Twists and Turns with Teenage Driving

My daughter received her driving permit about a month ago. I haven't been the same since. She insists on driving everyday and I, of course, allow her to take the wheel and get some good road experience under her belt before her actual 16th birthday in December. As I sit in the passenger seat, my feet cannot help but hit the "invisible" brake on the floor by my feet, but no matter how many times I push this invisible brake, it doesn't slow her down. And no matter how many times I turn the invisible wheel on the passenger side of the car, the car does not go the way I am turning it. My stomach is twisting and turning with each acceleration, stop, twist and turn of the wheel. I try to look like I am calm, but I am not. I try to keep my voice from rising to a yell, but it is nearly impossible when she crosses the yellow line and stops in the middle of the road. Eventually we make it back to our side of the road and I help her make a left hand turn into our neighborhood. She parks the car nicely in the driveway and pulls on the parking brake. My stomach settles as I dig my foot out of the carpet on the passenger side of the car and she hands me the keys. That is when I allow myself to breathe again. My older friends tell me it is just the beginning of raising a teenager and to just hold on, hold my breath and take a breather when necessary.

A Contest on My Blog

By Marcia Mickelson

I'm sponsoring a contest on my blog. Come on over to check it out for a chance to win.

Nationwide book sales YTD

Please let me know if any of you are interested in this kind of information. I subscribe to newsletters where I receive it almost daily.

AAP Book Sales: May Dips, Year Holds

Net sales of books in May fell 1.8% to $670 million, based on data from 79 publishers as reported to the Association of American Publishers. For the year to date, net sales of books were $2.851 billion, down 0.7% from the same period last year.
Stronger categories:

E-books rose 24.3% (with sales of $3.3 million).
Higher Ed increased 5% ($127.1million).
Adult hardcovers were up 4.4% ($166 million).
Religious books gained 3.7% ($38.8 million).
Professional and scholarly rose 1.3% ($53.5 million).
Children's/YA paperbacks increased 0.4% ($42.5 million).

Weaker categories:

Audiobooks were down 38% ($12.6 million).
University press paperbacks dropped 20.5% ($2.8 million).
University press hardcovers decreased 18.4% ($4 million).
Adult mass market declined 9.6% ($77.2 million).
Adult paperbacks sales fell 7.3% ($100.7 million).
Children's/YA hardcovers decreased 4.9% ($40.4 million).
El-hi dropped 2.6% ($328.6 million)

Enchanted

By Rebecca Talley

I absolutely love the movie Enchanted with Amy Adams (a flesh-eating guest star on Smallville) and Patrick Dempsey (who I remember from the teen angst movie Can't Buy Me Love back in the 80's and have been intrigued by the revival of his career as of late, and the fact that my teenage daughters find him so attractive considering he's almost my age).

Enchanted is a ridiculously far-fetched movie that I completely and thoroughly enjoyed. I didn't have to think or ponder anything, I could just relax and get caught up in the most romantic story I've seen in ages. I found myself singing along with the songs during the movie and even singing the songs the next day. I love the soundtrack.

Amy Adams portrays an animated character perfectly. Her facial expressions are amazing and her voice is so beautiful.

I especially loved the true love's kiss. So romantic. I guess I'm just a romantic at heart and loved being lost in the magic of this movie. Someday, I hope to write something as romantic.

Personal Contacts

A very effective promotional tool to pushing the sales of your new or most recent book can be found right inside your personal email contact list. Usually the contacts that are in your list are people that you have established lasting relationships with and will continue on for lengthy periods of time. Authors should use this list by letting all the contacts know of their new book or of new activities that they are involved in with and existing book. Theses contacts are already connected in some way to you and will take the time to read the email that you send to them. Then because of their relationship with you, they are more than willing to help you spread the word to their contacts and friends that they deal with on a daily basis. While informing your contacts of the activities you are involved in, don't hesitate to ask them for their opinions or for ideas on ways to help you publicize your book. You will be surprised how much information is out there and how many great opportunities that will be freely given just by asking. Remember to build your email list with the people who are interested in what you are doing because these will be the people in the future that will be a valuable source of information. Who knows your next big book idea, deal, or just a great friendship could originate from your very own email contact list!

Italian genealogy

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Italian genealogy

by Trafford R. Cole

One of the blessings of being an Italian or of Italian descent is that Italy like many countries in Europe has wonderful historical records. There are three reasons why Italian are blessed in their genealogy and family history work. The first is that family is the most important social context for Italians. The family comes first for Italians and always has. They visit their parents and relatives regularly. Even Italians who have emigrated to the North or to other countries in Europe spend their vacations going back home. Therefore they are closely knit and interested in their family history.

Secondly, Italy like much of Europe is very traditional and is not a mobile society. That is Italians over the centuries have not moved around very much. Many lived in the same town and even in the same family home for generations and generations. They married people from the same village or a village nearby. Therefore, you may find many generations of your family in just one town or certainly in the same province. This is also true because Italian as a language is fairly recent, dating back only a couple of centuries and most Italians speak their local dialect. Thus even when Italians emigrated to the States, Sicilians married Sicilian and Calabresi married Calabresi because they spoke the same dialect and they did not have a common language with other Italians.

The third reason is that there are some wonderful records in Italy. The civil records from the Italian state only go back to 1865, or in areas in the South go to 1809. The parish records instead date back much further. The Council of Trent established in 1565 that every parish priest should keep record of all the births and baptisms, marriages and death of every parishioner. This was ratified in 1595, so all the parish records in Italy date back to this period unless the parish was established later. This means that ten, twelve or fifteen generations of family history can all be gathered from just one source; The dream of every genealogist.

All of this is changing rapidly however. In modern society the work force is becoming more mobile, family ties are being strained and historical records are subject to damage, loss and negligence. The parish records in particular were written in single copy and kept in the parish. As a result if they are lost they are gone forever. This is an ongoing process as churches are vandalized, or are destroyed in natural disasters like floods and earthquakes. The Catholic Church is also taking steps to restrict the consultation of these records.

So if you are of Italian descent this is the time to do your genealogy and discover your family history. Do not procrastinate or it may be too late.

Online Video Book Promotions

by Abel Keogh

Online videos are quickly becoming an effective way for authors to promote their books. Best-selling author Michael Connelly has just posted a video on his website that depicts two scenes in his upcoming book The Brass Verdict. The next video will be released next month. You can watch the video below. It gave me all sorts of ideas for making a video for Room for Two and my forthcoming novel.

From Tricycle To Bike To Tandem

By Kimberly Jensen

Two weeks ago I spent two days with my elderly father in Logan riding in the MS 150 ride. I've done the ride for over five years but it was the first time I left my road bike at home, rented a tandem cruiser bike and headed north for a weekend with daddy. My dad is 73 years old and has Parkinson's Disease. The disease has taken his balance, his concentration, his smile (sometimes) his driver's license and most recently, it is taking hold on his mind. He now requires 24/7 care. Two weeks ago, he was under the care of my sister and I. Many years ago, we acquired a love of bike riding from our father and wanted to share that love once again with him. He has gone from tricyle to bike back to tricycle again (he rides a three wheel mountain bike everyday on the roads around his neighborhood) But for this weekend, we rented a tandem because he wanted to see how many miles he could do. Who are we to tell him, "no?" My sister came along with her mountain bike and road behind us. I steered the front of the bike while my dad peddled on the back. We arrived in Logan, got settled in the hotel, ate dinner and gave my dad his medications ,which amount to more than your local neighborhood pharmacy. We got up early the first day and took off, tandem. The three of us were the last on the road, but we decided to let daddy sleep in, get some breakfast and let his meds kick in. We rode the route backwards in hopes of catching the rest stops that were still open. We rode 25 miles together that first day and my dad pumped his skinny legs the whole way. His meds stopped working the last five miles and his breathing became labored, causing concern for surrounding cyclists and medics but he wouldn't stop until we came into the Logan fairgrounds. The next day, we were once again the last ones on the road, but that day we rode an amazing 35 miles around Hyrum lake and back to Logan again. My dad wanted to do another ten miles, but we decided not to push it. We loaded the bikes in the truck, got my dad a cool drink and drove home. The three of us wore sweaty, salty smiles the whole way home. As we drove down into the valley my dad turned to us and said, "I better get in shape for next year. I'm going to do the whole 150 miles next time." Determination. Pass it on.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Straightjacket

