Last Day to Enter for a Copy of Midnight in Austenland!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Today is the last day to enter the giveaway for a hardback copy of Shannon Hale's newest novel Midnight in Austenland. Enter here.

I will post the winner tomorrow. Good luck!

Last Day to Enter the Persuasion: a Latter-day Tale Giveaway

Just a reminder that the giveaway for Persuasion: a Latter-day Tale eBook ends tonight at 11:59 PM. Enter on this post. I'll post the winner on Valentine's Day. Good luck!

Shayla Witherwood: A Half-Faerie Tale

Shayla Witherwood: A Half-Faerie Tale by Tamra Torero

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Shayla Witherwood has been raised by her grandparents, and has traveled across the country in their RV for as long as she can remember. After her grandpa dies, her grandma decides it's time to park the RV and enroll Shayla in public school. The thing is, Shayla isn't your average junior in high school. She's a half-faerie, and being the "new-girl" is only a small part of her worries. She has to make sure she controls her magic so no one finds out her secret.

This was a pretty cute story. It has plenty of stereotypical high school drama, with a little bit of romance and mystery. If you want an easy, light read, be sure to check this out when it is published this May.

Thanks to NetGalley.com and Cedar Fort for this advanced copy.

Olivia

Olivia by Julie Wright

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received Olivia in the mail yesterday and was very excited to start reading this first book in The Newport Ladies Book Club series. The series is written by four authors well-known in the LDS market (Julie Wright, Josi S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon, and Heather Moore). Part of what drew me to The Newport Ladies Book Club is that it is intended for a national audience. It always makes me happy seeing LDS authors using their talents for a broader market.

I don't always read book dedications and acknowledgements, but for some reason I did with this one. The tears started flowing during Julie Wright's acknowledgements as she talked about women (both friends and kind strangers) who have offered a smile or a shoulder to cry on. My friends (which include my family) are so important to me. I depend on them and really appreciate them!

Olivia tells the story of a 40-something mother of four that finds herself struggling. Her husband has become very distant, and she's not sure who she is anymore. One particularly bad evening she sees a flyer for a book club and decides to join. The friends she makes and the books she reads help her cope with her problems.

It was good that I kept a tissue handy, as I needed it a few times during the novel. There are some light moments, but overall it's pretty heavy. Although the focus is on Olivia, each of the book club members has had some significant trials. I couldn't relate to many of their issues (thankfully!), but I could definitely relate to the importance of good friends and being there for those around you.

A very touching story and a great start to the series.

At Season's End

At Season's End by Eric Hendershot

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Author Eric Hendershot tells a story about a family of migrants during the Great Depression. They travel back and forth across the United States working whatever jobs they can to survive.

The book description tells that Sal and her brother end up having to take care of themselves after "tragedy strikes". I expected the focus of the story to be on how the young teens survived, but the tragedy didn't occur until very late in the story.

I really wanted to like At Season's End, but it didn't draw me in. I did find the migrant lifestyle during the Depression very interesting, but the overall story was just ok.

I read an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley.com. At Season's End is scheduled for publication May 8, 2012.

Shifting

Shifting by Bethany Wiggins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading that a GoodReads friend LOVED this book, I have been anxious to get my hands on a copy. Unfortunately, none of the libraries I have access to carry it. I love owning books, but typically only buy them when I find a great deal. However, when I got a gift card to B&N, I couldn't resist buying Shifting.

Maggie Mae has been in the foster care system since she was five-years-old, transferred from home to home (some good, some very bad). The frequency of the transfers increased once she turned 16 and started being picked up by police for indecent exposure. She's not that kind of girl, but no one would believe the truth.

Maggie is almost 18, and she is very ready for her final foster home, and graduation from high school. If only she can stay out of trouble.

Full of mystery based on Navajo legend, this is a very entertaining read packed with emotion and romance.

Persuasion: a Latter-day Tale Blog Tour. Review, Author Interview, and Giveaway

Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Persuasion: a Latter-day Tale. Its publication date has finally arrived, and to celebrate I have an interview with author Rebecca H. Jamison, and a giveaway courtesy of Cedar Fort Books.

Persuasion: a Latter-day Tale was a very enjoyable read. Just in case you missed my review, here is the Book Summary:

When Anne broke off her engagement seven years ago, she thought she’d never see Neil Wentworth again. But when Neil’s brother buys the house she grew up in, it seems fate has other plans in store. Anne is unprepared for the roller coaster of emotions that come when Neil returns and starts dating her younger friend.



