Read.Read.READ-A-THON: Virtual Prize Bucket
Thanks to Hachette and Sterling Publications, and the lovely Iris, Anna, Miriam and Valerie for these splendid prizes!!!
Throughout the day I will use my favourite random.org site and plug in the 61 numbers and people will win books. YES BOOKS! I will come visit you and let you know if you can pick something from our virtual prize bucket. Make sure you are commenting on your buddies blogs, and visiting the 'Breaktime Shindigs' (or that hour blog stops) for full qualification-but I am leaving that up to the honour system because I can't check up on all of you. ENJOY!!!
Once a title is scratched out, that means it is no longer available. Good luck!
Sterling Publication Prizes:
SURVIVING PARADISE (five four copies available)
ROAD OUT OF HELL (Five four copies available)
FLAWLESS (claimed by Shesten @ I Heart Monster)
Health & Self-Help:
SEVEN By Jacqueline Leo
Media guru jackie Leo and renowned mathematician Ed Burger explain how the number seven can improve the focus of your life in this fascinating exploration of the numeral's power and significance.
BEYOND BLUE By Therese Borchard
Part memoir, part self-help, BEYOND BLUE tackles severe mood disorders, particularly depression, with the intelligence of Kay Redfield Jamison (An Unquiet Mind) with the insight and wit of Anne Lamott
A GOOD TALK By Daniel Menaker
A stylish, funny and surprising guide to the art of conversation, from one of New York's foremost literary wits.
Romance:
RION By Susan Kearney
RION is the second book in USA Today best selling Susan Kearney's Pendragon Legacy Series.
KNIGHT OF PLEASURE By Margaret Mallory (Claimed Julie)
| An exciting new voice, Margaret Mallory writes medieval historical romances that will appeal to fans of NYT bestselling authors Kathleen Woodiwiss, Jude Deveraux, and Bertrice Small. |
A BLACK TIE AFFAIR By Sherrill Bodine
Sherrill Bodine's witty, sexy, and ultimately heart-tugging follow-up to Talk of the Town will appeal to readers of Susan Mallery, Barbara Bretton, Sherryl Woods, and Susan Wiggs.
SLEEP NO MORE By Susan Crandall
RWA RITA award-winner Susan Crandall delivers a heart-pounding romantic suspense novel that will appeal to fans of New York Times bestselling authors Karen Rose, Brenda Novak, and Beverly Barton.
SEDUCED BY A ROGUE By Amanda Scott
SEDUCED BY A ROGUE is the second volume in the latest Scottish historical series by USA TODAY bestselling author Amanda Scott.
Health:
PRIME-TIME HEALTH By William Sears, M.D.
From one of the most trusted names in family healthcare, a comprehensive head-to-toe program for living a long, healthy life.
DENIS’S DAILY DOZEN By Denise Austen
Fitness mega-guru, Denise Austin, brings her upbeat and sensible attitude to a book that makes healthy living as easy as counting from 1 to 12.
TOTALLY TONED ARMS By Rylan Dugan
The effective, easy program guaranteeing the coveted "Obama arms"-- in only 21 days!
Fiction:
THE UNNAMED by Joshua Ferris (Claimed by Corina)
THE UNNAMED is a dazzling novel about a marriage and a family and the unseen forces of nature and desire that seem to threaten them both. It is the heartbreaking story of a life taken for granted and what happens when that life is abruptly and irrevocably taken away.
THE SWAN THIEVES by Elizabeth Kostova (taken by perpetual spiral)
Kostova's masterful new novel travels from American cities to the coast of Normandy, from the late 19th century to the late 20th, from young love to last love. THE SWAN THIEVES is a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope.
ROSES by Leila Meacham (claimed by Miss Wisabus)
Roses is a classic novel in the best sense--a big, juicy read with a riveting plot and characters that leave a lasting impression. Spanning the 20th century, the story of ROSES takes place in a small East Texas town against the backdrop of the powerful timber and cotton industries, industries controlled by the scions of the town's founding families.
AMONG THIEVES by David Hosp
Attorney Scott Finn is drawn into the deadly search for missing art in David Hosp's breakout thriller.
