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This weekend (and next) I’ll be in Florida for the Romance Writers of America national conference. I have to go out early because I’m on the Board of Directors and we meet before the conference begins.
Since I won’t be around much, I wanted to issue a challenge to you. If you comment today (Saturday) before 7 pm Central Time and make your response look like you’re writing your own blog (at least 200 words) AND you’re one of the first ten people to do this, then you will win a book. Yep, as easy as that. I’ll be bringing back a lot of books from the conference plus I have a lot of new ones around.
I won’t be back in town until August 4th, but if you qualify, email me through my website and I’ll get the book in the mail!!
Filed in: Jaunty Post
Jul 24th
2010
7:02 am
Kirsten Said:
My sister has moved house recently, and she wants to turn her new home into something real unique. All her old possessions are given a thorough look over to see if it’s still totally her thing and if not: it’s for the charity shop. I volunteered to help her sort things out and to be honest with you I started to regret it after box nr. eighteen. “It’s all to childlike or made from the wrong material” she said. “Too last year or worse 5 years ago”. “Too blue or too stripey, way too sweet”. Nothing escapes her eye and I’m at a lost as to why something you had in your house for a long time suddenly is no longer ok. If you love it does it have to scream your name or personality? I don’t know. I guess it isn’t so much the cleanup that is bothering me as the feeling that all the stuff representing what she is to me and to herself all of a sudden seems worthless.
It wasn’t until we had our coffee break that I started to feel like old times again when she curled up on the sofa, stirred her cup and threw the spoon at me. “That’s for making a face and expressing your not so positive attitude towards my decision to start over stuff wise”. “I haven’t changed overnight you dummy”, she said. “I already have become this new person and here you are complaining about a few item going away”. She laughed, “I’m not going anywhere and if you’re not either then what’s the big deal about my interior”. She is right, I was just having an emotional reaction to my sis ‘growing up’ & out of our shared memories. We finish our drink and I excitedly tackle box twenty-two. Oh no I grunt, pick out her old teddy bear and scream loud: This is soooo 25 years ago!
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Jul 24th
2010
10:28 am
eap Said:
Do you have an idea what is your TBR pile? I have a closet shelved with three rows shelves (about the length of a small sofa)stuffed full with unread books (I don’t keep books after I read them. I pass them on to friends or donate them. Who has room in a small apt? I don’t even know what I have anymore. It’s mostly books that were recommened to me on various message books or elsewhere online) THen I read a book then I’m hooked on books and must get her entire backlist now even though I won’t have time to read it with life and my nightstand TBR. I have books in that closet that I have had for 2 years or longer as long as were being truthful… I read at least 3 books a week. I’ve got historicals, contempories, series, etc. I’ve got authors who I have never read but I keep buying because the plot or theme sounded good. If I’m in the mood for a cabin, marriage of convience, best friends plot. I’m set. My worst nightmre is too be stuck inside the house with nothing to read. It’s never happened to me I have enough to last me for weeks. Now if I could just find enough time to read. But that’s a blog for another day…
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Jul 24th
2010
3:40 pm
MinnChica Said:
I can’t imagine giving up some of my books after I’ve read them. I mean some I totally can, but others? You will have to pry them from my dead cold fingers before I give them up!! But I know how you feel about long TBR lists. I currently have my entire nightstand stacked with books that I am trying to get through! There are just so many great ones out there!
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Jul 24th
2010
1:07 pm
catslady Said:
Addictions – where do they come from. Surely, they start out with well intentions but sometimes your passions or interests or just plain day-to-day living starts taking on a life of it’s own. I definitely could become one of those totally crazy catsladies you read about but have so far controlled myself (somewhat lol). I currently have 5 inside and care for 3 outside cats but have cared for many over the years. I know it’s for their best to take in just so many. Unfortunately, when it comes to books I cannot control myself. I tell myself I am not hurting anyone with my addiction (although my husband may differ with me on this one). I do have a tendency to be a pack rat. They say it’s an addiction if you can’t stop. My name is jeanne (aka catslady) and I am addicted to books. They are everywhere in my house and I couldn’t read them all if I lived two lifetimes and I even sneak them in the house lol. I rationalize by saying surely there are worse additions out there. So I am a book addict and proud of it!! And by writing this blog (in order to win another book) you are my enabler (as are friends and family who contribute to my addition)
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Jul 24th
2010
1:20 pm
Mary M Said:
Do you think animals understand language or tone of voice or both? I know parrots and chimps will learn languages but I’m curious about the language capabilities of dogs and cats. When I was a kid, I called our dog by the name of someone in our family who was annoying me and our dog responded. I was very amused. The family member, not so much. I think it was because the name was two syllables like the dog’s and I used the same inflection in my voice.
But then I have friends who swear they have to spell out W-A-L-K or their dogs go crazy. And if their dogs aren’t going wild over similar sounding words like salt, maybe their dogs understand walk.
The reason I’ve been thinking about animals and language is that when people see my cats or pictures of my cats, they usually say, “They’re beautiful. Especially him.” I think my cats are equally beautiful. And of course I don’t want my female cat to understand that some people say her brother is better looking. I’m pretty confident that she has a good self-image. But I still wonder, can dogs and cats learn language? Does your dog understand walk? Do you have to spell some words in front of your pets?
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Jul 24th
2010
3:36 pm
MinnChica Said:
Nerd Status:
According to my husband, I have officially reached the pinnacle of nerd status. Being a devout book reader and reviewer, most of me free time is spend with my nose either in a book, in my nook, or at the computer. With my reading habits reaching an all new high, my bank account was reaching new lows. In order to help out, I decided I would enter as many contests as possible.
