3rd Annual Summer Treasure Hunt!

The 3rd Annual Summer Treasure Hunt is about to begin (and I'm participating again). I will still have my regular Work In Progress and Book Review Thursday posts, but the treasure hunt info for the day will be first. Check back each day (everything is posted today though) for a new treasure and at the end of each week, I will post the answers to the questions and the winners. (I don't think I'll be able to do it daily, but you never know.) Joyce DiPastena is the sponsor and I believe she will have the winners posted daily if you wanted to hop on over there. Also, as a side note, all these wonderful participates would absolutely love to have more followers. Feel free to follow all the ones you participate in! Take a look, have fun and find some treasure!

3rd Annual Summer Treasure Hunt: Dig for Clues and Win! Contest

Welcome to our 3^rd Annual “Summer Treasure Hunt: Dig for Clues and Win Contest!” This is becoming an exciting tradition, both for our sponsors and hopefully for all of you! 29 writer friends and I have banded together to present a month-long contest where we will give away a prize a day for the entire month of June. That’s right! 30 awesome prizes, running the gambit from books books books! (romances, fantasies, mystery/thrillers, inspirationals, children’s books, and various non-fiction), as well as Amazon gift cards, a Mary Kay gift set, a vinyl lettering gift certificate, a hand-sewn weekly planner with ribbon bookmark, a crocheted book tote with matching cell phone case, and again for you aspiring authors, TWO free edit/critiques of a partial manuscript. Many of the giveaways are open to International entries, though always check to be sure before you enter for a particular prize.

And how exactly do you enter for these amazing prizes? By following these rules:

SUMMER TREASURE HUNT RULES:

You can send in one entry for each day’s prize, or only for those prizes that strike your fancy. The rules are simple:

(1) Go to the website or blog indicated for each day, find the answer to the question for that day, then email the answer with your name and AND MAILING ADDRES to jdipastena@yahoo.com. I promise you will not wind up on any mailing lists. This is only to facilitate the receipt of your prize. All entries will be deleted at the end of the contest.

(2) Please send a separate entry for each day and type the day you are entering in the subject line. (Such as: Summer Treasure Hunt, June 1; Summer Treasure Hunt, June 2, etc).

(3) Deadline for each day: Midnight PST

(4) The winner will be contacted and announced on the day following the deadline.

All winners will be draw by www.random.org.

You do not have to wait until the designated day to enter. You can start sending in your entries right now, or begin entering at any point along the way. And check back here each day between June 2^nd – July 1^st to read the names of the winners.

If you have any questions, please email Joyce DiPastena at jdipastena@yahoo.com.

And now…let the treasure hunt begin!

June 1

SPONSOR: Canda Mortensen

PRIZE: A $25 Amazon gift certificate

QUESTION: What is the title and artist of the Princess song on Newbie's playlist? (HINT: Scroll to the bottom of the blog and read “Newbie Teaser”. Match the number of “Princess” with the same number on the Playlist box (you may have to scroll down the playlist to find this, too). It will give you the title and artist.)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http:candamortensen.blogspot.com

OPEN TO USA ENTRIES

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 2

SPONSOR: Jennifer Griffith

PRIZE: Delicious Conversation (LDS romance, an adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion, set in a chocolate shop in Salt Lake City), by Jennifer Griffith

QUESTION: Name at least 5 kinds of candy I ate at the last writers' conference I attended AND share YOUR favorite candy. (HINT: Read the April 20, 2011 post. Click on April under the Blog Archive in the right hand sidebar.)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://cottoncandy4thesoul.blogspot.com/

OPEN TO USA ENTRIES ONLY

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 3

SPONSOR: Peggy Urry

PRIZE: Choice of book: Villette by Charlotte Bronte (romance, paperback); Airframe by Michael Crichton (thriller, paperback); The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell (contemporary crime, paperback); OR The Mist of Quarry Harbor by Liz Adair (LDS romantic fiction, paperback); AND choice of Jelly Belly Gel Case for iPhone 3G/3GS or Jelly Belly Strawberry Cheesecake Gel Case for iPod Touch.

