An Interview with Samantha Chandler

Samantha Chandler has a Bachelor’s in Architecture from the University of Miami. She is the Design Director for an architectural firm in Miami therefore, she writes her first romance novel...of course.

Rachel: Did you enjoy reading as a child?

Samantha: I have always read, and if I wasn’t reading I was drawing as a child. When I grew, my favorite class was English, and my favorite place to be was my design studio in school. I read everything from Shakespeare to Existentialism. I had amazing teachers that made us read out loud in class and discuss the passages. How I hated to be called on to read! All in all though, these stories in school were my first book-cations.

Rachel: When did you first start to think of yourself as a writer?

Samantha: I started thinking about writing when I read all of Judith McNaught’s novels and felt...okay...now what? I fell in love with every one of her characters. I decided that I would write my own story because I had to wait for her next book and sometimes.... I have a problem with waiting.

Rachel: I have problems, too! What surprised you about being a writer?

Samantha: I surprised myself when my writing was instinctive. It has never been a task, and it has never stressed me out

Rachel: What inspires you to write?

Samantha: What inspires me is reading. When you read a truly good romance novel, there is a moment that you get that “falling in love” feeling; it is well worth your investment of time. I wish I could bottle the feeling and sell it.... I would make millions. So my quest is to make the reader fall in love with a character, a place, a gesture. If I can make you sigh...I’m happy.

Rachel: Do you try to write daily, and if so, do you set a goal of a certain number of words?

Samantha: Oh dear. I sit at the computer and write, and I never look at the word count. It’s like seeing a movie that’s playing in my mind. It’s time to get up when my back starts to bother me or when I feel like I need inspiration. The term “freshen up” was really meant for writers.

Rachel: So true. What gets in your way of writing?

Samantha: Life, composed of but not limited to: a man named Lester, two sons; 16 and 20 years old, an American bull dog, work, and of course laundry and groceries…. I won’t continue because you know where this is going...like I’ve told my friends the extra day of the week after Sunday is Someday.

Rachel: How do you get past it?

Samantha: I think best and write my best in the morning when everyone is asleep, even the dog.

Rachel: What makes you CRAZY about writing?

Samantha: Conceptually what drives me CRAZY is the fact that I would love the story to be an original...an angle left unexplored. This is difficult....I’m still on that quest. When I am actually writing, what drives me CRAZY are the quotation marks and the He said/She said. Uh!!

Rachel: How long does it take you to complete a book?

Samantha: DUTY was a few years because I never really thought I would publish it, and I would come back to it every now and then. I kept the heroine on her way to London for at least 4 month one time. I will keep better time on Remind Me Forever my next romance.

Rachel: Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Samantha: I love the settings, fashion, architecture - anything that involves design. I also like strong women that can hold their own but still realize that love is not a weakness. I marvel at how poorly we communicate with each other and how the truth can be interpreted in many shades of gray when it is truly black or white. Somewhere in that gray, there is a story.

Rachel: Yes. I often find it fascinating that the exact same situation can be interpreted many different ways. It’s very intriguing to me. What is your favorite writing food?

Samantha: Anything that crunches or Starbucks coffee...Bold, a little half/half and splenda

Rachel: Who do you hope reads your work?

Samantha: Everyone. Women that love romance and men that need to understand that women love romance!

Rachel: What is the best complement you have ever received from a fan?

Samantha: One lady wrote me and said that I had allowed her to escape. That was great because every now and then all of us need to escape.

Rachel: What are you working on now?

Samantha: Remind Me Forever, the story of Pierce and Laura. In this novel I want to introduce the OMG Society and establish an origin to Facebook...lol My first observation of the OMG Society: “A man always has a perfect plan, a woman’s plan is to make every man perfect.” Actually that pretty much sums it up, I think.

Thanks for stopping by, Samantha. If you’d like to know more about Samantha Chandler, visit her website.

A Royal Elf of Abalon by Anna Del C Dye

About the book:

A Royal Elf of Abalon is the latest by author Anna Del C Dye. It is the story of a young girl, Amaria, raised by her mother, the cruel queen Amathis. Amathis jealously hordes her daughters love and attention. When the kingdom is attacked by orks, Amaria is sent to safety. While there, she begins to discover the depth of her mother's cruelty. Upon returning to the kingdom, she meets one of the elves who came to protect the kingdom, Kurzan. Kurzan and Amaria quickly fall in love, though it is a forbidden love.

The story follows Amaria's journey from innocent young princess to wise and loving queen. Amaria quickly becomes a strong, admirable woman who must prove her worthiness to rule. Amaria learns who she can trust, and whose advice to take to heart as she learns to rule. As time goes on, and Amaria tries to discover a way to be with her love, secrets are revealed which may throw Amaria's kingdom into an uproar.

A Royal Elf of Abalon is a wonderful, epic fantasy with a strong heroine who has much to be admired about her. The story sweeps you in, and every time you think you know what is going to happen, Dye takes the story in a new direction to keep you guessing. Amaria and Kurzan's story is heartbreaking and wonderful all at the same time. There are many secondary characters who are equally enthralling. You'll find yourself caught up in their stories as much as Amaria's. Dye's great story is full of all the things that make a book great: forbidden love, intrigue, secrets, wars, elves, orks . . . there is more than enough to grab any readers interest and hold it until the end.

~Cindy Bennett author of the “Geek Girl”

I haven't gotten to read this one yet, so I won't give you my take on it! However, I did have the privilege of interviewing Anna!

Rachel: Hi Anna! Thanks for being in my blog this week.

Anna: It is my pleasure to be here. I love to meet new people.

Rachel: So, tell us what’s happening with you?

Anna: My life has been quite busy lately. I am getting ready for the “Renaissance Faire & Fantasy Festival” which will take three of my weekends in May. I take my books and have fun being a princess for three weeks. I really love it.

Rachel: That does sound fun. Tell us about your upcoming release.

Anna: After the great success of “The Curse of the Elfs,” I’ll release: “A Royal Elf in Abalon” this May.

Rachel: That’s great news! Where can we find this book?

Anna: Amazon, B&N, and my website will all have the links to buy it.

Rachel: What inspired you to write this book?

Anna: Amathis, the queen in the story. She is a selfish, demanding, and cruel woman. She forced me to write it.

Rachel: The mean ol’ thing! (secretly smiling) What fantasy bug bit you and got you started writing these mystical tales?

Anna: It was a great masterful bug and it bit me hard a few years ago—The name of the bug J. R. R. Tolkien. I love Lord of the Rings and that is my inspiration for my Elf Series.

 Rachel: Intriguing. I have recently become very interested in fantasy books! Especially ones with a little romance! So tell us what is this book about?

