Mailbox Monday & GIVEAWAY Winner

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event. Mailbox Monday has now returned to its permanent home where you can link to your MM post.

GIVEAWAY WINNER

I got a short stack of books last week. But first, the GIVEAWAY winner of a copy of A Common Meal is Andrea Stoeckel from Syracuse, New York! Andrea won a new copy of A Common Meal: A Devotional and Practical Guide to Rice & Beans Month, published by Lahash International.



A Common Meal is a guide and companion for Rice & Beans month, a project where families or whole communities eat simple meals during the month of March (or during Lent) and send the money they save to help hungry families in Est Africa.  It is a program started in 2010 by Lahash International in partnership with local ministries in Africa.






MAILBOX MONDAY BOOKS

Thanks to a swing through my favorite library friends' store, Booktique in Lake Oswego (a must for all Portland-area book lovers), where the weekly special was half off all trade paperbacks, I picked up four new mysteries:



The Princess of Burundi by Kjell Eriksson (Winner of the Swedish Crime Academy Award for Best Crime Novel)



About the Author by John Colapinto (a clever looking mystery with a literary plot)



Payment in Blood by Elizabeth George (I'm working on gathering all of her Inspector Lynley books)



The Water's Lovely by Ruth Rendell (one of her stand alones)

Book Beginning & GIVEAWAY Reminder: A Common Meal

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING

Each year since 2010, Rice & Beans Month participants have spent the month of March (or the 40 days of Lent) putting love into action through three central themes:

1. Simplicity: altering our diets to emphasize basic and inexpensive meals

2. Solidarity: standing in unity with our brothers and sisters in East Africa who have limited resources and inadequate nutrition

3. Sharing: donating our save money so that vulnerable kids and their families can receive much-needed nutritional support.

-- A Common Meal: A Devotional and Practical Guide to Rice & Beans Month, published by Lahash International.

THE BOOK:

A Common Meal offers recipes, daily devotions, lessons, and stories to accompany a family through Rice & Beans month. Lahash International started Rice & Beans Month in 2010 in partnership with local ministries in Africa.  Each year, during the month of March (or Lent), families or communities eat simple meals in solidarity with the less fortunate.  They take the money they save and donate it to hunger-relief and agricultural programs in East Africa.

Read more about A Common Meal and Rice & Beans Month at www.eatriceandbeans.com.

THE GIVEAWAY:

I have one copy of A Common Meal available for a giveaway to someone who is interested in taking part in Rice & Beans Month.  Details for the GIVEAWAY are here on this page (click the link).

The contest is for readers in the USA and is open until Sunday, March 8, 2015 at 9:00 PST.

Mailbox Monday & GIVEAWAY: A Common Meal

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event. Mailbox Monday has now returned to its permanent home where you can link to your MM post.

I got one book last week, but I got two copies: one for me and one for a GIVEAWAY (see below for details):

A Common Meal: A Devotional and Practical Guide to Rice & Beans Month, published by Lahash International.



THE BOOK:

A Common Meal is a guide and companion for Rice & Beans month, a project where families or whole communities eat simple meals during the month of March (or during Lent) and send the money they save to help hungry families in Est Africa.  It is a program started in 2010 by Lahash International in partnership with local ministries in Africa.

The books offers daily devotions, inspiring stories, and simple recipes.  It is a great way to teach kids lessons about material wealth, ease, and comfort, and real spiritual value.

THE GIVEAWAY:

The contest is for readers in the USA and is open until Sunday, March 8, 2015 at 9:00 PST.

There are five ways to enter and each one is worth a chance to win. The goal is to spread the word about Rice & Beans Month, as much as to tell others about the book and the giveaway.