QUESTION: What is the name of my Work In Progress (WIP)? (Hint: It's the title of my March 12, 2011 post. Click on “March” under Blog Archive in the right hand sidebar.)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://peggyurry.blogspot.com/

OPEN TO USA/CANADA ONLY

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 4

SPONSOR: Danielle Thorne

PRIZE: Josette (sweet Regency romance, E-book) AND Southern Girl, Yankee Roots (poetry), both by Danielle Thorne

QUESTION: Danielle supports what wildlife conservancy organization? (HINT: See right hand column of website)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.daniellethorne.com

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 5

SPONSOR: Bonnie Harris

PRIZE: Mary Kay Microdermabrasion Set

QUESTION: What are the names of my two WIPs? (HINT: Scroll to the bottom of the blog and click on “Work in Progress” under Labels)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http:// www.bonnieharris.blogspot.com

OPEN TO USA/CANADA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 6

SPONSOR: Susan Kaye Quinn

PRIZE: Autographed copy of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit (YA love story), by Susan Kaye Quinn

QUESTION: How many days do David and Eliza have on the cruise together, before they’re forced to go their separate ways? (HINT: Click on the “About Me and My Books” tab and read the blurb for Life, Liberty, and Pursuit)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://ink-spells.blogspot.com

OPEN TO USA ENTRIES ONLY

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 7:

SPONSOR: Anne Bradshaw

PRIZE: True Miracles with Genealogy: Help from Beyond the Veil (non-fiction), by Anne Bradshaw – 1 print and 1 eBook – Print copy can be autographed. (Yes, there will be TWO winners drawn for this prize)

QUESTION: Which TV station interviewed Anne? (HINT: Answer is a short way down the middle column.)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://truemiracleswithgenealogy.com

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES; PLEASE NOTE YOUR PREFERENCE FOR PRINT OR EBOOK, ALTHOUGH I CAN’T GUARANTEE YOU WILL WIN YOUR PREFERENCE.

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 8

SPONSOR: Cheri Schmidit

PRIZE: Autographed copy of Fateful (YA paranormal romance), by Cheri Schmidt

QUESTION: Who is the prince of darkness? (HINT: Click on “April” under Blog Archive in the left hand sidebar and read the April 12, 2011 post)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://cherischmidt.blogspot.com/

OPEN TO USA ONLY

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 9

SPONSOR: Mary Fremont Schoenecker

PRIZE: Moonglade (a sweet cozy mystery, Book Two in the Maine Shore Chronicles series), by Mary Fremont Schoenecker The prize is an autographed First Edition hard cover print book.

QUESTION: What special skill does character Tante Margaret use that puts her in danger during Remi's murder investigation? (HINT: Click on the “About Her Books” tab and read the Publisher’s Weekly Review.

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.maryschoenecker.com

OPEN TO USA/CANADA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 10

SPONSOR: Shaunna Gonzales

PRIZE: FREE edit and/or critique of first 50 pages

QUESTION: What do his lips taste like? (Hint: click on “Sizzling Kiss” under Post Subjects in the left hand sidebar)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.shaunnagonzales.blogspot.com

OPEN TO USA/CANADA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 11

SPONSOR: Donna Hatch

PRIZE: The Stranger She Married (Regency romance), by Donna Hatch

QUESTION: What poses the greatest danger to Alicia’s heart? (HINT: Scroll down underneath the book cover of The Stranger She Married, and read the paragraph directly below.

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.donnahatch.net/bookshelf.htm

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES FOR E-BOOK VERSION; US/CANADA FOR PRINT BOOK OR PAPEBACK VERSION

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 12

SPONSOR: Cindy R. Williams & Planet Play Productions, LLC.

PRIZE: Award winning glossy cover children’s snuggle, giggle picture book, Chase McKay Didn’t Get Up Today, signed by the author and the real Chase McKay.

