11/30/09

AUGUSTEN BURROUGH'S YOU BETTER NOT CRY -- giveaway





From the author of Dry, Running With Scissors, Wolf at the Table and Magical Thinking is the latest offering from the viciously funny Augusten Burroughs, You Better Not Cry from St. Martin's Press:





Augusten Burroughs has, and in this caustically funny, nostalgic, poignant, and moving collection he recounts Christmases past and present-as only he could. With gimleteyed wit and illuminated prose, Augusten shows how the holidays bring out the worst in us and sometimes, just sometimes, the very, very best.
 
To celebrate the release of You Better Not Cry, St. Martin's Press is offering blog readers a chance to win a copy of the book in the"You Better Not Cry Book Promotion Sweepstakes".  Click HERE to enter.


Augusten Burroughs website

'You Better Not Cry'

Just a reminder....Contests end at midnight tonight!

Get your extra entries in!  I will have the winners posted tomorrow AND some exciting new contests since I reached 100 followers.  My blogaversary is also coming up, so it will be filled with fun giveaways!

11/28/09

Dog Bling....Earrings for Dogs...Why?

I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this one.  Why would anyone want to put little crystals on their dogs ears? I just kept thinking, what if the dog swallowed one?



'Geek Love' author fights off purse snatcher in Northwest Portland

Who said authors are wimps?  I just love this story!

Author Katherine Dunn spent more than 10 years training with the fighters of Knott Street Boxing Club in Northeast Portland’s Matt Dishman Community Center.




But Dunn, best known for her novel “Geek Love,” had never fought for a purse until Tuesday afternoon. Dunn, 64, was carrying a bag of groceries from Trader Joe’s to the Northwest Portland home where she has lived for more than 30 years when someone yanked the purse strap on her left shoulder so hard it spun her around.



“I was facing this young woman who shouted, ‘Let it go. Let it go,’¤” Dunn said.



She did not. So, Dunn said, 25-year-old Brandy Amber Carroll kicked her in the shin and slapped her face. Dunn figured that gave her permission to put her years of training to work.



Courtesy of Multnomah CountyBrandy Amber Carroll“My left arm is wrapped up in the purse, her right arm is wrapped up in the purse, we’re nose to nose and I’m punching her as hard as I can with my right hand,” she said.



Dunn started shouting and people walking by stopped. But as soon as Dunn said she was being robbed, Carroll accused the author of trying to take her purse. So the passersby just watched. One of Dunn’s neighbors soon came out and grabbed the purse. Then two Trader Joe’s employees came to accuse the woman of shoplifting.



When police showed up soon after, Carroll took off running with some groceries, but not the purse. She didn’t get far. Carroll, who has 2006 convictions for theft and criminal mischief, was booked into Multnomah County Jail and charged with felony robbery and theft.



Dunn has loved boxing for nearly 30 years and has written articles and essays on the sport, including freelance stories for The Oregonian. She said she was proud of herself for putting her years of fight training to use, staying relatively calm and hanging on to her purse. Dunn was a little disappointed not to bloody Carroll’s nose, but pointed out she was fighting with her rear hand.



“I would normally lead, as all good boxers do, with my left hand,” she said. “But my left hand was tied up in the purse.”



Dunn was bloodied in the scuffle and had to go to the hospital for a tetanus shot.



“I had scratches from her fingernails, a bloody eye where she had thumbed me — it was a helter-skelter affair,” Dunn said. “Getting a tetanus shot, it made me feel young again.”



-- Andy Dworkin

11/27/09

I won an award!



I will pass this award forward to my newest discoveries!


Thank you again!

I am passing this award on to 5 new blogs I have found:


Please pass this on to the next 5 blogs you enjoy!






11/24/09

PUPPY PROFILE with PUGSLY OBI WAN YODA (another calendar giveaway too)

20 QUESTIONS WITH PUGSLY OBI WAN YODA



Puglsy lives with Deborah over at Books Movies and Chinese Food..  Please stop on by and say hello.

Deborah and I bonded over chick lit books, especially Red Dress Ink.  This puppy is just too cute!



1. What breed(s) are you?
Pug


2. Favorite place to sleep?
 In my bed, which is currently in Dad's office

3. Favorite food?
Anything really, but I won't eat frozen spinach or lettuce.

4. Favorite toy?
I have a couple of squeakys but I think I've outgrown them.

5. Favorite thing to chew?
I have a nylar bone that I've been chewing for years.

6. Indoors or Outdoors?
Indoors, but I love to snooze in the sunlight.

7. Are you embarrassed by dog outfits?
Luckily the only thing my owners make me wear is a sweater during cold weather.

8. Dog Trainers: Friend or Foe?
My parents trained me, so I do not know what a dog trainer is?

9. Hair cuts or the natural look?
Pugs shed naturally so I never need a haircut.

10. Do you like baths?
Baths aren't too bad because I only get them once a month, and never in winter!

11. Favorite place to watch your territory from?
The front door when it is open (which isn't a lot).

12. What cute thing do you do for a treat?
I have to do an entire series of tricks just to get a treat! I have to sit, shake hands, lie down, roll over, pretend to be a teddy bear, beg and nod my head yes. Sometimes they make me do it twice just for a kibble!

13. What most do you like to bark at?
The vacuum, bike riders and people leaving the house.

14. Cats: Take them or leave them?
 I detest cats. Cats are enemy.

15. Would you chase a squirrel right now if you could?
Eh, squirrels aren't worth it. Cats on the other hand...

16. If you catch something, what do you do with it?
I do not know as I have never really caught anything live.

17. Does going to the vet upset you?
As long as they don't give me a shot, they are ok.

18. Do you prefer to walk or go for a car ride?
Car ride! Need more car rides!

19. If you could do one thing right now, what would it be?
 Eat!

20. What book would like to chew the cover off?
Not allowed to, so not even going to imagine what it would be like.

Anything else to bark about? Pugs rule!

Thank you Deborah for allowing Pugsly to speak with me!  I admit I was laughing out loud about the squirrel question.

I HAVE ANOTHER PUPPY CALENDAR TO GIVEAWAY WORLDWIDE.  I will get a picture posted tomorrow.

