Sunday, August 31, 2008

Wrap up - Summer Book Trek 2008

The Summer Book Trek 2008 is over, and I enjoyed participating. I decided to keep my LDS reading list small in order to make it achievable, and that tactic worked. You see, I also read books in the national marketplace not by LDS authors. These are usually books from the library on cassette tape or CD. With the eye problems I've had in the last two years, I thought I could manage four real-live books in the allotted time. I could, and found the reads enjoyable.

Our sponsor asked that we consider answering the following questions, so here are my thoughts:

1. How many fiction books by LDS authors did you read? Four.

2. Did you read more than you would have read if you hadn't participated in this book trek? Yes. I read more LDS fiction in one stretch than I would have in other circumstances.

3. Did the reviews posted by other participants influence which titles you read? How? No. I already had a list. However, I substituted one book for that of an author I interviewed on my blog. Ironically, I was reading it exactly at the time the subject matter was covered in Sunday School.

4. Did the Whitney awards influence which titles you read? How? No. I read 2008 titles.

5. Did the many, many virtual blog tours that happened this summer influence which titles you read? How? No. I didn't want to add to my required list, but there are new titles on my TBR pile.

6. Did you finish all the books you had planned to read? If not, why? Yes. I limited myself to one book a month and one extra.

7. Did you discover any new authors whom you now love? I did.

8. Did you nominate any of the books you read for Whitney awards? Not yet.

9. Would you be interested in another LDS themed reading challenge either this winter, or next summer? Yes, if you keep the amount of guilt involved the same. I liked that this was a no-guilt, read-only-one-novel-if-you-want challenge. I chose to read four. I could do that, fitting the LDS books between my regular, national mystery reading and other tasks in my schedule. I liked the balance. Thank you.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Servant to a King

The final book I read for the Summer Book Trek 2008 is Sariah S. Wilson's Servant to a King. The back cover gives the thread of the story:

When Isabel's father offers her hand to a Nephite, she's shocked and angry—and when the offer is refused, she's utterly furious. How dare this Ammon refuse to marry the beautiful eldest daughter of King Lamoni! There could only be one explanation for this unforgivable dishonor: Ammon must be a spy.

Isabel closely watches her enemy, expecting to find evidence of treachery, but instead she finds evidence of loyalty, bravery, and kindness. Afraid to admit her growing affection for Ammon, Isabel hides her true feelings behind a headstrong façade. Yet when the vile Lamanite prince Mahlon threatens to take her as a bride and wrest the kingdom from Lamoni, Isabel must choose between her pride and her life. Meanwhile, the risks of love test Ammon's faith and courage as never before.

Will Ammon thwart the marriage of Isabel and Mahlon before it's too late? And could a Lamanite princess and a Nephite prince really live happily ever after?

Sariah Wilson wanted the title of this book to be The Nephite Who Loved Me, but her publisher chose Servant to a King. I think the author's preferred title is in line with the light-hearted and humanizing approach she took to the life of this Book of Mormon icon. That is certainly not to say that she demeaned his character or mission in any way. She simply brought Ammon to life for me in a way that I've never experienced before. For that, I am grateful to her.

Despite the author's preference in titles, there are no James Bond-esque immoral escapades in this book. Quite the contrary is true. This is about true love, hard work, and faith in God conquering fear and cultural differences. There are, however, adventures galore. Maybe I should say aplenty. Sariah kept to the true-life Book of Mormon account, skillfully weaving romance and emotion into the history, and ending in a satisfactory way.

Well done, Sariah!

Friday, August 29, 2008

The Power of Up

Did you ever stop to think how versatile a word is the simple two-letter "up?"