Anna: A princess of a mankind kingdom, who is so sheltered by her mother that she makes some unsafe choices growing up. They will change her life and that of her kingdom as she faces challenges that she isn’t prepared for. It also tells of a young Elf who feels an unsafe fascination about the nearby mankind kingdom. Against his elders’ wishes, he ventures there, finding heartaches, betrayal, and murder.

Rachel: Now I want to read this tale! Tell us what’s the first rule in building a fantasy world?

Anna: To stay true to the rules. If you say beings in that world don’t do something, don’t have them doing it later without explaining what changed so that now they can do what you said they couldn’t.

Rachel: That’s sometimes really hard to do. Have you ever wanted to write your book in one direction but your characters wanted to go in another direction? What did you do in such a situation?

Anna: Your characters are the most important parts of your book. So, if they want to go left you go left, even if you wanted to go right. If you don’t, it will be quite hard to make them change and your tale will feel forced. I want my tales to go smoothly, so I don’t fight the characters, they know better than me. 

Rachel: Sometimes people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. Tell us what’s the most unglamorous thing you’ve done in the past week?

Anna: Change dirty diapers and keep my little Alexis happy. She didn’t feel to good. I love taking care of her though.

Rachel: What's your favorite music?

Anna: Romantic, hands down. The Platters, The Stylistics, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis. Soft rock. Lots of oldies. More recent artists: Il Divo, Julio Iglesias, Celine Dion, etc.

Rachel: What other fantasy tale are you weaving for us?

Anna: I am ready to finished The Flying Elf, which will be my Elf book for next year.

Rachel: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Anna.

Anna: Thank you for inviting me to come. I had a wonderful time visiting with you.

Rachel: If you’d like to find out more about Anna please visit: http://www.annadelc.com, and to read reviews of Anna’s books visit her online or at Barnes & Noble. 

Interview with Joyce DiPastena

Today, I am pleased to welcome Joyce DiPastena to my blog! Joyce is the author of Loyalty's Web, Illuminations of the Heart, and Dangerous Favor. Joyce has been an inspiration to me for years and it is my pleasure to have her with us today.


Rachel: Thanks for doing this interview. When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

Joyce: I enjoyed writing all through high school, but it wasn't until I graduated from college that I confessed to myself I wanted to try to publish something, too.

Rachel: What is your writing and educational background?

Joyce: I have a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in library science (which is so outdated now as to be totally useless). I haven't taken any professional writing classes. Most of what I've learned about writing has been from books, magazines (like Writers Digest), writers conference, and most importantly, writing, writing, writing.

Rachel: I knew you enjoyed history, and it is fascinating to read your work because of the history. What makes you passionate about writing?

Joyce: My characters. I love seeing where they take me and how they're going to surprise me along the way. It's like living an adventure with them every day.

Rachel: What was the pathway like for you to get your third book, Dangerous Favor, published?

Joyce: My pathway was eased considerably by the fact that I had two previous books published with Walnut Springs press. Happily for me, they also liked Dangerous Favor and decided to publish it, too.

Rachel: Your writing always flows so easily and your stories are so detailed. Were you ever discouraged along the way? If so, how did you deal with it?

Joyce: Oh, my, I have been discouraged more times than I can begin to tell you about. Sometimes I deal with it by climbing in bed and pulling the covers over my head. Sometimes I resort to avoidance. (Almost anything feels easier than writing, even scrubbing floors!) But the most effective way I've found to deal with it is to keep writing. And when that feels simply overwhelming, then I have a new tactic I've recently learned. It's called "100 words for 100 days." All I have to do is write 100 words a day, but I have to do it for 100 days. Somehow 100 words becomes doable, no matter how discouraged I may feel. And often I find that once I've written 100 words, then I'm back in the swing of my story and can write many more words than that. But on those days when 100 words is all I can cope with, then that's all I have to do. It eases my guilt factor, because you feel better about yourself just because you wrote something, even if it's small. And even if it's bad. But 100 words means I did something towards my goal, and when you're discouraged, that can feel wonderful at the end of the day. (By the way, I haven't actually made 100 days yet. I have to keep starting over, but the 100 words principle is still a good way to psych yourself into writing.)

Rachel: That's a wonderful idea! I may have to implement that! Now, I know this is not your full time job. I recently started working and struggle to find time to write. So tell me what is your writing schedule?

Joyce: My schedule has been different with every book I've written, dependent on other things going on in my life at that time. What works for me right now is writing a couple of hours a night. I set a timer and write for an hour, then take a break, then reset my timer and write some more. If I can't do an hour, I shoot for the minimum 100 words I mentioned above. Often the hardest part is getting started when you're tired or depressed or whatever. The 100 words gives you an out if you can't do any more, but often it's all that you need to get you into the swing of a longer writing session.

Rachel: Where do your ideas come from? How do you know the idea is good enough to write a book about it?

Joyce: I don't. I just try to go with characters I care about so much that I want to write them a story. If I love the characters enough, I trust them to carry me through to the end, then I hope that others will love them, too.

Rachel: Can you tell us a little about Dangerous Favor?

Joyce: Here's the back cover blurb: Mathilde de Riavelle needs a champion. Her father has been accused of stealing from the king, an allegation that has reduced her family to poverty. She has one chance to find and marry a man who can help her prove her father's innocence. 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. Etienne, the younger son of a disgraced family, has neither wealth nor connections, but 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?

Rachel: You now have three published books. Loyalty’s Web, Illuminations of the Heart, and now Dangerous Favor. What do you hope readers will get from your books?

Joyce: What I want most of all is simply to give readers a good, clean romance to read. No bad language, no sex scenes, no graphic violence, just a little adventure, a good romance, and a happy ending. I know how grateful I am when I find those things in a book. That's what I want to give to my readers.

Rachel: And they are great clean romances! What is your process of brainstorming a story? Do you just sit down and write, waiting to see what happens next? Or do you outline first?

Joyce: I don't outline my stories, but I do play with my characters before I start, mostly working out their family trees. Don't ask me why, but I'm fascinated with family relationships, so I like to put my characters into families before I start. Most of that never makes it into my books, but it's helpful to me to get me started. When I start, I also start with at least one scene in mind that I want to write towards. It may be a climax scene that I envision, or an emotional turning point for one of my characters. So basically, when I start, my goal is to write towards that scene. That scene may change in the course of actually writing the story, but it's my starting point for beginning.

Rachel: Do you ever experience a snag in a story, a form of writer's block? If so, how do you deal with it?

Joyce: I pace around a lot. I lie in bed, racking my brain for how to fix the snag. But I find the most helpful thing is if I'll take the time to play the "what if" game. I ask myself, "What if I try this? What if I try that?" I just throw out lots of ideas until something clicks.

Rachel: Do you need absolute quiet to write? Do you listen to music when you are writing?

