Views From Hobbit Hole

That Summer Reading Thing 2009: To Have Or To Hold - Josi S. Kilpack

2009-07-07T00:29:00.000-07:00

To Have or to Hold - Josi S. Kilpack

Andrew Davidson is handsome, wealthy, and about to come into a two million dollar trust on his 30th birthday. He meets all the requirements except one. He isn't married, nor does he have any immediate prospects.

Emma is 22, and a single divorced mother struggling to make ends meet. One of those ends includes being Andrew's housekeeper.

So Andrew comes up with an idea. If Emma marries him he'll give her enough money to start life again once he comes into his trust fund. They will then happily divorce and go their merry ways.

Emma agrees seeing it as a good option and getting her out of the rut she's in.

Kilpack is a master at creating flawed characters that we can get angry at for being so stupid and there's a lot of stupid things they each do making the actual marriage look like the smartest idea. And yet we still want them to come to their senses and win.

And Cedar Fort isn't afraid to publish books where one night stands (who knew you could have a one night stand with the one your married to), drunkenness and really really bad home teachers exist.

I say bravo.

Often in LDS fiction the conflict happens to the main characters. They don't create the conflict, but in Kilpack's books (okay I only read one other, "Tempest Tossed" you can find my review of that book with it's flawed characters here) not only do they create the conflict, but they keep making things worse and worse before they come to their senses. Like real people.

Things I didn't like about the book. If Andrew was wealthy and on his way to creating more wealth, why was the 2 million dollars that important to him? Sure it's a lot of money, but not for a guy who owns two highly successful businesses and has a mansion in Salt Lake and an upscale apartment in L.A. The premise might have worked better if he were a struggling businessman, or heading into bankruptcy, or if the trust were bigger, like 20 million dollars.

And if Andrew is so handsome and rich why is finding a wife that difficult for him? He lives most of the time in LA, a mecca of beautiful young women with no children who would happily marry a guy for money.

The main plot has been done before. I'm sure there was even a TV show and several movies that involved getting married to your housekeeper for money.

And a minor point here, why is it in one scene Andrew, alone in the house, goes swimming in his pool in the nude, but later in the book he's alone in the house and makes a point of putting on a swimsuit? Sure he's baptized into the church by then, but really, if you're alone in the house, why would you put on a swimsuit?

Now, I don't generally read contemporary fiction to learn something. Historical yes, but not modern day. Yet I did learn something. I had never heard of Hyperemisis Gravidarium before. Yes, I'd heard of morning sickness, and my mother was even given Thalidomide when she was pregnant with me. Fortunately she listened to the spirit and didn't take the stuff. However HG is truly debilitating and dangerous. I could forgive a lot of Emma's behavior because of what she was going through. Who can possibly be reasonable or thinking straight going through that? I tell people that if I had ever suffered from morning sickness at all I would have had only one kid not seven. I hate throwing up, so I could never be bulimic. HG is far worse and I learned a great deal from this novel.

If you can overlook the done before main plot, this book is an enjoyable read and one I would recommend because of the main characters who even though I was angry with them most of the time, I still liked them.

Other Books by Josi S. Kilpack that I've Reviewed

Tempest Tossed

Other Books by Josi S. Kilpack

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

2009-06-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

There is a reason why when you go to a bookstore there are shelves of Jodi Picoult's novels.

She's good.

This is the first novel of hers I've read, and I'm anxious to read more from this talented writer.

The story takes place in Amish country where a dead baby has been found on a dairy farm. Katie Fisher, the 18 year old farmer's daughter, is the one where fingers point, when it's been discovered that she had a hidden pregnancy and that evidence shows that the baby was smothered.

But Katie not only denies killing the baby, she denies that she ever had the baby, a pregnancy or sex. Enter Ellie Hathaway, a highly successful defense attorney who is going through her own personal issues as she ends another relationship while her biological clock keeps ticking. The last thing she wants to do is defend a teenage girl who has killed her baby, but before she realizes it she has volunteered for the job and has found herself living on the Fishers farm as a condition of Katie's bail.

Katie isn't very co-operative with her defense but Ellie manages to break down Katie's defenses to get to the truth with the help of an old college boyfriend who she brings in as Katie's psychiatrist.

Picoult writes a riveting and complicated story of a teenage girl who straddles the line between the Amish world and the "English". She does it with a great deal of respect towards the Amish, a community that although we don't completely understand and often shake our heads at, most of us have a great deal of respect for.

Her characters are multi-layered and behave in ways that are both consistent and yet in-consistent, like real people.

I often wanted to shake Katie. She was frustrating and yet I couldn't help but be on her side. How could a mother kill her baby? Yet in the book you can see how a mother could, and understand and have empathy for it.

The other characters including main character Ellie (every other chapter is told in first person from her perspective) is also multi-layered and complicated. My heart went out to Samuel, Katie's Amish boyfriend who has to come to terms with the fact that since he had never slept with Katie, someone had. Jacob, Katie's excommunicated brother is also a sympathetic character and the Bishop is a flexible and caring individual. Even Aaron, Katie's father, who appears to have the traditional inflexibility we assume with those who are devoutly religious, has reasons that aren't on the surface, as Sarah, Katie's mother, a warm and loving person, explains to Ellie.

The ending was a surprise although I figured it out several chapters previously as certain scenes and conversations clicked in my head. It was perfect and added to the multi-layered story.

I did have a couple of concerns. Why was the prosecution only looking at one possible scenario and one suspect? Why didn't Ellie look for other evidence sooner than she did? And why did Ellie jump to conclusions when Katie drops a bombshell on her. I knew what Katie meant, why didn't Ellie who had just spent every moment for the past four months or so with her.

Other than those two questions, I thought the book was well-researched and written. Picoult is a master at getting into the hearts and minds of people in a difficult situation, and helping us relate to a different culture. This is definitely a writer I will be adding to my bookshelves.

Warning: Profanity although not excessive. Some sexual scenes although not explicit and they are important for the story line.

The Plain Truth a Lifetime Movie

It's hard to take a 400 page novel with several story lines and complicated characters and reduce it down to a 90 minute movie.

The result is a movie that just highlights things without really delving into the why's or how's. There's not much character development here, there isn't much room for it even though a couple of story lines from the book were dropped.

More confusing to me is why locations, names and circumstances were sometimes changed. In the book the baby is found in the barn. In the movie by a pond. Katie's younger sister falls through the ice and drowns in the book, in the movie she disappears in the summer and drowns in that pond. Even the outcome is changed somewhat. It doesn't make sense to change such things.

Mariska Hargatay (Law & Order SVU) is excellently cast as Ellie the defense attorney, and does a good job with the material she has, but the other characters were a disappointment. Either they did not fit the descriptions or they simply don't have anything to do other than be scenery dressing.

You may enjoy this movie if you've never read the book, and indeed it is a competent movie and I would have enjoyed it more had I not just read the book, but it doesn't compare in spite of good intentions. Too little time to tell too much. Read the book. It's much more satisfying.

Other Books by Jodi Picoult

That Summer Reading Thing: The Runaway Mother by Carol Lynn Pearson

2009-06-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

The Runaway Mother by Carol Lynn Pearson

Carol Lynn Pearson was among the first to write fiction for LDS audiences and paved the way for the writers today. When I first joined the church I would delight in picking up her "Notebook" books, little books set up like a notebook that bore funny little notes.

Shortly after, although I didn't get a parts in her plays "The Dance" and "My Turn On Earth", I helped out backstage, and I did get a minor parts in "Don't Count Your Chickens" and "The Order is Love".

Since that time she has gone through difficult experiences which she has willingly shared and in turn has become a politically vocal advocate for the gay community.

It's nice now though to read a book of humor. And this book is hilarious. I read it in a couple of hours and enjoyed every page.

Allison is fed up. She's a divorced mom with two kids who don't appreciate her and a perfect neighbor that makes all of her kids clothes. The kids are perfect too. They make their mom crepes for Mother's Day and plant rose bushes for her.

Added to that there's a well intentioned but gaggy program that the men are creating at the church to celebrate Mother's Day. Feeling already unworthy, Allison overhears why her children are involved and then determines that she's running away for the weekend.

And that's where it gets really brilliant. Why didn't I ever think of this, I wonder. Allison decides to go to a hotel for Mother's Day weekend.

Yeah! She reclaims Mother's Day. She takes it as time to celebrate being a Mom rather than a day where everyone can feel good about themselves for making their mothers macaroni cards.

Frankly, my Mother's Days suck. There's always fights over who has to make Mom breakfast and there isn't time for breakfast anyway because we have to get to church where we do the same thing there we do every Sunday. When I get home if anyone does decide to make something to eat, I end up with the dishes, either that day, or if i don't do them, I have to do them the next day.

I want to go away for the weekend every Mother's Day. I LIKE this idea.

This is a great gift for every mom, and give it to her before Mother's Day so she can make reservations at a hotel.

Aside from the brilliant idea, Allison voice is funny. Some of the story line is a little outrageous, but it's forgivable. Okay, a lot of the story line is outrageous but then I don't really know since this is about Utah saints and I've never been one of them. Are there Mom's out there who can make their kids full Scottish outfits and play the bagpipes for Halloween? And really, did it have to be Allison to save the day at the end of the book?

No matter. The book is funny. Allison is likable and completely relatable.

Now I'm going to start saving up for next year's Mother's Day run.

Previously published as the non-Mormon story Morning Glory Mother

Other Books by Carol Lynn Pearson

Welcome to Morning Shade

2009-06-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

A Case of Bad Taste (A Morning Shade Mystery #1) by Lori Copeland

Someone in the tiny town of Morning Shade is breaking into people's houses moving furniture around, putting ugly things away, and leaving behind nice things to take their place.

