitude-460x249.jpg" height="173" width="320" /></a></div>
Have you ever noticed how your attitude effects your level of gratitude? <br />
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You may not know this, but I'm one of those people who - put in the right situation - easily gets frustrated. It quickly escalates into mega-frustration and anger. Then it's a serious YIKES! situation. When in this mode, my bad attitude rolls right over into my interactions with my family - who generally isn't even part of the situation. Times when I'm normally super patient (reminding kids three times to brush their teeth) suddenly becomes a major shouting fest - all of the shouting coming from me while my kids scramble away. <br />
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Do I want to be this mom? This wife? This friend?<br />
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No, I don't.<br />
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About eight years ago, after being in a long, frustrating situation, something finally clicked. I realized just how much my attitude effects my ability to be grateful for my family and the many, many blessings in my life.<br />
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Then the purge began. If it was optional, stressful, frustrating - it was eliminated. I resigned from committees that were more about who had a better idea, was right, and competition than it was about helping the organization we were supposed to be supporting. I let some relationships go because I realized the only joy the other person received in our friendship was pointing out all the things I didn't do well enough.<br />
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It was super difficult at first. Mostly because I felt guilty, like I was letting everyone else down. But it didn't take long before I realized the most important relationships (my family and with Heavenly Father) were growing stronger. The best bonus - I was so much happier! All those knots in my shoulders, the gut-wrenching twists and worrying that kept me up at night - all gone!<br />
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For the first time in a long time, I stopped, looked at my life, and was grateful for every little thing.<br />
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I've changed a lot since then. I'm definitely more "go with the flow" and a lot more patient. I'm certainly not perfect, but I'm not trying to be perfect. I just want more gratitude, happiness, and lots of laughter in my home.<br />
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Sometimes those frustrating situations pop up - ones that are specially designed traps for me to fall into. And occasionally I do. The difference is that after a day or two, I make myself stop, evaluate my feelings and how I'm treating my family - then force myself to let whatever is causing the frustration go. There are times when that's not an easy thing to do, but when I accomplish the 'letting go', life is better.<br />
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My life is infinitely better my attitude is one that allows me to be happy and grateful each day. Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-13941032860274233852014-04-29T12:35:00.000-05:002014-04-29T12:45:58.554-05:00Winners, Writers and More - Oh My!<span style="font-size: large;">Winners . . . </span><br />
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The past few weeks have been chuck full of amazing and fun stuff. My blog tour response was beyond incredible. Thank you to everyone who purchased my book, left reviews and entered the blog tour giveaway. The giveaway ended with over 4,000 entries! So, let's kick this blog post off with the winners. Congrats to . . . <br />
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$25 iTunes GC - Ali F.<br />
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$20 Sports Authority GC - Hai K.<br />
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Awakening Avery by Laurie Lewis - Rachael S.<br />
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Fallen Angel by Lisa Swinton - Jessica H.<br />
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Choice of 1 DiCarlo Brides book by Heather Tullis - Laurie G. <br />
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Fortune Cookie by Josi S. Kilpack - Victoria A.<br />
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Chocolate Roses by Joan Sowards - Lyza Jo<br />
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Rebound by Heather Justesen - Loretta B.<br />
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Gated by Amy Christine Parker (audiobook) - Diana D.</div>
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Winners - watch for an email. You will have 48 hours to accept your prize or another will be drawn. =)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Writers . . . </span><br />
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I spent last weekend surrounded by 700 writers at the Utah Storymakers Writers Conference. There was so much excitement, brainstorming, new friendships being forged - the list could go on. It was inspiring. As part of the conference organization committee, I was a tad busy running registration and other stuff, but I did get to attend a 2 hour intensive workshop taught by Elana Johnson and Ali Cross on story structure based off the Save the Cat series. It was awesomesauce! (an Elana term). I loved their combined teaching style and how they used both a movie and a book to show the different beats a novel should have. I plan to pull out my Save the Cat book and add in all the notes I took during the class. <br />