DOORS OPEN by Ian Rankin (claimed by El FAY)
A dynamic new thriller that blends the worlds of high art and low-down crime from international bestselling author Ian Rankin.
DEATH OF A VALENTINE by M.C. Beaton
New York Times bestselling author M. C. Beaton is back with a new mystery featuring Scotland's most laconic and low-tech policeman.
SEARCHING FOR TINA TURNER by Jacqueline E. Luckett (claimed- BrownGirl)
In this breathtaking debut novel reminiscent of early Terry McMillan, Lena Spencer is going through a mid-life crisis and looks to singer Tina Turner for strength.
DAMAGED by Kia Dupree (claimed Kathryn)
In the style of urban literary greats Teri Woods and Vicky Stringer, Kia DuPree tells an engrossing and heart-wrenching story about a young woman living on the streets of Washington D.C.
LONE STAR LEGEND by Gwendolyn Zepeda (claimed by Ari Reading in Color)
An aspiring young journalist stuck blogging for a gossip site stumbles across a story that gives new meaning to the word legendary.
KITTY'S HOUSE OF HORRORS by Carrie Vaughn (Claimed Lanie)
Talk radio host and werewolf Kitty Norville has agreed to appear on TV's first all-supernatural reality show. She's expecting cheesy competitions and manufactured drama starring shapeshifters, vampires, and psychics. But what begins as a publicity stunt will turn into a fight for her life.
ALL ABOUT US #6: THE CHIC SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH by Shelley Adina (Claimed Shannan)
The girls of Spencer Academy are ready to graduate and take on life after high school . . . if they can make it through their last term!
The following gifties are NOT up for grabs in the regular Virtual Prize Bucket- The winners of these will be handpicked by me at the END of the Read.Read.READ-A-THON! Fun, right!?!
Three SUPA-LUCKY winners will be able to select a pack prize, of one of the following sets:
1. Angels By Chuck Fischer ISBN: 0316039705
2. Miracles By Karen Kingsbury ISBN: 0446557951
3. The Gift of an Ordinary Day By Katrina Kenison ISBN: 0446409480
4. Christmas Memories By Susan Branch ISBN: 0316106488
5. The Paper Bag Christmas By Kevin Alan Milne ISBN: 1599950731
1. Start-up Nation By Dan Senor , Saul Singer ISBN: 044654146X
2. The Monuments Men By Robert M. Edsel , Bret Witter ISBN: 1599951495
3. Sex, Drugs & Gefilte Fish By Shana Liebman ISBN: 0446504629
4. The Woman Who Named God By Charlotte Gordon ISBN: 031611474X
5. A Lucky Child By Thomas Buergenthal , Elie Wiesel ISBN: 0316043400
1. The Boy Next Door By Irene Sabatini ISBN: 031604993X
2. Mrs. O By Mary Tomer ISBN: 1599952580
3. Role of a Lifetime By James Brown , Nathan Whitaker , Tony Dungy ISBN: 0446541176
4. On the Line By Serena Williams , Daniel Paisner ISBN: 0446553662
5. Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales By Nelson Mandela ISBN: 1600246664
All of these giveaways are OPEN IN US AND CANADA ONLY. NO PO BOXES PLEASE.
A Book Many Died For. (Banned Books Week)
This is my second post for Banned Books Week, A week that I see as a celebration of the freedoms we currently have to read what we choose and choose what we read.
My favourite banned book is the Bible, so I chose to talk about it today. It actually hasn't been banned officially in the US, (that is a debate of its own), however since challenged books can be considered "banned" for the sake of the celebration of Banned Books Week, the Bible takes the prize since throughout its history governments since the Roman Empire to the Holy Catholic Church and on down have tried to censor who can translate, it, and if it can be read or owned at all.
Martin Luther burning the Papal Bull, his warning from the Roman Emperor Leo X informing Luther of his excomunication from the Catholic church.
I have two most love translators of the Bible, William Tyndale and Martin Luther.
