Laurie L.C. Lewis's Blog: Bloggin' It Up Here, page 34

GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY HOP

Here's a hop that's perfect for last-minute Christmas shopping! Many thanks to Kathy at "I'm A READER NOT A WRITER," and Peep from Attack of the Book for co-hosting this hop!

I'm giving away a $25 restaurant coupon to either Applebee's or The Cheesecake Factory. The winner can choose!

Here's how you enter. Keep in mind that each entry MUST be posted separately to be considered.

1. MANDATORY ENTRY- You must be or become a follower of this blog!

2. Friend me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=703634776#!/profile.php?id=703634776. If you're already my friend, post the name of your favorite Christmas carol.

3. I'm on a book tour in Utah right now for my newest book, "IN GOD IS OUR TRUST." I could use your help spreading the word about my book. Post the following blurb and link on your facebook, twitter page, or blog and receive one additional entry for each. Just post each one separately indicating where you posted:

"What if yours was the generation tasked with the building of a nation? Read Free Men and Dreamers." www.laurielclewis.com

That's it! Now head on over to these other wonderful blogs and see what they're giving away! Thanks for stopping by, and "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!"

Laurie


Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

JUST THINKIN'

I'm enjoying the first true pause in my schedule in weeks--months perhaps. I left behind my sweet hubby and the residue of post-Thangiving to come to Utah on a book tour/family visit. I do dread returning home next week in the middle of December to pumpkins and turkeys after seeing so much Christmas beauty out here. At least my tree is up.

So it's 5:40 a.m., and I'm sitting on the floor in the spare bedroom at my son and DIL's apartment after awakening to the terrible thought that I wrongly scheduled a post on my blog and therefore have disappointed countless people in the cyber universe. Dates and places I need to be dart through my mind, then I remember that I only have one place to be today, and it's with family.

I pull out the computer. The blog trouble is fixed, the people contacted, my heart rate is lowered, and now I pause. It's sometimes a crazy life...

But oh, how sweet. Yesterday was a lovely day . . . truly lovely. In the late morning my DIL Brittany and I visited with her beautiful, talented aunt, Nichole, the creator of Sterling Obsessions and the gorgeous silver jewelry I commissioned for each of my earlier books. We chatted about life and God and family while Nichole bedazzled out nails. So fun and relaxing.

When we left Provo Canyon and it's beauty, we met Adam for lunch at the Paradise Bakery. Delicious, and fun to sit across the table from these two. They're expecting their first baby and still marvelling over this blessing. Adam is a bit silly and giddy with expectation, like a colt on a warm spring day, and Brittany gazes at him and smiles. Love these moments.

The next stop was Christmas shopping. ( plan to leave Utah having completed the shopping and wrapping for Tom's and Adam's families.) We head to Gateway and I watch as Adam gets excited over the chance to select a new pair of running shoes. Brittany and I cast furtive and worried glances between us because I've already ordered a pair just like the ones he's ogling. Finally, unable to halt his enthusiasm, we tell him the secret, and he beams--he's 28 and he still beams over Christmas. What could be better?

We stop at Brighton Collectibles and I see Brittany eye, pick up, and then set down an item she wants but declines tonight. Adam and I have a Secret Santa-like mind-meld and he lures her away so I can sneak the little bauble away to the register. I can see that this little covert "mission" is as fun for the clerk as it is for me. Mission accomplished, we exit excited and with the magic of Christmas blooming fully in my heart.

But from across town I receive news that another member of my family is suffering over the illness of a loved one, so I'll go there today, remembering that Christmas magic can't fix everything, and that while we need the joy and peace of the season, it's the reason for the season, our Savior Jesus Christ alone who can cure some of the troubles that bedevil us.

The last stop of the night was the Deseret Books' downtown store. There is magic in that store, from the dazzling antique cookie machine in the window, to the magnificent depictions of Christ and the Book Mormon displayed everywhere, to the calming music lilting through the air. Voices are hushed, smiles are reverent as fingers touch precious future gifts. Across the street the lights of Temple Square twinkle and beckon. The scene is like a living Christmas card testifying to the truthfulness of the gospel of Christ. My son marvels over the view and wonders how anyone could see it and not know the Gospel is true . . . it's all true.

