Posts Tagged: cedar fort

Cedar Fort Blog Tour- Carla Kelly’s Christmas Collection

22 Oct, 2013 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Carla Kelly’s Christmas Collection
by Carla Kelly
Paperback, 288 pages
Published October 8th 2013
by Sweetwater Books
Adult
Historical Fiction, Romance
Source of Book: Publisher
4 stars

Come explore Regency London with Carla Kelly! This collection features four stories that will warm your heart with Christmas cheer: “The Christmas Ornament,” “Make a Joyful Noise,” “An Object of Charity,” and “The Three Kings.” Filled with romance and a touch of humor, these stories are sure to find a place in your heart and remind you that Christmas is a time for love.

Review: I’ve long been a fan of Carla Kelly’s historical romances because of all the details she puts in that make them feel authentic. These four Christmas novellas all take place in time of war, but offer a wide variety of nationalities and circumstances. From Scottish to Spanish, Navy to the English countryside, Carla takes each of her characters and weaves small tales of unconventional love. Romance that blossoms in the least likely of circumstances between those form different walks of life.

It;s a book you can easily read all in one day. I have to admit I think I like her full length novels a little better because these wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly for my taste. I also wish they were cleaned up just a little bit more from the previous main market release. The oft mention so often of brothels and of women seeking out employment in unsavory places isn’t something I like to read about– though I’m sure it was reality at times. Other than that, I can never find much to complain about with Carla Kelly. She is a wonderful storyteller and historian who find a way to add hope to bleak surroundings. I love how she makes her men real gentlemen, those who ease the suffering of women and are chivalrous, yet down to earth.

This is sure to put you in the mood for Christmas!

Recommended for adults. Thanks so much to Cedar Fort for inviting us to be a part of the blog tour. I was offered a free copy of the book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Content: drinking, mention of prostitution, sensuality, quick marriages.

About the author: Award-winning author Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America.  

Recently, she’s been writing Regency romances (think Pride and Prejudice) set in the Royal Navy’s Channel Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars between England and France. She comes by her love of the ocean from her childhood as a Navy brat.                                                                          

Carla’s history background makes her no stranger to footnote work, either. During her National Park Service days at the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Carla edited Friedrich Kurz’s fur trade journal. She recently completed a short history of Fort Buford, where Sitting Bull surrendered in 1881.
Following the “dumb luck” principle that has guided their lives, the Kellys recently moved to Wellington, Utah, from North Dakota and couldn’t be happier in their new location. In her spare time, Carla volunteers at the Railroad and Mining Museum in Helper, Utah. She likes to visit her five children, who live here and there around the United States. Her favorite place in Utah is Manti, located after a drive on the scenic byway through Huntington Canyon.
And why is she so happy these days? Carla is enjoying writing for an LDS audience now, where she feels most at home.
Find out more about author Carla Kelly: Goodreads/ Website/ Blog

Purchase:

 

Emma: A Latter- Day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison Blog Tour

07 Aug, 2013 by in Rebecca H. Jamison 3 comments



Fire and Ice welcomes Emma: A Latter- Day Tale today for the official blog tour, an author guest post, excerpt and giveaway.


Why I Wrote about a Life Coach
A Guest Post by Rebecca H. Jamison

When I decided to write a book based on Jane Austen’s Emma, I knew right away that the Jane Fairfax character was going to be a country singer and that Emma hated country music. I did a lot of brainstorming while I was on vacation in Virginia, walking in the same neighborhood where Emma lives in my book. On one of these walks, my husband suggested that Emma should be a life coach. That made sense to me. At heart, Emma’s someone who wants to help others.

Coaches aren’t just for athletes any more. Average Americans are using coaches to help them with relationships, weight loss, career development, and many other areas. I have a health coach through my insurance company who helped me lose 30 pounds. I also subscribe to motivational e-mails from other coaches, who help me with other goals. 

In the beginning of the book, Emma isn’t anything like my coaches. She’s an embarrassment to the profession of coaching. She has such great intentions, but every time she tries to help someone, she makes the situation worse. I think we’ve all felt like that at times. Emma has to learn that it’s okay to be imperfect. Just because you make a mistake doesn’t mean you can’t improve and do a better job next time. While I wrote the book, I researched how to become a successful life coach, so that by the end of the book, Emma starts to get it right.

