My son cracks me up

He says: "Became a man today."

I am one lucky mom. 

After Two Hard Years . . .

Post by Home Run.

Just For YOU!

The Emerald Wolf is almost ready for publication! So, so close. Just a couple of weeks more and it should be available at Amazon.com I'll post the link as soon as I have it.

In the meantime, I've dropped the price of all my e-books to .99 cents to celebrate the near release. Go check them out!

Cover Reveal!

I've recently signed on with a wonderful publishing company called Trifecta Books because of a very special project. I've had a book for a few years now. One that I haven't been able to decide whether to take Indie or go with a publisher, and finally decided it needed wider distribution than I could do going the Indie route. Thankfully, I know this AWESOME publisher who wanted the story and has persuaded me (it wasn't hard) to turn the single book into a 5 book series! Book one is slated for June and book two this coming winter. I AM SO EXCITED. I wrote the first draft of this book in 9 days. It just poured out of me and I hope that excitement bleeds through to you readers. I can hardly wait for you to read the story!

And so, with no further ado, I give you the cover for Newtimber: Fractured, and a brief summary of the story.

Introducing Newtimber: Fractured, an exciting YA urban fantasy novel by Karen E. Hoover, author of The Wolfchild Saga and others.

There was absolutely no way a black dragon hovered outside of Newtimber. Sianna rubbed her eyes, but the dragon was still there, clutching a round object that looked like a spotted egg. And then the egg fell, hitting the ground like an atomic bomb, sending out waves of a slow-moving fog that distorted everything it touched.

The citizens of Newtimber change. The old man down the street stretches into a screaming tree. Sianna’s skateboarding friend, Matt, transforms into a giant green dragon. Pegasus. Sirens. Griffins. Vampires. Zombies. Creatures from the myths of every culture come to life through the people.

Even Sianna changes, her skin becoming stone hard, and she gains the ability to travel from the human realm into the dimension of the fae, using it to free her father from prison and enlist his aid in battling the evil bent on taking over the world.

One person to heal a family, a town, and save the world. It seems an impossible task, but with the help of her new friends, it could happen.

Right?

Newtimber: Fractured will be released early summer 2014 by Trifecta Books. Visit www.trifectabooks.com for exciting updates about this great new series!

Spotlight!

I was interviewed and spotlighted on Tanya Parker Mills website today. Want to see pictures of me when I was younger? Find out the first book I learned to read? The answers are there. Why don't you go check it out and see? Just go HERE. And if the link doesn't work, the address is 
http://www.tanyaparkermills.com/wednesday-writer-karen-hoover/

Catching Up

Wow. I don't remember the last time I did a real post about real things going on in my real life. It feels like years.

But things have changed.

I've spent the last two years in a torturous hell with one of my children making some very bad choices that have put him in trouble with the law and made him very difficult to live with. It sucked my energy and ability to write for a very long time, and then things got so bad I had no choice but to write or I was going to go insane or kill the kid (not literally).

That's where everything changed. And yes, I do know I just said things changed twice, but this shift in my life has been so incredibly huge that I am no longer the same person I once was. My heart, that was so focused on the misery of my life and how awful things were, now weeps at the beauty of a cherry tree blossom, and is so full of gratitude I feel as if It is oozing from me like an overflowing ice cream cone on a hot day, when you can't catch the drips fast enough and end up with a delightfully sticky hand.

It began on a Sunday. April 28th, to be exact. I woke up in excruciating pain. My back was on fire and in spasms, like it has done on many occasions, but after a back rub and 600 mg of ibuprofin, I still hurt. Not my back, but my lower right side. I thought perhaps it was just a gas pocket or something. I'm so used to pain that I frequently blow it off and don't do anything about it. But that day my husband told me that if I didn't call the doctor the next day he was going to kick my butt. In other words, he was going to nag me until I got it done.

Having experienced his pushiness with my health before (much to my benefit), I called the doctor Monday, but couldn't get in until the following day. The pain continued to increase and by Monday night I thought Gary might actually be right to push me to the doctor's office.

Tuesday I went in and within five to ten minutes, the doctor said I showed all the classic symptoms of appendicitis, though I didn't seem toxic as of yet. He sent me over to our local hospital, having called ahead, and I'd be lying if I didn't say I felt a little foolish walking into the ER and telling them my doctor told me to come in because of possible appendicitis. Silly me. I had no idea how serious this was about to be.

