Mile 21 by Sarah Dunster – Countdown to Christmas 2013

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas
Dec 102013
 

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15 days until Christmas

 

SarahDunsterSarah Dunster is wife to one, mother to seven, and an author of fiction and poetry. Her poems have appeared on the online LDS poetry blog Wilderness Interface Zone as well as in Victorian Violet Press, Segullah Magazine, Dialogue: Journal of Mormon Thought, Psaltery and Lyre and Sunstone Magazine. She has published two novels with Cedar Fort under their Bonneville Books imprint: the award winning historical fiction novel Lightning Tree, and Mile 21, which is a contemporary fiction/romance novel. When she is not writing Sarah can often be found cleaning, cooking vegetarian or international meals, holding small people in her lap, driving kids to soccer and piano lessons, singing in local musical productions with her family or taking long walks after dark, especially in thunderstorms.

Please take a minute to visit Sarah at one of the links below:

WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+

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LDSWBR: What is your favorite Christmas song/hymn? Does it have special meaning to you?

SARAH: I have two favorites. My “fun” favorite is the orchestral version of “Sleigh Ride” (with all the neighing trumpets and such) played by an amazing orchestra. I heard the BYU symphonic orchestra play it several years ago and just fell in love with it. It just makes me so happy and ready for Christmas. And my favorite “spiritual” or touching Christmas song is O Come, O Come, Immanuel. It just gets at my heart and makes me think of the important, spiritual aspects of Christmas. That longing for Christ.

LDSWBR: Do you get together with friends/family to play board games on Christmas or New Year’s? What games do you like to play? Do you have a favorite game from your childhood?

SARAH: My family did, growing up. My kids are still too little. But my Dad, brother, uncles, aunts and grandmother on my Dad’s side all love Scrabble, Risk and Monopoly especially. One funny family anecdote: once, when playing Monopoly, my Dad went to answer the phone and instead of saying, “Hello?” he said, “Collect!”

LDSWBR: If you could recommend only one book from those you read this year, what would it be and why?

For readers of poetry and serious literature, I’d recommend “Field Notes on Language and Kinship” by Tyler Chadwick. For those who read as a release & for fun (and like scary stuff), I’d definitely push them in the direction of “Dispirited” by Luisa Perkins. Incredibly eerie, well-paced and well-written story. And clean, too. A plus. :)

LDSWBR: Thanks, Sarah!

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Mile 21

AMAZON | KINDLE | BARNES & NOBLE | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK

Mile 21fullcover

The singles ward is the last place Abish wants to be. But after the unexpected death of her husband (and after being kicked out of her mom’s place), she has to move into single-student housing to finish up her schooling. Maybe training for a marathon and winning the heart of the handsome executive secretary are exactly what Abish needs to get a personal best.

 Do you know any Monopoly fanatics? If you are the fanatic, why do you love the game? Does anyone find Monopoly frustrating? (Besides me, that is.)

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

Because this is a raffle-style drawing, commenting on each Countdown to Christmas 2013 post will give you 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.

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By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2013, you agree to the contest rules below:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; entrants must be 18 years or older; open to residents of continental US only; giveaway begins December 3, 2013 and all entries must be received by 12:00 Midnight December 23, 2013 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 December 28, 2013 by use of a sequence generator on random.org; winner will have until January 4, 2014 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 and 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 12/10/13 – more to be added to this list!)**

  • Rocky Road by Josi S. Kilpack (personalized copy)
  • Shannon’s Hope by Josi S. Kilpack (personalized copy)
  • The House at Rose Creek by Jenny Proctor (signed copy)
  • Penumbras by Braden Bell (signed copy)
  • The Reluctant Blogger by Ryan Rapier (personalized copy)
  • Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen (personalized paperback)
  • Longing For Home by Sarah M. Eden (signed copy)
  • Mile 21 by Sarah Dunster (ebook or signed paperback)
 Previous Countdown to Christmas 2013 posts: