And the Winner Is:

I figured I would video myself pulling the name so you would all know there was no funny business about who won.



Congrats! Send me your mailing address and I'll get that necklace on its way :)

Have You Seen These Boots?

Attention shoppers! Before I take out an ad on a milk carton, I thought I would ask your help first. All my life I've loved boots. Hats, coats and boots--those are my things that I'm picky about when it comes to clothes... even if you wouldn't know it by looking at me. I'm always on the hunt, though, and I've finally found some boots I want:


I want these boots. It's that simple. Wherever they are, whatever they cost, I want to slip them on my feet and at least take them on a test drive to see if they're what I imagine them to be.

So, if you've seen these boots PLEASE leave a comment with a link or contact info and I'll take it from there.

THANK YOU!

Harry Potter 7, Part 1. Yes, You Should See It!

I've put off blogging about HP7 because I knew that any post regarding part 1 of the movie would take up a solid chunk of time.

Why?

Because, for once, a Harry Potter movie actually merits discussion.

In the end, I think the success of the movie (which I'm seriously hoping knocks Avatar's record right out of the water in short order) is leveraged on one fact: it was a movie made for fans of the book--not a movie based on a book but caught up in its own separate vision, and intended to entertain anyone--whether they've read the book or not.

It was a movie for the die-hards who care about the actual story.

In truth, I really didn't appreciate the writing chops of J.K. Rowling until I walked out of the 4th movie thinking, "The books are more visual than the movies. How is that possible?"

Rowling is amazing. Her books are progressively more captivating. I don't know how it feels to be her and see the movies turn out the way they have. I think I might have killed

someone in their sleep after the 6th movie... Okay, maybe I wouldn't have outright murdered, but there would have certainly been a serious powwow where emotions may have barely been contained below the surface. And maybe there was some sort of "what-the-***-were-you-thinking" chat, given the brilliance of movie 7. I mean seriously, how could there not have been a big sit

down in the wake of that eye sore? The week after Harry Potter 6 came out, it was beat out at the box office by G-Force.

Harry Potter spanked out of the #1 spot a week after it came out by guinea pigs saving the world?

Calamity. Such things should not be. And yet, the movie deserved its rodent smack down. At the time, I was so incensed at the 6th movie, that I gave a sniff of approval and gave those animated guinea pigs a mental high five. I don't know HOW the director wasn't fired. But he wasn't. They gave him another chance (which I would not have done, so it's a good thing I'm not in charge of the world), and THANK GOODNESS they did!

I would have to get really, really nitpicky to point out any failings of the 7th movie. And I'm just not in the mood to be critical (unless you get me started on Ginny, but there isn't much to be done there). For once a movie took a book and accurately depicted it without distracting short cuts.

Praises be!

So if you haven't seen HP 7 yet, know that I highly, highly recommend it.

Highly.

Psst!

Okay, just a little stoked here. Kay'sVille is IN THE WAREHOUSE!

Yay! :)

That said, I know some of you out there are reviewers. If you want a copy to review for your site or blog, please contact me with your shipping address. My publisher requires that you have at least 100+ followers on your blog or an advertisement-driven site to send you a copy of the book.

So drop me a line (and feel free to include links to any other reviews you've done for my titles) and I'll get a book out your way!!!

Happy Reading :)

Giveaways Galore!!!

In this season of Thanksgiving, one blogger out there decided it would be good to get a bunch of blogs together and do a massive slam of giveaways. Guess how many of them signed up?

175+

Uh, yeah. Wow!

So while you're out there buying presents for everyone you know, why not win something for yourself? One of the 175 blogs (list below) giving stuff away HAS to have something you would love to get your paws on.

As for me, I'm giving away a twin necklace to the one I wear to all my signings, inspired by the cover of Book 1 in the Rhea series. It's a great conversation starter and total fun. I get more compliments on it than any other piece of jewelry I own :)

Entering to win is easy, and your name can be entered into the drawing pot up to 5 times:

#1- Follow this blog and leave a comment on this post letting me know you want the necklace.

#2- For a double entry, do #1 and also include a link to your review of any of the Rhea books on goodreads.

#3- Follow me on Twitter and tweet my post about the giveaways, tagging @SheralynPratt.

#4- Share a link to a review of one of the Rhea books on Facebook or Twitter, and be sure to tag @SheralynPratt so I see it!

BONUS ENTRY: review any of the Rhea books on Amazon, Borders or BN.com and get yourself a bonus entry. Post the link in the comment section of this post.

Winner will be chosen November 28th, and the contest is open to US residents.

It's that easy!

To find even more freebies to win, check out all the other participating blogs.

Best of luck, and I hope you ALL win somewhere :)

Are You Ready?

We're less than 3 weeks away from the release of the 4th installment of the Rhea Jensen series. And for those of you who aren't familiar with my impulsiveness, I'll be the first to confess that I love spoilers, ARCs and getting things before I'm supposed to. That's also why I like posting bits before they're technically out.

