Independent Bookstore in Utah-Marissa’s Books and Gifts

Marissa's books sells New, Used and Vintage books at a fraction of their original listed price. All genres with thousands of titles available and new selections nearly every week. Paperbacks, Hardcover, Trade paperback, Large and Coffee Table books. Beautiful selection of Art, Film books. Large LDS section with new, out of print and vintage titles. YES, we accept book donations, which helps us keep our prices lower than anyone else.

 

They’ve got a great list of titles and some pretty darn cute gift ideas to get kids interested in reading. 

Visit online here: https://marissasbooks.com/

And browse their great selection or visit their storefront here:  

5692 900 E #10, Salt Lake City, UT 84121(All info downloaded from website)

Utah's Online Library System

What is Utah's Online Library? 

Utah's Online Library is a collection of electronic resources. It provides statewide access to newspaper articles, magazines, professional journals, encyclopedias, video, photographs, maps, charts, and graphics. 

https://utahsonlinelibrary.org/home_access.shtml

This is the home page of Utah’s Online Library system.  Available to Utah residents-students-educators.  Click on the sidebar and you’ll find access to lots of resources.  The site is put together well and links work slick!

More info, just click on the homepage.

Utah citizens, educators, and students can access several Utah's Online Library resources from home:

Utah Citizen/Public Library Patron
Utah's public libraries provide patrons in their communities access to Utah's Online Library from home. Please contact your local public library for specific home access information.

Utah Higher Ed Faculty and Students 
Utah's colleges and universities provide their students and faculty access to Utah's Online Library from home. Please contact your institution’s library for specific home access information.

Utah K-12 Educators and Students 
Utah’s kindergarten through 12th grade educators can access Utah's Online Library from home with their registered UEN log-in name and password (register at http://my.uen.org).

Utah students can access Utah's Online Library from home using a log-in name and password provided by their teacher or school librarian: Utah K-12 Student or Teacher Log-in

https://utahsonlinelibrary.org/home_access.shtml

(all information downloaded from https://utahsonlinelibrary.org/home_access.shtml)

Flashback-2012-Karina Fabian of Utah

Utah is a hard state to fill so here's a call out to all you talented Utah people for 2018!  Until then, here's a great post by Karina Fabian from 2012 that gives insight to her home and work.  Enjoy! 

When we first flew into Salt Lake City on a house hunting venture, I looked out the window at the nasty, damp salt flats and thought, “This is the ugliest state we’ve ever lived in.”  Then, we drove half an hour north to Layton, and were blown away by its  beauty.

Utah is one of the most varied states in the union, and, IMHO, one of the most impressive.  In the south, the desert is full of the most amazing rock structures, from the tall, lonely mesas popular in SUV ads to city-block-sized rock slabs that stick vertically out of the ground as if the earth had grown dorsal fins.  In the north, where we live, there are rugged, arid mountains with great skiing (they hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics).  In Layton, we have 270-degree views of the mountains, including a far off panorama with the Great Salt Lake in the foreground.  My mother said the view actually reminds her of Puerto Rico, where the mountains rise from the ocean!

I’ve decided to make Utah the location for my next fundraiser serial story, “Shambling in a Winter Wonderland.”  Neeta Lyffe, the main character from *Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator* and *I Left My Brains in San Francisco,* goes on a ski vacation with her fiancé, Ted.  Unfortunately, the corpses of a ski team killed in an avalanche dig themselves from their snowy graves, intent on finishing the competition they’d entered before their demise.  Looks like a working vacation for Neeta and Ted!

I’m writing this story in serial and posting it at http://skizombies.karinafabian.com starting in November as a fundraiser for Operation Homestead.  I’ll take donations, and for every $10 I receive for Operation Homestead, I will post the next episode.  The story continues until all the episodes are posted, and then the money made will be donated in masse.

Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator is one of several of my world/series that I write in both novel and story form.  I enjoy taking my characters in crazy situations, like taking on the undead on snowboards.  As for my personal adventures…we may have to say good-bye to Utah in 2013, but I learned something valuable here:  Never judge a state on first impressions from the air.

Zombie problem? Call Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator--but not this weekend.

On vacation at an exterminator’s convention, she's looking to relax, have fun, and enjoy a little romance. Too bad the zombies have a different idea. When they rise from their watery graves to take over the City by the Bay, it looks like it'll be a working vacation after all.