To Enter (please leave a comment for each entry): 

+1 Leave a comment with a way to contact you.
+1 You can leave a comment here every day until the contest ends on 12.10.09
+1 Follower
+1 New Follower
+2 Repost this giveaway someplace (twitter, blog, facebook, etc and leave me a link)
+1 Follow Deborah's blog
+2 New Follower of Deborah's blog

Good Luck!

Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson by Ian Halperin (Book Review #211)

Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson by Ian Halperin



LIKED IT

I am such a sucker for tabloid-like books. This one was a quick read and bring forth some interesting facts that present some of the stories published by the media might be sensational.  Was Michael Jackson the victim of extortion or did he actually molest children?   

There are a bit too many transcriptions of interviews and depositions taken by others and that really detracts from what the author writes.  He does present cases for both sides.  I think the ultimate message of the book is that Michael Jackson was really a disturbed person.


Product Description

In late December 2008, Ian Halperin told the world that Michael Jackson had only six months to live. His investigations into Jackson's failing health made headlines around the globe. Six months later, the King of Pop was dead.

Whatever the final autopsy results reveal, it was greed that killed Michael Jackson. Friends and associates paint a tragic picture of the last years and days of his life as Jackson made desperate attempts to prepare for the planned concert series at London's 02 Arena in July 2009. These shows would have earned millions for the singer and his entourage, but he could never have completed them, not mentally, and not physically. Michael knew it and his advisors knew it. Anyone who caught even a fleeting glimpse of the frail old man hiding beneath the costumes and cosmetics would have understood that the London tour was madness. Why did it happen this way? After an intense five year investigation, New York Times bestselling author Ian Halperin uncovers the real story of Michael Jackson's final years, a suspenseful and surprising thriller.

About the Author

Ian Halperin is also a former winner of the Rolling Stone magazine Award for Investigative Journalism. He is the author or coauthor of five books, including the bestsellers Fire and Rain: The James Taylor Story, and Celine Dion: Behind the Fairytale, as well as a number of expos - s on the modeling industry. He coauthored Who Killed Kurt Cobain? with Max Wallace. Ian is a regular correspondent for Court TV and has contributed to 60 Minutes 2.
 
Product Information
Hardcover: 224 pages

Publisher: Simon Spotlight Entertainment (July 14, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1439177171
ISBN-13: 978-1439177174

OBTAINED FROM:  Library

Over My Dead Body (Broken Heart Vampires) by Michele Bardsley (Book Review #210)

Over My Dead Body (Broken Heart Vampires) by Michele Bardsley

REALLY LIKED IT

In this fifth installment of the Broken Heart Vampires there is another threat to Broken Heart and this time it focuses on Simone Sweet.  Simone gets herself into a mess and nice, handsome Brady helps her get out of it.  This was a really quick read with all of Bardsley's humor and fun coming through.  The books in this series could all stand alone, so just pick one up.  They are a great way to enjoy a few hours.

Product Description

Moving into Broken Heart seemed like the perfect transition for Simone Sweet and her young daughter, Glory. With her ex-husband gone after attempting to murder Simone, and Glory being mute since the incident, it is one place where she can feel safe, and almost forget she's a ravenous vampire...

No one is without secrets, but Simone's are big. She'd hate to have them interfere with what's developing with local hunk Braddock Hayes. When not turning her legs to jelly, he's building an Invisi-shield around Broken Heart and helping Glory speak again. But when Simone's past resurfaces, it threatens to ruin her second chance...
 
Product Details

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Signet; First Edition edition (May 5, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451226771
ISBN-13: 978-0451226778

OBTAINED FROM:  Book Trading Site

Bookbound is a "100 Follower" giveaway where you can pick what you win!

Go check out Bookbound and enter right now!

Check out this giveway over at Suko's Notebook!

There is a new giveaway posted over at Suko's Notebook that you should check out!! You can win and autographed copy of Melinda and the Wild West by Linda Weaver Clarke.

And check out her review of the third in the series:


11/23/09

Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales, Volume 1: Sanctuary by Melissa Marr and Xian Nu Studio (Book Review #209)


Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales, Volume 1: Sanctuary by Melissa Marr and Xian Nu Studio

LOVED IT

I have just discover manga and find it is very addictive.  Whenever I get stuck in a reading slump, I pick one up and find that the pictures stimulate me enough to get over it.  This story didn't disappoint me.  If you are familiar with Wicked Lovely, you know how faeries can sometimes be dark and this is no exception.  The drawings are just fantastic and can convey so many more details that written descriptions.  They even help tell the story with showing the emotions of the characters rather than just explaining it.

I think this series is probably more appropriate for teens since there is some violence and sexual situations.  Overall, reluctant readers should read this quickly. 







Product Description


Discover Melissa Marr's mesmerizing world of Faerie . . .
The desert is far away from the schemes of the Faerie Courts—and that's how Rika likes it. Once a mortal and now a faery, Rika seeks isolation and revels in her ability to appear invisible to humans. Then, she meets him. Artistic and kind, Jayce is the last person Rika wants to hide from.

But change is coming, challenging Rika's freedom and her new romance, as her past pursues her, even into the heart of the desert. . . .

About the Author

Melissa Marr is the author of the New York Times bestseller Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange. She has a collection of weaknesses that includes tide pools, folklore, deserts, tattoos, and new experiences.


Product Details

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (April 21, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061493546
ISBN-13: 978-0061493546

OBTAINED FROM:  Book Trading Site

Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel by Kate Jacobs (Book Review #208)


Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel by Kate Jacobs

LOVED IT

This newest release in the Friday Night Knitting Club series recaptures the magic of the first book.  This is the perfect read for the holiday season and will give you the warm fuzzies. 

I think this could stand alone, but it would probably help if you have read the other two books in the series.  I love how all of the character's issues are nicely wrapped up.

Product Description


Knit the Season is a loving, moving, laugh-out-loud celebration of special times with friends and family. The story begins a year after the end of Knit Two, with Dakota Walker's trip to spend the Christmas holidays with her Gran in Scotland-accompanied by her father, her grandparents, and her mother's best friend, Catherine. Together, they share a trove of happy memories about Christmases past with Dakota's mom, Georgia Walker-from Georgia's childhood to her blissful time as a doting new mom. From Thanksgiving through Hanukkah and Christmas to New Year's, Knit the Season is a novel about the richness of family bonds and the joys of friendship.