My coaches have helped me meet my personal goals to lose weight and become a writer. They gave me a more positive outlook on life, and that’s what I hope my book does for readers. Emma’s life isn’t perfect, but she learns to be positive anyway.


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.


Rebecca enjoys running, dancing, reading, and watching detective shows. She and her husband have six children. You can learn more about her on her website.



Emma: A Latter-day Tale

by Rebecca H. Jamison
Published by Cedar Fort Books
ISBN: 9781462112609
256 pages

Emma’s her name and matchmaking is her game! Quirky life coach Emma wants to help her first-ever client, a lonely nanny named Harriet. But all of her attempts at matchmaking result only in embarrassing miscues and blunders, leaving the pair disheartened and confused. This modern take on the Jane Austen classic shows that sometimes the greatest match is the one we make for ourselves.

Fans of Jane Austen’s Emma will love this modern retelling of the classic romance novel. Fall in love with Emma’s latter-day tale of redemption, forgiveness, and the quest for true love.


Excerpt:

It was amazing how much more snow Phil could pick up with his shovel than I could with mine. He cleared three feet of the driveway before I was done with one.
“When we’re done, if you have time, you should come in and meet Harri. I think you two will get along.”
Phil stopped and looked at his watch. “I’m planning to do a couple more driveways before it gets dark.”
“I’ll go get Harri now if you’re in a hurry. She wants to meet you.”
Phil leaned on his shovel. “Harry is a she?”
“Her real name is Harriet. She moved here a couple months ago and she’s hardly met anybody. I think you’ll like her.”
Phil threw his head back, laughed, and started shoveling again. “I thought you were trying to introduce me to your new boyfriend.”
“You think I would be out here shoveling snow while my new boyfriend stays inside?” I grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at him. I didn’t mean to hit him in the face, but that’s where it landed.
Phil wiped the snow off his face and grinned. “I wondered why you were dating such a loser.” I expected him to throw a snowball at me, but he just stood there. “So you don’t have a boyfriend?”
I giggled a little at his awkwardness. “Nope. Harri doesn’t either.”
Phil threw another shovelful of snow away from the driveway. “So you . . . I mean, you and your friend are . . . available?” Phil didn’t open his mouth enough when he talked. That was the one thing about him that always distracted me. I couldn’t help staring at his mouth.
I had to force myself to look into his eyes. “Why is that a shock, Phil? Every woman in that house right now is available. You can take your pick—Harri, me, or Barbara. You’re surrounded by single women.” It was safe to assume Phil wouldn’t pick me. I was at least three inches taller than he was, and it was a rare man who dated a taller woman.


The Giveaway: Cedar Fort is giving away an ebook of Emma: A Latter-Day Tale to one lucky Fire and Ice reader. Winners can choose among PDF, Kindle, and Nook formats. 

The winner will have 2 weeks to download the e-book from the Cedar Fort website.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Siren’s Secret Blog Tour Author Guest Post, Breview and Giveaway

16 May, 2013 by in mermaids, The Shapeshifter's Secret #2, The Siren's Secret 2 comments


Author Heather Ostler is guest blogging today at Fire and Ice about Sirens as part of The Siren’s Secret official blog tour! 



Sirens are enchanting and mysterious creatures. In mythology they are believed to be beautiful woman who can lure men to their deaths. Though they are supernatural creatures who live in water like mermaids, they have legs, not fins.

Powerful and manipulative, sirens have always been seen as a threat. They are extremely smart, and can see into your past and the future from only meeting you.
Sirens are able to lure and hypnotize sailors using their lovely, sweet singing voices. Often in mythology sirens would find unsuspecting sailors and hypnotize them. Once the sailors were lured in from their singing, the sirens would capture them, or make them crash their boats into rocks.
The siren’s song was different for each sailor, but always too beautiful to resist. Unfortunately for the many sailors, the end of the siren’s song was death.
Sirens are usually portrayed as femme fatals. They are known as being vicious and deadly. They can use either their beauty to charm and entrance their victim, or they can use their hypnotizing abilities to get what they desire.  

Mythology always portrays sirens always living on islands surrounded by cliffs and rocks, and Roman writers always linked sirens closely to the sea. Sirens are also featured in Homer’s Odyssey, and are known as the Muses of the lower world.

