Queen of the Clan

Book Reviews & Crater Lake eBook Giveaway

2012-02-13T05:00:00.000-06:00

I read some awesome books this past weekend. Get ready to add some books to your reading pile!

Crater Lake: Battle for Wizard Island by Steve Westover

Blurb: Wailing and thrashing for escape, Allie’s dad disappeared first, the dirt covering the crown of his head. Ethan and Jordan’s parents followed, gasping for breath before the dirt covered their faces and muffled their screams. Mercifully, they descended faster than Allie’s mom. She had been the appetizer, and the other three adults were the main course.

While visiting his crazy Uncle Bart at Crater Lake National Park, thirteen-year-old Ethan’s world collapses when all the adults disappear, including his parents. Now Ethan must rally his new friends and decipher the legends of the lake to find the key to rescuing his parents from their earthen prison before he’s captured too and their imprisonment becomes permanent.

My Review

Battle for Wizard Island is the first book of the Crater Lake series - and it was EXCELLENT! I was pulled right in from chapter one and only put the book down when my munchkins insisted they needed Mom. =) Steve Westover crafts a great mystery filled with suspense that will keep youth and adults on the edge of their seat. I loved the characters, their attitudes, and interactions as they try to unravel ancient stories and clues. I'm definitely purchasing a print copy of this book. I know my 11 year old daughter will love it!

Crater Lake: Battle for Wizard Island will be released in March 2012. You can order a book from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Enter to Win an eBook copy of Crater Lake!
One lucky person will win an advance issue of the Crater Lake e-book. Entering is simple:

Follow my blog.
Leave a comment on this post & tell me what books you've been reading. Please include your email address so we can contact you with the good news.

The winner will be announced on Friday, February 17th. Good luck, everyone!

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

Blub: When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies.

Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love?

The follow-up to reader favorite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen's world. How could it not turn out right in the end?

My Review

I really enjoyed Midnight in Austenland. The first few chapters were really heavy on the Jane Austen-esque type languange. While that was an interesting beginning, it was so wordy I almost put the book down. But once Charlotte gets to Pembrook Park, the wording relaxes and the story becomes truly interesting. There's a murder mystery in this Austenland book. The last third of the book kept me guessing, as well as on the edge of my seat. Really great ending, too!

I hope there will be another Austenland book. I'd love to find out what happens to Miss Charming and Mrs. Wattlesbrook.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Blurb: Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

My Review

LOVED IT! Loved it! Loved it! Lola and the Boy Next Door is just as awesome as Anna and the French Kiss. I can't wait for more books by Stephanie Perkins to come out!

Prank Wars Winner & The LDStorymakers Writers Conference

2012-02-08T14:33:00.000-06:00

There's a Winner in the House

I love giveaways. It's so fun to get an email from someone titled, "You won ______!" and actually know it's not spam. Woot! One lucky reader is going to get an email from me today that says "You Won Prank Wars on Queen of the Clan!". And that lucky person is . . .

Wendy Swore! Congrats!!!

The Official Release date of Prank Wars is February 14th, 2012. BUT Stephanie let me in on a little secret. Come a little closer so I can whisper it to you . . . A little closer . . . Okay. Ready?

Prank Wars is available on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords. TODAY. Happy early Valentine's Day! Check out Stephanie's website on Valentine's Day for purchase links to the printed version of the book. I know I'm definitely ordering one for my shelves.

LDStoryMakers Writers Conference

The StoryMakers Writers Conference is my absolute FAVORITE writers conference. This year's conference is May 3-5th, 2012 and . . . I've been asked to present TWO classes. Ooh baby, I'm a happy happy girl! I have a class each day. My first class kicks off in the first break out session and my last class is in the final break out session of the conference. I guess they wanted to be sure the conference started and ended with the same awesome writer. Ahem. *cough. cough*

My classes focus on non-fiction and copyrights. The rest of the conference is JAM PACKED full of awesome fiction classes. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or seasoned pro, you will find classes perfect for where you are in your writing journey.

My favorite part is all the hob nobbing. Socializing, people! Networking with other writers, publishers, editors and AGENTS! The Storymakers conference is the perfect size to meet all these fabulous people and actually have them remember who you are. Come prepared to chat up your WIP or the MS you're shopping around. Don't be shy! Agents and editors attend writers conferences so they can hear about what the attendees are coming up with. They would much rather meet someone in person, then fall in love with both the writer and the manuscript at the same time. And all those writers you meet and click with, they'll be the people who interview you on their blogs and review your debut (or 30th) novel.

Now, I know the writer in you is just dying to register. Let me tell you another little secret . . . there are less than 100 spots still open. So if you want to go, slide your mouse on over here and click to get registered.

Conference Tips & a few of my fave moments . . .

The Annual 1st Chapter Contest.

In 2009, Heather Justesen & I won 1st place in the non-fiction category for a book we brainstormed together. Before we were published authors, we placed in the top three of the Romance Category each year we attended. (Note: The contest is only open to unpublished authors, or we'd still be kicking butt. LOL!)

The Book Store

Bring LOTS of spending money. Awesome book deals & the authors are there to sign them personally. Fabulousness!

LDS Women Book Review Interviews

I so totally love these ladies! They make the conference so fun and make attendees feel like rock stars as they catch them in the halls and interview them for their podcasts. In 2010, my co-author Lynn Parsons and I were interviewed just moments after our first face-to-face meeting.

Authors Incognito

What's better than hanging out with over 150+ of your closest writing buddies?

It's our annual AI Family Reunion. Not much can top that.

Have you attended the StoryMakers Conference before? If so, please share what you loved most. Direct blog links to past StoryMakers after-the-conference posts are welcome!

And check out the Show Your Love For StoryMakers contest.

On Little Wings Winner & Food Storage Blog Spotlight

2012-02-06T08:08:00.000-06:00

First up, let's have a big round of applause for Gayle, the winner of a signed copy of On Little Wings by Regina Sirois!

Don't forget about my current ebook giveaway - Prank Wars by Stephanie Fowers. It's awesome! You have until midnight on Tuesday to enter.

Building Food Storage and Using It

Now, there's a topic I'm not very good at - Food Storage. I try to build up the items we generally use in our home - jars of spaghetti sauce, extra bags of sugar and flour, lots of canned veggies and soups. These are all items I would use within a few months of purchasing. But long term food storage intimidates me. Add wheat grinders and water barrels to the conversation and I'm a goner. I have so much to learn about how to go from where I am to my goal of being prepared for a long-term emergency.

You may wonder why I'm even interested in building up food storage. Honestly, it's a life saver - and I don't just mean if a tornado were to rip through my town and blow out the electricity and other necessary stuff for a few weeks. Our family has already had a few experiences with illnesses that lasted 6-8 weeks & our couple of months of food storage was a major blessing. One less stress while my hubby couldn't work. So I know from first hand experience how important it is to be prepared for emergencies. I just can't figure out how to go from what I have to something longer term - and actually use the food, rather than seeing it sit for a few years and going to waste.

Yesterday, I found this awesome blog: Food Storage & Using It. It's actually written by Diana, a lady from my church congregation, but I had never gone out to look at it. One reason (kind of a pathetic one) is when I think food storage blog, I don't go "Ooh! I have to go check that out!" Honestly, I've seen some pretty boring food storage blogs out there. So when I finally clicked my way over yesterday, I was SUPER HAPPY to see a bunch of yummy recipes accompanied by gorgeous pictures & lots of fabulous blog posts about how a real family works together to build their food storage. There are also great posts about how to save money on your grocery bill - another area I need some serious help with. So, if you're like food storage flunky like me, then I highly recommend checking out Diana's blog.

Now, my friends, tell me if you're food storage flunkies like me or are you a junky who knows lots of ins and outs? I hope all the junkies will share a few tips (and other awesome blog resources) with me and the rest of the QOTC readers!

A Gift, A Sassy Book, and an Ebook Giveaway!

2012-02-03T11:49:00.000-06:00

A Gift

My fabulous friend, Jennifer, gave me a beautiful gift last weekend.

She made this gorgeous African Blood wood pen to celebrate my international magazine article that came out! Isn't she a sweetheart? Her thoughtfulness made my eyes go all watery (and still does). It's become one of my special pens. I have just a couple of pens that I pull out when I'm brainstorming and outlining new book ideas. There's gobs of notebooks filled with ideas, but only a few lucky pens make the cut for creating something from a little idea in my head. Those pens write, write, write out those thoughts, developing characters, filling out plot ideas, and getting down scene blurbs. Special, special pens. Thank you, Jennifer!

While I'm chatting about writing, I got an awesome phone call yesterday from the LDS Church Offices. I was asked to help with another disabilities related project their working on. I can't give any other details, but I'll let you know when it's published! It was both an exciting and humbling moment, all wrapped in together. How grateful I am to help with something so near and dear to me.

A Sassy Book

Stephanie Fowers has a new book coming out!!! I L.O.V.E. her books! I got a glimpse of Prank Wars a few years ago, and have bugged, bugged, bugged Stephanie about it ever since. Thank goodness it was a nice friendship type of bugging, and not an annoying "Get this woman away from me!" type of experience. LOL! Stephanie emailed me a few weeks ago and asked me if I'd like to do an advance review. Of course, I immediately responded with a good ol' Kansas "Heck yeah!".

Book Blurb: All war. No love. Madeleine’s been hurt too many times in the dating scene to let Byron beat her in some huge prank war. They’ve had their deserters, their POW's, their casualties, but no one can risk losing the battle of the sexes.

Except now something strange is happening at the college...and it’s not just the students. Buried deep beneath the pranks is real danger and the only other person who suspects is Byron. Should Mad join sides with him or does that mean forfeiting her heart to the enemy?

My Review

Prank Wars is awesomely sassy, brilliantly sneaky, and spine tingly!

Mad Dog is one of the best female main characters ever! She and Byron totally embody the best of best in college prank competitions . . . that will either lead to a total I Hate You relationship or a Jump Off a Cliff and Straight into Love relationship. The pranks, banter, and twisted relationships in this book keeps you turning page after page after page until you hit The End. Your butt will be sore from sitting so long and your throat will be throbbing from laughing so hard! Even then, you'll want more, more, more!

Prank Wars will be released on Valentine's Day 2012. And it's THE BEST gift you can buy for yourself, a friend, or sweetheart.

An E-book Giveaway

One lucky person will win an advance issue of a Prank Wars e-book. Entering is simple:

Follow my blog.
Check out the Prank Wars book trailer & leave a comment.
Leave a comment on this post & tell me what your favorite part of the trailer was! Please include your email address so we can contact you with the good news.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday, February 8th. Good luck, everyone!

Amazon Best-Selling Author Regina Sirois Spills the Beans PLUS Win a Signed Copy of Her Book!

2012-02-01T05:00:00.000-06:00

I enjoyed a wonderful lunch last week with Amazon Best-Selling Author, Regina Sirois. Who, lucky for me, also happens to be a part of my writers group. Of course, with all those late night meetings, I had plenty to ~~black mail~~ convince her to do a blog interview. Regina shares her witty personality, brutal honesty, and also reveals who her "secret agent" is. Be sure to read through to the end and enter to win a signed copy of On Little Wings by Regina Sirois.

Your writing style is lyrical and beautiful, without beingwordy and slow. What inspires you towrite that way? Did your college education help you develop your style or didyou find it later?

First of all, thank you. I am not sure how to answer this. Ijust write the way it sounds in my head. My main training is in creative writing and poetry, so after years of dailycritiques I became obsessed about cadence and word choice. When I write I am alittle neurotic about the way the words flow off the tongue.

What books or authors do you absolutely love and read overand over?

I read I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. That might be why I havea complex and think I will never write well. No one writes well compared toher! But she makes me try so much harder. I have also read every word writtenby James Herriot, over and over. He taught me how to put humor and heart intoeveryday people. Jerry Spinelli taught me that a novel could be a sustainedpoem. He is amazing.

As a personal friend, I know how important family andmotherhood are to you. How did being a mom help you be a better writer?

Greatquestion! You are right. Despite the interruptions, frustrations and limitedtime I could spend working each day, being a mother made this book possible.Whenever I needed to know Jennifer better I looked at my daughter and filled inthe blanks. I also wanted to quit - allthe time!- and whenever that happened I told myself two things: Just write astory for your daughter. Just write this poem to your sister. If no one onEarth ever pays attention, they will. If no one cares that you tried, theywill. Family finished this.

How long did it take you to write On Little Wings?

Ummm, Ihave no idea. I collected the story and attempted writing it for over eightyears. I have many failed attempts. The current version took me over two years.About nine months of writing, six months of editing/querying, one year ofquitting and three months of rewrites.

Who did you choose to help give you feedback and why? Do youthink writing groups are helpful?

Why, I’m so glad you asked! I had an amazing,supportive, honest, talented writing group. Not only was it helpful, it wasnecessary. I never skipped a day writing. I brought my chapters every week.Being accountable is essential for me. I went to them to get my butt kicked. Thenwhen I needed my ego stroked I went to my sister. She is an avid reader andalways had nothing but kindness for me. Have a butt kicker and an ego stroker.It is a great combination if you give them equal consideration.

Ahem, I was the group butt kicker. (Thanks, Regina!) Which is why I always brought sweet treats to our meetings.

What was the query process like?

Hell. I mean Hades. Sorry.Heart pounding, nausea inducing, time consuming Hades. That is, until after my Amazon success.Then I had a 30% response rate within days! Then it felt fun and exciting.

Were there moments when you just wanted to smash your laptopto pieces and give up? If so, how did you keep moving ahead?

I thought I hidall the battered laptops! Honestly, I cried a lot of bitter tears in thisprocess. My husband has observed that when I am writing I might not be my mostcheerful self. I am plagued with self-doubt and criticism. Then I startquestioning my whole existence. If I can’twrite this one paragraph why am I even here? And other assortedridiculousness. I really need to take big breaks from writing to stay sane. Sigh.Anyway, I moved ahead because I wanted to tell my daughter a story.

At what point did you decide to self-publish? Why did youchoose to use Amazon?

I don’t really consider what I did “self publishing.”Technically, I did, but in my mind I was just making it available to friends,family and whatever acquaintances heard about it and wanted a copy. That is whyI gave it out for free. I had no plans of making money or being discovered orsuccessful or anything else. I just wanted to share. I chose Amazon becausethey let you offer an ebook for free for five days and then at a low price.

What was it like to watch the design and layout of your bookcome together? Your cover was professionally done, right?

My husband, a giftedartist and designer, did my cover. The picture was an accident. We were takingfamily pics one day and when we got home and pulled them up for processing, weboth saw the same thing at the same time. “That’s the cover!” I told him my visionto add wings and the rest is history. I love that my daughter, who inspiredJennifer, is the golden girl on the cover. It felt wonderful.

When the magic moment came and you announced On Little Wingswas available to purchase or download, what thoughts and feelings went through your mind? What did you think wouldhappen?

I was at a church activity the night before the launch and I keptfeeling like I was going to throw up, I was so nervous. Most people don’t evenknow I write at all. I finally gathered my courage and decided I would tellthem. These were my friends right? I said, “I have a little announcement tomake.” And then everyone thought I was pregnant and after thinking I was aboutto produce a human, producing a bookwas anti-climactic, but they were excited anyway. I forced myself to tellpeople, even though it was hard. If I was going to do it, I was going to atleast try to get it to a few people. I thought a couple hundred might grab it.

Then received over 10K downloads in ajust a few days and hit #2 on Amazon. How crazy was that?

Breathless. Miraculous. Horrifying.Please remember I was bracing myself for the judgment of one or two hundredpeople. Not tens of thousands. I went into a tailspin of terror.

And now, you’ve signed with an awesome NY agent. Will youspill the beans and tell us her name? Or give us some more hints about who shemay be?

My agent is great! (I love saying “my agent!”) Her name is WendySherman of the Wendy Sherman agency. She is a former exec at Simon Schuster andHolt and has been a respected and successful agent for more than ten years. Sheis one of the few agents who comes with a score of Recommended. That is hard tofind.

How do you feel at this moment in time? What are your hopesand dreams for your writing career?

