Where to get FREE ebooks

Book lovers rejoice! The internet has made books so much  more accessible, letting you find thousands of eBooks for  absolutely no cost. Read on your eBook reader, your  tablet, smartphone, laptop, or desktop computer. Here are  3 of the best sites where you can download your free books. 1. HundredZeros.com

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This site is a treasure trove for people who own a Kindle. The site will refer you to thousands of free books straight from  Amazon.com. If you don’t have a Kindle, don’t worry – You can download a Kindle app for your iPhone & iPad, your Android  device, for Windows Phone, and even for the PC or Mac.

2. ProjectGuttenburg.org Project Guttenburg is a free organization that wants to spread knowledge in the world. They offer several thousand titles, mainly in English but also in Czech, Portuguese, German and French. 3. Free-Ebooks.net Another great source for free eBooks is the aptly-named site,  Free-Ebooks.net. Offering their own collection of thousands of  books, magazines, including many titles in Spanish and Portuguese.

More terrific books by Trina Boice

I love writing...as you can tell! I thought you might like to see some of my more recent published books! My next one hits stores next month!

Surround yourself with great literature!

For people who love to read and don't have enough space for their treasures!

Learn more about Ning writers

                                                 by Trina Boice
                                                www.TrinaBoice.com 

I love it when you can attend workshops in your pajamas!   Check out this informative list of presentations that will be offered this month online:


Fall on the Ning

Saturday, October 20th, 2012

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Join us for Fall on the Ning—a free online writers conference sponsored by iWriteNetwork.



9:00 - Tristi Pinkston will walk you through some of the basic steps of editing your first draft—identifying and filling up holes, strengthening character motivations, and of course, those dreaded typos. Be prepared to take lots of notes, and have your first draft handy!



10:00 - Canda Mortensen will lead the discussion for the "Brush Strokes" class which will focus on 5 techniques by Harry Noden for improving the action, emotion, and style of sentences. Come prepared to rework and share sentences in your current work in progress. This type of revision works best with important scenes. Identify key sentences to rework during the class.



11:00 – Deanna Henderson will teach you to use Animoto, a program you can use to make short book trailers, create contest advertising, or just for fun. For our purposes, we’ll be making a book trailer, even if you aren't done with the book. Come with a few images downloaded to your computer that relate and that you want to use.



Be sure to sign up for the Ning at http://iwritenetworkning.ning.com/ ahead of time so you can join us for this fantastic event!

Cyber Monday book deals

                                                  By Trina Boice (a/k/a http://www.sisterthrifty.com/ )

While I’m not one to stand outside a store at 4:00 am for Black Friday bargains, I definitely get excited about “Cyber Monday.” Why? Because I can get great prices from the comfort of my home by shopping online!  Now is the best time to order those books you've always wanted!


Cyber Monday has become so popular and a part of our Christmas shopping lexicon that it’s even in Wikipedia now. The term Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday. Whereas Black Friday is associated with traditional brick and mortar stores, Cyber Monday symbolizes a busy day for online retailers. The premise was that consumers would return to their offices after the Black Friday weekend, making purchases online that they were not able to make in stores.

Each year www.walmart.com offers some of the best bargains and this year they’re in a price war with www.amazon.com I love that! Some of the common discounts include free shipping and percentages off the sales price. While I love going inside a real store and being able to touch the merchandise and get my picture taken with Santa, I REALLY love being able to stay home and shop in my pajamas!

Below are some really great web sites where you can see at a glance which retailers are offering discounts this year:

www.cybermonday.net

www.cybermonday.fm/

www.offers.com/cyber-monday/

www.cybermondayonlinedeals.com

www.dealtaker.com/cybermonday

www.visa.com/cybermonday

www.target.com/cybermonday



One of the great advantages to shopping online is that you can ship directly to your gift recipient, saving you hours of packaging presents, driving in crazy traffic to the post office, and standing in long lines during the busy holiday season! Some stores will even allow you to "double dip" which means you can stack discounts. Before you purchase anything online, remember to do an online search of the name of the store you're interested in buying from, along with the words "discount code" and you'll be pointed towards sites that give you special codes to use in the shopping cart to save even more money!

