Serena’s Articles at Savvy Verse & Wit, Page 364

Bookworm Award, Who Me?!

November 16, 2008 by Serena

Dar at Peeking Between the Pages gave me this award! And Luanne at A Bookworm’s World!

The closest book to me right now is Scattered Leaves by Richard Roach, which will appear on Savvy Verse & Wit tomorrow for its tour date.

My instructions:

Open the closest book to you, not your favorite or most intellectual book, but the book closest to you at the moment, to page 56. Write out the fifth sentence, as well as two to five sentences following there.

From Richard Roach’s Novel:

“After I finished and the marks of the autopsy were completely hidden, it was time to call the florist. Thank God, he didn’t give me a hard time. He said he would send roses and lilies; they were her favorite.

Next, I called the office. Betty answered the phone, and I said, ‘Hey there. What’s happening?'”

Five people I’m tagging are:

1. Jeannie at I Like to Be Here When I Can
2. Shana at Literarily
3. Anna at Diary of an Eccentric
4. Natasha at Maw Books
5. Lenore at Presenting Lenore

Filed Under: meme

Winner of The House on Tradd Street

November 16, 2008 by Serena

Out of 63 entrants into the Karen White–The House on Tradd Street contest, Randomizer.org selected #20.

And the winner is Confessions of A Real Librarian!

Congrats to the winner. I’ve emailed you for your snail mail address.

Thanks to all who entered the contest.

Check out the other contests:

Win a copy of Off the Menu by Christine Son (Deadline is Nov. 18) or a copy of The Sighing of the Winter Trees by Laura Grossman (Deadline is Nov. 17)

Filed Under: giveaway, winners

Let’s Do the iTunes Shuffle

November 15, 2008 by Serena

1. Put Your iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp, etc on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Put the artist after a dash following the song name.
5. Put any comments in brackets.
6. Tag some lucky people to spread the disease.

Here’s my results:

How would you describe yourself? Don’t Make Me Come to Vegas by Tori Amos (Hmm, not sure I know how I feel about this selection, though Tori is one of my favorites.)

How do you feel today? Horses by Tori Amos (I see a shuffle pattern emerging…is the shuffle broken??)

What is your life’s purpose? The Most Wonderful Day of the Year by Burl Ives (Instrumental)

What is your motto? Schwere Traume by Sarah Brightman

What do you think about very often? Nothin But a Good Time by Poison

What is your life story? Summer of 69 (o god help me…)

What do you want to be when you grow up? Here’s No Why by Smashing Pumpkins

What will you dance to at your wedding? 4 Degrees by Tool (If I had my way, possibly, but since the wedding was about 6 years ago and it was not even in the same genre of music…No)

What will they play at your funeral? Wandrin’ Around by Carbon Leaf (That would be fantastic…keep that in mind people!)

What is your hobby/interest? Everlong by Foo Fighters

If you could do anything right now, what would it be? Bawitdaba by Kid Rock

What do you want most of all? I’m Going Slightly Mad by Queen (What on earth does this say…that I want to be nuts…I’m there already! LOL)

What is your greatest fear? Saying Goodbye to a Friend by Suzy Bogguss (Yes, this would be a fear!)

What is your darkest secret? Creep acoustic by Radiohead (O My)

What is your favorite thing in the world? Sistamamalover by Lenny Kravitz (of all the songs it could choose, it chooses this one! 🙂 Aw, Lenny!)

If you could have one wish, what would you wish for? Dr. Lee, PhD by The Beastie Boys (Hmm, a song I don’t listen to often.)

What is your theme song? I Just Want You by Ozzy Ozbourne (O yeah, you knew he would come up…how ironic that it would be this, my favorite song and one I was talking about with Anna today!)

The next time you hear this song (aside from now, that is), you must dance: Hey Baby by No Doubt (I’ll only dance if Anna and her hubby join me and mine!)

What will you post this as? Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You by Led Zepplin

I tag the following:

1. Anna of Diary of an Eccentric
2. Dar of Peeking Between the Pages
3. Shana at Literarily
4. Suey of It’s All About Books
5. Alyce of At Home With Books
6. Iliana of BookGirl’s Nightstand

That’s it, unless anyone else wants to join in…Now get to it.

Filed Under: meme

The Sighing of the Winter Trees by Laura Grossman

November 14, 2008 by Serena

Laura Grossman’s The Sighing of the Winter Trees is a collection of poems I received from Dorothy Thompson at Pump Up Your Book Promotion. Following my review, you will have a chance to see what the poet had to say in an interview and a chance to win one copy of her book.

Grossman uses familiar images to tackle loss, love, and many of the emotions we feel. Her sparse language and short poems attempt to evoke emotion from the reader without relying upon complex lines, concepts, or too many literary devices.

Many of her poems have a conversational tone, as if she is speaking directly to the reader. This tone can generate a warmth in the reader, like it does in her poem, “Waiting Warmly Beside Orange Flowers,” or it can evoke sadness, like that found in “Wait, Wait I’ll Be Back.”

Some of these poems tell stories, but those stories leave the reader hanging, waiting for a resolution. Others simply confuse the reader, like “Wooden Ship.” Although I was not overly impressed by this volume, it does have a lot to offer the “everyman” and parents may find some poems in this volume to help introduce their children to poetry. Readers looking for poems that are less daunting than those read during high school or college will discover verses in this volume that will tap their hidden love of poetry.

My Interview With Laura Grossman:

When did you realize you wanted to be a poet? Was there a particular event that started you writing poetry?

I realized I wanted to be a poet when I was a child and I loved describing the winter days in a form of a haiku. The particular event that started me in writing poetry was after my father died and the professor at college had me read a stanza that captured the way I felt about the death of my dad. Suddenly there was beauty and meaning in the way I felt about my late dad.

Is The Sighing of the Winter Trees your first published book of poetry? Could you describe your path to publication?

The Sighing of the Winter Trees is my first published book of poetry. I took books out on how to achieve my goal of getting published and that helped my path to publication.

Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood or inspiration hits?

I usually write when the mood or inspiration hits.

What are your favorite poetic forms? And are those forms that you find yourself using the most?

My favorite forms of poetry are haiku and rhythmic and I use those forms quite often.

As a poet can you describe your role in the current literary world and what you see your poetry accomplishing for yourself, readers, and other poets?

I describe my role as a poet to bear meaning and shed light to others about the world in which we live. I also use my writing skills as a way of making lemonade out of lemons until the sun come out again into my life and my readers’ lives as well.

How do you view the current state of poetry in terms of public recognition?

There should be more public recognition of poetry for poetry can heal and sooth us and leave a positive impact on our lives.

Could you describe your favorite writing space?

My favorite writing space is by my fall mums by the window in early morning hours.

Do you have any favorite poets, and if so, why?

Emily Dickinson is my favorite poet. Her words touch my heart with wonder.

What are you currently reading and do you have any particular book recommendations?

I am currently reading The Flowering by Agnes Sligh Turnbull and would greatly recommend this book to others.

****

I want to thank Dorothy Thompson for sending me Laura Grossman’s book and for allowing me to interview her for this post. I also want to thank Laura for taking time out of her schedule to answer my questions.

For the inside scoop on how Laura Grossman got her volume published, check out this article at Book Publishing Secrets of Authors.

About the Author:

Laura Grossman graduated from Lehman College with a degree in English literature and won several awards from poetry contests. She has attended poetry readings and has enjoyed positive feedback on her work.

And now, for the contest; This is open to international entrants as always.

1. Leave a comment on this post with an email or a blogger profile that works for one entry.

2. Put this contest in your sidebar or in a blog post for a second entry and leave me a link to it on this post.

Deadline is Nov. 17. I will draw the winner through Randomizer.org.

Also Reviewed By:
Cafe of Dreams

Contest Reminders:

Want to win a copy of Off the Menu by Christine Son, go here; Deadline is Nov. 18

Win a copy of Karen White’s The House on Tradd Street here; Deadline is Nov.14

Filed Under: giveaway, Interviews, poetry, pump up your book promotion, Read in 2008, review copy, reviews Tagged With: laura grossman, the sighing of the winter trees

Weekly Geeks #24–Favorite Author

November 13, 2008 by Serena

This week’s Weekly Geeks challenge to share fun facts about our favorite authors. Here’s the details of the challenge:

1. Choose a writer you like.

2. Using resources such as Wikipedia, the author’s website, whatever you can find, make a list of interesting facts about the author.