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Here are some of my fave conference pictures (thank you to those who took pics and posted them on FB for me!):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlQC6P7Jy7UC5nouAHDY3oVy9xlXQjZLf6D2o7GsbjSqNY1UpYzjIQ6hyphenhyphendQ3f4yacdQgQNoatrZwMIgWohDmKErcau129a0gTxh7Qricj-Z5e5Nqp6NACgtVevee4zV6akmxAEBO3iNc/s1600/10329132_10203539699003440_9040999850567140625_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlQC6P7Jy7UC5nouAHDY3oVy9xlXQjZLf6D2o7GsbjSqNY1UpYzjIQ6hyphenhyphendQ3f4yacdQgQNoatrZwMIgWohDmKErcau129a0gTxh7Qricj-Z5e5Nqp6NACgtVevee4zV6akmxAEBO3iNc/s1600/10329132_10203539699003440_9040999850567140625_n.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></a></div>
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2014 Storymakers Conference Book Signing</div>
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with authors (L to R) - Jordan McCollum, Rachelle Christensen,</div>
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Danyelle Ferguson, Connie Sokol, Stephanie Black, and Lisa Mangum.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF9yFojUM5vw0v5OypqA3p2XrXYf-QmuQV7GoUtVsIfwBnE4dHFCdICaFtpUaywCAGgXrrvPEHPz9k6teQlkninheMsksAZWfbkExWdmJSYJ73czpSmTJ_tvyov-VJq8nrn_rKGLueRM/s1600/10333544_662144030522874_3340968592181188862_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF9yFojUM5vw0v5OypqA3p2XrXYf-QmuQV7GoUtVsIfwBnE4dHFCdICaFtpUaywCAGgXrrvPEHPz9k6teQlkninheMsksAZWfbkExWdmJSYJ73czpSmTJ_tvyov-VJq8nrn_rKGLueRM/s1600/10333544_662144030522874_3340968592181188862_o.jpg" height="320" width="265" /></a></div>
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Author J. Scott Savage won the 2013 Whitney Award</div>
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for Best Speculative Fiction - then totally made me</div>
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tear up when he took his wife on stage with him and talked about</div>
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how he couldn't have accomplished all he did with out the support</div>
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and encouragement his wife gave. Jeff & Jennifer are such a great example</div>
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of a couple taking care of each other and reaching for their dreams together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtxZGQgkbODUQvPvjtHg8AKyxW6xniNRYRHJ_45ZkH5CIV62bgTIqC2FxBCXwYv8UvRCf6nTAkeYlpeioJI28BpA2bn3-WBjUYcQbE0x4SCk3HQjZAndaLq1WQ-3cSrQp1fnY8TShjpQ/s1600/892687_662164057187538_9158659313201161544_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtxZGQgkbODUQvPvjtHg8AKyxW6xniNRYRHJ_45ZkH5CIV62bgTIqC2FxBCXwYv8UvRCf6nTAkeYlpeioJI28BpA2bn3-WBjUYcQbE0x4SCk3HQjZAndaLq1WQ-3cSrQp1fnY8TShjpQ/s1600/892687_662164057187538_9158659313201161544_o.jpg" height="320" width="292" /></a></div>
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My hubby (John Waverly) and I were honored to present</div>
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the 2013 Whitney Award for Best Middle Grade Fiction</div>
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to Jennifer A. Nielsen for her novel, The Runaway King.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9yIoONYXU6F_9cbCJmdpsPE1-G0Zdcztg9n9ddDOoRxnIPl6xYziLgZ8Z54HZrrYCx-dvSPJWxa4TlL-a17h2AhYL4uC8VxuXU9N4l2sbxsJxiXP9H9p4nkdXSkZRwBRAbLZS78E8qQ/s1600/10291735_10152235839439230_6070237557272857005_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9yIoONYXU6F_9cbCJmdpsPE1-G0Zdcztg9n9ddDOoRxnIPl6xYziLgZ8Z54HZrrYCx-dvSPJWxa4TlL-a17h2AhYL4uC8VxuXU9N4l2sbxsJxiXP9H9p4nkdXSkZRwBRAbLZS78E8qQ/s1600/10291735_10152235839439230_6070237557272857005_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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A totally fun moment after the Whitney Gala when</div>
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Stephanie Black grabbed me for a photo and we were joined</div>
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by some incredible awesome chicks. (L to R)</div>
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Donna Hatch, Stephanie Black, Danyelle Ferguson, </div>
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Janette Rallison (aka CJ Hill), Heather Justsen (aka Heather Tullis),</div>
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Traci Hunter Abramson, and Julie Wright. </div>
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I adore these ladies!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And More - Oh My!</span></div>
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The next two weeks are going to be busy ones for my family. It's the end of the school year and we're moving as well. I'm going to do my best to continue posting on my blog, but just in case you see a week go by with no posts - you'll know why. =)<br />
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Also, today is the last day to enter the Goodreads Giveaway for Sweet Confections. Enjoy!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_new">Goodreads</a> Book Giveaway
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<div style="float: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20783201"><img alt="Sweet Confections by Danyelle Ferguson" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1392138030l/20783201.jpg" title="Sweet Confections by Danyelle Ferguson" width="100" /></a>
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<h3 style="font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20783201">Sweet Confections</a>
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<h4 style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0 0 10px; padding: 0;">
by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3462943.Danyelle_Ferguson" style="text-decoration: none;">Danyelle Ferguson</a>
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<div class="giveaway_details">
Giveaway ends May 01, 2014.
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See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/85793" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a>
at Goodreads.