I spent most of Tuesday in the ER having tests run. The CT scan was particularly interesting as the tech told me sometimes it makes you feel like you wet your pants, but you didn't. It just feels that way.

He was right, and it made me laugh. I was very grateful for his warning!

It was getting close to five o'clock when the doctor came in and told me I could either let my appendix grow, get more painful and infected and possibly burst, or we could do surgery and take care of it right then. Of course I elected for immediate surgery. I'm not stupid. Foolish, sometimes, but not stupid.

I was prepped for surgery, and I remember going into the surgical room and being put on the table and everything. It was interesting, and they were very nice and comforting.

And then everything went black.

I woke up three days later.

It's taken a week to piece together all the pieces, but evidently when they sent in the camera for the surgery, they passed a huge mass on my colon. That put a big, screeching half on surgery until the doctor got my husband to the hospital so he could talk to him. Thankfully it's only about fifteen minutes from home and Gary got there fast, even bringing the kids with him.

After seeing pictures of the mass and being given his options, Gary had to make a decision, one that is never easy for a spouse to make, but I believe it was the right one. He chose for me to undergo major surgery to remove the mass, take out at least twelve to fourteen inches of my colon, have everything shifted over, and reattached.

Of course I had no knowledge of any of this until I started to wake up. I was on a constant morphine drip so was a little out of it. Okay, a lot out of it. My friend's daughter came to see me and told me later that when she asked me how I was doing I slurred, "I'm sooooooo stoned!" I didn't remember until she reminded me. I feel like I've lost a month, though I was in ICU for 4 days and regular rooms for another 4.

I've got at least a foot of staples running up the middle of my belly, plus a few down lower and two where the laparoscope initially entered, and yet I've felt hardly any pain. The nurses asked repeatedly for my pain number, and aside from a couple days in the beginning that were a 5, my pain has been between a 0.5 and a 2 throughout this ordeal.

I remember one evening when a nurse and a CNA stood on each side of my bed and wanted to inspect my staples, since I have a metal sensitivity. They wanted to be sure they weren't infected (which they weren't--just red) and they looked at the staples with something akin to awe. One of them said, "Look at that. They are perfectly straight. He (the doctor) does such beautiful work!" Then to me, she said, "You're hardly going to have a scar. You are so lucky you got Doctor Hansen!"

I agree. I am lucky. But much, much more.

I am blessed. Doctor Hansen and my husband saved my life.

The biopsy came back cancer free, but according to one of my friends who is a bit of a colon cancer expert, the turnaround time for a mass like that to go from benign to cancerous is 6-7 years. They believe it is an endometrial mass that stuck around after my hysterectomy 6 years ago. The timing there is insane.

Twice now I have dodged the cancer bullet (or cannon ball, it feels) because the man upstairs knew more than the doctors and guided their hands to eliminate possible cancers before they had a chance to invade my system.

It is one of the most humbling things I have ever experienced.

Things are still hard. My son is still being a pill and making bad choices. He goes to court this week. I'm tired. Weak. But oh so grateful for all of it. When I first saw my troubled child I hugged and hugged and hugged him--and this growing fifteen year old let me. I hugged them all. I find myself saying all the beautiful things to people I was too scared to say before. Compliments on scarves, and clothes, yes, but also just when someone looks beautiful, which EVERYONE does.

Like I said, I've changed. I'm still me, but I suddenly see the importance of family, of true friends, of every beautiful thing God has created for us. I see the beauty I was blind to before, and all I can say is thank you. Those are probably the most important words of all, and so very simple. Thank you for life. Thank you for beauty. Thank you for gifts and friends and family.

Just--thank you.

A Cheer for the Hard Times

During the month of March I've been participating in a "March-a-thon," where basically a group of us are doing as much as we can on our current projects. My very favorite part of this process has been the "Cheers" that have taken place--essays written by the participants to cheer each other on. I wrote this one last Thursday and today one of my friends suggested that I post it here. That it was "Too good to keep to ourselves." I appreciated that confidence she has in me, and since I've not posted anything inspirational for ages, it felt like the right thing to say today.

