9 days until summer!

Since Marie Higgins was a little girl playing Barbies with her sister, Stacey, she has loved the adventure of making up romantic stories. Marie was only eighteen years old when she wrote her first skit, which won a Funniest Skit award. A little later in life, after she’d married and had children, Marie wrote Church roadshows that were judged Funniest and Best Written. From there, she branched out to write full-length novels based on her dreams. (Yes, she says, her dreams really are that silly, and she’s like that in real life.)

Marie has been married for twenty-six years to a wonderful man. Together, they have three loving daughters and several beautiful grandchildren. Marie works full time for the state of Utah, where she has lived her entire life. Marie plans to keep writing, because the characters in her head won’t shut up. But her husband smiles and pretends this is normal.

Marie is the author of 3 books: Winning Mr. Wrong (romantic comedy), Heart of a Hero (historical romance), Hearts Through Time (time-travel, mystery, paranormal romance).

Visit Marie on her blog: I Must Be Dreaming… and on Facebook.

LDSWBR: If you had an entire day to read (on the beach, at the lake, by the pool, etc.), what book(s) or genre would you reach for first?

MARIE: Having an entire day to read sounds heavenly right now. Because of my hectic work scheduled (both the crummy day job and my writing career) I’d love to do nothing by lounge by the beach reading a good book. The genre I’d pick would definitely have to be historical. I love Colonials, Regency, Victorian, and the Old West. Probably my favorite would have to be Victorian, though. I love the manners, the way of life, and especially the beautiful, romantic clothes they had back then. Reading historicals like that takes me out of the real world and puts me in a romantic setting… Ahhh…

LDSWBR: What book(s) do you look forward to reading the most this summer?

MARIE: I will always choose historicals of course, but I also enjoy suspense. I must have a little mystery in my romances. So I’ll be looking for my next favorite author who writes what I love to read!

LDSWBR: What is your favorite outdoor cooking recipe? (Can be grill, campfire, Dutch oven, etc.)

MARIE: Dutch Oven potatoes, baby!!! Oh yeah! I love making this recipe, especially when the family gets together in the canyons for a lunch or dinner. Yum! All I do is cut up bacon and onions and cook these until they’re brown. Then I throw in cut up potatoes and cook them until they are almost done. Then I pour sour cream over the top (don’t stir in!) and sprinkle grated Cheddar Cheese on the top until everything melts into the potatoes. Then I serve! My mouth is watering even now…

LDSWBR: Wow, sounds delicious! Thank you, Marie. Oh, and Happy Anniversary!

Hearts Through Time (Walnut Springs Press; March 2011) is available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Deseret Book.

Where do you go to find your next favorite author or book?

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***Countdown to Summer 2011 Contest***

LDSWBR will hold a drawing on June 25, 2011 for a $50 Amazon gift card, as well as a variety of books being offered by some of the LDS authors featured in the Countdown. This will be a raffle-type drawing, so more entries means more chances to win. There are several ways to enter the Countdown to Summer 2011 contest. See details below.

Book prizes generously donated by the authors:

• The Upside of Down by Rebecca Talley

• Gifted by Karey White

• Bumpy Landings by Donald J. Carey

• Captive Heart by Michele Paige Holmes

• The Perfect Fit by  Michele Ashman Bell

• River Whispers by Kathi Oram Perterson

• Hazzardous Universe by Julie Wright & Kevin Wasden

• Hearts Through Time by Marie Higgins

• Double Deceit by Stephanie Humphreys

• The List by Melanie Jacobson

• The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum

• The Kiss of a Stranger by Sarah M. Eden

• Blackberry Crumble by Josi S. Kilpack

• **Bonus Prize** An autographed copy of BLOODBORNE by Gregg Luke (released August 2011)

Do ANY of the following to enter:

• Post a thoughtful comment on the Countdown to Summer 2011 author posts. Comments can be added on any of the author posts anytime during the contest period (June 1, 2011 through June 24, 2011). 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.

• Send LDSWBR an email to ldswbr AT gmail DOT com telling us which of the following you have completed. If you already do these things, email us and let us know. Each item gets you 1 entry.

1. Follow LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook
2. Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter
3. Subscribe to LDSWBR by email (see top right sidebar on website)
4. Follow LDSWBR with Google Friend Connect (right sidebar beneath “Follow LDSWBR”)

• On each Countdown to Summer author post, leave a comment telling us which of the following you completed or already do. Each item gets you 1 entry.

1. Follow the author’s blog (if they have one)
2. Follow the author on Twitter (if they tweet)
3. Follow the author on Facebook (if they have a Facebook page)

• Tweet this message each day. One entry per day. Just copy and paste into your twitter message window to send it (LDSWBR must be able to see the tweet): LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2011 – Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card & great summer reads! http://bit.ly/kZ5jXw @ldswbr

• Blog about this contest on your blog then send us the link to your specific blog post. You can find the Countdown graphic badge/button to include in your blog post here. (5 entries)

• Post the following on your Facebook page (3 entries) then send us an email (ldswbr AT gmail DOT com) telling us that you did: LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2011 – Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card & great summer reads! http://bit.ly/kZ5jXw

Here are the rules:

• Contest ends at 12:00 Midnight MDT on June 24, 2011.
• Drawing winners will have until 12:00 Midnight MDT on July 2, 2011 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.
• LDSWBR reserves the right to decide what determines a “thoughtful” comment.

Let’s keep counting down to summer with some great reads!