2nd Annual "Summer Treasure Hunt: Dig For Clues and Win" Contest!

Welcome to our second annual “Summer Treasure Hunt: Dig for Clues and Win” Contest! Last year, Joyce DiPastina and some of her author friends put together a month long contest where we gave away a prize a day for the entire month of June. The contest was so successful that they have decided to do it again (and I've joined them)…only this time we’ve gathered together enough prizes to last through the first week of July! Again, we have something for everyone: romance, fantasy, mystery, suspense, historicals, contemporaries, young adult and middle grade fiction; children’s picture books; and a variety of non-fiction titles. We also have some exciting non-book prizes: a hand crocheted book tote and cell phone case; a book/jewelry combo; a Mary Kay cosmetic assortment; a The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe DVD; and (you aspiring writers won’t want to miss this one!) a free edit/critique for the first 50 pages of an unpublished novel by a three-time published author!

How can you enter to win one of these awesome prizes? Just follow the rules below!


SUMMER TREASURE HUNT RULES:

You can send in an entry for each day’s prize, or only for those prizes that strike your fancy. The rules are simple:

(1) Go to the website or blog indicated for each day, find the answer to the question for that day, then email the answer with your name and AND MAILING ADDRESS to jdipastena@yahoo.com. I promise you will not wind up on any mailing lists. This is only to facilitate the receipt of your prize. All entries will be deleted at the end of the contest.

(2) Please send a separate entry for each day and type the day you are entering in the subject line. (Such as: Summer Treasure Hunt, June 1; Summer Treasure Hunt, June 2, etc).

(3) Deadline for each day: Midnight PST

(4) The winner will be contacted and announced on the day following the deadline.

All winners will be “drawn” by WWW.RANDOM.ORG.

You do not have to wait until the designated day to enter. You can start sending in your entries right now, or begin entering at any point along the way. And check back here each day between June 2nd-July 9th to read the names of the winners.

If you have any questions, feel free to email Joyce DiPastena at jdipastena@yahoo.com.

And now…let the treasure hunt begin!

June 1
SPONSOR: Donna Hatch
PRIZE: Queen in Exile, (fantasy romance), autographed by author
QUESTION: The princess must rely upon her magic to save whom? (Hint: Look under “Bookshelf” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.donnahatch.net
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Amber Nielson of Vermont

ANSWER: Herself and her people from death and tyranny

June 2
SPONSOR: Laurie Lewis
PRIZE: Awakening Avery (women's fiction), autographed copy
QUESTION: Avery's signal that she isn't handling her husband's death very well comes to her when she tosses what into what? (Hint: Look under “books &reviews, then click on the cover to Awakening Avery and read the first chapter)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.laurielclewis.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY

WINNER: Barbara Stilwell

ANSWER: The remote into the TV

June 3
SPONSOR: E.A. West
PRIZE: Riley's Mission (PDF: romantic suspense)
QUESTION: Where does Jade sit after she sees Aziz Khadoul? (Hint: Click on “Books” tab, then on “excerpt” link for Riley’s Mission)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://eawest.mcphitty.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Judy Cox of Louisiana
ANSWER: An empty wheelchair

June 4
SPONSOR: Jenna Dawlish
PRIZE: Sprig of Thyme (Victorian romance), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the name of the hero in Jenna's first novel Love Engineered? (Check out “The Library” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.jennadawlish.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 5
SPONSOR: Rachael Renee Anderson
PRIZE: Divinely Designed (contemporary LDS romantic comedy), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the title of Rachael's second book, being released in August? (Hint: scroll down to Rachael’s “Goodreads” titles on the right hand sidebar))
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://rachaelreneeanderson.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Karin Tillotson of Pennsylvania
ANSWER: Luck of the Draw