Some of my favorite discount code web sites are:

• www.currentcodes.com

• www.Couponcactus.com

• www.retailmenot.com

• www.couponcabin.com

• www.couponchief.com


Each year consumers spend more than $80 billion shopping on the Internet. It’s fast. It’s easy. No crowds. No searching for parking spaces. And who doesn’t love shopping in their pajamas? Unfortunately, one out of ten adults reported being victimized by online fraud in 2011, so you definitely need to be careful. Computer security experts have come up with some shopping tips to help protect you from cyber crime.

1. Investigate the vendor. Check the site for refund policies and contact information. It only takes a minute to review a company’s track record at www.bbb.org (Better Business Bureau).

2. Protect your private information by never giving financial information by email.

3. Start a paper trail. Print online receipts, product information and email confirmations.

4. Choose carefully where you shop. Only shop online at sites that provide password protection and encryption. When you see “https” you know the site is secure.

5. Protect your computer with antivirus software and firewalls.

The Internet has also made the world a much smaller place. There might be a company in Wisconsin who has exactly what your son’s school needs but can’t afford. www.throwplace.com is a great resource where charities, businesses, and individuals donate items and can get free items in return! Be sure to sign up your kids’ schools or your church!

The holidays are a busy time to be sure. Remember to pause and reflect on what’s truly important. Toss the guilt if you can’t buy the expensive gift for others that you wish you could. There is no shame in writing up some of those hand-made gift coupons, good for one back rub or car wash. People on their death bed never say they wish they had that gadget; rather, they often express regret for not having spent more time loving and serving others.

Black Friday Books

                                                                        by Trina Boice
                                                                 www.trinaboice.com
                                                                 www.sisterthrifty.com

Now is the time to pick up an e-reader for Christmas or those expensive books you've been wanting!!

Saving money is all about being organized and thinking ahead.  Black Friday is a perfect example.   Most of us are completely exhausted after all of the busy activities of Thanksgiving and still have dirty dishes in the sink the next day, but the organized shopper wakes up early the next morning, ready to hit the stores and grab the bargains.  Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and it marks the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States.

The term dates back to at least 1966.  "Black Friday" originated in Philadelphia in reference to the heavy traffic on that day.  More recently, the media have used it instead to refer to the beginning of the period in which retailers go from being in the red (posting a loss on the books) to being in the black (turning a profit). In many cities it is not uncommon to see shoppers lined up for hours before stores with big sales open. Once inside the stores, shoppers rush around and snatch up what they can, as many stores have only a few of the big-draw items in stock. On occasion, some shoppers are so overly enthusiastic about the savings that injuries and even fatalities have been reported.   No savings is worth that!

This year, in hopes of surviving the rough economy, some stores have started their Black Friday sales already!  Check out these helpful web sites to find some of the great deals out there:

www.blackfriday.info  

www.bfads.net  

www.black-friday.net  

www.theblackfriday.com   

www.blackfriday.gottadeal.com  

www.retailmenot.com/black-friday  

Now, having said all of that, the best gifts are those which come from the heart, and not the shopping mall.  In a tight economy, we should never go into debt just to purchase gifts.  There are plenty of inexpensive, yet meaningful gifts we can give to our loved ones without breaking the bank.  Remember, spending quality time with others is priceless!

Many retailers allow discount code web sites to "leak" their sales information several days before Black Friday.  If you love to shop at a particular store, do a Google search with the name of that store, plus the words "Black Friday" and you might get to find out what steals and deals they'll be featuring after Turkey Day!  Target and Wal-Mart have already released some sneak peek info about nice discounts on their flagship door-buster electronic items.  BJ's Wholesale Club, Harbor Freight, and Ace Hardware have already released their Black Friday catalogs as well.

