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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
November 21, 2008
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Tapping My Cowboy Boots in Texas |
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It's Friday and I am...on an airplane. I am headed to San Antonio for the National Council of Teachers of English conference. The flight is early enough that I think I will be able to get the egg/cheese biscuit sandwich. Actually I got bumped up to first class, which is lovely. Maybe they have some special version of the egg/cheese biscuit sandwich in store for me here. I am wearing my teal cowboy boots because, after all, it's Texas! I came pretty close to JUST packing the boots, but somehow ended up with three more pairs of shoes wedged into my bag, just in case. These boots are my version of ruby red slippers and one of the few reasons I do not mind that the weather turned cold this week.
Last weekend's trip to Miami for the Miami Book Fair was wonderful. It was a nice mix of authors, friends and bookish adventures. I wrote a blog about it that you can read here. There was a special moment that did not make it into the blog that I will share with you here. Before Wally Lamb gave his talk, he spoke about a reader who lived in Florida who was a real fan of his, Mickey Warner, who corresponded with him over the years. She had looked forward to his new book, THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED, especially since it was his first novel in 10 years. Sadly Mickey passed away before the book came out, but Wally dedicated his reading that Sunday to her, which was a lovely tribute to a loyal fan. It once again reminded me of the very special relationships that many authors have with their readers.
Also, Frank McCourt contributed a comment during his talk with Dave Barry that has stayed with me all week. As you know, he was a teacher in New York City. He spoke about how these days teachers spend too much time "teaching to the test" and how we are not teaching children how to think critically. I so agree. It feels like we are cranking out robotic learners, thus I am very interested to hear teachers and professors talking this weekend on how they are exciting students about reading.
I also wrote another blog post this week sharing my love of holiday-themed books. There is one special book that I received as a child that inspired the Author Holiday Blogs that we are bringing you today. I found it on a shelf, and a whole host of memories flooded back as I saw the inscription from the people who had given it to me. You can read more about it here. From now until Christmas we will be sharing stories of book gift giving and receiving from authors on the Bookreporter.com blog. We begin with a piece from Mary Higgins Clark, in which she talks about the gifts she loved in the past and what she would like this holiday season. May her story inspire you. Tomorrow we welcome Carol Higgins Clark, who talks about the book gift she received from her mom, the Queen of Suspense. By the way, Mary and Carol's new book, DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW, is a wonderful romp of a mystery that will get you in the mood for the holidays, and we have Amie Taylor's review of it this week. Other author blog posts that we will be sharing with you this week include Luanne Rice, Rita Mae Brown and Gregg Hurwitz.
This week our Holiday Basket of Cheer Contest has FOUR holiday-themed titles for you, and yes, these will be added to my collection as well. The books are SILVER BELLS by Fern Michaels, JoAnn Ross, Mary Burton and Judy Duarte; CANDY CANE MURDER by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine and Leslie Meier; CHRISTMAS AT SEA PINES COTTAGE by Sally Smith O'Rourke; and A CHRISTMAS PASSAGE by David Saperstein and George Samerjan. As always you will win one copy of each book to give --- and one to keep for yourself. You can see details about this contest here. And for those of you getting ready to make a list and check it twice, be sure to look at our What to Give/What to Get feature for ideas. Need a reason to buy a book? Then click here!
While my schedule did not allow me to attend the National Book Awards this year, I followed the coverage on Twitter. I am not a Twitter member as somehow the tweeting on twitter makes me feel like I would be a bird with a twitch. But it was fun to watch the notes unfold as the ceremony unfolded the other night.
We received some really nice responses from our advance readers for four of the books we recently featured: THE MEMORIST by M.J. Rose, NIGHT KILLS by John Lutz, A SINGLE THREAD by Marie Bostwick and COLD PURSUIT by Carla Neggers. Click on the titles to read their comments. We are very pleased to share this great feedback with you.
Please note that our update next week will take place on Wednesday so our staff may enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday. I am cooking for my parents and some neighbors in what I am calling a "rewind" of last year's really fun Turkey Day. Luckily I have last year's menu saved in email. If Thanksgiving has a theme song, it would have a verse that says "Chop chop chop."