June 6
SPONSOR: Linda Kay Garner
Prize: Some Secrets Hurt (picturebook), autographed copy, plus a handmade cuddling blanket. This picture book is for all ages. It is simple enough to be understood by a very young child, meaningful enough to appeal to teenagers, informative enough to be helpful to parents, and powerful enough to reach out to a wounded adult.
QUESTION: The only thing worse than finding out that your child is being sexually abused is ____ ____ ____? (Hint: Listen to 5 minute KSL TV interview on the right side of the website or dowload the free Parents’ Guide)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.somesecretshurt.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Laura Lewis of North Carolina
ANSWER: Not finding out

June 7
SPONSOR: Danielle Thorne
PRIZE: (New/Sealed) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (Widescreen DVD)
QUESTION: In Danielle Thorne's novel, Turtle Soup, what is the name of the marine biologist who inspires Sara Hart to name her deli Turtle Soup? (Hint: read the blurb for Turtle Soup on Danielle’s website homepage)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.daniellethorne.jimdo.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Carol Rainbolt of Arizona
ANSWER: Jack Brandon

June 8
SPONSOR: Larry Hammersley
PRIZE: Lab Partners (sweet 1950’s romance), ebook
QUESTION: What are the first names of the hero and heroine in the short story Lab Partners? (Hint: Check out “WIP Report” post for April 4, 2010)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://larryhammersley.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Mina Gerhart
ANSWER: Leroy and Jody

June 9
SPONSOR: Linda Weaver Clarke
PRIZE: Melinda and the Wild West: (historical romance, YA and adult), autographed copy
QUESTION: What was Melinda doing when she first met Gilbert and why did he act flustered and then abruptly turn and briskly stride away? (Hint:. Click on “Sample Chapters” tab, then on the book title for Melinda and the Wild West to read a sample chapter.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com
OPEN TO USA AND CANADA ENTRIES
WINNER: Cassandra Cantrell of Utah
ANSWER: She was wading in a stream and her skirt was hiked up showing her legs and bare feet

June 10
SPONSOR: Angela Morrison
PRIZE: Taken by Storm (Penguin/Razorbill 2009), YA romance, autographed hard cover
QUESTION: A legendary LDS author of over 30 books for teens called Taken by Storm, "An amazing story written with a clear, refreshing and creative voice." Who was it? (Hint: check “Taken By Storm” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.angela-morrison.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Diana Donahoo of Illinois
ANSWER: Jack Weyland

June 11
SPONSOR: Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen
PRIZE: Trapped (romantic suspense with a hint of paranormal fantasy), autographed copy
QUESTION: The first trap Emi Warrin encounters is a mysterious letter. To where does it lure her? (Hint: Read the book summary under the Trapped tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: rondahinrichsen.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Angela Isbell of Utah
ANSWER: the Austrian Alps

June 12
SPONSOR: Anne Patrick
PRIZE: Journey to Redemption (inspirational romantic suspense), free download
QUESTION: What did Royce use to do for a living in my upcoming release, Out of the Darkness? (Hint: Look under the “My Books” link for Anne’s new release, Out of the Darkness)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Cindy Schuerr of Wisconsin
ANSWER: He played pro football.

June 13
SPONSOR: Rebecca Talley
PRIZE: Altared Plans (contemporary LDS romance), autographed by author
QUESTION: What is unique about my youngest son? (Hint: Watch the YouTube video Extra C posted on the right side of Rebecca’s blog)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Rachel Stanley of Arizona
ANSWER: He has an extra chromosome/Down syndrome

June 14
SPONSOR: David J. West
PRIZE: Heroes of the Fallen (historical fiction), autographed hardcopy)
QUESTION: What is the name of my favorite author? (Hint: Scroll through David’s June blogs. He promises you’ll find the answer!)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://david-j-west.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Tawnya Mayo of Utah

ANSWER:Robert E. Howard

June 15
SPONSOR: Jennifer Stewart Griffith, author of Choosing Mr. Right and Delicious Conversation
PRIZE: FREE edit and/or critique of first 50 pages of a novel
QUESTION: What is the Japanese word for the hairstyle worn by sumo wrestlers? (Hint: Check out Jennifer’s favorite sumo blog, Sumo Beautiful. Look for Hama Bijin’s April 13th post)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://sumobeautiful.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES as long as the manuscript can be emailed to Jennifer and is in English
WINNER: Tracy Astle of California

