Utah Book Month 2013 Roundup

What a lovely month it has been!  Though I'm sad to see the second annual Utah Book Month come to a close, I'm also overwhelmed by the awesome bookish community that lives here in Utah.  Thank you so much to everyone that participated.  There would be no Utah Book Month without you.

Suey and I had a blast planning this event and getting to know you all a little better.  Mark your calendars now, because we'll be back next August.  And, we'll try to post here from time to time with exciting Utah book events.  If you have a suggestion for anything Utah Books related, please drop us a line.

AND DON'T FORGET!!  The Utah Books annual social is coming next Saturday.  Check out the details here.

And now, here is a recap of Utah Book Month 2013:

MINI-CHALLENGES & GIVEAWAYS

Mini-Challenge: Utah Books hosts Read 5 Utah Books

Giveaway: Daniel & Brittany

Mini-Challenge: Stephanie hosts One True Pairings

Mini-Challenge & Giveaway: Jessica A. hosts Insta-UBM

Mini-Challenge: Kami hosts Character Challenge

Mini-Challenge & Giveaway: Jennifer

Mini-Challenge & Giveaway: Suey hosts First Lines Quiz
Giveaway: Jessica A. 
Giveaway: Cindy Bennett
Giveaway: Kami

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHTS

Author Spotlight: Kami spotlights Ally Condie

Author Spotlight: Stephanie spotlights Elana Johnson

Author Spotlight: Heather Ostler spotlights Carol Nicholas

Author Spotlight: Jessica A. spotlights Emily Wing Smith

Author Spotlight: Suey spotlights J.R. Johansson

Author Spotlight: Cindi spotlights Heather Frost

Author Spotlight: Heather G. spotlights Rebecca Jamison

Author Spotlight: Angie spotlights Kristen Chandler

Author Spotlight: Mark Hansen spotlights Christina Dymock

Author Spotlight: Andrea spotlights Sarah Eden

Author Spotlight: T. Lynn Adams spotlights Cindy Bennett

Author Spotlight & Giveaway: Jessica A. spotlights F.W. Adams

Author Spotlight: Jessica B. spotlights J. Scott Savage

Author Spotlight: Cindy Bennett spotlights Michelle Argyle

Author Spotlight: Kathy spotlights Ken Baker

Author Spotlight: Jennifer Greyson spotlights Mark Hansen

Author Spotlight: Kelsy spotlights Natalie Whipple

Author Spotlight: Christina Dymock spotlights Heather Ostler

Author Spotlight: Daniel & Brittany spotlight Dave Wolverton

Author Spotlight: Dorine White spotlights Tyler Whitesides

Author Spotlight: Carol Nicholas spotlights Kay Lynn Mangum
Author Spotlight: Carol Nicholas spotlights Lisa Mangum

BLOGGER SPOTLIGHTS

Blogger Spotlight: Jennifer spotlights Daniel & Brittany

Blogger Spotlight: Jessica B. spotlights Kathy

Blogger Spotlight: Kathy spotlights Jennifer

Blogger Spotlight: Kelsy spotlights Angie

Blogger Spotlight: Kami spotlights Stephanie

Blogger Spotlight: Stephanie spotlights Jessica A.

Blogger Spotlight: Daniel & Brittany spotlight Carol

Blogger Spotlight: Jessica A. spotlights Cindi

Blogger Spotlight: Cindi spotlights Kelsy

Blogger Spotlight: Carol Nicholas spotlights Suey

Blogger Spotlight: Angie spotlights Penelope

Blogger Spotlight: Jessica A. spotlights Jessica B.

Blogger Spotlight: Suey spotlights Kami

GUEST POSTS & SPECIAL FEATURES
Special Feature: The Salt Lake Library by Angie

Guest Post at Utah Books: Mark Hansen

Special Feature: Utah Awesomeness by Kami

Guest Post at Utah Books: Christina Dymock

Guest Post at Utah Books: Carol Nicolas

Guest Post at Utah Books: Rebecca Jamison

Guest Post at Utah Books: F.W. Adams

Guest Post at Utah Books: Cindy Bennett

Please let us know if we missed a link to one of your posts.  That's it for this year!