– Heather Ostler Pead, Author, The Siren’s Secret

The Siren’s Secret
The Shapeshifter’s Secret #2
by Heather Ostler
Expected publication June 11, 2013
By Cedar Fort Books
Book Source: Netgalley
4 stars
Book Summary from Goodreads: Julia’s life has gone from complicated to nearly impossible! When Julia loses her shapeshifting powers and her appearance changes in alarming ways, she flees to Sirenity, where she learns an incredible secret about her mother. In this thrilling sequel, Julia must take greater risks and make bigger sacrifices as she discovers who she really is and what she can really become.

Early Breview: Sirens entrance me. I’ve always been fascinated by the creatures who live in the sea. When I saw this cover on Netgalley I was lured and captivated. I hadn’t read book one of the Shapeshifter’s Secret (we review it here) but was easily able to pick up where it left off as Heather gives a plot retelling in the first few chapters of book two. Julia is in hiding in an antique cottage with her father and the guard after an attempt on her life.  Her life seems ever more complicated as the tension heats up between her boyfriend Terrance and friend, protector Caleb. When a date with Terrance goes dangerously wrong and Julia is intercepted by a mysterious Siren there are questions to be answered.

With enchanting mythology and a magical setting, Heather Ostler paints her unique spin on shape shifters and the difference between water nymphs and sirens. I wish I could fully immerse myself in the Lockham academy and underwater scenes of Sirenity. I found myself wanting much more filling out of details and world building. With little inventions like a parchment that writes and receives messages and a truth telling ring there is plenty of room for lots more imagination. 

I also am pulling for one side of the love triangle to move ahead. I’m hoping book three picks up the pace in swoon worthiness and character development because a huge whopper of a plot twist has been dropped.

Content: The Siren’s Secret is a clean read suited for middle grade and young adult readers and I am happy to recommend it to all. Mild violence.


About the author: Heather Ostler grew up near the mountains with a rambunctiously entertaining family. She majored in English at Utah Valley University, and soon began composing stories about masquerades, water nymphs, and shapeshifters. She and her husband, Kellen, reside in Highland, Utah with two remarkably pleasant pugs.

Find out more about author Heather Ostler: Goodreads/ Twitter/ Website


  The Giveaway: We have one ebook copy of The Siren’s Secret to giveaway to our readers! Open internationally, simply fill out the rafflecopter form to enter. Good luck and thanks so much to Heather Ostler for visiting Fire and Ice today.

Blog Tour and Giveaway- Demons by Heather Frost

29 Apr, 2013 by in giveaway 3 comments

Fire and Ice is happy to be today’s stop on the official Demons Blog Tour hosted by Cedar Fort Books and author Heather Frost. In honor of the release of Seers, we are giving away an ebook of Book one, Demons to our readers. Keep reading for details…

About Seers Trilogy: For Kate Bennett, surviving the car wreck that killed her parents means big changes — and even bigger problems. As she begins to see auras and invisible people, Kate must learn to trust Patrick O’Donnell, a handsome Guardian, or risk her life being overrun with Demons. She soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble. 

Read the prologue of “Seers”

Read the prologue of “Demons”

and Visit all the  Blog Tour Stops for more chances to win! 



Author Bio: Heather Frost was born in Sandy, Utah, and raised in a small Northern Utah town. She is the second oldest of ten children, and she loves her family very much. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in English at Utah State University. Heather has always been an avid reader, and reading and writing are among her favorite things to do. She also enjoys playing the flute, listening to all types of music, and watching a wide variety of movies. Guardians, the final book in the Seers Trilogy, will be released July 2013.

Learn more: Author Website/ Official Facebook Fanpage/ Twitter/ Goodreads


Purchase:


The Giveaway: Fire and Ice is giving away one Ecopy of Demons to our readers. Simply comment below to enter! 

Winners will be announced May 5, 2013. Open internationally.

