Jewel's World

Positivity Is Power

2012-01-15T17:36:00.008-07:00

Thought for Today

"The difference between can and cannot are only three letters. Three letters that determine your life's direction."
Remez Sasson
Yoda couldn't have said it any better:-)
When it comes to setting goals and reaching for our dreams, the sky's the limit! So, in which direction are you heading? It's something to think about.

The Jewel's World of Romance Podcast Series is officially up and running! To give broadcast one a listen, click on the link below.
Podcast Episode 1

Suggested Reading

Book: The Bridge-A Spirit's Journey Beyond the Veil
Author: Stacy Averett

About the Book
After chasing butterflies and a myriad of other creatures on their small Fallon Nevada farm, Lilly Stone found her mother s philosophy of reincarnation more frustrating then comforting as she searched for her beloved grandfather s new life form. Just when Lilly is about to give in to the loss of her grandfather, a local LDS boy (Cody James) unexpectedly steps into Lilly s life bringing with him an enduring friendship as well as hope in the miraculous possibilities of life beyond death.

However, as Lilly grows into a young woman, death once again visits the Stone s home challenging not only Lilly, but both the Stone and James families. As the two families struggle with conflict between their past beliefs and their present fears, they must lean on one another for strength and courage. Can Lilly and Cody find a way to cope with the dark chasm that lies between hope and doubt? Will their friendship and faith see them through? Will the love of their two families be able to build the necessary bridge that will ultimately span the gulf that has abruptly separated them? The Bridge is a poignant tale that is sure to inspire and comfort the human heart by reminding it of the miracles that accompany life and death and at the same time reassuring it of the unconquerable power of Love, Faith and Family.

This was a very thought-provoking story from a talented author. The story's view of the afterlife is very original and uplifting, and the book will touch your heart regardless of your religion or beliefs. The Bridge-A Spirit's Journey Beyond the Veil is available on Amazon.com

A New Year, and Lots of Fun Suprises In Store For Fans!

2012-01-09T20:26:00.009-07:00

Thought for Today
"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position one has reached in life as by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed." Booker T Washington

Thanks to all of my amazing fans, last year was a banner one in the writing department. The creative juices flowed and I released quite a few stories. This year will be even better!
I appreciate all of the support I've received from my readers. As I have said many times, you inspire me, and you're the reason I keep writing. Thanks so much for your emails sharing your thoughts and feelings about my books. I appreciate them more than I can express, and I am touched and amazed each time I read about the way the stories have affected you and how you've connected with the characters in some way. I hope and pray I can continue to write the stories you enjoy.

Now, on to the fun things I have planned for the year.
First, starting this weekend, I will be featuring podcasts where I will be talking about writing, reading excerpts from my books and briefly discussing them. I will feature the books of other authors as well. This is something I've wanted to do for a while and this is the year I will finally make it happen. Each podcast link will be listed on the blog sidebar so you can come back and listen whenever you choose.

Second, I will be releasing the final short story in the Passionate Hearts Novelette series, then releasing a the paperback of the entire collection. That way you'll have all of the emotion-driven mini romances in in one volume! How fun is that?
I will also be releasing more Legacy novelettes, as well as another Against the Odds novelette, and who knows how many more little trinkets I'll have in store for you guys?

We're going to have more contests and giveaways, and as always, I will include positive thoughts for the day.
So, to kick things into gear, tell me one of your goals for the new year. Leave a comment along with your email address and I'll send you a free ecopy of The Sound of Love, the newest short story in the Passionate Hearts Novelette series.

Happy New Year!

Darkspell By Elizabeth Mueller

2011-12-31T21:22:00.003-07:00

Just in case you missed it the first time, today I am re-featuring Darkspell, the young-adult paranormal romance from the beautiful, awesome and talented Elizabeth Mueller.

The Book
Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary ... until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter's protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own. Will love prove thicker than magic? Included in this volume are author-created illustrations that bestselling author Ellen C. Maze calls a mind blowing treat. Darkspell is classified as a Young Adult Paranormal Romance that will appeal beyond the genre.

About the Author
Elizabeth Mueller knew that books couldn’t bite, but even though she never admitted, she was scared of them. What she didn’t know, ironically, was that she was building her way toward a career in books. She started writing poetry when she was 9, and stories when she was 11 that make her laugh now. It wasn’t until her creative writing teacher in 12th grade made her realize there was more to writing than life. That’s when she fell in love with books. She hasn’t stopped since, feverishly working to perfect the craft late into the night. She lives with her husband, four kids, a wolfdog, and two cats. Darkspell is her first novel. You can find her at elizabethmueller.blogspot.com or AuthorElizabethMueller.com, and email her at elizabeth.mueller.author@gmail.com

The Heroines Behind the Voices In My Head

2011-12-11T08:46:00.004-07:00

Thought for the Day

"Christmas can't be bought from a store... Maybe Christmas means a little bit more." Dr.Seuss

Christmas is almost here! Order your copy of Stories of the Heart - A Christmas Short Story Collection from Amazon.com or JewelAdams.com

Heroine of the Week

Heroine: Elina
Book: Place In This World

Rubbing her lightly covered arms against the frigid cold, Elina trudged through deep drifts of snow, knowing that if she stopped, she would surely freeze to death. She probably would anyway.

Before escaping her captor she had managed to trade her tattered robe for a cotton tunic, leather leggings, and boots that were two sizes two big and had seen better days. The thin shawl she

tightened around her shoulders did nothing to warm her against the fierce winds that blew against her face, burning the cut on her chapped lips and the open wound on her forehead. By rights she shouldn't have felt any pain in the numbing air. She shouldn't have felt anything after hours of exposure.

She kept her head down and continued to walk, her frail body battling against the elements that

assaulted her. She was surrounded by desolation as far as the eye could see. There was absolutely

nowhere to seek shelter or refuge. No mountain crevices, no trees, no bushes, nothing to even lend

the illusion of shelter. The land was flat and void of any life but hers, and the only thing that disturbed the desolate landscape was the sound and sight of a single set of footprints crunching in the thick blanket of snow. Hers. It was one of the bleakest sounds she had ever heard, coming second only to the sound of her captor's footsteps approaching the door of the tower room she had been locked in for the past year.

She escaped and she was free now. But to what end? She didn't know where she was going or what she was going to do, only that she must keep moving. The evil and vile powers that be would not simply let her go. She knew she would be hunted–hunted until she was found, then made to pay for the trouble of having to be captured. And even if she was not found, she was sure she would forever see her captor's face when she slept.

So she would never sleep, at least not for a very long time.

The mass of long, dark, spiraled ringlets she'd hastily braided had now come loose and she futilely tried to keep it out of her face. Not that the view was even worth looking at. Besides, her eyesight was slowly beginning to blur with each exertion-filled step. Each step found her weakening

and her strength waning. A couple of tears fell from her eyes and froze on her cheeks.

I must keep going. Must not . . . stop.

Even as she mentally repeated the commands, she knew she would not make it. At that moment she realized she couldn't take another step. She tried, but she couldn't move. The desolate world around her began to spin and she felt herself falling, with one last coherent thought filtering through the eerie silence of her mind.

My life is at an end . . . and I shall never see the sun again.

She was completely oblivious to the sound of the winged being that gracefully landed next to her in the snow, or the strong arms that enfolded her before taking flight once again.

Place In This World is available on Amazon.com and JewelAdams.com

Getting to Know Olivia Wilde

2011-12-06T19:51:00.003-07:00

In October I attended the Utah Romance Writers of America conference in Park City and signed next to Olivia Wilde, a talented author and a beautiful lady. I enjoyed visiting with her and her mother, who is also an awesome PR person for Olivia:-)
Olivia was kind enough to answer some questions, tell us about her book The Dawn of Silva, and help us to get to know her better.

About the Book
Filmmakers Alex and Shari run into more than a few snags in casting their new movie, Silva. Alex is obsessively determined that only the ethereal Ashlyn can portray the lead, and she cannot be found.

Shari leaves the hustle and bustle of New York City, and travels to the serene beauty of the Cascade Mountains, 3000 miles away - the search is on! Ashlyn's family and estranged lover try to protect her from the fast-thinking Shari's unwanted intrusion.
Ashlyn has found her paradise in the Cascade foothills, to heal the crushing pain of a star-crossed love. She wants solitude and time to heal and contemplate what her future holds.
Shari, in her journey, has found a whole new universe and has met an absolutely dynamic and maybe even diabolical man, whom she immediately hates. She is inexplicably drawn into a relationship that rocks her very foundation.
In the short space of one week, four people's lives converge in an Eden-like setting, to begin an adventure that turns each of their lives upside down.
The Dawn of Silva is the first in a series of Silva novels by Olivia Wilde.

Rita, tell us a little about yourself.

My childhood was a dream. I was raised on a farm in Central Washington, on an Indian Reservation. My dad was a beekeeper and my mom was a stay at home mom, I have a brother, a sister and four foster brothers. My mom and dad took in 'problem teenagers' who were not such problems, mostly misunderstood. We had lots of animals to take care of and lots of chores to do. I started riding horses when I was about 2 or so and then started showing them. Farm life gave me the greatest lessons - discipline, hard work, selfless love, nurturing, joy and loss. Unfortunately animals don't live as long as we do and even though I know that, losing them is always hard. At 14 I started modeling and acting and after high school I moved to Seattle to be closer to my work. I joined the theatre group and took as many acting, directing, makeup and stage classes as I possibly could. After a difficult breakup with fiance' #1, I moved to Boston, gave up acting, and started working in financial services. That profession continued for the next 20 years while I moved from Boston, to Washington, then Oregon and Utah. Writing has always been an important avenue of expression for me and my creative brain. The only professional writing I did during those years was for research and training projects. In 1993, during a 1 1/2 year breakup with fiance' number 3, I started pouring my heart out, attempting to mend some serious pain and disappointment. The characters in my writing started to come alive and redirected my writing to a fiction novel which became The Dawn of Silva.

A few months after I finished my novel, my real life fairy tale came true. After some spiritual and inspirational events and a pastor's powerful prayer asking for a man to come bursting into my life, I met my husband at Sea-Tac airport in the middle of the night. Funny though, he forgot to get my name and number so a couple days later he put an ad in the personals that read, "Sleepless Since Seattle. I left without even getting her name. Please help me find this woman I met at Sea-Tac Airport Tuesday night . . . if you know who she is please have her call Barry in Eugene." So fiance' #3 was out and I married Barry 9 1/2 weeks after our meeting. Shortly after, our love story went out on the associated press and we received 1000's of calls and letters from well wishers - the National Enquirer published our actual phone number. While lots of folks were happy for us, there were many who thought we couldn't last - that love at first sight doesn't exist. Last October we celebrated our 17 year anniversary and our love continues to grow stronger each day. I want to share our story because it's a feel good story and I think we can use more of them.

When did you first start writing?

My Mom was a believer that you say what you mean and don't say anything you can't take back. So whenever I would get hurt or upset about something she would have me write it down and if it was really painful, I would burn it and watch the smoke rise. I would visualize the anger dissipating so it couldn't hurt anyone. When I was about 7 or 8 I started writing poetry and songs, but I was very shy. Whenever someone would hear me sing or see one of my poems, I would get embarrassed and stop writing. It took me years to get over my fear of an audience. Like so many others, it took the most embarrassing speech to get it through my head that I could never top that feeling again.

Tell us about The Dawn of Silva. How did you come up with the story?

Well, it was so long ago, like I said earlier, I wrote this in 1993-94. I remembered deciding to buy a computer so that I could start writing. I never thought it would become anything. But after reading some passages to my mother and getting her feedback, I kept going and let the characters create. I remember thinking that if I was as strong as I wanted to be, like my grandmother, my aunt, and my mother, I wouldn't be sitting at a computer healing my pain. I would find a cabin in the woods and take all my critters with me and create the most beautiful place I could think of and make my dreams happen. After I had the first chapters done and at my mother's encouragement, I sent it to several agents in New York. One said they wanted it, so I finished it and sent it off. But it came back in the mail several weeks later 'undeliverable'.

Tell us about your upcoming projects.

The Silva series will be at least 3 novels. I started the second in 1994 after I thought the first was going to be published. Once the series is finished or maybe before, I will write 'Sleepless Since Seattle' which will be based on true events. I also write childrens' books under a different pen name. I didn't want a mom or dad to get confused and buy a steamy love story for a child. My grandfather was a published author and has about 6 or 7 books that I would like to publish, so I will also be working on those.

Where can we buy your book?

Currently it is available online at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com & xlibris.com.

I'm Thinkin' Books for Christmas!

2011-11-25T20:22:00.006-07:00

Here are a couple of neat little books by a couple of
awesome people. One is an amazing friend, the other, my amazing daughter:-)
So if you are needing gift ideas for friends who love books, then both of these are available to order on Amazon. And I promise you will enjoy them!

Book: Me, Myself and God - Volume 1
Author: M. L. Walling

About the Book
A collection of short personal family stories that reflect the love of my mother and father for each other, their children and those around them. And how through their example, they influenced the decisions and choices others would make in their lives. Amazon.com

Book: Bailey's Book of Randomness
Author: Bailey Adams

About the Book
If you have ever wanted to get inside a teenager’s brain and see how it works, here you go!
Welcome to Bailey’s World of randOmnEss! Amazon.com

And as always, in you are in the mood for romance, swing by my website or visit my Amazon page and check out my books!

The Heroines Behind the Voices In My Head

2011-11-19T10:49:00.003-07:00

Today I'm excited to introduce the heroine of my new contemporary romance, That Kind of Love - A Legacy Novelette! This novelette is the first in a series of Legacy novelettes introducing a new generation of the St. John family from The Legacy. I had not planned to do a sequel to The Legacy, but after hearing from so many fans asking if there would be anymore Legacy books, this story came to me. I'm ecstatic to share it! That Kind of Love is available to order in Kindle format on Amazon.com or PDF format on JewelAdams.com.

Heroine: Evangeline Patton
Book: That Kind of Love - A Legacy Novelette
About the book

Strong and fiercely independent, Evangeline Patton has never experienced love in any shape or form–not from her parents, or a man. She has overcome some major obstacles in her life, but at twenty-five she is still alone. All of that changes when Adagio St. John the third walks off a plane from Italy and into her life.

Evangeline and Adagio are both looking for love, but can she trust her heart to someone she will never see? And can he look past her blindness and see into her heart?

Excerpt

Salt Lake City, Utah

Andrew is dead.

And the sigh that escapes me is one of relief and gratitude. My blind eyes can make out the shadows of medical personnel moving around the hospital room, but I can't see Andrew's still features. I don't need to. There is a new silence in the room–the absence of irregular shallow breathing–for the next few moments. Then the soft sobs of his mother and mine dispel that silence.

With Andrew's death from undetected heart disease comes my freedom. The pressure of my parents to marry him has vanished and I feel as if a great weight has lifted, brightening my world like the sun coming out after a long, murky year of rain. I don't mean to be cold, but I've never loved Andrew. I've never even liked him. Nevertheless, my parents have been relentless in their desire to merge our family with Andrew Tanner's, to strategically combine two financial empires.

Andrew had been willing to put his own happiness aside, as well as mine, and go along for the ride. Had everything gone through, I would soon be trapped in a gilded prison I couldn't see, and would likely have died in. That death would have been a slow one, stealing my strength and my spirit a little each day until all of the things that have made me me disappeared, leaving an empty shell, my armor weakened, emotionally scarred and battered. Just like our parents, with Andrew, it had been all about the money. Love had nothing to do with it because, hey, let's face it. Who needs love?

“I do,” I had told him. And he'd laughed. He actually laughed! It was never about our wants or desires. It was about our parents pimping us out to insure that the two companies went to bed together as soon as possible. “After all,” Andrew had said, “the end justifies the means. Blind, deaf or lame, it makes no difference to me.”

I offer my condolences to the Tanners, and then extend my cane and turn to leave. I imagine the mouths of the men silently opening and closing like fish lying on a shore in need of water, and the women shooting invisible fire darts with their eyes. Later on, I am sure my parents will dutifully harp about my cold and heartless exit, hoping to guilt me into showing the influential world the face of a grieving and heart-broken fiancee. But the days of me feeling guilty are long gone. If anything, I feel sympathy for the Tanner's loss. Andrew was their only son–their Golden Boy–the child they based their hopes and dreams on. His sisters are a different matter. Other than marrying rich men and breeding more sons to work in the family business, their two daughters are treated as if they are of no consequence. And since I'm an only child, my parents' dreams and ambitions for me are shot . . . unless a new financial opportunity emerges, an opportunity that will drive them to once again attempt to prostitute me for their gain. Of course, it figures since I'm not the daughter of their blood. I was adopted by them during one of their philanthropic trips down south. Boy, did they ever rack up brownie points for adopting a token black baby, and a blind one at that!

Will I always be worth so little to them?

However, I have been given a healthy dose of strength, and I will no longer let my parents–Mr. and Mrs. What Can You Do For Me Patton–run my life. Thanks to the good Lord, I am in charge now, and I am open and ready to receive the kind of love, and the kind of life, He has in store for me. In God's eyes I am worth more. I don't know how much more, but definitely more than the value my parents place on my existence.

The trust fund I inherited four years ago on my twenty-first birthday has given me the financial freedom to live on my own in a downtown high-rise condominium that I own outright. And the money I earn giving violin and cello lessons takes care of my needs. I guess you could say I have it all.

Yes, you could say that . . . but you would be wrong. Until now, the thing I have desired most–what I have needed most–has eluded me.

I smile, sensing a coming change. A change bringing a life that has always been mine. A change I have been prepared for, and one I am now ready to receive.

I hope you will love this story as much as I do. Wait, what am I saying? Of course you will!

The Heroines Behind the Voices In My Head

2011-11-07T09:11:00.002-07:00

Thought for Today

"If a woman can only succeed by emulating men, I think it is a great loss and not a success. The aim is not only for a woman to succeed, but to keep her womanhood and let her womanhood influence society." - Suzanne Brogger

Heroine of the Week

Name: Cisely
Book: The Legacy

From the age of six to twelve years old, when other children were laughing and playing and sharing secrets with their friends, I was a woman-child, barely surviving and telling my secrets to no one. In the afternoons after school when I should have been busy at the business of being a child, I was subjected to the screams of my mother as my father beat her. And at night while other children were safely tucked in their beds and sleeping, I was forced to endure the sickening presence of my father in my room as he abused and defiled me.

One day my mother finally found the courage to leave her husband. She packed our things while he was at work and we moved from Charlotte back to her hometown of Asheville. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late, for my life had been permanently scarred. And it didn’t help that every man who came into our home and lived with my mother seemed to think I should be part of the deal.

Throughout my whole life I felt dirty and cheap, but more than anything, I felt alone. There was no one I could turn to and share my painful burdens. Later in life, that loneliness guided me to make decisions that only added to my misery and brought even more shame upon me.

A single tear slips down my cheek as I painfully remember the days and nights of endless partying, each one filled with drugs, alcohol, and sometimes immoral conduct. When I was younger, my father made it his solemn duty to tell me repeatedly that I was worthless and only good for one thing in life. It seemed his comments found a permanent place in both my mind and my heart. My father had foreseen my future and had helped as much as he could to make that future happen. But I know in the end, the choices had been my own, just as the choice to finally change my life had been.

I smile, melancholy coming over me as I remember the day I made the decision to abandon the self-destructive lifestyle. It was a little over a year ago. I had just gotten home from work. I was tired, my feet were sore after working all day waiting on table after table, and I was looking forward to a tall can of beer and some rest. I had just sat down when there was a knock at the door.

When I opened the door to the braid-wearing teenage girl donning heavy makeup, a dirty mini skirt, and scuffed up high heels–one of them broken, my first words were, “Sorry, no customers at this house.”

She gave me a teary smile and replied, “I'm not looking for a customer . . . I'm looking for a way out.”

Tears slip down my cheeks as I remember how my heart had instantly gone out to her. I knew the life she'd lived and what she'd suffered before reaching this point in her life. I didn't know her, had never seen her before, but I knew, because I had been there, myself. I invited her in and listened as she talked, my suspicions about her abusive childhood confirmed. I fed her and gave her some clothes to change into. Taking the tips I'd made that day from my purse, I called a cab, took her to the bus station, and put her on a bus to Raleigh to go and live with her aunt. Arriving back home, I sat on the sofa, closed my eyes and cried. Nothing I'd ever done in my life left me feeling as much peace as that one act had.

Getting to Know Sara Fitzgerald

2011-11-02T15:59:00.004-06:00

I had the privilege of reading Sara Fitzgerald's new YA paranormal romance Darkness Within, and I really enjoyed the story. It has the two favorite things: A hot vampire and romance. You can't go wrong with that!

About the Book
Samantha Van Skyhawk's, life is in terrible danger—and her unlife may just be beginning. Samantha’s dad is a vampire and soon, she too will change. She flees with her mom and brother to Shadow Falls to find the spell to kill the vampire blood flowing through her veins. When Samantha encounters Brent, a human with the most bewitching smile, things get complicated. She doesn’t have time for a romance, not with the daunting task of defeating a vampire who has been around for centuries. Then Samantha meets Drake, a totally hot vampire, who claims she belongs with him and the darkness within her completely agrees. She must fight her incredible urge to be with Drake and the yearning within her soul to become what she fears most. Will she save herself and those she loves or will she embrace the night forever?