3. Post your fun facts list in your blog, maybe with a photo of the writer, a collage of his or her books, whatever you want.

4. Come sign the Mr Linky below with the url to your fun facts post.

5. As you run into (or deliberately seek out) other Weekly Geeks’ lists, add links to your post for authors you like or authors you think your readers are interested in.

So who did I choose? Do you need to ask? Here she is: Anita Shreve

Here’s some interesting facts about her:

1. She was born in Dedham, Mass., so if you’ve ever wondered why many of her novels are set in New England, there’s one big reason.

2. She received the O. Henry Prize for a short story in 1976

3. She taught high school English, creative writing at Amherst College, and worked as a journalist in Nairobi and Kenya.

4. She has adored Eugene O’Neill’s work and Ethan Frome.

5. In 1998 she won the PEN/L. L. Winship Award and the New England Book Award, just before Oprah’s Book Club picked up her novel, The Pilot’s Wife.

Check out her books here.

Which author did you pick for this week’s challenge?

*****

As an aside, I wanted to share with you want my BBAW winner had to say about her first issue of Poetry magazine:

Serena,
I just wanted to let you know that I received my first copy of Poetry magazine (and I have already read it cover to cover). Again, thank you so much, it was a perfect prize and one that I will continue to enjoy.

Isn’t that just wonderful? Now you know that it isn’t just me who enjoys that magazine…don’t you think you should subscribe? Here’s the link for their holiday special–Buy one gift subscription and get a second one free! Perfect gift for the holidays!

Filed Under: weeklygeeks

Off The Menu TLC Book Tour & Yes, It Can Happen by Christine Son

November 12, 2008 by Serena

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for allowing me to host Off the Menu by Christine Son on Savvy Verse & Wit. You’re in for a treat today because not only will I share my review of the book with you, but Christine Son will also be offering her advice about writing and publishing. In addition, one of my lucky readers will have a chance to win a copy of Off the Menu, stay tuned for details. . .

In Houston, Texas, three friends with very different lives, backgrounds, and careers graduate high school as co-valedictorians; their friendship lasts beyond high school and through college, but how well do they really know one another after all of these years? Does Hercules Huang know Whitney Lee’s secret desire? Does Audrey Henley know the familial struggles Whitney and Hercules deal with daily from their immigrant parents who are steeped in tradition and their homeland culture? Likewise, do Hercules and Whitney understand what it is like to be adopted by a family of a different race like Audrey does?

These three characters, despite their differences, are more similar than they realize, and as the story unfolds, these characters evolve in the ways they could never have anticipated, but only once they have realized their best assets are held in their long-lasting friendship. Hercules is a master chef who owns her own restaurants, but her relationship with her father is strained at best, while Whitney is a third year attorney at a major law firm that only has one minority on staff–her. Audrey is an adopted Asian child from a wealthy family who teaches first-grade students at a local academy for intelligent students, but she doesn’t consider herself as a minority.

All three of these characters are under pressure from themselves, their families, and society to exceed everyone’s expectations. But in the midst of trying to achieve these goals and objectives, Hercules, Whitney, and Audrey discover they want something more, something different, something that is their own. Hercules’ restaurant chain is on the cusp of expansion, she’s writing articles for the National Spectator, and she’s finalizing a deal with a cookware manufacturer, but there is something missing in her life. Whitney is a top attorney in her third year with a firm that can only be described as an old boys’ network, but she longs for something off the beaten path. Audrey is a school teacher, but her dream lies in the Ivory Tower of academia.

Despite the longevity of their friendship, these characters never really open up to one another until they take their first girls only trip to Austin, Texas. The ability of these characters to keep their frustrations and dreams trapped inside is something readers can relate to, particularly if the readers perceive themselves as overachievers like Whitney, Audrey, and Hercules.