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<a class="goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink" href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/85793">Enter to win</a><br />
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Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-37847462600547958122014-04-08T10:50:00.000-05:002014-04-08T10:50:56.395-05:00It's Book Release Day - and So Much Awesomeness!The big day is finally here! Sweet Confections is celebrating it's official book birthday with lots of giveaways and great reviews.<br />
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But first, I want to wish a happy book birthday to Synchrony by Cindy Ray Hale! Find out more about her fabulous book series <a href="http://destinybycindyhale.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">on her website</a>. (PS - she has a fabulous giveaway going on, too!)<br />
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To kick off the Sweet Confections blog tour, I hit the amazing Down Under. Thank you to the <a href="http://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/2014/04/08/release-day-sweet-confections/" target="_blank">Australian Romance Readers Association</a> for spotlighting my book! It's an absolutely delicious feeling as an author to know you have readers all around the globe.<br />
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Today, there are also two reviewers. Laurie Lewis was my first stop this morning. She's known for being brutally honest about everything from characterization to plot holes to grammar issues. As I chewed on my fingernails (my hair is too short to twist around my fingers!), I clicked on her website and quickly read her review. Then reread it . . . and smiled. =) Here's a short blurb from Laurie:<br />
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Ferguson's characters were thoughtful and real, making it easy for
readers to invest fully in the challenges and hiccups in their budding
relationship. I especially enjoyed the heroine. Rachel Marconi is not a
Barbie doll. Nearing thirty, and a few pounds above svelte from all that
delicious baking, she proves that real women eat, laugh, love, work,
and drive men crazy--even perfect 10's like Graydon Green. - Read Laurie Lewis' <a href="http://www.laurielclewis.blogspot.com/2014/04/book-nook-spotlight-sweet-confections.html" target="_blank">full review here. </a></blockquote>
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The second review for today was over on Heather Justesen's blog. Heather is my partner-in-crime for my book series. My series is Indulgence Row and her book series is In the Garden - but we are sharing a town (Crystal Creek) and we use each other's characters in our books. It's been so much fun to brain storm and create Crystal Creek together. So, what did Heather have to say about Sweet Confections?<br />
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Great characters that made me laugh out loud and fall in love--as any good romance should. - Read Heather Justesen's <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2014/04/sweet-confections-is-sweet-read-with.html" target="_blank">full review on her blog. </a></blockquote>
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And, of course, with everything I do, there's an awesome giveaway! <a href="http://www.queenoftheclan.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Simply click here </a>to enter to win an iTunes gift card, Sports Authority gift card, or a fabulous book.<br />
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Looking for purchase links? Check out the sidebar! Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-42138814518575964132014-04-03T07:42:00.003-05:002014-04-03T07:42:37.909-05:00Sweet Confections Chapter Five and Upcoming Awesomeness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIEd_oHkh1KVUqznd5hjarhfMBDHIPBIqaVISO3pdKBxIWqeDe3gdRcYvaKJTFkRndh-4tkrkDoeP0mdTatRovxpUIrDa0b3xC-O7Vuq6aaNQ392blhMHkAtFG3qgKTTP0BXOf1HRNL8/s1600/freak-out-there-s-just-1-week-to-go.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIEd_oHkh1KVUqznd5hjarhfMBDHIPBIqaVISO3pdKBxIWqeDe3gdRcYvaKJTFkRndh-4tkrkDoeP0mdTatRovxpUIrDa0b3xC-O7Vuq6aaNQ392blhMHkAtFG3qgKTTP0BXOf1HRNL8/s1600/freak-out-there-s-just-1-week-to-go.png" height="200" width="171" /></a></div>
Only five days to go until the Sweet Confections blog tour kicks off. Which means you get something fun! The final preview for Sweet Confections is up. <a href="http://www.danyelleferguson.com/indulgence-row-series/" target="_blank">Check out Chapter Five here. </a><br />
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There's so much awesomeness going on and coming up. Let me update you.<br />
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First, if you read my previous blog post, you saw that our house went up for sale and sold super fast. Fortunately, our agent helped us find a wonderful house for our next home. It was a busy, busy weekend, but the hubs and I survived. This week is full of inspections. Next week appraisals. Then we close and move. Oh the joys of a growing family and real estate! Honestly, it's been a blessing. The new couple purchasing our house is so sweet & expecting their first baby. They're super excited about their first home. They'll be such a great addition to our neighborhood.<br />
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Second, a shout out to my musically talented daughter. She performed at a Sole & Ensemble Festival this week. She performed a beautiful Jane Austen-esque solo on her flute, and even though there were a few squeaky high notes, she didn't let it bother her. She nailed all the difficult rhythms, did a great job on the flow and emotion of the piece, and nailed a #1 rating. Not an easy thing to nab!<br />
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<b>Lesson I learned:</b> Do your best and handle the hard stuff with grace. <i>(Aren't kids amazing?)</i><br />
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And last, watch for next week's blog tour awesomeness. Week 1 takes us to Australia, the U.S. and England. Week 2 will be stops in the U.S., Canada, and Norway. You can find all the reviewers and their blogs on the nifty blog tour & giveaway link on my menu bar. <a href="http://www.queenoftheclan.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Or just click here. </a><br />
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Speaking of prizes - 9 lucky people will win something awesome, from gift cards to fabulous books. Keep up with the tour by following my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDanyelleFerguson" target="_blank">Facebook author page. </a><br />
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Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-58281634523997132052014-03-28T07:29:00.000-05:002014-03-28T07:29:35.938-05:00A Crazy Whirlwind - And Chapter Four!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5kRN47HrlsvFpADbsX0Y2tiCrp5a9wqacb3i-AT3Fyt-l2Ci83ZR8Qh0SPJ1ef9iQU1c1cr-NQRbutIPjC7u4fhUeqZgDz_NsXoNrVykIO7qSvUUc_L-0FAMPnrytY347zrRFNgS6co/s1600/Sale+Pending.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5kRN47HrlsvFpADbsX0Y2tiCrp5a9wqacb3i-AT3Fyt-l2Ci83ZR8Qh0SPJ1ef9iQU1c1cr-NQRbutIPjC7u4fhUeqZgDz_NsXoNrVykIO7qSvUUc_L-0FAMPnrytY347zrRFNgS6co/s1600/Sale+Pending.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
Our house went up for sale yesterday . . . and received a full price contract in two hours. I kid you not. It was insane! We were packed with showings all day, with more scheduled for this weekend for back up offers. The best part is that we're finally at the point where I get to start looking for our next home. *Crossing my fingers and hoping for something that fits all our needs and near friends*<br />
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For my awesome readers who have been drooling over each Sweet Confections chapter - <a href="http://www.danyelleferguson.com/indulgence-row-series/" target="_blank">#4 is up and ready for your to devour.</a> Thank you so much to everyone whose been sending emails, comments on Facebook and Twitter. You make me smile each and every day!<br />
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Have a fabulous weekend. And just think - we're almost to the 1 week mark for Release Day!Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-80099980329729968532014-03-24T09:00:00.000-05:002014-03-25T10:33:56.824-05:00Sweet Confections Chapter Three & a Romantic Suspsense Anthology<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74OKiwvjLojfccb2EwRCJmpbsPp4In61jurtd5D_mvBK36uiFCElZi_rJEQk15fBz0H8xXjZ7_MKhyf8Oj6boVMzJzqEZZnK49wLrmZX3Z27FTYtvFZS0oFW8o6Nt-PEo-ZJhM4CGQSQ/s1600/keep-calm-only-2-weeks-to-go-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74OKiwvjLojfccb2EwRCJmpbsPp4In61jurtd5D_mvBK36uiFCElZi_rJEQk15fBz0H8xXjZ7_MKhyf8Oj6boVMzJzqEZZnK49wLrmZX3Z27FTYtvFZS0oFW8o6Nt-PEo-ZJhM4CGQSQ/s1600/keep-calm-only-2-weeks-to-go-3.png" height="200" width="171" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's another fabulous day here on Queen of the Clan. Lots of great stuff is happening this week. <a href="http://www.danyelleferguson.com/sweet-confections-chapter-three/" target="_blank">Sweet Confection's Chapter Three</a> is up today, Chapter Four will be up later this week, my house goes up for sale Wednesday, and hey, only TWO more weeks until my book is released. Life is a whirlwind of awesomeness. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And for more fabulousness - check out this incredible anthology below. Seven novels for 99 cents! And let me tell you, these authors are fantastic! But the set is only on sale this week, so nab it while you can. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy reading! </span></span><i><b> </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Breathtaking: Seven Bestselling Novels of Love and Suspense</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Boxed set is only $.99 March 24th through March 29th. </b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breathtaking-Boxed-Bestselling-Novels-Suspense-ebook/dp/B00IOQ4U4E/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1393560863&sr=1-2&keywords=breathtaking"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYXwf3mK-vZsF3WuIbvHx6FcN5x0Wu5t_qkOU-EHQXgNVnlU_ybHsjUHud7y4g4wtTb-crHMKrTXxzW4u-BTdg4GTbTJH55LfKyophI9-YJH07YMRh-SzgVUiawQJhym6-EpbR0Ky6Z0/s1600/breathtaking+Correct+copy.jpg" height="312" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breathtaking-Boxed-Bestselling-Novels-Suspense-ebook/dp/B00IOQ4U4E/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1393560863&sr=1-2&keywords=breathtaking">Amazon</a> * <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breathtaking-boxed-set-amanda-tru/1118773540?ean=2940149216185&itm=1&usri=2940149216185">Barnes & Noble</a> * <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/breathtaking-boxed-set-seven-bestselling-novels-of-love-and-suspense">Kobo</a> * <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/413315">Smashwords</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRP34WBfzNRfAmJgk_FpfNVzBnQAQ_H29Stw8nJcl6RPbQgCxRfNw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRP34WBfzNRfAmJgk_FpfNVzBnQAQ_H29Stw8nJcl6RPbQgCxRfNw" width="135" /></a><b><i>Unbelievable </i>by Sherry Gammon</b><br />
