So what is happening at the DeChantal household this morning?
Packing. Working out. Laundry. Cooking. Cleaning. Call to Grandpa. And maybe a bit of mowing too if the weather holds out for me. 🙂
I leave tonight at 5 pm for Minneapolis where I will meet up with Reagan from Miss Remmers Reviews. We are staying overnight there to catch our 6 am flight to New York. I may need to pause a moment to read that last sentence….
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Wow. Three books are making the journey with me. Yes, that is conservative of me. 😉
Annie Freeman’s Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish. This is our book club read for June and it sounds like the perfect plane/hotel read. (click on picture if you want to read more about the book)
The Threadbare Heart by Jennie Nash arrived in the mail yesterday. I have heard good things about this one! (If you want to know more about the book click on the picture)
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen. I won this authors NYC package giveaway and while I have seen the book around I have not read it yet. As I am meeting Sarah in New York, I want to have read this. I think it looks like a story line I really will enjoy!(Click on pic for more details on this book)
So that’s what is in my carry on. I still am prepping reviews and a tour for next week that will continue to go on as planned. I will also have Lap Top with me so I hope to give you morning updates of what is happening at BEA.
What are your weekend plans and what book is going with you?
I am embarrassingly behind on drawing winners for the giveaways I have going. There doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. All week long my goal was to post winners to the giveaways so I could be current going into BEA, and night after night I drop exhausted into a chair around 9 pm and think, well…too late to do it tonight.
Well… tonight, I am home from running early, just spoke to hubby and he will not be home until around 8 pm…. and it is time…. to post the giveaways and winners 🙂
Note: As the names are announced I have emailed these winners. They in turn, must email me their shipping information so I may pass it on to the publishers who in most cases, mail you the books. I have to wait until all winners have responded before I can email the info to the publishers so please respond in a timely manner. If I have not heard from a winner within72 hours I will choose another winner.
All winners are drawn by using Random.org
“Ready? Ok!!! We’ve got winners yes we do – we’ve got winners so woo hoo hoo!”
I have three winners for Scott Turow’s book: Presumed Innocent:
Gram
Elisha
JHS
I have three audio books of Vampire Hunter (Audio) to give to:
Cathie (oh and for the record, you were really mean to win Cathie because the random selection chose tou three times in a row!)
Library Pat
Terri Dell
Three of The Art of Choosing (Audio):
Jodi
Mad Woman Doing Cartwheels
Felicia
Three of Green Like God:
Kadybug
Maid Marawyn
Library Pat
Three of Eat The Cookies, Buy The Shoes by Joyce Meyer:
Julie H
Beth C
Jill
Three copies of The Cradle:
Marilu
Mad Woman Doing Cartwheels
Terri Dell
Three of The Slip Of The Knife:
Sheila
Ellie
Margaret
Three of This One Is Mine:
Reagan
Penny
Colleen Turner
Three of God Never Blinks:
Karen K
Ruth
Julie H
Three of Admission:
Patty
Cindi
Karin
One copy of Here Burns My Candle:
Wendy
Thats all the giveaways and woo hoo I am now current!!! Please watch the Giveaway link for current giveways always happening here 🙂
Oh wow – I can’t wait to share some news with you! Go refill your coffee cups this may take a couple of minutes to get out of my between the “Squeee’s” and the cartwheels…. and possible another squeee….
Ok. Ready? Let me set the scene for you….
I am in my office yesterday afternoon. We are doing a total office inventory so by mid afternoon my eyes are bugging out of my head. I click on my personal G Mail link to see if anything new and exciting is going on in the world and I see this email titled: You Are Going TO NYC For Free!!!
I figured it was some sort of scam advertising but clicked to open the email anyway. (Oh come on, you would have opened it too!) Turns out it is from author Sarah Pekkanen (Opposite Of Me) and I won her blogger giveaway for NYC! I still can’t believe it so I find her website, and start reading the details. I remember signing up for this much like if you are at a grocery store and they are doing a giveaway for a freezer full of food… you don’t think you will win, but you fill out the form anyway.
So by now (and remember I am still in my office), I am trying not to scream, I read through her email again and she asks me to either email her back or to call her for details. I start the email – telling her I am so excited, then decide I want to call her too, think I send the email but forget to hit send and dial….
She answers.
I tell her who I am and we have this wonderful conversation where I am excited and bouncing and I think she may be too. She tells me how they used random.org (I LOVE Random.Org!!!) and explains the package to me. Since I have paid for most of what she is offering already, all I had to do was email her my flight info and hotel and she is going to give me a check to reimburse me.
I can’t even tell you how high I am flying off the ground right now! The last couple of days I have been trying to plan how to do BEA and not spend a lot of money. I was making little deals with myself like “well, if I take from savings I can put it back in with next months check….” and then knowing full well that wont happen as youngest son is getting an apartment when he goes back to college in the fall and he and I are going to look next month to start to furnish that apartment and I want to help where I can..