This novel touches upon the struggles many immigrants must feel when adjusting to a new home, but it also examines the transitions felt by all humanity when we move from our small high school community to college and to the workforce. Hercules is a strong and brash entrepreneur, but at the same time she is vulnerable. Whitney is strong, but flexible when the need arises, and Audrey is a bit naive, but strong in her convictions. When Jimmy Fujimoto blazes onto the scene in this novel, he nearly steals the show. His presence stands this friendship on its head and has all of these women calling into question some of their deepest convictions and beliefs.

Without further babbling about how great this book is (now my favorite friendship book), here’s Christine Son and her guest post for today.

*****

“Yes, It Can Happen“ by Christine Son

My debut novel, OFF THE MENU, hits bookshelves on August 5th, and recently, a lot of people have been asking me how I went about getting published. The short answer? By keeping my chin — and optimism — up even though I was receiving stacks of rejections every day. The long answer takes me back to a Facebook question I answered for my profile, which called for my most embarrassing moment. Unfortunately, my life is riddled with heinously embarrassing moments, and one of them occurred at a writers conference I attended in the mountains of California, where I met my agent. I’d been invited to an industry cocktail party out of the graciousness of one of the conference’s board members, and being an unpublished writer who was desperate to make a good impression, I researched the guest list, which included dozens of publishers and agents. This was my chance to wow them, I thought. And maybe snag an agent. So, I perfected my pitch. Practiced my smile. Wore a cute outfit. As ready as I’d ever be, I showed up at the party, determined and excited. And it would have been a great party had I managed to stay upright for more than thirty minutes. I can’t say what exactly caused what happened next — the high altitude, perhaps, or maybe low blood sugar, or the single sip of wine in my system — but in front of God and everyone who mattered in publishing, I fainted. As in, hit the floor face first. With my wine glass still in hand. I don’t recall the fall, but a number of revelers told me afterwards that I then did a pushup before a couple of concerned hosts helped me to a chair, brought me water, and then guided me back to my room, where I spent the rest of the night horrified and cringing. I’d never fainted before, and of all the times in the world to pass out, I couldn’t believe that my body had chosen that moment to try it out. I wrung my hands (literally), sure that I’d forever blown my chances to find an agent. I worried that publishers would think that I was a jackass at best, and a liability at worst. I fretted all night, wishing that I could turn back time and praying that there might be at least a few attendees who hadn’t witnessed my complete lack of grace. Alas, everyone heard about the fainting girl in the darling ruffled shirt.

The next morning, I spent some time apologizing to people I recognized from the night before, and my pitiful conversation with a striking woman turned into a long one about the troubles with thin mountain air, me and my book. She asked me to send her the first chapter of it, which I did as soon as I returned to Dallas, and three days later, she called to request the rest of it. The next week, she signed me on, made me change a few things in the manuscript, and then sent it out to a bunch of publishers. It went nowhere. But I began writing what would become OFF THE MENU, and after a number of rewrites, it sold to Penguin.

So, there you have it in a nutshell as to how I went about getting published. I worked really, really hard, wrote during every free second I had, learned the industry, went to several writers conferences, attended a cocktail party and then passed out. I guess the road to publishing is a bit like that — a mix of preparation and luck. It’s incredibly labor intensive, and sometimes, what seems like the worst thing in the world ends up becoming the best. Because the kicker of it all is that my agent would never have noticed me had I not caused a ruckus at the cocktail party.

You can read more about me at www.christineson.com.

Please also check out her blog. Here’s an interview with her as well, in case you want to get to know her better.

I want to thank TLC Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of Christine’s tour and to thank Christine for not only being a wonderful author, but also a dream to work with. I had a great time, and I hope you did as well.

Without further ado, here’s the contest:

(Remember I must have a way to contact you, so leave an email address or a blog location; if your Blogger profile is not working, I will not be able to contact you without an email)

1. What is your biggest fear (whether it is finding your place in the world or a fear of water or dying)? Leave the answer in the comments for one entry.

2. For a second entry, visit Christine’s blog and leave a comment here with something that interested you on her blog or a link to an interesting post you found.

3. For a third entry, visit the interview or FAQ on Christine’s Web site and come back here and leave me a comment about what you learned.