There is the direction, of course: up and down. We can't do without that. However, the power is in combination, when you put "up" together with another word or two. Here's a list I've come up with (heh heh).

come up (sunrise)
come up (command to ascend--come up here)
come up with (approach something or someone)
come up with (a list or a solution)
come up behind
catch up (to someone)
catch up (an object)
up early (arise in the morning)
bring up
clean up
hurry up
scoop up
get up
look up
pull up (pants)
pull up (a horse)
leap up
pick up
snatch up
stand up
straighten up
hop up
fly up
wake up
pack up
draw up (your knees)
draw up (a contract)
up and take off (leave)
ride up
heal up
mix up
throw up (vomit)
throw up to (confront)
crawl up
make up (compose)
make up (your mind)
make up (time)
hold up
put up (animals)
put up with (endure)
lock up
end up (conclusion of event)
move up
climb up
coop up
keep up (remain together)
keep up (uh, any number of things)
wake up
turn up (appear)
turned up (nose)
flare up (temper or fire)
bunch up
take up (a position)
take up (a collection)
take up with (associate with a person)
hitch up (a team)
Well, you get the idea. Who knew two letters had such versatility and power?

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Author Interview: Nancy Anderson, Lael Littke and Carroll Hofeling Morris

Today I have a special treat in my Author Interview series. I’ve gotten answers from three wonderful authors who wrote a trilogy together. Yes, three authors wrote three books! I am the stop today on their Blog Tour.

The authors are sisters Nancy Anderson and Carroll Hofeling Morris, and their good friend, Lael Littke. The series is entitled “The Company of Good Women,” and the books are Almost Sisters, Three Tickets to Peoria, and Surprise Packages, published by Deseret Books.

These women write a blog together called
Crusty Old Broads, and have a website, Virtual Sisters. The trilogy is the story of three women, Deenie, Juneau and Erin, who live in three different parts of the country, and their quest to become Crusty Old Broads.

On to the Interview.

Welcome! How long have you been writing? What made you start?

Nancy: I have been writing since seventh grade. My teacher assigned us to write character sketches about someone we knew. I left mine until the last minute then whipped out a short but heart felt paragraph about my father. My teacher raved about it. Up until that time I had no idea that my way of expressing myself was anything different that anyone else’s. At that point in my life (13 going on 30) I was desperate to have something to give me status, so I worked hard to have the reputation of the girl who had a way with words.

Lael: I'VE BEEN WRITING SINCE THE 7TH GRADE. I'VE KNOWN I WOULD BE A WRITER FROM THE TIME I LEARNED TO READ, BUT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO WRITE UNTIL A TEACHER WHO SPECIALIZED IN ENGLISH LITERATURE CAME TO OUR TINY COUNTRY SCHOOL AND ENCOURAGED ME. HE LIKED MY TALES OF COUNTRY FOLKS. THE TOWNSPEOPLE SAID, "DON'T LET LAEL KNOW YOUR SECRETS OR SHE'LL TATTLE THEM TO THAT TEACHER."

Carroll: Off and on from the time I was in fourth grade and showed my teacher some poems I’d written. When I asked her later if she’d read them, she admitted she’d lost them! As the daughter of an English teacher, I grew up surrounded by readers, storytellers and writers, so expressing myself through words came naturally. Also, I had a lot of questions about relationships and life, and writing was a way to think them through.


When did you sell your first book?

Nancy: My first book was Almost Sisters, released in 2006.

Lael: IN 1969. IT'S A PICTURE BOOK TITLED WILMER, THE WATCHDOG. I SOLD MY FIRST NOVEL, TELL ME WHEN I CAN GO, IN 1978.

Carroll: The Broken Covenant came out in 1985. I wrote it while living in Germany (82-83). After returning to the U.S., I revised it and sent it off to Deseret Book sans inquiry letter—over the transom, as they say!



What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?

Nancy: All of the above.

Lael: I USUALLY KNOW HOW A NOVEL WILL BEGIN AND END, BUT IN BETWEEN I MORE OR LESS FLY BY THE SEAT OF MY PANTS. I HATE OUTLINING.

Carroll: Short answer: When I get an idea, I usually just start writing. That’s when characters reveal themselves and plot ideas/details come. Long answer: Check my post of July 29 on crustyoldbroads.blogspot.com entitled: How to start a novel: write first or outline first?


How do three writers manage to work together?

Carroll: Having each author write from the viewpoint of a single character made it workable. We wrote the combined scenes when we were together, which was always very satisfying.

