Emily Gray Clawson describes herself as an author, mother, and youth mentor. Born and raised in Utah, she is passionate about her faith and great books and will share her love of both with anyone who will listen. Emily began writing at the age of seven, creating homemade picture books that she peddled from door to door. She self-published her first novel, Things Hope For, and is collaborating with Jennifer Graves on a book entitled A Sister’s Witness: The Powell Family Tragedy. With her husband, Richard, Emily founded two youth leadership programs, Handmaidens of Virtue and Mastering Knighthood. Trained in vocal performance in college, she has enjoyed including aspects of her training in this book. Emily and Richard are the parents of four children and live in Taylorsville, Utah.
Visit Emily: BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS
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LDSWBR: What books do you plan/hope to read this summer?
EMILY: Oh, the list is long. A few (off the top of my head): Change of Plans by Donna King Weaver. Pretty Like Us by Carol Lynch Williams (I’m a HUGE fan). Everything I can get my hands on by Shannon Hale. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (am I the only person in the world who hasn’t already read it?). Also, lots of awesome reading for my critique group members, Jordan McCollum and Julie Bellon.
LDSWBR: Did you ever go to summer camp, and/or what is your most memorable camping experience?
EMILY: Summer camp, summer camp. I remember one year at LDS Young Women’s camp. We went to a girl scout camp, Cloud Rim. It was awesome. Canoeing and hiking and all sorts of stuff. On the second day we got news of a huge storm cell headed our way complete with flash flood warnings for our area. We had to be evacuated. We were devastated. We’d been looking forward to this for months! We all made our way back home and finished up our “camp” in the gym of our church. Not exactly the Uintas. In the end, I was grateful that our leaders kept us safe.
LDSWBR: If you could have a summer home anywhere in the world, where would it be?
EMILY: Somewhere in the pacific northwest. Trees. Beaches. Breezes. More trees. Sand. Seashells. More trees. Hey, did I mention trees? I always long for the cool and green of the forest when it gets toasty and sweltering in July and August.
LDSWBR: Thank you, Emily!
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Find A Way Back to You
AMAZON (Paperback & Kindle) | DESERET BOOK (Paperback & ebook) | GOODREADS
For two-and-a-half years, Annabelle, a young widow with three small children, has been stuck in the past. Numbed by grief and overwhelmed by the responsibility of raising her three small children alone, she agrees to let them spend the weekend with a friend while she tries to get some much-needed rest at her parents’ home. But the next morning, Annabelle is suddenly sixteen again—and it just happens to be the worst day of her teenage years. As she relives the drama of high school life, Annabelle realizes that her future husband, Mitch, has just returned from a mission and is living on the other side of town. While getting Mitch’s attention is more complicated than she imagined, Annabelle discovers that she is stronger than she has been willing to admit, and there just might be a future for her after all.
Has bad weather ever ruined your plans?
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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 6/20/2013 (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
- A Change of Plans by Donna K. Weaver
- Fairy Godmothers, Inc. by Jenniffer Wardell (signed paperback)
- Esther the Queen by H.B. Moore (Kindle or Nook)
- Belonging to Heaven by Gale Sears (or winner’s choice of another book by Gale)
- Farworld: Air Keep by J. Scott Savage (personalized copy)
- A Way Back to You by Emily Gray Clawson (personalized paperback)
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.