We're starting September prizes a day early because I'll be out of the office and unable to get to a computer tomorrow. We've got some great books to give away this month!
Please take a moment to learn more about our wonderfully generous sponsors.
33 Habits of a Really Good Man by Yvonne Swinson
Bill Wells wasn't a famous man, but he left an invaluable legacy for those who knew him. He lived his life by a few simple words of wisdom-recorded in a little black notebook-and taught his children to do the same.
Now, with this collection of mini-memoirs, his daughter Yvonne Swinson shares his legacy with you. 33 Habits of a Really Good Man includes Bill's favorite memories and experiences and shares ideas on how these habits can lead to a "really good" life.
Yvonne Swinson was born in North Carolina and spent the rest of her childhood moving around the southeastern states. She was an avid reader from a young age and has read many thousands of books. One of her childhood dreams was to someday write her own. She now resides in sunny Southern Utah with her husband and five children (soon to be six). Her other interests include hiking, gymnastics and homeschooling.
33 Habits is Yvonne's first traditionally published book but she has self-published several home-schooling books in the Real Mom series.
Alma the Younger by Heather B. Moore As night falls, a scarlet-robed man emerges from the temple and a hush falls over the waiting crowd. Studying the hooded figure with enmity, Alma recognizes that this is the man who incites rebellion among the people of Zarahemla. This is the man who dares preach from the very place where King Benjamin uttered his final blessings upon the people of the church. Defiling the tower with his very presence, the man who embodies evil raises a hand to silence the drums, then calls to his followers through the eerie quiet. And that's when Alma realizes the terrible truth: this man is his son.
Alma the Younger, son of the aging high priest, once was taught by the wisdom of prophets. Now the young man is a thief ensnared by the wiles of strong drink and harlots; a bitter dissenter determined to overthrow the church, to lead the people into new freedoms. He has gathered a strong army to create a revolution, which only begins with the desecration of the temple and will escalate to calamity once he captures King Mosiah s daughter. But en route to his malicious mission with his royal henchmen, Alma is halted by an unexpected opponent: an angel of the Lord, a messenger of the very God he has sought to defame. And what unfolds is a story of miraculous redemption, a story building on the poignant Book of Mormon account to show how even the vilest of sinners can be transformed by the Savior's amazing grace.
Heather Moore was born in Providence, Rhode Island, but spent most of her childhood in Orem, Utah. During these years, her family traveled back and forth between the Middle East and Utah. At the age of eight, while living in Egypt, she was baptized in the Red Sea. Heather attended the Anglican School of Jerusalem from 1987-88, and returned again to Jerusalem with her husband in 1994.
Heather graduated from Brigham Young University with a major in Fashion Merchandising and minor in Business Management. This has nothing to do with writing books, but at least she can color-coordinate her kids school clothes and balance a mean checkbook.
Heather is a member of the
League of Utah Writers and
LDStorymakers. She also manages the editing company,
Precision Editing Group, LLC.
Cold As Ice by Stephanie Black
After five patient years, Abigail Wyatt’s sisterly care is finally paying off: her younger brother, Derek, is abandoning his self-destructive lifestyle and seeking his parents’ forgiveness, thus ending the painful estrangement that wounded the whole family. But just as the pieces are falling into place for the prodigal’s return, a woman named Karen Brodie is murdered in a local park—and police name Derek as the prime suspect. Rather than standing firm and cementing the positive changes in his life, Derek succumbs to his cynical fears and runs from the law, leaving Abigail with her hands tied. Literally.
Derek’s raw panic convinces everyone that he’s the killer— everyone except Abigail, who doggedly maintains her brother’s innocence. With the help of Kyle, a charismatic new friend she might be falling for, Abigail digs deep into Karen Brodie’s troubled past in hopes of clearing Derek’s name. But as she uncovers a sinister plot of greed, envy, and vengeance, this loyal sister must face the painful truth that things—and people—are not always as they seem.
Stephanie Black: I was born in Provo, Utah and raised in Washington, Arkansas, and Utah. I graduated from Brigham Young University, where I earned a degree in history and secondary education and met my wonderful husband. One month after graduating, I entered into full-time motherhood and now have five children--three girls and two boys, ages nineteen down to five. I’m an amateur violinist, a chronically disorganized housekeeper, and an avid procrastinator.
My first novel, a futuristic thriller called
The Believer, was published by Covenant Communications in January 2005. I then turned to writing contemporary suspense, and
Fool Me Twice was released in 2008, followed by
Methods of Madness (2009) and
Cold as Ice (2010).
Fool Me Twice and
Methods of Madness are both
Whitney Award winners for Best Mystery/Suspense.
Hometown Girl by Michele Ashman Bell
Jocelyn Rogers’s life is in a rut. Maybe she should step outside her comfort zone and move to Milford Falls, where she has inherited her grandmother’s house. With the encouragement of the other Butterfly Girls, Jocelyn musters her courage and starts a new life.
However, when she arrives in the small town that holds both good and bad memories for her, she discovers the house in worse shape than she expected, and getting repairs done is anything but easy — especially when it comes to dealing with Jack Emerson, a man who seems to be agitated by Jocelyn and everyone else within a fifty-mile radius.
To make matters worse, she has begun to worry that moving back to the place where she once spent a troubled summer will expose the deep personal secret she has kept hidden for fourteen years. But Jack also has a hidden secret that has prevented him from getting close to anyone in a long time. And now it seems that interfering neighbors may prevent both Jack and Jocelyn from moving forward with their lives.