QUESTION: What is the name of the dragon in the upcoming fantasy, Thundertail’s Tale: The Legend? (HINT: click on the Blog tab)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.cindyRwilliams.com

OPEN TO USA/CANADA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 13

SPONSOR: Larry Hammersley

PRIZE: Motorcycle Woman (sweet contemporary romance, E-book), by Larry Hammersley

QUESTION: What kind of motorcycle does Tess, the motorcycle woman, ride? (HINT: Read the blog post “Motorcycle Woman from Red Rose Publishing”, May 5, 2011)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://larryhammersley.blogspot.com/

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 14

SPONSOR: Cheryl Cory

PRIZE: Autographed copy of Must've Done Something Good (romantic comedy), by Cheryl Cory

QUESTION: What is Sylvie's all-time favorite movie? (HINT: Click on the "Info" link in the left-hand column)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.facebook.com/MustveDoneSomethingGood

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 15

SPONSOR: Valerie Ipson

PRIZE: $15 Gift Certificate for Vinyl Lettering (http://vinylsignsanddesigns.blogspot.com)

QUESTION: What is Valerie's writing goal for 2011? (HINT: Look in the right hand sidebar)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http:// valerieipson.blogspot.com

OPEN TO USA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 16

SPONSOR: Rachel Rager

PRIZE: Wednesday Romances - romance (obviously), ebook, by Rachel Rager. This is a compaliation of three different love stories, A Season for Love, The Tiger Unleashed, and The Feather Kiss. (All sweet romances)

QUESTION: Every week I have post a new chapter of a book on my blog. What are these posts called? (Hint: These posts are featured every Wednesday.)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://rachelrager.blogspot.com

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 17

SPONSOR: Danyelle Ferguson

PRIZE: Autograhed copy of (dis)Abilities and the Gospel: How to Bring People with Special Needs Closer to Christ (non-fiction/self-help) by Danyelle Ferguson & Lynn Parsons, M.S.)

non-fiction/self-help, autographed book

QUESTION: What is the name of the non-profit Danyelle co-founded? (HINT: Check out Danyelle's author bio)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.danyelleferguson.com/

OPEN TO USA ENTRIES ONLY

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 18

SPONSOR: Teresa Thomas Bohannon

PRIZE: A Very Merry Chase (Regency Romance novel), by Teresa Thomas Bohannon. AND a $5 Amazon gift certificate. Winner's Choice: PDF with personalized dedication, or Ebook format for Kindle or Epub format for Nook. (HINT: Read “A Very Merry Chase Excerpt” under “A Very Merry Chase” in the right hand sidebar)

QUESTION: What did Lady Bethany do and why?

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.ladysilk.net

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 19

SPONSOR: Diane Daniels

PRIZE: Autographed copy of Over the Moon (YA fantasy romance, print copy), by Diane Daniels

QUESTION: Who is Andrew's evil x-girlfriend, Sonya, named after? (HINT: Read the May 14, 2011 blog entry)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.overthemoonseries.com/

OPEN TO USA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 20

SPONSOR: Margaret Larsen Turley

PRIZE: critique for up to 5000 words

QUESTION: Margaret Larsen Turley is administrator for ______________________________ group. They hold fund-raising events for Cancer Research. (HINT: You’ll find the answer in one of her website tabs)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://margaretlarsen.com/

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES/ENGLISH LANGUAGE ONLY

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 21

SPONSOR: Anna Arnett

PRIZE: Autographed copy of Lolly's Yarn: a memoir (older YA to adult), by Anna Arnett, with a hand-crocheted bookmark

QUESTION: What was the verdict regarding Anna's radar photo speeding ticket? (HINT: Click on the Blogs tab and read “I Fought the Law and Guess Who Won?”

WEBSITE/BLOG: htt:www.annaarnett.com

OPEN TO USA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 22

SPONSOR: Joyce DiPastena

PRIZE: Autographed copy of Loyalty’s Web (sweet medieval romance), by Joyce DiPastena

QUESTION: How do people win Joyce’s “Light Bulb Award”? (HINT: Answer is found in the right hand column of the blog)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://jdp-news.blogspot.com

OPEN TO USA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 23

SPONSOR: C. Michelle Jefferies

PRIZE: 52 page hand-sewn weekly planner, with ribbon bookmark.

QUESTION: What rank is Michelle in martial arts? (HINT: Look in right hand sidebar under “MY TANG SOO DO PROGRESS”)

WEBSITE/BLOG: HTTP://cmichellejefferies.blogspot.com

OPEN TO USA/CANADA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 24

SPONSOR: Valerie J. Steimle

PRIZE: Choice of two books: Home Is Where The Learning Is (homeschool how-to book, non-fiction; autographed print copy) OR Dogs, Blogs and Hobbits: Writings from a Widows Perspective ---(non-fiction articles about everything from being single and single moms to inspirational stories; autographed print copy), both by Valerie J. Steimle

QUESTION: How many children does Valerie have? (HINT: Look in the right hand column in "About Me")

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://valeriesteimle.blogspot.com/

OPEN TO USA/CANADA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 25

SPONSOR: Karen Adair

PRIZE: Crocheted Book Tote with matching cell phone case.

