4 days until Christmas
Stephanie Black has loved books since she was old enough to grab the pages, and has enjoyed creating make-believe adventures since she and her sisters were inventing long Barbie games filled with intrigue and danger or running around pretending they were Charlie’s Angels. She is the author of a futuristic thriller, The Believer, and five contemporary suspense novels, including Shadowed (2012). She is a four-time Whitney Award winner for Best Mystery/Suspense, most recently for Rearview Mirror (2011).
Visit Stephanie: WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | GOODREADS
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LDSWBR: Do you top your Christmas tree with a star, angel, or something else? Does it have special meaning to you?
STEPHANIE: This year, we have a wire star there that used to be an ornament. As far as special meaning, the special meaning is “we should look for a nice tree-topper at the after-Christmas sales.”
LDSWBR: What is your favorite Christmas movie? Why is it your favorite?
STEPHANIE: The Muppet Christmas Carol. It’s funny, fun, festive, touching, and has great music.
LDSWBR: What Christmas gift have you been most excited to give?
STEPHANIE: I can’t think of a specific gift that tops the list, but here’s one that I think is awesome :) A few years ago I made fleece blankets for all the kids. I am NOT good at sewing, but these fleece blankets were something I could do that turned out great. They don’t involve any actual sewing–just two layers of fleece with the edges cut into strips and tied together. Anything I make out of fabric is going to turn out crooked or uneven in some way, but with these blankets, it doesn’t matter–when it’s wrapped around you, you don’t notice the flaws. I tried to choose fabric each child would like, and it was fun to have a handmade blanket for each child on Christmas morning.
LDSWBR: Thank you, Stephanie!
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Purchase Shadowed:
AMAZON | KINDLE | DESERT BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK
Gifted musician Catherine Clayton was born into a life of wealth and privilege. Following the death of her father, she makes a bold decision she hopes would make him proud: she’s using the family money to establish a music school and offer free lessons to the underprivileged. A providential suggestion from an old college friend leads Catherine to select Riley, New York, as the perfect location for her new school. Hit hard by the economic downturn, Riley personifies economic hardship: peeling paint, overgrown landscapes, and damaged buildings. But the damage runs much deeper than Catherine first realizes. Two years ago, Riley was rocked by weeks of vandalism followed by the brutal murder of beautiful elementary school secretary Olivia Perry. Everyone in town loved Olivia but especially the two men with whom she was caught in a love triangle. Though the murder remains unsolved, Catherine receives ominous warnings that one of these men, Adam Becket, is responsible for the girl’s death. Unimpressed by the lack of evidence against him, Catherine is drawn to the shy but endearing Adam. Could he really have been involved in Olivia’s murder? Just as Catherine is settling in and getting to know Adam, a vandal strikes again, and it’s eerily reminiscent of the events surrounding Olivia’s murder. The death threats splashed on the walls prove that the killer is back and this time, it’s Catherine who wonders if she’s come to the wrong place at the wrong time.
Do you shop the after Christmas sales? Ever find any great deals?
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To enter the LDSWBR Countdown to Christmas 2012, leave a thoughtful comment below.
Be sure to comment on each Countdown to Christmas 2012 post for more chances to win. Please click through to the website as only comments submitted directly on this post will be accepted.
Prizes include a $50 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 below.
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 Christmas 2012. A link posted to your friends and family either in email or on your favorite social network would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks!
By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2012, you agree to the contest rules below:
**NOTE: Deadline for commenting and entering has been extended to Midnight December 25, 2012 Mountain Time.**
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; entrants must be 18 years or older; open to residents of continental US only; giveaway begins December 3, 2012 and all entries must be received by 12:00 Midnight December 25, 2012 Mountain Time; to enter, complete the required entry on each post and any additional entries of your choice if listed; LDS Women’s Book Review reserves the right to determine what is considered a thoughtful comment as per each posts required entry; giveaway prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card and a variety of book prizes donated by featured authors; the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning; LDS Women’s Book Review is not liable for technical problems which may affect entry into the giveaway; winner identity will be verified by email address; winner will be selected December 27, 2012 by use of a sequence generator on random.org; winner will have until January 3, 2013 to claim their prize; if any prize winner forfeits or does not claim prize, prize will be re-awarded to next winner in sequence; all prizes will be awarded; limit of two prizes per entrant; this contest/giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other entity unless otherwise specified; by entering the giveaway you give LDS Women’s Book Review the right to publicize your name on the LDS Women’s Book Review blog; winner agrees to release LDS Women’s Book Review from any liability as a result of winning; email comments & questions to LDS Women’s Book Review – ldswbr (at) gmail (dot) com; giveaway subject to Utah regulations; VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Book Prizes (as of December 21, 2012 – more to be added to this list!)
