Morning Meanderings…. and my weekend plans…

Published on September 11, 2009September 11, 2009 by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

Today I want to share with you my weekend plan. You may have heard me through Twitter or through random posts this week that I have a 150 mile bike ride this weekend. I am kind of nervous, kind of excited – but really want to share with you the what and the why of this ride.

I have done bike tours for about 10 years now. A bike tour is not a race, just a ride at your own speed with many other bikers. There is usually a small entry fee that includes a t shirt, rest stops about every 12 miles that provide water, and snacks. I think the one thing I like most about these rides is the people you meet – the biking community and we as book bloggers can understand the importance and the fun of community! 🙂

So last year my cousin tells me about this ride…. not 50 miles like I usually do…. but 150. I thought I heard him wrong. Nope, 150 miles… a two day ride, 75 miles a day.

Your kidding, I thought.

Connie Statz is a good friend of Jarrod’s wife’s mom. Connie was given a blood transfusion in 1981, that 5 other people also received. Through this transfusion, Connie as well as the other 5 contacted the Aids virus. 28 years later, Connie is the only remaining survivor of the 6 who were infected. Connie has fought long and hard and has started a camp called Camp Benedict, which is a camp for Aids education and support for Minnesota families in which one or more members of the family is infected with HIV.

Connie says, “I contracted the AIDS virus in 1981, which puts me in a small group of folks who have had this 28 years. When I contracted AIDS, AIDS affected my family, and there was nothing to help people deal with a member of their family having AIDS. When I first started the camp 15 years ago in 1994, the funding was from the Benedictine Nuns, so I called it Camp Benedict. What I started because I needed it isn’t about me anymore. We serve thousands of people. Now, it’s about helping others who feel like I did”.

So this is what I know. I know that Connie is someone who I have recently met and I find to be an incredible woman. She is a fighter, and her team that will ride in the Minnesota Aids Trek this Saturday and Sunday are called The Rhino’s. In Connie’s words, Rhino’s slogan “Born With Horns” means being tough and getting up to charge every day. 28 years later, Connie is still fighting and her team Rhino’s money raised goes 100% to help the Camp. After I heard about Connie, I knew I wanted in.

This afternoon I will ride with my cousin Jarrod, Farrah, their 4 month old son Tripp, and friend Brian, to the cities to stay overnight. We ride Saturday 75 miles from Blaine to Hinckley, stay over night, and then Hinckley to Duluth.

I am new to this ride, and I am excited to be supporting a wonderful cause… and nervous as I have never ridden this far before. Laptop will be going with me so if I have a chance to check in Friday night and through the weekend – I will. 🙂

If you would like to help make a difference, simply click on the Donate Now! button. I am helping raise money for the camp.

Your donation is tax deductible! Our tax identification number is 41-1933994.
Check to see if your company has a matching gift program.
100% of the money raised by Trek participants is given to the beneficiaries.
Designate the Trek participant’s name when making your donation.

Thanks everyone! I’ll be talking books again soon and I am excited for BBAW week! 🙂

Sheila

Winner of The King of Torts by John Grisham

Published on September 11, 2009 by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

It is time to draw my winner (using the wonderful random.org) for the book, King of Torts by John Grisham.

Our winner is….

justicejenniferreads!!!

Congratulations!!!

Bran Hambric by Kaleb Nation

Published on September 10, 2009September 10, 2009 by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

There is a magical feel to this book… from opening the cover to the first page I felt almost like holding my breath as the words whisked me inside! ~ Sheila

Bran Hambric was found locked in a bank vault at six years old, with no memory of his past. For years, he has lived with one of the bankers, wondering why he was left behind — until one night, when he is fourteen, he is suddenly confronted by a maddened creature, speaking of Bran’s true past and trying to kidnap him.

Bran finds that he is at the center of a plot which started years before he was even born: the plot of a deadly curse his mother created…and one that her former masters are hunting for him to complete.

