Friday Memes

FRIDAY
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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:
Summer is almost here, what are you looking forward to?
MY ANSWER:
Reading while either sitting by or in our pool….so relaxing!!!

Book Blogger Hop
Hosted by Jennifer from CRAZY FOR BOOKS

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!
Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.


THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
“If you were given the chance to spend one day in a fictional world (from a book), which book would it be from and what would that place be?”

MY ANSWER:
The first book that came to mind was Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer.  It was a chick lit read set in Nantucket.  The characters came to life and I would have loved to be part of their friendship and spend the summer with them on the island.

Friday Memes

FRIDAY
Photobucket

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:
Summer is almost here, what are you looking forward to?
MY ANSWER:
Reading while either sitting by or in our pool….so relaxing!!!

Book Blogger Hop
Hosted by Jennifer from CRAZY FOR BOOKS

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!
Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.


THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
“If you were given the chance to spend one day in a fictional world (from a book), which book would it be from and what would that place be?”

MY ANSWER:
The first book that came to mind was Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer.  It was a chick lit read set in Nantucket.  The characters came to life and I would have loved to be part of their friendship and spend the summer with them on the island.

GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE "NO HOPE FOR GOMEZ" ENDED

MAY 19th to JUNE 2nd, 2011
NO HOPE FOR GOMEZ
by GRAHAM PARKE
SYNOPSIS:
It’s the age-old tale:

– Boy meets girl.
– Boy stalks girl.
– Girl already has a stalker.
– Boy becomes her stalker-stalker.
  We’ve seen it all before, many times, but this time it’s different. If only slightly.
  When Gomez Porter becomes a test subject in an experimental drug trial, he is asked to keep track of any strange experiences through a blog.
  What Gomez isn’t ready for, is so many of his experiences suddenly seeming strange; the antiques dealer trying to buy his old tax papers, the phone-sex salesman who hounds him day and night, the super sexy research assistant who falls for him but is unable to express herself in terms outside the realm of science.
  But when one of the trial participants turns up dead and another goes missing, Gomez begins to fear for his life.
  No longer sure who he can trust and which of his experiences are real and which merely drug induced delusions, he decides it’s time to go underground and work out a devious plan.
  Now, years later, his blogs have been recovered from a defunct server. For the first time we can find out firsthand what happened to Gomez as he takes us on a wild ride of discovery.
  Oh yeah, and there’s also a nurse with big boobs!

THANKS TO THE AUTHOR, GRAHAM PARKE
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I HAVE ONE(1) SIGNED COPY OF
THIS GREAT BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.
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*ALL COMMENTS TO BE SEPARATE*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: WHAT WOULD
YOU DO IF YOU WERE STALKED?*
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*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.

*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU BECOME A FOLLOWER OF
  GRAHAM PARKE’S WEBSITE. (BOTTOM OF PAGE)

*REMEMBER TO INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL ENTRIES.

Photobucket
*INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*
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*GIVEAWAY ENDS JUNE 2nd AT 6PM EST*
WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG
AND NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL AND WILL
AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN
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DISCLAIMER / RULES

Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher,
agent and/or author. This blog hosts 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



Thursday Memes

THURSDAY
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This week’s question:
In contrast to last week’s question–What do you think of censoring books BECAUSE of their intended age? Say, books too “old” for your kids to read?

My response:

  Another thought provoking question, at least for me since it has been years since my sons were “boys”.  But as I look back into the recesses of my mind, the answer is Yes, I did censor, what they read. 
  I was fortunate to be a SAHM and feel that I knew 99% of the time what they did and what they read.  We would take frequent trips to bookstores where they were allowed to choose books, but I could guide them in choosing certain books and overall, since I was paying, had final decision.  On our trips to the library, I again, would let them “pick out their books” but always from the sections that were age appropriate.  As they got older, and I gave them more freedom, their maturity level and Mom’s instinct kicked in.  Since I was a “hands on” Mom, I felt that I knew when they were ready for changes and even though they were close in age, each one was different as to when the changes took place.
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Hosted by Lori from Dollycas’s Thoughts

From Lori’s site:
It struck me recently how much time I spend on this computer every day, blogging, chatting or playing games on Facebook, emailing friends and relatives, making cards and calendars, etc. etc. etc.
We depend on each other for book reviews, giveaways, encouragement, friendship, but how well do we really know each other?
So that is what this meme is all about, getting to know each other.

