Monday, September 12, 2011

Abandoned by Guy de Maupassant

 
Yes, a second short story review in one day.  My goal this year is to write one short story for every week in 2011.  Since I wasn't able to post a review last week, this is a catch up post.

Back in July, 2011, JoAnn of Lakeside Musing reviewed this story.  I downloaded it onto my Kobo (ereader) to read in the future.  

Madame de Cadour, a woman of senior years,  asks her husband to go for a walk with her but he would never dream of it "in this heat."  He tells her that if she must go, she should ask their friend, Monsieur d'Apreval, to go with her.  He gladly accepts and they leave.  

Once they are out of ear shot, it becomes quite apparent that they had an affair together when they were much younger, which resulted in Madame de Cadour having a child. in secret.  They are walking to see the child, now a 40 year old man, without letting on that they are related to him. 

Guy de Maupassat wrote a richly textured story of loss and Parisian life and how different it is between the wealthy and the peasants.  I highly recommend it.  You can read it here.

Short Story Monday is hosted by John at The Book Mine Set.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 8:01 AM 3 comments  

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Sunday, September 11, 2011

Still Life with Blake by Monica Kidd

Back in February 2010, John of The Book Mine Set reviewed this story.  I had printed it off to read and then promptly forgot about it.  The other day I was straightening up my office and came across it.

Life with Blake is a postcard story, also known as flash fiction, meaning it is less than 500 words.

The unnamed narrator is in the process of giving birth when Blake enters the room.  She makes it quite clear that he is no longer her boyfriend.
"Mother was civil to him.  Amazing, considering her long list of ways she'd like to castrate him."
Since the story is so short I will give too much away if I write more.  However, don't let it's shortness fool you this is a well crafted, well developed story with a little punch.  I loved it!  You can read it at the Geist Magazine website.

Short Story Monday is hosted by John at The Book Mine Set.


Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:01 PM 4 comments  

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Friday, September 9, 2011

Giveaway: In The Sea There Are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda

Thanks to Liz Leong of Doubleday, I am giving away 2 copies of The Sea of Crocodiles to my U.S. readers.

Book Description:

Fabio Geda tells the true story of a ten-year-old in early 2000. His mother shepherds him across the border of Afghanistan as it falls prey to Taliban rule, to the border of Pakistan. But is forced to leave him there alone to fend for himself. In The Sea There Are Crocodiles reconstructs the young boy's memories, perfectly preserving the childlike perspective and rhythms of an intimate oral history.

About the Author:

FABIO GEDA is an Italian novelist who writes for several Italian magazines and newspapers. This is his first book to be translated into English. Howard Curtis is a London-based translator of Italian and French texts, for which he has won numerous awards. 

To Enter:
Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries:  (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.
+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day) 
+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).
+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook
+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)
+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours
+4 for filling out the  Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)
+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)
+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).
+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)
+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 36 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to U.S.
The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes
Only one entry per household/IP address

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, September23rd, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:02 AM 77 comments  

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Giveaway: Loose Diamonds by Amy Ephron

Thanks to Andy Dodds of William Morrow, I am giving away 2 copies of Loose Diamonds to my U.S. readers.

Book Description:
In LOOSE DIAMONDS, an engaging collection of essays and observations, Amy Ephron weaves together the most insightful, profound, and just plain funny stories of her life to form a tapestry of a woman’s experiences from childhood through young adulthood, marriage, divorce (and remarriage), and everything in between. Writing with great honesty and exacting prose, Ephron gives us an evocative, engaging, and often piercing look at modern life. Fans of the writings of Amy Sedaris and Joan Didion’s Slouching Toward Bethlehem will enjoy Ephron’s funny, incisive take on the intricate weave of a woman’s world.

About Amy Ephron:
Amy Ephron is the bestselling author of the acclaimed novels One Sunday Morning and A Cup of Tea. Her magazine pieces and essays have appeared in the Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, Vogue, Saveur, House Beautiful, National Lampoon, Defamer, her own online magazine, One for the Table, and various other print and online publications. She recently directed a short film, Chloe@3AM, which was featured by the American Cinematheque at the Women’s Directors Festival in January 2011. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alan Rader, and any of their five children who drop in. Loose Diamonds is her first book of nonfiction.

To Enter:
Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries:  (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.
+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day) 
+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).
+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook
+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)
+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours
+4 for filling out the  Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)
+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)
+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).
+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)
+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 36 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to U.S.
The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes
Only one entry per household/IP address

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, September 23rd, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:01 AM 147 comments  

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Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Giveaway and Review: Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

Esch is a 14 year old living with her father and brothers in Bois Sauvage, Mississippi.  The live in a dilapidated house and Hurricane Katrina is going to strike in a few days.  Her mother died giving birth to Esch's youngest brother and Esch is raising him as best she can because her father is an alcoholic and not around much.

