Laurie L.C. Lewis's Blog: Bloggin' It Up Here, page 48

SHARING A STAR-SPANGLED MOMENT WITH MY GRANDSON

Our children straggled in and out during this family holiday, allowing us some lovely one-on-one time with our L.A.-residing, single son, and some wind-down time with our oldest son's family after the major hoopla had ended. I'm so grateful that during that wind-down time my son suggested we head to D.C. with his family and visit some of the Smithsonian's wonderful museums. It was a spontaneous decision, and it provided a tender experience shared between my grandson and I.

We began at the Air and Space Museum which dazzled my thirty-three-year-old son, his wife and their two-year-old far more than it did their four and seven-year-old who found the cartoon of Mickey flying the highlight of the venues. That was except for the paper-airplane-flying lesson and contest. Every hour on the hour, the hands-on area features some wonderful, educational activities for families. The science behind the games were terrific and the children all loved it. I highly recommend it.

We next visited the Natural History Museum. These Utah residents have spent dozens of hours at the zoo and the dinosaur exhibits at Thanksgiving Point, but even so, they were fascinated by the animal displays, particularly the ocean exhibit. There are crocheted replicas of coral reefs that are spectacular as well as whimsical, and if it sounds unscientific to imagine a yarn-made reef, go see it. You'll be dazzled. It was the absolute highlight of my grand daughter's visit.

The children were running out of steam by the time we reached the American History Museum--my favorite. We hurried in less than an hour before closing so we could visit the Star-Spangled Banner exhibit. With the bicentennial drawing near, a wonderful venue has been created, and I was spell-bound.

I remember well my first visit to the museum's Star-Spangled Banner exhibit. Back in those days the flag was sewn to a linen backing and suspended, revealed to spectators through am electronically-controlled curtain that was drawn back to reveal the flag. It was a dramatic display that left goosebumps on my arms. I only had a dollar or two to spend at the museum store, but I remember how I and every child breathlessly spent a portion of that precious money on a postcard of the real Star-Spangled Banner.

The stories we were told about the flag and its tattered condition have been proven incorrect over the years. Science and technology have verified which of the many accounts of the Battle of Baltimore were actually true, and the new exhibit reflects that new information.

I've been fortunate to spend some time with the exhibit's curator in the past three years, and the additional information he taught me came in handy this morning. My grandson's heart was breaking as his parents packed to return home. He snuggled close to me with tears in his eyes and I was able to lift his spirits by reminding him of what he had to share with his classmates when he arrived back in Utah. After all, he had seen the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument, and now he could tell his friends that he had also seen the real Star-Spangled Banner!

The story was already unclear to him, so we snuggled together as I told him about the burning of Washington and how Dr. Beanes had been kidnapped as the British returned to their ships. I spoke of Francis Scott Key's efforts to save his friend, and about how his heart ached as he heard the British discuss their plans to raze Baltimore. His eyes grew large as I explained how Key sat on a ship in the Baltimore Harbor, watching the bombardment, and how he began to record his feelings on the back of a letter. As I repeated the words of Key's poem, little Tommy's eyes grew larger still. "I know that!" he said.

He began repeating the words to the "Star-Spangled Banner" as I explained the meaning of its somewhat obscure language. At the end, he smiled. Now he was ready to tell his friends about his visit to see the great flag. Now he understood that he and grandma had shared something special.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)

HOLIDAY COMINGS AND GOINGS

I hope your Christmas we wonderful and peaceful, and that your plans for the New Year reflect hope and optimism.

Despite a crazy schedule right up to the last minute, we too enjoyed a very merry Christmas, though things have been hectic around the Lewis house these past few weeks. On top of swapping out the fall decor for Christmas regalia after Thanksgiving, our sweet, surrogate sons--missionaries--moved out the end of November, and we began some remodeling on the basement. An army of workers filed in and out in December, and then the reason for all the hub bub--the arrival of family for the holidays--commenced.

I took sick with some respiratory thing at the end of November, and I haven't been able to shake it yet. Christmas came and went and I couldn't sing a carol, and anyone who knows me knows how much I love to sing, especially at Christmas. Oh well...

Our children and grandchildren will be with us for another week, (all except Josh who had to leave because of work--sadness. . . )and then life will kick back into madness as I prepare the final volume of Free Men and Dreamers for a spring/summer release.

We recieved word a few weeks ago that both "Awakening Avery" and "Oh, Say Can You See?" were nominated for a Whitney Award! A nomination reflects reader support of a novel, so thank you, thank you to everyone who nomnated these books! On February 1st, we'll discover which books made it into the finals. There is a wide slate of excellent books in each category, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed with guarded optimism.