ANSWER: Chonmage

June 16
SPONSOR: Rebecca Irvine
PRIZE: Family Home Evening Adventures (non-fiction book of FHE lessons), free e-book on CD
QUESTION: What is the title of the first book written by Rebecca Irvine? (Hint: Read “about me” on Rebecca’s blog)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.rebeccairvine.blogspot.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Tracie Travis of California

ANSWER: Adventures with the Word of God


June 17
SPONSOR: Marilyn Bunderson
PRIZE: The Mark (YA Fiction), autographed copy with a bookmark
QUESTION: In a deleted scene from my book, The Mark, Jon loses a bet to Shae. What does he have to do to pay up? (Hint: Found in post titled "Deleted Scenes From The Mark" dated April 15, 2010)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.mrbunderson.blogspot.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Karen Haas of North Carolina
ANSWER: Go country line dancing

June 18
SPONSOR: Heather Justesen
PRIZE: Winner’s Choice: The Ball’s In Her Court (contemporary inspirational) or Rebound (contemporary romance), autographed by author
QUESTION: How much did the FBI agent expect John's bail to be set at? (Hint: Click on "My Books" tab, then "read more" about Rebound.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: HeatherJustesen.com
OPEN TO USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Colleen Conklin of Arizona
ANSWER: About half a million

June 19
SPONSOR: Nichole Giles
PRIZE: The Sharp Edge of a Knife (inspirational historical, based on a true story), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the correct title of the humorous anthology I coauthored? (Hint: Look in the right hand sidebar)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.nicholegiles.blogspot.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Taffy Lovell of Utah
ANSWER: Mormon Mishaps and Mischief

June 20
SPONSOR: Karen Adair
PRIZE: Trendy blue/brown crocheted book tote with matching cell phone case (Check out Karen’s “Diva Strings” website for examples: http://www.divastrings.com/index.html)
QUESTION: Where did Karen learn how to type and what speed did she finally top out at? (Hint: Check Karen’s “Bio” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.kbadair.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Becky Drew of Arizona
ANSWER: I took a class in middle school and my last clocked speed was 120 words per minute.

June 21
SPONSOR: Lynn Parsons author of (dis)Abilities and the Gospel (nonfiction)
PRIZE: A pair of hand-knit socks
QUESTION: What are three of the topics I list on the parent page of my website? (Look on “Parent Page” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.lynndparsons.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Karen Tillotson of Pennsylvania
ANSWER: ADD/ADHD, Autism, Learning Disabilities, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Educational Activities for Home, Transition to Adulthood