While the best deals are usually found in the wee hours of the morning when the stores first open, most retailers this year are planning on extending their bargains through the Thanksgiving weekend to encourage more consumers to spend their dollars and kick-start the Christmas shopping season.  Do a web search with your city’s name, plus the words “Black Friday” and you’ll find some store listings with their special hours.

Happy Turkey Day!

Book Autopsies

                                                                          By Trina Boice
                                                                      http://www.boicebox.com/

I just discovered the coolest book art and wanted to share it with you.   Using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, Brian Dettmer carves one page at a time.  He's known as "The Book Surgeon",  layering pieces of old, thick books into magical masterpieces.  Nothing is relocated or implanted, only removed to showcase a new "look" at the original book.

Dettmer manipulates the pages and spines to form the shape of his sculptures. He also folds, bends, rolls, and stacks multiple books to create completely original sculptural forms.

"My work is a collaboration with the existing material and its past creators and the completed pieces expose new relationships of the book’s internal elements exactly where they have been since their original conception," he says.

"The richness and depth of the book is universally respected yet often undiscovered as the monopoly of the form and relevance of the information fades over time. The book’s intended function has decreased and the form remains linear in a non-linear world. By altering physical forms of information and shifting preconceived functions, new and unexpected roles emerge."

Dettmer is originally from Chicago, where he studied at Columbia College. He currently lives and works in Atlanta, GA.     To see more of his creative love for books, check out his solo art gallery show at http://packergallery.com/dettmer2/index.php   I don't know about you, but it makes me want to write thicker books.

Cedar Fort March Releases

Here are the new releases for March:

The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter by Frank L. Cole


The Crazy Daze of Motherhood by Jane Still

Eat Free: No Gluten, No Sugar, No Guilt by Rhiannon Lawrence

Conversations with a Moonflower by Christine Hall

10 Days Until Forever by David Peterson, illustrated by Tera Grasser

Life on the Narrow Path by Clark Burbidge

Portrait of a Mother by Michael Young

The Sweet, Still Waters of Home: Inspiration for Mothers from the 23rd Psalm by Carol Lynn Pearson

Einstein's Trunk by James Haberkorn

The Tomb Builder by E. James Harrison

Looks like a fantastic list!

Starting the new year right with FREE books!

                                                                     By Trina Boice
                                                                www.boicebox.com

What's the best way for a writer to start the new year right?  Read more books!  Even better....get them for free!  Nothing gets me more excited than getting awesome stuff for free, so I just had to share with you a list and link of the top 10 books that are available for free download on Kindle:

1. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
2. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
3. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
4. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
5. Dracula by Bram Stoker
6. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
7. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
8. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
9. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
10. Invisible (Ivy Malone Mystery Series #1) by Lorena McCourtney

Enjoy!  May your 2011 be filled with many wonderful adventures, both in and out of books!

Changing Lives One Book at a Time

                                                                       By Trina Boice
                                                                       http://www.boicebox.com/

Teach a child to love reading and you can change his life.   I remember sitting in my bedroom as a young girl, reading for hours.  When my mother called me to dinner, I would yell back "Just one more paragraph!" and another hour would fly by.  My parents thought they were teaching me a lesson by making me miss dinner if I didn't get to the kitchen in time, but as I continued reading I didn't even notice I had missed a meal.  That's pretty significant, considering how much I really love food!

There is a wonderful orphanage in Guatemala that is led by an amazing American mother, Vickie Dalia.  She and some other angel volunteers have come up with a way to create a library for their orphanage that I thought you might be interested in.  I hope this doesn't sound like a sales pitch...

They're holding an Usborne on-line Book Fair (eFair) to benefit Safe Homes for Children! Usborne is a leading publisher of children's books, offering high-quality commercial-free books.  By the way, I don't sell Usborne...I'm just sharing this information because I love this little orphanage!

