Drops of Gold and Glimmer of Hope by Sarah M. Eden – Countdown to Summer 2013

Sarah M. Eden is the author of several well-received historical romances, including Whitney Award finalists Seeking Persephone (2008) and Courting Miss Lancaster (2010). Combining her obsession with history and an affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances. She happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah is represented by Pam van Hylckama Vlieg at Foreword Literary Agency.

Visit Sarah:  BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

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LDSWBR:  What books do you plan/hope to read this summer?

SARAH:  “How to Sell Unruly Children to the Circus” and the best-selling sequel “So You Sold Your Kids to the Circus, But the Circus Sent Them Back.” I have a love/hate relationship with summer break. I love being able to do fun things with my kids, to bond with them over road trips and summer reading programs, to sleep in a little, and not have homework deadlines to meet. But I hate the inevitable summer cycle of “I’m Bored”/“I Take Delight in Tormenting my Sibling”/“Hi, Mom! You and I Will Never Leave Each Other’s Side All Summer. Not Even So You Can Go to the Grocery Store. I’ll Even Slide Notes Under the Bathroom Door So You Won’t Miss Me Even Then!” It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times. . .

LDSWBR:  Did you ever go to summer camp, and/or what is your most memorable camping experience?

SARAH:  When I was fourteen, I attended a summer camp for the other teenage girls at my church. We had a class at that camp all about using axes and hatchets. I had something of a reputation at that time for being excruciatingly accident prone. Excruciatingly. So much so, in fact, that when it came time for me to demonstrate what I’d learned in the class, the teacher turned to me and said, “Now, if we were to give you an ax or a hatchet, how would you use it.” And then I was required to mime my newfound ax and hatchet skills. They were so convinced I would slice myself open, I wasn’t even allowed to touch the handle of an ax or hatchet.

So, having survived the most dangerous of the camp classes, I skipped on over to the lashing class ready to learn wonderful things about tying knots. I have a feeling the camp leaders breathed a sigh of relief. Ropes, after all, weren’t sharp like axes. I’d left something over at the hatchet class, so I decided to just run on over and get it. In true “Sarah Style” I misjudged my proximity to a two-foot long piece of metal acting as a stake holding down the canopy the lashing class was held under and caught the front of my knee on the sharp, jagged edge of the rebar. Not to worry, though, the metal edge didn’t stay caught, it came back out. At the back of my knee.

I have a thick, ugly, long scar along the side of my knee that has, on more than one occasion, inspired people to ask if I’ve had some kind of reconstructive surgery or knee replacement. It’s nasty enough looking that it should have a super fantastic story behind it. But, no. All I can say in that regard is I ripped my leg open at a class on knot-tying. *sigh*

LDSWBR:  If you could have a summer home anywhere in the world, where would it be?

SARAH:  Ireland. Just outside either Donegal Town or Killarney National Forest. Donegal because it’s a sweet, sleepy little coastal town with just the right mix of accessibility and isolation, and the picturesque beauty one expects from the Irish Countryside. Killarney National Forest because it is amazingly beautiful, directly at the start of the Ring of Kerry (probably the most stunning part of Ireland I visited while I was there), and yet is near enough to Dublin to make regular trips to that fantastic old city.

LDSWBR:  Oh, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah…You have the best stories to tell, though they are usually somewhat tragic in nature. Most times I am both laughing and battling guilt at finding entertainment through your suffering. Thank you for sharing your stories with us!

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Find Drops of Gold 

AMAZON (Paperback & Kindle) | DESERET BOOK (Paperback, eBook & Audio) | SEAGULL BOOK (Paperback & CD) | GOODREADS

When her father dies and leaves her completely destitute, Marion can think of only one thing to do make a new life for herself. Commencing a life of duplicity, Marion transforms herself into Mary Wood governess. In possession of a forged letter of recommendation and cloaked in the anonymity of her new identity, she enters a life of self-imposed servitude as teacher and caretaker of young Miss Caroline Jonquil of the Meadows. Her idyllic vision of life at the Meadows is dashed when she finds a child desperately in need of hope and a cold and sorrowful home haunted by the past. With her characteristic sunny disposition, Marion casts her spell upon the household and slowly brings to life the longforgotten joy of those within. Layton Jonquil is a man tormented by the lies surrounding the death of his late wife, but he cannot deny his growing attraction for the beautiful governess whose goodness and optimism have touched his dormant heart. Their connection grows ever stronger, and despite the impropriety of harboring feelings for a servant, Layton’s heart whispers that this is the woman he’s destined to love. But when Layton’s fears about the past become too much to bear and the falsehoods in which they are entangled threaten to shatter Marion’s and his blossoming attachment, will true love conquer all?

Find Glimmer of Hope

AMAZON (Paperback & Kindle) | DESERET BOOK (Paperback, eBook & Audio)  | GOODREADS

Stunning Miranda Harford once had the world at her feet. She was young, carefree, and desperately in love. But when her new husband left for London without her, her world fell apart. Devastated by his abandonment, Miranda fled their home, taking residence at her husband’s rarely visited countryside estate. For three years, she lived alone. But now, as the holidays draw near, an unexpected visitor arrives . . .

Carter Alexander Harford, Seventh Viscount Devereaux, is a man driven to succeed. His work is his life, and the position of Prime Minister of England is within reach. But in truth, Carter is a man haunted by lost love. Estranged from his beautiful wife, Carter is shocked to find Miranda—the woman he loved and who he believes left him—in residence at his country home. As plans for a holiday party move forward, the uneasy couple realizes that to avoid further scandal, they must keep up appearances in a charade of marital happiness. Thrust together by fate, it quickly becomes clear that they have both been living beneath a conspired cloud of misunderstanding. As family, career, and social pressures threaten to keep them apart, can love have even a glimmer of hope?

I hope none of you can top Sarah’s camping story. Ouch!

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To enter the LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2013, leave a thoughtful comment below.

Comment on each Countdown to Summer 2013 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 HERE.

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Book prizes generously donated by the authors as of 6/13/2013 (more added throughout the countdown!):

• A Blind Eye by Julie Daines (signed), a bookmark AND a Mind the Gap temporary tattoo
• I, Spy by Jordan McCollum (choice of paperback or ebook)
• Sworn Enemy by A.L. Sowards (choice of paperback or ebook)
• Glimmer of Hope by Sarah M. Eden

By commenting and participating in the Countdown to Summer 2013 you agree to the following:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; entrants must be 18 years or older; open to residents of continental US only; giveaway begins June 10, 2013 and all entries must be received by 12:00 Midnight June 30, 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 post’s 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 July 2, 2013 by use of a sequence generator on random.org; winners will have until July 10, 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.