Sara was kind enough to speak with me about herself and her book.

Sara, tell us a little about yourself.

I have been married for almost 20 years to a wonderful, kind man who has always supported my dream of writing. He even bought me my first computer and second writing course. I have a little girl who I adore. I love writing. Darkness Within is my fifth book. I have four other books published with Champagne Books. I love reading. I also love going to the movies and shopping.

When did you start writing?

I guess I stared writing in the fourth grade. I wrote a poem and my teacher hung it on the wall. That made me feel really really cool. I belonged to literary club at my high school and signed up and took a writing course through Writer Digest School. I wrote my first historical romance novel at age nineteen which will never see the light of day. It took several years to get my second novel published.

How did you come up with the story for Darkness Within?

I came up with the story of Darkness Within because my husband and I have always loved vampires. I thought it was a fun and unique idea. I also like the concept that people can change and choose their own fates.

How long did it take you to write it?

I have a little daughter with autism so I wrote it during the time she was being treated, so it did take about three years to write it and edited.

Do you have any other books available? Any upcoming projects?

I have four books out with Champagne. All four are sweet romance novels. I am working on the sequel to Darkness Within.

Where can we get your book?

You can purchase my book at champagnebooks.com and Amazon.`

Sara, thanks for taking the time to talk with us:-)

Thank you so much, Jewel, for having me as a guest. It has been a pleasure.

Elizabeth Mueller's New Paranormal Romance

2011-10-30T18:09:00.003-06:00

The beautiful and talented Elizabeth Mueller's new young adult paranormal romance Darkspell is now available to order on Amazon.com!

About the Book
Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary ... until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter's protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own. Will love prove thicker than magic? Included in this volume are author-created illustrations that bestselling author Ellen C. Maze calls a mind blowing treat. Darkspell is classified as a Young Adult Paranormal Romance that will appeal beyond the genre.

About the Author
Elizabeth Mueller knew that books couldn’t bite, but even though she never admitted, she was scared of them. What she didn’t know, ironically, was that she was building her way toward a career in books. She started writing poetry when she was 9, and stories when she was 11 that make her laugh now. It wasn’t until her creative writing teacher in 12th grade made her realize there was more to writing than life. That’s when she fell in love with books. She hasn’t stopped since, feverishly working to perfect the craft late into the night. She lives with her husband, four kids, a wolfdog, and two cats. Darkspell is her first novel. You can find her at elizabethmueller.blogspot.com or AuthorElizabethMueller.com, and email her at elizabeth.mueller.author@gmail.com

The Heroines Behind the Voices In My Head

2011-10-25T11:35:00.004-06:00

Thought for the Day

"You have the ability to do and be anything you desire if you put your mind to it."
Melissa Perry Moraja

I've been asked many times how I come up with stories for my books. My answer is never the same because each heroine I come up with kind of writes her own story. Most have some of my attributes, or in the case of The Legacy, a lot of them, because I draw upon experiences in my life- not all but some. And there has definitely been much in my life to draw upon. Because my past was devoid of fluff, my stories have enough fluff (meaningful fluff) to fill a pillow. I'm all about the fluff, and that's the way my fans like it:-)
So over the next few weeks, I will be featuring a few of the heroines of some of my stories, sharing excerpts to help you get to know them better. And since most of my books are written in first person, you are actually getting inside the head of each woman.

Heroine: Raine
Book: Against the Odds
Excerpt:

Atlanta, GA

I was angry. No, correction, I was livid! But more than anything, I was just plain tired.

“Sign them,” I said, tossing the folded divorce papers on the desk.

When Jerome looked up at me, I saw a mixture of incredulity, arrogance, and even a little sorrow play across his features. He stood and came around the desk.

“Raine,” he said, drawing out my name in the whiny way that had grown to be completely annoying a long time ago. “Come on, girl. You don't want to do this.”

I knew that same old tired line was coming, but it still amazed me that he was continuing to hang on, even when there was absolutely nothing left to hang on to. I stood silently for a moment, allowing my eyes to roam from his expensive Italian loafers, up his dark gray double-breasted three-piece suit, crisp white shirt and silk tie, finally resting my gaze on what I once thought was a handsome face.

I took in his smooth, dark skin and immaculately trimmed hair. Not able to help it, my thoughts went back to a time when I thought he was the most amazing black man in the world. I was eighteen, fresh out of high school, young and naive. He was smooth, he was sharp, and he was sexy.

None of these things should have been the basis for marriage, but sadly, for me they were. Oh, I knew it had been more lust than love. Still, when Jerome proposed to me over seven years ago during a candle-lit dinner in his Peachtree Towers office, I had accepted. I had been mesmerized by his money, his power, and his position, which he used to help me get into Zuri, one of the top modeling agencies in Atlanta. Everything seemed right with the world when I was with him. And he was pleased to have me adorning his arm at the many social functions we attended.

Through the years I grew to care about him very deeply. I thought I might even love him. Then came Jerome's first indiscretion, which as it turned out, was the beginning of the end for me. I forgave him for that act of infidelity. I even forgave him for the second one that occurred a year later. But this latest one . . . Shuniqua, this hoochie of a home-wrecker who I had even entertained at our backyard parties on several occasions, was more than I could stomach. I was tired of forgiving and forgetting. The forgiving fountain had run completely dry. I mean, good grief, we haven't even slept in the same bed in over six months because of his decision to seek intimacy elsewhere. Our sham of a marriage should have ended a long time ago. I had tried to end it, but Jerome kept holding on. Why, I didn't know. He sure made me feel worthless enough. All I seem to be good for now was decoration. In another few years my looks would begin to fade. Then what? I would most likely wait to be tossed aside like a worn pair of jeans that had seen better days. In some ways I felt like that now, worn and weary. He had used up the best of me, and I didn't know if there was much of me left to ever give to anyone else, or if I could even allow that to happen.

Pulling my mind forward, I sighed and tried to rid myself of the depressing thoughts. “You know what, Jerome? I do want to do this.” I tapped my manicured nails on the desk next to a framed photo of the two of us. It had been taken last year during a Caribbean vacation Jerome took me on to make up for his previous act of infidelity. To anyone who looked at the photo we looked like the perfect couple, so in love and so into each other. It was very deceiving. Our whole marriage had been a lie.

“Just sign the papers.”

And Raine is just getting started!

2011-10-17T09:18:00.003-06:00

Thought for Today

“The secret to having it all is believing that you do.”

Author unknown

It's all in the attitude:-)

I Will Persevere!

2011-10-09T20:31:00.003-06:00

After attending a romance writers conference this week where I sat in on some great workshops and mingled with amazing fellow romance writers, I am freshly motivated to turn out better and better stories, and make J. Adams a household name in the book world.
So, here are a few thoughts on perseverance:-)

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. ~Henry Ward Beecher

When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."
~Author Unknown

The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground. ~Author Unknown

Fall seven times, stand up eight. ~Japanese Proverb

Stubbornly persist, and you will find that the limits of your stubbornness go well beyond the stubbornness of your limits. ~Robert Brault

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another. ~Walter Elliott, The Spiritual Life

Getting to Know Junying Kirk

2011-09-28T09:12:00.004-06:00

Junying Kirk is the author of The Same Moon, a book I had the privilege of reading. It was a very emotional story and beautifully written. As a reader commented on Amazon, it was like reading someone's diary as she shares her private thoughts and memories.

About the Book
Pearl Zhang was born in Sichuan Province in China, and grew up during the Cultural Revolution. She was raised in a typically Chinese manner, went to school, got a job, got married, and her whole life path was mapped out, or so it seemed. Then she seized the opportunity to study in the United Kingdom – and stayed. How did she adjust to the Western way of life, and what did she have to do to overcome the barriers? Would she find happiness and fulfilment with her English suitor in Scotland, or would her heartache continue? She was in a new world, both foreign and exciting – under the Same Moon.

This book, the first of Junying Kirk’s “Journey to the West” Trilogy, will take you on a journey full of surprises and discoveries, from the East to the West, from the Middle Kingdom to the United Kingdom.

Junying was kind enough to answer some questions about herself and her book.

Me: Junying, tell us about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Junying: I was born at a time when China was in a great deal of political turmoil, as well as economic deprivation. When I started school, it was at the height of the Cultural Revolution, so formal education was often disrupted. However, I had a natural thirst for learning and knowledge, and I particularly enjoyed reading stories and writing compositions, even at a young age. I did excel in Chinese language, and would read whatever I could find, especially fiction, even at the risk of being caught and disciplined.

I was lucky to eventually go to university and English was my major. I can’t explain why exactly but I seemed to love everything associated being English and foreign. I started writing dairies at university and even attempted to write a short story once. The story I penned was about a young girl having a crush towards a boy. Because of the strict rule which forbade any romantic liaison between two sexes, my story never saw the light of the day, but I guess my desire to write was born.

Me: How did you come up with the story for The Same Moon?

Junying: The idea to write a book has been with me for a very long time, but it is hard for me to pinpoint one particular time when I came up with the story. I think coming from a country like China in the East and then having landed in a foreign country like UK came as quite a culture shock for me. In dealing with it, I started a process of self-discovery, as well as a profound learning curve, not just about myself, but also about the world we live in. I wrote a couple of short stories in Chinese which have been published in literary magazines and journals. Then one day I just sat down in front of my PC and started typing away. Having just finished my PhD in Cultural Studies and Education, I did not know if I would have to go back to China or I could stay on. I stayed and started writing the first part of my book, Under Chinese Skies. It was an attempt to record that part of Chinese history, through the eyes of an ordinary young girl. Her story would reflect that of many Chinese people, growing up, falling in love, her futile efforts to fight for her right to choose her love, the expectations of the society, and pressures of everyday life, and so on and so forth. There is some underlying universal truth in her struggle.

Me: How long did it take you to write it?

Junying: The Same Moon has not been an easy book to write, as it covers several decades in Pearl Zhang’s life, as well as a certain amount of deeply upsetting personal experiences and heartaches, set in both China and the UK. On and off, it took me a few years to complete the manuscript, but in terms of solid writing time, it would have been at least a year. I can seriously claim that it is a labour of love.

Me: Are you working on any new projects?

Junying: Before I finished The Same Moon, I actually started and finished another book, Trials of Life, which eventually became the second of my trilogy “Journey to the West”. Right now, I am working on my third and final novel of this trilogy.

I have built my own blogsite a few months ago and I now regularly update it with different writings, like travel logs, book reviews and various aspects of modern life. It is something I really enjoy doing.

My current W.I.P will be slightly different from my first two books, in terms of writing style and storyline. Although there is a central character, Pearl, who is the link in all three, they are all independent of one another, so readers do not have to read all of them or in sequence to enjoy them.

Me: Where can we get your book?

Junying: Currently my books are only in e-form and can be found on Amazon Kindle and Smashwords. Here are the Links to my books: The Same Moon (Book 1 of Trilogy “Journey to the West”)’ and the sequel, Trials of Life. Or go to Amazon UK Kindle, or go to Amazon USA; Both novels are also available on Smashwords.

Getting to Know Regan Walsh

2011-09-18T20:40:00.006-06:00

Today I am spotlighting romance author Regan Walsh. I had the opportunity to read her new romance Whisper Cape, and I gotta tell ya, Regan is one talented woman.

About the book
WHISPER CAPE is a town of secrets and Addison MacKenna soon becomes tangled in a web of them. Plagued with nightmares of her father’s sudden and brutal death, Addie struggles with her anguish and refuses to believe his demise was accidental.

Fighting to shake off one of those devastating early morning nightmares, Addison finds it even harder to escape from the vision of a man lying on the side of the road—a man she may have just killed. When she frantically tries to locate him, he seemingly disappears, just the beginning of strange occurrences in her life. She also cannot ignore the weird sensations in her own body. Suddenly, the impossible seems possible, but is that a blessing or a curse?

Believing that her continual and worsening nightmares are both the key to her own new abilities and the clue to her father’s death, Addie knows she will not rest until she has the answers she craves. As she strives to cope with her new remarkable talents, someone else learns of her abilities—a disgruntled maniacal psychopath with his own agenda that involves eliminating Addie. The only one who can protect her, instruct her in the use of her powers and teach her how to destroy the murderous monster is the same man who makes Addie’s heart race and her blood heat with passion. The same man she’d left for dead.
Cael Sheridan may be arrogant and mysterious but he's also undeniably gorgeous. A member of a secret society, he is sworn to protect the woman he believes to be the daughter of his recently murdered mentor. In the process, he finds it impossible to resist her magnetic sensuality, complicating his efforts to shield and guide her as she learns to manage her newly acquired skills. At the same time, Addison has much to teach him about trust and commitment. Fate has brought them together, but will it make them stronger or destroy them both in end?

This book has it it all - romance, mystery, paranormal. The story definitely held my attention and reading it was like watching a movie. Addie and Cael both drove me crazy at times, but I couldn't help but love them. I guess that's the sign of a good story, right? :-)

Regan was kind enough to answer some questions and help us get to know her better.

Me: Regan, tell us about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Regan: Writing is something I’ve always loved. Ten years ago, if someone had told me I could write a book, I’d have laughed and told them they were crazy, but a few years back, my husband and I sold our business and all of a sudden I had a bunch of time on my hands. After spending hours making quilts, I needed something more challenging and mentioned to a friend that I wanted to write a book. Once I said the words out loud, I decided to sit down at my computer and try it.

Me: How did you come up with the story for Whisper Cape?

Regan: To be quite honest, I really don’t know. It all came to me as I was writing. I didn’t start with an outline or anything, and I had no idea where it was headed or how it would end. It is most definitely character driven. Addie and Cael are real to me, and the story really came from them. At the time I wrote Whisper Cape, we lived in an eighty-year-old house that I believe, to this day, was haunted with a very loving and friendly ghost. My computer was set up in the downstairs bedroom, actually, it was more of a finished basement, and as I sat there, day after day, typing, I felt the spirit around me, encouraging me.

Me: How long did it take you to write it?

Regan: I started writing WC in September of 2007 and finished the first draft December 15, 2007. I wrote every day, eight or nine hours a day. When I was finished the first draft, I set it aside to enjoy the holidays. I didn’t look at it again until February 1, 2008. I read it from beginning to end and then removed scenes and added different ones. I think I edited it at least four or five times before it was picked up by Augusta-Heritage Press for ebook publication in March 2011, and of course, I had to edit it again.

Me: Are you working on any new projects?

Regan: A couple. I have a young adult novel, Allusive Aftershocks. A story of fear, love, hate, devastation and survival. It’s about a seventeen-year-old girl, Abella and a boy, Courtland, who become trapped in a wine cellar when it caves in on them after a very strong aftershock caused from a devastating major earthquake. I recently finished a complete rewrite and will go through a similar process as I did with WC on editing. I'm looking forward to the final stages of editing. Then, of course, there is the sequel to Whisper Cape, A Whisper at Death.

Me: Where can we get your book?

Regan: Right now it is available at White Beard Books and it will be available at Amazon in Kindle format September 23 and in print October 24, 2011.

Regan, thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts and information about Whisper Cape.
To learn more about Regan, visit her website at http://reganwalsh.com

A New Challissian Novelette

2011-09-05T16:18:00.006-06:00

So many readers love my romantic fantasy The Wishing Hour and have asked if there would be a sequel. I never planned to write one, but one of the characters who made a very brief appearance in The Wishing Hour begged to have his time on paper, so after three very late nights, he is now having his say.

Guardian of My Heart: A Challissian Novelette is the story of the connection between Gideon, a handsome immortal warrior and his mortal true mate, Cillian. Most of this emotionally-charged short story is told from Cillian's point of view as she shares her innermost thoughts on events that change her entire existence.

So, if you are a fan of The Wishing Hour and have wanted more of the hunky Challissian warriors, you have your wish. And if you are new to the world of the powerful soul's bond that connects true mates from two different worlds, hopefully experiencing these emotions through Cillian's eyes will touch your heart and win you over.
Guardian of My Heart will be available September 9th on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Smashwords.com, and JewelAdams.com. Available in paperback September 30th.

Excerpt from Guardian of My Heart

“Well, well, what do we have here?” The hardened voice causes me to jump, and I drop the flashlight as the large figure appears from nowhere. Matty spins around, coming face to face with the dangerous looking man. “So, having some roadside trouble, are ya? Or maybe a roadside tryst? If so, count me in for a piece of the action.”

Before I can even blink, the man flashes a knife. Since he is blocking the door of the car, I can't get in. Matty shoves me back and I scream when the man takes a swipe at him, but Matty manages to dodge the blade.

“Well, ain't you quick?” he says with amusement in his voice. “Hey, Harvey, this boy don't know who he's dealing with, does he?” A rough laugh fills the air as another man walks up beside Matty's car. He also produces a knife and slashes the tires.

Fear rips through my insides. Turning his head, Matty anxiously looks into my eyes and mouths “run” just as the man shoves the blade into his chest. In frozen horror, I watch his body fall to the wet road. As soon as the man's eyes move to me, I take off running through the trees.

Running blind in the vast wet darkness, the prayer forming on my lips is an endless chant–a chant for my safety, and for Matty's well-being. He just can't be dead, and if he is, I will never get over the loss because it would be my fault for leaving the studio like I did. I continue to run, somehow managing to dodge the trees. As the footsteps draw closer, visions of my mortality play before me on the movie screen that is my mind. The final vision of a beautiful blond god burns itself in my mind's eye, and the sound of his familiar voice saying, “I am here, beloved,” brands a place in my heart, just as the pain of the blade cuts the said organ in two.

Then I hear no more.

Say What You Need to Say

2011-08-31T08:40:00.004-06:00

"It is folly of our species that we reserve the greatest bouquets for our dead."
Richard Paul Evans

My thoughts:
* Make the most of every day with those we love.
* Don't ever put off showing family and friends how we feel about them.
* Forgive as often as we need to (which will be always.)
* Say what you need to say. Don't wait to say "I love you," because we never know when it might be the last time we will have the chance.

Suggested Reading

Book: The Key of Kilenya
Author: Andrea Pearson

The Book:
When two vicious wolves chase fourteen-year-old Jacob Clark down a path from our world into another, his life is forever changed. He has no idea they have been sent by the Lorkon—evil, immortal beings who are jealous of powers he doesn’t know he possesses—powers they desire to control. The inhabitants of the new world desperately need Jacob's help in recovering a magical key that was stolen by the Lorkon and is somehow linked to him. If he helps them, his life will be at risk. But if he chooses not to help them, both our world and theirs will be in danger. The Lorkon will stop at nothing to unleash the power of the key—and Jacob's special abilities.

This was a very fun read with plenty of action to keep the story moving. I love the world the author created and the storyline never gets dull. This is the beginning a series that is sure to be great:-) Both youths and adults will enjoy The Key of Kilenya.
To learn more about Andrea and her books, stop by her blog at kilenyaseries@blogspot.com

My Best Friend - I Think I'll Keep Him

2011-08-15T14:43:00.007-06:00

"If the heavens were to open and a host of Angels descend, they could not have produced such an effect on my soul as MaryAnn descending the chapel staircase for our wedding." Richard Paul Evans - Timepiece

I really have no reason for choosing this quote other than I just love it, because I love romance!
Last week my husband and I celebrated our twenty-second wedding anniversary. While many women have to light a fire under their husband when it comes to anniversary plans, I've been privileged to be married to a man that plans every detail of ours. He never tells me what we are doing until the week of our anniversary, and I am pleasantly surprised every time. I've never known a more romantic guy. A lot of people ask me why I write romance novels. Well . . . there you have it! I'm a romantic because of him, and when I write romance novels, the hero always has his attributes- they are just younger, a bit more muscular, and have a lot more hair:-)

There are so many people in the world who search for that perfect soul-mate, when in fact, there is no such thing, and if that is what we look for when seeking a mate, we will be disappointed every time. But when a heart is open enough for fate to do its job, we are be blessed with something even better.

I am not perfect and neither is my husband, but he is perfect for me in every way. There were no shooting stars or fireworks the first time my husband kissed me, but there was a warm, familiar feeling that felt like home. Our life together has not been smooth sailing with no trials, but there isn't another person I would rather face those trials with. Our relationship isn't accented by chocolate and roses everyday, but it has been strengthened by children and the joys and sorrows that come with them. Our days are not completely carefree and unhindered by worries, but each obstacle overcome together and each stone requiring stepping over have brought with them lessons so great, they have made us scholars in a college course of love and relationship that was tailor-made just for us. And I could not imagine sharing the laughter and tears those lessons produce with anyone but him, because he truly is my best friend. When a person makes you a better just by connecting their life to yours, there is truly no greater title.

Suggested Reading

Book: The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
Author: Debra Brown
About the book
A baby girl was found in a basket on Squire Carrington's doorstep. She was raised and sent to work as a servant girl for The Countess of Holmeshire. The widowed and unconventional Countess chose Miss Emma Carrington as a companion and sent her off for finishing with the goal of dragging her along into genteel Victorian society. What sort of reception would she have at tea and dinners?
The young Earl of Holmeshire was engaged by arrangement to a lovely London lady, but their relationship was difficult. Could they work it out? Even the tribulations and banned romances of the servants downstairs play into the story as we follow Emma from a stone fortress to a Victorian village and then into fabulous London mansions. Great surprises unfold at a Midsummer Night's Dream Ball which help to solve mysteries that have gradually developed. You are invited to predict the great revelation of the last few pages!

