Wednesday, March 30, 2011

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!






Hello little clan of readers! It is with great excitement that I announce the first giveaway here on this blog! Celebration!

Now now.... it's not a Blentec, nor a car, nor a snazzy colored kitchen aid.... it is however, much more inspiring and moving!!!

My aunt recently published a biography she wrote on my grandmother (her mother:)), Elaine Cannon (image of book at the very top of post!:))

Perhaps this name rings a bell to you- perhaps it's totally fresh! Either way, any woman in this world (Mormon or not) can find connections to this wonderful woman that lived a very noble life of church service, civic service, and motherhood. Wealth was never hers; but she wrote dozens of books- had thousands of articles in the newspaper printed- wrote for Seventeen Magazine (back in the day!:))- spoke publicly at hundreds of functions for church and community- bore 6 beautifully, tall, and talented children-believed in God with unwavering faith- and overcame unspeakable trials! Men and woman from all different circumstances will find themselves relating to her- she had a real talent for befriending people of all walks of life and relating to them on a real level. I love her dearly. I miss her profoundly. And I hope someday to possess at least a fraction of the goodness she did!

She was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka, Mormon). Her faith was thickly built from an early age on and she possessed an optimism and cheer about her that was unmatched. She made a big and delicious batch of opportunities from the lemons life gave her and this book is all about how she did that!

In the cooking realm of things, since this IS a cooking blog, she was a fabulous little thing in the kitchen! She believed in making any area of space beautiful- even if it was "just" the kitchen table top. Family dinners, Christmas gatherings, Thanksgiving holiday, and so forth, were such spectacular showcases of her eye for style and her talent for good food. I will never forget eating roasted vegetables with fresh rosemary and thyme at her house for the very first time in my life in the mid-90's. Roasted veggies were not yet a discovered treasure. Now they are. She was always far ahead of her times in culinary terms. She learned early on in the kitchen with her own mother how to make such beautiful things for the dinner table.

She was elegant, radiant, poised, and her life, really, I'm not just a biased granddaughter, is very, truly inspiring. She sparkled with happiness.

And SO....... TO ENTER the GIVEAWAY FOR THIS AMAZING BOOK..... PLEASE leave your email address (or some form of contact-preferably electronic:)) AND also a COMMENT about Elaine Cannon herself- for instance, you could find out through your mom, a grandmother, or GOOGLE something about her: what books did she publish? Did she ever publish a cookbook? (yes she did- now go find out!)), etc, etc..

.... and if you're feeling shy or not up to that task, you really DON'T have to leave a comment related to her, I want everyone to enter anyways, but that's a good challenge, right????


GIVEAWAY will close MONDAY APRIL 4rth, midnight! Winner will be announced Tuesday and of course, drawn at random.

20 comments:

Judith said...

Katie,

ich würde mich geehrt fühlen, dieses Buch zu lesen. :)
Liebe Grüße aus Leipzig! Ich vermisse dich!

Danielle Dallas said...

Me me me me me! I would love to win a book about Elaine Cannon! Here are some of my reasons: (1) she is the answer to one of the questions in the LDS version of trivial pursuit, (2) under her leadership the annual general YW meeting was instituted--I've always loved those meetings, (3) she hosted her own TV show, (4) she was a regular on a weekly radio broadcast--I've always wanted to be on the radio so that's just very cool, (5) need I go on . . . ?

danielle.r.dallas@gmail.com

H C M said...

Oh my gosh, Katie. You should have written the book. Maybe I should have you do a little book review on Amazon for me. How about it. And Danielle--Boom goes the dynamite! What a great list you came up with! Sorry Judith, my deutsch ist nicht zehr gut.

dwbrinton said...

What a great legacy!
One of my favorite quotes
"Life's extremities can bring God's proximity". Elaine Cannon was able to transform her trials, and hardships into blessings. She was an amazing woman. If I don't win, I think I will go buy the book. Thanks for the post.
Camille Brinton

Angela said...

Katie,

I don't know much about her, although I do recognize her name as one who served in leadership positions in the church. It sounds like she is someone I would like to know more about!

Angela

The Lambs said...