This is such a gift!
Be sure to look at Sarah’s website – it gives a lot of details of what the package consists of.
So bouncy girl, I mean I, am working out this morning, using a spa gift card this afternoon that my hubby gave me for Christmas for a manicure and pedicure – (I usually do not bother with a manicure because I am always doing stuff that would ruin it, but decided to use the Gift Card for BEA).
I have books to mail today. Contests to end that I have been trying to get to all week. Start to pack. Date night with hubby. And – in a few hours I have a post where I want to introduce you to a blogger that if you have not already met, you should.
Have a super fantastic day! If you are going to BEA I would love to meet you so connect with me on Twitter (bookjourney) or email me at journeythroughbooks@gmail.com.
Oh I can just tell it is going to be a BE-A- UTIFUL day today. The sun is already shining this early and I cant wait to be in it!
I have touched base with all BEA roommates and I am getting seriously excited. (Here is a little background music while you read this post).
Ok… LOL. I had to do that.
I biked yesterday 18 miles instead of rollerblading. Wendy has strep throat so had to cancel on me. Thats ok, I havent had the bike out for a while now and it felt good to do the ride on a sunny day. The big 150 mile is in June and I am seriously praying on nice weather for that two day ride!
I have so many reviews to write and such a busy schedule. My plan was to be all caught up before I left for BEA and I hope I can still do that. Books are read, I just got behind on the reviews.
On another bookish note I am ready for a new audio book on my IPOD. I received my monthly credit from Audible yesterday and I have chosen The Eyes Of Darkness by Dean Koontz. I loved Koontz in my early 20’s and read everything he had written. I havent read him now for a while and I am excited about this new one!
I also think I am going to pick up Kiss by Ted Dekker. Audible is having a 48 hour sale and this one is one of the sale audio that I would like to have.
We will talk more about audio one of these days! I know many of you do not listen to them but I love them and I want to do a pro con post…. when I have time. (Insert smile here).
Have an awesome day – as I type I am already late for the gym and I will have to catch up with Jennifer.
Good morning everyone 😀 I am back from my group power class this morning. It was what I hope to be a strategic plan – get the class that I normally take on Wednesdays at 4:15 (after work) in the afternoon and instead do the 5:45 am (pre-work) class. The plan being that now the afternoon is freed up and I can rollerblade with my friend Wendy this afternoon. These gorgeous days in Minnesota you just don’t want to be stuck in a building on.
Now back from class I have a few moments to type out this post over my morning oatmeal and of course COFFEE. Feel free to grab a cup and join me. I will wait. 🙂
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Ok! Now that we are properly caffeinated lets see whats got me going today. BEA – yes…. heading to Minneapolis Saturday evening to catch my early Sunday plane. A little anxious, but a lot excited. 😀
Biggest Loser. Do you watch this? I am so addicted to this show and I am so Team Daris. (he is the one left from the orange team. Watching what this group goes through…. wow. And daris had me from the first time he stepped on that scale in episode one.
Makeover week was a couple weeks back and it is one of my favorites!
Ok obviously I am rambling this morning and pushing my luck on getting to work on time. GAH! Have a super fab day and check in later for the review of Forbidden Fruit – Banned Books.
Warning: This review is about the Columbine School Massacre. This is not a fiction story. It is a sensitive subject matter and this book has touched me deeply.
Columbine. It is one word that brings forth 1,000 memories. Do you remember it? Do you remember where you were when you first heard? The Columbine shooting is one of those things you remember – much like when there was an assassination attempt on a president, or Princess Diana’s death. This is an event that will stay with us forever.
On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dlyan Klebold, students of Columbine High school, came to school like any other day. Except, this wasn’t any other day. Dressed in black trench coats, carrying sawed of shotguns and carrying bombs, they had a plan. The plan was to take out as many students as possible, the bombs were suppose to take out entire floors of the school and by doing so eliminate most of the student body. When this horrible event concluded, 12 students were left dead, one teacher, and 24 other students were injured.
Dave Cullen’s book takes us as the reader behind the scenes. We learn about the two boys, Dylan and Eric. Their lives, their friendships, their families, and the planning of the event long before it took place, the signs – on-line, in journals, in their rooms, on their computers… all missed.
And…
my heart ached as I read this book. I wept several times during this read. At times I was angry, and I hurt for the families, the students, and the parents of Dylan and Eric. There are parts of this book where tears streamed down my face. I can only imagine…
It’s hard to describe this book. There are no spoilers to reveal… we all know what happened. The right words…. escape me. I think I can say that I appreciated this read. Knowing more about what happened that day was and is, of interest to me . I am thankful that I read this. My heart breaks again for each and every victim and their families. Dave Cullen writes with a compassionate pen and this is a book that will stay with me for a long time.
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.