by Shirley Bahlmann
Okay, so story ideas come from everywhere, right? Even a bunched up jacket.
I was not expecting the gray bundle of polar fleece on my back patio to be anything more than a forgotten jacket. But when I picked it up, I saw that it was circled around a couple of times with a jump rope and had a nubbin of fabric in front wrapped with duct tape.
"What's this?" I asked my 14-year-old.
He gave me a sideways glance and a mischievous grin. "A jacket."
I knew the ploy. "Yes, but why is it wrapped with rope and duct tape?"
"Because."
"Because why?" (It really helps when you know all the right questions to ask. It wears down their defenses.)
"Because Jonathan (the 9-year-old kid next door) helped me tie up Michael (my 8-year-old son) and then we laid him on the neighbor's porch and rang the doorbell and ran."
"How did Michael like being tied up?"
"He was laughing, and he was saying 'you guys,' but he thought it was funny.'"
"What's the duct tape for?"
"We wrapped it around his hands."
"And who answered the door?"
"Melissa (a 12-year-old neighbor and Jonathan's big sister). She came running outside and the door closed behind her, so then I had to get a ladder and climb up to a window and open it, and it was scary because the ladder didn't quite reach and then I had to climb inside and walk through the house and let her back in."
Turns out this event happened last month. (Shows you how often I clear off the back patio. No pictures, please.)
The neighbors have since moved.
Can you blame them?

Stop Making Things Up!

by Lee Ann Setzer

I’ve been working through the book we received at the CFI writers’ conference, Get Off the Beach!, by keynote speaker Eloise Owens. She uses surfing metaphors to illustrate principles of salesmanship and marketing.

She quotes a famous surfer: “Essential requirement for a big-wave rider is not courage, daring, or fitness but a non-arousable imagination.” Owens emphasizes the “mental strength to stay quiet while executing through the unknown.”

So, how’s that supposed to help a novelist? We’re using our imaginations to “execute through the unknown,” and if they're "non-arousable," we're in trouble! This reminded me of advice I heard years from authors Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith: “Stop making things up!”

We’re novelists. We have great imaginations. We can create a whole dramatic chain of events from one minor occurrence. We make things up for fun and profit. The problem comes when we write the query letter, put the manuscript in the mailbox, and start waiting—and making things up.

It’s the worst thing they’ve ever received. I haven’t heard back because they burned it and scattered the ashes. Not only do these editors hate this manuscript, every editor in the world (or universe, if you write science fiction), is destined to hate everything I ever write for the rest of my short and miserable life. I should have become an accountant.

So, fellow authors, how do you avoid making things up? Or do you guide your limitless imagination in positive paths, and put it to work for you?

Me, I have a goal to receive 100 rejection letters.

"Wonder and Grandeur in a Still, Small Voice"

by Janet Jensen

If you've heard me present, you know that I need a microphone. There are several reasons I have a quiet voice, none of which are relevant to this post. I'd like to quote Jerry Johnston from Mormon Times (Deseret News sponsored website) in a review of a film that had its share of violence.

Why, I wondered, would none of (the film's) pyrotechnics stay with me while a little scene from "To Kill a Mockingbird" -- a film I saw decades ago -- still gave me chills? I'm talking about the moment where attorney Gregory Peck, drained and defeated, walks from the courtroom and -- out of nowhere -- gets a standing ovation from the black people in the gallery . . .

But more than that, Harper Lee's "Mockingbird" was written for the screen by Horton Foote -- who also gave us "Tender Mercies" and "A Trip to Bountiful." And Foote knows the key to my heart. He knows that to be moving and memorable, human experience doesn't need to be written with great flames in the stars -- like "Falling," "No Country for Old Men" and "Sweeney Todd." Great suffering, sin and moments of humanity can be distilled down and put into the lives of people living understated lives.

Wonder and grandeur can be even more powerful and unforgettable when spoken in a still, small voice.

Thank you, Jerry, for reminding us of our purposes as writers.

You Know You Need to Exercise When...

This weekend I had a terrible epiphany: I am out of shape. Even though I feel like I eat healthy. Even though I try to get movement in my day. Even though I don’t watch TV (though I do read far too much). I’ve even been losing a little weight and was feeling fairly happy with myself.

Until I went shopping.

I know most of you probably think you know what I’m going to say next: I went into the store, found out I was two sizes larger than I’d been the last time I went shopping, and everything I tried on looked horrid, blah blah blah. Well, nope. That wasn’t it at all. I even got an ego boost when I bought a pair of pants two sizes smaller than I had the last time I went shopping (okay, that was probably thanks to the cut rather than any significant weight loss).

So what went wrong? Well, except for the fact that I spent two full days scouring every shop in St. George for a teal-and-brown dress to wear for my sister-in-law’s wedding, nothing. At the time.

But then Sunday morning, I woke up sore. How pathetic is that? Sore from shopping. It’s true, though. I can barely hobble around today. I’m supposed to be happy and chipper as I show students around campus, but instead I just want to be a grouch and curl up and sleep until walking doesn’t hurt.