Trivia story of the week that attracted me because of my love of swimming. Check out this video where a woman is planning to swim across the Atlantic. She will swim in a shark-proof cage that will be towed by a catamaran. Okay. This makes my life in the pool seem fairly tame by comparison. And yes, I already have a pool lined up for swimming at the hotel this weekend...it's heated and it's outdoors. I will take the boots off to swim.
Sitting next to me on this flight is a man who enjoys reading, He and his wife count Nelson DeMille as their favorite author. He will be buying a copy of THE GATE HOUSE after this flight. Interestingly he did not know it was out. I guess he should sign up for the newsletter. Have a great weekend. Get a head start on the pie baking. As for me, I am going to be checking my grammar all weekend!
One more quick note...nice touch in the San Antonio Airport....rocking chairs on the walkway to baggage claim. And my taxi driver just gave me directions to the Alamo. Hmmmm...need to check that out.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
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Click here to see our Author Holiday Blog feature.
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Marie Bostwick, Author of A SINGLE THREAD
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Marie Bostwick is the New York Times bestselling author of four novels: FIELDS OF GOLD, RIVER'S EDGE, ON WINGS OF THE MORNING and the newly released A SINGLE THREAD. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Jennifer McCord, Bostwick explains why she decided to focus on a contemporary storyline in this latest book after publishing three historical works of fiction and talks about how her heroic characters were inspired by the strong women in her life. She also recalls how she first began writing, discusses her fascination with quilting --- including its history and cultural value --- and shares details about the next two installments in her Cobbled Court series.
A SINGLE THREAD by Marie Bostwick (Fiction)
It’s a long way from Fort Worth, Texas, to New Bern, Connecticut, yet it only takes a day in the charming Yankee town to make Evelyn Dixon realize she has found her new home. The abrupt end of her marriage was Evelyn’s wake-up call to get busy chasing her dream of opening a quilt shop. Finding a storefront is easy enough; starting a new life isn’t. Little does Evelyn imagine it will bring a trio like Abigail Burgess, her niece Liza and Margot Matthews through her door. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.
-Click here to read a review of A SINGLE THREAD.
-Click here to read an excerpt from A SINGLE THREAD.
-Click here to see our advance readers' comments.
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Click here to read our interview with Marie Bostwick.
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Holiday Basket of Cheer Contest on Bookreporter.com --- Spotlight on a Collection of Holiday Titles from Kensington Books
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The holiday season is upon us! At Bookreporter.com it's time for us to share the spirit of the season with our Holiday Basket of Cheer Contest. As you begin your holiday shopping, we want to remind you that books make affordable, personal and wonderful gifts for EVERYONE on your list --- and are a nice way to treat yourself as well!
From November 7th through January 5th we will spotlight a different title or collection of titles, and readers will have the chance to win one of five holiday baskets filled with winter-themed items as well as two copies of the featured book. Why two? One is to keep, of course, and one is for someone on your holiday gift list. We will also include festive wrapping paper to make the gift-giving hassle-free.
This week we’re spotlighting a collection of holiday tales from Kensington Books, including SILVER BELLS by Fern Michaels, JoAnn Ross, Mary Burton and Judy Duarte; CANDY CANE MURDER by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine and Leslie Meier; CHRISTMAS AT SEA PINES COTTAGE by Sally Smith O'Rourke; and A CHRISTMAS PASSAGE by David Saperstein and George Samerjan. Our Holiday Basket of Cheer is a woven basket stocked with holiday-themed items. Inside, winners will find green-and-tan checkered wrapping paper, a cinnamon holly-scented Illuminations candle, Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate mix, gourmet hand-cut vanilla marshmallows, plush red socks from Crabtree & Evelyn, a holiday notebook, delicious Chewy Peps peppermint candies and a festive pie plate with a gingerbread man design, as well as two copies of SILVER BELLS, CANDY CANE MURDER, CHRISTMAS AT SEA PINES COTTAGE and A CHRISTMAS PASSAGE.
To enter, fill out this form and answer the following question by Thursday, December 4th at 11:59PM. You can find the answer by reading an excerpt from SILVER BELLS here.
Where did Amy grow up?
SILVER BELLS by Fern Michaels, JoAnn Ross, Mary Burton and Judy Duarte (Romance)
In this holiday collection featuring New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Fern Michaels, the perfect holiday recipe includes two parts rekindled romance, one part danger and a pinch of renewal that yields renewed holiday spirit for all. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
-Click here to read a review of SILVER BELLS.
-Read more about Fern Michaels, JoAnn Ross, Mary Burton, Judy Duarte and SILVER BELLS here.
CANDY CANE MURDER by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine and Leslie Meier (Mystery)
Now Available in Paperback
The holidays can be murder. CANDY CANE MURDER, a festive collection of three mystery novellas by some of the top cozy writers, is as comforting as a steaming cup of hot chocolate on a bitter cold day. So pour yourself a cup, sit down by the fire and try to solve these holiday-themed whodunits. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
-Click here to read a review of CANDY CANE MURDER.
-Read more about Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, Leslie Meier and CANDY CANE MURDER here.
CHRISTMAS AT SEA PINES COTTAGE by Sally Smith O'Rourke (Fiction)
An introverted young man and his Golden Retriever puppy lead a solitary life in a small cottage on Cape Fear, North Carolina, until the day they rescue a young woman from the raging sea and their lives are forever changed. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
-Click here to read a review of CHRISTMAS AT SEA PINES COTTAGE.
-Read more about Sally Smith O'Rourke and CHRISTMAS AT SEA PINES COTTAGEspan> here.
A CHRISTMAS PASSAGE by David Saperstein and George Samerjan (Fiction)
After their Christmas Eve flight to Asheville, North Carolina is grounded due to snow, a group of strangers join together for an incredible and harrowing ride through the Great Smoky Mountains that will change their lives forever. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
-Click here to read a review of A CHRISTMAS PASSAGE.
-Read more about David Saperstein, George Samerjan and A CHRISTMAS PASSAGE here.
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Click here to read all the details of our Holiday Basket of Cheer feature.
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Now in Stores: DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark |
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DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark (Mystery)
In the picturesque village of Branscombe, New Hampshire, the townsfolk are all pitching in to prepare for the first (and many hope annual) Festival of Joy. Unfortunately, a lottery scam threatens to cheat several of its citizens out of their rightful money --- and three people of their very lives. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
-Click here to read an excerpt from DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW.
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Click here to read a review of DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW.
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Now in Stores: SALVATION IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
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SALVATION IN DEATH by J. D. Robb (Thriller)
When Detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas confirms that the consecrated wine drunk by a priest at a Catholic funeral mass contained potassium cyanide, she’s determined to solve the murder of Father Miguel Flores, despite her discomfort with her surroundings. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read an excerpt from SALVATION IN DEATH.
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Click here to read a review of SALVATION IN DEATH.
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Now in Stores: THE BODIES LEFT BEHIND by Jeffery Deaver
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THE BODIES LEFT BEHIND by Jeffery Deaver (Thriller)
When a night-time call to 911 from a secluded Wisconsin vacation house is cut short, off-duty deputy Brynn McKenzie drives up to Lake Mondac to investigate. Brynn stumbles onto a scene of true horror and narrowly escapes from two professional criminals. She and a terrified visitor to the weekend house flee into the woods in a race for their lives. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE BODIES LEFT BEHIND.
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Click here to read a review of THE BODIES LEFT BEHIND.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Authors: Ted Dekker and Erin Healy, Authors of KISS |
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Ted Dekker is known for novels that combine adrenaline-laced stories with unexpected plot twists, unforgettable characters and incredible confrontations between good and evil. In KISS, releasing on January 7th, Dekker teams up with editor and debut novelist Erin Healy to weave a suspenseful tale in which a young woman’s memory makes her the target of a group trying to hide a very dark truth.
We have 20 copies of KISS to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, November 28th.
-Click here to read Ted Dekker’s bio.
-Click here to read Erin Healy’s bio.
-Visit Ted Dekker’s official website, www.TedDekker.com.
-Visit Erin Healy’s official website, www.ErinHealy.com.
More about KISS:
After a car accident puts Shauna McAllister in a coma and wipes out six months of her memory, she returns to her childhood home to recover, but her arrival is fraught with confusion. Leaning on Wayne Spade, a forgotten but hopeful lover who stays by her side, Shauna tries to sort out what happened that night by jarring her memory to life. Instead, she acquires a mysterious mental ability that will either lead her to the truth or get her killed by the people trying to hide it.
