Counting Christmas--a song. My gift to you.

Every year, our family sends out an original Christmas song. This year's is entitled Counting Christmas. Print your own copy here. Click on the link below the lyrics.

And have a great Christmas!

The Star Prophecy--A Book of Mormon Adventure

Christmas is the perfect season to read The Star Prophecy. It is a unique approach to the Nativity story--a personal interview with the shepherds, and a chance to walk in the wise men's sandals.

Read the first chapter here.

The Star Prophecy is available at LDS bookstores and Amazon.

Have a merry Christmas, and happy reading!

The Rogue Shop by Michael Knutsen

In the LDS novel, The Rogue Shop, author Michael Knutsen takes his main character Chris from the threshold of the Baptists and dumps him in Mormon country, without a wallet.

The Rogue Shop is a fun read in more ways than one, and to be truthful, it wasn't only the story that kept me reading, but Knutsen's unique writing style. I wanted to know what words he'd put together next.

The reader who picks up The Rogue Shop knows from the start it is a conversion story that has something to do with tuxedos, but has no clue they will know the business from front to back by detour of the basement before the tale is over. There also is no warning of all the fun characters they will meet: Travis the eloquent, Eva Chandler the resurging dress designer :-), Pablo the landlord. Knutsen doesn't candy coat Mormons, (okay, just a little), but sits you on the couch with their weaknesses and idiosyncrasies. At times, doctrine is explored, but with good taste.

From the back cover:
Trying to escape from his Texas Baptist upbringing and a troubled past, Chris Kerry came to Salt Lake City to get an education -- and nothing else. But keeping his promise to stay away from the Mormons proves difficult, especially with two cute college girls living across the hall. And when Chris finds a new job at a tuxedo shop, his promise unravels as he discovers new friendships, hidden secrets and a lost heritage he never imagined he had. The Rogue Shop illuminates how we recognize truth even in the most trying of circumstances. Michael Knudsen's hilarious debut will remind you about the value of faith, family, and friends as Chris learns from his past to move forward into a better future.

I enjoyed The Rogue Shop and recommend it. Meet Michael Knutsen at his blog.

Confronting the Myth of Self-Esteem by Ester Rasband

Liberating. Insightful. Inspired.

I discovered Ester Rasband's book Confronting The Myth of Self-Esteem by chance one day. The title spoke peace to me. So many people, including myself, have struggle with the concept of self-esteem. It seems the more we try to grasp it, the further it slips away.

Rasband explains why the search for self-esteem will always frustrate. We can't find it without humility, which seems ironic. Our worldliness would tell us not to face our nothingness. Genuine confidence and peace found through gratitude and service brings the happiness we seek. She uses examples, quotes and stories from church leaders, and many scriptures to make her point.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book are:

"We must be willing to lay our self-esteem at the feet of the Lord and seek instead to love and obey him."

"Peace and confidence are gifts from God, and they are gifts given only when we are willing to give up our self-esteem and approach him in total humility."

I particularly loved chapter nine, "Always Remember Him" that focuses on Jesus Christ and our relationship to him. As members of the Church, we are taught we are "A Child of God" and the birthright is ours--which should add to our self-esteem in itself. But, "The inheritance, however, belongs only to the birthright son: Jesus Christ" Through his atonement, we are "adopted" and he shares his inheritance with us. This chapter gives better understanding of our relationship with Him.

I found the book healing. Read a few pages a day and let the concepts digest.

Rasband explains: “Inadequacy is the human condition and unless we tap into the adequacy of our Father in Heaven, we live in a somewhat fearful state — fearful that our inadequacy will cause us to fail and will stand in the way of our being loved and valued.”

Confronting the Myth of Self Esteem can be purchased at Amazon, or on the author's website.

Watch the book trailer and another here.

Excellent.

Haunts Haven--a fun ghost story

Halloween is coming! If your looking for a good ghost story for Halloween, or like reading mysteries in the Fall, may I recommend Haunts Haven, an LDS ghost story. All right, I admit I wrote it, and I admit I really like it, too.

