A Quick Writing Tip

Because I'm so busy with marketing both MISSING and TRAPPED right now, I haven't had a lot of time to write about writing on this blog, which is it's main purpose. So, I thought I'd atleast give you this tidbit of "advice": As you move forward with your writing career, HOLD ONTO YOU. Very likely you have a reason you write and/or a message you want to move forward with your writing. If that is so, infuse your writing with it. I don't mean you should end every manuscript with "the moral of the story is . . ." I mean, let your message come through in your stories. For instance, one of my biggest writing goals is to encourage people to act on and increase with the goodness that is in them. As such, my novels contain main characters who not only fight for right but also rely on their inner goodness to overcome their challenges.

Another important part of "holding onto you" is to recognize and use the innate writing talents you already have while working on those you may be weak in. I believe every writer already has something they do well, so if you're good with plots, let that shine in your stories while you try to improve your characterizations, thematic developments, or settings.

Again, HOLD ONTO YOU. The world needs you.

TRAPPED contests

I've been busy signing copies of MISSING in Costcos throughout the past couple of months and it appears that trend will continue through the summer, but I wanted to let you know Linda Weaver Clarke interviewed me on her blog today and offered a free copy of TRAPPED in a week long contest. She asked some fun questions. If you'd like to read her interview and check out her contest, go to her site at http://lindaweaverclarke.blogspot.com/.

Also, don't forget I'm holding my own contest for a copy of TRAPPED to those who subscribe to my mailing list during the month of June. You can find the details at the top of my sidebar.

Happy summer reading.

Awakening Avery Review & Contest Reminder

From the back cover:

"You're depressed," the doctor declared.
"Ya think?" is author Avery Elkins Thompson's sarcastic response to the astute diagnosis for the malaise that set in following her husband's untimely death. Avery's carefully controlled world is imploding, and her adult children fear they are losing her too.
"You're just a shadow of the person you used to be...We'd gladly give you up for a while if it meant getting you back."
Avery can't write, and questions about their father's death leave the family mired in pain. "We need a healing place," her oldest son tells her, suggesting she find it on Anna Maria Island, Florida, a former family vacation spot.
When Avery returns to Baltimore to sell the family's waterfront condo, she meets rodeo-ers-turned-real-estate-brokers Teddie and Rider Davis, and Avery's quiet life will never be the same again.
The Davises help arrange a short-term house swap with widower Gabriel Carson from Anna Maria, whose overprotective parenting has resulted in two self-centered, twenty-something daughters. Avery and Gabriel are in for the summer of their lives as they step into one another's messy, complicated worlds.
Still, venturing out on her own again is challenging for Avery, whose experiences at the Ringling's magnificent Ca d'Zan mansion, and with the quirky characters she meets there, eventually awaken her to truths she has long forgotten - that as crazy as life can be, it is possible to laugh and love again.

My take:
Awakening Avery is a beautifully written story that reminds me of a happily-ever-after version of the acclaimed movie, "84 Charing Cross Road." In that movie, two book-loving characters correspond through letters over the course of twenty years, yet while they obviously grow to care for each other, they never physically meet. Perhaps that is a good thing, since the man in the novel, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins, is married, and I would have hated to see any rift come to his marriage. However, I couldn't help but feel saddened by the pen-pal's often poignant situation.

That's why I say Awakening Avery is a happily-ever-after version. In Lewis's story, a man and woman meet, grow together through their later correspondence, and eventually come together again to find joy in their heart and soul union. But Awakening Avery is more than a simple love story. It is also a quiet, yet sometimes insightful portrayal of a woman's self-awakening from grief and creative suppression into a world where second chances at love and personal growth are possible.

Awakening Avery is definitely not a fast-paced, heart-pounding story, but it's charm not only held my attention, but it also continues to touch my heart.

The Contest
As you may recall, this is the last stop for this blog tour & contest. Here's a refresher on how to enter:

We're giving away 3 fabulous prizes.
Two readers will win their own copy of Awakening Avery! Yeah. There will be one lucky grand prize
winner who will the beautiful necklace below. The contest opens June 2 and
will close June 13 at midnight MST.


