Are you seriously kidding me?

Is it getting annoying that my one song link just keeps looping...playing over and over and over...ad nauseum? I love this song, but please. I'll remedy that but this weekend is the BIIIIIG ANWA Writer's Conference and then a few days after that it's splitsville for me...my spouse and I are flying to SPAIN! (Passport has been received!) Feel free to shut the dang song off yourself as needed.

Eventually my plan is to put up a set of songs that always puts me into my MC's frame of mind when I sit down to write. There won't be a lot of happy-go-lucky tune-age included. Sorry...but basically life's not that great for her at the outset, so the music might seem intense. Except when we get to the Taylor Swift stuff. Can't feel like high school without Taylor Swift tunes. Can't fall in like with a boy in high school without Taylor Swift strumming her guitar in the background and dropping tears on it.

Now the reason for the blog post...look at what Sue is giving away courtesy of Targus Inc. Are you seriously kidding me? (FYI: that's the link...if you see letters in brown in a post, that's the link)

Yes, I want to love my body

When Walnut Springs asked me to blog review a nonfiction book this time around, one entitled Love Your Body, my immediate reply was "I would love to love my body." Then when I saw the subtitle, A Diet-Free Approach to Balanced Eating I was totally on board.

Diet-free is my favorite phrase. Ever.

If it's your favorite phrase, too, you will want to read this book.

If you have issues with your body and what you put into it, you will want to read this book.

(Okay, I think that's everyone)

I've never been on a diet except for the kind that dictated I eat whatever I want, so I found many things helpful to me. Like in the very first chapter (p 16) there's a hunger/fullness scale. Learn to eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full, but don't keep going till you're stuffed. (Makes perfect sense, in theory.)

I love in chapter three where the author tells us how to make peace with food. We are told to look at a brownie the same way we look at an apple (p 37). I kid you not!

...each type of food has an important place in our lives. An apple can taste so refreshing. It is sweet, juicy, crunchy all at the same time. A brownie is rich, smooth, and very filling. It also does things to my taste buds that nothing else can. So, how can I call a brownie bad and an apple good, when both taste great in different ways...

You gotta love that!

The point of this chapter is that deprivation doesn't work, it only makes us want it more and that can lead to bingeing.

There's so much in this 160-page book, too much to even tell you about. It also includes exercises (no, not those kind of exercises--but the kind where you write down stuff and examine your inner self--that person inside that just wants to be happy and wishes you would quit doing so many crazy things in the name of body image and diet? Yeah.)

I guess my disclaimer in all this is that while I do have issues with my body, they generally hide well in a decent pair of jeans and not-too-fitted shirt. Well, and sometimes a baggy jacket is required. And I'm a writer. I sit at my keyboard in my sweats and fuzzy sox and have to apologize for my hair if someone comes to the front door, so I'm the last person to look to as someone that cares terribly about what she looks like. But I totally get all of it. Women subject themselves to crazy things because of body image and food.

Crazy, crazy things.

+Please note my last post for details of the blog tour and how to win your own copy of Love My Body by Brooke Parker, R.D. (that means she's a registered dietition!)

++To purchase the book, go here.

Love Your Body?

Are you tired of dieting and feeling unsatisfied with your appearance? In this book, registered dietitian Brooke Parker shares secrets for developing a positive body image and creating your own customized eating plan. You'll also learn how to replace negative thoughts about yourself with positive, motivating thoughts.

With the tools you master in Love Your Body, the scale, the media, and your skinny jeans will no longer have the power to determine your mood or your life!

Topics include:
€ Finding a New Relationship with Food
€ Honoring Your Hunger and Fullness
€ Finding Your Own Healthy Balance
€ Creating Healthy Expectations
€ The Inner Dialogue
€ Put an End to Worry
€ Your Body Is a Gift
€ Eliminating the Physical Triggers
€ Destructive Thinking Styles
€ Pampering Activities
. . . and many more.

Join the blog tour...first stop MY BLOG!

February 22 Valerie Ipson Of Writerly Things

February 23 Nichole Giles
Random-ish by Nichole

February 24 Danyelle Ferguson
Queen of the Clan

February 25 Rachelle Christensen
Rachelle Writes

March 1 Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen
The Write Blocks

March 2 Alison Palmer
Tangled Words and Dreams

March 3 Tristi Pinkston
*Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author

March 4 Sheila Stayley
Why Not? Because I Said So! and LDS Women's Book Review

March 5 Cami Checketts
Cami's Book

We will be giving away 5 copies of Love Your Body: A Diet-Free Approach to Balanced Eating as part of the online book book tour. The contest will close on March 5th at midnight, MST.

