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

 

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 being wordy and slow.  What inspires you to write that way? Did your college education help you develop your style or did you find it later? 

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

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

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

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

Great question! You are right. Despite the interruptions, frustrations and limited time 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 in the blanks.  I also wanted to quit - all the time!- and whenever that happened I told myself two things: Just write a story for your daughter. Just write this poem to your sister. If no one on Earth ever pays attention, they will. If no one cares that you tried, they will. Family finished this.

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

Ummm, I have no idea. I collected the story and attempted writing it for over eight years. 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 of quitting and three months of rewrites.

Who did you choose to help give you feedback and why? Do you think 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 was necessary. 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. Then when I needed my ego stroked I went to my sister. She is an avid reader and always 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 laptop to pieces and give up? If so, how did you keep moving ahead? 

I thought I hid all the battered laptops! Honestly, I cried a lot of bitter tears in this process. My husband has observed that when I am writing I might not be my most cheerful self. I am plagued with self-doubt and criticism. Then I start questioning my whole existence. If I can’t write this one paragraph why am I even here? And other assorted ridiculousness. 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 you choose 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 why I gave it out for free. I had no plans of making money or being discovered or successful or anything else. I just wanted to share. I chose Amazon because they 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 book come together? Your cover was professionally done, right?  

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

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

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

Then received over 10K downloads in a just 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 hundred people. Not tens of thousands. I went into a tailspin of terror.

And now, you’ve signed with an awesome NY agent. Will you spill the beans and tell us her name? Or give us some more hints about who she may 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 and Holt and has been a respected and successful agent for more than ten years. She is one of the few agents who comes with a score of Recommended. That is hard to find.

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

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

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

Don’t dream of being famous or rich.  It will probably never happen. But dream of making something beautiful. When you have done your absolute best, expect more and try harder. Find something to fix. Even if it feels like cutting off pieces of 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 right now?  

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:

1. Follow my blog.
2. "Like" Regina's Facebook Page
3. 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!

 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 Rebecca Talley

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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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?

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!

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?

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. It's National Novel Writing Month
2. My birthday is in November
3. Our family Thankful Tree
4. 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:

1. Follow me on Facebook
2. 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

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

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!