Wednesday, March 30, 2011

THIS IS NOT THE STORY YOU THINK IT IS by Laura Munson

Winner Announced:
Congrats to Carie Casey!
Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address and I'll get your book to you! And this was one of my most favorite comments from all of you! I loved your memoir titles! I have NO idea what I would call my memoir! You all have such clever ones! Thanks for sharing them with me! Loved them!




Book: This Is Not The Story You Think It Is: A Season of Unlikely Happiness

Author: Laura Munson

Website: lauramunsonauthor.com

Winner Announced Above

Today’s book is an incredibly special one, and so is the author. I had the awesome pleasure of meeting her a while back when she was in town to promote her New York Times bestseller, This Is Not The Story You Think It Is: A Season of Unlikely Happiness

Laura Munson first became famous for her emotionally-charged essay, Those Aren’t Fighting Words, Dear, which was published in The New York Times Modern Love section. The New York Times site crashed because of the overload of comments the essay brought in. You have to click over and read this essay after you’re done commenting here. It’s … I don’t even have the words to tell you how much of an impact it will have on you. It’s THAT powerful.

The essay is about Laura’s husband’s confusion in their marriage at that time and his desire to get out of it. When he told Laura he didn’t love her anymore, her reaction was, “I don’t buy it.”

What powerful words, and what strength Laura Munson had. She writes in her essay that some people might think she was a pushover or that she was weak. I say that she is one of the strongest women I know. To have that kind of power to withstand those words. To stand there in the face of an impending crisis, to look her husband in the eye and tell him that she wasn’t buying it, that she would give him “responsible distance” to figure out whatever was happening in his life, that is a brave woman. To her credit, Laura wasn’t going to give him years to make his mind up – she did put a time limit on how long she would put up with his behavior.

Laura was strong enough to know that what was going on in their marriage was not a “we” thing, but rather a “him” thing, and she was powerful enough to know that she wasn’t being rejected. It wasn’t because of anything she had done.

So she took her knowledge of what she learned and how she faced the crisis, and how she didn’t let it turn her life completely upside-down or ruin her family, and she wrote a book about it.

May we all be this strong when faced with any hardship that may come our way, whether it be in our marriages, with our children, our family, our jobs, our discontent with our personal self-satisfaction, our emotional desire to be something other than what we are. This Is Not The Story You Think It Is. This is a book for all women, and even all men. It’s for all people dealing with a personal crisis. It’s empowering, it’s powerful. It’s a self-strengthening book that everyone can take something away from.

Laura’s book may very well offer you the power you might need in the moment you may least expect it. Her words will strengthen your mind, your heart, and your soul.

So I do say this to you now, this book is NOT about a divorce – Laura and her husband did not divorce, they got THROUGH their crisis. This book is a book to help you through whatever it is that you’re going through in life right now, or maybe what you may be faced with down the road. It may not be the story you think it is, but it’s absolutely, positively one that you’ll want to read.

I love learning about each and every one of you, and I wish there were books for all of you to win! How about this for a question for this comment entry: tell me what the title of your memoir would be.

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Laura Munson's book! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days 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!

155 comments:

Beverly Victoria said...

"You have such a pretty face. . . "

Heidi @ Decor & More said...

Wow-- great question! "Finding the True."
This one will be a must read and I've already thought of a few friends to pass it on to!
Thanks, MM!

Angie M P said...

"Quiet girls are the ones you should watch out for"

Kristin Shelburne said...

The Death of Pollyanna (and birth of a woman)

Meg said...

"No One Needs To Know"

MaggieDu said...

"Looking for the Puzzle Piece to Make me Whole"

I will have to pick this one up if I don't win it!

Amanda Leigh said...

"On My Own"


- Amanda Leigh

Lilianarenee said...

This one sounds AMAZING too!!
Seriously can't wait to read.

"Don't worry I'll figure it out...
I always do!"

My Two Army Brats said...

"Army Life Sucks......Sometimes"

Karen said...

"Why yes, I do know that cake is not good for me." ktmixon315

Tina Brannan said...

"What You See Isn't Always What You Get....you get so much more"

Unknown said...

Just Breathe

Anonymous said...

"Things I WISH my mother had told me."

Jen Fee 9476

Logan Collins said...

I have never thought so hard about one of these questions hmmm
Question the Answers

Anne said...

Life at Home

Anne Beth

IandSsmom said...

Follow your Heart
Which I need to do more of but I think I've done alot in my life!
I really need this book! This one I'll def. read even if I don't win!!

rachel e. said...

Boys do like you, they are just intimidated by you.

