THE "I'D RATHER BE ANYWHERE BUT HERE" CONTEST

We're living in what Johnny Mathis described as a "Marshmallow World," or snow, snow, everywhere. The forecast for this coming week is a delicious wintry mix of ice, sleet and slush. Hooray!

I don't mind this weather. In fact, if the truth be told, I rather love it because such a weather event shuts everything down and locks us in, and that sounds perfect to me.

But even paradise wears old after a while, so maybe you're ready, hungry, ravenous for spring. Well, I can't do much about that, but I can help us all begin to dream of better, more varied vistas. . .

How, you ask?

Think of a setting you drooled over in a recent read. In the comment block below, post the setting, what intrigued you, and what book it was featured in. It'll be fun to begin mentally planning our getaways. Introduce us to some exotic spots on the globe, or maybe some quaint but overlooked spots close to home. Post as many locations and their books as you desire. We'll draw a name on Friday and I'll ship the winner a copy of one of my books along with a copy of another book I've recently read. That's two-fer that'll keep a reader busy for a while.

Ready, set, inspire us!

BOOK NOOK REVIEW

THE PRODIGAL SON

by

Alison Palmer

First-time novelist Alison Palmer takes a nightmare of a premise and examines it with agonizing honesty in The Prodigal Son. This novel digs deep on every level, holding up a mirror for her readers who will likely see a fragment of themselves in every, suffering, complex character.

Imagine every parents' greatest fear--that in a moment of lapsed vigilance your child is kidnapped. Now compound that guilt by having this sorrow hit you on your worst day, the day life overwhelms you to the point you actually regret, just for a moment, being a parent at all. This is Sarah Wells' horror. For fifteen years, she and her husband soldier on in their marriage.

As hope dims on Adam's return, they carry on with their lives, raising their oldest son Michael, attending church and being good neighbors, but all the while, the underlying pain festers. And then one day, their missing child returns to their lives--broken, angry and unlovable--in the care of the person who stole him away, and every scabbed-over wound bleeds anew. All the old excruciating emotions return as well--guilt, sorrow, hope, anger, love.

Their faith in the Gospel of Christ injects additional questions that give the reader pause as well--"Are there some offenses for which we are not required to forgive?" And "Why isn't the peace of the Atonement working for me?" As time passes, Sarah realizes she is not alone in her wrestle. The impact of the Adam's loss had deeply impacted her husband, Jordan, and Michael as well.

Though The Prodigal Son is Ms. Palmer's first novel, it is by no means her first book. Palmer has five previous non-fiction books on raising and teaching children to her credit. She is also a nurse who has written extensively on a wide variety of medical topics. She pulls from both these worlds--child development and health--adding realism and believability to this book. She does not patronize, and you'll thank her for dragging you through the hard stuff, because The Prodigal Son will make you think, and feel, and be grateful.

Despite its painful honesty, this book is filled with hope. I couldn't put it down, and the lessons stay with you. One that hit me powerfully involves a moment of anger when Sarah blames the kidnapper for leaving her beautiful Adam broken and damaged. A friend points out a startling possibility--that perhaps that's who he would have been regardless of who had raised him, reminding us that being the best, most prepared and stable family we can be is no guarantee we won't suffer over rebellious children. And then the book illustrates, in painful detail, how a family in such distress, can use faith in Christ's Atonement to move forward.

The bulk of the book deals with the family repercussions created by Adam's return. The themes are broad enough to transcend this specific storyline. Most readers will easily identify with Jordan Wells' worries of spiritual inadequacy, Sarah's hunger to bore into her child's closed heart, perfect son Michael's frustration over the upheaval Adam's reappearance brings to his own world.

After careful consideration, Alison Palmer chose to follow a growing trend and self-publish The Prodigal Son. The formatting and layout are not standard, and that is distracting, but don't let these issues deter you from a spectacular read. My hope is that some savvy publisher will snap this book up and give it the attention it deserves. In the meantime, snap this one up. It's available at Amazon in paperback or Kindle format.

A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

Some days I simply have nothing interesting to say. Ahem. . . . (Sadly . . . you may have already noticed that a time or two.) But fortunately, my writing community provides access to loads of talented and fascinating friends with great personal stories and insights into the craft. Tristi Pinkston, an LDS author with six published novels to her credit, is my guest today.

Newer fans to Tristi's work probably know her best as an author readers can bank on for a thoughtful read peppered with laughs. Pinkston's rapier wit delivered high intensity humor in her last two novels which pivot around matron Ida Mae Babbit and her frequently out of control band of well-intentioned, crime-fighting, Relief Society sisters.

Secret Sisters launched this uncharacteristic yet unforgettable cast, and Dearly Departed, Ms. Pinkston's most recent release, sets Ida Mae off on a rip-roarin' effort to secure your old age. You'll laugh and want to adopt these ladies. Tristi has a knack for creating adorable, endearing characters. She is currently giving away three copies of Dearly Departed in a Goodreads Giveaway.

But despite her gift for humor, Tristi Pinkston's long-standing fans know she began her career writing historical fiction, (Strength to Endure, Nothing to Regret) before venturing off into the area of romantic suspense in her well-recieved 2009 release, Agents in Old Lace.

With such a string of successful novels under her belt, Ms. Pinkston has advice to spare on the craft of writing, but this home-schooling mother of four is also a time-management genius. Think you can't find time to explore your hunger to write? Tristi will show you how. Here's how this busy wife, mother, author describes herself:

"I'm a Cubmaster, an online writing instructor, a freelance editor, a real good ignore-er of housework, and I microwave a mean corn dog. Or rather, I delegate the microwaving of a mean corn dog."

Whew! Got the picture? Feel inspired? Terrific!

Tristi and I were feeling whimsical this week, so we each drew up a few questions we've alway wanted to ask one another. Here is my interview with the delightful Tristi Pinkston.

1. Your name is so darling and perfect as a pen name, and yet it's your real name! So where did your first name come from, and what if your hubby's last name would have been Schnicklefritz? You know, no matter what I pair with "Tristi," it still comes out cute!

My first name—well, this is an interesting story. While my mom was pregnant with me, she was at the grocery store, and overheard a mother call her son “Tristin.” Yep, her son. But my mom thought, “That would be a great girl’s name.” So she came home, informed my dad, and when I was born, I was Tristin. Over time, that got shortened to Tristi. My last name—well, that’s a story too. I didn’t know my husband’s last name when he first asked me out. We were in a single young adult ward together, and we both knew who the other was by first name. When he asked me out, I said yes, and it was only the next day that I realized I had no idea what his last name was. It was kind of awkward on our first date. I tried to work up to it casually. “So, um, what’s your last name?” It was smooth. Very smooth. But pink is my favorite color, so it all worked out. If my husband’s last name had been Schnicklefritz, I probably would have used my maiden name on my books. It would just be better that way. You weren’t expecting such a long answer to your question, were ya?

2. Your "Secret Sister" books are so filled with whimsical women and small-town charm. What do you draw upon to create your characters and settings? Are you from a small town?

These little ladies just popped into my head, fully formed, and so did the town. I had to do very little to bring them to life. If I need a street, poof! It appears in my head. I just sit here and write down everything I see.

3. You've got one of the quickest wits in the biz. Share a tale or two when that gift saved you, or got you into trouble as a child.

I was actually a pretty serious child, and an even more serious teenager. My parents separated when I was thirteen, and I was thrust into an adult role pretty quickly. The grocery shopping and housework fell to me, and I never went through that teenage giggly stage that most girls go through. It wasn’t until my very late teens that I started to loosen up and have some fun.

4. I know your early books were historical fiction, and in fact, you tackled some heavy topics. What genre do you prefer, and do you see yourself returning to that genre again?

I will absolutely return to historical fiction. I love it. But for right now, cozy mysteries are what I need to do. Historical fiction takes so much work and mental dedication, and you really need to be in the right place emotionally to write it. For me, writing a cozy mystery puts me in a place of joy and discovery, and that’s where I need to be for right now.

5. What single book or author most influenced your desire to be an author and tell stories? What was it that touched you?

A single author? You’re limiting me to just one? Ya big meanie! Okay, let’s see. Ann Rinaldi was my inspiration for historical fiction. She has a way of taking a moment in history and bringing it to life. I knew I wanted to do the same thing for my readers. Dee Henderson was my example for romantic suspense with religious elements. That woman can sure tell a story. My cozy mystery mentor … hmmm. Selma Eichler. Ann George. Joanna Fluke. Dorothy Gilman. I know that’s more than one, but I can’t just narrow it down to one. It’s impossible! Ya big meanie.

Thanks, Tristi! You can read more about Tristi and her books on her blog.

DO WE ALWAYS SAY WHAT WE MEAN?

Stink bugs are a huge problem here in Maryland. They're an Asian bug that hitched a ride to the U.S. in a piece of furniture, and since they're not indigenous, they have no natural predators here in the states so they multiply until swarms literally coat your outside walls and swarm you when you walk. And to my knowledge, we have no sure repellent for them either.

So they are a huge nuisance, entering even the cleanest, tightest homes on your clothes and in your grocery bags. We pick them off the walls and pray one doesn't get squished because the scent they give off is . . . well . . . stinky.

My daughter's two-year-old son, Brady, loves these pests. He will obsess over their whereabouts all day crying, "Bug! Bug! Bug!" until he gets hoarse. They're harmless, so Amanda will allow one or two to crawl in his hand so he can see them close up and feel the tickle. When Brady is finished playing with the bug, his mama instructs him to toss it in the toilet and say, "Bye bye, bug," and then . . . you've got it . . . flush the critter away.

For Christmas, Brady's daddy, Nick, bought him a bug terrarium, and they quickly found a few winter survivors for Brady's bug house. This was, perhaps, Brady's favorite Christmas toy. He 'd carry the terrarium around saying, "Bug! Bug!" while proudly displaying his pets for all to see.

One day, however, Brady was hollering, "Bug! Bug! Bug!" ad nauseum, until his voice became hoarse, (and until his mother and sleepless baby sister were about to go mad), so Amanda told Brady, "That's enough, Brady. Time for buggy to go bye-bye." Her plan was to distract Brady on to another activity, but a few moments passed and she heard noise in the bathroom. Unbeknownst to her, Brady had promptly obeyed his mother's directions.

She heard some bumping in the bathroom, and then the flush. When she went in to check on him, Brady had submerged the entire terrarium into the potty, and was attempting to flush his critters and their plastic chateau down the drain.

At the moment, his mother was of mixed humor. She had a mess to clean up, but the innocent attempt of the child to obey her was not lost in that concern. She had given a direction, and Brady had, to the best of his ability, obeyed her.

It provided an interesting reminder about example and direction. Could another line of instruction saved the day? You bet. "Brady, it's time to take the buggies out of their house and make them go bye bye." (Forgive me if this entire scenario makes you want to call PETA, but honestly, we are over-the-top sick of these bugs.)

Just because we know what we are saying, it in no way guarantees that the listener does . . . or the reader. We need to listen with our eyes, so-to-speak--to create a visual image of what we're saying, so we can see the instructions as the child would. Or as the reader would.

In writing, it provides another reason to get additional eyes on your project, to have several people read your work to be sure they see and hear what you intended. It's particularly true in a long section of dialog where, in avoiding dialog tags, we can confuse the reader as to whom is speaking. A miscue here can complete alter point of view, perspective, and in some cases, the entire book, leaving our reader, and our work, well . . . in the toidy.

ZUMBA-A-GO-GO, GREAT, THOUGH A VISUAL NO-NO

My daughters-in-law, two gym-enthusiasts, tuned me into the newest exercise-craze--Zumba Dancing--which is a mix of Latin, Caribbean, and African rhythms and moves. The music was energizing, and who of us hasn't dreamed of knocking out a sexy Samba on the living room rug?

I always pork up during every intense writing project, (it's a gift) from sloughing off exercise and snacking instead of eating proper meals. One day, when I was reduced to pulling out a pair of "larger-sized-I'll-starve-before-I-succumb-to-wearing-these-again" jeans, (have some of those?) I saw an advertisement on TV for Zumba DVD's and Rhythm Sticks. I bought some.

The reason was two-fold. I needed an exercise that didn't bore me so I'd be encouraged to yank on my fleece (you'll appreciate this older post about my exercise-attire-swagger) , plus I wanted to up my cool, with-it, on-board quotient with my girls, even though I know that the very act of using those words, and feeling a need to do it, means the cause is highly doomed to failure.

I've been Zumba-ing all week. Now mind you, I broke the introductory session into a three-day program. (Not the introductory DVD, the introductory, explanatory, show-you-how-to-do-the-moves session...)

The results? My feet ache, my calves throb, my arms are ouchy and my back is a bit sore. But what did Jane Fonda say bout exercise? "Feel the burn?" It must be working some muscles!

All-in-all, I love it! I don't dread popping in the DVD and I already feel some changes in my core. Does it meet it's promise that I'll feel sexy? (Insert a loud guffaw right there.) Right now I tightly shut the blinds because a peek at the Laurie-Zumba show could be considered a crime against humanity, and if anyone filmed this and put it on Youtube it would become an instant, viral humiliation of epic proportions.

Seriously, the important thing is that I may have found something that even if performed awkwardly and clumsily, seems fun and effective. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, so I modify some of the moves, but I think if I pair this with the stretching benefits of a very basic and clumsily-performed Pilates DVD, I can get maintain an enjoyable cardio and stretching program that takes only 30 minutes and keeps me moving.

ONE LIGHT BULB AT A TIME

I didn't write this little tale, but I agree with it, and let me also add a little historical perspective.

Unfair taxation was at the heart of the Revolution. Trade was at the heart of the War of 1812. At it's most basic core, oil was at the crux of the Desert Storm. Money and business matter. A healthy economy is as crucial to liberty as armies and laws. Every American should realize that by now.

