I have been wanting to write this post for a while now. I am curious if you have a book in your collection that has special meaning to you… it may be your favorite book in the world…. or it may (like in my case) be one you have never even read. It could be one a parent or adult read to you as a child that still holds fond memories or one handed down for generations. Really… it could be anything.
My most treasured book, the one I keep in a protective box, belonged to my dad. My dad died in a house fire along with my sister in 1980. This book was found in the ashes… while the cover is damaged, the pages are remarkably clean. The book is one he was given in 1966 when he was in Vietnam. It is a Viet-Anh Vietnamese to English dictionary.
I have very few items of my dads… pretty much everything was destroyed, so this is a treasure. Later this week would have been his birthday and I like to take this out of the box and touch it knowing that a long time ago, his strong hands held this book too.
I would love to hear about your book treasures…. feel free to comment here and if you do decide to write a post about yours, let me know and I will link it here.
And I am OFF and READING! I am up and ready to READ READ READ today! If you are scratching your head saying Read-A-Thon… what read-A-Thon… you can check it out on the Dewey Read A Thon site. My book list is not impressive or well thought out as I just didn’t plan for any thing really and plan to use the old “grab as I go” technique. Seriously – I am not lacking for any reading materials here…
First here’s a bit about me:
1)I am reading from Central Minnesota
2)Three random facts about me are – I just took up kick boxing this week (OW!), I have been to Honduras 8 times to work with kids who live on the street, and I have a once in-house office that now serves as my library (and thank goodness as the option would be to have books EVERYWHERE… er, which I kind of do anyway.
3)I have plans to read 5 or 6 books throughout the read-a-thon (see book list below)
4)I have no real goals other than to commit to reading instead of seeing something shiny and getting distracted… oh and to have fun. Fun is a good thing 😛
5)This is my 4th read-a-thon…. my advice to newcomers is just have fun…. (oh, I said that already?) Well…. that’s how important it is… tackle the books that you want too…. read at least one guilty pleasure book – that book on your shelf that you want to read sooooooo bad and just never seem to get to it. Oh, you know the one. Shoot…. so do I… now I need to change my list! “Doh!”
Midnight Book Girls Mini Challenge was to create a sentence using books only. FANTASTIC! Here is what I got:
Thirteen Reasons Why The Outside Boy Sold The Dress Lodger. (LOL)
I had to try Hungry Readers Challenge which was to recreate a book cover for a book I am currently reading for the readathon…. so here goes…
and the actual cover….
LOL – that was AWESOME! And yes I used my ET from Disney World for the cover pick….LOL
In Hour 7 here is Hannah’s (Word Lilly) Challenge where we were asked to try origami:
This.... is a frog. Yes.. feel free to laugh 😛
A total epic fail on my part, but decided to post it anyway… at least for a smile 😀
Ok entering Mini Challenge for hour Four: Book Puzzle – we are asked to create a puzzle using book titles…. so FUN!!! 😛
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
I do have a few in the planning and I will let you in on them here:
I eat Hate Lists for breakfast! Oh… well, uhhh… in this case I do. I am kicking off on this book that I was able to read a few pages last night and I am moving forward on as soon as this post is up.
Dreamland is my “I need an eye break” audio all set up in the kitchen ready to play if I stop for substance….
Berg of course is on the agenda… what would a read-a-thon be if I had not included Berg in the mix…. that’s like having a party without chips…… UNHEARD OF!
Partially read and then set down for I don’t know why…. I need to complete this book. I think the read-a-thon is a good time to finish the books I have not but have meant too.
Another one I have started and not finished yet…. today (HOPEFULLY) could be the day I complete it.
Hmmm….. I guess I do kind of have a plan then. Well – Excellent! Also, I am reading for a cause – my post of where my pages are being donated to is here. 😀
I will post updates on this post throughout the day.
Off I go to read and hope to see you all back here for the mini challenge later today!
Spring is finally here in Minnesota and I can not be more THRILLED! Today I took my bike out for the first time in 2011! I am a big bike rider and do quite a few rides throughout the season for fun or for charity. The one I want to talk to you about today is one that holds a special place in my heart.
