Whitney Awards: Eligible Novels

by Rebecca Talley

Some of our blog team members have books that are eligible for a Whitney Award. The following books are eligible for nominations:

Blank Slate by Heather Justesen

Adrianna Mueller may be a world-renowned concert pianist, but when she wakes from her coma after a serious car accident, her ability to perform has disappeared as completely as her lost memory. As she recovers from her injuries, she struggles with the expectations of everyone—her family, friends, and fiancé, Brock—who all want everything to go back to the way it was.

Everyone except Gavin, Adrianna’s brother’s business partner, who finds himself drawn to the woman she is now. But he has his own problems. As he tries to get a handle on a former employee’s embezzlement, he fights his growing feelings for Adrianna.

And then a trip to the emergency room shakes everything up, leaving her to stumble as she tries to regain her footing all over again.

 

Minor Adjustments by Rachael Renee Anderson

Chicago businessman and bachelor Devon Pierce doesn't want to be appointed guardian of Australian four-year-old Ryan Caldwell - but Ryan's solicitor, Stella Walker, won't take no for an answer.

Little does Devon know that this "minor" adjustment will grant him a future he never expected to have.

Told in a fast-paced, poignant, and witty style, Minor Adjustments will take you on a journey filled with humor, growth, romance, and love.

The Upside of Down by Rebecca Talley

"Hmmm," the doctor muttered.
Natalie wrinkled her forehead, almost afraid to ask, and said, "What does that mean?"
"You do know you're pregnant, right?"
Her breath caught in her throat. "Excuse me?"
"You're pregnant."
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. "I'm what?"

Natalie Drake certainly has her hands full raising a large family, dealing with her difficult mother, and maintaining a relationship with her rebellious teenager. Just when things seem to be going smoothly, she finds out another unexpected surprise--she's going to have a baby. Faced with so many challenges, Natalie must learn to trust in a plan that isn't what she imagined and discover that every situation has an upside.

Rebecca Talley carefully creates this touching and heartfelt story that is sure to inspire you. With true-to-life characters and situations, The Upside of Down will reignite your faith and remind you of the importance of family.

 

My Girlfriend's Boyfriend by Elodia Strain

Jesse is looking for the "right guy." When she bumps into Ethan, a despairing writer who she inspires, she thinks she's found him. But only moments later she meets Troy, a successful advertising executive who makes almost every moment romantic.

Both seem perfect, but things are not always what they seem. My Girlfriend's Boyfriend is a fun romance that blends warm sincerity with fresh storytelling.

If you've read any of these novels and would like to nominate them for a Whitney Award, please go here.

If you've read other novels by LDS authors published in 2011 and would like to nominate them, please go here.

You can learn more about the Whitney Awards here. Please spread the word!

Thanks!

New books in the works!

By Heather Justesen

I've been pretty busy over the past few months getting one manuscript edited and out to my publisher after they accepted a third book (which is slated for a January release), trying to keep up with my critique groups (yes, I have more than one), and getting Blank Slate ready to publish. After many hours of tweaks and looking at photos for the cover, it's finally finished. I'm totally excited about how cute it turned out, and I can't wait to hold a copy in my hot little hands. Here it is:

Cute, huh!

And here's my back cover copy:

Adrianna Mueller may be a world-renowned concert pianist, but when she wakes from her coma after a serious car accident, her ability to perform has disappeared as completely as her lost memory. As she recovers from her injuries, she struggles with the expectations of everyone—her family, friends, and fiancé, Brock—who all want everything to go back to the way it was.

Everyone except Gavin, Adrianna’s brother’s business partner, who finds himself drawn to the woman she is now. But he has his own problems. As he tries to get a handle on a former employee’s embezzlement, he fights his growing feelings for Adrianna.

And then a trip to the emergency room shakes everything up, leaving her to stumble as she tries to regain her footing all over again.

The process of getting ready to publish a book on my own has been different than with a publisher handling most of the tiny details for me, but so far I've actually enjoyed it, even though I know it won't get nearly the distribution the other two have gotten. I have just a little more editing to do tonight and tomorrow and hope to get everything finalized and uploaded into CreateSpace by tomorrow night. That means I won't have time to get my proof copy, approve it, and order copies for the conference in two weeks, but that's what I get for allowing myself to get distracted over the past few months.

I'm going to work next week at getting it reformatted and loaded up on all of the ebook platforms, so I'm hoping it'll be available that way by then. And I still need to make some plans for publicity--so stay tuned to find out what fun things are coming up!