Deliah Dreser's in town to take care of family business. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but there's more to Lilah than meets the eye. Cole's in danger of losing his heart when this firestorm throws sparks his way. Is she simply playing him for the fool in order to exact revenge for her brother's murders?<br />
Bestselling author Sherry Gammon's reviewers exclaim; "She has a gift for touching her readers with beautiful, gripping stories that you can’t put down."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRK-rtOyfnVf-7BLU8UBcJebI4pKceIRXFaKkWf-ENtebndgiaeb8ZJ7OsICxn2v3hHUoLoJSY2tyYAW7oPlJvMOfr1tzyv-n5cIm1yZjFPnqGoFgZrXT7P8wNeaL-MKeldCu39pBwEJ0/s1600/ChristyBarritt_HomeBeforeDark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRK-rtOyfnVf-7BLU8UBcJebI4pKceIRXFaKkWf-ENtebndgiaeb8ZJ7OsICxn2v3hHUoLoJSY2tyYAW7oPlJvMOfr1tzyv-n5cIm1yZjFPnqGoFgZrXT7P8wNeaL-MKeldCu39pBwEJ0/s1600/ChristyBarritt_HomeBeforeDark.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><br />
<b><i>Home Before Dark</i> by Christy Barritt</b><br />
Nothing good ever happens after dark. Those were the words country singer Daleigh McDermott’s father always repeated.<br />
Now her father is dead, and Daleigh finds a hidden journal hinting that his death was no accident. Small town mechanic Ryan Shields is the only one who seems to believe Daleigh. As the two work to unravel the mystery, it becomes obvious that someone wants them dead. They must rely on each other—and on God—if they hope to make it home before the darkness swallows them whole.<br />
Award-Winning Suspense Novelist and Bestselling Amazon Author, touted as "scary, funny, passionate, and quirky" by USA Today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHNMFp9lKOdP82D1qyeNVALupRm3DOc6on1peTpK8h8r27fZo3U7ICZjjjT32f4sdgzuTwf5kfceY5Gijz7SQAA1vN1cwS97dEd2QOggNfrm5FZHWqCewzbnaesZXWnkgrXdnFv-lP6k/s1600/baggage+claim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHNMFp9lKOdP82D1qyeNVALupRm3DOc6on1peTpK8h8r27fZo3U7ICZjjjT32f4sdgzuTwf5kfceY5Gijz7SQAA1vN1cwS97dEd2QOggNfrm5FZHWqCewzbnaesZXWnkgrXdnFv-lP6k/s1600/baggage+claim.jpg" height="200" width="113" /></a><b><i>Baggage Claim</i> by Amanda Tru</b><br />
Rachel Saunders is looking forward to her all-expense paid weekend trip to New York. But, when her luggage is lost and she is accosted by an infuriating Homeland Security agent, events take a dangerous turn. <br />
Amanda Tru, Bestselling Amazon Author of Romance and Suspense. Discover the author who, as an Amazon reviewer raves, “continues to impress me and dominate my time with a book I can’t put down even after it’s ended.”<br />
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<b><i>Cassie's Cowboy Crave</i> by Kimberly Krey</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5H2BQisBovInjXghiFzjkZyar_-z8qb5otx3-hzkCRRucPgh1X_StubWCwSMwv4-rCtNUmMGaMBO8ku66YWy75ykzF4FOdR7UovJsjygodnUiMaOF1-vpu7gkD80fF74tQNPSNDKMfw/s1600/s+Cowboy+Crave+-+Front+Cover+(for+Amazon+and+Smashwords).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5H2BQisBovInjXghiFzjkZyar_-z8qb5otx3-hzkCRRucPgh1X_StubWCwSMwv4-rCtNUmMGaMBO8ku66YWy75ykzF4FOdR7UovJsjygodnUiMaOF1-vpu7gkD80fF74tQNPSNDKMfw/s1600/s+Cowboy+Crave+-+Front+Cover+(for+Amazon+and+Smashwords).jpeg" height="200" width="128" /></a>In a moment of weakness, Shane steals a kiss.<br />
In return, Cassie steals his heart…<br />
When Cassie is forced to join the witness protection program, she fears her life is over… but then she meets Shane Emerson — the hunky cowboy posing as her husband. Will this sham marriage turn into the real thing, or will a hidden danger put it all at risk?<br />
Kimberly Krey writes romance that’s clean without losing the steam. What’s Beyond Forks calls this Best-selling Western Romance author “the master of romantic tension.”<br />
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<a href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRYntK5-AlqYLQsg4r-A4-MQNqpI7fSEIhLsfRnK0PTjlvs-6TnBQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRYntK5-AlqYLQsg4r-A4-MQNqpI7fSEIhLsfRnK0PTjlvs-6TnBQ" height="200" width="134" /></a><br />
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<b><i>A Perfect Fit</i> by Heather Tullis</b><br />
Cami DiCarlo is not happy when her father forces her into heading up guest services at his newest five-star hotel and unveils the existence of four half-sisters at the same time, insisting they live together while they launch the new resort.<br />
When she meets Vince, the sweet, sexy landscaper her father would never have approved of, Cami can’t say no. If only she could be sure she is on the right track—and that they will be able to stop the person who is trying to destroy everything.<br />