Martin Luther first published the German translation of the New Testament in 1522, bu 1534 the whole translated Bible was published. He intended his vigorous, direct language to make the Bible accessible to everyday Germans, "for we are removing impediments and difficulties so that other people may read it without hindrance." (Mullett, 149; Wilson, 302.) I love Martin Luther not only for bringing the word of God to the common German, but also for the revolution of faith that he inspired.
Through the influence of Martin Luther, William Tyndale introduced new words into the English language through his translation. He wanted a more accurate portrayal of the Bible for the people. However, his translations did not conform to the catholic church of that day. He was not worried with offending, and "some of the new words and phrases introduced by Tyndale did not sit well with the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, using words like 'Overseer' rather than 'Bishop' and 'Elder' rather than 'Priest', and (very controversially), 'congregation' rather than 'Church' and 'love' rather than 'charity'. Tyndale contended (citing Erasmus) that the Greek New Testament did not support the traditional Roman Catholic readings. (Wikipedia William Tyndale, Legacy)
What happens when you translated a banned book back in that day? Well, it wasn't a pretty sight, " He was tried on a charge of heresy in 1536 and condemned to death, despite Thomas Cromwell's intercession on his behalf. He "was strangled to death while tied at the stake, and then his dead body was burned". (Wikipedia Tyndale) What most speaks to me is that, " Tyndale's final words, spoken "at the stake with a fervent zeal, and a loud voice", were reported as "Lord! Open the King of England's eyes."[10]
While being put to death by strangulation, Tyndale utters his famous last words, "Lord open the King of England's eyes".
Four years after his death there were four translations of the English Bible, all based on William Tyndale's work, they were published in England and one became the official English Bible.
Now I've shared my favourite banned book, which is yours?
TSS: A Readalong!
Join the Kristin Lavransdatter Readalong!
Hosted by: Richard of Caravana de Recuerdos and Emily of It Was Evening All Afternoon
This is some of the description of the book selection off of Emily's blog:
Starting in October and continuing through December, we'll be tackling the three volumes of Sigrid Undset's classic Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy, one volume per month.Those who want to join will all post their reviews of each section around the end of the month, and we can compare notes. The casual schedule is as follows, with pagination from my omnibus edition, pictured above:
* October: The Wreath (pages 1-291)
* November: The Wife (pages 295-697)
* December: The Cross (pages 703-1124)
This is what Richard said to explain the reasoning behind this super-cool event:
The main reason Emily and I wanted to propose another shared read was the great group of friends we met through the Bolaño readalong: friendly, insightful readers who made the readalong experience so much richer than it would have been otherwise. I hope some of you will consider participating!
Feel like reading along? Sign up!!! Do so at either hosts blog:Richard's or Emily's and they will add you to their links section.
I also created a Book Blogs Ning Group for this readalong, here it is: Bulk Book Readalong.
This week in review:
North of Beautiful
Plants Don't Drink Coffee
Speak. Read. Know. Banned Books Week 2009
Banned Books Week September 26-October 3 2009
Banned Books Week starts today!!! The celebration of Banned Books Week takes place every year in the last week of September. It is a celebration that brings to light the benefits of "free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States". (ALA-Banned Books Week)
Off of the Banned Books List I have read: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, The Call of the Wild by Jack London, Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien, Portrait of a Lady by Henry James, My Antonia by Willa Cather, Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Some I read before I started blogging, so that is why they aren't linked to a review.
The concept of Banned Books is really interesting. As much as I disagree with the content of a book, we do as a nation support freedom- which is really good. Censorship is huge around the globe, I have spoken to Iranians who mentioned how for years all poetry was banned, along with so much other literature. I can't even imagine not being able to read what I chose and having the government enforce strict bans.
Stay tuned, I have some pretty cool stuff planned for Banned Books Week! Go out and read a book!
Banned Books Week Puppet Video:
ALA Banned Book Week Links:
Banned Books Week ReadOut
Banned and Challenged Classics
Banned Books Week Resource Guide
Statistics on Banned Books
Most Frequently Banned Authors of the 20th Century
Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
Spain Through my Camera Lens
We are in Spain for the next bit, some of you have begged for pictures, others have done nothing short of threatening me....either way I feel the love, thanks! We have loved every day so far, and we are headed to Segovia to see the sights there, the castle there is impressive and the aqueduct is insanely cool. Stay tuned, I hope to have pictures up of that soon....depending on internet connection. Until then, enjoy a little tidbit of our journey in photos.
