Jun 022010
 


19 days until the
first day of summer!

K.C. Grant was born in rural Idaho, but has made Utah her home for most of her life. After serving an LDS Spanish-speaking mission to Anaheim, California, USA, she returned and continued her studies at Weber State University, participating in a study abroad program that allowed her to study at the Centro Mexicano Internacional in Michoacan, Mexico. She has been a freelance writer for eight years. Much of her work appears in family-oriented magazines such as LDSLiving, Back Home, Parents & Kids, and Natural Life. She is currently the president of a local chapter of the League of Utah Writers and a member of the Association for Mormon Letters and LDSStorymakers.

Visit K.C. Grant on her website: www.kcgrant.com and her blog: Writer’s Corner by KC Grant.
LDSWBR: What activities do you and your family participate in every summer? Do you have plans to try something or go somewhere new this year?

K.C.: I have a July birthday! So I’ve always been excited when the 4th of July comes around because it’s usually becomes my birthday party as well. With most of my family gathering for the day, we watch the parade, have a bbq together, I get presents and then we see the fireworks! Hard to beat that.


LDSWBR: Do you have a favorite summer food or drink? If so, are you willing to share the recipe?

K.C.: My favorite summer food/drink has to be lemonade. How can you go wrong with a drink that you can add just about any kind of fruit to and make it a refreshing treat. My favorite add-ins are strawberry, raspberry and peach purees–separate or together!


LDSWBR: What books are on your summer reading list?

K.C.: My summer reading list will continue with Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games which Shanda got me interested in! I’ve got to finish editing the sequel to Abish by the end of June and then I’m ready for a little ‘me’ time.


LDSWBR: Thank you for sharing your summer plans with us, K.C.!
Abish: Daughter of God by K.C. Grant (Covenant Communications; Jan 2010) is available for purchase at Deseret Book.
During the months of June, July and August, we celebrate 10 family birthdays. Do you have a lot of summer birthdays in your family? If so, how do you celebrate them?

Tweet this today for an entry in the drawing:

Abish: Daughter of God by K.C. Grant – Enter the LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2010 Contest! http://bit.ly/a1SWJt @ldswbr #ldswbr2010

If you read and liked the book by this author, nominate it for a Whitney Award! Visit the LDS Publisher blog for a list of several fiction books published by LDS authors in 2010.

***Countdown to Summer 2010 Contest***


LDSWBR will hold a drawing on June 26, 2010 for a $25 Amazon Gift Card, as well as a variety of books being offered by some of the LDS authors that will be featured on the blog.

Book prizes generously donated by the authors:

  • Abish: Daughter of God by K.C. Grant
  • TRAPPED by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen
  • The Road Show by Braden Bell
  • Awakening Avery by Laurie Lewis
  • Courting Miss Lancaster by Sarah M. Eden
  • Summer in Paris by Michele Ashman Bell
  • Hometown Girl by Michele Ashman Bell
  • Alma the Younger by Heather (H.B.) Moore
  • Queen in Exile OR The Guise of a Gentleman by Donna Hatch (winner’s choice)
  • The Silence of God by Gale Sears (book or audio- winner’s choice)
  • Dangerous Connections by Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Critique of three chapters (up to 30 pages) from Nichole Giles

How to enter:

  • Post a thoughtful comment on the Countdown to Summer 2010 author posts. Comments can be added on any of the author posts anytime during the contest period (June 1, 2010 through June 21, 2010). Only one comment per person per “Countdown to Summer” author post will be entered into the drawing. Feel free to comment more than once per post if you’d like, but only one comment will be accepted as an entry.
  • Follow us on Twitter: @LDSWBR – then send us a direct message to let us know you want to be entered in the Countdown to Summer 2010 Contest. If you are already a follower you need to send us a direct message telling us you want to be included in the contest.
  • Tweet about that day’s author post using the tweet message included in each author post. Send an email to ldswbr at gmail dot com with the link to your tweet.Only one tweet per day counts so no need to harass your friends :). LDSWBR must be able to see the tweet in order for you to get an entry into the contest.
  • Tweet this message each day (one entry per day). Just copy and paste into your twitter message window to send it: LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2010 at http://ldswbr.blogspot.com! Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card & some great books! @ldswbr #ldswbr2010
  • Follow LDSWBR on Facebook, then send an email to ldswbr at gmail dot com that you’d like to be entered into the Countdown to Summer 2010 Contest. If you already follow LDSWBR on Facebook, send us an email to let us know you’d like to be included in the contest.
  • Blog about this contest on your blog in a post that includes the link to the LDSWBR blog, then send us the link to your specific blog post.

