Large Prize Winners from BBAW

winner

I have been meaning to draw these winners all weekend but it just didnt happen!   So today I am finally able to do a bit of catching up and am thrilled to announce our last three BBAW Winners.

The winner of the prize package from a random drawing from comments on this blog between Sept 14 and Sept 18 goes to:

Lisa from When She Reads!!!

Congratulations Lisa!  Email me your mailing info and I will get this out to you a.s.a.p. 🙂

The winner of the $15 gift card drawn from comments placed between Sept 14 – 18 is:

Ryan from Wordsmithonia!!!

Congratulations Ryan!  I will email you your gift card yet tonight!


and now… for the winner of the person who placed the most comments on this blog between Sept 14 and Sept 18 (another $15 Amazon Gift Card):

J Kaye from J Kaye’s Blog!!!

Congratulations J Kaye!!!  How about that? You are a top commentor on my blog!

I am emailing you the gift card here shortly

Thank you to everyone who left comments here during BBAW!  That was a lot of fun!  I love my regular visitors and so enjoyed meeting new people and I am still actively seeking out the blogs of those who took the time to comment here.


I think I will start having a monthly contest for Amazon Gift Cards starting in October (they are so easy to do – just email to the winner!)

All About One Persons Journey Through A World of Books

BBAW_Celebrate_Books

When BBAW 2009 was in the early stages I put out a post of how my blogging Journey began…  it is really a lot of fun for me to review that time…. seriously…..

I had no idea.

I had no idea that the blogging community was filled with wonderful people all over the world tapping out reviews on keyboards and reading books that publishers and authors had sent them to review.  I became a real book blogger in June of this year…. my world has turned upside down in the past 3 1/2 months and in wonderful ways.

I am always finding things I like on others blogs and as I have grown as a blogger, my blog has morphed right along beside me.  I read – I review – I blog hop – I learn.

My favorite things I have done with this blog would be:

1.  The Word Verification Balderdash:  My Thursday meme that I have so much fun with and love seeing others join me!

2.  The author interviews have been a rush and when they post about little ol’ me and this blog on their websites or blogs…. well – I am giddy and hope that I never grow out of that excitement phase.

3.  Just being me.  I see in the three months here I have relaxed a bit in my posts and more of my personality is coming through.  I like that and with my Morning Meanderings (which is pretty much me (unplugged) gabbing about books and drinking coffee) I have heard so many positive things about people loving my Meanderings that I am so glad that I can just be me….. doing what I do….. talking books.  🙂

The future for One Persons Journey Through a World of Books

Hmmmmm….looking ahead… I hope that over the next year I can continue to grow as a book blogger and be a place where people can come and read an honest review of a book and get a little bit of my humor at the same time.  I hope my blog and my readers continue to grow in positive ways!  And on a personal note – I hope I really get a chance to go to some of these wonderful book events I see many of you twitter and blog about so I can have a chance to experience these events and meet some of you!  🙂

BBAW Giveaway – Here We Go Again!!!

BBAW_Celebrate_BooksI keep posting giveaways as I have time and so as long as I have a bit before I need to fly out the door again…. thought I would post another!

This time I am looking for the titles and Authors of any one of the top ten books of 2008 according to the New York Times.  Just one of the books.

I will take three winners here – a different winner for each correct title. The winners will receive choice out of the gift box.

Have fun!!!!gift

(*Please remember these giveaways are open to US entrants only and can not be delivered to PO box numbers)  ** Note that the comment giveaway at the end of BBAW where you can win an Amazon gift card is open worldwide – so while the individual giveaways are USA only – the overall comment giveaway is worldwide!  :)

BBAW – yes! Another Giveaway!

BBAW_Celebrate_Books

Ok…I wont even try to shoot for one correct answer here as I am sure there are many…. so what I am looking for this time is a link to what you find to be the Worlds largest Book…..  again – I am not putting in guidelines…. put a great link in the comments to what you believe to be the worlds largest book and you will be one of my winners!

One of the winners?  Yup – in this final day of BBAW I am going to look for 3 winners this time…. you can not however use the same link to the same book as another winner has.  I need three separate books here.  (There is no right or wrong answer – I am just looking for three links to 3 EXTREMELY large books)  A different winner per book – the same person on this one can not win the 2nd or third spot as well)

I thought this would be kind of cool to see what links come in to see what are considered to be the Worlds Largest Books!  Winners will be announced on here and will get a chance to pick out of the gift box!

