Review on Meridian Magazine

     Hi everyone! It's been a crazy, busy two weeks. Lots of reviews, blog tours, a TV appearance and a book launch. Things are starting to slow down a little now.  But two good things today are making me smile.  Seagull Book has Do Over in their new catalog and Jennie Hansen did a review of my book for Meridian Magazine.  Here's the link if you missed it.  The one thing you can always count on with Jennie is that she will tell the truth.  That's why when she says she likes a book, you can believe it.  Lucky for me  . . . well, see for yourself:  http://www.ldsmag.com/article/1/12265

The Daily Dish & Me

   

     Okay, so I might have mentioned it a thousand times, 

but I was on the Daily Dish today.  

     Holy cow.  All six of my kids came with me to support me, thank goodness.  There was one moment when I looked back at them and said something about running for the exit. They grabbed on to me because most people can recognize panic when they see it.  It's just a little freaky to do Live TV.  Just a little.  I have the link for my segment if you missed it.  And since I told just about everybody the wrong time, you probably did.  I might have mentioned 10. Yeah, turned out to be 11.  Sorry!  So here it is. Would love to hear your thoughts.  I just watched it and I'm not sure that I do though. That one Italian gene of mine was going crazy again. You'll see what I mean:

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/dailydish/story/Do-Over/fqCpxIWDp02k5I5GzG97sA.cspx

Book Launch Pictures!

The Book Launch was So much fun! 

 I forgot to take so many pictures.  I just got so caught up talking I totally forgot (sorry Maggie! - and everyone else) But we had a great time. I was going to play Earth Wind and Fire to liven things up, but Seagull was playing a Hank Smith CD which is almost the same thing. 

This is me and Alicia Hudson one of the most extraordinary women I know! Soooo glad she came :)

Me and Lee Ann Payne my neighbor and visiting teacher! 

Rachel and Barbara - New Friends!  Loved meeting them

Mandee Hodges and three of her four daughters - aren't they gorgeous!

Brittany Peay (Coolest girl in the world!)

Me and Elaine - She swears she's my biggest fan :)  But not in a Stephen King Misery kind of way

Rock Star of Rock Stars - The one and only J.Scott Savage!  And he brought me a copy of his newest book for my kids.  Does it get better than that??

Rachel Wright - cutest mom in the world!

Cammy Peay - or as other people call her - Wonder Woman :)

The beautiful Lori Baer - Love her!

Everyone's favorite cheer leaders- Cathy and Susan Cluff

Launch Party Deets!

Don't forget to come to my launch party tomorrow- February 12th from 3pm-6pm

at

Seagull Book in American Fork

(right by Hobby Lobby)

There will be chocolate, plenty of copies of Do Over and ME!!  Fair warning:  I will have my camera and I will be taking pictures to post on my blog.

I am SO EXCITED - See you there! 

So this is the unofficial theme song to Do Over.  

It's kind of perfect for Trey and Iris. Sooo romantic! 

I was featured in Deseret News!! (Back flips - Over and Over)

Book review: Shannon Guymon's 'Do Over' weaves hope and new start after tragedy

• Print
• Font [+] [-]
• Leave a comment »

By Tim Johnson

For the Deseret News

Published: Saturday, Feb. 9 2013 5:00 a.m. MST

"Do Over" is a novel by Shannon Guymon.

Cedar Fort

• 
• View 2 photos »

Summary

Iris Levine is a new bride who discovers, on her wedding night, that her husband has been less-than-faithful. She bolts Seattle and her top design job for a small town and a fresh start, and ends up finding what she wasn't looking for.

"DO OVER," by Shannon Guyman,Bonneville Books, $13.99, 182 pages (f)

Iris Levine is a new bride who discovers, on her wedding night, that her husband has been less-than-faithful. After she tells the guests at her reception that the party is over (and to take their gifts home), she bolts Seattle and her top design job for a small town and a fresh start.

She ends up living next to her cousin in Alpine, Utah, where four local ladies are taking it upon themselves to "rescue" one of the local good guys, Trey Kellen, a man with a string of bad luck on the dating scene. Iris unknowingly becomes part of a little wager between the ladies.