About the Author

Kate Jacobs is the author of The Friday Night Knitting Club, Knit Two, and Comfort Food. A former magazine writer and editor, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband.
 
 
Product Details

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (November 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399156380
ISBN-13: 978-0399156380

OBTAINED FROM:  Library

Books Gardens & Dogs: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Book Review #203)#comments#comments#comments#comments#comments



http://www.tiftalksbooks.com/2009/11/hunger-games-by-suzanne-collins.html

11/21/09

AND THE WINNER IS: (The Silent Gift)



Icedream has won my copy of The Silent Gift by Michael Landon Jr and Cindy Kelly.  I am off to send you a note right now Shawnee!

Thanks to everyone who entered.

Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins (Book Review #207)

Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

I loved the first book in this series, The Hunger Games, and this one surpassed that.  I almost screamed "NO" when it ended.  I don't know when the third book comes out but it will be way too long of a wait for me.  I didn't understand what all the fuss was about for this series, but I know now.

Katniss is such a strong lead character and brings humor and humilty to the starring role of this book.  Again, the author makes you see, hear and feel  exactly what the characters sense and with as few words as possible.  This would be appropriate for teens older than 13 since there is violence, some drug addiction and a little sexual tension.  I highly recommend it for everyone!

Product Description

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

About the Author

SUZANNE COLLINS's debut novel, Gregor the Overlander, the first book in the Underland Chronicles, received wide praise both in the United States and abroad. The series has been a New York Times bestseller and received numerous accolades. Also a writer for children's television, Suzanne lives with her family in Connecticut.
 
Product Details

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1 edition (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0439023491
ISBN-13: 978-0439023498

OBTAINED FROM: Public Library

11/18/09

Hot for the Holidays by Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Anya Bast, and Allyson James (Book Review #206)


Hot for the Holidays (Paperback)


~ Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Anya Bast, Allyson James

LOVED IT

Buy it for the Anya Bast story, but stay for the rest.  I love it when an author can get a complete story done in 100 pages or less, it just shows how talented they are.  I usually end up reading only one or two of the stories in an anthology, but these are all worth the price of admission.  I am a huge fan of Anya Bast's writing, so of course Sweet Enchantments is a modern twist on a fairy tale and was my favorite of the bunch.
 
I have read Angela Knight and Lora Leigh before and really enjoyed their work.  Allyson James is new to me.  These anthologies are a great way to try new authors.  I am going to have to looks for more books by her.
 
Product Description


Featuring four all-new novellas of sensual surprises and seasonal spirits, this collection includes a new tale of the Breeds from Lora Leigh and a return to the world of the Mageverse from Angela Knight.
 
Product Details

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Jove (September 29, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0515147001
ISBN-13: 978-0515147001
OBTAINED FROM:  book trading site

Do you need help with your werewolf?

Eva Gordon has started a new thread ASK DOC WEREWOLF WEDNESDAYS

I am thinking up my questions right now. 

Please note that this site has adult content. 

11/17/09

Huge Giveaway on A BookLover's Diary

Jessica over at A BookLover's Diary has a huge giveaway going on right now....

Here is what is up for grabs....
1. The Blue Pen by Lisa Rusczyk (.pdf)


2. Spellbinder by Helen Stringer (Paperback: ARC edition)

3. The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester (Hardcover)

4. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb (Paperback)

5. Dreamhunter (Book 1 in the Dreamhunter Duet) by Elizabeth Knox (Paperback)

6. Devil’s Kiss by Sarwat Chadda (Hardcover)

7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Paperback)

8. Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe (Hardcover)

9. My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent (Paperback)

10. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks (Hardcover)

11. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (Hardcover)

12. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvator (Hardcover)

13. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (Paperback; Movie Tie-in Edition)

14. Leviathan by Scott Westerfield (Hardcover)

15. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Hardcover)

16. Fearless by Max Lucado (Hardcover)

17. Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers (Paperback)

18. One Lonely Degree by C.K. Kelly Martin (Hardcover)

19. I Can See You by Karen Rose (Hardcover)

20. Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner (Hardcover)

21. Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeiffer (Paperback)

22. Graceling by Kristin Cashore (Hardcover)

23. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles (Paperback)

24. How to Catch and Keep a Vampire by Diana Laurence (Paperback)

WIN THE SECRET OF JOY BY MELISSA SENATE



All you have to do is comment on my review here!

Lots of other ways to enter as well! 

You can also check out these blogs that are on the tour.  Increase your chance to win this book by entering all of the giveaways!

Visit the other blog tour stops:

The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate (11/17/09)

Participating Sites Include:
Books, Movies & Chinese Food: http://www.blogger.com/goog_1258473555630
Booking Mama: http://www.blogger.com/goog_1258473555630
Frugal Plus: http://www.blogger.com/goog_1258473555630
All About {n}: http://www.blogger.com/goog_1258473555630
Rundpinne: http://www.rundpinne.blogspot.com/
Brizmus Blogs Books: http://brizmusblogsbooks.blogspot.com/
Psychotic State: http://www.psychoticstate.blogspot.com/
Books Reviews by Buuklvr81: http://www.buuklvr81.blogspot.com
Starting Fresh: http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com/
A Sea of Books: http://aseaofbooks.blogspot.com/
That’s A Novel Idea: http://thatsanovelidea.blogspot.com/
Book Junkie: http://myfoolishwisdom.blogspot.com/
My Book Views: my-book-views.blogspot.com
Drey’s Library: http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/
Me, My Book & the Couch: http://memybookandthecouch.blogspot.com/
Just Another New Blog: http://justanothernewblog.blogspot.com/
One Person’s Journey Through A World of Books: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/
Booksie’s Blog: http://booksiesblog.blogspot.com/
Book N Around: http://booknaround.blogspot.com/
Keep on Booking: http://keeponbooking.blogspot.com/
My Life In Not So Many Words: http://www.ziarias.blogspot.com/
Beth’s Book Review Blog: http://bethsbookreviewblog.blogspot.com/
Readaholic: http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/
My Reading Room: http://myreadingroom-crystal.blogspot.com/
My Book Addiction and More: http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/
Crazy For Books: http://www.crazy-for-books.com/
Bella’s Novella: http://www.bellasnovella.com/
Blog Business World: http://www.blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com/
Reading at the Beach: http://ilratb.blogspot.com/
My Friend Amy: http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/
Book Magic: http://bookmagic418.blogspot.com/
The Life (and Lies) of an Inanimate Flying Object: http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com/
So Many Books, So Little Time: http://purplg8r-somanybooks.blogspot.com/
Jeanne's Ramblings: http://www.jeannesramblings.com/
Red Headed Book Child: http://redheadedbookchild.blogspot.com/
Reading with Tequila: http://readingwithtequila.blogspot.com/
Books, Gardens, and Dogs: http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/
Jens Book Talk: http://jensbooktalk.blogspot.com/
My Own Little Corner of the World: http://molcotw.blogspot.com/
Lit and Life: http://litandlife.blogspot.com/
Entertainment Realm: http://entertainmentrealm.com/

