Read Shanda’s review of Torn Apart by Diony George on the LDSWBR Blog.

Some of you may remember our Countdown to Christmas 2009 last year. It was so much fun that we’ve decided to do another countdown for summer!

From June 1 through June 21 on the LDSWBR Blog we will be highlighting different authors and their books that were published, or will be published, between January 1 and July 31 of this year. You are sure to discover several great books to add to your summer reading list.

Just like the last countdown, we will be holding a contest as well. Read on to find out how you can be entered into the drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card, a 3 chapter/30 page critique by author Nichole Giles, and one of 11 awesome books donated by the authors participating in our countdown.

As the last hours of our first day at the LDStorymakers Conference came to a close, we were able to speak with authors Danyelle Ferguson and Lynn Parsons about their new book, (dis)Abilities and the Gospel. Tristi Pinkston also took a few minutes to share some of her thoughts about the LDStorymakers Conference. This time we remembered we had a camera!

One month ago today I was enjoying my first day ever at LDStorymakers Conference in Provo, UT. The sights and sounds have faded a bit in memory, but I was taken back to relive the excitement and energy of the conference listening to the podcasts that will be posted today and tomorrow. Part 1 of the LDStorymaker podcasts is available here.

The two days I spent at the Conference were a much needed step “out of the norm” for me, and it’s no surprise that within a few days of stepping back into my life, LIFE took over, derailing my plans to get the large amount of material we collected during those two days posted within a week. But that’s okay. After a month, it’s nice to revisit the whole conference experience again. Take a few moments on this one month anniversary of the 2010 Storymakers Conference and relive it with me. It’s almost like being there all over again.

Part 2

In Part 2 of our LDStorymakers Conference 2010 podcast, we meet up with Josi Kilpack and Heather (H.B.) Moore. They are two of the sweetest women and are always willing to take a few minutes to speak with LDSWBR. Both Heather and Josi taught classes at the LDStorymakers Conference. Josi dishes out some goods about her next book, Key Lime Pie, due to be released in August 2010. Heather shares her experiences with researching and writing her first nonfiction book, Women of the Book of Mormon: Insights and Inspirations.

]]> http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/05/23/ldstorymakers-2010-podcast-part-2/feed/ 0 noTime Flies One month ago today I was enjoying my first day ever at LDStorymakers Conference in Provo, UT. The sights and sounds have faded a bit in memory, but I was taken back to relive the excitement and energy of the conference listening to the podcastLDSWBRTime Flies One month ago today I was enjoying my first day ever at LDStorymakers Conference in Provo, UT. The sights and sounds have faded a bit in memory, but I was taken back to relive the excitement and energy of the conference listening to the podcasts that will be posted today and tomorrow. Part 1 [...]LDS,Women,s,book,review,fiction,christian,club,literature,read,womenhttp://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/05/23/ldstorymakers-2010-podcast-part-2/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LDSWomensBookReview/~3/glq3zkbmJ9Y/ http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/05/08/a-womans-worth-by-jerry-e-johnston/#comments Sun, 09 May 2010 02:04:28 +0000 podcast@ldswomensbookreview.com (LDSWBR) http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/?p=729 I had the privilege of meeting Jerry Johnston during an author signing event today at Seagull Book in The District. He sat quietly at a table just inside the door. His pleasant demeanor drew me over and I introduced myself. In front of him on the table sat a few stacks of his booklet, A Woman’s Worth. Jerry offered to tell me about the booklet and proceeded to share how much the women in his life had taught him. I was impressed by the obvious respect and appreciation he has for these women who have influenced his life.

I happily agreed to read and review A Woman’s Worth. I hope that I can convey to readers in my review a portion of the appreciation I felt from Jerry during the few minutes I was able to speak with him.

A Woman’s Worth opens with an introduction written by Janice Kapp Perry, who comments that as she read Jerry’s recountings, “he prompted most pleasant reflections of the special women in my own life…” I agree completely. It was impossible to read about these women without remembering those who have had the most impact in my life.

