A Woman's Power Giveaway (Int), Blog Tour, Book Review and Interview

Welcome to this stop on the A Woman's Power: Threads That Bind Us To God by Fay Klinger. I'm glad you joined us. We have lots going on with a giveaway (2 winners!), review and interview. I hope you enjoy it. First off, here's a blurb about the book taken from Amazon, where you can pre-order the book (release date of March 13).

For any woman who's ever felt like she's hanging on by a single thread, this inspiring book reveals the truth: you're surrounded by threads of strength and power that can bring you safety, peace, and lasting happiness. All you have to do is grab hold of them. Uplifting and empowering, this book offers women everywhere a message of hope.


I enjoyed reading this book. The many stories gave me a different perspective and insights to the trials life can throw at us. It helped me remember that things can always be worse and I should be more grateful for what I have. It also reminded me that I need to depend on the Lord more and look for His hand in everything I do. He will never fail me.


As women, we do have an inner power that we sometimes forget about in the craziness of our lives. This book helped me refocus on what is really important and strength my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I would highly recommend it to anyone who needs a pick-me-up or who just wants a good, inspirational read.

:):):):)

Now for the giveaway. There will be 2 winners!


Fay has generiously donated a hard copy for US residents and an eBook for International followers. So here's what you need to do.


Mandatory:

• Follow this blog via Networked Blogs and/or GFC. Leave me a comment telling me you've done so and an email to contact you if you win. Also include which version you are going for. Hard copy—US or eBook—International

Optional:

• "Like" Fay's Facebook page, here. Leave a comment telling me you've done so.
• Spread the word. Tell me how in the comment section.

Please enter by midnight on March 16th. The winners will be chosen by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. 

What made you decide to become a writer?

I pretty much answer that question on my website (www.fayklingler.com). My creative writing teacher in junior high school should have received a “teacher-of-the-year” award! At least that’s the answer for the creative-writer-me. The technical-writer-me became a writer to help provide for my family when I was a single mom. There is good pay in that field, but sometimes very difficult deadlines!

Who inspires you?

Oh, my goodness, that’s a hard question. Only because there are so many people who inspire me. I’m inspired by good writers, including those who wrote the scriptures. I’m inspired by friends and family, not just by what they say, but also by what they do. I’ve always been inspired by my marvelous parents. I have to say my mother has been my best friend through my entire life . . . My answer to this question is not complete without mentioning my husband. He is patient with me and helps me see a different perspective. He inspires me with ideas and solutions . . .

What would you like your readers to get out of your writing?

I would like my readers to feel personally inspired to move forward with their lives. I have felt a great desire to share solutions that I’ve learned, and I hope those published solutions benefit others. There is a special spirit that accompanies my latest book, A Woman’s Power, that I believe will soften the reader’s heart and change her life in a positive way.

Where did this idea come from?

Actually, I sincerely believe this idea came from my Heavenly Father. I have over the years of writing become quite discouraged with the lack of ethics on the part of some publishers. For that reason, I chose to quite writing after my book Shattered. But then, I felt truly driven and compelled to write A Woman’s Power. I’m grateful Cedar Fort gave me a contract and such a wonderful group of people to work with. I hope A Woman’s Power will benefit many.

Who was your favorite character to develop?

I didn’t really “develop” any of the characters in this book because it’s a non-fiction, true-to-life book. But I truly enjoyed working with all of the individuals who shared their stories in A Woman’s Power. I love to bake bread so I was really touched by the story about the bread in a white cloth.  The man who shared that story with me also helped with a clip for the book trailer. My son and I had a wonderful experience working with the gentleman’s family members in filming that clip. The book trailer can be viewed by the first of March on my website (www.fayklingler.com) or facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FayKlingler).

Any advice for aspiring authors?

Write for the enjoyment. Write to share. You don’t have to be a highly-paid author to be successful. My grandmother Ida Romney Alldredge was a writer of poetry. She wrote to express her love of life, family, and events. Although she was successfully published, when alive, she wished she could have seen more success in publishing. What she didn’t know then was that her published and non-published works would impact millions of people for all time. Sometimes it’s not what a writer writes that impacts others. Sometimes it’s just that the writer had the courage to share her thoughts, inspiring and blessing others to make goals and follow through with them.