I am slowly learning to cope with theanxiety. I didn’t sleep for three weeks. I truly felt like an impostor. Iwanted to tell people I didn’t mean for so many people to find me. I was scaredeveryone would be mad when they realized I was just a girl in Kansas tellingher daughter a bedtime story. I am slowly, as reviews from strangers tricklein, realizing that what speaks to me, speaks to others. I am starting to feelcalm again. I have never thought of writing as a career. I can’t imagine I everwill. I will keep writing and editing stories until the words are beautiful tome and hope that means they are beautiful to others. This has never been, willnever be, about money. I hope this is a way to meet new and wonderful peopleand encourage them in their talents.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writersout there, what would it be?

Don’t dream of being famous or rich. It will probably never happen. But dream ofmaking something beautiful. When you have done your absolute best, expect moreand try harder. Find something to fix. Even if it feels like cutting off piecesof you, trim out the words until all that is left is beauty. Essential,undeniable beauty. I’m not there yet, but I will die trying.

And just for kicks, what kind of socks are you wearing rightnow?

Dang it! I wanted to say rainbow knee socks! I am, and always will be,barefoot. My toes are sort of free-range digits.

Thank you so much for sharing a slice of your story with my readers, Regina. I wish you the best of the best with the rest of your journey in the publication world!

On Little Wings by Regina Sirois is available on Amazon.com and in the Kindle Store.

Or you can enter to win it here!
Entering is simple:

Follow my blog.
"Like" Regina's Facebook Page
Leave a comment on this post. Please include your email address so we can contact you with the good news.

The winner will be announced on Monday, February 6th. Good luck, everyone!

Book Review: Family by Design by Heather Justesen PLUS GIVEAWAYS!

2012-01-30T05:00:00.000-06:00

Family by Design by Heather Justesen
Cover Blurb

Before he could think better of it, he blurted out, “I understand your concerns. I’m going to speak to my commander about getting an early discharge. My girlfriend, Rena, and I have talked about getting married. There just hasn’t been any rush.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wondered what he was thinking. Yes, they had discussed marriage, but not to each other! He and Rena had never even dated.

Tucker’s on his way to the biggest challenge of his life. Rena already has it all—except a family of her own. But neither one expected their friendship would take such a dramatic turn.

When Tucker becomes the guardian of his newly orphaned niece and nephew, he knows he can’t handle them alone, not when he might be shipped out with the Marines at any moment. Desperate, he turns to Rena for a major favor. His marriage proposal would give her everything she wants, but can she learn to live without the romance she’s always dreamed of?

As time, prayer, and a life-changing kiss work a little magic in her heart, Rena wonders if someone up there has a plan for her that’s better than anything she could’ve come up with on her own. And though it seems crazy at first, this could become her chance for a marriage that will last for eternity.

My Review

Each time a new Heather Justesen book comes out, I think it's my favorite of all time. But then the next one captures my heart. I've come to the conclusion that I just love them all! Family By Design was such a fun, delightful read that had me laughing, blushing, and occasionally reaching for some tissues. I think the cover is a great representation of the characters the reader falls in love with - some sassy red heals, some cute pink Mary Janes, typical spunky boy shoes, and one hunky builder/military man's set of work boots. Who doesn't love a story about a sassy woman and a man who's good with his hands (not to mention gorgeous!). Now that just makes me a bit weak at the knees right there.

What I admire the most about Family by Design is that Rena & Tucker's relationship is based on friendship. They are each other's best friends and have been forever. Those niggling thoughts of "What if" become reality when Tucker becomes the guardian to his niece and nephew. From there, some very interesting conversations and situations arrive. Then through the journey, they become a real family. But once again, life steps in and complicates things. How does it end? Happily, of course. But if you want specifics, you'll just have to read the book!

You can purchase Family by Design at Amazon.com or any local book store.

Special Promotion

Also, as a special promotion for anyone who buys a book before January 31, you can get a free ebook for her companion novella, “Shear Luck.” Once you buy a copy of her book go here to get your free copy.

As if that weren’t enough, Heather’s holding a host of giveaways on her blog throughout the next few weeks, see the rules at the bottom of this post to enter.

Here’s the blurb for Shear Luck:

Chelsea Robison has never forgotten the older boy next door whom she crushed on as a teen, so when she runs into him at the restaurant he’s preparing to open, it’s a delightful shock. And learning he’s available again is more than a little tantalizing.

Vaughn Krenshaw had never seen his neighbor as more than a nice kid—but Chelsea had definitely grown up in the decade since they saw each other last. He’s attracted to the feisty red head, but still struggles over his wife’s death the previous year. And then there’s his five-year-old daughter, Molly, who really liked Chelsea—until she realized the woman was dating her dad.

As Chelsea starts to wonder if their love for each other will be enough to make things work, a specter from Vaughn’s past rises, making her question whether she really knew him at all.

Blog Tour Stops

Tuesday, Jan. 17 Kim Job

Wednesday,Jan. 18 Nichole Giles

Thursday,Jan. 19 Liz Adair

Friday,Jan. 20 Susan Dayley

Saturday,Jan. 21 Keith Fisher

Monday,Jan. 23 Robbin Peterson

Tuesday,Jan. 24 Julie Bellon

Wednesday,Jan. 25 Cindy Hogan

Thursday,Jan. 26 RebeccaTalley

Friday,Jan. 27 Kathleen Brebes

Saturday,Jan. 28 Debbie Davis

Monday, Jan. 30 Danyelle Ferguson

Monday,Jan. 30 Maria Hoaglund

Tuesday,Jan. 31 Tristi Pinkston

Wednesday,Feb. 1 Joann Arnold

Thursday,Feb. 2 Christine Bryant

Friday,Feb. 3 Rebecca Blevins

Saturday, Feb. 4 Mindy Holt

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Elana Johnson's New Book Covers!

2012-01-26T10:35:00.001-06:00

Elana Johnson has new book covers!

For fun, she's asked her friends to announce and (ahem, honestly) critique them. So, to refresh your memory, here's the hardback cover for Elana's book Possession.

When Elana first revealed her cover, I thought it was unique, trendy, and awesome. But unique doesn't last for long in the publishing industry. Cause once something cool comes out, everyone wants to jump on the band wagon with their own versions. Browsing through the YA section, I've noticed more and more mostly white (or a light, mixed shade of white) covers. For example . . .

Here's another series I love which as a white theme & funky captured image on the front cover.

Then there's the facial close ups . . . When done well, they aren't nearly as freaky as this one is.

An everyday object to break up the stark white.

The white, washed out cover where the model wears clothes that blend into the background. You know what I see here - weeds.

And pictures of headless people - some of which just involve the lower portion of the body, other covers actually show shoulders down, and make me think of poor Marie Antoinette.

For as many white covers out there, there are just as many black, dark themed books too. It's like a clash of good and evil on the shelves. And in between those light and dark cover are super bright "happy teenage girl" color covers. And generally an eye-popping pink color.

Now, Elana has new covers. First, an updated cover for Possession's upcoming paperback release.

And the cover for the release of Surrender . . .

So, Elana wanted honesty. (No take backs, Elana. You're not allowed to hunt me down at the next writers conference and harass me.)

I have a love-hate reaction to the covers. Personally, I love the colors, but they are so NOT Vi and the society in my opinion. Although they really are excellent complementary choices for the images on the front cover.

I liked the original font better. This one seems too YA romancy to me. I really like the graduated background coloring, but the layout reminds me a lot of Allie Condie's Matched series. I'm not so hip about that. I like being able to tell my friends' books apart at first glance. I admit to occasionally seeing either Elana's or Allie's covers and accidentally saying, "Oh that's Allie's book. Wait, no Elana's. Oops." and vice verse. But that has more to do with the captured image on the front than the background. Although Allie's series had more color with the graduated tints, while Elana's was stark white.

My overall opinion - I like the covers. I think they'll stand out on the shelves between all the white and black covers. But I think they went from looking distinctly dystopian YA to romance YA.

And now, I believe I'll send a bacon themed e-card to Elana so she'll forgive me. =)

What do you think of Elana's new covers? Or the trend of YA covers in general?

I've been published internationally!

2012-01-24T16:50:00.000-06:00

Today, I received this awesome package in the mail . . .

It's the advance copies of my article, How Do I Help This Child: Seven principles for helping Primary children who have cognitive disabilities, which will appear in the international LDS magazine, Liahona, in February 2012. Six whole pages about how to help kids ages 3-12 during Sunday school classes. Six pages! That's huge in the magazine world!!! And the article is featured on the front of the magazine! We need more exclamation points!!!! =)

I was sent copies in English, Spanish, and French. But the magazine is sent world-wide and interpreted into all sorts of awesome languages, like Chinese, Portugese, and so many more. It's so exciting to realize something I wrote is helping people all over the world!

And isn't that an awesome picture of me and my son? Thanks to the fabulous Erin Jensen. Oh yeah, and our guest reader, Mr. Blue Rock Monster, courtesy of my son, Isaac. LOL!

What a WOW moment!

Help Us Learn, Give Us Hope - Part 1

2012-01-10T13:28:00.000-06:00

Two of my munchkins are in the QUEST gifted program at school. This year, they are participating in a service project called Help Us Learn, Give Us Hope. They plan to sew 100 backpacks and fill them with school supplies for troops to hand out to kids in need in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa.

I have been lucky enough to get to see these incredible kids in action. I was asked to talk to the older QUEST kids about how to ask companies for donations. I worked with them for a few days, giving tips and guidance when needed. I have been so impressed with their excitement, organization, and leadership! The kids have worked together, made phone calls to local businesses to introduce themselves and ask for information to send a donation request, then followed through by writing letters, answering questions and gathering donations. I know first hand how scary it is to call someone to ask for a donation - even as an adult, it makes my heart race and my hands shake. You never know if the person on the other end will be kind, rude, or even hang up on you. The 4th & 5th graders experienced every single one of those reactions. It made me just want to gather them up into big hugs. They were so brave!

But their work has paid off. One local business has generously donated all the supplies (except thread) the kids need to sew 100 backpacks. WOW! The kids were absolutely thrilled and are excited to schedule our sewing nights to get to work. As we work on this project, I am going to post updates and pictures of my munchkins as they continue to gather, sew, put together, and deliver the supplies for Help Us Learn, Give Us Hope.

If you or the company you work for would like to donate, please contact me for more information (queenoftheclan@gmail.com). Donations need to be received by January 16th.

Here's a list of supplies needed.

sewing thread
pens
pencils
erasers
scissors
pencil sharpeners
glue
rulers
calculators
tape
staplers
staples
notebooks
chalk
chalkboard erasers
crayons
coloring books
sports balls
small toys
toothbrushes
toothpaste

Question for my readers - In what ways do you or your school teach your kids to give back to other kids in need?

Plumbers & Water

2012-01-06T14:35:00.001-06:00

Over Winter Break, I took some time to think about my blog and some changes I'd like to make. There are so many things I'd like to blog about, but don't. Something I love about Facebook is when friends post about stuff they love or good experiences they have. I decided to add that to my blog and call it Friday Faves. Sometimes I spotlight a charity, share a funny story, or talk about products I love. Lots of random favorites. My hope is that we'll share ideas and discover new faves together.

Today, some of my favorite things are plumbers and running water.

Late last night, my hubby discovered our basement had flooded. So. Not. Fun. A plumber came out, snaked the line, ran a camera when that didn't work and discovered a break in our water line. A really nasty break. So there's no water for food, cleaning, or hygiene. YIKES! It's going to be about a week before our plumber can get everything arranged and fixed, but man, I'm so glad there are experts out there to help when emergencies like this occur.

It's so true that you don't appreciate something until it's gone. I never realized just how much water we use and how dependent our lifestyle is on the ability to access it. It makes me grateful for where I live and also much more empathetic to those who live without the conveniences my family has.

My question for you today: What experiences have you had with plumbers, floods, or water disasters - and what did you learn? Did you laugh your way through the stress (like I'm trying to)? What advice do you have for me as I wait out this craziness?

A Family Circus Christmas

2011-12-23T05:00:00.001-06:00

Isn't that just the best Christmas comic ever? Mostly because it's so true. Kids can picture baby Jesus so much better than God. And baby Jesus is much less intimidating too. I just love this comic strip!

Have a happy holiday everyone!

A Quest for Organization One Room at a Time

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-06:00

I'm totally not a homeschooler, but I love this comic!!!

This is the first week of winter break. Which means I don't have to do preschool drop-off & pick-up, no running this or that to the elementary school, no after school car pool. All of these things that interrupt my day every few hours have gone Poof! What will I do with all this uninterrupted time (minus the four kids tugging on me, asking when lunch is, if they can watch tv, or call a friend).

My goal is to start organizing the spaces in my house that are driving me NUTS!

The first room to get tackled is my bedroom.

But wait! I can't even just say "I'm going to clean my room." Cause it's such a huge mess, it needs to be broken down even more than that. You see, my bedroom is the catch-all spot for everything - laundry that needs folded or put away, kids art projects, boxes of cub scout stuff, clothes to go to Good Will . . . and the list goes on and on.

So my goal is to begin with my walk-in closet - which I'd love to be able to actually walk into without stuff packed everywhere, making me feel claustrophic. Hopefully, I'll get that cleaned out and organized in one day.

Hopefully. We'll see. When it does get done, I'll move on to step #2 - my half of the bedroom. If I still have time after that . . . well, we'll just see. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. If I put too much on my to-do list, then I'll be disappointed when I don't get it all checked off. But for now, I'm happy to get into the cleaning mode.

UPDATE: I actually got my closet and half of the room cleaned Monday and Tuesday. I'm so totally shocked! It took all day both days to get them done, but my room is mostly happy again. Now I'm just waiting for hubby to get his side of the room done. What's next on my list? To organize my desk & kitchen pantry, some general cleaning (the bathrooms - oh the horror!) and a little holiday baking. YEAH!

What's Your 2012 Book Reading Goal?

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-06:00

Books rule the roost at my house. Picture books, middle grade, YA, gobs of fiction, and yes, there's non-fiction in there too. Our family loves it all.

Between judging for the Whitney Awards, editing manuscripts, reviewing books and devouring novels for my own enjoyment, I know I read A LOT. But I've never tracked HOW MUCH. But Book Chick City has inspired me . . .

Book Chick City's goal is to read 100 books in 2012. She hasn't quite reached her goal for 2011 yet - she's on book #79 right now. But hey, she has winter break to catch up. If she reads like me, I bet she can totally do it!

She's also hosting a reading challenge. In 2011, she had over 630 people participate. How fun is that? I've decided to join her 2012 challenge.

Will I reach 100 books?

Maybe. I guess we'll see!

Who wants to join me?

Join Me Saturday Morning for an iWriteNetwork Interview

2011-12-16T09:00:00.002-06:00

Wow! It's been a crazy week. But the awesome news is today is the last day of school for my munchkins. YEAH!!! No more alarm clocks for 2 1/2 weeks. It's going to be wintery, heavenly bliss.

As a fun kick-off to Winter Break, I was invited for a blog talk radio interview by iWriteNetwork. I'm so excited! They asked me to talk about how authors can efficiently market their books through both social media and live events. It's going to be awesome, my friends! So please join us Saturday morning at 10 am (Central Time). For information about how to join the conversation, click here.

Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!

Call for Stories about Relief Society & a Book Winner

2011-12-14T08:57:00.000-06:00

My awesome writer friend, JoLyn Brown, has a book titled Circle of Sisters which is being compiled for her publisher. Here's a bit more about her project:

Since starting this project, I have been amazed at how much clearer the purpose of Relief Society Organization has become to me. As I searched my own life for experiences that changed me, I have seen how even in times when I thought I was giving the service, I received so much in return. It seems our lives are interconnected, with each person's story overlapping and reaching into another's. Our power to make a difference is remarkable and with the Lord's help, we can each experience first hand what it feels like to be a part of something incredible.

When we reach out to fulfill our roles in this organization we are changed and we change others. Hopefully as we share our experiences we will find another circle of sisters that will be changed by hearing our stories. Perhaps they will be reminded of a time in their own lives when something similar happened to them. Perhaps they will feel a new desire to keep going when it gets hard.

