Booking Through Thursday

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Today’s question:

Sometimes I feel like the only person I know who finds reading history fascinating. It’s so full of amazing-yet-true stories of people driven to the edge and how they reacted to it. I keep telling friends that a good history book (as opposed to some of those textbooks in school that are all lists and dates) does everything a good novel does–it grips you with real characters doing amazing things.
Am I REALLY the only person who feels this way? When is the last time you read a history book? Historical biography? You know, something that took place in the past but was REAL
My answer:
Ironically I commented on a blogging buddy’s post yesterday regarding her love of this genre and how much I respected her.  I, for one do not enjoy reading books of this period.  The dialogue is hard for me to understand and it reminds me of when I was in school and it was mandatory reading.  Maybe someday when I get caught up…lol…with my tbr bookcase….I just might try reading one from that era again and I know exactly who I will go to for advice.  And that will be Bev from My Reader’s Block 

Review "Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines" by Carol Wyer

MINI SKIRTS AND LAUGHTER LINES by Carol Wyer

Published by Carol E Wyer at Smashwords
ISBN: (borrowed from B&N)
ISBN-13: 9781908481818
At the request of the author, an ARC PDF edition was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis (borrowed from B&N):  Amanda Wilson can’t decide between murder, insanity and another glass of red wine. Facing 50 and all that it entails is problematic enough. What’s the point in minking your eyes, when your husband would rather watch ‘Russia Today’ than admire you, strutting in front of the television in only thigh boots and a thong?
 

Her son has managed to perform yet another magical disappearing act. Could he actually be buried under the mountain of festering washing which is strewn on his bedroom floor? He’ll certainly be buried somewhere when she next gets her hands on him.

At least her mother knows how to enjoy herself. She’s partying her twilight years away in Cyprus. Queen of the Twister mat, she now has a toy boy in tow.

 

She really shouldn’t have pressed that send button. The past always catches up with you sooner or later. Still, her colourful past is a welcome relief to her monochrome present; especially when it comes in the shape of provocative Todd Bradshaw, her first true love.

Soon Mandy has a difficult decision to make; one that will require more than a few glasses of Chianti.
  My Thoughts and Opinion:  During a blog hop that I participated in, I stumbled upon a blog that was not the kind that I usually follow, which are book related, however, the theme was based more on real life and I found it to be quite funny and became a follower.  Then approximately a month ago I received an email, knowing it was for a request to review a book because of the form I use on my site.  The difference being is that the email began as follows:
“Hello from ‘Facing 50 with Humour’!
You very kindly gave me my very first award when I started my blog months ago and now I have a favour to request.
My debut novel, Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines, humorous of course, has been published as an eBook and will be out in print in 4-6 weeks.
I am hosting a huge book launch party on September 16th at my blog and would be so grateful if you could review my work for it.”
From visiting her blog and already knowing her writing style and sense of humor from her blog, I said yes.  I needed something light and fun to read.
The book is set up to read as if you are actually reading a typical blog along with comments that have been posted.  I could relate to “the postings” as they pertained to the daily life of a 50 year old woman and dealing with relationships of her husband, son, mother, and/or aquaintances.   In my opinion, the author has a dry sense of humor and finds amusement in everyday events.  Her writing style allows you to visualize the scene, which becomes even funnier.  Without giving away spoilers, events such as her goal to get fit and taking up jogging and other exercise regimes, her husband’s grocery shopping trips and her’s, her son’s room, her Mum’s weekly phone calls, her husband’s escapade with the smoke detector and so many more.  Again, without giving away spoilers, the last 100 pages or so, were even funnier but also held many surprises.  Surprises that reminded the reader that there is truly a human being sitting behind the screen of that blog.  A woman who is now an author of a light and funny book but who also faces life’s ups and downs but with a great attitude and humor.  A good read when you need to add some more laugh lines.

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.