What can we expect next from you?

With a co-author I have written a children’s book that was promised a publishing contract. The publisher did not follow through. We are hoping to find another publisher that will produce the book. It is a marvelous, family book that encourages people of all ages to write and journal.

Where can we purchase your book?

A Woman’s Power, a beautifully designed hardbound book, is a marvelous gift for women of all ages—young and not-so-young. After the release date (March 13), the book can be purchased at Deseret Book, Seagull Book, and other LDS retailers. Or prior to that date, the book can be preordered online from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. A Woman’s Power will also be made available for e-readers.

Check out the other blogs on the blog tour. 

February 28^th, Tuesday—“Great Minds Think Aloud”www.greatmindsliterarycommunity.com

I will have a personal guest post at this blog stop that day.

February 28^th, Tuesday—“Connections with Christy” http://christymonson.blogspot.com

Book review

February 29^th, Wednesday—“I Am a Reader, Not a Writer”http://www.iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/

Author interview and book giveaway

March 1^st, Thursday—“Bonnie Gets a Say” www.bonnieharris.blogspot.com

Author interview, book review, and book giveaway

March 2^nd, Friday—“Why not? Because I said so!”http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/

Book review

March 2^nd, Friday—“LDS Women’s Book Review”http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/

Book review

March 3^rd, Saturday—“Babs Book Bistro” www.babsbookbistro.net/blog

Book review

March 5^th, Monday—“Renae’s Writespot” http://renaeswritespot.blogspot.com

Book review

March 5^th, Monday—“Thrilled by the Thought” www.thrilledbythethought.com

Book review

March 6^th, Tuesday—“Writer in the Pines” http://marshaward.blogspot.com

Book review

March 7^th, Wednesday—“Weaving a Tale or Two” http://weavingataleortwo.blogspot.com

Book review

March 8^th, Thursday—“J. Lloyd Morgan” www.jlloydmorgan.blogspot.com

Book review

March 9^th, Friday—“Queen of the Clan” www.queenoftheclan.com

Book review and book PDF giveaway

March 9^th, Friday—“The Character Connection”www.thecharacterconnection.blogspot.com

Personal guest post

March 10^th, Saturday—“Cheryl’s Book Nook” http://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com

Book review

March 12, Monday—“A Writer’s Ramblings” http://karen-hoover.blogspot.com

Book review

March 12, Monday—“Star Crossed” www.starcrossedbookreviews.blogspot.com

Book review

March 13, Tuesday—“Bookworm Lisa” http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com

Book review

March 13, Tuesday—“Mormon Moms” http://mormonmomswhoblog.blogspot.com/

Book review

March 14, Wednesday—“Good Family Reads” www.familyreads.blogspot.com

Personal guest post and book review

March 14, Wednesday—“Inklings” www.margothovley.com

Book review

March 15^th, Thursday—“families.com” http://lds.families.com/blog/

Book review

March 16^th, Friday—“BooksRUs”  www.booksrusonline.com

Book review

March 16^th, Friday—“A Writer’s Reality” http://melissajcunningham.blogspot.com

Book review

Book Buzzin'--Overprotected

Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens. Here's another one that sounds interesting! Here's the book trailer.

Ashlyn:A lonely society princess living in NewYork City.
Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.

Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.

Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.

Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.

Daddy was wrong.

A kidnapping leaves a father fanatical about his only child's safety. A story of obsessive love and the quest for independence.

How do I begin . . .

By Bonnie Harris

Let me start out and say that the ANWA Conference has been incredible this far. I have enjoyed every class I've taken and have learned so much from everyone around. Thank you to all who have worked so hard to put it together.

Since I'm still in the middle of it, I'm having trouble figuring out what exactly to share. (Imagine Pooh Bear sitting on his log, tapping his head saying, "Think. Think. Think." That's what I'm doing right now.)

OK. Lisa Mangum gave a class on starting your story with a bang. We all want to do that. We've all been told how vitally important the first line of our book is. Here's what she had to say . . .