Joyce: Silence, please. I can't write to music or the TV. I need absolute quiet to make my writing brain work.

Rachel: That's how I am too. What kinds of inspiration do you use during your story creation periods?

Joyce: Reading other books will sometimes give me ideas. Reading research books can sometimes give me a fun historical incident or fact that I decide I'd like to play with. I can't listen to music when I write, but when I'm not writing I like to play the piano and sing, so sometimes the words of a song will fire my emotions and imagination.

Rachel: What’s your secret to making the character’s in your books come to life?

Joyce: That's a tough question, because I'm not a very analytically writer, so it's hard to explain to people "how" I write. I don't really understand "how" I write myself. I see the characters very vividly in my head, I feel them in my heart, and then I try to write them. Of course, learning good writing techniques, like "showing" vs "telling", is essential, too.

Rachel: What is your favorite snack to have while you are writing?

Joyce: I don't usually snack when I'm writing, but I'll make an occasional exception for a few Hershey Kisses, or if I'm trying to be good, a cheese stick.

Rachel: I wish I had your restraint! It's hard to write and eat at the same time. I am always snacking during the edits! Besides writing what other talents or hobbies do you have?

Joyce: I enjoy playing the piano, and sometimes I like to sing while I play. I have what I call a "nice little choir voice", nothing spectacular or that I'd want to show off, but I can carry a tune and I like to sing. And of course I like to read. And I spend much, much too much on the internet!

Rachel: What words of advice do you have for other writers who desire to have their manuscripts become books in print?

Joyce: Study and practice good writing techniques. Find a critique partner or a supportive writing group to help you, so you get quality feedback on your writing before you send it out anywhere. If you can attend a writing conference, do so. Then write write write, and write some more.

Rachel: What are you working on now?

 Joyce: I'm playing around with a couple of projects right now. One is a romance for the character of Acelet, who appeared in Illuminations of the Heart. I'm also attempting a novella, or possibly something shorter than novella length, placed a generation before in the court of Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. I'm ordinarily a very long winded writer, so we'll see if I can pull off the novella attempt or not. LOL!

Rachel: Sounds like fun! And I really enjoyed Acelet! I can't wait to hear his story! Where can our readers go to find your books and order them?

Joyce: My books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Deseret Book, or you can order them from your local bookstore.

Rachel: Thanks for visiting with us today, Joyce! It was fun getting to know you better.

You can visit Joyce on her website!

Interview with Author, Marsha Ward

Today, I'm very excited to introduce to you a talented writer and an all-around great lady, Marsha Ward, founder of The American Night Writers Association. Marsha, you've got some great news to share, don’t you?

MARSHA: For a while now, everyone has been asking me if my books are on Kindle. They mean, of course, "Are they available as electronic books for the Kindle ereader at Amazon.com?" While I have had the first two eBooks of my series available on Smashwords.com in the mobi format—which is the Kindle format—for about 18 months, I didn't have the three novels on Amazon as eBooks. Well, now I do! I also finally uploaded the third one, Trail of Storms, to Smashwords, so users of other ereading devices can acquire it, as well as The Man from Shenandoah and Ride to Raton.

In addition, I've created and uploaded three other works to both Smashwords and Amazon. One is a short story and poetry collection, No More Strangers. The other two are stand-alone short stories, War Party and The Usual Game.


RACHEL: That is exciting! I’ve read one of your books and it was a Wester.n Are they all Westerns?

MARSHA: Yes and no. I have a long background in writing for other genres, ranging from poetry to newspaper and magazine articles, to essays. However, there's something about historical fiction that really vibrates in my soul. I grew up listening to Patsy Cline on the radio, and hearing my daddy talking about his life on farms in Mexico and southern Arizona. They dug wells by hand; excavated great holes for lakes with horse drawn scrapers; raised beans and other dry-land crops on the "Bean Ranch" in Sonoita, Arizona; and escaped to the mountains to avoid the heat of summer. My grandfather was a teamster (as in driving a team of horses, not a union man), and a great hand with horses and other animals.


RACHEL: Wow! What a life!

MARSHA: I always felt like I was born in the wrong century. Except for the very enjoyable modern conveniences that I have today, I feel an affinity for those hard times. I believe that's why I write about the 19th Century American family.


RACHEL: I understand completely! What was your pathway to publishing your first book, The Man from Shenandoah?

MARSHA: I began my "Great American Novel" in 1965, when my train to opera stardom took a detour and I had to give up my full-ride music scholarship and come home to help out financially. I created a huge Southern family, wrote what was, essentially, a twenty-chapter narrative outline, and lugged it around with me for the next 35 years or so. Then my interest in writing commercially got very keen when I read a truly badly-written book. "I can do better than that!" I exclaimed, and hauled out "The Book." I eliminated some children, found some juicy conflict, read 150 books for background, and worked on the novel for a while. I took classes in fiction writing, and started sending the novel out to editors as I wrote the sequel. I even had an agent for a year. I was getting some good rejection comments, but no offers. I decided a re-write was in order. Then life happened.

My daughter was killed in an auto accident. My creativity dried up. It didn't come back, oddly enough, until my husband died. He was my biggest supporter, and I'm eternally grateful to him for that.

Then life happened again, and during a health crisis, I determined to leave published works behind me after I died, even if I had to publish them myself. I polished up The Man from Shenandoah and Ride to Raton. Because I didn't want to start a publishing company, I chose to use the cheapest services available from iUniverse, and get feedback from writers and readers I knew. When The Man from Shenandoah appeared, I hand-sold a bunch of copies, and lo and behold, other readers liked it! Several months later, I brought out Ride to Raton. Trail of Storms took a while to write, but was published in 2009. I'm working on the fourth novel about members of the Owen family, Spinster's Folly.


RACHEL: A lot of people ask me this: Why do you write? How would you answer that?

MARSHA: According to my older sister, I wrote from the time I could hold a pencil. I believe her. There's never been a time that I didn't have some kind of story to tell.

My characters are real people to me, and I've driven them up some high, rough trees and put crocodiles at the bases, with sharp, snapping teeth. I have to get my people out of danger and give them satisfying conclusions.

I had an epiphany several years ago when I realized that I write to let people know there is always hope, and to show them through the experiences of fictional characters that they can get through hard times, even really, really terrible times, and find happiness at the end of it all.

One of the hallmarks of my fiction is fast-paced adventure peopled with believable characters. Readers tell me when they're forced to put my book down, they worry about my characters until they can read about them again. If I can take people out of their own worrisome lives enough to be concerned about fictional folks and see them through to a satisfying ending, then I've done the job of relieving some of their day-to-day stress. Isn't that what books are for?


RACHEL: Definitely! Are you a plotter or pantser?

