December's eBook Giveaway.

This month the theme of the contest is the angelic community. I'll be giving a PDF eBook copy of one of my books about celestial escapades to two lucky winners. Abbadon - It's hell when you're exiled to Abbadon and are separated from your beloved. The continuing adventures of Samael and Seriel, who both adore Malkura, but which angelic brother will finally win her love?

You can read more about this contest HERE.

I'll draw the 2 winning names on December 31. Good Luck!

ALL DAY HALLOWEEN CHAT

Clear your calendar for a fun and spooky AuthorIsland all day chat on Thursday the 29th as we share ghost stories, talk about great books and give away prizes!!! The festivities start at 8 am EST and go until the witching hour or until we all go to bed, whichever comes first! Please stop by, join in the fun and bring your scariest ghost story!

TO JOIN THE CHAT - simply sign up at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/authorislandchat

you can set the group to INDIVIDUAL EMAILS to be in on the action from the get go, but be warned - it will get crazy!! - Or you can follow the chat on the group's home page. Hope to see you there!

My Just-A-Little-Bit-Spooky Halloween Competition.

Do you think having contact with the spirit world is a little bit spooky? Well, if you’re curious about it, my two books - Soul Wisdom, Volume One and Soul Wisdom, Volume Two – give detailed information on how it happened to me. I’m offering a free print copy of both books as a way of celebrating Halloween 2009 so why not enter the contest to see if the spirits choose you to be the winner? You can read about the many other-worldly messages I’ve received over the years, such as how to conduct a séance, giving healing to pets and the dynamics of soulmates and karma. Or how about various predictions for our world, many of which have already come true?

The details of how to enter the contest are given on my website. The drawing will take place at the stroke of midnight on October 31, 2009 and three second place winners will also be drawn to receive an eBook copy of either Volume One or Volume Two, their choice. Good {Ghoul} Luck!

My congratulations go out to Kayla Johnson of California, she was the winner of this contest. They also go to Tara Woods, Brenda and Jen Ring, who were the second-place winners.

Turning to Nature

My latest non-fiction book has just been released. It's an introductory handbook to an amazing complementary therapy.

Turning to Nature: The Healing Flower Remedies Created by Dr. Edward Bach

The author's exploration of the Bach Original Flower Remedies acquaints the reader with both the life and work of Dr. Edward Bach and his unique flower essences. The doctor's philosophy on dis-ease and its cause are examined, together with an in-depth analysis of all 38 Remedies. Strategies for choosing the correct ones for personal use and a breakdown of their effects are also included for the reader's understanding. This valuable handbook serves as an introduction to an amazing complementary therapy that is completely safe and growing in popularity. In addition, instructions on how to create flower essences and flower/gem elixirs are offered by the author, who is a Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner.

You can read more about this book, including an excerpt, HERE.

Interview at Texty Ladies

Today I'm the featured author at Texty Ladies. Why not drop by and read some things you might not have known about me. Here's the link: Texty Ladies - Artful Adventures in Writing.

Summer Treasure Hunt

Welcome to Our “Summer Treasure Hunt: Dig for Clues and Win” Contest!

Some friends and I have put together an exciting contest to kick off your summer! Beginning June 1st, we will be giving away a prize a day. That’s right: 30 days, 30 treasures! There should be something for everyone: romance, mystery, historical, contemporary, and young adult fiction; children’s picture books; a variety of non-fiction; and just to liven things up even more, we’ve included a few exciting non-book prizes: a free 30 page manuscript edit, for you aspiring authors out there; an e-bay gift certificate; and a gift-certificate for a Vinyl Expressions Quote.
How can you win one of these fabulous prizes? Follow the rules below:

SUMMER TREASURE HUNT RULES:

You can send in an entry for each day’s prize, or only for those prizes that strike your fancy. The rules are simple:
(1) Go to the website or blog indicated for each day, find the answer to the question for that day, then email the answer with your name and mailing address to jdipastena@yahoo.com.
(2) Please send a separate entry for each day and type the day you are entering in the subject line. (Such as: June Treasure Hunt, Day 1; June Treasure Hunt, Day 2, etc).
(3) Deadline for each day: Midnight PST
(4) The winner will be contacted and announced on the day following the deadline.
You do not have to wait until the designated day to enter. You can start sending in your entries right now, or begin entering at any point along the way. And check back here each day between June 2nd-July 1st to read the names of the winners.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Joyce DiPastena at jdipastena@yahoo.com.

And now…let the treasure hunt begin!

June 1
SPONSOR: Aubrey Mace
PRIZE: autographed copy of my new YA fiction book, My Fairy Grandmother.
QUESTION: What is the title of my upcoming book to be released Fall 2009?
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.aubreymace.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Terry Fleming of California.