To enter, do any or all of the following, but you must leave a comment for each one and you must put an email address in a comment:

1. Comment on this post. You must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner. (1 entry)

2. Blog about Rice & Beans Month. Posting a picture link to the Rice & Beans Month website (www.eatriceandbeans.com) on your sidebar is also acceptable. Leave a separate comment with a link to your post. (1 entry)

3. Like my Rose City Reader Facebook page (www.facebook.com/RoseCityReader), or tell me if you already do. Leave a separate comment for this. (1 entry)

4. Tweet this post on Twitter, or a tweet with a link to the Rice & Beans Month website (www.eatriceandbeans.com). Leave me a separate comment with your twitter user name. (1 entry)

5. Post this on a social network. Put it on facebook, post it on Google+, pin it on Pinterest, Instagram it, Reddit, digg it, technorati fave it, or otherwise put it out there in the social network. Leave a separate comment with a link or explanation. (1 entry)

There are a lot of ways to enter (maximum of five entries), but you must LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT for each one or they will not count. I will use random.org to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is open to entries from the USA only. The deadline for entry is 9:00 PM, Pacific Time, on Sunday, March 8. I will draw and post the winner's name in my Mailbox Monday post for March 9, 2015.

Teaser Tuesday and GIVEAWAY Winner

GIVEAWAY WINNER

 
Freda at Freda's Voice is the lucky winner of Vacationland by Sarah Stonich, her new collection of connected short stories, all set at Naledi Lodge, a former lake resort in northern Minnesota.

Stonich is the author of two earlier books, both great reads, These Granite Islands and The Ice Chorus, which I reviewed here.  Vacationland looks equally compelling.

TEASER TUESDAY

If anything, she was even more vehement then he against the old people (people over thirty) who had made such a mess of affairs. Of course, they dressed their ideas up in language more politically resonant than this, and they had plenty of books – or Ismay had – that supported their emotions, which they called their principles.

-- What's Bred in the Bone by Robertson Davies.  This is a great yarn kind of book -- my favorite kind.

This is the second book in his "Cornish Trilogy," following The Rebel Angels. The trilogy concludes with The Lyre of Orpheus. The three books are separate stories but all related to the life and influence of Francis Cornish, an eccentric Canadian art collector. Or art forger? I am just getting to the good part!

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

Book Beginning & GIVEAWAY Reminder: Vacationland by Sarah Stonich

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

A book won't stand or fall on the very first line of prose -- the story has got to be there, and that's the real work. And yet a really good first line can do so much to establish that crucial sense of voice -- it's the first thing that acquaints you, that makes you eager, that starts to enlist you for the long haul. So there's incredible power in it, when you say, come in here. You want to know about this. And someone begins to listen.   -- Stephen King in The Atlantic

EARLY BIRDS: I am experimenting with getting this post up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. We'll try it this way for a couple of months to see if people like the option of early posting. If you have feelings one way or the other, please comment.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I am trying to follow all Book Beginning participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

MR. LINKY: Please leave a link to your post below. If you don't have a blog, but want to participate, please leave a comment with your Book Beginning.



MY BOOK BEGINNING

When Ilsa shakes snow from her ruff, the thing leaves her jaws to skitter across the linoleum.

-- From "Separation," the first story in the interconnected collection, Vacationland by Sarah Stonich.

The first sentence is instantly confusing. But the opening paragraph makes clear that Ilsa is a dog with a frozen something in her jaws.  I had to keep reading to figure out what was going on, and once I did, I was completely sucked into the story. 

Stonich's earlier books, These Granite Islands and The Ice Chorus, which I reviewed here, both showcase her talent as a compelling storyteller.  In Vacationland, you feel like you are right there at Naledi Lodge, an all-but-abandoned former lake resort in northern Minnesota.

GIVEAWAY REMINDER

Thanks to the author and her publicist, I have a copy of Vacationland to give away to one lucky blogger.  For details and to enter, please go to the GIVEAWAY PAGE.

PLEASE DON'T SIGN UP FOR THE GIVEAWAY HERE. GO TO THIS PAGE.