QUESTION: What commenter recently called me (Karen) "The Queen of Sugar Land?" (HINT: Select “January 2011” under Archives and read the COMMENTS on Karen’s January 6, 2011 post on “The 20 Minute Sprint”)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.kbadair.com

OPEN TO USA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 26

SPONSOR: Jaimey Grant (www.jaimeygrant.com) and/or TreasureLine Books & Publishing (www.treasurelinebooks.com)

PRIZE: Winner's choice of 1 of 5 Regency romance eBooks by Jaimey Grant (Honor, Betrayal, Deception, Spellbound, or Redemption. Please note: Honor contains some marital "heat".)

QUESTION: Which of Jaimey's previously self-published titles has recently been picked up by a publisher? (HINT: Click the "Purchasing Options" tab)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http:// www.jaimeygrant.com

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 27

SPONSOR: Heidi Murphy

PRIZE: Autographed copy of Small Deceptions (sweet Regency/Georgian romance), by H. Linn Murphy

QUESTION: In what country is the bridge found over which 'we' were fighting? (HINT: Find “Blog Archive” in the right hand sidebar, click on April and read the post titled: “The Far Bridge”)

WEBSITE/BLOG: www.murph4slaw.blogspot.com

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 28

SPONSOR: Kenneth Rosenberg

PRIZE: One e-book copy of my new romantic comedy, Sweet Ophelia and the Tinseltown Blues, any format

QUESTION: What instrument does the character Warren August play? (HINT: Click on the cover image for Sweet Ophelia and the Tinseltown Blues. Read the first few paragraphs of the excerpt.)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http:// www.kennethrosenberg.com

OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 29

SPONSOR: Michael Young

PRIZE: Autographed copy of The Last Archangel (YA Urban Fantasy, print copy - Release date July 14th)

QUESTION: What is the name of the fallen angel who is the main character in "The Last Archangel"? (HINT: Click on the Reviews tab. Frank Cole thinks this character “rocks!”

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://thelastarchangel.weebly.com

OPEN TO USA/CANADA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

June 30

SPONSOR: Joan Sowards

PRIZE: The Star Prophecy: a Book of Mormon Adventure (LDS novel), by Joan Sowards

QUESTION: Why do Enoch and his friends sail to Jerusalem? (HINT: Read the blurb under The Star Prophecy book cover in the right hand column of the blog)

WEBSITE/BLOG: http://joansowards.blogspot.com

OPEN TO USA

WINNER:

ANSWER:

Book Review Thursday

Fool's Gold by Shirley Balhmann is a sequel to Walkers Fools. I found this book difficult to get into, but that could have been everything going on with life. Once into it, I enjoyed the story. Somethings were a bit predictable but if you like a bit of mystery and intrigue, you'll like this book.

Single mother Mattie Jones’ life is already full with two children, marriage plans, a fiancé, a huge dog, and an eccentric neighbor. Then her sister drops in unannounced with their nine-year-old nephew, Kenny, who has Down’s Syndrome. Since Kenny’s mother is being treated for a nervous breakdown, Mattie takes in her unexpected visitors. But soon Kenny becomes a key player in a life or death drama instigated by an itinerant preacher named Cyrus - a man who has already rocked the faith and shaken the marriage of Mattie's friend, Laney. Now Cyrus sees in Kenny a pure and guiltless spirit that he is determined to protect and nurture, no matter what.
With mounting apprehension, Mattie follows a chain of events that ultimately threatens the very lives of those she loves. Will her love be strong enough to carry her beyond the limits of endurance and save them in time?