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<b><i>You Belong with Me</i> by Shannon Guymon </b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnR8OMDhurvjNy70-knS_CVn7dgEl4S2rEdsK8ZG2Tw5G16oBHrtB9vgufj5P1wxFEYgeMr1G1yKNPCmygvu-oQ4lH6cMPZVslMCy3T37DYvUyClpg4ba6KYKXjMHWB3DGOaj_CnSr8tE/s1600/YBWM_667x1000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnR8OMDhurvjNy70-knS_CVn7dgEl4S2rEdsK8ZG2Tw5G16oBHrtB9vgufj5P1wxFEYgeMr1G1yKNPCmygvu-oQ4lH6cMPZVslMCy3T37DYvUyClpg4ba6KYKXjMHWB3DGOaj_CnSr8tE/s1600/YBWM_667x1000.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a>Layla Kendall is a burned out social worker one step away from a major depression. When she and her sisters inherit their grandmother's bakery, she doesn't know if she can trust her good fortune or not. But the chance to be with her sisters and get away from the heartache and pain she's faced day in and day out is a chance she's going to take. With Layla's new life, come new friendships, including Michael Bender, a single dad. She doesn't trust men but Michael's little girl grabs her by the heart and won't let go.<br />
Shannon Guymon is an Amazon Bestselling Author of lighthearted and clean romance who according to her many fans, has the ability to paint pictures of her characters so real that readers would know them if they saw them walking down the street.<br />
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<b><i>Blog This</i> by Cami Checketts</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjU4d6VrEWt84ufv1QibtvqFt1dmFyCeDW2qCoynOf0o_Kgr0ZwsekXiXpov0iDmVAZ-WDdl5puIAq1r_XYADi8AlM3TmwI8A9F99v3xi2OX6HsrimFAMHuji6sNPOpWhFzZUl3Um0yc/s1600/Cover+4+brighter+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjU4d6VrEWt84ufv1QibtvqFt1dmFyCeDW2qCoynOf0o_Kgr0ZwsekXiXpov0iDmVAZ-WDdl5puIAq1r_XYADi8AlM3TmwI8A9F99v3xi2OX6HsrimFAMHuji6sNPOpWhFzZUl3Um0yc/s1600/Cover+4+brighter+copy.jpg" height="200" width="129" /></a>Devastated by the loss of her brother, Natasha Senecot exposes the dangers of Matthew Chrysler's violent video games, bankrupting and humiliating him. Chrysler sends a hit man after her. In a race against time, can Natasha expose Chrysler before his assassin murders her family and shatters her world?<br />
Bestselling author Cami Checketts has been touted as, "A genius! She writes about topics that aren't widely discussed, and she does such a brilliant job of crafting these things into wonderful stories that touch your heart and remain with you for days afterwards."<br />
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Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-15724039922180708152014-03-21T09:38:00.001-05:002014-03-21T09:38:52.251-05:00Sweet Confections Sneak Peek #2 and a Book Spotlight: Spark of a Feudling by Wendy KnightLet's kick off our weekends on a good note: <a href="http://www.danyelleferguson.com/sweet-confections-chapter-two/" target="_blank">Chapter Two of Sweet Confections</a> is up for you to enjoy!<br />
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Also, today I'm spotlighting a new book that released this week. I haven't read it yet, but it looks fabulous.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Spark of a Feudling by Wendy Knight</span><br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgird5YMXJSZ7dZ39QcKgpA7E969432gobE73MEiNyJQiaWq1-fBqKV3kYeV5aIsnuqwTvmQoKLeh-yg4xCapFD4s__IqYJLXnqncf6tLNmuFGNRjwkSdo9KwEjr7dpGAF83Q-vwiwyB8I/s1600/Spark_500x750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgird5YMXJSZ7dZ39QcKgpA7E969432gobE73MEiNyJQiaWq1-fBqKV3kYeV5aIsnuqwTvmQoKLeh-yg4xCapFD4s__IqYJLXnqncf6tLNmuFGNRjwkSdo9KwEjr7dpGAF83Q-vwiwyB8I/s1600/Spark_500x750.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hate can start a war, but a shattered heart can fuel it for
centuries. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everything Ada does is wrong. She’s the daughter of a Duke
but she isn’t proper or formal. She prefers the company of her
servants—particularly Christian, the boy she’s loved since she was six years
old, and his sister, Charity, Ada’s very best friend in the entire world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Ada isn’t just the daughter of a Duke. No, she’s the daughter of one of the
most powerful Edren sorcerers alive, and no matter how strong she is, it isn’t
strong enough. Ada will give up almost everything to earn her father’s pride.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Christian has loved Ada since the day his mother became her governess. But two
societies are determined to keep them apart—the aristocracy who say a groom
will never be good enough for a Duke’s beautiful daughter, and the sorcerers
who say a Carules and an Edren can never be together. Christian will do
anything to make Ada his—even drive himself to madness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
When Ada suspects her father of hurting Charity and Christian in his quest for
knowledge, she is torn between loyalty to him, and a fierce determination to
protect them. The division tears her soul and breaks her heart.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The pieces of her broken heart will start a war that can only be stopped by the
