Ringing in the New Year with Candace Cameron Bure...plus a book giveaway!

Ending the year on a high note, we're thrilled to feature Candace Cameron Bure and her book, Balancing it All, which comes out tomorrow!

If you don't already know this, Full House is one of my all-time favorite TV shows. It never fails to make me smile and even elicits tears from time to time. I got my kids hooked on it, as well. Given that D.J. and I were closest in age and both had younger sisters, I could relate to her the most. (Although I never got as lucky as she did to have a hot boyfriend like Steve when I was in high school.) Oddly enough, I got to see Bob Saget perform live in The Drowsy Chaperone back in 2007. Now I have been given the honor of being able to interview Candace at CLC. What's next? Please say it's that I get to meet John Stamos in person....

Anyway, I can also relate to Candace now, in real life, as we are both married to the loves of our lives, have two sons and a daughter, and are strong in our individual faiths (and do philanthropic work to go along with those faiths). And like Candace, I constantly get asked how I "do it all." ("It all" in my case is balancing family, work, blogging, religious practices and also finding time for friends, my favorite TV shows, and--obviously--reading.) I sometimes ask the same of myself and am still seeking that balance, which is why I look forward to reading Balancing it All.

Working since the age of 5, Candace has been in the "balancing" act for the vast majority of her life, and while there is no miracle formula or step-by-step method, there are lessons to be learned; lesson's that come to life in Candace's story. Candace delivers her story from the very beginning and her start in commercials, to her years on Full House, complete with funny anecdotes and stories involving cast mates and friends, to now adding her demanding roles of wife and mother of three while returning to the Hollywood spotlight. She recently starred in Let it Snow on the Hallmark channel.

Following the birth of her children, Candace took a self-imposed hiatus from television and film to devote all of her time to her family and children. Candace balances her busy career, a healthy and active lifestyle, and raising her three beautiful children-taking them to and from school , preparing a healthy home-cooked dinners, participating in school activities, and keeping up with after-school sports schedules--all without the aid of a nanny or housekeeper! Her philanthropic spirit has given support to the Skip1.org, Compassion International, Sheraton House, and Children's Hunger Fund. She also serves as the National Ambassador for National House of Hope and continues to travel the country speaking at various churches and women's conferences sharing her Christian faith.

You can find Candace at her website, Facebook and Twitter. Check out a video about Balancing it All, as well! Thanks to Anderson Group Public Relations, we have a copy of Balancing it All for a lucky US reader!

Since your book is about finding balance in life, what are your thoughts on the concepts from I Don’t Know How She Does It?
How she does it all isn't necessarily how you'll do it all, because each of our lives look different. I believe we are all blessed with individual gifts and talents along with our own unique families, situations and circumstances. So what you need to balance in your life may look pretty amazing to one women, while you may wondering how another does it with her life. Understanding that we only need to balance and "do everything" with what we've already been given is enough. No one falls short if they aren't balancing as much as the next woman.

Actresses writing books (both fiction and non-fiction) seems to be a trend these days. What motivated you to write a non-fiction book? And if you were to ever write a fiction book, what would it be about?
Is it a trend? Maybe because actors seem to be good storytellers! I wanted to write non-fiction so I could use examples in my own life that may help the person reading it. I enjoy reading most when I'm learning something new. I like books that give me a fresh perspective on living life as a working woman, a mom, and a wife and particularly, giving me insight into the areas of life that are more challenging.
I can't imagine ever writing a fiction book, but if I did, it would be a romantic comedy I'd make into a movie! (I think that's called a script! LOL!)

In one sentence, please share some advice for women trying to find balance in their lives.
Establish your top three life priorities and keep them in that order, so when push comes to shove, you know what needs done and what needs to take a backseat.

If you could have any actress play you in the movie of your life, who would it be and why?
Drew Barrymore. I just love her and she seems as upbeat, happy and as positive as I am! And she's not afraid to be goofy.

I couldn’t pass up the chance to ask this question: What is YOUR favorite episode of Full House?
After 26 years…. I forgot!

What is the best feedback you’ve ever received from a fan of yours?
That in one way or another I inspired them to know Jesus Christ.

What was the greatest reward and biggest challenge of being an actress during your pre-teen and teen years?
The biggest challenge was going through puberty in front of millions of people on TV. It wasn't as glamorous or as comfortable as you'd think. The greatest reward was when you heard from other girls who related to you and you (unknowingly) helped them through it.

What is your favorite New Year’s Eve memory?
At home in sweats with my hubby and kids- letting them stay up all night long if they could. We'd eat a long dinner, play board games and always watch the ball drop on TV.

Thanks to Anderson Group Public Relations for coordinating this interview and sharing Candace's book with our readers.

~Introduction and interview by Melissa Amster

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


US only. Giveaway ends January 5th at midnight EST.