My mother spent the first few years of her life in Tucson, Arizona back in the 1930s. She was a precocious child—curious and frequently doing things without thought, once jumping back and forth over a rattlesnake until my grandmother snatched her away.

One day she decided to go for a discovery walk toward town. Unfortunately, the closest route was across the railroad tracks, which she’d been told time and time again not to go near. Now, we’re not talking about crossing the tracks. No, I mean, the tracks formed a bridge that spanned a deep gorge that was nearly a mile across. So, this particular day she started on the tracks, skipping and probably singing, as she jumped between the rails.

She was having a grand time until the ground began to shake. She glanced over her shoulder and was terrified to see a train bearing down on her, horn blasting its warning. She ran as fast as her five-year-old legs would carry her, but even at that young age she knew there was no way she could make it to the other side before the train arrived. 

As death raced toward her, getting louder with every passing second, a quiet voice spoke within her. “Climb over the side.” Without hesitation, she lowered herself over the side of the track and hung on to the trellis with all her might. The passing train was inches away and deafeningly loud, but she hung on, fearing her bones would shake to pieces, until at last the caboose passed her by and she could pull herself up and, with shaky legs, make her way home.

And why do I tell you this? Well, aside from the fact that it’s just a really cool story, it does have a purpose—one that has affected me throughout my years.

Things got hard. Terrifying. Life threatening. But she listened to the spirit inside of her and she survived. She made it through the hard and survived to become something more.

Now, if you read my short post last week, you’ll know that life has been really hard for me lately. For a solid year or more I’ve struggled with a rebellious, disobedient, and disabled teenager that I thought was going to put me in jail or a mental institution. I wanted to die, just to make the pain stop. 

But guess what? The spirit spoke and I listened. Time after time after time I received peace and reassurance from the other side. You’ll be okay. You can make it. Be patient. There’s a time for everything. So many words and such comfort despite the difficulty, and finally life is getting better.

Let me share something that my friend Regina Sirois wrote to me recently, as I feel it applies to all of us:

“Giving birth to words is like giving birth to people. Sometimes they come with only discomfort, sometimes with a struggle that seems to threaten life instead of give it. Since you know dragons, let me remind you how many you are fighting right now. They are savage and relentless. You fight on, bloodied, tired, wounded, feeling the cause is hopeless. It isn't. I wish you could see the faces of the angels fighting with you. Their jaws are clenched, their eyes are burning with determination. They will not leave you. This is their battle, too. Because you only feel the fire burning over your head, you don't realize how brave and strong you have been. You don't have time to look around you and see how many enemies you've slain. And someday when these dragons fall you will sit down and rest. You will have time to look around you. You will remember what you have done and you will smile. Give yourself permission to fight one battle at a time. Give yourself permission to tend to your wounds. Give yourself permission to feel how loved you are. . . .

" . . . Give yourself permission to fail. And after the first attempt fails, give yourself permission to try again without feeling like a failure. The words will come. Like children, sometimes they arrive late. Sometimes they surprise us. Sometimes they cost a great price. But always, they are miraculous.”

I really can’t say it much better than she did. Life gets in the way much too often, and as parents, especially mothers, it is easy to feel guilty, whether it is guilt for not writing, or guilt that we are writing too much. Guilt that our children aren’t making the right choices. Guilt that we just aren’t good enough, our writing isn’t good enough, nothing will ever be good enough.

Let me tell you right now, that is not true! 

My mother told me two things over and over, and though I still face guilt and fear of failure, I remember her words and they make me strong. I give those words to you.

“You can do anything if you want it enough.” And “I have confidence in you!”

Those words have helped me to try things I’d never known. I’ve created useful projects that have helped me move or simplified my life. I’ve built bookcases and laid carpet and tile, painted, and built an entire office in my garage—all because I KNEW I could do anything. My mother told me so.

I’m telling you now. You—yes, I’m talking to you—YOU CAN DO ANYTHING!

Believe it. Live it. Do it.

That’s where you’ll find your joy, and isn’t that what we’re here for? Find joy in the journey each and every day, despite the trains bearing down on you. Because why?

You can do anything. 

Anything at all.

"I learned never to empty the well of my writing, but always to stop when there was still something there in the deep part of the well, and let it refill at night from the springs that fed it."

