Thursday Authorial: To Everything There is a Season

As a woman who's book has been written, critiqued, edited, looked at, critiqued, re-edited, re-read, tweaked, re-submitted, and finally, FINALLY HALLELUJAH, accepted, I now have the strange and wonderful opportunity to... WAIT. SOME MORE.
And I'm okay with that. Annette Lyon gave me some insight on Twitter yesterday. Those of you who follow us may already have read, or Twead, our little conversation, but it bears repeating.
I told Annette I feel like a wallflower. I've been invited to the ball, but I just don't get to dance yet.
Her brilliant and somehow reassuring, and yet all the more tantalizing summation of getting published?
"The industry really is, 'Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. CRAP! DEADLINE! NOW HURRY UP!'"

I can't wait to yell, "CRAP!"

In honor of all of you author's waiting on that first book, I recognize you with this beautiful symbol of patience and long-suffering for your art.

So, for M. Gray, Andrea Pearson, Tamara Hart Heiner, L.T. Eliot, Ali Cross, Elana Johnson, and all of you working, waiting, and wondering... there will be a time to dance.


And to yell, "CRAP!"

Tuesday Testimonial: Write It Down

Aye. I had a great idea for Tuesday Testimonial. It was cut and dry, no-frills, good stuff to share. That's all I can remember. I thought of it on our trip while we were out walking around. Surely I would remember. There was no reason I wouldn't, never mind the fact that we were doing the Smithsonian shuffle and my sensory systems were on overload. Never mind that my feet hurt because I was wearing new shoes (dumb) and mentioned shin splints twice. Never mind that the Civil War wing made me want to cover my ears (?) and run out of the halls to find something on Rock history because the accounts were overwhelming my emotions. Unfortunately, I ran to the WWI wing.
So, yeah, I forgot my idea.
But then I remembered it again in a flash of clarity! We were in the noisy, bouncy little airplane between SLC and YRA (that's Yellowstone Regional Airport here in Cody, folks, way back in E Gate... we get to walk on our plane from the ground. To quote the attendant, "Out the door, first plane on the left, thank you, have a nice flight.") But I remembered my idea and sighed with relief and CONTINUED READING Brandon Sanderson's Elantris. So, no, I don't remember it at all. I remember Elantris, though. That was way more awesome than any post I could have written.

It'll come to me just before I drift off to sleep tonight. I'll make sure I have a pen and notebook waiting.

Do you have a favorite little notebook for keeping your ideas where they ought to be?

A Time to Skimp; A Time to Pluck

My husband likes to call it

 However, he is sometimes referred to as

No matter how you spell it (because he DID take me to Washington DC for six days), Hotel Room Internet Fee+My Husband=No Internet.

Well, we bought a couple of hours one day. But I was pretty much out of the net loop for the week and between walking Capitol Hill and the Mall, navigating the Metro, finding the fun dining spots, getting dolled up for the Gala, and my husband's conferences and meeting with legislators and such, I found myself with a little time for introspection. And rubbing my feet. And reading Brandon Sanderson's Elantris.
I was too tired to write, but I did have a dream one night. A dream story. A dream story with a main character with a name and a purpose and an antagonist, and a setting that will work, and dialogue I remember. I only need to make dinner and take my daughter shopping, play my volleyball game, participate in Family Home Evening and fold the laundry, and then probably drop because we got home at midnight last night. But maybe not. Maybe I'll dive in, build a world, and create a character to fall in love with. I just. Need. To get. It out.

Maybe Me+No Internet=Subconscious Creative Juice Flow.
That pear is getting pretty dang ripe.

Juicy.

Thursday Authorial: Sarah M. Eden

Welcome to this week's Thursday Authorial! I've invited Sarah M. Eden, author of Regency Romance and quirky blogness, to be my guest here today. Sarah is one of my new favorite authors and I'm thrilled to have her on my blog.

K: Thank you, Sarah, for gracing my blog with your lively presence. Tell me, are you as funny in real life as you are on your blog? Because, seriously, your INFF feature is my favorite laugh-out-loud blog feature anywhere. The picture alone… I start smiling just clicking on the link.