Enjoy the thrill of re-kill with Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator.

Winner of the 2010 INDIE for best Fantasy (Magic, Mensa and Mayhem) and a Global eBook Award for Best Horror (Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator), Karina Fabian’s writing takes quirky twists that keep her--and her fans--amused. Nuns working in space, a down-and-out Faerie dragon working off a geas from St. George, zombie exterminators—there’s always a surprise in Fabian’s worlds. Mrs. Fabian teaches writing

Find Karina at:

http://fabianspace.com, http://dragoneyepi.net, http://zombiedeathextreme.com

http://fabianspace.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/karina.fabian

Find I Left My Brains in San Francisco at:

Damnation Books: http://www.damnationbooks.com/book.php?isbn=9781615727643

Amazon: http://amzn.to/Nzm01L (paper) http://amzn.to/OBBmkL (Kindle)

More about it at http://zombiedeathextreme.com

and book marketing seminars online.

Jaleta Clegg - "There's No Place Like Home"

We recently moved our family from Utah to Washington state. It was a huge move for us. We'd always lived within twenty miles of where my husband was born and raised. I spent most of my life in Utah Valley, as well. Packing up everything and shifting 800 miles away was difficult in ways I never imagined. The last walk-through of our house almost made me back out. Seeing every room empty slammed home the reality of what we were doing. I'm glad we made the move, though. It's been good for our family.

What do I miss most about Utah? The mountains. They range from high pine forests on the slopes to aspen groves to bare rocky desert peaks. Goblin Valley, Arches, and Zion have some very unique red-rock formations and cliffs which make spectacular scenery. The northern mountains are rich in minerals and host world-class ski resorts. But that's not what I miss about the mountains. No matter where we went on a trip, once we crossed the passes into Utah Valley and saw Mount Timpanogas in the distance, I knew we were almost home. It was my landmark, my lodestone.

I know Washington state has mountains, they're just not visible where we live. We have lots of rolling hills and other neat features, but no huge mountains rising up from the valley with houses along their base like a fringe of waves washing up against them.

Utah is a unique place to live. I'm coming to appreciate that more now that we no longer live there. Utah's culture is very deeply influenced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, usually referred to as Mormons. The headquarters of the church are in Salt Lake City. A heavy percentage of the population are members. Utahns value families and children.

Family interest extends beyond the immediate family of children and parents and silblings. Mormons believe in finding out where they came from, tracing their ancestry. Knowing where you came from, finding your roots, grounds you. It brings strength to know who you are and how you fit in the larger family of humans. If you want to start searching for your family tree, try it out on http://www.ancestry.com/  The importance of searching for your family is part of what makes Utah unique.

It's a huge theme in writing, especially epic fantasy stories. How many of them start with an orphan who doesn't know his past? The quest to discover that is a major part of the story. I'm currently working on an epic fantasy story where the main character knows who she is and her parents are very much alive. It creates a different dynamic. She has a home, a center, and that changes how she reacts to the events that push her beyond into unknown territory.

Moving has made me think about what makes somewhere home. Familiarity is a big part, but so is the family. My home is no longer Utah. Driving down the freeway and seeing Mount Timpanogas in the distance still brings warm fuzzy feelings, but it is no longer my marker, my lodestone to guide me home. I have a new guidepost, and a new home. Family defines that home, wherever they may be.

Jaleta Clegg writes science fiction adventures, epic fantasy, and silly horror. She sometimes dabbles in other genres as the mood strikes. Find her work at http://www.jaletac.com

 

What defines home for you? What landmark do you look for when you are returning from a trip?  Post in the comments for a chance to win four free ebooks!

 http://jaletaclegg.wixsite.com/jaletacleggauthor is where to find more about Jaleta Clegg.
(Info Author Provided)

Flashback 2011: Utah and the Speculative Fiction Connection Featuring Jaleta Clegg

 Here's a great post from 2011 from Utah Author, Jaleta Clegg.
Stop by her site and find out more about her work! While you're there, click on the link and order an autographed copy of one of her fine novels.

