Book Giveaway: Moo Pie in the Moonlight

Welcome to Author Beth Olmo!

Bio:

Beth Olmo is a writer, entrepreneur, and proud Navy wife with a widely varied background. She has enjoyed working in radio and television, teaching English to preschoolers and adults in Japan, and contributing articles to OkinawaHai.com. Beth has been a life-long animal lover, and never fails to be entertained and inspired by her pets’ antics. When she’s not planning their future world travels, Beth can be found playing in the nearest ocean with her husband Orlando and their dog, Sky.

http://www.pjpublishing.com/

Interview:

If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
I'd definitely go back into the past; I have several big questions that I'd like answered.

If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
Invisibility

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Beni Imo ~ it's sweet potato-flavored ice cream that we enjoyed in Okinawa. YUM!!!

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
The poetry and images are sweetly enchanting, and readers finish the book with a comfortable sigh.

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
I've got so many books rattling around in my head! There's one that's almost ready to be illustrated, an adventure series centered around our dog Sky, a book about not jumping to conclusions about people (for late elementary school - early middle school kids), and a nature series for young children. There are stories everywhere! They're always jumping out at me.

If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world.. which would it be?
I would run away to live in Narnia!

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Right now, it would be Okinawa. We just moved back to the states from there, and I miss it SO much. It's a beautiful island, the food is great, the people are sweet, and the diving is amazing. What's not to love?

What's the craziest writing idea you've had?
I once started a story written from the perspective of a concrete picnic table at my community college. We've heard the saying, "If these walls could talk," and I thought one day, "If this table could talk..."

Favorite Food?
SUSHI!

What was your favorite children's book?
As a kid, I loved the same kinds of stories that I love now ~ adventures, fantasy, and detective mysteries. I remember getting wrapped up in everything from The Chronicles of Narnia to Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew.

How do you react to a bad review?
We haven't gotten a bad one yet - whew! I hope I can remember that it's just one person's opinion, and let it roll off my back. If I feel snarky about it, I hope I can be quietly snarky at home. ;)

If you were a bird, which one would you be?
I'd be a mockingbird. I can't sing just one kind of song ~ I love all kinds.

What do you do in your free time?
I love to travel and SCUBA dive with my hubby.

If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
"You Can't Make This Stuff Up."

What's your favorite season/weather?
Summertime! I want it to be eternally warm, sunny, & clear. I would love to be in the water every day!

What is your guilty pleasure?
A nice strong margarita.

Finish the sentence- one book I wish I had written is....
Skippyjon Jones!

Moo Pie in the Moonlight by Beth Olmo:

Moo Pie In The Moonlight is a sweet bedtime story about a handsome tuxedo cat who knows just how to enjoy a summer evening.

Giveaway Details:
1 copy of Moo Pie in the Moonlight
Open Internationally
Ends 3/28/11

Optional Extra Entries:
+1 Like Moo Pie on Facebook
+1 Follow PJPublishing on Twitter
+1 Link to PJPublishing on your blog or website

Book Review: Moo Pie in the Moonlight by Beth Olmo

Moo Pie In The Moonlight is a sweet bedtime story about a handsome tuxedo cat who knows just how to enjoy a summer evening.

Moo Pie in the Moonlight is a beautifully done children's picture book. The text is very simple and rhymes making it a quick, fun book to read.  The illustrations are lovely and come to life. A great addition to a bedtime storybook collection that will be loved by young and old alike.



Rating: 4.5 Stars

Source: From Author for Review

Giveaway Winner: Indigo Blues

Congratulations to the Winner of
Indigo Blues


The winner was selected using Random.org
Melissa

Winner has been notified and will receive her book from the author. Thanks to all who entered.

Giveaway Winner: Impractical Grace

Congratulations to the Winner of
Impractical Grace



The winner was selected using Random.org

Debra Chapoton

Winner has been notified and will receive her book from me. Thanks to all who entered.

Book Review: The Cycling Wangdoos by Kelly Pulley

The Cycling Wangdoos is an imaginative and fun rhyming tale of an unlikely cycling team and their off-track lesson in teamwork. It will take you on a thrills and spills fun-filled ride from the first page to the surprise ending.

I really enjoyed this picture book and so did my children. Loved both the pictures and the message in this book about teamwork.  They rhyming text made for a great read aloud. This is a book I'll keep on our read aloud shelf.

They Cycling Wangdoos by Kelly Pulley will be released in April.



Rating: 4.5 Stars
 
Source: Won in a giveaway

Book Review: Princess Zaara and the Enchanted Forest by Umbreen Asghar

A captivating and magical tale that begs to be read aloud, Princess Zaara and the Enchanted Forest by children’s author Umbreen Asghar is the sort of tale that sparks the imagination and fuels a child’s curiosity. With lavish, highly stylized illustrations by Diane Lucas, this beginning children’s book introduces a curious Spanish princess named Zaara. She’s seven and the only thing she wants in the whole wide kingdom is to explore the forest that is just beyond her empire, so when she gets a chance, she jumps at it. She discovers that the forest is all she has ever heard or dreamed about, and there in the mesmerizing dark folds, keeping her royal lineage a secret, she makes friends. They’re a curious lot. There’s Morgan the Giant, Elvin the Elf, Banji the Bear and Tiffany-Annabel, all who bring something special to the group. When an evil wood spirit puts a spell on her new pals, Zaara shows courage and tenacity befitting the best sort of princess—the kind that is a friend first.