It's a little creepy; am I right?

Sarah: Is the picture creepy? Absolutely. That's why I picked it. Nothing says, "come read my blog" like a picture of a creepy kid.

So... am I as funny in real life? I'm abnormal, which is a flavor of funny, I suppose. And I'm goofy... that's sort of like a topping on the ice cream sundae of funniness. So, yeah. I guess I'm pretty funny.

K: You're making me hungry for ice cream. We should go get some after the interview. Tell us a few more things about yourself.

Sarah: I tried out for the volleyball team in Jr. High, but when I showed up at try-outs and was able to walk under -- yeah, that's under -- the net, the coach gave me a very commiserating look, and I figured I probably wouldn't make the team. I didn't. But I'm okay with that. 

K: That's tough... and cute. I'm glad you got over it, though, and hardly think of it, ever. I'm sure they missed out on one spunky player.

Sarah: I decided to write for the school newspaper instead.

According to the Mother's Day card my daughter gave me when she was in preschool, my favorite thing to do is "not cook."

K: Kids pick up on the darndest things. And the school newspaper seems like a great fit. What is your favorite part of the writing process? What was a surprise?

Sarah: Favorite part... junk food. I eat a lot of it while I write. And, yeah, that was kind of a surprise. Even more of a surprise was the "expansion" that junk food lead to. Luckily, I put my creative genius to work inventing a means of arranging a setup that allows me to type on the computer while working out on my elliptical. That has done wonders.

K: That is genius! I rigged the same kind of thing, only I just spin around the room on my office chair until I get dizzy. Do you have any “magic moments” as an author you would like to share?

Sarah: Being a finalist for a Whitney Award last year was an absolutely amazing experience. Not only did I get some exposure to potential readers, it gave me a much-needed boost of confidence. That award also put me in a position to meet people in the industry and set in motion the events that lead to my manuscript, "Courting Miss Lancaster," being read by an editor at Covenant and eventually being published.

K: Excellent magic moment! Gives me chills (I still want ice cream, though). I can’t imagine you getting discouraged or stuck about anything, but do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

Sarah: Getting stuck is an unavoidable part of writing. Writing is a surprisingly intensive undertaking and brains get burned out. An author once told me... okay, I read it in a book, but I felt like it was a personal bit of advice... that when you are stuck on or sick of a manuscript, the most effective thing you can do is walk away. Do something completely different for a while--sometimes weeks or more. This gives your brain a chance to rest while working on it in the back of your thoughts. It has always worked for me.

K: Your newest book "Courting Miss Lancaster", is now available through Covenant Communications (Yay!) and I have one word for it: DELIGHTFUL. In lots of words, here is a portion of my Goodreads review (5 stars): Wonderful. I am absolutely delighted I found Sarah M. Eden through a blog post. I will read this again, and my daughter will read it. And then she'll give it back and if I don't have another Eden book yet I will read it again. It's funny, sweet, touching, and I didn't get enough. 

The language was perfect, the dialogue (and silences) compelling, quick, and sexy. Sarah M. Eden, I will be first in line for your future books. And it's clean! Now, tell us about it so we can rush madly to the bookstore.

Sarah: From the back cover: Harry Windover adores blonde, green-eyed Athena Lancaster, but alas, a penniless man like himself has no hope of winning a young noblewoman's hand. To add insult to injury, Athena's brother-in-law and guardian, the Duke of Kielder, has asked Harry to assist Athena in finding the gentleman of her dreams. But the lovesick Harry is cunning as well: as the weeks pass, he introduces Athena to suitors who are horrifically boring, alarmingly attached to their mothers, downright rude, astoundingly self-absorbed, and utterly ridiculous.

Athena can't comprehend why she is having so little success meeting eligible and acceptable gentlemen. Indeed, her circle of admirers couldn't be less admirable--nothing like the loyal, gentle friend she's found in Harry. But how long can Harry's scheme be hidden before it is discovered? And what will Athena do when she uncovers Harry's deception?

