Good morning! yes it is true… Minnesota is buried in snow and as much as that irritates me to no end….. I refuse to let that get me down!
Today one of my favorite authors has a book released and today is going to be all about the book and the author.
If you have been doing a little blog hopping the last few days you may have seen the reviews start to pop up for Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen. I finished it over the weekend and let my just say if COFFEE CUP and I were book critics our vote would be two mocha lattes and a hand full of Kleenex up – yes…… it is that good.
So let the festivities begin! Here’s the layout – in a few hours my review of Skipping a Beat will be posted. A few hours after that please pop in again for my author chat with the wonderful Sarah Pekkanen.
Here’s a quick story about how I met Sarah Pekkanen: Last April I entered a contest on Twitter that Sarah was tweeting about in honor of book bloggers. She was giving away a trip to New York for BEA – airfare, food allowance, two nights hotel, tour of Simon and Schuster, and the Book Blogger convention to attend with her. I entered this much like I would sign up the freezer full of goodies they sometimes offer at your local grocery store and you just sign up because – why not?
Well…. I won.
SSSQQQUUUEEEEEE!!!! I know right? I couldn’t believe it! She sent me an email telling me I won this amazing package to BEA and I thought it had to be spam. I called her number which she put in the email and she laughed and said, “Wow, I sent that email like 3 minutes ago!”
I remember telling her that I was at work and I was trying really hard not to scream and jump up and down with excitement. 😀
Winning was great – but even better was meeting Sarah. She is incredibly down to earth and fun to chat with. I had read her book Opposite of Me and loved it. I could not wait to see what she came up with next.
So – because Sarah is so incredible and I want you to have a chance to know how incredible she is too – I am giving away a copy of her book Skipping A Beat. This giveaway is for today only and you will be entered for commenting on this post and/or on the other two posts that will go up today. If you comment on all three posts – that will be three entries (max of 3). I will announce the winner tomorrow morning in the meandering.
I hope if you have not read Sarah Pekkanen that you do try her. I adored both her books!
Tonight I have the bonus book club review and potluck around the book Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. The food people are bringing sounds good – and I am excited to see what the group thought of this unusual read. Have an awesome day everyone. 😀
Book Journey 
have heard awesome things about this book! and i well remember your post about when you had heard you won that contest……a dream come true!
Diana – it was a blast! 😀
I cannot wait to read Skipping a Beat! I loved The Opposite of Me. She is a fantastic writer. Kind of like a Sarah Dessen for adults! I will be checking back later today for your review. How awesome that you got to go to BEA and meet her last year!
Have a fantastic day.
Thanks Christina – enjoy your day too 🙂
With gushing like that how could I not be excited for Skipping a Beat!?! Looking forward to your other posts today.
YAY Bonnie! 😀
What a fun contest! Consider me entered, thank you
Absolutely Helen – I think anyone that reads this book would not be disappointed. 😀
Congrats on your win! I enter contests/giveaways all the time, not expecting to win, and then…
I would love to read this book b/c I enjoy books about relationships. Her OPPOSITE OF ME was already on my TBR mountain.
You must read Opposite Of Me to Mona, but I found this story line to really make me think.
Would love to win…many students in my class enjoy reading Sarah’s books! My daughter also loves her….
This is an awesome read Dawn! 😀
what a fun way to start a Tuesday!!Would love to read the book.
YAY Rhonda 🙂
Oh, would love to win, too, Sheila! This sounds like an awesome book.
It was so good Laurel!
This is absolutely so thrilling! Wow! I can’t believe you got to go on that trip last year — how amazing! XO
It was Rebecca! 😀
Well, after all that, I simply must read both of Sarah’s books!! Please enter me in the contest to win a copy. I’ll be by later today to read your review and author interview.
riverboat38@hotmail.com
Sweet – thanks Shirley 😀
Your enthusiasm is contagious, Sheila!
Thanks Hannah 😀
You bet!
Sounds like you had a fab start to the day and it seems it will only get better – i love days like this!
I have to say it is an awesome feeling to win something i remember winning £10 on the lotto but even that small win was so cool!
She sounds like an amazing author and i look forward to the review and author chat!
Have a great day 😀
Good day -so far 😀
I haven’t read her books would love to…it sounds great! And winning her contest would have been a dream for me too! Thanks for the chance, Ruthie
Sure Ruthie 😀
When you give a SSSQQQUUUEEEEEE!!!! to a new book, I know it’s a winner! Count me in! I am dying to read this author after reading your review of her new book!
Oh good Linda! I am excited for you to read her!
Hey Sheila, I don’t read many blogs but love yours……and yep will need to add to the Pile to Be Read!
YAY Kari – and thank you 😀
Awesome giveaway!
Thanks Karen 🙂
Skipping a Beat sounds like a great story. Can’t wait to read it.
Thanks Teri – I hope you enjoy it as much as I did 🙂
I am almost ashamed to say that I have not read Opposite of Me. This book has been recommended to me countless times, and it hasn’t made it off of the mile long TBR list. This post this morning was just a further reminder that these books need to move much further up the list. Every time I read the synopsis of the book I just know that this is one of those books, and authors, that I too will fall in love with! I hope you enjoy your day!!
I think you will Sarah… take a day or two and give her a read 🙂
I would love to win this book too. It would be so difficult to confront pain and secrets while starting to experience Alzheimer’s disease. I will have a box of kleenex handy.
Thank you for this contest.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
Sure Carol – the kleenex is a fantastic idea 😀
I saw your comments on another blog and hopped over to check your site out. I’ve never read this author and would love to be entered for her book. Great site, by the way . . .
Thank you Renee – for popping over and for the compliment. 😀 We have fun around here.
😛
I remember when you wrote about getting the package for going to BEA. Wasn’t that great? And didn’t you meet Adriana Trigiani as well? You are just SO lucky!
I did meet Adrianna and it was fantastic – actually – the whole trip was amazing… I could not have asked for it to be better 😀
I would love to win/read this book, you have made it sound so good!!
Dollycas
Lori it is easy to make this sounds so good – because it is 😀
Wonderful post and giveaway. Thanks.
Sure Anne. 🙂
Your review was great and this book would be a treasure.
I hope you get a chance to read it Pearl 🙂
Oh, I r’ber how excited you were last year during and after the BEA !!! I would love to win this book after your awesome review…
readingbetweenpages@yahoo.com
Thanks Kavyen 😀
Sheila this book sounds really good. Loved the story about how you met Sarah. I remember reading about your win last year.
please enter me in this fivewaway if its open to Canadians
Absolutely Cindy 😀
Oh wow, what an amazing experience that must have been – and so sweet of Sarah to arrange that contest. It’s always wonderful to hear about authors who are genuinely kind and sincerely dedicated to their readers! 🙂
I think so too Shari 🙂
Sarah is awesome! I loved The Opposite of Me and have been waiting patiently for the release of Skipping a Beat. Well, I don’t have to wait any longer because when I returned from work this afternoon there was a big, brown Amazon box on my porch with Skipping a Beat and a few others!!! Woot-Woot! I can’t wait to start reading it!
SQQQUUUUUEEEEEEE for you Jill! Snuggle up ad read that book 😀
I haven’t read either one of her books but can’t wait to give her a try
I hope you enjoy them Krystal 🙂
Thanks for sharing this contest with all your readers, Sheila. I’m crossing my fingers!
I am excited to share this book with others 🙂
Sarah Pekkanan sounds like an amazing person. I want to read her book just because she sounds like a great person. I love this personal story behind the interview/book review.
Thanks Amy – I hope you do give her a try 🙂
I didn’t realize this was the author you had won the trip from. Sooo cool!