The Harsh Truth

• Editors care so much about the first line of a manuscript, they will make the decision to buy or pass on a project based solely on that single first line
• Therefore, your first sentence ought to be the single greatest thing you ever write in your entire life.

Are you sweating yet? Do you feel the pressure? Are you scared?

Good.

It's all a lie!

There are so many other things that editors look at. (I admit, my breath stopped in my throat as she went on with this and then you could hear a collective sigh when she said it was a lie.) This is what she said you do need.

1. Start with a prologue if your story needs it

2. Showcase something special on the first page

3. Review your first page after you've written your last page

4. Look at your whole book

5. Pay attention to everything on your first page

The big thing Lisa hit on was to give yourself permission to move onto the second sentence and the third and so on.

There. You now have permission to move past the first sentence. Now, get writing!

And the winners are . . .

I have to apologize this is late. I've been caught up at a writer's conference. Thank you for everyone who stopped by and I hope to see you again in March. I have two winners to announce this time. Random.org has chosen BuddyT as the winner of the Random Acts of Kindness Blog Hop and Heather as the winner of the DIES IRAE giveaway! Congrats to you both!

Book Review--Medusa Plot

Cahills vs Vespers: Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman. This new series in the 39 Clues is so much fun. It puts Amy, Dan and the rest of their cousins in a very new, very different situation. Instead of chasing clues and worrying which cousin will try to kill them next, Amy and Dan are now having to work with their cousins in order to save those who have been kidnapped by the mysterious Vespers. It's a wonderful, fun read that takes you to new areas of the world and gets your mind thinking. It is great for any and everyone.

:):):):):)

Just when Amy and Dan Cahill think their family is safe, disaster strikes – seven Cahills are kidnapped by a shadowy group known only as the Vespers. Amy and Dan have only days to fulfill a bizarre ransom request or the captured seven will start dying. But even as the race to save the hostages begins, a sinister question looms: What are the Vespers really after?

Book Buzzin'--Friends and Foes

Friends and Foes by Sarah M Eden. Another one on my list to read by one of my favorite authors!

After five years of tracking and capturing spies on English soil, Philip Jonquil, Earl of Lampton, is in pursuit of his last quarry. But at a traveler’s inn, he encounters an unexpected and far more maddening foe: Sorrel Kendrick, a young lady who is strikingly pretty, shockingly outspoken, and entirely unimpressed with him. Indeed, Sorrel cannot believe the nerve of this gentleman, who rudely accuses her of theft and insults her feminine dignity. Doubly annoyed when they both end up at a party hosted by mutual friends, Philip and Sorrel privately declare war on one another. But Philip’s tactics, which range from flirting to indifference, soon backfire as he finds himself reluctantly enjoying Sorrel’s company; and, much to her dismay, Sorrel finds Philip’s odd manner to be increasingly endearing. In the midst of this waning war and growing attraction, Philip catches wind of the French spy he’s been tracking, and Sorrel inadvertently stumbles upon a crucial piece of the puzzle, making her indispensable to the mission. But can two proud hearts negotiate a ceasefire when cooperation matters most?

Random Acts of Kindness Blog Hop (Int)

Welcome to this stop in the Random Acts of Kindness Blog Hop, hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer and Read For Your Future. On my blog, one lucky winner will enjoy an ecopy of the book Samara by Andrea Pearson.

When Samara Oldroyd meets the most amazing guy ever, she's frustrated  their conversation is cut short. Her wishes that they'll run into each other again come true when she meets her sister's new boyfriend. It's him! Eeek! 
Inspired by the film Dan in Real Life, this novella will tickle you pink as Samara tries—in vain—to undo her crush.

It's easy to enter.

Mandatory

• Follow this blog via Networked Blogs and/or GFC. Leave a comment telling me how you follow and a way to contact you if you win.

Optional

• Follow Andrea's Blog here. Leave me a comment telling me you do so.

That makes a total of 2 enteries, 1 mandatory and 1 optional. Please enter by midnight on Feb 21st and random.org will pick the winner. Thanks so much for entering. Check out my other giveaways here. Now stop on by the other blogs participating!