Haunts Haven is in hardback and on Kindle and can be purchased at some LDS bookstores and Amazon.

Happy Halloween!

Winner of Chocolate Roses!

Congratulations go to Christine Jensen, the winner of the gently speckled copy of Chocolate Roses, an LDS Jane Eyre parody.

Christine is a mom to 5 fabulous kids, and lives in Utah. She is a book reviewer for Fire and Ice, and writes a weekly fitness post and does product reviews for Outnumbered 3 to 1. Check out her sites. She also loves to read and run.

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest!

Two More Fun Novels by Marie Higgins

In my last post, I interviewed novelist Marie Higgins and reviewed her LDS romance, Winning Mr. Wrong. She gives some fun answers to the interview questions that you will want to scroll down and read. Marie and I share the same publisher, Walnut Springs Press. Today, I am reviewing her two novels Hearts Through Time and Heart of a Hero. Look for her next novel soon to be released, Secrets After Dark.

HEARTS THROUGH TIME

A love story that transcends time . . .

The first day Nick Marshal opens his new law office, a mysterious woman, Abigail Carlisle, appears and asks for help solving a murder--her own!

"Mr. Marshal, the reason I know you're the man who can help is because you––you can . . ." She cleared her throat. "You can actually see me."

Nick stifled a chuckle. "Of course I can see you. You're sitting right in front of me."

"True, but your lady friend could not . . . . You don't understand. The reason she could not see me is because, well . . ." Miss Carlisle's green eyes locked on his with something akin to fear shadowing their depths. "I'm a ghost."

Of course he doesn't believe she's a ghost until he tries to touch her. The further Nick investigates Abigail's life and the circumstances around her death, the deeper he falls for this gorgeous ghost.

Abigail's grandmother and Nick's mother both had foretold Nick and Abigail's unusual meeting through advice in earlier years. As Nick and Abigail put the pieces together, they realize it is their fate to stay together. The more time she spends with him, she becomes real to the point that Nick can finally touch her.

Through a one-hundred year-old artifact given to him by a 118 year-old woman, they are whisked back in time to 1912 to face Abigail's murderer.

Hearts Through Time is a beautiful, well told love story. Romance readers (and paranormal junkies :-) would love this timeless read.

HEART OF A HERO

Summer Bennett, a tomboy sent to her aunt's finishing school for refining, returns to her hometown of Richfield, Utah to find that Jesse Slade, her childhood rival, has grown up and is now her sister's fiance.

"That does it." Jesse picked her up and carried her to the horse, then put her feet on the ground... "You may be as bullheaded as you've always been, but you ain't walkin', not on my watch."

She slapped at his hand. "I'm not going into town with you."

"You listen to me, Miss Persnickety." He paused, his heated gaze boring into hers. "I don't care what you like or don't like, I'm takin' you to town."

"I--don't--like''you." She grinded her teeth with each word.

"Too--bad--darlin'," he mocked. "You have two choices. You can get on that horse willin'ly, or I'll hog-tie you and put you there myself."

Her mouth dropped open and her mind scrambled frantically for several seconds.

He smiled annoyingly. "Time's up."

This nineteen year-old girl hasn't reformed much. Summer still thinks she's invincible, wears men's britches when it's to her advantage, and takes on capturing a band of bank robbers single-handedly, hoping to get reward money that would pay for her father's surgery and allow him to walk again.

Falling back into childhood habits, Jesse and Summer clash throughout the entire story--while falling in love. Neither understand what is happening. One argument after another and several misunderstandings later, they manage

to finally confess their love. It is a relief when everyone ends up with the right sweetheart in the end.

The Heart of a Hero is a romping read that will take you back to old west Utah, and one any romance reader would enjoy.

Buy Heart of a Hero at Deseret Book.

Buy Hearts Through Time here.

