Once Upon A Baby by Shari Guess, Interview and Giveaway

Welcome to Shari Guess, author of Once Upon a Baby! After learning about this great book, be sure to read to the bottom of this interview and enter to win a $25 gift certificate or your own a copy of Once Upon a Baby.

Once Upon a Baby: A Tale of Adoption by Shari Guess

A heartwarming tale of LDS Adoption. Follow a child's journey from the Pre-existence to his family's home on Earth. The divine guidance of the Savior, along with the love and prayers of both birth and adoptive parents are gently and lovingly portrayed in this tender story of the ultimate "Happily ever after".

Purchase:

Author's Website * Amazon * LDS Bookstore

Praise:

"Shari Guess has written a "must read" for every LDS family. She made a relevant issue for our time seem simple, yet to the heart."

~Brenton G. Yorgason, PhD

"I cried grateful tears to finally find a book for our children that explains their unique place within our family in a spiritual way."

~Nancy Reynolds, CA

Author Shari Guess

SHARI GUESS is a proud, first-time children’s book author and lives in rural North Texas where she is “Mom” to her beloved 9-year-old adopted son, Garrett. Happily married to her husband Walter for going on 13 years they share their cabin-in-the-woods with a small herd of Great Danes and farm animals. Shari is currently a part-time real estate agent and property manager and prior to marriage worked for over a decade in the music business, spanning from Los Angeles to Nashville. She wore many hats as a journalist and publicist representing multiple recording artists, magazines and music publishing companies, along with being a part-time performing artist and songwriter. Her hobbies include choral, Americana and rock music, martial arts, photography, travel and anything in the mountains.

Thank you for agreeing to do an interview today! I'm sure readers will want to know what prompted you to write Once Upon a Baby.

Shari: This was the story that I always wanted to read to my adopted son, but was unable to find. It focuses on adoption from an LDS (Mormon) standpoint as it chronicles the adopted child’s journey.

Joan: Did you have a mentor in getting it finished?  

Shari: I had a few of them! This project started seven years ago. Probably my biggest cheerleaders were a couple of close friends-Deanna Jones and Debbie Haskins. I did much of it on my own. My biggest inspiration was my little man. 

Joan: Please tell a little about your background—where you grew up, etc. 

Shari: My story reads like a strange novel! I was born in Dallas, grew up in the mountains of Colorado and Utah and worked multiple years in the Hollywood and Nashville music business. I even lived in Jerusalem for several years when I was younger. I currently reside in North Texas with my small family. I love everything arts and outdoors. I am active in church, sing in a large philanthropic choir and take karate with my son. We live on a small farm and I am lucky to be able to count my blessings every day! When I’m not writing I enjoy work as a small town Realtor. 

Joan: What was the hardest/easiest part of writing this book? 

Shari: Getting it finished! Wow! You can’t even believe how difficult that was! Getting an illustrator to finish it, (Two started but didn’t finish) and then all the technical details prior to its release was very difficult for me!

Joan: Technical details can being challenging. 

It is great to find an illustrator who believes in your project and will carry through to the end. So, who did you find? 

Shari: Kate Featherstone, a brilliant artist that lives here locally in Texas. She was really able to capture what I saw for this book in my mind’s eye. Every day I am grateful for her!

Joan: Do you have other books published, in the works? 

Shari: I’m working on a few “secret” projects at this time. They are non-fiction and are being written to serve a certain need. Thanks so much for asking! =)

Links:

Twitter * Facebook * Website

Tour Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card + copy of Once Upon a Baby

Copy of Once Upon a Baby

(Paperback open to US only, Kindle ebook for International)

Ends 11/30/12

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spinster's Folly by Marsha Ward

Marsha Ward

It's party time! Spinster's Folly, the long-awaited fourth novel of the Owen Family Saga written by western author, Marsha Ward, is scheduled for release November 10th. Join the Facebook event to win great prizes.

Congratulations, Marsha!