11/16/09

The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate (Book Review #205)



The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate
 
LOVED IT
 
This is just the perfect book to pick up with a cup of hot chocolate and just read.  It just makes you feel good.  There are two main themes here at work: finding yourself and the meaning of family.  The Scret of Joy also combines those themes in how your family contribute to your personality and relationships. 

Melissa Senate does a wonderful job with this type of novel.  If you are looking for a quick and easy book to take your mind off things, try this one.  I really enjoyed it.

ENTER TO WIN THIS BOOK FROM POCKET BOOKS!

+1 Leave a comment here
+2 New Follower
+1 Follower
+1 Blog about this giveaway (leave a link here)
+1 Tweet about this giveaway (leave a link here)
+1 just stop by and say hello (one extra entry every day of the contest!)

This giveaway starts 11.17.09 and ends 11.30.09

IMPORTANT NOTE:  This is coming straight from the publisher, so only US and Canadian residents.  Sorry, NO PO BOXES.


 
Product Description
As 28 year old New York paralegal Rebecca Strand's widowed father lays dying, he confesses a secret: he had an affair 26 years earlier when Rebecca was just a toddler. Now he wants Rebecca to deliver the secret stash of letters he wrote, but never mailed, to the daughter he fathered. Rebecca's lawyer boyfriend, Michael, is adamant that she forget the woman exists. He's sure the woman will be an opportunist who will demand half of Rebecca's father's million-dollar estate. But Rebecca, now without any family in the world, can't help but wonder about her one living relative. With her relationship with Michael in tatters, Rebecca drives from New York City to Maine to find Joy Jayhawk, who operates a Weekend Singles Tour service out of an orange mini-van that her regulars dub "The Love Bus." Enter a cast of lovable, colorful characters, from Joy's eccentric mother to the singles on The Love Bus, and a sexy carpenter for whom Rebecca finds herself unexpectedly falling in love...


About the Author
Melissa Senate is the author of eight novels, including the bestselling See Jane Date, which was made into an ABC Family TV movie and has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide. She's published short pieces in Everything I've Always Wanted to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, It's a Wonderful Lie, Flirting with Pride and Prejudice, and American Girls About Town. A former romance and young adult editor from New York, she now lives on the southern coast of Maine with her son.
 
Product Details

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Downtown Press (November 17, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1439107173
ISBN-13: 978-1439107171

OBTAINED FROM: Publisher

PUPPY PROFILE WITH ROURKE AND RYSHIA KENNIE



ROURKE lives with Ryshia Kennie, author of the new release RING OF DESIRE.  Be sure to enter the giveaway to win an e book here

Doesn't this dog look like an adventurer? 

Here is 20 Questions with Rourke:


1. What breed(s) are you?

I’m an Irish Terrier. Many people confuse that with Irish Setter but I’m much smaller and much more opinionated.

2. Favorite place to sleep?
Anywhere my humans are.

3. Favorite food?
Dill pickles – hamburgers and fries

4. How did you find your home?
My humans found me. I was born in the British Columbia mountains and had a lovely trip through Kelowna’s wine country to finally make my home on the prairies.

5. Favorite thing to chew?
Empty boxes – I shred them.

6. Indoors or Outdoors?
Definitely, definitely indoors. Outdoors is only good for short visits.

7. Are you embarrassed by dog outfits?
Yes – except for my black t-shirt that defines who I am so nicely. It says “You Fetch.” And I only wear it on really cold winter days.

8. Dog Trainers: Friend or Foe?
My dog trainer is a sweetheart. I make her laugh all the time and she always has cool things to do in agility.

9. Hair cuts or the natural look?
Definitely natural.

10. Do you like baths?
Bubble baths. I love the way the bubbles tickle my nose and I could lounge there until the water went cold.

11. Favorite place to watch your territory from?
A chair in the living room where I can see the entire front street and watch for my mail lady who leaves a biscuit for me every day.

12. What cute thing do you do for a treat?
I have the prettiest sit of any dog I know and then I add a touch of that forlorn I may cry look – gets them every time.

13. What most do you like to bark at?
Squirrels

14. Cats: Take them or leave them?
They run - of course I chase them.

15. Would you chase a squirrel right now if you could?
Definitely. There’s so many of them where I live that it’s a full time job to keep them out of the yard. In fact I have an ongoing battle with one who doesn’t take me as seriously as the rest.

16. If you catch something, what do you do with it?
I’ve never given that much thought. Hopefully it would be friendly and realize that it was only a game.

17. World domination or too much work?
Yard domination – I tend to be a specialist. World is too much work.

18. Do you prefer to walk or go for a car ride?
I love, love, love my walks. I’m a fabulous car rider but walking is number one.

19. If you could do one thing right now, what would it be?
Go for a walk.

20. What book would like to chew the cover off?
The dog book that said a dog’s nails ever needed to be trimmed. Brush my teeth, my coat, even a modest trim or two of my coat but leave the nails alone! Where is that book?