Winning Mr. Wrong by Marie Higgins

Marie Higgin's novel, Winning Mr. Wrong, is a fun read, and as you can see, it has a beautiful cover. I seldom laugh out loud while reading, but I couldn't help a smirk or two at Charley's innocent blunders, one right after another.

Here is the synopsis from the back cover.

Whoever said the quest for love wasn't comical never met Charlene Randall. Charley is looking

for a man who wants to start a family, a man who will take her to the temple. Problem is, she has never dated a man for longer than three months. When she reads an internet article called "Ten Ways to Win Your Man," she decides to try it on her new coworker, Maxwell Harrington. Max was her crush in high school, but the superstar sports anchorman doesn't even remember her.

Enter ladies' man Damien Giovianni, Charley's handsome neighbor, who agrees to help her win Max over. What follows is a hilarious tale of mishaps and misunderstandings where Charley learns that what she really needs may be right in front of her.

I loved the list on how to catch a man. And my favorite line from the book is on page 84 where Charley blotches a great opportunity to talk to Max. She has just fallen and banged her head, so she's a little confused. Max comes to her rescue and she remembers one item from the list.

Give him compliments. Tell him he looks nice. His hair looks good.

"Thanks Max." She paused, trying to think of a compliment. "Um, did I ever tell you I think your butt has an intoxicating smile?"

That didn't sound right. Why weren't her mouth and mind cooperating tonight?

That second line, (with a slight variance on the b-word,) is now often quoted in our house.

I loved Higgin's characters. Though Charley is thirty years-old, she acts nineteen under the spells of her two suitors. Damien starts out as an overbearing, shun-worthy lady's man, but the more I got to know him, he changed, (maybe too quickly) into the kind of guy every girl wants to catch.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fun, light, clean romance quick reads. I'm looking forward to reading Marie's other novels, Hearts Through Time. and Heart of a Hero.

Read the first chapter of Winning Mr Wrong here.

Watch the book trailer.

****

And now for my own interview with Marie Higgins!

Hi, Marie! Thank you for the interview.

First question: Of all the heroines in your novels, which one do you relate to the most?

Well…as funny as it sounds, I do relate to Charlene Randall (Charley in “Winning Mr. Wrong”) the most. I love to make people laugh – just like Charley. Although Charley is a little more clumsy than I am…but still, we like to laugh.

Who is your favorite male love interest in your novels? With which one would you like to ride off into the sunset?
What a loaded question! lol I love all my heroes. Damien (“Winning Mr. Wrong”) because he makes my knees weak. Jesse Slade (“Heart of a Hero”) because he’s rugged and he loves to tease the heroine. And Nick (“Heart’s Through Time”) because he’s soooo dreamy!! I think I add something to all my heroes that will make me want to ‘ride off into the sunset’ with them.

For which novel did you do the most research?
I did more research with my ghost story. I had to make sure the streets nowadays were named the same streets back in 1912. I had to make sure there was still a mansion-style house in California that would have been built before 1912. I looked up websites that talked about how newspapers were run (machines, etc) in that era. I even checked the first newspapers to report the sinking of the Titanic – and sure enough, the first newspaper to report the ship’s sinking stated that all passengers survived. I really had fun with this story!

Considering writing style, which of your novels represents your best?
"Heart of A Hero”. It’s historical, it has humor, action and adventure, twists…and romance. Those are the type of stories I love writing. I also love to write a little mystery into my stories, so "Hearts Through Time" has an excellent mystery, I think.


Will there be another novel by Marie Higgins coming out in the future?
You betcha! At least one, hopefully more. My publisher, Walnut Springs Press, will start work on book #4 any day now – my historical paranormal, “Secrets After Dark”. (so far this title hasn’t changed…) This story is a little different than my others. There’s hardly any humor, but a ton of mystery and…you got it…paranormal! Witches, curses, werewolves…oh my! heehee This story is about a man who is cursed by a witch to shift into a werewolf when he has certain desires for a woman. Needless to say, I've tortured my poor hero! lol Anyway, hero is hiding himself away in the east wing of the family manor so he doesn't get close to any woman. The heroine comes to the manor to find answers about her father's death. She's a very curious woman, and so sneaks into the east wing even though she's been warned not to.
My publisher promised they'd have this story out by October. I can't wait to see the cover!!