She created YW classes at church and the YW broadcast! I'd love a copy!!! Can she come raise Nona for me when she's a teenager?

Emily said...

Kate I want to read this!!! Remember when Thomas Mesche googled the church and found your grandmother and her cookbook and had her photo when we went to that appointment! Wow! I learned more about your grandmother during that appointment than I ever knew!!! That is AWESOME that you aunt wrote her bigraphy! Ich will es!

Tyler and Erika Hanks said...

Elaine Cannon served as associate editor of Church magazines for youth and their leaders. Lecturing extensively throughout the world, she has had opportunities to meet members of the Church of all ages and nationalities.

Elaine authored or coauthored more than 50 books and has recorded dozens of talk on tapes. Among her books are Adversity, Baptized and Confirmed: Your Lifeline to Heaven, Choose the Right, Women Testify of Jesus Christ, The Truth About Angels, and three ‘Little Books’: The Little Book of Big Ideas about Hope, The Little Book of Big Ideas about Joy, and The Little Book of Big Ideas about Love, her latest.

For thirty years she was a daily columnist for intermountain newspapers. She has hosted her own TV show and was a featured speaker on a weekly radio program broadcast internationally.

Elaine Cannon passed away in 2003 at the age of 81.

Tyler and Erika Hanks said...

I guess I should cite my source...Desert Book.com, I took it all from there.

anneandryan said...

Well I think I'm getting to this a little late in the game because people have found out so much good info. I will just say that I am not much of a cook because my biggest problem is not having a great go to resource to find a recipe. I would love to have this tasty recipe on hand and I'm sure my husband would love it as well :)

Courtney said...

What an awesome lady...and in my opinion Kate you already possess much more than a fraction of her goodness! I remember as a kid my dad was trying to get me to read some books (since I was not really a novel fanatic like my siblings) and one of the books he bought for me was written by your Grandma. I wish I could remember the title, but I remember that it was a great book and I was so impressed that your Grandma wrote it!

P.S. I love this blog. You inspire me!

Unknown said...

Ket- put me in the drawing! You know I am in need of a quality book!

Rose said...

Katie! Thanks for telling me about this! I don't know anything about Elaine but would LOVE to read this book and learn some things!

Joel, Mollie & Tait Diamond said...

Ok, i am late too. i remember when your grandmother came and spoke to us in chio one day. i loved her sense of humor and felt i could connect with her well, even with our age difference. i would love a copy of her book!

Allyson said...

I'd love to win too :) She was such a neat lady!

Lisa R.D. said...

I don't believe I ever had the pleasure of meeting Elaine Cannon, but knowing and meeting so many of her family members makes me wish that I had. She was a faithful and inspired person who loved her family. It is apparent how much she loved them, by how she is adored by her children and grandchildren. This book looks wonderful!

I think you have some contact info for me :).

Janene said...

the kiddos are calm ... so I went and learned a thing or two. Can't resist a good challenge. :o)

She wrote A LOT of books, but I was really looking for the cookbook, 5 star recipes from well-known LDS. A new copy of that book will run you $134 on one website and $15 on amazon. Alrighty then!

Heidi said...

"There are two important days in a woman's lifelife - the day she is born and the day she finds out why."

"Never forget that you have the spark of the divine in you. Whatever you do or don't do won't change that fact."

how would it be to live a life so full of good that it's worth documenting? What an amazing woman. I hope that I an be half the woman she was, or even half the woman you are. If you pick me, maybe I can get some ideas on how to accomplish just that. I love you!

Michelle said...

I guess I got on too late but I still want to comment. I still think that one of the greatest things your grandmother did was her family because I am lucky to know some of you....

Thomas Mesche said...

I see the Wasatch Mountains in the glowing colors of autumn ... the inviting pictures on my calendar for 2005. September is the month with the Golden Arrow to Sister Parry territory and colorful balloons start to kiss the red rock bluffs ... My greatest joy is that this year match calendar days and days of the week. Warm thanks for the perpetual and great gift from the yearning country … An ancient secret has a name: Green Yell-O nennen wir: Goetterspeise … See me waving to you and Emily.