I’ve got plenty to bark about. Felix my annoying yard squirrel for one – he has no respect. Can’t get him more than halfway up the tree. Than there’s the Bull Mastiff next door – I’m sure I can take her on – I don’t care if she’s 100 pounds heavier than me. But before you get the wrong idea I really am more of a lover than a fighter. Cuddling is one of my number one things to do. But now this is all cutting into my naptime. So, I’ll wish you the luck of the Irish and be off.






Don't forget to leave a comment here for a chance to win the Puppy Calendar!  You can also enter again at any of the puppy profiles I have done.




Author RYSHIA KENNIE Blog Tour WIN an E BOOK of RING OF DESIRE


Author Ryshia Kennie has a new book coming out titled Ring of Desire.


 Here is a blurb about Ring of Desire:


Whispers of an ancient magic draw them together …

In the medieval land of Hafne, a curse has swept through the land leaving it barren and without hope. As one of the chosen, Vala watches for signs of the prophecy and with it, the owner of a ring who is destined to fight by her side and drive away the darkness. The newly arrived Norman en emy is an unnecessary complication in Hafne—and in beautiful Vala’s heart.

… An unspeakable evil fights to keep them apart.

Giles arrives with his Norman men in time to rescue a mysteri ous woman from a watery death. Holding Vala in his arms, the stirrings of destiny and desire begin, binding him to a proph ecy of which he surely wants no part—binding him to a search.
 
I am looking forward to this one!  I haven't found too many historical paranormals, but I love them. 
 
You can enter here to win an E BOOK of Ryshia new release.
 
Please leave a separate comment for each entry
 
+1 Leave a comment here!
+2 New Follower
+1 Follower
+5 Follow Ryshia's blog here  (no need to leave five comments, one will do)
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This giveaway ends on 11.30.09

Please leave me a way to contact you as well. 

Check out Ryshia on the web as well!
http://www.ryshiakennie.com/

http://www.myspace.com/ryshiakennie


NEXT UP, A VERY IMPORTANT INTERVIEW WITH ROURKE

11/15/09

PUPPY PROFILE with ENZO From THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN



20 QUESTIONS WITH ENZO
The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel by Garth Stein


1. What breed(s) are you?
Taxonomy is overrated. I refuse to be categorized by arbitrary human labels.


2. Favorite place to sleep?
A sunny spot by a window on a cold day.

3. Favorite food?
Pancakes.

4. How did you find your home?
Good manifesting.

5. Favorite thing to chew?
I like to practice chewing with my mouth closed, like a person.

6. Indoors or Outdoors?
Out.

7. Any thoughts on clothes for dogs?
Humiliating and degrading. My advice is to stay away from that sort of thing.

8. Dog Trainers: Friend or Foe?
It's important to stay healthy through an active lifestyle.

9. Hair cuts or the natural look?
I am what I am, and what I am needs no explaining.

10. Do you like baths?
Never.

11. Favorite place to watch your territory from?
A race car.

12. What cute thing do you do for a treat?
I don't do cute things for treats. If you love me, let me know. If you don't, then let me go.

13. What most do you like to bark at?
Crows.

14. Cats: Take them or leave them?
Take them and leave them where? I'd be happy to.

15. Would you chase a squirrel right now if you could?
I will always chase a squirrel. I'll try not to catch him this time.

16. If you catch something, what do you do with it?
Depends on the thing. See above.

17. Do you have any more adventures planned?
Life is a highway; I'm gonna ride it all night long.

18. Do you prefer to walk or go for a car ride?
A car ride, of course.

19. If you could do one thing right now, what would it be?
A car ride, of course.

20. What book would like to chew the cover off?
Anything by Cesar Millan. If he does that finger pokey thing with me and that funny noise he makes, he's looking for trouble. Et tu, Brute?


If you haven't read The Art of Racing in The Rain....you need to!  I fell in love with Enzo and you need to as well.  If you have read the book then his answers will make complete sense to you.

And if you haven't -- I am giving away a $10 Amazon e-gift-card so you can order your own copy!  You must have an email address to win.
Giveaway end 11.30.09

Please leave a comment here to enter with a way for me to contact you.

Leave separate comments for each additional entry:

+1 post a link on your blog about this contest (leave the link here!)
+1 post a tweet (leave a link here!)
+1 follow me
+2 new follower
+1 leave a comment, even just to say hello...you can stop by every day of the contest!

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger (Book Review #204)


Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

LOVED IT

It is always interesting to read new genre's and this one has it all.  A mix of humourous Victorian cozies and paranormal romance which equals Steampunk and turns out to be very addictive.   I love how the author weaves fantasy with the Victorian era.   The character of Alexia is a strong female lead and nicely develops into someone I want to keep an eye on.  Gosh, what can I say, but try this one!

Product Description


Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.


About the Author
Ms. Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by a harem of Armenian lovers, where she insists on tea imported directly from London and cats that pee into toilets. She is fond of teeny tiny hats and tropical fruit. Find out more about the author at http://www.gailcarriger.com/.

Product Details

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Orbit (October 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316056634
ISBN-13: 978-0316056632

OBTAINED FROM: A Friend

11/14/09

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Book Review #203)


The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

LOVED IT

This futuristic fantasy takes place in a post apocalyptic United States and is very fast paced.  I thought it was a little predictible and reminded me of a cross between The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and a teen Survivor.  Of course I had to go back to the library and get Catching Fire so I could read the next installment right away. 

The characters are the true stars of this story.  I really liked Katniss, Gale and Peeta.  They all have enough detail to make them interesting.  I hope the next book will have more to say about Peeta and Gale.  I think this is appropriate for older teens since there is some violence, not much sex (a little kissing) and alcohol abuse. 

Product Description


Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

About the Author
SUZANNE COLLINS’s debut novel, Gregor the Overlander, the first book in the Underland Chronicles, received wide praise both in the United States and abroad. The series has been a New York Times bestseller and received numerous accolades. Also a writer for childrenÂ’s television, Suzanne lives with her family in Connecticut.
 