4. Spread the word on your blog about the contest in a sidebar or a post, and receive a fourth entry.

Deadline is November 18 at Midnight EST.

Other stops on the TLC Tour:

Saturday, November 1st: Estella’s Revenge e-zine (author interview)

Monday, November 3rd: Literarily (author guest post and giveaway!)

Wednesday, November 5th: Beastmomma (author interview)

Thursday, November 6th: Book Nut

Friday, November 7th: Ramya’s Bookshelf

Friday, November 7th: Ramya’s Bookshelf (author interview)

Monday, November 10th: Pop Culture Junkie

Tuesday, November 11th: 8Asians

Wednesday, November 12th: Savvy Verse and Wit

Thursday, November 13th: In The Pages

Friday, November 14th: She is Too Fond of Books

Monday, November 17th: Planet Books

Tuesday, November 18th: B & B ex Libris

Wednesday, November 19th: DISGRASIAN

Thursday, November 20th: Booking Mama

Monday, November 24th: The Literate Housewife Review

Tuesday, November 25th: Feminist Review

Wednesday, November 26th: Diary of an Eccentric

Filed Under: chicklit, Read in 2008, review copy, reviews, tlc book tours Tagged With: christine son, off the menu

Karen White and the Writing and Publishing Process

November 11, 2008 by Serena

I want to thank Karen White for joining us today at Savvy Verse & Wit! Her novel The House on Tradd Street debuted on Nov. 4, read my review. Without further ado, Karen will discuss her writing and publishing process.

I’ve done it! I’ve just completed not only my second novel in a single calendar year, but I’ve also worked through the agony of simultaneously promoting two novels published within the same time span. Am I Superwoman or Super-insane? Sitting here still in my pajamas at 11:47 am, I’m not sure I really know the answer.

I’d like to say that my decision to double my output was a calmly calculated one intended to increase sales and bring in more readers. But then I’d be lying. The fact is, I was happily writing a single southern women’s fiction novel for my publisher each year. I was relatively successful with growing sales and a solid reader base who would loyally buy each book I published. My royalty checks were respectable although certainly not big enough for my husband to chuck in his desk job and spend his life out on the golf course (which is what I might have promised him once upon a time when I stopped cooking so that I could devote more time to writing).

What happened was really an accident. I came up with a really cool ghost story/mystery/women’s fiction novel idea. It was different enough from my earlier books that they couldn’t be published by the same imprint, but it was still enough of a Karen White book for me to keep my author’s name on the front cover. But my publisher still wanted one of my straight southern women’s fiction books out once a year. The only way my new story idea could find a home would be if I squeezed those books in between my other books. That would mean two books (averaging over 100,000 words each) a year.

Sure! I said, recalling Steve Martin’s words when offered The Cruel Shoes. How hard could it be? Yes, I’m the mother of two teenagers and a small dog and I have a husband who travels incessantly. But my daughter is driving this year (and saving me 7 hours a week—yes, I calculated it) and I figured that those extra 7 hours per week would be exactly what I needed to squeeze in that extra book per year. Or so I thought.

It turns out that just because I have seven extra hours doesn’t mean that I want to squeeze in more work time. Writing is exhausting stuff. It hurts my brain. It really isn’t physically possible for me to sit in front of my computer for long hours at a time writing creatively. I need time off to ‘fill the well’ so to speak. You know, reading, playing piano, goofing off with my kids and dog. Scrapbooking. That sort of thing. It’s as essential to writing as sitting down at a desk and typing—just harder to calculate its worth since I can’t measure it in word count.

Basically what I’ve ended up doing is not so much increasing the amount of time I spend writing and doing writing-related stuff (such as writing blogs like this), but decreasing the amount of time I have to well, live my life.

The result? I’m exhausted—both mentally and physically. My daughter is starting her college search and my son has started high school which means they’re both requiring more one-on-one attention from me. My husband has been traveling more than ever making me a single parent in charge of everything from grocery shopping, to bill paying, to filling out those incessant forms kids always seem to require for school, sports and camps. When we have ants invading our kitchen or a water spot on the dining room wall, it is up to me to call the appropriate people and be here at the scheduled time. On top of all of this, I need to write two novels AND promote them.

