Exciting News!

I am so pleased to announce the release of  

The Ransomed Returning

Book 2 in the Defenders of the Covenant Series!

After a lifetime of comfortable slavery, freedom isn't always easy to bear. Over a year after the emancipation of Earth, Peter Halstead—older brother of Derek, the hero of the emancipation—has been delivered from his long servitude to the invaders. But reminders of his bondage remain. Black cities still dot the globe, with the alien bureaucrats still in charge. Goods are still being shipped from Earth to the alien planet Nebkiriv, but worst of all, Zion wants to negotiate a trade agreement with the cursed invaders. Peter can see only one way to come to terms with the loss of his freedom and his youth for so many years. Revenge. When Zion is struck by a rogue invader attack vessel, Peter's resolve is further hardened and he seeks out others who want revenge as much as he does. Meanwhile, Hannah, Derek, McKenzie and the rest of the defenders of Zion scramble to find the source of the attack and unravel the conspiracy behind it before Earth becomes subject to its enemies once again.

You can get it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Smashwords!

To celebrate, I am holding an online launch party next Tuesday, Feb. 11, all day long! There will be fun, prizes, free books, and virtual cookies, so come join us!

Also, in celebration of the release of Book 2, Defenders of the Covenant is currently on sale for just $2.99 for your Kindle or Nook.

Hannah and her friends have been warned about the danger lurking outside of their secret refuge from the alien invaders who devastated the Earth years before. Their leaders have raised them in the Latter-day Saint faith, teaching them to trust God, but when McKenzie and her rebellious boyfriend, Jeremy, decide to run away, Hannah and Derek follow, determined to bring their friends home. Once outside, the four teens soon realize they cannot return to the refuge without endangering everyone there. Captured, enslaved, and separated, Hannah, Derek, and McKenzie each learn the unique role they must play in liberating the Earth. The friends must battle with android soldiers and attack vessels, and face their own inner struggles to overcome the invaders. After all, not even an alien invasion can stop the work of God.

Exciting News!!

At least it's exciting for me. =) I hope you find it exciting too.

I am very pleased to announce the upcoming release of three novellas, prequels to Defenders of the Covenant.  These novellas can be enjoyed with or without reading Defenders, but my hope is that if you read one of them, you'll want to read them all! Here's a little about them. (The covers are being designed even as we speak. Can't wait to show them off!)

CONSECRATED:
Carly Emerson never imagined she would lose her two-year old son to faceless android soldiers, nor did she ever consider that keeping her temple covenants might break her heart. When aliens attack, Carly is asked to bear a child who will be hidden in an underground refuge—without her. The grief stricken mother must make a choice: keep her covenants and die or take a chance at survival on her own.

RENEGADE:
Seventeen year old Kwetoo'unuv Walker has nothing on his mind but hunting and girls. And how to avoid getting caught skipping school. But when Earth is attacked by alien invaders and Kwetoo'unuv watches his parents die to keep him alive, life becomes much more complicated. As the world falls before his eyes, he receives a vision from the Great Wolf, Toovuts, compelling him to put aside his fears and become the man God wants him to be. Because in the coming alien occupation, strength and wisdom will be Kwetoo'unuv's only chance to survive.

REFUGE:
When Earth falls to alien invaders, young newlywed Vivi Thayer is called to serve as a group leader in a hidden, underground refuge. There she is charged with raising a generation chosen to carry on the work of God. Facing the criticism of the other, more experienced, women in the refuge, Vivi struggles with feelings of guilt and inadequacy. When a heartbreaking loss brings Vivi to her breaking point, she must learn to accept the role God has chosen for her or leave the refuge behind forever.

CONSECRATED, REFUGE, and RENEGADE provide an intensely personal look at the effects of a catastrophic alien invasion on the lives of individuals pushed to limits of faith and resilience.