Esch has to deal with a lot of things a 14 year old shouldn't have to deal with including becoming pregnant.  She hides the pregnancy but one of her brothers, Randall  figures it out.  Her oldest brother Skeetah fights his pit bull and she just had a litter of pups that he is struggling to keep alive to sell.  Though he fight's her, is evident that he loves her.  Meanwhile, Esch's father is home and trying to get their house ready for the hurricane but gets hurt badly while doing it.

This book takes place over the span of twelve days, 10 leading up to Hurricane Katrina.  It shows the brutality of poverty in rural Mississippi.  It is also about the love of one family who come together during crisis.  This is Jesmyn Wards first novel but is written in near perfect pitch.  The reader comes to care for the family despite their many flaws.  Their courage is a testament to the reason humans fight to survive.  This is a brutal yet beautiful first novel.  I can hardly wait to read more by Jesmyn Ward!

5/5

About Jesmyn Ward: 

Jesmyn Ward is a former Stegner Fellow (Stanford University), and the Grisham Writer in Residence at the University of Mississippi. She is an assistant professor of Creative Writing at the University of South Alabama.

Her work has appeared in BOMB, A Public Space and The Oxford American.

I received the advance readers copy of this book at the Book Expo in New York City in May, 2011.  Thanks to TLC Book Tours for allowing me to take part in the tour.  Please check out the other tour stops for more reviews and giveaways of this amazing book, here.

Now for the giveaway:

Thanks to TLC Book Tours and Jesmyn Ward, I am giving away one copy of Salvage the Bones.  Believe me, you need to read this book!

To Enter:
Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.
Extra Entries:  (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance if you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).
+3 Old or new follower of this blog.
+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day) 
+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).
+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook
+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)
+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours
+4 for filling out the  Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)
+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)
+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).
+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)
+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)
That's 36 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to the U.S and Canada.
The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes
Only one entry per household/IP address
Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Tuesday, September 20th, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:01 PM 131 comments  

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Monday, September 5, 2011

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday now has it's very own blog, Mailbox Monday.  It is also on tour and is being hosted by  Amused by Books in September.

Here are the books I received last week:

 Thanks to Anna Balasi of Little Brown and Company for this book.
 Thanks to Lloyd Lofthouse of Three Clover Press and author, Alon Shalev for this book.






Posted by Teddy Rose at 8:15 PM 6 comments  

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Saturday, September 3, 2011

Septembetr Reviews for 2011 ARC Reading Challenge

The standings so far:
Working Towards Bronze Level:

Jessica-1 
Jo-Jo- 9


Bronze Achieved: 
TGFTG-12
Yvonne -12
Working on Silver: 
Beth-20
CMash- 22
Freda-13
Teddy-15

Level Gold:
Donna -25
Heather -25

Level Platinum:
Andrea-60
Nicola-118
Sarah- 30

Please post the books you read in June for the challenge in Mr. Linky, below:

*Note: if you missed posting your links last month, please always post "late" links in the current month's Mr. Linky.  For example, if you forgot to post a link in February, please post it on this Mr. Linky in this post.

Please enter your name and the name of the book in this format: Name: (Your Name, Book Title and Author's Name) for example: (Teddy, Obsessive Reading by Helen Reader).


Posted by Teddy Rose at 5:01 PM 1 comments  

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Spetember Reviews for 2011 Books Won Reading Challenge

The standings so far:

Honorable Mentions: Read 1-3 books won:
Bev- 2
Tea-1 
Teddy-2
Bronze: Read 4-6 books you won:
Jessica- 5
Julie-5

Gold: Read 10 or more books you won.
LuAnn-18

Please post the books you read in August for the challenge in Mr. Linky, below:

*Note: if you missed posting your links last month, please always post "late" links in the current month's Mr. Linky.  For example, if you forgot to post a link in June, please post it on this Mr. Linky in this post.
Please enter your name and the name of the book in this format: Name: (Your Name, Book Title and Author's Name) for example: (Teddy, Obsessive Reading by Helen Reader).


Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:56 AM 2 comments  

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Friday, September 2, 2011

Giveaway: The Last Seal by Richard Denning

This week marks the 345th anniversary of the Great Fire of London of 1666. Thanks to Richard Denning, I am giving away one copy of his book, The Last Seal, in honor of this tragedy.  This giveaway is open to my readers from the UK, U.S, and Australia for a paper copy or worldwide for an ebook!

Book Description:

The 2nd to the 5th of September  is the 345th anniversary of the Great Fire of London of 1666. A British author, interested by the subject, has written a novel set during it. A paperback edition of  the historical fantasy novel, The Last Seal has just been published this summer along with a Kindle version. Aimed at fantasy fans and those who enjoy historical novels, The Last Seal recreates this catastrophic event but adds a fantasy twist. When researching the subject, the author found that this was a period of  widespread paranoia about foreign plots and conspiracies, and a time when people believed in witchcraft, omens, magic and superstition. All of that suggested a story where the fire was not just an accident. Denning's novel involves secret societies and a supernatural explanation behind the fire. 