June 2
SPONSOR: Rachel Rager
PRIZE: By Love or By Sea, romance, autographed copy
QUESTION: What question does the stranger ask Alice? (Hint: Read excerpt of By Love or By Sea on the “Reading Room” page.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.rachelrager.comUSA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Phyllis Lamken of Idaho.

June 3
SPONSOR: Josi S. Kilpack
PRIZE: An autographed copy of culinary mystery Lemon Tart OR a pre-ordered copy of English Trifle (release date is August 2009)
QUESTION: How many original recipes are included in the culinary mystery, Lemon Tart? (Hint: click on “Lemon Tart” tab on website)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.josiskilpack.com
USA ENRIES ONLY
WINNER: Debbie Lambson of Utah.

June 4
SPONSOR: Cindy R. Williams
PRIZE: Arizona Glyph Award Finalist: Chase McKay Didn’t Get Up Today Children’s snuggle, giggle picture book. Autographed by the author and the real Chase McKay.
QUESTION: What is the name of the dragon book Cindy is completing?
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.cindyrwilliams.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Gloria Lyons of Michigan.

June 5
SPONSOR: Kersten Campbell
PRIZE: Autographed Copy of the Motherhood humor book: Confessions of a Completely (In)Sane Mother
QUESTION: What does the dog beg for when he escapes into the neighbor's house in the book Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother? (hint: if they click on the book they'll find the answer)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.kerstencampbell.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Wendy Steed of Idaho.

June 6
SPONSOR: Lara Niedemeyer
PRIZE: $20 gift certificate towards merchandise and shipping at my store—8pizza on eBay
QUESTION: What is the lowest priced item and what is the highest priced item listed in 8pizza’s store? (Hint: use the “Sort By” feature).
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://stores.shop.ebay.com/8pizza
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Gayle Oreluk of Illinois.

June 7
Sponsor's name: Kathi Oram Peterson
Prize: Autographed copy of The Forgotten Warrior, YA Inspirational Time travel
Question Who is Tarik?
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.kathiorampeterson.comUSA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Heather Justesen of Utah.

June 8
SPONSOR: Donna Hatch
PRIZE: Autographed copy of paperback of the Regency Romance, The Stranger She Married
QUESTION: What is Cole accused of doing?
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.donnahatch.net (Hint: read the excerpt under “Bookshelf” tab for The Stranger She Married)
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES: IN THE CASE OF AN INTERNATIONAL WINNER, AN E-BOOK VERSION OF THE STRANGER SHE MARRIED WILL BE AWARDED
WINNER: Valerie Bongards of Germany.

June 9
SPONSOR: Diony George
PRIZE: Autographed copy of Torn Apart, a fictional novel based on a true story. "If it could happen to Alyson, it could happen to anyone..."
QUESTION: What TV station interviewed Diony about her book? (Hint watch video for the answer)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://diony-george.blogspot.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: June Kirk of Arizona.

June 10
SPONSOR: Tina Scott
PRIZE: autographed copy of Coyote's Grand Adventure - children's picture book
QUESTION: What did Coyote always dream of doing? (Hint: Look under “Library” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://tinascott.net
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Venetia Wilhelmsen of Arizona.

June 11
SPONSOR: Cindy Beck
PRIZE: Winner's choice of one of the following anthologies featuring Cindy's stories (autographed copy): My Dad is My Hero, Cup of Comfort for Breast Cancer Survivors, or Cup of Comfort for Horse Lovers.
QUESTION: What was the name of my horse? (Hint: You can find the answer by going to the website and clicking on the button marked "Books."
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.bythebecks.comUSA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Scott Duncan of Pennsylvania.

June 12
SPONSOR: Valerie Ipson
PRIZE: $15 gift certificate and free shipping for a Vinyl Expressions’ Vinyl Lettering quote (check out http:// vinylsignsanddesigns.blogspot.com for examples of prize)
QUESTION: What is Valerie’s personal writing quote? (Hint: see quotes in right sidebar under “OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF WRITERLY PEOPLE: Valerie’s “personal quote” means just that…her very own quote!)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://valerieipson.blogspot.com/
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Krista Darrach of Arizona.

June 13
SPONSOR: Joyce DiPastena
PRIZE: 2007 Whitney Award Finalist: Loyalty’s Web, medieval romance, autographed by author
QUESTION: What is Heléne’s prayer when Gunthar brushes her cheek with his thumb? (Hint: Click on “Excerpt” tab on website)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.joyce-dipastena.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES: IN THE CASE OF AN INTERNATIONAL WINNER, A $20 AMAZON.COM E-CERTIFICATE WILL BE AWARDED TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A COPY OF LOYALTY’S WEB
WINNER: Ginny Romney of Arizona.