Product Details

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (September 14, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0439023483
ISBN-13: 978-0439023481

OBTAINED FROM:  LIBRARY

You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas by Augusten Burroughs (Book Review 202)



You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas (Hardcover)

~ Augusten Burroughs
 
LOVED IT

Another wonderful collection of essays from Augusten Burroughs.  No matter what your thoughts on his personal life, this collection of short stories will move you and make you laugh.  He can take every day situations and make them magical.  A perfect read for the season.  I just wish it were longer.
 
Product Description


You’ve eaten too much candy at Christmas…but have you ever eaten the face off a six-footstuffed Santa? You’ve seen gingerbread houses…but have you ever made your own gingerbread tenement? You’ve woken up with a hangover…but have you ever woken up next to Kris Kringle himself? Augusten Burroughs has, and in this caustically funny, nostalgic, poignant, and moving collection he recounts Christmases past and present—as only he could. With gimleteyed wit and illuminated prose, Augusten shows how the holidays bring out the worst in us and sometimes, just sometimes, the very, very best.



About the Author

AUGUSTEN BURROUGHS is the New York Times bestselling author of A Wolf At The Table, Possible Side Effects, Magical Thinking, Dry, Running with Scissors, and Sellevision. He lives in New York City and Amherst, Massachusetts.
 
Product Details
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (October 27, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312341911
ISBN-13: 978-0312341916
 
OBTAINED FROM:  Library

11/12/09

20 QUESTIONS MICHAEL LANDON JR AND CINDY KELLY AUTHORS OF THE SILENT GIFT




Another fun 20 Questions, this time with the authors of The Silent Gift.  I truly loved this one.  It made me cry, but then aren't some books supposed to? 

Michael Landon Jr is ML and Cindy Kelly is CK, so you get two authors for the price of one! 

Be sure to click on the picture to leave a comment and enter the giveaway for my copy of this gently read book.  You can also get another entry by leaving a comment here as well!  And if you repost this someplace, leave me a link and that is another entry for each place!


1. Bookmarks or dog ears? (CK)Dog ears – (ML) Both


2. Dust jacket on or off when reading a hard back? On

3. Favorite author? (CK) Ray Bradbury -- Charles Dickens & Feodor Dostoevsky (ML)

4. Favorite genre’? don’t have one

5. What is the best book you have read in the last year? (CK) The Glass Castle -- The Book Thief (ML)

6. What book would you most like to see made into a movie? (CK) The Book Thief – The Silent Gift (ML)

7. If you could only take one book with you to a desert island, which would you bring? The Bible – Ditto (I’d need it!)

8. What book have you read that you think is overrated? Her Fearful Symmetry

9. What are you reading right now? Absolute Power by Vince Flynn – Walking East to West: God in the Shadows by Ravi Zacharias

10. What is the last book you bought? (CK) The Lovely Bones -- God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? (ML)

11. What is the last book you received in the mail? The Silent Gift

12. What is the number of books you own? At least three hundred

13. What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child? Freckles – don’t remember

14. Do you have a favorite place to read? Big leather chair, lounge chair in bedroom

15. Pop, rock, jazz or classical music? (CK) Classical – Film scores (ML)

16. Does music help or hinder when you write? helps

17. Do you have a pet? If so, please name them. Two dogs. (CK) Haylee and Randal – two dogs Atticus and Rowan

18. Do you garden? If so, flower or vegetable? (CK) Flower – I pay (ML)

19. What one thing would you save in a fire (other than people or animals)? (CK) Oil paintings of my kids – videos and pics of family (ML)

20. What makes you cringe? (CK) Rude people -- Me (ML)
 
Be sure to stop by your favorite book seller and pick up this book today.  It would also make a perfect Christmas gift.

PUPPY PROFILE with LASCAUX and Author EVA GORDON

LASCAUX.....AND AUTHOR EVA GORDON!

Another Puppy Profile with Lascaux, who lives with Eva Gordon, author of the Wolf Maiden Chronicles.  You can check out her blog here which features wolves.  And without wolves, we wouldn't have dogs.  Please check out her books as well.  They look wonderful and also feature wolves!  The Wolf Maiden Chronicles. Book 1, Werewolf Sanctuary released May 2009 followed by Beast Warrior (August 2009), which takes place during the Viking era. White Wolf of Avalon: Werewolf Knight will be release late February 2010 and Lycan Gladiator is in the works. There is a little background on these books here.







1. What breed(s) are you? I’m a male brown Standard Poodle.
Here I am reading my mom’s first published novel.

2. Favorite place to sleep?
I sleep on a large cushion next to Eva’s bed (she would rather sleep with her husband, which I accept.)

3. Favorite food?
Nature’s Choice Venison

4. Favorite toy?

My ball. I love it when it’s thrown and I chase it. And my froggy.


5. Favorite thing to chew?
Cow’s ears.

6. Indoors or Outdoors?
I’m an indoors and outdoors dog. However, I am always with people. Never alone outdoors. I especially love running with Eva.

7. Are you embarrassed by dog outfits?
Yes, especially on Halloween.

8.  Dog Trainers: Friend or Foe?
I question authority. Eva calls me a wolf in sheep’s clothing.


9. Hair cuts or the natural look?
I have poodle fro so I get clipped every 5 weeks. I love the Town and County Cut, it makes me look dignified.

10.Do you like baths?
Absolutely, I love being wet and getting pampered.

11.Favorite place to watch your territory from?
The glass window. Got to keep an eye for deer, squirrels and cats. Don’t they smell my urine? Gees.

12.What cute thing do you do for a treat?
I bow, groan like a bear, spin like a top, howl like a wolf. You name it, I will do anything for a treat.

13.What most do you like to bark at?
The UPS dude. He dares come right up to our door.

14.Cats: Take them or leave them?
Leave them but have had to share my life with them. The last one left with Estee, Eva’s daughter and my den sister.

15.Would you chase a squirrel right now if you could?
You better believe it!

16.If you catch something, what do you do with it?
Critters always get away. Cornered an angry possum once. Too scared to get too close.

17. World domination or too much work?
Too much work. The secret is sleep, play time, good meal, runs and more sleep. To the simple life. Let the stressed alphas run the world.

18. Do you prefer to walk or go for a car ride?
Walk, the smells are better and I can try to chase things that have tails.

