Rebecca Talley's Blog, page 29

BYU Girls--Parody

I laughed so hard at this it made me cry.

Hollywood Studios

I loved going to Hollywood Studios. Unfortunately, we chose to go on a Saturday so it was pretty busy. Most of the days we were in Disney World is wasn't too busy and our wait time to get on rides was about 10 minutes, but on Saturday there were a lot of people. Since we didn't get to see everything we wanted to, we returned another day.


My very favorite ride at Hollywood Studios is the Rockin' Roller Coaster. It's supposed to be a limo ride an Aerosmith concert (okay, those guys were on the weird side back in the day). You get into the "limo" and stop at a road sign. Then there's a countdown and the coaster takes off 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds and goes upside down. Totally fun. And Aerosmith's Walk This Way is blasted in the speakers. I LOVED it!

My husband and kids all loved The Tower of Terror, a free-fall ride that makes you feel like your stomach drops out of your body. I'm not a big fan of free-falls. I went on it once and that was good for me, but the rest of the family went on it a few times.

My oldest daughter who is in the UVU Institute Choir and has a beautiful voice wanted to do the American Idol experience. You have to be at least 14 years old and audition acapella. If you make it through the first round you can then perform in front of a live audience who votes for you. If you make it past that, you get to perform in a finale and one of the participants wins an opportunity to audition for the real show. Great opportunity, except my daughter was disqualified because her brother works for Disney (Magic Kingdom). Bummer. I really wanted her to audition. And, yeah, I love to see my kids perform.

This same daughter was chosen to be an extra in the Indiana Jones show. A really cool show with lots of special effects.

The best special effects show was the stunt car show. Wow. Lots of explosions and lots of cars jumping across the stage and even driving backwards, or so it appeared--the car was actually built to look like it was driving backwards. My husband loved this show--a total man's show.

We saw a live performance of Beauty and the Beast and that was fun.

My kids really enjoyed the Muppets in 3-D show. And the backlot tour was fun. and, of course, we saw characters like the Sully and Mike and an Army Man from Toy Story.

We had a great time at Hollywood Studios. My only gripe was that Gone with the Wind wasn't included in the scenes in the Great Movie Ride. I mean, come on, GWTW is the ultimate movie.

Meg's Melody by Kaylee Baldwin

Meg's Melody by Kaylee Baldwin

From the back cover:

It's only after her husband leaves that Meg finds out she's pregnant.

Now facing the prospect of single parenthood, she'll have to rely on the family she pushed away, the church she abandoned, and an unexpected friendship to see her through.

This touching story combines romance with real conflicts to remind you it's never too late to find love - if you know where to look.




I read this touching story a while back and I've been waiting until its release to review it. I loved this book. I thought Baldwin did an excellent job of portraying this young woman's reactions to her conflicts. Her husband was a loser and I wanted to slap him. What a jerk.

I thought the budding friendship was realistic and wasn't rushed and I loved the end. I also thought her reluctance to go back to church and the feelings she experienced were very real and I felt like Meg was a fully-developed character. I also thought Baldwin did a good job developing Matt and I felt like I was witnessing a real friendship in the making.

I shed tears while I read this book and I would definitely recommend it if you enjoy romances with some meat to them. Great book. I expect to see much more from this new CFI author.

Meg's Melody is available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and should be in LDS bookstores as well. Great idea for a Christmas gift!

Animal Kingdom

I loved visiting Animal Kingdom at Disney World. AK is kind of like a zoo, but so much more.

We saw the most adorable baby gorilla. I tried to get a better photo, but the mama wouldn't cooperate. It was so sweet to watch the mama cradle her baby to her chest and nurse it.







We also saw a baby giraffe and a baby elephant--so cute. We saw lots of animals on the safari ride. My favorite part of the safari ride was how peaceful it was watching the animals. It didn't feel like the rest of the amusement parks. I loved seeing the animals interact.