I don't read a lot of historical romance, but I have enjoyed the few I've read. There is something educational about the period language and I feel a little smarter reading it:-) I can now add The Companion of Lady Holmeshire to the list of good historical reads. The author's description of the Victorian era is wonderful and makes you feel like you are there as you get involved in the story. I loved the characters, and I felt the emotion of Emma throughout her journey and was a cheerleader for her to the very end.
Ahhh, I love novels that leave you with warm fuzzies:-)
Get your copy of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire by logging onto Amazon.com. To learn more about Debra Brown, log onto Worldcastlepublishing.com

Looking Inside Ourselves

2011-08-04T09:00:00.006-06:00

"There are those who, in the same breath, pray for the poor and for the blessing of never encountering them." Richard Paul Evans

How many times have we heard someone say, "If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know," only to find that when we actually need the help, the offer wasn't a sincere one? How many times have we said to someone, "If I can help, let me know," only to renege on the offer when it is actually needed?
One of my favorite songs is Find Out Who Your Friends Are by Tracy Lawrence. Because the words of the song are so true. Only when we are in need do we truly find out whose offers are sincere and whose aren't. And only when we recognize the need of someone else do we find out what we are really made of. Will we sincerely offer of ourselves or will we turn a blind eye and wish the dilemma away, hoping it will fix itself without our help? And I don't mean financial (all though if that is your way of helping someone, then that is your choice) I mean being there emotionally, lending a listening ear, being a support, lightening someone's burden.

Man is that he might have joy. What could bring us greater joy than helping others along the way? It's all part of the experience. It's how we learn and grow. None of us can make it through this life alone, and each of us will be touched by the deeds of others along the journey. Why not do what we can to make the path smoother for one another? If we will only do this, it will make reaching our intended destination that much more sublime. With a goal like that in our sights, how could we not have joy? Think about it:-)

Suggested Reading

Book: Matched
Author: Ally Condie

About the Book
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Living In the Present

2011-07-20T10:12:00.004-06:00

Evans Quote of the Day

"It has been a mistake living my life in the past. One cannot ride a horse backwards and still hold its reins."

Revisiting the past is sometimes a good thing, but only if are able to let go of it just as easily. How many times have we made mistakes and poor choices, and, instead of internalizing the lessons learned and moving on, we relive those mistakes over and over again? How many times have we remember good moments and tried to hold onto them for dear life instead of treasuring those memories and allowing ourselves to progress and make more of those moments? Most of us have done one or the other.

My motto has always been, "You get out of life what you put into it." No matter what happened in the past, each new day presents us a with clean slate, and it is up to us to decide what will be written on ours. We should remember that though God holds the eraser and makes use of that eraser every day, we need to draw something memorable and beautiful-something we want permanently etched into that canvas, and save Him the task of erasing. Because after a while the canvas can grow thin in some spots, and the old paint sometimes mixes in with the new, causing the colors that once shone so vivid and pure, to taint each picture thereafter.

It took a lot of years for me to train myself to leave the past in the past where it belongs. I have no desire to forget my past, and no desire to relive it. It is tucked away in my mental suitcase, only making an appearance when a refresher course on a past lesson is needed for life's unexpected pop quizzes.

Becoming Fearless - The Possibilities Are Endless!

2011-07-11T20:21:00.004-06:00

"The greatest shackles we bear in this life are those forged by our own fears."
Richard Paul Evans - The Looking Glass

When I first started writing, I experienced various emotions-excitement, euphoria over actually finishing a book, and pride.
But I also felt fear.
I worried about how my book would be received. Will people like it? Will they think I am a good writer, or will my work be perceived as amateurish? Will readers be happy they bought the book or will they wish they could get their money back? Will other authors read my book and shake their heads at my inexperience? Do my grandmother and mother-in-law really like it and think my work is good or are they only biased?
So many of these questions fed my fear of failing and held me back. I mean, I definitely wasn't the greatest writer in the world and I'm still not, nor I will never be, but that fear still garnered a space inside me and kept me from growing as a writer. It wasn't until I let that emotion go and became fearless that I truly began to develop my own voice in the world of the written word.

Each of us has a talent, one that, given the time and the desire to persevere, can take us as far as we want to go. But only if we hold onto the goal and let go of the fear of failing. Being fearless isn't just a state of mind, it's a state of being, and when we finally reach that place in ourselves where we truly understand our potential, nothing can stop us or hinder our way.
Life is a journey, and if we keep fear from blocking the path or deterring the way, eventually we will reach our destination.

The Quotable Evans

2011-07-04T19:23:00.005-06:00

One of my favorite authors is Richard Paul Evans. Each time I read one of his books, I come away feeling uplifted, as well as inspired by the stories.
The Quotable Evans is a little book containing diaries and letters from his novels. The quotes are thought-provoking and teach some wonderful lessons.
For the next while, I will be sharing some of those quotes with you, and I hope these thoughts will inspire you as much as they have me.

Evans Quote of the Day

"There are those whose primary ambition in life is to leave their names chiseled on some small corner of this globe. But this is folly. The greatest tragedy is not to die unknown by strangers, but unloved by our companions."

We place importance on so many things in life, and sometimes we lose sight of what is really important. All of us, in one respect or another do want to leave our mark on the world, something that will insure we will not be forgotten. But in our quest for this, we need to remember that being remembered as a great person is better than being remembered as someone who did something great. The latter will insure your mark and celebrate that one great deed, but the former will engrave the memory of your life in the hearts of everyone you come in contact with and every life you touch.
Now that is what I call leaving your mark on the world:-)

What Kind of Legacy Will You Leave?

2011-06-21T08:07:00.003-06:00

One of the reasons I wrote The Legacy was because I wanted to share the message that we can overcome anything, no matter our background or situation. If we truly want to make a difference in this world and want to live a great life, nothing can stop us from doing this when we make the choice to do it.

Nothing, that is . . . except ourselves.

People often ask me if any of the characters in my books are me. Truthfully, I put a little of myself in each female lead character I create, but they are actually a lot better than me. Of all the female characters I've written about, the one I put the most of myself into is Cisely in The Legacy. I can relate to her because I've been where she once was. I endured some of the same pains, suffered some of the same sorrows, and felt the same joy of breaking free and changing the course of my life.
And, like Cisely, I finally came to a point when I was able to look back on those refining experiences with gratitude for the lessons learned.
This is the legacy I want to leave in this life - to be tried, and tried again, then endure and conquer, not just for myself, but for my family and anyone I am blessed to come in contact with in this life. I'm far from being a saint and I know I will never reach perfection, but I love the person I am now and the life I've been given, and I know it is up to me to choose how I will live it out.

So, what kind of legacy will you leave?
Leave a comment sharing your thoughts and receive a free copy of The Legacy ebook. There are three ways to claim your copy.
1.) Leave your email address along with your comment.
2.) Leave a comment, then email me at jewela40@gmail.com informing me that you left a comment.
3.) Leave a comment, then log onto Facebook and send me a message.
It's that simple:-)

Here is an excerpt form The Legacy.

Having stuffed my last pair of jeans into a large suitcase, I zip it shut and hope the seams won’t burst. It was given to me by a friend because I've never had one of my own. I've never traveled anywhere before to need one, and until now, I hadn't ever thought I would. I fill the carry-on bag with the few cosmetics and toiletries I possess. Then I look at my reflection in the large mirror hanging above an old, cracked dresser that until today, held all of my clothes. I think it has to be the oldest piece of furniture in the apartment.

I study the light, cocoa-brown skinned woman looking back at me and smile, but my honey-colored eyes hold a sadness I have never been able to rid them of. I have always been told by friends that I have sad eyes. I know it is true, yet most people don’t know of the pain behind my eyes. I have never let anyone get close enough, and I don’t know if I ever will.

I run a brush through the dark auburn hair hanging down past my shoulders and push it back with a brown headband. I think about adding a few curls but decide against it. After straightening the collar of the yellow blouse I purchased for this trip, I apply some clear gloss to my full lips, a coat of mascara to my lashes, and a touch of blush to my sculpted cheeks. Then I study my reflection once more and decide this is as good as it's going to get.

I have always considered myself an average looking black woman, and I just don't see what others say they see when they looked at me. I have been told by the people around me that I am beautiful. They say my skin is satiny smooth, my voluptuous figure very trim, and my voice is like silk to the ears. Truthfully, I have never seen any of these things and I can't help but wonder how and why others see them. I ponder this a moment and deduct that my mind has somehow been trained to think there isn’t anything about me that is worth much, and no matter how hard I try to tell myself otherwise, all I ever see are flaws.

Sighing, I sit on the edge of the bed and look around the almost bare studio apartment I've lived in for the past year and a half. I become even sadder as I think about my life up to this point, and I am once again doubting my worth.

In my twenty-two years of life, I have seen and suffered things no one should have to. Having been raised by an alcoholic mother and an abusive father, childhood had been nothing but miserable for me. From the age of six to twelve years old, when other children were laughing and playing and sharing secrets with their friends, I was a woman-child, barely surviving and telling my secrets to no one. In the afternoons after school when I should have been busy at the business of being a child, I was subjected to the screams of my mother as my father beat her. And at night while other children were safely tucked in their beds and sleeping, I was forced to endure the sickening presence of my father in my room as he abused and defiled me.

She gave me a teary smile and replied, “I'm not looking for a customer . . . I'm looking for a way out.”

I immediately threw away every bit of alcohol in the apartment, vowing to never take another drink, pop another pill, or smoke another joint for the rest of my life. I stopped partying and made a commitment to change my life. I was determined to do this, despite family members and friends telling me I would never change. Sadly, I had no support from anyone except the counselor assigned to me when I enrolled in a free substance abuse program. No one in my family, nor the people I associated with, would let go of the past. So how was I supposed to? I couldn’t escape it because it surrounded me and was constantly being thrown back in my face.

Even now, I still struggle with doubts. I've listened to several motivational talks on learning to forgive oneself, letting go of past mistakes and moving on, but the messages never seem to stick, and in my heart I continue to feel unworthy, too unworthy to deserve more in life. We reap what we sow, as they say. I haven't sown enough good.

Bringing my thoughts back to the present, I open my purse and pull out a letter I received in the mail three weeks ago. It is from an older woman I met a couple of months ago when she was visiting from Salt Lake City.

I met Jessica Kelly at a women's motivational conference downtown. We sat next to each other and were instantly taken with one another. At the close of the conference, Jessica told me she wanted to get to know me better.

We had lunch together the next day. And throughout that week when I wasn’t working, I spent a great deal of time with her and we did many things together.

Jessica managed to get me to open up a little about my life, which was something I had never done before. I don't know how she managed it. Though I didn’t give many details, the little I shared with her brought the poor woman to tears. I hated making her cry, but I appreciated that she cared.

In that week I grew to care about Jessica a great deal, and I wished my own mother could be more like her. I thought it sad that in just one week I developed more of a relationship with the older woman than my own mother.

Jessica told me she had always been alone. She never married and it saddened her that she was never blessed with children of her own. And except for the times her nephew came to visit her from Australia, she wandered through her big home alone with no one to talk to.

Smiling, I read the letter again, still in awe of what is written there. Jessica has invited me to come and stay with her for a while in Salt Lake City. She even sent a plane ticket with the letter, making it harder for me to say no, just as she had known it would. She knows me well. I've never dreamed of going so far away, and to say I am nervous is an understatement. But the excitement of starting over somewhere where no one knows me or anything about my past overrides my nervousness. I again read the last part of the letter.

Now I know you don’t like to feel like you’re not pulling your own weight, so before you say no, I just want to tell you I own a women’s clothing boutique downtown. One of the girls working for me had to quit suddenly. The position is yours if you want it. It is only three days a week, so we would still have plenty of time to visit and sight see, and of course, shop. We’re going to have the time of our lives! It would mean so much to me to have you here, Cisely. More than you could ever know. Call me soon.

Much love,

Jessica.

Hearing the taxi honking outside, I refold the letter and put it back in my purse. I touch up my makeup and place the key to the apartment on the counter for the landlord. Sadly, there are no more goodbyes to be said. My mother really doesn’t seem to care that I'm leaving. Neither does anyone else for that matter, but I have received various opinions on how they think my life will turn out. “You’ll be back,” I remember my so-called friends saying. “You’re going to be right back here partying with the rest of us. You can never escape where you’ve been or who you are.”

I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head, doing my best to dislodge the negative thoughts. Looking around the half empty room one last time, I grab my bags and leave.

A Fellow Author's Selfless Efforts

2011-06-07T07:38:00.007-06:00

Authors have various reasons for starting a blog. Some do it to have an outlet to advertise and discuss their books. Some do it to discuss the books of others. Some focus on writing tips and advice, and some simply use their blogs to voice random thoughts and talk about things that are important to them. (Like celebrating making it through an entire day using only your "inside voice" or successfully not scalping a child, or feeling guilty about that big slice of chocolate cream cake you basically inhaled in record time:-))
I do all of the above. (Really, I truly don't scalp my children. The dog is another story:-))

Today I chose to post an email by Cheri Chesley, an amazing lady who is also a great author.

"My friend, Rebecca White, is 35 years old and has breast cancer. She got her diagnosis May 11th. She had a mastectomy May 13th. Three days later, she went back to the doctor to have the bandages removed. She confessed, almost in a whisper, that she just wasn't ready to see under the bandages.

Rebecca is an amazing, strong person. She's so skilled in all those craft-type things that leave me with glue on my fingers and glitter in my hair. She has a happy marriage and three great kids age 10 and under. Rebecca could be me. She could be your sister, your friend, your mother. She could be you. You can meet her and get to know her on her blog, http://allaboutthewhites.blogspot.com/
In general terms, we know cancer can strike anyone at any time. It's not an old person's disease anymore. It strikes children, mothers; in short, anyone. Soon Rebecca will start her chemotherapy. We're all optimistic for a positive outcome, but cancer surgeries and treatments do not come cheaply. Since she won't let me shave my head, I've decided to show my support for Rebecca in other ways. This is more than taking her meals and taking her kids to and from church; I've done that. Anyone can do that, and they do. We have a supportive ward out here. But I wanted to take it a step further.
I'm donating all my book sales income through August 31st to help Rebecca and her family pay their medical expenses. This is something they need, and in order to make it the most effective I need all the help I can get.
And this is why I'm appealing to everyone I can. My book sales don't just mean the royalties from selling print copies of The Peasant Queen (which, incidentally, is on LDS Living's Summer Reading List), but also all income from my two e-books--The Wild Queen and my short story, Ghost Bride. It's so easy. All you have to do is purchase depending on your interests and ability to help.
The Wild Queen and Ghost Bride can be found at http://www.smashwords.com/, which not only offers the e-books for every e-reader including simply your home computer, but also offers the highest revenues. Printed copies of The Peasant Queen can be purchased at your local bookstore or online at Amazon.com Barnesandnoble.com and Borders.com Amazon and Barnes and Noble also offer each book for the Kindle or Nook, respectively.

Thank you in advance for your help, and happy reading! Blog post: http://cherichesley.blogspot.com/2011/05/easiest-way-to-give.html "

Let's help Cheri out. You'll feel good and read some great books as well:-)

I Am Black and An American, Darn It!

2011-05-24T09:10:00.008-06:00

Yes, I am on another rant about the unnecessarily absurd political correctness we've been bogged down with in this country.

So, I pose this question: Why is it that a black person is automatically labeled African-American? I mean, how did we come up with this deduction? Why is it assumed that my ancestors came from Africa? What if they were from Jamaica or the Bahamas or Fiji, or even South America for that matter? Or maybe they were blacks born in Greece or Scotland. Why are all blacks dumped into the same ancestral gene pool? Who died and made the powers-that-be "Kings of So-Called Political Correctness," or rather "Political Incorrectness?"
My father's grandmother was half-white, and my mother's grandmother was a full-blooded Black-foot Indian. That would make me a mix-blooded American, wouldn't it? But I'll just settle for Black-American, or better yet, just plain old American, because that's what I am. Do we ever hear white people called Dutch-American or French-American, or Egyptian-American? (Actually, the last one would be pretty funny:-) Even the Native Americans' ancestors came from somewhere else. Almost everything we've been taught about history is poppycock!

So, to sum up this rant that could go on forever (and I do mean forever) let's just dump all this political correctness garbage in the garbage because that is where it belongs. I am black, and I am an American! Do you hear this, people? I am an American! And I'm a nice one, too. Really, I am:-)
Have an awesome day, my fellow Americans!

Suggested Reading

Book: The Third
Author: Abel Keogh

This is a book I couldn't wait to read because I knew it would be good, and I wasn't disappointed. Imagine living in a time when it is illegal to have more than two children unless you pay the government for the privilege. (Not hard to imagine since our country is slowly heading in that direction anyway.) This story is about a family that finds themselves in this dangerous situation when the wife becomes pregnant and the husband is unable to purchase the mandatory credit needed to be approved of the right to have a third child.

The Book

In this stark and haunting look at the not-so-distant future, an environmentally minded society elects to limit the number of children couples can have, enforcing dire consequences for lawbreakers. But when his wife gets pregnant with a forbidden third child, Ransom Lawe is forced to choose between the government who's trying to save the world from ecological disaster and the family he loves dearly.

When Ransom Lawe, a recycler in the Pacific Northwest, finds out his wife is pregnant with their third--and therefore illegal--child, he's forced to choose between the government who proclaims a desire to save the planet and his hope for a place where his family can live in freedom. But with the Census Bureau Sentinels closing in on his wife and unborn child, Ransom's choice will either save his family or tear them apart forever.

Abel Keogh offers a stark and haunting look at a not-so-distant future in this chilling new novel. Crossing lines between good and evil, freedom and oppression, and political and environmental responsibility, The Third is a gut-wrenching tale of intense loyalty and unconditional love.

I finished this book quickly because I couldn't put it down. Very thought-provoking story, not to mention the author is a great guy:-) Get your copy of The Third by logging onto Amazon.com

Sick People Have Feelings, Too!

2011-05-08T20:52:00.004-06:00

This was a pretty emotional Mother's Day for me for various reasons ranging from one end of the Girl-o-Meter to the other. I feel renewed gratitude for my children and the amazing people they are, and I'm thankful for a husband that loves me and the spastic children he helped to create. I, too, am a little spastic at times, but since this communicable ailment rubbed off my children onto me, I think my husband deserves the credit because they get it from his side of the family. (He will beg to differ:-))

Today I found myself pondering my mothering skills, wondering if I've been doing my job okay and vowing to do better. I've had different examples to follow.
My mother-in-law is as patient as they come and has raised some great kids who are doing their best to raise good kids. My mother, who was an alcoholic all her life, did her best for us when she was sober, which was not often. Despite her weaknesses, I learned from her the art of survival, which got me through some tough times in life, including my suffering the consequences that came from past poor choices.
My grandmother was one of the sweetest women in the world and was a major influence on me. She suffered many trials, but she stayed strong and held onto her integrity until until she passed away in 2007. I've really missed her, even more so today, and I was grateful for the time I was able to spend with her during her last weeks before she succumbed to ovarian cancer. She was incoherent a great deal of that time, but when she was coherent, she communicated well for the most part and we had some wonderful conversations. Other than taking bathroom breaks and jaunting to the kitchen to grab a plate of food, I never let her side for the time I was there, even when she was sleeping, because I knew she knew I was there. For me, that was the most important thing.
Yes, I miss my grandmother, and I'm sure I always will, but how grateful I am for the opportunity I had to just be there, to let her know she wasn't alone. She was sick, but she still had feelings, even when she didn't, or couldn't voice them.

Which brings me to a neat little booklet I read last week. Communication for the Cognizant, Nonverbal Patient was written by Jean Alleman, Trudy Brown, and Susan Robison, and is an excellent resource for anyone caring for a sick patient who may not be able to express their needs.

About the Booklet
If you're a patient whose mind knows what to say but whose mouth is unable to convey those thoughts, you've probably become very frustrated with finding a way to get your needs met. If you're the caregiver watching or trying to help the patient, you've likely become frustrated as well. Communication is about to become easier. With the help of this book, patients will finally be able to express their needs without speaking.

Simple sentences such as 'I am thirsty. May I have some water?' and so forth allow patients to point out the thought they need to share so caregivers know just how to help. With colorful illustrations and an easy format, Communication for the Cognizant, Nonverbal Patient is the book that will give a voice to patients.

To order this helpful booklet, log onto tatepublishing.com or mycompanionvoice.blogspot.com for the ebook.

Thinking For Ourselves - Think About It

2011-05-02T10:33:00.004-06:00

"Is there any vestige of truth left in our declaration that we think for ourselves? Or do we even trouble to declare this any more? Perhaps the man who says he “thinks for himself” is simply one who does not think at all; because he has no fully articulate thoughts, he thinks he has his own incommunicable ideas."
Thomas Merton

I have always been a person who likes to go against the grain. I don't like to conform to what society deems "important." I never have. I am not politically correct, and I don't read the newspaper or listen to the news and accept it all as truth. I mean, how many of us have the "Of course it's true because it was on the news or in the paper" mentality? How many of us take what the medical profession says as gospel? How many of us believe everything we've been taught by the world? And if we do, why is that?