I hope you've been thinking about your own experiences with Relief Society. They don't have to be obvious miracles (though those would be great too,) but think about those times in your life when a kind word came at the right moment, when a prayer was answered by a friendly face, or when you were able to see clearer for a service you gave. The greatest miracles are often the simple things, each leading to another in a chain reaction. The Lord himself has told us many times that by small means, he will bring about great things.

Click here to go to the submission guidelines and share your story. The deadline is January 14th, 2012.

Faithful, Fit & Fabulous Book Winner

I'm so grateful for Random.org because there is no way I could ever pick a winner for my giveaways! =) Today's winner of the awesome book, Faithful, Fit, and Fabulous is . . .

Lynn Parsons!

Lynn, please email me your snail mail address and I'll get it sent out to you right away.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous, awesome day!

Say Yes to the Dress

2011-12-12T10:10:00.000-06:00

My daughter, MJ, and I recently discovered Say Yes to the Dress on Netflix. Since then, we've watched a couple episodes each day together. We've worked our way through seasons 1 & 2 and are a few episodes into season 3. It's been fun to watch the different experiences as brides shop for their wedding gowns . . . and it's brought up a lot of great conversations about dating, getting married, and modesty.

The store that hosts the show - Kleinfelds in Manhattan, NY - is one of the largest bridal salons in the world. Most of the dresses they carry are strapless - hence the talks about modesty. Especially when dresses by Pnina Tornai are being tried on and touted as "sexy". In truth, they are trashy and horrific! Manolo wrote an excellent blog post about why he dislikes the Pnina Tornai dresses and was totally spot on when he said they were "a stripperesque vulgarity rarely witnessed in the world of bridal couture." Really, ladies, save the sexy stuff for the honeymoon. You don't need to look like you're standing on the corner waiting for your next customer as you walk down the aisle. Sheesh!

For the most part, the dresses that are shown are absolutely gorgeous. MJ and I talk about all the different styles, what we like, and what types of gowns look better on the brides. Totally fun!

Of course, all this bridal stuff prompted MJ to ask if she could try on my wedding dress. So Sunday evening, my hubby pulled out my wedding bin. MJ was so, so excited to see my gown. She stood on a folding chair - cause I was much taller than my almost 11-year-old chickie - and slipped the gown over her head. Her face was pure radiance!

We got the dress all adjusted and when I zipped her up, I discovered that my wedding gown was the perfect fit around her waist.

Then I spent about two minutes reminiscing my once-upon-a-time, teeny, tiny waist. Sigh. I would much rather have my four munchkins, but occasionally I miss all the cute clothes I used to be able to wear. C'est la vie.

We pulled out my huge, long, long veil.

Then my wedding bouquet.

And voila! My sweet pre-teen daughter . . .

Isn't she just such a cutie?

So here's my question for y'all. What do you do to teach your daughters about weddings and marriage?

What to Read Next?

2011-12-09T18:02:00.001-06:00

Winter Break is approaching. At our house, it means we'll play lots of board games, put together some puzzles, watch movies and most importantly - read, read, read.

I usually have a big stack of books all ready to dive into by now. But I've been so crazy with life and other things, that I find myself unprepared. So here I am, asking my readers for suggestions.

I love to read books that are either funny, have a romance element, or the characters and plot are the kind you just can't put down because they're so incredible. Authors I love - Carly Phillips, Ally Carter, Elana Johnson, Richelle Mead, Melanie Jacobson, Heather Justesen . . . and the list goes on and on and on. I think the common thread here is the romance. But honestly, I love discovering new authors with a unique voice, awesome characters, and stories I don't want to walk away from.

What book would you recommend for my Winter Break reading list?

Faithful, Fit & Fabulous . . . and a Book Giveaway!

2011-12-07T12:19:00.001-06:00

Filled with humor and "I can relate" life experiences, Faithful, Fit & Fabulous is the ideal 8-week life boost that will refresh any woman's life. Create a personal and effective life plan, and learn how to readily apply it in your busy daily life. Establish holy habits, feel fit and fabulous, and get organized. Just one goal a week for eight weeks--simple and fun.

Every once in a while, a book comes into your life at just the moment you need it most. Faithful, Fit & Fabulous is like that for me. These last few months I've felt unbalanced in every aspect of my life - spiritually, work, family, personally. It all went out of whack and I've struggled to get things back on track.

On a visit to my publisher, I found Faithful, Fit, and Fabulous by Connie E. Sokol. The timing was at the beginning of the tailspin out of control. I was excited to find it, but then was so busy it ended up sitting on my desk. Have you ever done that before? Knowing that something that can help you is within your reach, but watch as it sits aside while you continue on your current path? Yeah, not the most brilliant moment for me.

Then I was asked to participate in the blog tour - which meant I had to make the time to read the witty bits of wisdom inside. And wow, has it ever made such a difference in my life just this past week alone!

The author starts off with a basic preview of her program - to take 8 weeks and improve a different section of your life each week, by creating doable goals. She recommends not choosing goals that you have to do every single day, rather creating goals to do 2-5 times and will be completed in one week. There are only two sections she recommends doing at the very beginning of the program. They are the Holy Habits (spiritual goals) and Create a Life Plan (which she calls a blueprint to help clarify, focus, and live your ideal life). After these two sections - which take a week each - you can skip to any chapter of the book depending on what area you are most interested in improving. They include:

Discover Joy in Womanhood
Feel Fit and Fabulous
Find Balance in Motherhood
Get Organized!
Create Healthy Connections
Establish Financial Peace and Prosperity

One of the things I really like is the author doesn't ask you set typical goals. Instead of saying "read your scriptures each day," her suggestion is to create a Scripture Sanctuary somewhere in your house. I love that! Each section ends with a few suggestions. I've found that they helped me think outside of the box and create goals that are really for me, rather than something "experts" say I should do.

There are bonus chapters called Back to Basics with ideas to continue using this 8 week program throughout your life. The author also has an awesome website with even more ideas and printable goal charts, etc. Go check it out! It's filled with fabulousness! (Note: If you're searching for the printable charts to go with the book, they were a bit difficult to find. Go to the FAQ tab and that's where the download link is.)

To read a preview of Faithful, Fit & Fabulous, click here.

Win a Copy of Faithful. Fit, and Fabulous!

Earlier in this post, I mentioned I had already purchased a copy of this book before being asked to review it. I now have 2 copies of this awesome book, so I'm going to share the Faithful, Fit, and Fabulous love. Entering is simple - "Like" my Queen of the Clan FB page & leave a thoughtful comment on this post. Be sure your contact info is available either on your Blogger profile or is in the comment trail. A winner will be randomly chosen on Monday Dec. 12th.

What Blessings Are in Your Book of Life?

2011-11-26T05:00:00.000-06:00

On my birthday, I reminisced about the challenges and blessings in my life. I asked my readers about what blessings they've received from challenges in their lives and what they would like to see written in their personal Book of Life. Here are some wonderful responses I've received:

My life has been very difficult with bi-polar disorder, PTSD, Depersonalization Disorder, and Anxiety Disorder. These all have roots in my family of origin. However, a great light came into my life with the Gospel. It took six years after my conversion at age nineteen to find the person who has contributed the most joy to my life--my husband. He was a golden contact, I met by chance far from where I was living. I bore my testimony in the middle of the wedding reception where we met. A voice told him, even before we met and spoke that I was the girl he was going to marry. He pursued me by letter for many months. Then things sped up and he began calling several times a day. Then he flew to see me and flew me to see him. Finally, we made a decision, that I would write my Master's Thesis in Chicago (where he lived) if he would take the missionary discussions. He was converted 10 minutes into the first discussion. After he was baptized, we became engaged. We married 2 months later (at advice of bishop). We were sealed in the LA Temple. He has stayed with me through my entire mental illness and helped me to raise a wonderful family of three outstanding children, all deeply committed to the gospel. Life has been hard, but our family makes it more than worth it. In the next year, I hope I will be the agent of helping many people with mental illness through my writing, and will bring many people under the healing influence of Jesus Christ through my story of healing and testimony.
- GG Vandagriff

What do I want to be remembered for? Kindness, Integrity, and standing up for truth. It isn't always easy to do the right thing. I want to make a difference.
- Linda Gardner

What would I want written on my page tomorrow? What would I want everyone to know about me or remember? Just that I stayed true to the gospel and myself.

Someone who was a blessing to me: At the very worst time of my life, my best friend was there for me in the very best sense as a true disciple of Christ, and in the very worst time of her life, I was there for her in the same sense, as a disciple of Christ. For her, when I was Primary President, I called her to a position she felt she had no talent for--music--because I woke up early in the morning and knew that was what I was supposed to do. She has born testimony numerous times how listening to DVD's of the primary children's songs while driving the long drive to and from work each day kept the spirit with her during a horrendous time in her life. For me, when I was Young Women President and suffering a severe (triple underline severe) challenge in my life, this same friend served as Laurel Advisor and stayed to talk to me every Sunday after church, freely sharing a listening ear, a patient heart, and a supportive soul. Christ came to me through her.
- Kathleen Brebes

In a very, very literal sense, tomorrow I'd love to write in the book of my life that I had an inspiring, informative and totally worthwhile church training meeting. I also want to try to give of myself to my children tomorrow, and love it.

Suddenly that seems a lot to ask.

Someone who was a blessing to you as you've been writing the "novel" of your life: the first person that comes to mind is my husband, of course. No big stories, just little things he does. He's so good with our kids, and wants to be involved with them and their lives (this isn't remarkable at all to him, of course, but I still love it). Lately he's really developed a talent for defusing my frustrations when they get overwhelming, and he's amazingly patient. He does the dishes every night so I can have that time to write.
- Jordan McCollum

I hope to be known as one who cared about and helped others. The longer I live, the more I recognize how important people are. I have to remember that from time to time as I give up my precious writing time to others. My mother was a great example of this, always finding something to say to help someone's self-esteem.

Thanks for letting me put this in words and reminding myself of this.
- Renae W. Mackley

I also have bipolar, and that has been the cause of numerous challenges in my life.

What I would want written on my "tomorrow" is that I never gave up, no matter how bleak things sometimes seemed. My yesterday (the literal kind) was one of those days where everything seemed bleak to the point of hopelessness. But today I got up and decided to stop looking at everything I was "failing" at, which was quite literally everything, and just try to focus on one thing I could make a slight improvement on. I really have to break everything down into teeny tiny baby steps and let myself feel good about taking them, no matter how small they are compared to the big picture.

Someone who has been a blessing in my life is my mom. She's shown me what it means to be strong and stay faithful no matter how hard things got.
- Jenn Wilks

I love how each of us has a unique story to share. I am grateful for God's blessings in my life and for the healing atonement from my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Gospel and my family are counted as the greatest blessings in my life . . . but there are so many other blessings too. Including my bloggie friends. Thank you for sharing your humor, insights, and friendship out here in cyber world.

I promised to give away a copy of my book, (dis)Abilities and the Gospel. Writing this book is just one example of how I took a challenge and turned it into a blessing. Random.org chose #4 as the winner. Congrats, Jordan McCollum! Please email me your snail mail address.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T05:00:00.000-06:00

Today I am grateful for my family, friends and faith. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

And here is a special little treat to all my fellow NaNoWriMo friends.

Tips to Stay On Target With NaNoWriMo During Thanksgiving Break

2011-11-22T05:00:00.000-06:00

I want to share a few tips and tricks to getting in some writing time during the busy - and way too distracting - Thanksgiving break.

I know, you're thinking, "Danyelle, you're nuts! There's no way to get writing done when all the kids are home from break and out-of-towners are invading the house!"

But trust me, there is. Just keep reading.

Tip #1 - Short 15 Minute Sprints
Make it a goal to get a least two short 15 minute sprints into your Turkey Day. If you can get in three, then Wahoo! Choose a location where you can lock the door and no one will bother you. May I suggest the bathroom? You can seriously lock yourself in there and no one will blink an eye that you disappeared for a whole fifteen minutes. Just be sure to flush the toilet and wash your hands before you come back out - or else your secret will be blown. If you have an annoying MIL, SIL, or other family member, you'll find you may want to schedule four or five (or more) 15 minute sprints. They're great for the psyche.

Tip #2 - Hide Your Laptop/Netbook/Alphasmart
This is important for two reasons. #1 - If you hide your writing buddy, then your kids can't get on it to surf the net or use it for an impromptu DVD player. It will be ready and waiting for you to pick it up and sprint it out. #2 - If you hide your laptop in the location where you plan to escape for your sprints, then once again, your cover won't be blown when family members see you trying to sneak into another room with it. Hint: If using the bathroom location, I highly recommend putting your laptop in either a drawer or beneath the sink in the vanity. But don't leave it visible! Cover that baby up with a towel. Think like your sneaky teenagers . . .

Tip #3 - Set a Word Count Goal
Shoot for 1,000 words minimum. You can totally do it! If you're a speed demon writer, then shoot higher. But make sure it's a goal that mildly challenges you, instead of knocking you on your butt because you shot too high. It is after all a holiday!

And now, my friends, I wish you all a fabulous Thanksgiving filled with family, laughter, and speedy fingers! Happy writing!

Book Review: Bound by Christine Bryant

2011-11-21T05:00:00.000-06:00

I'm happy to review the fabulous Christine Bryant's debut novel, Bound.

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia, has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive.

BOUND is a heroic tale of true friendship, infinite sacrifice and untamed love.

My Review

Bound is the first book in The Crystor series. This first installment sets up the relationship and ties between Kira, Lydia and Octavion. There are several excellent scenes in Bound, but there were some parts when I wanted more . . . information or action. For most of the book I hated Octavion (he's abusive), but there were a few moments when I caught a glimpse of a better man on the inside. By the end, I was trying to decide if he'll stay a bad guy in my point of view or evolve into a good guy. I'm interested to see where the next book leads the trio. And yes, I'll definitely be reading the next book. I'm totally intrigued and want to know how Kira, Lydia and Octavion are going to step up and defeat the bad guys.

You can read the 1st Chapter and purchase Bound on the author's website.

My Thoughts After the Advance Screening of Breaking Dawn

2011-11-17T22:40:00.001-06:00

I was super lucky to be invited to attend the advance screening of Breaking Dawn, Part 1 of the Twilight Saga Finale. I was so excited - I mean, who wouldn't be?

My good luck all began when I first arrived. I got an incredible parking spot right up front. Woot! Then, I walked around the theater to where I was told to go for the advance screening . . . and ran into Marcus from the Volturi (and the couple of theater security people following him around). He had his red contacts in and everything. Awesome!

Finally, I met up with my group - Breckann and Sarah. Breckann was the slick chick with the 'in' for the advance screening. I received this cool VIP badge . . . then was led to a reserved theater.

No fighting for seats, no stupid teenagers yelling out annoying stuff during the movie. Is this how movie reviewers live? Dang. Maybe I should stop doing book and get into the movie reviewer gig.

The lights went down. The previews began . . . and yes, Breaking Dawn followed.

What I Loved

The thing I loved most about Breaking Dawn was first, the wedding. Of course the romantic in me absolutely loved it! Alice can come plan my next anniversary party. PLEASE! The other fabulousness was the special effects, make up, etc they did to Bella while she was pregnant.Wow! As the movie progresses, she sincerely looks more and more drained from the baby taking away all her nutrients. There's a spot in the movie when Bella is preparing for a bath & you see the bones jutting out all over her back and shoulders. The people on the set who did all the work to make Bella into "Prego Bella" did an incredible job and deserve a HUGE round of applause. *clapping for y'all from here in Kansas City*

What I Liked

Most of the movie hit the "Liked It" mark on my movie-meter. Other than the Prego Bella stuff and the romantic wedding, there really wasn't anything about the movie that made me say AWESOME! and want to immediately go back to watch it when the next seat was available. Will I go see it in the theaters again? Nah. I'll wait to either Redbox it or buy it to add to my movie collection. I may as well finish up the Twilight collection since I have the rest of them.

What I Didn't Like

The birth scene and immediately after was actually quite gruesome. Like, nasty cover your eyes gruesome IMO. There were a few shots I would have preferred not to have stuck in my head.