I know exercise is good for you. So why does it have to be so hard to do? There are always so many excuses: no swimming because I look bad in a swim suit; no hiking because gas is too expensive to drive to a place to hike; no gym because I can’t find a spare hour in my day; no sports because I have no talent. What’s a girl to do?

If it were a simple matter of weight loss, there’d be no problem. I’d just sit outside in our St. George heat and sweat it all off.

Perhaps I’ll make it a point every day to climb the stairs in the student service center…all three flights of them.

No apartment? Thank goodness!

by Shirley Bahlmann
It would seem to be a bad thing when you drive a thousand miles to move into an apartment in your new town and are told, "You can't move in yet." Say, what?
It happened to my son, his wife, and their three children. At the time, it was next to tragic.
After a week of staying with his brother, my son's family moved into a smaller apartment... rent free. While living on free rent, my son found a job.
Bonus.
Now they are moving into the original sized apartment, 1 1/2 months rent free, complete with a paying job.
Thank goodness for the surprises in life.
That's the kind of thing that makes for good writing, too.

For goodness' sakes, buy the lemonade already!

by Shirley Bahlmann
I was walking to the credit union when I saw a boy with a little card table, a pitcher of blue juice, and some styrofoam cups. I immediately pulled out a quarter and bought myself a cup of sugary drink that the boy had valiantly tried to keep cool under a black umbrella.
It's not that I wanted the drink. I prefer real fruit juice, especially cranberry or fresh squeezed lemonade. (Let me assure you, this was NOT cranberry OR real lemonade.) But that didn't matter. Every time I see a child trying to earn a living selling roadside drinks, I stop and buy one. I feel it's part of my mission on earth to make sure no child goes through the trauma of my childhood summer drink stand business. Oh, the horror. NO ONE STOPPED.
It probably didn't help that I set up in our front yard on a quiet street where we could play kickball for a whole afternoon and move aside for maybe one car and a bicycle. But I was in business, and I expected there to be business.
Then my big brother had a brilliant idea. We would offer free popcorn to everyone. Then, when they stopped to eat their free popcorn, they'd get thirsty and buy lemonade. How could it fail? My brother's best friend, Ronnie, even agreed to eat the popcorn to show passersby how good it was, and he was willing to do it for free.
So Ronnie started in on the popcorn, taking huge handfuls and opening his mouth wide whenever the occasional car rolled down our street, the driver peering distractedly at house numbers. Ronnie ate popcorn when there were no cars, too. He needed the practice. He did such a good job that he ate the whole bowl down to unpopped old maids.
That was when a big, black car stopped at the curb. My heart nearly stopped, too. I had a customer! A man in a suit got out of the car and walked across the sidewalk. "Would you like some free popcorn?" I asked, holding out the bowl.
The man looked at the wreckage Ronnie had left behind and said, "No, thanks. But I'd like a drink, please."
I grabbed the pitcher and a paper cup and poured him as much as I could fit without spilling over the sides. He handed me a dime, and I handed him his cup. He had to bend his head forward and drink some before he could turn and walk back to his car without spilling. As he left, I stared at him with adoring eyes. I have a very good memory, and I'm sure he was glowing as he got into his car and drove away.
That was my only paying customer in the lemonade stand business, and as such, he deserves a special place in heaven.
On my way back from the credit union, I bought another cup of blue drink from the boy with the umbrella. I had to. It was a very hot day.

Introducing Bevan Olsen

Getting to know someone can be very difficult in some cases. I can assure you that getting to know me is not a hard thing. I am one of those people who doesn't give you the wrong impression, loves to hear the positive side of things, and loves to get down to business as soon as possible. Now I don't want to paint a picture of a hard-nosed businessman (I have a personality and will gladly share it with you). I love to have fun and love to be a little competitive. I come from a small town in Utah that boasts 1,500 residents where everybody knows everybody. Growing up in a small town is something that I wouldn't change for the world. After moving out of my small town to pursue higher education, I moved to Orem and attended what is now Utah Valley University where I received a degree in Business Management. Now, living in Lehi, married for five years and the father of two, my life is in full swing with hardly any of that free time that I experienced growing up in such a large setting with so few people. I have worked here at Cedar Fort for two years now (just entering my third) and have recently been given the opportunity to work under the title of Public Relations Director. I really look forward to getting to know all the wonderful authors as well as trying to help them make thier dreams into realities. Being a published author (The Littlest Nephite) will help me connect with the desires of other authors. I welcome all of your suggestions and thoughts as we start this journey together. I hope we can all benefit from it ----I'm counting on it!!