Jerry shares his memories, thoughts, and experiences with several women of all ages, including Chieko Okazaki and Marjorie Pay Hinckley, in 12 short yet effective stories, most of which are only a page or two in length. In each story he shares how each woman touched his life and the lessons he learned from them. The most memorable for me included the parable of the prodigal son, a Peruvian woman who shared candy bars and dreamed of having a son, handkerchiefs, a penny, and a dinner table.

Each section is preceded by a heading appropriate to the story, such as Sacrifice, Loving Kindness, Optimism, Harmony, and Devotion. I was inspired and re-dedicated to improving these qualities in myself. It would be so fulfilling to reach the end of my life and realize that in some small way, I was able to be an example of even one of the virtues in this booklet. As a woman, my heart is full of gratitude to see that someone notices the value of these women, and treasures them the way that Jerry does.

A Woman’s Worth is a 28-page paperback booklet with an easy price tag of $4.99 or less. It would make a wonderful gift, not just for Mother’s Day, but for any woman and for any reason. A Woman’s Worth is available at Deseret Book and Seagull Book now, so get your copies before they are gone.

Jerry Johnston is a columnist for Mormon Times and has been with Deseret News for over 30 years.

FTC FYI: I received a review copy from the author that did not affect my review in any way.

One of the best parts about the LDStorymakers Conference is meeting up with old friends. Another is making new friends who will be old friends next year. Part 1 of our LDStorymakers Podcast series is a collection of interviews with L.T. Elliot, Karen Hoover, Donald J. Carey, Rebecca Talley, and Heather Justesen. I was so caught up in talking with these wonderful people that I completely forgot I had my camera with me, so the only picture I have of any of them is LDSWBR with Heather. Lesson learned for next year!

Read Hillary’s review of Change It Up! by Amanda Dickson on the LDSWBR Blog.

Hillary and I arrived at the Provo Marriott on Friday morning, relieved to find a parking space on the top level of the parking garage. The rain was steady and that particular level was exposed to the elements, but even sloshing through several deep puddles in sandals couldn’t dampen my excitement. (Sorry, couldn’t help myself.)

As soon as we entered the front lobby, we could feel the energy surging through the hotel. Hillary and I made our way to registration through a crowd of faces; some were familiar and greeted with an ecstatic “Hi!”; others were unfamiliar, though they wouldn’t remain that way for long.

Welcome and Introduction

I was amazed at how packed the ballroom was as I made my way to the table where Hillary was waiting for me. We flipped through the binders discovered in the handy green bags provided for us, marking the classes we wanted to take and reading syllabuses.

While we waited for the conference to begin, Hillary and I traded cards with the other ladies on our table. We all introduced ourselves and I realized that sitting next to Hillary was Paulette Inman from Pendragon’s Book Binding. I had seen Paulette’s work when Karen Hoover brought a book Paulette had made for her to the podcast recording in April. I made my first book purchase of the day- an adorable fairy-tale themed book I intend to use as my youngest daughter’s journal once her baby journal is full.

Once the conference began, first-timers at the conference were asked to raise their hands. I was blown away by how many people were there for the very first time. So many newbies, just like me and Hillary, ready to learn and be inspired. I knew I was going to have a great time at the conference, but the video they played during the introduction confirmed that these people were my kind of people.

The Classes

A few more comments and then we were off, a mass of students intent on getting a seat in the classes we most want to attend. For Hillary, Sheila and I, that first class was Heather (H.B.) Moore’s How to Avoid the Common Mistakes of a Novice Writer. This was the ideal class with which to begin, setting the stage for everything else I was to learn that day.

I sat next to Sarah M. Eden in Janette Rallison’s class on self-editing (major cool moment for me). I learned that I over-use the word “as.” I think I better double check this entry before I post it.

