DRIVING SIDEWAYS by Jess Riley

WINNER ANNOUNCED!

Congratulations to:

DOMESTICATED GAL!

Please contact me with your name and mailing address so you can receive your copy of

Driving Sideways!

But, readers, don't despair!

Jess was thrilled with the interest in her book and sent me this note:

For anyone who doesn't win (but picks up a copy of Driving Sideways anyway), I would love to send them a signed bookplate. Just drop me a line at jess(at)jessriley.com!

See, I told you Jess was AWESOME!

Book: Driving Sideways

Author: Jess Riley

Winner: DOMESTICATED GAL
Website: Jess Riley

Full disclosure: Jess is a real live friend of mine, but I met her because of books and the love I have for books. She completely ROCKS, and I just love her to death. We live in different states, but if we didn't, I would spend as much time with her as I could. I've written about the times we have had together on my blog a TON. I just did a search and she's EVERYWHERE.

If you have some time on your hands and you follow the link above, you will not only find stories about Jess Riley, but I know many of you came here via Jen Lancaster (and thank you so much for doing so), and there are posts about nights out with Jen there too on that link, and other fun authors who will be featured here this month, including Eileen Cook and Jenny Gardiner.

(Seriously, it's Friday, if you're at work and have nothing to do, spend some time scrolling through that WHOLE link above -- you'll find out a ton about Jess, and some more great authors, including some night-time fun with Jen Lancaster and photos too! Plus there are cute pics of my kids from when they were younger and cuter!)

But Jess is a dear, dear friend, talented author and you'll definitely want to check her out! My kids love her, Mr. Manic loves her. You would love her too. She's AWE-FRICK-en-SOME. And a hilariously heart-felt incredible writer too. And we're crossing fingers she may have some fun book news soon for her fans!

I read Driving Sideways a couple of years ago, so I'm giving you my review that I wrote on Amazon right after I read it. It's about a girl with kidney disease who goes on a roadtrip in search of ... well, that's where I'll stop, because you've got to find out what she's looking for, right? Anyway, here's what I put on Amazon:

I finished Driving Sideways today, and when I got to the last line, I felt like there was a lesson learned and that there was a bit of hope passed along to all those who suffer from PKD, a disease I did not know much about. The main character, Leigh, was never "Oh woe is me" and "I feel so sorry for myself, I should just lie in bed and wait to die."

NO! She had received a beautiful gift by being the recipient of an organ donor, and was going to now live life to its fullest, and that she did.

Through Leigh's physical, emotional, spiritual, and literal (road-trip) journey, the reader meets a cast of characters that will have you laughing as well as wondering throughout the book what is going to happen--all the way till the very end. And I even found myself crying on page 311, feeling for what Leigh has just been through, and wanting more for her, but feeling she would be OK.

I came away extremely satisfied, and with a sense of peace really when I finished reading. I closed the book and sat for a moment, just being with Leigh, wondering where her life would take her next, for surely, there are still some great things ahead for her, a woman who shares a spirit that illuninates when faced with such adversity in life.

I truly hope this book brings awareness to those unaware of this terrible disease and I'm grateful to Jess Riley for bringing it to the forefront, while also bringing us a heartwarming beautiful tale of a woman whose hopefulness shines through and through.

Since I have read Driving Sideways, I have met a very close friend who gave her 14-year-old son her kidney and I look at her every day and think WOW, YOU GAVE YOUR SON YOUR KIDNEY! Not that that has anything to do with Jess's awesome book, but well, it kind of does because I think about what my friend did for her son, and I think about Jess's book, and the two are connected. It's an amazing gift, organ donation. Go sign the back of your driver's license. Oh, and speaking of driver's licenses, here's a funny story about when I got my license when we moved from Chicago to Scottsdale just nine months ago ... about how I lied on my driver's license. It's pretty funny.

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You're figuring out how this is working now huh? I'm loving your creative comments and am reading them ALL! Keep commenting, and all those who do will qualify to win Driving Sideways! I’ll draw the winner on March 6 (always TWO days after I post the daily book, unless it’s a weekend, I may allow for more time), and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.

Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!

PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.

Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!

It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!

Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!