Winners #1, Questions #3

First, the today's giveaway winners.

Selected by using Random.org:

1) The 2 oz. bottle of "Tabitha" perfume, donated by Karlene of Urban Botanics, goes to Mindi at The Battraws!

2) The cookbook by Luisa of Novembrance, Comfortably Yum: Food for Body and Spirit goes to Sandra of Sandra's Dance!

3) And Sherrie Shepherd's pre-release CD, Solitude goes to Cheryl at Happy Meets Crazy!


Congratulations, everyone!

Stay tuned for more winners tomorrow! (You do have all 13 entries you're entitled to, right? Check the giveaway post to see how to get them all!)


Now for more reader questions:

AmandaD asked: What other LDS authors do enjoy reading?

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some I enjoy:

LDS Market:
Michele Paige Holmes (Counting Stars)
Josi S. Kilpack (Her Good Name and others)
H.B. Moore (Abinadi)
Julie Wright (My Not-So-Fairytale Life)
N. C. Allen (Isabell Webb: Legend of the Jewel)
Robison Wells (The Counterfeit)
Sandra Grey (Traitor)
Angela Hallstrom (Bound on Earth)

And from the national market:
Janette Rallison (All's Fair in Love, War, and High School)
Brandon Sanderson (The Mistborn series)
Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game)
Jessica Day George (Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow)


I could go on, but that's a pretty good start. :)


AmandaD also asked: What are your favorite movies?

Much Ado about Nothing, A Knight's Tale, and some of the old Hitchcock greats like Charade and Wait until Dark. I also love old musicals like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Slipper and the Rose.

JustRandi asked: If you could write and be successful in any genre, would you choose a different one?

Ideally, I'd love to write in three or four genres. My next book is a slight genre switch, going from historical romance to contemporary women's fiction. I have really enjoyed writing historical fiction, but some day it would be fun to branch out into murder mysteries or young adult fantasies.

She also asked: When your husband isn't coming home for dinner, do you still cook?
Rarely. The kids are old enough now to cook a bit themselves, so I let them have at it with pancakes or macaroni and cheese.

QueenMemory asked several questions:

Who is your favorite actor?
One of my favorites was Heath Ledger (hence A Knight's Tale being in my list of top movies). I also love Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Kenneth Brannaugh.

What is your favorite family activity?
I love a good family game night. The few times we've gone camping or have just gone up the canyon for a campfire and dinner have been awesome too.

How did you meet your husband?
We were cha-cha partners on one of BYU's summer ballroom teams. I wrote all about it here.

Who is your favorite fan?
My mom. I love how everywhere she goes, she brags about me and my books, even in the most obscure places. She's bragged in the streets of Jerusalem and at a health food store in Helsinki. It's awesome.

Do you teach knitting?
Not unless you're my eleven-year-old daughter, and even then, it's a frustrating experience!

Luisa asked:
Have you gotten fan mail? If so, how have you handled it?
I get some, but not tons. I try to answer every letter or e-mail I get. I also keep them all. Writers tends to swing between great self-confidence and absolute despair so often that I need to read something positive when I'm feeling like I'm kidding myself.


Amelia's questions:

What was the process of getting your first book published?
Lots of writing, submitting, getting rejected, networking, getting critiqued, and not giving up. Part II and Part III of my Writing Journey series cover most of the story of my first book.

How do you handle criticism from an editor/publisher?
I've been in a critique group for over nine years, so I've got a pretty thick skin. I will say it's easier to take criticism from my group (since I know and trust them implicitly, thanks to our long history together) than others, but my editors have always been great too.

As a writer, you have to reach the point where you know in your heart that criticism from editors is not a personal attack. In my experience, it's always been aimed at improving the work. How could I not welcome that? I may not agree with everything, but I don't get upset over suggestions and criticism, and we always find common ground. I've been very lucky with the editors I've had; they're both excellent at what they do.

Who are your favorite authors?
Aside from the LDS writers I listed above, of course there's L. M. Montgomery. I also love Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Harper Lee, C. S. Lewis, and John Steinbeck.

And for the record, I despise Faulkner.


Today's tour stop:
Novembrance