Convinced that Neil could no longer have strong feelings for her, Anne pushes away all thoughts of the past. But when the handsome man she’s been dating decides he can’t live without her, Anne must come to terms with her past.



Fans of Jane Austen’s Persuasion will enjoy this modern version of her most romantic story.

And now a little about the author:

Rebecca Jamison met her husband on a blind date. His first words to her were, "Do you want to get together and play spin the bottle?"(He was trying to avoid another bad blind date, but she went out with him anyway.) Rebecca grew up in Vienna, Virginia. She attended Brigham Young University, earning a BA and MA in English. In between college and grad school, she served a mission to Portugal and the Cape Verde islands. Rebecca and her husband have six children. She enjoys running, dancing, making jewelry, reading, and watching chick flicks. You can learn more about her at www.rebeccahjamison.com or https://www.facebook.com/#!/RebeccaHJamison.

On to the Interview:

Rebecca,
 

Congratulations on your first published novel! Your bio says that you've been writing for years for fun. What inspired you to submit your novel for publishing?

Unlike most writers, I wasn’t anxious to submit my novel to publishers.  It was so fun to write it, and I didn’t want the fun to end. Plus, I was scared of rejection.  I had to force myself to share.  My mantra was, “The world needs more clean romance novels.”

What would you say was the high and low of becoming published?

The best thing about being published is that I have an excuse to write another novel.  A close second is getting to know so many wonderful writers.  There haven’t been a lot of lows.  I will say, though, that it’s sometimes hard to balance the marketing aspect with the writing.

One would assume you are a big Jane Austen fan since Persuasion: a Latter-day Tale is a modern retelling of Austen's story. Are you in fact a big Austen fan, and what is your favorite of her novels?

I’m a huge fan of Jane Austen.  Just ask my husband.  He’s sat (or slept) through tons of Jane Austen movies.

Persuasion is my favorite of her novels.  The first time I read it, I was so sad it was over that I went back and read it again the next day. It’s quieter and slower than Pride and Prejudice, but there’s so much feeling.

You've written that the main character has some things in common with you. Were any other characters based (at least in part) on people you know?

I didn’t model any of the characters on anyone I know but I did borrow little stories here and there.  For example, one of my friends took a box full of deodorant to a singles ward dance.  She thought the guys needed a hint.

Who is your favorite character in your book?

Besides my main characters, I really like Marcy, Anne’s roommate.  She’s a tall, African-American divorcee, who manages to date a lot more than Anne.  I loved writing the dialogue between Anne and Marcy because Marcy is so confident and spirited.

In many English classes students are required to dissect novels to determine what the author was trying to say. Now is your chance to lay everything out on the table. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to come away with?

At its simplest, my novel is about fear and not letting fear rule your life.  To quote Anne, “I’m probably not the best person to give advice, but I think if you make decisions because you’re afraid of something, then you’re going to have a lot of regrets.”

You grew up in Vienna, Virginia. Is that close to where your story takes place?

The setting is McLean, which is right next to Vienna.  They’re both about fifteen minutes outside of Washington, D.C.  I modeled Anne’s childhood home after my grandparents’ house, which was in Maryland, but it seems to fit just fine in McLean.

Do you have plans to submit other novels for publishing? If so, do you plan on sticking with the LDS market or would you like to write for a national audience?

My first novel was written for the national market, and I haven’t published it yet.  I wrote it for my Master’s Thesis, and it was about African immigrants in Portugal.  I might go back and revise it some day.

Before I started writing Persuasion: A Latter-day Tale, I never thought I’d write a Romance.  So there’s no telling what I’ll do in the future.  Right now, I’m working on another Jane Austen adaptation with LDS characters.

Special thanks to Rebecca for taking the time to answer my questions!

And now for the giveaway! 

One LiteraryTimeOut follower will receive a free eBook of Persuasion: a Latter-day Tale from publisher Cedar Fort. To enter the giveaway follow this blog (by clicking the Join This Site button in the upper left) and comment letting me know you've done so.

For additional entries you can share this post on your blog, on Facebook, and/or on Twitter. Make sure you come back here and comment separately (with the links) for each of these.

You can also get an additional entry for each person you send here. They just need to comment telling me that you sent them (ie. Andrea at LiteraryTimeOut sent me).

The giveaway will be open until 11:59 PM on February 13th. I will use a random number generator to select the winner (so be sure you have a separate comment for each entry). I will post the winner on February 14th.

Good luck and happy reading!

*For other stops on this Virtual Blog Tour go here.