Priness Zaara and the Enchanted Forest is a fairytale that teaches a message about friendship.  Princess Zaara sneaks away into the forest and comes across magical creatures who teach her about being a friend.  I like the illustrations, especially the one on the cover.

I read this to 3 of my children ages 5-11.  They enjoyed the first half of the story but then seemed to lose interest about half way through the book.  There was a lot of writing on each page and they got distracted before I was done reading the pages that had a lot of text on them.  It's a cute book but not one we'll reread over and over again.



Rating: 3 Stars

Source: From Author For Review

Giveaway Winners: Sealing the Deal

Congratulations to the Winners of

Sealing the Deal



The winners were selected using Random.org

Taffy L.

Miss Ash

Winners have been notified and will receive their book from the publisher. Thanks to all who entered.

Giveaway Winner: Tiger's Curse

Congratulations to the Winner of
Tiger's Curse



The winner was selected using Random.org
Dawn Slaughter

Winner has been notified and will receive her book from the publisher. Thanks to all who entered.

In My Mailbox

FOR REVIEW:

12.21.12 by Killian McRae


Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg


Welcome to Last Chance by Hope Ramsay


Secrets and Shadows by Shannon Delany


21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart by Neal D. Barnard


The Artist's Journey by Marcia Shaver


Adventures in Nowhere by John Ames


The Cycling Wangdoos by Kelly Pulley


Princess Zaara and the Enchanted Forest


Called Home by Gloria Schumann


On Angels Wings by Jack Hessey


Illegal by Bettina Restrepo



In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren.

The idea behind IMM was not only to put new books on your radar but to also encourage blogger interaction. IMM explores the weekly contents of my mailbox & books bought.

Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to only sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library

Book Giveaway & Author Interview: Growing Up Gracie by Maggie Fechner

Welcome to Author Maggie Fechner:

About Maggie:

I was born and raised in Wyoming--the land that I love. Being a first child and having a phenomenal mother, I was read to all the time. I entered my first "Young Author's" contest in first grade. When I won, I was able to meet the author of a children's book (I now have no idea who this was).

I was a quick reader and I loved to write. I wrote a lot of poetry and entered poems in National Poetry contests. When I heard one of my poems was published in a book I was quite excited. I later learned that EVERYONE's poems were published in that book and it was only a ploy to get people to buy the $50 book, which of course, my family did not buy.

It didn't deter me though. I became the editor of my high school newspaper, won the Wyoming Journalist of the Year award, and went on to earn a degree in Journalism from Eastern Washington University. I worked as a reporter, columnist and features writer for three community newspapers. I also worked on short stories and continued my ever-expanding personal journal. It is several hundred pages and covers over 20 years of my life (which I am sure no one will EVER want to read).

I then took a major life break to, well, start my life. I got married to my best friend and we started a family. I kept up my journal, but didn't do a whole lot of writing otherwise. That was until I had my first baby and delved into Growing Up Gracie. I wrote it and didn't touch it again for several years. Finally I pulled it out and got back into the swing of writing and I have been going strong ever since.
I have a wonderful husband and four children who put up with my addictive love of hobbies which change frequently: photography, writing, baking, writing, genealogy, photography, running, writing, etc. etc. I usually can only focus on one thing at a time.

http://maggiefechner.blogspot.com/

Interview:

Night owl, or early bird?
Both. Early bird for writing. But night owl for having fun with friends (or taking care of babies).

Pet Peeves?
Loud clapping. Loud yelling. Loudness in general.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
Reading reviews from teen girls who don't know me and have no reason to give me a "nice" review. I am so glad Gracie's story is touching them!

What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?
I loved Shel Silverstein and had "Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too" memorized. Now my daughter loves the same poems.

If you could choose only one time period and place to live, when and where would you live and why?
My husband is the most amazingly handy guy you would ever meet. Dan is the guy everyone calls when they need something built or fixed. For that reason, I would pick to live in the Little House On The Prairie days in the wild west of Wyoming, of course. In a world where what you knew how to do was the most important thing, we would have been very successful (all because of him, not me!)

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
In a beach house on a smaller mountain lake. We love to boat, so that would be perfect for my family.

How do you react to a bad review?
If it were downright mean, I would disregard it. But if not, I would treat it as constructive criticism and ask myself if any of the critiques were true. If so, I put the comments in a mental file on what to work on in my writing.

What's your favorite season/weather?
My favorite season is summer because there are so many fun things to do. But, my favorite change of seasons is going into fall. I love seeing the leaves change and getting out the sweaters and apple cider.

Finish the sentence- one book I wish I had written is....
A clean version of all the books I start to read and love but then have to put down because they aren't clean enough for my standards. Some examples are A Reliable Wife and Water For Elephants. They both had neat premises and beautiful writing, but I couldn't finish either of them.

