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.

Interview with author Joyce DiPastena

Today's interview is with Joyce DiPastena, author of Dangerous Favor, her most recent published medieval novel. Please read the synopsis and my review on Dangerous Favor in the post that precedes  this.

Joyce, what started you writing about medieval times?

I fell in love with the Middle Ages during high school when I read a history book on the early Plantagenet kings of England called The Conquering Family, by Thomas B. Costain. I'd been dabbling with writing  stories in other time periods--I always seemed drawn to historical settings for my early writing attempts--but for some reason, this book especially intrigued me. When I went to college (the University of Arizona), I decided to major in history. I consequently took courses in many various time periods, but my heart always beat a little quicker in my medieval history classes, so I took every medieval history class I could find. At the same time, I began my first full length novel and also set it in the Middle Ages. And I've never really looked back. 

 What is it about the Medieval period that fascinates you and keeps you writing about it?

I don't really know why this particular period fascinates me so much. I'm fascinated by many time periods, ancient, medieval, Stuart, Regency, the American Revolution. But when it comes to writing, I just enjoy the medieval time period more than any other.

 What keeps me writing about it? There are still so many fascinating things to explore! My books so far have touched on subjects such as medieval illumination, medieval Arthurian poetry and medieval politics. I've just completed two short medieval stories that incorporate medieval carol dancing and medieval reliquaries (highly decorated boxes that held objects believed by the Catholic Church to be holy, such as fingernail clippings, locks of hair, even vials of tears from the original twelve apostles or the saints that followed them). 

I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of topics available to research and explore and share with readers in a story of one sort or another. I think it will be avery long time before I tire of writing about this time period!

 What are your most trusted resources on details of that period?

I have a very extensive personal library of medieval research books that focus on multiple specialized topics, but here are some of the ones I find myself referring to for almost every story I write are:

The Castle Explorer's Guide, by Frank Bottomley
Pleyn Delit: Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks, by Constance B. Hieatt and Sharon Butler
900 Years of English Costume, by Nancy Bradfield (I think this may be available under a different title now, but the same author)
English Costume from the Early MIddle Ages Through the Sixteenth Century, by Iris Brooke
Medieval English Gardens, by Teresa McLean
A Baronial Household of the Thirteenth Century, by Margaret Wade Labarge

Thank you so much, Joyce, for your interview!

Visit Joyce's blog here.

Here are some of Joyce's other Medieval tales:

   

Readers: Please leave a comment telling what time period you enjoy reading/writing about and why.

Dangerous Favor by Joyce DiPastena

Dangerous Favor begins with a jousting tournament, a hair ribbon, and a young woman who believes finding a rich husband who can help her prove her father's innocence will solve her problems.

Mathilde's father has been accused of stealing from the king, an allegation that has reduced her family to poverty. Lord Therri, heir to a rich barony, has the wealth and connections Mathilde needs to delve into the mysteries of her father's past. Furthermore, Therri embodies all her romantic dreams. 

But . . .

Etienne, the younger son of a disgraced family, has neither wealth nor connections and is smitten with Mathilde at a glance. She finds the knight intriguing, but believes he is only out to seduce her.While she seeks for a way to win Therri's attention, Etienne tricks her into granting him her favor, an embroidered white ribbon, for a tournament, setting in motion a dangerous chain reaction of events. Can Etienne save Mathilde from a nightmare from her past and prove himself the true hero of her dreams?

DiPastena is a master at the written word and gives great care to details in this sword wielding medieval tale of knights and ladies. Her research and knowledge of the age is impressive. The third in a series, Dangerous Favor is a stand alone in its own right. Complete with castles, heart-wrenching betrayal, and well developed characters, the author has you rooting for the hero and his lady with every page turn. Submerge yourself in medieval times in this carefully weaved tale. 

DiPastena, you've done it again!



Visit Joyce DiPastena at her blog.

Preserve our Freedoms

I would ask all men and women

elected and entrusted by the American people

to always be found

with the good of the citizens in mind

and your goal-

to preserve the Constitution
the American Dream

and our freedoms.

2nd Annual Writing Contest on Mormon Mommy Writers Blog

Mormon Mommy Writers' Blog is hosting their second annual writing contest. Last year's contest resulted in the wonderful anthology, Totally Cliche. 

This year's contest promises to be even more exciting since there won't be three winners, but NINE winners since there are three categories in this year's contest. Your mission is to submit a short story, non-fiction essay, or a poem that falls under the theme of Mormon or Mommy or Writer. You do not have to be a Mormon or a mommy to enter this amazing contest. 