Here is a synopsis of Spinster's Folly:

Marie Owen yearns for a loving husband, but Colorado Territory is long on rough characters and short on fitting suitors, so a future of spinsterhood seems more likely than wedded bliss. Her best friend says cowboy Bill Henry is a likely candidate, but Marie knows her class-conscious father would not allow such a pairing. When she challenges her father to find her a suitable husband before she becomes a spinster, he arranges a match with a neighbor's son. Then Marie discovers Tom Morgan would be an unloving, abusive mate and his mother holds a grudge against the Owen family. Marie's mounting despair at the prospect of being trapped in such a dismal marriage drives her into the arms of a sweet-talking predator, landing her in unimaginable dangers. This fourth book in the Owen Family Saga is infused with potent heart and intense grit.

Marsha has agreed to answer two off the wall questions here. The first is:

Which of all the love interests in your novels could you, in real life, fall in love with or want your daughter to marry?

Marsha: This is an interesting question, especially in regards to my daughter. Before I finished Spinster's Folly, I would have said "James Owen." Now, however, I have a new favorite male character with whom I could fall in love. I know for sure I would want my daughter to marry someone like Bill Henry. He's an interesting guy, but he's steadfast and loyal, and I would want that for her, or for me!

What is different about Spinster’s Folly than the other books in the Owens series/saga?   

Marsha: This question is harder to answer. The difference is in that I used a real-life experience as a basis for a character and a part of the plot. I deal with a hard issue, abuse in several variations, but I've conquered hard issues before, so writing about that subject doesn't set the book apart. I've never written light, fluffy novels, but perhaps this one goes a bit deeper into intensity. Maybe giving more dimension to the interactions of the mother and father, Rod and Julia Owen, helps distinguish this novel. Overall, it's probably written with more facets and depth because of my growth as a writer.

Thank you, Marsha, and best wishes with your newest novel. I am looking forward to reading Spinster's Folly, as I have read the first three in the series and recommend them to anyone looking for a fantastic read and a great series. 

Visit Marsha Ward at her Facebook Event where she is giving away super prizes in honor of her new novel. One of the prizes is Chocolate Roses by Joan Sowards!

The first three books in the Owens Family Saga:

Spinster Folly's Blog Tour Schedule 

November 4
Joan Sowards 

November 5
Words and Works

November 6
Ryan Hunter 
Tina Scott, Author and Artist 

November 7
Mama Pike Says
Murphy's Law 

November 8
Teatime Romance 
Donna K. Weaver, Author: Weaving a Tale or Two 

November 9
Shaunna Gonzales

November 10
Spinster's Folly Online Book Release Party
wordpaintings Unlimited 
INKspiration 
Shaunna Gonzales

November 11
Stardust in My Pocket 


November 14
Creative Hodgepodge 
Of Writerly Things 
Tanya Parker Mills 

November 15
Alethea Williams: actuallyalethea 

November 16
Writing Wranglers and Warriors 
Debra's Window into Writing  

November 17
Anna del C. Dye 

Readers: Which of all the love interests in the novels you have read, could you in real life, fall in love with, or want your daughter to marry?

Join the Spinster's Folly Facebook Event,  for ways to win great prizes.
 The event runs from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm MST November 10.

Lean Construction Pocket Guide

Lean Construction isn't fiction.

But I introduce this little book here because a lot of readers and readers' spouses work in construction, and using Lean principles to eliminate waste and improve productivity is a must.

This pocket book (yes, it fits in your shirt pocket) was written by my husband, Dennis Sowards, a foremost expert and consultant in the industry. He has over 30 articles published in construction magazines and has taught Lean for several years.

This book lays out the principles of Lean in a language all can understand. It explains Lean tools such as 5S's, A3 Thinking, Kaizen, Kanban, Muda Walks, Poka Yoke, Spaghetti Charts, Value Stream Mapping, and much more that are essential to improving profits.

Why use Lean principles?

"Lean is an answer. Lean is all about increasing value and cutting waste. Doing Lean will lead to more loyal customers, more engaged employees which together drive more successful companies and stakeholders. Sounds like a Disney story, doesn’t it? While there is no guarantee of survival in this ever-changing business climate, Lean brings a higher probability of success than doing it the way we’ve always done it." -Dennis Sowards, Lean Construction Pocket Guide, pg 3.