So for any of you who are even a little like me, you can click here and start reading Kay'sVille now. It's just the few first chapters, so you still have to wait 3 weeks for the whole thing, but I really, really really hope you like what you can read now. ;P

Also, when it comes out, please do not forget to nominate it for a Whitney Award. Because being nominated is always an honor. And, well, winning? *grin* Yeah, you don't have to twist my arm for that either :)

Thank you!

Muse Music

Many of you know that I'm one of those writers with music playing as she writes. Music gives me my vibe and informs a lot about the characters. That said, here are 3 of the muse songs for "The Cannon Curse." I'm looking for more, but this is what I have so far.

And yes, E, the first song is at your request ;)

Hope you enjoy, and please let me know if, like E, there's a song you recommend.

U2- All I Want is You

Dave Carroll- Now

Rihanna- Only Girl in the World

CEDAR CITY/ST GEORGE, Here I Come!

All right Southern Utah peeps. I'm driving down to see you on this beautiful Fall Saturday.

On November 13th, find me at the Cedar City Deseret Book from 12-2 pm. If you want to seduce me into staying that evening, do your worst. Otherwise, I plan to pop down to St. George and visit the stores there. I'll mention this on Twitter (@SheralynPratt), which updates in the sidebar on the right of this page. I'm thinking I'll be at DB and Seagull in St. George between 4-7 that night before driving myself back up to Salt Lake.

Needless to say, I would LOVE to see you, so drop on by :)

Oooooh! A Review from a Man!

I must confess that I always wonder what men think about the Rhea books. guys approach me at signings and ask me if they would like the books and I'm always a bit hesitant and say something like, "If you like girls that kick butt, yes."

So of course I'm immediately interested when a man reviews my books--and especially a man who does not consider himself LDS. This review is from such a man. So thank you, Jeffrey Needle. Granted, he didn't read books 1 and 2 before diving into 3, but he made it through the book anyway, and here's his review.

Thought I would share for those of you who haven't read the book yet :)

Who is Rhea Jensen? She’s a recent convert to the Church who has relocated to Salt Lake City and taken work as a private investigator.

Her closest friend, Kathryn McCoy, has likewise moved to Salt Lake.

Although not LDS, McCoy wants to be near her friend. She has landed a juicy post as an on-air news person. Meanwhile, Rhea is dating a fine young fellow who still has some time before he and Rhea can be married in the Temple.

The story begins when a man steps out onto a ledge, threatening to jump.

The news media find their way to the scene very quickly. Kathryn (“Kate” to her friends) is there with her photographer. But she is quick to involve her friend Rhea when certain parts of the story just don’t add up. Who is this guy? And who is the handsome cop who seems to show up at the scene but who ducks when anyone wants to give him some publicity? And what does all this have to do with Rhea’s former boss?

Why is the jumper such a mysterious quantity? And why do pictures of him not seem to jibe?

When the missionary who converted Rhea shows up on her doorstep, does he have something other than proselyting on his mind, or is he really just interested in following up? Rhea’s boyfriend isn’t so sure. They’re keeping an eye on him. He’s a bit clutzy, not sure what he wants to do (except start school at BYU as soon as possible).

As the story unfolds, we meet incompetent mobsters, a diabolical millionaire, a pair of rather inefficient enforcers, and a shy look into secret societies and their sometimes-underhanded ways of dealing with defectors. Not to mention exploding houses and other assorted nicities.

Improbably, the reader is left with an impression that all of these people are, indeed, real people. Real people? Indeed. Pratt has an unfailing sense of voice and tempo. The characters talk like real people. They laugh and cry like real people. Bravo! But, more important, they *act* like real people, and *interact* like the folks next door. As you read, you get crisp, clear visualizations of each of the players. They emerge as distinct personalities, each with his or her own strengths and weaknesses, habits and quirks.

Pratt’s characters are universally flawed. And this is the real revelation here. Can you write about a returning missionary who fumbles and stutters his way through re-entry into regular life? Can you have a convert who isn’t entirely “made new” — she describes herself as having “flexible morals with a comfort zone that expanded outside the norm.”

(p. 126-7) No heroics here, no astoundingly clever Mormons with all kinds of tricks up their sleeves. No angels appearing out of nowhere, no contrived story lines. (There is a bit of sermonizing at the end of the book. I thought it would have been a better book had this been toned down a bit.) Nope, this is a story about people who are trying to make it through the day and not flub things too badly. You know, folks like us.

By far the most interesting character, in my opinion, is Kate. Pratt’s writing is sufficiently vivid to make this slightly-wacky, but very canny, woman an infinitely appealing player. As with the others, she has her flaws. And she carries some baggage with her that is alluded to in the story, but is never made quite clear. Kate is the kind of person you may not want to deal with every day, but you surely want her on your side. Rhea is no slouch, either. But her assertiveness is usually understated. There’s a lot of healthy nuance in this story, and I loved every part of it.

Coming into this series in volume 3 made comprehending the whole thing a little difficult. I found myself having to catch up with the characters and their histories. Pratt spoon-feeds us these background items with some regularity, but a reader can find himself a bit off the reservation when trying to put the whole thing together. I would have liked to have had a summary introduction, bringing readers up to date with the story and the fascinating backgrounds of its characters. I found that I have Book 1 in my collection. I’m going to obtain Books 2 and 4 very soon.