Thank you for the interview, Marie.

Clairvoyance

Finished the first draft of my WIP, Clairvoyance. Yeah! Making progress.

Pralines of Prescott, a great chocolate shop!

Since my novel Chocolate Roses is set in a chocolate shop, I'm always excited to find fun shops that specialize in chocolate!

Pralines of Prescott is located on Curley St. inside the Bashford Courts Mall in Prescott, Arizona, and has been in business since 1991. The many items they make include fudge, brittle, caramel, toffee, sugar free yummies and of course pralines.

Family owned by Mary Handley, Irene Handley, (in photo), and Ashley Moser, their chocolates are homemade, and I will add, delicious! Visit their website at http://pralinesofprescott.com/

It is fun to see the transformation of downtown Prescott of the last twenty years. Several years ago, a friend scolded me for going to the antique stores and shops in the rundown old downtown, saying it wasn't safe. Now downtown is bustling with tourists and fun shops from food to crafts and clothing.

If you know of a favorite chocolate shop, please leave its name and location here in your comment.

Thank you!

Great Quotation

"The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

Margaret D. Nadauld

Invitation to Facebook!

I've changed the name of my author page on Facebook to Joan Sowards, LDS Author. I'd love to have you join me there!

Winner of The Star Prophecy--A Book of Mormon Adventure

Jessica Tidd of California is the winner of my novel The Star Prophecy in the Sumer Treasure Hunt. Congratulations Jessica!

Dearly Departed by Tristi Pinkston

Ida Mae Babbit and her gang of Secret Sisters ride again! This fun tale begins with an innocent obituary and a couple of falls that land Ida Mae in an upscale assisted living facility. But there is no time for convalescing from her multi injuries, there is a murder to be solved! With the help of Arlette, Tansy, Eden, Eden's coworker Kevin, and a few zany senior residents, she uncovers a cynical plot in this otherwise peaceful care center.

Author Tristi Pinkston has again charmed her readers with this book two in her Secret Sisters Mystery Series. It has something to please all readers--suspense, mystery, laugh-out-loud moments--all with a hint of romance. I enjoyed this delightful story and recommend it to all who enjoy reading a cozy whodunit.

Visit Tristi at her blog.

Buy Dearly Departed on Amazon.

Book Signing and Rollover

My book signing in Cedar City, Utah was in a lovely store named Mountain West Books. It offers a wide variety of books (including LDS) and supplies in an uplifting atmosphere. Mountain West is affiliated with the furniture store next door that is chockfull of decorating accessories that are to die for. Next time you are in Cedar City, treat yourself with a visit to their stores.

It started hailing/snowing before 1 pm when I bid farewell to my hostess Britannia, and my husband and I headed toward St George. The road turned very slushy and before we knew it, only a few miles into our journey, our van began to fishtail. In seconds we spun, hit the shoulder and began to roll. I wondered if my life was over, if I'd ever see my children again, and if Dennis and I would get to serve the mission we planned on. Thankfully. after a full roll, our car landed upright. The windows had shattered and showered us. "Are you alive?" I asked, and to say I was relieved to hear Dennis say "I am" would be an understatement. He carefully opened his door, and as snow fell, came around and opened my door, We hugged, grateful to be alive! Thank goodness for seat belts and great engineering design. Blinded by tears, I began picking up my novels and items that had been thrown from the car in the roll, and tossed them back into the car hoping to get them out of the rain and snow. Most of the windows were gone from the vehicle, so there was no protection from the snow. I also found my laptop still in one piece on the ground.

