Fabulous Finds From Fire and Ice- Ebooks Free to 3.99

20 Aug, 2013 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment



Enjoy this weeks Fabulous Finds from Fire and Ice! 
Our family so excited about the free Shannon Hale Ever After High books titles.
As always be sure to check the prices before downloading as prices are good at time of post. 

As an Amazon affiliate I get a tiny profit from each ebook purchased from the links on this site.
Got a great ebook deal going? Leave me your link!

Pretty Darn Funny Season Two and Longing for Home Giveaway

19 Aug, 2013 by in pretty darn funny, sarah eden, Tinder Transmedia. 2 comments

Pretty Darn Funny is happy to announce season 2 of their comedy videos! 

Just released today are the first two videos in the parody. I had to laugh at the scenes in Episode 201 about the movie theater, “cheap seats.” There are a few of those dollar theatres in our area and you never want to wear flip flops for fear you will lose a shoe…or a foot. We call them “the sticky foot.”

ENJOY!

**Warning for the first video link if you are a Downton Abby watcher… there are spoilers **

Footloose Parody:

 About Pretty Darn Funny : A comedy like no other. For your sister and your mother. Pretty Darn Funny is a comedy web series about life as a woman, a mother and…comedian. 


The award winning Pretty Darn Funny web series started in April 2012 and has continued to keep thousands of people laughing. Pretty Darn Funny has won five Telly awards, honored along side other notable recipients such as Time Warner Cable, ABC Family Digital Media,  and AOL Media.  Its parody videos were featured on The 700 Club, the flagship television program of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States.


Season 1 Followed Gracie Moore, a mom who gets more than she bargains for when she forms an all-female comedy troupe in efforts to clean up the local comedy scene. It features a cast of colorful, loveable characters. It will make you laugh. It might make you cry (from laughing so hard). However you spin it, we know you’ll think it’s Pretty Darn Awesome.


Season 2 is launching August 2013 and continues the craziness of Gracie’s life. From battling crossfit and the pressures of Pinterest envy, to competing with the PTA president for superior fundraising cred, Gracie and the troop show that no matter what life throws at you it’s always worth the laughs.


Each new “bite-sized” 6-8 minute webisode is released weekly and is designed for your busy lifestyle. (Meaning you can watch it in-between picking up your kids from soccer, making a fabulous meal that half of your kids will probably refuse to eat, and composing what is sure to be the best blog post ever written in the history of the world. You know, in all your free time.)

Pretty Darn Funny is your new best friend. Your new, very funny, best friend.


Everything Pretty Darn Funny is Brought to you by Deseret Book and Tinder Transmedia.

Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/pdfunny/


The Giveaway: To celebrate the launch of season 2 we are giving away one copy of Sarah M. Eden’s Longing for Home: A Proper Romance. To enter fill out the rafflecopter form below.


Longing for Home
by Sarah M. Eden
Paperback
Expected publication: August 6th 2013 
by Shadow Mountain 
ISBN 1609074610


Book Summary From Goodreads: Twenty-six-year-old Katie Macauley has placed all her hope in Hope Springs, a small town in the 1870 Wyoming Territory. But if she wants to return home to Ireland to make amends with her estranged family, she’ll need to convince the influential Joseph Archer to hold true to his word and keep her on his payroll as his housekeeper despite her Irish roots. The town is caught in an ongoing feud between the Irish and the “Reds” the frontiersmen who would rather see all the Irish run out of town and the Irish immigrants who are fighting to make a home for themselves in the New World. When Joseph agrees to keep Katie on as his housekeeper, the feud erupts anew, and Katie becomes the reluctant figurehead for the Irish townsfolk. As the violence escalates throughout the town, Katie must choose between the two men who have been vying for her love though only one might be able to restore hope to her heart.


About the author:  Sarah M. Eden is the author of multiple historical romances, including Whitney Award finalists Seeking Persephone (2008, Covenant Communications) and Courting Miss Lancaster(2010, Covenant Communications). Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah has twice served as the Master of Ceremonies for the LDStorymakers Writers Conference, acted as the Writer in Residence at the Northwest Writers Retreat and is one-third of the team at the AppendixPodcast.com. Sarah is represented by Pam van Hylckama Vlieg at Foreword Literary Agency.

Find Sarah on Goodreads/ Facebook/ Twitter/ Website


Win a copy!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Damsel Distressed Cover Design Contest

16 Aug, 2013 by in spencer hill press Leave a comment

Kelsey Macke’s DAMSEL DISTRESSED Cover Design Contest

Kelsey Macke’s DAMSEL DISTRESSED (Spencer Hill Contemporary, 2014) is the story of Imogen Keegan, a seventeen-year old girl who has been stuck in a cycle of clinical depression, self-harm, and baked-goods-addiction since her mom died seven years ago.

