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]."

The Road Show by Braden Bell

I always wanted to write a novel that included an original song, and Braden Bell has done it with his debute novel The Road Show.

I expected The Road Show to be about a corny road show, but it is no typical ward production with humorous lines. It is a story about the healing power of Jesus Christ, repentance, and understanding the true love of Christ. Bell wrote with such insight of Christ's love for us and our responsibility to care for each other that it brought tears to my eyes. He portrayed so well the incredible spiritual experience of the cast members.

Bell developed his characters well, made me feel uncomfortable enough with Scott's pornography addiction to feel the pain he was going through, but yet care enough about him to want to pull him away from his computer in his moments of weakness. I related to Eula and Ed, grew with Curtis and Stephanie as they come to understand the power of a loving Heavenly Father.

Here is the blurb:

Scott Jenson hates everything he knows about road shows especially the cheap costumes, silly songs, and bad acting. So when he finds himself agreeing to be the road show specialist, he wonders how he can do it without becoming the biggest fool in the ward. From miscues to missed practices, Scott directs his crew of amateur actors all while hoping that no one finds out about his secret.

Is there any way that this trivial road show can have a healing effect on the lives of five troubled souls? A pornography addict, a depressed young mother, a sick older woman, a lonely outcast, and a spiritually numb elder's quorum president are about to find out. Braden Bell gives a five-star performance with Road Show: Beauty for Ashes. With true-to-life characters, humorous situations, and tender realizations, this book is guaranteed to make you smile and applaud for more.

You can buy The Road Show here.

Hear the original song here.

First review of The Star Prophecy

Tina Scott has posted the first review of the Star Prophecy on her blog, "Totally Tina."

"Mrs. Sowards tells the account of Enoch and his friends as though intimately familiar with the era, and 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."

Come and read her impressions of The Star Prophecy.

Thank you, Tina!

Buy The Star Prophecy at LDS bookstores and Amazon.

Meg's Melody by Kaylee Baldwin (and Interview!)

Meg's Melody is Kaylee Baldwin first novel and is now available on Amazon. I very much enjoyed ready this compelling story of a young woman who shortly after her husband leaves her, discovers she is expecting her first child. Going through the ailments of the first trimester, facing the prospects of being a single parent, slowly becoming active in the Church again, Meg finds the strength to carry on . . . "and an unexpected friendship to see her through. This touching story combines romance with real conflicts to remind you it's never too late to find love - if you know where to look."

Back Cover blurb:

She paced the small confines of her bathroom as she waited the obligatory two minutes for the result. Yet, part of her sensed the truth. Not only did Austin take her self-esteem and plans for happiness, but he also took her get-out-of-this-marriage-free card.

The plus sign glared at Meg from the white plastic frame of the pregnancy test. The test fell from her hands and clattered into the bathtub as Meg’s back slid against the wall until she reached the floor.

“I’m pregnant,” she said into the quiet.

Meg never imagined she'd end up like this. With nowhere else to turn, she's forced to rely on the family she pushed away, the church she abandoned, and an unexpected friendship to help her find her forgotten melody. Meanwhile Matt is still mourning the loss of his wife. But determined to keep things together for his daughter's sake, he decides starting over in a new place might be just what his family needs.

This touching story combines romance with redemption and real conflict to remind you it's never too late to find joy. Kaylee Baldwin's capable hand renders a sincere, heartfelt story of rediscovery and hope. Perfect for romantics of all ages, this book will captivate your heart and rekindle your belief in the magic of music.

* * *

Joan: Hi, Kaylee, and thank you for visiting my blog today! I like that you set Meg's Melody in Arizona. It adds to its unique storyline. Please tell us how you came up with the idea for Meg's Melody, and about the process you went through to get published.

I started writing Meg’s Melody about three years ago. Not wanting to shave my legs. There was this one night, mid-winter, when I didn’t want to shave my legs because it can be a real time-eater. While moping about this, I started feeling the voice of a character build up inside of me. So I pulled out a pen and a spiral notebook and wrote down a whole story about my character going on a shaving strike after her husband leaves her. It went through all of the stages of hairy legs (from prickly to soft), until she finds out she’s pregnant and decides she should shave before going to the OB. Thus, Meg’s voice was born.

I tried to write a little bit every week, but life kept getting in the way. Finally, about two years ago, I got serious about writing, joined a critique group, and finished the bulk of Meg’s Melody in about six months. It took about ten months of submitting and revising to get accepted by a publisher. Now, seven months later I finally have a copy of my book!

Joan: Why did you choose Meg for your main character's name?

Kaylee: Meg is one of my all-time favorite girl names, but it is also the name of my husband’s ex-girlfriend (you know, the one right before me, that we don’t really talk about.) So, naming a child Meg was nixed, but I can name my characters whatever I want.

Joan: I understand. My son has the same name as one of my last boyfriends, but my husband chose it. :-)

How does “Melody” in the title fit into the story?

A: Music is a big part of Meg's life. For as long as she can remember, she has felt connected with music in a way that mirrors her moods. She is also a high school music teacher. When her life spirals downward after her husband leaves, she feels disconnected from everyone and everything, including the melodies that have shaped her life. Before she can heal, she needs to let her love of music back into her heart.

Joan: After reading Meg’s Melody, I can tell music is also a big part of your life. How so?

I enjoy most music, but I especially love the piano. Growing up, my family couldn't afford a piano until I was seventeen, but I used to love listening to my friends play or tinkling around on our electric one. When we did get our old upright, I immediately signed up for lessons. Even now, when I write, I love to have music in the background (Jim Brickman is my favorite), to help me to relax and focus. I also play the violin and love making up songs and melodies to sing to my children. I can't imagine life without music!

Joan: What advice would you give aspiring writers today?

Kaylee: Just keep writing! It can get really discouraging at times, but just keep revising, learning, growing, and trying. There were many times you may want to give up, but a walk around the block, a pep talk from someone who believes in you, a personal deadline, and rewards for meeting that deadline can give you a lot of motivation to keep pressing forward.

Joan: Okay. Something off the subject of writing. How about telling us your most embarrassing moment?

Kaylee: Oh, man. I thought I wouldn’t have to answer these questions anymore once I got out of school. I have too many moments to list! The most recent one, though, was the last time I went to get a massage. I took big, white granny panties with me to wear for the massage. When I left the spa, I threw them in the backseat of the car because I was going to a church activity and didn’t want granny panties to fall out of my purse. Well, about a week later, my husband comes in the house after being at a scout activity all morning, my granny panties dangling from his finger. Apparently, the boys (about 15 years old) found them in the backseat of the car on the way to the activity, and wanted to know why their leader had a pair of women’s underwear in the backseat of his car. *waggle eyebrows here* Oops.

Joan: That is embarrassing. What are you working on now?

Kaylee: I’m editing my 2^nd novel right now, a contemporary YA. I’m also working on another LDS romance that follows a minor character from Meg’s Melody.

Joan: Oooo! I can't wait to find out who it is. Thank you for the interview and best wishes for the success of Meg's Melody.

Kaylee: Thank you!

To learn more, visit Kaylee's blog.