Utah has spectacular scenery. From my house, I can walk fifteen minutes and be on Mount Timpanogas, an 11,000 foot peak. I can drive an hour west and be in basin and range country, high desert and mountains. I can drive two hours south and be in Black Rock Desert, a volcanic landscape of cinder cones and basalt. Three hours southeast gets me to Arches, Canyonlands, and Goblin Valley. North east and I'm in the Uinta Mountains, high wilderness.

An hour north of my home, I'm in downtown Salt Lake City. Every kind of landscape and scenery you'd imagine, except tropical. It gets a bit cold for that.Utah is also home to a lot of speculative fiction authors. For some reason, it's a hotbed for science fiction and fantasy. The landscape might play a role. A lot of the planet scenes for Galaxy Quest were filmed in Goblin Valley. 

Many science fiction movies were filmed here. We've got lots of empty spaces and otherworldly scenery. The Mars Project is located here. That's the one where volunteers live in a simulated dome habitat for months at a time and pretend they are on Mars.

 Maybe it has something to do with the culture and religion. Salt Lake City is the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church. A good percentage of the population are members. Our church encourages members to ask questions, to think, to learn. Maybe it's this openness that lends itself so well to the what if's of science fiction and the pretend worlds of fantasy. Even Brigham Young, the prophet who brought the saints to Utah in the 1860's, believed in time travel and speculated about other worlds and aliens.

So what famous SF/F authors live here? Orson Scott Card is from Utah. Brandon Sanderson lives here. Brandon Mull, Eric James Stone, Jessica Day George, Tracy Hickman, L.E. Modesitt, James Dashner, the list goes on and on. The list of up-and-coming SF/F authors is even longer, including me.

Maybe it's something in the water or in the air that encourages storytelling. Maybe it's our clear skies, at least outside of the Salt Lake metro area. Maybe it's the endless empty deserts or the towering peaks. Maybe it's the bizarre rock formations. Whatever it is, I'm loving it.

You can check out my work at www.jaletac.com

Jaleta Clegg on Rockhounding in Utah

Utah is a great place to learn about geology. First off, it's a desert so the landscape isn't covered by thick forests or plant growth. Don't get me wrong, we still have plenty of forests and plants, but we also have lots of rocks showing. It's easy to see the geology. Second, you can find every major type of rock and most ages of rock within a day's drive of Salt Lake City.

Head east into the Wasatch Mountains not just for great skiing but for some great metamorphic rocks, crystals, mineral deposits, and igneous intrusions. Cottonwood Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon are both beautiful drives for a day trip with plenty to see and do along the way. I love American Fork Canyon. It's five minutes' drive from my house and within fifteen minutes, I'm up high in the mountains away from the city and everyday life.

Head west from Salt Lake to the salt flats, where landspeed records are set. Keep going to the other side, well into basin and range territory, to find geode beds and fossil deposits. If you head southwest to Delta and keep going, you come to House Range, where every rock layer has trilobite fossils. Since it's mostly BLM land, collecting a few here and there as souvenirs is fine. If you want to guarantee you'll find one, there's a private company that offers guided digs on their land. Don't let the "dig" fool you. Most of the fossils are sitting out on the surface, ready for collection. Check the dry streambeds. I've found some lovely trilobites just waiting to be picked up.

 

Head farther south, to St. George, and you're in canyon country. Zion's National Park is well worth a visit for the spectacular sandstone cliffs. But if you head east of St. George, pretty much just outside the city limits, you find Snow Canyon. It's not as big as Zion's, but it's a lot less crowded and just as beautiful. Snow Canyon State Park offers nice campgrounds, day hikes, and lava tube caves to explore. If you go outside the campground at dusk and watch, you can see the bats flying out of the caves for the evening.

Utah has lots of rockhounding clubs if you're interested in collecting various specimens. Most of them hold a gem and mineral show at least once a year, where you can pick up cut and polished specimens as well as raw ones for a song.

Why do I care about geology? Because it's cool! I love it enough I got my degree in earth science education. I write science fiction and fantasy novels. Getting to create my own mountains and worlds and gems is so much fun. In my latest novel, I use crystals as a source of magical power for airships and robots.

I also can't resist a beautiful rock. I have pictures pinned on my walls of geological specimens. I have my own personal collection of crystals. I can't get enough of them.