Ernest Hemingway 

Long Time, No Write

Hello, friends. I apologize for not writing lately. Sometimes life gets too hard and I can't process the emotions battling inside of me, so I hide. I hide from writing, I hide from my friends, and I hide from life. It's the only way I know how to cope, so that's what I've been doing. I won't bore you with details (unless you really want them. If so, it's all there in naked, gory detail at http://karensletters2mom.blogspot.com/) . Nobody died, it's just been some family stuff I haven't been able to process, but it is starting to resolve, so I'm back. Hopefully for good.

Now, enough of that. I'm sure you're all wondering which faces I chose for my characters so I thought after such a lengthy absence you deserved that at the very least, so here they are!

Lily: What's funny about y'all choosing this picture is that this is the one I had already chosen and have used for two years. LOL! I guess we all have good taste, eh? I definitely approve.

Kayla: Your votes chose this picture as well, and though it's not one I would have picked originally, it fits far better than any I've chosen previously. Definitely approve again!

C'Tan: You may not remember seeing this picture in with your choices for a face for the evil woman. Well, that's because she wasn't there! I liked the choices that came out with your votes, but there was something still missing so I continued to look and within days came across this picture. It holds just enough venom and beauty with the possibility of redemption that I just couldn't resist and I clamped hold and can't seem to let go. Thank you for your votes, everyone. It really does help make my job easier.

Now, for an update on The Emerald Wolf: To be honest, there isn't one. As of this post, I have about 17,000 words written, which is exactly how much I had written last fall. I'm afraid I let those hard things in life weigh me down and I haven't written anything but a new prologue--but that is going to change here and now.

As of this moment, I, Karen E. Hoover, solemnly promise to you, my readers, fans, and friends, that I will have the first draft of The Emerald Wolf finished no later than April 30th. I also plan to write Book 2 of The Misadventures of a Teenage Wizard, titled "Attack of the Zombie Roadkill," and if I am still sane, I will finish the first draft of Book 4 in The Wolfchild Saga, titled "The Amethyst Eye," all within 2013. Yes, it's a lot of work in a short period of time, but I have a lot to make up for, and frankly, I miss writing. It is the one thing that keeps me truly sane (you have no idea how true that is!!!)

So, I've given you my promise, and I ask only one thing in return: KICK MY BUTT!!! You can do it gently with encouraging words (preferred method), or you can do it swift and hard with a reminder of my promise and telling me to get to work. Whatever it takes. Whatever you can do to help me achieve these goals, whatever small word you are willing and able to offer, I plead with you to do it. Say it! Help me succeed here, people, because without you my writing is just scribbles on a page. You are the ones who make it worth it. You are the ones who make being a writer the best job in the world.

Help Give Faces to My Characters?

This is Ember Shandae, though she doesn't wear jeans in The Wolfchild Saga. Her name in real life is Kaitlyn and she was one of my young women until she grew up and went to college, but she gave me permission to use her face to represent one of my main characters.

I always pick faces first--except in this series. Or I have chosen faces, but they have changed over time, so now I'm begging for your help. There are too many beautiful faces to choose from. If you have read The Sapphire Flute, it shouldn't be hard to tell me which face fits the character you read about for two of the characters. The third character is only in The Armor of Light, but I will take anything I can get. Please help me!

I'm going to post the pictures under a different tab and put voting stuff there. Every picture is numbered. Just tell me which one fits best in your eyes and help make my decision a little easier. It will also make it simpler to keep the characters consistent throughout the remaining books.

Thanks for your help! Just look for the tab above that says "vote for faces!"

P.S. I couldn't get the polls on the same page as the pictures so they are on the sidebar.

It's My Annual Christmas Sale!

It's that time of year again! Time to renew whatever traditions your family carries, but I have noticed that most of those traditions have one of several things in common: gifts!

Now, most of you know, or at least would assume, that with my being a writer I am a big promoter of literacy, and that brings me back to the point of this blog.

I'm having a sale! Everything I've got has been marked down to make Christmas a little easier for everyone.  AND (thanks to the encouragement of my wonderful friend Konsantz) you may also pre-order copies of The Wolfchild Saga: Book 3-The Emerald Wolf, and The Misadventures of a Teenage Wizard: Attack Of The Zombie Roadkill. For your pre-orders, I will mail out a beautiful gift certificate to give your loved one so they have something tangible to hang on to until I mail out the books, both to be released in 2013.