Camp Benedict is a yearly camp for those affected and/or infected by AIDS. My friend Connie who works hard to make this camp happen each year is a 30 year AIDS survivor. Connie was infected by AIDS in 1981 when she received an emergency blood transfusion for a hysterectomy. Connie is an amazing women who works with many others to make this camp a success each year providing support and education to those who have been touched by the AIDS virus.
On April 9th 2011 is the April Read-A-Thon. As timing would have it, it is also the day that Connie is having her silent auction at the Brainerd Arboretum from 1- 4 pm to raise money for this years camp. I am going to help support this cause from home by reading for the camp.
I plan to personally contribute $1 for every ten minutes I read or every ten minutes I listen to audio. You can help support me in this cause if you wish by pledging in the comments a per page or in audio per minute) contribution or by using this link to make a one time pledge for the bike ride I will participate in this fall that all the money I raise goes directly to the camp. The read a thon is for a 24 hour period on April 9th 2011.
Wow…. March is here and gone…. seriously? As awful as March weather has been in Minnesota this year, (in fact it is dreary and snowing right now…. GRRRR), it did go fast. Thanks goodness I guess.
However – I feel my reading took a dive this month from my previous awesome reading in January and February… here is what I read in March:
Two unknown (Clementine – friend Of The Week!) (Listen by Rene Gutteridge)
Saudi Arabia
Australia
Singapore
Europe
Jerusalem
Ethiopia
United Kingdom
As for my monthly Comment Winner – that goes to Hannah at Word Lily – WOO HOO Hannah! 😀 and my random comment winner goes to Cheryl Mahoney of Tales Of The Marvelous
Hannah wins the $20 Amazon gift Card and Cheryl gets to choose from my Reading Cafe for a book that I will send her. 🙂
If you would like to link up your WHERE Are You Reading Map posts for a March update I would love to come and see where you are all at on your maps. Please connect with the linky below.
It’s April 1…. a new comment month has not officially started 😀
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It can not be too early to start talking about BEA.. certainly we are about 8 weeks out (or is it 7) and I am already counting down the days! 😀
Last year I did something that was new to me and I can not wait to share it with you! I too a flight from Minnesota to New York to attend BEA. Now if you are anything like me, a little introverted… but really want to experience BEA – I want to share with you how I did it, and what I learned so if you are planning to attend this year (and SSSQQQQUUUEEEEEEE for you if you are!) I am hopeful that my experience can help you plan for an exciting trip.
First off let me just say if you are at all considering doing BEA but not sure…. and what if… and….. STOP IT. Stop it now and go – RUN I TELL YOU, and get signed up. Seriously…. BEA is about one of the best things I ever did for myself and I will rave about it forever. 😀
So here is how it went down for me last year.
So… I was fairly new to blogging…. heard the low rumbles about something called BEA and as I watched on Twitter I learned that BEA stood for Book Expo America and it was a big huge book event in New York that many book bloggers were planning to attend. Honestly, I had never heard of such a thing before. An event that was all books…. major books…. oh and those people I have come to chat with frequently on-line… yeah, they would be there. I could actually meet them in person.
*gulp*
SO right there I am interested… but nervously so…. I have flown many places before with my family…. but never alone. This was so unlike me to decide to jump on a plane and go to New York – a place I had never been… never thought about going to…. and seriously here came the questions…
Who would I know?
Where would I stay?
How would I get places?
How expensive would this be?
Was I crazy? 😯
But I really really wanted to go…. so…. first off I connected with someone I felt safe with. I had never met Reagan from Miss Remmer’s reviews but we had chatted through comments on our blogs and on Twitter. I knew she was from Minnesota (SAFE!) and was a teacher (SAFE!). Through emails we both decided we were going to do this and do it together.
As we looked at prices we discovered that New York hotels were not cheep…. so we decided to look for roommates. But who? We went on Twitter…. we posted on our blogs…. and people responded…. within a few weeks we had roommates and they had all sent me their share of the hotel room which I had secured.
All women who I had never met…. but we emailed each other… I peaked at their blog posts…. found them to be just like me… and we had a plan.