Author Interview with Jeff Olsen – I Knew Their Hearts

19 Apr, 2013 by in author interview Leave a comment

Choose Joy.
Those two simple words are what the heavens whispered to Jeff Olsen after he lost his wife and 14- month old- son in a 1997 car accident. It would be 15 years later when Jeff would once again receive a whisper– this time telling him that this story of tragedy turned to healing needed to be shared and published. 
There are many lessons that come from reading about Jeff’s journey in his book I Knew Their Hearts. But what captured my attention most of all is the goodness of Jeff’s soul. Despite having lost his leg, enduring 18 surgeries, and daily pain, he is optimistic. He has a love for each person he comes in contact with– for the ER surgeon who attended to him right after the accident (now a dear friend), and for mankind.   in this poignant memoir, he describes his life, his near-death experience, and the years after. Jeff was given the gift of “knowing the beauty of each individual and seeing them as God sees them.” He knows their hearts.
 In our interview, he emphasized  “letting go of judgment and expectations; letting go of our agenda and being at one with what is.”
“Our lives are absolutely perfect. No matter what we are going through, it is all going to be okay. We are in very good hands.”
Jeff’s most rewarding experience in writing has come through the people he meets, and the emails and letters he receives.  “I knew if I would simply share my experience, people would heal from it.” 
“I got an envelope from my publisher soon after the book was published . I thought may be my first royalty check. Instead, inside was a 3 x 5 card with teeny tiny writing from a prisoner in the Clark County Jail of Vancouver. He wrote about his life, what he had lost and learned, and what had changed from reading my book. I wept with gratitude that I was able to play some part in helping another understand what they really are, instead of who they think they are.”
So often we read a book and we put it away without applying the lessons that it has to offer us. We pick up our life where we left off.  After reading I Knew Their Hearts, and talking to the author, I had to change my way of thinking. It caused a paradigm shift in me about our divine purpose and how to overcome adversity through love. This is one of those books that has the potential to change your heart if you let it. 
Thanks so much to Jeff Olsen for sharing his story and teaching that each of us should “seek stillness, find those things which resonate with our soul and make this time Heaven on earth, letting our heart guide us to God.”

Book Summary: After a tragic accident took the life of his wife and son, Jeff needed a miracle. This personal and poignant journey into the life after death shares the true story of Jeff’s out-of-body experiences and his newly remembered ability to communicate at a deeper level with people on both sides of the veil. It’s a moving read you won’t want to miss!


KSL Mormon Times video with the author:



 Jeff runs the Atonenow community on facebook and a group which gathers the 1st Friday of every month at the historic City and County building room 315 in Salt Lake City. He is in the process of writing book two about meeting his current wife, adopting two sons and how he and his oldest son put their lives back together.

My Loving Vigil Keeping Blog Tour

02 Mar, 2013 by in Uncategorized 4 comments

Fire and Ice is thrilled to be the stop on the official Cedar Fort Blog Tour for

My Loving Vigil Keeping
by Carla Kelly
Paperback, 400 pages
Published August 14th 2012
by Cedar Fort, Inc.
ISBN1599558971
Book source: publisher
5 stars
Summary From The Publisher: Della’s giving up all the comforts of bustling Salt Lake City to teach school in a rural coal mining camp. Little does she know, she may soon be giving up her heart as well. But when tragedy strikes in the Scofield Mine, Della’s life will be changed forever. Based on true events, this thrilling new romance from award-winning and bestselling author Carla Kelly is a must-read!
Heather’s Review: I had never heard of the Scofield Mining Disaster before reading Carla Kelly’s My Loving Vigil Keeping. Now, the event, the people who lived in the mining town of Winter Quarters and the history behind May 1, 1900 are forever etched in my memory. I really enjoy Carla’s new LDS Historical romances and this was no exception.

Ms. Kelly took personal interest in the stories of these men and women. I was so moved by the story I went online to find photos and additional histories about Scofield once I was done reading. The author has left her fingerprint in a story of the past by bringing it to life for readers of our generation–many of whom are ancestors left from the widows and fatherless children left behind by the mining tragedy. This book is authentic in its history; you will feel like you are really there. It also weaves in a few more characters from Utah’s history including Jess Knight and Mr. Auerbach of the prominent Utah department store rivaling ZCMI. This is a book I will be gifting for Christmas to my family. The pacing was a bit slow and there is a bit too much detail in the spa/kissing scenes for my taste, but that is only a small complaint.

I will read antyhing else Carla Kelly writes under Cedar Fort. She’s done justice and a tender act of service to the over 200 Finns, Welsh, Scotts and local LDS people who lost their lives. I loved Owen for his tenacity and tenderness toward his wife and child– Della for her bravery and spunk. My heart truly took in all the families of Winter Quarters and the humble but educated immigrants. Spot on, lovely character development. I’ll be taking a trip to the mine and cemetery now that I feel like I know Bishop Parmley and all of his men.

