Friday, February 24, 2012

Friday Fun Stuff

Brian Setzer makes me happy.



Tuesday, February 21, 2012

It's a Targets in Ties Blog Tour!

Hey, everyone!  To celebrate the release of my ninth published book, Targets in Ties, we're conducting a virtual book tour of reviews.  Here's how it works!

1.  Visit the blog sites listed below, and follow their instructions for how to win.

2.  At the end of the tour, you will be entered into a drawing to win a prize, one entry for every blog you visit.

That's it!  It's fun, it's easy, and did I mention it's fun?

Here are the participating blogs and their dates:


Targets in Ties Blog Tour

February 21st -          Kathy Habel - I Am a Reader, Not a Writer - click here for review
                                   

February 22nd -          Nichole Giles - Starcrossed Book Reviews - click here for review  
                                    
  
February 22nd –         Autumn Weber - Queen of Chaos and Joy - click here for review


 February 22nd:           Rachelle Christensen - Rachelle Writes - click here for review              
  

                          
February 23rd –         Melanie Jacobson - Write Stuff - click here for review


 February 23rd –         Rebecca Blevins - I Am a Pistachio - click here for review
                                     

February 24th –          Heather Justesen - click here for review       
                                     

February 24th –          Karen Hoover - A Writer's Ramblings - click here for review         
                                      

February 24th –          Sheila Staley - Why Not? Because I Said So - click here for review
                                                                 




February 25th -          Kim Job - Scribbled Scraps - click here for review                                                     


February 25th –          Keith Fisher - A Writer's Eyes - click here for review


February 27th –          Heather Gardner - Fire and Ice - click here for review


February 27th –          Mandi Slack - Mudrock and Pink Nail Polish - click here for review  


February 28th –          Karlene Browning - Inksplasher - click here for review    
                                      
  
February 28th –          Julie Bellon -click here for review


February 29th –          Danyelle Ferguson - Queen of the Clan - click here for review

And here's a picture of your prize!

    
Awesome coordinating scrapbook supplies, including tags!


Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Book Review: Prank Wars by Stephanie Fowers

I didn't go to college, per se - I took some correspondence courses through BYU Independent Study, and a couple of trade school courses, also through correspondence.  Reading Prank Wars by Stephanie Fowers made me wish I'd lived in a dorm for a while ... if for no other reason than it sounds like a whole lot of fun.

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?

As I started into this book, I was immediately drawn in to the comedy, and the friendships between the characters.  Madeleine is a feisty chick who knows what she wants and isn't about to get pushed around - and isn't about to give up her crown as the ultimate prankster. Byron is a little too self-assured for her tastes, and she's determined to push him off his pedestal and show him that he's only human.  She rallies her friends and roommates and he rallies his, and the two groups go head-to-head booby-trapping each other's apartments and playing all sorts of radical practical jokes.  The competition gets more and more fierce - and sometimes a little over the top - until Madeleine realizes she's stumbled into something big, something dangerous, and the two groups of college students must band together to get out of it safely.

I enjoyed the first portion of the book quite a lot, but when the mystery elements began to be revealed, I was even more intrigued.  The story had more dimensions than I thought at first - not just the tale of college students on the loose with no parental supervision whatsoever, it was filled with suspense and action.  I read the last several pages at double speed, eager to see how it all played out, and was not disappointed.

You can click here to check out Stephanie Fowers' website and watch the book trailer.  Click here to buy the e-book, and here to buy the hard copy.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Book Review: On Little Wings by Regina Sirois

I have always connected to the world through books.  I learned to read when I was five, and the love affair just continued from there.  Some books have stayed with me through the years and I refer to them time and time again, but every book I’ve ever read has become part of the fabric of who I am. 

A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of reading an unpublished manuscript for the novel On Little Wings by Regina Sirois.  I knew as I read it that it would become one of those books that would stay with me.  From the first page, I was sucked into the story by the beautiful writing.  A piece of literary fiction for the national young adult market, it takes simple events and makes them extraordinary through intelligent, remarkable word choice and perspective. 

Our main character is Jennifer, a teenage girl who learns that her mother has been keeping a secret—she has family living in Maine, despite years of telling Jennifer she has no relatives.  The pain of the discovery is greater than it should be—her mother seems absolutely wracked with grief when the truth comes out, making Jennifer wonder why.  Why didn’t her mother want her to know she had family?  Why did she run away from them?  Why is she so upset that Jennifer now knows?  And why won’t she let Jennifer contact them or have anything to do with them?

Jennifer feels that the rifts that have existed in her family cannot be healed until she gets to the source—her mother’s childhood.  Against her parents’ wishes, she travels to Maine to visit this newly discovered family, and embarks on a journey of self-discovery as well.

