LAST CHANCE to ENTER! "Roundup of Memories" Contest!

Share your favorite childhood memory or a story from your family history for a chance to win prizes and be published on the Inglestone Publishing Web site.

In celebration of the recent release of Counting the Cost by bestselling author, Liz Adair, Inglestone Publishing invites you to participate in a Roundup of Memories.

Counting the Cost is historical fiction, set in New Mexico and Arizona in the 1930s. Brilliantly told, the story is based on events from Liz Adair’s own family history. Since the spring roundup is a central element in Liz’s book, for our Roundup of Memories, you are invited to join in the fun by submitting a favorite memory or family history story of your own.

1. Submissions should be a memory of your own or a story of one of your own ancestors. To see samples, visit http://inglestonepublishing.com/index.php?cmd=contestlist

2. Submissions should be 300 to 500 words long and you may submit as many as you wish.

3. To submit your entries, simply visit http://www.inglestonepublishing.com/, click on the Roundup of Memories logo and fill out the simple form.

4. Submit entries by 11:59 p.m. on May 20. Selected submissions will be published on the Inglestone Publishing Web site; and the winners will be announced May 25.

Contest winners will receive:

*An autographed copy of Counting the Cost by Liz Adair

*Copy of “Using Family History in Fiction” by Liz Adair

*“Gold nugget bag” of chocolate coins

Grand Prize Winner will receive all of the above, PLUS $10 gift certificate to Amazon.com

Have you already read Counting the Cost? If so, please tell us how you liked it! E-mail your feedback to Cecily Markland, cm@inglestonepublishing.com

Thank you to the bloggers who helped us spread the word about the Roundup of Memories. Pay a visit to our guest bloggers to see the other fun things they're blogging about!

Valerie Ipson: http://valerieipson.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Abney: http://stephaniesaysso.blogsKerstenpot.com/

Chas Hathaway: Making Moments - http://chas.willowrise.com/

Kersten Campbell: Life on the Funny Farm - http://kersten4.blogspot.com/

"Life is Tough" Book Tour

Welcome to one of the stops on the "Stayin' Alive with Stacy" virtual book tour for Stacy Gooch-Anderson’s new book, Life is Tough, I Doubt I’ll Make it Out Alive.

Stacy was a bit of "life saver" for me eight months ago, when I was several hundred miles from home and she--in the midst of kids' soccer games, a heavy book promotion schedule for her first book and other typical complexities of a busy mom's Saturday--took time to stop by the convention where I was, just to meet me and to say hello. She was just doing what she does, just being Stacy; and, yet, for me, her small act of kindness had much larger proportions--throwing my downward spiral into an instant u-turn that sent my spirits soaring.

Now, with her new book, Stacy again is doing "her thing" -- throwing out her simple, timely, and oh-so-significant life savers right and left. In fact, as part of this tour, Stacy is passing along a "Life Saver" at each stop, and then will expand each of those on her blog: Stayin’ Alive With Stacy. For this stop, here is Stacy's Life Saver:

"Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves
for they will never cease to be amused."

Oh, Stacy, you're brilliant! How could you have known I needed to hear THAT one today? For here I am, at 2:28 a.m., with post-tax-filing (more like extension-filing) papers still strewn around, but immersed in trying to figure out how to post a picture on a blog! Not only that, but on the couch next to me sits the recipe for healthy Balsamic Chicken that I typed up for a newsletter today, while on the other side, are the incriminating crumbs of a Paradise Bakery cookie...and, well, I think you get the idea. Sometimes--when life seems to be spinning momentarily out of control--you just have to laugh.

Stacy illustrates that so well in one of my favorite chapters in her book. In "Life Lesson Number Twenty-seven," she begins: "Remember, no matter how difficult your problems may be, someone will always have one that is a little harder."

I used to wear a Noah's ark watch to remind me of that fact--that no matter howbad things may have seemed in my life at the time, there was always someone who was getting rained on a little more than I was! And, besides, that rainbow always appears. In this chapter Stacy describes a time when quite a bit of rain was falling in her life. At the outset of the chapter, with her own brand of humor, she tells about taking one of son's to a doctor's visit. I won't spoil it by telling you what happened, but I guarantee it will make you smile, if not laugh out loud. She has a way of drawing you in that way. You'll be right with her, too, as within a few paragraphs the mood changes and Stacy describes the horror that set in for her and her family when, after that visit, "His urinalysis came back with significant traces of blood." You feel her concern, her worry, her sheer terror, but, also, you feel yourself learning right along with her as she ends with, "It was nice to finally know rather than to merely hope that prayers are answered and miracles still do happen in a very uncertain world."

Truly, that's exactly what Stacy's book will do for you over and over again as she shares her own life experiences, without pretense or "prettying up." It will give you a very good laugh; but, more than that, it will reach to your core, touch your heart, and help reground you. It will be a Life Saver...for sure.

Thank you, Stacy!

You can buy Stacy’s book at Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble, Deseret Book and Seagull books. And, don't forget to see what Stacy has to say on her blog at: Stayin’ Alive With Stacy.

Happy Thanksgiving! What are you most thankful for this year?

Insight of the Day

Click on this cool banner to sign up to receive FREE insights of the day...some great ideas to help you focus on all that is positive in your life! Try it...you can always opt out if you'd like!

Reflections of Christ exhibit

Thanks to Brian Duffin with Millenial Star for asking me to write a guest blog about the Reflections of Christ exhibit at the Arizona Temple Visitors' Center.
That guest blog was posted this morning, so check it out at: http://www.millennialstar.org/2008/03/04/guest-post-reflections-of-christ-if-you-build-it-they-will-come/
Writing that post gave me a great opportunity to reflect on the exhibit and the fabulous offering it represents. From Mark Mabry's fabulous photography, to the amazingly well-done documentary by Cameron Trejo, to the soul-inspiring music by Clyde Bawden and Jason Barney--the combination would be unsurpassed if judged by artistic merits alone. Then, you add in the sacrifice, love for the Savior and testimony of his eternal nature that these artists and the 100 other volunteers infused into every detail--and what you have is so much more than an exhibit. It's an experience that changes perspectives, softens hearts and leaves viewers better for having taken the time to look at their Savior from a new perspective.
Thanks to Mark and all.
To learn more, read my article in this month's Arizona Beehive (http://www.arizonabeehive.com/) or visit Mark Mabry's blog: http://mabrystudios.typepad.com/reflections_of_christ/

Hi All...
Thanks for stopping by to check out my blog. In addition to the events, special sales and book reviews that are posted on my Web site, this blog will provide the latest "buzz" about fun family events and more.
Stop by often and share!