Here are the rules:

  • LDSWBR reserves the right to decide what determines a “thoughtful” comment.
  • Contest ends at 12:00 Midnight MDT on June 25, 2010. Drawing winners will have until 12:00 Midnight MDT on July 3, 2010 to claim their prize. After that time, another name will be drawn to receive the prize.
  • Book prizes can only be shipped within the contiguous United States.
Please join us in counting down to summer with some great reads!


Jun 012010
 

It’s countdown time again!


Some of you may remember our Countdown to Christmas 2009 last year. It was so much fun that we’ve decided to do another countdown for summer!

From June 1 through June 21 on the LDSWBR Blog we will be highlighting different authors and their books that were published, or will be published, between January 1 and July 31 of this year. You are sure to discover several great books to add to your summer reading list.

Just like the last countdown, we will be holding a contest as well. Read on to find out how you can be entered into the drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card, a 3 chapter/30 page critique by author Nichole Giles, and one of 11 awesome books donated by the authors participating in our countdown.

***Countdown to Summer 2010 Contest***

LDSWBR will hold a drawing on June 26, 2010 for a $25 Amazon Gift Card, as well as a variety of books being offered by some of the LDS authors that will be featured on the blog.

Book prizes generously donated by the authors:
  • Abish: Daughter of God by K.C. Grant
  • TRAPPED by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen
  • The Road Show by Braden Bell
  • Awakening Avery by Laurie Lewis
  • Courting Miss Lancaster by Sarah M. Eden
  • Summer in Paris by Michele Ashman Bell
  • Hometown Girl by Michele Ashman Bell
  • Alma the Younger by Heather (H.B.) Moore
  • Queen in Exile OR The Guise of a Gentleman by Donna Hatch (winner’s choice)
  • The Silence of God by Gale Sears (book or audio- winner’s choice)
  • Dangerous Connections by Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Critique of three chapters (up to 30 pages) from Nichole Giles
How to enter:
  • Post a thoughtful comment on the Countdown to Summer 2010 author posts. Comments can be added on any of the author posts anytime during the contest period (June 1, 2010 through June 21, 2010). Only one comment per person per “Countdown to Summer” author post will be entered into the drawing. Feel free to comment more than once per post if you’d like, but only one comment will be accepted as an entry.
  • Follow us on Twitter: @LDSWBR – then send us a direct message to let us know you want to be entered in the Countdown to Summer 2010 Contest. If you are already a follower you need to send us a direct message telling us you want to be included in the contest.
  • Tweet about that day’s author post using the tweet message included in each author post. Send an email to ldswbr at gmail dot com with the link to your tweet. Only one tweet per day counts so no need to harass your friends :). LDSWBR must be able to see the tweet in order for you to get an entry into the contest.
  • Tweet this message each day (one entry per day). Just copy and paste into your twitter message window to send it: LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2010 at http://ldswbr.blogspot.com! Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card & some great books! @ldswbr #ldswbr2010
  • Follow LDSWBR on Facebook, then send an email to ldswbr at gmail dot com that you’d like to be entered into the Countdown to Summer 2010 Contest. If you already follow LDSWBR on Facebook, send us an email to let us know you’d like to be included in the contest.
  • Blog about this contest on your blog in a post that includes the link to the LDSWBR blog, then send us the link to your specific blog post.

Here are the rules:

  • LDSWBR reserves the right to decide what determines a “thoughtful” comment.
  • Contest ends at 12:00 Midnight MDT on June 25, 2010. Drawing winners will have until 12:00 Midnight MDT on July 3, 2010 to claim their prize. After that time, another name will be drawn to receive the prize.
  • Book prizes can only be shipped within the contiguous United States.
Please join us in counting down to summer with some great reads!


Jan 032010
 

Five books from our Countdown to Christmas 2009 Contest have remained unclaimed, and having no way to reach the previous winners without their email, I’m drawing five more names. Some of the previous winners might get a second chance to win! Ready? Here we go:

1- Hidden Branch by G.G. Vandagriff: Rebecca Irvine

2- Shudder by Jennie Hansen: Taffy

3- Dawn’s Early Light by Laurie (LC) Lewis: Heather Justesen

4- The Fairy Thorn by Dorothy Keddington: Krista

5- Girl in a Whirl by Victoria Gunther: Robin

Congratulations to the new winners!