Give us a glimpse into a typical day in your day starting when you wake up till you lie down again.
Up at 5. Write for an hour and a half.
Breakfast, showers, prayers and scriptures, get kiddos ready for the day.
Some kids on the bus. Then we start our little "homeschool" preschool which lasts a couple hours.
Lunch
Naps. Mommy writes or cleans (only occasionally :))
Wake up and we do errands.
Kids home from bus. Chores, homework, dinner.
Bedtime. Mom and Dad watch TV or read books.
Bedtime for the grown ups as soon as the news turns to sports. Neither of us are sports fans at all.

Growing Up Gracie by Maggie Fechner:

As the fifth of six kids, it's sometimes hard for Gracie Fremont to see what makes her special. But with the help of friends, family, and her faith, Gracie discovers that even the most ordinary girl can do extraordinary things. Told with sweetness, humor, and heart, this unique coming-of-age story will resonate with readers of all ages.

Giveaway Details:
1 copy of Growing Up Gracie
Open to US only end 3/27

Optional Extra Entry
+2 Follow Maggie's Blog

Book Review: Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.

Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise.

I'm a HUGE Jane Austen fan. Pride & Prejudice is my favorite so I was excited to read this modern day retelling by Elizabeth Eulberg. A few pages in a burst into laughter as I realized all the characters in the book & places in the book were named after those in the original book.  Lizzie attends Longbourn Academy, Darcy attends Pemberley Academy - their places of residency in the original Pride & Prejudice.  Nearly the whole cast of characters was present from Lizzie, Jane & Lydia to Darcy, Charles, Caroline, Georgiana, Wickham, Charlotte and Mr. Collins.  I noticed Mary & Kitty were left out but they were given a "cameo" appearance near the end.  Having come to love all these characters in the original story it was fun to see them in this modern retelling.

Really cute and super clean, Prom & Prejudice is sure to delight fans of Jane Austen who enjoy young adult literature.  I'm not sure I would have loved this as much as I did if I hadn't read Pride & Prejudice and seen the movies multiple times.  I got a kick out of Eulberg's characters and the twists she added to modernize the story.  All the elements I loved from the original version were present in this story.

I must admit Darcy in this retelling lacks much of the appeal the original Mr. Darcy holds, perhaps because he is still a teenager he just falls short when compared to the original Darcy.  That said this was still a fun, humorous read I enjoyed.



Content: Clean

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: ARC Tour

Book Giveaway & Author Interview: One Hundred Candles by Mara Purnhagen

Welcome to Author Mara Purnhagen!

Bio:

Mara Purnhagen cannot live without a tall caramel latte, her iPod or a stack of books on her nightstand. She has lived in Aurora, Illinois; Kalamazoo, Michigan; Dayton, Ohio, and Duncan, South Carolina. She currently lives outside Cleveland, Ohio, with her family, two cats and a well-meaning ghost who likes to open the kitchen windows.

http://www.marapurnhagen.com/

Interview:

What is one book everyone should read?
That’s a tough one. The first title that came to mind was To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a durable classic for good reasons.

What's your favorite music genre?
Indie rock. I listen to everything, though, from rap to classical. My favorite band right now is The National—I listen to them every day.

Is there anything you need in order to write? (ie Chocolate, quiet, music)
I used to need perfect quiet and a nice block of free time in order to write. Now that I have kids, neither of those things is available to me, so I’ve adapted. I write in short spurts throughout the day, and I always have music playing on my computer. It works for me.

Night owl, or early bird?
I’m definitely a night owl, partly because it’s the only time when my house is quiet. Unfortunately, I don’t have the luxury of sleeping in. Coffee was made for people like me!

One food you would never eat?
Mushrooms wrapped in bacon. It’s a marriage of fungus and pork, two foods I can’t stand.

How do you react to a bad review?
When I was sending out query letters to find an agent, I accepted each rejection as proof that I was getting my work out there. Now that I’m published, I accept all reviews as proof that I have reached my ultimate goal: my book is out in the world. It’s no longer under my control, and I can’t expect every reader to fall in love with it. Negative reviews are one person’s opinion, and I think that it’s great that there are people who love books enough to dedicate their time not only to reading, but to expressing their thoughts. So how do I react to a bad review of my work? With a smile.

What do you do when you are in-between books?
I read, take notes, and look at unfinished manuscripts to see if anything pulls me in. I have very little in-between time with my deadlines, but I’m someone who needs to be on a schedule. I like deadlines. They make me work, even on days when I don’t feel like it.

How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
With champagne! The good stuff, not the kind you can pluck off the shelf at your local grocery store. If there’s ever a reason to treat yourself to real French champagne, achieving one your life’s goals is it.

Book Giveaway: One Hundred Candles by Mara Purnhagen:

It's taken a long time for me to feel like a normal teenager. But now that I'm settled in a new school, where people know me as more than Charlotte Silver of the infamous Silver family paranormal investigators, it feels like everything is falling into place. And what better way to be normal than to go on a date with a popular football star like Harris Abbott? After all, it's not as if Noah is anything more than a friend….
But my new life takes a disturbing turn when Harris brings me to a party and we play a game called One Hundred Candles. It seems like harmless, ghostly fun. Until spirits unleashed by the game start showing up at school. Now my friends and family are in very real danger, and the door that I've opened into another realm may yield deadly consequences.


