Serena’s Articles at Savvy Verse & Wit, Page 363

Mailbox Monday #5

November 24, 2008 by Serena

Welcome to another edition of my Mailbox Monday, which is sponsored by Marcia at The Printed Page! I swear I will have a free Monday sometime soon, but for now, I’m posting these on Sunday nights.

What did I get in my mailbox, you’ll be surprised!

1. A box of Spooktacular books, which I won at Words to Mouth and Hatchette Group; I think one of the books that was supposed to be in the box is still on back order–Possibly When Ghosts Speak by Mary Ann Winkowski

The 13 Best Horror Stories of All Time, edited by Leslie Pockell
The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent
Isolation by Travis Thrasher
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
The Monsters by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
Ghostly Encounters by Frances Kermeen
The Myrtles Plantation by Frances Kermeen
Dracula by Bram Stoker (Can you believe I didn’t own this yet?!)
The Terror by Dan Simmons

2. Breathing Out the Ghost by Kirk Curnutt (from the author for his TLC Book Tours).

3. The Memorist by MJ Rose (from the author)

Filed Under: mailbox monday

Winner of Scattered Leaves

November 24, 2008 by Serena

Out of 24 entrants for the Scattered Leaves by Richard Roach contest, Randomizer.org selected #2, which was Theresa N.

Congrats to Theresa! I’ve emailed you to get your snail mail address.

Check out the contest with tomorrow’s Pump Up Your Book Promotion Tour for Grit for the Oyster: 250 Pearls of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers.

Filed Under: winners

Update on the Throw/Donate 50 Things Pledge

November 23, 2008 by Serena

Remember when I pledged to declutter my house over on Monniblog’s site? Well, would you believe I’ve already met this 50 items goal and then some. In one day, the hubby and I cleared out our bedroom closet and under the bed and under the dresser.

Here’s a list of some of the items we donated today:
1. 3 table lamps

2. 2 bags of clothes and towels

3. a laundry basket that is too small for us

4. a painting that hubby got from work

5. 2 vases

6. a Spanish on cassette course

7. a ton of desktop photo frames

8. Photocard software for PC

9. 3.5 inch floppy disks

10. a trash bin

11. a bunch of shoes I don’t wear (boots, high heels I can’t wear, etc.)

12. cat dishes

13. figurines (cats, wolves, etc.)

14. candle topper, looks like an old lady hat with posies in it.

15. candle holders

16. 8 books

17. blankets

18. dish rags (though they were in nice condition)

19. rabbit fur/skin decoration thingy

20. clock radio

21. rabbit ears for television (though I don’t think anyone will want those much longer)

22. reusable water bottle for walking etc.

Some Items we held onto for no reason and that were oftentimes broken made their way to the trash, including:

1. a blender

2. ripped blankets

3. broken frames

4. broken glass knicknacks

5. broken candle holders

6. software for printers that no longer exist here

7. beabag footstool

8. empty cell phone boxes for phones we no longer have (LOL)

Have I met the pledge? I think so…but I’m sure there is more to come.

If you haven’t signed up, you better get on over there. Check it out and sign Mr. Linky.

Filed Under: Declutter Challenge 2008

Announcements

November 23, 2008 by Serena

Hatchette Group is hosting a discussion with Marie Phillips, author of Gods Behaving Badly, on December 1 at 1:00 PM on Blog Talk Radio.

You should check it out.

Next month–December in case you forgot–is the kick-off for the Owen Fiddler Experience Christmas Cyber Tour 2008 with author Marvin Wilson.

Marvin will be stopping by Savvy Verse & Wit on December 10, 2008. You can look forward to my review of Marvin’s book as well as a guest post from him about his transformation from freebird hippie to disciplined writer and published author.

Here’s the tour stop list:

December 4: Diary of an Eccentric book review.

December 5: Diary of an Eccentric‘s Marvin Wilson and Owen Fiddler Q&A.