I love Salt Lake at Christmastime. I love that it does stand like a light to the world, testifying that on good days and bad, in good times and hard, Christ is the miracle, His Gospel is The Way, and the door is always open.

Thank you for all your support of my work this year. I hope it has touched you in some way and lightened your heart. I wish you each the merriest of Christmases, and pray the blessings of heaven upon you and your family. And may we each pray a little harder for America this year. She needs us, and we and the world need her--strong and pure.

Warmly,

LaurieCopyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

THE GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY HOP!

Here's a hop that's perfect for last-minute Christmas shopping! Many thanks to Kathy at "I'm A READER NOT A WRITER," and Peep from Attack of the Book for co-hosting this hop!

I'm giving away a $25 restaurant coupon to either Applebee's or The Cheesecake Factory. The winner can choose!

Here's how you enter. Keep in mind that each entry MUST be posted separately to be considered.

1. MANDATORY ENTRY- You must be or become a follower of this blog!

2. Friend me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=703634776#!/profile.php?id=703634776. If you're already my friend, post the name of your favorite Christmas carol.

3. I'm on a book tour in Utah right now for my newest book, "IN GOD IS OUR TRUST." I could use your help spreading the word about my book. Post the following blurb and link on your facebook, twitter page, or blog and receive one additional entry for each. Just post each one separately indicating where you posted:

"What if yours was the generation tasked with the building of a nation? Read Free Men and Dreamers." www.laurielclewis.com

That's it! Now head on over to these other wonderful blogs and see what they're giving away! Thanks for stopping by, and "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!"

Laurie

Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

BOOK NOOK REVIEW: "TRUE MIRACLES WITH GENEALOGY, Volume Two"

TRUE MIRACLES WITH GENEALOGY
Volume Two

by

Anne Bradshaw



Anne Bradshaw's second anthology of inspiring genealogical stories recently debuted, and the title aptly foreshadows the power of these tender stories.

Bradshaw has reached across oceans to collect these miraculous true-life experiences from people at all levels of genealogical experience, and the accounts she has gathered illustrate how thin the veil between mortality and the Spirit World is, how very real these post-mortal spirits are, and how badly they want to have their work done.

True Miracles With Genealogy 2 is guaranteed to touch readers deeply. But for those who've desired to seek out their ancestors, this book is a master class on Family History that will inspire, motivate, and provide dozens of new research ideas from people who've successfully applied them with marvelous results.

One of greatest gifts this book brings to readers is the way it testifies to the existence and nearness of our deceased family members. True Miracles With Genealogy opens with a remarkable story of a person who, like many people, hits a dead end while searching for an ancestor. A curious suggestion is offered to the researcher encouraging him to reach for divine help in a way generally applied only to the living. The researcher makes a spiritual and mental leap in regards to the way he views his kindred dead. Suddenly he sees them as living spirits, not merely as names, and he applies the advice with remarkable conclusions. It is ideas and concepts like these that are the gems of the book. They catapult us beyond being detached descendants, expanding readers' vision of the divine purpose of this work--to save souls and bind families.

True Miracles With Genealogy arrives on shelves at a perfect moment, following Elder David Bednar's October Conference talk about involving our youth in this critical, divine work. If making research personal is the key to successfully introducing youth to Family History and Genealogy, then the tender stories in Bradshaw's would provide a perfect catalyst in helping them catch the vision of who they are laboring to serve. But even in it's simplest application, True Miracles with Genealogy will linger with readers long after the last page is turned.Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

BOOK NOOK REVIEW: THE ARMOR OF LIGHT

THE ARMOR OF LIGHT
Volume Two of the Wolfchild Saga

by Karen E. Hoover

Karen Hoover continues her intriguing fantasy series, The Wolfchild Saga, with volume two, The Armor of Light, and I'm delighted to say that the pace never lags, Hoover's creativity never slacks, and her characters continue to take readers on a journey that captivates.