For total Book Fair sales of $200-$499, Safe Homes for Children will receive an additional 25% in free books. For total sales of $500+, Safe Homes for Children will receive an additional 50% in free books! For example, if total Book Fair sales reach $800, Safe Homes for Children will get an additional $400 in FREE books!  There are two ways to shop... both Wishlist sales and personal use sales count towards this total.

Please go to the website below, then click on "Safe Homes for Children" under Active e-Fairs. There is a Spanish book wish list for you to choose from. Once you get to the check-out, choose "Ship to Organization – Safes Homes for Children", and the shipping will be free. Also, there is no sales tax.

Or, if you would like to shop for your family, while benefiting this Book Fair, just click on "Safe Homes for Children" under Active e-Fairs and begin your shopping. Once you get to check-out, choose ship to your home and your order will ship immediately.

The Book Fair will be open until Sept. 15th. At the close of the Book fair, the Spanish books will be mailed to Vickie Dalia, then make their way to Guatemala and into the hands of those sweet little ones.

Thanks for considering supporting this Book Fair.

www.OrderGreatBooks.com

Knowledge is power...and free!

                                                                    By Trina Boice
                                                                 http://www.boicebox.com/

Can you believe it’s BACK TO SCHOOL time already? While some parents are celebrating the idea of a quiet, clean house during school hours, others are sad to leave behind the carefree fun of summer spent with their children. My kids think I’m crazy because I absolutely love the smell and anticipation of opening up a new textbook.


For parents who are just a bit envious of their children’s opportunity to learn new things at school, I have a goldmine of resources for you! The following web sites include thousands of video lectures from some of the world’s top scholars! Knowledge nirvana! And they’re all FREE!

One of my favorite quotes, and one worth teaching your children, is:
“The more you read, the more you know.
The more you know, the smarter you grow.
The smarter you grow, the stronger your voice
When speaking your mind or making your choice!”

Enjoy!

http://academicearth.org/
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/courses/av/index.htm
http://worldlibrary.net/Collections.htm
http://freevideolectures.com/
http://videolectures.net/
http://lecturefox.com/
http://www.ted.com/
http://ocw.nd.edu/
Courses include detailed lecture notes, a calendar of teading assigned for each class and a description of major assignments.

http://ocw.tufts.edu/
Offers student-made documentaries about social issues as well as a list of weekly readings.

http://itunes.stanford.edu/
Professors Martin Evans and Marsh McCall lecture on great works by Virgil to Voltaire.

http://itunes.berkeley.edu/
Berkeley's lectures online
http://webcast.berkeley.edu/
Alternate site of Berkeley's lectures.

http://scholarspot.com/

http://www.varsitynotes.com/

http://www.learnerstv.com/

If anyone is interested in Entrepreneurship and learning more about what it takes to own or run a business, I highly recommend the Standford eCorner ( http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=1554 ) or the Harvard business school ( http://www.hbs.edu/entrepreneurs/ ) podcasts. Both are great resources that provide outstanding insight into running your own business.   Others include:
http://oedb.org/library/features/236-open-courseware-collections
http://www.careervoyages.gov/education-videos.cfm
http://www.sba.gov/training/index.html
http://www.sba.gov/tools/audiovideo/Podcasts/index.html
http://www.openculture.com/2007/07/freeonlinecourses.html
http://www.videomd.com/featured_videos.aspx
http://freesciencelectures.com/
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
http://education.usgs.gov/common/video_animation.htm
http://www.nachi.org/advancedcourses.htm
http://education-portal.com/video_library/index.html
http://www.serve.org/nche/ibt/aw_video.php
http://www.practisinc.com/interactive/patient-education-videos.php
http://scholarspot.com/
http://www.varsitynotes.com/
http://www.learnerstv.com/
http://www.stumbleupon.com/
http://www.ovguide.com/education.html


CENTSerely,

Sister Thrifty a/k/a Trina Boice
http://www.sisterthrifty.com/

Coming Clean

I have a confession to make. Aside from being an author, I am an avid reader. In fact, avid may not aptly describe my habit. I lose sleep to read. I forget to eat while reading. I can read for hours and never grow tired or bored.

