Posts Tagged: aubrey mace

Book Review: Santa Maybe by Aubrey Mace

09 Dec, 2010 by in santa maybe 19 comments

Paperback, 194 pages
Published September 8th 2009
by Cedar Fort
ISBN 1599553120
4 stars

Dear Santa,
I’ve been a good girl this year. (Well . . . pretty good.) I have a nice life and there’s only one thing that I really want one thing that’s missing. If you happen to have an extra one lying around your workshop, I would really like a husband. I promise to take good care of him.

Love, Abbie

With a successful bakery to run, super cute nieces and nephews to spoil, and plenty of good friends to keep her company, Abbie’s not about to start crying over the fact that she s doesn’t have a boyfriend to spend Christmas with. But when her sister convinces her to write a note to Santa, Abbie has no idea that a little Christmas magic is about to land her the man of her dreams. Or rather, that man is about to land smack dab on the floor in front of her Christmas tree with no memory of how he got there.

Now Abbie and Ben have to figure out where he came from, who he really is, and if he’s actually available.

I picked this book up for a light, fun Christmas read and that’s exactly what it was. Aubrey Mace, author of Spare Change and My Fairy Grandmother offers up a spicy scenario of what might happen should our grown up Christmas wishes actually came true. This is a perfect book for those who once believed. The resolution is a little far fetched for the cynic that I’ve become, but Abbie and Ben make it work. My only wish was that we knew a little bit more of each of them. Santa Maybe is a short sweet read with lessons about learning to trust after you have become jaded and the power of possibilities. I walked away form it with more hope and holiday cheer. Santa Maybe would be fun gift for Christmas, so we are offering one to you! Simply comment below to enter. Contest ends December 12, 2010.

Utah Author Interview- Aubrey Mace

19 Feb, 2010 by in my fairy grandmother, utah authors 23 comments

Photo by Heather Zahn Gardner

Today’s Utah Author Spotlight is Aubrey Mace, published author x 3
What are your favorite all-time books?- The Angel’s Game, The Shadow of the Wind, Bel Canto, Cold Flat Junction, Persuasion, Gilead, Atlas Shrugged, Anna Karenina, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and The Sun Also Rises.

When did you start writing your book and how long did it take to get it published? I started writing my first book, Spare Change, in 2006. (It was actually my second book, but my first one is still in a drawer.) I submitted to five or so publishers before it was picked up by Cedar Fort after completing their requested edits. It was on the shelf in April 2008.

Who is your hero/ mentor?- I think I would have to say Jane Austen, for helping to pave the way for other women who wanted to write.
What suggestions would you give young writers? 1) Grow a thick skin. The submission process can be brutal, and getting published doesn’t happen overnight, so learn to put those rejections behind you and KEEP SUBMITTING! 2) Read as much as you can. Time spent reading is never wasted– it only makes you a better writer.
Where did the inspiration for your books come from?- I get my best ideas when I’m doing mundane, repetitive tasks like weeding the yard or shoveling snow. And I seem to get a lot of ideas in the shower for some reason.

Are you working on any books right now? I’m working on two novels right now: my NaNoWriMo novel from this year is almost finished– it’s about pudding (of all things), and a novel about heaven that’s about halfway done.

Who is your favorite author? That’s the hardest question! I could never narrow it down to just one, but I love Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Martha Grimes, Jane Austen, Raymond Chandler, Ann Patchett, Helen Fielding, Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, Marilynne Robinson, Sarah Eden, and Diane Setterfield.

What was your road to being published like? The story of my road to being published was a lot shorter than some I’ve heard, but it seemed long to me! I still have two finished novels in drawer that I haven’t been able to find a publisher for. the more I talk to other writers, the more I find that to be the case.

Aubrey was super generous and donated three signed books for us to giveaway! Two of them you can win here, the third, “My Fairy Grandmother” we are giving away to one lucky participant of our author chat with her on Wednesday February 24th, 2010 at 7:30 PM MST. Come chat with Aubrey and win her third, most recent book!

To win “Spare Change” and “Santa Maybe” author signed set:

Leave us your name and email address
+2 visit her blog at http://www.aubreymace.blogspot.com/ and leave a comment
+2 become a fan of Aubrey Mace on Goodreads
+2 follow her on twitter @aubreymace
+3 tweet this contest
+5 add this contest to your blog
+3 Follow our blog

Giveaway ends March 18th and is open to International Participants. Good luck!

My Fairy Grandmother by Aubrey Mace

19 Feb, 2010 by in book review, utah authors, YA ficiton 1 comment

Product Details
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 270 pages
Publisher: Bonneville Books; 1 edition (March 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599552175

Product Description from Amazon
Descended from fairies? It sounds unbelievable, but according to Kaitlin’s grandmother Viola, it s true. In spite of her initial reluctance to visit Viola, Kaitlin finds herself being drawn into Viola s stories of elegant castles, evil counts, and exciting escapades. But as Kaitlin learns more about her family, Kaitlin s mother becomes increasingly concerned about Viola s mental health. Good thing Kaitlin knows better! From the author of Spare Change, this enchanting tale shows how a good story can bring a whole family together.

quote from the book…”Everyone comes to this earth and lives their life. It might be a long life or it might be short, but most of the basic details are uninteresting. We go about our daily chores, we might marry, we might have children, and we die … Each of us has one story worth telling, one moment of glory and triumph or pain and despair; something that defines us. It might be one second, or it could extend over several years, but for better or worse, it is the most interesting part of who we are.”

I bought this book at the Utah Atuthorpalooza because I love fairies and the cover was even glitttery! Cheesy, but oh so true for me…I judge a book my it’s cover! I got to page 66 and almost put it away because the main villain of the book Count Diavolo is just so evil. I asked Aubrey about him and how she came up with his character, she responded “Count Diavolo was a really fun character to write. I don’t get a chance to write the really evil characters in chick lit, so it was a refreshing change for me. I can’t say that he was really based on any one character in fiction– just bits and pieces of the scariest guy I could imagine!” that pretty much sums him up!

Plowing through all of this evil ways I came to really enjoy the story and wanted to find out what happened! The tale is spun into t a little fishing net that pulls you in and makes you have to keep reading!

Set in the modern day, the books is mainly written as told by a grandmother to her 10 year old granddaughter about her heritage. Much like a fairytale, there are heroes, morals and a little bit of magic. It is a message of courage and hope in the midst of absolute loss. The end leaves me wondering if there will be a sequel? Who is the other fairy?

But, I guess I will have to ask Aubrey at our upcoming online author chat next Wednesday. We are giving away a signed My Fairy Gradnmother” to one lucky participant of our author chat with her on Wednesday February 24th, 2010 at 7:30 PM MST. Come chat with Aubrey and win her third, most recent book!