Work In Progress Wednesday

I'm posting this a bit later in the day that I would have liked, but I'm almost positive the baby's cutting teeth since he's been really abnormally fussy the last few days. Anyway, work on The Black Orchid has slowed, but I'm still plotting in my head. Instead I've focused on Encoded Secrets more and here's what I've learned. I just cut 10,000 words from it and I don't think I'll miss them. I took a class at the LDStorymakers about not being married to your words and scenes. Sometimes they have to go and I now have to agree. I just find it interesting that it's taken me this long to figure out that some of those scenes, although they were fun, weren't necessary. Gotta love the learning curve!

Perspectives

By Bonnie Harris

Ok, I admit it. I'm a Dancing With The Stars junky. I love watching people who excel in one area of life, taking on the challenge of a completely different thing. The growth that happens emotional, physical and in so many other ways is incredible. Often times the stars are quoted saying things like, "I never knew dancing would be so hard." "I wasn't prepared for the challenge and difficulty the training would be." How many times have we found ourselves saying, "If you only did what I did, then you'd understand." or "You have no idea how hard my job is." It's interesting to see what happens once someone does take on the challenge of learning something new.

This last week, one of the stars, Kym Johnson, was seriously injured. I cringe even thinking about it. Thankfully she's alright and was able to dance and incredible Tango routine, that earned perfect marks, with her partner MVP Pro Football Player Hines Ward. What I found so compelling about the whole situation was the response from Kym and from Hines.

Kym's first response was how they didn't have time for the injury. There was too much to do. Hines on the other hand said he wasn't even thinking about the competition, he just prayed she'd be OK. Isn't it interesting how drastically different their initial responses were. It made me think of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum when they were shot at Carthledge Jail. Hyrum said, I've been shot and Joseph called out to his Father in heaven. Two completely different responses.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not being judgmental in way. It just got me thinking about different perspectives and made me wonder how well do I know my characters. If my characters were in similar situations, what would their perspectives be? Would they be the ones worrying about practices or about the persons recovery. What would the first words out of their mouth be?

Then it snowballed and I put myself in the perspective shoes. How would I react? What would I say? I've often found that I say something like, I would like to think I'd react this way, but I really don't know. So, how well do I know myself then? It's given me food for thought.

In a nutshell, I hope we can all get to know our characters (and ourselves) well enough to be able to put them in a trying situation and know exactly what they would say and how they would react.

Here's a video of the fall and the inspiring end results. You can also see it on abc.com. It's the fourth tab in. (Side note: They earned a standing ovation from the audience and the judges which is unusual. All of the judges spoke highly of them. Hines couldn't control the tears and one of the judges was choked up. She said that Hines went above and beyond what is expected of the dancers in the matter of partnering Kym. If you'd like to hear their comments, they are on the abc.com link.)

Book Review Thursday

The Thorn by Daron Fraley is about warring trips in another world. I liked how Fraley wove familiar threads through the story. The characters were fun to get to know, especially in their own world. It's a fun, fascinating read that I would recommend for anyone. Here's the back cover blurb. Check it out and let me know what you think! (PS. He has free eBooks at his website. Definitely head on over for yours.)

Three tribes are at war on the planet Gan, unaware that the sign of Christ’s birth on an unknown world - Earth - is about to appear in the heavens. During a bloody skirmish with Gideonite troops, Jonathan of Daniel spares Pekah, a young enemy soldier, gaining his trust forever. These two distant brothers from estranged tribes covenant with each other to end the war being waged by a self-proclaimed emperor, and soon discover the intentions of a far more dangerous foe named Rezon – a sinister general bent on ruling those he can bring into subjection and destroying all others. In the end, Pekah’s selfless bravery is the means by which all the tribes are united. But there are dissenters, and Rezon escapes a well-deserved fate. When the promised heavenly signs appear, will there be peace at last, or will the malefactors once again threaten the safety of them all?

Work In Progress Wednesday

I've decided to back off on the queries for Encoded Secrets for now. There are some things I can do to make it better, so that's what I'm going to do. Still having fun with The Black Orchid. It's amazing how the process goes. This week is a matter of balancing time. I wish I had a writing tip, but seeing as writing isn't happening like I want it to, I'll have to come up with one next week. Happy writing!

Book Buzzin' Tuesday

Today I'm buzzin' Constant Hearts, a novella by Donna Hatch, now available at Smashwords.com. It sounds just as wonderful as all of Donna's books. Here's a blurb about it, check out her website and let me know what you think!

