Reality Check by Karen Tuft – Countdown to Summer 2012

It’s time for the LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2012!

Actually, it’s a little late, since the first day of summer is only days away, but that’s not going to stop us from featuring a ton of authors and their books. We’re just going to extend the countdown beyond the first day of summer to the end of June.

We will announce the winners of the $25 Amazon gift card and books donated by their authors on July 5, 2012, so all entries into the drawing must be received by July 3, 2012 before 12:00 midnight Mountain time. Book prizes can only be shipped within the United States. Participants must be 18 years or older. See all rules and restrictions on the Countdown to Summer 2012 page HERE.

See below for details on how to enter!

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Karen Tuft was born with a healthy dose of curiosity about pretty much everything, so as a child she taught herself to read and play the piano. She studied composition at BYU then graduated from the University of Utah in music theory as a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda honor societies. In addition to being an author, Karen is a wife, mother, pianist, composer, and arranger. She has spent countless hours backstage and in orchestra pits for theater productions. She also has a 75 percent success rate when it comes to matchmaking and is a big believer in happy endings. Among her varied interests, she likes to figure out what makes people tick, wander through museums, and travel, whether by car, plane, or paperback.

Visit Karen on Facebook and her blogs HERE and HERE.

LDSWBR: Do you find it easier or more difficult to write during the summertime? Why?

KAREN: I always think it’s going to be easier to write in the summer, when I’m not helping my kids with school papers or running to the next high school band or choir concert. But then summer hits and our schedules go a little nuts—in a good way. So, really, I’m just exchanging one type of chaos for another. Makes things pretty much the same year round, I guess.

LDSWBR: Would you rather be in the pool or next to the pool?

KAREN: I am definitely next the the pool. I swim like a rock. (As a result I made sure that all of my kids learned to swim. I wanted them able to rescue me in case of a water emergency.) I sit next to the pool and get sunburned and have fun watching them having fun.

LDSWBR: Ice cream or slushie? What flavor?

KAREN: I scream you scream we all scream, et cetera. Ice cream for sure. And the flavor can be anything as long as it includes chocolate in a major way.

LDSWBR: Thank you, Karen. Enjoy your summer!

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Reality Check by Karen Tuft

AMAZON | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK

After college graduation, Lucy Kendrick heads home with big plans for work, travel, and relishing her freedom—which means no romantic entanglements. But her two best friends have other ideas. Lucy is seriously steamed when she realizes they’ve signed her up to be a contestant on the reality dating show Soulmates, but she decides not to renege and soon finds herself in Los Angeles—a small-town Mormon girl vying for the love of millionaire bachelor Ethan Glass. At first this cute, smart, fun young woman, who would rather pray than party, bewilders Ethan. But his interest and admiration grow with every encounter. However, the conniving associate producer is determined to stir up some made-for-TV drama and takes strides to make this reality television show anything but real. When the show finally airs, Lucy has been recast as someone she unquestionably is not. Lucy is left humiliated in front of the world, and Ethan is left wondering who the Lucy is that he was falling in love with. Will the duplicities that have created this humiliation ever come to light? And will the truth emerge too late for the would-be soulmates?

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To enter the LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2012, leave a thoughtful comment below.

Be sure to comment on each Countdown to Summer 2012 post for more chances to win.

Prizes include a $25 Amazon gift card and the author-donated books listed below. This is raffle-style drawing where all entries throughout the contest period are entered into the same “hat” for all prizes. US only. 18 years and older please. See all contest rules and restrictions HERE.

If you don’t already follow LDSWBR through email, Facebook or Twitter (those cute little book buttons on the sidebar) you may want to consider doing so during the contest so you don’t miss any posts or chances to enter the drawing. Following LDSWBR is not required but it is nice to know that our book reviews are useful to other readers. :)

If one of our LDSWBR reviews has ever helped you find a book you enjoyed, perhaps you would consider helping us spread the word about the LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2012. A link posted to your friends and family either in email or on your favorite social network would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Book prizes donated by the authors include:

Reality Check by Karen Tuft

Cold Justice by Kathi Oram Peterson

Journey to the Fringe by Kelli Nielsen

Dangerous Favor by Joyce DiPastena (choice of print, Kindle or Nook)

Twitterpated by Melanie Jacobson

Of Grace and Chocolate by Krista Lynne Jensen