This is a job for 87 year old Stella Diamond to solve. Helped (or hindered) by the local law, Hargus, she sets out to solve the mystery.

Actually this book is told in first person from the perspective of Stella's recently widowed daughter-in-law, a successful writer - although she doesn't think so since money is always tight and she's not on the best sellers lists.

Maude Diamond's husband left her without insurance. Unable to pay for Stella's seniors residence she moves Stella in with her, closely followed by her own daughter CeeCee who has also been recently widowed. CeeCee brings three dogs and before long a cat that makes the dogs tremble in fear.

Finding time to write in a house with an active senior citizen who loves to read the obits and leaves her teeth all over, a crying thirty year old and a menagerie of animals, has Maude frustrated and disappointed with the way life has turned out. Certainly not the peaceful existence she had imagined for herself at sixty.

I found this book funny. Funny enough to want to read the rest in the series. Lori Copeland has created some humorous characters here. Characters that although seem somewhat outlandish, live and breathe. They think funny things, say funny things, do funny things and have consequences that are funny. None of the characters are perfect. Stella is thoughtless, Maude is controlling, CeeCee is weepy. But I liked them all anyway. Some similes are cliched, some are new but most made me laugh.

A Case of Crooked Letters (A Morning Shade Mystery series #2) by Lori Copeland

Someone is sending out chain letters through the mail. A definite breaking of the law. What's worse, Stella Diamond, who sent out the first batch in order to make money for her family, is horrified to realize that someone has taken her idea and upped the ante. The mystery needs to be solved and Stella is on the case.

There's a slight change of writing style in this book. It's still told in first person from Maude's point of view, but we also get third person in Stella's and CeeCee's eyes.

Introduced in the town is new guy Gary Hendricks who has his eyes on CeeCee. Trouble is although he's attractive and helps out with the local scout troop, he's a practical joker to the point of being annoying, is oblivious to CeeCee's feelings and is just plain obnoxious. I kept wondering why all the Diamond women were so nice to him even though none of them wanted him around.

This book continues on with the amusing inner and outer dialogue and situations that these women find themselves in.

A Case of N osy Neighbors (A Morning Shade Mystery 3)

There are two peeping toms in Morning Shade. Stella Diamond and Hargus are on the case before some woman dies of a heart attack. What's more, one of them wears a size 14 shoe and the other one left behind his girdle.

The Diamond saga continues as CeeCee finds a new love interest, Maude struggles with a broken ankle and surgery on her wrist just as her latest book is due, and Stella takes up driving again.

Although much of the book was funny (Stella has the church carpet cleaned on a Saturday so that all the church goers have to take off their shoes on Sunday so she can sort through them while they're not looking. Not finding what she's looking for she leaves them all in a jumbled pile), some things in the book started to annoy me. There was a lot of controlling going on with these women. Stella felt it was her responsibility to arrest any citizen caught smoking (a new bylaw in town prevented everyone from smoking anywhere), and for some reason these men went along with it. Maude felt it was her job to decide when Stella could go out and when she couldn't. And they both wanted to control the love lives of others. It stopped being endearing and became annoying.

The other thing that bothered me was the complete character change of Gary Hendricks. He suddenly became the good guy who got away. Gone were the mean practical jokes and obnoxiousness. In it's place was a kind, considerate person. I kept scratching my head trying to figure out what happened.

Still these books were all a fun read. If you like light mystery with lots of laughs, quirky characters, and a Christian viewpoint, you'll enjoy these.

Lori Copeland has written over 95 books. 95! She started off in romance under the banners of Harlequin and Avon and then later switched to Christian. Her first book was published in 1982 when she was forty. I don't know how she does it.

Other Books by Lori Copeland

LDS Fiction Summer Reading Thing

2009-05-25T23:55:00.000-07:00

The LDS Fiction Summer Reading Thing is starting off soon. My list of books are on the sidebar, one for each week. I never finish all of them, but I always say "Aim for the stars, you may just get over the back fence. If you aim for the back fence you'll fall into the prickly bushes."

Might As Well Laugh About It Now - Marie Osmond

2009-05-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

Might As Well Laugh About It Now by Marie Osmond

I didn't mean to read the whole thing right away. After all, I was already reading another book. I just meant to dip into it.

So I glanced through it and then read the first chapter, and then the second and before I knew it, I had read the whole thing.

Marie doesn't give us a chronological biography here. Instead she highlights particular things that happened in her life, both recently and growing up, and then relates them to what she's learned along the way.

More positive and lighter than her previous book - understandably so since the last book was on post-partum depression and this one is on finding joy in life - she relates funny stories (a blind date at an amusement park), heartbreaking stories (the birth of a niece that didn't survive but inspired one of the most successful charities ever), and introspective memories of her own insecurities growing up. So while girls like me wished that we could be as beautiful and talented as Marie Osmond, she was comparing herself negatively to all the lesser talented and not as beautiful women that she had worked with.

It just goes to show that none of us are immune to self-esteem issues.

I had to go to You Tube to look at the tango dress she talks about in one chapter. From the sound of it, it was put together with tape and glue, but you can't tell by looking at it.

What comes across here is a warm, witty woman who's made mistakes, had successes and failures, and is just trying to do the best she can.

Great fun and inspirational read.

Other Books by Marie Osmond

Merchants of Deception - Eric Scheibeler

2009-04-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

Merchants of Deception by Eric Scheibeler

Eric Sheibeler reached Emerald status in the Amway company. Yet in spite of his high status and apparent wealth his paycheck from the company put him at the poverty level.

He was shocked when he discovered how those above him (Diamonds) actually made their money and bought their mansions and expensive cars. Money was not made from the products, a concept that was taught through the ranks, but instead came from the instructional tools that were "required" to build the business.

Risking everything he wrote this book telling of his experience in the Amway company, the reasons why he went from being financially stable to having to declare bankruptcy and unable to put food on the table, and how he lost his friends and even almost his family in his desire to obtain the dream.

This is a free e-book that can downloaded from Eric's website. Having been approached by MLM's (multi-level marketing) schemes in the past, and having a husband who would sometimes join up only to have to give up because it simply didn't work, I found this book fascinating. I meant to only read a chapter or two at a time, but I ended up reading the entire thing in one day.

Much of this stuff I already suspected and wrote about. This is must reading for those looking into Amway/Quixtar or any other MLM company. It's wise reading for the rest of us who will at one point be approached.

I applaud Eric for being brave enough to publish his experiences. Apparently other websites like his have been shut down through the legal powerhouse of Amway.

This book is bound to make a lot of people angry. Either at Amway or at Eric depending on where you stand on the whole MLM thing.

To get the free book go to Merchants of Deception.

And to read what I wrote about this subject a few years ago for my column (but wasn't run due to the editor deeming it too controversial) go to The Dream Scheme - Part 1.

Virtual Blog Tour: Tower of Strength by Annette Lyon

2009-03-31T03:45:00.000-07:00

Tower of Strength A Novel by Annette Lyon

This is the first Annette Lyon book I've read, and I'll be reading more of her work. Not that it's perfect, but her characters are strong, likeable and believable. No simpering women waiting to be rescued here, nor is the main character a superwoman. She's real and although the story is set in the 1880's in Utah, Tabitha could be the woman next door.

Her other main character, Samuel isn't a superhero either. He has his weaknesses as well, which makes him all the more endearing. Yet he's strong and masculine with a good heart. So what if he can't read the heart of a horse and is afraid of them, he can read the heart of a woman.

Lyon switches between her two protagonists, getting both of their points of view giving us a wider vision than we would have had with just one character's voice.

Some of the fault of this book lies within breaking that rule. On a couple of occasions we are allowed into the minds of some minor characters which I think the book would have been stronger without. In fact in this book there is a mystery which Tabitha solves, but we are let in on the secret before we even know the characters. I would have preferred to find out the truth of what happened at the same time as Tabitha and from Tabitha's point of view. Granted, it's not a mystery book, however I think the book would have been stronger if we had been on the journey with Tabitha rather than knowing something that she didn't.

The other stumbling block I had was the handling of past events. The general rule of thumb in writing is show, don't tell. I believe there are exceptions to this rule, however, in this case, it would have been better to follow it. I would have much preferred flashbacks to key events rather than the characters telling us what happened. I think Samuel's pain would have been more real to me if I had been allowed to meet his wife rather than just things he thinks about her, then his struggle with his attraction to Tabitha would have been more poignant. The same with Tabitha's memory of the day her husband dies. If we had been taken to that day through her point of view, then every time she hears the blasts from the temple site we can better feel her pain.

There are well researched details in this historical book which is well done. Enough to set the story without taking away from the story. Lyon has done her homework and for the most part she writes well, although I caught a couple of unnecessary cliched phrasing that should have been cut.

Overall, a good book and one that I actually learned from. I went and looked at pictures of the Manti temple. It's beautiful and unique. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a clean romance set in a different time and culture.

Other Books by Annette Lyon:

Lost Without You: A Novel

At the Water's Edge

SPIRES OF STONE

At the Journey's End

House on the Hill

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

2009-02-20T23:03:00.000-08:00

Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3) by Stephenie Meyer

I'm enjoying the books, but there is something kind of disturbing about these love stories written for teenagers.

Are teenagers getting a realistic view of romance? All right, I know we're talking about humans loving vampires and werewolves, but still.

Basically this book boils down to Bella having the choice of Edward the Vampire or Jacob the Werewolf - because Mike the human just isn't dangerous enough.