About Richard Denning:
Richard Denning (44) was born in Ilkeston in Derbyshire and lives in Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands where he works as a General Practitioner with a North Birmingham practice.  He is also a Young adult sci-fi, historical fiction and historical fantasy writer. The Great Fire of London has fascinated Richard for many years. In the last year he has published a board game based around the Great Fire as well as a historical fantasy set during it.

To Enter:
Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries:  (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.
+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day) 
+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).
+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook
+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)
+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours
+4 for filling out the  Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)
+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)
+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).
+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)
+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 36 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to U.S.
The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes
Only one entry per household/IP address

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, September 16th, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.


Posted by Teddy Rose at 11:01 PM 60 comments  

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Giveaway and Guest Post: Call Me When You Land by Michael Schiavone

I would like to welcome Michael Schiavone, author of Call Me When You Land to So Many Precious Books. I asked Michael to write about the following question:


How did you come to write about a mother/son relationship, and is any of it autobiographical?

Michael:  I did not set out to write about a mother/son relationship when I began this novel.  Call Me When You Land started with the image of the pod—I liked the idea of this mystery box arriving on-scene uninvited, upsetting the world of my characters.  I suppose I must have conceived of Katie well before I began this book because once I placed her on the page, her personality and predicaments came to me quite naturally.  Relationships form the framework of all my work and it’s the characters who drive my stories.  Inserting an increasingly volatile teenaged son into the mix seemed a logical choice for the story, a way to challenge Katie and push her out of her comfort zone.  While the book does focus on the mother/son relationship, I feel that it’s ultimately Katie’s story.  This book belongs to her.

Call Me When You Land is not autobiographical, but some characters do represent elements of real personalities.  For example, my mother is a painter like Katie, but she’s never been a drinker.  Unlike Craig, my father is alive and well and has no interest in motorcycles, drugs, or extreme skiing.  Like C.J., I was a moody teenager, but I’ve never harmed anyone physically.  Dr. Walter Olmstead is loosely based on my grandfather, Dr. Walter Scott.  Caroline is based on the invented personality of my dog, Isabel.  The town of Newquay is modeled after Rockport, MA, where my in-laws reside.  Little details based on truth can be found throughout the pages of this book, but the story within Call Me When You Land is complete fiction.

Book Description: 

On the brink of her fortieth birthday, Katie Olmstead is in no mood to celebrate. Still tending bar to support a stalled art career, she continues to struggle with her temperamental teenage son, C.J., who wants less to do with her every day. When Katie gets word that C.J.'s estranged father has died and willed C.J. his Harley-Davidson, the gift quickly becomes a wedge driving C.J. and Katie even further apart. With the past parked in the driveway of their New England home, C.J.'s increasing outbursts and Katie's self-sabotage resurrect memories of Katie's own troubled childhood, one plagued by a mentally ill mother and a neglectful father. As Katie's notion of motherhood is tested, her artistic ambitions dwindle and she begins to feel like an imposter amongst her seemingly refined neighbors. Suddenly faced with a bullying, overachieving sister she hasn't spoken to in years, an on-again, off-again boyfriend she just can't love, and a drinking habit that's spiraling out of control, Katie finds support in an unlikely place-- her eccentric and ailing great uncle, Walter. From his room on the third floor, Walter watches over them, encouraging both Katie and C.J. to do the work they fear in order to redeem their family.

 About the Author:

Michael Schiavone has been writing professionally since 2000.  After graduating from Dickinson College, he worked as a stockbroker in San Francisco and Boston during the late '90's dot-com boom.  Following that bubble's burst, he tended bar in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Currently he works as a day trader and emergency medical technician on Massachusett's North Shore.  Michael plans to earn his paramedic license by 2013.

When not writing, Michael practices mixed martial arts (gets his ass kicked) and obsessively cleans his house.  He lives with his wife, Abbie (an artist), their son, Colton, and three temperamental rescue dogs.


His first novel, Call Me When You Land, is forthcoming from Permanent Press in October, 2011.  His story collection, You'd Be Crazy Not to Love It Here, is represented by Barbara Braun Associates, Inc. 

Thanks to Allison Kirby of JKS Communications, I am giving away one copy. 


To Enter:
Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries:  (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.
+3 Old or new follower on Twitter ().
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day) 
+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).
+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook
+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)
+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours
+4 for filling out the  Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)
+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).
+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)
+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 31 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to U.S. and Canada.
The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes
Only one entry per household/IP address
Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday September 16th, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:01 AM 103 comments  

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