WEEK 38 QUESTIONS
1. When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
My cousin taught 2nd grade and I remember her picking me up (I think I was in 2nd or 3rd grade at the time) to help her decorate her classroom before school started. I remember having so much fun and thinking how special I was to actually be helping A TEACHER.  And since she was my only female cousin, out of a bunch of male cousins, I wanted to be just like her!!!

2. Did you go to college?
Yes

3. Do you attend your high school or college reunions?
No, maybe someday.

GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE "NO HOPE FOR GOMEZ" ENDED

MAY 19th to JUNE 2nd, 2011
NO HOPE FOR GOMEZ
by GRAHAM PARKE
SYNOPSIS:
It’s the age-old tale:

– Boy meets girl.
– Boy stalks girl.
– Girl already has a stalker.
– Boy becomes her stalker-stalker.
  We’ve seen it all before, many times, but this time it’s different. If only slightly.
  When Gomez Porter becomes a test subject in an experimental drug trial, he is asked to keep track of any strange experiences through a blog.
  What Gomez isn’t ready for, is so many of his experiences suddenly seeming strange; the antiques dealer trying to buy his old tax papers, the phone-sex salesman who hounds him day and night, the super sexy research assistant who falls for him but is unable to express herself in terms outside the realm of science.
  But when one of the trial participants turns up dead and another goes missing, Gomez begins to fear for his life.
  No longer sure who he can trust and which of his experiences are real and which merely drug induced delusions, he decides it’s time to go underground and work out a devious plan.
  Now, years later, his blogs have been recovered from a defunct server. For the first time we can find out firsthand what happened to Gomez as he takes us on a wild ride of discovery.
  Oh yeah, and there’s also a nurse with big boobs!

THANKS TO THE AUTHOR, GRAHAM PARKE
Photobucket
I HAVE ONE(1) SIGNED COPY OF
THIS GREAT BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.
Photobucket
*ALL COMMENTS TO BE SEPARATE*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: WHAT WOULD
YOU DO IF YOU WERE STALKED?*
Photobucket
*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.

*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU BECOME A FOLLOWER OF
  GRAHAM PARKE’S WEBSITE. (BOTTOM OF PAGE)

*REMEMBER TO INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL ENTRIES.

Photobucket
*INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*
Photobucket
*GIVEAWAY ENDS JUNE 2nd AT 6PM EST*
WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG
AND NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL AND WILL
AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN
Photobucket
DISCLAIMER / RULES

Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher,
agent and/or author. This blog hosts 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



Thursday Memes

THURSDAY
Photobucket
This week’s question:
In contrast to last week’s question–What do you think of censoring books BECAUSE of their intended age? Say, books too “old” for your kids to read?

My response:

  Another thought provoking question, at least for me since it has been years since my sons were “boys”.  But as I look back into the recesses of my mind, the answer is Yes, I did censor, what they read. 
  I was fortunate to be a SAHM and feel that I knew 99% of the time what they did and what they read.  We would take frequent trips to bookstores where they were allowed to choose books, but I could guide them in choosing certain books and overall, since I was paying, had final decision.  On our trips to the library, I again, would let them “pick out their books” but always from the sections that were age appropriate.  As they got older, and I gave them more freedom, their maturity level and Mom’s instinct kicked in.  Since I was a “hands on” Mom, I felt that I knew when they were ready for changes and even though they were close in age, each one was different as to when the changes took place.
Photobucket
Hosted by Lori from Dollycas’s Thoughts

From Lori’s site:
It struck me recently how much time I spend on this computer every day, blogging, chatting or playing games on Facebook, emailing friends and relatives, making cards and calendars, etc. etc. etc.
We depend on each other for book reviews, giveaways, encouragement, friendship, but how well do we really know each other?
So that is what this meme is all about, getting to know each other.

WEEK 38 QUESTIONS
1. When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
My cousin taught 2nd grade and I remember her picking me up (I think I was in 2nd or 3rd grade at the time) to help her decorate her classroom before school started. I remember having so much fun and thinking how special I was to actually be helping A TEACHER.  And since she was my only female cousin, out of a bunch of male cousins, I wanted to be just like her!!!

2. Did you go to college?
Yes

3. Do you attend your high school or college reunions?
No, maybe someday.

Guest Author Graham Parke

A while back I was contacted by this author asking if I would like to have my blog participate in a Birthday Bash he was having for his book.  It sounded like fun so I did.  And recently he emailed me asking if I would read and review his book, since I am a bit behind, and remembering it sounded like it would be a fun read, I invited him to be a guest and he accepted, and hopefully it won’t be long before I get to read and review his book.  So, please help me welcome Graham Parke today to the CMash blog!!!!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Graham Parke is responsible for a number of technical publications and has recently patented a self-folding map. He has been described as both a humanitarian and a pathological liar. Convincing evidence to support either allegation has yet to be produced.
No Hope for Gomez! is his fiction debut.
You can find it here:  http://www.amazon.com/No-Hope-Gomez-Graham-Parke/dp/1432752480

You can visit his website:  http://grahamparke.blogspot.com/
GRAHAM PARKE WILL BE STOPPING BY TODAY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE OR RESPOND TO ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU LEAVE.

GUEST POST
I almost met James Cameron today!Just to be clear, it wasn’t that the Avatar 3D director and I just missed each other, it was just that it was almost him, but slightly, just slightly mind you, someone else. I hate when that happens. You get so close, then, nothing…

But this incident started me thinking. This kind of thing has been happening to me a lot lately. And not only with celebrities. Just the other day, I almost ran into Garry, a friend of mine. From a distance, at an angle, it looked exactly like him. A dead-ringer. Could have fooled his own mother. It wasn’t until I came closer, and he turned his head a few degrees to the left, that he revealed himself to be just a little bit someone else. The thing was, when I walked passed him, he gave me a long, thoughtful look. He looked me over, then shook his head and turned away. But I knew what it meant. I knew exactly what he was thinking. He had almost recognized me back!

Now, almost-Garry almost recognizing me back made the whole situation much more complicated. My mind went haywire, trying to understand this, trying to figure out the underlying meaning. Was it possible for someone who was almost Garry but not quite, to recognize me but only slightly? Was it? And, if so, what was I to him exactly? Was I someone who looked like someone he knew? It was hard to say, but it was unlikely. All I knew for a fact was that I was someone who was known by someone he looked like, but who wasn’t him. And, in fact, to be fair, he probably didn’t even realize that he was almost Garry but not quite.

Are you still following me?Probably not. Probably your brain isn’t defective to the point of reasoning this way. Good for you. You’re better off for it. So, let’s back-track a little. Let’s just assume that the easiest explanation is the correct one. It usually is. And if it isn’t, it should be. Really. Life is hard enough already.

So, I almost recognized Garry, and almost-Garry almost recognized me (that look was unmistakable). This must mean that there is another Graham-and-Gary combo out there. This almost-Gary actually knows an almost-Graham. And this idea has big implications. As you know, and understand inherently in the core of your being, the universe is nothing if not a little fractally-inclined. Recursion-mad. If there are two sets, there must be more. There are probably thousands. Thousands of Graham-and-Gary combos. And this, of course, is upsetting. Because the first question that comes to my mind is, what if some of them are better at being a Graham and Gary combo? In fact; what if most of them are better? What if my friend Gary and I are in fact the worst of the bunch?

So, to summarize, I did ask almost-James Cameron for his autograph. Of course I did. I’m no fool. So, if you’re interested in almost-autographs, check out my store on eBay. You won’t be disappointed!

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ABOUT THE BOOK

It’s the age-old tale:
– Boy meets girl.
– Boy stalks girl.
– Girl already has a stalker.
– Boy becomes her stalker-stalker.

We’ve seen it all before, many times, but this time it’s different. If only slightly.