Emma S. said...

A snarky, cynical and sarcastic outlook on the many weddings in her life, and what it's like to me a maid of honor in a lesbian wedding"

kathygold9778 said...

"The things my children have taught me....and how to survive it!"

kathygold9778

Lisa justus said...

Patience: the curse of a unconventional love song

Melissa Braun said...

Hmmm.... Three ideas.

My first thought is Prodigal Daughter, but turns out Jeffrey Archer has a book by the same name

Next is, Before the Rooster Crows

Finally, the one that is the most 'me'. It is also a tribute to my penchant for long book titles.

Okay, Look: What I Really Meant to Say When I Was too Busy Being Polite

absolutahnie said...

"and the end and the beginning were always there before the beginning and after the end"
it's a t.s. eliot quote that sums up EVERYTHING for me

StephRochelle said...

"I Have a Name, Too (a Twin's Need to Feel Separate)"

Ronit said...

"Bring it On!". Ronit W

Anonymous said...

Happydaisi strikes back.

clk-a

Sadie said...

What happens when you don't buy that apple orchard.

Anonymous said...

"I think I'm in the wrong line - again"
Not just for grocery store waits!

JillMitch

Anonymous said...

Great question, "finding Laura"

Laura Kay
anovelreview

jdstec said...

"This Turned Out Better Than Expected"

Meredith said...

I love the title suggested by Melissa: "what I really meant to say..." - that is me too! My title changes every day. Yesterday it might have been "Grace Finds Beauty", but today I feel like its "Asleep at the Wheel". What am I not paying attention to that might cause a life crash?
~MommyMer

CAnative said...

"Being Opptomistic....Not So Easy!"

Nicole

Ready To Be A Momma said...

Learning to live as non-mother
qweska8402

janabailey said...

Thirteen Years of Hell - My Life in Corporate America (but not a bitter story - told with humor)

Jana B

Denise said...

I'm Not A Hypochondriac, I'm A Proactive Patient.

or

Embrace the Crazy, It's Easier That Way.

Anonymous said...

"Fixing everyone else's problems does not fix your own... How I learned that and have to remind myself everyday"
Angelini197

Philadelphia said...

"Cancer Girl Get's a Date" (Actually a work in progress)

Sarah Lashua said...

The Life and Times of Sassy Sarah

Crystal said...

Finding My Own

Crystal717

Amy Nichole G said...

"Surviving My Own Awesomeness"

Amy Nichole G

Wanda Z said...

Choices

Carla said...

"If You Get Pregnant Don't Come Home"

A wave of emotion washed over me when I thought about the title for my memoir. YIKES! What a way to start the day.

Thanks-Carla

BrendaBMarion said...

"I was told there'd be no math"

LynnBelo said...

This book sounds like exactly something I need to read for what's going on in my life right now. I need some inspiration of inner strength!!

My memoir would be titled:
"The Accidental Gypsy: A thirty-something's journey trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up."

RedDragon said...

How Many Frogs Must I Kiss?

Kirsten said...

"Notes From A Human Napkin" of course ;-)

Hally said...

I LOVED that article and showed it to hubby when it came out.!

"I am NOT like my mother"

Thanks Manic,
Hally Hoots

CariLynn said...

"You want to do WHAT to me?: A story of a mostly average sort of girl." CariLynn

buttah said...

"All About Buttah" or "Everybody Needs a Little Buttah"

DaphneSFL said...

The title of my memoir would be "Overall, It Was Pretty Good."

Kimmi said...

Crazy Cat Ladies Aren't All Crazy

Tara S. said...

Something like "The Most Boring Book You'll Ever Read..."

Melissa said...

My Spin on Life. Melissa Rem

Christina said...

"I'll find the strength to make it through."

ChristinaL

Jenn3128 said...

"The Quiet Storm"

A.C. Morris said...

At the moment it would be, "The Crazy Life of a Navy Wife."

BethC said...

This is BETTER than Reality TV or My life should have been a sitcom...

lucy872 said...

"Can I Get a Do-Over?"

Homestead Jen said...

"I said I was fine!"

(In my family we say that when we want to be left alone - it means I will be fine, eventually, if you will let it drop.

I am pretty sure my husband will put it on my tombstone: She said she was fine!

Juliet Farmer said...

Geek is a Four-Letter Word

Unknown said...

"What Not To Do Before You're 30"

Chelsea Hoffman said...

"That's What She Said."

Melissa said...

"We'll Figure it Out." I always say that and it has become my motto. :)

mbamster0720 at gmail dot com

Kari Bonnet said...

