Read it Forward Winner

Dear SenoraG:

Congratulations!  You won this month's Read It Forward giveaway with this comment:

 As determined my my ever-helpful sidekick, Random.org:

Shoot me an email with your address, and I will get your book right out to you! 

Congratulations,

TheBookNerdWhoHopesThisMemeTakesOffLikeARocket

Read It Forward

So, seriously.  You ALL know you have that book lying around the house.  The one you really enjoyed.  The one you know someone else would enjoy as well.  I have been so blessed by the Read It Forward blog carnival.  It has given me the opportunity to read authors I may never have tried otherwise, to expand my literacy horizons.  Now, go find that book, write up a little review, and link up your post to Julie or Beth.  Because I will be very sad if this blog carnival does not continue, but it can't continue if people don't get involved!

Here are the official rules for Read It Forward, brought to you by the Blog Dominator herself:

The Rules:

If you'd like to receive the book I have on my blog today, leave a comment. The winner will be selected using Random.org, just like a standard giveaway. If you have a book you'd like to give away on your own blog, please write up a short review, grab the button, and add your name to the Linky.

1) If you receive a book from another blogger during this book hop, please promise that you'll ultimately pass it on using this blog hop as well. It can be the next month, or two months, or three months down the road-- not everyone has a whole bunch of time to read, so the timeline is yours to decide!

2) Once you receive a book, make sure to add your blog name and URL to the inside cover. That way, the people who receive that book in the future will know where it's been.

3) You can add a book to the blog hop at any time. So if you don't have a book you'd like to give away this month, don't worry! You can add something next month, or the month after, or the month after!

Now, let's get reading!

Oh my goodness!  If you haven't read this book yet, you have seriously missed out on a vital part of modern American culture!  The Amazon product description reads:

A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery.
An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel.
A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream.
A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it.
It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana . . . and an East Texas honky-tonk . . . and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda . . . an upscale New York gallery . . . a downtown dumpster . . . a Texas ranch.
Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.


Same Kind of Different As Me is a true story, written from the points of view of the two authors, Ron Hall & Denver Moore.  Their upbringings and adult lives were complete opposites, but they were brought together by a woman more stubborn than both of them.  I did not realize how many preconceived notions, and outright biases, I had about the homeless population until I read this book.  SKDM challenges you to look and reach outside your comfort zone, to know a person before you make assumptions about them.  It is difficult to read, at first, because the style of writing is so unique.  But, as you delve deeper into the book, it begins to feel as if the authors are sitting right next to you, sharing their story in person.  It is, in a word, incredible.  And that is all I can share, because to share anymore would mean giving away vital pieces of the plot. 


If you would like to receive a copy of this book, just leave any comment below.  I will draw a winner using random.org, and post the winner on Friday in my Letters of Intent.

Letters of Intent

Its Friday and time for fun!!!  Have some letters that just need written?  Head on over to Julie's for more fun!

Dear Friends/Followers/Fellow Book Nerds,

I had so much fun participating in my first ever Read It Forward.






I love to read, and I love to share books with my friends.  And so, I am pleased to announce the winner of these two fab books:

... as decided by random.org

There were 5 comments, but 2 of those comments opted out of the contest.  The winner is...

So, not only do I get to give away my first RIF books, but I get to give them to an IRL friend as well!!!!!  Woohoo!!!!  I will give you your books the next time I see you, and you will get to pass them along as well!

Love,

The totally excited book nerd

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dearest Four-Legged Backyard Creatures,

You do this to torture me, don't you?  Roam around my backyard for weeks in the fall, getting me all excited for hunting season.  And then you disappear, just when I am legally able to shoot you.  Not fair, woodland creatures.  Not fair.

AND STOP EATING MY FLOWERS!!!!

Even if you are still a baby.

Sincerely,

Cleaning my rifle

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kat,

What were you thinking?

You are not a dentist.

I do not care how wiggly it was.

I do not care that she was really happy about it.

We do not pull the teeth of our classmates.

Please?