death of the most powerful warrior alive by the hand of the boy who loves her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=danyefergu-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00J2I06E6&asins=B00J2I06E6&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=US" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br></iframe> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Bonus Story –Feudlings in Peace</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Join Ari, Shane, Ada, Christian and everyone they love as they chase their happily ever after.</i><br /> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Excerpt:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />He sprinted down the path, into the forest, leaping over huge rocks and tree roots and through streams he couldn’t see but his magic told him were there. He had no idea where he was going, but there seemed to be a tether from his heart to hers — he always knew where Ada was. He ran straight to them, nearly colliding with her father’s guards as he raced through the thick trees. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />“What happened to her?” he bellowed, jerking Ada out of Davis’s bloodstained arms. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />“She was hit, saving me,” Harrison answered. “Can you help her?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />If there had been time, any time at all, Christian would have paused at that. How exactly had his tiny little Ada saved the giant Harrison? But there wasn’t time. He laid her on the thick grass, searching for the wound. But there was so much blood. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />“There!” Davis snapped, jabbing the air above her stomach. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />Flames roiled across Christian’s hands and he held them above her, letting the flames soothe the skin before he tried to touch it. They swirled through the air, seeping and mending the broken, charred skin. </div>
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<br />“Does she breathe?” Harrison asked, crouching close to put his face next to her mouth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />Christian ignored him. He didn’t care if she breathed or not.<br />She would breathe, or he would die with her. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />“She does.” Harrison sat back, relieved. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />“Can you not heal at all? Stop the blood flow from her shoulder!” Christian snapped. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />Harrison gaped at him. “We’re Edren. We don’t heal.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />“I’m Carules and I can throw a lirik if need be,” Christian muttered under his breath, but he couldn’t argue with them now. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />She moaned. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />They all froze in shock, and then redoubled their efforts. Davis jerked his shirt off and held it to her shoulder while Christian’s blue flames leaped and danced from his hands, fighting the poison eating through her body. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />“Christian. I knew—” she whispered as her skin healed, leaving only pink burns behind. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />“Shhh. Don’t speak. You’re still very weak.” He moved from her stomach to her shoulder, pushing Davis’ shirt out of the way. It was stiff with dried blood and she shrieked when he ripped it from the wound. “Forgive me, dear one,” he whispered, his mouth near her temple, kissing the pain away. “Forgive me.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />“I knew… you would come. I knew you… could heal me.” Her eyes fluttered open, dazed with pain, dark orbs barely reflecting the moonlight. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />“Always, Ada. Forever.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">About the Author</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk29f0K9jCECLvJlojawDrZCT8CzHX59WzpHjbMy9uUh3fy0bRMfIUEZZTF4pnYVEr2wBFPEWKWknk3FkexvdcIJVyCTqwwY8JbDfMRw23DzVn0jx7khRzgqvkBCJ7mdJhZoLIRAaXju8/s1600/Wendy+Knight+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk29f0K9jCECLvJlojawDrZCT8CzHX59WzpHjbMy9uUh3fy0bRMfIUEZZTF4pnYVEr2wBFPEWKWknk3FkexvdcIJVyCTqwwY8JbDfMRw23DzVn0jx7khRzgqvkBCJ7mdJhZoLIRAaXju8/s1600/Wendy+Knight+Photo.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Wendy Knight is the bestselling author of the young adult
series Fate on Fire and Riders of Paradesos. She was born and raised in Utah by
a wonderful family who spoiled her rotten because she was the baby. Now she
spends her time driving her husband crazy with her many eccentricities (no
water after five, terror when faced with a live phone call, no touching the
knives…you get the idea). She also enjoys chasing her three adorable kids,
playing tennis, watching football, reading, and hiking. Camping is also big—her
family is slowly working toward a goal of seeing all the National Parks in the
U.S. </div>
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You can usually find her with at least one Pepsi nearby,
wearing ridiculously high heels for whatever the occasion. And if everything
works out just right, she will also be writing. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Social Media Links:<br />