Passer-bys didn't see us since we were several feet off the road down a slope. Dennis got his cellphone working and called 911. Up the road we could see another car had ran off the road, and several yards behind us, a truck had slid into the median. Later we were told there were ten vehicles that had ran off the road within that hour. Hopefully, we were the only one that rolled. To make a long story short, our car was towed back to Cedar City (totaled, of course), we got a rental car, and four hours after the accident we headed up the road again toward St. George--still very shook up.

Thank you to all the emergency personnel who came to our rescue--the highway patrolmen, the paramedics, the tow-truck driver--everyone acted concerned and cordial to our needs and made dealing with the tragedy much easier.

We are thankful to be home where we are nursing our bruises. Next time I go to Utah, I will definitely fly!

Quote for the day--Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote to his mother from college. "I do not want to be a doctor and live by men's diseases, nor a minister to live by their sins, nor a lawyer to live by their quarrels. So I don't see that there is anything left for me but to be an author."

Mesa AZ Temple Easter Pageant. Beyond Excellent!

Each year that I go to the Mesa AZ Temple Easter Pageant seems better than the last, and this year's performance is excellent.

No tickets are required, and the pageant runs April 13-14, 19-23 in English and April 15-16 in Spanish. All performances begin at 8pm at the temple, 525 E Main Street, Mesa, AZ.

The life of Jesus Christ is portrayed so beautifully by a cast of hundreds, making it the largest outdoor Easter pageant in the US. Come early to get a seat (and a parking place.) We brought our dinner with us so we could get a seat early, and enjoyed visiting with those around us.

In spite of the huge audience, the Spirit was strong and bore witness to me again, that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world. Seeing the pageant is my favorite way to celebrate Easter!

Curse of the Elfs by Anna Del C.

Anna Del C, thank you for the interview! How long have you been writing?

About seven years ago, I started writing because my husband wanted to live to the ripe age of fifty. He thought my imagination would be the end of his days. He actually ordered me to write. He is awesome.

What are your books titled?

In the order they were published, they are:

The Silent Warrior Trilogy

Book 1 - The Elf and the Princess

Book 2 - Trouble in the Elf City

Book 3 - Elfs in a conquered Realm

and now:

Curse of the Elfs

Do you write your books from beginning to end, or start in the middle?

I started writing the Trilogy at the beginning. The idea for Curse of the Elfs came to me in the middle of the story, the rest came from there. I am not sure why… it just happened that way.

Was there a particular person or event that inspired you to write this story?

The last movie of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings was my inspiration. I wanted to know more about the character’s lives and couldn’t find enough. My husband said, “Why don’t you write your own.” I answered, “Yah right!” But his answer haunted me and in three days I had the draft of The Elf and the Princess in my mind. When I told him the story he came back with a laptop and told me to write it. The rest is history.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Never give up!!! Join a writer's chapter close to you right now, and learn the craft of writing from them.

Anna, do you write with music playing? If so, is the music likely to be songs with lyrics or only instrumentals?

I do have music on, though I love quietness. I have my favorite tunes in the computer where I write. Lots of them have lyrics, but a few don’t.

What is the best thing about being an author?

Meeting great people and other authors.

What would you say is the most challenging part?

Spending hours promoting my books. I would rather be writing!

Do you have a particular goal you aim to achieve with your writing?

To create a wonderful world where the reader can forget reality’s cold hand and safely enjoy fantasy. Life is tough and we need something to help us make it more fun and worth living. Fantasy is how I choose to do it.

You once told me that English was your second language. What sort of challenges did you meet in trying to write your books, if any?

Not many really. I write and my editor has to figure out what I am trying to say. (If I can't figure how a word goes in English, I put it in Spanish...he speaks Spanish very well.) We have a lot of fun when we edit the books; because of my English mess ups.

If you could give your book to only one person, who would it be and why?

A teenager in trouble...

In the hope that he/she could discover the power they have deep inside to change and become better. I want them to see that nothing is impossible if we put our minds to it.