June 22
SPONSOR: Kinzie Monroe
PRIZE: Reservations for Two (inspirational romance), autographed CD
QUESTION: What was Maggie doing when she and Carson first met in Reservations for Two? (Hint: click on the “Excerpts” link on Kinzie’s blog)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://kinziemonroe.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 23
SPONSOR: Michele Ashman Bell
PRIZE: Summer in Paris (YA romance), autographed copy and Eiffel Tower bookmark
QUESTION: What is Michele "dreaming of"? (Hint: found on sidebar above picture of Eiffel Tower
WEBSITE/BLOG: micheleabell.blogspot.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 24
SPONSOR: Jaimey Grant and JaysDesign Jewelry
PRIZE: A signed copy of Redemption, a Regency romance by Jaimey Grant, and a 19" hand-knotted strand of freshwater pearls ($45 value) handmade by Jay T Lyons of JaysDesign Jewelry.
QUESTION: Artist Jay T Lyons did a sketch for the cover of an upcoming Regency romance of mine. What is the sketch of and what is the title of the upcoming book?
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://sites.google.com/site/jaimeygrant/jaytlyons
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 25
SPONSOR: Christine Thackeray
PRIZE: Lipstick Wars (LDS Women’s Fiction), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the name of the angel who needs a vacation in my recent pamphlet, “Could You Be an Angel Today? (Hint: Play the book trailer for “Could You Be an Angel Today” on Christine’s home page)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.christinethackeray.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 26
SPONSOR: Bonnie Harris
PRIZE: Mary Kay Satin Lips Set, Travel Size Satin Hands Set and a set of mineral eye colors
QUESTION: What is the name of my African Gray and African Desert Tortosie? (Hint: Read “About Me” in the left hand sidebar)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.bonnieharris.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 27
SPONSOR: Teralee Deighton
PRIZE: Cup of Comfort for New Mothers (personal essay anthology)
QUESTION: Name the editor of Cup of Comfort for New Mothers
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.adamsmediastore.com/category/cup-of-comfort-series?r=COC_Bookstore
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 28
SPONSOR: C. LaRene Hall
PRIZE: Martha’s Freedom Train (middle grade historical), autographed by both author and illustrator
QUESTION: How many short stories has C. LaRene Hall published in the humorous anthology, Mormon Mishaps and Mischief? (Hint: Look in the left hand sidebar)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.clhall.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 29
SPONSOR: Sarah M. Eden
PRIZE: Courting Miss Lancaster (Regency romance), autographed copy
QUESTION: In his "I Need Friends Friday" interview, what reason does Edward Cullen give for not sleeping at night?
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.sarahmeden.com/2009/11/i-need-friends-friday-edward-cullen.html
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

June 30
SPONSOR: Marcia Mickelson
PRIZE: Reasonable Doubt (LDS Suspense), autographed copy
QUESTION: In what country was author, Marcia Mickelson born? (Hint: Click on “About Marcia” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.marciamickelson.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 1
SPONSOR: Kimberly Job
PRIZE: I'll Know You by Heart (romantic suspense), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the title of my current work in progress? (Hint: Look under “My Books” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.scribbledscraps.blogspot.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 2
SPONSOR: Joan Sowards
PRIZE: Haunts Haven (an LDS ghost story), autographed copy
QUESTION: What is the name of the town in which the story of Haunts Haven takes place? (Hint: Found on sidebar synopsis of story)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://joansowards.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 3
SPONSOR: Margaret L. Turley RN
PRIZE: Save the Child (Reality Fiction), autographed copy
QUESTION: Where can you listen to an audio interview with Margaret L. Turley about her book, Save the Child? (Hint: Click on link at the bottom of Margaret’s bio on her “About the Author” page)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://margaretturley.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 4
SPONSOR: Joyce DiPastena
PRIZE: Illuminations of the Heart (sweet medieval romance, a 2009 Whitney Award Finalist), autographed by author
QUESTION: Who were gifts usually given to on Epiphany during the Middle Ages? (Hint: Click on “Stolen Christmas” tab and read excerpt from “An Epiphany Gift for Robin”)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.joyce-dipastena.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES:
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 5
SPONSOR: Cindy R. Williams
PRIZE: Chase McKay Didn’t Get Up Today (Arizona Glyph Award Finalist and Southwest Book Awards Finalist), a snuggle, giggle children’s picture book
QUESTION: There is a picture of Cindy holding two dragons on her website, www.cindyrwilliams.com. The names of the dragons are in the caption below the picture. What are their names? (Hint: Look on the “Book” page)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.cindyrwilliams.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 6
SPONSOR: Gail Pallotta
PRIZE: Love Turns the Tide (inspirational romance with suspense), free e-book on CD, with a pendant necklace and matching earrings
QUESTION: Who comes to Cammie O'Shea's rescue after she has a break-in at her unit in Destin, Florida? (Hint: Scroll down to: MORE ABOUT THE BOOK)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.gailpallotta.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 7
SPONSOR: Danyelle Ferguson
PRIZE: A 30 page manuscript edit
QUESTION: Name three of the "special needs" addressed in (dis)Abilities and the Gospel. (Hint: Click on the "Books" tab for (dis)Abilities and the Gospel)