Booking Through Thursday

Photobucket
Today’s question:

Sometimes I feel like the only person I know who finds reading history fascinating. It’s so full of amazing-yet-true stories of people driven to the edge and how they reacted to it. I keep telling friends that a good history book (as opposed to some of those textbooks in school that are all lists and dates) does everything a good novel does–it grips you with real characters doing amazing things.
Am I REALLY the only person who feels this way? When is the last time you read a history book? Historical biography? You know, something that took place in the past but was REAL
My answer:
Ironically I commented on a blogging buddy’s post yesterday regarding her love of this genre and how much I respected her.  I, for one do not enjoy reading books of this period.  The dialogue is hard for me to understand and it reminds me of when I was in school and it was mandatory reading.  Maybe someday when I get caught up…lol…with my tbr bookcase….I just might try reading one from that era again and I know exactly who I will go to for advice.  And that will be Bev from My Reader’s Block 

And the winners are………

……………for CONFESSIONS OF AN IMPROPER BRIDE by Jennifer Haymore
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

4	39	86

Timestamp: 2011-08-24 23:54:39 UTC


An email has been sent to the winners and they have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address or another winner will be chosen.  Thank you to all that entered!!

And the winners are………

……………for CONFESSIONS OF AN IMPROPER BRIDE by Jennifer Haymore
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

4	39	86

Timestamp: 2011-08-24 23:54:39 UTC


An email has been sent to the winners and they have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address or another winner will be chosen.  Thank you to all that entered!!

W.W.W. Wednesday

WEDNESDAY
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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?

W.W.W. Wednesday

WEDNESDAY
Photobucket

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?

Guest Author Lisa Becker

When I receive an email from an independent author asking me to review their novel, to me, it is such an honor, but there are just not enough hours in the day to read all these wonderful books.  But I can share them with you in hopes that you may have some time.  So please help me welcome Ms. Lisa Becker to the CMash blog!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa Becker had endured her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates, many of which inspired Click: An Online Love Story. She is now happily married to a wonderful man she met online and lives in Manhattan Beach with him and their two daughters. So, if it happened for her, there’s hope for you!
You can visit with Lisa on Facebook and post comments.

GUEST POST
What’s With All of the Email?!? By Lisa Becker OF

Since my novel, Click: An Online Love Story first published, I’ve been asked a myriad of times, “why did you write the book entirely in emails?” Well, many years ago, I read a book called e by Matthew Beaumont which tells the story of a fictitious ad agency vying for a big account, with the story all told in emails. I remember it distinctly, because I was on an airplane from Los Angeles to New York laughing out loud and getting wildly strange looks from my fellow passengers.

After my husband and I married (we met on a popular online dating site), I was recalling some of the hilarious experiences that I had with both traditional and online dating. I decided to capture some of them in writing and from there, a novel emerged. I remembered how much I had enjoyed e and thought that narrative style would work really well for the story I wanted to tell about the online dating world. It was a modern way of storytelling that fit the topic and the times.

Click: An Online Love Story is loosely based on my real-life dating experiences, as well as stories friends have shared with me. In some cases, things are written as they actually occurred. Honestly, how could I forget a date with Pete who started every story (no joke!) with “My buddies and I were out drinking one night”?

In some cases, I’ve drawn on characteristics of people in my personal life to add depth and humor. For example, Shelly’s hilarious habit of giving nicknames to her “man du jour” was inspired by a childhood friend of mine who had a nickname for a guy in college that she admired from across the dorm cafeteria. She called him Maverick because he looked like Tom Cruise in Top Gun. Much like Shelley, she is a self-confident, gorgeous, lovely gal and it wasn’t long before they met and dated for a spell.

And finally, other Click scenarios are exaggerated for comedic affect or are completely fictionalized.

But, the result is – I hope – a fun book for anyone who has ever been in love, been dumped, been on a bad date or is searching for the one. And, as I’ve said many times before, if it happened for me, there’s hope for you.
To download a sample of Click: An Online Love Story, visit here.
 

ABOUT THE BOOK
SYNOPSIS:

Fast approaching her 30th birthday and finding herself not married, dating, with a prospect or even a house full of cats, Renee Greene reluctantly joins her best guy pal on a journey to find love online in Los Angeles. The story unfolds through a series of emails between Renee and her best friends (anal-retentive Mark, the overly-judgmental Gretchen and the sexed-up Shelly) as well as the gentlemen suitors she meets online. From the guy who starts every story with “My buddies and I were out drinking one night,” to the egotistical B celebrity looking for someone to stroke his ego, Renee endures her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates. Fraught with BCC’s, FWD’s and inadvertent Reply to All’s, readers will root for Renee to “click” with the right man.  

THANKS TO AUTHOR, LISA BECKER
I HAVE TWO (2) EBOOK EDITIONS
THIS CHICK LIT NOVEL 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.