Escape into a charming regency world in this delightfully romantic comedy of manners that will entertain you to the very last word.

Sounds great, huh?!

K: It sounds perfect. I have to admit I didn’t know you or your books until recently (a sad commentary on how widespread LDS fiction is NOT) and I was surprised to see how many books you’ve had published, and I moaned out loud when I found out most were already out of print. How is "Courting Miss Lancaster" different from other things you’ve written, and will we be able to get our hands on your other works?

Sarah: All of my previous works are Regency Romances, so in that respect, Courting Miss Lancaster fits right in. Each book has a different couple traversing the path of love. While they all stand alone, you will certainly see characters from other books make appearances. Several of the books are part of a series that follows the romantic adventures of a family of seven brothers.

Estimated Date of Republication: Um... I don't know yet. Is that a totally lame answer, or what? Covenant is certainly interested in them and there's stuff (again, lame and vague) going on behind the scenes right now that should start setting that up, but I can't offer much more than that. *shrugs* I'm a dork, but that's all I can say.

K: Very mysterous. If writing and submitting are teaching me anything, it is PATIENCE. I will wait PATIENTLY. What drew you to writing Regency Romance?

Sarah: A tendency toward insanity.

K: Hee. Tell us a little about the research you do.

Sarah: I have always been something of a history fanatic.  I love watching documentaries and reading historical accounts, especially first-hand accounts from people who actually lived what they are retelling.  Even before setting out to write my very first Regency, I was elbow-deep in history texts, 19th Century journals, Parliamentary minutes from this time period—yes, people, I have read dry-as-a-bone records of government business (like I said, insanity)—paintings and drawings and love letters. I especially liked the love letters. I can walk blindfolded directly to the section of the library where the books from this era are shelved.

I have studied maps of London, the toll roads, the Great North Road.  I have read law books on inheritance, marriage, guardianship.  I have studied playbills for London theaters, accounts of London's Season and Society.

I research like an obsessive, reclusive, insomniac.  And I love every minute of it.

K: It shows (not the obsessive, reclusive, insomniac part. You look pretty stable to me). Are you currently working on something new? (Crossing fingers, whispering, “Please say yes, please say yes...”)

Sarah: I certainly am! I am actually writing a book starring a character who was in "Courting Miss Lancaster". Hmm. Mysterious. Pssst... this book is gonna be da bomb diggity! Wow. That really made me sound like a loser. I need to work on that. 

K: Here, spin around the room on your office chair with me. We can be losers together. (Krista and Sarah raise their arms in the air and spin around the room shouting "Weeeeeeeee..."

Okay, (out of breath) I think I just had an epiphany of who the mysterious new character might be. We'll talk later. Where can we find your book?

Sarah (not so out of breath because she uses the elliptical): There are links galor at my website www.sarahmeden.com or you can go directly to http://deseretbook.com/item/5043081/Courting_Miss_Lancaster   It is also available at all Deseret Book stores, Seagull book stores and in most book stores in Utah.

K: I just received a DB catalog in the mail and Courting Miss Lancaster was in there. I showed my kids. They though it was da bomb diggity.
I found you through a blog of a blog, or maybe it was a comment you left on a blog. How has blogging and social networking (Twitter, Facebook) influenced you as a writer?

Sarah: I think I can sum up my experience with blogging in 4 words: "I Need Friends Friday." This recurring interview segment has allowed to "meet" so many different people. Like you, this has connected me with books and authors, especially, that I probably would never have heard of otherwise.

K: And don't forget characters. Your revealing interviews with Edward Cullen and Jacob Black almost made me fall out of my spinny exercise elliptical chair. Final question: If you could be a character in any book, who would you be?

Sarah: I'm not sure I would want to be a character in a book. The really good authors with great plots and character arcs do some pretty cruel things to their main characters. If I had to choose, I'd definitely go with a character in a romance because they get the happy endings and the hot guys. I'd probably go with Marion from "Drops of Gold" --that's one of my books that is currently out of print-- because she's a lot of fun, and a redhead, and the guy she ends up with is not only fabulously good-looking, but is based in a lot of ways on my husband and I think he's a great catch!