I already knew that authors can be the best manipulators when it comes to their readers. I learned in Jeff Savage’s class, Villainous: Creating Characters We Love to Hate, that writing an excellent bad guy is one area in which an author’s skill at manipulating their readers’ feelings can really shine.

I finished up my first day of classes with Krista Marino and The First Five Pages. This class was beneficial to me both as a potential author and as a book reviewer. I hadn’t fully realized just how important those first five pages of a book are, not just in getting a publisher’s attention, but the reader’s attention as well. Of course there’s the hook that snags the reader, but what amazed me in the examples Krista shared was how much information, and how many unanswered questions, can be packed into those first five pages.

Keynote

After classes had finished for the day, everyone gathered in the ballroom once again to listen to Dave Wolverton’s keynote address. The amount of knowledge and experience Dave has is impressive, but even more than that is his willingness to share those things with everyone around him. His speech was encouraging and motivating.

Hanging Out

After a delicious dinner, Hillary and I headed over to the south hall to chat with old friends and make some new ones. We recorded our first set of interviews that will be available in upcoming posts. The first day of my first LDStorymakers Conference was done, and it was awesome.

We have so many goodies coming your way. We had a great time at the Storymakers Conference this past weekend. There are more great photos and entertaining interviews coming soon!

How much fun did we have at the 2009 Whitney Awards?

More fun than we would have if Howard Tayler and Julie Wright hadn’t been there. Thanks for the laughs, Howard and Julie. You are a riot!

Recently, Sheila, Hillary and I were able to sit down with Karen Hoover, author of The Sapphire Flute, and Candace Salima, president of Valor Publishing. We had spoken briefly with Karen at the Valor Publishing Book Launch in March, and it was nice to be able to speak with Karen about her book in greater detail. Candace is teaching a class at the LDStorymakers Conference taking place April 23-24 at the Provo Marriott Hotel. If you’re still debating about attending the LDStorymakers Conference, listen to Episode 43 and learn how much the Conference helped both Karen and Candace in their success as authors.

]]> http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/04/02/episode-43-karen-hoover-candace-salima-ldstorymakers-conference-info/feed/ 2 noPodcast for April 2, 2010 Episode 43 Recently, Sheila, Hillary and I were able to sit down with Karen Hoover, author of The Sapphire Flute, and Candace Salima, president of Valor Publishing. We had spoken briefly with Karen at the Valor Publishing Book LaLDSWBRPodcast for April 2, 2010 Episode 43 Recently, Sheila, Hillary and I were able to sit down with Karen Hoover, author of The Sapphire Flute, and Candace Salima, president of Valor Publishing. We had spoken briefly with Karen at the Valor Publishing Book Launch in March, and it was nice to be able to speak with Karen [...]LDS,Women,s,book,review,fiction,christian,club,literature,read,womenhttp://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/04/02/episode-43-karen-hoover-candace-salima-ldstorymakers-conference-info/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LDSWomensBookReview/~3/sgQu8D8oCrQ/ http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/03/31/ill-know-you-by-heart-by-kimberly-job-book-review/#comments Thu, 01 Apr 2010 02:13:05 +0000 podcast@ldswomensbookreview.com (LDSWBR) http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/?p=552 Visit the LDSWBR Blog to read Hillary’s review of I’ll Know You By Heart by Kimberly Job. ]]> http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/03/31/ill-know-you-by-heart-by-kimberly-job-book-review/feed/ 0 http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/03/31/ill-know-you-by-heart-by-kimberly-job-book-review/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LDSWomensBookReview/~3/8DxnYnCkdEc/ http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/03/22/blog-tour-contest-the-sharp-edge-of-a-knife-by-d-n-giles/#comments Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:59:56 +0000 podcast@ldswomensbookreview.com (LDSWBR) http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/?p=463
I was more than happy to join in when Nichole Giles asked me to participate in her blog tour for The Sharp Edge of a Knife. As part of the fun, Nichole is holding a contest to go along with her blog tour. The contest details follow my review, so make sure you page all the way down. Here we go!