Dec 312009
 


LAST CHANCE TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!

After midnight MST tonight (New Year’s Eve), the prizes that have not been claimed and confirmed will have to be redrawn for tomorrow.

PLEASE CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!!!!

I’ve emailed the winners that I have email addresses for, but there are some people I can’t track down. I will hold another drawing in the next day or two for the unclaimed prizes.

In the meantime…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dec 262009
 


I’m so excited! Are you excited? I’m excited!


After writing down names on 130+ squares of the exact same size and folding them in the exact same way, I tossed them all in a big formula can.

I shook the can with the lid on between the drawing of each name and with some help from my hubby and three of my kiddos, the names have been drawn and recorded. Ready? Okay! Here we go:

Book prize winners are as follows:

  • Loyalty’s Web by Joyce DiPastena: Chantele
  • Hidden Branch by G.G. Vandagriff: hopeandme
  • Altared Plans by Rebecca Talley: Laurie (LC) Lewis
  • A Modest Proposal by Michele Ashman Bell: Elizabeth Morgan
  • Her Good Name by Josi Kilpack: Rebecca Irvine
  • MISSING by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen: Krista
  • Famous Family Nights by Anne Bradshaw: Elizabeth Morgan
  • Love Letters of Joseph and Emma by Angela Eschler: Chantele
  • Family Home Evening Adventures by Rebecca Irvine: Krista
  • Counting the Cost by Liz Adair: Debbie/Cranberry Fries
  • Shudder by Jennie Hansen: MarthaE
  • Mormon Mishaps and Mischief by D.N. Giles & C.L. Beck: Taffy
  • Dawn’s Early Light by Laurie (LC) Lewis: MarthaE
  • The Fairy Thorn by Dorothy Keddington: Krinn
  • Torn Apart by Diony George: Taffy
  • Pursued: A Maggie McKenzie Mystery by Lynn Gardner: Julie
  • Girl in a Whirl by Victoria Gunther: Joan Sowards



And the winner of the $25 eGift Card to Deseret Book is—— Rebecca Irvine!

Congratulations to all the winners! And a HUGE thank you to all of you who commented and participated in our contest. We hope you all had a warm and happy Christmas yesterday, and we wish you the best in the coming New Year.


ATTENTION WINNERS: Don’t forget to email your acceptance to ldswbr at gmail dot com before Midnight MST on 12/31/09. If I don’t hear from you by then, a new name will be drawn to receive the prize.

Don’t forget to nominate your favorite 2009 books by LDS authors for Whitney Awards by December 31! Can’t remember what you read? Visit the LDS Publisher blog for a list of books published by LDS authors in 2009.




Dec 252009
 


Hi there!

There’s no denying that this December was the fastest December I have ever experienced! Being fairly new to the blogging world, I had no idea the scope of what I was undertaking with the Countdown to Christmas. Now that it’s done, I can honestly say it’s been one of the most exhausting and time demanding things I’ve ever done in regards to LDS Women’s Book Review (and considering that it takes a big chunk of time to edit our podcasts, that’s saying a lot!). But I can also say that it’s been one of the funnest and most rewarding experiences for me as well.

I can’t say as that I “fit in” with many people or groups in this world, but with all of these great authors and the book lovers who follow us, I feel wonderfully at home. It’s like being with family as we share this common love for good, inspiring reads.

I hope, then, that you’ll forgive me for not announcing the drawing winners today, and graciously allow me to post them in the morning. It has been two days full of family, food (oh, the food!) and too much fun, and while the drawing is ready to go (no names drawn yet), I just can’t bring myself to donate my last Christmas Day hours to drawing names and posting it all up tonight. I’d rather cuddle my kids and gather up the last remnants of wrapping paper and drink hot chocolate by the fire with my hubby.

Thank you all so much for your participation. It’s been an amazing experience. I can’t wait to post tomorrow morning and see who all the lucky winners are going to be!

If we do this again next year, I’ll schedule the drawing for AFTER Christmas :).

Thank you for understanding, and Merry Merry MERRY Christmas!!

Shanda :)