What I Hope for Part 2

I sincerely hope they change the ending for part 2. I'll be honest here and say that Breaking Dawn was my least favorite of the Twilight Saga books. I'm not saying I hated it, just that it wasn't my fave. It started off great, then half way through, it felt like the author got burned out from the series. Everything she built up for incredible conflict, she let fall flat, then conveniently wrapped it all up. I hope the screen writers fix that issue and actually have a good conflict and fight before the conclusion of the series.

Now, all of you Twilight fans, tell me what you thought of the first part of the series finale. And be honest! You don't have to agree with me . . . but tell me what you really did & didn't like.

Birthday Reflections & Unwritten Contest

2011-11-15T05:00:00.000-06:00

Today is my birthday. As it approaches each year, I think back on my life. There have been many challenges. Oh so many challenges. But looking back on them, I gain a new perspective and can see blessings that came from each of them. Some rough patches seem to have served no other purpose than to make me a stronger, more compassionate individual.

In 2008, I hosted the Unwritten Contest, and received so many wonderful, uplifting responses from my readers. In October, I went back and reread those posts and found so much to be thankful for once again - and also a renewed desire to think about how I want my personal Book of Life to be written.

So this year, to celebrate my 34th birthday, I would love to share this experience again with my wonderful bloggie friends. The contest was inspired by Natasha Bedingfield's song Unwritten. What I love about Unwritten is that it reminds me the journey is not over. No matter where we are in our lives today, our tomorrow is unwritten.

Please enter and share a part of yourself to inspire each other. To enter the contest, leave a comment on this post and tell me two things:

1) What do you want written on your page tomorrow?

and

2) Share a story of someone who was a blessing to you as you've been writing the "novel" of your life.

Be sure to post your entry before noon on November 22nd. Each of the stories submitted will be compiled for a "Count Your Blessings" blog on the 26th. Submissions can be humorous, uplifting, etc. But they should all be sincere!

A random winner will be chosen and will receive an autographed copy of my book (dis)Abilities and the Gospel. This book is an example of how I took a challenge (teaching my son with autism the gospel), then shared the knowledge & techniques I learned to bless the lives of parents and church leaders facing similar challenges.

November Blog Hop Winner

2011-11-14T10:01:00.001-06:00

Congrats to Lynda Clark for winning the Thanksgiving Banner and Thankful Tree template. I'll email you with your prizes and more info!

I hope everyone is ready to kick off their week. I'm personally spending the entire day with my sweetheart. He took off work for my birthday - which is actually tomorrow. It's going to be an awesome, awesome day!

Watch for my birthday post tomorrow. It's going to be a really good one!

Pasta & Awesome Sauce

2011-11-12T11:17:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago, my friend Renae had my hubby and I over for dinner before a presentation I was giving at her church. She made the most fabulous meal! Pasta and Awesome Sauce (so dubbed by my hubby). It's so delish - I had to share the recipe with my bloggy friends.

Awesome Sauce Recipe

1 red bell pepper, remove seeds & slice into strips
1 orange bell pepper, remove seeds & slice into strips
1 yellow bell pepper, remove seeds & slice into strips
1 container of sliced mushrooms
1 lb hamburger
1 roll Jimmy Dean's Italian Sausage
1 family size jar Ragu's Chunky Mushroom spaghetti sauce
1 regular size jar Ragu's Chunky Garden Combination OR Super Vegetable Primavera spaghetti sauce

Instructions

This sauce requires a large saucepan. Cook the hamburger and sausage together until crumbled and browned through. Use a strainer to drain & lightly rinse. Then set the meat aside in another bowl. Spray the pan with cooking spray, then saute the mushrooms and pepper slices until they are tender - about 15 minutes. Once the veggies are at your preferred tenderness, then add the meat back in. Mix this up a bit, then add the sauces. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, then serve over pasta. Add a side of salad and garlic french bread and you have the perfect delicious meal!

I recommend making 2 lbs of spaghetti or other favorite pasta. This is perfect for when you have guests because it makes TONS! Even with our family of 6, we can have a few guests and we still have leftovers for lunches.

If you have a small family, you can make this sauce, then freeze the leftovers for another meal. Be sure to use it within 3 weeks of freezing.

Enjoy!

Helping Kids with Autism at Church

2011-11-09T05:00:00.000-06:00

If you haven't seen it yet, below is my Good Things Utah appearance with Heather Gardner on how to help kids with autism at church. The tips highlighted are from both my book - (dis)Abilities and the Gospel - and from Heather's experiences as a mother with three special needs kids.

November Giveaway Hop

2011-11-08T05:00:00.000-06:00

November is my favorite month of the year for several reasons.

It's National Novel Writing Month
My birthday is in November
Our family Thankful Tree
The big yummy family meal on Turkey Day

All month long, my family writes down the things we're thankful for on pretty autumn colored leaves, then hang them on our Thankful Tree. On Thanksgiving Day, we take all the leaves down and take turns reading them. Each year there's a range of items from funny to sweet to reverent. I especially love giving my kids the opportunity to express their gratitude.

Giveaway Hop Prizes

For this giveaway hop, I am giving away a few items to make your own November full of Thankfulness.

Prize #1: Be Thankful Banner

This awesome banner design is courtesy of LeeLou. I *love* her stuff!

Prize #2: Thankful Tree Leaves

The instructions & leaf design to make your own family Thankful Tree.

How to Enter

There's just one thing you must do to enter . . .

Follow my blog & leave a comment.

After doing that, if you would like additional entries, you can:

Follow me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter @DanyelleTweets

If you take advantage of the extra entries, be sure to leave a comment on this post to tell me.

The contest ends at midnight on Nov. 11th. I'll announce the winner before Nov. 14th. Be sure your email address is accessible on your blogger status, or that you leave your email address in your entry comments so I can contact you.

Happy November!

Book Review: Become by Ali Cross

2011-11-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

Sixteen-year-old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it's cold and totally predictable. Instead, she's sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made - that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn't count on, is finding a reason to change - something she never had before - a friend.

My Review

First, from a reader's point of view, Become is one of the most unique books I've read in a long time. Desi is the daughter of a demon (Satan) and a Guardian Angel. But she doesn't know that. She just knows her father is Lucifer, who raised her. This first book of the series is about Desi's struggle to figure out who she really is, then is faced with the difficult choice of between the comfort of the life she grew up in or stepping into a world she always feared. I thought all the characters in Become were fascinating, each adding more depth to the story & Desi's dilemma.Beware though: There is a mega huge cliff-hanger ending that took even me by surprise. It wrenched my heart out. Now I'm anxiously waiting for the next book in the series to come out in spring 2012. Although I wouldn't mind one eensy bit if the author was kind enough to send me an advance copy to review. Or even just take pity on me cause I really, really, really want to read the next book. =)

Now, there's another element to this review that I wanted to share. And this is something very rare. There were times while I was reading Become that I stopped and thought about the traits Desi had - both the good and bad inside her, the challenges she faced, and the difficult decisions she needed to make. Then I thought about how those same concepts applied in my life - especially right now when things aren't all roses and peaches. I really spent some time reflecting on the current challenges I'm facing, as well as my own virtues & vices. How are my choices and reactions to trials directing my life? What changes to I need to make? What kind of woman do I want to Become? It was interesting to analyze those questions. It also reinforced my knowledge that I am a daughter of God. Life is not easy & there are definitely "foes" who work hard to make life difficult. But I can face hard things, take on those difficult challenges. And even if I mess up, I have the opportunity to right those wrongs and make better choices in the future.

It's not often I find a book that I both devour the story and am inspired into some personal introspection. Becomes is most definitely a book worth not just putting on your to-read list, but bumping it up to the top.

Kickin' Off National Novel Writing Month

2011-11-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

Quick Note: Be sure to tune into ABC 4's Good Things Utah on Tuesday November 2nd. I'll be a guest to talk about how to help kids with cognitive disabilities at church!

Ah yes, it's that delightful time of the year when writers all over the word unite & take up the challenge to beat the World Record for the most hand cramps.

Hang on a minute. That's not quite right. I think it's the biggest caffeine high.

No, that's not it either. It's the most bruises from beating our heads against the wall as we work through writers block.

Oh wait! I know! It's all three . . .

30 Days - 50,000 Words.

I must be insane. Who's with me?

Happy NaNoWriMo!

Upcoming Good Things Utah Appearance!

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-05:00

I'm super uber excited about my invitation to be on Good Things Utah! So, all my Utah friends, set your DVR's, Tivo's, and other recording devices for Wednesday, November 2nd at 10 am on ABC4. I'm teaming up with the awesome Heather Gardner to talk about how to help kids with autism and other cognitive disabilities at church. It's going to be awesome!

One quick question - does anyone have a way to record the show, then burn it to a DVD for me? If so, I'd love to have a copy!

Have a fabulous and safe Halloween!

Bye Bye Nasty Germs

2011-10-26T18:17:00.000-05:00

Ucky yucky stomach bug germs invaded our house and for the past week, my family has been dropping like flies . . . one by one falling prey to these nasty germs. It’s hit five out of the six of us. Who hasn’t been hit yet? You guessed it. Me.

And I hope it stays that way. After all, who’s going to continue taking care of the munchkins (including the biggest sick baby of them all – my hubby), if Mama isn’t healthy? Volunteers? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Maybe it’s sheer determination that keeps moms healthy . . . sometimes anyway.

Well, this Mama has teamed up with some awesome germ fighters, all with the first name of Lysol. I’ve resolved to clean, scrub, wipe down, or spray everything in our house over the next day or two. Kids will be enlisted to strip sheets and remake with fresh bedding. Open up the windows and let fresh air into our house. It’s time to stop living with my kids’ heads in the toilets (literally).

It’s time to kick those nasty germs out and post a sign –

Germs Beware.
Mama Ferguson & Her BFF Lysol Live Here.

What do you do to keep the fall/winter germs away?

NaNoWriMo: Plot and Conflict

2011-10-24T10:23:00.001-05:00

The count down is on. One week left before your sprint to 50K begins. Are you ready?

If you're like me, then the answer is, well, not quite.

You see, I've been going through my story files and it's taken forever to narrow the choices down to THE ONE. But now that I have THE ONE, I'm looking at it and all I have is a blurb about the main character and a couple of scene ideas. Which means I'm so not ready for NaNoWriMo.

What to do? What to do?

The answer: PLOT & CONFLICT

To succeed at NaNoWriMo, you need to have at least a general outline of the book's plot. Just to know where the story is going. This outline is not set in stone. In fact, it will probably take some twists and turns you weren't expecting as you write and get to know your characters better. But believe me, that general outline is a life saver when you're getting ready for a word sprint, but you aren't sure where the next scene needs to lead you.

I did some Googling and found some excellent resources to develop plots for NaNoWriMo.

NaNoWriMo Prep: Plot Development and Profile Worksheets, Visualizing Collage and More by Iconclastic Writer

This blog post has AWESOME worksheets you can download for free. Isn't free such a happy word?

Tools to Help You Plot Your NaNoWriMo Novel by Jennifer Blanchard @ Procrastinating Writers

On this blog post, you'll find a bunch of different plotting techniques, including using index cards & the fabulous Larry Brooks Story Structure series.

Now, on to conflict - the wonderful device that drives your story. This is when you call up your writers group and host a brainstorming session. Write down gobs of conflict ideas - both internal and external. Josi Kilpack once said (and I'm totally paraphrasing & adding some of my own words - but it's her concept) that you need to put your character up in a tree. You start off by throwing rocks at him, then even bigger rocks, until you bring in a catapult and launch boulders at the poor sucker. Bring in the soldiers and shoot arrows at the dude. And just when you think he might surrender - set the tree on fire!

Conflict, Conflict, Conflict.

That is what you need to keep your story moving, flowing, and interesting. And if you need some inspiration, check out this sweet little puppy.

Now, I need to get moving on my plot outline and call some friends to set up a brainstorming session. How's your plotting going? Are you ready?

NaNoWriMo: What's Your Goal?

2011-10-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

I love National Novel Writing Month. It's a great way to kick your tush into gear and challenge yourself. The traditional goal of NaNoWriMo is to write 50,000 words in 30 days.

But what if you already know life isn't going to cooperate so you can acheive it. Does that mean you should just ditch the challenge all together?

No way!

Set a goal that works for YOU.

If something major is happening that will require the majority of your time and attention, then adjust your word count goal. Maybe it will be to hit 25K. Setting a goal and putting a word counter on your computer desktop, blog or website, will motivate you to take 30 minutes to get out a couple hundred words. If you do that four times a day, you could average 800-1,000 words a day. Multiply that by 30 and you've reached your goal! If that still sounds like too much, then adjust the word count.

If you don't set a goal, then you may put your writing aside for the whole month. Give yourself the opportunity to take on the challenge.

What if you just finished another manuscript and don't have another one plotted out yet?

Well, you have two options: 1. You've got about 10 days to do some plotting and brainstorming, then just jump in and see where it leads you, or 2. You can set your goal to edit, rather than write. That's perfectly fine.

The important thing about National Novel Writing Month is to be working on your novel. Whatever stage your in, set a goal to give you a kick in the pants.

So, what's your goal for NaNoWriMo?

Prepping Your Family for NaNoWriMo

2011-10-18T11:02:00.000-05:00

I consulted with my hubby, John (aka John Waverly), before writing this post. You see, last year he was the one who picked up the slack and took care of our family while I wrote like mad. He had some very good points that NaNoWriMo participants and their families should consider before November 1st hits.

Be Realistic

If you already schedule 4-5 hours a day for your writing, then you can probably stop reading this post right now. But if you're like the majority of writers out there, your writing time is probably more sporadic. Achieving your NaNoWriMo goal of 50K in 30 days takes a commitment equivalent to adding a part-time job into your schedule.

Think about it: If you write an average of 500 words an hour, then it will take 100 hours to hit 50K. But wait! We need to add in time for writers block, brainstorming, and, if you attend any write-ins, potty breaks and socializing. Let's say that's about another 20 hours of time. So now we're at 120 hours to achieve your NaNoWriMo goal. Which equals a 4 hour time commitment every day. Now me, I don't write on Sundays. I leave that day for church and family, which is especially important when I'm cramming so much writing time in the rest of the week. I try to write about 6 hours a day during NaNoWriMo.

Reprioritize Your Schedule

If you already work a full-time job - and face it, we all do no matter whether it's inside or outside the home - then you, personally, need to be willing to give up a lot during those 30 days.

No TV

No books

Cut back on the gym

Take the month off from volunteering at kids' schools

Postpone any Girls or Guys Night Outs

No movies (yes, this includes the next Twilight movie. Trust me, it will still be playing two weeks after the release)

You'll find a good chunk of writing time just by doing this. But it's still going to take more. And any free time you do have, should definitely be spent with your family and helping around the house.

Get Your Family on Board

During the writing challenge, you'll spend a lot less time with your family. The further you get into the month, the more tired, frustrated, and emotional your spouse will get. Trust me, I know. My hubby is THE most supportive writer's spouse I have ever met. Last year, I started out November by hosting a writers retreat out-of-state. I was gone for a week. Then the rest of the month, I went to write-ins 3 times a week and had online write-ins the other nights - not to mention the writing I did during the day. I slacked on laundry, have a very dim recollection of helping clean, and it was a happy day if I remembered to put in a meal in the crock pot. By the time the 20th hit, he was totally read for November to be over. Here's how we survived without getting a divorce. =)

Before NaNoWriMo kicks-off, sit down with your spouse to go over both of your schedules together. Keep in mind that you don't get to take over the schedule just cause it's NaNoWriMo. Your spouse has commitments, too, and needs support as well. My hubby is the Cub Scout Master for our church. Each month he plans a pack meeting, hosts a committee meeting, and has a district meeting to attend. I made sure to be home to take care of the munchkins so he could fulfill those important commitments.