The Lean Construction Pocket Guide is available on Kindle or hardcopy. Visit his website.

The Next Big Thing

Lizanne Sowards tagged me for "The Next Big Thing"-- a blog tag game being passed around the internet right now. It is fun because authors get to talk about our work-in-progress (WIP) ...and how often do we get to do that?

What is your working title of your book?

 Clairvoyance

What genre does your book fall under? 

 LDS Romance. It is mildly a paranormal. The title refers to dreams Jessica has, and that she visit teaches a woman who sees the fate of relationships.

  What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?   

Jessica leaves Arizona, her newlywed father, and ex-boyfriend to make a fresh start at an small Oregon oceanside village newspaper office, and unwittingly gets involved with the residents, learning their past lives and secrets.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?  

One year.

May we see an intro?    

Trrring! Jessica glanced at the chiming cell phone.

Vince. She moaned and disconnected the line so he could not leave a voicemail. “What part of it’s-over-between-us don’t you understand?” The phone bounced as it made contact with the passenger seat.

Jessica pushed Vince from her thoughts, thankful for the twelve hundred miles separating them, and stood from the over-packed car. She breathed to calm her fluttering stomach and stretched her aching muscles from the long drive. She already had the internship at The Ridge newspaper. The manager, Christine Strand, hired her on merit of the writing samples she had sent and also the recommendation of the head of Arizona State University’s journalism department.

Now to meet her boss.

Jessica stood before the building’s double doors and reached for the knob. The door flung open. A young man stepped out and almost ran her down. “Excuse me!” He glanced at her briefly before stepping around and continuing to the parking lot.

“No problem.” Jessica assured him, but suspected he hadn’t heard. She straightened the yellow plaid skirt and white blouse she wore, and checked the hair twist for loose frizz before entering the office.

The smell of newsprint, ink, and the cheerful smile of a twentyish girl greeted her at the counter. “May I help you?”

“Yes. I’m here to see Christine Strand.” Jessica gripped the shoulder strap of her laptop bag in an effort to control her shaking fingers.
The girl’s long, straight brown hair swayed as she headed to an open door at the back of the office. “Hey, Mom! Somebody’s here to see you.”

  Who or what inspired you to write this book?

A few years ago I visited the Puget sound. There was a lovely Victorian house standing high on a hill overlooking the sound. The story came to me of Jessica living in that house and looking down on a lonely beachcomber who spent the evening hours sitting on a rock. The man tells Jessica his life in bits and pieces as her own story also unfolds.

Thank you Lizanne for tagging me on The Next Big Thing! Liz is just getting started with her medieval blog and her upcoming novel, Shadows of Montsegur, and would love followers.

The Star Prophecy Book Trailer

I have made a book trailer for The Star Prophecy. It was a lot of fun making, and took several days gathering the pictures (thank you, morguefile.com) and the music (thank you, jewelbeat.com.) Then I had to learn the movie program. 

So, it's true you can teach old dogs new tricks!

Author Valerie Steimle

Today my guest is non-fiction author Valerie Steimle. We have been members of the same writers group for years, and she has been an inspiration to me.

Hi, Valerie! Please tell us the titles of your published books. 

I have four books--all non-fiction from the columns I have written, and information I want to share.

Home is Where the Learning Is--Homeschool Lifestyles from Homeschool Moms, Home is Where the Heart Is, and Of One Heart--Being Single in the LDS World. 

The most recent is Dogs, Blogs, and Hobbits: Writings from a Widow's Perspective

   

Are you one of the lucky writers who get to write every day? 

At the same time each day? No. I write on average five days a week, or try to.  Life has its ups and downs sometimes.

What is a favorite book from your childhood? 

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. Love that book.

I love that story too. The book is 70 years old this year and it is still good. 

What is one of your favorite quotes?

 I love so many different quotes that I hear, but recently one surfaces a lot in my head:

We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.  We are spiritual beings having a human experience.

--the French Monk Philosopher, Teilhard de Chardin.  

I love what he said. We get so wrapped up in the day to day work of life that we forget that we are spiritual beings after all!

I love that quote, too. Next question: If you could travel through time, what time period would you visit? 