Free Ebook Download of Raising the Deaduntil 2/28
Raising the Dead:
Charlotte Silver's world is like no one else's...

As the daughter of the famous Silver Spirits paranormal investigators, Charlotte Silver is used to all things weird. But when coffins start floating down her street during a flood, life turns extra strange. And wonderful, when her friend and crush Noah signs on to help Charlotte and her folks in the aftermath. Cemetery cleanup might not sound exciting, but as shocking discoveries and a lurking stranger come to light, Charlotte learns that sometimes, raising the dead can bring unexpected rewards.


Giveaway Details:
1 copy of One Hundred Candles by Mara Purnhagen
Open Internationally
Ends 3/25

Optional Extra Entry:
+1 Like the Harlequin Teen Facebook Page

Book Giveaway & Author Interview: These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

Welcome to Author Heather Gudenkauf!

Bio:

Heather Gudenkauf is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Weight of Silence.

Heather was born in Wagner, South Dakota, the youngest of six children. At one month of age, her family returned to the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota where her father was employed as a guidance counselor and her mother as a school nurse. At the age of three, her family moved to Iowa, where she grew up. Having been born with a profound unilateral hearing impairment (there were many evenings when Heather and her father made a trip to the bus barn to look around the school bus for her hearing aids that she often conveniently would forget on the seat beside her), Heather tended to use books as a retreat, would climb into the toy box that her father's students from Rosebud made for the family with a pillow, blanket, and flashlight, close the lid, and escape the world around her. Heather became a voracious reader and the seed of becoming a writer was planted.

Heather Gudenkauf graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in elementary education, has spent her career working with students of all ages and is currently a Literacy Coach, an educator who provides curricular and professional development support to teachers.

Heather lives in Dubuque, Iowa with her husband, three children, and a very spoiled German Shorthaired Pointer named Maxine. In her free time Heather enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking, and running. She is currently working on her third novel.

Interview:

If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
I would travel back in time to pioneer times. I love the adventurous spirit of those who settled the land. I don't know how well I would do without my computer and Diet Coke, but I could manage for a short time.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?
I'm assuming I can't bring my loved ones, so I would bring the biggest anthology of American literature I can find, a cozy blanket and my dog Maxine.

What is one book everyone should read?
Everyone needs to absolutely be required to read To Kill a Mockingbird. Loved this book!

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Swiss Almond

Is there anything you need in order to write? (ie Chocolate, quiet, music)
I like to play quiet music, have my dog Maxine sitting behind me on the chair and a Diet Coke next to me.

Night owl, or early bird?
I'm a day bird. I can't stay up late and I don't particularly like getting up very early either.

Pet Peeves?
Rude people

Skittles or M&Ms?
M&Ms

Favorite Cartoon?
I loved watching Underdog while I was growing up.

What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?
Basketball - Go Iowa Hawkeyes!

How do you react to a bad review?
I get this little pinched feeling inside and then I think Oh, well, can't please everyone.

What is your favorite book that has been made into a movie?
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I love both the book and the movie.

What do you do when you are in-between books?
Read, read, read!

Where is your favorite place to read/write?
I love to read in bed and love to write anywhere where there is a window.

If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world.. which would it be?
Definitely the world of Harry Potter.

What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?
As a child I loved the Little House on the Prairie books.

What is your favorite quote?
"Where there is great love there are always miracles." ~ Willa Cather

What is your guilty pleasure?
Chocolate

What TV show/movie/book do you watch/read that you'd be embarrassed to admit?
I am completely hooked on Friday Night Lights. I've been out of high school for over twenty years and I don't watch football - but I love this show!

How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
I went out to dinner with my family.

http://www.heathergudenkauf.com/

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THESE THINGS HIDDEN has been chosen as a February All You Book Club pick for All You Magazine. Visit the All You website ALL YOU

THESE THINGS HIDDEN has been named a February 2011 Indie Next List "Great Reads from Booksellers You Trust"

These Things Hidden:
Allison Glenn tried to hide what happened that night...and failed. The consequence? Five years in prison. Now she's free. But secrets have a way of keeping you caged...When Allison is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult in her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces the whispered rumours every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn - shy, quiet Brynn - who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her. But then Allison is released, and is more determined than ever to speak with her sister. Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.



Giveaway Details:
Open to US & Canada
Ends 3/25

Optional Extra Entries:
+1 Like Heather on Facebook
+1 Follow Heather on Twitter

Book Giveaway: Don't Throw Rocks at His Window by Julie C. Donaldson

Dont' Throw Rocks at His Window: Real Advice to Mend a Broken Heart:

A broken heart hurts—but it doesn't have to hurt forever. Using humor, common sense, and honest conversations, Julie Donaldson walks readers through not only the steps of surviving a broken heart, but also the process of learning to nurture strength in yourself and finding comfort from Heavenly Father. She helps teenagers understand that heartbreak is part of the mortal path God has set for us, but that doesn't mean we have to succumb to it, or lose our sense of humor in the process.
• Relevant to teenagers, young adults, and anyone who has ever had a broken heart.
• Practical remedies and common-sense solutions for surviving heartbreak.
• Fun, laugh-out-loud moments make a lighthearted but practical read.
• A tissue is included.