19. If you could do one thing right now, what would it be?
Chase a deer or play ball, either one would be great fun. There is also this cute white female standard named Mia I kind of have the hots for. Love to give her a good chase.

20. What book would like to chew the cover off?


Are you kidding? The books Eva spends all day writing. Her Wolf Maiden Chronicles series. She often ignores me to finish a scene or edit. Grrrr. Happy when she finishes for the day or takes a break. Have to admit I like her stories. She included a standard poodle in Werewolf Sanctuary. No dedication yet.


Anything else to bark about?

Here is a silly picture of me trying to sleep when Eva placed a silly werewolf mask on me. Eva really needs to grow up.


Aren't poodles amazing?  Don't forget to visit Eva's blog and buy her books!


I will have another post about them soon! 


Leave a comment here to enter to win the Dog Calendar.  You can enter once every day just by stopping by to leave a comment.


11/10/09

WIN THE RISING SEA by ORRIN PILKEY & BOB YOUNG

HOW TO ENTER:


Leave a comment here and tell me what you do to "green".

Leave a separate comment if you are a follower.

Get another entry if you are a new follower.

Repost this giveaway on your blog or tweet it. (one entry for each)

You can leave a new comment every day that the contest runs for additional entries!

Leave a comment on my review of The Rising Sea here.

Ends November 30, 2009 and only available in the US.

Green Books Campaign: The Rising Sea by Orrin H. Pilkey and Rob Young (Book Review 196)



This review is part of the Green Books campaign. Today 100 bloggers are reviewing 100 great books printed in an environmentally friendly way. Our goal is to encourage publishers to get greener and readers to take the environment into consideration when purchasing books. This campaign is organized by Eco-Libris, a a green company working to green up the book industry by promoting the adoption of green practices, balancing out books by planting trees, and supporting green books. A full list of participating blogs and links to their reviews is available on Eco-Libris website.












The Rising Sea by Orrin H. Pilkey and Rob Young


LIKED IT

The Rising Sea brings forth interesting information on climate change and the effect it is having on sea level. This is an easy to read book about climate change and how it effects the water around us. I picked this book since I live about a mile from the beach and wanted to know if I would be range to be under water in the near future. The authors show that all life near shorelines will be affected.
The sad fact is that unless we do something about the increase in climate and the melting ice caps now, a lot economic, habitat and life will be lost to rising waters. I just hope the governments get together and create a plan for the future and that local policy makers do the right thing to prevent loss.
Product Description
While rising seas are now inevitable, we are far from helpless. By making hard choices—including uprooting citizens, changing where and how we build, and developing a coordinated national response—we can save property, and ultimately lives. With unassailable research and practical insights, The Rising Sea is a critical first step in understanding the threat and keeping our heads above water.

About the Author
Orrin H. Pilkey is James B. Duke Professor of Geology Emeritus at Duke University, author of The Corps and the Shore, and editor of the twenty-volume series Living with the Shore. Rob Young is the director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines and professor of geosciences at Western Carolina University.

Product Details
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Shearwater; 1 edition (July 14, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1597261912
ISBN-13: 978-1597261913

OBTAINED: From Publisher















PUPPY PROFILE with DUSTY from BOOKVISIONS





MY NEXT PUPPY PROFILE IS: DUSTY!

Dusty lives with Linda from Bookvisions, go visit her blog here.





Remember to leave a separate comment here for each entry to win the calendar!

You can earn extra entries by leaving a comment on each Puppy Profile and following Linda's blog.





1. What breed(s) are you?
I had a DNA test and it indicated a large part is unknown, but it also showed I have Poodle, Collie, Siberian Husky, and Great Dane in my ancestry.


2. Favorite place to sleep?
In my bed. I also let my people family sleep there too so it gets a little crowded.

3. Favorite food?
Pig ears and Cheese

4. How did you find your home?
I was in the dog pound and this lady came to get a Christmas present for her husband. I walked over, leaned against her leg, and peed all over the floor. She just said "This is the one" and patted me on the head.

5. Favorite thing to chew?
Plastic soda bottles. I need to get the cap and ring off. I need to.

6. Indoors or Outdoors?
Indoors, it doesn't rain or snow in here, but I do like to play outside with my dog friends.

7. Are you embarrassed by dog outfits?
No, it amuses the family.

8. Dog Trainers: Friend or Foe?
I'm too stubborn for a trainer, but I did go to Doggy Day Care for the first time recently when I visited Arizona. They were a little snooty, but I was a good boy, and they even gave me a good report card at the end of the day.

9. Hair cuts or the natural look?
I don't need haircuts. I shed buckets of hair a week, but I never seem to run out.

10. Do you like baths?
No baths, no baths, no baths!

11. Favorite place to watch your territory from?
I like to sit on top of the hill and wait for the boats to go by. When I see one coming I stalk it like a lion, and then run up and bark until they are past my territory. I scare them good sometimes.

12. What cute thing do you do for a treat?
I wear stupid hats, rabbit ears, or other strange things that amuse the family.

13. What most do you like to bark at?
People, and dogs, and foxes, and squirrels, and noises, and.......

14. Cats: Take them or leave them?
Leave them - they have claws.

15. Would you chase a squirrel right now if you could?
No, I gave that up when I realized I would never catch them.

16. If you catch something, what do you do with it?
Eat it, bury it, or bring it back to be thrown again.

17. World domination or too much work?
Household domination is good enough for now.

18. Do you prefer to walk or go for a car ride?
CAR ride!!!! I just returned from a 13 state car ride. I got to smell so many new places.

19. If you could do one thing right now, what would it be?
I would love to go for a boat ride as long as I don't have to get wet!

20. What book would like to chew the cover off?
Even I know better than to chew a book.







Isn't that the cutest thing you have ever seen?
Dusty is one lucky dog to have a home with Linda. Or maybe, that is the other way around?
Again go visit Linda's blogs
http://www.bookvisions.blogspot.com/
www.knitvisions.blogspot.com

11/9/09

PUPPY PROFILE with JIMMY FROM NOSE UP, EYES DOWN BY MERRILL MARKOE


I tried to find a picture of Jimmy, but like all famous dogs who intend to dominate the world, he probably doesn't want his picture distributed due to those plans. I think a picture of Jimmy is actually somewhere on Merrill Markoe's web page....let me know if you find it.