That’s a tough one.  I want to visit medieval Europe and the Book of Mormon times back in the days of Alma the Younger.

I'd go with you to both eras, but since time travel hasn't been invented, what do you do with your time when you aren’t writing? 

I cart boys to soccer, Young Men’s meetings, work and classes for school. We are also remodeling an old hotel into a museum and bed and breakfast. Do you think I have too much on my plate? LOL

The old hotel sounds exciting. I'd love to come visit. Sounds like a launchpad for a novel!

Okay, back to the questions. When did you start writing? 

A Young Women leader gave me a journal when I was 12 years old.  I've never stopped writing after that.

Do you have more books in the works?

Two. And I go back and forth on. I like it that way. The first, Thoughts from the Heart: Writings from the Gulf Coast of Alabama is a collection from my newspaper column.  The other, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Synagogue: A Conversion Story from Judaism to Mormonism.   

What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received? 

Never give up—always keep trying.

Thank you, Valerie, for the interview!

Thank you, Joan, for the opportunity to talk about writing. Really appreciate it!

Visit Valerie at her website, and her blog.

Readers: Please leave a comment. What is the best writing advice you have received? What tidbit can you give other authors?

Dark Days of Promise and Interview with author Shaunna Gonzales

Dark Days of Promise is author Shaunna Gonzales' debut novel and is chock full of promise.

Thirty-four year old Vicki Laramie must learn to trust before she can love, but she might die trying.

While Vicki’s children grapple with the death of their father -- a man whom she’s successfully fabricated as loving, a lie her rebellious teenager recognizes -- she must find a way to support her family and find a role model for her boys. She never intends to fall for Staff Sergeant Chase, her best friend’s son, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She’d much rather choose a safer man to love, but her children have a voice in the decision she makes. With two deaths to deal with, a suitor after her money, a rebellious son, and Sergeant Chase’s repeated attacks, she can only hope to survive the danger she faces. If she doesn’t, her children will be left without either parent.

Oooh! Sounds suspenseful!

Shaunna, it is so good to have you on my blog today! First question: 

Where did you get the idea for Dark Days of Promise? 

Would you believe me if I said the Lord? I had this love story so smooth that it bored me, the writer to tears, literally. I knew I had to "speed" it up, give it something to make it fly but didn't know what. I prayed and pulled my chair up to the computer. My fingers flew with very few mistakes, something that is unusual for me. That scene is in the book with very few changes -- only a few grammatical corrections. I'll give you a hint: Victoria goes flying!

How did you choose the title? 

Dark Days of Promise, was initially inspired by an untitled Christmas tale for the young women I was working with at the time. I thought the story was good and targeted their needs but the comments I got were along the lines of, "Wow, that's a real dark story." I responded with, "But it is so full of promise!" After the final veto and the passing of the season the title came to life every time someone asked me what I was working on.

What surprises you the most about being a published author? 

The work that goes into promoting a single title. I'm hoping that with more titles the work doesn't increase. How would I get the third title written?

Hey, I agree with you on that. So--what advice to you give to aspiring authors? 

Write what you know and love. Write for yourself, not your imagined perfectly matched editor or publisher. Should you one day find them, they will, if they know their stuff and we all hope they do, bruise you and your precious fledgling novel. (Smile - those bruises heal and make you both better.)

What are your goals in writing, your next project? 

To write several novels before my health fails. Right now I'm working on finishing Talisman: Crisscross in Time. I'm hoping to have it ready to go when the editor asks for it. That means pressure on me.

Why should we read Dark Days of Promise?

I hope readers will become more aware of PTSD. It effects more than the veterans and their families, but all who love them. It isn't unusual for me to be talking with someone and get this "Oh, they are dealing with Post Traumatic Stress" this way or that way. The "Disorder" part, as far as I have learned, comes from intense stress, such as battle and other potentially fatal situations. Some deal with PTSD with faith and prayers on the one hand while others use counseling and sometimes drugs to manage the disorder. But for me, my PTSD is rather low key and manageable.

What is something that most people don’t know about you that you wouldn’t mind sharing? 

Wow! I've really pulled back recently. I'm scared to death of being stalked.

