Meredith Efken

Remember how I used to do a mid-month introduction and giveaway? Well, that kind of went by the wayside when I added some structure to my blog, but I believe I told you that I would continue to introduce you to some amazing authors and host giveaways from time to time...

Well, today I have the privilege to spend some time raving about the beautiful and talented Meredith Efken! She has graciously agreed to speak at our One Body One Hope Women's Night Out, and this weekend felt like the perfect time to gush about her a bit. (BTW, if you live in the area, it's not too late to get tickets! It's going to be an amazing evening... Grab some girlfriends, your mother, daughter, grandmother, or a bunch of complete strangers and join us for a night of fun, door prizes, desserts, and entertainment! Email me for more info or to buy tickets.)

Since Meredith's online bio sums her up so well, I'm going to borrow from her website to tell you a bit about her...

Meredith is the author of the critically acclaimed SAHM I Am series that traces the friendship of a group of stay-at-home mothers through their emails to each other. She has been a finalist for the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice award and the ACFW Book of the Year award, and critics use phrases like “charming,” “fresh,” and “pure delight” to describe her humorous yet insightful comedies.

In her “spare” time, she and her husband enjoy learning Argentine tango and hanging out at the local bookstore. She studies Chinese and Welsh on a semi-random basis and plays keyboard and sings with her church’s worship band. She and her husband have two lively daughters, one very naughty snowshoe cat and one stately and somewhat naughty Great Dane. They all live in a ramshackle Victorian fixer-upper in Nebraska.

Don't you just love her already? I adore a lady with a sense of humor and the patience to put up with a Great Dane. Somehow it seems those two things go hand in hand... ;)
 

Meredith's latest release is a bit of a departure for her as is deals with something very near and dear to her heart: international adoption. Lucky Baby also breaks new literary ground, exploring the relatively new sub-genre of magical realism. Though I haven't yet finished the book, I'm finding it impossible to put down. The prose is gorgeous, and Meredith explores parenthood and family ties with a tender, gifted touch.
 
From the back cover copy:
 
All Meg Lindsay wants is to give a child the love and acceptance she wished she’d been given. When she talks her reluctant husband into adopting a Chinese orphan, she expects her dream to come true. But becoming a parent has a way of opening up painful doors from the past, and it’s all Meg can do to hold her new little family together. What started as a good intention could destroy her marriage and her family, especially if the daughter they’ve grown to love abandons them, too.

Meg’s journey is a magical one as East meets West and imagination aligns with reality. Lucky Baby takes the reader on a realistic yet mystical journey into the complexities of family life.

Guess what? Meredith is going to give y'all a chance to win her new book! All you have to do is leave a comment... But, of course we have to make it interesting. If you want your name entered in the giveaway once, leave a comment. Two entries will be given to anyone who spreads the news about Meredith and our giveaway (feel free to Tweet, post it on Facebook, talk it up on your blog, or anything else you can think up). And I'll enter your name three times if you become a follower of this blog, or join me on Facebook. I know, I know, I'm being shameless. It's a rare day when I'm so forward.

Leave a comment and win a book! And stop back on Monday when I'll be taking a little break from passing on my Festival of Faith and Writing wisdom and post an interview with Meredith Efken. She's a hoot. :)

Have a lovely Sunday!