From the time my children were young, I've always encouraged them to learn as much as they could and strive to stay informed because I didn't want them to grow up letting someone else do their thinking.
Thinking for ourselves is so important, especially with all that is going on in the world. We are faced with information (sometimes indoctrination) coming at us in every direction. There are many paths to choose, varying in length, ease, and difficulty. There are also endless possibilities placed before us, and it will always be that way on this journey we call life. It is up to us to not just choose the good part, but choose the better part. If we strive to do this, there is no way we could ever be led astray. And when we do this, we are truly thinking for ourselves and will not be swayed by the media, by celebrities, or any worldly thing.
In the complicated world we live in (and it's only going to get more complicated,) truly learning to think for oneself is is definitely a priceless and crowning achievement, one that does not boast with pride or sound a trump glorifying the fact, but an achievement that will earn one the blessing of hearing an affirming inner voice whisper, "Well done. Now let's continue on, shall we?"

Are You Rich?

2011-04-21T08:07:00.006-06:00

I am often asked how many books I have written. I usually say I don't know because I've stopped counting. Then the person will ask me how many of my books are published. Again I answer that I don't know. Eight out of ten times, the person then replies, "Wow, you must be doing good! Are you rich?"
My new reply now is, "Why, yes, I have been very blessed." And no, it isn't a lie because I am. I'm rich in blessings:-)
Writing is a labor of love and if a writer is in it for the money, then it isn't truly labor of love, it's work. Of course getting paid for your work is good, and making a lot of money is great. Becoming a best selling author would be even better! But that isn't why we do it.
We do it because of our love of the written world. We do it because it's a creative release and we're just oozing with creativity. We do it because if we don't give our rampant ideas an outlet, we will one day spontaneously combust, releasing all that pent up creativity, and leave brain fragments scattered all over the desk and computer screen or kitchen table, for family and loved ones to clean up. That would be pretty messy, and the visual is actually making me a little ill. (Another idea for a book, maybe?)
So the next time someone assumes you're doing really well and getting rich from your writing, you say, "Heck, yes, I'm rich!" Because your God-given talent is truly producing some major blessings. It is bringing new people into your life and taking you to places you never thought you would go, and you're soaring to new heights you never thought you would reach.
Now I'd say that's rich, wouldn't you?

Suggested Reading

Book: Hearts Through Time
Author Marie Higgins

I started Reading Hearts Through Time on Monday and couldn't put it down. Then I caught the flu and was in bed for a couple of days. As sick as I was, I forced myself to sit up for a couple of minutes here and there to read more of the book because I just had to find out what happened next. A couples of times I felt like I was dying after doing this and had to sleep for a couple of hours because it took so much out of me. But as soon as I woke up, I struggled to read another paragraph or two. Now this, people, is the sign of a great story!

The Book
A love story that transcends time . . .

When a woman claiming to be a ghost from 1912 appears in Nick Marshal's office and begs for help in solving her murder, he thinks he has lost his mind. A scandal that rocked Hollywood almost destroyed his law practice, so he doesn't need any more fireworks as he rebuilds his life. Still, he is intrigued by Abigail Carlisle's plea, and he needs clients, even if this one insists she's dead. The more secrets Nick uncovers, the deeper he falls for the beautiful ghost.
Abigail believes Nick is her heart's true desire, but how can happily-ever-after happen when she's already dead? The more time she spends with him, the more real she becomes, until Nick can finally touch her.
In a strange turn of events, Nick is suddenly whisked back to 1912, two weeks before Abby's murder, but she doesn't remember him. When he attempts to win her over so he can save her from a tragic destiny, Abby thinks Nick is courting her for her inheritance. But even if he can rescue her and make her trust him again, how can they be together forever?

This book was a sweet lighthearted read that immediately drew me in and moved quickly, and there wasn't one dull moment. The cover is absolutely beautiful and exactly how I would picture Abigail. It was such a fun story and the author's personality clearly shines through her writing.

I asked Marie how she came up with the story.

Marie: How did I come up with the story? Well... Three years ago (or so) paranormal was getting bigger, and I wanted to write a paranormal romance, but vampires and werewolves were just not interesting. Ghosts were. I wanted the woman to be my ghost from 1912. Why that era you ask...because I love their clothes! Ha ha ha! So before actually plotting my story, I whipped out the first chapter. Little did I know there would be such a mystery surrounding her murder. After chapter four I realized I had to actually plot the story. lol I can honestly say, my characters wrote this story for me. I never knew I could create such a plot.
To find out more about Marie Higgins and her books, stop by her blog at http://mariehiggins84302.blogspot.com/

My First Crush . . . Ah, Puppy Love (Sigh)

2011-04-03T18:53:00.011-06:00

I had a lot of favorite television shows in the late 70s and early 80s. All In the Family, Good Times, The Jeffersons, The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, Nanny and the Professor, The Incredible Hulk, Wonder Woman . . . the list goes on and on.
But all of those shows could never compare to my absolute favorite, Starsky and Hutch! That was my show with a capital S, because I had a major crush on both David Starsky and Ken Hutchinson. I'm talking major, people! I was engaged to them both and they had no idea. They were both going to wait for me to get a little older, then marry me. They were going to pick me up in Zebra-3 and we'd ride off into the sunset.
Yes, people, in my young little mind, I was already a teenage bigamist!

Now that I am much older with a capital M, I still love the show and watch the reruns wherever I can catch them, and I plan to own the complete series before the year is over. (Thank goodness for Amazon.) And though the love affair with these sixty something year-old guys has ended (I'm married to my own handsome blond-haired, blue-eyed Hutch) they will forever have a place in my heart as the most awesome cop duo and my first crushes.

So, what were your favorite 70s and 80s shows, and who was, or were your heart-breaking hunks? Leave a comment and I'll send you an ecopy of the revised edition of my contemporary romance Against the Odds with the gorgeous new cover!

Perspective

2011-03-23T22:01:00.003-06:00

Lately I have been thinking a lot about perspective and how differently we see things from time to time. But do we really truly see?
Here are a few of my favorite quotes on perspective.

Those who believe they can do something and those who believe they can't are both right.
- - Henry Ford
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
- Anonymous
Before criticizing a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
- Old English Proverb
Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.
- William James
He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions.
- Louisa May Alcott
Recognizing my blindness is the first step toward regaining my sight.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

So . . . How Did I Use the Best Opening Line Contest Winner?

I'm so thrilled to share with you an excerpt from my next book in the Challissian series. It includes the winning entry. The tentative title is The Light of Day.

Excerpt

I will never forget the day I died. I remember it like it was yesterday. The translating of my body from mortal to immortal had taken no more time than the blinking of an eye.

The pain I suffered at the moment of my demise had been brutal but quick, the dagger piercing my heart with one-hundred percent accuracy. Of course, being held against the wall by my murderer while he did the deed insured accuracy.

Closing my eyes, I shake my head, shuddering slightly as I attempt to push the memory away. The event is now in the past and I have no desire to remember it any longer.

Let you mind be at ease, my heart.

My husband's deep voice enters my mind as his muscular arms enfold me in his warm embrace. Staring out our bedroom window at the beautiful mountainous Challissian landscape, I lean back against him and sigh, soaking in the comfort his warm being provides. He bends and rests his chin on the crown of my head.

You are safe now. You are mine and my blood now flows through your veins. You are home, and we will never be separated again.

Turning in his arms, I reach up and pull his head down. Pressing my forehead to his, I tangle my hands in his silky blond hair. How grateful I am for that.

He closes his violet eyes and sighs as his warm mouth meets mine, and the last lingering thought of my past life fades into nothingness.

Journey of Honor

2011-03-11T20:48:00.004-07:00

I've been slacking on my blog posting, but now that I've been able to come up for oxygen, I am finally back. I've been pondering the importance of positive thinking again and came across a few good quotes.

Reality is the mirror of your thoughts. Choose well what you put in front of the mirror.
Remez Sasson

Attitudes are contagious. Are yours worth catching?
Dennis and Wendy Mannering

If you don't think every day is a good day, just try missing one.
Cavett Robert

Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day.
Author Unknown

Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.
Francesca Reigler

To be upset over what you don't have is to waste what you do have.
Ken S. Keyes Jr.

Suggested Reading

I had the privilege of reading Journey of Honor: A Love Story by Jaclyn M. Hawkes. It's a tender love story about a young woman who relies on her faith after suffering a terrible act of violence and a man searching for a truth and a happiness only she can give him.

The Book
Disowned, she came to American anyway. Attacked and left pregnant by a vicious mob, she still pressed on. Finally in spite of being accused of theft by the vilest of her attackers, Giselle tries to remain as upbeat and uncomplaining as a prairie wildflower as she travels on to Zion.

Thoroughly disillusioned with the ugliness and cruelty of slavery in the South. Trace Grayson leaves his young medical career to go west, hoping to leave bigotry and hatred behind. He begins taking goods by teamster train to sell in the territories. However, this fourth time across in July 1848, he's stuck in St. Joseph, Missouri, waiting for enough wagons to join the train so that they can leave.

Knowing that if they don t start west soon, they ll be caught by snow in the mountains. Trace is thrilled when the final wagon signs on. Then, when the beautiful young Dutch girl traveling with the last wagon is falsely accused of stealing and is detained, the whole trip is jeopardized. Thrown together by circumstances, Trace and Giselle team up to begin to figure out just how to make this epic journey across a continent a success.

With a deep sense of honor and an equally strong sense of humor, together they learn to deal with everything except the one trial that neither of them can overcome.
This is a journey through the refiner s fire.

This is a great book and a fast read. I was easily pulled into the story and uplifted by the way Giselle and Trace handled the trials. This a a book you will want to read again and again. Get your copy of Journey of Honor by logging onto http://www.jaclynmhawkes.com/ or Amazon.com

Winner, Winner!

2011-02-25T09:16:00.002-07:00

I am pleased to announce the winner of the Best Opening Line contest. It was hard to choose because there were so many good ones and I wish I could use them all, but alas, there can only be one opening line. So . . . without further ado, the winner of the contest is Matt Davis!

Entry: I will never forget the day I died.

Congratulations, Matt, and to everyone who sent in an entry. You are all very talented and I appreciate all of you.

Contest Reminder and Radio Interview

2011-02-12T20:51:00.002-07:00

Hey, February 22nd is fast approaching, so if you still want to enter the Best Opening Line contest, hop to it! The info and rules are on the previous post. I've gotten some really good entries so far, and I know there are more to come. Make sure your creative masterpiece is in the group:-)

Also, if you missed my radio interview on The Book Club with John Austin, click on the link to the right and check it out.
I want to say a big thank you to all my fans who have read The Wishing Hour and told their friends about it. It really does make a difference, and thanks to you, the book is fast becoming is a hit!
So thank you, thank you!

Best Opening Line Contest!

2011-01-21T21:53:00.005-07:00

Hey, everyone has at least one great story in them, and if not a whole story, we can all come up with a good opening line, right?
So . . . because we all have creative moments when the brain conjures up some seriously amazing thoughts and just throws them out there to be either nurtured liked a garden or flicked away like an ant at a picnic, on a sandwich, peeking its mayo-covered head out between the lettuce and tomato right when you're ready to take a bite, I've decided to have a best opening line contest!

The rules are simple. Just come up with an original opening line for a novel, one that will immediately pull the reader into the story and not let go. Now you may ask, "How can I write an opening line when I don't know what the story is about?" My answer to that is it doesn't matter. I would like to see what you can come up with. It can be serious, funny, or totally off the wall crazy, but it needs to be yours, not snagged from the work of anyone else, and it has to garner a G or PG rating.
I will read through all the entries, and on February 28th I will pick a winner. Now, to tell you about the prize!

The winning entry will be used as the first line of my next book and the writer's name will be used for one of the lead characters in the story. The winner will also receive an autographed copy of the book.
The contest begins Saturday, January 22nd and ends February 22nd. You've got a whole month to get those creative juices flowing, and then I'll be spending the torturous months ahead writing a story fit for the opening masterpiece your amazingly genius imagination produces. I'm so excited to see what you guys come up with!
Email your entry to me at jewela40@gmail.com
Good luck!

What Are Your Dreams?

2011-01-17T21:43:00.003-07:00

I have said this frequently, but I never would have guessed or could have even fathomed when I was eighteen that I would one day be married to the amazing man I have been privileged to marry, the mother of eight, writing books, and speaking to groups. I had dreams and aspirations, just not those. But as I have come to know, dreams can change, and when we are open to God's will for us, we are blessed beyond all imagining. Now, if I can reach the dream of hitting the NY Times best seller list, that would definitely put a cap on my writing dreams:-)

So, what are your dreams? Leave a comment sharing your dreams along with your email address and receive a copy of The Wishing Hour or Against the Odds ebook free!

"It's All About The Kissing!"

2011-01-06T18:17:00.008-07:00

I love a good clean romance. I love reading it and I love writing it. Once of my favorite authors and one that I have dubbed "The Queen of Clean Romance" is Marcia Lynn McClure. Now only is she an amazing lady and a wonderful friend, when it comes to romance novels, she is the best. All of her books are emotion-driven and full of passion, and the stories completely draw you in and don't let go. Plus, they are just plain fun to read. Marcia's motto is "It's all about the kissing," and boy does she have a way with writing a kissing scene!
Here are a few of my favorite books by Marcia.

The Visions of Ransome Lake

Youthful beauty, naïve innocence, a romantic imagination thirsting for adventure-an apt description of Vaden Valmont, who would soon find the adventure and mystery she had always longed to experience-in the form of a man. A somber recluse, Ransom Lake descended from his solitary concealment in the mountains, wholly disinterested in people and their trivial affairs. And somehow, young Vaden managed to be ever in his way-either by accident or because of her own unique ability to stumble into a quandary. Yet the enigmatic Ransom Lake would involuntarily become Vaden's unwitting tutor. Through him, she would experience joy and passion the like even Vaden had never imagined. Yes, Vaden Valmont stepped innocently, yet irrevocably, into love with the secretive, seemingly callous man-Ransom Lake. But there were other life's lessons Ransom Lake would inadvertently convey to her as well. The darker side of life-despair, guilt, heartache. Would Ransom Lake be the means of Vaden's dreams come true? Or the cause of her complete desolation?

Shackles of Honor

Cassidy Shea's life was nothing if not serene. Loving parents and a doting brother provided happiness and innocent hope as life's experience. Yes-life was blissful at Cassidy's beloved home-Terrill. Still, for all Terrill's beauty and tranquility, ever there was something intangible and evasive lurking in the shadows. And though Cassidy wasted little worry on it, still she sensed its existence-looming as a menacing fate bent on ruin. And when a dark stranger appeared, Cassidy could no longer ignore the ominous whispers of the secrets surrounding her. Mason Carlisle, an angry, unpredictable man, materialized-with Cassidy's black fate at his heels. Thus, thrust into a world completely unknown to her, Cassidy found herself trapped-wandering in a labyrinth of mystery and concealments. Serenity was vanquished-and with it her dreams. Yet, were the secrets so cautiously kept from Cassidy-were they indeed the cloth, the very flax from which her dreams were spun-from which eternal bliss would be woven?

Dusty Britches

…Dusty's heart panged a twinge when she saw the bullwhip strapped to the saddle of one of the horses tied to the corral fence. “Why today?” she wondered. Why was her memory tarrying on that young cowhand from five years ago? …"Well…now," a deep, masculine voice said from behind her, "if it ain't Miss Dusty Britches!" Dusty felt the color drain from her face…felt the blood seem to drain from the rest of her body and puddle in her feet. She felt dizzy and nauseated all at once. …There was only one person on the whole of the earth who ever called her Dusty Britches, and that was the cowboy who gave her the nickname in the first place. ...Dusty slowly turned around to see standing before her a man whose eyes were those belonging to a boy she'd once known--a boy who had grown into a man. Angelina Hunter was seriously minded...and it was a good thing. Her father’s ranch needed a woman who could endure the strenuous work of ranch life. Since her mother’s death, Angelina had been that woman. She had no time for frivolity; no time for a less severe side of life. Not when there was so much to be done--hired hands to feed, a widower father to care for and an often ridiculously light-hearted younger sister to worry about. No. Angelina Hunter had no time for the things most young women her age enjoyed. And yet, Angelina had not always been so hardened. There had been a time when she boasted a fun, flirtatious nature even more delightful than her sister Becca’s--a time when her imagination soared with adventurous, romantic dreams. But that all ended years before at the hand of one man. Her heart turned to stone…safely becoming void of any emotion save impatience and indifference. Until the day her dreams returned, the day that the very maker of her broken heart rode back into her life. As the dust settled from the cattle drive that brought him back, would Angelina’s heart be softened? Would she learn to hope again? Would her long-lost dreams become a blessed reality?

The Highwayman of Tanglewood

Faris gasped as a gloved hand of a sudden covered her mouth from behind "Be still. The Highwayman of Tanglewood owns ya now." Faris' smiled...as he whispered, "Do not struggle. I'll not harm ya, lass Come away with me, sweet Faris," the highwayman whispered. "What say ye?" "I say, who are you, highwayman?" Faris breathed...All romantic thoughts of knights riding to win the fair lady were driven from her mind. A rogue's manner was vastly more delightful! "Aye! But that ye should know, sweet Faris," the highwayman whispered. "I know you not, sir," Faris said in a whisper. "Surely I would remember such a shape of a man." "Indeed, would ya, lass?" he asked. "I would, sir," she answered "'Tis well ya know who I am, fair Faris," he whispered, kissing her neck again. "I am the Highwayman of Tanglewood" A chambermaid in the house of Tremeshton, Faris Shayhan well knew torment, despair and trepidation. To Faris it seemed the future stretched long and desolate before her-bleak and as dark as a lonesome midnight path. Still, the moon oft casts hopeful luminosity to light one's way. So it was that Lady Maranda Rockrimmon cast hope upon Faris-set Faris upon a different path-a path of happiness, serenity and love. Faris abandoned the tainted air of Tremeshton in favor of the amethyst sunsets of Loch Loland Castle and her new mistress Lady Rockrimmon. Further, it was on the very night of her emancipation that Faris first met the man of her dreams-the man of every woman's dreams-the rogue Highwayman of Tanglewood. Dressed in black and astride his mighty steed, the brave, heroic and dashing rogue Highwayman of Tanglewood stole Faris' heart as easily as he stole her kiss. Yet, the Highwayman of Tanglewood was encircled in mystery-mystery as thick and as secretive as time itself. Could Faris truly own the heart of a man so entirely enveloped in twilight shadows and dangerous secrets?

Kissing Cousins

“It won’t change your life ...” he said, his voice low and rich like a warm drink laced with molasses. “And it sure won’t be the best kiss you’ll ever have,” he added. Her body erupted into goose bumps as his thumb traveled slowly over her lower lip. “But I’ll try to make it worth your time ...

To learn more about Marcia and view her whole collection of books, log on to marcialynnmcclure.com
Buy her books. I promise you, you'll be glad you did:-)

Things to Ponder For the New Year

2010-12-28T09:18:00.004-07:00

It is always exciting to me to begin a new year. It's a time to put the mistakes of the past year behind me and renew my vow to be a better person in the coming year, to live my life better than I did last year. How grateful I am for that opportunity. My motto has always been, and always will be, "Make the world a better place because you are here and leave everyone and everything you come in contact with better because of it." Of course, like most, I always fall short, but what's important is that we keep trying, keep reaching higher when it comes to the important things in our life. And always remember to be grateful for all we have been given, both the seen and unseen blessings. Feeling a deep sense of gratitude in all things will automatically make us better than we were. It's all about living the best life we can, remembering where our blessings come from, and never taking anything or anyone for granted.
If we can all keep these things in mind and act on them, oh what a happier people we will be!
Happy New Year!

Tooting the Nook Horn!

My amazing husband got me a Nook for Christmas, so I am officially a Nooker now! I'm am totally loving it. It's like having a portable library in my purse, and it's pretty easy to use, which is awesome since my overloaded brain can only take so much:-)
To find out more about the Nook, log onto barnesandnoble.com

Christmas Wishes

2010-12-21T11:52:00.003-07:00

First, I'm excited to let you know that The Wishing Hour is now available in paperback, as well as ebook format. Order your copy from my website, Amazon.com, Smashwords.com, Offthebookshelf.com and Barnesandnoble.com!

I like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Hope your holidays are filled with love, laughter, and oodles of great things!

Jewel's Christmas List of Must Reads Continued

2010-12-16T09:48:00.005-07:00

Christmas Thoughts

"Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years... Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart."
-- George Matthew Adams (The Christmas Heart)

Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display-so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn't the holly, it isn't the snow. It isn't the tree not the firelight's glow. It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of men when the Christmas spirit returns again."
-- Anonymous

Suggested Reading

Book:The Gift
Author: Richard Paul Evans

The Book
Nathan Hurst hated Christmas. For the rest of the world it was a day of joy and celebration; for Nathan it was simply a reminder of the event that destroyed his childhood until a snowstorm, a cancelled flight, and an unexpected meeting with a young mother and her very special son would show him that Christmas is indeed the season of miracles.

Book:The Chronicles of Narnia
Author: C.S. Lewis

The Book
C.S. Lewis' classic series is now available in an attractive streamline paperback volume that includes the complete text of all seven books. A Pauline Baynes illustration pulled from the original 1950s editions graces each chapter, and the unabridged text is presented in C.S. Lewis' original spelling and punctuation. Now adults can enjoy the entire series as much as the next generation.

