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Blogiversary Giveway

June 13, 2010 by

Hello everyone!  It’s been three years (June 12) since I first started talking about writing, publishing, and books here on the blog, and I’m so glad that readers still come here and comment on a regular basis.

As a thank you, I’m offering a giveaway to you!

All you have to do is leave a comment about what book from the list you want and why.  Please have a backup selection in mind as well.

I’ll choose random winners until the books are gone on July 5, 2010.

Here are the books:

  1. Little Bird of Heaven by Joyce Carol Oates
  2. The Lazy Environmentalist by Josh Dorfman
  3. The Best Teen Writing of 2009
  4. Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart
  5. Game Control by Lionel Shriver
  6. Checker and the Derailleurs by Lionel Shriver
  7. Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop (caution this one has water damage, but is still readable and is signed, thought the signature is very washed out.)

Good Luck!

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Winners of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

June 6, 2010 by

Sorry it’s taken so long for me to post the winners, but I did have random.org select them.

The three U.S./Canada winners:

1.  Debra Dufek

2.  Maya M. of Apprentice Writer

3.  Amy of The House of Seven Tails

The two international winners (because I was in a generous mood):

4.  Marg of Reading Adventures

5.  Aik of Friends & Family

Congrats to all the winners, and thanks to all who entered.

I’ve got more giveaways in the sidebar for my readers, and other giveaways at other blogs.

Filed Under: winners

CSN Offers You $80

June 4, 2010 by

After receiving an offer to put together and review a bookshelf, CSN Stores has decided to offer $80 to one lucky reader to purchase anything from any of their stores, although shipping is not covered.

With over 200 stores to choose from and offerings that range from lighting and bookshelves to cookware, it may take some research on your part to decide.  You can be sure I’ll be exploring the other stores after recently receiving my bookshelves from CSN.

I think you should do the same while you wait for the end of this giveaway.

To enter:

1.  Leave a comment on this post about what you need to spruce up your house or apartment.

2.  Spread the word via Twitter, Facebook, etc. and leave a link here.

Deadline if June 11, 2010, at 11:59 PM EST

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Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

May 21, 2010 by

Beth Hoffman‘s debut novel, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, has become a New York Times bestseller, and what a debut it is.  Her novel is a prime example of what’s great about southern fiction from the enveloping summer heat of Georgia to the fragrant aroma of orchids and other flowers.  CeeCee Honeycutt is a young girl living in Ohio mainly with her mother as her father travels weekly for his job, but she’s got more worries than just school and peer pressure — her mother is slowly losing her grip.

“‘Oysters are a lot like women.  It’s how we survive the hurts in life that brings us strength and gives us our beauty.’  She fell silent for a moment and gazed out the window.  ‘They say there’s no such thing as a perfect pearl — that nothing from nature can ever be truly perfect.'”  (page 255)

Eventually, CeeCee comes to live with her great aunt Tallulah “Tootie” Caldwell, who is a busy society woman interested in preserving the historical structures in Savannah.  In many ways the restoration of these homes resembles the rebuilding CeeCee must accomplish after her life is irrevocably altered.  At the young age of 12, CeeCee must contend with tragedy, being an outcast, the confusing emotions about her parents, and fitting in with a society that is foreign to her.

“Momma left her red satin shoes in the middle of the road.  That’s what three eyewitnesses told the police.”  (Page 1)

Hoffman creates dynamic characters in CeeCee, Mrs. Odell, Oletta, and Tootie, but she also has crafted a supporting cast of eccentric older women who are neighbors and have their own problems and tensions with one another.  Picture large hats, garden parties, and soirees, and you’ll be transported in CeeCee’s Georgia, away from her hometown in Ohio.