The top three stories in each category will be in MMW's next anthology book. In addition to being published, the authors of the top three winning stories in each category will recieve a free e-copy of the anthology and the following prizes:

First Place: $10 Barnes and Noble gift card
Second Place: $5 Barnes and Noble gift card
Third Place: Free Print copy of the anthology featuring their story

The deadline for the contest has been extended to August 31st. Don't delay! Go to this link for the rules and to find out more http://MormonMommyWriters.com

Author Ranee S. Clark

Welcome to author Ranee S. Clark.     Recently, one of her short stories, Haven, was published in an anthology titled,                        It's a Love Thing

Ranee's has been writing since she was old enough to grasp a crayon--her grandma even has an early copy of a "book" she made her. She has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Wyoming and will (hopefully) soon be starting a graduate program in English. When she's not breaking up impromptu UFC fights in the living room or losing miserably to her six-year-old at Uno, she's ... well, writing (or editing), of course! She's married to her best friend and has 2.5 rambunctious, but simply amazing, little boys. She blogs about writing and editing at raneesclark.blogspot.com

Hi, Raneé! Please tell us how you discovered you loved to write? 

I've been writing so long I can't really say! In fact, just this weekend my grandma gave me some "books" I wrote for her when I was seven or eight. I used to write these short, little stories that involved adventures for me and my friends. I had always said I wanted to be a writer someday, but I didn't get serious about seeking to publish my work until about four years ago, after I finished my first NaNo WriMo novel, BLOOM, which I'm starting to query again.

What publications have you had a part in?

Besides a history article in the University of Wyoming's online history journal, I have three short stories published at this time. One, a speculative fiction romance called HAVEN is featured in the IT'S A LOVE THING anthology. The second, FOR CHOICES, is published under a pseudonym in a book called VALUE STORIES FOR YOUNG WOMEN. The third, ANGEL, is available on Amazon.

Tell about It’s A Love Thing -

I first heard about it through Sherry Gammon, who I'd done some editing for. She contacted me about submitting for an anthology they were putting together. I didn't expect them to want HAVEN, since it's not exactly the light, summertime "love thing" they were looking for! :D To my surprise, they accepted it, yay. It's been a great experience learning about how publishing works.
IT'S A LOVE THING is a collection of short stories by various authors of varying genres that focus on one thing - summer love.

What are you working on now?

I am always so scattered with my projects. In between editing assignments, I'm working on a major rewrite for a novel called KISSING A SUPERHERO. In the meantime, I'm also going back to querying BLOOM (which I queried for a few months last year). And working on editing a regency novella. Among a million other little things. :)

Best wishes with the querying! What are your goals for the future?

I would like to be Kiersten White or Sarah Eden -- that's probably not realistic, is it? I want a published book eventually and be represented by an agent who is awesome to work with.

What is something most people don’t know about you that you could share?
I love to scrapbook digitally and also sew, both hobbies that don't get a lot of time when I'm focusing on writing! 

Thank you for the interview, Raneé!

                   

                                                              

Big in Japan by Jennifer Griffith

Big in Japan 

A story of an overweight Texan guy who’s a nobody, walked on by others, and invisible in his job and in love. He goes to Japan and accidentally becomes the first blond sumo wrestler.

Release date for Big in Japan is July 28^th.

Jennifer Griffith will sign copies at Weller Books in Trolley Square in Salt Lake City, Utah at 6:00 p.m. that same day.

Big in Japan is also available in bookstores nationwide, through online booksellers, and as ebook. 

Thank you, Jennifer, for appearing on my blog today! Our title for this interview is, "Don't Write What You Know." Can't wait to hear about the meaning behind it. (And yes, folks, she is as pretty as her picture shows. No need for a glamour studio!)

Thank you for letting me be your guest blogger today! It’s an honor.

Why did you write a novel about a blond sumo wrestler?

Do you remember those skits by Monty Python, “And Now for Something Completely Different?” You probably wanted something completely different on this blog today, so here’s a post about sumo wrestling!

Sumo. It’s gross, right? Flabby, mostly-naked guys slamming into each other at full speed?

Is that all there is to it?

Ah, but my friends, it is much, much more!

Sumo is the national sport of Japan. It’s of ancient origin. Only men are allowed to compete. Foreigners have been part of sumo for almost 100 years, and the current champion is foreign, as was his predecessor. There are about 1000 men who are in the pro ranks, and there are six levels that a competitor must climb through (or shove through, actually!) to get to the top tier. There are six tournaments a year, three in Tokyo, and three at other locations in Japan. The winner of a tournament receives The Emperor’s Cup, a huge silver trophy I couldn’t lift if my life depended on it.