Love,

The mama who is getting used to apologizing for weirdness

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lovely Lake Powell,

You are so wonderful, so peaceful.  I have so many great memories from my childhood along your shores.  Katrina had her first camping experience with you. 

And so did Madison

And even Violet

Although Violet was in utero.  It still counts, right?

And, yes, because I love you all so much I voluntarily posted a photo of my giant prego self. 

Anyways, Powell, we are bringing the girls for another visit this weekend.  Please make the weather cooperate.  I would love for my girls to build the same amazing memories with my daddy that I have.

Sincerely,

Cannot wait to be out of cell phone range





Givin Daddy Some Sugar

I'm sorry.  I know how mean I was yesterday.  I actually had some of you believing that we took our tiny hineys base jumping.  Let me reassure you that there was no jumping off of the side of any mountain.  Yet.

And, believe me, base jumping was one of the milder stories we came up with.  We had everything from mountain lion riding to bear attacks, Katrina falling while running the race (like a 7 year old would do that race), paragliding, hunting mishaps, mountain biking ... 

We have vivid imaginations.  Sometimes it gets us in trouble.  Again, I am sorry.

*snicker*

Anywho, if you haven't entered to win the books I am giving away in the RIF, you need to go there RIGHT NOW and enter.  Not kidding here.  I'm waiting.

Back?  Ok, good.  Seriously, I had better see a ton of comment entries in my inbox today.  Because Madi might be disappointed if she only has two pieces of paper to choose from.

Anywho, I have a ton of posts waiting to be written.  I will work diligently to get caught up, I promise.  But, for today, I thought I would leave you with some preciousness.

Violet loves her daddy.

And knows that if she gives him kisses,

He will give her pretty much anything.

I love my princesses!

Read It Forward: For the Foodie/Mystery Junkies

I am so excited to participate in my first Read it Forward!  I am seriously a reading junkie.  I have been known to finish a 400 page book in one night (like last week).  Mind you, it helps to also be an insomniac, but still...  I love reading!  Julie at FourSons and Beth At A Work in Progress are co-hosting this fantabulous carnival.








For those of you who are new or don’t remember the rules, Read It Forward is a book carnival in which you review a book on your blog and mail it to the winner in a giveaway for it. Here are the official rules:

1) If you receive a book from another blogger during this book hop, please promise that you'll ultimately pass it on using this blog hop as well. It can be the next month, or two months, or three months down the road-- not everyone has a whole bunch of time to read, so the timeline is yours to decide!

2) Once you receive a book, make sure to add your blog name and URL to the inside cover. That way, the people who receive that book in the future will know where it's been.

3) You can add a book to the blog hop at any time. So if you don't have a book you'd like to give away this month, don't worry! You can add something next month, or the month after, or the month after!



For my first-ever RIF, I am beyond excited to give away not one, but TWO books!  My sweet (and adorably prego) friend Ashley of What's On My Mind, You Ask? sent me these two wonderful books for last month's RIF:

book cover photos courtesy Amazon.com.  You can click on the book picture to link directly to their review page.

This series of books features Goldy, a recently divorced domestic abuse survivor, trying to support herself and her young son in a small Colorado mountain town as the town's only caterer.  Somehow, she manages to get herself mixed up in murders and attempted murders, and works with local sheriff Tom Schulz to solve the crimes. 

I really enjoyed these books.  Author Diane Davidson does a wonderful job intertwining an enjoyable murder mystery with enough culinary fabulousness to make your mouth water.  Oh, did I mention the recipes?  The recipes Goldy creates in the story are printed in the book, for you to try at home.  And, oh my goodness, do they ever look fabulous!  There is enough dry, witty humor to keep the book fun, but poignant, touching moments as well.  They are certainly not serious, deep reading, but I wouldn't classify for bathroom use either.  They are a wonderful afternoon read.


Want to win these books?  All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me what your favorite comfort food is.  I will use random.org to select a winner and post that winner in my Friday Letters of Intent.  Have a book you would like to give away?  Just write up a little post about it and link it up to Julie or Beth.