MARSHA: Definitely a seat-of-the-pants writer. I start with a character and a situation, and let the writing take me on an adventure. I guess you could call me an organic writer.


RACHEL: What’s your secret to making the characters in your books come to life?

MARSHA: I get to know them very well. I have a sheet of questions I fill in about them, and I also interview them. Then I don't overwrite them with too much description. I let their actions define them, instead. That way, the reader invests the characters with their own unique qualities and peculiarities, and they come alive in the reader's mind.


RACHEL: What other authors inspire you or have influenced you?

MARSHA: Louis L'Amour, Elmer Kelton, Robert Newton Peck, Frank Roderus, G. Clifton Wisler, who died too young. Maybe I write from the male perspective so well because I've had great examples?


RACHEL: Have you tried or plan to write in any other genres?

MARSHA: I might try my hand at a mystery someday. I have an outline in a box somewhere. Unfortunately, I'm not very organized, so it will be tough.

RACHEL: What has been the biggest obstacle to your writing career?

MARSHA: Sadly, over-volunteering. Although I get a lot accomplished each day, so much of my time is spent working for organizations, and not for my career. Service has been a great joy to me, but I've come to realize that I tend to overdo, to my detriment. I need better balance. I think over-volunteering is a part of A & P Syndrome: Avoidance and procrastination, which are big bug-a-boos for writers. I am now trying to cut back so I can finish the writing before I am called to meet my maker. I anticipate that won't be for many, many years, but times' a-wasting, as they say.


RACHEL: Do you have self-doubts, even after publishing several books and many articles? If so, what do you do about it?

MARSHA: ACK! Yes! I think many writers walk a fine-line between good mental health and insanity. We're up, we're down. We're either the best writer in all time, or we can't write our way out of a paper bag. Usually this occurs from one minute to another. The only cure is to talk to other writers and realize you're not alone in this emotional upheaval. Once you know other writers have the same feelings, you can level out for a while. It's like chanting a mantra. Ooooooommmmm, I'm not aloooooooone. I'm normal for a writer. Yes, I am! That will work for a day or so.


RACHEL: You've mentored a lot of writers through the years. What's the best advice you can give a writer just starting out?

MARSHA: Believe in yourself, but learn all you can about writing, too. No first drafts are set in stone. Don't hang around negative people. Write at least 25 words a day. Listen to people to learn the flow of language. Find a good, encouraging group of writers who will show you the ropes. Read, read, read! When you start writing in earnest, find a good critique group. Reach down and help another writer along the way. Is that enough?


RACHEL: Do you need absolute quiet to write? Do you listen to music when you are writing?

MARSHA: Right now, I'm listening to the music of my dryer drum turning. I don't need absolute quiet, but since I'm very easily distracted, music with lyrics is a no-no. I use instrumental music to get me in the proper mood for certain scenes that could be hard to write. Exceptions to the no-lyrics rule? Neil Diamond and "Sweet Caroline." That will put me in the mood.


RACHEL: What is your next project?

MARSHA: I'm writing Marie Owen's book, Spinster's Folly. It's coming along very well. I put snippets up on "The Characters in Marsha's Head" blog from time to time, if you want to know more. That's found at http://charactersinmarshahead.blogspot.com. [rushing over to write something fresh]


RACHEL: Where can readers find your books, both trade paperbacks and eBooks?

MARSHA: All the online booksellers, such as amazon.com and bn.com, have the trade paperback books. The easiest way to find all my online eBooks is to go to my author pages at Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/marshaward and at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marsha-Ward/e/B003RB9P9Q/


RACHEL: Thank you thank for being my guest today. It was great hearing more about you and I look forward to reading your newest book!

MARSHA: It was my pleasure. Thank you for having me.


Visit Marsha's website at http://marshaward.com

Writer in the Pines blog at http://marshaward.blogspot.com

The Characters in Marsha's Head blog at http://charactersinmarshashead.blogspot.com.

Marsha Ward was born in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, (back when Phoenix WAS a sleepy little town) , and although she spent two years in South America, she never roamed far from the Southwest. She grew up with chickens, citrus trees, and lots of room to roam. She became a storyteller at an early age, regaling her neighborhood friends with her fanciful tales during after-school snacks. Her love of the 19th Century Western era was reinforced by visits to her cousins on their ranch and listening to her father's stories of homesteading in Old Mexico and in the southern part of Arizona.

Over the years, Marsha became an award-winning poet, writer and editor, with over 900 pieces of published work, including her acclaimed post-American Civil War novel series The Owen Family Saga. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, and a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Rim Country Writers, and LDStorymakers. She makes her home in a tiny forest hamlet in Arizona. When she is not writing, she loves to spoil her grandchildren, travel, give talks, meet readers, and sign books. Visit her website at http://marshaward.com and her blogs, "Writer in the Pines" (http://marshaward.blogspot.com) and "The Characters in Marsha's Head" (http://charactersinmarshashead.blogspot.com).

Author Anna del C. Dye

Today, my guest author is Anna del C. Dye, author of two fantasy trilogies.

I have recently discovered that I love fantasy!!! So tell me, Anna, how long have you been writing and why did you start­­?

About seven years ago I started because my husband wanted to live to the ripe age of fifty. He thought my imagination would be the end of his days. He actually ordered me to. He is awesome.

What are your books titled?

In the order they were published, they are:

The Silent Warrior Trilogy

Book 1 - The Elf and the Princess
Book 2 - Trouble in the Elf City
Book 3 - Elfs in a conquered Realm

and now:

Curse of the Elfs

Do you write your books in chronological order?

The Trilogy, I started in the beginning. Curse of the Elfs came to me in the middle, then it took form toward the front and the back. I am not sure why… it just happened.

What inspired you to write this story?

The last movie of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I wanted to know more about the character’s lives and couldn’t find enough. My husband said, “Why don’t you write your own.” I answered, “Yah right!” But his answer haunted me and in three days I had the draft of The Elf and the Princess in my mind. When I told him the story he came back with a laptop and told me to write it. The rest is history.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Never give up!!! Join a writer's chapter close to you, and learn the craft from them.

That's always my advice too! Anna, do you write with music playing? If so, is the music likely to be songs with lyrics or only instrumentals?

I do have music on, though I love quiet. I have my favorite tunes in the computer where I write. Lots of them have lyrics but a few don’t.

What is the coolest thing about being an author?

Meeting great people and other authors.

What would you say is the most challenging part about being an author?

Spending hours promoting my books while I would like to be writing another.

Do you have a particular goal you aim to achieve with your writing?

To take people to a wonderful world where they can forget reality’s cold hand and safely enjoy fantasy. Life is tough and we need something to help us make it more fun and worth living. Fantasy is the way I choose to do it.