- Tres Leches Cupcakes by Josi S. Kilpack (signed paperback copy)
- Not Your Average Fairy Tale by Chantele Sedgwick (paperback or ebook)
- Deadly Undertakings by Gregg Luke (personalized paperback)
- Turning Pages by Tristi Pinkston (personalized paperback)
- Athena by Heather B. Moore (autographed paperback)
- The Kindling by Braden Bell (paperback, signed if desired)
- Sudden Darkness by Margot Hovley (personalized paperback)
- Code Word by Traci Hunter Abramson (paperback)
- The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson (ebook)
- The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back by Sariah Wilson (ebook- PDF/.mobi)
- Lady Outlaw by Stacy Henrie (signed paperback)
- A Note Worth Taking by Lu Ann Staheli (Kindle)
- When Hearts Conjoin by Lu Ann Staheli (paperback)
- Paige by Annette Lyon (signed paperback)
- All Fall Down by Julie Coulter Bellon (personalized paperback)
- Smart Move by Melanie Jacobson (signed & personalized paperback)
- Shadowed by Stephanie Black (personalized paperback or ebook)
Previous Countdown to Christmas 2012 posts:
- 22 days until Christmas: Tres Leches Cupcakes by Josi S. Kilpack
- 21 days until Christmas: Not Your Average Fairy Tale by Chantele Sedgwick
- 20 days until Christmas: Deadly Undertakings by Gregg Luke
- 19 days until Christmas: Turning Pages by Tristi Pinkston
- 18 days until Christmas: Athena by Heather B. Moore
- 17 days until Christmas: The Kindling by Braden Bell
- 16 days until Christmas: Sunday – no post
- 15 days until Christmas: An Unlikely Match by Sarah M. Eden
- 14 days until Christmas: Sudden Darkness by Margot Hovley
- 13 days until Christmas: After Hello by Lisa Mangum
- 12 days until Christmas: Code Word by Traci Hunter Abramson
- 11 days until Christmas: The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson
- 10 days until Christmas: The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back by Sariah Wilson
- 9 days until Christmas: Lady Outlaw by Stacy Henrie
- 8 days until Christmas: A Note Worth Taking by Lu Ann Staheli
- 7 days until Christmas: Paige by Annette Lyon
- 6 days until Christmas: All Fall Down by Julie Coulter Bellon
- 5 days until Christmas: Smart Move by Melanie Jacobson
16 Responses to “Shadowed by Stephanie Black – Countdown to Christmas 2012”
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I don’t usually shop the after Christmas sales because I don’t have any money left over from Christmas!
Yes, I definitely shop the after christmas sales – I’ve gotten some amazing deals – I found a nice pajama set in my size for $5 last year! I’m going to go again this year, in hopes of finding even more great deals!
I don’t make a great effort but if I happen to be out I will look for great deals. I found a beautiful Christmas Tree skirt one year after Christmas and was not able to use it till the next year, but I love it!
I almost always buy next year’s wrapping paper at after-Christmas sales, plus I look for ornaments and other Christmas decorations.
I like to buy wrapping paper after Christmas, and last year I bought this year’s ornaments.
I always buy the wrapping paper for the next year!
I don’t typically shop the after Christmas sales – I am not into the crowds. And I always need some down time after a month of busy with four little ones. But, I might try and find a fake tree this year on sale.
Yes, this year I plan on getting Christmas lights for our house to use next year.
I buy Christmas wrapping and sometimes candy. One year we got a tree for a great deal.
In the last 13 yrs., the days after Christmas was my Busiest time for my retail job. I usually looked in the carts for markdowns, just before I started my work. I bought bows, tags, wrapping paper and we bought about 15 Christmas Door Knob Hangers, ( they were only .50 cents.)
I always do it because I have three birthdays the week right after! I can get some great deals on decorations and every once in a while I can catch a huge deal on a toy they have been wanting!
Absolutely. Last year we scored our tree on clearance, and a couple of years ago we managed to get all our nieces and nephews’ gifts for the following year, all on clearance. :-)
I’ve found some great deals on clothes after Christmas. This year I’m hoping to find a good deal on a pre-lit Christmas tree.
My mom is super at finding the after Christmas sales. She normally shares so I don’t have to go find them : )
I have to because I have 3 birthdays just days after christmas. We have found things that are like 5 bucks that should have been 30.00 its an awesome way to help with the birthday budget while having 6 kids.
I don’t usually shop for at least a month after Christmas. I’m always burned out (and I don’t have any money.)