THE BOOK

On a lake in northernmost Minnesota, you might find Naledi Lodge—only two cabins still standing, its pathways now trodden mostly by memories. And there you might meet Meg, or the ghost of the girl she was, growing up under her grandfather’s care in a world apart and a lifetime ago. Now an artist, Meg paints images “reflected across the mirrors of memory and water,” much as the linked stories of Vacationland cast shimmering spells across distance and time.

Those whose paths have crossed at Naledi inhabit Vacationland: a man from nearby Hatchet Inlet who knew Meg back when, a Sarajevo refugee sponsored by two parishes who can’t afford “their own refugee,” aged sisters traveling to fulfill a fateful pact once made at the resort, a philandering ad man, a lonely Ojibwe stonemason, and a haiku-spouting girl rescued from a bog.

Teaser Tuesday & GIVEAWAY: Vacationland by Sarah Stonich

Meg walks the path from the lodge, hoping Polly might have leftover poundcake In her cabin for tea, maybe some of the oranges. The path twines along the shore through a copse of birch, down to the inlet of bald rock where the two remaining cabins stand.

-- From "Occlusion," one of the linked stories in Vacationland by Sarah Stonich.


I know from Stonich's earlier books, These Granite Islands and The Ice Chorus, which I reviewed here, that she knows how to set the scene and keep a story moving. Her writing is elegant, but unobtrusive – the story always comes through.

The connected stories in Stonich's new book are all set at Naledi Lodge, now the forlorn remnants of a once popular summer lake resort in northern Minnesota.  Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop.

THE BOOK

On a lake in northernmost Minnesota, you might find Naledi Lodge—only two cabins still standing, its pathways now trodden mostly by memories. And there you might meet Meg, or the ghost of the girl she was, growing up under her grandfather’s care in a world apart and a lifetime ago. Now an artist, Meg paints images “reflected across the mirrors of memory and water,” much as the linked stories of Vacationland cast shimmering spells across distance and time.

Those whose paths have crossed at Naledi inhabit Vacationland: a man from nearby Hatchet Inlet who knew Meg back when, a Sarajevo refugee sponsored by two parishes who can’t afford “their own refugee,” aged sisters traveling to fulfill a fateful pact once made at the resort, a philandering ad man, a lonely Ojibwe stonemason, and a haiku-spouting girl rescued from a bog.

THE GIVAWAY

The contest is for readers in the USA only (sorry) and is open until Labor Day Monday, September 2, 2013, at 4:00 PST. There are five ways to enter and each one is worth a chance to win. To enter, do any or all of the following, but you must leave a comment for each one and you must put an email address in a comment so I know you want to enter the giveaway:

1. Comment on this post. You must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner. (1 entry)

2. Blog about this giveaway. Posting the giveaway on your sidebar is also acceptable. Leave a separate comment with a link to your post. (1 entry)

3. Follow this blog with Google or NetworkedBlogs, or subscribe via email (or tell me if you already are a subscriber or follower). Leave a separate comment for this. (1 entry)

4. Tweet this post on Twitter. Leave me a separate comment with your twitter user name. (1 entry)

5. Post this on a social network. Put it on facebook, post it on Google+, pin it on Pinterest, Stumble it, digg it, reddit, or otherwise put it out there in the social network. Leave a separate comment with a link or explanation. (1 entry)

There are a lot of ways to enter (maximum of five entries), but you must LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT for each one or they will not count. I will use random.org to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is open to entries from the U.S. only. The deadline for entry is 4:00 PM, Pacific Time, on Labor Day Monday, September 2, 2013. I will draw and post the winner's name in my Teaser Tuesday post going up at 5:00 PM on September 2, 2013.  

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

GIVEAWAY WINNER & Book Beginning: What's Bred in the Bone by Robertson Davies

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

GIVEAWAY:  Big thanks to everyone who participated in this week's giveaway for
Cleans Up Nicely by Linda Dahl, a new novel about the 1970s art scene in New York City.  The two lucky winners are Laurel-Rain Snow at Rainy Days & Mondays and Story Corner, and Tammi at Picture Perfect Cooking.