Giveaway Details:
Thanks to Deseret Book I have an extra copy of Don't Throw Rocks at His Window for giveaway.
Open to US only
Ends 3/25

Book Review: Don't Throw Rocks at His Window by Julie C. Donaldson

A broken heart hurts—but it doesn't have to hurt forever. Using humor, common sense, and honest conversations, Julie Donaldson walks readers through not only the steps of surviving a broken heart, but also the process of learning to nurture strength in yourself and finding comfort from Heavenly Father. She helps teenagers understand that heartbreak is part of the mortal path God has set for us, but that doesn't mean we have to succumb to it, or lose our sense of humor in the process.
• Relevant to teenagers, young adults, and anyone who has ever had a broken heart.
• Practical remedies and common-sense solutions for surviving heartbreak.
• Fun, laugh-out-loud moments make a lighthearted but practical read.
• A tissue is included.

We've all been there at one point or another... with a broken hear that feels like it will never mend.  Julie C. Donaldson offers practical advice in a this fun little book Don't Throw Rocks at His Window: Read Advice to Mend a Broken Heart.

This book given with a bag of chocolate would make a great gift for a daughter or friend who has recently been dumped.  Cute, funny and uplifting this book of advice is sure to help the process of mending a broken heart.  Perfect for a teenager or young adult who needs a little pick me up after a relationship goes south.



Content: Clean

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: From Publisher for Review

Giveaway Winner: Literary Hop - $10 in Books

Congratulations to the Winner of my
Literary Hop Giveaway
$10 in Books





The winner was selected using Random.org
Patricia L.

Winner has been notified and will receive her book or gift card from me. Thanks to all who entered.

Weekly Update

Weekly Update

Current giveaways:

Sealing the Deal ends 2/25

Tiger's Curse ends 2/25

Indigo Blues ends 2/27

Impractical Grace ends 2/27

Between Shades of Gray ends 2/28

Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance ends 2/28

Illegal ends 3/1 NEW THIS WEEK

The Tapeworm Emails and the Gloria Airmails ends 3/1

The False Princess ends 3/1

2500 Follower - $10 Amazon Gift Card ends 3/1

Shifters 2040 ends 3/2

The Portable Pediatrician ends 3/3

The Road Show ends 3/5

The Latte Rebellion ends 3/6

Lessons From Stanley the Cat ends 3/6

Where I Belong ends 3/7

21 Day Weight Loss Kickstart end 3/7

The Darlings Are Forever ends 3/8

The Upside of Down ends 3/8

Crusade ends 3/8

No Cure for the Broken Hearted ends 3/9

Spirit Storm Prize Pack ends 3/9

Fallen Grace ends 3/16

Head Games ends 3/18

Mad Love ends 3/18 NEW THIS WEEK

Waterfall ends 3/20

A New Birth of Freedom ends 3/20 NEW THIS WEEK

Foresight ends 3/21 NEW THIS WEEK

Elijah's Coin ends 3/22 NEW THIS WEEK

The Demon Trapper's Daughter ends 3/23 NEW THIS WEEK

Must've Done Something Good ends 3/23 NEW THIS WEEK

An ABC Escapade Through Egypt ends 3/23 NEW THIS WEEK

The Trouble With Half A Moon ends 3/23 NEW THIS WEEK

Unlocking the Power of the Spirit ends 3/24 NEW THIS WEEK

Ballad of the Rag Man or 5 other books to choose from ends 3/25 NEW THIS WEEK

Visit my Got Great Giveaways Linky to find dozens of book giveaways. If you have a giveaway on your site that isn't listed please add it to the linky. Book related giveaways only please!

New Reviews Posted This Week:

Shadow of the Sun
Unlocking the Power of the Spirit
Hidden Truth
The Touch of the Master's Hand
Recovery Road
The Sweetest Thing
A New Birth of Freedom
Mad Love

Coming Soon:

March 14th - 17th
Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop - Sign Ups are Open


April 1 & 2
Fool For Books Giveaway Hop - Sign Ups are Open


April 20-25th
Hoppy Easter Eggstravagazna Hop - Sign Ups are Open

Book Giveaway & Guest Post by Author Cynthia Gustavson

Welcome to Author Cynthia Gustavson!

Bio:

Cynthia Blomquist Gustavson was born in rural Minnesota to a jazz musician and a waitress in 1947. She is the author of five poetry collections, several poetry workbooks for therapists, and has published in numerous journals. She was educated at Gustavus Adolphus College, Boston University, Louisiana State University, United Seminary of the Twin Cities, and Oklahoma State University, and has taught at Northeastern State University in Tallequah, Oklahoma, and Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Louisiana, and has been an invited lecturer around the country.

In her twenty-two years as a social worker she has worked in drug prevention, practiced individual and group therapy, worked extensively with caregivers of the chronically ill and developmentally disabled.

