Monday Memes

CMash January 16, 2012 8 Comments

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s question:
What devices –if any– do you read books on? Do you find it enjoyable, or still somewhat bothersome? Or: If you only read the print books, why haven’t you chosen to read on any devices?
My answer:
I have 2 devices, a Kindle and a Sony EReader. I find both to have pros and cons. I like the Sony because of the touch screen but it doesn’t have an archive feature and “the Sony Store” sometimes doesn’t have all the books available and isn’t wi-fi. The Kindle is easier to read on, but doesn’t have the touch screen, I can archive the books I have read and is wi-fi. Both are easier to fit into a pocketbook than a print version. But then I still need to be surrounded by my Print versions and need to use all the senses when reading a Print book. I find I need to alternate between a digital read and a Print.

What about you? Have you taken the plunge yet into the digital age of reading?

January is being hosted by At Home with Books

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.

According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”

The Story Plant Author

Meryl L. Moss Media Author

And purchased by me since I am computer challenged………

Aloha Friday

CMash January 13, 2012 12 Comments

Hosted by An Island Life

From An Island Life:

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

MY QUESTION:
Do you have any stationery supplies with your blog logo (ex: business cards, post cards, pens, etc?

Book Review

Review Killer Bytes by Alan Williams

CMash January 12, 2012 1 Comment

KILLER BYTES by Alan Williams

At the request of the author, the first half of a digital manuscript was provided, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: A killer is stalking London; a banker is already dead, killed in an explosion, and there are more victims in the killer’s sights.

Techno geek and Internet journalist, Wil Jackson becomes inadvertently embroiled in the investigation when he interviews one of the murder victims, and the killer starts communicating with Wil via the Internet. Can Wil help the police stop the killer before the body count increases further?

Killer Bytes is a novella of intrigue from blogger, Alan Williams, due for publication in 2012. Follow Alan via his bloghttp://tontowilliams.posterous.com or on twitter @tontowilliams http://twitter.com/tontowilliams.

My Thoughts and Opinion: This is the second time this has happened to me and I feel that it is the greatest honor and most humbling experience to be bestowed with and that is to be entrusted with an author’s manuscript for review.

Through blogging and the PR company, Partners In Crime Tours, I met someone who is an outstanding blogger and reviewer. After working with him on several projects, I had a feeling that he might also be a writer.

I asked and he said that he had been working on a novella and asked if I would read it and give him my honest opinion. For me, that’s like being asked to be the Godmother of someone’s baby. Such an honor yet also a huge responsibility.

As I said, he sent me only the first half, as the 2nd half was with his editor. I started reading with great skepticism because now it was going to be the moment of truth. The novella starts off with a prologue and within the first couple of pages, the book grabbed me. The suspense and action was fast paced. The writing style flowed and it was easy to create my own imagery from the detailed prose. There were only two (2) items that I felt that could be improved upon, which with time, mentoring and professional advice, would help make this blogger’s work into an author’s success. Those 2 items were, and only during a couple of places in the story, a bit of simplistic dialogue and the other being of tweaking to make the story in certain places tighter and mature. Oh and one other big problem was the fact that now, I don’t know what happened next, I don’t know how the story ends, and who the killer was. But overall, from what I read, and knowing that this will be his debut novella, I was quite impressed. I definitely see a tour in his future.

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my honest review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold…they are kept by me,

or given to family and/or friends.

Guest Author

Guest Authors Sherrill Bodine and Rochelle Alers

CMash January 12, 2012 Leave a Comment

What a way to start 2012!!! These past 2 years, The Hachette Book Group have given me many opportunities to introduce exceptional authors and host fantastic giveaways. But today, Brianne from The Hachette Book Group, is starting the new year off with a bang. Two authors, two books, two giveaways!!! So lets get started!! Please welcome these wonderful ladies to the CMash blog, Ms. Sherrill Bodine and Rochelle Alers!!!!

ABOUT SHERRILL BODINE

I’m sure growing up in my grandmother’s house, taking care of my developmentally disabled mother, forged who I am, but I don’t believe any one thing defines me. My philosophy of life is that we are all in this together—and we need to embrace one another with as much grace, humor and compassion as we can muster. I see life as big, bigger, biggest, and I want to take everyone along with me on the journey. I not only attend black-tie affairs and work on charity board projects, but I am also just as likely to be taking a grandchild to lunch and a movie. I’m happily married to John, with whom I eloped when I was an 18-year-old freshman in college. It was quite the scandal. We have four beautiful children and 11 grandchildren.

I won my first writing award in the seventh grade in a statewide essay contest about a television broadcast of Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates. Instead of Silver Skates, they sent real skates, which I enjoyed immensely. I’m only sorry I don’t still have them so they could hang in my office.