What? Well, that issue we will address in the interview for your next novel. :-) Thank you, Shaunna, for the interview!

Reader can buy Dark Days of Promise here.
Visit Shaunna Gonzales on her blog.

Please leave a comment for Shaunna!

And the Winner is . . .

 lmroczek is the winner of the Merrill Osmond Broadway Music CD! Congratulations!

Faith, Hope, and Gravity by Merrill Osmond and Shirley Bahlmann

On this post announcing the release of Merrill Osmond and Shirley Bahlmann's latest novel Faith, Hope, and Gravity, I am giving away a BROADWAY SONGS compilation by Merrill Osmond.  All you need to do is become a follower of my blog and leave a howdy in the comment section and your name will be in a drawing for the CD. My deadline is Sept 15.  US entries only.

I personally grew up with Osmond music, owned a few LPs, listened to them on the radio. On a tour with BYU a cappella choir in 1974 to Denmark, I met a group of girls who had investigated the Mormon Church all because the Osmond family were members and not afraid to say so. I was amazed at the far reaching influence of this family. 

Faith, Hope, and Gravity is Merrill Osmond's first novel. Along with the amazing talents of Shirley Bahlmann, this story will continue the great Osmond tradition of influencing the world. Read on.

Faith, Hope and Gravity is the spiritual, magical adventure of teenage Liam Kane as he discovers some of the same lessons Merrill Osmond learned as the world-traveling lead singer of the Osmond Brothers. Merrill, like Liam, was often misunderstood for his visionary quests to understand those who looked for answers to life's questions.

Liam's talents gain him international notoriety as "The Prophecy Boy" who swims with dolphins, dreams of a mysterious red door, and champions those who are misunderstood.

Surviving kidnapping, near-drowning, and imprisonment ultimately leads to the discovery that despite inherent differences, when people respect one another's unique abilities, the thread of commonality that runs through mankind grows ever stronger.

Turn the pages and join the unforgettable journey.

Merrill Osmond is a world-class entertainer, producer, author, motivational speaker and renowned lead singer of the Osmonds. Merrill and his siblings have produced 47 platinum & gold records and Merrill has written the lyrics for five #1 hit records. Merrill is a co-founder of the Osmond Foundation, which originally produced “The Children’s Miracle Network” Telethon. He has produced presidential inaugural events for both Reagan & Bush. Merrill is excited to release his first novel, Faith, Hope & Gravity. Visit his website at:

www.merrillosmond.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/merrilldavisosmond

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/#!/merrillosmond

Shirley Bahlmann has written a wide variety of genres, including historical fiction, novels, biographies, how-to, and how-not-to books. One of her favorites is a children’s book titled “When the Chicken Crossed the Road” which comes with instructions and a chicken-colored washcloth so you can roll your own chicken! Shirley finds the most annoying thing about being a prolific writer is sleep, because she’d rather be writing.

You are welcome to visit her website:

http://shirleybahlmann.com/

Blog:

http://shirleybahlmann.blogspot.com/

And be her friend on Facebook (because everyone needs friends!)




Here is the schedule for the book tour for Faith, Hope, Charity. Visit as many as you can and enter to win other Merrill Osmond CDs!

August 24th- http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/
 Aug 27- http://shirleybahlmann.blogspot.com/
Aug 28-http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/ 
Aug 30- http://1000wrongs.blogspot.com/
Aug 31
http://tristipinkston.blogspot.com/

Sept 4- http://moniquebucheger.blogspot.com/
Sept 5-http://joansowards.blogspot.com/
Sept 7-http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/
http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/
Sept 10 - http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com/
Sept 12- http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/
Sept 13- http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/
Sept 14- http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/
Sept 17- http://www.debbiesinkspectations.blogspot.com/
Sept 18- http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/
 Sept 20- http://www.kathiswritingnook.com/
Sept 24-http://www.queenoftheclan.com/
Sept 27- http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/
Sept 28-http://thebookbug-hogan.blogspot.com/
October 1-  http://www.jewelsbestgems.blogspot.com


Leave a howdy and enter to win a Broadway Music CD. USA entries only.