A much acclaimed poet and author, the winner of a New Millennium Writings Award in 2002 and finalist for the Rita Dove Poetry Award from the Salem College Center for Women Writers in 2004, Gustavson lives and works in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her husband of 40 years.

http://www.cynthiagustavson.com/


Guest Post: Writing for Self-Understanding


I am lucky because I get to combine my two passions into a profession, that of poet and writer, and psycho-therapist. Long before the advent of medicine, poetry was a powerful tool in healing. It was for me. Brought up in a home where we never talked about feelings, poetry was my emotional outlet.


Using poetry and writing for self-understanding is emphasizing the “process” of writing, rather than the end product. Not all of us care if our poetry is published. What we care about is expressing those parts of us that are hidden deep within, and emerge only with special care.


Here’s a poetry therapy exercise from one of the 6 workbooks in my 2006 Blooming Twig Books In-Versing Your Life Series: Use your name to write an acrostic, a poem that starts each line with a letter from your name, and describes who you are. Here is an example (Fe-Vers: Feeling Verses for Teens) using my nickname Cindy.

C hanging every moment, but

I nside knowing who I am,

N ever wanting to be bored,

D efiant, (Some call it stubborn,)

Y elling from the inside. (I call it poetry.)

Here’s another exercise from Re-Versing the Numbers: A Poetry Workbook for Eating Disorders. Use a nature metaphor to describe who you used to be, and who you are now. I had a 14 year old new mother tell me, “I used to be a flower, but now I am a stem, because I am broken.” Wow! That really got us started talking about what mattered to her, and at the end I asked her to go home and write: “I am now . . . but I will be. . .”


My children’s book, Ballad of the Rag Man (Blooming Twig Books, 2009) was originally written as an exercise for my children’s poetry therapy workbook Fe-Vers: Feeling Verses for Children. I was seeing in my practice that parents were teaching children to be afraid of people who were different from them. Now children and parents can read the story of the Rag Man and know (and talk about) people in their community who are different, but still loving.


Lastly, I include my own book of self-understanding (Please Use This for Children and not for War and Guns, Blooming Twig Books, 2010), written as my mother was dying. How else would I process how my original home and landscape have changed, how my strong mother became weaker, how I am now that oldest generation? As Mother lay in a nursing home, against her will, I wrote a poem about a beautiful photo of herself as a young woman, framed it, read it to her and hung it on the wall. It was the last time I saw her smile.


I still see that smile as I read the poem. I still see the house that is now sold and torn down. But I can move on, because it is written down. I write to live at peace with myself. I encourage you as readers to start writing. You don’t need to show it to anyone. If you do, it will feel intimate, and vulnerable, but it may save your life.

Book Giveaway:
The winner of this giveaway may choose one these books:

Please Use This for Children and Not for War or Guns


Con-Versing With God


Feeling Verses for Children


A Poetry Workbook for Self-Discovery and Healing


Re-Versing Your Pain


Ballad of a Rag Man


Giveaway Details:
Open to US only
Ends 3/25/11

To Enter Please Fill Out This Form:

Blog Tour: Book Review: Shadow of the Sun by Laura Kreitzer

Gabriella's past is a mystery, but that never stopped her from achieving her goals. As a supernatural specialist, and far more intelligent than anyone her age, she has always been ignored by her peers. Because of the isolation she has always felt, she put her life and soul into her job. Being a supernatural specialist hasn't given her the divine intervention she always longed for, until one day a shipment arrives from Italy containing three dead bodies with an uncanny ability to regenerate. Gabriella is frightened and intrigued, but not as scared as she becomes when a dark creature attacks her.


As the bodies come back to life, the plot takes an unexpected twist that you won't see coming. The supernatural world only begins to unfold before her as angels appear, her dreams start to haunt her, and the very past she has forgotten comes back with startling clarity. Romance blooms, escape plans are made, an assassin is out to kill her, and death is only around the corner. But what is more terrifying than all of it is the fact she is the chosen one, the Illuminator, the one who will save them all.

When I received this book in the mail I honestly thought "Oh no! What did I agree to review" - a 500+ page self published book?  Honestly my expectations were not very high and I put off reading this book until the last possible minute.  A great reminder to me that first impressions are often inaccurate!

My initial judgement of this book was completely wrong.  This book is fabulous!  I was surprised at how quickly I was able to read this book.  Despite being 500 pages long Shadow of the Sun is a fast paced, quick read.  The story was original, imaginative and held my interest through the entire thing. I loved the characters and the original take on angels.

This is a great start to a new series.  A good mix of everything I love fantasy, romance, action, mystery, adventure... There will be 5 books in this series and I've added them all to my to read list.  Well done Laura!



For all the stops on the The Teen {Book} Scene Blog Tour: http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/timeless-series-tour-details.html

Content: Just a few swear words

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Source: From Author for Review

Giveaway Winner: Other Words for Love

Congratulations to the Winner of
Other Words for Love



The winner was selected using Random.org
Megan Born

Winner has been notified and will receive her book from me. Thanks to all who entered.