While moving 22 times across the country and rearing our children, I sold stories to Fate Magazine, Home Life Magazine and True Confessions. In 1988, I sold my first novel and a week later received a two-book contract from Fawcett. Sixteen novels later, I’ve seen The Other Amanda win the Wisconsin Romance Writers of America Write Touch Readers’ Award and Talk of the Town chosen by Cosmopolitan magazine as its “Red Hot Read” for February 2009.

You can visit Ms. Bodine here.

ABOUT THE BOOK

SHE’S STEALING HIS HEART . . . Vintage boutique owner Venus Smith is stunned to realize her newest acquisition comes with a larcenous legend. Stolen years ago, the antique mermaid brooch belongs to the Clayworth family. The right thing to do would be to return it, but that means facing Connor Clayworth O’Flynn, the sexy department store heir Venus has had an unrequited crush on since childhood-and the man who helped ruin her father. ONE KISS AT A TIME Connor knows that Venus has never forgiven him for what happened between their families.

ABOUT ROCHELLE ALERS

Rochelle Alers has been hailed by readers and booksellers alike as one of today’s most prolific and popular African American authors of romance and women’s fiction.

With more than fifty titles and nearly two million copies of her novels in print, Ms. Alers is a regular on the Waldenbooks, Borders and Essence bestseller lists, regularly chosen by Black Expressions Book Club, and has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Gold Pen Award, the Emma Award, Vivian Stephens Award for Excellence in Romance Writing, the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and the Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award.

She is a member of the Iota Theta Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and her interests include gourmet cooking and traveling. She has traveled to Europe, and countries in North, South and Central America. Her future travel plans include visits to Hong Kong and New Zealand. Ms. Alers is also in accomplished in knitting, crocheting and needlepoint. She is currently taking instruction in the art of hand quilting.

Oliver, a toy Yorkshire terrier has become the newest addition to her family. When she’s not barking at passing school buses, the tiny dog can be found sleeping on her lap while she spends hours in front of the computer.

A full-time writer, Ms. Alers lives in a charming hamlet on Long Island.

You can visit Ms. Alers here.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sometimes love is the simplest choice of all. Still reeling from her husband’s untimely death, Deborah Robinson needs a fresh start. So she decides to pack up her family, box up her bookstore, and return to her grandmother’s ancestral home on Cavanaugh Island. The charming town of Sanctuary Cove holds happy memories for Deborah. And, after she spies a gorgeous stranger in the local bakery, it promises the possibility for a bright, new future.

THANKS TO BRIANNE AND THE FOLKS AT
THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, I HAVE
BOTH THESE BOOKS TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.

DISCLAIMER

Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners

via publisher, agent and/or author. This blog hosts

the giveaway on behalf of the above.

No items that I receive

are ever sold…they are kept by me,

or given to family and/or friends.

Booking Thru Thursday

Booking Through Thursday

CMash January 12, 2012 2 Comments

http://btt2.wordpress.com

This week’s question:

But enough about interviewing other people. It’s time I interviewed YOU.

1. What’s your favorite time of day to read?
Afternoon and evenings. Waiting at doctor’s appointments where there will be no interuptions.

2. Do you read during breakfast? (Assuming you eat breakfast.)
No. Will usually eat a muffin while blogging.

3. What’s your favorite breakfast food? (Noting that breakfast foods can be eaten any time of day.)
If I go out for breakfast, I usually order blueberry pancakes.

4. How many hours a day would you say you read?
I try to read at least a minimum of 3 hours a day but it depends on what needs to be done in real life.

5. Do you read more or less now than you did, say, 10 years ago?
Less. I didn’t blog back then and it does take up a lot of time.

6. Do you consider yourself a speed reader?
No, but I wish I did.

7. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
To be a speed reader, especially when I look at my TBR bookcase. Also to be abloe to survive on no sleep and to accomplish things at warp speed.

8. Do you carry a book with you everywhere you go?
Absolutely, dont leave home without it.

9. What KIND of book?
My current read.

10. How old were you when you got your first library card?
I was approximately 6 years old and remember my Mom taking me to our local library and how excited I was that I was getting my “own” library card

11. What’s the oldest book you have in your collection? (Oldest physical copy? Longest in the collection? Oldest copyright?)
It would have to be 1976, my text books from college.

12. Do you read in bed?
Yes.

13. Do you write in your books?
Absolutely NOT

14. If you had one piece of advice to a new reader, what would it be?
Enjoy, take pleasure, use your imagination and try to create a mini movie in your mind from what you are reading.

15. What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask? (Actually, leave the answer to this one in the comments on this post, huh? So I can find them when I need inspiration!)
Do you ever wonder what makes other bloggers choose a specific genre/age level books as their favorite reads?