K: It sounds like a perfect match! Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us. I'm ready for ice cream! But first, I'll put in a word for the contest Sarah is hosting on her blog. Go check it out! It's full of mystery and anticipation and I almost don't want to share it with other readers, but I must.

Sarah: Thank you!

K: You are so welcome.

Places Sarah M. Eden can be found:

www.sarahmeden.com

http://deseretbook.com/item/5043081/Courting_Miss_Lancaster

http://www.seagullbook.com/lds-products-603362.html

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-M-Eden/71625568900?ref=ts

Tuesday Testimonial: Patience

“Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things - with resignations, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope.” -Corazon Aquino

 In lieu of Tuesday Edit Crunch (because until I hear back about my second book I am stumped about what to cover next), I will be sharing Tuesday Testimonial! And, as I have already hinted, this first testimonial will address a subject I have recently declared the possible crown of all submitting authors:

PATIENCE

If you look at it long enough it starts to look foreign, doesn't it? Like some french word for an amazingly rich pastry in a paper doily. Mmm... pastry.

Chocolate sauce, anyone?

Am I right, though? It is not enough to "open a vein" and pour ourselves out onto paper (or screen), then take a deep breath and push a creation out for others, and not just any others, but those whose job it is to judge it, and then... wait. And wonder, and clean our desk and go through the motions and make wrong turns and space out during conversations and start to say things like, "Oh, that is Dierdre's favorite song," or, "Galahad went through a very similar experience," and you're referring to your main characters so people look at you funny. Waiting. Cuckoo.
No, it's not enough. My favorite part of the above quote are the words, with resignations. It's the phrase that makes the rest of it, the blazing, serene hope, human. I can do that. I have resignations. But I think my hope is pretty blazing, if not entirely serene (eye twitch).

The manifestation of my blazing, serene hope, is that I am still writing. I am still going back and editing my brains out for stories I have yet to submit and have no idea how they will be received. I am on the lookout for the next story. It is in how I allow a moment to envision my book in my hands, the weight of it, what the cover might look like, how I might avoid the reviews, and how I might not, how the story might touch others. And the next story. And the next.
I told my writing group, "Anyone who wants to learn patience, write a book, and submit it." I'll add to it. 
Anyone who wants to learn of faith, keep writing.


Are you up for the lesson?

The Best Books Club: 2nd Quarter 2010

Welcome! If you missed our 2nd quarter meeting, or if you are just looking for some titles to read, we picked some fun books to explore.

Princess of the Midnight Ball, by Jessica Day George 
A tale of twelve princesses doomed to dance until dawn…

Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all—true love—to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above.
Captivating from start to finish, Jessica Day George’s take on the Grimms’ tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses demonstrates yet again her mastery at spinning something entirely fresh out of a story you thought you knew.

Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Consella
If you've ever paid off one credit card with another, thrown out a bill before opening it, or convinced yourself that buying at a two-for-one sale is like making money, then this silly, appealing novel is for you. In the opening pages of Confessions of a Shopaholic, recent college graduate Rebecca Bloomwood is offered a hefty line of credit by a London bank. Within a few months, Sophie Kinsella's heroine has exceeded the limits of this generous offer, and begins furtively to scan her credit-card bills at work, certain that she couldn't have spent the reported sums.
In theory anyway, the world of finance shouldn't be a mystery to Rebecca, since she writes for a magazine called Successful Saving. Struggling with her spendthrift impulses, she tries to heed the advice of an expert and appreciate life's cheaper pleasures: parks, museums, and so forth. Yet her first Saturday at the Victoria and Albert Museum strikes her as a waste. Why? There's not a price tag in sight.
Eventually, Rebecca's uncontrollable shopping and her "imaginative" solutions to her debt attract the attention not only of her bank manager but of handsome Luke Brandon--a multimillionaire PR representative for a finance group frequently covered in Successful Saving. Unlike her opposite number in Bridget Jones's Diary, however, Rebecca actually seems too scattered and spacey to reel in such a successful man. Maybe it's her Denny and George scarf. In any case, Kinsella's debut makes excellent fantasy reading for the long stretches between white sales and appliance specials. --Regina Marler
*there is some strong language

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows
“ I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Write What You Know... Then Learn the Rest

"A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author."  ~G.K. Chesterton

This is why I took the advice from a friend and ordered Police Procedural, A Writer's Guide To The Police and How They Work, by Russel Blintiff, and I am consulting with an officer friend.