My copy even included t-shirt transfers so you could be on Edward's team or Jacob's team.

So here, I'm stating who I think Bella should choose.

Well, really, I think Bella should just forget about both of them and go to college.

But seeing that I must choose I team, I'll pick...

Jacob.

Yes, I know, the story is really about Bella and Edward, but here are my reasons.

Edward is described as being cold with skin like marble. Jacob on the other hand, is warm. Warm enough to keep Bella alive while she's freezing in a tent in the middle of winter.

Now for me personally, I prefer a warm body to a statue.

Jacob doesn't sit in Bella's bedroom and watch her sleep. That's just creepy.

To be with Jacob, Bella doesn't need to change who she is. Bella is considering becoming a vampire and killing people and turning into a monster and becoming unable to bear children, so she can be with Edward. None of that is expected from her from Jacob. She can't turn into a werewolf.

The purpose of the werewolves is good. They are protectors. Vampires on the other hand are killers. Alright, Edward and the Cullens aren't, but it's a constant battle for them.

She doesn't have to leave her family to be with Jacob. She doesn't have to give up her friends. Again, she doesn't have to change.

Aside from this storyline, we get treated to Rosalie and Jaspers' stories. I like reading the back stories. However Rosalie's left me wondering. Why did her fiance do that to her? It didn't make sense. Was she raped? It wasn't clear. Was it Carlisle that turned her into a vampire? And she was pretty blase about all the people she killed afterward. Yes some deserved it, but some didn't.

And Jasper went from being a protector to being a murderer when he got changed.

I find the whole serial killing thing disturbing. Okay, so they don't choose to be vampires, but still.

But then we're not reading this books for reality sake. Yet, there is something disturbing about setting up a stalker who is capable of being a serial killer as a romantic lead for a young impressionable girl.

And as a side question...Why are the Cullens in high school? If they want to go to school why not go to university? You can spend forever in university and learn something new all the time.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

2009-02-12T12:42:00.000-08:00

New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) by Stephenie Meyer

The beginning of the book treats us to Bella's birthday party at the Cullens house, where things go horribly wrong and Edward has to protect her from one of his own.

It's then he realizes that she would be better off without him and so moves away with his vampire family.

The result is a very clever several pages of just the names of the months signifying that Bella has retreated from the world and doesn't remember a thing about that time. She gets up, goes to school and goes through the motions but is in such a severe depression that she only functions on a very basic level.

And then one day she wakes up and renews a friendship with Jacob, a native living on a nearby reservation. But Jacob discovers that he has a secret just as dangerous as Edwards, and Bella's determination to live dangerously causes a series of events that brings Bella and Edward back together with a new set of problems.

I enjoyed the book and I liked that Bella was able to have a friendship and love for Jacob while still being in love with Edward. However I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the overly dramatic "i can't live my life without you" desperation of Bella. I'm sure it appeals to teens when feelings are heightened and love is romanticized, but it frustrated me that Bella needs Edward so much.

The other thing that frustrated me about this book was that everytime the adventure got interesting or something was about to be explained, Bella needed to sleep or faint. If this girl can't handle the situations should she be hanging out with vampires? Was this just a device that Meyer used to drive readers crazy? "Yes, I'm standing in front of a legion of vampires, but first I need a nap."

I haven't officially jumped on the Twilight Saga. But I'm not a hater either. I'm enjoying them but it isn't something I'm raving over. Still I'm reading them because I want to. I need to find out what happens next. And that's what a good book does.

Read my review for Twilight Book 1 by Stephenie Meyer.

My Not-So-Fairy-Tale Life - Julie Wright

2009-01-15T21:06:00.000-08:00

My Not-So-Fairy-Tale Life by Julie Wright

Suzanna and Sam grew up in an abusive household. Sam joins the LDS church, marries and lives a responsible life. Suzanna goes on drinking binges, becomes a drug addict, serves time in a juvenile hall and at the beginning of this book discovers herself pregnant with no clue who the father is.

Kicked out of her Massachusetts home and having no where to go, Suzanna sets out to her brothers home in Utah hoping, that she'll be accepted there.

I loved this book. I can't see how it could have been any better. Wright deals with the issues and doesn't make the answers easy. No matter what the decisions are, there are painful consequences attached, and unlike other authors who would make everything turn out perfectly for the protagonist, Wright doesn't do that.

It's interesting to see how two people, growing up in the same home react in two different ways. And I think the key here, is that one decided he deserved better, and one decided she didn't.

There is a happy ending, but not without some difficulty. I admit it, I cried several times.

The dialogue is witty and real without resorting to the profanity that most writers fall back on.

Wright takes a chance by creating a main character who isn't likeable yet she is sympathetic. Her handling works.

I was struck by a particular similarity between this book and mine although our topics and treatments are completely different. When I contacted the author I found out that one of the titles being considered for this book was Roses & Daisies. Seeing both our books came out the same year that may have caused some confusion.

Highly recommended and I will be reading more work from Julie Wright.

Marley and Me

2009-01-03T23:12:00.001-08:00

Marley and Me was not a movie that was high on my list to see. I'm not big into dog movies. Images of Beethoven, Benjie and Lassie come to mind with stupid plots and unbelievable rescues and...well, I'm just not a dog movie fan.

But that Saturday I was feeling so depressed I couldn't get out of bed when a friend called up and begged me to allow her to take us all out for dinner. Following dinner she suggested a movie and we went to our local theater where Marley and Me was. It was high on everyone elses list of must see, so I readily agreed.

Marley and Me is not a dog movie. Yes, it's about a dog. But it's really about a family.

The trailers are misleading. Yep, Marley is a dog that doesn't know how to behave, but the movie is about far more than wacky hi-jinks.

Owen Wilson is charming as a columnist (hey something I can relate to although I never made the money he does), and a newlywed. I never thought of Owen Wilson as attractive, but he is in this movie as he shoulders the responsibilities of marriage, fatherhood, and work. He looks aghast at his free wheeling globe trotting friend when divorce is brought up. He isn't about to even think of divorce just because his wife has reached the end of her rope and demanded that Marley get out of her house. This is real stuff folks.

Jennifer Aniston rises to the occasion as well, going through a miscarriage and then later PPD and a blow up when exhausted she finally manages to get two children to sleep only to have Marley create havoc. I could really feel for this woman. Later, although Wilson is the story teller, it's through Anistons eyes we see the heartbreak of losing Marley.

Yes, Marley dies. He grows old and dies. Dogs do this. It's part of life. It's an important lesson for children to learn. Much criticism has come from parents about this aspect, parents thinking they were taking their children to see another Beethoven.

The other criticism has been for the sexual content. Frankly, although I would have edited some scenes a couple of seconds shorter, there's nothing here that I had a problem with my children seeing. My kids are 9, 11, 15 and 17 so that might have something to do with it. All sexual situations were between a married couple and none of it was graphic. Instead of being inappropriate it painted a picture of a couple who were married and in love and working through things. Married people have sex. I want my children to know this and recognize it as good.

Some of the language could have been changed although the only word I have a problem with is the once spoken "s" word, which my kids hear all the time on the playground.

Their was one poignent moment, at least for me, which isn't mentioned. Wilson's character (John) hasn't seen his globe-trotting writer friend in a few years and in the meantime he's had a third child. They meet by chance on a street corner and have little to say to each other. His friend hasn't changed at all, still chasing women and having no home, and John although he never says it, realizes that he's chosen the better part.

His wife Jen does vocalize it when John asks her one day when he feels adrift with his work, "was this part of your plan" referring to the time when she made detailed life plans and mapped them out and that now they have three kids, an old house in the country and a crazy dog.

"This is better," she tells him.

I must make a comment about staging here. I've come to appreciate the details in movies. The couple's first house in Florida is an ordinary house and claustraphobic. Later they move to a much nicer house with a pool, but toys litter the floor and the home doesn't look like it's ready for a magazine shoot. Their third house in Pennsylvania is a beautiful historic home, but you can sense a real family lives here. I like that. I like to see homes dressed to look like real people live there.

Okay, to sum up...Don't take your kids to see this movie if you don't want to deal with real life things like death, sex or loss.

However, if you're looking for a movie with humor, healthy loving relationships, and a message that we love even those who are not perfect, then this is the movie to see. You're kids may cry (mine did), but it's a good cry and they will recover.

Virtual Blog Tour- The Santa Letters - Stacy Gooch-Anderson

2008-09-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

The Santa Letters by Stacy Gooch-Anderson

I was quite pleased with the book when it arrived. Hardcover with a beautiful embossed cover. There's something special about a lovely looking book. It's highly recommended as well with quotes from other writers. Plus it wasn't very long so I was looking forward to a lovely light yet emotional read.

It certainly was emotional, there were a few places I teared up. The writer came up with a wonderful concept of an anonymous person who sets out to make the first Christmas with a husband and father special for the Jensen family. Letters signed SC that spoke about the different gifts that Heavenly Father gives, along with tangible items to further illustrate the point and make the family feel special, lead the Jensen family through a tough time. William the patriarch of the family had been killed the previous Christmas Eve while he was on an errand for a gift for his wife, Emma. Naturally the holidays seems more like something that Emma has to endure for the sake of the children rather than a happy time.

Yet SC has other ideas and through the special packages is able to lead Emma back to a place where she can find joy again.

And that's the good part.

Now here comes the hard part. As a reviewer and a writer I don't like to say bad things about a book. I want to love each book that I read, plus when a publisher is kind enough to send a book for review I want to give the book nothing but a great review. And as a writer I know that no writer wants a bad review. As writers we tend to focus more on the bad things that are said about our work than on the good things. I make no claims to being a great writer or a great reviewer. I know writers are able to see problems with other writer's work but with our own we are totally blind. We either see our work as utter garbage that doesn't deserve the light of day, or pieces of sheer brilliance that can't be surpassed. Of course the middle ground is the truth.

