Imperfect Love by Rebecca Talley

Imperfect Love

Lauren Wilson is well on her way to her happily-ever-after. She has a career she loves, a husband she adores and a baby on the way, but a devastating diagnosis changes everything. The life she's built suddenly crumbles around her when her husband insists she choose—the baby or him.

Returning to her small hometown to rebuild her shattered life, Lauren crosses paths with Ethan Campbell, the man who stole her teenage heart. The old attraction is still there, but Lauren won't admit it to anyone—least of all herself. Her only priority is providing a life for her child, and she can't afford to get it wrong. Ethan is confusing everything, including stirring up feelings she’s not prepared to face. Will she spend her life raising her baby alone or is the family she's always wanted finally within her reach?

When Lauren learns that she will have a baby with down syndrome her entire world changes. She has to decide whether or not to keep the baby and her decision brings her already strained marriage to the breaking point. She moves in back with her mom and finds herself attracted to one of her brother’s old friends, Ethan. She is afraid that if he learns about her pregnancy, let alone the downs diagnosis that he’ll run for the hills. So she keeps her problems secret until she can’t hide any longer. Ethan seems like he is willing to commit to her baby and all but her ex-husband returns after the baby is born and wants to be part of their life again.

I thought this was a pretty decent read. I found Lauren to be a compelling character and her story interesting. Sometimes I felt like the secondary characters seemed a little flat and stereotypical, and I wished that more time was spent on the second half of the book as it seem more rushed than the first half. The author really created a great rapport between Lauren and Ethan, but I’d have liked to see a bit more of Ethan’s character. Overall, this was a solid and enjoyable read even if I would have preferred to see a bit more complexity in some of the a characters.

Tour Schedule

Contact Rebecca Talley:

Twitter * Facebook * Website * Blog

Blog Tour Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/10/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Studio C Review

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Seasons 1 and 2 of the hilarious BYUtv sketch comedy series, Studio C, featuring Whitney, Mallory, Jason, Matt, and the rest of the cast pulling out all the stops with two full seasons of enough rip-roaring hilarity to make you spit milk out of your nose. Travel back to the moment it all began and watch some of the very first Studio C sketches, plus two never-before-seen features! Includes popular episodes featuring

• Presidential Shoulder Angel
• Facebook Friends Song
• Flirting Academy
• Captain Literally
• The Center for People That YouTube Made Infamous
• Candy Land Character Conference
• Bollyside
• Dana’s Dead
• And many more!

Special Features

• Exclusive Feature: “Just Jeremy Date”
• Exclusive Sketch: “Substitute Miss Frizzle”
• Season 2 Outtakes

Studio C is a hit sketch comedy series that the whole family can enjoy. Like the popular TV show Saturday Night Live, the cast performs original sketches that parody American culture and the hilariously awkward moments of everyday life; but with a refreshingly wholesome yet hilarious spin. With their huge fan-base and increasing popularity, Studio C aims to produce clean, family-oriented comedy for a national audience.
 
My Review:

So, I first heard of Studio C while reading an interview with Mallory Everton the Mormon Artist blog. Then a few days later my husband started watching their skits on youtube and laughing. So, when a chance came up to participate in reviewing the DVD I was interested. My husband watched about a dozen skits together. He had only seen two previously from his youtube investigations so that is an idea about the amount of new content on the disk.

There were several really funny skits and a couple of just okay ones. Since we are not Downtown Abby fans I think my husband and I didn’t really get the comedy skit about that one as a result. We did however laugh uproariously at the Lady Shadow skit. Which centers around the concept of a dangerous female spy trying to steal a disk, only to sneak out from behind a box nine months pregnant. She then tries to take down four armed guys that really want nothing to do with fighting her. It was hilarious. We also like the flirting university skit and the driving instructor skit. So we really enjoyed the majority of the skits we watched and enjoyed laughing together.     