Giveaway, Hachette Giveaway

GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE “ALL I WANT IS YOU” and “SANCTUARY COVE” ENDED

CMash January 12, 2012 14 Comments

JANUARY 12th to JANUARY 26th, 2012

SYNOPSIS: ALL I WANT IS YOU

SHE’S STEALING HIS HEART . . . Vintage boutique owner Venus Smith is stunned to realize her newest acquisition comes with a larcenous legend. Stolen years ago, the antique mermaid brooch belongs to the Clayworth family. The right thing to do would be to return it, but that means facing Connor Clayworth O’Flynn, the sexy department store heir Venus has had an unrequited crush on since childhood-and the man who helped ruin her father. ONE KISS AT A TIME Connor knows that Venus has never forgiven him for what happened between their families.

SYNOPSIS: SANCTUARY COVE

Sometimes love is the simplest choice of all. Still reeling from her husband’s untimely death, Deborah Robinson needs a fresh start. So she decides to pack up her family, box up her bookstore, and return to her grandmother’s ancestral home on Cavanaugh Island. The charming town of Sanctuary Cove holds happy memories for Deborah. And, after she spies a gorgeous stranger in the local bakery, it promises the possibility for a bright, new future.

THANKS TO BRIANNE, AND THE FANTASTIC
FOLKS AT THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP

THERE WILL BE THREE ( 3 ) WINNERS THAT
WILL RECEIVE ONE (1) COPY OF EACH BOOK.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.

*ALL COMMENTS TO BE SEPARATE*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: IF YOU WIN, WHICH
BOOK WILL YOU READ FIRST?*

*EXTRA ENTRIES*

*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU PUBLICLY FOLLOW THIS BLOG (IF NOT, GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT ON RIGHT SIDE).
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK.
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.
*REMEMBER TO INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL ENTRIES.

*U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*
**PER PUBLISHER**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.

*GIVEAWAY ENDS JANUARY 26th AT 6PM EST*

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG AND NOTIFIED
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN

DISCLAIMER / RULES

Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher,
the giveaway on behalf of the
above. I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in
exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are
ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.

I am not responsible for lost or damaged books that are shipped
from agents. I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entries
if rules of giveaway are not followed

W.W.W. Wednesdays

W.W.W. Wednesday

CMash January 11, 2012 1 Comment

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

Giveaway, Hachette Giveaway

GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE “AMERICAN DERVISH” by AYAD AKHTAR ENDED

CMash January 11, 2012 9 Comments

JANUARY 11 to JANUARY 25th, 2012

AMERICAN DERVISH

by AYAD AKHTAR

SYNOPSIS:

Hayat Shah is a young American in love for the first time. His normal life of school, baseball, and video games had previously been distinguished only by his Pakistani heritage and by the frequent chill between his parents, who fight over things he is too young to understand. Then Mina arrives, and everything changes.
Mina is Hayat’s mother’s oldest friend from Pakistan. She is independent, beautiful and intelligent, and arrives on the Shah’s doorstep when her disastrous marriage in Pakistan disintegrates. Even Hayat’s skeptical father can’t deny the liveliness and happiness that accompanies Mina into their home. Her deep spirituality brings the family’s Muslim faith to life in a way that resonates with Hayat as nothing has before. Studying the Quran by Mina’s side and basking in the glow of her attention, he feels an entirely new purpose mingled with a growing infatuation for his teacher.
When Mina meets and begins dating a man, Hayat is confused by his feelings of betrayal. His growing passions, both spiritual and romantic, force him to question all that he has come to believe is true. Just as Mina finds happiness, Hayat is compelled to act — with devastating consequences for all those he loves most.
American Dervish is a brilliantly written, nuanced, and emotionally forceful look inside the interplay of religion and modern life. Ayad Akhtar was raised in the Midwest himself, and through Hayat Shah he shows readers vividly the powerful forces at work on young men and women growing up Muslim in America. This is an intimate, personal first novel that will stay with readers long after they turn the last page.

THANKS TO ANNA, AND THE WONDERFUL

PEOPLE AT THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP

I HAVE TWO ( 2 ) COPIES OF THIS
BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.

*ALL COMMENTS TO BE SEPARATE*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: FROM READING THE SYNOPSIS,
WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK?*

*EXTRA ENTRIES*
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU PUBLICLY FOLLOW THIS BLOG (IF NOT, GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT ON RIGHT SIDE).
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK.
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.
*REMEMBER TO INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL ENTRIES.

*U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS ONLY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*
**PER PUBLISHER**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.

*GIVEAWAY ENDS JANUARY 25th AT 6PM EST*

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG AND NOTIFIED
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN

DISCLAIMER / RULES

Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher,
the giveaway on behalf of the
above. I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in
exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are
ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.

I am not responsible for lost or damaged books that are shipped
from agents. I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entries
if rules of giveaway are not followed