Lessons from This Seasons The Bachelorette: Way to Go Emily Maynard!

I am so excited to be participating in the Reality Check blog tour this month. This new novel by Karen Tuft is based on a dating reality TV show.

About the Book:

After college graduation, Lucy Kendrick heads home with big plans for work, travel, and relishing her freedom—which means no romantic entanglements. But her two best friends have other ideas. Lucy is seriously steamed when she realizes they’ve signed her up to be a contestant on the reality dating show Soulmates, but she decides not to renege and soon finds herself in Los Angeles—a small-town Mormon girl vying for the love of millionaire bachelor, Ethan Glass. At first this cute, smart, fun young woman, who would rather pray than party, bewilders Ethan. But his interest and admiration grow with every encounter. However, the conniving associate producer is determined to stir up some made-for-TV drama and takes strides to make this reality television show anything but real. When the show finally airs, Lucy has been recast as someone she unquestionably is not. Lucy is left humiliated in front of the world, and Ethan is left wondering who the Lucy is that he was falling in love with. Will the duplicities that have created this humiliation ever come to light? And will the truth emerge too late for the would-be soulmates?

I hate to admit it, but I love to watch the Bachelor and Bachelorette because it is something I would never do. It's the same reason I love watching The Amazing Race; you know, living in someone else's shoes. A lot of reality TV watching is like the phenomenon of people slowing down to watch a car accident. But, I have been very interested in this seasons Bachelorette Emily Maynard because she is a single Mom. Her strong focus has been on not only finding a new man for herself, but on finding a good father for her six year old daughter.

 If you haven't watched this season, here is a picture of Emily: she is beautiful AND sweet! The other odd thing about Emily, is that she is a SMART and sincere person. This was never shown more  to me than what happened this past Monday night. She went on her potential overnight dates with the final three contestants. She had made up her mind before these dates to do something, or I should say, to NOT do something that is traditionally done. Let me give you the low-down, basically by this point of the 5 long weeks of dating these men...yes 5 weeks, she will soon be choosing someone to get engaged to. In my book that is total nuts, but hey, this is reality TV. Here is what Emily was thinking and what she posted on her blog:

"I swear I was anxious thinking about fantasy-suite dates even before agreeing to be on The Bachelorette. On the one hand, it's great because you get that extra time to talk with the final three guys away from the cameras.

But on the flip side I know what "fantasy" is implying, and I'm not totally comfortable with that. I also feel like my relationships have been so honest and real that there was really nothing they could have told me overnight that would've changed my mind. "


In the fantasy suite they are supposed to "spend" the night with each man, on different nights, which we take it to mean, sleeping with them. I was impressed by what happened with contestant Jef Holm. He is from Utah, like I am, and he shocked America. Here is what happened:

"Trekking with Maynard and fellow contestants Sean Lowe and Arie Luyendyk to Curacao on Monday's episode, frontrunner Holm, 27, politely declined Maynard's all-important invite to sleep over in the luxurious suite, taking Maynard, 26, by complete surprise.

"It would be awesome to forgo our original rooms, but I completely respect that your daughter and my family and your family is going to be watching this," Holm told Maynard after the couple enjoyed a boat ride and dinner. "There's a time and a place. I plan on spending every night with you in our own Fantasy Suite."

Read more: http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/bachelorette-jef-holm-refuses-emily-maynards-fantasy-suite-invitation-2012107#ixzz20cBnZ06N

The thing was, Emily was going to do the same thing, but Jef beat her to the punch! Wow! Way to go Jef! Emily's decisions about these final dates came down to her daughter. Here is what she had to say about not taking the men to the fantasy suites for an overnighter, 

“As a role model and a mother, I just can’t,” she says to the cameras."

Emily is a Momma bear like me and I liked what she had to say in this video.

 

The "Lesson" for me and other single/married moms out there, we always need to be good examples to our kids in any and every situation thrown our way. I will never be on The Bachelorette, but I will have things thrown my way that I will need to think about my kids first. When I am driving and wanting to cuss at all of the dumb drivers out there, my kids are in the car with me, be a good example, and no cussing and getting angry. When I am talking about other people and how to handle the way they treat me or my kids, think before I speak. Show kindness to all people, even those who at times don't deserve it. You know the routine if you are a parent, kids learn from example; especially ours. Kudos to Emily and I hope that she does find happiness with a great guy and a good father for her daughter. I hope that I can find the same thing! 

Along with the blog tour for Reality Check, author Karen Tuft has a giveaway going on. Here is the info...

  
Karen is generously donating a paperback copy of Reality Check plus a starfish charm bracelet to one lucky reader. All you have to do to gain entries is to leave a comment on any of the tour stops. Each comment will gain you an entry. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win! Here is a full list of the tour stops . For those readers who prefer a non-LDS read, she is also giving away an ARC copy of The Selection by Kiera Cass. It is such a cute book with a reality based dating show as well.

Make sure you leave your email address and which book you are entering for in your comments (i.e. Reality Check, The Selection, or Both).

Also, check out the contest going on Karen's blog this summer at http://kktuft.blogspot.com/2012/06/where-did-you-have-reality-check.html

Schedule

July 9: Book Bug - Tour Kickoff + Sneak Peek + Giveaway + “Bachelorette” Polls
July 9: "Bachelorette" Episode - The Final 3
July 10: Getting Your Read On - Review
July 11: A Tuft Act to Follow - “Bachelorette” Episode Recap
July 12: Book Bug - Update and "Bachelorette" Thoughts
July 12: Getting Your Read On - “Bachelorette” Post
July 13: Fire and Ice - “Bachelorette” Post
July 14: Why Not? Because I Said So! - “Bachelorette” Post
July 16: Book Bug - “Bachelorette” Post
July 16: "Bachelorette" Episode - The Men Tell All
July 17: Bookworm Lisa - Review + Author Guest Post
July 18: A Tuft Act to Follow - “Bachelorette” Episode Recap
July 19: Fire and Ice - Review
July 20: Why Not? Because I Said So! - Review(THIS IS ME! Come back on the 20th to read my review!!!!!)
July 22: "Bachelorette" Episode - Finale and After the Final Rose
July 23: A Tuft Act to Follow - "Bachelorette" Finale Recap
July 23: Book Bug - Review
July 24: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer - Author Interview
July 25: Book Bug - Wrap Up

  

About the Author:

Karen Tuft was born with a healthy dose of curiosity about pretty much everything, so as a child she taught herself to read and play the piano. She studied composition at BYU then graduated from the University of Utah in music theory as a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda honor societies. In addition to being an author, Karen is a wife, mother, pianist, composer, and arranger. She as spent countless hours backstage and in orchestra pits for theater productions along the Wasatch Front. She also has a 75 percent success rate when it comes to matchmaking and is a beg believer in happy endings. Among her varied interests, she likes to figure out what makes people tick, wander through museums, and travel, whether by car, plane, or paperback.

"A Tuft Act to Follow" Blog | "Lyrics Without the Chord Change" Blog | Facebook

Social Networking:

• Blogs: "A Tuft Act to Follow": http://karentuft.blogspot.com/, "Lyrics Without the Chord Changes": http://kktuft.blogspot.com/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKarenTuft

Purchase Links:

• Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Reality-Check-Karen-Tuft/dp/1608613976/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340768910&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=karentuft
• Deseret Book: http://deseretbook.com/Reality-Check-Karen-Tuft/i/5082879
• Seagull Book: http://www.seagullbook.com/lds-products-723589.html
• Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reality-check-karen-tufts/1111098473?ean=9781621081876