WEBSITE/BLOG: www.QueenOfTheClan.com

USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

July 8
SPONSOR: Karen E. Hoover
PRIZE: Sapphire Flute (YA Fantasy), autographed copy
QUESTION: How many bloggers have posted their reviews of The Sapphire Flute? (Hint: Check out the list under “Sapphire Flute Blog Tour” in the right hand side bar and count ‘em up)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://karen-hoover.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER:
ANSWER:

Danyelle Ferguson Reviewed My Book

Check out her review at her blog, Queen of the Clan.

Saturday's Book Signings

Borders in Murray

I had a great time at Borders Saturday from 11-1. Here are a couple of pictures:

 This is Morgan and Alexa. They bought my book the week before and just came in to get it signed.

Elizabeth and her sister came in. It's so great meeting new people, that's my favorite part about book signings.

 This is my awesome cousin Diane who came in to see me.


Wasatch High School Book Fair
Barnes and Noble did a book fair at Wasatch High in Heber City. OOOH, is it WRONG to put Borders and Barnes and Noble in the same blog post??? Hmmm, I hope not.

These are the other authors I signed with. Frank Cole, author of the Hashbrown Winters series, and Berin Stephens, author of  Dragon War Relics.

Alecia Buck, author of Flecks of Gold and me, author of The Mark.

 Rachel (center) is a graduating senior at Wasatch High. She organized the writer's club at the school. She sang a solo at the book signing event (there were musical numbers all afternoon) and is a very talented young lady.

Wasatch High School

I had a great time to day at Wasatch High in Heber City, Utah. I was there with some other local authors:
Frank Cole, author of Hashbrown Winters series
Berin Stephens, author of The Dragon War Relic, and
Alicia Buck, author of Flecks of Gold

We met some great students who would like to be authors someday and did a QA with them. I brought my camera but it sat forgotten in my bag. Such an airhead. I'll bring it with me tomorrow and I hearby VOW to take some pictures.

Booksignings for tomorrow:
Borders in Murray from 11am to 1pm
Wasatch High in Heber City from 2:30 to 6pm

Book Giveaway

Cami Checketts posted a review of my book and is doing a giveaway on her site.
camichecketsbooks.blogspot.com

Check it out!

Another great giveaway going on at www.sheralynpratt.com

Pudding Fight

My daughter Sam and our neighbor decided to throw a pudding fight party yesterday. I wasn't there (it was during my book signing) but from the pictures they looked like they were having a great time. Here are a couple of pictures. And no, I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. The grass is still brown:D

It was supposed to be all pudding but they ended up dumping in cake mixes and flour and water to add volume. Edible still, I guess, but pretty gross. Their shirts will never be the same--although I think that was the point.

After the fight they hosed off (brrrrrr), then showered off (can we say bathtub rings?), and then watched movies all afternoon. Oh to be young and stupid! Ahh, I mean impulsive . . . What a great way to welcome summer.

Book Signing at Gateway Crossing Barnes and Noble

I had a great book signing at the Barnes and Noble in Bountiful today. Shasta and Michael set me up right by the front entrance and had a poster announcing the signing up in the front window. Here are some pictures of the event.

 

 My aunt, Bessie, and my cousin, Linda, surprised me by dropping by. It was so great to talk with them and do a little catching up. Happy Birthday Linda!

My sister Julie also came by as well as some younger friends. I won't say their names but aren't they sweet? My youngest daughter also came with me.

I probably should have taken a few more pictures but I always forget.

Book Tour

I have a growing list of book tour sites. You can check out the links on the left. One that I just found out about is Around the World Tours. Someone sent my book on the tour and the way it works is that people sign up to write a review and then they send the one book from one person to the next.