December 6: Kat Logic Blog hosts an interview with Owen Fiddler

December 7: Unwriter Blog hosts a collision between Amanda the cat and Owen Fiddler

December 8: Books and Authors Blog posts an interview with the reformed Owen Fiddler from the last part of the book in three parts. Part one, thoughts on the new President. Part two, thanks and gratefulness (for Thanksgiving), and Part 3 on Christmas.

December 9: Zhadi’s Den Blog post a short review of the book, and a humorous piece written by Marvin with a preface written by Owen Fiddler.

December 10: Savvy Verse & Wit posts a review of Owen Fiddler and an in-depth article written by Marvin Wilson, a biographical overview of the transformation from the undisciplined “freebird” Hippie of yore into the structured disciplined writer “living life on purpose” type of person he is today, and how that transformation affected and was affected by his taking up the arduous task of establishing a golden years career as a published author.

December 11: Straight from Hel Blog; Helen re-posts her review of Owen Fiddler and Marvin posts an article on novice authors dealing for the first time with a dastardly candid and task-mastering professional editor.

December 12: The Emerging Author Blog posts an interview with author Marvin D Wilson. The focus of the interview will be on writing and marketing techniques and ideas, with a flavor of Christmas-like subject matters touched on as well.

December 13: Pretty, Prosperous and Powerful Blog; Owen Fiddler asks Lacresha questions. He wants to know why the church is so judgmental, why there are so many hypocrites that call themselves “Christians” and then don’t act like Christ. Owen’s anger toward the religious and his hurting inside is attempted to be resolved by Lacresha’s addressing his spiritual needs and his misunderstanding of the difference between the religious and the truly spiritual.

December 14: Morphological Confetti Blog; Stephen posts an excerpt from the book Owen Fiddler.

December 15: The Quiverful Family Blog; Jennifer Bogart posts an interview with Marvin D Wilson focusing specifically on his redemption and salvation spiritual experience and how that has affected his writing.

December 16: The Daily Blonde Blog; Host Cheryl Phillips, in her own inimitable witty, chatty, fun-loving blond-headed-girl-next-door style, posts her piece on her impressions after having read Owen Fiddler – a spiritual/inspirational novel with SEX SCENES in it!

December 17: My Friend Amy’s Blog; Amy posts the interview with Louis Seiffer on “Inside the Actor’s Head Studio with Thames Lipton.” Louis Seiffer is the puffed up Satan-wannabe character in the book that grows in stature the more attention he is given.

Filed Under: announcements Tagged With: blog talk radio

I’ve Made the Pledge, Have You?

November 22, 2008 by Serena

My wonderful blogger friend Monniblog has started something, and in the spirit of cleaning my house of clutter, I’ve signed up!

I think we all collect things and pack them away, forget about them, and never realize we have them. I know I do this. Now, I’m not talking about books here…just that stuff that piles up in the house.

I even find that I sometimes buy things when I already have them, but they are packed away in the closet and I just don’t know it.

So are you ready to take the pledge, and throw out or donate 50 items you no longer need? Sign up on Mr. Linky and make sure you grab the button. Get started, you have only until Jan. 1.

Filed Under: Declutter Challenge 2008

J.L. Miles’ BEST-SELLER BLUES

November 21, 2008 by Serena

Welcome to Savvy Verse & Wit‘s special guest post with J.L. Miles, who will share her writing career experiences. I want to thank J.L. Miles for taking time out of her busy schedule to contribute to my blog as part of her virtual tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion. Another thank you to Dorothy Thompson for sending along Cold Rock River, J.L. Miles’ latest book, and placing me in contact with J.L. Miles. Okay, without further ado, here is J.L. Miles.