Of course, we also had to check out the cool roller coaster, Expedition Everest, that includes a scary yeti. You ride the roller coaster up to the top of the mountain (very high in the air I might add) and stop because supposedly the track has been destroyed by the yeti. Then the roller coaster goes backwards. In the dark. And it makes your stomach all flippy-floppy. Then you stop again and see a shadow of the yeti coming to destroy more of the track and then, whoosh, you're speeding down the tracks again. Super fun. One of my favorite rides for sure.



My boys loved the dinosaur ride. The girls thought it was scary. It's similar to the Indiana Jones ride in Disneyland in that you ride in a jeep-like vehicle that simulates rough terrain. You're looking for a dinosaur to take back to the lab and are trying to beat a meteor shower. It's pretty jerky and bumpy (not unlike driving down my long, dirt driveway), but it's fun. The best part is when the dinosaurs jump out at you and your daughters scream. It made me laugh. (Yes, those ducking are my older daughters).



We also saw an amazing Lion King show. Wow, those performers are talented. There were singers, gymnasts, dancers, and characters from Lion King. The "monkeys" did flips and all sorts of gymnastics and they also did some trapeze stunts. Very cool. Other guys danced while wearing stilts. And I'm talking serious dancing, not some pansy stepping from side to side, but incredible dance steps. The singing was beautiful, too. They also had a woman who was dressed as a bird and for part of the show she was lifted into the air by a rope and she "flew" above the stage doing dance moves. I was very impressed.





Animal Kingdom was awesome and we had a great time there.

Super Awesome Trip to Disney World

We were fortunate enough to be able to spend December 1-9 in Florida at Walt Disney World. My son and his wife are doing the Disney college program and wanted us to come out for a visit.

My son is a skipper on the Jungle Cruise and my daughter-in-law works at the World of Disney store at Downtown Disney.


We had such a blast. I think I'll break up my posts so this one isn't so long. My husband and I and 7 of our kids all flew to Denver where we met my two older daughters who flew from Salt Lake to meet us. Together we all flew out to Orlando--a more than 3 hour flight. Our youngest was somewhat of a challenge on the plane, but the rest of the kids were fine (except for my 6-year-old who has the world's smallest bladder and has to use the restroom multiple times. I think Ill ask Santa to give her a bigger bladder for Christmas).

We arrived in Orlando and picked up the 12-passenger van we rented. The lady at the counter wondered if we knew much about vans and that insurance for vans was different than for cars. Um, yeah, we actually own a 15-passenger van.

We rented a house about 10 miles from Disney World. Best. Decision. Ever. Not only was it less than half the cost of hotel rooms, it was big enough that we weren't stepping all over each other. We had 5 bedroom and 4 bathrooms (with so many girls in the same house having that many bathrooms was wonderful compared to what we would've had in a hotel). And, the house was nice. not enough couch room for all of us, but it had a pool table which my 4-year-old loved. It also had a Foosball table and a pool, but we elected not to heat the pool because we figured we wouldn't be there much (and we were right).>



So, I would heartily recommend that if you go to DW, you consider renting a house. It's about the same price as a hotel room--just under $100 a night--but you get lots and lots more room. We also made our breakfast and then packed lunches to try to offset the ridiculously high prices of food on Disney property (that will be another post).

Grandpa's Christmas Music

We've now collected enough Christmas music that I can turn on the CD player and listen to it all day without repeating a CD. I love Manheim Steamroller. I can listen to that music over and over and over again.

With all the great Christmas music we have, including some new favorites like Alan Jackson's "So Let it Be Christmas," my ultimate favorite music is what my grandpa used to play. Most of the songs are from the Big Band era. My grandpa was a DJ of sorts, back in the day. He used to play music for wedding receptions and parties. He built these enormous speakers--5 ft tall by 3 ft wide--and he had at least 1000 albums. We've inherited all of that. Grandpa had hoped my husband would carry on the DJ business, but we simply didn't have the time.

Grandpa loved music. He didn't play any instruments and he didn't sing, but he loved to listen to the famous bands of the day. And he loved Christmas music. He created a reel-to-reel tape of his favorite songs and that's what he'd play during the season, especially on Christmas Day. Before we could open any presents (I lived with my grandparents) he'd start the "Christmas Tape." Then we knew it was officially Christmas.