From Publishers Weekly:
Jimmy, the canine star of Merrill's second fun-loving doggie novel (after Walking in Circles Before Lying Down), is the Tony Robbins of the dog world and holds informal seminars with the neighborhood dogs to instruct them in the art of manipulating their human masters (the key, he intones, is nose down, eyes up). Jimmy's poochly wisdom—spot-on and hilarious throughout—is made available courtesy of his owner, Gil, an unlucky in love handyman who learns how to communicate with dogs. This launches the novel's plot, as Gil shoots down Jimmy's idea that he is Gil's biological son. Soon, Jimmy is intent on meeting his birth mother, who happens to belong to Gil's now-remarried ex-wife. A series of setbacks beset the duo, and the tribulations provide lessons in life, love and finding happiness. The conversations with the wry, wise and lovable Jimmy (and his three other oddball dog pals) comprise the novel's heart and comedic through-line—discourse ranges from business matters to why dogs pee so many times during walks. Markoe's hilarious dialogue should be a must-read for dog lovers

I first read about Jimmy in Nose Down, Eyes Up (you know I love almost anything with a dog in it) and knew I had to talk to him sooner or later.

Here is 20 Questions with JIMMY

1. What breed(s) are you?
A Flatcoated Retriever. The Retriever that puts all others to shame. I don't even stoop to retrieving, per se. I leave that crap to the lesser Retrievers.

2. Favorite place to sleep?
On top of whatever you are reading.

3. Favorite food?
Whatever you are eating.

4. Favorite toy?
Don't have time for toys.

5. Favorite thing to chew?
Whatever you just threw in to the garbage.

6. Indoors or Outdoors?
Absolutely. Yes. By all means.

7. Are you embarrassed by dog outfits?
I'm not sure I understand the question. What are these things of which you speak?

8. Dog Trainers: Friend or Foe?
Friend. You may know my motto: "Everyone is always glad to see me."

9. Hair cuts or the natural look?
Hair cuts in the summer, natural in the winter.

10. Do you like baths?
No. I don't see the point.

11. Favorite place to watch your territory from?
In the center of whatever you are reading.

12. What cute thing do you do for a treat?
I wobble my lower jaw like a ventriloquist dummy. Everyone seems to love it. I'm not sure why.

13. What most do you like to bark at?
Sirens. I like to harmonize with sirens. I'm told it is magnificent .

14. Cats: Take them or leave them?
Yes. Exactly. Take them or leave them.

15. Would you chase a squirrel right now if you could?
No. I'm too comfortable.

16. If you catch something, what do you do with it?
I'm so glad you bring this up. And I am so relieved that you are also puzzled. Because that has been exactly my point all along! If you catch something, what do you do with it? If you find out, please let me know.

17. Does going to the vet upset you?
First you tell me something: Are you looking forward to getting a colonoscopy?

18. Do you prefer to walk or go for a car ride?
A walk. Then a car ride. Then another walk. Then another car ride. Like that. To me it is not just wrong to separate them, it is unnatural and against the law of God.

19. If you could do one thing right now, what would it be?
Take a walk in to the kitchen for a full meal. No. Wait. Take a walk in to the kitchen for four full meals.

20. What book would like to chew the cover off?
Any book that has been accidentally left in a bowl of stew.






Don't forget to leave a comment here for a chance to win a cute puppy calendar! This contest is open worldwide.

WIN A CUTE PUPPY CALENDAR!




Win this beautiful wall calendar with adorable puppies.

I am going to post several Puppy Profiles this week and you can win this calendar several ways:


  • Leave a comment here about your puppy.
  • Leave a comment on each puppy profile.
  • Follow the puppy (well ok maybe not the puppy, but the person's blog who is linked to the puppy).
  • Follow me.
  • You can get extra entries by stopping by each day just to say "hello" on any of the posts!
  • Repost this on your blog and leave me a link!
  • As always, make sure I can contact you!

This contest is open worldwide and the winner will be chosen through Random.org.

Product Description:
Now you can have a calendar that is both stylish and functional. This 16-month wall calendar features full-color images and plenty of room to plan busy schedules.
13 full-color images
Full-page calendar grid
16 months
Past and future months reference

WIN THIS BOOK: DEFENDERS OF THE SCROLL by SHIRAZ



I read it, I liked and now it can be yours!



A winner will be drawn by random.org on November 28 and it should reach you for the Holidays!


This is open to the USA only. I am paying for postage!



To Enter:

PLEASE leave a new comment for each entry!

  • Leave a comment here about what you would do with a secret scroll. (0ne entry)
  • Be a Follower. (one entry)
  • Be a NEW Follower (extra entry)
  • You can leave ONE new comment every day of the contest! (one extra entry per day--just stop by and say "HI")
  • Repost this giveaway on your blog (two extra entries)
  • As always, please leave a way for me to contact you!

11/8/09

Defenders of the Scroll: History, Legend and Lore by Shiraz and Steve Criado (Book Review 201)



REALLY LIKED IT

Don't let the cover fool you, this is actually a really good action adventure story that will appeal to reluctant young male readers. I thought it was a perfect combination of fantasy and pirate adventure with characters that are likable. There is no graphic violence and should appeal to both kids and parents alike. I received this copy from the authors.

Please note that you will want to read the next one in the series. I hate it when a book leaves me hanging.

Product Description
Far away in the realm of Mythos, young princess Dara - entrusted with her father's magic scroll, the only hope for the realm - summons six heroes from different times and places to defend her from an evil entity that has broken free of its prison to darken the land. The six heroes are a hardened Roman legionnaire, a swift Japanese samurai, a mighty African warrior, a fiery Amazon archer, a spirited Shaolin monk, and Alex, a guitar-playing high school student. Now, constantly on the run from an army of Shadow Warriors, Dara and Alex must endure perilous journeys and face frightening monsters as they struggle to find the mysterious Hall of Shadows.

About the Author

http://www.defendersofthescroll.com/bios.html

Product Details
Hardcover: 330 pages
Publisher: R.M. Productions; 1ST edition (2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0981013503
ISBN-13: 978-0981013503