Hello everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas! I have been promising a giveaway and the time has come for me to host my first one with the help from the lovely Jennifer Laurens. Jennifer did an interview with me and is offering one lucky winner her newest book, Grace Doll! This is the first of many great giveaways I will be having so make sure to keep up with my blog, you never know what you might win! :)

For the purposes of this giveaway, you are only required to do two things: follow my blog and follow Jennifer Laurens(these will be checked)! The rest can be extra entries for you! Spread the word about the giveaway to make sure you get extra entries :) Good luck!

A little bit about Jennifer...

I write YA books. Whatever my heart desires, I write. I don't have someone over my shoulder, in some office somewhere telling me what I can and cannot write. Or should and shouldn't write. I listen to my heart, the center of my muse, and trust my instincts.

I've written since junior high school. An only child, I grew up writing big stories about big families. I also write YA under the name of JM Warwick. My hometown of Palos Verdes, California figures in much of my work, as does my current home of Pleasant Grove, Utah and other favorite places. I love to travel.

They say "write what you know" and I do. I am a mother, I have six children, five cats and a huge doberman/dane dog. I have a supportive husband and we've been married 25 years. Our lives, though challenging with a handicapped child who has autism, are centered in our family.

My life experiences have worked into all of my novels. Some more heavily than others, but parts of me are in each story. I love stories rich in family drama, where family members overcome obstacles through love and miracles.

 Jennifer also participated in an interview for readers to learn a little more about her :)

What made you pursue a career in writing? I wrote my first books in junior high school, so I've always enjoyed writing as a hobby. But it wasn't until 12 years ago, when my teenage girls wanted to read romances without explicit sex that I took up writing seriously again. My girls were my muse then, and Falling for Romeo and Magic Hands were both based on real life incidents that happened in their lives.

What is your favorite book you have written? I love them all,  I can't pick a favorite ( typical 'mother' answer!! )

What is your all time favorite book? Again, I have a dozen all-time favs I read and re-read but the tie goes to Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts and Endless Love by Scott Spencer. Both authors' writing is spot on in those books.

What is the best advice anyone has ever given you? Family first, everything else after.

How do you feel about book reviews? Both good and bad? I don't read book reviews. I write for myself first, to fulfill a creative and personal desire to create. What I write is organic. If someone doesn't like it, that's their opinion but it's only an opinion and it doesn't weigh in on something creative like art. All art is subjective.

Can you see yourself as any of your characters? There's always pieces of me in all of my characters and stories.

What can we expect next? Are you planning anything in the near future? I'm taking a break. Over the last 12 years I've written 18 books ( some of which won't see the light of day ) nevertheless, they were work, just like all of my other books and I'm needing to step back.

If writing would not have worked out what is your dream job? Being a mother was always my first choice. I have 6 children and am grateful for the countless graces I've learned being a stay-at-home mom. That said, I always had something I did for me, even when I was home every day. I painted, made porcelain dolls, had a muffin business...always something that took me away ( even if I was at home ) for a few minutes every day and allowed me some creative fulfillment.

What do you want readers to experience with your books? I write to entertain and bring enjoyment.

Print or ebook? Both. I have a Nook and love it.

Pet peeves? Icy roads! bad haircuts!

Hobbies? Travel, shopping, cooking, miniatures, dolls, dollhouses, interior decorating.

Hidden talents? Don't tell anyone but I sing opera :)

Favorite food? Unfortunately, I adore ALL food.

Favorite movie? Right now? SKYFALL

Favorite tv show? 666 Park Avenue ROCKS.

Twitter or Facebook? Both!

Mac or PC? Both! ( I have both, and love them for different reasons ) I admit, I'm a computer junkie.

Zombies or Vampires? Vamps!

Want to learn more about Jennifer? Make sure to check out her blog at jenniferlaurens.blogspot.com

Now onto the fun part...the giveaway! Up for grabs is Grace Doll by Jennifer Laurens

Goodreads Description:

Grace Doll had everything a girl could want: Fame. Fortune. Beauty. Everything except her freedom. So when a powerful movie producer forces an experimental treatment on Grace--one that's purported to make beauty immortal--she stages her own death to escape him. With the help of trusted friends, Grace slips into hiding. She's forever flawless. Forever young, and forever pursued by her past. But when a stranger arrives on her doorstep, holding the key to a life she thought she'd left behind, Grace must decide between the safety she's known...and embracing the role she was born to play.
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Know Me Better is a weekly Meme hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer. Feel free to join in on the fun!


Do you like the spotlight or lurking in the shadows?
How many books are in your TBR pile?
What is next on your to read pile?
What one item would you eat for the rest of your life?
What is the last thing you bought?

Do you like the spotlight or lurking in the shadows?
I am content with either. Around people I know and I am comfortable with I would prefer the "spotlight" I guess you would call it. If I am around people I am not familiar with, then definitely prefer to lurk in the shadows.

How many books are in your TBR pile?
My list is never ending, because I continue to buy books. I would say I probably have at least 200 I would love to read.

What is next on your to read pile?
The One I Want by Jennifer Echols

What one item would you eat for the rest of your life?
Pizza

What is the last thing you bought?
A Christmas gift

Leave a comment with your answers to the questions, or post a link to your blog in the comments section to allow readers to get to know you better. Make sure to follow while here :)

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

What is your WoW selection? Make sure to follow my blog when you stop by!

Welcome to my first Waiting on Wednesday post! Since I am a huge Gayle Forman fan I thought Just One Day would be perfect for my first WoW pick!





Title: Just One Day
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Expected Release Date: January 8, 2012





Goodreads Description:
A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay.

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!