A little tidbit

I was looking up publishing law yesterday and came across a little tidbit that might affect some of you. Did you know that if you publish under a pseudonym you may be decreasing the length of your copyright? Here's the deal. Assuming you created your work after 1978, under current law your copyright lasts for your life plus 75 years. However, if you use a pseudonym, your copyright lasts for 75 years from the 1st date of publication or 100 years from the date of creation; whichever is less. In my case, I may be close enough to death it may not make that much difference, but for some of you it could make a lot of difference. Just something good to know.

An old face with a new spot

We made a great change yesterday in our staff. Bevan Olsen has been assigned as the new Public Relations Director. I'm sure you'll be impressed as you discover his work ethic, creativity and knowledge. Bevan is a published author and has a degree in business administration. He has worked at Cedar Fort for over two years. You may contact him at bolsen@cedarfort.com. Bevan is excited to get to know all of our authors on a more intimate basis. He already is very aware of your books. Please be sure to let him know when you have special promotions or signings going so he can interface with the sales staff. Bevan can also help you brainstorm promotional ideas. Additionally, he will coordinate our author seminar in August where we will release the new Cedar Fort Website and train authors on building websites, blogs and other areas of web 2.0. If there are specific questions you have please email him. As always, we appreciate your support and are anxious to be involved with books that make a difference.

Our New Twin Hummers

by Lee Ann Setzer

That's hummingbirds, not SUVs--although they guzzle as much fuel, proportionally. I'd include pictures, but the window is dirty and the photographer is not too talented.

My maternal hormones don’t usually give me much trouble (ask my kids). But they (the hormones. Also the kids, but that’s another post) are going crazy right now. Mama Hummingbird built her nest right outside my bedroom window. We watched her build it, out of dried-up apple blossoms and her own feathers. Maybe some hummingbird spit. Then she sat still for a week, probably a heroic feat for a hummer. She reminded me of myself and a lot of other moms I know: I’m doing my motherly duty, staying home and moving at the kids’ pace. I want to move, but it’s time to sit still. Arg!

Once they hatched, she looked really uncomfortable on the nest, with those two little sharp beaks pointing straight up, yelling, “FEED ME!” Now she’s finding lots to do outside the home—like eat for three hummingbirds.

At first, the two kids just stuck up their beaks, waiting for Mom to deliver. The last couple of days, though, I’ve seen their whole heads, and even their flapping wings. They want to hum, and I’m scared spitless. What if they fall? What if the cat is waiting when they fall? What if they starve before they figure out where the flowers are? What if they can’t find a nice hummer to marry?

A small, objective corner of my brain reminds me that zillions of hummingbirds have left the nest since hummers began, and plenty of them survived to drink red sugar water and buzz around the butterfly bush. These, however, are my babies—not statistics. So I check on them a dozen times a day.

And a thin branch on the crabapple tree is going to be awfully quiet and empty once they do fly off.

MyNewOffice

by Shirley Bahlmann
Okay, I just can't believe it. Not a single person guessed that my new office is in the refrigerator! It's not so far-fetched. Some fridge's are nearly as big as my new office digs.
It was interesting to discover that a lot of guesses were places I have either used or thought of using. The tree house was a good idea (mosquitoes kept me away), the dining room, kitchen, closet (lovely mental picture there; quiet, smells good, and not a high traffic area), and the laundry room, where I could write in a thumpa-thumpa rhythm to the washing machine. But most of the guesses were for...can you believe it? The bathroom! Where in the bathroom could I sit myself down to write? Did you ever consider that? Uh, never mind. The bathroom, of all places. You guys know me too well. You're right.
How did this happen? It's my fault, really. When we discovered that our upstairs shower was leaking, Bob tried some fixes that didn't work. So I got antsy one day and hammered out the tiles in the floor. Turns out the installer, bless his pointed little ears, had put linoleum down as an anti-leak lining. Take my word for it... it doesn't work. I had terrible anxiety over getting the thing fixed, until I gradually realized that no one cared about it except me.
I'd still like to fix the shower, but overall remodeling needs to be planned first, and since Michael recently made a haul on our neighbor's after-yard sale freebies, I needed to move out of his room. the shower provides a nice, cozy corner, and sitting in there with my laptop removes some of my anxiety to get it fixed RIGHT NOW!
I decided to draw for the bathroom-guesser-winner (if anyone would have been more specific and guessed, "shower," they would have won, hands-down.) The name drawn out by my impartial Michael-Man (if he were partial, he would have drawn his big brother's or sister-in-law's name) is... Gloria VanHorn! (Applause all around. Hey, stop booing, you sore losers!)
The rest of you can run right out and buy a copy of "Water Keep" as soon as it comes out this fall.
Keep your pen clean.