June 14
SPONSOR: Joan Sowards
PRIZE: LDS Word Puzzles
QUESTION: What is Bednar?
WEBSITE: http://joansowards.com/node/110
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Martha Lawson of Mississippi.

June 15
SPONSOR: Anne Bradshaw
PRIZE: Autographed copy of Please, No Zits! & Other Short Stories for LDS Youth, but non-LDS will enjoy it, too! - YA genre (12 upward)
QUESTION: What does author Jeffrey S. Savage say about Please, No Zits? (Hint: scroll down right sidebar on blog)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://annebradshaw.blogspot.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Stacey Starley of Utah.

June 16
SPONSOR: Laurie LC Lewis
PRIZE: an autographed copy of BOOK ONE of her Free Men and Dreamers series, Dark Sky at Dawn.
QUESTION: What current political situation has caused a verse of the Star Spangled Banner to be nearly forgotten? (Hint: click on “news” link on website)
WEBSITE: www.laurielclewis.comOPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES: IN THE CASE OF AN INTERNATIONAL WINNER, A $25 AMAZON.COM E-CERTIFICATE WILL BE AWARDED TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A COPY OF DARK SKY AT DAWN.
WINNER: LuAnn Morgan of Washington State.

June 17
SPONSOR: Jaimey Grant
PRIZE: FREE download of the eBook of your choice (Betrayal, Spellbound, Heartless, or Redemption)
QUESTION: What was the title of the very first Regency romance that Jaimey wrote from beginning to end? (Hint: Check out the post titled: "My Mind : What a Twisted Place to Live")
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://www.jaimeygrant.blogspot.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Dena Walton of Washington State.

June 18
SPONSOR: Danyelle Ferguson
PRIZE: Free 30 page edit of your manuscript ($30 value)
QUESTION: How does Danyelle's business card describe her? (Hint: check right sidebar on blog)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://queenoftheclan.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES: Danyelle says: “If they live in the USA, I will print their 30 pages, hand edit, then mail back. If they live outside the USA, I will edit the .doc file and email back.”
WINNER: Julia Groves.

June 19
SPONSOR: Walnut Springs Press
PRIZE: I Can't Believe It's Food Storage by Crystal Godfrey (non-fiction)
QUESTION: What is the most recent new release listed on our blog? (Hint: check out post for April 13, 2009)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://walnutspringspress.blogspot.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: John Ferguson of Missouri.

June 20
SPONSOR: Caroline Gregory and Shawnette Nielson
PRIZE: Puppy Stew, Children’s Picture book. Finalist for Foreward Book Of The Year award. (NOTE: If you would like an autographed copy, please note that in your entry)
QUESTION: “In order to stay warm, what do you wear underneath your shoes?” (Hint: look under the “Witchisms” tab on website)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://puppystew.net
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Carrie Lundell of California.

June 21
SPONSOR: Marion Webb-De Sisto.
PRIZE: An autographed copy of her ground-breaking book, Crystal Skulls.
QUESTION: Does this book explore ancient crystal skulls or contemporary ones? {Hint: Take a look at “Books” in the main menu)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.marionwebb-desisto.com
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Karen Haas of North Carolina.

June 22
SPONSOR: Inglestone Publishing
PRIZE: Autographed copy of Counting the Cost by Liz Adair
QUESTION: What is the name of the main male character in Counting the Cost?
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.inglestonepublishing.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Auriette Lindsey of Florida.

June 23
SPONSOR: Cecily Markland/Inglestone Publishing
PRIZE: Autographed copy of children’s picture book, If I Made a Bug, by Cecily Markland
QUESTION: Who is the illustrator of If I Made a Bug? (Hint: the “bookstore” tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.inglestonepublishing.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Shirley Bahlmann of Utah.

June 24
SPONSOR'S NAME: . Jacquie Rogers
PRIZE: Faery Special Romances (YA novel)
Autographed in USA, not autographed elsewhere.
QUESTION: Why does our family support Neurofibromatosis research? (Hint: Click on “Neurofibromatosis research” link and read Mercedes Rice’s story)
WEBISTE: http://www.jacquierogers.com/faerysr.html
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES: WINNER LIVING IN A COUNTRY NOT DIRECTLY SERVED BY AN ONLINE BOOKSTORE WILL RECEIVE A PDF COPY.
WINNER: Patricia Cochran of Texas.