I am also opening up a few more spots for anyone who wants to buy a place in one of my books. I have openings for seven adults and five children in The Wolfchild Saga: Book 4-The Amethyst Eye, also to be released in 2013, and space for fifteen children OR adults for The Misadventures of a Teenage Wizard: Attack of the Zombie Roadkill. They make an awesome gift! You will have your spouse, your sibling, your child, your best friend--whomever you choose--eternally memorialized in a book. You can even make it fun and say "turn my crazy brother into a nutcase." They may be good or evil characters (your choice) or just plain weird. In some cases they may even be of another race. It's a heck of a lot of fun, both for the reader and the writer (me!).

All books will be autographed and include matching posters, bookmarks, and buttons-and you just never know what else I might toss in the bag.

If you want something EXTRA special, I've got the very last five hard-cover, original copies of The Sapphire Flute, autographed and numbered, for sale. Hard cover is always more expensive, but they sure do last longer!

And very last, I have fourteen mugs with my book covers and autograph on them. Something a little extra special for hot cocoa on a cold day.

I'll post the purchase links below and please, if you are confused, have questions, or just want to say "hi!", please send me an e-mail at the address listed in the contacts section. I always love hearing from you.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Books

The Sapphire Flute Hardback $30.00 USD The Sapphire Flute Paperback $10.00 USD The Sapphire Flute Mug $10.00 USD The Armor of Light Paperback $12.00 USD The Armor of Light Mug $10.00 USD The Emerald Wolf Mug $10.00 USD Two Souls Are Better Than One Paperback $8.00 USD

Pre-Paid Books (Gift Certificates)

The Emerald Wolf $12.00 USD Attack Of The Zombie Roadkill $8.00 USD

 

Become a Character!

The Amethyst Eye $25.00 USD Attack Of The Zombie Roadkill $25.00 USD

 

Book Review: Nightingale by David Farland

Grand Prize Winner of the Hollywood Book Festival, placed first in all genres, all categories. 

Winner of the 2012 International Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel of the Year!

Finalist in the Global Ebook Awards.

Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness.  Others sing to summon it. . . .

Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."

But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know.  Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.

In his remarkable young adult fantasy debut, David Farland shows why critics have called his work "compelling," "engrossing," "powerful," "profound," and "ultimately life-changing."

Those who have followed my blog over the years know my daddy died when I was only four. I was raised by a single mother who gave my younger brother and I all the love she could, because most of the time that was all she could give us. Love and time. There wasn't a lot of money to go around but somehow we managed. My mother could pinch a penny until it screamed for mercy.

You may wonder what any of this has to do with this book review of Nightingale, but it has a point, I promise.

When I was a teenager, barely nineteen years old, I got the most awesome present ever--at least it was awesome  for a poor half-orphaned girl who didn't have much.

I got money, and a lot of it. Five beautiful, brand new twenty dollar bills were found in an envelope beneath the Christmas tree and I was ready to run to the store in my pajamas to purchase things. New and wonderful shiny things, but a very specific thing. Despite my mother's admonitions to not spend it all in one place, there was only one place I wanted to go. It wasn't for new sweaters or jeans. It wasn't for jewelry or a makeover (I was a massive tom-boy). No. I wanted one thing and one thing only.

Books.

(Do you see where this is going now?)

Now think about this. It's 1989. Paperback books are anywhere from $2.99 to $3.95 for the most part. Maybe $4.50 for a really thick book. So, say I took my $100 dollars and spent it all on $4.00 books. Do you know how many books that will buy? Twenty-five books. Seriously. TWENTY-FIVE BOOKS! I was in heaven. I picked up the entire Belgariad series by David Eddings. I purchased a book called The Earthlords by Gordon R. Dickson. I got Edgar Rice Burroughs John Carter of Mars series (all 13 books)--and I got a book called On My Way to Paradise by first time author Dave Wolverton. Of course I got others as well, many of which I still have, but Dave's book really stuck with me.

Fast forward fifteen to twenty years and I went to LTUE (a writing conference for Sci-Fi and fantasy lovers.) It was the first conference I'd ever been to and I was a bit nervous. I didn't know what I was doing as a writer, just that I loved to write and wanted to learn more. I went into a panel. I couldn't tell you what the topic was now, but sitting on that panel was an author by the name of David Farland, whom I had heard of, but hadn't read yet.