Taking Time For Christmas

2010-12-09T18:54:00.007-07:00

Sometimes you just have to wonder what kind of madness takes hold of people at this, the most wonderful and supposedly Christlike time of year. People drive crazier, lose their patience easier, show less care for their fellow man, care more about trampling people over to get that last gift that their child just has to have. What has gone wrong? It madness!
Then when you think all is lost, someone turns to you in the mile-long line you've been patiently standing in for eternity, smiles and starts up a cheerful conversation. Or the person in front of you in the mile-long line makes it to the register, smiles at the stressed out cashier and says, "Wow, I'll bet you're pretty beat," showing empathy for the worker who can now smile back in return because he or she has now been shown kindness instead of impatience. It is so easy to let ourselves become overwhelmed by the business of the season, trying to do everything that needs to be done and take care of everything we need to take care of, but in doing this we sometimes lose sight of what is truly important. We lapse in our knowledge of what this season is truly all about.
We need to make sure Christ is truly in our Christmas, that He is the focal point of our celebration of the season, His birth, His life, and His sacrifice. Christ is who we worship, and He is the reason we are here, and because of His gift to us, we know this life is not the end, it is only the beginning.
If we remember these things, our Christmas will indeed be a blessed one, There is no way it cannot be. And as Linus says to his friend after relating the story of the nativity, "That is what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

More of My Must Read Favorites

Book: Grace
Author: Richard Paul Evans

She was my first kiss. My first love. She was a little match girl who could see the future in the flame of a candle. She was a runaway who taught me more about life than anyone has before or since. And when she was gone my innocence left with her.

As I begin to write, a part of me feels as if I am awakening something best left dead and buried, or at least buried. We can bury the past, but it never really dies. The experience of that winter has grown on my soul like ivy climbing the outside of a home, growing until it begins to tear and tug at the brick and mortar.

I pray I can still get the story right. My memory, like my eyesight, has waned with age. Still, there are things that become clearer to me as I grow older. This much I know: too many things were kept secret in those days. Things that never should have been hidden. And things that should have.

Book: The Twilight Series
Author: Stephanie Meyer

This stunning set, complete with five editions of Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella, makes the perfect gift for fans of the bestselling vampire love story.

Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, The Twilight Saga capture the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires.

Sun Tunnels and Secrets

2010-12-03T21:21:00.005-07:00

Want an LDS mystery that is also a fun read? Carole Thayne Warburton's new novel Sun Tunnels and Secrets is the book for you. The Book
On a trip to the Sun Tunnels in the Utah desert, Norma and her sisters find a body on the side of the road. But this awful discovery turns out to be the least of their problems. Norma's husband just passed on, and she learns he kept a secret from her for sixty years. LaRue is keeping a secret from Norma. The sisters' young friend Tony is keeping a secret about his famous father, and Tony's mother is keeping a secret of her own. Tony is secretly in love with his friend Kelli, who recently escaped from a polygamist cult. And who is the mysterious young car thief with whom Norma feels a special connection? Everything converges in Grouse Creek at the Fourth of July celebration. Will secrets prove everyone's undoing?

There is no way you can not love the characters in this story. Norma, LaRue and Mabel are three crazy sisters who remind me of some of the older southern ladies I knew in North Carolina. They are kooky, but you can't help but feel for them when hurtful things once hidden come to light. And Tony and Kelli's romance is unconventional, but they are equally lovable, despite their cluelessness at times and you long for their happiness.
Sun Tunnels and Secrets is a lighthearted mystery you're guaranteed to love. It is available to order on Amazon.com
To learn more about Carole and her books, as well as the contest she and her publisher have going in connection with this book, visit her blog at carolethayne.blogspot.com

Jewel's Christmas List of Must Reads

2010-11-28T18:23:00.005-07:00

Well, it's that time again! For the next few weeks I will be featuring some of my favorite novels. These books would make excellent Christmas gifts and if I didn't already own them, I would give them to myself:-)
So, here we go!

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.
In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.
The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.
Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans

Beth Cardall has a secret. For eighteen years, she has had no choice but to keep it to herself, but on Christmas Eve 2008, all that is about to change.

For Beth, 1989 was a year marked by tragedy. Her life was falling apart: her six-year-old daughter, Charlotte, was suffering from an unidentifiable illness; her marriage transformed from a seemingly happy and loving relationship to one full of betrayal and pain; her job at the dry cleaners was increasingly at risk; and she had lost any ability to trust, to hope, or to believe in herself. Then, on Christmas Day, as she rushed through a blizzard to the nearest 7-Eleven, Beth encountered Matthew, a strikingly handsome, mysterious stranger, who would single-handedly change the course of her life.

Who is this man, and how does he seem to know so much about her? He pursues her relentlessly, and only after she’s fallen deeply in love with him does she learn his incredible secret, changing the world as she knows it, as well as her own destiny.

The Hunger Games Series - The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Stop by next week and check out more of my favorite reads.

Great News!!!

2010-11-22T11:08:00.003-07:00

My new romantic Sci-Fi ebook The Wishing Hour will soon be available in paperback! I will keep you posted on the release date.
Read what others have to say about the book:-)

I had the privilege of getting a advanced reader copy of this amazing book. The Wishing Hour is an fun action packed fantasy romance that will leave you satisfied. I was drawn into the story quickly and could not put it down. The plot was fully developed.
J. Adams has a eye for detail and I felt like I was right with Celine and Sebastian on this dangerous romantic adventure. I really loved, loved the bonding ceremony. It was so powerful. The Wishing Hour is a clean read! I highly recommend this book to those who love fantasy, adventure and romance. This book is a keeper and I will be reading it again.
Tifferz Book Review www.tifferzbookreview.blogspot.com

The Wishing Hour is an enjoyable story packed with romance, fantasy and adventure, great for readers who like love stories filled with adventure, danger and lots of twists and turns!

~Loralee Evans, Author of The Birthright and The King's Heir.

"I stayed up late last night reading your book--loved it! Celine and Sebastian were such wonderful characters, and I loved their relationship--made me want a Sebastian of my own! :) I adore escaping into fantasy worlds, and Challis was a beautiful escape. You really made it seem real and made me wonder if Challis really does exist, with it's kind and powerful people and anything you could want just a will away. I wish it could exist!"

A Fan

Hop on over to jadamsnovels.com and order your copy of The Wishing Hour today. Since Christmas is just around the corner, this would be a great gift!

I had the opportunity to do a book signing with author Anne Bradshaw at Confetti Books in Spanish Fork, UT and we had a blast.

If you never been to the store, you gotta go there sometime. It's a boutique/book store with some amazing and unique one-of-a-kind items. I had fun just looking at everything. If you are ever in the area, stop by and purchase a copy of my books, The Journey and Mercedes' Mountain.

Giving Thanks In Everything

2010-11-15T08:55:00.004-07:00

As Thanksgiving approaches, I can't help but think of all the blessings I have received in my life. I've had so many great and amazing experiences in my life and some not so good ones as well. I've been blessed with joyous moments, as well as trials that were very painful. How grateful I am for both, because I have felt God's love for me through all of them. The trials mold me and the joys are the rewards I receive for overcoming and making it through them.
I am grateful for a husband and children that love me unconditionally, and for each and every learning opportunity that comes to me.

So what are you grateful for? Leave a comment telling me what you are grateful for along with your email address and receive a free copy of my new ebook The Wishing Hour!

TheTiger, Unleashed

2010-11-08T08:32:00.002-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to read The Tiger, Unleashed, an awesome new romance ebook by Rachel Rager.
The Book
- The year is 1878 and Adella Barnes has lived a normal life in her little sun-scorched California town. The daughter of the mayor, she struggles with the image people expect of her and how to deal with her betrothal to a man of her father’s choosing. When she meets a dark stranger, Blake Stanley, Adella’s need for adventure is fueled by his mysterious existence. Even when his past criminal record is revealed, she longs for the safety she feels when he is near. Discovering that he was accused of killing her brother, her faith in his innocence wavers. Still, her heart speaks to her of a love that can only be born in the heavens and she decides that she will always love him, regardless of his past. To save her love, Adella must prove Blake’s innocence before the real criminal discovers the truth about Blake and kills them both.
The Tiger, Unleashed is a story of heartache, betrayal, and love; a love that can endure the feuds of family and the laws of the state. Through faith and trust, this novel illustrates the trials the heart must endure when faced with incredible odds.

Romance has always been my favorite genre to read and this is now one of my new favorite books. I absolutely love the characters and Blake Stanley is the perfect leading man. He is the loving, handsome hero with a mysterious bad boy side and is perfect for the adventurous Adella. This book has it all, romance, mystery, and emotion-driven characters that completely pull you into the story. I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day!
Order your copy of The Tiger, Unleashed by logging onto Rachel's website at http://www.rachelrager.com

The Wishing Hour Is Almost Here!

2010-10-28T16:13:00.003-06:00

Hi guys! My new romantic Sci-Fi fantasy ebook The Wishing Hour will be released next week. I'm so excited about this book. It was a fun story to write and I can't wait for my fans to read it, and hopefully I will gain new fans as well:-)

About the Book

Celine Halston lives an average solitary life, sticking to routine, never taking chances, and never experiencing true love. All of this changes when a handsome immortal enters her life. She has never laid eyes on the man before, but she somehow knows him and instantly trusts him completely.

Placing her life in his hands, Celine is taken on an unexpected journey and learns of an ancient prophecy she is to take part in. And her immortal guardian is intent on protecting her against those who would see her fail. He has been chosen for this calling and it is his sacred duty to keep her safe–to see the prophecy fulfilled at all cost. If they fail, it will change the world as they know it.

If you would like to read an excerpt, log onto jadamsnovels.com and while you are there, check out my other books.

For the next two weeks, the first 25 people that leave a comment along with your email address, I will send you a copy of The Wishing Hour ebook free!

And for those of you who are looking forward to getting an ereader for Christmas, The Wishing Hour is the perfect gift to give to yourself:-)

The Season is Achangin'

2010-10-04T10:12:00.004-06:00

Fall is in the air! Can you feel it? This morning I had to run to the post office. As soon as I opened the house door I could smell the coming rain, and for the first time in a long time, it made me smile. I've always been a summer person and probably always will be, and I used to feel a little down when summer ended and fall began. Not so this time. The rain smelled awesome and the drops that fell on me as I got out of the car to go into the post office were very refreshing. For the first time I find myself actually looking forward to the coming wet and cold seasons. I'm looking forward to the change and the new experiences that will come with it. I guess this reaffirms that though I might be growing older in body, I'm growing younger in the mind. This is a good thing, right?

Suggested Reading

Book: The Dragon War Relic
Author: Berin L. Stephens

I love reading a good sci-fi fantasy, especially young adult ones, and The Dragon War Relic was a very fun book to read.

The Book
A mysterious explosion, a gold ring, and the fate of the Earth and the universe . . . For Jared Mills, summer has never been more exciting! When Jared receives an odd-looking ring from a complete stranger, he never imagines it will lead to aliens, spaceships, lasers, and dragons! With the ring comes great responsibility, and Jared discovers that he is Earth's representative to the entire galaxy. Suddenly, he finds himself in a fast-paced adventure where he must discover the cause of a mysterious explosion and the truth about his predecessor's death. Along the way, Jared joins up with a strange collection of allies: his childhood friend, an Ogre, an Angel, and three short Star Trek loving Elves. What they uncover changes everything even the course of Earth s destiny! Science fiction slams into fantasy, creating a humorous and action-filled story. The Dragon War Relic will keep you laughing to the very last page.

This story was original, awesome, and totally hilarious. Youth and adults alike will love it!
Get your copy of Dragon War Relic on Amazon.com and check out the great reviews while you're there:-)

The Wishing Hour

2010-09-21T10:31:00.007-06:00

I have gotten behind on my blogging, but I do have something to show for it. My creative juices have been flowing and I am happy to share with you a preview of what they've produced. The title of my new baby is The Wishing Hour. It is my forthcoming romantic fantasy ebook!

About the Book

Celine Halston lives an average solitary life, sticking to routine, never taking chances, and she has never experienced true love. All of this changes when a handsome immortal enters her life. She has never laid eyes on the man before, but she somehow knows him and instantly trusts him completely.

Excerpt

Venice, Italy

Standing on the steps of St. Mark's Basilica in the pouring rain, he heaves a tired sigh and watches the battered creature from the Dark Dunes force its heavy body up and stand once again. The rain dilutes the sulfuric odor of the canal, lending a freshness to the air. He inhales deeply, taking the cleansing scent into his lungs as he carefully watches the creature.

The square is void of life, and if not for the storm, the only sound would be the gentle-flowing water of the canal. The fight has been brutal. It started at two am. It is now three. His sinewy muscles ache and his silky white shirt is streaked with blood, but his cuts have healed and his strength is quickly regenerating. He pushes the long strands of inky black hair from his face. A leather thong holds the rest in place. His brilliant blue cat-like eyes hold excellent night vision and clearly see the Urchin crouching, readying itself to spring once again. Its hands are like a hawk's talons and black leather stretches over the large round body. Its head is bald and pointed top teeth protrude over the bottom lip of the twisted and deformed mouth. Scars in different shapes and sizes cover the Urchin's face and neck. The acidic green mucus dripping from its mouth is foul enough to turn the strongest of stomachs.

He takes all of this in for a moment, then clears his mind. Closing his eyes, he calls upon the power living deep within him–a power he summons only when absolutely necessary. A rush of adrenaline fills his veins and heats his body to the core. His eyes snap open wide and he lunges, meeting the Urchin in the air. He lands a fist in its chest and a great current of power surges from his hand as it makes contact with the Urchin's heart. It cries out and the ear-piercing screech echoes throughout the square. No longer able to stand, it falls to the ground, writhing on the pavement.

He approaches the creature and stares down into its half-closed, blood-red eyes.

“This isn't over,” it croaks in a garbled voice.

“It is,” he says with surety and strength. Standing still as stone, he watches the Urchin close its eyes and release a final rattly breath. It turns to dust and disintegrates before his eyes. It is the second time this week he has witnessed such a sight. And he is sure it will not be the last.

Heaving a deep sigh, he turns his gaze to the body lying a few yards behind him. He quickly scoops the unconscious woman up in his arms and cradles her against him. Once again he has succeeded in protecting her, only this time it had been a closer call than before. His eyes take in the soaked features of the woman he has come to know as his true mate. Every time he touches her, the mark of the Ki Talimai, the soul's bond, glows and tingles in his palm. Now, as he stands holding her in his arms, the eternal mark burns.

He lowers his dark head and presses his forehead against hers, inhaling her rain-enhanced scent. He smells a mixture of jasmine, vanilla, and cinnamon pine on her skin. He knows her scent well because it matches his own. It calls to him as strongly as her senses. He knows her emotions intimately–her joys, her fears, her sorrows, her grief, her loneliness. He knows her. Yet she doesn't truly know the real him, nor does she know the full measure of his powers.

But she will. She will finally know everything this night.

* * *

He moves toward the large double doors of the church. They swing open without him making contact. He never needs to touch an object to move it. He simply thinks it into action and his command is obeyed. When it comes to people or living creatures, however, his powers only work on the weak-minded. For the strong, he must get physical. Even still, he never forces his will on anyone. He would never abuse his powers that way. That had been the first lesson he was taught when his training began seven hundred years ago at the young age of twenty.

He steps inside and Father Battiano silently directs him to the corridor to the right. He has been here before–he has used the same quarters he now enters. He lets his eyes scan the room. There is a small bed against the wall, covered with a thick quilt. A pan of water is heating on a hotplate in the corner and a creaky furnace warms the small area. A wooden door in the corner opens to a small bathroom.

He walks over and places the woman on the bed, then gestures to the priest to turn and face the wall.

When the holy man complies, he in turn closes his eyes and whispers three words. He opens his eyes and the woman is dry and now wearing a soft white gown. He lifts her from the bed to pull the quilt and top sheet back, and tucks her underneath. His eyes take in her smooth brown skin, long fluttering lashes, and the mass of black spiraled curls splaying over the white pillow, spilling down to her waist. He watches the slow rise and fall of her chest and listens to her soft rhythmic breathing. His gaze moves back to her face, and for the ten thousandth time he admires her beauty. From the moment she was born, he has been watching over her from afar until recently. He witnessed her childhood, watched her blossom and grow, and turn into the great beauty that she is.

He lifts her hand to his lips and presses his palm against hers. Her Ki Talimai mark calls to his, causing heat to spread up his arm through his entire body. Never before has it affected him so strongly. And he knows why.

Her call to him is stronger because the bond between them is near to completion. When that happens, nothing in this world or another can ever come between them. They will fully lay claim on one another's souls, as well as hearts.

This is not the end.

It is only the beginning.

The Wishing Hour will be available at jadamsnovels.com, Smashwords.com, and Offthebookshelf.com. I will keep you posted on the release date.

Be Yourself

2010-09-06T10:05:00.003-06:00

The older I get, the more set in my ways I become, but I know there is always room for improvement and I continue to try to better myself. But bettering ones self doesn't mean changing who you are. I love me. I will never stop trying to increase the good things about myself, and you shouldn't either.
I found some neat little quotes on being yourself.

"If I am not for myself, who will be?"

Pirke Avoth

"The tragedy is that so many people look for self-confidence and self-respect everywhere except within themselves, and so they fail in their search."

Dr Nathaniel Branden

"Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you?"

Fanny Brice

"It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes."

Sally Field

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself."

Harvey Fienstein

"The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others."

Dr Sonya Friedman

Suggested Reading

This week I had the privilege of reading The Thorn Book One: The Chronicles of Gan by Daron D. Fraley. It was a joy to read. I love reading stories set around the birth of Christ and Daron has done this beautifully by setting the anticipation of his birth on another world, which is very cool!

The Book

Three tribes are at war on the planet Gan, unaware that the sign of Christ's birth on an unknown world - Earth - is about to appear in the heavens.
During a bloody skirmish with Gideonite troops, Jonathan of Daniel spares Pekah, a young enemy soldier, gaining his trust forever. These two distant brothers from estranged tribes covenant with each other to end the war being waged by a self-proclaimed emperor, and soon discover the intentions of a far more dangerous foe named Rezon - a sinister general bent on ruling those he can bring into subjection and destroying all others.
In the end, Pekah's selfless bravery is the means by which all the tribes are united. But there are dissenters, and Rezon escapes a well-deserved fate. When the promised heavenly signs appear, will there be peace at last, or will the malefactors once again threaten the safety of them all?

Daron was kind enough to answer a few questions for me about his book.

Me: How did you come up with the story?

Daron: I have always had a love for science, and love to see the incredible pictures on the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day website ( http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html ). That has been a favorite of mine for years, and I have enjoyed being able to stare out into space through the medium of those pictures, and wonder about the awesome expanse of God's creations. In addition to this wonderful website, the idea to do a story about another world came from three things . . . first, the Parable of the Kingdoms in the 88th section of the Doctrine and Covenants verses 51-61, second, the 33rd verse of Moses chapter one where the Lord says, "And worlds without number have I created . . . and by the Son I created them . . .", third, the testimony of Elder Neal A. Maxwell in the movie Special Witnesses of Christ where he says: "How many planets are there in the universe with people on them? We don’t know, but we are not alone in the universe! God is not the God of only one planet! I testify that Jesus is truly the Lord of the universe, “that by [Christ], and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God" D&C 76:24"
— Neal A. Maxwell

Me: Elder Maxwell was one of my favorite apostles because of his knowledge of astronomy and the universe. How many books will be in the series?

Daron: There will be three books in the series, the next one titled "Heaven's Garden."

Me: Can you tell us a little about the next book?
Daron: The next book will continue with the stories of Pekah and Abigail, Jonathan and Rachel, Eli, Rezon, and a few new characters. I hate to tell much more than that, otherwise I may give some things away about the first book which I don't want to do for those who have not read it yet. :) But rest assured, the quest to put down the traitors who want to destroy the government is not yet over.

You can purchase The Thorn at Deseret Book, Amazon.com, and other book stores. The Thron is also available in ebook format on Smaswords.com. Daron also has a giveaway going on Goodreads for the month of September.

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/5462-the-thorn

Here is are links to the entries on Smashwords, the second of which is a free ebook that contains "Angel's Song", a companion short story to The Thorn:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21232

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/23330

The Value of Integrity

2010-08-23T08:03:00.004-06:00

This morning I have been thinking a lot about integrity. Some people have much of it, some have none. I pray everyday that I can be a part of the former group, for to possess integrity is to possess a godly trait, which is what we all want. At least, I hope we all do:-)
I found some neat little thoughts on integrity and thought I would share them with you.

"To have integrity is also to have character which is also the easiest way to run into conflict with those without either."
Byron Pulsifer
"Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity."
Mark Twain
"Integrity can be difficult to maintain in a world that demands you change with the wind."
Byron Pulsifer
"Integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do."
Don Galer
"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none."
William Shakespeare
"To have integrity means that you don't agree with everyone you meet, nor do you succumb to pressure to be something that is in direct conflict with your core ethics."
Byron Pulsifer

Suggested Reading

Book: The Fourth Nephite
Author: Jeffrey S. Savage

The Book
Kaleo Steele is starting to cut seminary and hang out with some new “friends”; in fact, he’s not even sure what he believes anymore. When his seminary teacher finds him at the wrong place at the wrong time, Kaleo is in jeopardy of missing his high school team’s regional football game—a game where college scouts will be coming to see him play. But his seminary teacher realizes that much more than a game is at stake, and sends him on a soul-searching quest.
Guided by Ladan, a mysterious old blind man, Kaleo pushes through a battered wooden door only to find himself in Palmyra, New York, in the fall of 1827. Soon he is caught up in a battle between treasure seekers—led by Allaster Blackburn, a necromancer hired to steal the gold plates—and the young prophet Joseph Smith, who is sworn to keep them safe. In his quest to find a key that will send him back to his own time, Kaleo will have to decide what to believe. Before it’s too late.

