Author Interview – Marcia Mickelson

Over the last couple of months, I’ve had the chance to review two novels by LDS author Marcia Mickelson, “Star Shining Brightly” and “Reasonable Doubt.” Marcia joins us today to talk about her books and her future plans. Marcia, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to be here. You’ve now written two books for the LDS market. Your first book, “Star Shining Brightly,” is the story of a man who goes to work as a driver for a famous Hollywood actress who eventually comes back to the Church. How did you come up with the idea … Continue reading

Star Shining Brightly – Marcia Mickelson

After reading LDS author Marcia Mickelson’s book “Reasonable Doubt,” I was curious to read her first novel, which was “Star Shining Brightly.” Having read both of them, I’m not sure which I liked best—they’re different enough that they don’t necessarily compete with each other. “Reasonable Doubt” is a law mystery, while “Star Shining Brightly” takes us to the world of Hollywood. Superstar Lauren Olsen was raised in a Mormon home but abandoned her upbringing when she came to Hollywood. She drinks, she’s had a string of boyfriends, and she’s starred in some movies that were violent or sexual. She has … Continue reading

Author Interview – Tracy Winegar on Writing

Yesterday, we spoke with new author Tracy Winegar about her new book, “Keeping Keller.” It’s the story of a young boy who has autism and the struggles his parents face as they try to care for him without fully understanding his situation. If you missed our conversation and Tracy’s insights into autism, you can click here to get caught up. Tracy joins us again today to talk about the writing process. Thanks for being here, Tracy. When did you first have the idea to write “Keeping Keller?” The idea came to me as I was trying to sleep one night. … Continue reading

Author Interview – F.M. Meredith

Today we are joined by F.M. Meredith, (also known as Marilyn Meredith) author of “Smell of Death,” reviewed yesterday. F.M., we’re so glad you could be here. You write the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, of which “Smell of Death” is the fourth installment. What are the titles of your other books, and can you give us a brief synopsis of each? “Final Respects” is the first in the series, and it focuses on Doug Milligan and his best friend Al Bertalone. Both men are good policemen. The big difference between the two is their wives. Doug’s wife hates the fact … Continue reading

Media Week in Review – January 28th-February 2nd

Did you have a busy week and miss some of the great blogs here in Media Reviews? That’s okay—this summary will get you caught up to speed. We started with the week with a review of “Beyond the Horizon,” the debut novel of LDS author Judy C. Olsen. She writes of six generations of men ranging from the era of Joseph Smith down to our present day, and the lessons each of them learned. “Mr. Gumpy’s Outing” is about a proper English gentleman who agrees to take a young boy, girl, and a whole menagerie with him on his boat. … Continue reading

Media Week in Review January 20th – 26th

Picture books, mystery, romance, young adult, craft, and cookbooks are just some of the things we covered this week in Media Reviews. The most prestigious annual awards for children’s literature are the Caldecott and Newbery. Lauri gives us brief glimpses of the books that won the 2008 Caldecott and Newbery awards. Tristi reviewed Star Shining Brightly by LDS author Marcia Mickelson, a story about a superstar facing hard choices in the world of Hollywood. Tristi also continued her series on author G.G. Vandagriff with Tangled Roots. And LDS author Traci Hunter Abramson’s suspense story The Deep End sounds like a … Continue reading