Purchase Amazon * Deseret Book

        Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/31/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Not Even Once Club by Wendy Watson Nelson

The Not Even Once Club by Wendy Watson Nelson

The Not Even Once Club is a story about a boy, Tyler, who has moved to a new neighborhood. His primary class has a secret club house and is close-knit group that likes to play together. Tyler has to pass a test to be able to join the club—the test is turn down drinking an alcoholic drink on a pretend restaurant  menu. Tyler then signs a club contract that says he will always keep the word of wisdom, dress modestly, avoid pornography, and other bad habits. The boy is super happy about his new friends and super excited about his commitment to avoid doing any of these things Not Even Once!

On the one hand I think this is a pretty decent story. I think the idea of a secret club based on keeping the commandments is a fun idea for kids. Finding friends that have the same standards as you is a rewarding experience. The book also provides a safe way for parents and kids to have discussions about church standards and the choices we make. There is a discussion guide in the back for parents and kids to follow on topics like modesty and pornography, obedience, and repentance.

I did kind of have a problem with the fact that the primary teacher was the founder of the club and that she supplied the club house with snacks, candy, puzzles, games and crafts as long as the kids kept the promise of the contract. I didn’t like the message that the primary teacher would provide treats and other external rewards conditional on the children’s behavior. Because keeping the commandments shouldn’t be motivated by getting candy or games, keeping the commandments should be motivated by how living the gospel brings peace and happiness internally. Also, why should this primary teacher get to be judge if these kids deserve snacks or not? Is she going to keep track of everything they do? Also, what primary teacher can afford to do that? Seriously? 

I think this book does have a lot of potential to be a good catalyst for gospel discussions and conversations in families, but I’m not a fan of the teacher’s influence. I’d like the book much more if the kids had decorated and supplied the club on their own initiative out of a desire to do what the primary teacher taught them about. They could have all brought something special to share— an activity, snack or game that reflected their commitment to make choices different from the world and to create a safe haven for themselves and their friends.

I hope that my quibbling with story details doesn’t cause people to discount completely the potential for this story concept to be a positive influence. I don’t want to convey that idea at all. I think that with the guidance of parents this story concept is flexible enough to adapt to different situations and circumstances, and that it could be a tool to strengthen families. 

Find more information about the book here.

 

All That was Promised by Vickie Hall and Giveaway

In 1847 Wales young Methodist Minister Richard Kenyon converts to Mormonism. Richard's newfound faith is put to the test as he faces down the anger of his former congregatin, his wife's indicisiveness, the betrayal of his brother, and the murderous intentions of misinformed villagers.

I have to say that I think this is probably the darkest LDS historical novel that I’ve read. One of the main viewpoint characters has the most depressing and dysfunctional family I’ve ever read about and culminates in the viewpoint character strangling his wife to death “on screen.” If this wasn’t enough another character by the name of John Morgan is also a piece of despicable abusive swine. There are multiple acts of violence upon members of the church as persecution against Mormons escalates in the area. So many things went wrong right after another that I was beginning to wonder how much historical accuracy the story had because the story was starting to feel contrived on the part of the author to create more tension. There was no historical note by the author at the end to separate the truth from fiction, which annoyed me. I kind of wanted to know what facts she based the story from and how much creative license she had taken.

 The story does contain some wonderful glimmers of the power of the gospel. The repentance process of Meredith, a prostitute who helped John Morgan persecute Mormon families.  I admired moral courage of Richard Kenyon, who followed his conscience even if it threatened his livelihood. His tender relationship with his wife is no doubt meant to counterbalance the dysfunction of his elder brother’s  family. There are miracles wrought by the priesthood, but overall I felt the book was sort of depressing.  The novel provides a riveting read that rushes from conflict to conflict, and does have some great storytelling. Perhaps, the book wasn’t exactly to my taste but the book does deal realistically with heavy issues and allows the characters to really struggle with those issues instead of having them all made better instantly when they learn about the gospel. I think some readers will find that sort of honesty refreshing.  