Title: The Sharp Edge of a Knife

Author: D.N. Giles

Published Date: 2010

Published by: Golden Wings Enterprises

ISBN#: 978-0-9794340-2-0






The Sharp Edge of a Knife is based on the real life experience of Nichole’s grandfather, told using the point-of-view of both Mel (her grandfather) and Jeneal (her grandmother). I’m glad Nichole told the story using both Mel and Jeneal; it worked quite well for me. Not only do we get to experience what is happening to Mel, we also learn what Jeneal is feeling and wondering during everything.

The Sharp Edge of a Knife isn’t a long book (142 pages), but it didn’t feel at all like a short story, either. The suspense lasted throughout the book, making the quick read a memorable one. Nichole’s writing is effective & the story is engaging, with just the right amount of detail, and reflects the time period as well (1950s). It was easy to picture the events in my mind as they occurred.

It was fascinating to see and read copies of actual newspaper clippings about the event at the end of the book. I concluded my reading with a great amount of respect for Mel and understand why he was and is so loved by his large and growing family. I highly recommend this book to all readers.

Well done, Nichole!



FTC FYI: The copy of this book I reviewed was provided by the author; this has no affect on my review.



Here is the contest info from Nichole:

The Sharp Edge of a Knife Blog Tour and Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of The Sharp Edge of a Knife, I’ve put together an exciting giveaway, with several opportunities to win. Since the book deals a lot with making choices, the prizes all have something to do with choice.

Among prizes I’ve been collecting, Lisa at Watches by Lisa has agreed to sponsor the giveaway by donating a custom made beaded watch and face. Head on over to her blog and take a look at the incredible selection.

So, choice number one:  the winner gets to choose a watch band and face so that their watch is personalized to their tastes and fashion needs.

Yes, I realize that a beaded watch is not exactly a prize to be coveted by a bunch of masculine men (though it makes a great gift for the woman or girl in your life), which is why I’m also giving away more great stuff. Check out the following really cool prizes:

1. Choice between: An autographed copy of the New York Times number one bestselling novel, Wings by Aprilynne Pike—or—a non-autographed copy of The Darwin Awards, Intelligent Design by Wendy Northcutt—or—a numbered, autographed copy of Recovering Charles by Jason F. Wright. Click here to learn more about Wings, here to read about The Darwin Awards, and here to find out about Recovering Charles.

2. Choice between: A $25 gift certificate to the Restaurant Morelia in Murray, UT (Sorry out-of-state peeps, this is local to Utah.) or $25 worth of vinyl lettering by Whaddayawannasay Vinyl Lettering—you choose your quote or phrase.

Bonus prize for author types

3. You may substitute any of the above selections with the following incredible opportunity: The chance to sit in on a critique session with my wonderful, amazing, incredible critique group. While there, you will be treated to not one, but six critiques on the first chapter of your work in progress. This is no ordinary group. We have in our midst some fabulous authors including Tristi Pinkston, acquisitions editor for Valor publishing and author of the Secret Sisters series, Danyelle Ferguson, freelance editor and author of (dis)Abilities and the Gospel—who will edit via internet, since she actually lives in Kansas—Heather Justesen, author of The Ball’s In Her Court and the upcoming release, Rebound, Kimberly Job, author of I’ll Know You By Heart, andKeith Fisher, up and coming author of women’s fiction and plotting genius, and Nichole Giles, also known as D.N. Giles.

**If you are not local to Utah, but would still like this option, we will still critique your chapter online.

**If enough people enter this contest, I reserve the right to choose extra winners and give away some, or all, of the prizes left after the top three winners have made their choices.

Entries will be accepted between March 15^th and April 3^rd. On April 5^th Nichole will announce the contest winners on her blog. Entry requirements:

1. You must be a follower of my blog.

2. You must leave a comment telling me which prize you want to win and why.

3. For those wishing to win the watch, you must go to Watches by Lisa and become a follower, then come back and tell me which watch combination is your favorite.

