I am a little late on drawing these winners and I apologize… unexpected life happenings this week put me a bit behind.
I am thrilled to announce winners to two great book giveaways!!!! Stand the Storm and The Moon Looked Down.
I loved the comments about what freedom means and the responses to who the person was in your life who really made a difference was wonderful as well.
I recently had a comment that has left me in thought…. a commenter said something to the effect that they did not have book friends in the “real world”.
Real world.
This is not about the comment, as the comment is great and I am in full agreement that there is a separation of sorts. It just got me thinking about the “real world.” If my home where I sit and tap tap tap away on my keyboard is the real world… then who are you that I tap tap tap to?
I have mentioned in recent postings that I am fairly new to all of this and I know I have a long ways to go and I actually love that I am still in the learning phase… and maybe I always will be.
Yet, I think – or maybe I hope – I have made genuine friendships in the blogging community. In the past two months that I have seriously book blogged, I have talked books with great bloggers who I know by name. Who in many cases I know by face. If I had a chance to meet them in person, I believe I could pick them out of a line up. And maybe that’s just the way I am wired…. I enjoy meeting people and I enjoy talking books…. face to face and computer to computer.
I have emailed back and forth with bloggers who have answered my questions, and in turn, thanks to those who have helped me…. I have been able to help others. Maybe I am not sitting in a cafe with a delicious mocha latte (uhh…no whip) in one hand and discussing the latest and greatest read with you across the table with the scent of coffee beans in the air…. but sometimes I feel that I am.
I am rambling. 🙂
The question I want to put out there is – what do you think? Are the book blogging relationships, relationships at all? Are they real to you? How would you describe this world?
This morning I was over at Vicki’s this morning reading her blog Reading At The Beach (a soothing blog that sometimes I just like to leave her page open so I can pretend I am at the beach – LOL). She is starting a new meme today that really makes you take a look at your bookshelf and well, I will let Vicki explain it:
I’ve decided to start a book meme called A-Z Wednesday
I hope you will join me and share what’s on your bookshelf.
Here’s how it will work:
Each Wednesday I’ll post the meme with that weeks letter (A-Z).
Grab the A-Z Wednesday button on my sidebar to add to your post, to link back here.
Go to your stack of books and find one whose title starts with that weeks letter.
Post
1~ a photo of the book
2~ title and synopsis
3~ link(amazon, barnes and noble etc.)
4~ Come back here and post your link in the comments
Be sure to visit other participants to see what book they have posted and leave them a comment.
(We all love comments, don’t we?)
Who knows? You may find your next “favorite” book.
So this morning I was going to go to my bookshelves and choose a book when I realized the book sitting right beside me works!
Erin and her twin brother, Bain, never expected to find that the cabin in the woods near their home is actually a secret entrance to a magical world. Surrounded by pegasi, dragons, and fairies, they discover new powers within themselves and a secret they have unknowingly been preparing for: they are training to become elves. Now they are faced with the decision to stay in this dream world or return home to the life they knew. A spellbinding tale of fantasy and fairy tale, Älvor draws you into an enchanting world of all things magical.
I have not read this yet but it is so close to the top and I am so excited! This gives off a mystical vibe that I am so looking forward to seeing what is underneath this delicious cover!
Pop on over to Reading At The Beach and check out her new meme A to Z. For those of you looking for a fun way to add a little something to your blog, this is a fairly easy one and as Vicki says, you may just find your next favorite book.” ; )
On a much lighter note… please notice my new sidebar link (upper left) on praying for Benny. I dont want to go into details here however if you want to know more click on the picture of Benny.
Two days in a row…. looks like we have sunshine! YEAH!!! Today I have office work in the morning until mid afternoon, payroll, mow the lawn hopefully and the Bookies meet tonight for book club.
I did a little traveling this morning with Coffee Cup. My find today brought me to a new and great blogger, Ryan at Wordsmithonia. Ryan has a book reviewed called Under This Broken Sky by Shandi Mitchell. The book sounds wonderful! I would love to tell you all about it, but instead I am going to encourage you to stop over and welcome Ryan and read this incredible review for yourself.