I started my writing career when our children left home and my husband insisted they weren’t coming back unless they needed money. Previously, I wanted to be a movie star, but when the mirror confirmed that my theatrical-clock had not only stopped ticking, it was at the cemetery, I thought writing might be a better choice. While at the dentist waiting on a root canal—never make career decisions while waiting on a man with a knitting needle who intends to stab you in the mouth with it—I picked up a tattered paperback entitled The Writer’s Little Instruction Book.

Spooky! I was merely contemplating the idea of becoming a N.Y. Times bestselling author and the perfect manual appeared. Surely God, his angels, and all the saints were trying to tell me something, right? I didn’t consider that maybe the devil and his deceivers were having a good laugh. The book listed 365 (give or take) secrets for writing and getting published. Perfect! It was an omen. In 365 days I’d be on the bestsellers list. I simply needed to master one little ol’ secret a day. The first one I came across was the key to a successful story.

It was threefold:

1. Get your protagonist up a tree.

2. Put a tiger under the tree.

3. Get your protagonist out of the tree.

Elementary! I was on my way and about to discover secret #2, when the receptionist called my name. It was time for my root canal. Piece of cake—I was on a mission to greatness. Not even that flashing knitting needle held high in Dr.I-Forget-his-name’s hand would stop me now. Four injections (the first three didn’t take), and two hours later I drove home not the least bit interested in the N. Y. Times, its bestsellers list, or who was on it.

Tomorrow, I’d begin the great American novel, the minute my feet hit the floor, the instant my brain met the coffee. However—don’t you hate that word?—I forgot about one character defect I’ve struggled with most of my life: I’m a world class procrastinator. If they ever give out Pulitzer’s on the subject, I’ll be a major contender. Not to say I don’t get things done. I do. But I tend to do them one minute before time’s up.

Procrastination is not a good attribute for an author. All the best books on writing (there are slews of good ones; here are my favorites: Anne Lamott, Elizabeth Berg, Julie Cameron, Stephen King—and Walter Mosely’s brand new contribution), state clearly that writers are to place themselves before the computer (or notepad, or typewriter) at precisely the same time each day for precisely the same amount of pre-determined hours each day (weekends and holiday included), in order to not only hone one’s craft, but to complete the manuscript at hand. Ahhh. . .that might be a problem.

The moment I get out of bed, I tend to explore the world around me and assess the damages, making a list as I go. Stupid little things like, I forgot to do the laundry, again and there’s no clean underwear, the milk’s sour, there’s nothing to eat but cat food, the garbage hasn’t been dragged to the curb in a month, and the refrigerator filter hasn’t been changed since we invaded Iraq. The list grows as I walk from room to room. Are those fur balls under the dining room table really having grandchildren? Can’t be, last week they were barely parents. I climb under to investigate. I meander from room to room, procrastination taking over the morning. I get out the phone book. Surely there’s an organization that can assist me. There has to be. I’m on the verge of being a bestselling author! I need recovery.

The yellow page lists Alcoholics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Cheaters Anonymous, Kleptomaniacs Anonymous and Sex Addicts Anonymous. There are groups for Obsessive Compulsion Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Bi-Polar Disorder, but absolutely no procrastinators support group. There must be an organization meeting somewhere. Actually a helpline would be my choice. A number I could call the moment I find no underwear I’m willing to wear or encounter a chore I’m tempted to do—featuring a commanding voice like my mothers that will instruct me to immediately march over to my computer and bolt myself to the chair for a minimum of three hours, and call her in the morning.

I look through the entire collection of yellow pages I’ve amassed, as well as the local newspaper’s classified ads and find nothing to assist me. Obviously, I’m one of a mere handful of major procrastinators in existence. There are simply not enough of us to require a network of supporters. Yikes! I’m on my own. I search the room for answers and spot my computer. It’s waiting, perfectly able to do my bidding. And I only have 364 more secrets to master. Glory be—I’m ready to discover them!