You once told me that English was your second language. What sort of challenges did you meet in trying to write your books, if any?

Not many, really. I write and my editor has to figure out what I am trying to say. (If I can't figure how a word goes in English, I put it in Spanish...he speaks Spanish very well.) We have a lot of fun when we edit the books because of my English mess ups.

If you could give your book to only one person, who would it be and why?

A teenager in trouble...in the hope that he/she could discover the power they have deep inside to change and become better. I want them to see that nothing is impossible if we put our minds to it.

Can you share with your fans how can you describe so well your battle scenes and the sword's playing action?

We found a medieval sword fighting class at the local high school and my husband and I took it. My husband liked it so much he has taken it for a few years now and has even earned two different belts with the clan.

How fun!!! Where can we purchase a copy of your books?

www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.annadelc.com

Thank you for this opportunity to visit with you and your friends.

Book Blurb:

When an Immortal race ceases to be immortal, woe to the land.

Ancient legend tells of elfs crossing paths with a dying wizard named Zoltan. The Old Sorcerer’s unrepentant deeds had caused the wizarding school to chastise him severely. On his deathbed Zoltan asked the elfs for help. Losing patience in his delirium, he cursed them. Now, the immortal elfin race is slowly, but surely dying.

Their only hope lies in a servant of kings who must learn to love the elfs before he will attempt to save them. But no one, elf or mankind, has ever heard of this man. Can the healer be found before their race is gone forever?

Bio

Anna del C. Dye was born in Valparaiso, Chile, amongst some of the world’s most famous beaches.

After meeting Rodney, a native of Idaho, in her hometown, Anna traveled to Utah on Christmas Eve and married him two weeks later. Their love story, Why Him? was published by Covenant in the book entitled Tender Mercies. Anna and Rodney reside in Taylorsville, Utah and are the parents of three princes and a princess.

Anna is an accomplished, multi-award winning author. One of her short stories entitled Amerine—Fairy Princess won an award in the Oquirrh Writers contest. The first book in her new YA Romance Series entitled “A Kingdom By The Sea” also won an award. Anna’s works also include The Silent Warrior Trilogy, the beginning saga of her YA Elf Series.

For more information contact Anna at www.annadelc.com.

Rebecca Talley's The Upside of Down

Today, I am pleased to introduce a book to you entitled The Upside of Down!

COVER BLURB

“Hmmm,” the doctor muttered.
Natalie wrinkled her forehead, almost afraid to ask, and said, “What does that mean?”
“You do know you’re pregnant, right?”
Her breath caught in her throat. “Excuse me?”
“You’re pregnant.”
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. “I’m what?”

Natalie Drake certainly has her hands full raising a large family, dealing with her difficult mother, and maintaining a relationship with her rebellious teenager. Just when things seem to be going smoothly, she finds out another unexpected surprise—she’s going to have a baby. Faced with so many challenges, Natalie must learn to trust in a plan that isn’t what she imagined and discover that every situation has an upside.

Beloved author Rebecca Talley carefully creates this touching and heartfelt story that is sure to inspire you. With true-to-life characters and situations, The Upside of Down will reignite your faith and remind you of the importance of family.

I had the chance to interview Rebecca!

Tell us a little about yourself, Rebecca.
I grew up in Santa Barbara, CA. I attended, and graduated from, BYU where I met my husband. He was the FHE “dad” and I was the FHE “mom.” We have been happily married for over 25 years and are the parents of 10 wonderfully creative and multi-talented children. We live in rural CO on a small ranch with a dog, cats, a spoiled horse, and a herd of goats. It took me a bit to adjust to the rural lifestyle after growing up in southern CA, but I love living in the country.

I like Colorado too! When did you start writing?
I started making books when I was a kid and I loved to write in high school, but I put writing aside when I got married and started having babies. I decided to get serious about it again in the mid-90s when the internet suddenly opened up a whole new world for me. I met other writers, took classes online, and read all I could about writing. I’ve been writing ever since.

What do you like to do besides writing?
Eat chocolate, ice cream, peanut M&Ms. I love to go to the beach and swim in the ocean, but I only get to do that once a year or so. I also love to dance to disco music. I’ve recently started doing Zumba, a kind of Latin dancing/exercise program—lots of hip shaking. I love to go on dates with my husband and I love to play with my kids. I’ve also started making jewelry and flower barrettes with my kids.

Maybe I should tag along with you! :) Your newest novel, The Upside of Down, was released in January. What was the inspiration for this novel?
While I was watching the new version of Cheaper by the Dozen, I thought it would be fun to write a similar story set in an LDS household. Since I have a large family, I drew from many of my own experiences to create my characters and establish the storyline. I had lots of fun writing it, especially as I relived some of the funny things that have happened in our family.

What do you hope people take away from The Upside of Down?

I hope people realize that no matter who we are, none of us is spiritually invincible. We all need to rely on the Lord, in good times and in bad. No matter how desperate a situation may seem, the Lord can lighten our load if we’ll turn to Him. The atonement is for all of us. And, even in the midst of trials, we can have peace.
I also hope people will learn something from my book about Down syndrome and realize that underneath it all, we’re all children of God and we all deserve love and respect, no matter our chromosome count.

Thank you so much, Rebecca. Where can we purchase The Upside of Down?
Amazon carries it and it should arrive in LDS Bookstores soon.
You can learn more about Rebecca at www.rebeccatalley.com and www.rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com and http://www.theupsideofdown2.blogspot.com/

If you live in the Provo/Orem Utah area, Rebecca will be signing her new book, The Upside of Down at Pioneer Book in Orem, UT on Friday, March 18th, 4:00-6:00 pm and on Saturday, March 19th, 12:00-2:00 pm. Go see her! It'll be fun.

Pioneer Book
858 S. State Street
Orem, UT

Interview with Kaylee Baldwin , Author of Meg's Melody

It is my pleasure today to post an interview with Kaylee Baldwin, the author of a new book titled Meg's Melody. I helped Kaylee edit this a year an a half ago and am eager to see the finished product. (My copy's in the mail!)

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

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

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

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

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



So, Kaylee, when did you start to write and how long did it take you get published?

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

How do you choose your characters' names?

I love choosing character names! Meg is one of my all-time favorite girl names, but it is also the name of my husband’s ex-girlfriend (you know, the one right before me, that we don’t really talk about.) So, naming a child Meg was nixed, but I can name my characters whatever I want. Matt and Johnny are also two of my favorite boy names. I flipped through baby name books and the yellow pages to come up with the other names that I used.

What motivated you to write your current book?

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

What advice would you give aspiring writers today?

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

What’s your most embarrassing moment?

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

What are you working on now?

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

Thank you for the interview, Kaylee. I hope everyone takes the opportunity to hop on over to your beautiful blog at www.kayleebaldwin.com/ .