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Click here to read more about Ted Dekker, Erin Healy and KISS.
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What to Give/What to Get Gift Guide: Spotlight on Cookbooks, Entertaining Guides & Culinary Tales
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Headed out to do some holiday shopping? Before you go, check out our What to Give/What to Get feature with ideas in 13 categories.
We are spotlighting the various categories in the newsletter this week and in upcoming weeks. This week we're featuring Eat, Drink & Be Merry and Healthy, Wealthy & Wise. First up --- Eat, Drink & Be Merry.
With Thanksgiving and winter holidays right around the corner, our Eat, Drink & Be Merry category features titles that will delight any connoisseur of good food, good wine and good books.
Our featured titles in this category are:
BAREFOOT CONTESSA BACK TO BASICS: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients by Ina Garten
THE BILLIONAIRE'S VINEGAR: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine by Benjamin Wallace
HEMINGWAY & BAILEY'S BARTENDING GUIDE TO GREAT AMERICAN WRITERS illustrated by Edward Hemingway, text by Mark Bailey
IMMOVEABLE FEAST: A Paris Christmas by John Baxter
JAMIE AT HOME: Cook Your Way to the Good Life by Jamie Oliver
THE SHARPER YOUR KNIFE, THE LESS YOU CRY: Love, Laughter, and Tears at the World's Most Famous Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn
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Click here to see our Eat, Drink & Be Merry category.
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What to Give/What to Get Gift Guide: Spotlight on Advice & How-To
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font color="#0000ff">Books that teach and offer tips for living make perfect gifts. Our Healthy, Wealthy & Wise category has everything from the funny to the informative.
Our featured titles in this category are:
70 WAYS TO BEAT 70: Keys to a Longer, Healthier Life by David B. Biebel, DMin, James E. Dill, MD and Bobbie Dill, RN
THE FIRST 30 DAYS: Your Guide to Any Change (and Loving Your Life More) by Ariane de Bonvoisin
THE FIRSTBORN ADVANTAGE: Making Your Birth Order Work for You by Dr. Kevin Leman
HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better by Charla Krupp
LOVE AS A WAY OF LIFE: Seven Keys to Transforming Every Aspect of Your Life by Gary Chapman
THE SOURCE: Unleash Your Natural Energy, Power Up Your Health, and Feel 10 Years Younger by Woodson Merrell, M.D. with Kathleen Merrell
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Click here to see our Healthy, Wealthy & Wise category.
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This Week's Graphic Novel Reviews
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RASL: THE DRIFT by Jeff Smith
Jeff Smith (creator of Bone) returns with a new venture into science fiction that meshes compelling physics with sly thrills. RASL is the story of an art thief who travels to alternate worlds --- and whose actions have drawn the attention of someone very powerful and very dangerous. Reviewed by John Hogan.
WELCOME TO TRANQUILITY by Gail Simone and Neil Googe
A superhuman murder mystery takes over a small town of retired heroes and sometime villains in WELCOME TO TRANQUILITY. Mixing in some humor with the suspense, writer Gail Simone imbues her work with a wonderfully human element. Reviewed by John Hogan.
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Click here to see all our graphic novel reviews and features.
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The Teenreads.com Basket of Holiday Cheer Contest is Now Live!
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Chase away the winter blues with Teenreads.com's Third Annual Holiday Basket of Cheer feature and contest! From November 14th through December 10th, you can enter to win a "Basket of Holiday Reading and Fun."
Five winners each will receive a basket that includes 8 books --- AIRHEAD by Meg Cabot, KENDRA by Coe Booth, LOVE IS HELL by Melissa Marr, Scott Westerfeld, Justine Larbalestier, Gabrielle Zevin and Laurie Faria Stolarz, THE LUXE by Anna Godbersen, MELTING STONES by Tamora Pierce, ONE MILLION THINGS: A Visual Encyclopedia by DK Publishing, THE POSSIBILITES OF SAINTHOOD by Donna Freitas and RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE by Shannon and Dean Hale.
Along with the books, winners will find their basket stocked with the hottest holiday goodies --- a kit to make a mini gingerbread village, Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate mix, red and white fur-trimmed tall socks, a snowman mug, a snow globe that lights up and plays 11 songs, candy cane taffy, snowman tissues, cute red gloves, photo-frame gift cards and a cinnamon holly-scented Illuminations candle.