Author Vickie Hall Vickie is a native of Utah, but growing up, lived in the states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Nebraska. When she's not writing, she's composing music, or shopping with her sister. She loves animals of all kinds and camping with her family. Her favorite pastime is watching old movies on TCM, and unashamedly has a crush on Cary Grant.

Links:

Blog * Website Facebook * Goodreads

Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/26/13  a Rafflecopter giveaway

J. Scott Savage Interview

Hey Scott! Welcome to Gamila's Review. Today we are floating down the Avon river in an English canal boat.

Avon huh? We’re not going to meet with a bunch of women who will do our colors and sell us hand lotion in poodle-shaped bottles?

Were going to moor at Stratford-Upon-Avon. After visiting Shakespeare's house and enjoying the swans in front of the Royal Shakespearian Theater we're ready to cast off from Stratford and head through that creepy tunnel up at the top of the page.

Ahh, Shakespeare. Very cool. You have to like swans. They are the ultimate in cool animals. They should all be wearing sunglasses. They are just that cool.

All seems pristine and lovely heading towards the tunnel, but soon we will enter an ancient arch, damp and dark, made out of millions of rust red bricks. On the right we will see a wooden rail drilled into the brick with chain linked underneath where old barges on the river would take pull themselves through by hand. It's lovely that we have the luxury of a modern motor and can therefore discuss Farworld: Water Keep at our leisure. While we float through our creepy, English tunnel full of fog, I'll ask you a few questions.

Okay, so you’re not going to like kill me and dump my body overboard are you? Because you don’t want to deal with those Scotland Yard guys. They may look like Charly Chaplin, but they’re tough.

How do you like the setting of our lovely interview today?

Excellent. Very dark and moody. It gives the whole interview a certain gravitas. (Which should not be confused with the annual gravy toss, which is not nearly as serious but much more messy.)

Do long dark tunnels full of fog make you think of fantasy, mystery or horror stories since you seem to write them all?

Actually horror is just a sub-genre of fantasy. When I think horror, I don’t think of Texas Chainsaw, I think of supernatural beings with special powers. And when I think of fantasy, there is always a dark element lurking in the background just waiting to spring out.

Which writers that have influenced your writing the most?

I am a sponge when it comes to influence. Reading just fills me up with great ideas. You see something in one context and it opens a pathway to another idea.

How long does it take you to write a book? Specifically how long did you work on Farworld?

Less than three months to write the first draft. The story had been in my head for several years, but once I started writing it came incredibly fast.

How many drafts did Farworld go through?

Ten easy.

Where did you come up with all the names for Farworld places, creatures and people? I found the names to be interesting and clever.

I like to play with names and sounds until I find one I like. Some names, like the Unmakers, Mist Steed, and Mimicker, are names that sound like what they are. Some names are nods to other books or movies. Some are plays on words. Look up the name of the frog that leads Kyja and Marcus to Olden. One thing I try to avoid is having a lot of unpronounceable names like Lady Grkzhn, because you know readers will just skip over it and call her G.

What is the language that master Therapass and the Dark Circle use when they cast spells?

Two different languages. MT is calling upon the elements to do his bidding willingly. The DC corrupts the elements. It is taking them by force. It is the language of desecration. Like bring back the dead, it is an abhorrence on the land.

What scene was your favorite to write?

I really liked the Unmaker’s cavern. Creepy, fun, and tense.


That was my favorite scene! Cool! What is your favorite part of writing and the least favorite?

Royalties and the months in between royalties. No. That is NOT true. I don’t want anyone to think that writing comes down to the money, because there are a lot easier and surer ways to earn a buck. I love when I write a really powerful scene. It’s a great feeling to “know” that readers are going to love it. My least favorite is when the story just won’t come. Or when you have a great but you can’t seem to get it onto paper.

Tell us about your upcoming releases. I'm especially curious about this LDS Horror novel you've talked about on your blog. When is that coming out?

