Awakening Avery

Everyone should preview Chapter One of "Awakening Avery" at http://bit.ly/cbMyQd
Laurie is an amazing writing. Her characters are real and after one chapter I want to know the rest.

Laurie is a fantastic writer, and after reading her Free Men and Dreamers series I will forever be a fan. Check her blog out at http://www.laurieclewis.blogspot.com

Contest

There is a new contest being held. I love contests and I always hate to tell someone else about it because then my chances of winning go down. But if I tell you about this and add her link to my sidebar I get more chances. So I'm encouraging you to at least look at her blog at http://www.melissajcunningham.blogspot.com. It's okay if you don't enter the contest, but at least become a follower so she can reach her goal.

The prizes sound great - especially the book. Good luck to me.

Shudder

I couldn't believe how quick I was able to read this book. I could not, and didn't want to put it down. Any woman who has ever suffered any type of abuse will like and relate to this book. Any woman who is in that type of situation should read this book. Maybe it will give you the courage to do what you must.

Jennie Hansen is a great story teller. This book is full of suspense and will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what Blaine will do to Claire next. I felt sympathy for Darcey that she had to endure watching her best friend suffer so much. I was angry that Claire couldn't and wouldn't help herself until it was almost too late. I felt gratitude that my life is peaceful and not so full of trials.

If you are one of those lonely, isolated women who witnesses bruises, broken bones, and are fearful of someone hurting you, I encourage you to read this book. I'm sure it will give you hope and maybe the courage to improve your situation.

Dawn's Early Light

This book is the third volume in a series, Free Men and Dreamers, by L. C. Lewis. I can’t think of anyone better suited to write this book than someone born and raised in the historical setting of Washington D.C. and Baltimore where this entire series is set. I envy her being able to spend so much time in this part of our great country. Those of you that know me are aware of how much I love history and visiting the places where history was made.

Laurie made this part of history and the war of 1812 come to life. I fell in love with the main characters immediately, and I cheered when Jed freed the slaves living on his plantation. This story made me wish that I could have been there fighting alongside those living at the Willows when Sebastian Dupree attacked their home. I have visited Washington D.C. several times, and I have read the stories about the British burning our nation’s capital during this era. Al though, I knew the story, I still cried when Laurie made this part of history real with her descriptions of destruction.

Laurie had a way of making me truly experience the pain and passion of the American’s, the slaves, and the British as they endured that week in American history when Washington burned. Anyone that enjoys reading historical fiction will certainly enjoy this book.

Mother's Daze

My friend, Jane Isfeld Still’s “Mother’s Daze book was written to make every woman on the planet laugh--even in pregnancy when they feel like they are the size of a small apartment building and can’t see their feet. I was able to relate to this humorous book. I still remember during my last pregnancy how horrified I was when I couldn’t even see my own feet. I felt like an elephant.

This book was great and I found myself relating so many times to the stories told. I think most mothers’ will find themselves among these pages and will certainly enjoy a good laugh.

I’m sure that most of you will be looking for a gift really soon. I have a suggestion. On Mother’s Day, I honestly believe every woman deserves a good laugh, as well as some chocolate. Jane has set a goal to move 7,000 copies of Mother’s Daze out of Amazon on April 21st. Let’s everyone help her reach her target.

How can you help? Following are three easy steps of things you can do to help my friend.

Step 1: Copy and paste this email to a blank email and send it to your friends and family members. Then, put your first name, city, state or country at the bottom of the email before you hit send.

Step 2: Go to www.amazon.com, order your personal copy of Mother’s Daze by Jane Isfeld Still, and email the receipt of purchase to jane@janeisfeldstill.com. *Only receipts dated April 21 will go into a drawing and will be eligible for prizes listed on her blog. *(E-mail address will not be kept)*

Step 3: Visit Jane’s blog www.janeisfeldstill.blogspot.com (or it’s on my side bar under friends) push the April Contest button (beneath trim under the pictures) for more information and a list of prizes. Maybe you’ll even win my book. (Then visit her blog to see blurbs from her book)

REMEMBER, you have to do this today. Not tomorrow or next week, it has to be now.

Movie "Emma"

Last night I attended Relief Society where we watched the movie, “Emma.” I had seen some of it before, but thoroughly enjoyed watching the entire story. The part that had the most impact on me was towards the end when Emma’s daughter, Julie, asked her mother if she could change something, what she would change. Her answer was – Me. I would change me.

What a great comment. Emma was certainly a wise woman, and a great example. No, she didn’t come west with the other Saints, but she had done what she had been sent to earth to do. She had sustained her husband through all his trials.

Wouldn’t it be great if each one of us changed ourselves before we tried to change someone else?

Illuminations Of The Heart

Illuminations of the Heart is a historical romantic novel by Joyce DiPastena

The will of Sirol de Calendri’s late brother directs her to go to the county of Poitou, France, where she enters the guardianship of her brother’s friend, Sir Triston de Brielle, who snatches her heart away with a kiss.

Triston carries guilt for the death of his late wife, Clothilde, and is hesitant to love again, especially since Siri looks like Clothilde. However, Siri does not act like Clothilde, because Sirol has a merry laugh and twinkling eyes.

Triston finds himself trapped between the rivalry of the king’s sons and a neighbor out for vengeance. Siri will not live in another woman’s shadow and refuses to let the man she loves cast her off.

I love the fact that Joyce tried to make this book as accurate as possible when including historical events. She even included a glossary of Medieval Terms at the back of the book. There is plenty of action, and it kept me on the edge of my seat many times. I would recommend this book to any of my friends. I know you won’t be disappointed. Illumination of the Heart is on the list of books nominated for a Whitney Award. It certainly has my vote.