EARLY BIRDS: I am experimenting with getting this post up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. We'll try it this way for a couple of months to see if people like the option of early posting. If you have feelings one way or the other, please comment.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I am trying to follow all Book Beginning participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

MR. LINKY: Please leave a link to your post below. If you don't have a blog, but want to participate, please leave a comment with your Book Beginning.



MY BOOK BEGINNING



"The book must be dropped."

-- What's Bred in the Bone by Robertson Davies.

This is the second book in his "Cornish Trilogy," following The Rebel Angels. The trilogy concludes with The Lyre of Orpheus. The three books are separate stories but all related to the life and influence of Francis Cornish, an eccentric Canadian art collector.

I have been slow to get to Robertson Davies, despite recommendations I would normally jump on. Several of his books have sat on my TBR shelf for years. The basis of my reluctance is insubstantial -- I was put off by the cover art of this book and others and by his author's picture. How could someone who looks like an Oregon Trail pioneer write a book that I would enjoy?

But I took the plunge with The Rebel Angels and enjoyed it -- loved it for the most part and was put off by a couple of atrocious set pieces that took time to recover from. My review is here. What's Bred in the Bone has me sucked in and I hope to devote much of the upcoming weekend to it.

Teaser Tuesday & GIVEAWAY Reminder: Cleans Up Nicely by Linda Dahl

By Wednesday, all she can think about is the paycheck on Friday night. She gives up being "good," bringing a bottle of rum and a can of Coke in a bag along with her sandwiches.

-- Cleans Up Nicely by Linda Dahl. 

THE BOOK: "When twenty-something artist Erica Mason moves from laidback Mexico to Manhattan in the mid-1970s, she finds a hard-edged, decadent, and evolving art scene. Her life there leads her to a self-destructive string of affairs with men, alcohol, and drugs – but also, ultimately, to the self-respect that has long eluded her."

The mid-70s New York scene is fascinating, even though watching the heroine on her train wreck is gut-wrenching.  But I know things are going to work out -- I read the blurb above!

THE GIVEAWAY:  I have TWO copies of the finished paperback edition of Cleans Up Nicely to give away to TWO lucky book bloggers. Go to the GIVEAWAY PAGE for details and to sign up.

PLEASE DON'T SIGN UP FOR THE GIVEAWAY HERE. GO TO THIS PAGE.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

Teaser Tuesday & GIVEAWAY Reminder: Drive by Raymond Ahrens

The ocean lurked below him. He floored it, his tires screeching as the Impala fishtailed it dangerously close to the cliff.

-- Drive by Raymond Ahrens.

THE BOOK: "Willy Easelman, 86, born in Brooklyn and a perennial finalist in the American Dreams Sweepstakes, is committed to the Morningside Nursing Home by his daughter, Anna. Cunning, despite his dementia, Willie sneaks behind the wheel of his '86 Impala and escapes, heading north along America's roadways that paved the way for the post-war exodus to the suburbs."


THE GIVEAWAY:  I have TWO copies of the finished paperback edition of Drive to give away to TWO lucky book bloggers. Go to the GIVEAWAY PAGE for details and to sign up.

PLEASE DON'T SIGN UP FOR THE GIVEAWAY HERE. GO TO THIS PAGE.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

Teaser Tuesaday & GIVEAWAY Reminder: The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman

Brightly colored rugs cover the oak floors, and wooden bookshelves span the walls. In every available space and cranny I find interesting paintings and artwork, all from places John visited when he was a traveling musician..

-- The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman.

THE BOOK: "In this utterly charming debut—perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern’s P.S., I Love You and Allison Winn Scotch’s Time of My Life — one woman sets out to complete her old list of childhood goals, and finds that her lifelong dreams lead her down a path she never expects." 