A little over a year ago, I discovered the wonderful world of LDS fiction. Up to that point, I read the same books over and over because I liked the stories and also because I knew there would be no hidden surprises such as gratuitous sex, violence or language. But now I'm like a kid in a candy store with a credit card.

Except I do have to rein in my spending once in a while.

Without counting, I know I have purchased more than 50 books over the last year. I want to support my fellow authors, so I go to book signings when I can. And I buy the book. Some of the books in my shelves have been free because I did reviews. Some I've even won from blog contests and other contests.

Unlike the kid in the candy store analogy, these books aren't going to give me a stomach ache the more I read them. In fact, I often feel uplifted, edified and educated. And all while losing myself in complex plots, difficult character challenges and tons of excitement.

But, seriously, I'm running out of room in my house. Some of my bookshelves are already two books deep.

I know I could find the books used, or at a library, but that rational thought doesn't hit me when one of my author friends has a new book out. I'm so excited for them and I want to share in that. These last few months, due to severe budget restrictions, I've had to turn down several book signings because I couldn't justify the expense of driving from Tooele to UT county three times in a month. It's been really hard for me, but I know my friends understand.

Maybe some of that is selfish. If I support as many authors as I can, maybe they will in exchange support me when my book comes out. That sounds rational, right? It's what we all want: to sell our books.

But I tend to forget that when I'm having so much fun reading great, quality literature.

Bye for now. I'm going to go read something. :)

Reading is a Must

By Heather Justesen

If I said that writers need to read, you might nod and think I mean that internally we have to read--it's part of our makeup. That would be true for most every writer I know, but that's not what I mean.

The fact is, as in any profession, writers need to keep up with what's going on in their business. That means I need to be aware of what other writers in my genre are producing, what the trend is. Reading is also necessary as part of the process of learning to write. When I read a book, I often study the setting, characters, plots and other aspects of the writing. I pay attention to beautiful prose (because that is really not my strong point) and things that don't work for me in the story.

I may be totally caught up in the book, but after writing for so many years, a part of my brain is always scrutinizing the text, trying to figure out why I enjoy the book. Is it great characters? A skillfully woven plot? Is there just enough chemistry between the man and woman to keep me wondering how and when they are going to get past their obstacles? Is the mystery getting more complex and do I keep asking myself who was responsible for the murder?

It's important for me to focus on these aspects as I read because they help me become a better writer. After I had one of my manuscripts edited by a published writer for the first time, I realized that I had trouble knowing how and where to add descriptions. I tended to add them in unecessary places, or I made them too passive (or I left them out entirely). On the recommendation of another friend, I spent untold hours over the next several months reading everything written by a specific author that I could get my hands on. I probably read close to forty or fifty of her books in under three months (they were mostly pretty short and she's obviously been writing for quite some time) and when I started writing again the descriptions came much easier to me--because I had studied how to do it.

Reading is an important part of honing my craft, but I sometimes struggle to find time to sit down with a book because I have so many other things to do (writing is only one of them). Still, when I do pick up a book, slide back into a hot bubble bath, or wrap myself up in blankets in bed, I find my frustrations trickle away, my worries flee, and when I finish, I'm far more ready to get back to work on my next book.

What have you read lately?

PS I'll be signing with some other great authors at the Sandy, Utah Barnes & Noble Saturday from 2-4. Stop in and enter to win one of our prizes!

Where Do Your Books Come From?

By Christine Thackeray

Last year my mother passed away, and I inherited many of her books. It has been a wonderful gift. The funny thing I found is that my mother always read with a purpose. For example, she was going to England on a trip with my father, and she must have bought twenty books (most historical fiction or quasi-non-fiction) on the Victorian Era. Most are beefy hardbacks with ornate covers. She also grew interested in the Northeast and has another huge collection of stories about Cape Cod and Nantucket. There are a few other things that caught her eye. She bought a book by an author named "Thomas Tryon" which happens to be the same name as my sister's little boy. Add to that a handful of each of the big production writers of the 80's and 90's and then an unexpected treasure here and there and that's about it.

