Back to the Books Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the Back to the Books Giveaway Hop!

This Blog Hop was organized by I Am a Reader Not a Writer & Buried in Books

Now that Summer is winding down it's time to get 

Back to the Books 

and snuggle up with some good ones you can find
by hopping around these blogs.

 Over 300 participating blogs are offering a book related giveaway and we are all linked up together so you can easily hop from one giveaway to another.  The hop runs from Thursday, September 1 through Wednesday, September 7.

Giveaway Details
I've teamed up with Nephi's Books for this Giveaway.  
Nephi's Books will give you a $10.00 credit 
AND I'll pay your shipping!

Start your Christmas Shopping now or
just pamper yourself with a lot of good books --
the choice is yours!

Super Simple to Enter

Just Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect (GFC) and leave me a comment with your contact info below.

You can have up to FIVE extra entries by:

1 for Following by Email
1 for Sharing this giveaway on Facebook - leave link
1 for "Liking" Nephi's Book Facebook Page - click through to "Like."
1 for "Liking" our new Books & Things Catalog Facebook Page - click through to "Like."
1 for "Liking" our Keepin' Up With LDS Bookstores Facebook Page - click through to "Like."

List your extra entries in SEPARATE comments.
The winner will be selected using Random.org
I'll then email the winner a code to use on www.nephisbooks.com

Last Day to Enter is Wednesday, September 7th
Winner will be announced September 9th

Thanks for stopping by. 
Feel free to browse around the blog while you are here.

Once you're done here, HOP on over to the other blogs and check out their giveaways! Happy hopping! 

Blog Tour & Book Giveaway: Conversations With a Moonflower by Chris Hall

Conversations With a Moonflower by Chris Hall; Cedar Fort

Available NOW from your Independent LDS Retailer 

listed on the right side of this blog.

I have been asked, "What is your favorite book?" and I usually respond, "The one I'm currently reading."  And where fiction is concerned, that is usually true.  But in March of this year, I read Conversations with a Moonflower and have read it a few times since then.  It's one of those kind of books -- and I would have to say that it is one of my all-time favorite books.  It so inspired me that I wanted to grow my own Moonflowers and requested the free seeds you can get when you buy the book.

I posted my first review of this book in April as I started this blog -(Click here to read it).  It was a book I just had to share --  so I bought several and gave them to my mom, my 5 sisters, my mother-in-law & 2 sister-in-laws.

The book also inspired another post I did in July, How Does Your Garden Grow? - (Click here to read it).  In this post you can see the start of my own Moonflower Garden and I show you a picture of Chris Hall's 30 bloom night.

My 1st Moonflower

My Moonflowers started to bloom the day I left to fly to Salt Lake for the annual LDS Booksellers Convention.  I was so afraid it would be all bloomed out before I got home - I was gone almost 2 weeks.

My husband took pictures several times and emailed them to me so I wouldn't miss out.

While at our LDS Bookseller Convention, I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Hall and sharing with her my Moonflower pictures my husband was sending me and she gave me some seeds from her Moonflower plant that I will grow next year.

I shouldn't have worried about missing my Moonflowers blooming.  My 8 plants have been putting on quite a show every night now for about a month.  About 10 days ago I actually had a 73 bloom night - probably really had more but that what I counted at 11:30 pm before I went to bed.  Here they are:

73 Bloom Night

One of my favorite chapters in the book is Bloom When You're Ready.

"We do not have to bloom when everyone else does.  We do not have to do things or accomplish goals on anyone else's timetable in order for our life to unfold in perfect order.  What is important is that we pay attention to all the signals we receive so we can bloom when the time is right for us."

As I have watched my Moonflowers bloom this summer some bloom slow and some just pop.  Here are 2 videos I caught of them - one blooming slow and another one pops.

I have had a lot of fun growing my own Moonflowers and everyone that comes over and watches them is just as impressed with their beauty and amazed they only bloom at night - so most people would usually miss them.

Are you ready to grow your own? How about winning a copy of the book?

Giveaway Details:

I'm giving away 1 Copy of  Conversations With a Moonflower with a packet of Moonflower Seeds if the  winner lives in the US/Canada or if an International winner they will receive an eBook copy.

Super Simple to Enter:

Just Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect (GFC) and leave me a comment with your contact info below.

You can have up to SIX extra entries by:

1 for "Liking" us on Facebook - Click the "Like" button on this blog.
1 for Following by Email
1 for Sharing this giveaway on Facebook - leave link
1 for Sharing this giveaway on Twitter. - leave link
1 for "Liking" our new Books & Things Catalog Facebook Page - click through to "Like."
1 for "Liking" our Keepin' Up With LDS Bookstores Facebook Page - click through to "Like."