The book, DAMSEL DISTRESSED, is equal parts hurt and heart, and is held together by Imogen’s journal entries of poems, doodles, lyrics, and the “back stage” musings of a theatre-loving girl who is so much more than the sum of her parts.

Imogen’s journal is part of the prose, but the line between fiction and reality blurs when readers have the ability to use their computer or mobile device to access all kinds of interactive online content.

The cornerstone of this supplemental content is the album of real life songs, written and performed by the author as part of the band, Wedding Day Rain called IMOGEN UNLOCKED.

The inside of the book is highly interactive and driven by the readers’ experience.

The creative team wants nothing less for the outside of the book as well!

So, in the spirit of community and collaboration, we’re having a cover contest!

The DAMSEL DISTRESSED cover contest will be open from August 16th until September 22nd, 2014.

We’re so excited to see all of the incredible ideas you have that will tap into Imogen’s story.

There will be three rounds, each narrowing the entries, and culminating in a public vote for one of three top slots! Additionally, ten semi-finalists will win a $10 itunes gift card and a $10 Barnes and Noble gift card. The grand prize winner will not only earn the design commission and a copy of the book once printed, but will also have the opportunity to design the album artwork and swag!

If you or someone you know is eager to dive into the world of publishing design, this is a great opportunity to grow a portfolio and get paid!

For full details on the contest, including all terms, conditions, and instructions for submitting your design, visit www.damseldistressed.com!

Kelsey Macke is a twitterphile, (@KelsNotChels) and enthusiastic Nerdfighter. DAMSEL DISTRESSED is her first novel. www.KelseyMacke.com

The Meme Plague by Angie Smibert Blog Tour and Kindle Giveaway

15 Aug, 2013 by in The Meme Plague 1 comment

Fire and Ice is today’s stop on the official blog tour for

The Meme Plague 
by Angie Smibert
Release date: 8/13/2013

Genre: YA science fiction 
ISBN: 978-1477816608

Book Summary: It begins with the  name JONAS W. on the side of a cardboard coffin—right before the funeral procession blows up. Then it’s the whisper in the back of Micah’s head:Your father betrayed his country. You can’t always trust your own brain. Not when you have one of the mayor’s mandatory chips in your skull. Micah knows that the chip developed by TFC (the corporation that runs the Therapeutic Forgetting Clinics) does more than just erase unpleasant memories—it implants new ones. The MemeCast warns citizens to “fight the hack.”

Micah and his friends have each lost something—a parent, a relationship, a home, maybe even their own identities as they remembered them to be. But together, they can make sure some things are never forgotten.

Election Day is coming, and Mayor Mignon is set to be elected to Congress. It’s time to build a new electronic frontier, one that’s not controlled by the mayor and his cronies. It’s time to get out the vote and shake up the system. It’s time to finally say enough.

Fire and Ice is pleased to have the author, Angle Smibert here today to share her post…

“My Top 10 List of Other People’s Writing Advice”
1.      “Don’t be a writer; be writing.”  William Faulkner. Or put more succinctly: “Write.”  Neil Gaiman. (From an article in The Guardian).

2.      “Write what you need to write, not what is currently popular or what you think will sell.” PD James.

3.      “I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide.”  Harper Lee.

4.      “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time—or the tools—to write. Simple as that.” Stephen King.

5.      “The first draft of everything is s#$%.” Ernest Hemingway.

6.      “Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.” Neil Gaiman. (From the same article in The Guardian)

7.      “Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.” Elmore Leonard. (From his 10 rules of writing.)

8.      “Let the audience add up two plus two. They’ll love you forever.” Billy Wilder. (From Conversations with Wilder by Cameron Crowe)

9.      “Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.” Kurt Vonnegut (from the preface to Vonnegut’s short story collection Bagombo Snuff Box ).

10.  “Don’t take anyone’s writing advice too seriously.” Lev Grossman.


About the Author: Angie Smibert was born in Blacksburg, a once sleepy college town in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. She grew up thinking she wanted to be a veterinarian; organic chemistry had other ideas. But she always had stories in her head. Eventually, after a few degrees and a few cool jobs—including a 10-year stint at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center—she wrote some of those stories down.

She’s published many short stories, for both adults and teens. (You can read some of them on her website.) You can also catch her blogging as part of the LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY WRITERS, and check out her Amazon Author Central page.

Find Angie on: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The Giveaway:  Angie is giving away the following prizes during the blog tour:

  • Grand prize: (1) Kindle (courtesy of Amazon)—the basic 6” display / wifi one.
  • (1)Complete set of the series. (MN, FC, MP). Signed if in US; unsigned and delivered through Book Depository if outside US.
  • (3) Meme Plague (hard copy) plus swag.