Book Giveaway: Unlocking the Power of the Spirit by Campbell Gray

Thanks to Walnut Springs Press I have a copy of Unlocking the Power of the Spirit by Campbell Gray to giveaway.

Unlocking the Power of the Spirit by Campbell Gray

Obedience to the Lord's commandments does not exempt us from trials and struggles in life. But it does qualify us for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit can comfort us. It can chasten us. It can confirm our choices or prompt us in new directions. It can give us feelings or strokes of ideas. And learning to understand the subtle communications of the Spirit is one of the most important thnings we will ever do in this life. The Spirit is our lifeline to heaven. Yet at times, when we are weighed down by feelings of personal inadequacy or distracted by the trials and busyness of life, we may feel that we have been left largely on our own.


Iin this book, Campbell Gray suggests that the Holy Ghost can be a constant presence in our lives, gently leading us through our inclinations and desires. By learning to be attentive to the Spirit above all, we will find grace that overcomes our own personal weaknesses - not just over time, but in the very moment - and find ourselves being carried "wither (we) wouldest not" (John 21:18).




Giveaway Details:
Open to US & Canada Only
Ends 3/24

Optional Extra Entry:
+2 For Following the Blog: Walnut Springs Press

Book Review: Unlocking the Power of the Spirit by Campbell Gray

Obedience to the Lord's commandments does not exempt us from trials and struggles in life. But it does qualify us for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit can comfort us. It can chasten us. It can confirm our choices or prompt us in new directions. It can give us feelings or strokes of ideas. And learning to understand the subtle communications of the Spirit is one of the most important thnings we will ever do in this life. The Spirit is our lifeline to heaven. Yet at times, when we are weighed down by feelings of personal inadequacy or distracted by the trials and busyness of life, we may feel that we have been left largely on our own.


Iin this book, Campbell Gray suggests that the Holy Ghost can be a constant presence in our lives, gently leading us through our inclinations and desires. By learning to be attentive to the Spirit above all, we will find grace that overcomes our own personal weaknesses - not just over time, but in the very moment - and find ourselves being carried "wither (we) wouldest not" (John 21:18).

Unlocking the Power of the Spirit is a great read for a Sunday afternoon.  There was nothing in this book that I hadn't heard before but it was a gentle reminder of things I already knew.  It reminded me of an extended EFY or Fireside talk.  My favorite parts were when the author used his personal life experience to illustrate the point he was trying to make. 

The eight chapters could easily be read in one sitting or could be spread out and read over the course of a week by reading one each day.  Helped me to remember the importance of feeling the spirt each day and the peace it can bring.



Content: Clean

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: Won in a giveaway

Book Review: Hidden Truth by Dawn Cook

Alissa never believed in magic. But then she went to the Hold, a legendary fortress where human Keepers once learned magic from enigmatic Masters. Under the tutelage of the last surviving Master, Alissa discovered that she had inherited her father's magical ability. But the Hold is ruled by Bailic, the renegade Keeper who seized the First Truth, a book of magic he will use to harness the might of the city of the dead and wreak a war of total devastation. The book has thwarted Bailic's every attempt to access it, while it continually calls to Alissa--who must summon all her will to resist it. For if she gives in to the First Truth' s ultimate power and knowledge, she will be utterly changed--and the man she loves could be lost to her forever.

Hidden Truth is the second book in the Truth Series by Dawn Cook AKA Kim Harrison. This will be a short review since I don't want to spoil this series for anyone who has not read the series. Great characters and story make this a fantasy series worth reading. The second book has a little more romance than the first. Ready to start book #3 of this enjoyable fantasy series.  If you like clean fantasy give this series a try, I'm sure liking it.

This would be a 5 Star book but there are a few places where the story lags a little.



Content: Clean

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Source: Audio Download from Audible.com

Giveaway Winner: The Long Weekend

Congratulations to the Winner of
The Long Weekend



The winner was selected using Random.org
Diana G.

Winner has been notified and will receive her book from the author. Thanks to all who entered.

Got Great Giveaways 2/24

Got Great Giveaways is a weekly feature hosted here on I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

I love book giveaways.  I'm often asked how I'm so "lucky" and win so many of them.  There is really no luck involved.  It's just a numbers game.  Enter enough giveaways and you are going to win them.  Just be sure to follow the giveaway entry rules so you have a valid entry and don't get disqualified.  If it says leave a comment with a way to contact you be sure to leave your email, etc.

To win a giveaway you've got to be able to find it and enter it.  Since my to be read pile is out of control I'm no longer entering many giveaways but I want you to be able to find them.  Below is a list of the best sites I use to find book giveaways.

I'll run this post every week so you'll know which sites to check and have a place to link up your giveaways.




If you have a site that regularly runs a book giveaway linky or weekly book giveaways post and would like to be added to this list please email me at toobusyreading at gmail dot com.