Looking at my Mother's books made me think about my own books. Many are volumes I purchased for research purposes. I have every one of C.S. Lewis's works and almost twenty books on King Herod. I'm also a post-temple trip bargain shopper and own quite a lot of LDS fiction. Whatever is on sale, I pick up. I also go wild in the back of CFI every time I go back to Utah. Also, I think I own every Jodi Picoult and Janet Evanovich.

So I'm curious... where do you buy your books, what are your favorites and what draws you to them?

The Ball's In Her Court Winner

By Heather Justesen

Well, I got my galleys yesterday, so it's really starting to feel like this book is going to happen. =) Seeing my name at the top of the pages made me tingly, and I like the title and chapter fonts they chose (this is, of course, of utmost importance, after all, lol). I'll be trying to burn through the minor changes my editor asked for, and to do a final proof so I can get it back to her as quickly as possible.

I had so many entries for this book, and I'm thrilled so many of you want a copy. I used Random.org to make the decision. And now for the winner--I know you're all waiting with baited breath--Cassie Osborne! Cassie, get your address to me and I'll send your copy out as soon as I get them!

By Love or By Sea WINNER

I'm pretty excited about this! I love book give-aways! Who doesn't like a FREE book? Anyway, two weeks are finally up and the winner of

By Love or By Sea

by Rachel Rager

is...

Lynn Parsons

Congrats, Lynn! Just send your mailing address to

rachelrager(dot)romance(at)gmail(dot)com

and I'll get that out PRONTO!!!

(I hope you love it! And I hope if you didn't win, you will still read it! And make sure to check back to see if you win one of the other books too.)

And, for anyone who wants a thought provoking question. . .

When Caleb Newman left for sea, he had different reasons for leaving than the popular opinion. If events had occured differently at the ball when he saved Alice's virtue,

would he have made the same decisions? If not, what would he have done differently? And how would Lydia Burns effect the dynamic of the story?

(Read By Love or By Sea)

Leave me a comment with your thoughts! I can't wait to hear them!!

Happy Kisses!

Cedar Fort Authors Present...The End of Summer Giveaway!

We would like to express our appreciation to the visitors of our blog by giving away some really cool, fun stuff. (Mostly our books, which are quite cool if we don't say so ourselves.)

How it works: Each of us on our blog day, in the first half of the month of August, will be giving away either a free copy of one of our books or some other kind of prize. If you wish to win one of our books or prizes, you may post a comment under our blog. You may also enter to win with more than one author. In the last half of the month, we will announce the winners on our blog day, get the addresses of those who won, and mail out the goods.

For example, let's say in the first or second week of August, you enter to win a really cool book by your favorite author. You post a comment under that author's blog like this: "I'd love to win a copy of your book! And by the way, you are totally amazing." The next two weeks are painfully long while you kill time, hoping with all hope that you'll win. Two weeks later to the day, you go to cedarfortauthors.blogspot.com and while reading that author's post that day, you find you actually won her book! Wow, your life is now complete...or at least it will be as soon as you get her your mailing address, receive her book in the mail, and read it while eating chocolate.

Thank you for stopping by our blogspot. We hope you have as much fun this month as we will!

The Cedar Fort Authors

LDS Bookseller's Convention

By Trina Boice


When my first LDS book was published, I received an invitation to do a book signing at the annual LDS Booksellers Association Convention in Sandy, Utah. I never even knew that such an event existed. I left feeling excited, rejuvinated and completely inspired.

The good news is that this year's convention starts tomorrow! It takes place August 3-7 at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy, Utah from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm. The bad news is that it is only open to members of the LDS Booksellers Assocation and their guests. See what you can do to become a guest!