Interview with Joan Sowards

An Interview with Joan Sowards--Author of The Star Prophecy

A book titled The Star Prophecy is making its debut in LDS bookstores and on Amazon.com, and today I'm happy to share an interview with the author, Joan Sowards.

The Star Prophecy is about Nephite young men who set sail to Jerusalem to find the Christ Child.

Joan says, "When my daughter Kristy gave me the premise for this novel, I felt electrifying tingles come over me, the ideas began to flow and I wrote the first draft in three months--an incredible experience! The main character, whose quest it is to find the infant Messiah, is named Enoch after my nephew, a beautiful, bright child, who passed away at the age of four."

Q: When did you start to write and how long did it take you get published?

I have been writing novels for over fifteen years. A friend invited me to ANWA (The American Night Writers Association.) I've learned so much about writing through ANWA.
Kerry Blair lived in my ward back then. She'd edit my chapters and I tried to learn the rules behind her changes. I learned a lot from her, too. (During that time, she wrote her own first novel and sent it to Covenant. They excepted it within two weeks.) Gotta love her!

Q: How did you break into publishing?

I admit it was luck. I was in the right place at the right time. An editor suggested I send Walnut Springs Press my novel The Star Prophecy--so I did. I pestered editor Linda Prince every few months asking if she had read it. After the eight month, she asked if I had an LDS romance and that she needed one right away. I sent Haunts Haven and she liked it! Chocolate Roses was published next. I was surprised when WSP came back and said they were ready to publish The Star Prophecy since it had been two years since I submitted it.

Q: What inspired you to write romance?

I think every story needs romance, if not just a touch of it.The Star Prophecy is not a romance, but it has just enough to keep me happy.

Q: What genre or sub-genre do you write? Why did you choose this genre?

The Star Prophecy begins its tale in the land of the Nephites. Haunts Haven is a paranormal mystery romance, Chocolate Roses is pure romance with a Jane Eyre parallel. I haven't been able to get away from the LDS genre, I guess, because it is so ingrained in me.

Q: What are you working on now?

I'm writing a story about a recent ASU college grad who takes a summer journalist job in a seaside village in Oregon. The working title is Clairvoyance. I love the characters.

Q: What has surprised you about being a published author?

As soon as Haunts Haven hit the stores, I was expected to promote it and myself. I've never felt comfortable with that.

Q: What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

I'm a family history addict. I love to sew, and write music (http://joansowards.com) My adorable grandchildren take a lot of my time, and I love being with my husband.

Q: What was the most usual way you came up with a story idea? What made you to think, ‘hey, I could make that into a story?’

My daughter came home from Institute class with the premise for The Star Prophecy. I loved it! It is about Nephite young men setting sail to find the Christ Child.
Several years ago, Jeni Grossman taught a class at an ANWA conference and handed out feature newspaper articles with big photos and told us to ask ourselves "What if…" I got an article about haunted inns of Southern Arizona and asked myself, "What if a young woman inherited one of these inns, not knowing it was haunted?" Haunts Haven blossomed from there.
I wanted to write a modern Jane Eyre tale, and after a lot of thought, I wrote Chocolate Roses.

Q: What is your all time favorite book?

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier lit my fire in my teen years.

And the power round:

Favorite food? Mexican
Favorite dessert? Anything chocolate
Jeans and T-shirt, or designer clothes? Jeans but I believe in dressing up for church.
Guilty pleasure? Ice Cream.
Favorite flower? Roses

Thank you for the interview, Joan.

Thank you!
My blog is http://joansowards.blogspot.com/
As all bloggers know, there is joy in getting comments!

Writing Character Interviews

I have heard that authors interview their characters at some point, or they should. I always thought that was weird. Shouldn't you already know your characters? Why give them an interview when you already know everything about them?

Well, one day, I was stuck with a character and I decided to try this out. I WAS AMAZED! I didn't know what to do, so I just started writing and asking silly questions I already knew the answers to. But then it grew! I realized there were aspects of his character, based on his answers, that I hadn't fleshed out. This allowed me to know everything about him!
So, now I'm a FIRM believer in character interviews!

Do you want to see an example? I'll share part of one of the interviews I did for 'The Mirror' that I'm currently working on. You'll notice I start with simple questions and work my way up. I make sure and include physical things when I can. They help me understand my character too. I didn't know this character very well, when I started but as I interviewed him, he really took shape and became exciting! :)



King Ferrin: You know I could have you thrown in prison and executed.

Me: Yes.

King Ferrin: So, you’d better not ask too many sensitive questions.

Me: For arguments’ sake, I will agree. But you and I both know that I can write you off the page at any time.

King Ferrin: Touché. Alright then, author woman, hit me with whatever you’ve got.

Me: (sigh) Tell me about your kingdom.

King Ferrin: Starting with the mundane.

Me: Why not.

King Ferrin: There are six districts of my kingdom. The Forest. The Swamp. The Ice Lands. The Desert. The Low Lands. The High Lands. Splitting the land are The Cliffs. And The Ocean boarders our land on the west.

Me: Original names.

King Ferrin: (glares)

Me: I assume there are townships within these districts. Can you tell me a little about them?

King Ferrin: There are big and little cities, towns, provinces, farms. There are six councilmen. One from each district.

Me: How do you determine who becomes a councilman?

King Ferrin: I choose men based on their services to me.

Me: No women?

King Ferrin: Ha! Not likely. Women are only good for a couple things in life. (raises eyebrows)

Me: A-hem. Let’s keep this clean.

King Ferrin: (shrugs)

Me: What do your councilmen do?

King Ferrin: Twice a year, we all meet at The Palace in the High Lands and deliberate about the kingdom. We discuss major issues. They give their advice and I make a decision.

Me: You only meet twice a year? What if something comes up?

King Ferrin: That’s just a typical year. Things come up and sometimes I ask for my councilmen’s advice, sometimes I don’t. See one of the great things about being king, is I get to do what I want. When I want.

Me: What about your people?

King Ferrin: What they don’t know doesn’t hurt them. I have the men I trust most at the Palace with me. When things are kept low key, there’s no need for the people to get worked up.

Me: I see. So how much do you hide from your kingdom?

King Ferrin: (laughs) Most things. I usually let them know about the good things. Like the small disputes that are resolved.

Me: So they know nothing about the tension building between your kingdom and your brother’s?

King Ferrin: Not even Rohan knows of that. He thinks he’s privy to everything, but the boy is so green it’s laughable. He’d lose it if he knew! He loves Falcon too much.

Me: Well, I know about it. Will you tell me what led up to this tension? And what are you doing to prepare for war?