And the winner is . . .

Thank you to all who enter! Random.org has spoken and the winner of Joan Sowards Chocolate Roses is . . . Grace! The winner has been notified and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Please stop by again!

Crater Lake Book Review & Blog Tour

Crater Lake: Battle for Wizard Island by Steve Westover.

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Crater Lake, hosted by Cedar Fort Publishing. I have to say that I enjoyed this book. The characters were fun and easy to relate to. Not to mention the setting was incredible. Take a look at this picture from Steve's blog.

Pretty amazing, isn't it. Back to the book. Some of the transitions were on the rough side for me, but the ending wrapped everything up and left me wondering what the next installment will be. I would recommend this to anyone, especially the younger readers.

:):):):)

Here are other blogs participating in the tour, http://www.cedarfortbooks.com/blog-tour-crater-lake/,

and some other fun links to check out.

Steve's Blog http://westoversleftovers.blogspot.com/

Steve on GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4095511.Steve_Westover

Crater Lake Poster page: http://craterlakebook.com 

Cedar Fort Blog http://www.cedarfortbooks.com/

Cedar Fort Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cedarfortbooks

Cedar Fort Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/cedarfortbooks

Cedar Fort GoodReads http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4202252-cedar-fort

Wailing and thrashing for escape, Allie’s dad disappeared first, the dirt covering the crown of his head. Ethan and Jordan’s parents followed, gasping for breath before the dirt covered their faces and muffled their screams. Mercifully, they descended faster than Allie’s mom. She had been the appetizer, and the other three adults were the main course.

While visiting his crazy Uncle Bart at Crater Lake National Park, thirteen-year-old Ethan’s world collapses when all the adults disappear, including his parents. Now Ethan must rally his new friends and decipher the legends of the lake to find the key to rescuing his parents from their earthen prison before he’s captured too and their imprisonment becomes permanent.

Book Buzzin'--Lacrimosa

Lacrimosa by Christine Fonseca, part of the Requim series. I'm so excited for this one!!

It’s been three thousand years since the fall of Azzaziel and the rebirth of evil; three thousand years since the Sentinal Order, an elite group of warrior angels, returned to Celestium. Their job—rid Earth of the dark creatures, the UnHoly. And with luck, end Azza’s rule.

As if casting out demons isn’t hard enough, five-hundred-year-old Nesy has to masquerade as a teenage girl to do it. Nesy is the best of the Sentinals. She never makes mistakes, never hesitates, never gets emotionally involved. Until she meets Aydan.  

He is evil incarnate; a fallen angel that feeds off the souls of others. Everything Nesy is supposed to hate.  But she can’t, because he’s also the love of her former life as a human girl—a life that ended too soon, tying her to emotions she was never supposed to feel.

Now Nesy must choose between doing her duty—damning Aydan to the fiery depths of hell—or saving him, and condemning herself. And her choice may cost her, and Celestium, far more than anyone realizes.

How much will she sacrifice for love?

One more important thing to do

By Bonnie Harris

I've felt for awhile that if I want to really succeed in the writing world, that I needed to get to know some of these new internet things, i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, Tumblr, etc. As I've attended writing conferences, others have confirmed that feeling and I've tried a little harder to stay on top of it. Then in this month's Nelson Literary Agency's Newsletter, Kristin Nelson said basically the same thing. (I'll share what she said in a moment.)

But that's one more thing to do, you may say. Yes. It is one more thing to do. It's an important thing to do, but it doesn't have to be done all at once. I started with Facebook and got the hang of that. Then of course they change/upgrade/create a new learning curve, but that's another story. Thanks to some encouragement from a friend, I figured out the blogging world and have even ventured into Twitter. I can't say I completely understand all of it, especially the new stuff coming out, but I can say that it's amazing how many people I'm able to reach with just those three things.

This day and age, internet exposure is a must. I'll admitt that I've read a few books, enjoyed them enough to look up the authors webpage/blog, and have gotten really frustrated when there hasn't been one. Frustrated enough to decide not to read any more books by them. (Well, at least for a little while.)