Although I have a book review blog, I don’t really have any contacts with publishers to get free books, instead I head to my local library about three times a week, and enter as many contests as possible. It was getting to the point that I was entering so many, I had a difficult time keeping track of where all I was on the internet. So, one day I started tracking my contests in an excel document. This was apparently the moment I reached uber-nerd status.
And although the hubby continues to laugh at me when every day I come home, rush to open my spreadsheet, and compulsively check other blogs and websites, I have proven to him the return on my investment. Treating it like a business was the best way to show that although I am a super nerd, I’m a successful super nerd.
My results? Since July 1st when I started this contest, I won NINE (O_O) books or swag items from other blogs and authors directly! Mind boggling right?? I thought so! But it is great, it helps me to stay current on my book review site, and keeps my bank account somewhat manageable.
So what about you?? Do you have something you’re so passionate about you become somewhat nerdy like me?
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Jul 24th
2010
9:14 pm
kris Said:
Since I love contests and there are only 6 commenters before me (not the 10), I’m hoping you’ll forget about the time frame and accept my comment disguised as a blog, even though I’m past the time deadline.
I spent the past week on the south Jersey coast at my daughter’s national dance competition. She performed in five group numbers, did a solo, did the “title pageant” (a dance with “modeling portion” after). The pageant part was really only them walking across stage in a fancy dress and introducing themselves. All of the girls from our dance company did very well and the primary reason we were at these nationals is that we did so well in the regional competition. For my daughter’s solo, she had a clean sweep in the regionals, which means she scored incredibly high, finished first overall, and was awarded a special judge’s award. She did just as well at this competition (in my humble opinion on her dancing) but came away pretty much empty handed. Neither she nor I are upset about it (honestly, I’m kind of pleased…horrific to say…but she did so incredibly well in several regional competitions, I was afraid she would start to think that this should be the norm!). After all this, my point is this: since some of the judges were the same from the regionals, wouldn’t it be sort of expected that she would do fairly well? There was certainly really good talent that she was up against, but the difference in what she came home with was really like night and day. This is only our second year competing and I’m discovering that the world of competitive dance is very subjective. Or at least that is what I’m thinking. Does anyone out there have experience with dance competitions? Are most competitive teams judged on some arbitrary scoring system that has the appearance of changing on a whim?
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Jul 25th
2010
12:34 am
Elvira Said:
So it is really late at night and i happen to be on the site..(considering that it is the first time that I have come up for air since i finally received my book for school) And I noticed this really cool simply contest. I saw that there were only 7 comments So I sad what the hey lets see what happens.
I just finished another really great book recently(2 in maybe 3 days). I thought this book was really god. What upset me about it was the fact that I have gone past this book several times searching Amazon for books. I couldn’t find anything to read that I thought would be interesting, (if anyone has any suggestions you can find me on facebook or drop a suggestion on here..it would be greatly appreciated.)I thought the book was really good. It was a little predictable but hey who doesn’t love a great love story were men are fighting over one girl. I have a habit of re-reading books that I love. The problem is..I frequently lend out my books. So when I go to find a book that I want to read again..nine times out of ten I have to go call all around the world for it and then go an pick it up. I don’t know if anyone else has this problem but it drives me CRAZY!!! I was told the way to solve that it to stop lending out books(I feel like the local library sometimes)But I can’t seem to bring myself to deprive people of great books that I love to read and all that good stuff. I think one of these days i will learn my lesson. Because if I can’t find the book that I want to read, nothing else really satisfies me until I read that book and it becomes really frustrating
Well I hope that everyone has a great night and a lovely Sunday…I am sure I will if I ever get to sleep oh wait I have to do 5 loads of Laundry in the morning(Sunday) So I don’t know how great my morning will be
Hugs and Loves
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Jul 25th
2010
3:46 am
kim h Said:
same here late at night cant sleep alot on my mind. cant sleep at all. i think i need to go see a docotor, i might a insominic person lol. i cant seem to finsh a book this month the summer is going by fast and now we have winter close on display and kids are going back to shcool. where have the time went huh, i hope you are having on your mini vacation, wish i was lying on beach somewhere with a drink in my hand. any suggestions to get a night sleep any good book to read. i cant til football comes back, and lookigna at hot guys in tights whoo and will brett come back or not that is the question and are saints still good or are they still partying at burbon street. wish i was there love crawdads so mcuh would love to go for mardi gras
thanks for the giveaway
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Jul 25th
2010
10:16 am
Christi Said:
wow, I’m really late too…. I worked all day yesterday so just didn’t have a chance to get on the computer. It wasn’t an especially busy day at the store yesterday but I worked with a young women who has a lot of problems. From 9:30 – 4 I listened to her because she really needed someone to listen. And then, because Murphy’s law always seems to be apart of my life, last night her boyfriend was at my house so I also listened to him. It really got me wondering about life in general and why some people seem to be able to be happy regardless of their life and the turns it takes. That would be me, I seem to be able to be happy even in bad times.
I wonder why some people just can not be happy no matter what good occurs in their lives. Of course like every one else I have had bad things happen that can really bring you down for a while. But when I look around at the earth we live on and look at all the simple things that can make you feel good like flowers, and fresh vegetables, blues sky’s and even the rain and storms can be beautiful in their own way…. so much good stuff. Just stop and listen to a young child laugh – or an adult laughing. Laughter is truly a gift that I can not go through a day without! So I guess my blog is about feeling so very fortunate to be a happy person and wishing everyone could be happy too. 
Christi
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