Bring a box of kleenex for this one.

Content: mention of naked women in a spa, detailed kissing scene and small bath scene. Recommended for adults

See the entire blog tour schedule here

About the author: Award-winning author Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America.    

Recently, she’s been writing Regency romances (think Pride and Prejudice) set in the Royal Navy’s Channel Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars between England and France. She comes by her love of the ocean from her childhood as a Navy brat.                                                                          

Carla’s history background makes her no stranger to footnote work, either. During her National Park Service days at the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Carla edited Friedrich Kurz’s fur trade journal. She recently completed a short history of Fort Buford, where Sitting Bull surrendered in 1881.
Following the “dumb luck” principle that has guided their lives, the Kellys recently moved to Wellington, Utah, from North Dakota and couldn’t be happier in their new location. In her spare time, Carla volunteers at the Railroad and Mining Museum in Helper, Utah. She likes to visit her five children, who live here and there around the United States. Her favorite place in Utah is Manti, located after a drive on the scenic byway through Huntington Canyon.
And why is she so happy these days? Carla is enjoying writing for an LDS audience now, where she feels most at home.
Find out more about author Carla Kelly: Goodreads/ Website/ Blog

Pip Goes to Camp Blog Tour and Review

27 Aug, 2012 by in middle grade reader Leave a comment

We are today’s stop on the official blog tour for Pip Goes to Camp hosted by Cedar Fort Books and Donna L. Peterson. Here’s our 5 star review…

Pip Goes to Camp (The Misadventures of Phillip Isaac Penn)
by Donna L Peterson
Hardcover, 144 pages
Published: August 14, 2012
by Cedar Fort Inc
ISBN: 1462110770
Book source: Netgalley
5 stars

Book summary from Book’s websiteSummer camp won’t know what hit them! Pip’s parents are sending him away on an adventure, but Pip’s sure a whole week at camp will be more like torture! Filled with fun comedy, eye-catching pictures, and an easy-to-follow storyline, this book is perfect for young readers and guaranteed to keep the whole family grinning to the very last page!

Cathy’s review: Phillip Isaac Penn or Pip as he’s called by everyone, is thrilled to finally be done with school for the summer. But his father informs him that he is leaving the very next day for “8 fun-filled days at summer camp!” Summer camp! Pip doesn’t want to go to summer camp, especially right after school ends. Pip’s father assures him that he is going to mature only Pip can’t find “mucher” in the dictionary, and he’s unsure of what it means or why he would even want to do it. Pip reluctantly climbs aboard the bus to summer camp only to find his nemesis, Cheater Chad, already aboard the bus. He knows there’s bound to be problems with Chad at the same camp and wants to run off the bus, but he sticks it out, only to find that Chad is not the worst boy at camp. Oh no! Join Pip and see what kind of misadventures he has in his week at summer camp.

This book was hilarious! I loved that you could sense Pip’s mischievous personality from the very first page. You can tell that he very much needs to “mucher” like his dad says. He’s always in trouble at camp, yet he’s not really a bad kid, he just ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time an awful lot. This book teaches kids to be treated how they would want to be, without sounding preachy. Kids are able to see the difference between Cheater Chad, Joker Joey, Show-Off Shad, Bossy Billy and Corrector Cora and how you really should act. This book would be a fun book to read aloud to your kids. It’s the second of The Misadventures of Phillip Isaac Penn, but it stands alone just fine. I hadn’t read the first misadventure and I had no problem understanding what is happening. I like that the book is fun for both adults and kids. 

Content: clean



About the author: Donna Peterson has enjoyed writing stories and poetry since she was in the second grade. Donna had her first book, The Misadventures of Phillip Isaac Penn: It’s Not Easy Being a Kid, published in 2011. She has also been published four times in the Idaho Magazine and wrote a weekly humor column, “Kaleidoscope,” for the Three Rivers Chronicle. Donna recently made a difficult decision to take an early retirement from her job of twelve years with the school district so that she will be able to spend more time doing what she enjoys most: writing for young readers. However, she has signed up on the sub list, so she plans on being involved with school activities.

Donna lives in Idaho with her husband, Brad, and their three beloved pets: Rusty, Sam, and Links. Her son Erik and his lovely wife, Shawna, live in Utah. Her other son, David, just joined them as a roommate while he plans on attending a nearby college in Utah.