At the time I read the manuscript, I was absolutely convinced that it should have a place on the bookshelf alongside other great literary fiction titles such as Peace Like a River by Leif Enger and Light on Snow by Anita Shreve.  Unfortunately, this book’s publication was delayed for a while. I cheered when I learned it was finally to be released this last fall—it was a long time coming, far longer than it should have been, but every great book has a story of its own, one of how it came into being, and this one is no different.  The path may have been long and winding, but the book is here now, and it has created far-reaching ripples in the writing community.  The quality of the writing is something we simply don’t see from most new authors. I could tell as I read that the writer weighed each word carefully. She didn’t rush through the story pell-mell—she carefully allowed the story to unfold, page by page, with a gentle, artistic touch. I congratulate the author on staying the course, for following her dream, and for understanding that the best stories are not forced—they are born.

You can purchase the hard copy here, or the Kindle edition here.

Or ... you could enter to win a free copy ...

All you need to do is the following:

1.  Visit Regina's website and then send me the answers to the following questions (hint: read the about the author page):
         a) Where does Regina live?
         b) She cried the first time she ... what?
         c) Regina Sirois holds nothing back as she dares to make us ... what?

That's it!  You will be entered to win a hard copy of On Little Wings.  I must receive all entries by midnight Mountain time on February 18th, this Saturday. Winners will be chosen by Random.org and notified by e-mail.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Book Review: The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp

Amelia Marie Bedford is really good at her job.  She’s got the wardrobe for it, the clientele, she knows her market—and she’s making enough money to save for college.  It’s too bad that not everyone agrees with her chosen profession.

Amelia is a breakup artist.  Hire her, and she’ll get rid of your unwanted boyfriend for you in just a matter of days.  You won’t have to stare into his sad eyes or hear him beg for mercy—she’ll do all that for you. It’s just easier having someone else handle your unpleasant business.

But then she meets David—really, really good-looking David—and he tells her that it’s his mission in life to bring her down.  Doesn’t she realize she’s messing with people’s lives?  Shouldn’t they learn to fend for themselves?  Amelia disagrees with everything he’s saying … until she realizes she’s fallen for him.

The Breakup Artist” is geared toward the national young adult audience, although appropriate for the LDS reader as well.  It’s a light read, but also contains moments of reflection as Amelia comes face to face with some of her own demons.  We see her grow up and take responsibility for her actions, and we catch a glimpse of why she is the way she is.  These elements made me sit up and think, and I was particularly impressed with the discussion questions in the back of the book.  Those questions brought out elements of the story that were hidden beneath a deeper layer, and I appreciated their inclusion.

Two things bothered me about this read.  I hope the first isn’t too much of a spoiler.  David wants Amelia to go out of business and to stop meddling with other people’s relationships, but in the end, he relaxes his stance.  I was disappointed—I admired his integrity in standing up to her, and when he backed down, I respected him a little less.

Second, there were editing issues throughout the entire novel.  I noticed repetition, missing punctuation, rambling—things that distracted me from the entertainment of the story.  I wished the editing had been more precise. The story deserved it.

Overall, this was a fun read with personable characters, some great subtle themes, a very cute cover, and a believable character arc that flowed from beginning to end.  

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Book Review: Persuasion by Rebecca H. Jamison

The writing industry goes through its phases, and Jane Austen rewrites are definitely what’s cool right now.  Some are passable, some are not—and hard to imagine for an Austen remake, but some are erotic. Authors both national and LDS are experimenting with the trend, and I’m pleased to report that author Rebecca H. Jamison has really done a nice job with her novel “Persuasion.

The story of course follows the basic outline laid for us in Austen’s classic.  Sensible Anne was engaged to handsome Wentworth years before, but chose to call it off out of uncertainty.  When she meets up with him again eight years later, she realizes that her feeling for him are just as strong as ever, and she wonders if he can forgive her for breaking his heart.

We begin our tale with the yard sale taking place at Anne’s father’s house.  His extravagant lifestyle has made it necessary for him to move so he can reduce his expenses, and most of the work has fallen to Anne.  She’s the dependable one in the family, out of necessity—the other family members are self-absorbed, and as we see her against their backdrop, we appreciate her more.  She’s in the garage negotiating the sale of a lawnmower when Neil Wentworth shows up, throwing her whole world into chaos.  We see her struggle to conceal her feelings, her desire to reach out to him and yet her shame at her actions, and of course, a satisfying conclusion as they both finally open up to each other and express everything they’ve been longing to say. 