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Click here to read all the details of the Teenreads.com Holiday Basket of Cheer Contest.
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This Week's Reviews
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GRACE by Richard Paul Evans (Fiction)
Fourteen-year-old Eric Welch, with some help from his younger brother, hides a runaway girl named Grace in the clubhouse in their backyard for two months. In due time Grace’s secret is revealed, and Eric grows up all too quickly while trying to protect her. Reviewed by Carole Turner.
THE DRACULA DOSSIER by James Reese (Suspense)
In late 1880s London, a slasher stalked women in Whitechapel. Could it be that this Dossier sent just this year to a publisher makes a good case against the author of DRACULA, Bram Stoker? From his own journal and letters, some might come to that conclusion. How about you? Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
TRAITOR TO HIS CLASS: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt by H. W. Brands (Biography)
Historian H. W. Brands has produced a nuanced portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, detailing his accomplishments in fighting first the Great Depression and then World War II, but also noting the dangerously devious means he often used to get things done. Reviewed by Robert Finn.
DON’T SLEEP, THERE ARE SNAKES: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle by Daniel L. Everett (Linguistics/Anthropology)
Daniel L. Everett is a linguist who first visited the Pirahã tribe as a family man and missionary. His experiences over the next 30 years broke up his family, put him at odds with the linguistic establishment, turned him into an atheist --- and have provided us with a fascinating book, which is part Boy Scout adventure, part reality TV, part crisis of faith, part anthropological study and part linguistic treatise. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
THE GHOST IN LOVE by Jonathan Carroll (Fiction)
A master of the surreal takes on death, love, talking dogs and the afterlife in a daft (the Angel of Death manifests itself as a plate of bacon and eggs?!) and brilliant comedy that occasionally has the power to pierce the reader right in the heart. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
THE ACTIVIST: John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, and the Myth of Judicial Review by Lawrence Goldstone (History)
Lawrence Goldstone’s compelling narrative underscores the drama that occurred in 1803 --- when Chief Justice John Marshall delivered his verdict in the case of Marbury v. Madison --- by examining the debates that took place during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 over the formation and structure of our judicial system. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.
SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY: The Forgotten Struggle for Civil Rights in the North by Thomas J. Sugrue (History)
Slavery was a Southern phenomenon, and the civil rights movement, in its most public aspect, focused on the South, a myopic viewpoint that ignored the very real battles that were being fought in the North. There is also a common myth that civil rights as a whole ceased to be a movement of any consequence after the 1960s. SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY addresses both misconceptions. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
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Read this week's reviews here.
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Poll and Question of the Week: Holiday Gift-Giving and Shopping
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Poll:
Are you giving books this holiday season?
Yes
No
Not sure
Have you started shopping yet?
Yes, I am done.
Yes, I started.
I am thinking about it.
No, I start after Thanksgiving.
No, my idea of shopping starts Christmas Eve.
I am not sure.
-Click here to answer our poll.
Question:
What book did you love so much that you would want to give multiple copies of it this holiday season?
-Click here to answer our question.
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Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading --- TWO Prizes
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Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.
This week we have two great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark and JUST AFTER SUNSET: Stories by Stephen King. Tell us what you are reading and rate the titles 1-5 by noon on December 5th to ensure that you are in the running to win these books.
Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on December 5th.
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Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.
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As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.
Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the Write to Us page. If you would like to reach me, please write Carol@bookreporter.com. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.
Those who are subscribed to the Bookreporter.com newsletter by November 30, 2008 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month one winner will be selected to win the following five books: DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark, THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED by Wally Lamb, JUST AFTER SUNSET: Stories by Stephen King, SALVATION IN DEATH by J.D. Robb and YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME by Dean Koontz. Diana from Pasadena, TX was last month's newsletter winner. She won THE BRASS VERDICT by Michael Connelly, BURN OUT by Marcia Muller, THE GATE HOUSE by Nelson DeMille, A MOST WANTED MAN by John le Carre and TESTIMONY by Anita Shreve.
Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: ReadingGroupGuides.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com, FaithfulReader.com, AuthorYellowPages.com, Teenreads.com, and Kidsreads.com.
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