As the panelists introduced themselves, David Farland introduced himself as David Farland OR Dave Wolverton, depending on what genre you read.

I about fell out of my chair. THAT was a name I knew and loved! It turned out that David Farland writes fantasy and Dave Wolverton writes Science Fiction. They were the same person! Who knew? Evidently everyone but me!

Anyway, when I was approached about reviewing this book, I'll admit to having a bit of an elephant tromping about my belly. I was nervous! Review one of Dave's books? Really? I mean, he's DAVE WOLVERTON! How was I supposed to give an honest review on the work of one of my literary heroes?

Well, I shouldn't have been afraid. Nightingale was every bit as good as On My Way To Paradise and The Runelords books were. Actually, it was phenomenal. I love the direction he is taking e-books, in particular. The interactive book is A-MAZ-ING! The story is fantastic. The imagery is vivid. The characters believable. The world is one I want to live in myself! Add to that all the horrifying stories about foster care and adoption, learning trust when all you've known is pain, and the fragility of emotions--well, having adopted two sons through the foster system, it was painful, and honest, and hard to read, but oh, did I connect with Bron!

So, the best I can do here is say, thank you, Dave, for all the years of letting me live in your awesome worlds, for writing books that are REAL, despite the fiction label, and for encouraging a newbie from afar to never give up the dream.

What others are saying:


"Superb worldbuilding, strong characters, and Dave's characteristic excellent prose."

--Brandon Sanderson, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

"A wonderful tale of a young man trying to find his humanity, even though he's not quite human.  One of Farland's very best!"                                                   --#1 International Bestseller Kevin J. Anderson


Now, everyone, go out and buy this book!
HARDBACK: Amazon
KINDLE: Amazon
NOOK: Barnes and Noble
IPAD: iTunes

You can find Dave at https://www.facebook.com/david.farland1

Poem for the Hard Times

An empty vessel

A clay pot

A canning jar

A sailing ship

A vein

All void of substance

A shell that holds

Nothing

But a ghostly mist

Of what could have been

And I

Like those empty vessels

Am drained

A desiccated husk

Empty 

Book Review: Motherhood Matters by Connie Sokol

I think I'm going to be a permanent fan of Connie and her books, which is a bit odd for me as I usually don't read non-fiction. The author has a way of getting into the heart of things and making them easy to understand and definitely easy to relate to.

The description itself is intriguing:

Motherhood Matters: Joyful Reminders of the Divinity, Reality, and Rewards of Motherhood

COMBINE HOMEWORK, dishes, laundry, and carpools. Add in the unexpected, subtract time, and repeat daily until well beaten. Sound familiar? It's a recipe for Motherhood Madness. But life doesn't have to be this way. Find the cure in Motherhood Matters.

THIS DELIGHTFUL LITTLE VOLUME, filled with wit and wisdom, presents a straightforward look at the divinity, reality, and rewards of being a mother. With clarity and concision, Connie E. Sokol shares inspirational messages that will fit famililes everywhere on the road to a better way of life.

WHETHER YOUR CHILDREN are preschoolers or teenagers--or preschoolers who act like teenagers and vice versa--this book is guaranteed to help you find memories in the mayhem and treasures in your to-do lists. Fresher than flowers and without all the guilt of chocolates,Motherhood Matters is the perfect gift for the women in your life who give so much.

I read this book one morning in an hour or two, enjoying each moment and truly relating to the message she shared. There was some wonderful advice on talking to your kids that I needed later that night--when the police showed up at my door in regards to one of my children. 

So, the best I can say is, "Thank you, Connie! You helped me talk to my son and get through a very difficult situation, and I didn't even want to strangle him." ;) 

To purchase Motherhood Matters, (and I would strongly recommend it), Go here

Inspiration

This incredible flautist is Rhonda Larson. She is my inspiration for Kayla in The Wolfchild Saga. Every time I think of Kayla playing The Sapphire Flute, I hear Rhonda, so I thought I'd give everyone a treat and let you hear what I hear.

An experimental Book Review: Retirement Quest

So, my husband is the money guy in our household. I spend it, he saves it. He's pretty darn good at it too. Used to be, he'd get money for his birthday and put it in the bank, so when Tristi asked me to look at this book, he came to mind right off the bat.

