TSS: The Sunday Salon 10-10-10

Gee, I haven't done one of these in a while! Hope I'm still in the loop.

Today, I have a million things to accomplish and the only way I can imagine getting to everything is to allot a little bit of time to each thing and just keep working my way through the list. I've already accomplished the first thing -- lounging around in bed! I've been reading a middle grade/young adult fantasy novel, NIGHTSHADE CITY by Hilary Wagner. It's quite a departure for me - the characters are RATS! I quickly got caught up in the story, but I'm having trouble identifying with the rats. I keep trying to get past it, but it's mentioned too frequently. I'm thinking I'll adjust to it as the story progresses. It is a good story - well written and very descriptive. Has anyone else read it? What did you think? I'm especially interested in hearing others' opinions on whether it is really appropriate for middle grade readers. I'm thinking it is geared more to older readers as there are references to young females being "drafted" into the evil overlord's harem. Any opinions?

Even though it is a gorgeous day here in Lil Rhody, I've got to spend some time at the office. We were shorthanded last week, and I just couldn't get everything done. But on my way, I plan to stop off somewhere sunny and bright by the water and read a few chapters of my current grown-up read, RUSSIAN WINTER by Daphne Kalotay. The title may conflict with today's weather, but I'm really enjoying this book, and I don't want the rats to get the upper hand!

I've switched over the laundry and am halfway through my 20 oz. of Diet Coke. When it's gone, so will be I. (? Is that even English?)

On my way to the office, I'll be popping in at the local Bread & Circus (oops! I mean Whole Foods).  Last week I received a review copy of 5 INGREDIENT FIX by Claire Robinson, and I'm eager to try out some recipes. First up - sauteed wild mushrooms. Yum! I'll let you know how turns out. I plan on trying several recipes throughout the week in preparation for my review - and dinner, of course!

And on my drive to the office and back, I'll be listening to DON'T BLINK by James Patterson. I'm pretty excited for this "listen" as I recently completed THE POSTCARD KILLERS and it made for a really fun and wild ride to and from work last week. I hope to have my review posted for early this week.

I'm ignoring the dishes in the kitchen for now - most are clean in the dishwasher but I just don't have time to empty it right now. Everyone should learn to prioritize! There are two things that absolutely MUST be completed before the end of the day:  The little dead mole that our cat, Lola, left on the back deck really deserves a decent burial. And the TV remote -- it's missing -- AGAIN! It must be found! Losing it drives me crazy - even if I'm NOT watching TV!

I know I'll be interrupting my work at the office and doing a little blog hopping this afternoon. It's what will keep me going. Hope you all have a great day -- after all, it's destined to be a 10 out of 10!

That's it! The Diet Coke is gone! and so am I . . . for now!

A Very Special Congratulations!

Graphic courtesy of Cupcakes for Clara.

Click here to visit her Etsy shop.

!!  CONGRATULATIONS !!

I want to extend a very special

CONGRATULATIONS!

to the the artist who so graciously allows me to use her graphic for these posts.

 Click here if you want to see why we're all smiling! 

You'll be smiling, too!

Who Won What . . .

Graphic courtesy of Cupcakes for Clara.

Click here to visit her Etsy shop.

!!  CONGRATULATIONS !!

Set of 3 Classic Romance Titles

#47  Cindy W.

#64  misskallie2000

#71  Laura H.

- Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered. If you weren't one of the lucky ones in this drawing, click here to hop on over to the contest page at Hachette Book Group for listings of other blogs hosting book giveaways.

- Be sure and check my sidebar for other ongoing giveaways here and at other blogs.

A big thank you to
Anna and Hachette Book Group

 for making this giveaways possible.

Not MY Giveaways!

So, I was over at I'm a Reader, Not a Writer, entering my giveaways into her latest giveaway linky post (click here to check it out), and I just couldn't stop myself from entering a few giveaways! I found some fun new blogs while I was at it. Click the links and check them out for yourself.

First, hurry on over to Roots In Myth for two ARC giveaways ending tonight at midnight.

