Sunday Salon, BAFAB Week Give-A-Way

Happy 4th of July to all and Happy BAFAB week. In honor of our two exciting celebrations, I have decided to giveaway a $15.00 gift certificate to Amazon or Borders. The winner may choose.
All you have to do is leave a post on my blog today through July 8th midnight to be entered into the drawing. Good luck to all.

I had to say good-bye to my teeny little foster girl Contessa Clara Bella yesterday who went to the best forever home she could possibly get. Yeah she is the 818th greyhound saved by our group.
I just love that. Here is a pic.

This week was ARC week for me. I received an ARC everyday in the mail. Wow!! How exciting. It was my birthday everyday.



I finished Two Men, by Elizabeth Stoddard, originally written in 1865. This book was released in June of this year, under the University of Nebraska imprint. Jennifer Putzi, wrote the book's Introduction and in it claims people of her time considered Stoddard an "enigma". Writer after writer lay claim that she wrote like no one else and influenced no one. Putzi writes that Stoddard was overlooked by her contemporaries because her writing did not fit the mold.

According to Putzi's intro, she took it as a compliment when it was said about her, " she accepts no authority, treads in the footsteps of no other, follows only her own nature, and is always herself." (pg.xxi) She considered herself a romantic, but her writing captured a realistic portrayal of women in the late 20th and 21st century. I would have loved to meet this author at a book signing. Clearly, her thoughts and work were ahead of her time and vastly under-appreciated. She wrote two other novels, The Morgensons and Temple House, numerous short stories, poetry and newspaper articles. A full review will be coming out in Historical Novels Review in the August issue under the name Donna Bassett.

(Lastly, I read a YA book...I know J. Kaye..I told you I wouldn't, but it was an ARC )
If anyone has a 3-6 grader at home who is looking for a funny, sci-fi, fantasy story, Nightmare Academy Monster Madness is hilarious. It would make an awesome read-aloud. The author Dean Lorey has a quick wit and sarcasm that comes out in the character's dialog. What makes this book special is that you believe the kids wrote the book. Lorey's characters sound like kids. It is tooooo funny. Kids will love the monsters, the Bermuda Triangle, the hydras, and so much more. This book will be released August 26th.
Revision
I did forget to mention that Monster Madness, was the 2nd book in a series. Nightmare Academy #1 Enter the Portal to Monsters and Mayhem is in stores now. Notice also the fabulous cover illustration by Brandon Dorman. Don't pass this series up, and take a minute to read it yourself, you won't be disappointed. Don't tell your kids, but you may even laugh.


Have a great week. Who will win the Gift Certificate?