Ready?  Set?  And Go!!! gift

(*Please remember these giveaways are open to US entrants only and can not be delivered to PO box numbers)  ** Note that the comment giveaway at the end of BBAW where you can win an Amazon gift card is open worldwide – so while the individual giveaways are USA only – the overall comment giveaway is worldwide!  :)

Morning Meanderings!

Coffee Cup and I are out and about at 8:30 this morning.  I have delivered Chance to school… stopped by the Holiday a big improvementGas for coffee…. yes the same coffee place I mentioned earlier this week in that odd morning meandering post….LOL

What can I say?  They have really good coffee!

And here I am now looking at a half day in the office and trying to plan out something to do with a 14 year old this weekend that he would like to do.  Never Ever dull that’s for sure.  🙂

I think this morning I just want to tip my Cup to everyone who made the BBAW possible as well as all of those bloggers out there that participated with great posts, fun giveaways, and more.  I have met many new bloggers this week and hope throughout today to meet even more!

So this morning…. my funny bone is apparently kicked into high gear and I have written this song to the tune of Wind Beneath my Wings.  (Be sure to hit the play tab at the bottom of the post so you can have the music to go with the words…)  🙂

Wind Beneath My Posts

(Or… the book without a review)

It must have been cold there on my TBR shelf
To never have been a Book Reviewed
You were content to let me read, other books

You always waited on the shelf.


So I was the one with too many projects
While you were the one that had to wait.
A beautiful Book without a review, for so long
A beautiful book longing to be read.

Did you ever know that you’re my passion
And everything I would like to read
If I can write that new review of you
You are the wind beneath my posts


You might have appeared to go unnoticed
But I’ve got it all here in my notes
I want you to know I know the books
Of course I know it
I would be nothing with out you

Read, Read, Read today
Your words take me so high
Oh, read, read
So much there is to read
So many on the TBR shelf
Thank you, thank you, thank God for you
The wind beneath my posts

LOL…. Later!

Thanks For Introducing Me To This Book!

BBAW_Celebrate_Books

So it is day 4 of BBAW and no – I cant believe it.  When I first heard about BBAW I was so excited.  I was already having such a wonderful time with all the books and bloggers I was connecting with that BBAW was icing on the cake!  The plan was (as I carefully highlighted the dates in my agenda) that I would be sure that I did nothing more than necessary this week.  No evening appointments, no dinners with friends…no commitments other than hanging out with all of you and absorbing all that there is to BBAW.

Like a mini vacation….

at a carnival….

all expenses paid!

And then…. life comes in.  I biked the 150 this past weekend and came home on Sunday, exhausted and in no shape to create all the witty posts I had planned on prepping.  And on Monday I found myself picking up our kinship partner Chance to come and live with us for awhile… so we moved him in.  And Monday evening  I had a Missions Team meeting for our Honduras trip that I had to reschedule from last Monday as that was a holiday.  Tuesday is kickball.  Wednesday in my Group Power Class and Biking with the Brainerd Trailblazers.  And yes, here we are at Thursday already…. day 4 of BBAW and tonight is the Women’s Walk About that I was invited to in downtown Brainerd…..

and I kinda want to go…

ANYWAY – ANYWAY….. that is life as each of you could also share what your week has been like – and even with my own personal craziness…  I am loving BBAW and having a blast with each days topic….. the giveaways… the new relationships (did I mention I have had record breaking visitor numbers this week?)

So today (yes, I am getting to the point….. LOL) I get to talk about a book or two that hit my radar because of my Book Blog Friends…. and here goes!

The book I want to talk about is The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  I first heard about this book on August 4th when I posted the request to know with six months gone… what was the best read on 2009 so far?  I had many wonderful book titles come flowing in and I was excited to read about them.

Then it started with Laura’s Reviews when she recommended the book called The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and I thought, “Wow, that sounds good.”

Then Alyce from At Home with Books also shared The Help by Kathyryn Stockett to be one of the best reads of 2009.  And finally while browsing through one of my favorite review blogs over at Eve’s Between The Bookends…. I seen it again.