Extra entries:

1. Blog about this contest, then come back and leave either a url address or a link in a comment.

2. Twitter this contest, tell me where to see your tweet in a comment.

3. Follow me on Twitter.

4. Follow Nichole on Twitter.

5. Facebook the contest. If your Facebook page is private, and I’m not your friend, I can’t see that you’ve done this, so you’ll need to friend me.

6. Become a fan of The Sharp Edge of a Knife on Facebook.

You may enter this contest here, as well as on any of the tour posts at the following blogs:

March 15^th Cindy Beck, Review

March 16^th David J. West, review, interview

March 17^th Cindy Beck, Interview

March 18^th Tristi Pinkston, review

March  19^th Rachelle Christensen, review

March 22^nd Shanda, LDS Women’s Book Review

March 23^rd Kimberly Job, review

March 23^rd Keith Fisher, Interview

March 24^th Heather Justesen, review

March 25^th Christine Bryant, Review

March 25^th Connie Hall, Interview

March 26^th Kimberly Job, interview

March 26^th Heather Justesen, interview

March 27^th Keith Fisher, review

March 28^th Ali Cross, Review

March 29^th Rachelle Christensen, Interview

March 30^th Heather Gardener, Fire and Ice Book Reviews

March 31^st Danyelle Ferguson review, interview

While at the Valor Publishing Book Launch in March, we ran into authors Aubrey Mace and Jessica Day George, who had come to show their support. We took the opportunity in Episode 42 Part 3 to talk to them about what they’ve been working on and they were more than willing accommodate us. Aubrey and Jessica are sweet and funny ladies. You won’t want to miss this one!

In Part 2 of Episode 42, we take some time to speak with Candace E. Salima, President of Valor Publishing Group. Candace shared with us the how and why behind Valor Publishing, as well as some big things that will be happening for Valor Publishing in the near future. Candace had great things to say about the new authors at the March Book Launch, as well as those who have helped make Valor a success. Visit Valor Publishing at www.valorpublishinggroup.com for more information.

In Episode 42 Part 1, LDSWBR was able to interview each of the five authors whose books were released at the Valor Publishing Book Launch in March. Listen to what Michele Ashman Bell (Summer in Paris), Daron Fraley (The Thorn), Kimberly Job (I’ll Know You by Heart), Tristi Pinkston (Secret Sisters) and Karen Hoover (The Sapphire Flute) have to say about their new books published by Valor Publishing. As a bonus, you’ll also hear Karen Hoover playing her own sapphire flute in a beautiful performance. Visit Valor Publishing at www.valorpublishinggroup.com for more information.

We had such an entertaining interview with Julie Coulter Bellon, author of Dangerous Connections, during Episode 41. There’s even a blooper reel. And singing. Enjoy! For more information about Dangerous Connections, visit Julie’s blog: juliebellon.com.

]]> http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/03/06/episode-41-interview-with-julie-coulter-bellon/feed/ 0 noPodcast for March 6, 2010 Episode 41 We had such an entertaining interview with Julie Coulter Bellon, author of Dangerous Connections, during Episode 41. There’s even a blooper reel. And singing. Enjoy! For more information about Dangerous ConnectioLDSWBRPodcast for March 6, 2010 Episode 41 We had such an entertaining interview with Julie Coulter Bellon, author of Dangerous Connections, during Episode 41. There’s even a blooper reel. And singing. Enjoy! For more information about Dangerous Connections, visit Julie’s blog: juliebellon.com. LDS,Women,s,book,review,fiction,christian,club,literature,read,womenhttp://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/2010/03/06/episode-41-interview-with-julie-coulter-bellon/ LDSWBRnonadultLDS Women's Book Review: We are dedicated to searching out the best in LDS, Christian and other good literature.