Most of us are already aware of the devastating event that took place Friday, December 14th at Sandy Hook Elementary School. A gunman walked into the school killing 26 people, 20 of those were small children between the ages of 6 and 7 and the other 6 were teachers and the principal. My heart breaks for these people. I cannot begin to imagine the loss they are feeling. Families lost mothers, daughters, sisters, children, and wives. Although nothing can be said to make losing a loved one any easier, please pray for these people. Author Jamie Manning has started an auction along with several other generous authors, with all of the proceeds going to Sandy Hook School Support Fund. Please go and check this site out. There are a lot of awesome things up for bid (autographed books, critiques, etc.) and you will be giving the money to a fantastic cause.You can find this auction by going to this website: http://authorsforct.blogspot.com/ Also if you are on twitter make sure you follow @Words4Hope Please help these families. You are giving the best gift to show your love and support.

I will be participating in the This, That or Thought Thursdays that is hosted by Wholly Books! Make sure to go over and check out the blog there! www.wholly-books.com :)


This Week's Question: Do you believe that eBooks have changed the way booksellers sell books?

My Answer: Yes, definitely. Everything is made simpler with the process of buying an eBook. For instance, if you have a kindle all you have to do is click one button and it is on your kindle instantly. Therefore, you do not have to wait a few days for it to be delivered (in the case you order online). Authors can also post to Amazon to have an eBook which saves the cost of the financial struggles of getting published, and finding an editor. I also believe that it can be quite hurtful to some authors because in most cases you will be able to receive the eBook for cheaper than you would the hardcover copy of a book. Doesn't that in turn hurt their sales? Most people look at it as if they spend less on one then they can buy another for the price of one hardcover. I am different in that aspect because I do still like to have my actual books in hand. Don't get me wrong though, I do love my kindle. I have some books that I have bought a hardcover/paperback copy of, and still purchased the book on my kindle as well.

Everyone will have their own thoughts and opinions of eBooks. Some good, and some bad. What do you think?

Every Tuesday I have decided to post something that may not have anything to do with my normal posts, but rather they are just my "Tuesday Thoughts." Let me know what you think.

Nothing annoys me more than the people telling me where Nick and I should/should not get married. Hello it is our wedding; we will get married on top of a building if we want too. The location we have chosen is kind of a secret for now until closer to our big day. Only a few family members actually know where the wedding will be taking place. I do understand that it is quite a drive to the place we have chosen, but it is just that; what we have chosen. I particularly do not want a huge wedding with over 500 guests (which is what it would come to if I decided on a location that was local). I want something elegant and classy that still fits me and what I love, but also is small and intimate with our closest family members. I have been told repeatedly I am "a beach bride without a doubt" which completely does not fit me. Yes, I do love the beach and I think the beaches we have are beautiful, however there is one problem. I hate the sand; so there is no way I would ever willingly agree to get married on the beach.

To some people dogs are just that. Dogs. To me, my dogs are like my children and I love them very much. Well upon reading about several different smaller inside dogs, Nick and I stumbled upon French Bulldogs. Almost every site had the same cons about them. They are moody, they are gassy, they love to eat, and they snore very loudly. But they also talked about what great companions they are and how much they love their owners. All of the above is very true including all of the cons. However, when we first saw Lola I knew instantly we had to have her. I could not leave that pet shop without her in my arms!  So of course we got her. She just turned a year old and she has a body full of sass. She has however definitely captured a huge part in all of our lives. She is very spoiled and very impatient (yes dogs apparently can be very impatient). Anyway, yesterday I went Christmas shopping with my parents and Nick had Lola at home. I ended up staying in town shopping longer than we had anticipated so I did not see them yesterday. When I woke up this morning I was talking to Nick and told him that we would be going shopping again today to finish and asked him if he wanted to go and so he decided he would go with us. In the meantime, he sends me a picture of a little Frenchie who is very upset. I am sure most of you have heard of the meme's before and that is what I received. I thought it was the funniest thing ever knowing her little personality. Needless to say when I finally got to Nick's today to see her she was a very happy girl. The paper actually says "Did mommy leave us daddy?"

Although it is hard to choose one favorite book, I have to say that Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens wins. This was the first book I had ever read by Jenn, and once I read the first few chapters I could not put it down. I was dying to know what happened with Zoe and Matthias. After reading the first book I knew that I had to instantly read the next two so I ordered them on my kindle. I am not joking when I say I read all three books in a week. They were seriously that good. From then on I decided I had to read every book that she had written. I love being able to read a book and instantly feel a connection as if I am in the lives of those characters, and Jennifer Laurens makes that possible throughout all of her books. If you have not read them, you should be out buying them right now! Jennifer is a great author and shows that in her writing. She has became a great friend of mine as well, and if you do not know her you are missing out! Check out her blog at jenniferlaurens.blogspot.com

Growing up, one of my favorite things to do was read. Every two weeks I looked forward to the Scholastic reader, because I knew my dad would end up buying me 5-6 books every time. I feel like reading allows you to escape real life and live someone else's life with the characters. To me, there is nothing better than reading a book and instantly feeling a connection. There are books that I pick up to read, and once I start I literally cannot put them down until I finish. Think of where we would be if we didn't have books to read. Some people underestimate the power of reading, yet they are the ones that will never experience a life outside of their life. From my love of reading, I get to experience places and feelings I never would have before.

Here are few of my favorite authors:

Jennifer Laurens
Gayle Forman
Richelle Mead
Anna Banks
Charlaine Harris
Alyson Noel
Becca Fitzpatrick

Keep in mind, I only said a few. I have a lot of authors I love, but I would never be able to list them all.

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”

― George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons