BOOK NOOK REVIEW

SUN TUNNELS and SECRETS
by
Carole Thayne Warburton

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, and in some cases, I’d have to agree, but you can bank on the award-winning and mysterious cover of “Sun Tunnels and Secrets” to intrigue you from first glance, and lead you into a small town adventure with twists and mysteries galore.

Carole Thayne Warburton drew from her personal experience of the region as she wrote this charmer. Two diverse cultures clash near remote, religious Grouse Creek, Utah when this innocent world with a pocketful of well-kept secrets is upended by the arrival of hippies and tree-huggers who converge upon the desert’s Sun Tunnels during the summer solstice.

The author grabs your attention with the first line—“It looked like a body.” And the unexpected pairing of that start with a cast of frequently grousing, eighty-something sisters on a trip to help their youngest sibling mourn the passing of her husband, takes you through the first of many hairpin plot twists.

The ladies’ disturbing discovery, and their handling of the situation, entangles them into the troubles of four young people, who become invested in a complicated, sometimes raucous, and frequently tender quest. As they dig into everyone else’s secrets, their own begin to be revealed, and the principles of loyalty, love, and forgiveness are put to the ultimate test. In the end, the greatest theme is this: despite our differences, at our core, we are the same.

Ms. Warburton’s dialogue is delicious, her characters are rich and diverse, and her settings make you want to book a pick-up tour of the old western desert. I was so inspired, I went online to research the Sun Tunnels and I hope to visit them soon.

I did find the letters between the wounded Kelli and her brother, placed at the beginning of most chapters, to be more distracting than insightful, but they don’t detract from the pleasure this sweet novel will bring the reader.

Moreover, Carole Thayne Warburton has intricately woven multiple plots into a suspenseful story that will challenge and delight readers of all ages and genres.

Published by Walnut Springs Press, Sun Tunnels and Secrets is available at Amazon, Deseret Book,and your local LDS bookstore.

WINNER OF THE "DREAMING OF BOOKS" BLOG HOP GIVEAWAY

Thanks to everyone who entered, and for the lovely comments about by books and the Free Men and Dreamers' trailer. I look forward to chatting with the new followers of this blog, and more contests and giveaways are coming soon for all.

The winner of this contest was Librarypat who has been notified. I hope you'll all check back often to see what I'm writing from THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL.

Laurie LC Lewis

"DREAMING of BOOKS" Blog Hop

I'm hosting a stop on "The Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop" which runs from 12:01 AM Friday, January 14th to 11:59 PM Monday, January 17th. All 180 participating blogs are linked together below, so you can click and easily hop from blog to blog. Each host is sponsoring a different prize, and each has a different question or requirement for entry.

I'm an author writing a historical fiction series titled, "FREE MEN AND DREAMERS." It's set against the almost forgotten period of the War of 1812, when life and freedom were fragile, and when America was jsut beginning to realize the dream of "One Nation Under God. Here are what some readers have said about my books:


“Oh, Say Can You See,” crackles with tension and suspense. Although I know how the Battle of 1812 ended, I found myself staying up late at night and turning pages in an urgent attempt to find out what happened to the country and to the characters I came to know and love. This book is a magnificent love story—love between man and woman, love between friends, love between siblings, and ultimately, love between citizens and their country. Braden Bell, author of "The Road Show"
***

“I'm awestruck at L.C. Lewis's mastery of detail-rich prose.”
Marsha Ward, author of “Man From Shenandoah” and other compelling westerns.
***

"Once started, I had to read the whole thing through, and many parts brought tears to my eyes." (Ernest Runge, a Viet Nam veteran and history enthusiast)

I hope that makes you want to dig in! If so, then you'll love the prize I'm offering--a brand new, nylon, American flag, and an autographed copy of your choice of either book one: "Dawn's Early Light," to begin the series; or book four, "Oh Say Can You See?" which was written to serve as a stand-alone read about the writing of the "Star-Spangled Banner."

You can enter up to four times, but each entry MUST be submitted individually to be counted.

1st entry: be, or become a follower of this blog.

2nd entry: Watch my book trailer and leave a comment at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQYHvfQeZvE

3rd entry: Post the above link to the book trailer to your Facebook or Twitter page

4th entry: "Friend" me on Facebook and tell me your favorite reading-time snack.

Enjoy the hop!

BOOKING THE FAMILY VACATION

We try, as much as possible, to gather our arm of the Lewis clan together for a major holiday and a family vacation. It doesn't always work out, but we make a valiant effort. Things were easier before the children began full-time jobs and the grandkids reached school age. Now we're not complaining mind you. We love full-time employment, and we're all for education, but balancing needs and juggling all these individual schedules practically qualifies me for a stint in Cirque Du Soleil!

Tonight I began work on "Lewis Vacation 2011." It wasn't pretty. We had done the preliminary wrangling over Christmas. Gathered in the afterglow of the season of peace, everyone began laying their special needs on the table, and drawing their individual lines in the sand so-to-speak. So much had to be decided--where would we go? Who would travel cross country, and whose backyard would we be near? Did we want to be near the beach? Or the mountains? Near a theme park or on a cruise? We finally nailed down the location, and today I began the wrestling match called, "Booking the Lewis Vacation."

Years ago, we purchased two time share weeks that are exchanged through a third party, and today I began investigating what dates were still available in the system. I call, and I'm quickly reminded why my hands get clammy every year at this very moment. It's daunting and time consuming, and when it's over, if I have been victorious at booking something that holds any promise, I feel as if I've won the New York City Marathon. Why, you ask? Let me show you how this lovely, computerized, digitized, simplified process worked for me this year. . . .

I call the first number on my "new list of customer service options," and a digitized voice reminds me that the system has changed, (YIKES) to a new and "better" plan than before. Great. . . I now remember the two-hour imprisonment called "a preview" of the new Destinations Program" which Tom and I endured this summer. We walked out with a fat notebook of tings we didn't, and still don't understand. I roll up my sleeves and prepare for a re-education.

"Hello, how can I help you?" a perky voice asks.

"I'm here to confess that I don't remember how to use the new program, and I have weeks or points or something in the old system, and some random credits somewhere else. Can you help me book a vacation using all my stuff?"

"Let me see what you have. . . . Oh! Sadly, your current inventory is in the old system. You'll have to be transferred."

A long pause ensues, followed by a click and another perky person who also declares how desperately she wants to help me. I rattle off all the pertinent identifying information--account number, passwords, address and phone number, to which this angel of vacation-mercy replies, "Is Mr. Lewis there? We've switched systems and you are no longer in our database. I'll need him to add you as an authorized user on his account."

My blood boils when this happens. "His account? He hasn't looked at or used this account since the day we bought it. I'm the scheduling guru, lady. . ."

We'll at least that's what I wanted to say. Instead I said something more gentile like this:

"I've been handling all this for fifteen years."

"I'm sure you have. I apologize, but our system doesn't recognize you, and I can't add you without Mr. Lewis's permission."

"Permission?" (I'm fuming now.) "I'm a co-owner on this account"

"I'm not challenging your ownership, and I do apologize, but if you're not in my database, I can't give you access to the account info. I just need Mr. Lewis to authorize you. Can you just call him on another line and we'll be on our way."

"I'm fifty-three and the only person in this family who has ever booked a vacation through you. Just look at the records."

"I do apologize," she replied mechanically. "There must have been some glitch in the upload of the new system, but I can't help you without Mr. Lewis' permission."

"Fine," I reply in resignation, "but I find this whole situation humiliating."

"I'm sorry..."

"Please put that in your report," I add.

"This entire conversation is being recorded. They will know you're humiliated."

I somehow find less comfort in that than I supposed. I dial Tom on my cell phone and press the two phones together in a telephone sandwich. In the most annoyed tone possible, I say, "Tom, our time share company can't find me in their database. They need your permission to add me as an authorized user."

Tom's hard swallow indicates he clearly senses my mood. After a nervous chuckle he tells the woman, "She is THE authorized user."

The customer service person is even perkier than before. "That's all I needed. Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Now, Mrs. Lewis, how can I help you?"

I grit my teeth and make every effort at playing nice. "I'd like to book a vaca. . ."

"Oh, no!" I hear on the other end of the phone. "I just realized you purchased your time shares through %%@^%$ company. That's handled by an entirely different desk."

No joke. . . The good news that the next transfer took me to a perfectly lovely person who actually helped me book vacation. It was a 2 1/2 hour wrestling match from start to finish, but we did it! And the best part, I'm now an authorized user of something I already owned. Isn't that grand?

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN . . .

. . .as in, back to work, back to gittin' er done, and in my case, back to the keyboard.

I've got a spring deadline for book five, which we are now pretty certain we're titling, "In God Is Our Trust." After putting out three books in twelve months--"Dawn's Early Light" in December of 2009; "Awakening Avery" in May of 2010; and "Oh, Say Can You See?" in November of 2010--I needed a brief respite, and I retreated to hearth and home for eight weeks with no writing. Fortunately, I've got the bulk of the manuscript finished, and the opening chapters are coming together in my brain, so things should come together nicely.

"Awakening Avery" and "Oh, Say Can You See?" are both currently nominated for Whitney Awards, which is exciting because any recognition at this point is a reflection of reader support. So thank you if you nominated one of my books. The finalists will be announced on February 1st, so please keep your fingers crossed!

I've got a busy week ahead. I hope to write 10,000 words this week and I've got that package to mail off to Glenn Beck. You can read the details below, but if you've got an extra hand, please cross your fingers for that effort as well.

Your letters have been a tremendous boost to me over the holidays. Many thanks to each of you who wrote, facebook-ed me and twittered. I'm so excited to get back to work!

I'll be launching an American History Scavenger Hunt this month, so watch for details on that. The prize packages will be sweet. I've also got another book giveaway posting on Goodreads this month. It will run until January 31st. Last but not least, join me on my blog for the "Dreaming of Books" book blog hop beginning January 14th. As you can see, we've got lots going on as we continue to spread the news about "Oh, Say Can You See?" and muddle through winter.

I hope your New Year looks promising!

Laurie

A GIFT FOR GLENN BECK

For years, friends have approached me, and readers have written, asking if I've sent copies of "Free Men and Dreamers" to Glenn Beck who showcases patriotic books.

I've always resisted the idea. First, even though the history I include in the books is solid, the books are novels wrapped within that great history, and Glenn Beck seems to like his history straight up and unembellished. I also thought I'd never be able to actually get the books past his staff,(who surely screens through the mountain of mail and packages Mr. Beck receives,) and into his hands. When I've explained my reasoning to people, they've tended to scowl at me and ask, "Well, what have you got to lose?" Well, to those who urged me on, my position may now have changed.

Last summer, I accompanied my husband Tom to a fund-raiser at Quantico Marine Base, in Virginia, to benefit the Wounded Warriors. The sponsor of the event was a businessman named Pete, with a patriotic heart who, like my husband, sells goods to the military. We spent several days together at a military show after the fund-raiser. Each night, Pete would gather a group together and we'd have supper. The conversations varied, but several times we talked about current events, history, and my books.

My husband told Pete he too felt I should send a set of Free Men and Dreamers to Glenn Beck, and weeks later a huge box arrived at my house. Inside was this beautiful commemorative humidor bearing the White House insignia. It was designed as a gift for generals and dignitaries, but Pete gave one to me, along with another gift, to use as the receptacle for my books.

As it turns out, Pete explained that he had given Glenn Beck one of these commemorative boxes last year, and Glenn auctioned it off for hundreds of thousands of dollars which he donated back to the Wounded Warriors, a cause also dear to his heart, so I know the box will be dear to him.