Spielman's new novel is gaining in deserved popularity.  It is the perfect summer read -- a charming "bucket list" story with a weird twist: in order to inherit her mother's estate, the heroine must complete a list of life goals that she wrote when she was 14 years old.  The list includes perfprming on stage, buying a horse, and (particularly confusing for a woman about to take over as CEO of her mother's cosmetic company ) becoming a teacher.

THE GIVEAWAY:  I have a finished paperback edition of The Life List to give away to one lucky book blogger. Go to the GIVEAWAY PAGE for details and to sign up.

PLEASE DON'T SIGN UP FOR THE GIVEAWAY HERE. GO TO THIS PAGE.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

Book Beginning & Giveaway: The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman

SEE GIVEAWAY DETAILS BELOW

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

EARLY BIRDS: I am experimenting with getting this post up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. We'll try it this way for a couple of months to see if people like the option of early posting. If you have feelings one way or the other, please comment.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I am trying to follow all Book Beginning participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

MR. LINKY: Please leave a link to your post below. If you don't have a blog, but want to participate, please leave a comment with your Book Beginning.



MY BOOK BEGINNING

Voices from the dining room echo up the walnut staircase, indistinct, buzzing, intrusive.

-- The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman

THE BOOK: "In this utterly charming debut—perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern’s P.S., I Love You and Allison Winn Scotch’s Time of My Life — one woman sets out to complete her old list of childhood goals, and finds that her lifelong dreams lead her down a path she never expects." 

This debut novel is already catching a lot of buzz. It is a quirky take on the whole "bucket list" idea. Here, the heroine is perfectly happy with her life, but when her mother dies, her inheritance is contingent on completing a list of life goals that she wrote when she was 14 years old -- Including having a baby, buying a horse, and (particularly confusing for a woman about to take over as CEO of her mother's company ) becoming a teacher.

THE GIVEAWAY: Thanks to book publicist Mary Bisbee-Beek, I have a finished paperback edition of The Life List to give away to one lucky book blogger. The really cool thing about the giveaway is that the winner will get to host another giveaway, as will the winner of that contest. It is a triple leapfrog giveaway for a total of three copies of Laurie Nelson Spielman's new novel.

The contest is for readers in the USA only (sorry) and is open until Thursday, August 1, 2013, at 4:00 PST. There are five ways to enter and each one is worth a chance to win. To enter, do any or all of the following, but you must leave a comment for each one and you must put an email address in a comment:

1. Comment on this post. You must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner. (1 entry)

2. Blog about this giveaway. Posting the giveaway on your sidebar is also acceptable. Leave a separate comment with a link to your post. (1 entry)

3. Follow this blog with Google or NetworkedBlogs, or subscribe via email (or tell me if you already are a subscriber or follower). Leave a separate comment for this. (1 entry)

4. Tweet this post on Twitter. Leave me a separate comment with your twitter user name. (1 entry)

5. Post this on a social network. Put it on facebook, post it on Google+, pin it on Pinterest, Stumble it, digg it, reddit, or otherwise put it out there in the social network. Leave a separate comment with a link or explanation. (1 entry)

There are a lot of ways to enter (maximum of five entries), but you must LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT for each one or they will not count. I will use random.org to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is open to entries from the U.S. only. The deadline for entry is 4:00 PM, Pacific Time, on Thursday, August1, 2013. I will draw and post the winner's name in my Book Beginning post going up at 5:00 PM on August 1, 2013. 

Mailbox Monday and GIVEAWAY Winners

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event (details here).

One of my favorite bloggers, Caitlin from Chaotic Compendiums, is hosting in March. Stop by her terrific blog! You'll be glad you did and, as promised, you may just find your next book.

I got one book last week:



The River Swimmer by Jim Harrison.   Harrison has long been a favorite of mine. He is one of a scant handful of authors whose works I buy new in hardback.