I'm taking a break for a few more days, and then it will be back to work to complete volume five. Until then my calendar's filled with family time.

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

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)

FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

Nostalgia is an inseparable part of Christmas--nostalgia over wide-eyed babes now grown with little ones of their own, for belly laughs and awe, for cherished family gatherings involving faces now gone, and filled with moments when heaven seemed tangible. I'm going to post a few of mine over the next few days. Perhaps they'll inspire the elf in you, or perhaps you'll share your own.

SANTA PROOF- When our oldest son, Tommy, was about ten, his Santa-doubts were voiced. Fearing his doubts would taint the magic for the younger children, we devised to ruse to keep him believing a while longer.

He was to be a package in a Christmas play involving Santa. We took the bow from the family wreath and used it to adorn his costume, but alas, it was left at the party and Tommy felt very bad about that. On Christmas Eve, after plates of cookies and mugs of milk were left for Santa, along with a carrot for Rudolph, the kids went to bed, and the magic ensued.

We took a piece of red flannel and stuck it to the fireplace screen. Nest, we appropriately devoured the treats, leaving traces or crumbs anbd carrot bits, and then Tom wrote little Tommy a note in a mysterious scrawl that said something like:

"Thanks for the treats. Ask your dad to fix the fireplace screen. I tore my britches on it. And here's your bow you left at the party. Thanks for being my helper that night. Love, Santa."

It sealed the deal for Tommy for another year or two, perhaps making him a nerd in the process as far as his friends were concerned, but the magic and the effort we went to were well worth the ignominy. On his last Christmas with us, before marrying his bride, we awoke and all the stockings had been pilfered with a note left behind telling us to search for them. We wondered which of our friends would have sneaked into our house to pull off these shenanigans as all the sibligs tore through the house searching for their stockings. Miraculaously, they were far more excited about solving this mystery than they were about presents, but low and behold, it was Tommy, who wanted to do something that would make our last Lewis Christmas together one we would always remember. And oh. . . . how we have. . .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)

MID-WINTER'S EVE GIVEAWAY HOP

Midwinter's Eve is the longest night of the year so why not spend it entering some great giveaways?

This a quick hop that runs from 12:01 AM on Tuesday, December 21st to 11:59 PM on Wednesday, December 22nd. Each participating blog is hosting their own giveaway with their own entry requirements. All participating blogs are linked up through a Midwinter's Eve linky. After you have entered one giveaway hop to the next giveaway on the list.
To enter my portion of the contest, do the following:

(Please note: Because I use Random.org to choose the winner, each entry must be submitted in a separate posting to be counted.)

Have a great Midwinter's Eve!


1. Be or become a follower of this blog- 1 entry.

2. Add my newest release, "Oh, Say Can You See?" to your Goodreads to-read list- 1 entry.

3. Post the book's trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQYHvf...) on your Facebook or blog--1 entry for each.

4. Post this link on your Facebook page with this caption: "Preview the first five chapters of "Oh, Say Can You See?" The link is http://www.laurielclewis.com/events.html. 1 entry


Enjoy! Here are the rest of the stops on the hop!



This spectacular blog hop was sponsored by "I Am A Reader, Not A Writer."
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)

WORDS CAN BE THE SWEETEST GIFTS

I think one measure of maturity is the moment when we love the card as much or more than the gift--when the message of friendship and love expressed in those words warms our heart beyond what the gift can do. Words last forever, after batteries die, candles burn down, cloths wears thin and the lingering scents no longer do. We love to overhear a kind word about our children or ourselves. It is so with authors and their books. Releasing a book near a holiday is tough for several reasons. The first few weeks after a book's release are critical, requiring intensive blogging, signings, interviews and reviews at a time when all you and everyone else really wants is PEACE.
"Oh, Say Can You See?", which is likely the most critical book of my Free Men and Dreamers series, was released near Thanksgiving, and I wanted so much to give it the debut-push it needed, but I also didn't want to feel like I was spending Christmas peddling my novel. Joyfully, gratefully, other sweet people have been helping out, providing lovely reviews and giving OSCYS lots of holiday attention. The quote below are some of the kind words that have been shared on the blog tour for "Oh, Say Can You See?" My most sincere thanks to these fine authors for reviewing my book, and for their generous comments during a very busy season. ***************
"This book is poignant, haunting, gripping—a timely celebration of this country and her people."
Braden Bell, author of "The Road Show"
***
"I'm awestruck at L.C. Lewis's mastery of detail-rich prose."
Marsha Ward, author of "Man From Shenandoah" and other compelling westerns.
***
"I was able to picture each person I "met" in the pages of her novel."
Rachelle Christensen, author of "Wrong Number."
***
"You will be drawn into the story by events, but want to continue to read because of the characters . . . You will have no problem reading this book even if you haven't seen the previous works. But after you read Oh, Say Can You See?, you'll want to have the rest of the series."
Lynn Parsons, co-author of (dis)Abilities and the Gospel)
***
"L.C. Lewis has the remarkable gift of being able to create three-dimensional characters who step into incredibly detailed and accurate historical accounts of real-life events. I can't say it enough, the detail was excellent."
Marilyn Bunderson, author of "The Mark."*** I think I'm beaming brighter than the lights on my tree. (And that's saying something since there are 2000 lights on that poor little evergreen.)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)

PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS MORNING MENU

Christmas morning can be a daunting time for a mom, especially if you want to get something hearty and nutritious into your family before they tear into pies and cookies. It's especially difficult if you are also cooking a Christmas dinner the same day.

Years ago I found this delicious breakfast casserole recipe. The family loves it, and because it's assembled the day before, you can pop it in the oven before opening gifts and it's ready just as you finish up. We top the nutritious egg casserole off with some less nutritious but splendid and easy sweet rolls also made the evening before. These are staples of a Lewis-family holiday, and they have become as traditional as our tree.

I hope they make your Christmas morning special and peaceful!

Breakfast Casserole
This is the most delicious Put-It-Together-The-Night-Before recipe I've ever found. Perfect for a busy but special morning event.

Ingredients:
1 pound spicy pork sausage 1/4 cup onion 2 1/2 cup hash brown 5 large eggs 2 cups shredded cheese 1 3/4 cups milk 1 cup Bisquick 1/4 t. salt 1/4 t. pepper

Directions:
Cook and crumble sausage and onion together until sausage crumbles. Stir in the hash browns and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sausage is no longer pink. Drain on paper towels, then place in a 9X13 baking dish. Mix together the eggs, cheese, and the next four ingredients. Pour over the pork mixture. Chill overnight or at least 8 hours. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes in 350 degree oven, then remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Servings: 8

Sweet Rolls

Yummy and evil!!!

Ingredients:
Frozen bread dough
2 sticks butter
cinnamon
Brown sugar
powdered sugar
few tablespoons milk
Directions:


Thaw 3 loaves of frozen bread dough until it is easy to work. Roll into a rectangle 12 inches wide by ½" thick. Spread with butter, then sprinkle cinnamon all over. Next, sprinkle a layer of brown sugar over the top. Roll up jelly roll style. Cut into 1 to 1½ inch slices. Arrange in a greased pan or pns. Let rise 2-3 times. Bake in 350 degree oven for 18-22 minutes, (until no longer doughy in center.) Frost when cool. (Frosting- Melt on low 1 stick butter. Add +-1 lb powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1-2 tsp. milk. I double this.)

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Breakfast Servings: 12Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

Author Interview: Kaylee Baldwin, author of "Meg's Melody"

First-time author Kaylee Baldwin will soon be debuting a heart-tugging women's fiction novel titled "Meg's Melody." The front cover art caught my attention months back when Kaylee shared the design. The back cover blurb gives insight into the tender storyline:

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.

Despite the hectic December pace, I was able to catch up with Kaylee who was kind enough to answer a few questions about life as a new author.

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 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.

Thanks, Kaylee. Merry Christmas. Readers will be pleased to know they can preorder a copy of "Meg's Melody"at Amazon or Barnes&Noble.com.

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)

The "OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE?" Blog Tour Begins!

So, what is a blog tour, you ask?

It's an online opportunity to promote a book using social media.

A more fun definition? It's an online literary party where a book is highlighted and prizes are offered. And for the next ten days, "Oh, Say Can You See?" is being discussed.

Our prizes highlight the patriotic theme embodied in this Star-Spangled novel about the Battle of Baltimore and the writing of our National Anthem.

We'll be giving away autographed copies of "Oh, Say Can You See?", and the grand prize is a signature sterling silver bicentennial necklace designed exclusively for the release of "Oh, Say Can You See?"

Visit these stops on the tour and enter to win.