How is the BBAW voting coming along? I am still working on mine! 😉
It looks like we may have a sunny day here in Minnesota! I almost hate to type that for fear of the big “jinx, jinx, double jinx” (or maybe that’s just a grade school flashback). According to the computer it is suppose to be stormy. *SIGH*
ANYWAY…. I certainly do not want to talk about the weather. I was of course, cruising through the blogesphere this morning with Coffee Cup. Not at warp speed or anything as after all – it is Monday, but at a fair pace. I stopped in at The Book Lady’s Blog and found a book review on a book called How To Buy A Love of Reading by Tanya Egan Gibson. The review is WONDERFUL – the books sounds INCREDIBLE. I just love books about books.
Don’t take my word for it, go over and visit The Book Lady’s Blog and see it for yourself.
I think I have finally settled on a way to do my Sunday wrap up. I really like the way Story Siren does hers and as she offers this up for others to do too… I think I will. 🙂
This last week was a pretty good week for the mailbox… lets see what we got:
1. The first two books, Wally The Walking Fish and The Turkey Treat came from Walking Fish Books for review
2. Stray Affections by Charlene Ann Baumbich is a blog tour in September for Randomhouse
3. The Sign For Drowing by Rachel Sttolzman is my review copy. I have a current giveaway going from Rachel and she has sent me two signed copies of this book to give away. See the interview and giveaway here.
4. Receive Me Falling by Erika Robuck is a review copy from the publisher, Kelly & Hall Book Publishing – Historical Fiction – oh yeah!
5. Cost by Roxana Robinson came from the marketing Dept of Picador.
6. How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World by Jordan Christy is from Hachette Book Group and looks to be a great read!
7. Dancing With Anna by Nicole Barker came from the author. I have seen a couple reviews on this one.
8. The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman I won and for the life of me I can not remember from who. (If it is you, please let me know and I will correct it here) I really need to take better notes!
9. The two Pirate books I also won and these were from J Kaye’s Blog. Thank you J Kaye! 🙂
10. Last, but certainly not least… my friend Jennifer was in Ukraine last week on a Missions Trip (her first!) and she brought me back this lovely book: Prisoner of Tehran byMarina Nemat. She picked this book up in Amsterdam.
Week in Review: It was a busy weekend with relatives from California in town and then our Church Picnic Potluck was today and I help out with that. I have another busy week coming up as my teem for Honduras starts meeting this Monday, Tuesday is Book Club, and Friday I am going out of town with my good friends Heidi and Sara to a large flee market and will not return until Sunday!
Here are a few highlight posts from this last week:
My review with Donna Woolfolk Cross, author of Pope Joan
The Interview at Bookworming in the 21st Century
New Freebie Friday Giveaway for The Constant Princess
Word Verification – Balderdash (My Thursday Thing)
End of Grace Review, Interview and Giveaway
6 Months in… favorite book so far this year
Over the past week I have received several awards from my fellow book bloggers. I am hoping that I captured each of you, if I have not please let me know if I have forgotten someone… again, my record keeping needs improvement. 🙂
I am so thankful to each of these wonderful bloggers that sent these my way. As a fairly new blogger, I really appreciate you thinking of me. There are so many great book blogs out there I am just honored to be chosen.
Ok… The Zombie Chicken Award was given to me by Nan’s Corner of The Web. Nan is so sweet and this award truly cracks me up.
The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken – excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all…
Yup… still laughing. Great award and my first of its kind! Thank you Nan! 🙂
From True Crime Book Reviews (a great blog!) I received the Proximity Award…
Being a recipient of this award affirms that this blog invests and believes in the Proximity – nearness in space, time and relationships.
This blog receives this great award as a further way to re iterate that it is exceedingly charming, and aims to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!
This award is also new to me and I thank True Crime Book Reviews for thinking of me! 🙂
Ryan at Wordsmithonia sent this award my way as well as Chapter Chit Chat. This is so thoughtful as Ryan is a fairly new blogger (newer than me I think!) and just has jumped right in and has a fascinating blog happening!
“Blogs that receive the Let’s Be Friends Award are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.”
This Humane award came from Heidenkind’s Hideaway. Her blog has some amazing posts and great features. I love to just pop in and see what is new.
The Humane Award is to honor certain bloggers that I feel are kindhearted individuals. They regularly take part in my blog and always leave the sweetest comments. If it wasn’t for them, my site would just be an ordinary book review blog. Their blogs are also amazing and are tastefully done on a daily basis. I thank them and look forward to our growing friendships through the blog world.
The Heartfelt Award was given to me by Esme at Chocolate and Croissants. I think Esme’s blog was one of the first I had explored when I came on in June as Book Blogger. She has the most amazing recipes and pictures of food on her blog. Do not go over there hungry! 🙂
Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when you’re relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family & friends?
You know that feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea or a hot toddy?
That is what the Heartfelt award is all about: feeling warm inside! Probably right now you may be grabbing for some ice-cream or a slice of pie. Anything cool to forget the heat of the summer. How about a rice crispie square-they always make me feel good inside.
Here is a fun new award from my dear friend Reagan at Miss Remmer’s Reviews. If you have not been over to her blog you are missing out. She has great reviews and guest reviewers as well.
My job now, is to pass these awards on. Coming off such a busy weekend I need a few days to do this. I will post as soon as I can. I would of course love to just pass these on to all of you who stop by read and comment…. it really makes my day to hear from you.
Thank you so much to each of the great Bloggers that have given me these awards. I really appreciate it! Readers I highly recommend that you take time to visit each of these wonderful blogs mentioned here.
Kristen at Bookworming in the 21st Century, put out a Twitter last week looking for newer book bloggers to interview on her blog. I responded and asked if I would qualify with 7 weeks in. I did.
Today, Kristen featured my interview and I am just thrilled with how great it looks. Thank you Kristen truly!
Kristens Blog has great reviews and features. Take time to stop by and see for yourself.
Coffee Cup and I didn’t travel very far this morning from home…. I clicked on the left side of my blog and traveled through Twitter a bit, something I am still reminding myself to do. Up until book blogging, I didn’t really use Twitter. I set up my Twitter account just a couple months ago mainly to connect with other Book Bloggers and that is what I do. It has been worth it and I have met some wonderful people again who talk books.
Today my goal is (besides helping prep for a large Sunday picnic/potluck after church and get to the gym) 3 reviews that I must post, another giveaway of a great book as well as a new Freebie Friday and a couple winners to announce yet this afternoon.
I will be posting quite a bit today so be sure to stop back, coffee is on. 🙂
Ok… I admit it. I am a comment junkie. I love – love ♥ LOVE ♥ to read blogs, the discussions on books, author interviews, bookshelves, great bookish stories and adventures….
but along with loving to comment comes the ever dreaded endless… (dun dun dun dun…scary music)
word verification.
I know it is a necessity… I get that. You leave a comment, chances are you going to be word verified. Yet being a comment junkie… it slows me down. So to make this a bit more enjoyable… I came up with a plan.
I love word games (not as much as commenting). To entertain myself and maybe some of you… I decided to share with you a little thing I do while I type in the verification. I play Balderdash in my head. Yup. As I am typing in the word, I think if it was a real word… what would it mean. Some come easy. Others…. I really have to stretch the imagination.
The definition of Balderdash: An oft used strategy to elect your own fake definition in an attempt to give it credibility in the minds of your fellow players. …
I am going to share a couple with you… and if you like… feel free to play along at home, here or on your own blog. You can even take the little picture meme I made if you like and use it. I think this may just be my Thursday thing. 😉
**Note: These are actual word verifications I have had while posting tonight.
(Maybe they will be better next week when I have a whole week of comment verifications to look at)
Book Journey 