Ladies rule the day in The Armor of Light. All of Hoover's leads, the good and the evil, are females, providing a unique twist to the series. Ember Shandae, and Kayla Kalandra Felandian, are young women on the cusp of adulthood when the burden of saving their endangered world falls onerously and unexpectedly upon their shoulders.

Like volume one, The Sapphire Flute, The Armor of Light reads like two books within one, as each heroine's story runs separately but parallel to the other in succeeding chapters. Ember and Kayla are unknown to one another except in dreams, yet they each know they must meet and form an alliance in order to preserve their world from the soulless sorceress, C'Tan. (Even the names of her characters are little puzzles that delight when the hidden meaning is reaklized.)


Ember is a long-awaited White Mage, possessor of all seven colors of magic. Kayla is the guardian of one of seven keystones—the Sapphire Flute. Though each of the young women possesses powerful magic, they struggle to control and master it.

But they are not left alone. Guardians are assigned to protect them, valiant men, some of whom come from strange origins. As Ember enters the Mage Academy to learn how to master her magic in time to stand up to the devastating forces threatening her world. She does so under the protection of the mute, DeMunth, for whom she feels an instinctive attraction, but DeMunth is rendered ill as his own keystone, the armor of light, transitions into a power unto itself.

Kayla is caught between her beloved Brant and a prince from another realm. As tensions mount Kayla's moral agency is tested, exposing the boundaries under which her powers function. As a result, all three are endangered, endangering everyone and everything.

The book is fast-paced and layered with tension, consequence and betrayal. Each chapter places these two heroines in a struggle to master their gifts sufficiently to hold C'Tan at bay while protecting the people and world they love.

Hoover has a seemingly limitless imagination. Armor of Light's diverse cast of magical beings are well developed and their mystical elements boggle readers' minds. Her writing style has a literary bent producing vivid detail to the story in a voice that draws her readers into this ancient world. She does this so well that one becomes aware of the occasional instances where her characters' dialogue shifts into more modern slang, pulling one from the story for a moment.

The settings, and the action is beautifully handled, placing the reader smack in the middle of these curious realms, expecting some incredible new creature, demon, threat, or power at each corner, and Hoover does not disappoint.

Elements in the story may make the Wolfchild series too intense for young readers, but the series will satisfy fantasy lovers from YA to adult. Hoover's The Sapphire Flute, and The Armor of Light need to be read in order to fully appreciate and understand the storyline. Even reading one immediately after the other required some back-reading to keep the large cast straight and to capture small details that matter later on.

The series is complex, but these books are worth the effort. and there are more to come in this marvelous saga.Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

BOOK NOOK REVIEW

COLD RIVER
By
Liz Adair

Award-winning author, Liz Adair, delivers a crisp, delicious read with her recently released romantic suspense novel, Cold River. Once again, Adair draws from locales and events dear to her heart—this time it's the northwest timber country—to create intricate, realistic settings and characters with an endearing quirkiness.

When life in Albuquerque becomes complicated, twenty-nine year-old Dr. Mandy Steenburg finds escape in her newly earned doctoral degree. Two remote school districts need a new superintendent badly enough to take a chance on this enthusiastic newbie — one is in Alaska, the other is Limestone, Washington. So, Mandy packs up her life and ships it north.

Tossing her doctoral degree on the back seat, she exits the big city in her sassy Miata bound for Washington State and a small town of residents descended from North Carolina depression-era settlers. The only thing smaller than Limestone is the residents' gene pool.

The climate change was expected, but the chilly reception Mandy receives from this community makes it clear she's unwelcome as the replacement for Grange Timberlane, her beloved, but facially-afflicted predecessor, who is now her frustrated assistant.