So – in honor BBAW and as a little treat to myself – I purchased this book and it arrived yesterday.  I am so excited to read it and I have an idea brewing that I am going to sit on for a couple days…. and then probably share it on Saturday with all of you….  it is an idea that has come out of the posts and contests I have worked on throughout this week.

The HelpThe Help

Finally – I just want to say thank you to all you wonderful book bloggers out there who read the books and review the books.  I know a lot of time can go into reading and writing and developing interesting posts…. and I thank you again for the books you recommend – the ones I have never heard of but found by reading a book blog.

BBAW – Quickie Giveaway!!!

Its time again for a quickie giveaway in honor of BBAW….

First correct answer to this question can pick out of the Gift Box!

In the Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene, what is the name of Nancy’s boyfriend?

gift

(*Please remember these giveaways are open to US entrants only and can not be delivered to PO box numbers)  ** Note that the comment giveaway at the end of BBAW where you can win an Amazon gift card is open worldwide – so while the individual giveaways are USA only – the overall comment giveaway is worldwide!  :)

BBAW – Quickie Giveaway!!!

Its time again for a quickie giveaway in honor of BBAW….

First correct answer to this question can pick out of the Gift Box!

Which book begins, “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again”?

gift

(*Please remember these giveaways are open to US entrants only and can not be delivered to PO box numbers)  ** Note that the comment giveaway at the end of BBAW where you can win an Amazon gift card is open worldwide – so while the individual giveaways are USA only – the overall comment giveaway is worldwide!  🙂

Me and My Reading Habits…

Here is the question :   Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

I really hate to write in my books.  I love to keep them in wonderful condition and cringe when I find ink or highlighter marks in books.  I am a post it note Queen – and use them for all keeping track of discussion topics for book club, notes for reviews, etc…

Oddly, the one exception to this rule is I write in my BibleI like to capture words in sermons that I find meaningful to the scripture I used to keep a separate notebook for these notes but found it much more likely that I wuld put it to use if it was actually in the Bible.  I love to now open up my Bible after years of doing this and see notes that I made on scriptures.

BBAW – Appreciation Comes From Sourcebooks

This giveaway is now closed – congratulations Alexa!

I came home this evening to find this email sent from Paul Samuelson of Sourcebooks:

Dear Blogger,

Pardon the group email, but I just heard some fantastic news and since it is Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I wanted to share. I am happy to report that Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse, by debut middle grade novelist Kaleb Nation, has debuted on the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association bestsellers list in the #10 spot for Children’s Interest!

For those of you unfamiliar with the list, this indie group is one of the largest in the country, and includes stores such as BookPeople & Blue Willow (TX), Tattered Cover (CO), Changing Hands(AZ) and King’s English (UT), among many others. These are some of the biggest and best indies in the country.

What does this have to do with your blog? Because the focus of publicity efforts for this title have been primarily online—it is YOU we have to thank for this phenomenal success.  For a 20 year old first time author to debut on this list, before he has even begun his cross-country tour, can only mean that word-of-mouth generated by all of you in the book blogging community (and masters of the twitterverse) has had a significant impact on the sales of this book.

As you all know, there are many types of book bloggers—teen fan blogs, vlogs, kidlitosphere blogs, homeschool blogs, mommy blogs and the established book blogs we all know and love—and it has been remarkable to bear witness to how so many different types of readers have all come together to discuss and review Bran Hambric in an ever-growing online reading community.

A sincere “thank you” from Sourcebooks for helping us bring a little bit of magic, fantasy and adventure into the lives of readers everywhere. We’d like to show our appreciation by offering autographed posters of Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse (cover art by Brandon Dorman!) to use as a giveaway.

Sincerely,

Paul Samuelson

Sourcebooks, Publicity

Brann HambrigThere it is!  I for one would love an autographed poster for my reading room to remind me of this wonderful moment of how Book Bloggers were able to assist in bringing a wonderful book to the attention of the public in a short amount of time.

Thanks to Paul and Sourcebook,  I would like to offer you a chance to win an autographed poster of Bran Hambric as well.

This one will be easy!  Leave a comment here of what you would do with the poster if you won.  That’s it.  Open to USA only – no PO box numbers please.

This giveaway will close late afternoon on Sunday September 20th.

Happy BBAW!!!!

See my review of Bran Hambric here