Congratulations! Please choose an item out of the PRIZE BOX (new items added!) and email me your choice with your mailing address as well! journeythroughbooks@gmail.com
**All books that are due to people were mailed this morning. Sorry about the delay on my end. 😀
Due to a crazy fun and busy traveling day with a group of friends on Saturday I did not get a chance to post my Mailbox goodies on Sunday like I normally do (thank you to Kristi at Story Siren for hosting this!) So I am going to pop it up here in this short and cheesy video:
I can not even believe we are less than a week out from when I go to New York. I am nervous, anxious, and so excited. I have never done anything like this before so this is a major leap for me. I am beyond excited to meet so many of my fellow bloggers, the wonderful publishers I have emailed with, and of course the authors!
I still have reviews to catch up on as well as giveaway winners to announce and I am hopeful to get all of this done so I can leave for New York with no worries of things to come. 🙂
I will be taking my laptop with me and will be doing daily updates of the BEA experience and this blog will continue as usual including this meme so know that I will still be here chatting up books with you – even though I will be posting from New York. (Did I just say that? Squee!)
What is Brewing this week
Clean up of several ongoing reads….
Columbine by Dave Cullen- finished need to write review
Kite Runner audio – last two cd’s!
Forbidden Fruit by Pearce Carefoote – done and need to write review
Guest House by Barbara Richardson – 3/4 of the way through
At Witt’s End by Beth Solheim – done and need to write review
Boneman’s Daughter by Ted Dekker – 1/2 completed
Nyphron Rising by Michael Sullivan – not as far as I had hoped but this one is my focus this week
So that is my week…. cant wait to see what you are reading so be sure to use the linky below and stop back with a comment here of how many Monday What Are You Reading posts you commented on to be entered in next weeks drawing! 😀
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Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…
I have a few contests that I need to wrap up in the next 48 hours here and this is one of them. The Threadbare Heart Contest was one that really interested me as I lost my own mother to a car accident in 1996. She was an incredible strong woman and I will forever have a piece of me missing with that loss. Mother daughter relationships are a wonderful thing and those who have them – cherish them.
I had a hard time choosing a winner as the entries that were sent to me were all so wonderful. However, I had committed to the contest and to the requirement of choosing a winning entry, and this one really warmed my heart:
I really loved the book “When I Married My Mother” by Jo Maeder!
I could really relate to this book, as my mother is elderly and dealing with many health issues.
I myself am confined to a wheelchair and have been for many years. My mother helped me through a great deal of tough times and now it is my turn to help her.
She needs a heart transplant, but due to her age, she does not qualify for the transplant list. She is also dealing with numerous other health issues including congestive heart failure, lung problems, arthritis and many more.
Some people say that it looks odd for a person in a wheelchair to be helping another person in a wheelchair, but I guess they will have to say whatever they want. We will continue to help each other, as long as we both have the breathe and strength to do so.
Thank you to J.L. Lacey for sharing this with me and my readers.You are the winner of the signed copy of The Threadbare Heart by Jennie Nash. I am emailing you for your shipping information.
Happy Sunday everyone. True – I do not normally post a Morning Meandering on Sunday morning due to my participation in “In My Mailbox”, but I spent all day yesterday traveling and hanging out with friends and honestly…
last night…
I came home…
and was so tired I fell asleep on the couch.
I had good intentions of putting together my mailbox post, but think I will just add it to tomorrows It’s Monday, What Are You Reading.
Today will be a catch up day. I need to hang out with our Kinship Partner Chance at some point, work out, prep packages to be mailed, start packing for New York, finish laundry…. and tonight is the Season Finale of Survivor.
Has anyone seen any preview for the new movie with Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruiz. I ran across this clip this morning and it cracked me up. As i book out the door I am going to share it with you.
Yup – off and running again today so couldn’t even finish the word morning! 😀 I have a group of friends that I used to work with “back in the day” when I worked for Wal-Mart. I left that job in the fall of 2005 when our business was really taking off, but still hung on to this group of close friends I had made during my 14 (yes that’s right) 14 years there.
We try to get together once a month and we are each responsible for different months. It can be what ever the person chosing wants to do and we have done small things like:
getting together for lunch
dinner and a movie
out dancing
campfires
board game night
spa events
shopping
To larger events:
murder mystery parties
exploring Minnesota
weekend cabin retreats
festivals
cooking and self-defense classes
Wisconsin Dells weekend
Etc…
Today we are meeting at my house at 7 am and road tripping. I think we are going to Cambridge for the day for hanging out, some shopping, for sure some eating, and who knows. As tired as I am of running – it is always a good time to get together with the girls.
The Girls weekend Fall of 2009: (left to right) Sara, Heidi, Me, and Cindy
On a bookish note – if any of you are going to BEA and want to connect that would be sooooo cool! Email me at journeythroughbooks@gmail.com and let me know! 😀