There aren’t any weight classes, so the biggest, heaviest guys compete against everyone else in their level. It pays to put on weight! And having good balance can help a wrestler (rikishi) win, even if he’s lighter than his opponent.

The rules are simple. To win a match, a Rikishi must force his opponent out of the ring or make him touch the ground with any part of his body other than the bottom of his foot. Matches are super intense, but they only last a few seconds. The power of these giants is just incredible.

Where can Americans go to watch sumo wrestling?

Lots of matches are available to watch online.

Some of us eat sushi at restaurants called “The Happy Sumo,” but there’s a darker side to the sport. In recent years some incidents of hazing and bout throwing have come to light, and there have been scandals that have rocked the sport and disillusioned some fans.

Now, I did live in Japan for a year and a half (LOVED it!), and I did see a sumo wrestler in a train station one time in Tokyo, but I didn’t know much about the sport until I started researching it for my newly released novel BIG IN JAPAN. 

So, what is the meaning behind, "Write What You Don't Know"?

For this book, I didn’t follow the advice of “write what you know.” Heh heh. I’m a 5’1” girly girl mom of five who lives in the Arizona desert. (Although I do love Japan and wanted to take readers on a virtual tour of it.) Instead I followed the rule “write what you want to know.” I wanted to know more about sumo, thought it was so exotic and readers might want to know about it too.

Robert Frost said in his poem “Maple,” “Name some children some names and see what happens.” I echo that: “Pick an exotic subject for your novel, research it and see what happens.”

It could turn out to be BIG!

Thank you so much, Jennifer, for the interview!

Jennifer Griffith is the author of four novels. BIG IN JAPAN is published by Jolly Fish Press and is available at bookstores nationwide and online. It is also available as an ebook. Find her on Facebook and Twitter @GriffithJen.

Review--Powers of Influence by Jordan Arey

Powers of Influence by Jordan Arey is literary fiction--a far cry from the romantic adventures I am used to reading, but I very much enjoyed the read. Powers of Influence is set for a late November release, so put it on your to-read list and/or Christmas list.

 The woman on the cover hints of a world far from mine, and the figure of a man standing in a small boat piqued my interest and leaving me to wonder how the two related. The story was not set in an exotic land nor was it a lengthy sea adventure, but it kept me turning pages with interesting twists and turns along the way.

Powers of Influence starts out as a not-so-usual tale. A young man awakens on a sandy beach not remembering how he came to be there or who he is. A kind couple takes him in and he becomes a part of their family. He slowly discovers that most people on the island arrived there the same way he had, awakening with no memory on the shore. He becomes obsessed to know who he is and risks his life by crossing the sea to find answers--and that is when the real adventure begins. 

Arey's tale has all the elements of a good storytelling: opposition, mystery, intrigue, war, and my favorite--a touch of romance. It is somewhat an allegory that makes you think and view life from different perspectives. The story relates to scripture, science, and deals with the human plight itself. By the last page, I felt I had come full circle--a satisfying ending.

I recommend Powers of Influence to all readers (even romance appreciators). I hope you all enjoy the story as much as I did. Arey has a creative, almost poetically crafted voice all can enjoy. Visit Jordan Arey's author site here.

LDStorymakers Midwest Conference, Sept 15, 2012

This is going to be a great writer's conference in Kansas City!

Date: Saturday, September 15th, 2012
Time: 8 am – 9 pm
Location: Holiday Inn – Olathe (101 W. 151st St., Olathe, KS) 913-829-4000 *Discounted hotel rooms are available for $78/night. Please reference the Storymakers Writers Conference when you call to make a reservation.
Registration Fee: $95, includes all classes, lunch, dinner, and conference materials.

And what a great lineup of teachers and speakers!

We’re excited to announce our Keynote Speaker:
   Lisa Mangum (Editor for Deseret Book & Shadow Mountain and Best-Selling Author of The Hourglass Door series)

We’re also delighted to have the following authors as presenters:

   Traci Hunter Abramson

   Don Carey

   Karen Hoover

   Heather Justesen

   Josi Kilpack

   Laurie (L.C.) Lewis

   Steve Westover

Pitch your latest story to Lisa Mangum. Appointments are available on a first come first served basis. Meet your favorite authors at the Friday night Authorpalooza. Network with other writers across the Midwest.
Sign up for a day full of awesomeness! Register here: https://storymakersconference.myshopify.com/