BRAINS FOR LUNCH:
A Zombie Novel in Haiku?!
by K.A. Holt
illustrated by Gahan Wilson

At Roots In Myth
ends 10/08/10

ALIEN INVASION
& OTHER INCONVENIENCES
by Brian Yansky

At Roots In Myth
ends 10/08/10

And over at Marcia Hoehne's blog, she is giving away:

IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES

by Lisa Schroeder

ends 10/17/10

Go check them out, have some fun, and good luck to you!

Spotlight and Giveaway: THE MENTAL FLOSS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES

CLOSED.

Rules for entering this giveaway

are at the bottom of this post.

THE  MENTAL FLOSS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES:

 The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining Story of America

by Erik Sass with Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur

Pub. Date: October 2010

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Hardcover, 420pp

Sales Rank: 1,344

ISBN-13: 9780061928222

SBN: 0061928224

Description (from the publisher):

Was Abraham Lincoln really a heroic defender of liberty and freedom?

Were the Sixties actually a groovy time of peace and love?

Has the U.S. always been dependent on foreign oil?

Does internet dating really work?

Americans are patriotic people: a 2008 poll showed 72% believe the U.S.A. is “the best nation in the world.”  But it turns out that “patriotic” and “historically knowledgeable” are two different things: in recent surveys, almost half of American’s didn’t know who led the Continental Army to victory (some guy named George), 25% of high school students believed that Columbus set sail after 1750, and a third couldn’t say in which century the American Revolution occurred.  Is this shocking lack of knowledge due to the fact that THE MENTAL FLOSS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES: The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining Story of America (Harper: October 5, 2010; Hardcover; $24.99) won’t be on shelves until October?  Possibly so.

In trademark smart-aleck style, the geniuses at mental_floss provide the history book you’ve always wished you had.  This hilarious romp through our nation’s past reveals little-known truths, exposes lies our teachers told us, and provides insight into the oddities of America’s most infamous citizens.  THE MENTAL FLOSS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES spans America’s entire history, from social and political events to major phenomena in science, literature, and fashion, tackling our greatest questions and misconceptions.

With detailed timelines and charts, a “by the numbers” round-up, and tons of amusing trivia in each chapter, THE MENTAL FLOSS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES sets the historical record straight at last.  Filled with juicy tales of political intrigue, serial killers, the original Swine Flu, potato chips, Puritans, rum, and more, this entertaining and insightful history will answer all of your questions about everything made in the U.S.A.

Smarter than a history teacher, funnier than the Founding Fathers, and more American than Alaska, an almost (but not entirely) comprehensive primer on American history (or at least, the good stuff).

Click here to read an excerpt.

About the authors (from the publisher):

 Erik Sass is a journalist based in Los Angeles with branch offices around the country.  When not writing for mental_floss, he reports on the media and advertising business for MediaPost.com.  He lives in Santa Monica with his roommate, an ill-tempered 500-pound adult male Bengal tiger named Big Al.

Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur met as freshmen at Duke University, where they parlayed their cafeteria conversations into the first issue of mental_floss magazine.  Ten years later, they’ve created a knowledge empire.  In addition to the magazine, the pair has produced two board games, a t-shirt line, and a Web site (mentalfloss.com) that attracts millions of visitors every month.

Will and Mangesh have also collaborated on over 10 books together, including Condensed Knowledge, Forbidden Knowledge, History of the World, and Lolita, written under the pen name Vladimir Nabokov.

Thanks to Harper Collins, I have two (2) copies to giveaway. Here's the hows and wherefores:

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave an original comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. No P.O. Boxes.

• PLEASE NOTE: One win per household. If you win this title in another contest hosted at another blog, the publisher will only send one copy per household address.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, October 14, 2010.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

Thank you to Shawn at WiredSet
and Harper Collins

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Waiting on Wednesday: THE GIRL IN THE GREEN RAINCOAT by Laura Lippman

"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"

is hosted by Jill from

Breaking the Spine.

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

My pick for this week is . . .

THE GIRL IN THE GREEN RAINCOAT

by Laura Lippman

Pub. Date: January 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback, 176pp

ISBN-13: 9780061938368

ISBN: 006193836X

Description (from the publisher):

A new Tess Monaghan novella from New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman, which first appeared in serial format in the the New York Times.