Along with writing, Donna’s other favorite pastimes include Zumba and photography. Having her first children’s book published last year was a dream come true.

Find out more about author Donna L Peterson: Goodreads/ Facebook/ Website


Book Preview- My Loving Vigil Keeping

11 Jul, 2012 by in Uncategorized 1 comment

My Loving Vigil Keeping
by Carla Kelly
Paperback, 400 pages
Expected Publication Date: August 14, 2012
by Cedar Fort Inc
ISBN: 1599558971
Book Source: Netgalley
5 stars
Book Summary from Goodreads: Della’s giving up all the comforts of bustling Salt Lake City to teach school in a rural coal mining camp. Little does she know, she may soon be giving up her heart as well. But when tragedy strikes in the Scofield Mine, Della’s life will be changed forever. Based on true events, this thrilling new romance from award-winning and bestselling author Carla Kelly is a must-read!
Cathy’s Review: Della is a school teacher in the year 1899, she has taught school for two years in Salt Lake City, on the west side. She is the niece of prominent attorney Karl Anders, she’s been raised by them since her father died in a mining accident when she was young, but she’s never felt as though she were a part of the family. She spontaneously decided to take a teaching job in the small mining community of Winter Quarters, which her Aunt Caroline especially doesn’t approve of. The town of Winter Quarters is far up the canyon and it’s a bit of a trial to get there, even by train. The coal cars coming out of the canyon have the right of way on the train tracks, so the trains must wait on a side line and they shake uncontrollably as the coal cars rush by. This is very startling to Della, she’s used to the big city, not to the life of a remote mining camp. It doesn’t help that the principal of the school, Miss Clayson doesn’t like her, or her curly hair! And her little house burned down right before her arrival, so Della has no where really to live. Things are looking hard, but then she meets the children and falls in love with them. But will the children be the only ones she falls in love with?

I LOVED this book, even 3 days after finishing it, I can’t stop thinking about Della and the story. This story is a bit of historical fiction with romance thrown in. I had never heard the story of the Winter Quarters mine, but I find myself thinking about it and about the good people that lived there and worked in the mine. The plot was engaging, I didn’t want to stop reading. I loved the characters. Carla Kelly’s books are amazing and this book was no exception to that. I hope that there is a sequel to this one, I would really love to find out what happened to the people that lived in Winter Quarters.
Content: Clean

About the AuthorAward-winning author Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America. Recently, she’s been writing Regency romances (think Pride and Prejudice) set in the Royal Navy’s Channel Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars between England and France. She comes by her love of the ocean from her childhood as a Navy brat.                                                                                                        
Carla’s history background makes her no stranger to footnote work, either. During her National Park Service days at the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Carla edited Friedrich Kurz’s fur trade journal. She recently completed a short history of Fort Buford, where Sitting Bull surrendered in 1881.
Following the “dumb luck” principle that has guided their lives, the Kellys recently moved to Wellington, Utah, from North Dakota and couldn’t be happier in their new location. In her spare time, Carla volunteers at the Railroad and Mining Museum in Helper, Utah. She likes to visit her five children, who live here and there around the United States. Her favorite place in Utah is Manti, located after a drive on the scenic byway through Huntington Canyon.
And why is she so happy these days? Carla is enjoying writing for an LDS audience now, where she feels most at home.
Find out more about author Carla Kelly: Goodreads/ Website/ Blog

The Kindling Book Preview and Giveaway

05 Jul, 2012 by in middle grade books 7 comments

The Kindling
by Braden Bell
Paperback, 304 pages
Expected Publication Date: July 10, 2012
by Cedar Fort, Inc
ISBN: 9781462110278
Book Source: Publisher
5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads: All thirteen-year-old Conner Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn’t mean to set anyone’s gym shorts on fire or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Conner’s normal teenage life is about to go up in flames! 