Haunted by the spirit of his mother’s master and living in a city where magic is illegal, Bran must undo the crimes of his past…before it is too late.

Can a book feel like magic? I think it can. Actually – as I think about how the idea of Bran Hambric came to be… that’s a bit of magic in itself, and you will read more about that in my author interview with Kaleb Nation today! When this book arrived in my home I was itching to get into it… I felt it was something special before I ever opened it and that scared me a bit… what if I was wrong? Did I seriously just judge a book by its cover? I think I did a little, and along with the small buzz through the internet that I was hearing about the book, I could not wait tog et started.

The first part of Bran Hambric felt very Rowling like… there were a lot of similarities to Harry Potter and while I adore the Harry Potter series I was a little saddened that this may be a book that followed a bit too closely to that outline. A couple more chapters in, Bran Hambric felt as though it found its own path and off we flew together – book and reader, into an adventure I will safely describe as magical.

This was a book that I could not put down, and for the two days I was reading it (over Labor day weekend) I had my nose stuck in it every chance I could get. I think it is a wonderful YA read and fans of YA fantasy should definitely invest the time time into reading this book. For a first book, that was started when Kaleb Nation was 14, it has a lot of potential I think his follow up books will become even better.

I look forward to what comes next not only for Kaleb, but also for Bran. Be sure to read my interview with author Kaleb Nation here.

This book was sent to me by Sourcebooks

I would rate this book G

Follow the blog Tour for Bran Hambric:

Sunday, August 30^th

Monday, August 31^st

Tuesday, September 1^st

The Looking Glass Review

Edward-Cullen.net

Beth Fish Reads

SMS Book Reviews

James Holder’s YouTube Channel

Wednesday, September 2^nd

Bookalicio.us

Reading Rumpus

Katie’s Literature Lounge

Ultimate Bookhound

Thursday, September 3^rd

Brimful Curiosities

Charlotte’s Library

Friday, September 4^th

BriMeetsBooks.com

Bran Hambric by Kaleb Nation

Saturday, September 5^th

Library Lounge Lizard

Sarah’s Random Musings

Saulchichas

GreenFyr.com

Sunday, September 6^th

Cindy’s Love of Books

Monday, September 7^th

Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf

Grasping for the Wind

Life After Twilight vlog channel

Tuesday, September 8^th

Shooting Stars Magazine

Mrs. Magoo Reads

Lori Calabrese Writes

Wednesday, September 9^th

The Brain Lair

Dulemba.com

The Children’s Book Review

TV Watch Online

Thursday, September 10^th

The Friendly Book Nook

Book Journey

Stephanie’s Written Word

Home School Buzz

Spidurmunkey.com

Friday, September 11^th

The Inside Scoop With Chandelle

Booking Mama

Saturday, September 12^th

Zoe’s Book Reviews

Lit for Kids

Sunday, September 13^th

Never Jam Today

A Bibliophile’s Reverie

Monday, September 14^th

Café of Dreams

Marta’s Meanderings

Galleysmith.com

A Book Blogger’s Diary

The Reader’s Quill

Tuesday, September 15^th

a book in hand

MistiSchindele.com

Not Just for Kids

Wednesday, September 16^th

Write for a Reader

CumpulsiveReader.com

Thursday, September 17^th

Howling Good Books

The Written World

Friday, September 18^th

Always Riddikulus

YA Books Central

Saturday, September 19^th

Ms. Bookish

Into the Wardrobe

Interview with Kaleb Nation, Author of Bran Hambric

Published on September 10, 2009September 10, 2009 by Sheila (Book Journey)17 Comments

I am pleased to welcome to One Persons Journey Through a World of Books, Kaleb Nation. Kaleb is the author of Bran Hambric, the wonderful book that was just released on 9/9/09.

Welcome Kaleb! Please make yourself comfortable. When I first started hearing about Bran Hambric I had also heard how the story came to you on March 3rd, 2003, 3/3/03. You were 14 at the time. That amazes me. Would youplease tell us a little about what that was like?