Unfortunately life took a few twists that have made it difficult to get him to write this review, and thus, me being the writer of the family, I am doing it for him based on our conversations about this book.

A bit of info about Retirement Quest from the back:

"RetirementQuest: Make Better Decisions was written by a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner who has been counseling clients since 1992. Drawing from his twenty years of experience, John Hauserman has developed a unique ability to communicate complex financial subject matter in easy to understand terms. Readers are guided through the basics of financial planning, while threads of politics, history, and psychology are woven together to create a tapestry of deeper understanding into the financial planning world. Complete with hard hitting insight into the practices and sometimes abuses of the financial services industry, John has created a masterpiece designed to help those responsible-minded investors who are seeking to avoid common planning mistakes."

Now Gary (my husband) has gone back to school in the past year or more to get his CPA and MBA. This is the guy who used to tutor calculus in college and teaches teens how to do advanced mathematics and bring their grades from F's to B's. He just thinks in math. (In case you're wondering what a math lover and a writer are doing together, we both have a passion for music that transcends earth.) This book has been totally up his alley and he is already putting some of the things he has learned into practice.

A few of his words when I asked him about the book: "It's awesome! It makes me look at retirement in ways I never did before." "Yeah, I'd totally recommend it to anybody. The concepts are easy to understand and he does a good job with the writing." Unfortunately, being the man of few words that he is, that's about all I could get from him. So--I'm not sure if the experiment was a success or a failure, though if this book helps our future as much as Gary seems to think it will, I'll consider it a success, no matter how little writing he did. What can I say? I love the guy anyway. :D

The Author's Website

Purchase the book HERE

Book Review: A Woman's Power by Fay A. Klinger

I have found so often that the Lord brings things into my life when I need them most desperately.

This book is one of those things.

At the end of chapter two, I read the following:

“Live up to the great and magnificent inheritance which the Lord God, your Father in Heaven, has provided for you,” said President Gordon B. Hinckley. “Rise above the dust of the world. Know that you are daughters of God, children with a divine birthright. Walk in the sun with your heads high, knowing that you are loved and honored, that you are a part of his kingdom, and that there is for you a great work to be done which cannot be left to others.” (Color changed for emphasis)

I will admit, I've felt rather powerless and worthless in many aspects of my life for several years now. Many of you know that my children were adopted from a difficult situation and dealt with multiple types of abuse. They are good children at heart, but struggle so much with certain impulses that at times I've wondered if they would end up going on missions and making a difference in the world, with all the good I see in them, or if they would end up in jail, having given in to the temptations that seem to drive them.

That's pretty hard on a mom. I know their problems are not my fault. Not really. In my head I know that, but sometimes I forget. I forget that I am supposed to be a writer and a teacher and feel as if I fail there as well.

Well, according to Fay Klinger and President Hinckley, that simply is not true. I am not a failure.

This book outlines a path to belief in ourselves and our Heavenly Father, and gives us tools to grow closer to him and become empowered through HIS power. It was very enlightening. Though designed for women, I think many men would benefit from this book as well. Truth is truth and remains genderless.

I'm not going to give you a full account of what this book is about, because I want you to read it for yourself and gain the power that only God can give. It is definitely from an LDS perspective, but I would imagine that most Christians would benefit from the reading and would have no trouble wading through the things that differ slightly from their own beliefs.

This book touched me--it moved my soul in ways I can't even begin to describe, and for the first time in ages, I feel a spark of power within me. I can do this. I have a calling that no one else has--several of them, actually--and it is time to fulfill them.

Thank you, Fay. This book was beautifully written with wonderful stories, interpretations of the scriptures, and words of counsel to put me on a path of understanding. You've got two thumbs up from me.

Link to the author's Website and sample chapter

Purchase Link

Book Review: Targets in Ties by Tristi Pinkston

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Tristi Pinkston and her Secret Sisters Mysteries are laugh out loud funny!

Three elderly women: leader, Ida Mae Babbit, who's constantly looking for the best cookie to serve for any occasion; cranky sidekick Arlette, who seems to be constantly knitting; and the ever bubbly (and slightly ditsy) Tansy. And then there is Arlette's sleuthing journalist granddaughter, Eden, and Ida Mae's nephew, Ren (whose name Tristi TOTALLY stole from editing my books! Sorry, Tristi, the secret is out! lol) What's not funny about three sleuthing little old ladies who used to be the relief society presidency until they were released for breaking a few laws in their efforts to do good for the sisters of their ward? (Whew! long sentence!)