So now I'm preparing a letter to explain this package, and I'm preparing to mail the whole kit and caboodle--the four current volumes of Free Men and Dreamers, the extra gift Pete tucked in for Glenn, and this beautiful box--off to New York and Glenn Beck's office. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I hope Glenn will enjoy the books, but I'm certain he'll love the wrapper!

SHARING A STAR-SPANGLED MOMENT WITH MY GRANDSON

Our children straggled in and out during this family holiday, allowing us some lovely one-on-one time with our L.A.-residing, single son, and some wind-down time with our oldest son's family after the major hoopla had ended. I'm so grateful that during that wind-down time my son suggested we head to D.C. with his family and visit some of the Smithsonian's wonderful museums. It was a spontaneous decision, and it provided a tender experience shared between my grandson and I.

We began at the Air and Space Museum which dazzled my thirty-three-year-old son, his wife and their two-year-old far more than it did their four and seven-year-old who found the cartoon of Mickey flying the highlight of the venues. That was except for the paper-airplane-flying lesson and contest. Every hour on the hour, the hands-on area features some wonderful, educational activities for families. The science behind the games were terrific and the children all loved it. I highly recommend it.

We next visited the Natural History Museum. These Utah residents have spent dozens of hours at the zoo and the dinosaur exhibits at Thanksgiving Point, but even so, they were fascinated by the animal displays, particularly the ocean exhibit. There are crocheted replicas of coral reefs that are spectacular as well as whimsical, and if it sounds unscientific to imagine a yarn-made reef, go see it. You'll be dazzled. It was the absolute highlight of my grand daughter's visit.

The children were running out of steam by the time we reached the American History Museum--my favorite. We hurried in less than an hour before closing so we could visit the Star-Spangled Banner exhibit. With the bicentennial drawing near, a wonderful venue has been created, and I was spell-bound.

I remember well my first visit to the museum's Star-Spangled Banner exhibit. Back in those days the flag was sewn to a linen backing and suspended, revealed to spectators through am electronically-controlled curtain that was drawn back to reveal the flag. It was a dramatic display that left goosebumps on my arms. I only had a dollar or two to spend at the museum store, but I remember how I and every child breathlessly spent a portion of that precious money on a postcard of the real Star-Spangled Banner so we'd always have a picture of our very own.

The stories we were told about the flag and its tattered condition have been proven incorrect over the years. Science and technology have verified which of the many accounts of the Battle of Baltimore and that perilous night were actually true, and the new exhibit reflects that new information.

I've been fortunate to spend some time with the exhibit's curator in the past three years, while researching my Free Men and Dreamers books, and the additional information he taught me came in handy this morning. My grandson's heart was breaking as his parents packed to return home. He snuggled close to me with tears in his eyes, telling me how he wanted to stay with us a while longer. I secretly felt the same way, but instead I tried to lift his spirits by reminding him what he had to share with his classmates when he arrived back in Utah. After all, he had seen the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument, and now he could tell his friends that he had also seen the real Star-Spangled Banner!

The story was already unclear to him, so we snuggled together as I told him about the whole story--about the burning of Washington and how Dr. Beanes had been kidnapped as the British returned to their ships. I spoke of Francis Scott Key's efforts to save his friend, and about how his heart ached as he heard the British discuss their plans to raze Baltimore. Tommy's eyes grew large as I explained how Key sat on a ship in the Baltimore Harbor, watching the bombardment, and how he began to record his feelings on the back of a letter. As I repeated the words of Key's poem, little Tommy's eyes grew larger still. "I know that!" he said.

He began repeating the words to the "Star-Spangled Banner" as I explained the meaning of its somewhat obscure language. At the end, he smiled once more. "Isn't that a great story, I asked. And it's all true, and you've seen the flag!"

I saw the change in his eyes. Now he was ready to tell his friends about his visit to see the great banner. Now he understood that he and his folks and grandma had shared something special, something he might not fully appreciate until he was a man, but already the seeds of patriotism were swelling, and I was privileged to see it begin.