Both of you need to come prepared with lists of activities. For you, that will be regional write ins you want to attend, work schedules, and commitments you can't cancel. You'll need a list of activities for your kids and your spouse, too. Now figure out how you can juggle home and family responsibilities in a way that's agreeable for you and your spouse. Be sure to plan time for family time and work out a meal schedule. Our family budgeted extra money to eat out. Each week, we planned two crock pot meals, ate out twice, had two left-overs/whatever nights, and made pancakes each Sunday for dinner. We tried to make things as simple as possible to keep stress levels down.

If you have older kids, get them in on the meeting too.They are much better with schedule changes when they've been in on the decision making and are more willing to help out with extra chores. Usually. If the moon and the stars all align just right . . . or if you provide the right incentives. Which brings me to the best part . . .

Set Goals & Rewards

No one wants to mess up their happy routine, but they'll grin and bear it for someone they love . . . especially if you create rewards that include your spouse and kids.

Pull together a family meeting and together set rewards for when you hit certain word count goals. For example, when you hit 10K host a root beer float party. Might I also suggest that when you hit the halfway point (25K), that you let you kids have a movie & popcorn night while you take your spouse out on a celebratory date night. Both of you take a break - no talking about writing or schedules, just a night of fun and laughter. And of course, there's the big pay off when you hit 50K. Plan something that your family loves, but doesn't get to do very often. Maybe it's a night at the movies, a new family Wii game, or taking a weekend vacation. Make NaNoWriMo as fun for your family as possible.

The Most Important Things

Communication is key. Talk often with your spouse and munchkins. Express your appreciation for their support. If someone is stressed out or upset, be willing to set aside your writing for a few minutes and let them vent. Give them hugs. When things are settled again, get back to work. Nothing is more important than your family, but your family can accomplish anything when they work together.

Motherhood and Me

2011-10-16T10:21:00.002-05:00

Growing up, I was focused on either school or reading. I never really thought about being a mom. That is, until I became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Being involved in such a family-centered church changed some of my views and goals in life.

Originally, I planned to go to college, stay on the dean's list, graduate near the top of my class, then jump into building my career. Marriage and family were something that would come along eventually . . . mostly likely after I was well establishing in my chosen profession.

This is how my life played out instead. I married my sweetheart after one year of college, then became pregnant during the next college semester. I'm still four classes shy of graduating. Just when I felt ready to go back and tackle those last four classes, our son was diagnosed with autism. So I set aside college and put all my energy into helping him.

My son is 12 years old now and has two sisters and a brother. We have a quirky, goofy family. Our home is filled with laughter and love . . . and the typical sibling squabbles. We run 5K's together, make up silly songs, tell totally corny jokes, help each other clean our house every Saturday, and are always ready with hugs anytime one of us is in need. We not only love each other, but we're best friends. And that's more valuable than any college degree out there.

Motherhood brought an unexpected, but completely fulfilling dimension into my life. Each day I know I'm in for a mixture of laughter and problems. I also know at the end of the day, four munchkins will snuggle up with me while I read a chapter from our latest Junie B. Jones book.

Being a mom is not at all what I thought it would be. It's hard, challenging, sometimes disgusting (especially during flu season). But if it were easy, then it wouldn't been nearly as fulfilling. I love being a mom. It's the best job ever!

Oh the Suspense! A Contest Winner and a Book Review

2011-10-14T17:34:00.000-05:00

Life is flying by this gorgeous autumn day. I want to go out and jump in the leaves with my munchkins, plant my front yard full of colorful mums, and eat pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. And I will . . . just as soon as I finish this blog post.

Who's John Ferguson Contest

So, how many of you nabbed Bloodborne by Gregg Luke just to read it and find out who "John Ferguson" represents in his book? I told you it's a fabulous book! I had gobs of entries. The contest answer is John Ferguson is also Sean Flannery. What? You're confused? Then I suggest you get the book and find out how that's possible.

The winner of the contest is . . .LemarLuke!!! Please let me know if you prefer the yummy Stephen's Gourmet Milk Chocolate Cocoa or the French Vanilla Cocoa.

The Alias by Mandi Tucker Slack

Jacey's eyes narrowed. What were these men trying to imply? She felt sick with shock. "No, I never really--John and I never discussed work. He never felt a need to include me in his business affairs." Jacey's heart thumped as the agents eyed one another.

After a long and difficult divorce, Jacey thinks the worst is over. Little does she know she'll soon be forced to go undercover to protect her family, and in the process, she'll risk losing her identity, her future, and her heart. With a lightning pace, a good dose of humor, and a plot that's full of suspense, this thrilling novel is an edge-of-your-seat read.

My Review

I enjoyed The Alias by Mandi Tucker Slack. It's definitely a suspense novel that sweeps you right into the action and Jacey's life. If you liked the Julia Roberts movie Sleeping with the Enemy or the book Without a Flaw by Michele Ashman Bell, then you should definitely put The Alias on your to-read list!

The Alias is available at your local bookstore and Amazon.com.

Interview with Author Jennifer Hurst

2011-10-10T05:00:00.003-05:00

Today I have a fun treat for you. An interview with author Jennifer Hurst. Jennifer's new book, Fall, recently came out. You can check out her blog tour here.

QOTC: Jennifer, thanks for joining us! Now, your main character, JD (short for Julia D.), works in construction. What intrigued you to come up with JD and her job?

Jennifer: I worked for 12 years in the construction industry – first as a drafter and then later as a project manager. Often times, I was the only woman in the employ of various construction and construction related companies. A lot of JD’s experiences in the book are based on my own.

QOTC: Very cool! What was your favorite part of the book to write?

Jennifer: In the original draft, JD spends a lot more time exploring Torrey and meeting its interesting residents. I had a lot of fun developing the supporting characters, but due to constraints and to keep the book flowing at a steady pace, I eliminated those parts. However, these other characters will appear in the sequel. My other favorite part to write that did make it through the final edits, was JD's developing interest in Matthew.

QOTC: Ugh! I hate cutting scenes. On the flip side, what was the hardest part to write?

Jennifer: The hardest part to write were the action scenes. I could see it so clearly in my head, but getting the right words to convey the fierce battle – was very hard.

QOTC: Are you working on another novel? If so, can you give us a short teaser?

Jennifer: I am working on the sequel for FALL – but I can’t give you a teaser. Sorry. Ya’ll will have to wait. I am, however, working on a YA fantasy/romance with a working title of Muddy. And here is a short excerpt from Muddy.

Claren knelt in the mud and drizzling rain. His long gray hair hung in dirty strands around his haggard face. He leaned protectively over the body of a young man sprawled on the ground. The young man wore light armor and a blue and white striped cloak. A wicked gash in his chest plate revealed torn flesh and white bones beneath.
Fighting down the rising bile, Claren hefted the young man up by his arms, and cradled him against his chest. Claren brushed away the young man’s long white hair; a mark of his ancestry and lineage.
A few faithful men-at-arms stood round about, glancing anxiously at the surrounding misted woods. They were ready for anything or anyone who might discover their secret; the King of the Vale had fallen.
A stinging wind swept through the glade, biting menacingly at reddened cheeks and exposed hands worn raw from days and nights of hard battle. A cold unrelated to the wind or the season, ebbed deeper into Claren’s soul as he struggled to keep from weeping over his young friend.
Claren reached for his satchel hanging across his chest at his side. Fumbling within it, Claren withdrew a small dark vial, and bit the cork off.
“Drink this, Eron,” Claren urged, swiping away his long grey hair from his eyes with the back of his wrist. He pressed the vial against Eron’s blue lips. Eron moaned and writhed in pain from the gaping and bloody ruin of his chest.
“Eron,” Claren said forcefully, trying to capture his attention. “Drink this now; it will prolong your life until Voluthra arrives to tend you.”
Eron turned aside his head and groaned, “Lilath. Where is my Lilath?”
“She is away,” Claren said hoarsely, feeling his face redden with frustration. “She is safe. Now drink.”
Eron resisted. The sounds of battle were drawing closer. Claren glanced up at the armored man standing nearest.
“Hold his head,” Claren ordered.
The battle weary soldier, who was wounded himself, dropped to his knees and held Eron’s head steady as Claren forced the potion into the king’s mouth. Eron gagged and coughed as fresh blood gushed from his wound. Claren felt the warm fluid soak into his pant leg and dampen his sleeve. The smell of death nauseated him, but he was satisfied that most of the vial’s contents had been consumed. Claren held Eron close as his breathing slowed and his movements and groanings gradually came to a stop. A few moments more and the king lay as if dead.
Releasing a long shuddering breath, Claren looked over at Feeg, taking in the man’s tormented expression.
“He lives,” Claren said, “but we will…” he paused and looked around as if noting the other men for the first time. Desperation clouded Claren’s mind.
“Go!” He said suddenly. “Go, leave this place. Raise Eron’s banner as if he is with you and escape to the boats. Now!”
“But Master Steward,” the soldier protested.
Claren cut him off with a sharp wave of his arm. “Do as I say!”
“Yes sir,” he replied meekly, but his expression betrayed the distrust he had and Claren saw it.

QOTC: Tell us a little bit about you . . . What's your favorite dessert? Biggest pet peeve?

Jennifer: I was born in Idaho, but spent most of my childhood in the South Pacific. I’m the oldest of 8 children and I have 3 of my own. My favorite dessert? Fruit smoothies. Although, I’ve been known to lose all will power when it comes to any kind of cookie. My biggest pet peeve is when someone leaves their phone number at the end of a long message and they say it so fast you can't understand it and have to listen to the message multiple times to figure it out.

QOTC: Thanks again for the interview, Jennifer. Before you go, how can readers contact you?

Jennifer: Thanks, Danyelle for the questions. They were fun!

www.jenniferhurst.com
www.fallbyjenniferhurst.com
Follow me on twitter HurstJennifer
Find me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/hurstjennifer
Email: jchurst@rocketmail.com or fall.jenniferhurst@gmail.com

NaNoWriMo: It's Time to Step Up and Accept the Challenge

2011-10-07T10:41:00.001-05:00

It's that time of the year when the air is crisp, roads are lined with a gorgeous flaming foliage, and writers worldwide prepare to be thrust into the hellish adrenaline rush of National Novel Writing Month, affectionately referred to as NaNoWriMo.

30 days of scraping every single spare moment to reach the NaNoWriMo goal of 50,000 words.

What? You think this doesn't sound like that big of a deal? Did you miss my reference to hell?

My friends, we're talking about a brand spanking new manuscript. A novel the writer has done nothing more than (hopefully) plotted out. When November 1st hits, writers everywhere glue their fingers to the keyboard and create the very first sentence that will lead them on a journey to fill over 100 typed pages. 100 pages! When was the last time you heard a student complain because he had to write a 10 page report in three weeks? They are wimps compared to the awesomeness of NaNoWriMo competitors.

But . . . but. . . . but . . .

No excuses! You CAN do this! And over the next few weeks, I'm going to blog about HOW you can reach, conquer, and surpass the NaNoWriMo 50K goal. Now, repeat after me:

I AM A WRITER!

MY SPEEDY FINGERS CAN CREATE NOVEL WRITING MAGIC!

I WILL ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE!

Now get your mouse over here and click on this link to sign up for NaNoWriMo!

There are a few important things you need to do while you're on the NaNoWriMo site:

TIME ZONE: Under the tab "My NaNoWriMo", go to "Edit User Settings". It's very important that you set your Time Zone. If you don't set it correctly, it can totally backfire on you. Especially if you're in the final hour of NaNoWriMo and finally hit your 50K goal, then go to verify your win on the official website . . . and you realize you put in your time zone wrong and your account is closed. I know people who've had this happen and it's major, major suckage. So do it now, do it right, and then you can do the Happy Happy Dance and claim all your fabulous prizes at the end of the month.
YOUR REGION: "Set My Home Region". Here you can choose the region closest to you and join. There are a couple of reasons to do this. It's fun to see how many writers are in your area. You can also track how many words your area has written compared to other areas. The best part is your region sets up Write Ins. These are locations where the region captains have talked with businesses, libraries, etc to set up times for NaNoWriMo participants to come together. There's quiet writing time, a bit of socializing and - my favorite part - writing sprints! Last year, my goal was to attend two Write Ins each week - and they were totally worth it!
NOTIFICATIONS: Under the tab "My NaNoWriMo", go to "Set My Notifications". The automatic settings have you unsubscribed to all notifications. I recommend that you subscribe to the Prep Talks, NaNo Videos, and your region emails.

There are some fun things you can do while on your NaNoWriMo account, too. You can fill out your author info, give a blurb about your book, and connect with other Writing Buddies. Towards the end of October, check out the Fun Stuff tab. There you'll find updated badges to post on your blog or website, a word count widget, and other great stuff.

Update from NaNoWriMo website:

Drumroll please.... On October 7 at 10 AM Pacific, we are merging the user databases of the old and new websites in preparation for Monday's launch. (Ten Ten! Fist pump!)
That is a fancy way of saying that if you update your profile, novel info, or user settings after 10 AM Pacific on Friday, your changes won't show up when the site launches on Monday.

So, if you haven't signed up for NaNoWriMo yet, wait until Monday morning. Be sure to put it on your phone's calendar, sticky note attached to your monitor, or whatever works best for you to remember to get it done! =)

GO NANOWRIMO 2011!

Hang 'Em High: A Secret Sisters Mystery by Tristi Pinkston & a Contest!!!

2011-10-05T05:00:00.000-05:00

Hang 'Em High: A Secret Sisters Mystery by Tristi Pinkston

When Ida Mae Babbitt receives an invitation to visit her son Keith's dude ranch in Montana, she's excited to mend their broken relationship, but not so excited about spending time with cows. Arlette and Tansy go along with her, ready to take a vacation that does not involve dead bodies or mysteries of any sort - one must have a break from time to time. But it seems a no-good scoundrel has moseyed into Dodge City and is bent on causing all sorts of trouble for the ranch. Unable to keep her curiosity in check - especially when it seems her own son is the most likely culprit - Ida Mae decides to investigate. Can she lasso the varmint and get him to the sheriff in time?
- "Move over, Miss Marple, Ida Mae Babbitt is on the case! Tristi Pinkston's endearing sleuth in sensible shoes is at it again, this time at a Montana dude ranch. With a clever plot, great ensemble cast, and the unforgettable image of Ida Mae on a midnight gallop in her flannel pajamas--who could ask for more?" Liz Adair, Whitney Award-winning author of Counting the Cost

My Review

I have sincerely enjoyed every single one of the Secret Sisters Mysteries by Tristi Pinkston. Each book has it's own unique twists, but really, Ida Mae on a dude ranch? Seriously? The characters just make me laugh out loud! And that's really the best part, because life is just stressful. I love to pick up something to read that will help me laugh and relax - and laughter is guaranteed when Ida Mae Babbitt and her friends are involved!

You can purchase Hang 'Em High at Deseret Book, Amazon, and your local bookstore.

Blog Tour Contest

To celebrate the release of Tristi's eighth book, she's holding a contest! If you leave a comment on this review, you will be entered into a drawing for a free manuscript evaluation, done by Tristi Pinkston Editing http://www.tristipinkstonediting.blogspot.com In fact, you can leave comments on all the blogs participating in this virtual book tour! Go to Tristi Pinkston's blog at http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com for a list. The deadline is October 5th at midnight MST. If you win and you're not a writer, you can give this evaluation to a friend.

Writers Retreat 1st Chapter Contest: The Results Are In!

2011-10-03T11:45:00.003-05:00

I am so excited for the upcoming Writers Retreat I'm hosting in Heber, UT the first week of November. It's going to be awesomeness! Here's a picture from our 2010 Writers Retreat group.

In conjunction with this year's retreat, we hosted a 1st Chapter Contest.

When I announced the contest, there were two types of entries: National Market or LDS Market. All of the entries for the 1st chapter contest were marked for the National Market. Lisa Mangum, editor at Deseret Book, has graciously said we could save her prize for another contest to be held sometime between January-March.

So, I'm sure everyone who entered the contest are now gripping whatever is nearby, wondering if he or she was the one to win the grand prize - A 1st chapter review by the fabulous Sara Megibow from the Nelson Literary Agency.

First, let me send out a huge thank you to everyone who entered the contest AND to our awesome judges!!! Also remember, each person who entered the contest will receive feedback from the judges - which is always my favorite part of entering contests. I love getting reviews so I can improve my manuscript. Emails with feedback from the judges will be sent out today.