Lael: IT'S HARD TO SAY HOW WE WORKED TOGETHER. IT JUST SEEMED TO HAPPEN. WE'D WORK SEPARATELY ON OUR SEPARATE CHARACTERS, AND THEN WHEN WE'D GET TOGETHER SOME KIND OF SYNERGY TOOK OVER TO MOVE US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.


Did you appoint a project manager?


Nancy: I’ll let Carroll tell you about that. She’s the one who’s shouldered the biggest burden in that area.

Carroll: No, but we did appoint a manuscript manager, whose job it was to assemble the text from all three authors in one document. Lael and her daughter Lori took that on for Almost Sisters. I had the job for the subsequent books.


Do you edit each others' work?

Lael: YES, WE DO.

Nancy: We do a lot of reading aloud when we are together. We read each other’s works to avoid the vocal interpretation the writer might add to it. Then we comment and discuss. We also edit hard copy for each other.

Carroll: I admit to doing some editing when putting the documents for the last two books together, sometimes for pacing, but mostly to make the text sound as if it had been written by one person.


What is your daily schedule like?

Nancy: When I am in writing mode, as opposed to gardening, Relief Society, or grandmother mode, I write for several hours, take a walk break, write some more, lunch and rest break, then write until evening with maybe a stop for mail, then dinner break and back to the computer as long as I can last. Everything else takes a back seat. Because my husband knows I have limited energy, he’s great at picking up the slack. Bless his heart for that. So I am free to concentrate on the computer. It’s really a terrible way to do it and I am looking for a better balance as well as deadlines that are further apart.

Lael: I'M NOT A MORNING PERSON, SO I READ THE PAPER AND SWEEP THE FLOOR AND PLAY WITH MY CATS AND GO GROCERY SHOPPING, AND THEN COME HOME TO DO FOUR OR FIVE HOURS OF WORK. I LIVE ALONE (WELL, WITH SIX CATS), SO I DON'T HAVE TO FACTOR IN ANYBODY ELSE'S SCHEDULES.

Carroll: I’m not much for schedules, but I typically write in the morning after walking, eating breakfast and checking my e-mail. Afternoons are free when I’m not on deadline, but I’m often back in front of the computer in the evening.


How do you handle life interruptions?

Nancy: In writing mode, I don’t. Thus the need for better balance.

Lael: GO WITH THE FLOW. I KNOW MY COMPUTER WILL STILL BE HERE WHENEVER I GET BACK TO IT.

Carroll: By doing what needs to be done. The trick is identifying what really must be done vs. something that can be delegated or ignored. Family needs always take precedence over writing, which makes for some late night sessions at the computer.


Do you write with music playing? If so, is the music likely to be songs with lyrics or only instrumentals?

Nancy: I like the quiet. But if I do want music in the background it is usually classical or Native American flute and always instrumental.

Lael: NEVER. I LIKE SILENCE IN THE HOUSE, WITH ONLY THE NOISES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD -- THE LAUGHTER OF KIDS PLAYING, TRAFFIC AND LAWNMOWER SOUNDS, TWITTERING OF BIRDS IN MY TREES -- COMING IN.

Carroll: I like listening to non-intrusive background music like Native American flute music and the slow movement of classical pieces.


What food or snack keeps the words flowing?

Nancy: I’m leaning away from chocolate toward smokehouse almonds. But chocolate is always the old standby for a boost of energy.

Lael: PEANUT M&MS.

Carroll: Chocolate and diet Coke, though I’m trying to give up the Coke.



Tell us about your new book, Surprise Packages.

Carroll: It’s the conclusion of our series, The Company of Good Women.

Lael: IT'S FINISHED AND OUT, HURRAY! IT WINDS UP THE STORY OF THREE WOMEN WHO MET AT BYU EDUCATION WEEK IN 198O AND MADE A PACT TO MEET 25 YEARS LATER. THIS LAST BOOK OF THE TRILOGY FINDS THEM DEALING WITH PROBLEMS THAT SPROUTED UP OVER THE YEARS AND POSES THE QUESTION, "WILL THEY REALLY SUCCEED IN KEEPING THE PACT?"

Nancy: It’s about the surprise of self-discovery and where that takes our characters.


What is your next project together? Individually?