I’ve actually had to put things on hold a little because of Farworld. Shandra should be Spring. After that, we’ll see.

What was the last LDS or Young Adult novel that you read? Would you recommend it to our readers?

The last YA book I read was The Bartimaeus Trilogy. I would definitely recommend it. Last LDS was Season of Sacrifice, about the Apple Dumpling Gang. Okay, it was really about the Hole in the Rock gang. And they didn’t really even call themselves that. But I would recommend it too.


Ah, looks like we've made it through the tunnel. I'm glad to feel sunshine on the face again. Thanks for joining us on our canal trip today!

Thanks for having me. It was fun and I didn’t even die. I’m so . . . hey wait. Where’s my wallet? Come back here!

Author Interview: Rebecca Talley

Hi Rebecca! Welcome to Gamila's Review and thanks for inverviewing with me today.

When did you start writing and discovered that you enjoyed it?

I wrote stories as a kid, but it was when I took a creative writing class in high school that I realized how much I loved to write. I discovered how much I enjoyed creating characters and worlds in Mrs. Hawkins' class.

What inspired you to write Heaven Scent?

I wanted to create a story that explored the connection between heaven and earth. I lost both of my parents at an early age and have felt their presence through the years. I wanted to a write a story that would leave readers with the hope that those we've loved and lost are never far from us.

Which scene in the book was your favorite to write?

That's a hard question. I enjoyed writing the scenes between Liza and Kyle and I really enjoyed the opening scene because I wanted to be that kind of basketball player. I think my favorite scenes to write, though, were the ones when Liza communicates with her mom.

What did you learn from the process of writing Heaven Scent?

Writing a novel is hard work. It takes time, effort, dedication, and a very thick skin. I also learned to trust myself to stay true to the story in my heart.

What other books have you published? What books do you plan to publish in the future?

"Grasshopper Pie" was publshed in 2003 by WindRiver Publishing. It's a children's picture book based on an experience when my kids "almost" fed me a live grasshopper. I'm currently working on an LDS romance that I hope will be accepted for publication and I have a children's chapter book I'm submitting to publishers.

With a large and busy family where do you squeeze your writing time in?

Anywhere I can! I just squish it in whenever and wherever I can.

Is it easier to finish other writing projects now that Heaven Scent is out or harder?

Now that I've completed "Heaven Scent" I know I can actually finish a large project, but I still struggle to find time to finish projects. I have so many ideas and so little time! I'm also finding that I need to spend time promoting my book so that cuts into my writing time. Scheduling time in my daytimer to work on specific projects helps me stay on task. Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog. I really appreciate it.

Thanks for hosting the blog tour. I really enjoyed reading your book!

Book Review: Heaven Scent by Rebecca Talley

Heaven Scent by Rebecca Talley

Liza should be the happiest high schooler ever. She won her basketball team the state championship, but she is disappointed that her father didn’t show up at the game. This isn’t the first or last time that he doesn’t keep his word about showing up to things. He recently became a partner at his law firm and never comes home to spend time with the family, and it is starting to tear them apart. One night the absence of her father leads to a terrible accident that Eliza is not sure that she will ever be able to forgive him for.

I picked up Heaven’s Scent on the day I got it in the mail for the blog tour, and was immediately drawn into the conflict, which was clear, strong, and compelling. I couldn’t put this book down and kept turning the pages, getting lost in the story. The story moves along at a nice pace, draws the reader in. My one peeve was that I felt that the scenes of Liza with her basketball coach seemed awkward and strange. Maybe it’s because I didn’t see enough evidence of their having a close mentor/student bond at the beginning of the book that it seemed weird to me later when suddenly the coach was “like a father to her.” Maybe it’s just me, but I still think this is a great book for all readers, especially teenagers. They will love it!

This review is part of a blog tour, to see the rest of the stops, and other reader's opinons visit Rebecca's blog: http://www.rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/

Author's Website: http://www.rebeccatalley.com/

Author Interview: Candace Salima

Welcome to Gamila's Review Candace! I recently finished Refiner's Fire and want to ask you a few questions about it.