In the tradition of Legends of the Fall (yes, the one with Brad Pitt) and several other Harrison books, The River Swimmers is one volume containing two novellas.  I lean towards Harrison's longer novels, but some of the shorter pieces are exquisite.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Thanks to the dogged book publicist, Mary Bisbee-Beek, I gave away two copies Dry Rot: A Sage Adair Historical Mystery to lucky readers of Rose City Reader.  This was a "leap frog" giveaway, so both winners will get to host another giveaway for an additional copy.

Chosen by random.org, the winners are Pamela at Lavish Bookshelf and Squirrel Queen at The Road to Here. Happy reading!

Dry Rot: A Sage Adair Historical Mystery by S.L. Stoner

Set in 1902 Portland, Oregon, Dry Rot is the third mystery in Stoner's Sage Adair series, but is enough of a story to stand alone.

Sage's adventure involves a  losing labor strike, a union leader framed for murder, a ragpicker poet, and collapsing city bridges.  The historic details show a wild and wooly Portland of an earlier age -- an age of hobo jungles, lumber camps, brothels, saloons, and corruption.

Dry Rot is coming out on June 1.  Ask your local bookstore to order it for you or you can pre-order it on Amazon.

Teaser Tuesdays & GIVEAWAY Reminder: Dry Rot, a Sage Adair Historical Mystery

Sage lay with his cheek against the rough planks, his mind rebelling against the grim reality of his situation. The fading ribbons of light between the wall planks signaled the end of daylight.

-- Dry Rot: A Sage Adair Historical Mystery by S.L. Stoner.  Click on the GIVEAWAY post to enter to win one of two copies and an opportunity to host your own giveaway.

Set in 1902 Portland, Oregon, Dry Rot is the third mystery in Stoner's Sage Adair series, but is enough of a story to stand alone.

Sage's adventure involves a  losing labor strike, a union leader framed for murder, a ragpicker poet, and collapsing city bridges.  The historic details show a wild and wooly Portland of an earlier age -- an age of hobo jungles, lumber camps, brothels, saloons, and corruption.

Dry Rot is coming out on June 1.  Ask your local bookstore to order it for you or you can pre-order it on Amazon.  You can also sign up here to try to win one of two giveaway copies.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

Book Beginnings & GIVEAWAY: Dry Rot, A Sage Adair Mystery

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, please tweet a link to your post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I also recently signed up for Google+ and have a button over there in the right-hand column to join my circles or whatever it is. I don't really understand yet how that one works.

MR. LINKY: Please leave a link to your post below. If you don't have a blog, but want to participate, please leave a comment with your Book Beginning.

MY BOOK BEGINNING

A fat raindrop smacked the back of his neck and slid down his spine like a cold knife edge.

-- Dry Rot: A Sage Adair Historical Mystery by S.L. Stoner.  This novel may be set in the Portland, Oregon of 1902, but that opening sentence described my walk this morning.

Dry Rot is the third mystery in Stoner's Sage Adair series, but is enough of a story to stand alone.  Here, Sage's adventure involves a  losing labor strike, a union leader framed for murder, a ragpicker poet, and collapsing city bridges.  The historic details show a wild and wooly Portland of an earlier age -- an age of hobo jungles, lumber camps, brothels, saloons, and corruption.

Dry Rot will be released in April.  Ask your local bookstore to order it for you or you can pre-order it on Amazon.  You can also sign up here to try to win one of two giveaway copies.

THE GIVEAWAY

This is a "leap-frog" giveaway. This means I have two copies to giveaway to Rose City Reader readers, and each winner will get to host another giveaway for an additional copy, thanks to the delightful book publicist, Mary Bisbee-Beek.