Entering the contest is easy--all you have to do is blog, tweet, follow, or comment about the book or blog review then fill out the form here.

1. Become a follower of our reviewers blogs. You can follow one of our reviewers or you can follow all of them. Remember that each blog you follow gives you another chance to win, so why wouldn't you choose to follow them all? But what if you are already following them you ask? Well lucky you because you get an entry for that too.

Walnut Springs Press
Brooke Parker RD
Of Writerly Things
Random-ish by Nichole
Queen of the Clan
Rachelle Writes
The Write Blocks
Tangled Words and Dreams
*Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author
Why Not? Because I Said So! and LDS Women's Book Review
Cami's Book

2. Post a comment on the reviews.

3. Blog about the contest or one of the reviews. Spread the word. Just remember that the blog post either needs to link to the contest or to one of the reviews.

4. Tweet about the contest or one (or all) of the reviews. Yep, 144 characters or less is all it takes to enter.

5. Follow us on twitter. Maybe you use twitter, maybe you don't. But if you do, you should follow us.
http://twitter.com/walnutspringspr
http://twitter.com/brookeparkerrd
http://twitter.com/valerieipson
http://twitter.com/nicholegiles
http://twitter.com/Rachellewrites
http://twitter.com/LDSWBR
http://twitter.com/camichecketts

6. Post about the contest on Facebook.

7. Become a fan of Love Your Body on Facebook. Brooke is constantly updating her fanpage with articles, recipes, and helpful hints.

8. Anything else you can think of that will spread the word. If you mention it on goodreads, shelfari, google buzz, or any other social media site, or make it your status on gmail chat, MSN or yahoo messenger let us know. We want to reward your creativity with an entry.

Here's that nifty little form again that you need to fill out to be entered, here.

Validation

This explains why I am so crappy at scrapping...

Today from Suzette Saxton's Shooting Stars' Blog:

My daughter came home from a friend's house with an exquisite, homemade valentine box and asked, "Mom, why don't you have a drawer full of old scrap booking junk? They always make cool art projects. I want to make stuff like this at home with you."

To which I replied, "It's because Mommy is a writer. All of my junk is stored up here." Taps forehead. "And that's where I like it because I take it with me wherever I go."

Daughter studies me with a frown. "What do you mean?"

"When I'm on the treadmill at the gym, my junk comes to life and it's like watching a movie while I exercise. Only, no one else can see it."

"Is that why you never hear me the first time I talk to you?"

............... long pause...............

"Did you say something, Sweetie?"

Daughter rolls eyes.

I have movies in my head. In fact that explains a lot of things.


[To find someone who knows scrapbooking, go here]

Win a Query Critique!

This is what I came across while blog-hopping--over at Elana Johnson's blog

The chance to win a query letter critique. You read it right. A. Query. Letter. Critique. In a writer's wildest dreams that is what they want most of all. A query letter critique.

But by whom, you may ask?

Only by one of these top five literary agents!

1. Kate Testerman-Shafer of KT Literary (critique will be posted on her blog, Ask Daphne)
2. Michelle Andelman of Lynn C. Franklin Associates (my fabulous agent!)
3. Mary Kole of Andrea Brown Literary Agency
4. Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary Agency
5. Joanna Volpe of Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation

The link above will take you to her site. Look for Pay it Forward Query Critique Contest for all the sweet details.

Her blog contest also links to another great blog contest and blog scavenger hunt at Shelli Johannes-Wells blog. Way awesome prizes for writers here, too--daily prizes and a grand prize involving marketing and agent critiqes!!

A Cheesy Valentine's Tribute

Sarah M. Eden's blog

And I didn't get Hershey Milk Chocolate Nuggets with Toffee and Almonds anything for Valentine's Day.

If the link won't work for you the way it won't work for me at this moment, then just go to this address... http://sarahmeden.com/2010/02/my-valentine-cheesy-video-tribute.html

And the rAndOmLy- selected WINNER...

...of the beautiful, amazing, awesome bookcase valued at $60 from csnbookcases.com is

(DRUM ROLL)

JOHNSONTEAMMOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO! Congrats!