King Ferrin: (laughs) Falcon and I have never gotten along well. He was the older son, but incompetent to be king. He ascended anyway and ran things so contrary to how Father did.

Me: How does Falcon run things?

King Ferrin: He makes decisions based on what the ‘people’ want. (sneers) Rohan would do the same, you know. If he didn’t know so much, I would send him to live with his uncle. Falcon has no sons. Although, if he did, he would give them all titles. Not all king, but they would all have a title.

Me: You don’t give titles to your other sons?

King Ferrin: Hell no! They could buy one just like everyone else.

Me: I didn’t realize so many have titles.

King Ferrin: (laughs) They don’t. But they’ve tried to bribe me anyway. I’ve put them on a waiting list!

Me: (stares in shock)

King Ferrin: Malone is the man closest to receiving a title in my kingdom. He’s a boy after my own heart. I’m seriously considering giving the crown to him instead of Rohan.

Me: Doesn’t the crown go to your oldest son?

King Ferrin: Traditionally. But I make the laws and I can change them. I’m waiting to announce it. I’d hate an uprising.

Me: How would you do it? You aren’t wanting an uprising but you don’t care for the people’s opinion.

King Ferrin: (smiles) Malone is currently working with a small team of men, training the dragons that reside on The Cliffs. When we go to war with Falcon, Rohan will lead the men. He will be on the front lines and when Malone comes in to save the day with the dragons…. Well, Rohan will most certainly die, as will his brother, Kellin. That leaves Malone to ascend to the throne.

Me: Now, Malone is your wife’s nephew?

King Ferrin: Yes. I came here and married Clissilda. She gave me two worthless sons, and a daughter, who will only prove promising when she marries Malone.

Me: Malone?!

King Ferrin: Yes! (glares and I stay silent) Malone! He is Jezzie’s only child.

Me: (nodding) I heard you were involved some other activities as well. Other than dragons and war. Will you tell me about them?

King Ferrin: You’ll only hound me if I don’t.

Me: True. (smiling sweetly)

King Ferrin: Where to begin?

Me: (eye narrow)

King Ferrin: Let’s start with Falcon. It always starts and ends with him. Does it not?

Author Interview with Laurie Lewis

So we’re chatting with Laurie Lewis, author of “AWAKENING AVERY” today. Readers may know her best as L.C. Lewis, the author of the historical fiction series Free Men and Dreamers. Laurie, why did you switch genres and write “AWAKENING AVERY?” It’s not historical is it?

No, ”AWAKENING AVERY” is current, so it’s a nice diversion from my historical work.

What is the message behind the title, “AWAKENING AVERY?”

Our lead character is an LDS author/wife and mother who gets catapulted from her comfortable support role in the family to the lead after the untimely death of her wonderful husband. Although her husband, Paul, had been slowing fading for a long time, Avery had closed her eyes to the toll his illness and death had taken on her and her family. Her oldest son tells her he needs to get away to deal with his grief, and she is forced to face some hard truths—things are falling apart in her once perfect family, and instead of preparing for the eventuality of Paul’s death, she has been shriveling away. Avery needs to step up and take action, a daring thing that requires her to grow and stretch in ways she never imagined.

So is this story primarily about handling grief?

The Thompson family’s grief is the vehicle we use to address the major theme of the book, which is family vigilance. Their grief opens cracks in their spiritual veneer that weakens them, and makes them vulnerable, but hopefully readers will recognize that all of our families are vulnerable if we lower our vigilance for whatever reason. But another lesson from the book is the power available to us as we draw upon our families and friends for strength. The book is very hopeful.

The themes are serious, but you call "AWAKENING AVERY" a chuckle-out-loud and grab-a-hankie read. Why?

Avery is grieving, but she goes through a summer of self-discovery where she opens her narrow world up to receive a host of quirky new friends. They all have life experience and strength she can draw from, and she discovers she has a few things to teach them as well. So it’s not a sad book. Parts are very tender—happy tender and sad tender— and parts are a riot. We’ve got some fun, crazy characters in here.

Avery is an author. Was that meant to be a biographical element?

No . . . I needed Avery to have a career that made her mobile enough to take this journey, and to provide her with a tool with which she could measure her personal growth. Writing her as an author fit that bill, and I already understood that industry. For Avery, her writing and the writings of another author—Axel Hunter—provide an outlet for expression . . . of her grief, her fears, her hopes. I think we all need an outlet. Hopefully one of our outlets is good friends.

So what other projects are you working on?

I’m still promoting my Free Men and Dreamers series. Volume three, “Dawn’s Early Light,” debuted in December, and I’m hoping we’ll see book four on the shelves by late summer.

Thanks for the interview, Laurie Lewis. “Awakening Avery” sounds like a great gift for mothers and wives.

BOOK GIVEAWAY QUESTION:
Laurie Lewis is sponsoring a book giveaway. To enter, answer this question in the comment box below.

What event prompts Avery to seek out a ‘healing place” for herself and her family along Florida’s beautiful Gulf Coast?

The answer can be found by reading chapter one of the book. The winner will be drawn on May 31st. Good luck!

The Mormon Mishaps and Mischief Giveaway and Blog Tour!

In celebration of Mothers, and all they do for us, Mormon Mishaps authors C.L. Beck and D.N. Giles have put together a giveaway in conjunction with a week-long blog tour. If you aren’t interested in winning a fantastic advertising package valued at $150, you can stop reading now.

Wait, you’re still reading. That must mean you want to hear about our prize package, correct? Well. Okay then.

Let me first tell you a little about our sponsors, yourLDSneighborhood.com and YourLDSradio.com.

yourLDSneighborhood.com is an online shopping mall which features innovative products and LDS-based services, and great ideas for your home, all without the worries of questionable content. Shopping categories include Clothing, Music, Preparedness, Family Entertainment, Scrapbooking, Books and Art, Health and Food, Travel and Recreation, Weddings and more! Visit yourLDSneighborhood.com today.

Your LDS Neighborhood Newsletter is a free online newsletter that comes three times a week right to your email inbox. It provides topical stories and insights that set the tone for your day. The newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources, and interviews from around the world, all with an LDS focus. Sign up today by clicking here!

YourLDSradio.com commits to bringing you the best in LDS Music – all day, every day and it is totally FREE to listen! Make them your web-surfing companion. It's free and easy to use and makes for the perfect online companion. Listen for yourself at yourLDSradio.com!

Okay, and now for the prize!

Your LDS Neighborhood has offered a YEAR LONG advertising package which includes space on the Neighborhood website as well as tiles in the newsletter. Were you to purchase advertising with them, this package would cost $150.

Here’s the best part. You don’t have to be LDS to advertise with the Neighborhood. As long as the business, blog, or product you’re promoting is family friendly, this advertising package will benefit you. Neighborhood ads are viewed daily around the globe, and by thousands of people.