This book was badly in need of a good editor. The first chapter had the right idea of introducing us to William, but, I think it might have been better if we had seen the family just before the accident, not years before. I'm glad that the writer didn't show us the accident, having the first chapter just as one of pure joy was the right move, but it could have been more powerful by choosing a different time.

The second chapter was unnecessary. Everything in it showed up later and better somewhere else. It would have packed more punch to just skip that chapter and move to chapter three.

There's far too much telling in this book. Several times I wanted to see the scene not be told about it. And Emma, the main character just goes over and over the same things in her head, explaining as if we didn't know and understand. Yes, we do that in real life, but it can get tedious in the reading. As a reader, I don't need to have things explained to me. The writer did an excellent job showing me without the explanations.

Some of the dialogue is stilted and unbelievable. As an example, this was a conversation between the oldest son, 17 year old Jesse and his lab partner Tina:

"I'm telling you, it was the weirdest thing,"......"It's like Kenna knew something absolute, like someone was standing right there in front of her and she had no doubts whatsoever."

"I guess that's why they always talk about the faith of a child. It's perfect and absolute," Tina said.

I don't know of teenagers that talk like that. It sounds like Tina is about to go into a faith lesson with Jesse. Simpler would have been better. The word absolute shouldn't be involved in either sentence, and Tina would have been better off replying that "Yeah, that is weird", or going into her own story of an aunt who could do the same thing. Or not answering at all, just nodding. But turning it into a Sunday School lesson didn't seem like the right place to do it. It's not that kids don't talk about faith, but they don't sound like teachers at the front of classrooms when they do it.

There were a few other awkward dialogue places. Dialogue is a tricky thing to do and sometimes we end up with characters that explain things to people who already have information or use it to preach instead of expressing emotion or acknowledgement.

I also found the kids were too perfect. They all listened to mom. They all did their chores without being asked. No one fought with anyone. There wasn't any acting out. No one stepped on Lego, or broke anything. Surely with the events of William's death there would be some anger from at least one kid. Especially when SC leaves the gift of forgiveness. Everyone's reaction was too easy and similar to each other. It's acknowledged by SC that this one will be hard, but as it turned out it wasn't hard for anyone. A blow-up would have been well with-in reason. Tears, anger, something. But it wasn't there. Single parenthood is much harder than this. Parenthood is much harder than this. Forgiveness is much harder than this.

There were sentences that could have been clipped a little closer. Another example:

'And with that McKenna grabbed the envelope...'

This would have been much better by clipping "And with that". I cringed several times in the book with this type of trite phrase. Again, something an editor should have caught.

There were several times where thoughts neither shed light on a character, showed growth, nor moved the story forward. Often thoughts didn't need to be written down because the actions were there. The reader knows by the action what the character is thinking and feeling.

Oh, and why does Emma keep her curtains open all the time even at night so that people can watch her and the family, especially when she's worried about who SC is and how he knows so much about her family.

And the Santa letters were a little long and trying too hard to make a point.

All right the bad part is over. I hate doing this. I love LDS fiction and writing in the LDS world isn't easy.

As a plus, because I like to end on a good note, McKenna, the youngest child is adorable and believable. The explanation about William's death was moving and understandable. The ending was happy and lovely without being cloying and although we get to know who SC is (I had it figured out almost from the beginning) the family never does know.

The other thing that I found interesting and this is not a criticism, is how Emma had to have dinner and the dishes out of the way before she could open the packages. She's such a Mom. See, if it were me, I would have been "Let's see what's in the packages now." It just shows that Emma is a real Mom and I'm still a kid. But I liked that about her. It was a consistent character trait.

And so there's my review. Both of the writer's work and Cedar Forts. So now I'm sure because it wasn't glowing, I will probably never be asked to review again. Which is too bad because I really like getting free books.

But I can't consciously give a glowing review to a book that I don't feel glowingly about. What then can I say about a book that I loved?

I guess it's like being Simon Cowell. Every contestant hates what he says, but they all want to get a good comment from him and it means more coming from him than the good comments coming from Paul Abdul.

But I'd still rather be a Paula than a Simon.

And now I'm rambling.

There is an interesting website about this book. Go to The Santa Letters

Soul Harvest - Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

2008-08-17T02:12:00.000-07:00

Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides (Left Behind, Book 4) by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

As the book opens the world has been rocked by an earthquake. Several close friends of the Tribulation Force have been killed, Chloe is missing, and Rayford doesn't believe that Amanda his wife, is dead.

And here's where the weakness of these books show up which I'll mention in a minute. But first let me say, that I found this book exciting and hard to put down. Lots of stuff is happening and Nicolae Carpathia is beginning to show who he is. He's not fooling as many people as he used to.

Nicolae already know there's going to be an earthquake. Well, he is the Anti-Christ so I'm sure Satan would have told him. There's already an underground city for Nicolae to disappear to with the latest technology and elaborate suites. Rayford ends up here and Leon Fortunato eventually shows up with a story of how Nicolae raised him from the dead claiming that Nicolae is the Messiah, which Nicolae doesn't argue with. It's here that Rayford is told that the airplane is wife was one went down in the Tigres and she's dead.

Later it's leaked to him that Amanda may have been a spy for Carpathia.

Which we're supposed to care about. Here's the weakness.

I wanted her to turn out to be a spy. The answer to this question lies in the next book which did keep me reading. But the thing is, I don't think the authors want the readers to want Amanda to be a spy, and I'm sure they want us to care if Amanda is dead or not.

But the authors (and I've mentioned this before) don't write women well. While Rayford is agonizing over Amanda, I'm trying to remember if Amanda actually did or said anything interesting. We were cheated in the whole Amanda/Rayford love thing because we were simply told about it. Amanda never takes on a role in the Tribulation Force. She barely speaks. She doesn't have an opinion, a thought, nothing that made me care about her. Frankly I was annoyed that she was around since she didn't add anything to the story. We never get a Raymanda love story like we did with Buck and Chloe.

So it seems that Amanda was created to make an interesting plot point. Yes this plot point kept me interested, but it didn't make me care for her as a character, just as a plot device.

I think if you want me to feel what the characters are feeling (and I'm sure that's what they were going for here) then you need to get me involved with the characters that our heroes are involved with. Amanda was badly written. Frankly she wasn't written at all. She was just an entity with a comment thrown in now and then. Like kids on sitcoms that are always sent to their rooms but have no story lines.

There is also lots of concern over Hattie, Rayford's almost mistress and Carpathia's fiance. Again, a character that I don't feel sympathy toward. I really don't care what happens to Hattie because the writers didn't write Hattie in a way that made me care about her. Yet the main hero characters do care, and I can't help but wonder why when there are lots of people that they could be caring about. Hattie just appears to be a reason for the characters to spout their opinions about abortion (because Hattie is pregnant with the Anti-Christ's baby and now Nicolae doesn't want her anymore so she's thinking about getting rid of it).

So when a woman (me) who loves to read about women, and cares about women, doesn't care about the women in a book, what does that say about the writers when it comes to them writing about women?

And I think that the authors made a mistake by not including Chloe's perspective on things. The focus in these books is Rayford's, and Buck's point of view, but I would have loved to have seen Chloe's too. She's an important part of the Tribulation Force, and there right in the beginning. Maybe I could have cared more for the women, if I could actually hear her voice as well.

So aside from that, Soul Harvest, a reference to the numbers of people who are accepting Jesus Christ through the teachings of Tsion Ben Judah, is really an exciting book. Buck is back with his pilot buddy Ken Ritz this time smuggling Chloe, and then Hattie out of Global Community hospitals where they are being held and guarded. One of the most exciting books in the series and one I read the fastest.

I am wondering though, with the rapture, WW3 an earthquake, and other events, how come food isn't an issue yet? Any one of those circumstance can cause food issues yet, they haven't had any problems eating or even complained over food shortages and high costs.

I will also give kudos to the writers for not being afraid of killing important characters. We really never do know which characters will survive (well except for Rayford and Buck because the story is from their points of view) and which characters will bite the dust. That's real, because in life in those circumstances we would lose people that we loved, so I'm glad the writers aren't trying to save everyone who is important or who we care about. It makes the events much more exciting because we don't know how the outcome will be.

Prepardness Principles - Barbara Salsbury

2008-08-14T03:16:00.000-07:00

Preparedness Principles: The Complete Personal Preparedness Resource Guide for Any Emergency Situation by Barbara Salsbury

I am a grasshopper.

I'm sure most of you are aware of the story. The ants work all summer carrying food working hard to prepare for the winter, while the grasshopper plays in the sun, fiddling around.

When winter comes, the ants are all cozy and warm with plenty of food and the grasshopper is out in the cold. He comes to the ants door for help.

There are two different endings to this story. One ending has the ants turn him away saying "well, you should have prepared." And the grasshopper goes out into the world to die.

The other ending has the ants invite the grasshopper in where the grasshopper entertains the ants with his fiddle playing thereby earning his food and lodging.

I guess it depends what values you want to instill. Each ending teaches something.

I am that grasshopper. It's something of a joke.

Personal preparedness (from now on referred to as PP) is something that overwhelms me. I don't know where to begin. It costs money. It takes up space. What if I move. I don't mind lugging books around, but I hate lugging those stupid buckets of wheat that I've had for eons.

Although I guess those buckets of wheat will come in handy. However, I won't notice I'm hungry if I have books to read.