So – here is my advice:
Read up on anything you can on BEA – I read the BEA website forwards and backwards…. a group of wonderful bloggers all got together and did a post a day about BEA and their experiences and advice and I literally took notes…
the best advice I picked up from them and used was:
1. Bring a large book bag to put your books in (seriously I can not emphasize this enough). You will get book bags there, but if you have a large comfy bag that you can toss in a little coin purse, a bottle of water or two and fruit or a granola bar you are set! Do not plan on carrying a desperate purse – many areas of the Javits are crowded and extra baggage will be something you will regret.
2. Dress comfy but nice…. you will be meeting authors and publishers and you are representing your blog. It’s a hobby, but at BEA it is also like your business….Oh and wear comfy shoes – you will walk A LOT.
3. There is food in the Javits Center but it is pricey… I ate the continental breakfast at our hotel and grabbed an extra piece of fruit/yogurt when I left… have a few snacky items to tie you over.
4. Friends told my New York was super expensive to eat there and I was worried but honestly, I found it not to be bad… very similar to Minnesota. Yes, I am sure you can find expensive places but even when we ate out at a couple nice places it was about 14 – $20 for a dinner, and on the low-end – we ate at an awesome Thai restaurant (what was it called Esme – Yum Yum?) it was about $12 and three courses that was DELICIOUS! I can not wait to eat there again.
5. Our hotel was a few blocks off from Times Square (SSSSSQQQUUUEEEE!!!!) and about 6 blocks from the Javits Center. We walked everywhere and only used a cab a couple of times when it was dark to get back to our hotel. we booked our hotel this year in the same area.
6. ***DO NOT book a lot of things before you arrive. Yes it is New York… yes there is much to see and do…. but this advice was priceless. People asked me to book shows and events with them prior to BEA and I said no…. I am so glad I did. Every night we were invited to have dinner with authors, with fellow bloggers, one night there was a book blogger party… all of this I would have missed had I filled my evenings with shows. Instead, when I booked my stay, I booked it one day longer than BEA so that last day I could explore New York and do a show…. Esme from Chocolates and Croissants did this with me… we seen The King Tut Exhibit and went to Mama Mia…. it was awesome. 😀
5. Plan your book mailings wisely. Even though I had heard that at BEA you would be given books… I really had no idea. None. As soon as the doors opened that first day I was pushed with the crowd into the main area and into a table where a book was thrust into my hands. Seriously. I will never forget it… that book was I Am Number Four and I had never heard of it.
When my book bag became full I found Fed Ex on the main floor, boxed up the books and waited in line to mail the box to myself at home. That first standard size box cost me around $30. Later that day I discovered UPS downstairs which was a better set up. There they had long tables and you could grab a box and write your name all over it and leave it down there. Then you could make frequent trips to your box and fill it as the day went on. When that box was full I taped it up and waited in line to mail it to me… around $40. A bigger box, not bad but still… I could spend a lot at this rate.
Then I discovered the post office was about 8 blocks from the Javits Center. Now this is a commitment as I hauled three book bags to the post office – however when I boxed up that large box (and I put everything in it, books, t-shirts, pins, pens, swag of all kinds) it was $18 to send the box to me media mail. BINGO. This is the way to go. 😀 I also noticed some wise people brought to the center pull behind suitcases that they filled and then wheeled to their hotels or post office… not a bad idea either.
7. Absolutely invest in business cards. I bought a box of 500 through Vista Print last year… I probably still have about 200 left but I gave out a lot of them to fellow bloggers, publishers, etc… I paid around $19 for the cards and was very happy with them.
8. My final advice… you can sleep when you get home. 😛 Keep your ears open, be friendly, meet people and go to where the action is. I was tired…. but every night I had plans and that is part of the experience.
Me and two of my roomies: (R) Kim from Sophisticated Dorkiness, me, and Care from Care's On Line Book Club
I found book bloggers to be exactly who I felt they were by reading their blogs. I did not meet one person who did not seem genuine. We all chatted like we were old friends and I loved how we could recognize each other by our blogs…. I can not even put into words what an amazing experience this was. I knew right away I wanted to go again this year and any other year if possible…
I am attending again with Reagan (Miss Remmer’s Reviews). The only thing we are planning differently is that this year we are just doing us two in the room. Our hotel room was extremely small last year (I never seen anything like that)… New York values space and every building is TALL – not wide. Same goes for the rooms. Our beds last year to my surprise, were full size…close quarters for a room full of girls I had never met before. 🙂 And the shower/bathroom time was interesting to get us all in and out. It was good none of us spent a lot of time in the room. This year it costs us more, but worth the space.