But is it all bad news? Hardly! Sales of my backlist and pre-orders for my November book (The House on Tradd Street) have increased by leaps and bounds. As a reader, when I discover a new author, I want to buy everything he/she’s written. Apparently, my readers (old and new) think the same way. I’ve really broadened my exposure to a whole new reading audience. The House on Tradd Street is a bit of a departure for me—I add ghosts to my known mix of southern women’s fiction/romance/mystery. I think that my current readers will love this book, and I know that new readers who like it will enjoy my backlist. And, to add to the excitement, The House in Tradd Street is the beginning of a series—the second book, The Girl on Legare Street, will be out in November 2009.

The momentum created by a quick succession of books is evidenced by an increase of sales in my backlist as well pre-orders of my next book. Another reason for this is an increase in paid promotion and a new publicist—made affordable by two advances and two royalties checks in one year.

The best part is that I’ve learned that I can write fast; that the way I was writing before (a couple of hours in the morning and then I was done) was completely self-indulgent. I’m a more efficient writer now, and a better writer. When I don’t linger too long over a book, I don’t find myself getting bored with the characters or the plot, or fiddling with things that don’t need fixing. It’s all new and fresh.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. The plusses so far outweigh the negatives. It’s pushed my career to the next level in a shorter amount of time than my former path of one novel a year would have. Will I continue to do this? Absolutely not. Being exhausted does not make a fun mom/wife/friend to be around. I value my family and my friends too much to do this to them for much longer.

I just signed a new two-book contract and made sure that I had nine months between novels. Not as long as a year, but much longer than six months to write a book. It’s my light at the end of the tunnel when I’ll be able to breathe a little slower. And (hopefully!) watch my sales continue grow in response to my efforts.

Thanks again, Karen, for stopping by today and sharing your thoughts with us.

Want to win a copy of The House on Tradd Street by Karen White?

1. Please leave a comment on my review post for one entry.
2. Leave a comment on this guest post for a second entry.

Deadline: November 14 at Midnight EST. The contest is open to international entrants.

Thanks again to Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Promotion and Karen White, author of The House on Tradd Street. For a list of other Virtual appearances for Karen, go here.

Don’t forget that Karen will have a sequel, The Girl on Legare Street, out in November 2009.

Filed Under: giveaway, guest post

The House on Tradd Street by Karen White

November 10, 2008 by Serena

Karen White‘s The House on Tradd Street is part romance, part ghost story, part mystery. The narration of this novel grips the reader with its beautiful descriptions of South Carolina and the historic neighborhoods of Charleston. Melanie Middleton specializes in historic home sales, though she hates historic homes and believes those who buy historic homes are saps willing to waste thousands of dollars on renovations. Fate brings her into the home of Mr. Vanderhorst, who asks Melanie if she saw a woman in the garden. Days later, he suddenly dies and leaves her his home.

Melanie is given a historic home and the money to renovate and repair it as part of the Vanderhorst estate. There are a great cast of characters in this book from Mr. Vanderhorst to his mother’s ghost and Melanie, her father, and Jack Trenholm. Melanie is a barracuda in the real estate world, but her inability to relate to her family or male companions hampers her ability to widen her horizons. She’s a strong character in spite of these weaknesses. Meanwhile, Jack uses his good looks and fame to woo women to his side and charm them out of information so he can uncover historical mysteries and publish books. His charm and good looks are just a cover.

The restoration at Tradd Street begins, and Melanie is overwhelmed by her responsibilities and the two attractive men that have fallen into her life–Marc Longo and Jack Trenholm. In spite of the restoration, Melanie gets wrapped up in the mystery surrounding Mr. Vanderhorst’s mother’s disappearance and the ghosts that haunt her new home.

White easily draws the reader into the beauty of Charleston and her ghost mystery. The intricate relationships between these characters are complex, and in spite of the convenient connections between Melanie’s family, the Vanderhorsts, and the Trenholms in a big city like Charleston, I was enveloped in the storyline.

Here’s one of my favorite passages from the novel (page 130):

“I was so relieved to see him that I didn’t waste any time asking him what in the hell he was talking about. I threw back the dead bolt and disarmed the alarm before pulling open the door and launching myself at him.

