Feb 162012
 

Today we welcome Julie Wright to the the blog. Julie is the author of several novels, including My Not-So-Fairy-Tale Life, Eyes Like Mine, Cross My Heart (for which she won a Whitney Award in Romance), Hazzardous Universe, and her newest release, Olivia.

Julie is one of the sweetest and most sincere people I have ever met. She’s a dedicated wife and mother, has a great sense of humor, and is generous with her time and talents.

Leave a comment and help us show Julie how much we love and appreciate her!

Keep reading for the Olivia Launch Party details.

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Top Ten Reasons You Should Be An Author

At every signing I go to, a random stranger will confess their longtime dream of becoming a writer. I think they believe somewhere in the backs of their skulls that trying to peddle your art in a bookstore signing for several hours is glamorous. Don’t judge them . . . let them have their dreams.

Though the reality is that signings are frightening, wretched, degrading sorts of things, there really are perks to the whole writer thing.

Top ten reasons you should be an author:

1. It’s one of the few jobs that can be done in your pajamas.

2. When your spouse comes homes and finds you lounging around on the couch with a book in your hand, you can always smile and say, “I’m studying my genre.”

3. No one gives you a second glance when you start talking to yourself, because that’s just what crazy writers do.

4. You can write off vacations from your taxes as research as long as you use the locations in your writing.

5. It’s one of the few jobs (besides being a lawyer or politician) where you get paid to make things up.

6. If you’re in a foul mood, you can blame it on your characters misbehaving, or on a cruel Goodreads review.

7. Unlike reality, you have time to come up with smart remarks and clever comebacks so your characters can always sound brilliant even if you don’t.

8. You get to throw around words that make you sound important like, “My editor,” or, “My agent,” when you’re talking to people who were jerks to you in high school.

9. You can count the hours you spend messing around on Facebook as important marketing time.

10. If someone ticks you off you can write them dead in your next book.

Writing has been a million shades of awesome for me, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ve met some of my best friends on the planet through writing and cannot imagine my life without them. And there is something truly humbling about reaching the end of your story and realizing that you accomplished something many people will talk about but never actually do.

My shameless plug: We are celebrating the release of the Newport Ladies Book Club! It’s Olivia’s launch party! What makes the Newport Ladies Book Club unique to everything else out there is that it’s written by four different authors through four parallel books following four different characters whose lives intersect in a few places but who have their own perspectives and struggles. Mine is Olivia and is in stores now. Daisy, written by Josi Kilpack, will be out in June. Paige by Annette Lyon and Athena by Heather Moore will be released before the end of 2012. It’s exciting to be part of something so different and fresh and yet something that gives me a greater appreciation for womanhood and friendship. We’re hoping everyone will be as excited by it as we are.

The Newport Ladies Book Club: Olivia Launch Party Details:

Saturday, February 18th 1-3 PM

Deseret Book 1110 FORT UNION BLVD MIDVALE, UT 84047

There will be food and prizes and fun and BOOKS! (food is mini cheesecakes, because I rock)

Please come join me in the celebration!

The Robbins household looks perfect from the outside: no dust, no stains, no wrinkles. Yet a glimpse into its heart reveals no laughter, no closeness, no joy. Olivia thinks that if she keeps everything tidy and serves delicious meals on time, family life is bound to get better. But when her husband, Nick, misses their anniversary, she realizes no amount of domestic success will compensate for failure in their marriage, or for her own failure to develop her identity, always busy as a mother, wife, and neighbor, she has forgotten how to be a unique and vibrant individual. Determined to make a change, Olivia joins a local book club, where she nurtures new friendships and explores new ideas. But her growing confidence falters when Nick declares his independence, and while her new friends lovingly encircle her with support, only Olivia can reach into the depths of her fledgling self to find the faith, hope, and love her troubled family needs. http://thenewportladiesbookclub.blogspot.com/

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Thank you, Julie!

 

Jun 172011
 

4 days until summer!


I’m a 63 year old mother of three and grandmother of two who writes, and writes and writes. I have always loved living in alternative realities, starting when I was growing up in a very dysfunctional home. Now I use my writing as an excuse to live my dreams. Just returned from Florence where I spent 3 glorious weeks retreating and writing and taking that wonderful city into my bones. My book is called The Only Way To Paradise. Plotted my next Alex and Briggie book in Florence as well. That will be coming out in the fall. As with the other 5 in the series, it will be a genealogical mystery. If you care, am a graduate of Stanford (BA) and George Washington U (MA). Have taught college and held many jobs in finance. The atonement of Jesus Christ is the most important principle in my life.

G.G. is the author of 12 books including Foggy With a Chance of Murder (May 2011) and The Only Way to Paradise (June 2011).

Visit G.G.’s website: www.ggvandagriff.com and her blog: Embracing Abundance.

Follow G.G. on Facebook: G.G.Vandagriff-Author and Twitter: @ggvandagriff

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?

GG: That’s hard, because I read romantic suspense, women’s fiction, mysteries, and historical epics, along with non-fiction history. However, right now, I would probably finish reading Emily Giffin’s womens’ fiction Heart of the Matter.

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

GG: The Rise and the Fall of the House of Medici and the biography of Lorenzo il Magnifico (the patron of the Renaissance). These are research essentials for my next Crazy Ladies’ book and my Alex and Briggie book.

LDSWBR: How would you describe the perfect summer day?

GG: The perfect summer day would be swimming in the Mediterranean off the Greek Island of Corfu with my grandsons and the entire rest of my family (husband, daughter and son-in-law, and two sons, hopefully married by then, and maybe more grandchildren?) The water off Corfu is turquoise and so clear you can see the sand beneath. It is also warm!

LDSWBR: Sounds heavenly. Thank you so much, G.G.!

Foggy With a Chance of Murder (Deseret Book; May 2011) is available for purchase at Deseret Book. The Only Way to Paradise is available on Amazon.

If your perfect summer day could happen anywhere in the world, where would it be?

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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!

Oct 302009
 
Podcast for October 30, 2009
Episode 38

We truly enjoyed our interview with Rachel Ann Nunes, author of Saving Madeline, and GG Vandagriff, author of The Last Waltz. We had a great time discussing their books as well as several other topics, and there was much laughter to be had. We know you’ll enjoy Episode 38 and listening to both of these fun, intelligent, and talented women! Thanks Rachel and GG!

[podcast]http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/shows/2009-10-30/ldswbr_episode38_10-30-09.mp3[/podcast]

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