Can you share with your fans how you describe so well your battle scenes and the sword's playing action?

My husband and I took a medieval sword fighting class at the local high school. He liked it so much that he has continued for a years now and has earned two different belts with the clan.

Where can we purchase a copy of your books?

www.amazon.com

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.annadelc.com

Thank you for this opportunity to visit with you and your friends!

Watch the book trailer here.

Lolly's Yarn by Anna Laurene Arnett

Lolly’s Yarn is a delightful collection of stories from the life of author Anna Laurene Arnett. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her childhood, her courtship with the handsome Charles Arnett, their wedding, her child birthing experiences, and their many moves across the US and even to Japan. Even before I read the last page, felt like part of the Arnett family.

I didn’t barrel through Lolly’s Yarn all in a few days as I usually do when reading a novel. True, Anna’s account of growing up and going back east to work, then meeting and falling love with Charles, played out like a romance novel and kept me reading. After that, I read a few of her stories each day and savored them—relating them to my own life. I loved that Anna enjoyed being a mother and wife--refreshing for today. I appreciated her willingness to accept the role of stay at home mom. You could feel her love and devotion to her seven children. And when they were all grown, Anna went to college and became a teacher.

Anna keeps you laughing, and in places she makes you cry. Lolly’s Yarn is a story about real people, real wars, and real happenings, Anna Laurene Arnett retells a life full of adventure with an honest voice that blesses all who will read.

Anna's son Mark made a documentary about Charles' service in WWII and named it after his father's fighter plane--"Baby Boomerang." This interesting hour interviews and real footage and photographs from the war puts you right in time period. Mark tells the story of his father’s World War II experience to the spoiled, pretentious, and ungrateful baby boomer generation that he belongs to. He succeeds in drawing us into a very personal story that explores faith, courage, love, and the inescapable fact that, in many ways, we all turn into our parents in the end.

Buy Lolly's Yarn here, and "Baby Boomerang" here.

The Upside of Down by Rebecca Talley

“Hmmm,” the doctor muttered.

Natalie wrinkled her forehead,

almost afraid to ask, and said, “What does that mean?”

“You do know you’re pregnant, right?”

Her breath caught in her throat. “Excuse me?”

“You’re pregnant.”

Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. “I’m what?”

Natalie Drake certainly has her hands full raising a large family, dealing with her difficult mother, and maintaining a relationship with her rebellious teenager. Just when things seem to be going smoothly, she finds out another unexpected surprise—she’s going to have a baby. Faced with so many challenges, Natalie must learn to trust in a plan that isn’t what she imagined and discover that every situation has an upside.

Beloved author Rebecca Talley carefully creates this touching and heartfelt story that is sure to inspire you. With true-to-life characters and situations, The Upside of Down will reignite your faith and remind you of the importance of family.

Rebecca Talley grew up in Santa Barbara, CA and attended, and graduated from, BYU where she met her husband where they were leaders of the same FHE group. Happily married for over 25 years, they are the parents of 10 wonderfully creative and multi-talented children. Their ranch is in rural Colorado where they keep a dog, cats, a spoiled horse, and a herd of goats. Rebecca loves country living--a great contrast to her growing up years in California.

Not only has she authored her latest novel The Upside of Down--still hot of the press with its release in January--but she has three other published novels: Grasshopper Pie, Heaven Scent, and Altared Plans.

Welcome, Rebecca! You are a very versatile writer and I have enjoyed reading your other novels. When did you start writing?

I started making books when I was a kid and I loved to write in high school, but I put writing aside when I got married and started having babies. I decided to get serious about writing again in the mid-90s when the Internet suddenly opened up a whole new world for me. I met other writers, took classes online, and read all I could about writing. I’ve been writing ever since.

The Internet has become our window to the world. What else do you enjoy doing?