Blog: <a href="http://www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com/">www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com</a><br />
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWendyKnight<br />
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wjk8099<br />
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wendyjo99</div>
<br /><br />
Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3265041595520726324.post-91671928286436901572014-03-19T12:51:00.000-05:002014-03-19T12:59:09.264-05:00Book Review: Luminescence by Braden Bell and a Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0tqo1g9ltsHbmFfEUR5rmblrPcEdH-gEpcXBXK4HBCjHxyt0M0YrRE76aK7lNFB3LCdlK9C8LpaZuGkLz89Vp9_HyZc_TS7MswqWxBgyy8s73a9Ip-TmYxrSJS-4NAt5vglD0U87pWk/s1600/8734583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0tqo1g9ltsHbmFfEUR5rmblrPcEdH-gEpcXBXK4HBCjHxyt0M0YrRE76aK7lNFB3LCdlK9C8LpaZuGkLz89Vp9_HyZc_TS7MswqWxBgyy8s73a9Ip-TmYxrSJS-4NAt5vglD0U87pWk/s1600/8734583.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></div>
Today's post is by my daughter, MJ. =)<br />
<br />
This series was non-put-downable! Lexa, Melanie, Connor and Pilaf are
lovable and fun--and it was interesting to see how they reacted in
challenging and exciting situations. It's hard to believe the series has
already ended. The Kindling series is AWESOME!<br />
<br />
Braden Bell is one of my most favorite authors ever. I can't wait to see what his next book will be - and really hope it will be as awesome as the Kindling series.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">More about Luminescence:</span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“He’s alive!” she yelled. “He’s alive!”<br />
As Lexa spoke the words, she knew they were true. She knew with total certainty.<br />
“Dr. Timberi’s alive!”<br />
<br />
When Lady Nightwing kidnapped Dr. Timberi, everyone assumed their teacher had been killed. So when Lexa discovers that he isn’t dead, Conner can’t believe his ears.<br />
<br />
Determined to rescue their favorite teacher, Conner, Lexa, and Melanie confront their worst fears and use their powers in unexpected ways to defeat Lady Nightshade, the treacherous Darkhand leader. But when the trio makes a terrible choice to save Dr. Timberi, their powers may not be enough to keep everyone alive. A thrilling conclusion to the Middle School Magic series!<br />
<br />
Your favorite characters return in this satisfying conclusion of the Middle School Magic series! Filled with plenty of twists, humor, and adventure, Luminescence will keep you guessing until the last page.<br />
<br />
Study hall? Definitely. Substitute Teachers? Absolutely. Rescuing people from brutal villains? Bring it on!</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=danyefergu-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1462114059&asins=1462114059&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=US" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=danyefergu-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00IXZLDMS&asins=B00IXZLDMS&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=US" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIFwZltV808fyxCJoNL17raTQUZa5c6AxO-GxLgcBpGSpaGpSryYOmllbX1GmjdV6WgAWzyfyQSMq5EX5FRg4Jhfz_YiHJl3R0uZt6QEamc83t0KefvYpy9-ZMQScMqkCWkZAEREE3j0/s1600/Braden+Bell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIFwZltV808fyxCJoNL17raTQUZa5c6AxO-GxLgcBpGSpaGpSryYOmllbX1GmjdV6WgAWzyfyQSMq5EX5FRg4Jhfz_YiHJl3R0uZt6QEamc83t0KefvYpy9-ZMQScMqkCWkZAEREE3j0/s1600/Braden+Bell.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">About the Author Braden Bell </span><br />
<br />
During his middle school years, Braden Bell was the least-stable, lowest-achieving student in the history of the world. He shocked every former teacher by graduating from high school and college, and then going on to earn both a Master’s degree as well as a Ph.D. A teacher by day and a parent by night, he is around teenagers 24/7. He teaches music and directs plays at a private school, much like Marion Academy in The Middle School Magic series. Whether he fights evil after hours is something he cannot disclose.<br />
<br />
Braden Bell holds degrees in theatre from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. from NYU. A committed educator, he has been directing plays and teaching school now for over twenty years. Braden lives with his family on a quiet, tree-lined lot outside of Nashville, TN, where he teaches theatre and choir at a middle school. The author of The Road Show, The Kindling, and Penumbras.<br />
<br />
Lean More on his <a href="http://www.bradenbell.com/bradens-blog.html" target="_blank">website</a>* <a href="https://twitter.com/bradenbellcom" target="_blank">twitter</a>* <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Braden-Bell-author/107471269272359" target="_blank">facebook</a>* <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18653504-luminescence" target="_blank">goodreads</a>* <a href="http://blog.cedarfort.com/blog-tour-luminescence/" target="_blank">publisher</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Giveaway $25 Amazon giftcard or Paypal cash!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b8f1a459/" id="rc-b8f1a459" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
Danyelle Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00006907198681924095noreply@blogger.com2