Just to keep the suspense going, let's do a 3-2-1 countdown.

The 3rd place recipient
is . . .

Newtimber by Karen Hoover!

The 2nd place recipient is . . .

Colorless by Wendy Swore!

And the Grand Prize Winner of a 1st Chapter Review by Sara Megibow is . . .

Song for Anna by Annette Lyon!!!

Congrats, Annette! I'll email you about how to redeem your prize.

And for everyone attending the retreat . . .

only 31 days to go!

Bloodborne by Gregg Luke & Who's John? Contest

2011-09-28T10:34:00.000-05:00

Back Cover Blurb

One ordinary afternoon, research specialist Dr. Erin Cross steps into a local deli to get some lunch and nearly takes a bullet instead. Thanks to timely intervention from a former Marine, she walks away from the seemingly freak incident. But when she returns to find her lab under security lockdown and her apartment ransacked, she realizes the attack was anything but random. Erin can’t make sense of the threat, given her low profile after a disastrous H1N1 vaccine trial. She doesn’t know that her former colleague has used the virus to develop a potent bio-weapon or that her recent research holds a key to his success. And she doesn’t know that his collaborators want her dead before she blows the whistle.

Fleeing for safety with her research in hand, Erin unravels the threats with help from the timely Marine, former Special Ops agent Sean Flannery. But the closer they come to finding answers, the more questionable Sean’s behavior becomes. His erratic moods and suspicious communications are more fitting for an enemy than a friend. And as the crisis comes to a head, Erin can’t be sure who harbors more secrets — the bio-terrorists pursuing her or the one man who can give her protection.

My Review

Bloodborne by Gregg Luke was gripping and freaky. Now remember, I'm a romance chick and only watch action flicks if my hubby is nearby to hide my head in his shoulder during the scary parts. Well, Bloodborne was a book that I definitely needed to read curled up next to my hubby! Right from the first page, I was pulled into a roller coaster of suspicion, murder, and mystery. While yes, the book gave me chills at times, Gregg Luke did a great job weaving in some humor which did wonders to relax my clenched fingers just when they were going numb. Bloodborne is a medical thriller, but, thankfully, the author knows how to weave in the medical jargon and background in a way a totally non-scientific chick like me can understand. I have to say, Bloodborne is by far my absolute favorite Gregg Luke novel to date.

If you like suspense and mystery, this is most definitely a book you need to pick up! Bloodborne is available at Deseret Book, Amazon, Kindle, and local book stores.

Who's John? Contest

My very favorite part of Bloodborne was finding that Gregg Luke used my hubby's name as one of the characters. Now, there are two John's in the book. Your goal is to find John Ferguson and tell me who he really is in the book.

To Enter:

Follow my blog
Email me at QUEENOFTHECLAN@GMAIL.COM with the answer. Remember, you need to tell me who John Ferguson is in Bloodborne. Your answer must be emailed. If it's in the comment thread, it will be deleted.

The winner will be randomly chosen and announced on October 12th. And what will you win?

When you read Bloodborne, you'll find a scene where Sean and Erin are hiding at a rustic cabin . . . and drinking yummy hot chocolate. I'm a huge hot chocolate fan myself. So the prize will be a 16 oz Stephen's Gourment Hot Cocoa in either Milk Chocolate or French Vanilla.

Live Interview for (dis)Abilities and the Gospel

2011-09-27T13:17:00.000-05:00

At the 2011 LDStorymakers Conference, I was interviewed by Tristi Pinkston about my book, (dis)Abilities and the Gospel. The book had just literally come back from the printer and wasn't even in the book stores yet. That weekend was full of excitement and incredible experiences. And then I was asked to be interviewed. I was shaking because I was so so nervous! Alas, someone had some incredible editing skills because the interview turned out really great! I learned a lot and have practiced my "presenting" skills since then. Whew! Thanks Tristi & LDStorymakers!

Taylor Swift - Kansas City 2011

2011-09-26T13:13:00.000-05:00

Saturday was SUPER busy & exciting! I had two book signings with some fabulous awesome authors - Tamara Hart Heiner, Steve Westover, and Stephen Chase - at some fun book stores - Far West Country Store (Far West, MO) & Eden Bookshop (Liberty, MO). Both signings were fantastic! I got to talk to lots of people and sign books - which makes any author happy. =)

But then . . . then the awesome awesome awesome part of the day began. (Yes, I totally meant to say awesome 3 times in a row.)

I met my hubby after my last signing, nabbed my daughter and off we went to see TAYLOR SWIFT!!!

It was our very first concert. What a fun thing to share together as a mother-daughter team. The concert itself was worth every single cent we paid for the tickets at Arrowhead Stadium. There were tons of fireworks, a snow storm, acrobats, dancers, and a flying balcony, just to mention a few of the cool extreme factors during the performance.Taylor's Sparks Fly video highlights the live concert. Isn't it awesome?

One of the best parts was being in a stadium with 50,000 other people who all sang every single word to every single song Taylor Swift performed. The energy was incredible! We had aisle seats, so we had extra room to dance. And man did we ever dance. And yell, scream, and chant! We were on our feet for the whole two hour concert - dancing and singing together.

I had t-shirts made for MJ and I just for the concert. On the front it says "LONG LIVE - Remember This Moment" which is from our favorite Taylor Swift song, Long Live. This is definitely one of those mother-daughter moments I'll cherish forever, just for all the fun and laughter we shared.

Thanks for writing such incredible songs, Taylor!

September Blog Hop Winner

Before I log off for the day, I want to announce the winner of the Butterscotch Necklace. Thanks to Random.org for choosing the winner, which was #21 . . .

Laurie LC Lewis!

Please email me your snail mail info and I'll get the necklace out to you!

September Blog Hop = Fun Prizes!

2011-09-22T12:50:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the September Blog Hop!

Celebrate the beginning of fall with me and my blogger friends by hopping around, visiting our sites, and entering our contests! There are no limits - you can enter the contest on every blog. With over 40 blogs participating, that's over 40 prizes you could win. Just click on the links below to move on to the next blog.

On my blog, you can win a Premier Designs Butterscotch Necklace.

The lighting wasn't the best for my pictures, but the yellow beads are the darker butterscotch color you see here.

Would you like to win this prize? You just need to do two things.

1. Become a follower of this blog.

2. Leave me a comment in the trail and tell me why you'd like to win this prize.

That's it! You are now entered. The contest ends on Saturday night, September 24th, at midnight MST, and the winner will be contacted shortly thereafter. Please either leave your e-mail address in the comment trail or make sure it's visible through your profile so I can contact you to tell you that you're the lucky winner.

September Blog Hop Participants

1. Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author

2. Joyce DiPastena

3. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

4. Mandi Slack

5. Michael D. Young

6. Six Mixed Reviews

7. Pam Williams

8. Laurie Lewis

9. Kristy Tate

10. Marilyn Yarbrough

11. Stacy Coles

12. Kristie Ballard

13. Lynn Parsons

14. Pushing Past the Pounds

15. Sheila Staley

16. cindy Hogan

17. Jamie Thompson

18. Jaclyn Weist

19. Cathy Witbeck

20. Secret Sisters Mysteries

21. Tamera Westhoff

22. Tina Scott

23. Lynnea Mortensen

24. Danyelle Ferguson aka Queen of the Clan

25. Jeanette A. Fratto

26. Bonnie Harris

27. Melissa Lemon

28. Mary Ann Dennis

29. Stephanie Black

30. Jane Still

31. Janice

32. Laura Bastian

33. Tamara Bordon

34. Betsy Love

35. Maria Hoagland

36. Amber Robertson

37. Debbie Davis

38.

39. Christy Monson

40. Carolyn Frank

41. Rebecca Birkin

42. Melissa Cunningham

43. Emily L. Moir

44. Ronda Hinrichsen

45. Lisa Asanuma

46. Joan Sowards

47. Jordan McCollum

48. Diane Stringam Tolley

Learn more about September Blog Hop here.

Get The Code

Bronze Quill Award & Upcoming Signings in Missouri

2011-09-19T14:49:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, I found out that (dis)Abilities and the Gospel received the

Bronze Quill Publication Award

in the Religious Book category.

There was a crazy impromptu party & lots of Happy Happy Dances going on. YEAH! A huge thank you goes out to all the award judges and LUW.

Upcoming Signings

This Saturday, I have two signings with four other awesome authors. If you live in the outer Kansas City, Missouri areas, I hope you'll stop by. There will be coloring contests for the kids, Q&A with the authors, and a used book donation drive for the Caldwell County Library.

Saturday, Sept, 24th
10-12 noon
Far West Country Store
2650 NW State Route D
Cameron, MO

Saturday Sept 24th
2-4 pm
Eden Bookshop
118A North Main St.
Liberty, MO

The Eden Bookshop signing is during the Liberty Fall Festival. Think carnival rides and cotton candy on a gorgeous Saturday with your family. You can't resist that, now can you?

Book Review: Seers by Heather Frost

2011-09-14T11:09:00.000-05:00

Book Cover Blurb from Goodreads:

Seers are not just spectators, they are also prey.

For Kate Bennet, surviving the car wreck that killed her parents means big changes and even bigger problems. As she begins to see auras and invisible people, Kate must learn to trust Patrick O'Donnell, a handsome Guardian, or risk her life being overrun with Demons. She soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble.

My Review

Do you know what The Vampire Academy, Possession and Seers all have in common? There's a cute girl who falls in love with the bad boy . . . who isn't quite what he seems.

Another thing they have in common? They are all in my top ten FAVE YA book series!

Now, I read a ton, ton, ton. And it's really hard to make it to my top ten. So that should tell you right there how much I absolutely LOVED Seers by Heather Frost. I had the hardest time putting my Nook down when I needed to do something important - like pick up my kids from school or you know, eat. I was totally pulled in right from the beginning as Patrick lay dying. Then as a Guardian (think Guardian Angel - although Guardians HATE being called that), he meets Kate. And dang, I love the initial mistrust which leads to curious banter and eventually fireworks. Or actually, more like the suspense you get when you're in a big crowd waiting for the fireworks to start. It's awesome! Of course, aside from the romantic aspect of the book, there's lots of suspense as the Guardians protect Kate while the Demons try to get control of her.

The only thing I think that needs to be tweaked or added into the series, is that in the book blurb, it says that Kate survived a horrific car accident she was in with her parents, who die. And the reason she becomes a seer is because of how close to death she was - but we never get any details about the car accident, other than a few sentences when Kate talks about waking up in the hospital and could see auras. I would have liked a few more details - maybe where they were going, nightmares or something. Another note, the blurb that goes with the book isn't my favorite. I really like how Fic Talk expanded the blurb.

But overall, this book is excellent for anyone who enjoys a good YA suspenseful read with some paranormal elements (assuming you consider Guardian Angels and Demons paranormal).

You can find out more about Seers and read the first few chapters on its website. Enjoy!

Book Review: Lydia by Wanda Luce

2011-09-09T05:00:00.003-05:00

At six and twenty, the impoverished Lydia Hathaway has endured bleak years of heartbreak, longing for a love that never came. Her deceased father's foolhardiness has left her family bankrupt, and Lydia is eventually left no alternative but to take a position as the companion and governess to Susan Ashcroft of Danbury Park in Surrey. During the first days at her post, Lydia pines bitterly for a life she believes forever lost. Anxious for peace, she rambles one morning across the muddy wilds of the Ashcroft estate where she has a most unimaginable encounter with the notorious Lord Connor Denton.

As their paths continue to cross, Lydia falls ever deeper in love with the charming rogue while battling against his growing assault on her heart. In spite of his forward attentions, she considers his behavior toward her as nothing less than idle flirtation. And why should she think otherwise? As the wealthy son of an earl, Lord Denton may choose from among the most beautiful women of England's first circles--none to which Lydia claims inclusion. In spite of her indignation over Lord Denton's rakish maneuvering, she anguishes beneath the reality that he is forever beyond her reach.

Tormented in a relentless battle to suppress a love she cannot overcome, Lydia resolves to leave the Ashcrofts and Danbury Park forever. After all, she is nothing to Denton--isn't she?

My Review

I really enjoy historical romances and was quite excited to review Lydia. But I came to a realization. I like historical novels written with a more modern story telling technique.

Lydia is written in a total Jane Austen style - with wordy sentences, ping pong emotions, and well, more wordy stuff. Just like J.A. Before any J.A. fans start sending me hate mail, I should clairify that I love her stories, but just can't handle her writing. Give me an Austen movie, and I'm a happy chick. I think Lydia would make an awesome historical chick movie!

So, back to my review. The first five chapters were killer for me to get through, but by page fifty-ish, I really started to get into the story. And the last thirty pages had me wrapped up and wondering how Lydia and Lord Denton would admit their true feelings for each other. LOVED the ending! I don't do spoilers, so if ya wanna know, you'll have to read the book.

My recommendation is if you're more like me and prefer more contemporary historicals (Julia Quinn), then this may not be the book for you. BUT, if you're a die-hard Jane Austen fan, you're gonna love it. I already have friends asking to borrow it!

More Information

You can purchase Lydia by Wanda Luce at Amazon.com (link to the left) or your local book store. You can also find more reviews on Goodreads.

You can find out more about the author on her blog.

How to Teach Kids About Money

2011-09-07T05:00:00.001-05:00

We are a family with four munchkins. Over the past year, my hubby and I have been teaching our kids about earning money. First we started out with earning rewards with a button system. This was a great starting point. The kids were motivated to do extra chores and help each other.

Now we have a twelve year old and an almost 11 year old. Both of these kids are more interested in earning a bit of moolah to either save for special purchases or fun activities. After some talk with my hubby, we agreed that it's time to start teaching the kids the difference between savings, spending money, and church tithing. Soon after this conversation, I left for my book tour. While I traveled, I found these awesome banks - which totally fit we want to teach our munchkins!

While the wording isn't exactly how I'd like it, it works really well. When I showed them to my kids, I told them the fun money is their spending money, tithing is for church, and the mission fund is their savings and can be used someday for college, wedding or church mission. The kids thought it was cool to have a bank with 3 sections, instead of just one big one.

Since then, we've revamped our chores system.

I write down chores that need done on small Post-It strips, then put them under our calendar in the kitchen. The kids can choose any they want to do - but they can only take one strip at a time. That way no one can hog all the money. But if no one is interested in doing chores because they'd rather play the Wii (or whatever else is distracting them), then the munchkin who is helping can earn more moolah. Some days everyone takes chores, other days just a few do. It all works out.

When a chore is completed, then the munchkin brings me his strip and I go check to see if it was done the right way. Sometimes I need to give a little direction. When everything is done, then I get out the quarter stash. We pay 50 cents for each chore completed. Some chores we pay more - like raking the leaves or shoveling snow. Sometimes two kids decide to work together to complete a chore. Depending on how big the chore is, they either each get 50 cents or they each get a quarter.

Earned money goes into their baby food jars we used for the button system. Each week we count up their money and figure out tithing, savings, and spending.

We teach our kids that 10% goes to church, 10% to savings, then the remaining 80% is their spending money. For example, if one of the kids earned $5.00 the break down would be like this:

Tithing - 50 cents

Savings - 50 cents

Spending - $4.00

We've seen this system work well for others. One friend in particular had a mother who taught him this concept when he was young. He stuck with it all through his teen and college years. When he eventually married, he surprised his wife with an awesome 1st anniversary gift - their very first house PAID IN FULL. Now that's a gift his wife will never ever forget!

My husband and I use this same system with our finances and it's been a blessing. We hope our kids will grasp onto the concept, too. Next up, teaching our kids how to create a budget with all that spending money their saving. =)

Choosing a Musical Instrument, Guest Blogger, and a Winner!