The scandalous Lady Amelia Dasherwood would rather thumb her nose at the society who shunned her for getting a divorce, but must now face those who rejected her in order to solicit aid for a forgotten orphanage dear to her.

Newly returned from the horrors of war, Dr. Reed St. Ives plans to make a new life as a country doctor and forget Amelia ever existed--after all, she broke his heart when she married another man. Yet she keeps invading his thoughts and showing up when he least expects her. If only he could find a cure for his own heart.

When fate reunites them, the last thing they want is to face the heartbreak that tore them apart years ago. Amelia must choose between honoring her family's wishes to deny her heart again, or declaring herself and risking Reed's rejection. Placing her heart at his feet would take the most courage of all.

Book Review Thursday

Theodore Boone Kid Lawyer by John Grisham is one of today's book reviews. I expected a lot from this book because let's face it, it's John Grisham. Throughout the whole thing I found myself saying, "Is this it?" There's a lot of vocabulary definitions given by Theodore that I felt slowed the story down. However, in character, he's explaining all the legal stuff to friends who didn't know anything about it. This book is wonderful for kids and adults alike, if you don't mind a vocabulary lesson along the way. Here's the back cover blurb.

With two attorneys for parents, thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone knows more about the law than most lawyers do. But when a high-profile murder trial comes to his small town and Theo gets pulled into it, it's up to this amateur attorney to save the day.

Adventures Wanted The Horn of Moran by M. L. Forman is the second book in a great series of adventures. Alexander Taylor is called on another adventure with some of the same friends as his first one. I enjoyed the world Forman created and the lessons learned on the way. The mixed of all the fantasy characters i.e. elves, dwarfs, brownies, etc. is fun. I like the interaction between all of them. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good adventure.

The land of Norsland is on the brink of war as two men have each claimed the throne. Only the true king can sound the Horn of Moran and prove his nobility. But the horn has been lost for years. If it is not found—and soon—it could mean the destruction of an entire nation. Young Alexander Taylor joins a band of seasoned adventurers who have been called up to retrieve the legendary Horn of Moran. Their journey to the mysterious Tower of the Moon will take them through an enchanted forest, into battle against a goblin army, past the watchful eyes of griffin guards, and face-to-face with a sphinx and her deadly riddles. With his sword, Moon Slayer, and the wise counsel from his wizard mentor, Whalen Vankin, Alex must use all his wizard and warrior skills to slay a darkness that may consume them all.

Work In Progress Wednesday

I have to apologize for the lack of a post last week. Wednesday came and went before I realized it. But I have a good excuse. I was at the LDStormakers Conference. Wow. It was fantastic. I learned so much and have a new found motivation to continue getting better. Also, I think I may tweak this post to a Work In Progress Writing Tip since the submitting process takes time and there's not always something to report. This way I'll share what I've learned in the last week or what has and hasn't worked in the past week. What do you think?

Anyway, I got lots of good feedback on both The Black Orchid and Encoded Secrets. Can't wait to get started!

Happy Writing!

Book Buzzin' Tuesday

This is a four book buzz. Marsha Ward's The Owen Family Saga is now available on the Amazon Kindle and at Smashwords.com. This is an exciting series that sounds like it is a fun read. Also available is her Short Stories and Poetry Collection entitled No More Strangers.

Below are descriptions of each book. Take a look, hop on over to her website, then to Smashwords.com or Amazon Kindle, and let me know what you think!

Descriptions of Works by Marsha Ward

The books in The Owen Family Saga:

The Man from Shenandoah: Young cavalryman Carl Owen returns from the Civil War to find the family farm destroyed, his favorite brother dead, food scarce, and his father determined to leave the Shenandoah Valley to build a cattle empire in Colorado Territory. Crossing the continent, Carl falls in love with his brother's fiancée while set to wed another girl, but he might lose everything if the murderous thug Berto Acosta has his way. Carl battles a band of outlaws, a prairie fire, blizzards, a trackless waterless desert, and his own brother—all for the hand of feisty Ellen Bates.