What I enjoyed most about this novel was the author’s solid writing style.  She described settings and emotions with a deft hand, and in fact, I read some portions of the book aloud in a class I taught about writing emotion.  I did find myself a little bit distracted by the use of present tense for the narrative voice—I’m not a fan of present tense, personally, and I had to overcome that one particular pet peeve of mine as I started my read. But once I got over my pride and my prejudice, and instead exercised some sense, rather than sensibility, I was very well persuaded to enjoy this novel.

Rebecca Jamison enjoys running, dancing, making jewelry, reading, and watching chick flicks. Rebecca grew up in Vienna, Virginia. She attended Brigham Young University, earning a BA and MA in English. In between college and grad school, she served a mission to Portugal and the Cape Verde islands. Rebecca now lives with her husband and children in Utah. You can learn more about her at www.rebeccahjamison.com


Sunday, February 05, 2012

A Fabulously Fun Fiesta!

A few days late, because I had a busy weekend, here are the pictures from my Targets in Ties book launch, held last Thursday, February 2nd.

Me posing with my beautiful new baby book.
The Secret Sisters Mysteries, all together as a happy family.
The refreshment table, looking properly festive.
Jenni James with her novel Pride and Popularity.
Nichole Giles with Mormon Mischief and Mayhem and The Sharp
Edge of the Knife, and Heather Justesen with Family by Design and Blank Slate.
Andrea Pearson with The Key of Kilenya and The Ember Gods.
A sister from my ward stopped in to wish us well.
As did Mindy Holt from LDS Women's Book Review. 

This expression on my face is pretty unreadable.  Maybe I was saying something 
wise and profound, or maybe my eyebrows were tired.  I'm unsure.
Because one picture of food is never enough.
Nichole, me, and Heather - perfectly color-coordinated, without 
the need for memos. 
Berin Stephens, author of Time Gangsters, models my book.
L-R: Betty Pearson, Andrea Pearson's mother; Andrea's brother;
Rachelle Christensen, author of Wrong Number; and Pam Williams, 
ANWA chapter president.
And the awesome grand prize basket, because I always have awesome
grand prize baskets at my launches.

It was such a fun night, and I really enjoyed launching Targets in Ties.  It's my favorite out of the Secret Sisters Mysteries, although they're all pretty darned good if I do say so myself ...

And it's now available to order here.

Friday, February 03, 2012

Whitney Finalists Announced!

Today is the day many people in the LDS writing community have been waiting for - the announcement of the finalists for the Whitney Awards, the only award for fiction written by LDS authors. Wanna hear who made the cut? Wanna?


General Fiction -
Before I Say Goodbye by Rachel Ann Nunes

The Evolution of Thomas Hall by Kieth Merrill

Gifted by Karey White

The Walk: Miles to Go by Richard Paul Evans

The Wedding Letters by Jason F. Wright

Historical Fiction -
Daughter of Helaman by Misty Moncur

Fires of Jerusalem by Marilyn Brown

Isabelle Webb: The Pharoah's Daughter by Nancy Campbell Allen

Letters in the Jade Dragon Box by Gale Sears

Miss Delacourt Has Her Day by Heidi Ashworth

Romance -
Borrowed Light by Carla Kelly

Captive Heart by Michele Paige Holmes

Countdown to Love by Julie N. Ford

Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson

The List by Melanie Jacobson

Mystery/Suspense -
Acceptable Loss by Anne Perry

Bloodborne by Gregg Luke

If I Should Die by Jennie Hansen

Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black

Smokescreen by Traci Hunter Abramson

Speculative -
A Night of Blacker Darkness by Frederick Whithers

I Don't Want to Kill You by Dan Wells

No Angel by Theresa Sneed

The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card

Youth Fiction, Speculative -
My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Shifted by Bethany Wiggins

Slayers by C.J. Hill

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George

Variant by Robison Wells

Youth Fiction, General -
Girls Don't Fly by Kristen Chandler

Miles from Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams

Pride and Popularity by Jenni James

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo

Congratulations to all the nominees!!! The winners will be announced at the Whitney Awards banquet on May 5th at the Provo Marriott. If you would like more information about the awards program, or if you'd like tickets to attend the gala banquet, click here to visit the Whitney Awards site.

Thursday, February 02, 2012

Announcements ...

Two very important things ...

First of all, I blogged about my weight loss and the amazing changes in my health that have been taking place. If you're curious at all if my diet is making me sick, come read this.

Second, don't forget that tonight is the book launch party for Targets in Ties! Click here for all the details, including an online contest for those who can't make the launch. This is way definitely the cool place to be on a Thursday night!
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