Targets in Ties is the fourth book in the series and as fantastic as the previous three. Here the women go to Mexico to to pick-up Ida Mae's nephew, Ren, from his mission and run into trouble while they are there, and of course they have to solve the crime. They can't help themselves. It's just the way they are.

I won't ruin the story for you, but I will say that Tristi Pinkston is one

of my favorite writers. She's funny, breaks my heart, and makes me feel as if these wonderful characters are my real friends (I don't know what that says about me, but it's true.) If you haven't read the series yet, start with Secret Sisters and work your way up. I can guarantee you won't regret it. This isn't just funny, it's laugh out loud in public funny!

Tristi, you're my hero. I hope someday I can grow up and be a writer like you!

As a bonus, Leave a comment on this blog post, and go and visit Tristi's blog at http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com and become a follower. You will then be entered to win this fun scrapbooking pack, including paper, tags, two decals, and metal tag frames. You have until midnight Mountain time on March 3rd to enter to win.

You can purchase Targets in Ties at the following locations:

Amazon.com

barnesandnoble.com

Deseretbook.com

Most likely your local Deseret Bookstore

Book Review: Become by Ali Cross

I've been putting off this review for a while. Not because I didn't like the book, but actually, the opposite. I loved it so much I've been savoring the reading of it like my favorite European chocolate.

Become is the story of Desolation Black, the daughter of Loki or Satan, who has been sent to this world to do her Father's bidding and turn those with the potential for great good to the dark side. (Sounds a little Star Wars-like when I say it that way, doesn't it?) Fortunately for her and her soul, that is not what happens.

Desolation, or Desi, is a fascinating character, full of conflicting emotions and a journey of self-discovery like none other. I love the integration of Norse mythology with greek myths and Christian beliefs. It was done very well and in a subtle enough way, that I was not at all offended, though I am Christian, and I actually embraced the mythology as believable. That is the sign of a very good writer.

Now, I'll admit, I read early drafts of this book as Ali is a good friend of mine, but she didn't make me like it, and she, of all people, would know that I can only be honest in what I like and what I don't. She's the same with me. Believe me. I just got feedback from her on some of my work, and she's big on tough love.

So, knowing that, let me be honest with you: Become is now on my top ten list of favorite series of all time, right up there with Anne McCaffrey, David Eddings, and Mercedes Lackey.

Yes, Ali is that good.

This is the only book I have ever read that when I finished, I wanted to immediately turn back to the first page and start reading again. It is one that will be well read and cherished. As a matter of fact, I wish I could get it in hard back, as I know my paper versions will disintegrate shortly. Thank heavens for my kindle!

Ali, your book is magnificent! Thank you for an awesome escape in a time I needed it most. And any of you out there looking for an entertaining, well written story, please give Become a read. I'm pretty sure you won't regret it.

Purchase Become at:

(Paper copies)--Amazon

(E-Books)--Amazon, Barnesandnoble, Smashwords

ANNOUNCING!

I just got the cover for book three of The Wolfchild Saga, and I must say, I am in love! It turned out even better than I'd imagined. Thanks to Deirdre Eden Coppel for being such a fantastic artist!

Book Review: Heir to Power by Michele Poague

Heir to Power was an interesting read. Stylistically, it reminded me of Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson with its strong world building and multiple character viewpoints.

It is a fascinating world, there is no doubting that, with a lot of thought having gone into creating the religious system, the different mythologies, and the societies that are vastly varied in beliefs, language, and even things as simple as the weapons and technology.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows I am a character writer. That also makes me a character reader. That's what I love most about reading. It always has been and I imagine it always will be, and it was probably my favorite part of Heir to Power. The characters voices were strong and I really found myself sympathizing with so many of them in their plight to live up to the expectations of their society and yet long for something different.

The only problem I really had with the book was there were so many characters I occasionally got them confused, and then as Michele continued in that character's head, I fell in love with them all. Every time.

Overall, if you are interested in traditional fantasy with strong world building elements and intriguing characters, Heir to Power is just the book for you. I certainly enjoyed it.