List your extra entries in SEPARATE comments.
The winner will be selected using Random.org

Last Day to Enter is Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011
Winner will be announced Friday, Sept. 9, 2011

Thanks for stopping by. 
Feel free to browse around the blog while you are here.

 Click Here for all the Conversations With a Moonflower Blog Tour Stops

We Have a Winner in our 101 Gourmet Cake Bits Cookbook Giveaway

Thanks to everyone that participated and entered in the 

Virtual Book Blog Tour for  

101 Gourmet Cake Bites Cookbook.

This book is featured and the cover of the 

2011 Fall books&things Catalog.

Buy your copy from the Independent LDS Retailers 

listed on the right side of the blog.

Congratulations to our winner of 

101 Gourmet Cake Bites Cookbook

by Wendy Paul

Our Winner was selected by using Random.org

Rachel

from Alberta, Canada

Thanks for entering - come back often!

Blog Tour: Huber Hill & the Dead Man's Treasure by B. K. Bostick

Huber Hill & the Dead Man's Treasure Blog Tour 

by B. K. Bostick; Cedar Fort; 

Release Date October 8, 2011; 

Pre-Order NOW from your local Independent LDS Bookstore.

About the Book:  When his grandfather dies, Huber Hill is devastated---until he opens Grandpa Nick's mysterious box. An old gold coin and directions to a hidden Spanish treasure send him and his friends off on an mind-blowing adventure, but he's not the only one on the hunt. Filled with dangerous animals and cryptic puzzles, this book will have you on the edge of your seat until the last page.

About the Author:  B.K. Bostick resides among the magnificent Rocky Mountains. In addition to writing, he has spent his career in education. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Utah and his masters in psychology from Utah State University. He has worked as a teacher, after school program coordinator, junior high school counselor, and most recently as a teacher mentor for a university. He loves spending time with his lovely wife and two dogs. In his spare time, he enjoys eating Cheetos and watching old episodes of the Twilight Zone.

Want your own replica of the Dead Man's Treasure?  Click here and "Like" B.K.'s Facebook page and he'll send you one.

Brian sent me one - it's pretty cool looking.  I have it sitting by my laptop in my home office - My new lucky charm. 

Kay's Kritique:  Who doesn't dream of finding a treasure map and going on a hunt for buried treasure?  I read Huber Hill and the Dead Man's Treasure a little while ago and really enjoyed it even though it is geared toward young teens - I guess I'm still a kid at heart.  Brian developed very real characters and I really liked his twist with the school bully.  It was easy to lose yourself in the story and feel like you're right there with Huber, Scott & Hannah as they try to figure out the clues, outwit the bad guys, and see if there really is a Dead Man's Treasure.  Definitely on to put on the Christmas list, then sit back and enjoy.

Click here to visit other blogs on the tour.

Blog Tour & Book Giveaway: 101 Gourmet Cake Bites by Wendy Paul

101 Gourmet Cake Bites by Wendy Paul; Cedar Fort; 

On the Cover of the 2011 Fall Books & Things Catalog.

Available now from your Independent LDS Retailer.

About the Book:  You've seen them in bakeries, you've tasted their sugary sweetness, and now you can make your very own gourmet cake bites, cake balls, and cake pops right in your kitchen! Cute and creative, cake bites are the perfect way to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays. Featuring easy-to-follow instructions and helpful hints, you can make any day a special occasion! 

About the Author:  I'm a wife and mother residing in the great state of Utah (I have never been skiing...) who decided to write a cupcake cookbook, 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes. I have always loved to bake and cook, spending countless hours in the kitchen. It is cute, fun, and easy, even for the most novice baker. Your family and friends will be amazed with these delicious creations that you can bake for any occasion. 

My second book, 101 Gourmet Cookies for Everyone is a wonderful collection of my best cookies for EVERYONE! From Gluten-free to low-fat, low-sugar recipes, vegan recipes..... and traditional, this book has it all! I am so proud of these books and I am so grateful for this fantastic opportunity to share my most treasured recipes with you! 

There always is a reason to bake! 

Nephews enjoying Cake Bites

Kay's Kritique:  I love to cook and I've had fun with 101 Gourmet Cake Bites by Wendy Paul.  The first batch I made was the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake Bites, on page 31.  I was visiting my sister and my 5 nephews were very excited to be my "testers".  I got between 60-70 cake bites from 1 mix and they devoured that batch in 1 afternoon (I was able to salvage 8 to take to the office the next day).  I then showed my cousin how to make them with the Pralines and Cream Cake Bites on page 68.  We made these as cake pops and I found it easier to put the stick in right after they were dipped. I also made these bigger and they were very rich.  I think I like the smaller bites better.  When I got home from the LDS Booksellers Convention, I tried the Southern Red Velvet Cake Bites on page 75 so my husband and in-laws could try them.  Every recipe I tried was a hit with those that ate them.  