2011-09-02T13:19:00.001-05:00

Choosing a Musical Instrument

My 5th grader is stuck in the midst of indecision. She finally gets to choose a musical instrument to play in either band or orchestra. She's so so excited. After several visits to the music room and a huge Try It night at the high school (where she literally tried everything!), she's narrowed her choices down to three:

Flute
Violin
Cello

Dang! Those are difficult to choose from. I played the flute for 13 years - even studied one year in France. I also played the violin for about two years. I would love to learn to play the cello if it didn't mean I had to learn the Bass Clef. In all of my years of musical training, I've never been able to get that one right - which is why I only play the top hand on the piano. =)

So we've been talking a lot about the importance of music at our house this week. We even went out to You Tube and found some awesome videos. This one is my favorite. It's from the Piano Guys. They did a surprise concert at an elderly home. I absolutely love, love, love the change in attendees attitudes!

Music is awesome! I can't wait to see what my daughter decides to learn.

What are your thoughts about band vs orchestra? If you played an instrument in school, what was it?

Guest Blogger

In the writerly world, I am a guest blogger over at Day Dreamer. The topic of the day: Unique Blog Tour Tips. Trust me, if you're promoting a book or any other product, you'll discover something new over there. =)

And Finally, A Winner!

Congrats to Judy for winning the awesome fall purse from the Awesome August Blog Hop! I'll email you and get it sent out next week.

Have a fabulous Labor Day weekend everyone!

Book Review: Conversations with a Moonflower by Christine T. Hall

2011-08-31T05:00:00.001-05:00

What on earth had just happened to me? It was a plant, for heaven's sake! And with the exception of the bright yellow blooms, it looked more like a weed than anything you would purposely put in a garden. But this mysterious plant had captivated me, and I couldn't wait to tell the others what I had seen.

Chris's life is anything but peaceful when she returns to Carraugus County to clean out her deceased grandmother's home. But her life changes forever when an Amish woman invites her to watch a moonflower open. Chris never would have believed that a simple plant could lead her on such a remarkable journey -- a journey that would remind her of truths she had long ago forgotten.

This debut by Chris Hall is guaranteed to uplift and inspire long after the story ends.

My Review

Conversations with a Moonflower is a short, but thoroughly thought provoking read. The story of Christine and her flowers was fun and interesting. The very best part though was the further I got into the book, the more I found myself pausing after chapters to think about moments in my life when I had similar feelings, how I grew to be who I am today, and what events in my life led me to where I am. Or I would stop in the middle of a chapter and just think about a statement that had just been made - and just how much I loved it. Conversations with a Moonflower may be a little book, but it makes a huge impact on the reader. I highly recommend it!

Purchase your copy of Conversations with a Moonflower at Amazon.com, Deseret Book, or Barnes and Noble.

It's a Giveaway Party!

2011-08-29T09:19:00.000-05:00

This week, I'm participating in the Awesome August Blog Hop.

Every blog on this hop is offering a fun prize, and entering is quick and easy. Simply follow the instructions on each blog, leave a comment, and bop right along to the next blog. You can win multiple times, so be sure to check out all the participating blogs!

So, this past Saturday, I spent the day glued to my sewing machine (a very rare occurrence) and made these totally cute Crossbody Runaround purses for me & my girls.

For the Awesome August Blog Hop, I'm giving away this cute Crossbody Runaround purse that's oh so ready for fall! Perfect for wallet, cell, and keys for shopping, running around with friends, and fun activities around town.

To enter:

1. Follow my blog.

2. Head over here to Amazon and click "Like" on my book, (dis)Abilities and the Gospel.

3. Leave me a comment and tell me that you've done both things. If your e-mail isn't available through your profile, I'll need you to leave that, too - I can't tell you if you've won if I can't contact you!

This blog hop runs through Wednesday night at midnight, so be sure to enter before then! The winner will be notified by e-mail.

Now that you've entered my contest, come meet all my other blog friends and see what fun things they are offering!

Awesome August Blog Hop Participants

1. Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author
2. Karen Hoover
3. Michael Young
4. Kristy Tate
5. cindy Hogan
6. Julie Bellon
7. Margot Hovley
8. Laurie Lewis
9. Mandi Slack
10. Melanie Jacobson
11. Joyce DiPastena
12. Renae Mackley

13. Debbi Weitzell
14. Donna Hatch
15. Carolyn Frank
16. Marsha Ward
17. Stacy Coles
18. Bonnie Harris
19. Danyelle Ferguson aka Queen of the Clan
20. Diony George
21. Lisa Asanuma
22. Susan Dayley
23. Christine Bryant @ Day Dreamer
24. Stephanie Humphreys

25. Ranee` Clark
26. Tamera Westhoff
27. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
28. Heather Justesen
29. Rebecca Talley
30. Jennifer Hurst
31. Aimee Brown
32. Cheryl Christensen
33. Rachelle Christensen
34. Imaginary Reads
35. Andrea Pearson

Learn more about Awesome August Blog Hop here.
View More Awesome August Blog Hop Participants
Get The Code

It's the Weekend!

2011-08-26T16:19:00.000-05:00

This week has been one super busy chaotic mesh of schedules.

Did I get everything done? Nope.

Am I going to stress about it? Probably - but not until Monday.

I'm taking my family and we're going to take a last minute trip to visit one of my awesome cousins. I'm excited to spend some time with her and her two munchkins. I'm hauling along my sewing machine and our Settlers of Catan game. It's going to be a blast!

So grab a lemonade and relax for the weekend, too.

Unexpected Chaotic Fun!

2011-08-24T14:25:00.000-05:00

I have an article coming out internationally for my church about how to help kids with cognitive disabilities at church. Late last week, I got an unexpected phone call. The magazine's art department requested a photo shoot with my son and I. They contracted with an awesome photographer - Erin Jensen - and an appointment was set for four days later.

I was super excited but then . . . questions and to-do list items started to pour in.

Contact Isaac's church Sunday school class and beg them to be in the pictures.

Pray, pray, pray for Isaac to have a good day at school, so he'd be in a good mood for the photo shoot!

What about clothes? What will I wear?

And oh my gosh, my gray hair is showing!!!

I quickly called Gina - a total hair genius - told her what was happening and asked if she could fit me in so I wouldn't look like Frump Mom. (No laughing!) She was awesome and not only fit me in, but also made time to style my hair the day of the photo shoot.

That Sunday, I asked Isaac's class to participate. Everyone was great! It turned out to be much easier than I anticipated. Whew!

Next item, clothes. Awesome photographer chick that Erin is, she took me shopping and we pulled together a simple, but beautiful, outfit.

Isaac had a great day at school (Thank you for answered prayers!) We finished his homework, had a quick easy dinner, then went off for the photo shoot.

It. Was. Awesome!!!

Erin was a blast to work with. She was fantastic with Isaac. She had him laughing, smiling, and totally at ease. I loved how she had us interact together as she took pictures. There were very specific pictures she was looking for. I liked how she put us together to fit those needs, but did it in a way that was so us - me and my guy Isaac. I can't wait for the article to come out just to see how they turned out! =)

The photo shoot was mind opening in another way too. I have always taught the younger kids at church and for the last four or five years, have not seen my son interact with the kids in his church class. While Erin was taking pics of them together, I got to stand back and watch them all goof around and talk together. They are one big bunch of energetic kids who joked with Isaac and each other. He just fit in - even with his quirkiness. It was one of those heartwarming, incredible Mommy moments when I realized the other kids like Isaac just the way he is. They accept him. They're his friends.

It was a wow-happy-tear-filled moment. Nothing makes a mom with a special needs child cry faster than seeing her child accepted and loved.

Isn't it awesome how something so unexpected and not-at-all normal can bring such great moments? I know it's one I'll never, ever forget.

*****

Now, I need your help with something. Awesome person that Erin Jensen is, she took a few pictures of me as a thank you. Wohoo! The following photos are the same pose, just different crops. I'm trying to decide which ones I want use for Facebook, Twitter, my blog, and website. It doesn't have to be the same one. For example, on Twitter you just get a tiny square, so I was thinking one of the closer cropped ones for there. Please tell me which are your faves and why. Thanks everyone!

BW#1

Color #1

BW #2

Color #2

BW #3

Color #3

BW #4

Color #4

All Because Two People Fell in Love

2011-08-19T13:46:00.000-05:00

This weekend is my 13th wedding anniversary. Some say that 13 is unlucky, but it's my hubby's favorite number. So I'm holding out for the best year ever!

With my anniversary approaching, our past, present, and future has been on my mind. I started going through our photo albums - both scrapbooks and everything digital. It's been fun to reminisce, to see how much we've grown (both in numbers, spiritually, and personally). I wanted to put together a brief photo collage - just one or two pictures of our family from each year. I'm such a visual person. This is what happens when two people fall in love . . . I can't wait to see what the next 13 years bring!

August 20th, 1998

I married my very best friend, John Ferguson.

He makes me laugh, curls up with me when I cry, and loves me perfectly.

Christmas 1999

Our first child, Isaac, was born in August.

He was such a happy little guy and made us into a real family.

August 2000

Isaac turns 1 year old!

Fast Forward to Fall 2003

I don't have my pictures scanned for the years between. =)

Isaac (3) and his sister MJ (2) playing together at the Pumpkin Patch.

This was one year after Isaac was diagnosed with autism. I was so grateful he had MJ, his very best friend and favorite person to play with.

August 2004

We welcomed another little boy to the Ferguson Clan - Rob!

Rob (2 weeks), Isaac (5) and MJ (3)

Isaac graduated preschool and started Kindergarten.

MJ started preschool.

Mom and Dad stressed, but kept up their weekly date nights!

2005

A trip to Washington coast for a week as an anniversary trip . . .

and lots of fun museum visits with the munchkins!

Isaac (6), MJ (4), and Rob (1)

2006

Isaac (7) and Mom at the zoo.

MJ's Preschool graduation.

MJ (5) and Rob (2)

One December 27th, we buckled up and moved to Kansas!

2007

Our last little girl, Anna, was born in February.

Anna (hours old), Rob (2), Isaac (7), and MJ (6)

2008

Isaac's baptism (with Aunt Lindsey).

Isaac (8), MJ (7), Rob (3), and Anna (1)

Our first 5K together as a family (with Jill Hessler & her son).

2009

MJ's baptism on January 23rd

Isaac (9), MJ (8), Rob (4), Anna (2)

Isaac (10) and MJ (8)

Rob (5) and Anna (2)

2010

We *heart* Special Olympics!

Isaac (11)

First Daddy-Daughter Dance

MJ (9) and Dad

Rob's Kindergarten Hoe Down (gotta love Kansas!)

Anna (3) and Rob (5)

2011

Isaac (then 11 - just turned 12!)

MJ (10)

Rob (then 6 - just turned 7!) and Anna (4) at the Primary Talent Show

So many gorgeous, wonderful blessings.

All because two people fell in love . . .

Happy 13th Anniversary, Sweetie!

Summer Giveaway Hop Winner!

2011-08-12T23:18:00.000-05:00

I'm back from my book tour and playing catch up on my to-do list. I can't wait to update y'all on Monday with some fun stuff that's happened. =)

But right now, I'm going to announce the awesome, lucky duck winner of the Summer Giveaway Hop!

(drum roll please . . . )

Congrats to participant #22 - CHERYL!

cjabdelnour said...Imprints or Chocolate Kisses. Thanks! Cheryl

Wohoo! I love happy news! Have a wonderful weekend!

LDS Bookseller's Association Convention 2011

2011-08-08T05:00:00.001-05:00

This was the first year I've been invited to attend the LDS Bookseller's Association (LDSBA) Convention. And yes, it's a by invitation only event for authors. Authors who have had recently published books and who have books that will be released in the next six months might be invited to attend the event. Lynn and I were lucky enough to score coveted entry tickets.

The purpose of the LDSBA convention is for publishers and vendors display their recent and upcoming products for book store owners and managers to browse and place orders for their store inventories.

First, can I just say wow? I had absolutely no idea there were so many product vendors that made and distributed the products found in a book store. It was incredible! Everyone from artists, jewelry, book marks, cards, ties (oh yes, I discovered the AWESOMEST ties EVER!), food storage, t-shirts, trendy women's clothing, cute signs, crafty items, pens, bakery items . . . and the list literally goes on and on and on. And that doesn't include the different publishers who attend as well. It was fun to wander around and chat with the vendors on display. I met a ton of wonderful people, some of whom I'm going to interview and share giveaways on my blog. Yeah! =)

After the vendor displays (which was all day long), there was a mix and mingle for authors and bookstore owners. It's kind of like speed dating, only way more fun! It was so fun to talk to the bookstore owners - most of which already carried our book and who had some great stories from their customers. Happiness! Lynn and I chatted with them about setting up events and signings. It was truly great, great fun!

Another awesome part of LDSBA is having the opportunity to see a bunch of your writer friends. It's one of the best highlights for me since I live so far away from all my Utah writer friends. It's like a mini family reunion (cause the huge family reunion is at the Storymakers Writers Conference!).

So, here are some pics with me and my awesome writer friends. Enjoy!

Oh no! It's Jacob Marley, coming to haunt Lynn & I!


Some awesome Authors Incognito chicks: Theresa Sneed, Betsy Love, Danyelle Ferguson, Lynn Parsons, and Tristi Pinkston


Me & the incredible Tyler Whitesides, author of Janitors. I'm so thrilled about his success!

My book at the Cedar Fort Publishing display!!!

I just had to get my picture taken with Scott Wright . . . just to taunt my hubby. Wahahahaha! I got to hang out with Scott and you didn't! =)

The true reason why Scott is so cool - his AWESOME other half, author Julie Wright!

My co-author Lynn Parsons and I with the head of Cedar Fort Publishing - Lyle Mortimer.

Me and my fabulous friend, Lisa Mangum, author of the Hourglass Door Trilogy.

I finally got to meet Dennis Gaunt in person! He's absolutely hilarious! No wonder I enjoyed his book so much! Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon (written by a truly fun guy!)

Deseret News Reviewed (dis)Abilities and the Gospel!

2011-08-05T05:00:00.001-05:00

Hikari Loftus from Deseret News gave an excellent review of (dis)Abilities and the Gospel. I normally just share a small quote and give a link to reviews, but I couldn't pick just one! You can find the full review on Deseret News' website here.

Danyelle Ferguson and Lynn Parsons’ book “(dis)Abilities and the Gospel: How to Bring People with Special Needs closer to Christ,” is full of suggestions, tips and hope for those who are seeking ways to bring their children to Christ.

This book is a helpful reference for parents, but should also be required reading for leaders and teachers who have children with disabilities in their classes or Scout troops.

Although the book was written using LDS Church meetings as examples, the information does not apply to LDS Church members alone. The suggestions are useful to any congregation or group with members or participants with disabilities. The book provides a glossary of Mormon terms to make applications and translations easy.

Each page teaches love, patience, determination and respect for the "special spirits" that are part of your church family. This book will help parents and teachers come up with plans that will help the children in their ward family be participants in the gospel.

Intrigued? Go check out the full review! Or find out more about (dis)Abilities and the Gospel on my website.

Guest Post & Book Review: Janitors by Tyler Whitesides

2011-08-03T05:00:00.019-05:00

TODAY is the last day to participate in the fundraiser for the Christian Youth Theater! Please support youth with special needs as they develop their talents of acting, singing, and dancing. You can order at any Barnes & Noble nation-wide or even online at www.bn.com/bookfairs. Please use book fair #10512580.

I'm off in the land of the Utes, attending the LDS Bookseller's Association Convention. If you live in Utah or Idaho, check out my sidebar for upcoming signings in your area from August 2nd through 10th.

Now. let's talk about this awesome new book series. I was given an ARC of Janitors by Tyler Whitesides to review. But my hubby (aka John Waverly) stole it from my stack of "books to review" and devoured it. He also posted a very fun review on his blog, which I'm sharing today. I plan to read this book with my ten year old daughter when I return from my book tour. I'll share my thoughts and an interview with the author then.

Review by John Waverly.

Before I get into my review there are two things you must know.

First, this book doesn't come out until Fall of 2011, so you'll have to wait.

Second, everything in this book is absolutely true. I used to work as a Janitor and still remember the daily battles with Toxites. I miss my magic brooms, vacuum, and dust rags. And I'm incredibly jealous that Spencer and Daisy got to use mops. Mops! My boss never let me use the mops.