Sites that have Book Giveaway Linkys or Posts on a certain day each week:

Win on Wednesdays @ Not-Really-Southern Vamp Chic

Winning Wednesdays @ Chic Lit Central

Link a Contest Thursday @ Bookworming in the 21st Century

Book Giveaway Linky (Thursdays) @ Frugality is Free

What Are You Giving Away this Thursday @ Busy Moms Who Love to Read

Full to the Brim - Kids Book Giveaways (Fridays) @ Brimful Curiosities

Fish For a Free Book Friday @ Lori Calabrese

Saturday Situation @ Candace's Book Blog

Sites that Post Book Giveaways Daily:

Just Contest Stuff

West of Mars

LDS Author Events

Sweepstakes & Contests 

Book Blogs

Giveaway Scout

Winning Readings

Christian Book Giveaways

Free Kindle Books

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer's Got Great Giveaway Linky:
Please link directly to your giveaway post.

Don't forget to enter all my great giveaways here on this site. Giveaways are listed on the right sidebar ----->

You are welcome to grab the code for this linky and add it to your site, just be sure to mention it is for book related giveaways only so it doesn't get spammed with unrelated giveaways.
BOOK & BOOK RELATED GIVEAWAYS ONLY - others will be deleted.

Book Giveaway & Author Interview: The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

Welcome to Author Jana Oliver!
Bio:

I’ve always been a bit “outside the box” and when I started writing I didn’t deviate from that plan. Flaunting conventional wisdom, I self-published my first three books in an effort to learn how publishing actually works. I learned a lot, including such arcane skills as how to calculate a book’s spine size and typeset a manuscript.

After spending a couple years honing my skills, I sold my Time Rovers® Series to Dragon Moon Press in 2005. That series (SOJOURN, VIRTUAL EVIL and MADMAN’S DANCE) was nominated for fifteen awards and has won twelve to date. Which still amazes me. I’ve also sold short stories and non-fiction articles for various anthologies.

My ultimate goal was a contract with one of the major publishing houses and that came to fruition in April 2009 when I signed with St. Martin’s Press. The Demon Trappers Series, a Young Adult Urban Fantasy series set in Atlanta, will debut in January 2011 in the United Kingdom and February 2011 in the United States.

Though I’m an Iowan by birth, I live in Atlanta. I credit my crazy imagination for my success and honestly believe I have the best job in the world. And I love single malt scotch and expensive chocolate. Not a bad combination.

Interview:

If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
I’d go into the past and leave the future to its own devices. What era? I’d want to go to 1888 London and have a look around. I’d love to visit the Crystal Palace and see Jeckyll and Hyde at the Lyceum Theatre. And of course, read the newspapers during the Ripper murders.

One food you would never eat?
I’m leery of the “never” word, but let’s say that I am HIGHLY UNINCLINED to eat ants or scorpions and anything of the insect nature. Euuuu!

Pet Peeves?
Narrow-minded people. Just because someone is different than you doesn’t mean they’re not cool.

Skittles or M&M’s?
There is no question – M&M’s.

Please tell us in one sentence why we should read your book.
If you don’t, demons will steal your car keys. And your TV remote. Hey, I gave you fair warning. Being serious, I’d say you should read the book because it’s a new take on than the usual Y.A. demons/angels story.

What is your dream cast for your book?
Riley = Alexandra Daddario or Emma Roberts
Beck = Lex Shrapnel (a British actor but I’m sure he can do a South Georgia drawl)
Simon = Alex Pettyfer
Ori = Hugh Jackman (drool)

Is there a song you could list as a theme song for the book or any of your characters?
For Riley: “Breakaway” (Kelly Clarkson)
For Beck: “Copperhead Road” (Steve Earle)
For Simon: “Higher Love” (Steve Winwood)

One piece of advice for aspiring writers?
Writing is a wonderful profession and with it there are ups and down. Just be sure to enjoy the journey.

What is your favourite quote?
‎"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." -- E.L. Doctorow

How do you react to a bad interview?
In public, I hold my tongue. It is, after all, one reader’s opinion. In private, depending on how vicious the review, I grumble to my friends. And then I reread the review just in case there is a kernel of wisdom in there for a future book. If not, that’s the breaks.

If you were a bird, which one would you be?
An owl. Great eyesight, skilled hunter and awesome feathers.

What authors have influenced you the most?
I would like to be like these authors when I grow up:
Terry Pratchett – for his immensely imaginative mind.
Jim Butcher – I want to steal a portion of his brain so I can figure out how to write a long series and keep the stories fresh
Ilona Andrews – I adore this husband and wife team’s complex characters and their incredible world building.

Finish the sentence – one book I wish I had written is:
Hunger Games. It rocked.

In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
That’s a toughie. Jim Butcher would be so cool. Maybe Neil Gaiman. Though I’d probably never get any work done because I’d be entranced by his Scottish accent.

http://www.janaoliver.com/

The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver:

Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself – and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on…

Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps. The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get – even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers’ Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart – and her life?

Giveaway Details:
The Demon Trapper’s Daughter (signed and personalized)
Demon Trapper’s Guild Iron-on Patch
Demon Trapper Series Logo Decal
Open to US & Canada
Ends 3/23

Optional Extra Entries:
+1 Follow Jana's Blog: www.janaoliver.com/blog
+1 Like Jana on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanaOliver
+1 Follow Jana on Twitter: http://twitter.com/crazyauthorgirl