I dash to the computer, sit down triumphantly, and put my hands on the keys. At last! I’m ready to write the great American novel. However—the phone rings. It’s my mother. She’s waiting on me. “Did you forget you need to take me to the dentist?” Ahhh. . .yeh, I did, but I don’t tell her. “I’m on my way!” I say instead. I get up from my computer and grab my car keys.

Tomorrow, I’d begin the great American novel, the minute my feet hit the floor, the instant my brain met the coffee.

About the Author:

J. L. (Jackie Lee) Miles is the author of Cold Rock River, the critically acclaimed Roseflower Creek, and the soon to be released Dwayne Series. Divorcing Dwayne debuts April 2008. Dear Dwayne & Dating Dwayne to follow.

Write to Jackie at [email protected]

Visit the website at http://www.jlmiles.com

***Don’t Forget Today is the last day to enter to win a copy of Scattered Leaves by Richard Roach, leave a comment here and here and you’ll get 2 entries.

Filed Under: guest post, pump up your book promotion

Cold Rock River by J.L. Miles

November 20, 2008 by Serena

J.L. Miles’ Cold Rock River flows in and out of the past and present of Adie Thacker’s life and occasionally transports the reader into the thicket of plantations and slavery near the time of the Civil War. The reader travels along the current of Cold Rock River and hits some brisk rapids and undercurrents, following Adie on her journey.

When Adie is a child, her family is the picture of happiness, minus the normal angst among siblings and boy troubles. However, one day their family changes irrevocably. Her father drinks himself into a stupor, while her mother withdraws from her children and her husband. Rebecca, Adie’s older sister, falls in love, becomes a mother, and moves out on her own. Clarissa, Rebecca’s twin, is the sweetest of the sisters and wallows in food to shut out the pain. Although this story is about her family and how it evolves after a significant loss, the novel also is about family secrets and how those secrets eat up Adie and the family.

This beautiful image in Chapter Seventeen, page 162, holds a vast symbolic meaning in relation to this family’s struggles and its one of my favorites:

Hog Gap and Cold Rock still had the mountain between them with no road cutting through. The only way to get from one spot to the other was to take the two-lane highway that ran around it. In the distance, Cold Rock Mountain rested like a fat king on his throne. The sides sparkled like jewels as the sun bounced off chunks of granite embedded along the edges.

Another of my favorite passages in this book is in Chapter Three, on page 33-34, shortly after Adie’s mother becomes infatuated with Jackie Kennedy and her husband:

Mama was especially crazy about the pillbox hats Jackie wore. “Not every woman can wear them, you know,” she said. “Takes a certain bone structure.” Whatever type that was, Mama figured she had it. Every one of the dresses she made had its own matching pillbox hat, but they didn’t look much like Jackie’s. Mama used Pa’s baseball caps as a base. She cut the bills off and covered what was left in whatever fabric she was working on at the time.

Adie is a bit tough to take at first with her disjointed narrative, but eventually her ramblings endear her to the reader. She struggles as a new wife and mother, particularly when she realizes her husband, Buck, is not as in love with her as she is with him and that his mother, Verna, has secrets of her own and hopes Adie will fail.

Miles easily weaves in the slave narrative of Tempe Jordan into Adie’s story. Although these stories parallel one another in some ways, the stories shed light on the strength these women share. This is one of those novels that will stay with the reader once the last page is read, and it is now one of my top 5 books from this year.

About Author J.L. Miles:

J.L. Miles, (Jackie Lee) a resident of Georgia for thirty years, hails from Wisconsin via South Dakota. She considers herself “a northern girl with a southern heart”. Miles resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and Cape Canaveral, Florida, along with her husband Robert, where she is a featured speaker at book clubs, local schools, and writer’s workshops.

Check back tomorrow for J.L. Miles’ Guest Post about the Best-Seller Blues.

Thanks you to J.L. Miles for providing me with a copy of her book, and to Dorothy Thompson for allowing me to host this Pump Up Your Book Promotion Tour.