June 25
SPONSOR: Terry Deighton
PRIZE: Cup of Comfort for New Mothers (non-fiction, anthology)
QUESTION: Name any two titles from the Cup of Comfort series. (Hint: Look in the store.)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.cupofcomfort.comUSA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Torren Wilhelmsen of Arizona.

June 26
SPONSOR: Leatherwood Press
PRIZE: Messiah: The Little-known Story of Handel’s Beloved Oratorio, by Tim Slover
QUESTION: Who was the art designer for Messiah: The Little Known Story of Handel’s Beloved Oratorio? (Hint: see post for May 15, 2009)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://jdp-news.blogspot.comUSA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Taffy Lovell of Utah.

June 27
SPONSOR: Dawson Publishing
PRIZE: Copy of The No Cussing Club by McKay Hatch
QUESTION: How many members of the No Cussing Club are there to date
WEBSITE: www.nocussing.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Sandi Brown of Idaho.

June 28
SPONSOR: Nicole Zoltack
PRIZE: Woman of Honor (fantasy romance ebook)
QUESTION: What color is Caelan's eyes?
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://nicolezoltack.blogspot.com/
OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES
WINNER: Cindy Sampson Fleet of Canada.

June 29
SPONSOR: Sarah M. Eden
PRIZE: An autographed copy of the Sarah M. Eden Regency romance of your choice
QUESTION: "Name all 7 Jonquil brothers." (Hint: check out "The Jonquil Brothers Series" tab)
WEBSITE/BLOG: www.sarahmeden.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Eva Minaskanian of Virginia.

June 30
SPONSOR: Marsha Ward
PRIZE: LDStorymakers Writing Secrets
QUESTION: Who is Rulon? (Hint: Click on “Man from Shenandoah” under “Novels” link on website)
WEBSITE/BLOG: http://marshaward.com
USA ENTRIES ONLY
WINNER: Rachel Hanchett of Arizona.

A Celebration Contest

I've recently finished writing my fifth non-fiction book - Turning to Nature: The Healing Flower Remedies Created by Dr. Edward Bach. In order to celebrate this occasion I'm offering someone the chance to win a print copy of my Fantasy novel Samael's Fall and a cotton bag so that the winner can 'stay green' while shopping. Whoever wins will also find a couple of extra promotional gifts inside the bag. All you need to do to enter the contest is go to my website, click on 'Competitions,' and then on 'A Celebration Contest' for the details. Good Luck!

Spring Sale

Beat the Credit Crunch and Stay Green!

Spring Sale on eBook Copies of My Books - Throughout the months of April and May I'm offering PDF versions of my books at a 20% reduction. That's £2.80 or $4.00 for each Non-Fiction book and £3.60 or $5.20 for either of my Fantasy novels. Click here for further details.

Happy Springtime Reading!

Easter Competition

Are you being good and giving up lots of nice things for Lent? Well, just maybe I can persuade you to indulge in a little something. I'm celebrating Easter 2009 by offering a signed copy of whichever one of my books the winner would like to choose. This competition is only open to the members of my website, so if you haven't already joined, make sure you click the 'join' button {top right-hand on my website} in order to be eligible. Make sure you put your email address when you fill out the form. Four second place winners will also be drawn and they will receive a PDF eBook of one of my novels or non-fiction books - their choice. To enter, you need to be a member - that's all! All the names of those who are members on Easter Sunday {April 12} will be put in a hat and the winners will be drawn out on that day by my husband. Hope to see you as a member and Good Luck!

The Year of the Ox

Are you interested in, or curious about, Chinese Astrology? If your answer is "Yes," then you might like the new article I've just posted on my website. It tells you about the coming Year of the Ox that begins on Monday. There are predictions for each one of the twelve astrological animals, as well as a summary of what we can all expect from 2009. So whatever your Chinese astrological sign, why not hop, fly, or gallop over to the article and enjoy my thoughts on this particular subject? You can read them HERE.

Don't worry if you don't know under which animal sign you were born. There's a link in the article to a page that explains the progression of the years.

A Crystal Valentine's Competition

This contest is being held to celebrate Valentine's Day 2009. To the winner I'll be giving away a free signed copy of my latest book - Crystal Companions - together with two pairs of earrings. In keeping with the crystalline theme, they are a pair of sterling silver and amethyst earrings and a pair of rose quartz studs. Apart from the one lucky winner, four other names will be drawn to win a second-place prize of a PDF version of the book. So even if you don’t get those hearts and roses from that someone, who has caught your eye, you might just win these crystal gifts from me. If you’d like to enter the competition, go to the competition page to read the 'how to' details. The winner and second-place winners will be drawn on February 14. Good Luck!