This is the great young adult story that even adults will love. I love reading all of Jeff Savage's books, and I told him I don't think he can write a bad book. I love the morals the story teaches, the importance it places on integrity, having a testimony of the gospel, and choosing what's right. The youth need these kinds of books more now than ever and I'm grateful to Jeff for sharing his own testimony through the story. He's a very talented writer and an amazing guy:-)
Jeff was kind enough to answer a couple of questions for me about writing this new young adult series.

Me: I really enjoyed The Fourth Nephite. It had a great message. How did you come up with the story?
Jeff: A little over a year ago, I met with Chris Schoebinger of Shadow Mountain and Deseret Book. Over lunch, he described to me a new YA series they’d really like to add. He wanted a young adult novel with fantasy and action, but that was clearly LDS from the story, to the title, to the cover. I honestly wasn’t sure I could do that. As I went back home and considered it I felt that so many authors had done a great job exploring the Book of Mormon for youth, but Church history had only been touched lightly.
Then I read about a man who was hired to steal the plate from Joseph Smith. Brigham Young described him as a “a fortune-teller, a necromancer, an astrologer, a soothsayer, and possessed as much talent as any man that walked on the American soil, and was one of the wickedest men I ever saw.” I thought, there’s my villain. The rest of it was really doing the research and coming up with a protagonist that kids could relate to. It ended up being a lot of research, but also a lot of fun.

Me: So what's next?

Jeff: Well, I’ve already signed a contract for a second book in the series. In this book, the past has changed, and a girl Kaleo, my protagonist, met in the first book has ended up on a bad path. Kaleo and his friend Jeff Green have to go back again to fix the problem. They end up going on a mission with Parley P. Pratt, Oliver Cowdery, and others. The actual mission covered over 1500 miles on foot, met two Indian tribes, converted over 100 saints in Ohio in just over a week, had Pratt thrown in jail, and nearly killed him from measles. That, in and of itself, is pretty cool. But there’s also more action, romance, and hopefully some insights into why missions are important. I want books that are exciting and fun to read by themselves, but also teach something.

I'm grateful to Jeff for the opportunity to read The Fourth Nephite and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Doing Your Best

2010-08-09T09:01:00.002-06:00

No matter what we do in life or what goals we strive to achieve or what career path we choose, as long as we are doing our best, we are achieving success.
Here are some thoughts I found on doing your best.

"Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Successful people aren't born that way. They become successful by establishing the habit of doing things unsuccessful people don't like to do."
Anonymous

"Try and fail, but don't fail to try."
Stephen Kaggwa

"What you want to do, and what you can do, is limited only by what you can dream."
Mike Melville

Suggested Reading

Book: Trapped
Author: Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

The Book
A forged letter, a golden vial, an ancient curse...
Her expression remained somber, but excitement crept into her voice. You are the Firstborn She...You must go to them. You want me to act as bait? Not bait, Emi. A spy. Our Trojan horse.
When Emi Warrin wakes one night to find a thief in her mother's house, she has no idea the intruder has planted a trap - a mysterious letter that will change her life forever. Lured to the Austrian Alps with Daniel, the man she loves, Emi is thrown into a perilous, mafia-like world of feuding families and a devastating curse that spans generations. As the Firstborn She - the only firstborn female in hundreds of years - only Emi can free her family from the curse that will soon afflict her as well. But for Emi to break the curse, she must delve into evil designs.
As Emi struggles to understand her destiny as the Firstborn She, she learns that everything isn't as it seems and that all choices have consequences. Can Emi break the curse before it's too late?

Romance and mystery is a good combination and this book has both. (Not to mention the author is a sweet lady:-))It was a very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more of Ronda's work.

Taking Time to Read

2010-08-02T08:57:00.004-06:00

I love to read. It is one of my very favorite things to do, and I love all kinds of books. If I was stuck on an island alone, as long as I had shelter, water, food, an unlimited stash of orange Tic Tacs, and books, I wouldn't need anything else.
When you read a good book, your imagination can run wild and you can go to some amazing places. There are so many genres out there, which means you are bound to find something that piques your interest. So many people say they have no time to read, but there is always time. You make time because it's so important. And, when you read you are ever-learning. The knowledge doesn't stop.
So I challenge you to go to your local library or bookstore and pick out some good books. Take some time to relax and expand your mind. You will be glad you did:-)

Suggested Reading

Book: Biblical Roots of Mormonism
Author: Eric Shuster, Charles Sale

The Book

Last year, Eric Shuster wrote Catholic Roots, Mormon Harvest about his conversion from Catholicism to Mormonism. Now, he and coauthor Charles Sale bring us The Biblical Roots of Mormonism, a discovery of Mormon doctrines as they are revealed in the Bible. Each chapter delves into a specific belief, such as the Godhead, premortal life, and revelation. Quoting hundreds of Old and New Testament passages, the authors show how the Bible alone can sustain Mormon theology and practice. This incredibly well-researched guide provides fresh insights about the Bible as each page reveals a new connection to the Mormon beliefs. Perfect for believers, investigators, and skeptics alike, this book will inspire and astonish as it lays out the biblical foundation of Mormonism.

I love this book and would highly recommend it to anyone investigating the Mormon church. It's also perfect for members of the church who have questions, themselves.

Also, log onto my website and read about my newest ebooks! jadamsnovels.com

Seek Joy And You Will Find It

2010-07-13T18:22:00.003-06:00

Life is not perfect and it never will be. Good and bad times come and go. Happy moments are sprinkled with times of trial. but no matter what, you can always look for and find the joy, even if it's just little things. I've been feeling under the weather a lot lately and I've had times that I have felt like I'm done with this life, that I can't go on feeling so awful. Then little things happen to bring me moments of joy and I know I can and will go on. Even simple things like watching my kids acting crazy with their friends, hearing the good news of others, or even just being granted enough energy to trim my rose bushes and prune my flowers bring me happy moments.

So these these days, I hold onto those moments and give thanks to God for them. Those moments help me to remember that my life does still matter, and even during the trials, I still have purpose. That knowledge, most of all, helps to lift my spirits and brings me joy.

Here are some neat little thoughts I found on looking for the joy in everything.

"The more we express our gratitude to God for our blessings,
the more he will bring to our mind other blessings. The more
we are aware of to be grateful for, the happier we become."
- Ezra Taft Benson
The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.

- E E. Cummings
Happiness is a grateful spirit, an optimistic attitude, and a
heart full of love.

The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not
that we seize them, but they seize us.
- Ashley Montagu

Happy people roll with the punches. They know from experience that
everything changes. Today's good fortune may vanish tomorrow,
today's crises may turn out to be tomorrow's good fortune.

Suggested Reading

Book: Trapped
Author: Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

The Book
A forged letter, a golden vial, an ancient curse...
Her expression remained somber, but excitement crept into her voice. You are the Firstborn She...You must go to them. You want me to act as bait? Not bait, Emi. A spy. Our Trojan horse.

When Emi Warrin wakes one night to find a thief in her mother's house, she has no idea the intruder has planted a trap - a mysterious letter that will change her life forever. Lured to the Austrian Alps with Daniel, the man she loves, Emi is thrown into a perilous, mafia-like world of feuding families and a devastating curse that spans generations. As the Firstborn She - the only firstborn female in hundreds of years - only Emi can free her family from the curse that will soon afflict her as well. But for Emi to break the curse, she must delve into evil designs.
As Emi struggles to understand her destiny as the Firstborn She, she learns that everything isn't as it seems and that all choices have consequences. Can Emi break the curse before it's too late?

Romance and mystery is a good combination and this book has both. (Not to mention the author is a sweet lady:-))It was a very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more of Ronda's work.

Also, order your copies of my newest ebooks Tears of Heaven, Forbidden Portals: The Quicksilver Project, and Of Blessings and Dreams: The Legacy by logging onto jadamsnovels.com

Got Talent?

2010-06-28T08:24:00.003-06:00

This morning I've been thinking about talents and gifts and I came across this neat thought on talents and turning them into strengths.

"We all have natural and innate abilities to do some things better than others. Our genetics determine, to a certain degree, our predispositions and inclinations. We are endowed with gifts from birth that make us uniquely competent in ways that others are not. "Talent is only the starting point," as Berlin accurately points out, and it's up to us to develop our natural abilities into strengths, if we are to truly maximize our potential.

People who learn how to develop their talents into strengths are the ones that tend to stand out. They are the star athletes, innovative scientists, popular artists and successful entrepreneurs. These exemplary performers understand the value of shaping, polishing and perfecting natural abilities."

When we discover our talents, we should magnify them and not let them go to waste or we may lose them, and that would be a shame.

Suggested Reading

This past week, I had the opportunity to read The Road Show, a new LDS novel by Braden Bell. It's a quick read, which I love, and it's a heart-tugger.

The Book
Scott Jenson hates everything he knows about road shows: cheap costumes, silly songs, and bad acting. Being asked to create a road show is his worst nightmare come true. Can flawed but talented artist create a piece of art that testifies of Jesus Christ? And is there any way that something so trivial can have a healing effect on the lives of five troubled souls? A pornography addict, a depressed young mother, a sick older woman, a lonely outcast, and a spiritually numb elder s quorum president are about to find out. Braden Bell gives a five-star performance with Road Show: Beauty for Ashes. With true-to-life characters, humorous situations, and tender realizations, this book is guaranteed to make you smile and applaud for more.

I loved all the characters in this story and came away from the book feeling uplifted with a renewed knowledge of how God is truly mindful of each and every one of us. It's a great story.

Braden was kind enough to answer some questions about himself and his book. Here are his answers.

Me: Braden, tell us a little about yourself.

Braden: I was born in UT and grew up in Farmington. I have a BA and MA in theatre from BYU and then went to NYC for 3 years to go a PhD at NYU. I now live outside of Nashville, TN with my wife and we have 5 children. I love to garden and read and go on walks with Ginger, our German Shepherd. I teach music and theatre at a small private school.

Me: What got you into writing?

Braden: I have always wanted to be a writer. Since I learned to read and write, I have always been working on some project.
Me: How did you come up with the story for The Road Show?

Braden: About 7 or 8 years ago, I was called to direct our ward's road show. While waiting for our turn to perform, the idea flashed into my mind. It was more of a series of questions, really. "What if the director had a secret?" "What if the leading lady was depressed?" and so on. Within a few weeks, I had a very clear idea of the opening and closing scenes.

Me: Are you currently working on any other projects?

Braden: Yes, I write compulsively! I have several things in various stages right now. The WIP that is probably the closest to being finished is a middle grade novel for a more national audience. I call it a suburban fantasy because it takes place in a small, private school.

I definitely look forward to reading more of Braden's work in the future:-)

New Ebook Release

2010-06-21T08:33:00.005-06:00

Today I am excited to announce the release of two new ebooks. Forbidden Portals: The Quicksilver Project is a children's reader written under the name J.A. Lightender, and Of Blessings and Dreams: The Legacy is an LDS contemporary romance.

Forbidden Portals: Thr Quicksilver Project
Renny is your average teenager. He's tall, lanky, and an easy target for the neighborhood bully. But things quickly change when his parents buy him a not-so-average dog. Entering “Ernie's Pet Shack” was an experience Renny would not soon forget, nor could he guess the adventure that awaited him once he took his dog, Lou home. The two were about to embark on a quest that would change the world as Renny knew it.

Of Blessings and Dreams: The Legacy
North Carolina native, Cisely Matthews, has seen and suffered much in her twenty-two years of life and has the scars to prove it. When amazing blessings begin to come to her, she wonders if she will ever feel worthy enough to deserve them.

Ingo Kelly is thrown for an emotional loop when he leaves Australia to go for his semiannual visit with his aunt in Utah and meets Cisely for the first time. But getting her to accept his love is a challenge he is more than willing to take on.

Adagio St. John is Ingo's best friend, and Adagio thinks of him as the brother he never had. When he travels to Utah, from his home in Italy to attend Ingo and Cisely's wedding, he is truly overjoyed that his friend has found happiness with such an amazing woman and hopes he can find the same happiness one day and end the loneliness he struggled with on a daily basis.

But the strong bond that quickly forms between the three will see them through both sorrows and joys none of them had ever expected.

Get your copy of these two new ebook by logging onto jadamsnovels.com
Order both books and receive a copy of the ebook Tears of Heaven free!

Embracing Life's Changes

2010-06-07T09:55:00.003-06:00

As I enter this middle phase of my life, I've been seized upon by changes I never expected, both physically and emotionally. I was never warned about these changes and they took we way off guard. Since I'm still ever-learning, I've done a lot of reading and studying and I now know how to better handle my situation. So, instead of concentrating on the negative, I'm focusing my attention on the positive things about getting older. Here are a few neat little thoughts I found and wanted to share:-)

We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. - Anonymous

Age is a matter of feeling, not of years. To me, old age is fifteen years older than I am.

In youth we learn, in age we understand. Middle age is when you've met so many people that every new person you meet reminds you of someone else. (I love that one!)

Suggested Reading

Book: The Golden Spiral: Book Two In the Hourglass Door Trilogy
Author: Lisa Mangum
The Book
His eyes. His touch. His kiss. Dante was unlike anyone Abby had ever met. Now he s gone, and Abby will do anything to get him back . . . The hourglass door has closed behind Dante, sending him back in time to hunt down Zo, Tony, and V. Abby knows that Dante, as a Master of Time, is the only one who can stop them from destroying time itself. She also knows that he will need her help. But almost immediately, things start to change, and Abby s worst fears are realized when Zo begins targeting her past specifically. As Abby s world fractures around her, she must face a terrible truth: either Dante didn t make it through the door, or he is lost forever. So with Dante s blueprints in hand, she begins construction on a new door, a new time machine that will either save Dante or doom him. With each new change that ripples into her present, Abby s life continues to spiral out of control. Her relationships with Jason, Natalie, and even her family are threatened to the breaking point and beyond. Zo s power is greater than Abby ever imagined, but as she struggles to free Dante, she receives help from an unexpected and unlikely ally. The bank is eroding. The barriers are thinning. And time is running out.

There Is No Such Thing As Can't

2010-05-18T08:37:00.004-06:00

Have you ever wanted to try something only to talk yourself out of trying by saying you can't accomplish it? Have you ever thought about writing a book, taking art or sewing lessons, taking some classes at a community college, entering a race, or anything you've never tried? Have you ever confided in someone about something you dream of doing only to hear them say you can't do it?

I watch my kids face life's challenges and think of what brave souls they are, because despite trials and opposition, they face life head-on and go after their dreams. They let their light shine, and each time they do, they better themselves. The words "you can't do it" roll right off them. Oh, to have that kind of innocence! If adults possessed that, we would realize more dreams than we ever thought possible-the kind of dreams that would make this world a much better place.

So my advice is if you want try something you've never tried or want to accomplish something you never thought to seek after, if it is something that will better yourself and affect your surroundings in a positive way, go for it.
Because when we don't try or say we can't, then we've already defeated ourselves.

Suggested Reading

Book: The Fairy Thorne
Author: Dorothy Keddington

The Book
The long awaited novel, The Fairy Thorn, has just arrived. Dorothy Keddington, author of Jayhawk, Return to Red Castle and more, has another timeless romance.

Small town librarian Lucy Norris longs for romance and adventure, yet her life is a calendar of sameness--until the morning she spies a tall ship sailing through Deception Pass. The sighting becomes a catalyst for change and Lucy soon finds herself a key player in a dangerous masquerade and the quest for a legendary lost painting.

I love all of Dorothy Keddington's books and have been going through withdrawals waiting for a new one from her. This one was just as exciting to read as the rest of her books:-)

You Really Like Tears of Heaven!

2010-05-03T08:09:00.003-06:00

A friend gave me a piece of advice one day that I took as heaven sent.
I was concerned about which way to take my writing and her advice was, "Never let anyone or anything change the voice of your writing because when you do, it's no longer your writing. I'm so glad I listened, because words and ideas are flowing like they never have before, and some great things are happening.

My newest novella ebook Tears of Heaven has received some great reviews and comments, which makes me extremely happy. The story was one that came to me a few years back when I was vacationing in Sweden and it is set there. I was a little nervous when I decided to release it as an ebook because I didn't know how it would be received, but after the initial reaction of "Oh, it's just an ebook," the book as taken off. I'm pleased people like it and hopefully it will win over more fans in the future.

About the Book.
Escaping from an abusive relationship, Heaven Gundersen flees to the safety of her grandparent's home and begins a new life in Sweden, praying the past is behind her. When she accepts the housekeeping job arranged by her grandparents, she has no idea how much it will change his life. Her boss, Sergei Petrenko, is a retired hockey player, and definitely not what she had expected.
No matter how hard she tries to guard her heart, Sergei's kindness makes it impossible to do and she once again opens up to love. But leaving the past behind isn't as easy as she hoped it would be, and the peace she has found in her new life is about to be shattered by the nightmare she thought she'd escaped.
Tears of Heaven is the new emotionally charged LDS novella that will touch your heart and make you cheer the endurance of the human spirit.

Log onto jadamsnovels.com and order your copy today!

Slowing It Down

2010-04-26T19:44:00.002-06:00

This past couple of months have been the craziest I've experienced in a long, long time, and at times, I've felt like I might pass out from exhaustion. From traveling back and forth-back and forth from northern Utah to southern Utah for a grand-baby's birth to making trips to the chiropractor because of throwing my back out on my daughter's futon, to being very sick for a few weeks, I haven't been able to write as much as I usually do. But have no fear-I'm still doing all right. As a matter of fact, I'm doing so all right, I will be releasing three ebooks this spring/summer, and I've even started a new book.
Because I'm not recuperating as fast as I had hoped, I have decided to slow things down and give myself a break from writing every few days for a while. As much as my mind is rebelling against it right now, I will not type another word on my book tonight. I'm taking some time to smell the roses. Well . . . not smell the roses, but at least spend an hour with Jack Bauer as he saves the world yet again on 24:-)
So, my thought for the week is take time to slow down and allow life to catch up with you instead of the other way around. I promise ya, it will be worth it.

Be sure to order your copy of my newest LDS contemporary romance ebook Tears of Heaven by clicking on the link to the right!

Imprints

2010-04-19T04:52:00.005-06:00

I am very blessed to be able to associate with some great writers and I am continuously in awe over their talent and ability to write book after book and always churn out a hit. Rachel Ann Nunes is one of these writers. And her new book Imprints is one of these hits. The story is fresh and original and another one of my favorites from Rachel.

The Book
Sometimes what you can't see means everything.
A young woman is missing. In desperation, her parents turn to Autumn Rain for help. Autumn reads imprints - emotions mysteriously left behind on certain treasured objects. But will this ability enrich her life or destroy it?

Autumn isn't sure - her life has become far from normal - but for people whose loved ones are missing, her talent might mean the difference between life and death. Even the infuriating Detective Martin has asked for Autumn's help, though at times she feels more like a suspect than a consultant. Too often Autumn find herself retreating to her antiques shop and the company of her best friend, Jake Ryan, to avoid notice.

But soon more than one woman is missing, and Autumn teams up with private eye Ethan McConnell to investigate their disappearance. Ethan's attraction to her is a pleasant change from Jake's frustrating offers of friendship, but once Autumn takes that first step, she sets in motion a series of events that risk not only her own life but the lives of those she cares most about.

This book has it all-mystery, suspense, and of course, romance. It's sure to please any reader.
Imprints is available at your local bookstore, as well as Amazon.com
Be sure to visit Rachel's blog and read about the great contest she has going right now! rachelannnunes.blogspot.com

The Canticle Kingdom

2010-04-12T07:55:00.003-06:00

I love a good fantasy that is different from the rest of the pact-one that centers around a world too original for me to imagine. The Canticle Kingdom by Michael Young is such a book.

The Book
When a young blacksmith's apprentice named Johann discovers that his homeland is contained entirely within a small music box, it's up to him to protect the only home he's ever known. With the help of an impossibly ancient knight, his best friend, Brigitta, and his trusty homemade sword, Johann races to find the only people who can who can stop the dark power that threatens to destroy the Canticle Kingdom? An unsuspecting family and an old woodcarver from the outside world? Enter a world full of magic, danger, loyalty and bravery in this exciting debut from Michael Young, and discover that even the most ordinary objects-and people-might be hiding something truly wonderful inside.

This was really an enjoyable read and one that I look forward to my children reading. It even made me teary, which doesn't happen to me with fantasy novels:-)
Get your copy of The Canticle Kingdom by logging on to Amazon.com, Cedarfort.com, or at your local bookstore.

Attention!
This will be the last week The Journey and Place In This World will be available for free downloads. After Sunday, April 18th, they will only be available to order on my website.
So hurry and download your copy of these ebooks today!

A New Commandment

2010-04-05T04:43:00.004-06:00

One of my favorite scriptures is John 13:34-35.
"A new commandment I give you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

In a world filled with a great deal of ugliness, there is still so much beauty, and one of the great beauties of this world is our human capacity to love. No matter what happens to us or in our lives, there is a big part of us that will forever love, and that is a gift I pray we will never lose. Because the day we lose it will be the day we literally lose our humanity.