I DO NOT want my readers to know that all I know about cops is from Law & Order and CHiPs.


(Cue scratch guitar.)





 I am anxious to get it right. The book is written, the story is there, I just wrote the small but necessary subplot involving the men in uniform knowing it would require some research, later.
And later is NOW, because my book is here and I'm diving in. I and my misinformation don't belong in my novel. My hero belongs in my novel. 
End of story. Heh.


Do you have any research stories? Have you ever set out to write about something you know little about?

Of Dreams...

"The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite and builds a road into Chaos and old Night, and is followed by those who hear him with something of wild, creative delight."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

We Have a Winner!

Rachael Renee Anderson, you have won a brand new copy of Heroes of the Fallen, by David J. West! Please send me your address at kristalynnej@yahoo.com!

Rachael is also sponsoring a contest for the month of April on her own blog, so go and check it out!

Thanks to everyone who supported David in this contest. What a great network of friends! 

I'll be taking a break from Tuesday and Thursday's features this week to enjoy some time with my family, but I'll be back soon, refreshed and energized (I hope!). Thank you!

Thursday Authorial: David J. West

This week I am interviewing David J. West, the author of Heroes of the Fallen, published by WiDo Publishing. David's first book signing will be at Borders in Murray Utah, April 16th from 6-8.

K: David, thanks for being here, and by here, I mean in the ancient woods of North America. I figured you would feel most comfortable here. Do you like the shade of the towering pines? Or would you prefer the riverbank?  

D: Thank you for inviting me Krista. I like both, the wind whispering through the pines and the river rushing out of the mountains. I love this country.

K: Me, too. Here, have some mosquito spray. I’m declaring it summer. Tell us a few things about yourself.

D: I love music and poetry so that contributes to my prose. I have traveled quite a bit and love to see new places. I enjoy sword-fighting with my kids—they are getting better every day, and if I am not writing I like to be reading.

K: I know you collect swords, but I'm guessing you use the duller ones when you fight with your kids. When did you start writing seriously?  

D: I have always written, lots of fan-fiction type stories when I was a kid and then hundreds of poems/songs when I was a teen. I wanted to be a rock star. Once into my twenties I still always considered writing some big epic scoped stories but thought that would have to come when I was older. But some things had to come out and I started writing them sooner than planned. I came to the conclusion that I may as well work toward turning what I love to do into my career and getting published. 

K: I don’t see any point in putting off what we are compelled to do if it can only add to the quality of this life. What is your favorite part of the writing process? What was a surprise? 

D: Probably when a story has me so fully captured that I myself am enamored of where it is going and I as the writer can't wait to see what happens next. I don't outline, I do think about ideas beforehand and where some things are going but often enough I am surprised myself.

I used to think I didn't want to edit, just finish a project and move on to the next one—but now I really enjoy editing and going back and refining things.

K: It’s true, I think the more you see what editing can do for a piece you thought was “perfect” the more you can embrace it as, like you said, a refining, which is good for everybody. Oh look, a golden eagle.

 I know you really enjoy your research, and you‘re already getting a reputation for your eye for realism. What is your inspiration?

D: So many things, what I've done or wanted to do, things friends have done or things I have overheard. You never know where you will pick up a great little nugget for your work. I twist a lot of things I have personally done to fit into ancient times. Wild reckless youth can make for great inspiration when it comes to action adventure stories. 