Southern Red Velvet Cake Bites

Wendy's instructions are easy to follow - so your kids or grand-kids can help with the fun. You get into a rhythm when making them so they make up pretty quickly.   Wendy gives you lots of icing recipes in the back to use in the cake bite recipes.  For 2 batches of them that I tried, I "cheated" and bought ready-made frosting and it worked fine.  

They freeze great - both as cake balls to dip and completed dipped cake bites.  

These are definitely on my list for holiday gift giving this year.  Once you try them, I think they will be on yours too!

Giveaway Details:

I'm giving away 1 Copy of 101 Gourmet Cake Bites if the  winner lives in the US/Canada or if an International winner they will receive an eBook copy.

Super Simple to Enter:

Just Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect (GFC) and leave me a comment with your contact info below.

You can have up to SIX extra entries by:

1 for "Liking" us on Facebook - Click the "Like" button on this blog.
1 for Following by Email
1 for Sharing this giveaway on Facebook - leave link
1 for Sharing this giveaway on Twitter. - leave link

1 for "Liking" our new Books & Things Catalog Facebook Page - click through to "Like."
1 for "Liking" our Keepin' Up With LDS Bookstores Facebook Page - click through to "Like."

List your extra entries in SEPARATE comments.

The winner will be selected using Random.org

Last Day to Enter is Saturday, August 20th 

Winner will be announced August 22nd.

Thanks for stopping by.  

Feel free to browse around the blog while you are here.

 Click Here for all the 101 Gourmet Cake Bites Blog Tour Stops

Is there a future for traditional bookstores?

I have always believed in the need for the Independent Bookstores.  We provide great products and a much needed service to our corners of the "Kingdom."  We can survive, and we need to survive.  We have the ability to provide a level of customer service that the "big guys" don't and can't provide, and you should be training your employees strongly in this area.

Nate Harris just shared with me a great article by Teri Harman on KSL.com - Book Matters: Is there a future for traditional bookstores?  It's worth reading the whole article.  The ideas presented are worth pondering and should be something we share with our customers to ponder as well.

There is something about walking into a quaint, local bookstore: books in every nook and cranny, the welcoming smiles of booksellers, eager to help put the right book in your hands and that smell — the wonderful smell of pages and words. Bookstores have always been one of my favorite places. I seek them out wherever I go; I look forward to regular visits.

Despite my love of these stores, I didn't fully grasp their importance and value until recently. Like most of us, I fell victim to the lure of huge discounts from retailers like Costco and Amazon. For someone who loves to collect books and reads voraciously, the idea of being able to buy more books for less money was too tempting. My independent bookstore purchases became a rare treat instead of a regular habit. . . .


Independent bookstores will continue on because they provide an invaluable service that discount and online retailers can't: personal, knowledgeable service. These booksellers read, know and love books and can match readers to books. The books we read are a personal experience, and to ensure the most meaningful experience it only makes sense to go to the experts for advice. . . .

Another service provided by independent stores is support of our local economies and communities. This support is crucial, and more shoppers need to understand the consequences of shopping outside the local community. . . .

Every time you spend $100 in a locally owned independent business, 68 percent stays in our community; when you spend that same $100 in a chain store, 43 percent stays here. When you spend $100 at Amazon, 0 percent stays here. . . .


The trend of publishers pushing books through discount and online retailers instead of through independent stores devalues books. And for someone who values books immensely, I knew I could no longer support such efforts.

So in answer to the question, "Do traditional bookstores have a future?" I say this: a big, emphatic YES!

Bookstores will have a future if we, those who read and those who love books, support the stores that make the most impact.

Personally, as a reader, book lover and a writer, I want my book money to count for more. I have committed to buying all my books from independent stores. I'm content buying fewer books knowing that the ones I do buy go to truly support the book community — my community. . . .

I also switched all the book links . . . from Amazon to the . . . independent booksellers.

If all readers do the same, then not only will our communities be better off, but bookstores will have a bright and lasting future.

This switching of links from Amazon and other "big" vendors to our Indie's is something I talked to a lot of people about at Convention last week - and got a very positive response from them.  They just want to move their product and they are happy if that is through you.  You just have to bring it in.  

It's all about servicing the customer -- with the greatest variety of products that support and inspire them and their families -- in the most convenient and efficient manner.  That's what we can do better than anyone else!