Dark Dancer, a steampunk fantasy adventure - http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Dancer-Jaleta-Clegg-ebook/dp/B00MRANX5A

A strange prophecy haunts the Seligh lords, rulers of the Fey and controllers of all magic in the Summerlands, a prophecy that foretells their fall. A banished Seligh lord rules the Winterlands with an iron fist and his pets, the balmorae, patrol the borders against all intruders, guarding the secrets hidden beneath his icy lair. A young woman rediscovers her heritage, a gift of magic and dancing that opens portals between worlds. She holds their fate in her hands.

All who live within the lands of the Fey must choose where they stand—beside the Dancer or opposed to her.

And trust that she won't destroy their world.

Find more books by Jaleta Clegg at http://www.jaletac.com

http://www.altairanempire.com

(Info provided by author) 

Utah Top Ten by Karina Fabian

Because we’re military, we’ve lived in eight states and two countries (three for me).  Utah is by far our favorite state, and if we could, we’d make this our permanent home.  Here’s my Utah Top Ten Unique Items:  things I love, things I’ll miss, things I’ve only encountered in Utah.

Top Ten Utah-Unique Items

(From the home office in Layton, Utah)

1.  The Utah Left:  Every state seems to have its own driving idiosyncrasies.  In Utah, it’s the Utah Left—the propensity to take that left turn across traffic with so little time that the oncoming drivers need to apply their breaks.  At first, we were aghast at the chances people took, but we soon learned that EVERYBODY expects it.  Three years later, we take Utah Lefts (Sometimes shouting “Utah!”).

2.  270-Degree Mountain Views:  Layton is in a valley, and we are surrounded by mountains.  I can’t see them from my house, but most of the time I drive, I have gorgeous mountain views before me.

3.  Keeping Up With the Joneses:  Utah apparently has the highest consumer debt of the nation (according to my son’s socials studies class) and the highest dollar value of cars.  For the most part, people’s yards are gorgeous and well-kept, and there’s an attitude of looking good for the neighbors.  It gives the area kind of a 50s-60s feel.

4.  Family First.  There are always dads in the park playing with kids, mothers biking or taking kids for a walk in the stroller.  Extended families live in the same neighborhood and kids aren’t interested in leaving home.  

5.  Are You Going to BYU?  Or UU or Weber State or any other local college.  Most of the students in my daughter’s graduating class, near as she can tell, would not fathom going out of state for college.  This is an alien experience for my daughter, who has no real ties to the state and no particular need to stay near home in her college years.  (Having said that, she’s hoping we’ll move to Florida when she attends Full Sail next year.  Not to be too close, mind you, but for weekend visits now and again.)

6.  Maverick.  This is the regional equivalent of 7-11, and there are always deals on candy and soda.  They are walking distance from the house, which is nice for my oldest who loves to walk down there for a soda.  They also do outdoor grilling during lunch in the summer months.

7.  The Zombie Chase.  This is an annual event.  The organizers set up an obstacle course with zombie-dressed volunteers.  They also have a paintball rink set up where you shoot at zombies who shuffle back and forth like a carnival arcade game.

8.  Moab.  For amazing views there is no place better.  It’s in Southern Utah, but you’ll think you’ve gone to another planet.

9.  ‘Oh, My Heck!’  This is the junior high swear of choice according to my son.

10.  Temples and Parks.  Throw a stone, you’ll hit a Mormon temple or a public park.  Mormons are assigned a temple by neighborhood, so there’s always one within easy driving distance of their house.

Rob retires this year, so we’ll be moving to wherever he finds a civilian job.  (He’s interested in getting into a commercial manned space company.)  We’ll miss Utah, but one thing we’ve learned—home really is where the heart is, and our hearts are with each other.

About Karina:  Karina Fabian grew up in Colorado, but for the last 24 years has considered her home “Air Force.”  As an officer and then an officer’s wife, she’s lived in Texas, Italy, Japan, Wyoming, Colorado, Rhode Island, Virginia, North Dakota, California, and now Utah.  Writing is her passion, and she’s had eight books published and been in over 100 anthologies and magazines.  An award winner for her fantasy, science fiction, and devotionals, she writes whatever interests her and is never at a loss of ideas.  

Her latest is Greater Treasures: A Dragon Eye Novella.

Find Karina at:

Website: http://fabianspace.com, http://dragoneyepi.net

Blog:  http://fabianspace.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karina.fabian

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/KarinaFabian

Google +:  https://plus.google.com/103660024891826015212

(Pictures provided by Author)