Perhaps reading the previous volumes will help clear up some of the uncertainties.

“City Limits” is a breathless tale of detection and camaraderie, of faith tried in the fire and of loyalties tested. There are no heroes beyond the realm of ordinary heroism. There are villains aplenty, mysteries around every corner, and a cast of characters that will stay with you for a long time. Thanks, Pratt, for giving us a bit of mental floss for the LDS fiction reader. Highly recommended!

Jeffrey Needle

Association for Mormon Letters

A Few of My Favorite Things?

Of all the many things that are odd about me, this is one: I don't know what I like.

For those of you who are thinking you read that last statement incorrectly, let me restate: as a rule, I don't know what I like. I usually just notice what is and make due. Those of you who know me know how hard it is to pick a place to go out to eat, unless I'm having a specific craving. I'll always go wherever you want to go and make due. There's bound to be something there I like, and most places are pretty similar anyway.

But after years of pop quizzes about what I like and funny looks when I don't have answers--or better yet, people telling me what I like and having it be news to me (even though I agree)--I've decided to put a list together of likes, so that when people ask me what I want, I have ready-made answers.

I've only had to do this once before, while I was on my mission. I learned with each companion that apparently all girls picked out baby names for their future children, because every companion brought it up while tracting. By the time I made it to companion number three, I had some names picked out and it saved me the whole, "You haven't picked out even one name? Haven't you thought about it? I have, like, twelve but you have to promise not to use them if I tell you."

I promise, sisters, I will not be stealing any of your names for the naming of actual children. I cannot promise, however, that those names will not make it into a book ;)

Anyway, now that I've disclosed how completely unparticular I am in matters of personal preference, please join me as I list a few things I like (before I forget them):

Favorite Drink:

This drink is new on my radar, but I love ginger. Love it. As a rule I hate sugar in drinks--even ones with natural sugars--and usually opt for water, but I do love ginger beer. And no worries, kids. Just like butter beer in Harry Potter, ginger beer is non-alcoholic. And this brand in particular has a great balance between too sharp and too bland.

Favorite Food:

Ummmm, I'm still working on this one. But basically I like things for how they feel once they hit my body, not so much how they taste. Finding one that both tastes good and feels good? That's a holy grail!

Favorite Music:

Can a friend help me out here? I kind of feel all over the map when it comes to music.

Favorite Restaurant:

TOTALLY drawing a blank here...

Favorite Books:

You don't know about them yet, but I'll write them as soon as I can so we can talk about them ;-P

Favorite Way to Chill-ax:

This one I know, even though I live in the wrong place to do it: bonfire on a beach. No contest.

Favorite Candy:

Depends entirely on the mood, but chocolate is good. I'm also a sucker for rice krispy treats, banana Laffy Taffy, and Peppermint Almond Roca (yes, I know that sounds wrong on the onset, but try it. SOOOO good).

Favorite Color:

*sigh* How can this question not be subjective? Don't we all like different colors depending on where we see the color? Our favorite color on a wall may not be our favorite color of shirt or flower. But I'll usually pick a summer or winter color when answering this question :)

There you have it: my favorite things... so far.

Anything else I should add to the list that I left off?

Review: Wendy Paul's Rhea Recipe :)

Some of you may not have heard of Wendy Paul, the author of 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes, and 101 Gourmet Cookies for Everyone. I LOVE her cookbooks. Her cupcake book is the sole reason I own a cupcake pan and am constantly stocked with cups. That cookbook is exactly what it says it is: a rocking cookbook that lets you create memorable, mouthwatering cupcakes in 10 minutes.

If you don't have it, get it. But either way, you're welcome to check out her review of the Rhea Jensen series and her Rhea-inspired recipe (which I am going to make and devour).

Cedar City?

Looks like I may be hitting the road a week from Saturday to good ol' Cedar City.

Tragically, I can count on one hand how many times I've been there, even though it's only 4 hours away.

Soooooo, if you happen to live in the Southern Utah area, come see me at the Cedar City Deseret Book, from 12-2 pm on November 13th :)

And the Winner Is:

As if you didn't already know, but THE CANNON'S CURSE won.

Yay! I'm officially starting the book, which is already different then I thought it would be, but what do you do?

Promises:

• It will NOT be cliche
• It will be sassy and fun
• The obstacle will not be some man trying to kill the girl, thereby throwing the lead man into hyperprotective mode, and throwing the fated couple into each other's arms. Just sayin'

And given that this is only day 2 of writing, I think that's about all I can promise.

On a different note, however, we should probably look at renaming the book. Something lighter and more playful. Something without the word "curse." People might think it's suspense or mystery...

Any thoughts? You know the premise. Also, I have names for the characters:

Mike Cannon: One of the cursed Cannons who will fall in love with his best friend's fiance.

Rori Townsend: the mysterious artist and international volunteer Luke meets and proposes to in Africa.

Luke Foster: Mike's free-spirited and impulsive best friend.

Kris Cannon: Mike's sister, who feels she has a vote in approving who Luke does and does not marry.

All title suggestions welcome :)

Thanks again for voting!!!