Michele Ashman Bell: What can I say, I'm a middle-aged mother of four, who, after ten years of hard work, perseverance and a lot of rejection letters, finally got a book published.
I grew up in St. George, Utah, where a lot of my family still lives, but now reside with my husband and family in the Salt Lake City area. My favorite thing to do is support my kids in their many interests. Between basketball, ballet and piano lessons we squeeze a lot into a week, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Key Lime Pie by Josi S. Kilpack
When Sadie Hoffmiller's new friend, Eric Burton, receives word that his missing daughter's body may have been found in Florida, he immediately packs his bags. Sadie is determined to stay home and prove to everyone that she is not a busybody. But when she senses Eric is hiding something, Sadie is compelled to take action.
Before she knows it, she's in the heart of Miami, trying to piece together a trail that might just give Eric the answers he's so desperately searching for. In the process, Sadie finds herself in the company of some colorful characters and some good ol' southern cooking. But despite the drama and intrigue, all Sadie really wants is to go home ... as soon as she does just one more thing.
Read Chapter 1 here.
Josi S. Kilpack was born and raised in Salt Lake City, the third of nine children, and accounts much of her success to her mother always making oatmeal for breakfast. In 1993 Josi married her high-school sweetheart, Lee Kilpack, and went on to raise her own children in Salt Lake and then Willard Utah where she currently lives. She loves to read and write, is the author of eight novels, the baker of many a delicious confection, and the hobby farmer of a varying number of unfortunate chickens. In her spare time she likes to overwhelm herself a multitude of projects and then complain that she never has any spare time; in this way she is rather masochistic. She also enjoys traveling, cheering on her children, and sleeping in when the occasion presents itself.
Josi is the author of twelve novels, including
Sheep's_Clothing, winner of the
2007 Whitney Award for Best Mystery/Suspense. She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached
via e-mail.
Lost Children: Coping with Miscarriage by R. J. Christensen
After my second miscarriage and struggle with infertility, I searched for answers to my questions in the gospel. It was hard to understand why I couldn’t have a baby when I wanted one so desperately and it was terrible to cope with the loss of my babies from miscarriage.
I felt alone and couldn’t find anything to answer all my questions and offer comfort.
This is why I wrote
Lost Children: Coping with Miscarriage for Latter-day Saints. I wanted to lighten the load of those who are suffering from miscarriage and provide tools for those who would like to comfort someone in need.
Women of the church desperately need this book to help them in one of the most difficult situations they will face on this earth as they try to obey the commandment of the Lord to “multiply and replenish the earth.” Everyone affected by these problems knows others who suffer similarly. This book would be a wonderful gift for those desiring to give comfort, as well as a self-help book to aid the grieving person.
My blog,
www.copingwithmiscarriage.blogspot.com offers more information and a forum for those suffering from loss.
For a peek at the first chapter of Lost Children,
click here.
Rachelle J. Christensen was born and raised in a small farming town in Idaho. She says of herself, "I’m a dirt between the toes, irrigation boot-wearing, ponytail flipping in the wind as I drive the 4-wheeler FARM girl all the way!"
Currently living in Utah County, Rachelle and her husband, Steve, have three wonderful kids–2 girls and one boy. She graduated from Utah State University.
In addition to writing, Rachelle loves to read, run, crochet and knit, play volleyball, sing, play the piano, and cook.
The Limit by Kristen Landon
An eighth grade girl was taken today . . . With this first sentence, readers are immediately thrust into a fast-paced thriller that doesn't let up for a moment. In a world not too far removed from our own, kids are being taken away to special workhouses if their families exceed the monthly debt limit imposed by the government. Thirteen-year-old Matt briefly wonders if he might be next, but quickly dismisses the thought. After all, his parents are financially responsible, unlike the parents of those other kids. As long as his parents remain within their limit, the government will be satisfied and leave them alone. But all it takes is one fatal visit to the store to push Matt’s family over their limit—and to change his reality forever.
Kristen Landon always thought it would be nice to live in a place where winter never gets too cold. Besides one lovely winter in California, she has spent her life bouncing back and forth between Michigan and Utah—both great places in the spring, summer, and fall. She now lives with her husband and four children in a home with fabulous views of Utah's beautiful mountains out every window.
The Limit is Kristen's second published novel. Her first book, Life in the Pit, is YA realistic fiction and was published in 2008 by Bloomingtree Press. Kristen has also published stories and articles in several magazines for children.
Learn more at www.kristenlandon.com.
Trapped by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen
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?
Read Chapter 1 here.
Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen received her Associates Degree in English from Ricks College and studied writing at Weber State University and Utah State University. Her numerous magazine and internet writing credits include fiction and nonfiction published by
,
The Friend, New Era, Ensign, Guideposts for Kids, Class Act, and
yourLDSneighborhood.com. She also enjoys teaching writing and speaking in various venues. Ronda first knew she wanted to be a writer when she was in the 6th grade. Her English teacher had been reading S.E. Hinton's
The Outsiders to the class, and when she reached the section where Johnny urged Ponyboy to stay “gold,” Ronda realized she wanted to write "golden” words just as Hinton had. More than that, she wanted those words to encourage the "golden" in others. That remains one of her goals. Ronda's award-winning novel,
Missing, is her first book. She loves to hear from readers and can be contacted
via e-mail.