These three tie-ins will be released as ebooks on July 21st in conjunction with the Defenders of the Covenant Online Summer Pow-Wow--an all-day online party with chats, trivia questions, fun facts and prizes! (Why a pow-wow, you ask? The book has a strong American Indian element in it, though it's not really brought up much in the reviews.) More information on that as it gets closer, but put it on your calendars. You won't want to miss it!

I feel these three novellas are some of the finest writing I've done, and I can't wait to share them with you.

Have you got any exciting news to share? Let me celebrate with you!

We Interupt This Adventure...

For an Out of This World announcement!

But first some housekeeping issues: Due to Blogger's blackout, if you commented on Nisa's post yesterday, those comments are gone. =( Please go over there and comment again!

Okay...now for the announcement:

My science fiction adventure novel, tentatively titled Defenders of the Covenant will be published by Walnut Springs Press later this year!

You may now resume adventuring... Our next stop will be Todd Hunter's blog. Watch for the post tomorrow!

Big Things A-Comin'

Here I am posting late on Friday night again. Would have posted earlier but my internet connection went down all day.

Anyway, I have lots to be excited about right now. Next weekend is the LDS Storymakers writers conference in Salt Lake City. Yes! I can't wait to see my friends there. I am really looking forward to it. Especially after the great time I had last year. (I sure hope it can live up to my expectations...)

Another thing to look forward to is the big, fabulous blog contest I'm holding! I'll announce all the details next week. It's gonna be fun! I promise.

There are a couple of other things that I am super-excited about. Like jumping up and down and screaming excited about. But I'm not telling yet. So, stay tuned! =)

Over the Rainbow...

Where the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. *cue Judy Garland*

I've been practicing "Over the Rainbow" with my women's choir, and that phrase really jumped out at me. Especially in light of my own dream-come-true moment this past weekend.

LTUE rocked! I had the time of my life. Seriously. What a fantastic conference it is every year.

When I first arrived, I was nervous about being on panels for the first time. Would I know what to say? Would I sound like an idiot? Would the organizers politely ask me to leave and not do any future panels? Two people put me at ease right away, though. Sandra Tayler and Paul Genesse, both of whom I had just met in person for the first time, gave me some great advice and reassurance. Thank you both, Sandra and Paul! You made a big difference for me.

My panels went great (I'll do posts on each one later), and I learned that I LOVE sitting in front of a room full of people and talking about writing. It was seriously fun! So, my dream of sitting up in the front with the big boys was even better than I imagined it would be.

Considering the number of people who were there, I am totally counting this as the fulfillment of the "present at a conference" half of my Big Goal. I hope I get many more opportunities to do so in the future.

Reasons to Smile =)

300 followers! Wow. I never dreamed so many people would take an interest in my blog. Thanks so much to all of you. I appreciate your comments and your support and your friendship. I sincerely hope I'll have something to say here at the Writing Chair that will be valuable to you.

Two new hats!

Aren't they cute? I needed something to chase away the January blahs.

I wrote yesterday! Only for half an hour and only one page, but it was one page more than I've written on any other day this week, and I actually felt good about what came out of me. Perhaps the end of writer's block is in sight.

And something that's got me really happy dancing:

Registration is now open for Life, the Universe, and Everything (aka LTUE)! February 17-19, 2011 at the Harman Conference center on the BYU campus.

But the part that really has me all giddy is that if you click on the schedule, you'll see my name there. I am on four panels. Two of them with the amazing Dave Wolverton/Farland. I have been waiting for this day for something like fifteen years! I'm really excited. And nervous.

In case you're going to be there (and all you local folks, I sure hope you are!) and are interested, here are my panels (subject to change):

Thursday, 4pm  The Writing Life (How to set and keep goals, prioritize, etc.)

Friday, 10am  How to Write a Good Short Story

Friday, 1pm  Dialog Tags and Speech Patterns

Saturday 9am  Religion in Science Fiction: How to Make it Work

So, what are you smiling about today?