“The bedsheets were damp with humidity and sleep, and from the pillowcase I detected a familiar scent:  it was just like the lavender sachets Mrs. Odell made every year as Christmas gifts.  I rubbed my eyes and tried to sit up, but I was nestled deep in the feather bed, like a baby bird in a nest.”  (page 57)

“Though she’d long since passed the zenith of youth, unmistakable remnants of a mysterious beauty oozed from the pores of her porcelain-white skin.  Swirling around her ankles, as light as smoke and the color of midnight, was a silk caftan splashed with bits of silver glitter.”  (page 81)

Readers will be absorbed in CeeCee’s evolution from young, responsible woman caring for her mother to a mischievous child lashing out and back to a young lady becoming content in her own skin.  Hoffman does an excellent job of painting Georgia and its traditional society in a nostalgic hue that enables readers to grasp that CeeCee is remembering this period of her life fondly and with greater clarity than she probably did as a child.  Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is captivating debut novel and coming-of-age story about a young lady who has lost her way, only to find a new chapter has begun.

About the Author:

Beth Hoffman was the president and owner of a major interior design studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, before turning to writing full time. She lives with her husband and two cats in a quaint historic district in Newport, Kentucky. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is her first novel.

Thanks to Penguin and Inkwell Management for sending me a free copy of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt for review.

Check out the other tour stops:

5/17 & 5/18 – Devourer of Books

5/19 & 5/20 – Diary of an Eccentric

5/21 – Savvy Verse & Wit

5/22 – Medieval Bookworm

5/23 – lit*chick

5/24 – A Novel Menagerie

5/25 – The Tome Traveller’s Weblog

5/26 – Peeking Between the Pages

5/27 – Steph Su Reads

5/28 – Galleysmith

5/29 – The Literate Housewife Review

Giveaway details — three copies for US/Canada readers and one copy for an international reader:

1.  Leave a comment about why you want to read this book; don’t forget to let me know if you are living outside the United States or Canada.

2.  Leave a comment on the guest post.

3.  Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or otherwise spread the word about the giveaway and leave a comment on this post.

4.  Become a Facebook fan of the blog and leave a comment.

Deadline is June 2, 2010, at 11:59 PM EST.

This is my 33rd book for the 2010 New Authors Challenge.

Filed Under: giveaway, New Authors Challenge, Penguin, Read in 2010, review copy, reviews, young adult fiction Tagged With: ,

Where I Write by Beth Hoffman

May 19, 2010 by

Beth Hoffman‘s debut novel Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is a New York Times bestseller that is set in late 1960s Ohio and Georgia.  The young protagonist Cecelia (CeeCee) Honeycutt has a hard life with a mother who has lost touch with reality and a father who is hardly at home.

Stay tuned for my review of this novel on Friday, May 21.

Today, we’re going to get a peek into Beth Hoffman‘s writing space.  Please give her a warm welcome.

When I made the decision to leave my career in interior design and pursue my dream of writing a novel, I had the idealistic thought that I’d take my laptop to the local park and sit at a picnic table overlooking the Ohio River. I imagined my fingers would blaze over the keyboard for hours, and now and then I’d stop to watch a coal barge lumber its way toward West Virginia. Oh, the serenity of that image was burned into my mind and I couldn’t wait to make it a reality. But, I soon discovered that I was the kind of writer who needed to be at a desk working on a big screen.

I live in a restored Queen Anne (circa 1902), and on the second floor I created what I call the writing library. The room isn’t very large, but it’s cozy, filled with bookshelves and artwork that I love, and, it’s the perfect size for my needs. Three large windows are set in an ashlar-cut stone bay that overlooks the front gardens. Morning light floods into the room, and it has a fireplace that I keep burning throughout the winter.

This is the room where I imagine, create, and dream. I’m happiest when I’m sitting at my desk in a totally quiet house, writing, researching, and developing characters and scenes with my cats sleeping at my feet.

Though I don’t strive for a specific word count for each day, I’m quite disciplined and will spend a minimum of six hours working on my writing. When the muse is with me, I’ll often write well into the late night hours, or, until my hands grow numb! And, on those days when the muse is maddeningly silent, I’ll spend time researching and editing.

Do I have a special totem? Yes, I do. My great aunt Mildred had a powerful impact upon when I was a child. She was a true Southern lady who possessed great charm and wit. She lived in a big old Greek revival home that I fell in love with, and, it was she who lit the fire I carry to this day. My great aunt introduced me to historical homes, antiques, and the power of the written word. In fact, the character of Tootie Caldwell in my novel, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, is based upon my great aunt Mildred. One summer’s day I plucked a stone from her walkway and brought it home with me, and it has since become my totem. I keep it on the fireplace mantle and will oftentimes pick it up and hold it for a moment.