June 1 Sheila Stayley
Why Not? Because I
Said So!LDS Women's Book Review

June 2 Alison Palmer
Tangled Words and Dreams

June 3 Kimberly Jobs
Scribbled Scraps

June 4 Nichole Giles
Star Crossed
June 7 Deanne Blackhurst
The Book of Deanne

June 8 Tristi Pinkston
*Tristi Pinkston, LDS
Author

June 9 C.S. Bezas
For the Love of the Written Word

June 10 Joan Sowards
Joan Sowards

June 11 Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen
The Write Blocks

Entering the contest is easy--all you have to do is blog, tweet, follow, or
comment and then fill out this little form HERE.

1. Follow our reviewers blogs.(1 entry for each blog you follow.)

2. Leave a comment on a
review. (1 entry for each review you comment on.)

2. Blog about Awakening Avery, the contest, or a review. (3 entries
for each blog post.)

3. Follow us on twitter. (1 entry
for each person you follow.)
Walnut Springs Press
http://twitter.com/walnutspringspr
Nichole Giles
http://twitter.com/nicholegiles
LDS Women's Book Review
http://twitter.com/LDSWBR
Sheila Stayley
http://twitter.com/ssdawn2002
Kimberly Job
http://twitter.com/kimberlyjob
Joan Sowards
http://twitter.com/joansowards

4. Tweet about the contest. (2 entries for each tweet.)

5. Post about the contest on your
Facebook. (2 entries for each facebook post or status update about the contest.)

6. Become a fan of Walnut Springs Press on Facebook. (1 entry for becoming a fan.)

7. Anything else you can think of that
will spread the word. (3 entries for every social media site you post
on.) If you mention it on goodreads, shelfari,google buzz, make it your
status on gmail chat, MSN or yahoo messenger let us know. We'll reward your
creativity with entries.

GREAT NEWS!

I stopped by the bookstore, Reflections of Utah in Brigham City and learned that TRAPPED is currently #2 on their Top Ten Bestsellers Display. AND MISSING has been on the list since it was released in October. It is currently #5! Yay!

SUMMER TREASURE HUNT WINNERS

We have more winners! However, since it'll be a daily event, from here on out I am going to list the winners at the end of the initial Summer Treasure Hunt posting. Make sense? Just so you know, though, yesterday's and today's winners are:

June 2: a copy of Laurie Lewis's Awakening Avery
WINNER: Barbara Stilwell of Minnesota
ANSWER: The remote into the TV
 
June 3: a PDF copy of E.A. West's romantic suspense novel, Riley's Mission
WINNER: Judy Cox of Louisiana
ANSWER: An empty wheelchair

Congratulations!

Winners, Winners, Winners!

Okay, I know I'm a little behind, but I wanted to let you know that there have been four winners, so far.
2--won my drawing on Goodreads.com for a copy of TRAPPED--Jaimie and Meagan (I've already contacted them).
1--(Beverly) won my Orem Costco drawing for a copy of TRAPPED.
And the June 1st winner for our Summer Treasure Hunt is--drum roll, please!

WINNER: Amber Nielson of Vermont
ANSWER: Herself and her people from death and tyranny

CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners!
But don't give up hope, yet. There are still more great contests going on right now:

1.  Another Goodreads.com drawing for 3 winners to receive a copy of TRAPPED. The deadline for it is June 21st.
2.  I am holding another drawing through the month of June for a free copy of TRAPPED. If you'd like to join that drawing, simply JOIN MY MAILING LIST by emailing me at rondagibbhinrichsen@gmail.com.
3.  Our Summer Treasure Hunt is in full swing! There's a chance to win a book or some other great prize everyday!
4.  The Awakening Avery Blog Tour and Contest is also in full swing. A beautiful necklace and book is on the line!

Good luck and check back often for winning updates. :)