Ride to Raton: Thinking he's been treated unjustly by his father, James Owen leaves the family homestead to make a new life for himself. The turbulent world of post-Civil War Colorado Territory is fraught with danger and prejudice that increase his bitter loneliness as personal setbacks threaten to break him. Then James's journey brings him into contact with another wayfarer, beautiful young Amparo Garcés, who has come from Santa Fe to Colorado to marry a stranger. Through a twist of fate, their futures are changed forever when their lives are merged in a marriage of convenience. James and Amparo undertake a hazardous horseback trek over Raton Pass to Santa Fe, battling their personal demons, a challenging language barrier, and winter's raging storms.

Trail of Storms: Jessie Bingham put heartbreak away to tend to her sister's needs, but when she settled for second best in love, she didn't foresee that James Owen would come back into her life. The aftermath of the Civil War creates cruel circumstances for the Bingham family. A brutal attack on Jessie's sister, Hannah Fletcher, drives the extended family to flee to the West. They are soon joined by Heppie Bingham's beau George and his brother, Ned, who bring news that the Binghams are being pursued by cronies of Hannah's attacker. Even after they fight off that onslaught, poverty, bad weather, and Hannah's frightful secret plague their journey. Nursing her battered heart when she hears James Owen took a wife, Jessie accepts Ned's offer of marriage, but puts off the wedding until they reach Albuquerque. Then a stop on the trail holds surprises that launch Jessie into a bewildering tangle of values, emotions, and high adventure.

Short Stories and Poetry Collection:

No More Strangers: Prose and Poetry of the West from acclaimed Western novelist Marsha Ward. Six short stories, three poems, and an excerpt from a forthcoming novel make up this collection of Western treasures, including the never-before-published "Thumps in the Night."

Stand-alone Short Stories:

War Party: The Battle of Salt River Canyon took place at Skeleton Cave in Arizona Territory on December 28, 1872, and was an engagement of the decade-long Apache Wars in the late nineteenth century. In this short story, award winning writer Marsha Ward envisioned how it might have happened, when black smoke drew young Rolla Woods's eye, smoke where there should not be smoke. Then he heard the noise: high, piercing yips, and a woman's scream, and the flat report of gunshots. Bitter revenge and dawning awareness war within a young boy on the Arizona frontier.

The Usual Game: In another of Marsha Ward's taut short stories, Verl returns to his boarding house after a hard day working construction in the Verde Valley of the new State of Arizona. He's dreaming of going home to Phoenix soon with his wages, home to sweet Betty's arms. Then he finds his landlord, Fong, ensnared in the usual game run by the local card shark, Happy Sam. If Fong can't get away, he's going to lose the money he's been saving for years to send for his wife in China. High stakes action in early Arizona.

First Drafts

By Bonnie Harris

I never realized how dependent I’ve become on the internet and computers. My husband has had my computer and I haven’t had access to the internet when I’ve had the computer. Gotta love traveling. :) (I just have to say that the LDStorymakers Conference has been wonderful.)

This past little while I’ve been struggling through a first draft. The last few books I’ve completed it has been the revisions that caused problems. Then a few people have stated how much they hate the first draft and I couldn’t figure out what they were talking about, until now. It seems every direction I turn, a wall has effectively been built and I have to go back and figure out a way around it. It’s really thrown me for a loop.

So, as any good writer would do, I’ve turned to chocolate. :) When that didn’t fix the problem I began thinking about what I’ve heard other author’s have said about using an outline. My only problem with that is I’ve never done a real one. All through school I always wrote the paper first and then did the outline. That works until you can’t figure out where the paper is going. Since that’s

basically where I’m at, I’m wondering if any of you out there have any ideas on what an outline for a book would look like. Crazy question I know, but what I’m doing is obviously

not working.

Anyway, I ran across something Shannon Hale facebooked about sometime ago that I keep reminding myself of. She said something to the effect of, I have to remember I’m dumping sand into the sand box so I can make a beautiful castle next. To me, that means even if I write myself into a wall, I need to keep dumping in the words even if I haven’t figure out the whole outlining process or anything like that, because without words, there is no book.

I guess in a way I’m giving myself and anyone else who finds themselves wearing the shoes of a first draft road block, that this to shall pass. Keep the words flowing, even if they don’t make sense and you want to burn, throw, pulverize or beat your computer (or paper, notecards, post-

its, whatever you are using to write with). Just imagine what a beautiful sand castle you will have at the end. Happy First Draft Writing!