Suggested Reading

Book: I'll Know You By Heart Author: Kimberly Job

The Book
The day Stephanie Roberts met Jared Wakefield, she didn't realize they'd met before. Running from an abusive marriage and trying to safeguard her children, she turns to Jared for support, but he needs more from her than she might be capable of giving. With her abusive husband looming in her past, the difficulties they must overcome to be together seem insurmountable.

Is it possible for love to conquer all? I'll Know You By Heart is a timeless romance that explores the possibility that relationships span the entire realm of eternity. A story about abuse, hardship, and betrayal, it is ultimately a story about the healing power of everlasting true love.

This was another book I couldn't put down, and it really touched me emotionally. So many people deal with subject in their lives and sadly, it only gets worse instead of better. I applaud Kimberly on a job well done (pun intended:-)) in writing this book. She touched on every emotional aspect of abuse in the home and put into words what many victims can't.

Womanhood Rocks!

2010-03-22T04:54:00.003-06:00

I've done posts in the past on the importance of being a woman, but this past week it has freshly dawned on me how truly marvelous we are. Whether you are a stay-at-home mother, a working mother, a mother-to-be, a woman with no children, or a single woman, we are all daughters of God, and we have a purpose in this life. We can, and do, accomplish great things. And let's face it, where would men be without us?:-)
I found some really neat quotes on womanhood and would like to share them with you.

A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.
Diane Mariechild

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.
Eleanor Roosevelt

A woman is like a teabag. It's only when she's in hot water that you realize how strong she is.
Nancy Reagan

I am convinced that the influence of an army of godly women will be incalculable--in our homes, our churches, and our culture. Will you be one of those women?
Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Beautiful woman,
let your brilliance shine through,
your eyes speak of true inner beauty.
Fion Lin

Suggested Reading

Book: Women of the Book of Mormon: Insights and Inspirations
Author: Heather B. Moore

The Book
Explore the lives, circumstances, and choices of women in the Book of Mormon in this uplifting and inspirational volume that illustrates the parallels between the lives of the women of the Book of Mormon and LDS women today. With new insights on practically every page, author Heather B. Moore explores the written and unwritten stories of the prominent women in the Book of Mormon — taking familiar material and providing vivid details about family dynamics, domestic practices, and other aspects of daily life. By applying historical and cultural contexts to the situations of women like Sariah, Abish, Eve, Mary, and the faithful mothers of the striplings warriors, you will peek beneath the surface of the scriptural accounts to better understand both the righteous women of the Book of Mormon — and the women who didn’t use their agency wisely.

I read this whole book in one sitting. Like all of Heather's books, she takes the stories of these women and gives them depth, makes them real, and helps us to understand them, both the righteous and unrighteous. This book also helps to reiterate the importance of choice and the consequences that come with those choices.
A very inspiring read and the perfect gift for the important women in your life.

The Cleansing of America

2010-03-14T12:39:00.002-06:00

I really love books that warn us about what is going on in the world and give us guidance on how we can prepare. I've also been a great fan of the late W. Cleon Skousen's writings and talks. His new book The Cleansing of America will definitely be an eye opener for those who don't truly understand the negative changes that have come over our country.

The Book
Dr. W. Cleon Skousen spent the majority of his life researching the gospel, the U.S. Constitution, the founding of America and writing numerous books and articles on the topic. He is also one of the most well-known, respected defenders of America and the gospel the world has ever known. At the time of his passing in 2006, his work was not yet finished. His book The Cleansing of America, written in 1994 and given into the care and keeping of his sons, is now being brought forth for the first time ever.

Included in these pages are the events and stages the Lord has predicted, through his servants, the winding-up scenes of this world. It helps the reader understand: the nature of prophecy, the known chronology of prophetic events, and the importance of staying close to the Lord and his prophets during the difficult and challenging years prior to the Second Coming. We are fast approaching those prophetic events. Some are upon us even now.

If we are prepared and obedient, we need not fear these events, but rather embrace them for the blessings they portend.

To order your copy of The Cleansing of America, log onto http://www.amazon.com/Cleansing-America-W-Cleon-Skousen/dp/193554621X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268428647&sr=1-1

A Little Humor - A Lot of Truth

2010-03-09T08:47:00.003-07:00

I found a neat little quote by George Carlin, one of my favorite people.

"I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as the get older; then it dawned on me-they're cramming for their final exam."

I chuckled as I read this because in a way, it is so true. Sometimes we forget how short this life really is, and how important it is to constantly stay close to God. Life is an unending education and we should be taking full advantage of each and every opportunity to increase our knowledge of what it's all about.

Suggested Reading

Book: The Thorn: Book One- The Chronicles of Gan
Author: Daron D. Fraley

The Book
Three tribes are at war on the planet Gan, unaware that the sign of Christ's birth on an unknown world - Earth - is about to appear in the heavens.

During a bloody skirmish with Gideonite troops, Jonathan of Daniel spares Pekah, a young enemy soldier, gaining his trust forever. These two distant brothers from estranged tribes covenant with each other to end the war being waged by a self-proclaimed emperor, and soon discover the intentions of a far more dangerous foe named Rezon - a sinister general bent on ruling those he can bring into subjection and destroying all others.

In the end, Pekah's selfless bravery is the means by which all the tribes are united. But there are dissenters, and Rezon escapes a well-deserved fate. When the promised heavenly signs appear, will there be peace at last, or will the malefactors once again threaten the safety of them all?

Thorn will be available to purchase on March 16th. To learm more about Daron and his book, log on to daronfraley.com

New Ebook ! Tears of Heaven: A Love Story

2010-03-01T07:20:00.006-07:00

Well, I'm still at my daughter's place waiting for my grand baby. It's being a little stubborn, well actually, very stubborn since she's two and a half weeks late. This kid doesn't know what its putting its grandparents through. On the upside, I've been able to use this waiting time to finish up some projects I've been working on.
Bookwise, this is going to be a great year for me because I'll have three new ebook releases this year. Two are LDS contemporary romances and one is a children's reader.

The first of the books is Tears of Heaven: A Love Story and is available to order now from my website.

About the Book

Escaping from an abusive relationship, Heaven Gundersen flees to the safety of her grandparent's home and begins a new life in Sweden, praying the past is behind her. When she accepts the housekeeping job arranged by her grandparents, she has no idea how much it will change his life. Her boss, Sergei Petrenko, is a retired hockey player, and definitely not what she had expected.

No matter how hard she tries to guard her heart, Sergei's kindness makes it impossible to do and she once again opens up to love. But leaving the past behind isn't as easy as she hoped it would be, and the peace she has found in her new life is about to be shattered by the nightmare she thought she'd escaped.

Tears of Heaven is the new emotionally charged novella that will touch your heart and make you cheer the endurance of the human spirit.

Order Tears of Heaven and receive a free copy of the young adult romance ebook For Love of Angel!
Tears of Heaven is only $3.95 a copy. To order, log on to jadamsnovels.com
Get your copy today!

Behind The Columns

2010-02-22T14:52:00.002-07:00

I've been a slacker for the past couple of weeks and things have been pretty crazy at my house, but now I'm in the snowy town of Cedar City, waiting for my daughter to go into labor and have our grandchild, and I now have a moment to get back on track.

Today I'm happy to feature Behind the Columns, a historical romance by Arlette Gaffrey. The story is about two star crossed lovers and is one of power, deception.

The Book
The year is 1846. Désirée Bordeaux is a beautiful Créole belle living with her aging grandfather, a heavy drinker and gambler who has accrued huge debts. When he dies suddenly, Désirée learns that her beautiful New Orleans plantation, Chêne Vue, is to be put on the auction block.

Désirée finds herself being wooed by Philippe Jaunet, a cruel man who lusts after Chêne Vue and strikes fear in Désirée’s heart. She is also being courted by the handsome and wealthy New Yorker, Lance Van Buren, but her heart belongs to another—the man who broke her heart and married someone else. Désirée is pulled in different directions, her life complicated by circumstances, misunderstandings, lies, and betrayal—and the workings of her own turbulent heart. Will love eventually win out for this southern belle? Power, passion, and deception rule in Arlette Gaffrey’s latest novel, Behind the Columns.

I was pulled right into this book and there was never a dull moment, and, just as in her previous novel A World of His Own, there is a great deal of historic info on the Creoles. I loved this story.
I asked Arlette how she came up with the story. This is her answer.

"To be truthful I really don't know. After I wrote A World Of His Own-In The Land Of The Creoles, and I saw how well it was received, I thought it might be a nice thing to write about New Orleans at a later date, (1846). And like my first book the story just started to form in my mind, and after awhile it demanded to be written down.

Then I wondered how many people knew about the Patroon system in New York, so I thought it would be interesting to move the story from one end of the country to the other. From the Deep South to the Far North. So of course I had to find a way to bring someone from New York to New Orleans, hence Lance Van Buren.

Once these pictures began to form in my mind, I could hardly wait to get them written down and then sit back and see what happened. Because that's the exciting thing about the way I write. I never know how the story is going to go or even turn out any more than the reader. I just let the story and the characters take over and do their own thing, and for me it seems to work. I think that's why I love writing so much. I've always been a "free spirit" and I hate to be tied down, but in life we are tied down to our lives, but in my stories I can just let loose and go with the flow.

Behind the Columns is available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com, as well as B&N and Borders bookstores. To learn more about Arlette, visit her website at arlettegaffrey.com

The Important Things

2010-02-02T09:36:00.003-07:00

With each day, week, month, and year that passes, I find my mind more and more fixed on the important things.
I learned a lot so far on this journey we call life, and I know there are a million more things I need to learn, but I'm ready for the lessons because each one will be for my good. I know they will.
Over the years I have learned:

Not to judge. You never know what is going on in the lives of others.

To forgive. How can I expect to be forgiven of others if I choose to hold on to things and not forgive, myself?

To love unconditionally. God loves me and He asks me to do the same in return.

Be positive. It takes so much more energy to be negative.

Look for the good. In a world that is as troubled as ours has become, this can be a hard thing to do, but it can be done.

Be grateful. No matter what I am going through, I try to remind myself that things can always be worse.

A little over a week ago I had the opportunity to speak to a group of women who are overcoming drug addiction, and it was one of the most meaningful things I have ever been privileged to do. What a marvelous opportunity that was! What an amazing group of women! They varied in ages and ethnic background, but I understood them, because I was once where they are, and though they have all been through many things and I can't possibly understand how they feel personally, I can definitely relate and empathize. Visiting with these beautiful women helped to renew my surety that it is never too late to change, and with God's help, we can overcome anything. It also strengthened my conviction that we are here to live the best we can and be happy. We don't judge one another, we help one another.

This life is so short. I see that now more than I ever could before, and eternal things are ringing more true. I guess that's what comes with hitting the middle age years. The world is moving at a faster pace. I see my children growing up and moving on before I can blink. I see a few more lines around my eyes when I smile and a few more gray hairs highlighting the black. But you know what? It's okay. This is the way things are supposed to be. And I wouldn't change any of it.
I love this life that God has given me. I hope you can see the good in yours as well, and I hope we can all remember to fix our minds on the important things.

For the month of February if you purchase a printed copy of my young-adult fantasy The Journey, you get a second copy free!
Don't miss this opportunity to share this inspiring story with those you love. To order, log on to jadamsnovels.com

The Journey audio book is now available on Itunes and Audible.com
Download your copy today!

No Going Back by Jonathan Langford

2010-01-25T08:13:00.003-07:00

Every parent knows how painful it is to watch your child make poor choices, and it is especially hard when they give in to temptations and trials and make choices that could jeopardize their future. Sometimes they choose paths that bring heartache to both them and the family. But then again sometimes they face weaknesses that they honestly fight to overcome, and it becomes a day-to-day struggle for them. You ache for them immensely, but you can't shelter them from the pain that could strengthen them and help them to grow.

I had the opportunity to read No Going Back by Jonathan Langford. It is the story of a Mormon teenager dealing with the issue of same-sex attraction. I was deeply touched by the story and I read the whole book in a day.

The Book
A gay teenage Mormon growing up in western Oregon in 2003. His straight best friend. Their parents. A typical LDS ward, a high-school club about tolerance for gays, and a proposed anti-gay-marriage amendment to the state constitution. In No Going Back, these elements combine in a coming-of-age story about faithfulness and friendship, temptation and redemption, tough choices and conflicting loyalties.

I will warn you that there is some language, mostly at the beginning, but none of it is explicit. Despite that, I was completely drawn in to the story and it stayed with me long after I finished the book.

Meaningful Rambling From The Heart

2010-01-18T07:38:00.004-07:00

One of my favorite picture books is The Spyglass by Richard Paul Evans. The story teaches that instead of seeing things just as they are, we should see things how they could be, then do what we can to make it so.
God has blessed each of us with the gift of thinking positive and doing what we can to better ourselves and the world around us. But with that gift comes its opposite-to let negative things bring us down and allow ourselves to wallow in that negativity. It all depends on which emotion we choose to feed.
I know how easy it is to become overwhelmed with the things that are happening in the world today and the negative changes taking place. This country is definitely not the country it once was, just as we as Americans are not the people we once were. So many things have been lost along the way, things that used to make America great. And because of that, we have lost something.

Yet human beings are amazing creatures. We have to ability to bounce back, to grow stronger, to see the bigger picture, but . . . only when we allow ourselves to, only when we decide that nothing is going to hold us back. Not when it comes to our goals for this country, for our families, or for ourselves. We get knocked down, but we have an ingrained ability to get right back up. If we want something bad enough, nothing can stop us from going for it. Nothing that is, except for our inner selves.

There was once a person who was born in one of the worst of circumstances. With everything she had been handed in life, she was destined to fail in life and become one of those tragic stories that would be told then forgotten.
But then this person decided she wanted something better. She grew to understand who she really was and began to see the possibilities rather than what was. With God's help she was able to not only reach those things possible, but surpass them. While some come from the best of circumstances and do nothing, she rose above the worst of circumstances to do great things. These things might not be great according to the world's standards, but they were great just the same. She went on to be a wife, a mother, a friend, and she continuously strives to be the daughter of God she knows she can one day be.

And all this was possible because she looked through God's spyglass, saw what could be, and took on a journey to make it so-a journey that will never stop in this life.
What if we did that as a country? Just think of what could be accomplished with God's help! Just think of what we could overcome!
There is opposition in all things and we will never escape that fact. But would we even want to if we could? I hope that answer is a resounding no. Because where would the growth be? How could it come without adversity? Simply put, it couldn't.

May we all take a good look through God's spyglass, see what can be, in our own lives, and in this world, and do what we can to make it so:-)

Suggested Reading

Book: Farworld: Landkeep
Author: J. Scott Savage

The Book
Four mythical Elementals Water, Land, Air, and Fire have the power to save two worlds, Earth and Farworld, from a common enemy: the Dark Circle. In book one, Water Keep, a portal has been opened between the two worlds, allowing Marcus, from Earth, and Kyja, from Farworld, to combine their unique gifts and begin their epic quest to find the Elementals. In book two, Land Keep, Marcus and Kyja travel with Cascade, a Water Elemental, toward Land Keep, the home of the powerful and wise Land Elementals. However, their journey may end before it even begins. Land Keep is empty, deserted for at least a thousand years, and the rumor is that the creatures who once controlled all land magic are extinct. Marcus and Kyja's only hope seems to lie in finding the Augur Well, a legendary Oracle protected by subtle traps and mind-bending trials. To succeed in their quest, Marcus and Kyja must also avoid the Keepers of the Balance, an order dedicated to redistributing magic to the rich and powerful. And they must travel far underground, where Cascade is unable to follow and where they will be unable to leap to the safety of Earth. As the Dark Circle closes around them, Marcus and Kyja are faced with the temptation of what they desire most. Sacrifices must be made, and not everyone will survive unscathed.

So . . . How About Those Goals?

2010-01-04T08:11:00.006-07:00

Like everyone else, I usually set goals for the new year and end up accomplishing only one or two. This year I only have one goal, but in reaching for this goal, hopefully good things will follow because this goal encompasses everything else I would like to accomplish.

My goal? To be a better person this year, to be better than I was last year.

I think out of all the goals I've set for myself over the years, this one is the most important to me, because if I can reach this goal, then I will be a little closer to being worthy of all the things I've been blessed with in my life. And I have been blessed with much.

Almost twenty-four years ago, I was given a new life and was able to leave a pain-filled one behind. I've tried to show my gratitude and live this second life well. I've fallen short many, many times along the way, and I'm sure I will continue to fall short.
But I guess what's important is getting back up and starting anew, never losing sight of the goal or the prize.

So that is my goal for this new year-to be a better person and help make the world better by doing that.

What are your New Year's goals?
Leave a comment and share your goals and you'll be entered into a drawing for a copy of my books The Journey and Mercedes' Mountain!

Suggested Reading

Book The Best of Times: A Dickens Inn Novel
Author: Anita Stansfield

The Book
A sprawling Montana setting; a charming bed-and-breakfast inn brimming with Dickensian decor; a beautiful and deeply spiritual innkeeper with secret sorrows from her past; a Granny who is as delightful as she is wise; and a handsome guest whose lifestyle and past are both troubled and troubling these are the elements of a captivating novel of romance and intrigue. With characters that are vital and vulnerable, and a plot that is wholly unpredictable, this story is a journey of choices and amazing opportunities. Once again, Anita Stansfield proves her versatility as a storyteller extraordinaire in this novel that is an ingenious blend of romance, mystery, and Dickensian charm. The Best of Times will prove to be a favorite in the best Stansfield tradition.

Against the Odds Ebook

2009-12-30T10:08:00.003-07:00

I hope everyone one had an amazing Christmas. Our house was full and it was pretty awesome. May we all have a great New Year's day!

I'm kicking off the new year by introducing Against the Odds, my emotion-driven, heart-tugging contemporary romance on ebook. At $4.95, you can't beat the price.

The Book

What happens when a black fashion model from the city meets a cowboy from the country?

Tired if dealing with an unfaithful husband after seven years of marriage, Raine Edmunds finally gets a divorce. Wanting to start over, she leaves her successful modeling career behind and goes to a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico to stay with her best friend. The ranch is the perfect place for her to take stock of her life and all she's accomplished.

Then Raine meets Hayden, her friend's brother-in-law, and the opposite of all the other men she has ever known. As their friendship blossoms, so does her love of ranch life. She discovers that what she wants most-what her heart truly desires-is right in front of her.

Everything about Raine and Hayden's love is against the odds. Now they must prove to each other and to themselves that no matter what trials assail them, their love will be strong enough to overcome any obstacle.

Stop by jadamsnovels.com today and order your copy of this uplifting multi-cultural romance!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-22T15:46:00.002-07:00

We have a family Christmas tradition in my home. We have our annual Adams Family Christmas program on Christmas Eve and everyone participates, whether it be reading or telling a story, singing a song, or anything else fun we can come up with. I write a new Christmas story for my family every year and I usually read it during our program. We finish with my husband reading the nativity story from the Bible. Afterward, we chow down on hoagies and all kinds of Christmas goodies. It's always a fun evening.

This year I would like to share the new story I wrote with my blog readers. It's called Simeon'sHands and is the story of a woodcarver who finally comes to understand his worth.

If you would like me to send you an ecopy, email me your request at jewela40@gmail.com and I will send one right out to ya! I only asked that you do not distribute copies of this story, as it is copywritten.

I'm so grateful for you guys and your continued support. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

A Talk With L. C. Lewis

2009-12-14T05:04:00.007-07:00

Last week I had the privilege of reading Dawn's Early Light, book 3 of the Free Men and Dreamers historical series by L. C. Lewis. Even though this novel is part of a series, it was also written as a stand-alone book, and having not read the first two, the story great from the very beginning and I was able to get right into it. I love reading novels about historical events, especially when the author has thoroughly researched the events, and L. C. Lewis has really done well.

The Book
This third volume of LC Lewis’s War of 1812 historical fiction epic, Free Men and Dreamers, covers the British offensive against Washington D.C. Once Napoleon is subdued, and despite the commencement of peace negotiations, Britain unleashes her triumphant European conquerors on America. And their primary target? Washington. While attentions turn to the defense of the Capital, mercenaries threaten the Winding Willows and White Oak plantations, forcing enemies to become allies, fighting side-by-side with freed slaves to defend their homes and families. Mere miles away, the Capital’s defense now rests predominantly upon citizen soldiers and a most unlikely naval force—a rag-tag fleet called the Chesapeake flotilla—and the men who built it. But Britain’s house is also divided over the war, as the cost mounts in blood and money. Experience the pain and passion of five families—American, slave and British—as they endure the three darkest days of American history—the week when Washington burned.

L. C. Lewis (Laurie) was kind enough to answer a few questions about herself and her writing.

Me: Laurie, thanks so much for taking the time to visit.

Laurie: Thanks for this opportunity, Jewel! I’m delighted to meet your readers.

Me: Tell us a little about yourself.

Laurie: I like to say that I’m a 50-something, craft-challenged, LDS wife, mother and grandmother from Maryland. My husband and I have been married for 33 years now, and we have four kids and four grandkids. Though I always loved to write, my original vocation plan was to be a singer. For about ten years I performed quite a bit, but now I only sing in the car, the choir, or to my grandchildren.