This fast-paced novel is non-stop fun for kids and parents alike. With characters you can’t help but root for, a plot that keeps you guessing, and plenty of humor, it’s a guaranteed thrill ride from cover to cover!
Cathy’s Review: Thirteen-year-olds, Conner and Lexa Dell and their friend Melanie Stephens thought that they were normal teenagers, then strange things started happening. Things like middle school bullies pants starting on fire in the middle of gym class and the lights flickering on and off when they are upset or excited. These things seemed a little strange, but then Conner, Lexa and Melanie started noticing other things. There was a huge storm one night and Lexa and Melanie saw a strange man dressed in black, but no one else seemed to and that man in black seemed to have killed all the dogs in the neighborhood…at exactly the same time. Then there are their teachers at school, one of them is always around, even for things like trips to the office for a band-aid or to the bathroom. Weird! Then one day, everything seems to go wrong, each of the three friends earn 7 demerits in one day and all receive detention, which makes their parents furious. None of the three want to attend detention, so they decide to make a run for it and ditch detention…really bad plan. As they are trying to ditch detention in two different places, the kids are attacked by more people dressed in black, luckily they are being pursued by their teachers and the teachers are able to protect them. But they quickly learn that they have “Kindled” they are Magi, able to use light to fight darkness, but they’re only kids. How can they be normal kids and also Magi?

This book was amazing. I loved the engaging plot. I wanted to find out just what was going to happen next and the plot kept me guessing too. I enjoyed the characters, they seemed real to me, and I cared about what happened to them. I love this book, I think that this book will be an amazing book for kids to read, I can’t wait to read more of this series!

Content: Clean

About the author: Braden Bell earned  a Ph.D. in educational theatre from New York University. He and his family live on a quiet, wooded lot in Tennessee, where he teaches theatre and music at a private middle school–the world described in The Kindling (whether his evenings and weekends are spent fighting evil is something he cannot disclose). An experienced performer, Braden enjoys singing, acting, reading, gardening,  and long walks with the dog. 
Learn more about author Braden Bell: Goodreads/ facebook/ Website 
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Book Review- The Guardians of Elijah’s Fire

02 Jul, 2012 by in youth fiction Leave a comment

The Guardians of Elijah’s Fire
by Frank L Cole
Paperback, 272 pages
Published June 12, 2012
by Cedar Fort, Inc
ISBN: 1462110576
Book Source: Netgalley
4.5 stars
Book Summary from Goodreads: Just when they thought they were safe, Amber Trendon, and their classmates get yanked back into the action. With the Tebah Stick in enemy hands, Amber becomes a target, and it seems even her closest allies can’t be trusted. Now the gang will have to travel through enemy territory to protect a deadly ancient weapon that could cause the earth’s utter destruction.

This thrilling tale ups the action and doubles the danger. Bestselling author Frank L. Cole delivers an addicting read for adventurers of all ages.
Cathy’s Review: Things have settled down for Amber since her last adventure. She still thinks about Joseph and Dorothy occasionally, but she has other things going on, like school, homework and her very important 15th birthday. She cleans all of her birthday wishes out of her mailbox and finds a package with two very old, very important looking leather-bound books. Upon closer inspection, Amber realizes that they are the first and second Books of Kings from the Bible. She’s a bit perplexed, but just figures that Dorothy has sent them to her. She gets ready for bed and goes to sleep, only to wake to yet another nightmare of the creatures that she found in the cave as she searched for the hidden scepter, and a mysterious phone call from Joseph, warning her yet again about Dorothy. Dorothy can’t be as bad as Joseph says he is, is she? Amber doesn’t think so, but she is beginning to have her doubts. Things get really crazy the next day as Amber, Lisa and Trendon meet for dinner at a popular burger place, but their dinner is interrupted by what appears at first glance to be your basic robbery, until the robbers only want to take Amber and Joseph’s crazy uncle Jasher shows up as well. Just who can Trendon, Amber and Lisa trust to protect them from the threats that seem to appear on all sides?

I really enjoyed reading this book. The story line is packed with action and adventure from beginning to end. Amber is quite a smart character, I really enjoyed the way that you couldn’t tell until the very end who was lying and who was telling the truth. I think that this was a fun book for all ages!
Content: Clean

About the author: Frank L. Cole has lived in such exotic places as the Philippines and Kentucky, and currently lives with his wife and three children out west. While he strived for years to earn his publishing credits, Frank considers sharing his message of “Exercising Your Imagination” to over 30,000 kids across the country as his greatest accomplishment. The Guardians of Elijah’s Fire is Frank’s 5th published book and will release this June, 2012. You can learn more about his writing at franklewiscole.blogspot.com.
Find out more about author Frank L Cole Goodreads/ Blog/ Website/ Twitter