K: Ha ha, now we know even more about you. Your first novel, Heroes of the Fallen, is coming out soon. I hear it’s epic. It’s already in my shopping cart at Amazon. The reviewers have been raving! Tell us about the story.

D: I wanted to write something I wanted to read. I don't believe anyone has ever presented an epic Ancient American story the way I have, lots of sword swinging action, sinister intrigues, barbarism versus civilization, a little romance that has unexpected twists, and personal faith as a catalyst for multiple character viewpoints and motivations.

The story explores the events of the beginning of the end of a once great civilization—the Heroes of that Fallen nation. Of course I can't leave out the villains; they can be the most fun to write—they make things happen more than heroes do. 

K: Stories would be pretty blah without them. What is your favorite part about Heroes? 

D: Being able to share with other people how I view the world and ancient history, exposing my thoughts and opinions through fiction in an entertaining way. Writers should have something to say and I am a big mouth. 

K: I agree. I mean, about having something to say. When I was writing Remnant, also a Book of Mormon spec, I felt a tremendous responsibility I hadn’t felt in my modern fiction. Did you experience anything like that? 

D: Not at first, when I started this series in early 2004, I just wanted to do heroic fiction within this somewhat familiar setting. But then I wanted to understand the geography better, the plants, the rivers, the animals, the food, the people, the belief structures etc. Granted some things I take license with but in general I stuck with what I think could be possible or even likely. I have become rather opinionated on the subject and have had to stick to my guns on that. 

K: Which is why I asked you to read through Remnant for me! It shows in your writing. Are you currently working on something new? 

D: I just finished a novel about a Spartan warrior set during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. (lots of Greeks were mercenaries back then) it is titled Bless the Child. I am working on some revisions for the sequel to Heroes, Blood of Our Fathers, it will be released a year from now. I also have several short fantasy stories I have sold to some smaller publishing house for collected tales. But the big thing my Mother won't stop pestering me for, is to finish my Porter Rockwell novel—Dance the Ghost with Me. I'm shooting to finish that this year too. 

K: Ah, the blessed pestering mother. Speaking of pestering, hand me some more bug spray.

(With a swish of a blade, David silences the bothersome hum of the mosquito.) Umm, where and when can we find your book?

D: My first book signing will be at the Borders in Murray, Utah 6-8 Friday night the 16^th of April. The book should be available everywhere. 

K: Everywhere. I like the sound of that. We met through our friend M. Gray’s blog. Has blogging and social networking (Twitter, Facebook) influenced you as a new author? 

D: It has because networking has helped me with craft and I have made a lot of friends who have been a great help too. There was a time I labored with the writer’s arrogant desperation that no matter how great everything I wrote was—no one else would like it. The networking has shown me that there are quite a few who do like it. It's how I found WiDo, my publishers, after all.

  
K: Any advice for aspiring authors?

D: Write what you have a passion for, no one can write your story the same way you can. Always remember to write down your ideas in a little notebook for use later—you think you will remember them all, but you won't. Always use the sensory details and know your characters better than they do—You are their supreme being. Write a story that pulls you, the writer, along so strongly that it will have to pull all of your readers too. 

K: Final question: If you could be a character in any book, who would you be?

D: The main character in Hour of the Dragon by Robert E. Howard

K: That looks right up your alley. David the Barbarian. Thank you for joining me in these magnificent surroundings. You’ve been a most gracious rogue.

D: Thank you, Krista for having me. Plus, though I'm not finished with it, Remnant is great.

K: You're welcome! And there's more, because we're giving away a brand new beautiful hardcover signed copy of Heroes of the Fallen right here! Tell'em what they have to do, David.

D: Just leave a comment here on Krista's blog and share something you learned about Heroes from this link. For an extra entry, post a link to this interview on your blog, Twitter, or Facebook and come back and let us know.

K: And for another entry, become a follower here and at David's blog, Nephite Bood, Spartan Heart. The winner will be randomly selected on Monday, April 5th, at 8 a.m.

D: Nice.

You can find David J. West here:

http://david-j-west.blogspot.com

http://twitter.com/David_JWest