The other thing that I look at to help me stay grounded is an antique carousel horse and teddy bear. From my desk I can peek around my computer screen and look into the den. By the fireplace sits these two happy creatures, and they remind me to smile easily and often, nurture a childlike spirit, and not take anything too seriously—the good or the bad.

Thanks, Beth, for sharing your writing space with us. Wouldn’t you just love to get a sneak peek into those shelves?

Global Giveaway Details — three copies for US/Canada readers and one copy of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman for international readers:

1.  Leave a comment about what book you think is on those shelves.

2.  Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or spread the word about the giveaway and leave a link here.

3.  Become a Facebook Fan of Savvy Verse & Wit and leave a comment.

Deadline June 2, 2010, at 11:59 PM EST

Also, stay tuned Friday for another chance to enter the giveaway.

Filed Under: giveaway, guest post Tagged With:

Winner of the Raven Stole the Moon Red Umbrella

May 18, 2010 by

In the recent giveaway for a Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein red umbrella giveaway, I shared with you a video interview with the author.  Please take some time to check them out on the  Garth Stein’s YouTube channel.

Out of only 4 entries, Random.org selected #3:

Anna from Diary of an Eccentric

Congrats and thanks to all who entered.

Please check out the other giveaways in the right sidebar.

Filed Under: winners

Winning Posts of National Poetry Month Blog Tour

May 18, 2010 by

Thanks again to all my participants and all the readers that stopped by the National Poetry Month Blog Tour.

It was fun to put together and a lot of work, but I enjoyed it and hope everyone else did too.

So I have some winners to announce from the poll.

#1, receiving 11 votes, was from Estrella Azul.

#2, receiving 4 votes, was Valerie’s Life is a Patchwork Quilt.

#3, receiving 3 votes, was Liviania’s In Bed With Books.

Finally, I had a 5-way tie between these great posts:  The Girl’s post at  Diary of an Eccentric, The Betty and Boo Chronicles, West of Mars, She Is Too Fond of Books, and Boston Bibliophile.

Each received 2 votes.

Congrats to all the winners.

Filed Under: winners

Winner of Map of True Places

May 13, 2010 by

Out of 35 entrants to the Map of True Places giveaway, Random.org selected #33:

Colleen (Books in the City), who said, “I haven’t read anything by this author yet – I have been introduced to the author by reading all the excellent reviews of late for The Lace Reader and Map of True Places. I would love to read this book – it sounds good!”

Congrats to the winner and thanks to all who entered.  Check out the other giveaways in the right sidebar for other great books and don’t forget to vote for your favorite National Poetry Month post.

Filed Under: winners

On Folly Beach by Karen White

May 13, 2010 by

Karen White‘s On Folly Beach shifts between two time periods — 2009 and 1942 — and between two women’s lives — Emmy Hamilton and Lulu.  Emmy lost her husband six months ago to the war in Afghanistan and loves solving mysteries with old documents and books, and Lulu is a complicated older woman with a lot of secrets and a penchant for bottle tree artistry.

“The shirt was a poor substitute for his arms, and wearing it in Ben’s absence was something her mother had told her was like swimming with a raincoat.”  (page 2)

Emmy is empty in her grief and unwilling to move on, but her mother convinces her to move from Indiana to South Carolina and buy a bookstore, Folly’s Finds, which served as the model for her mother’s bookstore.  Once in her newly rented house, she meets Lulu, her grandson Heath, Heath’s mother Abigail, and the rest of the family.  But her journey begins with a box of old books, and she strives to unravel the mystery of two star-crossed lovers.  Emmy has a journey back to the living to embark upon as well.

“‘Like right now? Don’t you need a bathing suit?’

He smiled and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes reminded Emmy of his mother.  ‘Don’t need one.’  He walked past her, then stopped when he realized she wasn’t following him.

‘I’ll wait here.’