BookReviewWithCandaceSalima

by Shirley Bahlmann

How did you come up with the title for your book? It’s so fitting.

Elizabeth Cheever, my co-author, initially came up with Refiner’s Fire part. I liked it but it seemed to be incomplete. One morning I puttering around the house taking of things and the whole came into my mind. It really does fit the process we go through. The forging process burns away all the imperfections and dross leaving beautiful, shiny, valuable gold. That is what mortality is all about, burning away our weaknesses and imperfections and rejoicing in the perfection which remains.

What inspired you to collect stories of hardship people have had in their lives?

Both Elizabeth and I have undergone a number of trials in our lives, as has everyone. There were times when I literally felt as if I would drown in the fear. But always, if I could find a quiet hospital corner and prayer, the tremendous comfort and peace which would envelop me was amazing. I am a firm believer that we are given our obstacles, trials and tragedies so that we not only learn from them, but also share those experiences with others that they might be uplifted and strengthened in their own journeys.

Was it difficult to get people to share stories so up close and personal to them?

Not really. Elizabeth and I sent emails out to everyone we knew, and asked them to forward them across the world, asking for stories that fit a particular criteria. In other words, the people who had worked their way through the darkness to come to the light on the other side. The purpose of the book was to help others to understand they are not alone.

How do you think that people who shared their stories benefited from telling them?

You know, that’s an interesting question and one I hadn’t thought of. For myself, I know there is a general catharsis when my trial becomes the written word. Somehow, some way, it is my hope that my trial and the lessons learned have given others the strength and courage to go on. That alone gives me a measure of peace and strength. So I guess it my hope that this very same phenomena for each of the other people who shared their stories.

How has compiling these stories effected you?

In all honesty, I was blown away. For instance, although Hazel would disagree, Hazel’s story of the horse rearing up and falling backwards on her, crushing her pelvis, made me stop and say: “Okay, my life just isn’t that hard. Holy cow!” Oddly enough, Hazel, upon reading the other stories said the exact same thing. So for me, they have given me strength, courage and knowledge. Each of these people shared how they overcame their trials and within the pages of this book are suggestions, woven in and out of the stories, to overcoming your own trials. The first thing, and most important, is to lift that load off your shoulders and turn it over to the Savior. Not an easy thing to do. When that advice was given to me in a priesthood blessing I puzzled for several days trying to figure out how to do that. Then it came into my mind to picture my troubles and woes as a huge, heavy overcoat literally drowning me. I then allowed the Savior, as any good gentleman would do, to lift that coat from my shoulders, along with all my troubles and worries, at place it on His own. Rather simplistic, but it worked.

What kind of feedback have you gotten from people who’ve read your book? Has it changed anyone’s view of the Savior?

I’ve received a number of emails, and certain a number of reviews have mentioned this as well, how the people who shared their stories in this book has literally changed their lives. For some it helped me to see what was holding them back and they shook that burden off and started moving forward. For others in the midst of great trials it gave them hope to know they were not alone in their suffering. And for yet others, it inspired them to greater heights. All of these emails and comments have lightened my heart tremendously. For the greatest mission I have is to testify of the Savior’s love, strength, courage and loyalty to each of the children of God. It is my hope that this book portrayed that adequately.

Do you plan a sequel?

Yes, it is called “No Pressure, No Diamonds.” Anyone who is interested in contributing a story should read “Forged in the Refiner’s Fire” and then email me their story at ces@candacesalima.com. Elizabeth and I will go over all the stories and choose the ones that best fit the message of “No Pressure, No Diamonds.”

“Forged in the Refiner’s Fire”, along with my others, can be purchased at www.candacesalima.com/inPrint.htm.

REVIEW:
Have you ever had days...weeks...years... when you think nothing is going right? Do you ever look up at the Heavens, clench your fists, and cry, "Why me?"
"Forged in the Refiner's Fire" is a collection of essays by people who've been, there, done that, and later found the gem hidden in the midst of their trial. You have to dig a ditch to get water to the crops, you have to suffer growing pains to become an adult, you have to sweat to strengthen your muscles.
So when those trials come, pick up this book and find friends who know what you're going through. Take the lessons already learned, and thank God for your trials.