Anyway, PP is a subject that scares me. I don't want to deal with it. I don't want to do it. I want fairies to come along and do it for me.

So lacking fairies, Barbara Salsbury has provided a way for us to do it for ourselves. I'd sure like to know where she lives, because if I need an emergency place to go I want to go to her house.

The book is big. Really big, but then so is the subject. It's well laid out so you can find what you want quickly. Salsbury's writing style is engaging and friendly. I was actually going to quickly look through this book (after all it isn't fiction) but found myself reading things. (I learned way more about bugs than I really wanted to). I always thought you had to throw things out that were bug infested but it turns out you can still eat them. It's protein.

She covers everything you would want to know about being prepared. 72 hour kits, long term storage, supplies, building storage areas, heating sources, toileting, even indoor gardening so you can have fresh veggies all year round.

And yes, even my books are useful and not for firewood. So are those empty canning jars that I've been lugging around for years.

No one can be totally prepared for everything. You can have a two years food supply and have it all swept away in a tornado, but if you have the mind-set than you have a back up plan. And that's what preparedness is about. Having those back up plans. The food supply is gone, but maybe you know where to go for help and you have skills to help others.

Okay, so maybe I can do this. If I take it in bite size pieces. She doesn't tell you you have to get this all done overnight, and she breaks it down into manageable parts. Even a little preparedness is better than none. So I'm thinking I'll start on filling up those canning jars with water and creating 72 hour kits for everyone. It's not a lot, but it's something.

Oh, and she does encourage having some grasshopper activities.

Best selling author Barbara Salsbury, a nationally recognized personal preparedness expert, is on of America's leading authorities on self reliance For more than 25 years she has been teaching and developing practical preparedness solutions based on experience and in-depth research. She's a veteran on the national TV and talk show circuit and a preparedness consultant for several cities.

Okay, I'm impressed. Barbara's Website

And here's an interview I did with her.

1. Your book is an excellent guide to personal preparedness with a lot of information. Where would you suggest somebody begin if they're feeling overwhelmed by personal preparedness?

I would suggest that you assess your space, your budget and then find the chapter or section that seems the most practical for your situation. I think finding the space and knowing how to care for the items you are planning to buy would be important. Dealing with the disasters is a good place to start. Just find some enthusiasm that you can do this, and then do a little bit at a time. A key word is consistent!

2. When did you become interested in the subject? Surely you weren't planning your stores of wheat when you were a kid.

I think when I started thinking about getting married and being responsible for a family was when the interest became part of my DNA. And I was more interested in stores of chocolate than wheat.

3. What do you suggest for people who move a lot or are in temporary circumstances?

There are a couple of different ways to look at it. We moved A LOT. My preparedness program has always been a priority, so it always went with us, no matter how hard it seemed to be to move. You could always consider what would be the most basic for your family, such as canned goods or cans of rice. Temporary circumstances is an easy to solve challenge. when we rented we always found a way to put in free standing cupboards or rearranged the "normal "use of closets and made pantries out of them.

4. Did writing happen first, or was the interest in personal preparedness there first?

I've always loved writing, but I got serious about it when I discovered a niche that needed to be filled, and then another one and then another one. A lot of the writing fell into place as a result of many, many workshops and seminars.

5. How did you become nationally known for this? What were the breaks in your career?

The breaks or opportunities came as the result of books being published and my love for TV and radio. It was a natural to do the talk show circuits, and then I had several TV segments and radio segments of my own. I didn't happen overnight, but remember I started when I was two. :]

Nicolae by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

2008-08-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

Nicolae: The Rise of Antichrist (Left Behind, Book 3) - Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

World War 3 has begun and one of the Tribulation Force is dead. As the remainder of the Force mourn his death, Nicolae Carpathia rubs his hands in glee, although he is careful to show a concerned face to the world.

Rayford Steel is still working for Nicolae as his personal pilot, but thanks to an old friend and former boss, he's able to listen into conversations Nicolae has with his cronies, through a special tap into the main part of Nicolae's plane that only Rayford can hear. It's here that Rayford learns of what the next plans are.

And Nicolae has plans.

Meanwhile Buck Williams sets out to rescue Tsion Ben Judah, an Israeli scholar who has just appeared on national tv and proclaimed that Jesus is the Messiah. Unfortuneatly for Tsion this results in the loss of his family and a run for his life from the Global Community as accusations of murder are on his head.

The authors have upped the action in this book. There are explosions, death, and diabolical scheming.

For me the most fascinating part is seeing how things can change so drastically from a society that values human life, freedom of the press, religious expression, and democracy, to one where one man rules all and the freedoms are taken away one by one.

Another home run for LaHaye and Jenkins. And like all good sequels, they left me hanging on the end so that I would have to pick up the next book.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

2008-08-06T22:21:00.000-07:00

Twilight (Twilight, Book 1) - Stephenie Meyer

I joined the pack. Do vampires run in packs?

I've never read a vampire book before. I'm not an Anne Rice fan (although I might be if I read one of her vampire books). I've seen some of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And I did watch a redone Dark Shadows. But generally I'm not a big vampire fan. I always found the Count on Seseme Street annoying.

We have gone beyond the guy in the black cape with red lips and black hair that smiles with pointed teeth and says "I vant to bite your neck."

It's kind of like the Harry Potter craze for me. It took several books and having me see them everywhere for me to finally break down and read one. And Meyer grabbed my attention with the first line.

I'd never given much thought to how I would die - though I'd had reason enough in the last few months - but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.

Okay, Stephenie, you sold me the book on that line.

The other thing that sold me was the first person. I love first person. I read somewhere by well meaning writers, that first person is the kiss of death. I've ignored that piece of advice myself. So much so that my published book is in first person from seven different characters.

So she got me on the first line and first person.

Bella is a normal teenage girl. She's self-depracating and self-sacrificing and amusing to listen to. She moves to her father's place in Washington where everything is always wet. (I come from BC so I know what she's talking about, but I love it and she hates the weather). She's a Pheonix sun worshiper. The first day of school gets her noticed by the strange yet beautiful Cullen clan and most especially Edward who appears menacing and won't have anything to do with her, in fact going out of his way to avoid her.

Later he performs a superman move while saving her life. It isn't long before Bella figures out he's a vampire.

Meyer has done some interesting work here melding vampire lore with new ideas, especially when we've all been vampired to death. I thought the vampire thing was dying out, but she's given it a fresh shot. The most interesting is showing us what happens when vampires are out in the sun.

There's been a lot of talk of the romance in this book. It's clean although it's just on the edge. Bella doesn't succomb to Edward, well, actually Edward doesn't even try because he's fearful of what would happen, and Bella would give in to him, but it's other things they do that would cause a mom to be upset at her daughter. Nothing that you're teenager can't read, but on the other hand, we don't want them to think this is acceptable behavior.

There's some cool things about Edward. He is superman. Faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than a locomotion, comes from a different time, reads minds (although not Bella's) is caring and emotional, and handsome to boot.

If it weren't for that pesky thing where he lives forever and she's going to age and die. Oh, and he's got to be constantly on alert so he doesn't suddenly get hungry and turn her into a prune. Oh, and there is that stalking thing where he's watching her all the time. See, he doesn't sleep which is kind of cool except for the part where he watches her sleep. I would not want someone watching me sleep especially since he gets amusement out of the fact that she talks in her sleep and she's dreaming of him.

There's a hunt and chase near the end of the book as well. There's plenty of danger and excitement and if anyone is worried about darkness or the occult, it doesn't exist.

I admit it. When I was done reading I wanted to immediately start on the next one. I guess I've joined the masses.

Tribulation Force - Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

2008-08-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

Tribulation Force: The Continuing Drama of Those Left Behind (Left Behind, Book 2) by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

Officially #2 in the Left Behind series, or #5 if you include the first three prequels, this continues the story where it left off at the end of "Left Behind."

It's a time of relative peace after the Rapture. The Tribulation Force made up of airline pilot Rayford Steele, his daughter college student Chloe, journalist Cameron "Buck" Williams and pastor Bruce Barnes, are on a mission to tell people what happened to the millions of people who had disappeared and to figure out how to survive the next seven years of tribulation. They know the Anti-Christ is on the move, and they know who he is.

After climbing the ladder of journalism, Buck has been kicked back down to a small office in Chicago due to his non-appearance at a key media event. What everyone doesn't realize, is that he was there, but Carpathia's hypnotic abilities has caused all those in the room to forget what happened there, all but Buck, who was protected by his new found faith, and remembers the entire diabolical event.

But the demotion to Chicago gives him the opportunity to get to know Chloe Steele better and to spend time at the New Hope Church where he learns more about his faith.

Meanwhile Nicholae is on the move, setting up situations that will leave him with ultimate power, including having every country destroy their weapons, except for the 10 percent which they will give to the UN which Carpathia is now the head of and has renamed.

There's some interesting events in this book. Two strange men show up in Jerusalem preaching at the Wailing Wall of Jesus Christ. Two men who appear to be untouchable. A new world religion has been created, one that recognizes all religions yet has no precepts of its own. And Carpathia has bought up all the media, newspapers, magazines, radio and TV, and now controls all the news that goes out there.

And in all this chaos we're treated to a love story. Honestly though, I like Buck better than Chloe. I wanted to shake Chloe. For someone who wouldn't accept the gospel, even after the rapture because she didn't have enough proof, she sure jumps to a lot of conclusions concerning Buck and then to top it off after she learns the truth, she then jumps to conclusions concerning Bruce Barnes, even admitting she's jumping to conclusions, but she does it anyway.

And there is the weakness with the writing. LaHaye and Jenkins don't write women very well. It's forgivable because they write them from a man's point of view. We never get to go into Chloe's head. We see things from Rayfords, Bucks, and Nicholae's point of view, but the voice of women is pretty well non-existent. Still, I can forgive this weakness. It's hard to write from another gender's point of view.

The other weakness was the tendency to repeat things. Granted in the first couple of chapters things have to be repeated from the previous book so all readers can know what's going on, but I found repeats within the same book. Yes, we all repeat ourselves, especially in our heads, but it can get a little tedious in the writing.

The other mistake I found is that Mother Theresa was raptured. This book was obviously written before her death, but there is a mistake to using real names attached to events that haven't happened yet, because they may not be around for the event.

And at the end of the book they jump eighteen months to where Rayford is suddenly in a new relationship. I felt kind of cheated having everything summed up in a couple of chapters.

Aside from those, it's another edge of your seat kind of book, and if you're going to read the Left Behind series, then you can't skip this one.

Virtual Book Tour: Room for Two by Abel Keogh

2008-07-30T01:15:00.000-07:00

Room for Two by Abel Keogh

Abel Keogh reached home just in time to hear his wife shoot herself in the head causing not only her death, but also the death of their unborn baby.

Keogh is a good writer and tells his heartbreaking true story with honesty. There are times when I can feel his fuzziness as he goes through the motions of calling the police and going to the hospital in hopes of saving the baby. And yet other times within those moments where his observations and memories are crystal clear. He's able to describe unimportant sights and sounds giving solidness to an otherwise ethereal situation where nothing makes sense and the ability to string two coherent thoughts together disappears. And that's the way bad situations are. Some things are remembered clearly and yet other, more important things are cloudy. Keogh illustrates this very well.

There are no answers as to why Krista did this. She left no note and the only reason that becomes clear is that she may have been suffering from a mental illness.

But the story isn't so much about what Krista did, as it is about how Abel coped with what she did.

To be honest it surprised me how quickly he was able to get back into the dating scene. Now this is probably because I've been divorced for five years now and I'm still not dating (mind you, I don't live in Utah either so that has something to do with it, and I'm not in my twenties, or a man, or have abs of steel), so I can't imagine dating someone within months of losing a spouse so tragically. That's not saying I'm judging him, I just can't quite wrap my head around it. But this is his story not mine.

With a great deal of honesty, Keogh tells us his experiences finding someone to love and learning to love again. It was interesting to me to see the dating world of Utah. One young woman in this story takes it upon herself, within a couple of weeks of dating, to assume that marriage is involved . I couldn't help thinking "Abel, run!"

With sensitivity, Abel is able to understand the difficulties of a young woman marrying a widower. I can't imagine that would be an easy decision for her to do.

Oh, and the cover is very pretty. Not that that's important. Wait it is. A good cover makes you pick up the book. It has a good cover.

There's lots of running in this book. Abel and his girlfriend run like thousands of miles a day. It's like Forest Gump or something. Not that I don't admire it. I've tried running. It's hard.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it, especially to those who have lost a spouse. Keogh is a good writer. It couldn't have been easy writing this book and then sharing it with strangers.

I was able to ask Abel a few questions and he actually answered me.

This is such a difficult and personal subject. What made you decide to write the book and have it published?

There were two motivations to write Room for Two. The first was a lack of any compelling memoir about losing a spouse. I read, or tried to read, a lot of books about people who went through similar experiences and found them to be completely worthless. The second was that a lot of people who were reading my old blog - most of whom had not lost a spouse -- told me I had a story that could help and inspire a lot of people.

How have those who know you reacted to it? For instance, Jennifer comes across as possessive and presumptuous. Did you talk to her about it before doing it?

The reaction from those who know me and my story before the book has been overwhelmingly positive. Most everyone is happy to get answers to questions about my late wife they were afraid to ask or talk with me about. I didn't talk to Jennifer or anyone else about the book before I wrote it. The only person who read drafts and revisions was Julianna.

Do you and Julianna still run together and does she still do marathons?

We still run together on Saturday mornings. Having three young children makes running together at other times impossible. On Saturdays we take the kids with us by pushing them in running strollers. Those runs together are the highlights of my week. Julianna still runs marathons but not as many of late. Pregnancy has a way of interfering with long runs.

Have you done any marathons?

I ran one about six months after Julianna and I were married. It's probably the last long run I'll run too. My body's has a hard time with runs over 13 miles. I'm more of a 5k or 10k guy.

Have you talked to your children about Hope?

Our kids are too young to understand that they have a half-sister in heaven. Part of the reason Julianna encouraged me to write the book was because she wanted our kids to know our story and how we met. I'll plan on telling them about Hope when they're a little older.

Did you ever read more of Krista's poems and journals to better understand why she did what she did?

I eventually combed through everything she wrote the year before she died but was unable to find any clues to why she killed herself. Krista's journal writing became very erratic in the months leading up to her suicide. She stopped writing about six weeks before she died. However the writing doesn't sound like Krista. Even though the entries are in her handwriting, when I read it, it seems like someone else wrote it.

If there was some advise you could offer to those who have gone through similar experiences, what would it be?

Don't let the suicide of a loved one stop you from living your life --
even if you don't know why they did it. Life's too short to spend being miserable and sad. Press forward and make the best of the hand you've been dealt.

You can reach the author and read his blog at Abel Keogh.

Left Behind by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

2008-07-26T23:29:00.000-07:00

Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth's Last Days (Left Behind No. 1) by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

This is the book that started it all.

Christian fiction isn't supposed to make the best sellers list. After all, they testify of Jesus Christ and most people don't want to read about that. Right?

Well enough people wanted to read about it to make it a bestseller and spawned thirteen more books in the series, another series geared for youth, several movies, and the writing careers of two men.

The book opens on a commercial jet during an overnight trip to Europe. In the darkened cabins no one notices that many of the passengers disappear leaving behind the clothes they were wearing, their jewelry, glasses, contacts, even tooth fillings.

Panic and fear set in with the remaining passengers and Rayford Steele the pilot receives permission to turn back home.

It turns out that millions across the world have disappeared, including all the children and even unborn babies. Not only have people disappeared but houses burn down, driverless cars crash, and accidents caused by the sudden disappearances kill many more.

Theory's abound as to what happened, but Rayford Steele knows when he comes home and find his wife and son have disappeared. He had been warned, and now it has happened, the Rapture where Jesus takes all of His people to heaven leaving behind those who were not completely converted.

In sorrow he turns to the church where his wife Irene had gone and discovers Bruce Barnes, a pastor who had missed the rapture as well but is determined to fix his mistake and bring people to the flock so they don't miss out again.

Meanwhile the world becomes enraptured by a handsome, intelligent and charismatic young man. Nicholas Carpathia seems to appear from nowhere. A wealthy businessman who has risen quickly through the ranks to become president of the small country of Romania, he has his eyes set on the United Nations.

With his promises of peace, his plans to destroy weaponry, his bid to unify the world into one nation, one currency and one religion, he convinces the people that he is the Savior they're all looking for.

Yet Cameron "Buck" Williams, a new convert to Christianity after the rapture, discovers the truth after one horrifying press conference.

There's a reason why this book is a best seller. It's a roller coaster ride, and the writers aren't afraid to delve into the ugly to get their point across. It's cleverly written so we can see how the Anti-Christ can deceive men and they use scripture to base their story.

My only quibble is the last scene where Rayford, his daughter Chloe, Bruce Barns and Buck Williams join arm in arm and march forward as the "Tribulation Force." Yes, it's that cheesy. Like a scene from a superhero movie or a music video using the cast of Friends. But other than that, the pacing is quick and there aren't easy answers. Although Rayford's heart is changed easily, and we understand why, Chloe is more cynical and takes a much longer time to accept the concept of a rapture. I liked that. Perhaps that scene was created because in the initial writing of the book they had no way of knowing if there would be more. If you notice with first books of an on going series, they tend to have some sort of ending where the other ones don't.

Buck the hardened journalist (okay he's not hard, he's actually a softie) takes some time convincing as well. Meanwhile he has his own problems as he realizes that someone has targeted him after a car he was supposed to be in blows up along with the friend that was in it. And he discovers that his own peers are involved in cover-ups.

Yes, things are tough and they're going to get tougher. And there's ten more books to go.

But at least I'm enjoying the ride.

The Rapture by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

2008-07-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

The Rapture: In the Twinkling of an Eye--Countdown to the Earth's Last Days (Before They Were Left Behind, Book 3) by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

As commercial jet pilot Rayford Steele draws further away from his Christian wife Irene, he becomes more enamored of the beautiful Hattie Durham, a flight attendant he frequently works with and frequently secretly socializes with.

Irene Steele knowing that Rayford is drifting further away attempts to save her marriage and her husband from being left behind. To her heartbreak, her college daughter Chloe is following in her father's footsteps. Only Raymie, her twelve year old son is on her side, and he too does his part to have his father see the light.

Meanwhile journalist Buck Williams is coming to grips with the supernatural escape that Israel and he had from Russian bombers.

And Nicolae Carpathia is moving quickly through the ranks of government with the help of Leonardo Fortunato. There is nothing they won't do to get what they want.

It's another gripping novel from the team of Tim LaHaye, a pastor, and Jerry B. Jenkins, a writer.

I just wish they wouldn't have all their "saved" characters drive everyone away by insisting everyone but them is going to hell.

But maybe that's because I have a different concept of "saved" than LaHaye and Jenkins have.

Left Behind, the first book of the series begins when everyone has disappeared. This book a prequel to Left Behind, actually shows us the rapture.