LDS Booksellers Association Convention Photo Gallery- NEW Titles at LDSBA for 2013

14 Aug, 2013 by in Heather Gardner Photography, mindy gledhill 2 comments

Each year the LDS Booksellers Convention holds a trade show called LDSBA to unveil the new covers and titles. This year I got to attend both days photographing signings, authors and booths out on the exhibit floor. There are so many amazing new books and music releases I want to share with you all!

First is Pocketful of Poetry by Mindy Gledhill, a music CD to be released September 10th by Deseret Book. Mindy’s music is whimsical and if  you’ve never checked it out, you need to! 
Have a listen…

Mindy was so kind, tweeting me on twitter and commenting on instagram to announce her signing. I’ve previewed the CD and LOVE it! She’s offering a free download of her song on her website so head on over there.

Next is new YA title from Covenant called Hadley- Hadley Benson by Jody Wind Durfee. This one has an autistic character which I always look for in a book…


Book Summary: When Maddi Benson moves in next door to Jaxon Quayle, neither of them knows how much life is about to change. Jaxon knows he should date only girls who share his faith, but as he gets to know Maddi he wants his new neighbor to be more than a friend. To make things even more complicated, there s Maddi s twin brother Hadley (or Hadley-Hadley, as he calls himself), who has special needs and always seems to be hanging around, and Jaxon s pal Tanner, who feels more than a little left out. Jaxon feels hopeful when the Bensons begin to consider joining the Church, which would solve at least one of his problems. But just when things seem to be working out, a horrible prank seems to make everything fall apart, leaving Maddi and Jaxon caught in the middle of doubt and faith, hurt and forgiveness, friendship and love.

Find out more on Goodreads.
And my final favorite pick from LDSBA is for another new CD, Say Love available September 9th by Hilary Weeks. Ummm… gorgeous cover!! Cassandra Barney is the cover artist. The music is heavenly (I’ve had a sneak peek).You will want this one.
Learn more about Say Love at Deseret Book
Below are some of the merchandise links for the fun stuff I saw at LDSBA. Click on the image to learn more.
All photos in slide show and on site are copyright Heather Gardner Photography. 
Visit my smugmug gallery and facebook page for a close up look and descriptions of the authors featured in each photo. 
Thanks so much to LDSBA for inviting me. If you are an artist, author or publisher who attended or had a product highlighted there, leave me a comment. I would love to add you to my list!

Deseret Book Blog Tour- Through Cloud and Sunshine by Dean Hughes

12 Aug, 2013 by in Through Cloud and Sunshine Leave a comment

Through Cloud and Sunshine
Come to Zion Volume #2
by Dean Hughes
Hardcover, 328 Pages
Published June 13, 2013
by Deseret Book
Book Source: publisher
Adult
Religious Fiction
4 stars

Book summary from Goodreads: Nauvoo was supposed to be the kingdom of God on earth, but Will and Liz Lewis are learning that it takes more than dreaming of Zion to make it a reality. Sickness, poverty, and just plain human nature add to the struggles for the Lord’s people, but every now and then a glimpse of heaven shines through. Just when things are starting to get settled, though, the old problems start rearing their heads, leaving Will and others wondering if they will be there to reap the harvest they have so carefully sown.

Meanwhile, Jeff and Abby—in modern-day Nauvoo—are dealing with challenges of their own. As their newborn baby fights for his life, they must come to grips with their personal faith. Can they, like their ancestors, continue to trust in God when there seems to be no trace of Him in their trials?

Beloved novelist Dean Hughes skillfully interweaves the stories of two couples separated by five generations and 150 years, providing a unique perspective on Church history and showing how much we can learn from those who went before us.


Review: Liz and Will Lewis dream and hope for Zion, the gathering place of their followers and a warm nice, place to call home. Expecting their first child, father, Will feels he must make his promise to Liz’s family to build  her up a good home must be realized. But life in Nauvoo is hard, with land to be tilled and crops to be planted. And Liz, well with child feels she is seeing less and less of her husband and he works day and night. The moist land makes a breeding ground for disease and resentment. 

Volume two of Come to Zion, picks up right where book one left off, with a great synopsis in the first chapter for readers who haven’t had a chance to read the first in the series.  It is again written in dual perspective between two families, one living in the present day as descendants to another living in the historical time period of Joseph Smith.