If you are planning to go – please let me know, I would love to meet you in person! I will be taking my laptop and I will be on Twitter throughout the event (#bookjourney).
I really loved this movie and I don’t know if it is because all winter long it felt like I was starving for a good movie at the theater and none were to be found, or if it was – as I believe…. that awesome.
For whatever reason… I have one of the songs stuck in my heard from the movie. Whats funny is it took me three days to find it….
In the movie they do not play the whole song – only the upbeat “Ba dah dah dah dah”…. hummed it, sang it, danced to it, Googled it
could not find the title of the song….
GAH.
Then yesterday – determined…. I searched and had to listen to each song in the movie to get it. And found it. I wasn’t a big fan of the whole song… but it is growing on me and now has entered my IPOD nano (Podette) to be used when I work out.
Funny how that happens…
Don’t laugh. It’s stuck… stuck in my head.
Have an awesome day – when I have time… I plan on reviewing the movie. 😀
I am working on putting together a group of bloggers in the area that would be interested in being notified when there are opportunities to connect as a group. Last year a group of us went to the Twin Cities Book festival and really had a great time. It was a lot of fun meeting fellow book bloggers and hanging out together.
Below you will find a form to fill out to let me know if you are interested in being notified when such book group opportunities come up. Some ideas for get togethers may be:
Book Festivals
Summer Meet Up
A Fall Book Blogger retreat Weekend
As part of the group you would be welcome to submit suggestions if you hear of anything coming up that may be of interest to the book bloggers in the area.
Lizzie, Reenie, Sweet, and Mawu are four slave women who meet when their owners vacation at the same resort in Ohio. Each of these women have a story and each of these women are mistresses to their master… in some cases willingly. While at this resort they see the first time free blacks and Mawu leads the group as she talks about escape and freedom.
Reenie and Sweet are on board with the dreams of running to their freedom but Lizzie feels she really loves her master Drayle, and she believes he loves her as well… after all they do have two children together.
In the end, as they spend their third and final summer together in Ohio, the women have a decision to make….
but will it be one of freedom?
This was a fascinating read. Initially when my book club chose this for our March read I was nervous that it may be like The Help. I loved The Help, but do not like it when books (or movies for that fact) build off what another pulls off successfully.
I did not have to worry – Wench is a book all in its own. I was able to learn much through the stories of the women, and enjoyed each of their takes on their lives and their worth – from mild-mannered Lizzie who felt she was the rightful wife of her master if not legally by heart then, to wild Mawu whose master is cruel and violent and Mawu feels she would rather die trying to escape than continue living in this manner.
I really felt uneducated going into this read as I knew that in some cases the masters of these black women would force them into sex … but I guess I did not realize it was so common. The complexity of the women’s relationships with their masters as well as in their friendships with each other made for a fascinating read. In the end I came to appreciate a lot more what these women went through in a time that no one stood up for them…. this book is a read of heartbreak and in a way – triumph as well.
Our book club had a wonderful discussion about this book. We discussed in great detail the different lives each of the four main women had with their masters and with their friendship as well. The discussion was quite detailed and I enjoyed how deep we dived into the subject of slavery and especially into the relationship of Drayle and Lizzie.
I love it when our group does the little extras and Angie (By Book Or By Crook) had taken the time to find and print out for us the use of the popular songs of slaves. Follow The Drinking Gourd – the video above, is one of those songs. It was interesting to hear the words, that were not written down as the songs contained codes of where they would meet when they escaped – and were used by Harriet Tubman when she helped slaves escape
.
The resort, Tawawa House, mentioned in the book, does exist and on Dolen Perkins-Valdez’ website you can read about the history of this resort. As the masters who took their slaves to the resorts and left their wives at home, this was truly a case of what happens in Tawawa House – stays in Tawawa House.