“I’ll keep my shorts on, promise.'”  (page 129)

White’s characters have their own personalities and evolve carefully over the alternating chapters.  The WWII chapters transport readers back in time, making the fear of war as vivid as the dances on the ocean pier.  But with the prevalence of chapters in the present, it is clear that this is Emmy and Lulu’s story. Emmy becomes the amateur detective that Lulu played when she was a young girl living with her sister, Maggie and cousin Cat.

On Folly Beach by Karen White uses a variety of water and wind imagery to mimic the foolish choices made by the main characters and mirror the dramatic choices that they make out of loyalty and love.  White creates dynamic characters who are deeply flawed and who are in search of peace and love, like many of us.  Bibliophiles will enjoy the literary references, the characters named for Elizabeth Bennet and Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights, and the quotes in the margins.  Another Karen White novel that engages, mystifies, and satisfies readers as they unwind the puzzles of On Folly Beach.

Please check out the rest of the stops on the tour. And check back tomorrow for a guest post on Karen White’s writing space.

About the Author:

Karen’s novel The Memory of Water was a WXIA-TV Atlanta & Company Book Club Selection. Her work has been reviewed in Southern Living, Atlanta Magazine, the Atlanta  Journal-Constitution, and by Fresh Fiction, among many others, and has been adopted by numerous independent booksellers for book club recommendations. Last year her 2007 novel Learning to Breathe received several honors, notably the National Readers’ Choice Award and the Booksellers’ Best Award, which in 2009 was again presented to Karen, this time for The Memory of Water.

US/Canada Giveaway for 2 copies of On Folly Beach by Karen White:

1.  Leave a comment about what historical period fascinates you and why.

2.  Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or otherwise spread the word about the giveaway and leave me a link.

Deadline May 20, 2010, at 11:59PM EST.

Filed Under: giveaway, historical fiction, Penguin, Read in 2010, review copy, reviews Tagged With: ,

Winner of Letter to My Daughter

May 12, 2010 by

Random.org selected #4 as the winner of George Bishop’s Letter to My Daughter.

Congrats to Pam!

Thanks to all who entered, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite National Poetry Month blog tour post.

Filed Under: winners

Winner of Girl on a Bridge

May 9, 2010 by

Out of 10 entrants, Random.org selected #9:

Valerie of Life is a Patchwork Quilt

Congrats and thanks to all who entered.  There are more giveaways listed in the Right sidebar.

Filed Under: winners

Raven Stole the Moon and Garth Stein

May 7, 2010 by

Sorry for all the posts today, but there is a lot going on these days on the blog.

Garth Stein is a phenomenal speaker and writer, and since my review of The Art of Racing in the Rain, my interview with him for the D.C. Literature Examiner, and my visit with him at a recent reading at The Writer’s Center, he’s republished Raven Stole the Moon.

Book synopsis:

When Jenna Rosen abandons her comfortable Seattle life to visit Wrangell, Alaska, it’s a wrenching return to her past. The hometown of her Native American grandmother, Wrangell is located near the Thunder Bay Resort, where Jenna’s young son, Bobby, disappeared two years before. His body was never recovered, and Jenna is determined to lay to rest the aching mystery of his death. But whispers of ancient legends begin to suggest a frightening new possibility about Bobby’s fate, and Jenna must sift through the beliefs of her ancestors, the Tlingit, who still tell of powerful, menacing forces at work in the Alaskan wilderness. Armed with nothing but a mother’s protective instincts, Jenna’s quest for the truth behind her son’s disappearance is about to pull her into a terrifying and life-changing abyss.

Before we get to the giveaway, I wanted to share with you some great video interviews with Garth Stein and Bill Kenower of Author Magazine:

You can visit Garth Stein’s YouTube channel.

Giveaway Details; I have one red, Raven umbrella, like the one on the cover of Raven Stole the Moon for US/Canada reader:

1.  Leave a comment about what interested you in these interview segments with Garth Stein.

2.  Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or spread the word about the giveaway and leave me a link.

3.  Become a Facebook fan or subscriber of the blog for another entry.

Deadline is May 17, 2010 at 11:59PM EST.

Filed Under: announcements, giveaway Tagged With: ,