Tess Monaghan, Baltimore P.I., isn’t afraid of much. But when she is put on bed rest at 8 months pregnant, the spitfire investigator may have finally met her match, her own unborn child!

To escape the boredom, Tess begins marking the movements of her neighbors, á la Rear Window. She is especially drawn to the girl in the green raincoat who takes daily walks with her Italian greyhound in a matching jacket. But one day when Tess spies the dog running away all on its own, she suspects foul play. And it turns out she isn’t far off. But, in doing what she does best, chasing after criminals and putting bad guys behind bars, will she have taken the ultimate risk with herself and her child?

Click here to read Chapter 1.
 

Spotlight and Book Giveaway: DARE TO TAKE CHARGE by Judge Glenda Hatchett

CLOSED.

Thanks to those self-empowering folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 give away three (3) copies of

DARE TO TAKE CHARGE
by Judge Glenda Hatchett.

Rules for entering this giveaway
are at the bottom of this post.

DARE TO TAKE CHARGE:

How to Live Your Life on Purpose

by Judge Glenda Hatchett

Publisher: Center Street

Category: Self-Help

Format: Hardcover Book

Publish Date: 9/20/2010

Price: $23.99/$25.99

ISBN: 9781599953304

Pages: 272

Size: 6" x 9"

Description (from the publisher):
For nearly ten years, Judge Glenda Hatchett has delighted TV audiences with a brand of justice that turns the everyday into something eminently watchable.

Her message can be distilled into the following two words: Dare Yourself. Whatever obstacles or fears one faces, Judge Hatchett's prescription implores readers to write their own story in this life. With care and conviction, Judge Hatchett uses real life stories from the courtroom and her personal life to counsel readers. Shows them how to find their true purpose and gifts, to be real about their reality and its potential outside of challenging circumstances, and to always be true to themselves.

Interactive as well as inspirational, DARE TO TAKE CHARGE challenges the reader to ask self-reflective questions that lead to moments of self-discovery and a defined pathway to healing. Daring her audience to study the positive with the same interest and intensity that they study the negative, Judge Hatchett uncovers the potential for grace and success in lives that are now punctuated with despair and unfaithfulness.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
A graduate of Emory University School of Law, Judge Glenda Hatchett became Delta Airlines' highest-ranking African-American woman when she served in dual roles as a senior attorney and Manager of Public Relations. The position earned her a spot on Ebony Magazine's "100 Best and Brightest Women in Corporate America." She left Delta to become Georgia's first African-American Chief Presiding Judge of a state court and the department head of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country in Fulton, GA.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave an original comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• PLEASE NOTE: One win per household. If you win this title in another contest hosted at another blog, Hachette will only send one copy per household address.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 30, 2010.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Spotlight and Audiobook Giveaway: KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL by Glenn Paskin

CLOSED.

Thanks to those dog-lovin' folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 give away three (3) audiobook copies of

KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL

by Glenn Paskin.

Rules for entering this giveaway

are at the bottom of this post.

KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL

by Glenn Plaskin

read by the author

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Category: Biography, Autobiography, Pets

Format: Audio Book

Subformat:   CD (Audio)

Edition: Unabridged

Publish Date: 9/8/2010

Price: $26.98/$29.98

ISBN: 9781609410384

Pages: 0

Description (from the publisher):
A personal memoir by bestselling author and celebrity journalist Glenn Plaskin, KATIE is a moving story about a man who discovers the true meaning of family after adopting a cocker spaniel puppy. Through the magnetic personality of his mischievous dog, the author soon makes powerful connections with several of his down-the-hall neighbors in a high-rise located in the unique Battery Park City neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. First, Katie trots into the lives of Pearl and Arthur, a warm-hearted elderly couple just a few doors down from Glenn. Later, John, a single Dad, and his rambunctious young son, Ryan, also move in and are seduced by Katie's charms.

All of their lives are profoundly changed as they are transformed from neighbors to friends to family, with Pearl as matriarch. The motherless boy finds a "Granny"; his Dad inherits a mother, Glenn discovers a confidante. Set in New York City, we witness nearly sixteen years of antics and family adventures spanning Hollywood high times, bad health, accidents, blustery winters, even the terrors of 9/11. Through it all, the family clings to each other, sharing a deep bond that give each comfort, support and security.