Nancy: That’s under discussion right now.

Carroll: Nancy and I are working on an LDS novel. When we get together to sign at BYU Bookstore during Education Week, we’ll discuss a project involving all three of us.

Lael: I'M DOING A YA FOR THE NATIONAL MARKET, WHICH IS WHAT I DID FOR A COUPLE OF DECADES BEFORE MEETING NANCY AND CARROLL. THEN THE THREE OF US PLAN TO DO ANOTHER NOVEL, A SINGLE BOOK THIS TIME RATHER THAN A SERIES.


What is your advice for other writers?

Nancy: Look for mentors the quality of Carroll and Lael and don’t give up.

Lael: PERSIST!

Carroll: Stephen King says a writer needs to spend six hours a day reading and writing. So, write and read! Try something new every so often. Meet new people. Exercise every day. Ask “What if?”


What other work of yours has been published?

Nancy: I’m the newcomer of the group and have only had the series published.
Almost Sisters, 2006, Deseret Book
Three Tickets to Peoria, 2007, Deseret Book
Surprise Packages, 2008, Deseret Book

Lael: I HAVE 42 OTHER BOOKS, SO I WON'T LIST THEM ALL. BUT THE LAST SEVERAL ARE:
THREE TICKETS TO PEORIA, 2007, DESERET BOOK (WITH NANCY AND CARROLL)
ALMOST SISTERS, 2006, DESERET BOOK (WITH NANCY AND CARROLL)
LAKE OF SECRETS, 2003, HENRY HOLT.
STORIES FROM THE LIFE OF JOSEPH SMITH, 2003, DESERET BOOK.
SEARCHING FOR SELENE, 2003, DESERET BOOK.
KING OF THE KNOCK KNOCK JOKES, 2003, DOMINIE PRESS (AN EDUCATIONAL COMPANY)
SPACE SLUG, 2003, DOMINIE PRESS
THE COOKIE QUEST, 2003, DOMINIE PRESS
HAUNTED SISTER, 1998, HENRY HOLT

Carroll: A Suzuki Parent’s Diary, or How I Survived my First 10,000 Twinkles, 1984, Summy-Birchard Music
The Broken Covenant, 1985, Deseret Book
The Bonsai, 1986, Deseret Book
Saddle Shoe Blues, 1987, Deseret Book
The Merry-Go-Round, 1988, Deseret Book
If the Gospel is True, Why Do I Hurt So Much, 1991, Deseret Book
Almost Sisters, Vol. I, The Company of Good Women, 2006, Deseret Book
Three Tickets to Peoria, Vol. 2, The Company of good Women, 2007, Deseret Book



Thank you for the Interview.

Nancy: Thanks for having us. It’s been great fun!

Lael: THANK YOU, MARSHA, FOR THE INTERVIEW.

Carroll: Marsha, although I’ve never been to your home, I’ve been to Kohl’s Ranch, which I think isn’t too far from where you live. What beautiful country, with those magnificent Ponderosa pines. I think of it a lot when it’s hot down here south of Tucson. And I can picture you there—the Writer in the Pines!

Friday, August 22, 2008

Author Interview: Jeri Gilchrist

Today's Author Interview is with my dear friend, Jeri Gilchrist. Jeri's third novel, Shadow of the Crown, has just been released by Covenant Communications, Inc. Jeri lives in Utah with her family.

Welcome, Jeri! How long have you been writing? What made you start?

The desire to write came at an early age when I discovered my dad had written a book. He never got it published; he didn’t even try because he never thought it was good enough. He’s a wonderful writer. Truthfully, it’s one of my favorite books. I remember being in awe that my dad had written a book and I wanted to do the same. I think I owe my desire to write to him but I don’t think I ever had the faith in myself to do it until I met and talked with Kerry Blair at a book signing. It’s because of her I even attempted to write or even got my first book published. She has had a huge impact on my life in more ways than one. Not just in writing, but through her friendship as well. I wrote my first novel Out Of Nowhere during the year 2001.

When did you sell your first book?

I signed my first contract with Covenant in October 2002. When I got the call that my book had been accepted, I remembering screaming, “Really?” then I started laughing and crying at the same time.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?