Also Reviewed by:

The Friendly Book Nook

Filed Under: historical fiction, pump up your book promotion, Read in 2008, review copy, reviews Tagged With: cold rock river, j.l. miles

Winner of Off the Menu by Christine Son

November 20, 2008 by Serena

Out of 42 entrants into the contest, Randomizer.org selected #31, which was Dar from Peeking Between the Pages.

Here’s what she said about her fears:

Serena, I knew I was missing something when I was doing that giveaway post. I do want to enter this one. 1)My fears are dying, water, spiders and the list is too long to list here. 2) I had seen Christine posted this on someone’s site before and it’s on her blog-when she was wandering with a pile of books cradled in her arms like a paper baby. Don’t know why but I find that so funny. 3) From her interview-trying to convince her mother that her characters aren’t based on her. That sounds like something I’d likely have to do with my mother-lol. Last, I’m adding this to my blog giveaway post right now.

Congrats to Dar. And thanks to all who stopped by my TLC Book Tour Stop for Christine Son!

Click on the book cover to order the book from Amazon for yourself or someone on your holiday list.

Filed Under: winners

Winner and Some Updates!

November 19, 2008 by Serena

Out of only 18 entrants, the lucky winner picked by Randomizer.org is #9, Marvin D. Wilson!

Congrats to Marvin. All those extra entries have paid off for you.

In other news, here’s an update for my Fall Into Reading Challenge:

Click on the ones with ** to see my reviews.

Here’s the list of books I plan on reading for the Fall Into Reading Challenge 2008:

1. A Grave in the Air by Stephen Henighan **
2. Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland **
3. Kindred Spirits by Marilyn Meredith**
4. Sex at Noon Taxes by Sally Van Doren**
5. The Safety of Secrets by Delaune Michel**
6. The Last Queen by C. W. Gortner
7. The Wonder Singer by George Rabasa
8. The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore **
9. Black Flies by Shannon Burke **
10. Freeman Walker by David Allan Cates
11. Falling Under by Danielle Younge-Ullman
12. Life After Genius by M. Ann Jacoby **
13. Lydia Bennet’s Story by Jane Odiwe **
14. Testimony by Anita Shreve**
15. Pemberley by the Sea by Abigail Reynolds **
16. The House on Tradd Street by Karen White **
17. The Sighing of the Winter Trees by Laura Grossman **
18. Scattered Leaves by Richard Roach **
19. Conscience Point by Erica Abeel
20. Off the Menu by Christine Son **
21. Cold Rock River by Jackie Lee Miles **
22. Owen Fiddler by Marvin D. Wilson
23. Open Slowly by Dayle Furlong
24. Matrimony by Joshua Henkin
25. Tomato Girl by Jayne Pupek
26. Mansfield Park Revisited by Joan Aiken
27. The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer
28. Cooperative Village by Frances Madeson
29. Fixing Hell: An Army Psychologist Confronts Abu Ghraib by Larry C. James

Filed Under: fall into reading challenge 2008, winners

Q&A With Richard Roach, Author of Scattered Leaves

November 18, 2008 by Serena

Welcome to my interview with Richard Roach, author of Scattered Leaves. I want to thank Richard for taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk with me about his writing process, inspirations, and publication journey. I also want to thank Dorothy Thompson from Pump Up Your Book Promotion for placing me in contact with Richard Roach.

1. How long did it take to write Scattered Leaves? Did you have an outline of the plot beforehand or simply start writing and let the characters guide you?

About three months for the first draft.

2. Do you have a particular spot that you like to write in (i.e. behind a desk in an office, in a comfy recliner, outside on the porch, etc.)?

Nowadays, I have an office in my house that’s quiet. There’s a desk with the computer, keyboard, and printer on it, and I sit in a chair somewhat like typists used to use in days long gone by. (I don’t know what they sit in now.) Years ago when I wrote Scattered Leaves, I used the typewriter that was on a small table beside my desk where I conducted my business. (I owned an oilfield service equipment manufacturing company before I retired.)