In our busy lives, I know it's hard to squeeze in more time to add something else, but it can be done in the most simple way possible. You don't have to spend hours on it, I don't think. But it is important to use it. In my opinion.

Now, here's what Kristin has to say.

Publishing is shifting and changing so rapidly, even I have no idea what it's going to look like 12 months from now. But one thing has become very clear to me. For authors to really succeed, they absolutely must embrace technology. Not only do they need to embrace it, they need to learn to love it—even if it's not a natural fit.

Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, insert next big thing.

The days of Salinger scribbling furiously in his cabin alone, no communication with the outside world, are long gone. Although I imagine now there will be some story of a reclusive author with no Internet connection making it the old-fashioned way even in this always connected world. *grin*

And embracing technology holds true for agents too.

Seems like ancient history when back in 2003 I bought my first tablet PC (it was a Gateway) so I could read and edit everything electronically. No paper. Queries by email.

My fellow agents thought I was nuts.

I'd drag that eight-pounder around to editor meetings in New York so I wouldn't have to retype my notes post trip.

Eight pounds. That's crazy. Today, the iPad and Kindle Fire weigh mere ounces.

You cannot remain static. And no, I haven't decided to start tweeting, but I have begun a series of video blogs. The learning curve has been steep, but I'm glad I'm doing it. Man, I'm learning so much about my computer's capabilities.

What else do I not know? Time to find out!

Dies Irae Blog Tour, Book Review & International Giveaway

Giveaway is Closed.

Welcome to the Dies Irae blog tour, book review, giveaway and interview with author Christine Fonseca! Wow! This book had me hooked from the first page to the last. I couldn't put it down and it left me wanting more. I can't wait for the next installment, which happens to be coming out in March! (Do you have to ask if I'm excited? In case you haven't figured it out, I'M EXCITED!!) The characters are unique, distinct and to die for. The story is so tragic it's beautiful. I loved absolutely everything about it. This is definitely one that needs to be on everyone's "Must Read" list.

:):):):):)

Here's the book trailer. 

Mikayel lives by one rule—obey the orders of the angelic Council at all costs. That is, until he and his friends, Azza and Demi, are sent to Earth.  Assigned as Watchers while they await their decision of which angelic order to serve, the three assume the bodies of teenagers and experience life as human.

The sensations are overwhelming as the angels experience a host of human emotions—rage, terror, love—and come ever closer to breaking one of the unbreakable rules—never fall in love.  

But being human isn’t the only problem facing the three angels. Unbeknownst to the Council, demonic activity is on the rise, threatening to break a tenuous peace that has existed for a millennia; a peace Azza seems bent on destroying.

Caught in a struggle for power with unseen demonic forces and Azza, and fighting against his rising emotional attachment to Demi, Mikayel must now decide how much he is willing to sacrifice for his new found love—a decision that could reignite an ancient war and will threaten the only thing that matters to the angels, the survival of humanity. 

Take a look at the other participating blogs on the tour and what they have to say.

TOUR DATES - 2/1 through 2/17

2/1 ~ Michelle McLean (Character Interview) and Heather McCorkle (Author interview)

2/2 ~ Nicole Zoltack (Guest post - Courage to Create) and LK Gardner Griffie (Guest Post - Embracing the Shadow) 

2/3 ~ Gretchen McNeil (Interview) and Jen Merrill (Guest Post - Writing Stories for Gifted Kids)

2/4 ~ Simon C Larter (Interview) and Nata Romeo (Interview) 

2/5 ~ Eric Stallsworth (Guest Post - Writing a Series) and BE Sanderson (Guest Post - Backing Away From the Abyss)

2/6 ~ Supagurl Books (Top 5 movies) and Rebecca Enzor (Guest Post - The Inspiration Behind Dies Irae)

2/7 ~ Melanie McCullough (Top 5 Randomness) and Angela Brown (Guest Post - Write What You Know)

2/8 ~ Stina Lindenblatt (Guest Post - Using Setting to Enhance a Story)

2/9 ~ Bonnie Harris (Interview) 

2/10 ~ C.Michelle Jefferies (Guest Post - Top 5 Book Promotion) and Katrina Lantz (Guest Post - Elements of Thrillers and Gothic Stories) and Matthew Macnish (Guest Post - Writing FOR children instead of about them)