We now do the same things with our kids. We make them wait to come downstairs until we have Grandpa's music playing because it isn't really Christmas without that music. I'm sure it's because of all the memories that are wrapped up in those songs, but I never tire of hearing them. I'm thankful we were able to capture all of those songs from the reel-to-reel so that each year I can enjoy the music that was such a part of my childhood and I can share that with my kids.

Interview: Joan Sowards

I'm happy to welcome Joan Sowards to my blog today. Joan has a new book, The Star Prophecy, that's now available at Amazon.


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."

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.


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. I believe in dressing up for church.

Guilty pleasure? Ice Cream.

Favorite flower? Roses

Thank you for the interview, Joan. I really enjoyed having you visit and getting to know you better. Good luck with The Star Prophecy.


Thank you!

Visit Joan at http://joansowards.blogspot.com/

Tristi's Super Cool Giveaway

My friend, Tristi Pinkston, is hosting an amazing giveaway. There's all sorts of really cool prizes. Check out her blog Tristi Pinkston for all the details, including a stay at Lions Gate Manor in Lava Hot Springs. You won't want to miss her "Merry Month of Miracles."

Tristi is the author of the Secret Sisters Mysteries. Her second book in the series, Dearly Departed, will be released in January.


I read her first one in the series, Secret Sisters, and it was such a hoot. It's full of humor and fun. I love Ida Mae, the main character, because she's so spunky. Tristi does a great job of differentiating each of the ladies in the book and I loved their conversations. I found myself laughing out loud at some of their antics.

I'm really looking forward to her new book.

You can purchase Secret Sisters at Amazon.

How Do You Define Success?

I've been considering how I define success as a writer. I'm not a NYT bestselling author. In fact, very few people even know my name or that I've written any books. I haven't won any awards. I'm not an in-demand speaker for writing conferences. No one asks me for an autograph when I'm at the mall or grocery store. So, compared to JK Rowling or Suzanne Collins or Rachel Ann Nunes or Anita Stansfield, I look like a complete failure as an author.

Am I? I guess that depends on my definition of success. For me, I feel successful when a reader takes the time to write me a note and let me know how much he or she enjoyed my book. I feel successful when I see my book in print and can hold it in my hands. I feel successful when my kids brag about me being an author. I feel successful when I finish a manuscript and turn it in. I even feel successful when I finish a particularly hard scene or finally understand a writing concept.

I write because I love to write. I love to create characters. I love to hear their conversations and then write them down. I love to get to know them. I love to create worlds and situations and see how it all works out. I love to play with words and string them together in different ways. I want to share the stories that play in my head and maybe, just maybe, touch someone in the process. I guess I just love to write for the sake of writing and I've been very blessed to be able to publish some of my stories. Sure, I'd love to have huge sales because that'd mean more people are reading my story, but if I based my definition of success merely on how many sales I've had or where my book sits on a sales list, I'd have quit a long time ago. As long as I can continue to publish my stories, I'm very content and I feel successful.

Maybe my definition is different from others. What's yours?

Interview: Anne Bradshaw

Today, my guest is Anne Bradshaw. Anne is a multi-talented author, as you will see below. Welcome, Anne, to my blog, I'm excited to have you here.

What is your current book and how would you describe it?

Anne: I actually have two new books out, but the one I'm concentrating on right now is True Miracles with Genealogy~Help from Beyond the Veil. Compiling it was an amazing experience.

True Miracles is a collection of inspiring research stories, spiritual moments as help comes from beyond the veil. It is unique, comforting, and powerful. Each account can't help but touch hearts as readers come to the heady realization that there really is a world of spirits.

How and when did you gather stories for this book?

Anne: I put out requests for stories on many social websites, including Facebook. Genealogists from all over the USA and from other countries responded. It amazed me to read so many unusual experiences—to learn of the many different ways researchers received the help they needed.

I'm sure my book contains only a tiny portion of the vast number of stories that go unrecorded every year—even every day—throughout the world. As someone says in the book, "Heaven is only a whisper away." It really is that close, but most times in the busy hours of our life, we're not in tune, or not ready to listen and act.