My Review: Janitors by Tyler Whitesides

The other day, I had several new books I wanted to read. Sadly, I can only read one at a time, so I decided to skim through the first chapter of each one. I picked up Janitors first and didn't close it until I'd finished the entire book.

Janitors is a fun and zany story with a good middle-grade voice and lots of wonder and action. If you are 8-12 years old, or have kids in that age, or (like me) you still act that age you'll enjoy this book.

Back Copy

Have you ever fallen asleep during math class? Are you easily distracted while listening to your English teacher? Do you find yourself completely uninterested in geography? Well, it may not be your fault. The janitors at Welcher Elementary know a secret, and it's draining all the smarts out of the kids. Twelve-year-old Spencer Zumbro, with the help of his classmate Daisy "Gullible" Gates, must fight with and against a secret, janitorial society that wields wizard-like powers. Who can Spencer and Daisy trust and how will they protect their school and possibly the world?

Janitors is book 1 in a new children's fantasy series by debut novelist Tyler Whitesides.

You'll never look at a mop the same way again.

About Guest Reviewer John Waverly

Like most writers, John Waverly lives a triple-life. By day he is a software designer for Fortune 500 companies. By evening he is a coach/taxi driver/chef/referee/maid/psychologist to four wonderful children and tries to complete something off his honey-do list every once in awhile. At night, he writes modern stories full of action and magic.

You can find out more about John on his blog, Facebook Page, or Twitter.

Summer Giveaway Hop

2011-08-01T05:00:00.039-05:00

Don't forget that my fundraiser for the Christian Youth Theater is going on right now! Please support youth with special needs as they develop their talents of acting, singing, and dancing. You can order at any Barnes & Noble nation-wide or even online at www.bn.com/bookfairs until August 3rd. Please use book fair #10512580.

This week, I'm participating in the awesome Summer Giveaway Hop. There are literally hundreds of blogs giving away books from August 1st through the 7th. Check them out. Enter to win. Then cross your fingers and hope for a happy email to arrive!

Here on Queen of the Clan, you can enter to win your choice of one of the following books:

(dis)Abilities and the Gospel by Danyelle Ferguson & Lynn Parsons, M.S.

Chocolate Roses by Joan Sowards

Imprints by Rachel Ann Nunes

Rebound by Heather Justesen

To enter, simply follow my blog and leave a comment about which book you'd like to win. Be sure your contact info is either public on your blogger profile or leave your email address too. Contest closes on August 7th at midnight.

I will be on my book tour until August 11th. I'll try to announce the winner on the 8th, but it may not be until the tour is over. Have a wonderful week!

Tristi Pinkston's New Secret Sisters Mystery is Out!

2011-07-31T11:30:00.000-05:00

Don't forget that my fundraiser for the Christian Youth Theater is going on right now! Please support youth with special needs as they develop their talents of acting, singing, and dancing. You can order at any Barnes & Noble nation-wide or even online at www.bn.com/bookfairs until August 3rd. Please use book fair #10512580.

Author Tristi Pinkston is excited to announce the release of the third novel in her Secret Sisters Mysteries series.

Titled Hang ‘em High, this novel takes place on a dude ranch in Montana. When Ida Mae’s son invites her to come for a visit, of course she brings Arlette and Tansy along with her. They are expecting to spend the week looking at horses, avoiding the cows, and making amends in Ida Mae’s relationship with her son. What they don’t expect is to be stuck on the ranch in the middle of a blizzard and to be thrust headlong into the middle of a mystery.

***

Help Tristi celebrate her new novel in two ways. First, come participate in the two-week-long blog contest, where you can win a book nearly every single day! All the details are up on Tristi’s blog.

Second, come to the book launch!

You are invited to an

August Authorama!

Saturday, August 13th

Pioneer Book, 858 S. State, Orem

12 – 4 pm

Games, prizes, balloons, face painting,

and Dutch oven cobbler

prepared by world champion cook

Keith Fisher.

Authors Tristi Pinkston, J. Lloyd Morgan, Cindy Hogan,

Nichole Giles, and Heather Justesen

will all be there to sign books.

This is one book launch event

you will not want to miss!

Fundraiser Kick-Off Success!

2011-07-30T21:26:00.000-05:00

The Christian Youth Theater

fundraiser kick-off was a total success!


Amy Cox, the amazing PR manager for CYT-Kansas City.

We were packed with a constant flow of people all day long. The kids loved the performances, tea party, cookie decorating contests, and story times. Older kids really enjoyed the classes on how to do theater make-up. There were smiles and laughter all over - which was so awesome!


Halie and I just before her performance for Sound of Music.


Peter Pan was so much fun & a new recruit!

Two little princesses enjoying the tea party.

The Cat in the Hat & Gertrude getting ready to lead the kids to story time.

On the author side of things, I signed about 40 books - my biggest event so far. There are a few autographed copies still at Barnes & Noble's Oak Park Mall location. You can stop by for a copy, or if you live outside of Kansas, you can call the store and they will ship you an autographed copy.

Signing the first book of the event . . . with a munchkin on my lap!


A HUGE thank you to the most AWESOME bookstore PR rep EVER - Lauren Heller!

Don't forget the fundraiser goes until August 3rd. Let's keep the momentum going and support youth with special needs!
Purchases at any Barnes & Noble nationwide that use our bookfair ID will go towards a scholarship fund for youth with special needs to take acting, dance, and singing lessons at Christian Youth Theater. You can order items online at www.BN.com/bookfairs Be sure to use bookfair ID# 10512580 when you check out.

Awesome thing I discovered:
Pre-Orders count for the fundraiser! So if there's an awesome book you know you want to purchase, just go ahead and pre-order it!!! I personally pre-ordered Variant by Robison Wells, Crossed by Ally Condie, and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

So go buy or order a book you've been dying to get . . . and support an incredible cause, too. It's a win-win. =)

Thank you for helping to make dreams come true!

Bella & Ana: How the Christian Youth Theater Touches the Lives of Youth with Special Needs

2011-07-27T16:07:00.001-05:00

In preparation for my upcoming fundraiser on July 30th for Kansas City's Christian Youth Theater HEART Program, I wanted to share some stories with you about what makes the HEART program so incredible. Both of these young ladies may have special needs, but they have thrived and been loved during their time with CYT.

Bella's Story

"Everything that Bella does, she always works hard and gives her best to."

So says Theresa DeBrevi, a parishioner of Holy Cross Catholic Church. “I think it’s inspiring to people because, if all of us did what she does, imagine what we could accomplish.” Bella was born with Down syndrome, but she doesn’t let that stand in the way of anything she wants to accomplish — stardom included.

“One of our really big goals for Bella is her independence,” said DeBrevi. “If there’s something she can do herself, then I like to see her do it.”

They enrolled her in CYT, a nondenominational program that teaches drama, dance and singing through camps and after-school class sessions. CYT appealed to the couple because it welcomes children with special needs; its HEART program is specifically designed to help them acclimate. When Bella made her acting debut (in Scrooge: The Musical), her dad and brother were in the audience. But DeBrevi had volunteered for greenroom duty, so she had to watch the opening number on a small remote television. As she squinted at the screen trying to pick her daughter out of the chorus, her phone buzzed. She checked a text message and smiled.

“It’s from my husband,” she said. “Bella is singing.”

“Watching her flourish with this experience is a dream come true,” said DeBrevi. “She has made so many new friendships, and it’s so nice to watch as she walks in (to CYT) and there’s a new child greeting her.”

Ana's Story

"There is a special plan for me, who once was an orphan without a name . . . "

In May 2011, Kansas City youth Ana Colliton appeared in Christian Youth Theater's production of Annie. Not only does she share a close name with the show, but her story is remarkably similar, too.

Ana was born in La Paz, Bolivia, a country second only to Haiti in poverty level. She was placed in an orphanage where extreme malnutrition and a congenital anomaly make it a miracle she survived. Ana made a connectionwith her would-be parents (visiting for an unrelated reason), and the parent-child bon was made, never to be broken.

Ana was born without an outer right ear. With only one ear, Ana has trouble hearing in a large or noisy group setting. This can cause sensory confusion that can lead to panic in this 8 year old girl. Due to this condition and malnutrition in the orphanage, Ana's ability to commuynicate was delayed.

Although her hearing will never fully be restored, Ana is now able to hear better through the use of hearing aids and her ability to communicate improved dramatically through auditory/oral therapy.

Ana's family came to CYT because of the HEART program. After discussing Ana's special needs with program director Josie Strickler, Ana and her family were welcomed with open arms and the program has been blessed by Ana's spirit and accomplishments.

When discussing the similarities of the show Annie and her own life, Ana always comes back to this idea: God has a special plan for her, a girl who began life as an orphan and played an orphan in the production of one of the best-loved children's musicals of all time. We all agree!

The HEART Program instills confidence in their youth. It's truly an incredible program. You can showy our support for these youth by making a purchase at Barnes & Noble from July 30th - August 3rd. Be sure to use our book fair ID# 10512580. You can also print out the voucher on this post or use the instructions below to show online. Thank you so much for your support!

Online Shopping at BN.COM/bookfairs

Shop 7/30 through 8/3 to support our bookfair!

Bookfair ID#10512580

New To BN.COM?

Shop from the entire site – almost everything is eligible for our bookfair*
Set up a new account when you are ready to check out
On the very bottom of the Payment Page, check the box Check This Box If This Is a Bookfair Order
Type our Bookfair ID in the space provided and continue with checkout

Signed In To Your Existing Account?

Shop from the entire site – almost everything is eligible for our bookfair*
From the Checkout page, go to the Payment Tab and click the Change button on upper-right of the tab. This expands the full Payment Page.
On the very bottom of the Payment Page, check the box Check This Box If This Is a Bookfair Order
Type our Bookfair ID in the space provided and continue with checkout

Review of Blank Slate by Heather Justesen PLUS (dis)Abilities and the Gospel Blog Tour Winners

2011-07-23T09:41:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in the (dis)Abilities and the Gospel blog tour. The reviews were incredible and many new readers discovered our book. Thank you to Random.org for choosing the winners!

June Winners

$25 Amazon gift card & consultation . . . Marissa, who commented on Topsy Turvy Cakes review

Free consultation . . . Nisa, who commented on Christine Bryant's review

July Winners

$25 Amazon gift card & consultation . . . Chris, who commented on Heather @ Fire and Ice's review

Free consultation . . . James Duckett, who requested FB friends with Lynn and I

Congrats to the winners! I'll contact you via email with your prize info.

Blank Slate by Heather Justesen

Book Blurb: Adrianna Mueller may be a world-renowned concert pianist, but when she wakes from her coma after a serious car accident, her ability to perform has disappeared as completely as her lost memory. As she recovers from her injuries, she struggles with the expectations of everyone—her family, friends, and fiancé, Brock—who all want everything to go back to the way it was.

Everyone except Gavin, Adrianna’s brother’s business partner, who finds himself drawn to the woman she is now. But he has his own problems. As he tries to get a handle on a former employee’s embezzlement, he fights his growing feelings for Adrianna.

And then a trip to the emergency room shakes everything up, leaving her to stumble as she tries to regain her footing all over again.

My Review

I am a huge fan of Heather Justesen's books. I've loved every single one - and Blank Slate is no exception. Justesen brings to life loveable characters in such complicated situations. There's no flatness to be found in her stories, instead I get sucked in and can't put the book down as the story twists and turns. I just have to see what will happen next. As a huge romance genre addict, I love that Justesen's characters are attracted to each other, but we never go past sizzling kisses (which leave me weak kneed. Never mind the characters!). I've been trying to decide which of Justesen's books are my fave. Right now, it's a toss up between Blank Slate and The Ball's in Her Court. Loved, loved, loved them both!

Right now, you can read the first 2 chapters of Blank Slate on Heather Justesen's website. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance novels. Most especially to anyone who prefers romances with no bedroom scenes. =)

You can purchase Blank Slate by Heather Justesen at the following locations:

Smashwords
Kindle

Reviews of Two Awesome Book of Mormon Books

2011-07-18T15:47:00.000-05:00

This summer has been very busy and stressful. And what do I like to do to relieve the stress? Read, of course! Each evening when my kids go to bed, I take an hour or two or five and read until I'm ready to drop. There are lots of books I absolutely enjoyed, but two stand out above the rest. Not just because I loved them, but because they smoothed out the stress and added inspiration and upliftment to my day.

Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon by Dennis Gaunt

Warning! This book contains information about a deadly enemy’s top secret plans of world domination and total destruction. Your mission—should you choose to accept it—is to learn what the enemy is planning as well as what his weaknesses are so that you will be prepared to defeat him. Gathered here are case studies of some of the enemy’s top soldiers in his army—Laman and Lemuel, Korihor, King Noah, Amalickiah—as well as the strategies that allowed the Lord’s righteous warriors—Nephi, Alma the Younger, Abinadi, Captain Moroni—to defeat them.

President Ezra Taft Benson said, “The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. . . . It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day.” By learning about the bad guys, by studying their traits, tricks, and tactics, we will be able to see clearly the plans and plots Satan used in the Book of Mormon. And because they are the same plans he is using today, we will have “insider information” on how to defeat him. Your enemy is smart. You can be smarter.

My Review:

The first time I heard about this book was when I signed with Lisa Mangum at the LDStorymakers conference. She handed me a book mark and said, "Have you seen this?"

It was awesome! I wanted the book right then and there. When an email arrived asking me to review Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon, I was super excited. Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon arrived and I devoured it.

Dennis Gaunt has a fun writing personality. I love how he dived into the lives of the Bad Guys. He shares neat insights - things I never even considered - and makes it all so interesting. This is definitely not a dry gospel book. Be prepared to laugh one minute, then sit back the next and ponder how a certain statement effects your life. How you can be a hero and defeat the evil forces tempting you.

This book is written for teens and young adults - who I am positive will LOVE it. But no way can they have all the fun and knowledge! Adults - college students, moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas - y'all need to read this one! It's absolutely unique and one to definitely add to your gospel library.

You can find out more about Dennis Gaunt on his website. You can purchase the book on Deseret Book or Amazon.

Ammon by H.B. Moore

With the fire of newfound testimony, Ammon and his brethren leave Zarahemla to preach the gospel in Lamanite lands, carrying nothing but hunting weapons and the promises of God. Spotted by an enemy scout, they part ways in the dense jungle with hopes of reuniting at the close of their harvest. Ammon follows the Spirit to the borders of Ishmael, where he’s ambushed just seconds after spotting Elena, a fair-skinned woman who captures his interest.

As Ammon gains reknown in the kingdom, he defends Elena from the advances of Gad, the loathsome widower she’ll soon be required to marry. Then swearing allegiance to the Lamanite king and trusting in the Lord, Ammon further proves his strength and devotion by sparing King Lamoni’s flocks from plunderers. The amazed king and his court are converted to the gospel through Ammon’s powerful teachings and the miraculous events that follow, but each action Ammon takes causes more and more disruption throughout the kingdom. And when Elena is abducted by her own brother and hidden away in an unspeakable place, Ammon faces his greatest struggle yet: not just the outward challenge of lethal combat but also the inward challenge of loving one’s enemy.

My Review

H.B. Moore's Book of Mormon series is my absolute favorite scripture fiction books ever. All of the books have helped me understand the scriptures in a new light. I love to read her books, then go back and read through the scripture account again and see how much better I get it all. H.B. Moore has an incredible talent! Her new book, Ammon, is just as awesome as the rest of the books in the series. Before I go on my with my review, check out this interview with the author:

Now, back to Ammon. There's action and even romance. (Yeah!) But most definitely, this book is about struggle - both physical and emotional. I was so involved in what was happening between everyone in the book, that it was difficult to put it down to go to bed. Ammon's story is complex and gripping, all the way through to the last page.

The one element that I appreciated the most was Ammon's challenge to love and forgive his enemies. I try to hard to be forgiving, but honestly it's not a characteristic that comes easy for me. H.B. Moore's example of how Ammon relies his faith to find the strength to love those who hurt him and those he loved was my favorite part.

You can learn more about H.B. Moore on her website.

You can purchase Ammon on Deseret Book or Amazon.