And of course, when the Bookies meet – we do like to go all foodie on the theme and the girls out did themselves with the delightful treats we had for this review. Grits, corn bread, stuffed potatoes, a stew, rice and beans with Louisiana hot sauce, sour dough bread, strawberry shortcake, chocolate cake, cinnamon applesauce, a Feta and Craisin spinach salad with poppy seed dressing…. Oh man….
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.
I love being a part of this and I hope you do too! As part of this weekly meme I love to encourage you all to go and visit the others participating in this meme. I offer a weekly contest for those who visit 10 or more of the Monday Meme participants and leave a comment. You receive one entry for every 10 comments, just come back here and tell me how many in the comment area.
Whew! What a week! I have been busy and well…. the usual. 😀 Pre posting and planning on the weekend does have its benefits 😉 Here is what this past week looked like:
All that – plus I finished another two books and two audios that I have yet to review. (Driving 3+ hours to the cabin each way this weekend really gave me a little audio time 😀 )
As for this week…. looking at my schedule I do not have a lot of evening meetings this week which helps me plan out my reading…. so here is what I will have on the plan:
The true story of Courtney Miles’ rescue of over 300 people in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. While government officials posed for cameras, a boy from the projects with no driver’s license stepped up and showed what “drive” is all about. LAST BUS OUT tells how Courtney Miles stole a bus, charged past a police roadblock, and argued with a National Guardsman who threatened to lock him in the makeshift jail at the Greyhound Bus Station. Sick with worry about his missing grandmother, he drove his passengers to safety, then went back into the city at midnight to help others. His adventure would ultimately lead to starting his life over on the opposite end of the country, far away from the three women he loves – the mother who abused him, the grandmother who taught him to survive, and the girlfriend who would betray him. LAST BUT OUT chronicles Courtney’s life alone while his mother was repeatedly jailed for selling drugs. At seven he woke up on Christmas Eve with a gun in his face. At thirteen he witnessed the murder of a man three feet in front of him. As a high school junior he lived alone in an empty house without electricity or water. Courted by gangs who knew he was hungry, “Streets”, as he was nicknamed for his solitary life on the streets, lived apart and kept his record clean – until the day he risked his freedom to save his neighbors.
A PUPPET IS CROWNED. THE TRUE HEIR REMAINS HIDDEN. A ROGUE’S SECRET COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.
War has come to Melengar. To save her kingdom, Princess Arista runs a desperate gamble when she defies her brother and hires Royce and Hadrian for a dangerous mission. As the power of the Nyphron Empire grows, so does Royce’s suspicion that the wizard Esrahaddon is using the thieves as pawns in his own game. To find the truth, he must unravel the secret of Hadrian’s past–what he discovers could change the future for all of Elan.
I received this series last year and totally dropped the ball on finishing it. The series is good and with this third book I plan on doing all three reviews together.
As the reader is guided through the author’s libraryAhis “Magic Kingdom”Avarious books, manuscripts and mementos become the stimulus for meditations about Christian faith and about the people who have touched his life. We read at length about the folly of writing a novel about Jesus; to do so, the ordained minister writes, “would be to cheapen and somehow dishonor the bond between us.” We see the author’s fatherAwho committed suicide at the age of 38Anot only as a distant figure, alcoholic and adulterous (“the empty place at [the] center” of Buechner’s childhood), but as a charismatic Princeton alumnus who once seemed so full of promise. The memoir’s penultimate chapter is a tribute to the author’s beloved brother, Jamie, who died as Buechner was finishing the bookAhe had called and said he had “incurable cancer of virtually everything and didn’t intend to be around for more than two weeks if he could possibly help it.” Such a momentAa pitch-perfect blend of tenderness and sardonic lyricismAtypifies the poetic intensity of the memoir. Also of note is the second chapter, about Buechner’s friend, the late poet James Merrill, who appears in the author’s dreams: “and it is always goodbye that we are saying again as if to make up for never having had the chance to say it properly.”