First off, how did this compilation of essays come about?

Thank you so much for the invitation to drop by. Forged in the Refiner’s Fire came about in a rather simple way. My co-author, Elizabeth Cheever, contacted me and asked if I would be interested in compiling this book with her. I was very busy at the time, but it was a project that drew me. Each of goes through difficult times in life and we wanted to create a book which would provide inspiration, hope and a feeling of camaraderie in boosting people’s belief in themselves.

What was the most rewarding aspect of completing a project like Forged in the Refiner's Fire?

When we began to receive feedback from readers across the world is when we truly began to understand the power and scope of the book we’d put together. Personally, when I received an email telling me how it had helped a woman to truly understand that each of us goes through these trials and it is not because we were bad or sinned, but simply because. It gave her the strength to pull her shoulders back and simply say, “I can do this. I will do this.” Nothing could have meant more to me than that.

What important messages do you feel Forged in the Refiner's Fire contains for readers?

Hope. Pure, unadulterated hope. For myself, as I read through the many stories which poured in, I began to understand that everyone, literally every single person on the earth, goes through the Refiner’s Fire. We want our readers to understand that they were never meant to traverse this thorny mortal path alone. Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, stands ready and waiting to assist us on this journey. There is hope in that pure truth. Unbeatable, attainable hope.

Do you plan to compile another project similar to this in the future?

Yes, Elizabeth are working on the sequel called “No Pressure, No Diamonds.” We are currently accepting real life stories of struggle and tragedy which show growth in the person submitting the story. We wish to know what helped you to get through it and how you drew closer to God in the process. Anyone interested in submitting a story please email me at ces@candacesalima.com.

From your website I can see that you worked on a non-fiction, title, book about BYU sports and published a fiction novel Out of the Shadows. What are your future plans for other writing projects?

I am currently working on “Standing on the Fifth: The Long Road” with Merrill Osmond. He and I are very excited about the work coming forward. It is an action/suspense geared toward the national market, and yes, it is fiction. I am also working on “Dreams Die Hard” the long awaited sequel to “Out of the Shadows . . Into the Light”. My readers will be very grateful, they’ve clamoring for it for quite some time now.

More information about me can be found at http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/ and my books can be purchased at www.candacesalima.com/inPrint.htm.

Thank you so much for hosting me today, Emily. I drop back by today, off and on, to answer any and all questions that may be posted by your readers.

Thanks for Interviewing with me, Candace! Here is an video of another interview with candace. Enjoy!

Blog Tour: Forged in the Refiner's Fire by Candace E. Salima and Elizabeth Cheever

Forged in the Refiner’s Fire compiled by Candace E. Salima and Elizabeth Cheever

Forged in the Refiner’s Fire is a religious non-fiction book, and the stories follow the theme of the title. It is a collection of personal narrative essays, in which the authors tell of their “refiner’s fires,” and how they have made come through trials and made sense of suffering. The book contains 22 personal essays, each with a relevant quote or thought at the beginning to set the theme of the essay. There are several appendices, which include the written testimonies of the compilers, biographies of the contributors, and a bibliography. Essays written by Candance E. Salima, Tristi Pinkston, Willard Boyd Gardner and numerous others share stories about tragic accidents, drug addiction, infertility, and other life problems and how the authors came to solutions that were right for themselves and their families.

This really is a book that lets you know that sometimes suffering is a part of life, but that we can learn and grow from our experiences. I enjoyed reading all of these short essays that helped me to realize how the Lord works differently in all of our lives and that he is looking our for us. This book made me teary-eyed on several occasions, and touched me. I'm glad that Candace asked my to read and review it for her blog tour. I hope that you enjoy her accompaning interview.

Check out her blog to see other stops on the tour: http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/

Also, check out her website for her other works: http://www.candacesalima.com/