December Blog Tour Dates

13th
Braden Bell's Blog at
http://www.bradenbell.com/bradens-blog.html

and

Tristi Pinkston's blog at
http://tristipinkston.blogspot.com/2010/12/book-review-oh-say-can-you-see-by-lc.html

14th
Marsha Ward, "Writer in the Pines" Blog at
http://marshaward.blogspot.com/

15th
Rachelle Christensen, "Rachelle's Writing Spot" Blog at
http://www.rachellewrites.blogspot.com/

16th
Anna Del C. Dye's Blog at
http://annadelc.com/blog/

17th
Stephanie Abney, at "Stephanie Says So" Blog at
http://stephaniesaysso.blogspot.com/


18th
Lynn Parsons
http://lynndeniseparsons.blogspot.com/

20th
Susan Dayley's "Looking Out My Back Door" Blog at
http://susandayley.wordpress.com/ and

and Marilynn Bunderson's Blog at
http://mrbunderson.blogspot.com/

21th
Liz Adair at "Liz Sez"
http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/
and
and Valerie Ipson's "Of Writerly Things" blog athttp://valerieipson.blogspot.com/

22nd
Kathi Peterson at "Kathi's Writing Nook"
http://www.kathiswritingnook.com/


Follow the instructions, leave a comment and you'll be entered to win an autographed copy of "Oh Say Can You See?" or any of the previous books in my Free Men and Dreamers series.

Post this comment and link on your Facebook page and be entered to win a full-sized American flag:

"Read the first five chapters of the Star-Spangled novel, "Oh, Say Can You See?" http://www.laurielclewis.com/events.html.

Come back and leave a comment telling me where you posted and you'll be entered to win!

Happy reading!

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)

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." -Buddy the Elf

I love to sing, and Christmas is the season I most want to belt out a cheery carol, or render a tender tune about the Infant King. I like to crank up a cherished holiday CD while I bake or wrap gifts, and I love those melodies lingering in the air like a sweet musical scent of cinnamon.

I missed the opportunity to sing carols during the preceding weeks. I did play my Josh Groban Christmas CD a few times, and I tuned my radio station to Christmas music a few times, but in truth, I filled the days with Christmas labor--shopping, cleaning, readying the house for the exciting arrival of the family--and with book business surrounding the launch of "Oh, Say Can You See?" And now that it's time for baking and crooning, for caroling and Christmas hymns, I have laryngitis.

Some little malady is plaguing our congregation this year, leaving half of us stricken and voiceless. I so want to sing to my grand babies, and do a duet with Bing or Frank or Perry. Last night, I attended a John Tesh Christmas concert at the historic Maryland Theater in Hagerstown, and it killed me that during the group sing-a-long, I could only mouth the words.

This same dilemma happened to me some years ago, when my youngest son was an infant. I couldn't sing for months--couldn't even sing a lullaby to my baby--and for someone who once considered recording professionally, that was tragic blow. Christmastime was rolling near that year, and my voice returned with a five note range that settled down in the deepest part of my register. I prayed and asked the Lord to give me just enough of my voice back so I could sing to my babies, and I promised that in return, I would take my gravelly voice and sing tenor or anything I could reach. And that's what I did. Months later, the voice returned, as strong and clear as it had ever been.

Since then, I've screamed at thousands of youth basketball games and battled my sinuses' unrelenting efforts to control my entire head, and the voice has changed, but I still want to sing those sweet songs of Christmas praise. So I'm going voiceless for a few days, hoping resting the old chords will restore some voice before the season is past. Cross your fingers for me, and belt out a tune of Christmas cheer in my stead.

Merry Christmas.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)

DESPITE ALL ODDS-The Challenges and Triumphs of Writing a Multi-Volume Epic

The blog tour for "Oh, Say Can You See?" officially kicks off today. As bloggers/reviewers were preparing their articles and interviews, author Braden Bell asked one question that required a bit of introspection:

"You don't write an epic multi-volume historical series casually. What was it that made you want to write this story, and what has kept you going in spite of challenges?"

There have been some daunting challenges, and years of investment in this series, which makes me wonder how many times my family has likely revisited that same question. Such a project is a family-affair, because what is required to complete such a task requires great understanding, patience and sacrifice from everyone who must pick up the family-slack while the author is preoccupied with her work.

I've been living with Free Men and Dreamers rattling around in my head for well over a decade now. In 1997, two of my boys attended EFY, a youth summer church camp, at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia, and during that week I feel in love with the historic old city. Despite the crush of tourists, there's a reverent spirit there. I felt I was in a sacred place. I've felt that same spirit in the historic city of Philadelphia and at Fort McHenry and Hampton.