Based upon a widely-read article in Family Circle, here is an unforgettable story about the love that makes a family-one that transcends the hard realities of time, tragedy, and inevitable loss.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to read an author interview.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Plaskin, a resident of New York City, is surrounded by more than 300 dogs in his Battery Park City complex, a neighborhood that inspired this book and the remarkable events in it.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave an original comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• PLEASE NOTE: One win per household. If you win this title in another contest hosted at another blog, Hachette will only send one copy per household address.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, October 29, 2010.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Spotlight and Audiobook Giveaway: SAFE HAVEN by Nicholas Sparks

CLOSED.

Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 give away three (3) audiobook copies of

SAFE HAVEN
by Nicholas Sparks.

Rules for entering this giveaway
are at the bottom of this post.

SAFE HAVEN

by Nicholas Sparks
Read by Rebecca Lowman

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Category: Fiction

Format: Audio Book

Subformat: CD (Audio)

Edition: Unabridged

Publish Date: 9/14/2010

Price: $34.98/$39.98

ISBN: 9781607886198

Pages: 0

Description (from the author):
When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

Click here to listen to an excerpt.

Click here to access author articles.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Nicholas Sparks is the author of 15 books. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and children. You can visit the author's web site at http://www.nicholassparks.com/. Click here to read a more in-depth author bio.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave an original comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• PLEASE NOTE: One win per household. If you win this title in another contest hosted at another blog, Hachette will only send one copy per household address.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, October 29, 2010.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Who Won What . . .

Graphic courtesy of Cupcakes for Clara.

Click here to visit her Etsy shop.

!!  CONGRATULATIONS !!

THE POSTCARD KILLERS
(Audiobook)
by James Patterson & Liza Marklund

#24 Tore
#27 Ruthie
#37 Beverly

TESTIMONY
(Mass Market Paperback Edition)
by Anita Shreve

#4  JHS.
#30 Anonymous ("A")
#38 karenk
#47 Justpeachy36
#69 Anonymous ("B")

THE UNNAMED
by Joshua Ferris

#26 Alyce
#33 Ruthie
#70 Norma




- All winners have been contacted and confirmed.

- Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered. If you weren't one of the lucky ones in this drawing, click here to hop on over to the contest page at Hachette Book Group for listings of other blogs hosting book giveaways.

 - Be sure and check my sidebar for other ongoing giveaways here and at other blogs.

A big thank you to
Anna, Valerie, and Hachette Book Group

 for making these giveaways possible.

Waiting on Wednesday: THE WINTER GHOSTS by Kate Mosse

"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"

is hosted by Jill from

Breaking the Spine.

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

My pick for this week is . . .

THE WINTER GHOSTS

by Kate Mosse

Pub. Date: February 2011

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

Format: Hardcover, 288pp

Sales Rank: 209,971

ISBN-13: 9780399157158

ISBN: 0399157158

Description (from the publisher):
In the winter of 1928, still seeking some kind of resolution to the horrors of World War I, Freddie is traveling through the beautiful but forbidding French Pyrenees. During a snowstorm, his car spins off the mountain road. Dazed, he stumbles through the woods, emerging in a tiny village, where he finds an inn to wait out the blizzard. There he meets Fabrissa, a lovely young woman also mourning a lost generation.

Over the course of one night, Fabrissa and Freddie share their stories. By the time dawn breaks, Freddie will have unearthed a tragic, centuries-old mystery, and discovered his own role in the
life of this remote town.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Kate Mosse is the author of the New York Times–bestselling Labyrinth and Sepulchre and the cofounder and honorary director of the prestigious Orange Prize for Fiction. She lives in England
and France.

Spotlight and Audiobook Giveaway: ROOM: A Novel by Emma Donoghue

CLOSED.

Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 give away three (3) audiobook copies of

ROOM: A Novel
by Emma Donoghue.

Rules for entering this giveaway
are at the bottom of this post.