3. Was it difficult to find a publisher? What was the process you went through?

I hope to tell you it was difficult to find a publisher. The process I went through was very simple. I’d spent my working career, after the service, in the oilfield and didn’t know anyone in publishing. So, I procured a book of publishers and started writing to them. Mostly, I got rejections but a few, very few, asked to read the manuscript. But, finally, one said okay and that was it.

4. When did you decide to write full-time? Was it a tough decision?

More or less in 2000. No, it wasn’t a hard decision, I was retired in the sense that I no longer worked in a nine to five job. I had been writing off and on since 1985 but in 2000 I decided to get something published. (Prior to that the publishing bug had not bitten me.)

5. I’ve read that you were once in the Air Force. How did that prepare you for your writing career? And how did this experience provide you with insight into the criminal mind?

The Air Force gave me the opportunity to grow up! The service sent me to schools taught by Trinity University (This was all conducted on Lackland Air Force Base. Not at the college.) I spent my years learning what made people tick—being a drill sergeant is not like in the movies. You are in command of sixty young men and the responsibility is like a heavy weight bearing down on you, get smart or it will crush you. Being in the training command is ninety percent mental, you must win the competitions or you will not advance. You have to use your brain, that’s why you spend so much time in various schools.

I first got into the crime end of it when a recruit allegedly slit his wrists in a barracks next to my flight. I was appointed (ordered) to investigate and ascertain if it was a crime or if the recruit had committed suicide. As I mentioned, basic training is stressful. The squadron commander must have liked my work because after that he had me do various chores of this sort.

However, the way I learned about corporate thieves was by having my hard earned cash in the form of common stock stolen from me by experts in the oil business. You learn quickly about fraud when it’s your money. I had no idea that corporate offices were filled with criminals. I was a lamb ready to be fleeced. It was a wonderful, but costly, education.

6. Please describe you writing style and influences.

My writing is for the common man; therefore, it’s written in shirtsleeve English, the kind I use. Erle Stanley Gardner and John Dann MacDonald have the most influence on my writing.

7. Do you have any favorite authors and why?

The ones mentioned above. They transport me to a land where everything comes out right and you don’t have to worry about the real life and death experiences of tomorrow. No matter how black the night, or how cold the day—in Perry Mason’s world, he’s in control and everything is jake.

8. What are you reading now or do you have any book recommendations for my readers?

Lawrence Sander’s McNally’s Luck

Thanks again to Richard Roach for taking time out of his schedule to talk with me about his writing process.

Would you like a second entry into the contest for Scattered Leaves?

Leave a comment here about what you liked best about Richard Roach’s interview.

If you forgot to leave a comment on the Scattered Leaves review post, you better do it to make sure you get that first entry, otherwise the second one doesn’t count!

Also don’t forget to leave an email or working blog for me to get into contact with you if you win! Good Luck!

Don’t forget to enter the contest: Win a copy of Off the Menu by Christine Son (Deadline is Today Nov. 18)

Filed Under: Interviews Tagged With: richard roach

Scattered Leaves by Richard Roach

November 17, 2008 by Serena

Richard Roach’s Scattered Leaves follows the quest of Ben McCord, an oilman, to find the man who killed his young wife. McCord is a man on a mission, and his negative view of the world permeates the novel. The one light in his life, his wife June, is gone.

Like many of the James Patterson crime fiction novels I’ve read in the past, there is a vast conspiracy behind the death of McCord’s wife. However, some of the police procedure and gun purchasing details were unrealistic and could distract seasoned mystery readers.

On the other hand, the fast-paced plot will carry the reader quickly through the twists and turns. In some cases the reader may wonder how McCord ends up where he does, which is expected given that the novel is told from McCord’s point of view. Some of these plot twists seem outlandish and not well constructed, and the logic McCord uses to deduce his next course of action is shaky at best. However, McCord’s shaky logic is one of his character flaws, and it is this flaw that unwittingly propels him into unlikely situations and that fuels the fire propelling him to find his wife’s killer. The novel takes the reader on a journey from the Oklahoma oil fields to Texas and through Kansas, Colorado, and near the Mexican border.