When Gomez Porter becomes a test subject in an experimental drug trial, he is asked to keep track of any strange experiences through a blog.

What Gomez isn’t ready for, is so many of his experiences suddenly seeming strange; the antiques dealer trying to buy his old tax papers, the phone-sex salesman who hounds him day and night,

the super sexy research assistant who falls for him but is unable to express herself in terms outside the realm of science.

But when one of the trial participants turns up dead and another goes missing, Gomez begins to fear for his life.

No longer sure who he can trust and which of his experiences are real and which merely drug induced delusions, he decides it’s time to go underground and work out a devious plan.

Now, years later, his blogs have been recovered from a defunct server. For the first time we can find out firsthand what happened to Gomez as he takes us on a wild ride of discovery.

Oh yeah, and there’s also a nurse with big boobs!

A finalist in both the Foreword Book of the Year Awards, and the USA Book News Best Book Awards, “No Hope for Gomez!” is available from Amazon and on order at any book store.
Stop by tomorrow, Mr. Parke has a surprise in store for all of my visitors!!!!!! 

It’s the Summer of Gomez!Get free books and win a Kindle or iPod.

As reviewers have been calling “No Hope for Gomez!” the perfect summer read – light, fast, fun – I decided to give this summer’s Gomez readers some exclusive content and the chance to win prizes.

About No Hope for Gomez!

<><><><><><><><><><><>

<><><><><><><><><><><>

It’s the age-old tale:

 –   Boy meets girl.

 –   Boy stalks girl.

 –   Girl already has a stalker.

 –   Boy becomes her stalker-stalker.

  

We’ve seen it all before, many times, but this time it’s different. If only slightly.

 When Gomez Porter becomes a test subject in an experimental drug trial, he is asked to keep track of any strange experiences through a blog. 

What Gomez isn’t ready for, is so many of his experiences suddenly seeming strange; the antiques dealer trying to buy his old tax papers, the phone-sex salesman who hounds him day and night, the super sexy lab assistant who falls for him but is unable to express herself in terms outside the realm of science.

But when one of the trial participants turns up dead and another goes missing, Gomez begins to fear for his life. No longer sure who he can trust and which of his experiences are real and which merely drug induced delusions, he decides it’s time to go underground and work out a devious plan.Read a chapter.

Nominated for Humor Novel of the Year by ForeWord Reviews, USA Book News, and the IBA Awards, here’s what reviewers have to say about “No Hope for Gomez!”:

“Extremely witty and clever writing.” — California Chronicle
“An unputdownable read. a Coens Brothers’ film in book form.” — BookReview.com

“A veritable page turner of nonstop laughs!” — Reader Views

“A Party for your Brain!” — Warren Baxter

Warning: clinical studies have shown that reading this novel is likely to make you more attractive to the opposite sex and elevate your random luck by about 9.5%**

(** These statements have not been evaluated by any person of consequence!)

With every cool summer party comes a gift bag, so here’s just some of the stuff all summer readers will get:

Exclusive new story collection

  • No Hope for Gomez: The Lost Chapters
  • Making of Gomez: behind the scenes eBook
  • Signed hi-res poster + bookplate

Additionally, several lucky readers will win a prize. I’m raffling off a Kindle, an iPod Nano 8GB, and five exclusive spin-off paperback novels that are not available elsewhere!All you have to do to have a “Summer of Gomez”, is get the book from any store before July 12th 2011 and forward your receipt to nohopeforgomez@gmail.com.(Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Amazon CA, Amazon UK, Amazon DE)
Every purchase counts as an entry so increase your chances by stocking up on some extremely cool birthday presents 😉

Points towards additional entries are gained by getting your friends to join in, and tweeting/blogging/face-booking (is that a verb?) about the summer of Gomez.

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,in exchange for my honest review.No items that I receiveare ever sold…they are kept by me,or given to family and/or friends.

ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com.I am providing this link solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this EBook.I do not receive any monetary compensation from any parties

W.W.W. Wednesdays

WEDNESDAY
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Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
                                   (DNF)

What do you think you’ll read next?