Normally, I at least know the ending though I don’t always know how I’ll get there. But in this third book, there is something significant to the plot (I hate to give anything away, so I won’t tell what it is) in which I wrote the entire book not knowing its meaning. It was a vital clue to the mystery, and I didn’t know what it was, so the mystery was a mystery even to me. It was a bit nerve wracking at times. In the end I had to figure it out and then go back and fill in many holes to make it all fit together but it was actually fun, though challenging, to write that way for once.

How do you choose your characters' names?

Okay, this is hard. In my first book, I figured it might be the only book I ever wrote, (see how much faith I had in myself? Kerry had her work cut out for her) so I put in names of grandparents, etc. But one thing that was important to me was to make my sons the hero. My son’s names are Tyler and Bryan. After mulling it around in my brain forever, I named him Tyler O’Bryan and gave him black hair, blue eyes, and made him of Irish decent. Voila. It worked. To thank Kerry for all she had done for me, I also put her name in there as the main character’s best friend. The next book, I only named a couple of characters with any significance. For example, Cleo was my dad’s favorite uncle. The thing is, I am not very creative with names. I change them over and over until they sound right and feel right. To me, naming characters is half the battle to writing the story. I have a terrible time. I’m always looking at or listening to names.

What is your daily schedule like?

Well, my day will vary a bit, but most days are generally the same. I try to write early in the morning. That is when I get the most done. Then I get my husband and son off to work and school and it’s back to the computer until either I go to work or my son is home from school. The amount of time I write varies. Some days more is accomplished than others. I am easily distracted by emails, errands, laundry, and all the other things that I need to get done, so the early morning hours are my best working time.

How do you handle life interruptions?

Not well at all. I need total silence when I write. If I have a story running through my head, it’s not unusual for me to get up at four in the morning when everyone is still sleeping and pluck away at the computer. The old brain cells don’t work as well as they did when I was a teenager listening to a blaring radio while writing a term paper. I don’t know how I did it back then. Even the sound of the telephone can ruin my concentration. If I write when the family is home, they usually tip toe around me. That is why I try to write when they are either gone or asleep. It works best for all of us. When it gets down to crunch time, Brad is wonderful to take Bryan to the movies or some other activity to give me more time. It’s difficult to write with my work schedule at the Jordan River Temple, so Brad is good to give me the time I need. I’m a slow writer but I type even slower than that. Makes for a bad combination. I just do what I can, writing anytime I can fit it in.

Since you need silence, you don’t write with music playing.

No, but growing up, music was a huge part of our lives. My mom sang in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for twenty years. I love music. When I write, different songs come to my mind. Sometimes for a break, I will stop and listen to them.

What food or snack keeps the words flowing?

LOL! I take it by this question I am only one of many who has this habit. Great question. If I were a good girl I would watch the clock and take meal breaks instead of snacking… I don’t know if it necessarily keeps the words flowing, but I do have a bad habit of snacking while I write. (Of course, I have that same habit when I read, watch t.v., mow the lawn…) I love having a big iced drink with a straw to slurp on. Type varies. Dark chocolate is always a plus and I love Pringles.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?

I love typing those words “The End” when the project is complete. There is a huge sense of accomplishment at the completion of a manuscript. It almost brings tears to the eyes. (I have a high water level) As far as an everyday thing, I love the escape of writing. I love going into a world where I have complete control, and of course, I know the outcome. My least favorite thing is the frustrating times when the puzzle pieces aren’t coming together the way I want them to. In other words the plot isn’t coming together the way I envision it or my words aren’t expressing what I want to say. My greatest downfall as a writer is that I feel like I have a hard time expressing myself. I don’t have the vocabulary or the eloquent words to express things in the manner I want to say them. It’s a battle I fight and it makes me feel inadequate as a writer.

Tell us about your new book, Shadow of the Crown.

This is my favorite of the three I have written. I don’t know if readers will feel if it is any better but this was a personal project for me. Shortly before my mother passed away, I tried to record her life history. Though I was quite young, she told me about growing up during the occupation of Denmark during World War II. The idea of this book came from those interviews with my mother. Though it is definitely fictional, there are many things written in it that come from our family history, some turned around a bit to fit the storyline. There is mystery, romance, and even some WWII history.