One of my favorite characters in the novel is an older, hired assassin who gets the drop on McCord as he makes his way home, shooting into his moving car from the woods. This assassin is brash and had me giggling during the exchange he had with McCord in the woods after the attack. Richard Roach has a way with dry humor, which is used to ease the tension in some cases.

According to Richard Roach, “Knock ’em down and drag ’em out is more McCord’s style. But, he’s honest, forthright, and oh so tender with the ladies.” Reading this book, you can tell that McCord is rough around the edges, but he’s looking to keep his tender side on the surface more often. About midway through the novel, the action gets more intense and Dr. Pettijohn is thrust into the action in a harsh way and plays an integral role in its ultimate resolution. At times this novel seemed to tell McCord’s emotions rather than show them, and some of the plot points were not necessary to propel the action, both of which could distract readers. However, in spite of these problems with narration and plot, Richard Roach’s first novel is fast-paced and has an imaginative style that will keep you reading.

About the Author:

Born in Galveston, Texas, Richard Roach served four years in USAF as drill sergeant. He attended the University of Texas. Short stories have been published in Man’s Story 2, Happy 2007 volume 20, page 58, Iconoclast 2006 volume 91, page 73, and Bibliophilos 2006 volume 42, page 54. His first novel, Scattered Leaves, hit the book stores n September 2008. His second novel, Scattered Money, will be published by Multi-Media in 2009.

I want to thank Dorothy Thompson at Pump Up Your Book Promotion for sending along Scattered Leaves by Richard Roach.

If you’re interested in Scattered Leaves, feel free to leave a comment.

Randomizer.org will help me choose a winner.

You have until November 21 to enter.

Stop Back tomorrow for my Q&A with Richard Roach!

Also Reviewed By:
Peeking Between the Pages

Filed Under: fiction, giveaway, pump up your book promotion, Read in 2008, review copy, reviews Tagged With: richard roach, scattered leaves

Mailbox Monday #4

November 17, 2008 by Serena

Marcia at the Printed Page hosts Mailbox Monday, and maybe one of these days I will have a Monday free to post it on. No such luck again this week, but I am posting it in the evening today, so that’s close…right?!

So here goes the list, though it’s not that much this week:

1. Cross Country by James Patterson from Miriam Parker at Hatchette Group! (Yes, this is one of those special books that will be in Mom’s hands before mine, and she will be sharing her thoughts with you, here on the blog!

2. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks (also from Miriam Parker at Hatchette Group!) And you know who will be guest reviewing this one?! You got it: my mom. She’s in love with Patterson and Sparks’ novels. I just couldn’t deny her the pleasure.

3. Mrs. Lieutenant: A Sharon Gold Novel (from Phyllis Zimbler Miller); I’ve already reviewed this one, but I won it in a contest unknowingly and Phyllis was nice enough to autograph it for my mom. We’ll probably get her take on this one too.

4. Roosevelt’s Secret War by Joseph Persico, which I bought at Borders this weekend while shopping for Anna’s birthday! It’s her birthday today, so go wish her a happy one at Diary of an Eccentric.

5. Third Rail: The Poetry of Rock and Roll edited by Jonathan Wells, which I also bought at Borders, though in the bargain bin! $2 find. This book has poems by one of my favorite poets: Yusef Komunyakaa.

6. Gargoyle 53, which is a poetry journal. I’m not sure why I got this in the mail because I haven’t subscribed, unless it is the long awaited free subscription from the D.C. conference earlier this year.

7. Open Slowly by Dayle Furlong, which I borrowed from Anna at Diary of an Eccentric (keep an eye out because I think she has a review of this coming up soon).