Not that I believe that there's going to be a rapture. Wouldn't it be nice if all the followers of Christ were just taken up to heaven before the whole Armageddon thing? I'm afraid we're going to have to suffer through it like the rest of the people. There's actually nothing in the scriptures about a rapture. But that's all beside the point. The writers are basing this book on a rapture, so I'm going along for the ride.

There's some really beautiful descriptions of heaven and what will happen when the rapture occurs. We get to go with Irene and Raymie up to heaven and watch as people are given their crowns of glory. This is not an easy fete for a writer to try and convey time and space in a place where there isn't time and space. Or actually not to convey time and space to a world of people who can't conceive of it. There's some pretty cool imagery and aside from a few little quibbles (like Irene retaining her earthly scars because Jesus kept his) I believe that the descriptions are pretty close. Although what do any of us really know about it? Or actually remember about it.

The writers take some time giving their nod of approval to some famous Christians (some I had to look up to see if they exist, and they do). They make clear that they're convinced that Billy Graham has done more for Christianity in the twentieth century. I don't know. It's not my place to decide how righteous Billy Graham is. I found it kind of annoying that they more or less played God here, but again, another minor quibble. It smacked too much of preaching, just kind of spoiled the whole heaven experience.

It's the last time we'll see Irene and Raymie for awhile since the following books deal with the people left behind. But they're real here, so we can feel the sorrow of the people more clearly in future books as they are grieved.

Books In the Left Behind Series

Scoop by Rene Gutteridge

2008-07-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

Scoop (Occupational Hazards, Book 1) by Rene Gutteridge

I picked this book up in the library on a whim. I'm not sure what it was, maybe the TV camera on the cover. Covers are really important.

When I find out it was about a girl who comes from a family of clowns, and she has a clown phobia, I knew I had to read it.

Actually, it's not so much about that singular girl, Hayden Hazard. It's an ensemble cast taking place in a television news station. Among the cast is an aging anchor woman who is quite satisfied with her facial lines but it's an issue for the producers, a young and handsome anchor man who can't get through a serious news story without smirking, a field reporter who wants to do real news stories but finds himself exploiting people - a situation that his Christian faith makes him detest. There's the producer who is hooked on little blue pills that keep his emotions calm because he would blow up all over the place if he didn't have them, the weatherman who can't tell when it's raining, the executive producer who has his own underhanded dealings, and the new girl, Hayden Hazard. She's been home schooled all her life and doesn't understand that you don't go around talking about Jesus all the time.

Which drives her producer crazy, intrigues the field reporter because he's a closet Christian, and eventually, because of her calm and bright demeanor, ends her up in front of the TV cameras taking the place of the anchor woman who has mysteriously disappeared after a botched Botox incident that caused her to smile idiotically while reporting a serious news story.

Then there's the whole telephone conversation between the producer and an informant about what name the informant wants to go by. The informant initially likes Midnight Cowboy but when he/she finds out what Midnight Cowboy is about. decides to change names.

Think the Mary Tyler Moore Show crossed with WKRP in Cincinnati and throw in a little Law & Order, 100 Huntley Street, and a romance, and you kind of have an idea about what this book is about.

Rene Gutteridge is a talented writer. She's fresh and funny, (who would come up with a family that runs a clown business with one of it's members afraid of clowns?) and she's not afraid to talk about God. I'll be looking for more books from her. Scoop is the first in a series about this family. Other books focus on different family members after the clown business is sold and they're left to find new careers.

Books in the Occupational Hazards series...

Virtual Book Tour: Caught In the Headlights

2008-07-16T00:47:00.000-07:00

Caught in the Headlights: Ten Lessons Learned the Hard Way by Barry K. Phillips

Barry K. Phillips is funny. I do not mean this in the "isn't he weird" or "he smells bad" way. I mean it in the "yes, that was amusing and it brought a smile to my face" way. I can say this as an expert because I spent years writing a humor column which may or may not have been funny but several professionals paid me to do it so I must have done something right - well, until I got fired for saying something that the editor didn't like, but that's another story.

Which is what Barry does too. See, I think in some ways we're kindred spirits as Anne of Green Gables used to say. We both sometimes wander off the subject, bring ourselves back, use self-deprecating humor and hopefully entertain while we share our great and abounding wealth of wisdom.

But this isn't about me. This is about Phillips. We'll get back to me later.

The focus of the book is pointing out the ten things that we strive for and find out later that it's not what we wanted, that instead it's something else we needed and wanted more. For most of it I thought he was dead on. The chapter on Tolerance had me nodding so hard I got a crick in my neck. Yes, Barry, I have noticed that the ones who scream the loudest for tolerance are the ones who have little tolerance themselves and I would agree with you on the gay population but I'm afraid to because the last time I mentioned gay too many times in my blog the google ads started advertising things strictly for gay people.

By the way, I'm pretty sure Barry is reading this because every writer reads whatever he/she can find on his/her work and he knows this review is happening.

I did disagree with him on a couple of things. The self-esteem chapter was too narrow and only focused on one aspect of self-esteem. I got the impression that he felt that self-esteem should be earned. Something you get through accomplishments and helping others. Yet I feel that self-esteem is the right of every human being because we are all children of God. There are many teenage girls who become pregnant because of low self-esteem. Many people who settle because they don't think much of themselves. Many who get involved with drugs, alcohol and smoking because they are looking for ways of being accepted. Those with good self-esteem don't do things for the sake of pleasing everybody because they know it can't be done. They do things because they know it's the right thing to do for them.

He often prescribed service for feeling better about ourselves. Again, I agree but only to a certain degree. Yes, service gets our minds off our troubles and we can feel better doing it, but telling a woman who is already stretched as far as her arms and soul can reach that if she would just do more service she'll feel better, will only cause her to whimper in a corner, eating chocolate and watching reruns of the Gilmore Girls.

There was also the suggestion that if we take care of others then we will be taken care of. The reality for many people, especially single mothers, is that the only one who takes care of her is herself, and unless she fills up her own reserves she won't have anything left to give. Bear in mind, the writer has a wonderful, patient wife who does take care of him.

The other statement I had trouble with was when he said that we all have equal opportunity. I asked him about that and his statement is below in the Q and A section of this review. Even after his answer I still have trouble with it. I think that those born in stable families with good finances, and who are healthy and attractive have better opportunities. I could go deeper into this theory but this is about Barry's book, not my theories.

However in spite of my disagreements, I think he's really got a lot of intelligent things to say here, and he tells you how to go about getting what you really want. It isn't just theory, there's practical application here as well, and it's not hard. Sometimes the simplest things can solve the most difficult problems.

Plus he does something different. He starts each chapter with a cartoon that he drew himself (and they are funny too) and he ends each chapter with a poem. Now I know, from experience, as someone who likes to mix up eclectic things and do new stuff that there will be naysayers out there. I can hear people now, "You can't put cartoons, poems and humor in a self-help book, it just isn't done."

See, I know this because as a writer, I've had my share of people telling me I can't do things the way I've done them. And I did them anyway.

So, I really like that about this book. He mixes up different elements and instead of giving us a meal with one dish, he serves up several different dishes. Some of them we may like more than others, but they are there for the tasting.

The other bonus of this book is that it's easy reading and it doesn't take very long. I read it in an afternoon on a computer. Barry doesn't use words that require a dictionary and his writing is lively and full of fun yet still gets to the meat of things.

A good read, even if you're not into "becoming a better person books."

And now for the Q&A I mentioned. Yes, I really made up these questions myself and as far as I know Barry really did answer them, although I wasn't watching him when he did it.

Q&A with Barry K. Phillips

Why did you write this book? Was it therapeutic? Was it for yourself or others? Did it help you focus in on what you really thought?

Wow, you get right to it, don't you? Well… let's see. I wrote the book because I noticed that a lot of people struggle with the same issues I did, but don't have much luck at resolving them. Not that I'm perfect at them by any stretch, but I've learned what works if I just follow the lessons learned. I guess it was therapeutic to finally get it all down, but it was just a lot of fun. I wrote it both for myself and for others, and it did help me focus on the complete lessons learned.

(Note: I got to the point fast because I didn't think that the weather had much to do with anything.)

Loved the cartoons. Did you actually do them or do you have a ghost cartoonist?

Ghost cartoonist? Yeah, right. He gangs out with my chauffeur and the butler. I did actually do them. I've always loved to draw. I have a confession… I thought up all 10 cartoons in about a two hour period, while mucking out our horse stalls. Maybe the manure cleared my head, or clouded it, depending on your point of view.

You said in your book that we all have equal opportunities. Isn't it obvious that in the world we don't all have all equal opportunities and life is harder on some people than on others. So what do you mean by equal opportunities?

First, things may not be equal all across the world, but in the U.S. and Canada, I stand by that for most of us. We all have different challenges, and our experiences and skill sets are different, but we are not a class driven society like many other countries. The poorest of us can become President, or even some reputable job, assuming we have the skill and determination. But the opportunity is there, even though the obstacles vary greatly.

Are you planning a sequel? Do you have other books that you've finished or that you are working on?

I'd love to do a sequel, if the first one does well enough. I am in the process of writing my second book, which will hopefully have a lot of humor… at least I'll think it's funny. I don't want to spill too much more about it just yet, but I hope to have a rough draft complete in 3 or 4 months.

If you got the chance to hang around your own funeral, what would you like to hear people say about you? What would you like to say about your own life?

Are you related to Stephen King? Just wondering. First, I'd be happy if someone was there. I have visions similar to Ebenezer Scrooge looking at thieves after his death bartering for the curtains. Seriously, I hope my children are there and truly believe that I was a positive role model in their lives. If they thought I was fun, occasionally wise, and always showed that I loved them, their mother, and God, life will have been good.