‘Wow, Mellie–it’s good to see you too. But could you wait until I got my clothes off first?'”

The mystery doesn’t get heavy with humor like this sprinkled in. The interactions between Melanie and Jack are contagious and will make readers smile.

I recommend this book to those who love a good mystery and a good ghost story. Stay tuned tomorrow for Karen White’s guest post on the writing and publishing process.

Want to win a copy of The House on Tradd Street by Karen White?

1. Please leave a comment on this post for one entry.
2. Leave a comment on tomorrow’s guest post for a second entry.

Deadline: November 14 at Midnight EST. The contest is open to international entrants.

Thanks to Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Promotion for sending me The House on Tradd Street.

Also Reviewed By:

Musings of a Bookish Kitty
S. Krishna’s Books
The Book Czar
Library Queue
Diary of an Eccentric
In Bed With Books
The Tome Traveller’s Weblog
The Book Connection
Cafe of Dreams

Filed Under: fiction, pump up your book promotion, Read in 2008, review copy, reviews Tagged With: karen white, the house on tradd street

My Third Mailbox Monday & More

November 10, 2008 by Serena

Welcome to my third addition of Mailbox Monday sponsored by Marcia at The Printed Page. I must be on a roll. Somehow I have been inspired to keep a list of these books that make their way to my house during the week.

I’m happy to share with you the latest arrivals:

1. Against Medical Advice by James Patterson and Hal Friedman (Thanks to Miriam Parker at Hatchette Group)–Look forward to a guest review from my mother.

2. Testimony by Anita Shreve (Thanks to Miriam Parker at Hatchette Group)–Check back here for a giveaway with a unique twist.

3. Secret Love Poems by Arlene Ang (Sent to me from the poet and her friend Valerie Fox) I can’t tell you how excited I am that Arlene entrusted me with this volume to review here on the blog. I’m really excited about it.

4. Bundles of Letters by Arlene Ang and Valerie Fox (Sent to me by Arlene Ang and Valerie Fox) I’m looking forward to reviewing this one as well. You know I love poets!

5. The Rorscharch Factory by Valerie Fox (Sent by Valerie Fox)

6. Be Still and Know; Reflections from Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh (sent to me out of the kindness of Jeannie’s heart. Jeannie has a great blog, I Like to Be Here When I Can. You all should go pay her a visit! This book has been on my Amazon wish list forever. Jeannie, this is my BIG THANK YOU!)

7. Little Stories by Jeff Roberts (From the author and Bostick Communications)

What cool books did you get in your mailbox?

*****

It’s that time of year again! Where book bloggers give out of the kindness of their hearts.

Check out the Book Blogger Gift Exchange Details here. You have until Nov. 18 to get your information in. I can’t wait to see who will be my next “victim.”

Filed Under: mailbox monday

Christopher Moore Audiobook Winners!

November 9, 2008 by Serena

Out of 24 entrants, randomizer.org selected #8 and #21, which means Lenore of Presenting Lenore and Wrighty of Wrighty’s Reads are the winners of one audiobook by Christopher Moore.

Wrighty selected Fluke.

Lenore will have to choose between her top two picks of The Stupidest Angel and You Suck!

Filed Under: audiobooks, winners

Winners of Lydia Bennet’s Story

November 8, 2008 by Serena

Out of 74 entrants, the two winners of Lydia Bennet’s Story by Jane Odiwe are Loredana of Italy and Katherine of A Girl Walks Into A Bookstore.

Congrats to both of you. I’ve sent emails to you, but feel free to send your snail mail addresses to me at savvyverseandwit AT gmail DOT com.

I can’t wait to see who wins the audiobook contest.

Filed Under: winners

My First Published Photo!

November 7, 2008 by Serena

Have you ever wanted to visit Las Vegas, Nevada? My husband and I visited Sin City 2 years ago in August; boy was it hot. Anyways, I took a bunch of photos, and one of those photos was accepted for online publication in SCHMAP!! Las Vegas The photo selected was for The House of Blues!

Click on the link to check out my photo and the rest of the interactive map, which you can use on your iPhone and other electronic devices.

Filed Under: announcements, photography