Iris' fresh start is more of an outside overhaul, going from business professional to leather-laden biker chick. Her anti-male leanings end up enmeshed with Trey's anti-female attitude. Trey pitches an offer to Iris that, if he can say that she's his girlfriend — to get his friends and family off his back — he'll let her ride his Ducati motorcycle. What follows is an interesting stream of appearances by meddling parents, judgmental town folks and the slimy ex-husband.

This book is definitely geared towards a female demographic. However, there are plenty of exchanges between the two main characters that will have guys chuckling and saying, "Man, that's what I would have done, too."

While the characters in the book are presumeably members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there is only one section that really solidifies this (they talk about temple marriages and their dating rules are pretty common in Mormon culture). It might have been better to either "set the table" off the top, even if just briefly, or leave religion out of it altogether. The theme the author weaves here is certainly non-denominational. Readers along the Wasatch Front will recognize a few of the landmarks and references scattered throughout the pages.

Local author Shannon Guymon weaves a good story involving solid characters without getting preachy or graphic. It's a fun, quick read that will have you smiling in the end.

Tim Johnson is the art director at KSL-TV in Salt Lake City. He and his wife, Alicia, are the proud parents of five daughters who, thankfully, look like their mom.

Another Stop on the Blog Tour!

Tawni is a friend and also a co-worker of mine.  She has a great blog you all should be reading and she graciously agreed to review Do Over for me.  She did an amazing job!  And not only that, if you all leave a comment you might just win a free copy of Do Over.  Worth your time?  According to Tawni - Yes!   Here's the link: http://mycheekyredshoes.wordpress.com/ 

Here's a small snippet  

Currently I have a, “No-Depressing-Book” Policy. So when I had the opportunity to read, Do Over by Shannon Guymon I was thrilled. She and I work together at A Guardian Angel Adoptions, both working on the Birth Mother Crisis line. She is incredible.

In this day and age it is very nearly impossible to pick up a book that does not contain complete filth. My feelings on this were intensified Sunday after painfully sitting through the Super Bowl with my family, cringing at almost every commercial and completely disgusted with Hollywood’s version of a “family friendly” halftime show.

Want to read the rest?   Of course you do!  Check it out and let me know how you're enjoying the Blog Tour!

The Blog Tour Begins! - 1st stop: Kathy

This is SO exciting for me!  I've never done a Blog Tour before so I'm a little nervous.  But Kathy from http://www.iamareader.com did such a good job.  If you go to her Blog you can enter a drawing for a free copy of Do Over.  She also interviewed me so you're going to know more about than you expected.  Love her Blog! You will too.  Let me know what you think!
http://www.iamareader.com/2013/02/do-over-by-shannon-guymon-blog-tour.html

Do Over is LDS fiction that can easily be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys clean, humorous romance.  Set in Utah there are only a few sentences in the entire book that reference something to do with LDS culture. One reference to using money to support missionaries, one question as to whether someone had been sealed in the temple and a sentence that says a wedding takes place in a temple. Otherwise this book could and should be read by anyone who enjoys cute clean fun chick lit!

I read this entire book in one sitting!  This was my Christmas Day read, after being woke up at 5:20 by my kids to open their presents I was back in bed by 6 am and was lucky enough to spend most of the day reading. 

While reading Do Over I had no clue it was part of a series.  I'm odd in that I rarely read book summaries because I hate spoilers so I pick books by their covers.  I didn't know I had missed out on anything but since reading it I have gone back and started at the beginning of the series and am enjoying all the back-story on the characters.  Who knew Trey had been kicked out of BYU?  Or that Sam & Sophie has such a crazy beginning?  While Do Over is a mainstream read, Makeover, the first book in the series, is much more of a classic LDS fiction type read.

Do Over was so much fun to read.  Iris & Trey were a hoot together.  Both are strong characters who can hold their own and when put together there is some great chemistry.  I highly recommend you pick up your favorite flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and curl up with this book. But use caution or you might be inspired by Iris and find yourself heading out to purchase a pair of high heeled boots!