Eat chocolate, ice cream, peanut M&Ms. I love to go to the beach and swim in the ocean, but I only get to do that once a year or so. I also love to dance to disco music. I’ve recently started doing Zumba, a kind of Latin dancing/exercise program—lots of hip shaking. I love to go on dates with my husband and I love to play with my kids. I’ve also started making jewelry and flower barrettes with my kids.

You say the inspiration for The Upside of Down was the newest movie Cheaper by the Dozen. How so?

I thought it would be fun to write a similar story set in an LDS household. Since I have a large family, I drew from many of my own experiences to create my characters and establish the storyline. I had lots of fun writing it, especially as I relived some of the funny things that have happened in our family.

So is it all fun and laughs, or are you hoping readers will learn something from The Upside of Down?

I hope people realize that no matter who we are, none of us is spiritually invincible. We all need to rely on the Lord, in good times and in bad. No matter how desperate a situation may seem, the Lord can lighten our load if we’ll turn to Him. The atonement is for all of us. And, even in the midst of trials, we can have peace.

A good lesson to learn, but what is the significance of the title?

I also hope people will learn something from my book about Down syndrome and

realize that underneath it all, we’re all children of God and we all deserve love and respect, no matter our chromosome count.

Where can we purchase The Upside of Down?

Right now at Amazon, and in a few weeks at LDS Bookstores.

Thank you, Rebecca, for the interview!

Thank you!

Visit Rebecca at her blog, her website, and specifically The Upside of Down blog.

Winners of The Star Prophecy Giveaway

Congratulations to those who won a copy of The Star Prophecy:

Esther Blair-Tull

Renee Richardson

Sarah Bibi Setar

The winner of the President Monson quote is Christine Jensen!

Thank you to all who participated in the tour for The Star Prophecy.

Reviews of The Star Prophecy

The Star Prophecy is a surprising story of courage and love, faith and fortitude. Sail with Enoch and his friends across the sea through hardship and adventure in search of the Christ child.

Here are a few quotes from reviewers of The Star Prophecy:

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

This was a fun book to read. Likable characters and a well written tale that left me believing this really could have happened.
Totally Tina

[Sowards] weaves her tale through both the Book of Mormon and the New Testament’s scriptural accounts of Christ’s birth in such a way that, as a reader, I was convinced it could have happened just as she told it.

Peggy Urry
I [recommend] this book to my friends and family and to you.

Tangled Words and Dreams
It’s just a beautiful story that you’ll find appropriate for any Sunday afternoon. . . This is one that will appeal to young and old alike.

Kaylee Baldwin
While reading this book, I kept thinking: I want to read this to my children!

Of Writerly Things

Joan is a great writer and storyteller. This one will pull you right into Enoch's journey.
Writers Mirror

The Star Prophecy is rich in character, story line and adventure. I highly recommend it.
Bonnie Gets a Say

The characters are wonderful and I found myself pulled into their adventure anxious to find what would happen next.

The Blessing of Family Life

A wonderful treat for any age, this story will be a family favorite in no time.
Anna del C. Dye's Blog

An inspiring story full of faith, love and persistence.

Renee S. Clark

The Star Prophecy combined so many elements that I’ve come to need in a good book—Adventure, some romance, good character development—and some things that I should seek more of—spiritually uplifting with lessons about faith and obedience.

Steve Westover, author of Defensive Tactics, reviewedThe Star Prophecy--,"[The Star Prophecy] is like a familiar friend who manages to surprise with a wonderful idea and an engaging story."

Anne Bradshaw, LDS best-selling author wrote in her review, "The Star Prophecy is a great combination of adventure and romance, and full of interesting detail relating to the time period."

Margaret Turley, author of Save the Child wrote, "This speculative fiction novel is full of faith building action, adventure and romance, making it an exciting inspirational page turner."

Diony George, author of Torn Apart "Joan Sowards with creativity and imagination writes a fictional story, The Star Prophecy, which takes place six hundred years [after Lehi left Jerusalem]."