So how do you win?

Entries will be accepted between May 4th and midnight, MST, May 16th. On May 17th, (or as close there about as possible) the winners will be chosen and announced on the LDS Humor blog. Although it's not required for entry, please take a minute to read the Mormon Mishaps and Mischief review/interview I've posted. Then, you must do the following four things to enter (but don't worry, they aren't hard):

1. Follow my blog, here.
2. Leave a comment here, at this blog.
3. Follow the LDS Humor blog.
4. Follow the Your LDS Neighborhood Newsletter blog.

Extra entries:
1. Blog about this contest, then come back and leave either a url address or a link in a comment.
2. Follow me on Twitter. (Bloggers, you can hyperlink this to your twitter page if you’d like, or include your twitter username.) And then tweet the contest. (Make sure to mention this in a comment.)
3. Facebook the contest. If your Facebook page is private, and I’m not your friend, I can’t see that you’ve done this, so you’ll need to friend me.(Same goes here.) Be sure to leave the link to where you've FB'd the contest in a comment.

All of these options can be mentioned in a single comment, and you can enter at all the participating blogs, as long as you follow and leave a comment for those bloggers so they know you love them.

You may enter this contest here, as well as on any of the tour posts at the following blogs:

May 4th Rachelle Christensen
May 4th Shirley Bahlmann
May 5th Karlene Browning
May 5th Heather Gardener, Fire and Ice Book Reviews
May 6th Kellie Buckner
May 6th Rachel Rager
May 7th Shauna Chambers
May 7th Heather Justesen
May 10th LDS Humor Blog
May 10th Keith Fisher
May 11th Tristi Pinkston
May 11th Rebecca Talley
May 12th Taffy Lovell
May 12th Kimberly Job
May 13th Connie Hall
May 13th Ali Cross

To purchase Mormon Mishaps and Mischief click here.

---

Thanks for sticking around!

I also got to interview Nichole and Cindy!

First, a bit about their new book,Mormon Mishaps and Mischief:

This collection of humorous anecdotes from celebrated LDS authors shows off Church members at their finest. From Primary pranks to cheeky comments made by Zion’s youth to high priest hijinks, no age group is immune to the potential for humor. Though it might not be in the official Word of Wisdom, laughter really is the best medicine. Whether you’re a senior missionary or an eight-year-old graduating to senior Primary, you’re bound to get a kick out of these silly stories.

A few interesting statistics about Mormon Mishaps:

* 200 stories in the book.
* 78 are written by Cindy.
* 48 are written by Nichole.
* 126 stories, total, were written by Cindy and Nichole, or in other words 63%.
* 74 stories, total, were written by others, or in other words 37%.
* At least 80% of the stories required substantial editing and rewriting (and a big thank you from Cindy and Nichole to those whose stories didn’t require that).
* None of the anecdotes submitted to the publisher were cut—a feat that Cindy and Nichole were tickled about because they’d like to think it says something about the quality of their writing and editing abilities. Or maybe that they have really sharp eyes and can see nitpicky problems.
* The book took six months to write, and another year and a half to publication with Cedar Fort Inc.

What prompted you to write Mormon Mishaps and Mischief?

Cindy: The moon was full, Aquarius was on the cusp, and the chickens were molting, all of which combined to make this the right time for a book of humorous anecdotes. Well, that and the pantry was empty, so a book that might actually sell a few copies seemed like a good idea.

Nichole: What Cindy says might be true. Or it could be that one sunny spring morning, one of us woke up and said, “I think I’ll write a book of humorous anecdotes today.” Then there was email involved. Lots of email. And brainstorming and collecting and chocolate eating. And maybe some Twinkies. Thus, the proposal for a book of humorous anecdotes was born.

What’s your favorite story in the book?

Cindy: There’s this fantastic story about a crotchety old man who gets visited by three ghosts at Christmas, and by the end of the story, he vows to keep Christmas … oh wait, that’s Charles Dickens’ stuff. All right then, my next favorite is “A Good Impression” contributed by Cathy Witbeck. It’s about a little girl who gets all decked out for Easter and puts something interesting into her purse to take to church. (But I’m not going to tell you what, because it would ruin the fun.) On the other hand, I do have to tell you that because they’re all so funny, my favorite story changes about every five minutes.

Nichole: I’m with Cindy. Choosing just one favorite would be like playing favorites between my children. Which I’ve never done. Ever. I’m a good mother. I promise. Oh, but speaking of motherhood, there are several stories about children doing funny things, like licking worms and bringing a head of lettuce to pray. Love all of those.

Where do the stories come from?

Cindy: From the demented … er … I mean, the creative genius of our minds. And from the funny events that we, and our contributors, saw happening at church, home and everywhere in between. Rest assured, however, that all contributors to the book signed a statement that the stories were true, and so even though real names were seldom used in the anecdotes, the situations actually happened. Which means if you think you recognize your bishop in there, well … we’ll never tell.

Nichole: None of them came from my current ward. They all came from other people’s wards, which I visited while wearing my invisibility cloak. So if you happen to be in my ward and recognize a story or five or twenty, well I didn’t see those things or write them down in my handy-dandy notebook. Er. Um. I mean…I plea the fifth?

What are your favorite things to eat?

Cindy: I’m not particularly fond of witchetty grubs from Australia or puffer fish from Japan—not to mention Brussels sprouts from my mother’s kitchen—but otherwise I like most food. Especially Twinkies. Yes, I think Twinkies count as a very nutritious snack. Which reminds me, I’m almost out of ‘em.

Nichole: Chocolate, licorice, carbonated beverages, and cheese. And snow crab. But not all mixed together. Fondue is great and all, but only if you have the right recipe. Sometimes I like Twinkies, but since Cindy loves them so much I try to give her my share to be nice.

If you could choose to be any animal, what would it be?

Cindy: I’d choose to be pixie dust. Oh wait, dust isn’t an animal. Okay, I’d choose to be the pixie. In fact, I think I probably was one in a previous life. At least I had a haircut that made me look like a pixie when I was a kid.

Nichole: If Cindy gets to be a pixie, I want to be a mermaid. Then I could swim around from island to island and eat all the snow crab and mango I wanted. Plus, I think mermaid fins are beauteous.

Thank you for letting me interview you. Do you have anything you’d like to add?

Cindy and Nichole: It was our pleasure! Readers can visit us at our website, MormonMishaps.com, or laugh with us at our humor blog at ldshumor.blogspot.com. In addition, there are our personal blogs—follow Nichole at nicholegiles.blogspot.com or Cindy at bythebecks.blogspot.com.

We really like having followers. It makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Plus, we like to post funny stuff and make you laugh.

Thanks for joining us today, Cindy and Nichole!