I will try to post pictures here again, but I will be uploading them all to my flickr album España.
If you want to see our pictures of Spain in your google (or selected) reader sign up for the RSS for the España flickr album.
BBAW: Interview with Dissecting Perfection
Here is my interview with Mya of Dissecting Perfection, go visit her site to see my answers to her questions. Her questions are WAY better than mine. I need to learn to be a better question asker.
Interview with Mya:
When Blogging:
What is the hardest thing for you as a blogger?
The hardest thing by far is being able to balance my work as a blogger
with real life. It's insane! I have grad school, research and a job,
plus I'm working on three manuscripts of my own, so finding the time
to read and write reviews, as well as keep up with the latest news in
the literary world is really difficult. But because it's something I
love doing, and have enormous amounts of fun doing, what's a few
sacrifices here or there? Sleep's for the weak, anyway 
What do you most enjoy?
This is easy - the people and the stories! I loveloveLOVE the
community! Where I come from, it's so hard to find people who like to
read, let alone ones who enjoy reading young adult. But to find these
awesome people who not only love what they do but actively promote it
makes me feel like every minute of my spare time is being well-used.
I've never been happier!
When reading:
Are you a happy ending type or sad ending?
I'm a sucker for happy endings, but I have to admit, it's the sad
endings that hit me harder and stay with me longer.
Um, basically I have yet to speak to/read/meet an author whom I
haven't wanted to grow up to be! But if I were to name people? I'd
love spend a day (each) in the heads of Lisa McMann, Diana
Peterfreund, Meg Cabot, Trish Doller, Sarah Dessen, Megan McCafferty,
Suzanne Collins (seriously, I need to know how that trilogy ends!),
Saundra Mitchell, Maureen Johnson, J.K. Rowling or Jodi Picoult. My
life would be pretty empty without the words of these people, and
more!
When Living:
Would you say that you, play to live or live to play?
Definitely live to play. Life's too short not to enjoy everything it offers!
A good book (more like eleven), my Zune fully charged and set to
shuffle, and a big comfy couch with my poufy pillow. Not to mention a
few gourmet meals catered right to me. I'm not much for adventure, but
I definitely know my comforts! =)
Award Worthy Blogs for BBAW
Best Literary Fiction Blog:
The Book Lady’s Blog I love her blog, since day one her style and quality of posts has overwhelmed me to pieces. I love it.
Best New Blog: She always posts beautiful photos that go with her reviews, she is original and doesn't just read the trendy reads. For those reasons and so many more I give Kiss a Cloud this award.
Here is a list of extremely award worthy blogs, I don't know how to categorize but they are the ones that I love over and over and over.
Fyrefly's Book Blog
Book Chatter and Other Stuff
Literate Housewife
Medieval Bookworm
Books on the Brain
Devourer of Books
Jenn's Bookshelves
Stay tuned, on the 15th (tomorrow) I have an interview to post by Dissecting Perfection ! Make sure you check that out, she is what my mother would call a riot. Truly.
What are you enjoying the most of BBAW so far?? I am loving the community building. I wish I could do more of it, but our internet connection is sparse over here since we are staying in little village.
SPAIN UPDATE: We are traveling around Spain a little the last village we stayed in, called Soto de Sajambre had (17 residents...yes, small!) But we are loving every second of it. I am in the process of uploading some pictures to flickr. That will be up soon, promise! I know some of you are dying to see what we are seeing 
The Posts I submitted for BBAW
Just in case you were curious....here are my posts I submitted for the BBAW judging panel. Three are international book reviews, one is a foreign film review and one is a link to my challenge, the Orbis Terrarum Challenge- which is all about reading around the world!! I hope you enjoy the posts. Happy voting peeps!!!