If you click on the link it takes you to the main site where the links to each tour stop will be available as the book makes the rounds. Right now the first review is up. So I'm interested to see how The Mark does on tour. Since I've had nothing to do with setting up this tour all the reviews will be completely unbiased. Okay, I hope the other reviews are also unbiased (I'm sure they are) but this feels just a bit more removed from me.

Here's the link: Around the World Tours

Book Signing at The Gateway Barnes and Noble

I should have gotten this up last week but I went out of town . . . I know, excuses, excuses.

I had a great time at my book signing on May 1 at The Gateway Barnes and Noble. They put me in a great location in the store and treated me very well.

Martin stopped by to talk with me because he knows my brother in law and recognized the name. It was fun to talk with him. Ok, so this is the only picture for now because all the other pictures are on my daughter's camera. I'll get to it . . .

Sam and her friend Connor and my younger daughter-who shall remain nameless-hung out with me. My sister also came by and stayed for a while, thanks J.

My favorite thing at a signing is when people just stop to chat. No need to buy a book, it's great to just talk with people. One guy stopped to say hello because we share the same last name. Not very common. Someone else stopped by who is working on a book herself. A couple of kids were interested in the tattoos I was giving out. I handed out a lot of bookmarks.

Next signing, this Saturday at the Barnes and Noble at Gateway Crossing in Bountiful from 1-3. Hope to see you there. 

The Canticle Kingdom

The cover of Michael Young’s book, The Canticle Kingdom, is one of my all time favorite covers. I love it. I love the gold writing and the subtle music score in the background. The colors are perfect. I was very excited to pick up the book and start reading.

The storyline hops between war-torn Germany and the Canticle Kingdom, a magical land completely hidden and contained within a beautiful music box. When select people outside the music box get pulled into the world within, those left behind work to figure out what’s going on and how to get their loved ones back.


Meanwhile, within the kingdom (this is where the bulk of the story takes place) Johann and Brigitta, thirteen-year-old best friends, get thrown into an ongoing battle between the knights who are defending the kingdom and the evil power trying to take over. Okay, it’s a little more complicated than that and has a lot of twists and turns but that’s the gist of it. Anyway, Johann ends up being trained to fight while Brigitta must figure out her role in saving the kingdom from ruin.


The jumping back and forth in the story was a bit confusing at first and I had trouble following from time to time, but I got the hang of it after a bit. There were a couple of events that were never resolved, but I’m hoping they will be in the next book. Even with the lingering questions, the ending was very satisfying, and the questions and mysteries raised throughout the book kept me moving forward. Happily, as we learned from Michael’s interview, the story does not end there and we’ll be able to find out what happens with Johann and Brigitta.

I'm glad to have read this book.

Interview with Michael Young, Author of The Canticle Kingdom

ME: This is a very unique idea for a story? Where did you get your idea?

MICHAEL: I wish I knew this myself, so I could go back and get a few more. ;-) I was just working at Target one day during my second year of college and my mind was starting to wander and the idea just popped into my head.

ME: How long did it take you to write The Canticle Kingdom? At what point were you able to get the voice of each character developed in your head?

MICHAEL: The first draft of it took about a year to hash out while I was going to school and working. The way I do things, is that I think a lot about my current project when I'm doing mundane stuff like walking to school or doing the dishes, so I felt like I had the character's voices in place at a pretty early stage because I had thought about it so much.

ME: What kind of books do you like to read?

MICHAEL: I'm mostly into the kind of stuff I write, Fantasy and Sci-Fi, though I really like historical fiction as well. Right now I'm working on reading all of Terry Brook's books, most of which relate in a huge story arc that crosses generations. Pretty incredible. My latest favorite reads have been “Elantris” by Brandon Sanderson and “Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norell” by Susanne Clark, both of which are Fantasy. Then again, I'm sure I'll add the third Hunger Games to that list when it comes out this year.

ME: Will The Canticle Kingdom be a part of a series or did you get the whole story told in one book?