Now for the winners of $15 worth of Vinyl Expressions Vinyl Lettering:

1) Todd G!!!

2) Danyelle Ferguson!!!

I didn't reach my lofty goal of 100 followers, but feel like giving anyway, so a random winner was chosen just from the list of followers, and that winner is

Joan Sowards!!! $15 of vinyl lettering for you, too!

Thanks to CSN Bookcases for the awesome prize giveaway. (Please show them some love by clicking on the link above to peruse their great selection of bookshelves.) And for the rest of you...it's an honor just to be nominated...I mean to be in the contest, right? :)

*Winners please email me your addresses ASAP, so that your prizes can be on their way. Grand prize winner I will need to know which bookcase you choose and for vinyl lettering recipients I will send some info on how to custom design your lettering*

May I expound?

On my sidebar I have been advertising a writer's conference that will take place in Mesa, AZ at the end of February. I don't know if you realize the awesomeness of the authors who will be presenting at this conference, so let me tell you...


J. Scott Savage--author of the Farworld fantasy series and very funny, entertaining speaker. He's flying in from out of state to be the keynote.


Excuse me. Author of the bestseller Wings! Aprilynne Pike from right here in Phoenix. I can't wait to hear about her writing journey that took her all the way to the top.


These is My Words author Nancy E. Turner. Another Arizonan. She is an expert on historical writing.


Magazine writer, Sara Fujimura She really knows the biz.


Dr. Pamela Goodfellow--writing coach, editor, and publisher. Here to share all the ins and outs of the publishing market.


What's hot right now? Ebooks! Marsha Ward has bravely delved into this new world and will teach us how. She's the author of the Owen Family Series--there's a trailer on my sidebar featuring her newest release Trail of Storms. She's the founder of ANWA and mentor to many.


Counselor and author, Helen Bair will show us how to unlock the creative mind.


Doug Johnston, Publicist and Owner of Little Red Ride Promotions, will address all you want to know about publicity for you and your book

Click the link for more info: Awesome Writing Conference
Conference sponsored by


Where else can you get so many successful authors at such a bargain price! I've been attending ANWA's conferences for years and always loooooooove them, but this one just may prove to be the best. (And I'm not just saying that because I am the General VP of this fine writing establishment.)

Working on my novel today

Yeah. It's like that.

February begs for a good romance novel...

Don't let the title fool you, it is not a biography about me and my husband. (I'm kidding. It's a joke, honey.)

It was written by my friend, Donna Hatch, and I know for a fact it is not about her and her husband either. Look at her, she's lovely. She would never marry a stranger.


It's actually a wonderful love story that keeps you guessing. Believe me, you'll think you know, but do you really know...

Here's the romantic scoop...“The Stranger She Married” is Book One of the Rogue Hearts Series. Torn between a disfigured war hero with the heart of a poet, and a handsome libertine who may not be all he seems, impoverished Alicia must marry by the end of the month. Despite a murder threat looming over her, learning to love the stranger she married may pose the greatest danger of all...to her heart.

Get the book. A box of chocolates. Your husband to rub your feet. You're good to go.

Order on line at thewildrosepress.com

(And for the record, I did not write that book blurb. I have never in my life used the word libertine in a sentence.)

BOOKED!

Not in this way...


...which, of course, I would never complain about, but BOOKED in this way...



WE'RE GOING TO SPAIN!!!!!!!!!

(No, not YOU--I'm giving away a bookcase, remember, not plane tickets to exciting world destinations--maybe you can purchase a book about Spain for your bookcase or something really drastic--visit your local library. You're responsible for your own Spain fix. Sorry.)

Now, back to the WE'RE GOING TO SPAIN!!!!!! thing.

WE'RE GOING TO SPAIN!!!!!!!!!!...my husband served a mission there, always wanted to go back, always wanted to take me, and now, 28 years and 8 kids later, we're realizing the dream (baby!).

Who knows but that in about a month's time I'll be standing innocently in a market in Valencia, Spain and...



I'm guessing I'll be more like the ones oohing and ahhing and pointing and weeping than the ones singing the lov-ely opera, but I CAN"T WAIT!

[Speaking of bookcases, you've got 12 MORE DAYS to enter thyself in the GRAND BOOKCASE GIVEAWAY. The link at the top of my sidebar right there (I'm pointing) will take you there]