Google+ For Mormons: LDS Ways to Use Google Plus

I read a great blog post to help us understand Google+ and especially how it could be implemented within our LDS Lifestyle - Click here to read the complete post - Google+ for Mormons: LDS Ways to Use Google Plus [guide]

Here's an excerpt:

So you may have recently joined, or heard about Google+. Google what? Google Plus. Google Plus is the new “social networking” platform from Google. It’s much more than just “Google’s version of Facebook” as some people have called it, and it had over 20 million viewers in just 3 weeks—an incredible record for a social site. Not only that, but it may be the method of the future for communicating with other people. It’s very capable of replacing email, Facebook, twitter, Skype, and many other current communication tools. It also nicely moves all those features into one streamlined interface so you don’t have to learn new interfaces or ways of approaching things each time ... Unlike other guides you’ll find out there, we give some specific ideas about how you can use Google+ to share the gospel, coordinate and correlate for callings, serve others, and generally do things you can’t easily do with tools that existed before Google Plus came along. If you’re already comfortable with Google+, you may just want to skip to the LDS uses of G+ or advanced tips sections of this guide. . .

Uniquely LDS Uses for Google+

I posted on Google+ and asked a circle of LDS people about ways they were already or are thinking of using Google+ in uniquely LDS ways. Here are some of their excellent responses:
 
Pre-lesson feedback
Presidency correlation & scheduling
Organizing activities
Sharing the gospel
Spreading the gospel
Sharing ideas & online resources
Missionary work & personal strength
Priesthood discussion & bookclub
Correlation & communication
Personal history with Takeout
Genealogy
Emergency alerts
Connecting with Mormons on G+

Did you see anything in this list that you could use as well?  Not only in your callings, but maybe in your business too?  Any other ideas come to mind?  Share them below in the comments.

If you haven't yet been invited to Google+, you can send me an email or make a comment below with your email and request an invite so you can start getting acquainted with this.  

Again, you can click here to read the full post - it's worth the time and you'll probably want to bookmark it for future reference.
 

Blog Tour: Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Hueller

Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth, by Andy Hueller; Cedar Fort  

About the Book:  From the horrible orphanage at the center of the earth to his untamed red hair, Calvin Comet Cobble's life is out of his control. But when he meets Mr. E, who can skip a stone clear across Lake Arctic, everything about Cal's life changes. Told with wit and humor, this book is guaranteed to charm readers of all ages.

About the Author:  Andy Hueller is the author of Dizzy Fantastic and Her Flying Bicycle. He teaches at St. Paul Academy and Summit School and lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Debbie. He gives Cal Cobble credit for leading him to a career writing for younger readers. "I closed my eyes one day years ago and saw this boy with flaming red-orange hair and freckles that looked like smoldering embers. For some reason, he was living in a remote place and didn't have many friends. I wanted to figure out why he lived so far away and what it was like to be picked on for reasons he couldn't control." 

Kay's Kritique:  Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth is filled with imagination.  Middle age readers will enjoy the antics of Cal Cobble, (the 12 year old boy with bright red hair he can't control so it always looks like his head is on fire), and his side-kick, Bernie, (a 7 year old girl, who is Cal's best friend, and rarely wears shoes - just bright green socks on her overly large feet).  Join Cal & Bernie as they go up and down the fire poles, eat cheetah-cakes for breakfast and go on the adventure of their life with Mr. E, (who is an expert at skipping stones across Lake Arctic) into the Shadow. 

Other Reader's Reviews:

Click Here to read the full review by Britta at I Like These Books Blog:  This middle grade read was fun, adventurous, imaginative and overall, very entertaining. The younger audience is sure to love it. . . . This is a story of childhood and all the troubles that come along with it. Crazy teachers, mean kids, limited choices and rules, rules, rules. With the added aspect of the setting, Island Robert, this story is even more kooky, strange and entertaining than most. Robert is at the center of the earth (further explained in the story), half of the island is in light all of the time, that is the half that houses the orphanage. The other half is in complete and utter darkness, which houses a prison for only the most dangerous criminals in the world. Once you step into the shadow, you don't come out. . . .Obviously I was not the target audience for this novel, but I did enjoy it. I would recommend this especially for older elementary and middle grade boys. This is definitely a good one to buy for your sons, little brothers, nephews or grandsons. But that's not saying girls of the same age won't like it too.

Review from Over a Cuppa Tea:  Initially, I thought that I would not like this book, but boy was I wrong. Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Hueller is one tale you wouldn’t want to miss if you’re the kind of people who wouldn’t mind reliving your teenage emotions and fantasy.

Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Hueller is a very absorbing and gripping tale, and if you’re a fantasy lovers, you might want to consider reading this book.