I began compiling seriously at the beginning of 2010. The more stories I received the more fascinating, and compelling it was to keep going. Once the initial call for stories went out, friends began telling others about the project and story gathering took on its own momentum.

There was a lot of work involved in the initial story editing to make each one fit the book's style. I thought about putting different accounts into categories within the book, but as stories kept arriving, I they simply didn't fit neatly into any particular groups because each experience was unique, and as such, each one needed its own classification, which defeated any effort to make them match others.

Is there a website for True Miracles with Genealogy?

Anne: Yes, I created a website at http://www.truemiracleswithgenealogy.com/ to further the book's purpose of sharing research stories. I hope many readers will send in their experiences. I realize it's unusual for most people to have more than one or two genealogy miracles in a lifetime—and many have none—but treasuring and sharing these events is so worthwhile.

The website is also home to the book's reviews. These are under the Book Review tab, top of the page.

Where can readers purchase this book?

Anne: It's available in both paperback and electronic form. I deliberately kept the price low so more can afford to enjoy it. The Kindle and Nook eBook versions are only $2.99. I hope local bookstores will soon make it available. The book is on many Internet sites. Below are sample links. If you don't have a Kindle, you can download free software for your computer, phone, iTouch, iPad, and more on Amazon at http://amzn.to/4nck80 .

Amazon's CreateSpace $8.99, shipping $3.61 http://www.blogger.com/goog_1297817760

Amazon $8.99, shipping $3.99 http://amzn.to/9IenR5

Kindle eBook $2.99 http://amzn.to/cqZX9P

What other genres do you write?

Anne: I've tried my hand at several—YA mystery suspense (my other new book is titled Dingo), adult fiction, poetry, non-Fiction, and screenwriting.

What type of writing schedule do you have?


Anne: Now the children are grown and flown, I can write any time I choose, which is most of the day on one thing or another. I get up at 5.30 a.m. and fit speed walking, chores and meal making between writing.

How do you handle life interruptions?

Anne: Interruptions are good breaks for me. If I type too long, I get neck and shoulder pain, so I welcome a change of pace—unless I'm in the middle of something that's going particularly well, or coming to an end—then I grit my teeth and hit "save." And I usually scribble down whatever thought was passing through my mind at the time, because I'm sure to forget it later.

Where did you go to college and master in writing?


Anne: I studied writing through an online college course in England. The rest was practice, practice and more practice. And reading, reading and more reading – especially books about writing.

How much time does writing take?

Anne: Many long hours. For me, getting it right is not a fast process. Re-writes take forever. Marketing takes even longer.

What else do you do besides writing?

Anne: My hobbies include vegetable and herb gardening, photography, and getting lost in great books. I'm a lousy cook, but we have to eat. Years ago in England, we reared goats, chickens, and bees, and I really enjoyed those times. As for travel, if it weren't for children and grandchildren spread around the country, I'd be perfectly happy staying home. Travel seems such a huge, uncomfortable thing these days, but, like eating, it has to be done.

Are you ever nervous when writing? Ever have self-doubts as to your skills?


Anne: Oh yes, all the time. If I dwelt on doubts, I would never get anything written. But they do serve a purpose. My doubts make me continue to read about the art of writing. There is much to learn and relearn. I attend writing conferences, also. They are great for rekindling enthusiasm, and an excellent resource.

What have been some of your most successful work habits as a writer?

Anne: Probably my most successful habit is the ability to stay focused. And I'm happy to change a manuscript if it means a better story. Growing a thick skin against rejection was a tough one for me, because rejection feeds self-doubt. It never gets any easier to read, "Thanks for your manuscript, but . . ." However, these days I'm doing better at shrugging it off and battling on.

Do you believe there is any "magic" formula to being published?


Anne: I'd love to know it if there is one. Sometimes, it seems more like good luck, striking the market at the right time, and combining that with huge marketing efforts.

Thank you so much for joining me today, Anne. I always love hearing about how other authors work and play, it's kind of like comparing notes. Best of luck with all of your writing endeavors!

To learn more about Anne Bradshaw visit http://www.annebradshaw.com/.