I remember jumping out of bed, scrambling down the ladder of the bunk bed I shared with my brother, and dashing to my desk to write the idea down. For some reason, on that night, I knew that the date would be important, and that’s why I made sure to write it down in my notebook. I don’t know if I just had a feeling that the book would eventually be published, or if it was just part of my interest in strange and unusual calendar dates, but I’m really happy I made sure to write it down!

I can visualize that! How amazing! Did the idea for the book come to you as whole or were there parts you really had to think on and add to make it flow?

The main story came to me at once: I knew that Bran was being hunted by a creature, I knew that he lived in a modern city that banned magic, and I knew a lot of specific parts about his past. Most of the details of the story, however, had to be developed over the following years of writing.

I picture you as this young boy writing this book and have to wonder what did your parents think at the time and/or your siblings? Did they think you were on to something or just using your time productively?

Luckily, I was home schooled, so my parents actually made my writing a part of my school schedule! They were very supportive, even when I would spend hours on end writing (it got so bad they had to set time limits on my writing time!). My brother Jaden and sister Maddi were my main readers for years, and know about all the deleted scenes and characters that got cut over the years. I’d always know if something was good if they liked it, or what had to be taken out when they started to get bored.

Any friends, extended family, etc… were they supportive of what you were writing? Involved in any way?

I had a cousin who had published technical writing and fiction for magazines before, and she was a huge help in the beginning! She would read my early drafts and make long-distance calls to me on the weekends to discuss it. I was a bit starstruck that my cousin was a real writer and was actually helping me with editing. I also had a lot of great friends who read the drafts and made comments on things they liked or didn’t like.

At the age of 14, what book was your favorite?

It’s hard to remember. I know back then that I liked The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.

When you completed the book, did you have a publisher ready or did you have to go and market it?. Share a bit about that experience.

After I finished the book, I first had to find an agent. I had been researching the publishing business for years and knew a lot of the process already, thankfully. I sent out a bunch of email queries and had a few agents who were interested, but after a while of nobody taking it on, I had to rewrite my query. After the rewrite, suddenly nine agents were interested (never doubt the power of editing your query letter!). I signed with my agent, and worked with him to get the book ready for a publisher.

Is there plans for another book?

Yes! I am writing the sequel to Bran Hambric now.

Thank you Kaleb so much for your time! I imagine your life is quite busy now and with the release of the book, probably only getting busier! Readers, you can find Bran Hambric on sale now! Be sure to see my review of Bran Hambric here.

Word verification Balderdash (The Thursday Thing)

Published on September 10, 2009September 11, 2009 by Sheila (Book Journey)9 Comments

This is the weekly meme where I encourage anyone who wishes to play along to take those crazy word verifications they have had over the past week and create a fake definition for them (much like how you play the board game Balderdash). This is all in fun and makes commenting on blogs a bit more interesting when the verification may just give you the best definition of the week! See original post here.

Not a huge offering this week – I have been busy and found that yesterday I had hardly captured a thing! Here is what I have:

crudt: that residue found at the bottom of the cup (coffee,tea) afte you have finished drinking it.

exend: a false ending to a not so good book. You think well.. its over. Then you turn the page and are shocked to see there is more.

BELT: Not what you think… BELT is the new and improved BLT, but this one is Bacon, EGG, lettuce and tomato!

lefeet: A much politer french version of saying you have two left feet. Rather than, “Dude! You got two left feet! Har Har!” It is much nicer in french as they say, “Oh, Madame…. lefeet?”

Want to play?

I would love to see what you come up with! To do your own, simply grab the picture meme and add it to your own post. Link back to this post and leave a comment here letting my know you have and I will add your blog post to this one so people may see other participants. Let the fun begin!

Wordsmithonia

Embrace The Whirlwind

This Girls Ever Expanding Library

The Betty and Boo Chronicles

My World

Books and Winners – Oh My!

Published on September 10, 2009September 10, 2009 by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments

I am behind on my giveaways and I want to go into next weeks BBAW clean as I have many things planned here! 🙂

So lets give away some books shall we?

We will start here with Jantsens Gift by Pam Cope – I have 5 wonderful books to give away and here are the winners:

Congratulations!!!

I loved all the answers on how everyone would serve in our world!

I now have five winners for The Blue Star by Tony Earley… these winners are:

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I have 5 books to give away for The Lost Dog by Michelle De Kretser and the winners are:

Congratulations!!!

Special thanks to Rebecca who gave us a picture of her pup to be used on the original book giveaway post! Thanks Taz and Rebecca!

And finally for tonight I have 5 copies of The Woman Who Named God by Charlotte Gordon to giveaway!

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ! ! !

Thank you to everyone who signed up for chances to win on these great giveaways. I use Random.org to choose the winners.

All winners have been notified by E Mail

Please watch for more giveways that are added frequently at My Giveaway Link

Stray Affections by Charlene Ann Baumbich w/ Giveaway

Published on September 10, 2009October 10, 2009 by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

A read that I enjoyed with a cup of hot cocoa during the cool September evenings with just a touch of magic… that seems to me, to always be found in Minnesota! ~ Sheila

This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Tea! 🙂

The last thing that Cassandra Higgins expects out of her Sunday is to be

Blog Tour

mesmerized at a collectors’ convention by a snow globe. She’s enjoying some mommy time, with husband Ken at home tending their brood of four young boys, when she’s utterly charmed by the one-of-a kind globe containing figures of three dogs and a little girl with hair the color of her own. She can’t resist taking the unique globe home — even if means wrestling another shopper for it!

The beautiful snowglobe sparks long-dormant memories for Cassie, of her beloved Grandpa Wonky, the stray she rescued as a child, and the painful roots of her combative relationship with her mother, “Bad Betty” Kamrowski. Life in Wanonishaw, Minnesota is never dull, though, and Cassie keeps the recollections at bay, busy balancing her boys, her home daycare operation, and being a good friend to best pal Margret. But after a strange — “flurrious”, as Cassie deems it — moment happens with the remarkable snow globe, Cassie and the people she loves are swirled into a tumultuous, yet grace-filled, and life-changing journey.

I found Stray Affections to be an easy read set in my home state – which for some reason I still get a kick out of reading books centered in Minnesota. Within the first few pages of this book you are introduced to the strain in the relationship between our main character Cassandra (daycare provider and mother of four) and her mother Betty. IE. Bad Betty.

Stray Affections deals with betrayal (Cassandra has memories of when she felt she had let down her family pet, Toby, as a child). This book is centered around a snow globe – and unresolved memories that bubble to the surface as Cassandra learns the power of forgiveness all wrapped into a book that is a bit quirky and fun – ending with an event that not only includes the whole community but with a volunteer effort that made my heart leap!

I read this book while at our cabin in Finland, Minnesota. I found that an appropriate place to sit back over Labor day weekend and sink into this book. I found the book a quick, lite read and loved the “Burt’s Durve’s Recipes in the back of the book. I will be trying these out at the October Bookies Book Club potluck at my home!

Charlene Ann Baumbich is a popular author and speaker and an award-winning journalist. In addition to her Dearest Dorothy series of novels, she has written seven nonfiction books of humor and inspiration. A bungee-jumping, once motorcycle-owning grandma and unabashed dog lover, Charlene lives with her husband and rescued dog Kornflake in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. She loves telling stories, laughing whenever possible, and considers herself a Wild Child of God.

Ashley has generously offered me an additional copy of this book to give away to one lucky reader! Here’s how to enter:

1 Entry – leave a comment here on something you do in your own community as a volunteer or to better our world

BONUS Entry (ahhh… the coveted bonus entry!) Tweet about this giveaway or blog on it for an extra entry

Remember US entrys only – no po box numbers. Giveaway will close on September 30

I received this book, and an additional copy to give away from Ashley Boyer of Multnomah Books

I would give this book a G rating

Book Resembles Life

Published on September 9, 2009September 9, 2009 by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

In July I went to Duluth with a few of my girl friends and while walking in the gardens we found a hole in the shrubs and they asked me to get in there for a picture. Of course… I did.