So with this sobering intro, I share this little post. It's not new, but hopefully we'll all look at it through new eyes, and apply the lesson.

One Light Bulb at a Time

(This additional intro is offered by an anonymous contributor.

A physics teacher in high school, once told the students that while one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow a train very much, a billion of them would. With that thought in mind, read the following, obviously written by a good American.Good idea ... one light bulb at a time Check this out. I can verify this because I was in Lowes the other day for some reason and just for the heck of it I was looking at the hose attachments. They were all made in China . The next day I was in Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it I checked the hose attachments there. They were made in USA . Start looking. In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else - even their job. So, after reading this email, I think this lady is on the right track. Let's get behind her!)

My grandson likes Hershey's candy. I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico now. I do not buy it any more.Jack Links Beef Jerky Meat is made in Brazil ! What's wrong with USA meat??? Won't buy theirs anymore either!My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico ... now I have switched to Crest. You have to read the labels on everything.

This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60 W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off-brand labeled, "Everyday Value." I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - they were the same except for the price. The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA in a company in Cleveland , Ohio .So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day that are made right here.

So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets... yep, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada . The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at almost half the price!

My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!

THE ENEMY, UNWRITTEN PAGE

I recently read a comment by a writer poking fun at writers over the things we do to avoid writing. On first glance, it would appear to be contradictory. Writers who purposely avoid writing? Then why do they write?

Good question.

Let me put the idea into an alternate frame of reference. Do you have a water streak running down the cabinet under the kitchen sink? Maybe a tub that needs a scrub? Do you always attend to those chores right away? While that example addresses the avoidance issue, it misses the rest of the "to write or not to write" conundrum. Let me try another example.

Have you ever watched a cooking show, printed out the recipe, purchased the ingredients, put them away, and then delayed making the dish until the fresh ingredients spoiled, resulting in having to put off the dish for another day?

Avoiding the water streak and the bathtub ring is pure avoidance--we know what clearly needs to be done and we just don't want to do it. Some days, that's how I feel about writing.

The recipe? We want to make that perfect dish, in fact, our mouth salivates to taste it, but maybe we're not in the mood to make all that mess and have all that clean-up, and maybe we're just worried that after all that investment of time and effort, it'll be a flop. Similar concerns are what prevent most budding authors from ever getting published.

And sometimes we just stand before an opened cook book or fridge with no idea what we want to prepare. That's the very worst feeling for a writer.

I completely relate to these problem. I don't fully understand them, but avoidance and procrastination appear to be universal problems for authors and writers, and I'm assuming for people who labor in the other arts as well.

Every time I hit a roadblock, can't find the right word I'm seeking, or see an unexpected change coming in the plot, I leave my chair. Sometimes I grab a snack, wash a dish, change a load of laundry, dust a table, get a drink, pull up Facebook for a minute or just walk around. If you watch closely, I pop in and out of Facebook about fifty times a day for minute or two. If you see me on there, I've probably hit a snag.

For me, it's a problem with a variety of causes at its root. Sometimes I'm just not "in the groove" and able to "feel" my characters or the day's scene. Sometimes I just plain don't like what I've written and I know before I can proceed I have to do some painful "word-ripping" which I delay until I'm certain about where I'm now going to head. Sometimes I'd just rather watch a rerun of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" and flake out.

What helps? Some people actually force themselves to sit there until they bust through the roadblock. I'm too time-conscious to sit unproductively, so I get up and attend to some other need. Besides, I think better when I'm active. Some people go to the library to write where there are fewer distractions. Now that's an idea that has merit.

I an a snacking-writer, and that plays havoc with my waistline. I need to keep my blood sugar level even or I literally fall asleep at the keyboard. I've awakened to erratic keystrokes in my manuscript, and one day I nearly fell out of my chair. So I'm learning to leave the keyboard when I get tired and unproductive, rest or rejuvenate, and then return.

I work a lot of plotting and character development out in in the car while I'm driving. I often arrive home with a clear view of where I'm going. And music inspires me. I have a few choice pieces of music I play when I need to write a battle scene, and others when I have an especially tender scene I need to imbue with power.

I take my writing problems to bed with me as well. I pick one roadblock and mull it over until I fall asleep. Perhaps it's merely the idea that with the rest comes clarity, but I generally awake with the answer to my problem.

If you're a writer, or an aspiring one, this is my best advice: just begin.

Like priming a pump, writing anything will spur the imagination and get the juices flowing. When roadblocks occur, as they surely will, you'll figure out what works for you, but don't stay away from your work-in-progress too long. Momentum and familiarity with a piece move the work along.

And while I've written this post, I've spent 25 minutes avoiding work on book five, "In God Is Our Trust." Time to get back to work!