ROOM: A Novel

by Emma Donoghue

Read by Michael Friedman, Ellen Archer,
Robert Petkoff, and Suzanne Toren

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Category: Fiction

Format: Audio Book

Subformat: CD (Audio)

Edition: Unabridged

Publish Date: 9/13/2010

Price: $29.98/$0.00

ISBN: 9781607886273

Pages: 0

Description (from the author):
To five-year-old Jack, ROOM is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be
asleep when Old Nick visits.

ROOM is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough…not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.

Click here to listen to an excerpt.

Click here to access the Reading Group Guide.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Born in Dublin in 1969, Emma Donoghue is a writer of contemporary and historical fiction whose novels include the bestselling Slammerkin, The Sealed Letter, Landing, Life Mask, Hood, and Stirfry. Her story collections are The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits, Kissing the Witch, and Touchy Subjects. She also writes literary history, and plays for stage and radio. She lives in London, Ontario, with her partner and their two small children. For more information, go to http://www.emmadonoghue.com/.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave an original comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• PLEASE NOTE: One win per household. If you win this title in another contest hosted at another blog, Hachette will only send one copy per household address.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, October 29, 2010.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Giveaway Scout

I'm signing up with Giveaway Scout to help promote my giveaways. If you like to host and/or enter giveaways, you should check out Giveaway Scout. This site lists all kinds of giveaways, contests, and sweepstakes - not just those for books. Giveaway Scout scans the blogs that have registered and updates its listings every hour. Then Giveaway Scout spreads the word to its subscribers through email, Facebook, and Twitter. There are thousands of giveaways posted, and you can browse them all or sign up for updates in individual categories. Hop on over to Giveaway Scout and check it out! But be forewarned - it's addictive!

Waiting on Wednesday: THE PEACH KEEPER by Sarah Addison Allen

"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"

is hosted by Jill from

Breaking the Spine.

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

My pick for this week is . . .

THE PEACH KEEPER

by Sarah Addison Allen

Pub. Date: March 2011

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Format: Hardcover, 288pp

Sales Rank: 128,169

ISBN-13: 9780553807226

ISBN: 0553807226

I don't have any info yet on this title -
but with this author,
I know it will be worth the wait!

I can tell you that Sarah Addison Allen is offering a special contest open until November 1st.
Click here to enter at her website.

Book Giveaway and Review #52: GOD AND DOG by Wendy Francisco

CLOSED.

Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 give away two (2) copies of

GOD AND DOG
by Wendy Francisco.

Rules for entering this giveaway
are at the bottom of this post.

GOD AND DOG

by Wendy Francisco

Publisher: Center Street

Category: Pets

Format: Hardcover Book

Publish Date: 9/20/2010

Price: $10.99/$12.50

ISBN: 9781599953793

Pages: 48

Size: 6" x 6"

Description (from the publisher):
GOD AND DOG is a phenomenon. First appearing on YouTube, the video of Wendy Francisco's charming animated illustrations and moving song tells of the unconditional love of both God and Dog.

With over 2 million YouTube viewings to date, Francisco's story appeals to all ages, to animal enthusiasts, to people of religious persuasions, and especially to anyone who has been loved by a dog.

Now in book format, Wendy's touching narrative will be expanded on through additional lyrics, illustrations, photographs and some of the powerful mail that is continually being sent to Francisco.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

My Thoughts:  GOD AND DOG by Wendy Francisco is a sweet and inspirational little gift book. It would be perfect for any dog lover whose faith in God might be slipping or who's facing a challenge, large or small. The message is simple, clear but powerful: the love of God and the love of your dog are constant and unwavering. Can their spellings be mere coincidence?

Click here to visit the GoD and DoG website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Wendy Francisco has been a recording artist since the late 1970s and, alongside her husband singer/songwriter Don Francisco, has toured nationally and internationally. She has eight CDs of her own and is currently working on a new one.

Francisco has a degree in fine art from San Diego State University and owned a successful gallery in Colorado. An award-winning pastel artist, Wendy also enjoys painting, printmaking, pen and ink, photography, and a variety of other mediums.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave an original comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• PLEASE NOTE: One win per household. If you win this title in another contest hosted at another blog, Hachette will only send one (1) copy per household address.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, October 15, 2010.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.