2/11 ~ Laura Diamond (Guest Post - Writing a Novella vs Writing a Novel)

2/12 ~ Book Briefs (Top 10 Facts re Dies Irae)

2/13 ~ Denise Grover Swank (Interview) and  Nisa Swineford (Interview all week)

2/14 ~ Danyelle Leafty (Interview) and Kathleen Doyle (Guest Post - Love in YA)

2/15 ~ Elana Johnson (Crazy Video Interview)

2/16 ~ Kristen Yard (Interview)

2/17 ~ Ali Cross (Character Interview)

Now for the Giveaway. 

One lucky winner will receive TWO downloads of Dies Irae. One for them and one to gift to a friend. That's TWO digital downloads for one lucky winner!

Here's what to do . . .

Mandatory

• Make sure you're a follower of this blog (left sidebar) AND Christine's blog. Leave a comment telling me you've done both with a way to contact you if you win.

Optional

• Follow the other blogs participating in this tour. Leave a SEPERATE COMMENT FOR EACH BLOG YOU FOLLOW, telling me the name of the blog and a way to contact you. That gives you a total of 27 extra entries here. (The list of participating blogs is above.)
• Spread the word! Leave me a comment telling me how you shared the love and a way to contact you for 1 extra entry.

There is a total of 1 mandatory entry and up to 28 optional entries. Please leave a seperate comment for each entry. Enter by midnight on the 23rd of February. Random.org will decide the winner, who will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Good Luck!

Here's my interview with Christine.

What made you decide to become a writer?   I think a part of me always expected/wanted to be a writer, albeit an unconscious part. I remember fantasizing about living some kind of glamorous life in NYC as a writer when I was in college. Although my life did not follow the paths I thought of back in my twenties, it would seem that I managed to find my way to writing after all. Or, more accurately, writing found me.

Who inspires you? Hands down, my mom. She was incredibly creative and talented in her own right. I grew up hearing her sing, watching her paint, and feeling inspired by her wisdom. Sadly, she passed away just over a year ago, but every time I look at my children, or read some of my stories, I can see her reflected in my life. She continues to inspire my actions, and my work. Daily. 

What would you like your readers to get out of your writing? Everything I write, from nonfiction to fiction, comes from an emotional frame of reference. My hope is that somehow I manage to tap into our universal, shared human experience and resonate on a deeply personal level with my readers, an emotional level—whether I am instructing them about gifted kids, spinning a dark and romantic tale, or attempting something a tad more humorous.

Where did this idea come from? The series actually started with the first novel, LACRIMOSA, launching in March 2012. DIES IRAE is a prequel to that story, taking place roughly 3000 years prior. I wanted to explore the relationship between Mikayel and Azzaziel(Azza)– two characters that are the driving force behind the main characters of LACRIMOSA. So, I took a snippet of a story that is in the novel and wove into this novella; something that has forever changed my point of view on the entire series.

Who was your favorite character to develop? That is a hard one—I really enjoyed developing both Mikayel and Azza. But I was most surprised, I think, by Azza. He is so much more complex, so much deeper and richer than I anticipated. His motivations are different too—something that forced me to relook at the entire series and revamp how he was portrayed in LACRIMOSA.

Any advice for aspiring authors? Focus on your craft, first and foremost. Don’t rush the process. Learn and write. Write and learn. And then have others—not your friends or family—shred your work. Then repeat the process. The rest, the publishing and marketing, will come. But you will have no longevity in the business if you lose track of your primary purpose: Crafting a great story.

What can we expect next from you? The first novel, LACRIMOSA, comes out in March, followed by LIBERA ME in the fall and REQUIEM early next year. After that, who knows! I am currently outlining a companion series, as well as writing a couple of YA psychological thrillers. 

Where can we purchase your book? DIES IRAE is available in digital format only with all major booksellers – Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBookstore, etc. LACRIMOSA will be available in both hardback and digital formats

Thanks for having me Bonnie. I hope you and your readers enjoy DIES IRAE and the series.