The book is about a girl who is asked to go back to Denmark for a business acquisition. Part of her wants to go because she has a grandmother there who she has never had the chance to get to know very well. However, she is ashamed of her grandfather, who during the occupation of Denmark was a hero, but died committing an act of treason near the end of the war. Her grandfather’s actions make no sense to her. She doesn’t understand why he would turn against kingdom, crown, and country. She also resents that he dirtied the family name, and is ashamed of what he has done. However, once she arrives in Denmark, all the secrets that have been buried with her grandfather come back to haunt her. She begins to wonder if things are not as they appear. There is some romance and adventure involved in there too.

What is your next project?

It’s a medical mystery. Right now it’s entitled Intensive Care, but that could change, of course.

What is your advice for other writers?

Never give up. If you don’t at least try, how will you ever know? You never want to look back on your life and wonder, what if?

What other work of yours has been published?

Out of Nowhere - 2003, Covenant
The Perfect Plan - 2005, Covenant

Thanks so much for the Interview, Jeri! It was fun.

Thank you. I appreciate this opportunity.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

And Now, For Something Mundane

A friend of mine on another blog wrote a tale of four-wheeling, dust, and the great outdoors. I'm bringing you something closer to home: bedding!



I love the crisp, clean smell of freshly laundered sheets on a bed. I don't particularly like the physical struggle to put them on, but the result is always satisfying.

This summer I decided to splurge on new sheets. I didn't buy the most expensive ones, but got some of the "better" class: coral and green fitted sheets and pillow cases, and white flats. New pillows, too, to replace the flattened ones that made my neck ache.

After I attended a writer's retreat where I took the white flats as bedding, I decided to keep them in a bag with a pillow, and here's why. I frequently crash at a friend's house in the Valley, and if I bring my own bedding, I won't make extra work for her. She is so gracious as it is, that I don't want to add to her burdens, especially as she recovers from a knee injury.

That left me with two fitted sheets and no tops. But lo and behold! I already had a spiffy print set with the colors coral and green. I put on the coral bottom and used the print top, and they look quite nice together. I'm sure I'll find other top sheets as I go so the numbers match. But in my household, one set on the bed and one in the closet is probably more than sufficient. Except when I want the flannels for winter!


Saturday, August 16, 2008

Summer Weekend in the Mountains

This morning, a landing helicopter woke me up at first light.

Yes, I know. I live in a forest, so what was a helicopter doing there?

It's really very understandable. I live about a football field-length from the fire station. When someone has gotten themselves in a medical pickle and has to be airlifted someplace else for treatment, the road through our settlement is blocked off and the med-evac heli lands on the road.


Very exciting, actually. Loads of dust and twigs and other debris flying through the air. Wind whipping the trees, and all that.


The unfortunate being is loaded up, then, ten minutes later, everything is restored to the norm: a quiet place along the highway.

Except on weekends, when the tourists and campers bring ATVs and motorcycles in. And when two more helis have come in today. So far, that is . . .

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

My (Un)Eventful Life

Sometimes I think I lead a rather boring life. While friends of mine travel to exotic locales to do research for their next book, I sit home in the midst of a forest of pines and oaks, dinking around on my computer and paying for home repairs.

Then I reflect, and find that my life isn't so boring after all. My forest is very lovely, and I am the envy of many people because I can live here the year around.

I've been to several writers' gatherings this year:

1. ANWA's Writers Conference in March
2. LDStorymakers' Writers Conference in March
3. Western Writers of America's Convention in June
4. ANWA's Arizona Retreat in July

I traveled to attend my grandson's baptism and a family party last month.

Sadly, I've traveled to several funerals this year.

I get to meet wonderful writers to interview on this blog.

I can write novels that touch readers' hearts.

I have friends in many places, including close to home and far away.

I have a family that loves me.

I get to give service to many of those friends and family members, and to several worthy organizations.

I have books to read, music to listen to, and movies to watch.

Okay, not a boring life after all.

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