By the way, Cedar Fort has a terrific reputation for consistently having one of the best booths and is always decked out with impressive decor to coordinate with the theme for the year. This year's theme is "Discovering Treasures." As readers, we all know the thrill of finding a hidden treasure in a great book, whether it be a fun character, inspiring word choice, exciting adventure, or a new mind-expanding idea. Great theme. I wonder if there will be lots of pirates holding books, wandering around the convention hall this year?

I'm telling you, this event is fantastic! My friends call me a giggler...that is to say that I get all giggly and groupie when I meet famous people. It's embarrassing, really. The convention hall overflows with LDS "celebrities" you can meet and have sign their books, music CD's, artwork or DVD's. I brought my camera and made a real idiot out of myself....so much fun.

I love meeting people who have worked hard at improving their talents and who are doing amazing things. It energizes me and motivates me to try harder. Zig Ziglar said "Duty makes us do things well, but love makes us do them beautifully." You get the sense that all of these great musicians, artists and authors truly love the gospel and are trying to use their talents to build the kingdom. I love that.

It's also extremely invigorating to see the latest, greatest, and newest LDS merchandise to hit the market. I absolutely thrill to be around people who are creating, dreaming, and contributing something positive to the world.

To see the schedule of events and learn more about the LDS Booksellers Association, check out their web site at http://www.ldsba.com

Meet author, Trina Boice!

Would you believe there is still one more author in this writing fortress to hear from? Me! I’m Trina Boice, one of the few non-fiction authors in the crowd. I’ve written 6 books so far with lots more on the way! My 7th will be published by Cedar Fort just in time for Christmas shopping. Yay!

I asked my family how I should introduce myself to you in a clever, creative way and I got quite a few mixed suggestions. My husband said I should tell you about all of the things I’m NOT, so I thought I’d try that first:

“I’m not a super sonic rocket, but I have been known to eat ice cream at lightening speed.
I’m not apathetic, and have the emotional scars to prove it from being a political correspondent for KPBS during last year’s election.
I’m not a crazed, texting teenager, but I do write for Go2.com
I’m not a 95 year old grandma, but I sure would like to take a nap, and some say I’m off my rocker.”

Hmmm....maybe I should try my youngest son's suggestion. He thought I should tell you about myself from the viewpoint of the pencil I write my books with:
“Gee, Trina is really sharp and gets to the point.” Silly pencil. I write with my keyboard.

Then my twin sister encouraged me to write from her point of view:
“Trina is really really good looking.”

Ummm, that's obviously not going to work. So I thought I’d try my oldest son’s idea. He's serving a mission in Argentina and loves language and rhyming.

“There once was a writer named Trina.
She dances, but is no ballerina.
She won California’s Mother of the Year.
She’s LDS and has never drunk beer.
Trina served a mission in Spain
Wow, this rhyming attempt is real lame.”

Ok, since that’s not working out very well, how about I try my 2nd son’s idea? He’s a college student and wanted you to know that I graduated from BYU with 2 bachelor’s degrees and competed on the Speech & Debate team and Ballroom Dance team. I was President of the National Honor Society Phi Eta Sigma and served as ASBYU Secretary of Student Community Services. Later I went on to get two master’s degrees from CCHS. I’d love to get a PhD some day just so people would have to call me Dr. and I could pretend like I really know something.

My 3rd son wanted me to tell you about all of the things he and I have in common. He is studying mixed martial arts, inspired by his mom who has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He doesn’t realize I’d pass out from fright if I were ever really attacked by a bad guy. I received the President’s “Point of Light Award” and he likes to point his laser light in people’s faces. He’s an energetic bundle of joy and I feel joy whenever I finally get energy. He plays all day on his computer and I work all day on mine.

It’s a good thing I don’t have more children or you’d be sitting here all day, reading more of their goofy ideas. Let’s just keep it short and say that I’m thrilled to be writing for Cedar Fort and I’m excited to meet you all! Besides, if I told you what I really do for a living, I’d have to kill you.