The picture is actually kind of funny and looks like I am a garden fairy or something… for giggles (as I really like giggles) I put it as my Facebook profile. This afternoon while doing my customary blog hopping I found a book on Brooke Reviews that the cover reminded me of my Facebook profile – minus the pointy ears.

You be the judge…. LOL

Wednesday Featured Book Club: My Book Buddies

Published on September 9, 2009September 9, 2009 by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

I am excited to bring you a new book club today! I have been hanging out at this blog for a while now chatting with Maryrose and today I am pleased to be able to share with you about her online book club, My Book Buddies.

Welcome Maryrose! Sit! Have some coffee! It is so wonderful to have you here today! Share with us the name of your book club.

Maryrose: My Book Buddies

How long have you been meeting?

Maryrose: We are an online community, first created in July 2001. We started off exchanging e-mails between girlfriends (we were discussing Jane Eyre). We found it much easier to discuss books in an online forum.

Oh that sounds fun! I have not been a part of an online book club yet. How often do you meet?

We meet daily! Our online forum discusses books every day. We do, however, have a monthly selection for the group to read and share their thoughts on. Every effort is made to read a book within the selected month. The beauty of the online forum is that every discussion is saved. Book discussions are revived at anytime!5. Do you have someone who leads the discussion (same person each month or different)? Our discussions are very open in nature. If available, we use Reading Group Guides to help facilitate conversations. But it’s treated more like a guideline than a rule. We don’t want reading to start feeling like homework. Most of our discussions are driven by emotion, rather than dissection and analysis.

Where do you meet online?

Online at www.mybookbuds.com. Click on the forum link to get to the discussions.

How many members do you have?

Our group is made up primarily of women. We have 50 members who drop in from time to time, and a core group of half a dozen regulars.

50! That’s wonderful! What age groups are represented in your book club?

Our age demographic ranges between the mid-20s to early 40s.

What genres of books do you read?

Because we’re on the world wide web, we have great diversity in our book selection. The monthly

selections range from the classics, historical fiction, romance, “chick lit”, biographies, literary fiction and fantasy.

How do you choose what you will read?

To promote the diversity of the group, we alternate who chooses the monthly selection. I like to select my books from my “to read list”.

What was one of the best discussions and/or a favorite book that you read as a group?

The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon is a particular favorite of the group. In fact, we’ve seen a revival of those discussions in recent months. Members, new and old, love to discuss (and re-read) the series.

How do you keep things fun?

We’re a great group that has stuck together for a long time. The forum has become an online home for us. So, we like to discuss things outside of books. We’ll discuss movies, television, gossip, home, garden, cooking – whatever tickles our fancy. We don’t have a strict regiment that we must adhere to. Everything is for your enjoyment. In more recent years, we’ve started traveling out to meet one another. That’s been a very special treat

I really like that! What have you done as a group other than the online book discussions?

One of my absolute favorite things about the online book club is that I now have friends across the nation. We’ve traveled to Atlanta to visit Gone with the Wind country. I’ve had members visit me in the San Francisco Bay Area. Right now, we’re trying to find a way to see Diana Gabaldon in Georgia this coming Labor Day. The activities outside of books have solidified friendships in our community.

What advice would you give to other book clubs?

With busy schedules and the cost of books on the rise, it can be difficult to keep a book club going. Have an easy going attitude about your book club. Members will come and go – but they tend to come back. My Book Buddies has had lulls, but we know that things will bounce back.

Thank you Maryrose so much for sharing about your online book club! You have really inspired me as this is something I have tossed around the idea of for some time but still am wondering if it is something I want to do! Since I interviewed you a couple weeks ago I am curious – did you make it to Diane’s for Labor Day?

If you are interested in having your book club featured here please email me at journeythroughbooks@gmail.com