MICHAEL: I'm working on a sequel now, and right now I'm envisioning it as a trilogy. There's a lot more to the story and I'm excited to tell it. The way it ends leaves plenty of room for that. I also have a few other unrelated novels various stages of completion, so I am going to try to branch out.

ME: Your cover is AMAZING. Did you have any input on the design?

MICHAEL: I wish I could take credit for that! I just said I wanted it to stress the musical element, but I was blown away when I saw it for the first time. Cedar Fort does a great job with their covers, and I really couldn't be happier about it. I feel like it really captures the essence of the book.

ME: I understand that the final 20% of the book takes 80% of your effort. Did you have the end in mind from the beginning? Did you ever change course in your writing?

MICHAEL: Isn't that true! You really want the story to go out with a bang and have a satisfying ending. I've been disappointed before by books with strong beginning and middles, with awful ends, and I really want to avoid that. I had a general idea of where I wanted it to be at the get go, but it took me a while for me to actually flesh out how I would get my characters from point A to point B. I'm the kind of writer who likes to discover what's going to happen as I go along. This book took me in directions that I had not imagined at the beginning and that for me is part of the fun of it.

ME: How do you write? Do you use outlines? Do you need music playing? How do you move on when you hit a rough spot?

MICHAEL: It is hard for me to sit down and write for long stretches, but I'm good at writing a little every day and sticking to it. As mentioned in the last question, I don't use very detailed outlines. I like to have music or something else in the background, though it's best when I'm alone. I'm kind of a night writer-for some reasons, my best thoughts show up when the sun goes down. When I hit a rough spot, I give the current project a break and work on something else I'm writing for a while. I usually have a few projects going at a time. I'm working on short stories, plays, and even a musical or two. Still working on getting those refined and out in the open, but who knows? It could happen.

ME: What can you tell us about yourself that will help us know you better?

MICHAEL: This novel has a lot to do with music. I've loved music my entire life and perform whenever I can. I've played the piano since I was eight and taught myself the organ while living in Germany as a missionary. (Mostly because they needed me to play in church). I've also played for years in handbell choirs, including Bells on Temple Square, which is an arm of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I don't do that anymore, because I moved into the actual choir this year. I also like to write music and lyrics for music as well, and I'm trying to find ways to promote my writing using music. On my site, I've even written some songs to go along with the book that anyone can download. So, I imagine I might incorporate musical elements in future works as well.

ME: Do you have a message for all your fans? Anything you’d like to tell them?

MICHAEL: I think I would just encourage them to undertake their own creative endeavors and use things they are passionate about to do so. I love both German and Music and used my knowledge of the two to write a novel. I would also thank them for reading and say that I hope they keep their eyes out more books I hope to put out. I would also encourage them to support good, clean books that rely on a good story and not gimmicks of violence, foul language and sexual content to sell their books. That's what I'm trying to write!

That, and I would encourage them to check out the contest section of my site and participate in the scavenger hunt in the pages of “The Canticle Kingdom”. It helps you recognize other things I've included in the book that might not be apparent at first glance.

Watch for a review of his book coming Thursday.

Visit Michael's site: http://www.writermike.com/
Available at Barnes and Noble,  and Amazon

Book Review on Books i done read

I sent my book to this great book review site called Books i done read. She does a ton of book reviews and is very candid with her views. I wasn't sure what to expect but I (gulp) sent it anyway. My nephew had asked her if she would review it, so, ya know, I had to be brave and send it.

She liked my book. Whew. I'm totally thrilled with her review. She has a fun site, you should take a look.

Interview

Michael Young posted an interview with me today on his website, http://www.writermike.com/. Michael is the author of Canticle Kingdom.

Check it out.

Blog Tour

Aubrey Mace has posted a review of my book and is hosting a book giveaway at her site:
http://aubreymace.blogspot.com/

She's the author of "Spare Change," "Santa Maybe," and "My Fairy Grandmother" and has been very helpful when I run to her with questions.

Thanks Aubrey!