Right then and there, I knew I needed to capture the spirit I was feeling by writing a book. On a subsequent visit, I went to the Visitor's Center and picked up a book about the culture of early America to use as a reference, but I received word that "Unspoken" was being picked up by Covenant, and I set the historic project aside.

A year later, I returned to the project and cracked open my reference book, and when I thumbed through it, I noticed the historian had referenced Lucy Mack Smith and her family as examples of the time period. I was astonished, and for the first time, I began to see them not only figures from LDS Church history, but as historical figures. It sounds simplistic, but this was a huge shift in my thinking. It made perfect sense of course. Joseph Smith's family has been the subject of two hundred years worth of scrutiny, until they are arguably the most documented family of their day.

I knew a great deal of that history, but my awe and respect for Joseph Smith and his family left me feeling inadequate to write about them, so I leapt my manuscript's setting to 1850 Maryland to purposely avoid events in Joseph Smith's life. While my editor was intrigued with the first draft, she sent it back with the advice to broaden the story and tighten up the history.

I began teaching the Doctrine and Covenants course in Early Morning Seminary, and I read several other books about the Smiths, including Lucy's biography of Joseph, There I found a line about Lucy's brother Stephen Mack, an officer in the War of 1812. Again, the connection to the Smiths amazed me. I realized that Joseph Smith was a child during the war! I had never made that connection before. As a Marylander, I had been weaned on War of 1812 history--the Battle of Baltimore and "The Star-Spangled Banner" story, but I had never connected Joseph Smith and his family to this portion of history. I began years of meticulous American history research and correspondence with some of the great historians in the region. It was fascinating. Among that research, I found references to typhoid outbreaks among the troops which were settled along the Canadian border and the Atlantic Coast. And who lived in the middle? The Smiths, whose own struggles with the disease, including a near-miraculous surgical story about Joseph's leg, have been well-documented and retold!

On and on, I found connection after connection between the Smiths and American history, until I could see God's continuous hand not only in America's founding, her preservation, and in her preparation to become the cradle of the Restoration. I felt compelled to back my story up and refocus it on this 1812 generation, the first American-born generation, comprised of the children of the Founding Fathers and the generation being prepared to receive the great spiritual awakening that was about to flood forth.

This project has felt like a calling, compelling me to continue on with the story despite all odds, at times financing the project with my husband's support. The final volume will be released in the late spring, mere months before the commencement of the bicentennial of the War of 1812 and "The Star-Spangled Banner." With the help of the Spirit, I hope readers will feel Free Men and Dreamers testifies of God's love for this country, and of our duty to defend its founding principles.

I neglected professional advice when told to lay this project aside and move on, but I simply couldn't. The spirit of the project compelled me on. I hope readers will feel that same spirit too.

Today, Braden Bell posted his review, the first stop in the "Oh, SAY CAN YOU SEE?" blog tour. Stop by, read his review, and enter to win a free book or the lovely bicentennial necklace I designed for the book's launch. Thanks!

Here are the rest of the stops on the blog tour:


December Blog Tour Dates

13th
Braden Bell's Blog at
http://www.bradenbell.com/bradens-blog.html

and

Tristi Pinkston's blog at
http://tristipinkston.blogspot.com/2010/12/book-review-oh-say-can-you-see-by-lc.html

14th
Marsha Ward, "Writer in the Pines" Blog at
http://marshaward.blogspot.com/

15th
Rachelle Christensen, "Rachelle's Writing Spot" Blog at
http://www.rachellewrites.blogspot.com/

16th
Anna Del C. Dye's Blog at
http://annadelc.com/blog/

17th
Stephanie Abney, at "Stephanie Says So" Blog at
http://stephaniesaysso.blogspot.com/


18th
Lynn Parsons
http://lynndeniseparsons.blogspot.com/

20th
Susan Dayley's "Looking Out My Back Door" Blog at
http://susandayley.wordpress.com/ and

and Marilynn Bunderson's Blog at
http://mrbunderson.blogspot.com/

21th
Liz Adair at "Liz Sez"
http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/
and
and Valerie Ipson's "Of Writerly Things" blog athttp://valerieipson.blogspot.com/

22nd
Kathi Peterson at "Kathi's Writing Nook"
http://www.kathiswritingnook.com/


Follow the instructions, leave a comment and you'll be entered to win an autographed copy of "Oh Say Can You See?" or any of the previous books in my Free Men and Dreamers series.
All the weekly entrants will also be eligible to win the grand prize—a signature silver bicentennial necklace designed by me and created by Sterling Obsessions specifically for the release of the "Oh Say Can You See?"

Merry Christmas!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)