Book Review: Cellist of Sarajevo
Book Review: Beasts of No Nation
Post about my Orbis Terrarum Challenge
Flick Review, Slumdog Millionaire
Book Review, The Kitchen God's Wife
Cultural Challenge I host for the Book Blogging Community and other forms of involvement:
For the book blogging community I host the Orbis Terrarum Challenge (meaning The Whole Circle of Lands, or World Challenge) which is a challenge all about reading about places culturally different from your own. The challengers are asked to read based on the author's nationality, so as to expose them as much as possible to different ways of thinking and more cultural exposure to far away lands. ( http://orbisterrarumchallenge.blogspot.com/ ).
No matter who you want to vote for, make sure you vote!! BBAW Voting (it takes 2 seconds!) YOU HAVE LESS THAN 6 HOURS LEFT!!!
Vote for Me!
I am excited to announce that I was shortlisted as a Nominee for Best Cultural Review Blog the Book Blogger Appreciation
Week!!! Thank you so much for the nomination, and I am thrilled to be shortlisted. I have some very, very handsome competition (to whom I offer up the best of luck) as well. I have to ask you to vote for me Pretty Please?? If you think I am worthy of winning this award, I'd love your vote! I need your vote!
Secondly and certainly just as importantly, I wanted to be sure to give a plug for Richard from Caravana de Recuerdos. He was nominated and shortlisted for Best Writing!!! I love what he has to say and the books he reads, please Vote for him!!!
To vote for us or other BBAW shortlisted nominees, head to the Book Blogger Appreciation Week site!!
Portland Book Blogger Conference
Blogger peeps at the Portland Book Blogger Conference!!
From left to right: Juli (Suzi) from Whimpulsive, Gabe from Reading Local, Wendy from Caribousmom, Gilion from Rose City Reader, Ali from Worducopia, Kristen from We Be Reading, Teddy from So Many precious Books, So Little Time, Bethany (in front) from Dreadlock Girl, and Trish from Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’?
This last weekend bloggers from Oregon, Washington, California and Canada joined up and we had a grand time! I roomed with Trish from Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’? and let me tell you....she is completely as way cool as she seems. I chatted her ear off and she just sat there and took it!!! She was just fab, and let me stay with her for the weekend. I was going to just drive up for the day and she (most graciously) offered to let me room with her.....her treat!! Yes, she is even way cooler in person than online. If you ever get to meet her you will be blown away by how down to earth she is, but that never compromises just how cool she is. THANK YOU TRISH!!!!!
We loved our tour of Powell's Books, following around our amazing tour host, Bruce. He gave us the history of the coolest bookstore ever!! I have been to Powell's so many times, and never knew to look at it in the light that Bruce shared with us. Here are some of my personal highlights:
The Powell's City of Books Column
One of the signature walls, this is the Fantasy/Science Fiction wall
Tour of the Rare Book Room
First Edition of The Hobbit (for $9,000)
Bruce telling us all about the Lewis and Clark Journal (worth $35,000)
(Check out Trish and her photo skills!!)
It has an original map to make it over to Oregon!
We all gushed over this other book Bruce showed as well, the pages look normal until you bend them
then you can see the incredible fore edge paintings!! We gasped.
After a good lunch and chit-chat time we meandered over to the Multnomah County Library Rare Book Room with Jim Carmin.
Trish geeked out over this hand painted Geek Love cover. Too cute!
He then showed us a Book of Hours woven in silk, here is the cover
Silk pages? I know....crazy.
More pretty pages: handwritten pages. Yep, these are HANDWRITTEN!
A Happy Pair book
Illustrated by HBP. Do you know who that is??? Beatrix Potter!!
After more than our fair share of rare and beautiful books Gabe introduced us to Molly Gloss, which whom we talked for a couple of hours. What a delightful meeting! (thanks again Gabe for making that possible!)
Here are the book bloggers I got to meet, next time why don't you come too??
Wendy from Caribousmom
Trish from Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?
Gillian from Rose City Reader
Gabe from Reading Local
Teddy from So Many precious Books, So Little Time
Juli from Whimpulsive
Kristen from We Be Reading
Ali from Worducopia