You mentioned taking risks. What was the scariest thing you ever did and did it work out for you?

I've risked it all on more than one business. The combination of the .com crash and 9/11 took one of them down in a less than pleasant way. Recovering from that was not much fun to go through, but it's a great experience to have gone through.

So there you have it. My review, which I'm hoping isn't going to cause anyone to curse me with the black plague and a desire for Amy Winehouse hair.

A Conversation with Candace Salima

2008-07-14T01:34:00.000-07:00

Usually I do reviews here, but as part of the virtual book tour of Forged In the Refiners Fire, I had the opportunity to ask Candace Salima some questions. It's a little late, but here it is.

As a writer, I'm curious as to how compilation books come about. How did you get involved in putting together this book? Was it your idea or Elizabeth's? Did you have a publisher before you started on it?

Elizabeth and I met at a writers conference and gravitated toward one another. Tall women tend to do that. We found we had a lot in common and we continued to communicate after returning to our respective homes and families. Initially, Elizabeth contacted me with the idea this book became based upon. I was very busy at the time, working on the sequel to Out of the Shadows . . . Into the Light, but the general concept of sharing stories of trial and tragedy which would inspire, uplift and strengthen others in like circumstances took hold of me and just wouldn’t let go. So we sat down and figured out what direction we wanted the book to take. We wanted a book that would help people to see that trials come in all shapes and sizes and so do people. This book helps the reader to feel hope that there is light in the middle of that dark night, and that is Jesus Christ.

How did you contact people about sending stories to this book? Did you end up with a lot of stories and then had to sift through them? Did you pay the contributors?

Elizabeth wrote a series of questions and then we emailed every single person we knew, asking them to pass the email on to everyone they knew and so on. Soon the stories began to pour in and we did have to sort through them for the ones which fit our criteria. There were so many, but slowly the stories which we needed began to emerge and we started the process of editing for grammar, punctuation, structure and doctrine. Little by little the book began to emerge as Elizabeth and I studied the words of prophets, apostles, general authorities and trusted theologians. It was truly an incredible experience.

We didn’t pay the contributors, but they were given a free copy of the book and the author discount if they wished to purchase more directly from the publisher.

There's a saying that if we put down our personal crosses thinking that we would like to trade with someone, and looked at other people's crosses, we would end up picking up our own. Did you feel that way after reading these stories?

Without question. The second chapter, “Lean Not Unto Thine Own Understanding” is my experience with infertility. As I read about Hazel Jensen’s horse rearing up, falling back and crushing her pelvis I began to feel as if my own burdens were much lighter. And as I read about Linda Scanlan’s horrible car accident and resulting divorce I decided life wasn’t that tough after all. But more importantly, I learned from these men and women and how they dealt with their trials and tragedies. They inspired me to continually look for that light at the end of the tunnel and lean on God, counting on Him to get me through my own trials.

Are you planning any other compilations?

We are. Elizabeth and I are working on the sequel to Forged in the Refiner’s Fire which is called No Pressure, No Diamonds. We will take a slightly different tact, but anticipate that it will be equally inspiring and helpful to those who read it. Those who are interested in submitting stories for this book may email me at ces@candacesalima.com.

How do you feel about LDS publishing? Have you had any problems with it? Do you prefer to publish with the general public?

Publishing in the LDS Market has been a wonderful experience. It’s been an interesting and enlightening education which I will not soon forget. While the LDS Market is specific to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, many of the authors who write for this market could write for the national market as well. Our literature is not so Mormon centric that it wouldn’t be enjoyable to any who enjoy reading clean fiction. That being said, I am just finishing up a manuscript with entertainer, Merrill Osmond, called Standing on the Fifth: The Long Road which will be released in the national market. So ask me this question next year and I’ll let you know what the differences are. People can track the progress of my upcoming works at http://www.candacesalima.com/ or http://candacesalima.blogspot.com.

How did you and Elizabeth work together on this?

Elizabeth and I worked in perfect harmony. It is my hope that I didn’t run roughshod over any of her feelings and she definitely didn’t over mine. Elizabeth came to me with a goal and we accomplished it with the publication of Forged in the Refiner’s Fire. She is an absolute delight to work with and I look forward to working with her many times in the future.

I've noticed that you have a very active blog and you speak a lot. When do you write your own books? Do you schedule time for writing or do you just write when you have time?

I hold down two jobs, am a wife and active aunt. It isn’t easy to find the time to do everything I must. But the words are literally flowing out of me again and I write off and on throughout the day and evening. My husband likes to watch television when he gets home, so I get out my laptop and sit on the couch and work while he watches television. It’s a system that works for both of us since I feel the need to keep working as late as possible until I’ve finished the two manuscripts I am in the middle of right now.

I was quite moved by your personal experiences. Was it difficult to share your own stories?

There was enough distance from the infertility that I was able to write that one with very little tears. Alvin’s, my husband, end stage renal failure is a different matter. It has been an ongoing trial for more than six years. So when I share our experiences from that, yes, it is difficult to write through the tears. The fear of losing my husband overwhelms me every time I write about it. But, on the flip side, there is a catharsis which occurs as I write. Generally speaking, I always feel better, see more clearly and understand so much more after writing my experiences down. So, all in all, it was a very positive experience.

What advice would you give to struggling writers? Do you have tips for getting your work noticed or starting up speaking engagements?

Writing is a tough business, but we do it because we can’t deny the stories, thoughts and words rolling around in our heads. So my advice is as follows:

1. Read, read and read authors who write well. Stay away from the ones who can’t write well. Your writing is influenced by those you read.
2. Attend Writers Conferences. At writers conferences is where you will be able to improve your writing, socialize with other writers, meet published authors, listen to publishers and agents, gain access to those publishers and agents because of the conference, even pitch your ideas, one-on-one, with those same publishers and agents. These conferences are invaluable for so many reasons and struggling writers should attend as many as possible. My very first writers conference is where I found my publisher. So I’m living proof these conferences are very valuable.
3. Write every day. Even if it’s only 10 to 15 minutes, but write every single day.
4. And last, but certainly not least, never give up. Even if you’re never published, never stop writing. Your posterity will thrill in reading everything you’ve written.

Anna, thank you so much for letting me drop by. Forged in the Refiner’s Fire and my other books may be purchased at www.candacesalima.com/inPrint.htm or http://www.amazon.com/.

Forged In the Refiner's Fire

2008-06-25T17:29:00.000-07:00

Forged in the Refiner's Fire compiled by Candace Salima & Elizabeth Cheever

I admit it.

I hate admitting this.

I cried.

Not that this isn't a feel good book. It is. But it isn't candy coated either. The stories from real people include a lot of heartache and pain.

I know going through my own trials, I can't help but look around at others and observe their apparently perfect lives and wonder "why can't that be me? Why is the Lord testing me so much? Haven't I proved my faith enough? Where are the blessings that are promised? Why do people who aren't living the commandments being blessed while I struggle so much? Did I do something wrong? Am I being punished?

It turns out I'm not alone. There are plenty of good people who are struggling. If I hear one more Mormon say when they hear of another LDS member with great life-changing news "that's what happens when you follow the gospel", I think I'm going to scream. Because it makes me wonder "then what am I doing wrong?"

As it turns out, I'm not doing anything wrong. Neither were any of the people who's stories are in this book. We're not talking about people who have trials because of their own stupid decisions like the celebrities of our time who aquire drug addictions because they have more money than they know what to do with and no idea how to handle it, or think they can get away with drinking and driving, or those who go from one six minute marriage to another. Not to say there isn't drug addictions in this book, but it's the kind that makes you realize that anyone can become addicted when your dealers are the local pharmacist and your trusted doctor. There are car accidents in this book, none of which are the result of drinking. There's divorce in this book, and not because the story teller got bored with her marriage and found someone else. The voices are mostly women, which is fine with me since we don't hear enough women's voices in the church, but there are a couple of men. There are housewives represented here, and writers, and professional women, and in one case a very famous individual.

Admittedly, it was Merrill Osmond's story I turned to first, simply because I've been a fan of the Osmonds for well over thirty years - which is amazing since I'm not that old. I ended up reading his story twice, once because of my Osmond fandom that had to read it first, and the second time because of my compulsion to read books from cover to cover. His story was interesting in that we get to take a peek into a behind the scenes historial event, although I'm not entirely convinced that the Lord had much to do with the bribe that Merrill offers to a driver at the end of the tale. Ah, did that pique your interest? You'll have to read it.

Both Candace and Elizabeth offer stories of their own. Although I'm not familiar with Elizabeth I have enjoyed Candace's blog for awhile now, even when I've disagreed with her. Yet although Candace posts regularly I had no idea of the heart wrenching situations she has been in.

Tristi Pinkston, another LDS writer shares her own frightening story and wonders why the Lord didn't warn her.

They both mention being angry with Heavenly Father. Yeah, I've felt that too. But I've come to the conclusion that He can handle my anger. After all, if I can handle my children's anger towards me, then surely He can handle my anger towards Him, and that is the conclusion that all these writers come to again and again. It's okay to be angry. It's okay to question. After all, if we don't question, how can we come to an answer?

Some of the most compelling stories came from people I had never heard of. I read story after story of trying situations, some of which I could relate to, others which made me think, "I hope I never have to go through that," and some which didn't make sense until the story teller was able to look at the situation from a much broader perspective than her own.

Some stories made me cry. Yet, they all end up with a deeper understanding, a deeper testimony, less judgement toward others, and great hope.

And isn't that what we're all here for.