Peace Amidst the Wickedness of the World

We talked about signs of the times yesterday in Sunday school and whether we should be worried and fearful of what is yet to come before the Savior reigns once more.

The world continues to embrace wickedness. We hear rumors of legislation that threatens our freedom of religion and freedom of speech. We're constantly bombarded with the worldly message that evil is good and good is evil. Wars continue to rage, morals decline, and righteousness is degraded through all mediums.

While we may get caught up in worrying about all that's happening in the world, it's best to focus on our own individual lives and our families and make sure we are living the gospel so that no matter when the Savior comes again, we will be ready. And, while we wait for His coming, we can still find peace and happiness in mortality.



True peace, joy, and happiness comes through living the gospel and following the Savior Jesus Christ.

There simply is no other way.

Review of My New Book

Here's a review of my new book at My Life in a Laptop.

Thank you, Michelle!!

Another review at Writing Fortress.

Thank you, Jillayne!!

Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack

A recipe for murder!

5 families living on Peregrine Circle
1 flowered curtain tieback
1 missing child
1 body in the field

Mix with a long list of suspects and top with two very different detectives.

Increase heat until only the truth remains.

Award-winning author Josi S. Kilpack introduces a new series of culinary "cozies" that is sure to tantalize mystery lovers. In this debut volume, cooking aficionado-turned-amateur detective, Sadie Hoffmiller, tries to solve the murder of Anne Lemmon, her beautiful young neighbor - a single mother who was mysteriously killed while a lemon tart was baking in her oven. At the heart of Sadie's search is Anne's missing two-year-old son, Trevor. Whoever took the child must be the murderer, but Sadie is certain that the police are looking at all the wrong suspects - including her!

Armed with a handful of her very best culinary masterpieces, Sadie is determined to bake her way to proving her innocence, rescuing Trevor, and finding out exactly who had a motive for murder.

This was a fun book. I loved Sadie Hoffmiller because she seemed so real. She wasn't a blonde bombshell with a perfect body, she was a regular woman in her fifties. I thought Kilpack did an excellent job of sprinkling in Sadie's backstory and making her so realistic. I especially loved her obsession with all things domestic. Even during tense times in the story, Sadie's thoughts would go back to homemaking skills.

Kilpack kept me guessing through the whole book. Just when I thought I knew who did it, I didn't. I thought the clues were well placed, the tension was good, and the story arc made sense.

I also liked the hint of romance and the recipes throughout the book.

I recommend Lemon Tart. Add it to your summer reading list, you won't be disappointed!

Farrah and Michael

I was saddened by the news that Farrah Fawcett passed away yesterday. She was such a gorgeous woman. I totally remember her poster in that red swimsuit. I remember her hair--I had my hair just like that in high school. I remember thinking that when I turned 30 I'd have to get the "grandma hairdo" until I started watching Charlie's Angels and realized they were all about 30 and had long, luscious hair. (For the record, I'm a bit past 30 now and still have long hair). I loved Farrah's smile--it was so bright and beautiful. I grew up watching her. She was diagnosed with cancer about the same time as my sister-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer. Sadly, my sister-in-law succumbed after a valiant year-long battle. I had so hoped Farrah would beat it.

I was completely stunned by the news that Michael Jackson also died yesterday. Wow. Didn't expect that at all. I totally grew up with him. I remember him singing with the Jackson 5. I remember Ben, Beat It, Billy Jean, Rock with You. I remember being in my apartment at BYU when Thriller debuted and how exciting it was to watch the world premiere. Michael Jackson was on fire. Then he just got so . . . weird. It was sad, really, to watch his descent into bizarreness. He was so talented, gifted, and now that seems to be overshadowed by an ape, accusations, a dangling baby, a disintegrating face, strange marriages, surgical masks. He was so creative and, what a dancer--he had moves, man. I'm still in shock that he died. He wasn't much older than me (maybe I'm more than a bit past 30).

I found it interesting that Larry King said he'd planned a show about Farrah's passing but that was being tossed out in favor of a show on Michael. Our society is warped. How can one person's life be deemed so much more valuable than someone else's? Doesn't Farrah also deserve recognition for her life?

Both Farrah and Michael had fame, fortune, and the world at their feet. Yet, neither of them seemed to be truly happy. They both seemed so lost, so confused. They both had tumultuous personal lives filled with trials and tribulations, most of it plastered on tabloids for the world to view.

It's true. Money can' t buy happiness. Fame can't buy happiness. Material things can't buy happiness.

I hope that in death both Farrah and Michael will now find the peace and joy that seemed to elude them in life.

Win a Copy of My Book

If you'd like to be entered into a contest to win a copy of my book, Altared Plans, it's really easy. VISIT HERE and become a follower of our new Cedat Fort Authors blog, Writing Fortress, by midnight July 29th. A name will be drawn by random and that person will win a copy of my new book. Super easy.

Tell your friends!

Thanks!!

What Goes Around, Comes Around

I'm a firm believer that what goes around, comes around.

Last fall, after my son's soccer game, we found a cell phone in the grass. My husband picked it up and called the last phone number to see if he could locate its owner. After several attempts, and more than half an hour, we found the owner and returned his cell phone.

We then went to Walmart to pick up a few treats since my son scored a goal in the soccer game. While I was taking my daughter to the bathroom, I noticed a Blackberry cell phone resting on top of the toilet paper dispenser. I picked it up and took it to the service desk to see if anyone had lost a phone. No one had so I brought it out to my husband, whose phone is a Blackberry, to see if he could access the last phone number. I was afraid if we left it at Walmart the owner might never recover it unless she specifically remembered being at Walmart.

We called several phone numbers and finally talked to someone who knew the owner. Turns out the owner lived in another town, but worked in the same town as my husband. We ended up tracking down where she worked and dropping off the phone there (it was her work phone). All in all, it took us a few days to return her phone.

Last night, my husband misplaced his phone while we were swimming at the recreation center. He uses his phone for business and was worried the company couldn't reach him. Though we'd checked a few times, we decided to check once more before leaving. Someone had turned in his phone to the front desk. An employee had called a contact number on my husband's phone, which turned out to be me, so even if we hadn't stopped to ask, I would've discovered his phone had been turned in as soon as I got to our car and checked my phone messages.

What goes around, comes around.

Blog Tour

I'm hoping to do a virtual book tour in August for my book, Altared Plans, and I'm looking for bloggers who would like to participate.

Here's how it works:

You receive a review copy, free of charge, from my publisher. In exchange, you post your review on an assigned day. I'll list all the blog addresses and dates on my blog so people can follow the "tour."

You can read about my book here to see if it's the kind of book you'd be interested in reading and reviewing. I have 13 review copies available. If you're interested pop me an email or leave me a comment and I'll contact you with the details.

Thanks!!