The contest is for readers in the USA and Canada and is open until Thursday, March 14, 2013, at 9:00 PST. There are five ways to enter and each one is worth a chance to win. To enter, do any or all of the following, but you must leave a comment for each one and you must put an email address in a comment:

1. Comment on this post. You must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner. (1 entry)

2. Blog about this giveaway. Posting the giveaway on your sidebar is also acceptable. Leave a separate comment with a link to your post. (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to my rss feed, follow me on blogger, or subscribe via email (or tell me if you already are a subscriber or follower). Leave a separate comment for this. (1 entry)

4. Tweet this post on Twitter. Leave me a separate comment with your twitter user name. (1 entry)

5. Post this on a social network. Put it on facebook, post it on Google+, pin it on Pinterest, Stumble it, digg it, technorati fave it, or otherwise put it out there in the social network. Leave a separate comment with a link or explaination. (1 entry)

There are a lot of ways to enter (maximum of five entries), but you must LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT for each one or they will not count. I will use random.org to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is open to entries from the U.S. and Canada only. The deadline for entry is 9:00 PM, Pacific Time, on Thursday, March 14, 2013. I will draw and post the winner's name in my Book Beginning post for March 15, 2013.

Mailbox Monday and Giveaway Winners

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event (details here).

One of my favorite bloggers, Caitlin from Chaotic Compendiums, is hosting in March. Stop by her terrific blog! You'll be glad you did and, as promised, you may just find your next book.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Three lucky book lovers won copies of Warming Up by Mary Hutchings Reed, coming in April from She Writes Press.

It's a great story about an out-of-work musical actress who's life turns around after an encounter with a homeless teen grifter.  


 

Chosen by the random number generator at random.org, the three winners are:

• Teddy Rose at So Many precious Books, So Little Time
• Tea norman at Bundles of Books
• Debbie at ExUrbanis

Apologies for the delay. I said I'd announce the winners on last Friday's Book Beginnings post, but I got buried at work.

MY MAILBOX

I went on a Thrift Book spree and got a stack of books I've been searching for for quite a while. The two I am most excited about are from my French Connections list:



French Ways and Their Meanings by Edith Wharton. This is a facsimile of the original 1919 edition and offers Wharton's firsthand observations on French life.



Bistro Cooking by Patricia Wells. I have been cuddling up with this one, dreaming of the distant day when my kitchen remodel will be finished.

Teaser Tuesday & GIVEAWAY: Warming Up

She was there, in part, because she’d not sung in public for the past ten years. Even at her own father’s funeral.

-- Warming Up by Mary Hutchings Reed, coming in April from She Writes Press.

That little tidbit is part of the set up for this heartening novel about a stuck-in-a-rut woman whose life is shaken up by an impulsive gesture. It's a good story. 

GIVEAWAY:

I have three copies of Warming Up to give away to book bloggers. Even better, the winners will get to host their own giveaways for additional copies! Go to THIS PAGE for details and to sign up. You have until this Thursday to sign up. Winners will be announced this Friday on my Book Beginnings on Friday post.

PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION:

Approaching forty, unemployed but well-off, talented but unknown, functional but depressed, former musical actress Cecilia Morrison reluctantly seeks therapy. Although she once won leading roles, Cecilia now can't bring herself to audition for parts. In the end it’s not therapy, but a runaway teenager who changes her life when he cons her out of sixty bucks.

Whether at the apex of one’s success or just starting out, Warming Up speaks to anyone who’s ever wondered, “What’s it all about?” or who finds themselves doing something they never thought they’d do.

Warming Up was a short list finalist for the 2011 William Wisdom-William Faulkner Prize for the Novel.  Ten percent of the author’s proceeds are donated to The Night Ministry, which provides temporary housing, transitional living, and parenting services to Chicago’s homeless youth.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

Book Beginnings & GIVEAWAY: Warming Up

SEE GIVEAWAY DETAILS BELOW

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, please tweet a link to your post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I also recently signed up for Google+ and have a button over there in the right-hand column to join my circles or whatever it is. I don't really understand yet how that one works.

MR. LINKY: Please leave a link to your post below. If you don't have a blog, but want to participate, please leave a comment with your Book Beginning.

MY BOOK BEGINNING

I'm a sucker for kind eyes.

-- Warming Up by Mary Hutchings Reed, coming in April from She Writes Press.

PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION:

Approaching forty, unemployed but well-off, talented but unknown, functional but depressed, former musical actress Cecilia Morrison reluctantly seeks therapy. Although she once won leading roles, Cecilia now can't bring herself to audition for parts. In the end it’s not therapy, but a runaway teenager who changes her life when he cons her out of sixty bucks.

Whether at the apex of one’s success or just starting out, Warming Up speaks to anyone who’s ever wondered, “What’s it all about?” or who finds themselves doing something they never thought they’d do.

Warming Up was a short list finalist for the 2011 William Wisdom-William Faulkner Prize for the Novel.  Ten percent of the author’s proceeds are donated to The Night Ministry, which provides temporary housing, transitional living, and parenting services to Chicago’s homeless youth.

THE GIVEAWAY

This is a "leap-frog" giveaway.  This means that I have three (3!) copies to giveaway to Rose City Reader readers, and each winner will get to host another giveaway for an additional copy, thanks to the wonderful book publicist, Mary Bisbee-Beek.

The contest is for readers in the USA and Canada and is open until Thursday, February 28, 2013, at 9:00 PST. There are five ways to enter and each one is worth a chance to win.  To enter, do any or all of the following, but you must leave a comment for each one:

1. Leave a comment on this post. You must include a way to contact you (email or website address in your comment or available in your profile). If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner. (1 entry)

2. Blog about this giveaway. Posting the giveaway on your sidebar is also acceptable. Leave a separate comment with a link to your post. (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to my rss feed, follow me on blogger, or subscribe via email (or tell me if you already are a subscriber or follower). Leave a separate comment for this. (1 entry)

4. Tweet this post on Twitter. Leave me a separate comment with your twitter user name. (1 entry)

5. Post this on a social network. Put it on facebook, post it on Google+, pin it on Pinterest, Stumble it, digg it, technorati fave it, or otherwise put it out there in the social network. Leave a separate comment with a link or explaination. (1 entry)

There are a lot of ways to enter (maximum of five entries), but you must LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT for each one or they will not count. I will use random.org to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is open to entries from the U.S. and Canada only. The deadline for entry is 9:00 PM, Pacific Time, on Thursday, February 28, 2013. I will draw and post the winner's name in my Book Beginning post for March 1, 2013.

Mailbox Monday & Giveaway Winner

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event (details here).

Lori at Lori's Reading Corner is hosting in January.  Please visit her fun blog for giveaways, reviews, and lots more.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS: Three lucky readers each get one copy of On the Rocks: A Willa Cather and Edith Lewis Mystery by Sue Hallgarth, a historic, literary mystery set in 1929 on the Canadian island of Grand Manan.  On the Rocks is the first of what looks like a terrific new series.

Congratulations to the winners:

• Debbie at ExUrbanis
• Elizabeth at Silver's Reviews
• Rhonda at RhondaReads

And thanks to the wonderful book publicist Mary Bisbee-Beek for my copy and the giveaway copies.  Mary will be in touch with the winners to arrange delivery.

MY BOOKS LAST WEEK:

I was inspired by the 2013 Vintage Mystery Challenge to pick up a short stack of pre-1960 mysteries when I was out by Booktique in Lake Oswego.  A couple of others caught my eye as well.



The Talented Mr. Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game by Patricia Highsmith. Only the first was published before 1960.



Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier. Does this count as a mystery? I love the Penguin cover!



Old Mrs. Camelot by Emery Bonett. I've never heard of this book or author.



Too Much of Water by Bruce Hamilton. Same with this one.



Tempest-Tost by Robertson Davies. Not a mystery, but I have been meaning to read more of his books.



Washington by Meg Greenfield. I finally finished Personal History by Greenfield's former publisher and friend, Katharine Graham.



The Players Come Again (a Kate Fansler mystery) by Amanda Cross. I've read one of this series and liked it.



The CEO of the Sofa by P. J. O'Rourke. He always makes me laugh.