Dean Hughes does a wonderful job of reminding us that Zion may not be a place, but rather a feeling and a hope as he outlines life in Nauvoo. There are ill feeling amongst neighbors, political unrest and rumor, as well as increasing religious intolerance. Each family struggles with their own trials of infant mortality and trying to make ends meet. Some arrive  to Zion with only the belongings they could bring from their own countries and no money or house to call their own.

I love the research Mr. Hughes puts in to all his book as well as the detail. He lived in Nauvoo, so is familiar with the streets, the shops and feel of the land. If you like historical fiction  you will love this series and I recommend Come to Zion volumes 1-2 to any who want to feel they are right there in the time and place of our early American Saints.
                                      

About the Author: Dean Hughes is the author of more than eighty books for young readers, including the popular sports series Angel Park All-Stars, the Scrappers series, the Nutty series, the widely acclaimed companion novels Family Pose and Team Picture, and Search and Destroy. Soldier Boys was selected for the 2001 New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age list. Dean Hughes and his wife, Kathleen, have three children and six grandchildren. They live in Midway, Utah.

Find out more about author Dean Hughes: Goodreads

Utah Book Month Author Interview with Rebecca Jamison

10 Aug, 2013 by in author interview, Rebecca Jamison, utah book month 8 comments

Rebecca H Jamison.
Photo copyright Heather Zahn Gardner
I had the fun opportunity to meet with author Rebecca H. Jamison for Utah Book Month at a quaint little french cafe where she had pizza and I ordered french onion soup plus a ginormous sugar cookie with sprinkles. Rebecca blew in wearing purple chucks ( I love when authors have spunky shoes)  and was willing to brave a freak downtown wind & rain storm with a pink umbrella to do a photo shoot and quick fire interview with Fire and Ice. 

What is the most rewarding or fun part about this whole process?

It’s fun to write, which is a great escape. It’s also fun to meet my readers. Believe it or not, I actually like doing signings.
Do you have any signings coming up?

Yes! Next Wednesday the 14th at the Sandy Costco and then Friday from 12-3 at the Costco in West Valley.
Top 5 books?

Les Miserables
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Christy by Catherine Marshall
Huck Finn by Mark Twain and 
Jane Eyre
Do you have a critique group?
Not one that meets together. I critique online and have a lot of people beta read my books.
What advice or books have helped you become a writer?
Read a lot of fiction. Read good books. The ones that helped me include : Writers Digest Magazine, James Scott Bell’s books and The Save the Cat book.
Is your next title in the works? 
Yes! I am halfway done with Sense and Sensibility and have the next book all planned out. I’m halfway through the second draft.
What places would you go to for researching your books?
I would have to visit San Jose, Maryland and New York City since those are the places the next book is set but I’ve always wanted to go to Italy or England.  I’d like to write at a remote place like the beach, but then it might be hard to write if I was at a place I REALLY liked.
Are there any important things you want readers to take away from Emma? 
Emma addresses insecurities in women, our perfectionism, and tendency not to think positively of ourselves. 
If you were going to put together the ultimate prize package for your book Emma: A Latter- Day Tale what would it include?
Dove Dark Chocolate, stuff to make s’mores: chocolate marshmallows, chocolate graham crackers and Hershey’s bars, ski pass tickets and note cards.


Rebecca H. Jamison Biography


Looking for love? Rebecca H. Jamison would love to set you up with that special someone, but you’re better off reading her books. She has a terrible track record as a matchmaker.

Rebecca grew up in Virginia. She attended Brigham Young University, where she earned a BA and MA in English with an emphasis in creative writing. In between college and graduate school, she served a mission to Portugal and Cape Verde.



Thanks so much for letting me capture you awesome personality in words and photos Rebecca! 
Check out our review of her fist book, Persuasion and enter to win a copy of Emma: A Latter- Day Tale on our previous blog tour post.
 Be sure to follow Utah Book Month  in August for more local author and blogger features.

Divider

Peek Into My Postbox #5 – LDSBA

09 Aug, 2013 by in peek into my Postbox 3 comments

Peek into my Postbox is new meme at Fire and Ice.
Let’s all share the fun things we get in our box each week. If you already participate in your own similar meme…no worries.  Link your post below to share what books you bought, checked out at the library, bought or received. Also, if you have some exciting other mail or swag to share that would be fun too.


Here’s a Peek into my Postbox this week…

Books I picked up as new releases at the LDS Booksellers Association convention:

Written on Our Hearts: Invitations From the Old Testament by Emily Freeman
Garden Path by Anita Stansfield
Emmalee (Jane Austen Diaries) by Jenni James

Hadley-Hadley Benson by Jody Wind Durfee

Cold Pursuit by Susan Dayley
Healing Creek: A Love Story by Jaclyn M. Hawkes

If you have something fun in your box to share this week leave your link in the linky below 🙂