Welcome or not, Mandy is determined to make a difference in this seemingly undisciplined school system despite the tangled web of feuding families, suspicions, and secrets. Headway is slow, and friends are hard to come by — that is except for Fran, the manager of the Qwik-E-Market, and her wickedly handsome boss, Vince Lafitte, who just happens to also be the head of the local school board. Tangled as five coon dogs in a fox hole, right? Well, hold on.

Vince and Grange share unpleasant history as well, and the more Mandy comes to care about each of these two men, the more accidents and near-death experiences she seems to have. Toss in some moonshine, some magnificent Bluegrass music, and the unexpected arrival of Mandy's teenaged sister, and Adair has concocted an intriguing romantic suspense that will leave you smiling, snarling, and page turning until the satisfying end.

It's no surprise that Adair was the 2009 recipient of the Whitney Award for Romance. She is a master storyteller who does her research, creating books that breathe with realism. Adair spreads enough guilt and motive around to keep the reader nail-biting and guessing about the conclusion until the end, while injecting the read with delicious moments of humor.

Walnut Springs is the fortunate publisher of this charmer. I highly recommend Cold River for readers who love a good suspense novel, a tangled romance, or both.Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

BOOK NOOK REVIEW--"CARVING ANGELS"

CARVING ANGELS

By

Diane Stringham Tolley



One magical element of Christmas is the increased desire families have to gather and read together, and whether you feel drawn to inspirational stories about the Christ Child, or to whimsical tales about Santa and his elves, give Diane Stringham Tolley's charmer, "Carving Angels" a try. It wraps inspiring themes of service, divine nature, and family love around an endearing North Pole tale that makes for a lovely family read.

Papa Adam, a gifted carver, believes he is an elf without a purpose since blindness robbed him of his talent. But losing his sight is a not all Papa Adam has lost. As he retreats inwardly, other elves mourn his condition and reverently coddle the old master artisan. But where is Papa Adam's family?

One day, Amy, his five-year-old and only granddaughter, pays him an unexpected and much-needed visit. Born late and last to parents whose arms are already swarming with grandchildren, Amy also feels a bit displaced, and comes seeking the companionship of her famed, but despondent grandfather.

She arrives with a splendid piece of wood in her hands, seeking a favor--to have the nearly-crippled and blind Papa Adam carve some wondrous creation for her, as he previously had done for all the other children. The old elf laments that he cannot, dwelling on the infirmities plaguing him, but Amy bring additional gifts—her "blind" faith in him, words of confidence, and her own personal need she believes only her grandfather can fill. Papa Adam finds the will to try once more.

But his gifted hands, lifelong experience, and renewed inspiration will not lead him to carve mere toys. No, he begins to see a greater purpose to fulfill, and more than that, he finds that Amy harbors secret talents of her own. And like the wood they work, marvelous beauty emerges within them, and within the people whose lives they touch.

Tolley's Carving Angels is a gentle read, suitable for small children, while the messages will resonate sweetly with adults and tweens as well. At under 120 pages, it's a fairly quick read that could fill bedtime story hour for a week, and inspire worthwhile discussion on a number of timely, family-friendly themes. I found it delightful and plan to share it with my grandchildren this Christmas.

Published by Cedar Fort, this charmer is available in most LDS bookstores, and on Amazon. Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

BOOK NOOK REVIEW

CARVING ANGELS

By
Diane Stringham Tolley

One magical element of Christmas is the increased desire families have to gather and read together, and whether you feel drawn to inspirational stories about the Christ Child, or to whimsical tales about Santa and his elves, give Diane Stringham Tolley's charmer, "Carving Angels" a try. It wraps inspiring themes of service, divine nature, and family love around an endearing North Pole tale that makes for a lovely family read.

Papa Adam, a gifted carver, believes he is an elf without a purpose since blindness robbed him of his talent. But losing his sight is a not all Papa Adam has lost. As he retreats inwardly, other elves mourn his condition and reverently coddle the old master artisan. But where is Papa Adam's family?

One day, Amy, his five-year-old and only granddaughter, pays him an unexpected and much-needed visit. Born late and last to parents whose arms are already swarming with grandchildren, Amy also feels a bit displaced, and comes seeking the companionship of her famed, but despondent grandfather.

She arrives with a splendid piece of wood in her hands, seeking a favor--to have the nearly-crippled and blind Papa Adam carve some wondrous creation for her, as he previously had done for all the other children. The old elf laments that he cannot, dwelling on the infirmities plaguing him, but Amy bring additional gifts—her "blind" faith in him, words of confidence, and her own personal need she believes only her grandfather can fill. Papa Adam finds the will to try once more.

But his gifted hands, lifelong experience, and renewed inspiration will not lead him to carve mere toys. No, he begins to see a greater purpose to fulfill, and more than that, he finds that Amy harbors secret talents of her own. And like the wood they work, marvelous beauty emerges within them, and within the people whose lives they touch.

Tolley's Carving Angels is a gentle read, suitable for small children, while the messages will resonate sweetly with adults and tweens as well. At under 120 pages, it's a fairly quick read that could fill bedtime story hour for a week, and inspire worthwhile discussion on a number of timely, family-friendly themes. I found it delightful and plan to share it with my grandchildren this Christmas.

Published by Cedar Fort, this charmer is available in most LDS bookstores, and on Amazon.

Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

BOOK LOVERS' HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY HOP

Thanks for stopping by, and many thanks to Kathy, the very busy host at I AM A READER, NOT A WRITER, and to Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy, for co-hosting this splendid hop. It goes live at midnight on December 2, and closes out at midnight on December 6th.

Each entry MUST be posted separately because I'm one of those lazy people who uses Random.org to calculate the winner. (Cutting out all those names on slips on paper and pulling one from my fish bowl was way toooooo taxing...)

My prize is an autographed copy of any of my books, and a second, gently-read volume I've enjoyed this year.

I'm actually out in Utah on my book signing tour for "IN GOD IS OUR TRUST" this week. I'd love my hop guests to help me get the word out. So here's how you enter....

1. Mandatory entry: You must be or become a follower of this blog.

2. Please post this message on your Facebook page, Twitter page, or on your blog. One additional entry for each, up to four total entries:

Laurie LC Lewis is in Utah this week greeting current readers, meeting new ones, and signing copies of her Free Men and Dreamers books, including her recently-released volume five, IN GOD IS OUR TRUST. Visit http://www.laurielclewis.com/news.htm for places and times.

That's it! Just record each post individually below. Thanks again for visiting, and thanks for supporting the wonderful joy of reading. Readers like you make it possible for us to get our stories published and distributed. We need you. Thanks!

Now take a moment and visit all these other wonderful stops on the blog hop!

Laurie

Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

EUPHORIA, LETDOWN, and EUPHORIA AGAIN

Just a quick update about life and holidays. The entire Lewis tribe made it home for Thanksgiving this year. We're a small tribe compared to most of my friends--fifteen souls--but we're raucous and loud and the exhausting chaos was wonderful.

I'm a bit bummed today. The last little Lew departed and that always makes me sad. Most live far, far away. I'm washing linens, doing dishes, finding things in unusual places, and putting away Thanksgiving decorations while pulling out Christmas boxes. It's more manic than usual because I leave Maryland 0n Thursday and head to Utah for my book signings for "In God Is Our Trust," so I'm trying to clean, decorate, pack, and prepare for a two-week departure at the busiest time of the year.

Here's my signing schedule. If you're in the area, please stop by and say "hi." These signings can be a bit lonely and a friendly face from a familiar friend or Facebook buddy is a sweet gift.

Enjoy your own holiday preparations!

Laurie

December 2nd
Seagull Centerville store from 5 - 7pm
The Book Table; Logan, Utah, 8:30-Midnight

December 3rd
Seagull Redwood store from 10am - 12pm
Deseret Books Layton store from 2 - 3:30pm
Seagull Family Center from 5 - 7pm

December 9th
Seagull West Jordan store from 5 - 7pm

December 10th
Seagull South Jordan store from 10am - 12pm
Deseret Books Ft. Union store from 2 - 3:30pmCopyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)