Today's Featured Posts for Utah Book Month - 8/31

Ah, the second annual Utah Book Month comes to a close.  We've got three new posts in store for you today, before we sign off.

First, Suey from It's All About Books spotlights Utah book blogger Kami from Kami's Library Thoughts.

Second, Carol Nicolas spotlights (and interviews) Utah author Lisa Mangum.

Third, check out this round-up post for a categorical list of the fun we've had this month, and you can always check out the master schedule, if you prefer a chronological list.

Today's Featured Posts for Utah Book Month - 8/30

I'm getting a little nostalgic, for the month of August has flown by. But we're not done yet!

Today, Utah author Carol Nicholas spotlights Utah author Kay Lynn Mangum.

Also, this is your last chance to participate (and often enter to win!) in these awesome mini-challenges:

Utah Books hosts Read 5 Utah Books
Stephanie hosts One True Pairings
Jessica A. hosts Insta-UBM
Kami hosts Character Challenge
Jennifer hosts Childhood Eyes
Suey hosts First Lines Quiz

Today's Featured Posts for Utah Book Month - 8/29

Our month of Utah book fun is coming to an end, but not just yet.

Today, Jessica A. from The Bluestocking Society spotlights Utah book blogger Jessica B. from Books: A True Story.

And author Dorine White spotlights Utah author Tyler Whitesides.

Today's Featured Posts for Utah Book Month - 8/28

Today, Daniel and Brittany of Attack of the Books spotlight Utah author Dave Wolverton.

And, we are pleased to have a guest post from Utah author Cindy Bennett here at the Utah Books blog about the writing community here in Utah.

Utah Author Guest Post: Cindy Bennett

Cindy C. Bennett is the author or co-author of a number of books.  She self-published her first novel, Geek Girl, and then sold it to Utah publishing house Cedar Fort.  As Cindy says on her About page, she writes contemporary YA, though she has "a few books which dip a tiny toe into the paranormal." You can find her on her blog, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook.  She even has a sometimes-Podcast with her son called Geek Revolution Radio.

And now, here's Cindy:
__________________________

From nearly every window in my house, I can look out and see the Wasatch Mountains, the portion of the greater Rocky Mountain range that line the east side of the Salt Lake valley. Even still, after living here my whole life, and looking out these same windows for the past ten years, I never tire of the sight. Not to say that I never take the sight for granted, because I admit that sometimes I do, and then I’ll look up and see them and it will strike me anew how very lucky I am to live in the shadows of such a glorious bit of nature.

The hidden treasure that isn’t as obvious as the imposing mountain range is the vast amount of talented writers and the large number of amazing, supportive bloggers who live here. Even having lived here my entire life and having long held the dream of becoming an author, I had no idea they existed. I naïvely thought that if you wanted to be a successful writer you needed to live somewhere like New York or Los Angeles, or even Key West in a house full of six-toed cats.

It was an eye-opening experience to find, when I finally dared to put my words out for the world to see, that I was surrounded by creativity and support like I didn’t dare dream. At every event or book signing I discovered more of the talent that abounds in our humble little state. I’ve developed relationships with bloggers who are relatively anonymous in their location, only to find out later that they also are fellow Utahns.

So while I may enjoy visiting New York or LA or Hemingway’s home, I’ll always return to my roots in Utah, happy to be the girl who gets to look out her window and see the Rocky Mountains, and who gets to live side-by-side with the talented, kind, helpful and supportive Utah authors and bloggers. What a lucky, blessed girl I am!

Today's Featured Posts for Utah Book Month - 8/27

Here's what's up for today:

Angie from Angela's Anxious Life spotlights Utah blogger Penelope.

Christina Dymock spotlights Utah author Heather Ostler.