I have a couple audios I am starting as well but this post has been a real “opportunity”. First my lap top appears to have moved on to greener pastures. Using my husband’s lap top tp put this post together in Internet Explorer has turned out to be an evening of formating and missing pictures…. and well….. at this point I am just trying to get it posted. 😀
I am excited to see what you are reading so please remember to link up your “What Are You Reading” post below where it says “click here”. 😀
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This is an exciting chat for me today as this is the first time I have had the honor of interviewing an author – twice. Last year Sarah Pekkanen and I chatted about her book Opposite Of Me. I am beyond thrilled today to have her back to talk about her book that hit the shelves today: Skipping A Beat.
Sarah is one busy lady so I will not keep her waiting with a bunch of chit-chat… please welcome an incredible author, Sarah Pekkanen.
Sarah Pekkanen
First off…. wow! A second book was released today! I am so excited for you! What does that feel like?
Sarah: It feels amazing. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a young girl, and walking into bookstores and seeing my name on the cover of a book is an indescribable feeling. I just grin from ear to ear and lurk around, wondering if anyone will buy it when I’m there (yes, I’m a bookstore stalker)!
I just finished Skipping a Beat on Saturday evening and I was up until 1:00 am crying and feeling… wonderful if that makes sense. When you sent this book off to the publisher, what did that moment feel like for you? really I want to know… did you bawl like a baby too?
Sarah: Thank you! I’m so glad Skipping a Beat touched you this deeply. It’s what I was hoping for when I wrote it. I go through that same tumble of intense emotions when I write. And when I send off the final version of the book, it’s with a mixed sense of elation and sadness and reflectiveness. It’s bittersweet, really, because the process of writing a book can be so tough and intense, yet you miss it so deeply when it’s over.
Sarah I have now read both your books and found that you have a gift for creating characters that feel so real that I would know them if the were three-dimensional and walking down the street. Could you share with me how these characters come to be that you can write them so well?
Sarah: Wow, another amazing compliment – you are making my day! I tend to be a visual person, so I “see” my characters, if that makes sense. I can picture what they look like and their mannerisms. It’s one part of the process, at least, that comes easily for me.
The main character in Skipping A Beat, Julia and Michael, have extended family issues on both sides…. what was your reasoning for building this into the story line?
Sarah: I really wanted to show how our families shape who we become as adults, and how we can hold on to the good in that, while releasing the bad parts. I think we carry with us the lingering shadows of our families and our awareness of that can really help us make authentic choices that are good for us, rather than reflexive reactions to situations.
Often I hear about authors writing the story without knowing the outcome until it flows out of them later in the writing. Without giving anything away – when you started writing Skipping A Beat, did you know how it would end or did the ending come as you wrote?
Sarah: I did know the ending – some twists during the middle of the book surprised me, but I felt all along that it needed to end this way. I plotted out this book fairly loosely, with plenty of room for inspiration, but the broad outline of the book remained just as I’d originally planned it.
What are your hopes that readers take away from this book?
Sarah: It’s a simple message, but one I think we can never hear enough: Love is the most important thing in this world.
That is a great take away message. What is next for you?
Sarah: This will be a very happily busy week. Skipping a Beat comes out today, and I’m doing a signing tonight at my local Barnes & Noble. Then I’m heading to New York to meet with my publisher and do a book signing in the city! And while I’m at my publisher’s office, we’ll be talking about my third book, which I need to turn in by May 1. It’s the story of three very different women who become roommates in New York.
Oh! I can not wait for the third book it sounds wonderful! So, for purely selfish reasons I have to ask, will you be at BEA this May?
Sarah: Yes – and I so hope to see you there! I’m also hoping to go to the Book Blogger Convention because I’ve gotten to know quite a few book bloggers, like you, and it’s wonderful to meet up in person. You guys are great to hang out with!
You are too sweet! Since I interviewed you before and have already asked for a little known fact, my new question for you is – what fictional character(s) would you like to hang out with and why?
Sarah: It’s been a long few weeks – I’m getting over the flu and am a bit run down – so I’m up for a bit of fun. I think for a good girls’ night out, you can’t beat Bridget Jones!
Thanks so much Sarah for chatting it up with me and best wishes with the new book! I am still gushing about it!
Sarah: Thank you Sheila! It’s always good to talk to you and hope to see you again soon! xoxo
Readers: Please take time to check out Sarah at her website: sarahpekkanen.com