Me: Sounds fun. You're just full of talent. What got you into writing?

Laurie: When I was about ten I began writing TV episodes. They were just for my entertainment, but I would dream about starring in them with my favorite male leads—Donnie Osmond, Bobby Sherman or Davy Jones, (wow . . . I’m really dating myself here!) I entered a few writing contests and won, but it was a Creative Writing teacher who made me feel I had promise. For years I wrote short stories and poems as gifts, and I authored some plays for Church use. When my children started leaving home, I began my first novel, “Unspoken,” a story about a husband and wife who are unable to forgive one another. I submitted it to Covenant in 2003 and it was accepted and published in 2004.

Me: Tell us how you came about writing this series.

Laurie: I visited Williamsburg, Virginia and I just felt such a strong spirit there. I was fascinated and awed by the industry and ingenuity of the people, and I decided to write a book set in a historic period. I was afraid to set it in the early 1800’s because I didn’t feel qualified to handle the Restoration, so I set the book in the 1850’s, but my editor advised me to rework the manuscript and expand the story. I set it aside for quite a while, and then I was asked to teach a year of Church History in Early Morning Seminary. I read whatever I could find on Joseph Smith’s life during that year, and I realized that the generation that would receive the Restoration was the first generation of American-born citizens. Their peers were the children of the Founding Fathers. I also became drawn by the many correlations between America’s history and the events affecting Joseph Smith’s family. When you lay American history over the Joseph Smith story, the hand of the Lord in this nation’s creation is so evident. After making these discoveries, I felt I was ready to move the book back a generation picking up the wonderful War of 1812 history in my own backyard, and the early Smith history.

Me: Well, after reading Dawn's Early Light, I loved the characters so much, I'm going to have to read the first two books;-) Are you currently working on any other projects?

Laurie: I hope to have book four, “The Morning Breaks” on the shelves by next Christmas, and I have a literary novel I’m shopping around. I also have a suspense/romance I’m really excited about. It’s in the early stages, but the plot-line is fascinating. I hope I can get that manuscript finished next year.

Me: I hope so, too. I look forward to reading your future books. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to get to know you:-)

To learn more about Laurie and her books, visit her blog at laurielclewis.blogspot.com

Leave a comment and you will be automatically entered in a drawing to receive a copy of Dawn's Early Light!

Be sure and download your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World by clicking on the links to the right. And visit my blog to learn about my other books!
jadamsnovels.com

Tender Mercies: One of Life's Great Lessons

2009-12-01T06:30:00.004-07:00

Have you ever had times when you've needed a friend and one was sent right when you needed it most?
Have you ever been down and someone calls or stops by or sends a card just to let you know you are in their thoughts and brighten your day?
Have you ever needed something and found that need filled through another person?
Have you ever been desperately in need of comfort, and received that comfort from your spouse or one of your children?
Have you ever prayed to make it through a trial to find years later that you not only made it through, but you were stronger because of it?

I'm sure we all have had these moments, but do we recognize those tender mercies when they come? If you are like me, you don't truly recognize them until they have passed.

I've received many mercies in my life, far too many to count. Some of them I didn't recognize until years later when I've taken a moment to truly think about them.
I remember many things about my childhood. Some I have chosen to lock away, and others remain at the forefront of my mind, and each and every one of these memories was accompanied by a tender mercy I could not recognize at the time.
There is one memory in particular that will forever stay with me because it testifies with absolute certainty of God's love for me, of His love and mindfulness of all of us.

I was nine years old. I had gotten off the school bus and slowly walked home. Because of the things I witnessed in my home on a daily basis, it was never a place where one could find comfort. I walked through the door and immediately heard the very familiar screams and cries of my mother. Walking down the hallway, I stopped at her open bedroom door. My stepfather was administering one of his daily beatings, only this one looked far worse. He yelled at me to go to my room, which I immediately did.
I closed my door, stood looking out my window for a few moments, then got on my bed and pulled a pillow over my head. I cried and tried to muffle out the cries of my mother but couldn't. I began to rock back and forth, talking to my invisible friend, and prayed for it to be over. I don't know how long I did this. I just remember continually rocking with the pillow over my head and praying for comfort.

And comfort did come. Because the next thing I knew, I was waking up to go and eat dinner and it was over.

After the birth of my youngest son, I was again dealing with bouts of major depression. There were times that I would lie on my side in bed and rock back and forth, praying for it to be over.
And once again, comfort did come.

Do I wish I had not had to deal with these things?

Absolutely not!

Because look at the lessons learned! They were priceless!

God has given me so many tender mercies in my life and I promised myself I would always strive to recognize each and every one.
Of course, I'm still a work in progress:-)
I pray we can all recognize the tender mercies that come to us, as well as the lessons learned from each trial.

Suggested Reading

Book: Grace
Author: Richard Paul Evans

The Book
She was my first kiss. My first love. She was a little match girl who could see the future in the flame of a candle. She was a runaway who taught me more about life than anyone has before or since. And when she was gone my innocence left with her.

Yes, We All Make A Difference, No Matter What

2009-11-23T06:33:00.002-07:00

Yesterday was a very down day for me. I felt more down than I have in a very long time. It was a day where I very prone to tears and wondered if I have really made a difference in the world. I know, I know, I'm always talking of being positive and recognizing your worth, but even I have moments when I feel down and wonder if I'm contributing anything of value, if I'm being a good enough wife, a good enough mother, and a good enough daughter of God.

It's so easy to feel overwhelmed these days. Mix that with worry and an emotional hormone surge and it's not pretty.

But at the end of the day I began again to remember what's important, why I'm here. And I felt better. I reminded myself that we all have days, and moments. When those times do come, if we could just remember we aren't alone, and the sorrow won't last forever, we will begin to be all right.

Suggested Reading

Book: Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder
Author: Obert Skye

The Book
In the fifth and final volume of the epic saga of Leven Thumps, all of Foo is rushing madly to exit the realm of dreams while Leven is headed in the opposite direction. Fate snatches him to the island of Alder, where he is poised to pass or fail the final test.
Meanwhile, in Reality, Ezra and Dennis are welcoming those flowing out of Foo— but only so they can selfishly conquer them and gain control of both realms. Phoebe is loose, and it takes Geth getting ahold of her to begin to balance the emotions and passions of all that is crumbling. And Winter? Well, Winter just might hold the answer to everything. Ride with Leven and Clover as they travel through the ruins of Alder hoping he has what it takes to save all mankind and restore the power of dreams.

As much as I hated to see this series end, it was indeed a great ending and an exciting and enjoyable read. What's even better is the promise of a spin-off series at the end of the book:-)

Download your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World by clicking on the links to the right!

Book Spotlight: The Ball's In her Court

2009-11-18T08:32:00.005-07:00

This past month I had the privilege of reading The Ball's In Her Court by Heather Justesen. When I started reading and discovered what the story was about, I wasn't sure I wanted to finish it because some of what the character goes through in the book, I know a lot about from my own childhood, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

The Book
Growing up in the foster care system was no picnic, but after being adopted into a loving LDS family, playing college basketball, and launching her career in the software industry, Denise Dewalt finally feels as though she s left her former life behind her. What she doesn t realize is that she must confront her past if she ever wants to move on to a brighter future. While her search for her biological family isn t an easy one, Denise s biggest fear is that even when she finds her family, she ll have nothing to give Rich, the only man who can see past the tragedies of her childhood. This emotional and inspirational story proves that life is full of unexpected twists and turns especially when it comes to facing your demons, fighting for love, and finding happiness for the future. The Ball s in Her Court will keep you hooked to the very last page.

Heather really tugs at your heart with this story. It left me uplifted and helped renew my knowledge that with the Lord, there is nothing we can't overcome, and we are all special and loved.
To learn more about Heather and her book, log on to Cedarfort.com

Download your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World by clicking on the links to the right!

Thanksgiving Memories

2009-11-10T06:44:00.004-07:00

With the great Turkey Day approaching, I've found myself trying to remember the Thanksgivings of my youth. Sadly, there wasn't a whole lot to remember, at least nothing that really sticks out in my mind.
Sure, there was the traditional turkey dinner at my grandparents' house when family would crawl out of the woodwork and eat their fill, then go back to their respective homes. There was no talk of gratitude or remembrance of sacrifices of family members who had passed on. No memories were made . . .

Until I grew up and had a family of my own.

I truly understand what Thanksgiving is all about now, because I have so much to be thankful for, and I strive to recognize the blessings of each new day. I'm making memories and traditions with my own family. So now when I think of holidays as a kid, I no longer feel like I missed out on anything. I have everything and more, and hopefully my children will have good memories of our family holidays to treasure when they are older. I hope they will look back and feel grateful.
Because that's what Thanksgiving is all about:-)

Suggested Reading

Book: Roots
Author: Alex Haley

The Book

Tracing his ancestry through six generations - slaves and freedmen, farmers and blacksmiths, lawyers and architects - back to Africa, Alex Haley discovered a sixteen-year-old youth, Kunta Kinte. It was this young man, who had been torn from his homeland and in torment and anguish brought to the slave markets of the new world, who held the key to Haley's deep and distant past.

This author's story (both the book and the movie) never gets old. And since I've now been bitten by the genealogy bug, I can't help feeling grateful again to Alex Haley for writing this story and sharing his journey, and instilling the desire in blacks to understand where we came from and trace our roots. Because of my own desire to know my ancestors, I feel a renewed appreciation for them and the trials they faced.
You can find Roots at your local bookstore or Amazon.com

Be sure and download your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World by clicking on the links to the right!

To Thine Own Self Be True

2009-11-02T04:44:00.007-07:00

I watch young people a lot and it's sad when I see some of them making poor choices and going against everything they have been taught. It's even sadder when we adults do. That's why it's so important to be true to ourselves-more important than we could ever know.

Here is a neat thought I found on staying true to yourself.

"When you are true to yourself, your mind gets all steeled up. Most importantly, it has nothing to fear, no one to bow to. This is because when you are true to yourself, you always do things that are just and right. And when you do everything fair and square, you have nothing to fear. Thus, being true to your own self makes you fearless.

Being true to yourself gives you a good feel. You look at people and things without prejudice, and do unto them what you feel is right and not what they do unto you. These deeds fill you up with contentment, self-confidence and esteem, which in turn make you hold your head high. You are not just the first amongst equals - you are way too far ahead than being just number one.

When you are true to yourself, you automatically start speaking the truth - all the time. That kind of wins you respect from others - they start looking up to you and cling on to every word you say.

Jim Davis once said, "The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable." And he is right. The path to truth is strewn with thorns - but after the initial few steps, these thorns cease to matter - in fact, they are gone with the wind. So, go right ahead and be true to yourself, because truth will not hurt you; it will awaken your soul. Just try it."
Kevin Sinclair

Suggested Reading

Book: Santa Maybe
Author: Aubrey Mace

If you're looking for a fun holiday read, this one is for you. Aubrey was kind enough to answer a few questions for us.

Me: Aubrey, tell us a little about yourself.

Aubrey: I like sunshine, gardening, travel, reading, writing, baking, naps, chocolate, fortune cookies, and spending time with my family. I'm a Leo, but I'm kinda shy and introverted, so I'm the worst Leo ever.

Me: What got you into writing?

Aubrey: Reading is probably what got me into writing, I think. For as long as I can remember, I've been a voracious reader. I remember writing a few little stories in elementary school, but I really started writing short stories in college. It's still such a thrill for me to go into a store and see a book one the shelf with my name on it.

Me: I loved Santa Maybe, and so did my 12 year old daughter. I also think there are a lot of single women out there who can relate to Abbie and would love to have Santa leave them a husband under the tree:-) How did you come up with the story?
Aubrey: There's a lot of me in Santa Maybe. I'm single and I started thinking, wouldn't it be so easy if a man just showed up on my doorstep and saved me the trouble of seeking him out? And then I thought, as great as it sounds, I think it would really throw you for a loop. This is exactly what happens to Abbie, the main character. Her younger sister Grace is always pestering her about why she doesn't date more, so when she comes up with this crazy scheme of Abbie asking Santa for a husband for Christmas, Abbie goes along with it more to humor Grace than anything else. Imagine her shock when she finds a handsome stranger with amnesia under her tree! A tiny part of her is intrigued, but mostly she's in a turmoil because now that she has this seemingly great guy, she's not sure what to do with him. Of course, much hilarity ensues-- it's a really fun story. On a side note, I actually asked Santa for a man one year, but I wasn't as lucky as Abbie. Looking back, I think maybe I should have been less specific-- I asked for Daniel Craig. :)

Me: Ha! You and millions of other women:-) Do you have any other projects in the works?

Aubrey: I am working on a novel about heaven, but unfortunately I'm in the midst of a six-month + stretch of writer's block. I've got about half the novel written, I think, and I even know the ending-- I just can't seem to write it. Hopefully, I'll get back on track soon! This is the longest I've gone without writing something every day for years.

To purchase Santa Maybe, log on to Amazon.com or Cedar Fort.com

Get your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World by clicking on the links to the right!
Also, check out the book trailer for Janette Rallison's YA novel My Fair Godmother!

It's Not Just About Us

2009-10-26T04:50:00.005-06:00

Yesterday I came away from church with a few great thoughts to ponder.
In the world today we are taught that everything is about us, about what we want, how we feel, and what we desire. Forget about everyone else. They can fin for themselves, our happiness is all that matters.

This thinking is so wrong. Life is not all about us. It's about our families, about God, about what we can contribute to this world to help others. And I don't mean in the 'it takes a village' sort of way. I've never been into that saying because I don't believe in collectivism. What I do mean is that we need to think of others besides ourselves. We need to pray for others, take care of our spouses and children and be the best we can be for them. It's about being a good sister or brother, being a good friend or neighbor, being a good grandma or grandpa, and most importantly, being the best child of God we can be.

We should definitely go after our dreams and never stop reaching. We should definitely seek after the good things in life, because God does want us to have all this and more. But in seeking after those things we need to remember the things that matter most. We need to remember it isn't all about us. It's about loving and caring for one another and living your best life. It's all about being the best you you can possibly be.

In the eyes of God we are all pretty awesome. Now let's go and prove Him right:-)

Suggested Reading

Book: The Maze Runner
Author James Dashner

The Book
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.
Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Boy, talk about a wild ride! James definitely takes you on one with this book. I had to put it down every now and then to calm my pounding heart. My 14 year old son devoured this book in a day, and we're both anxiously awaiting the next volume.
You can find The Maze Runner at your local book store or on Amazon.com

Also, click on the video link to the right and check the trailer for My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison.

And be sure to get your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World ebooks by clicking on the links to the right!

Blog: Am I Not A Man?-The Dred Scott Story

2009-10-19T04:59:00.008-06:00

I love reading about historical figures that I can really look up to. Mark L. Shurtleff's novel Am I Not A Man?: The Dred Scott Story is about such a person.

An illiterate slave, Dred Scott trusted in an all-white, slave-owning jury to declare him free. But after briefly experiencing the glory of freedom and manhood, a new state Supreme Court ordered the cold steel of the shackles to be closed again around his wrists and ankles. Falling to his knees, Dred cried, "Ain't I a man?" Dred answered his own question by rising and taking his fight to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Dred ultimately lost his epic battle when the Chief Justice declared that a black man was so inferior that he had "no rights a white man was bound to respect."

Dred died not knowing that his undying courage led directly to the election of President Abraham Lincoln and the emancipation proclamation.
Dred Scott's inspiring and compelling true story of adventure, courage, love, hatred, and friendship parallels the history of this nation from the long night of slavery to the narrow crack in the door that would ultimately lead to freedom and equality for all men.

By the end of this book I was teary and felt both the pain and the triumph of Dred's story. This brave man renewed my gratitude for my ancestors and the trials they underwent to insure the freedom of their posterity. And I'm grateful to Mark Shurtleff for researching Dred's life and gifting us all with his story.

To preorder copies of Am I Not A Man: The Dred Scott Story or to learn more about this book and the author, log onto valorpublishinggroup.com

Be sure to download your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World by clicking on the links to the right!

I Am Wonder Woman!

2009-10-12T10:31:00.005-06:00

When I was a kid I thought the greatest person in the world was Wonder Woman. In fact, I wanted to be Wonder Woman. Well, be her and a nun:-)
I used to think it would be so great to jump high, run like an amazon, compel people to tell the truth with my magic lasso, and be the best bullets and bracelets female on Paradise Island. My imagination went wild with this!
Of course, as I got older I realized I would never be a size 2, blue-eyed amazon running around in a red, white, and blue bathing suit, ridding the world of evil (and I never became a nun, either.) But I have discovered that all women can be Wonder Women in their own way.

We marry, have children, and care for our families. We're housekeepers, cooks, caregivers, teachers, nurses, taxi drivers, supporters, and sympathizers. We're forever fixing rips and tears and sewing on buttons, and we sorrow for the heartbreaks of others and rejoice in their triumphs, plus many other things. We do it all!

So, the next time you're feeling a little down on yourself or overwhelmed, take a moment to stop in front of a mirror, picture yourself donning a golden crown and belt with lasso, and bullet-proof bracelets. Then give yourself a big smile and say, "I Am a Wonder Woman!" I promise you will feel better:-)

Suggested Viewing

I don't care how cheesy it is, you gotta love the Wonder Woman television series from the 70s. I been watching the first two seasons this past few weeks with my twelve-year-old daughter and it's been a blast.

A beautiful Amazon princess (Lynda Carter) travels to America disguised as Diana Prince, assistant to handsome but trouble-prone Major Steve Trevor (Lyle Waggoner). Using her golden belt, which imbues her with astonishing strength, her bullet-deflecting bracelets, a golden lasso that dispels dishonesty and an invisible supersonic plane, Wonder Woman combats evil.

Heather Moore's New Book: Alma

2009-10-05T06:52:00.004-06:00

I love reading both fiction and non-fiction. I like reading a novel that is both even more. If you do too, then Heather Moore's new book Alma is just the ticket:-)

The Book
King Noah is thundering with rage. The former high priest Alma has vanished from the city of Nephi, and every night more of his believers manage to escape. The king blames Amulon and threatens certain punishment unless Amulon recaptures Alma—a seemingly impossible task. But Amulon has a plan. An equally valuable prisoner is at his fingertips: Noah’s wife, Maia, whose newfound faith means bitter humiliation for the king and an opportunity for Amulon to seize power.

Amulon’s disavowed daughter Raquel has plans of her own. Despite her grief, she is determined to begin a new life in the colony Alma and his followers are building. When Lamanites plunder and burn her settlement, Raquel and her young son are forced to flee to the waters of Mormon.

Drama and danger escalate as Alma the Elder organizes the Lord’s Church and baptizes its members, bringing an outpouring of divine grace and power. But even as they rejoice, the believers have profound and perilous trials to face, from the outward threat of Amulon’s treachery to the inward threat of pride and disobedience. With poignant emotion, gripping suspense, and rich inspiration, this new epic story from H.B. Moore vividly brings the Book of Mormon to life.

This Whitney Award winning author has a way with Church historical fiction novels that completely pulls you into the story and doesn't let go until you're finished. When it comes to facts, her research and study of the Book of Mormon prophets is excellent and her books never fail to please. Reading her books increases my love for these great men.
Plus, Heather is a pretty awesome lady:-)
Find out more about Heather and her books by visiting her website at www.hbmoore.com

And if you haven't downloaded your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World, what are you waiting for?
Click on the links to the right!

When Storms Come

2009-09-30T10:15:00.004-06:00

In the movie The Count of Monte Cristo, the Count is attending the birthday dinner of Mercedes' son, Albert Mondego. He gives the birthday toast and during that toast he says something that has always stuck with me. When talking about the storms of life, he repeats something Albert said weeks earlier when he was accosted in an alleyway, and adds some extra words of wisdom to it. He said, "When those storms come, say to them, 'Do your worst, for I will do mine.'"

Everyone has times in their life when storms rage and you wonder if one of these times you will be washed away with the tide. I know I do. Yet somehow we stand strong. We are somehow gifted with the strength to withstand the raging waters and go on.

We will be told at different times in our lives that God will not give us more than we can handle. He lets it rain and He lets the winds blow, because He knows it is for our good. He knows we must learn and grow and become stronger.
How grateful I am for that.

So when we faces those storms in life, let's quote the Count of Monte Cristo and say "Come on! Do your worst, for I will do mine!" Then learn and grow from the experiences:-)

Suggested Reading

Book: The Peacegiver
Author: James L. Ferrell

The Book
How is Christ the answer to a strained relationship with child, parent or sibling? What if I am being mistreated — what does the atonement say about that? How can I discover the desire to repent when I don't feel the need to repent? These are the challenging questions of daily life, the questions to which the gospel must provide an answer if it is to have living, cleansing, redeeming power.

The Peacegiver is a book about the answers to these questions. In both content and form it is unlike other books about the atonement, for it unfolds as compelling story in which the characters learn about the Atonement as they struggle over the problems in their lives — problems we each share. The book therefore allows us not only to "learn about" the Atonement but also to have an experience with it.

"My peace I give unto you," the Savior declared. The Peacegiver explores in a deeply personal way what we must do to receive the peace he stands willing to give.

No matter how many times I read this book, I always come away learning something new, and even though I still have so much more to learn, this book has helped me to understand the atonement more than I ever had before.
Get your copy of The Peacegiver from your local bookstore or Amazon.com