"If you only knew..."

Jules said...

"Feet First"

Erin Goff said...

"Memoir?!? But I'm Only 33!"

Mom'sLove said...

"In Need of Working Ears"
Good question, but this title would suit me. I am hard of hearing in both ears and wear hearing aids. Life has been very good, but funny for me.... The things I thought I heard, oh boy.
Amanda

Anonymous said...

I understand...I just don't care!

Sasse1Susan

ChristineCet said...

Nothing Red Wine Can't Cure

Nanette said...

"If I Knew Then What I Know Now". Oh baby, how that runs true!! Nanette

Corey~living and loving said...

Living and Loving Every Minute Of it. :)

Corey

Brenda L B said...

my title: "My wrong choices". From my career or lack of, to not finishing school to the man I fell in love with.

Lizett34 said...

Not at all what I planned!

Colleen Turner said...

That is a hard one! Well...I would say "Vertically Challenged". I am really short and there can be all sorts of double meanings with that one :).

Rachael said...

I remember that Modern Love article- it was fantastic! I guess my memoir would be "With a Little Bit of Luck." You just gotta have faith that things will work out!

equinn726 said...

"Search and Click: How I went from a working for one of the world's largest search engines to finding a profession that truly clicked for me"

Anonymous said...

Widow at 33 - Learning to live again. jennyfromthecube

Sherry B said...

If only I listened to my parents...my life would of been boring and I would of been a snob.

Becki*** said...

Toughest task yet. Just can't do it. Drained in relief at this point from yearly extensive mammogram etc. Always stressful - i am the ONLY female over 25 on my maternal side who has NOT has breast cancer . . .

So maybe "Crossing My Fingers and Bargaining With God" would be my memoir for mammogram/ultrasound days, lol.

It was good news this time btw.

Tyra said...

"Just When You Get Everything You Wanted..."

Carie Casey said...

"Maybe I am a good mom"

Clynnc

Amy R. said...

Mine would be a play on words. Since I am half-Thai, I would probably title my memoir "Mai Thai". :-p

Anonymous said...

I'm NOT Creative Enough for This: a mostly average girl finding her way

Priceless: I'm Worth More than You Think I Am

I SUCK

xx(fingers crossed)
~Nattygirrl

Carly said...

The Sun Shines on Me.


Carly Haynes

Kristi said...

What did I do to deserve This?

Kristi Marie W.

Jessica said...

This is a good question! I have to really think about it.
"All About Jessica" kinda a lame name but I can't think of anything creative. Or maybe "Jessica- Obsessed with Spinning and Starbucks"

Thanks!
-Jessica

Ally said...

Tales of a Waitress

The Jagow Family said...

Wow..great question and tough!

"Who needs sleep? (Apparently I do)"

I guess.... :)

Thanks again MM!
michelle jagow

Anonymous said...

My So Called Life.
Iambtinrb

Mary said...

Where Did the Time Go?

Holly W said...

Oh boy, the title of my memoir? Probably something like Stories from a hidden bad girl. I did great in school and never got in trouble but I did things to get in trouble all the time. I was just really good at hiding them. Maybe it was the good girl facade. :)

holly w

Tiffany Drew said...

Hmmm... how about "If only you knew: secrets from a shy girl"

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

power packed indeed! sounds like the winner it already is!
my memoir? 'On Growing a Garden...'

Anonymous said...

Bitter Sweet

Books & Reviews said...

Yes, I'm short. So, What?

EBrowning said...

The Best Laid Plans

Anonymous said...

Low expectations lead to less disappointment.
RebeccaE

Dani In Chicago said...

"Dani's Starting to Happen." That's the name of my neglected blog.

Dani Patarazzi

LBDJ said...

I've thinking about this all afternoon! I've just lost my job and had a cancer scare (negative!) this year. So I'll go with "Don't always assume the worst" or "The silver lining of life's clouds".

Michelle Mierczewski said...

"Love the one you're with"

Dulcibella said...

"Drifting...not rowing...through life"

Lesley Davis, Esq said...

Love, loss, and the law

Tanya Quilts in CO said...

Quality Verses Quantity

Katrina Swiney said...

"A Piece of Happiness"

(With a piece of cake on the cover) :)

Autumn D said...

I could go with "Legends of the Fall" like some people have joked, considering my name (Autumnn....ha...ha....ha.), but I would like to think my life was more meaningful!!!

Ronda C. in B'ham said...

learning to be content

kristinrose said...

"Life is hard...How to survive on a little wine and a lot of sass."

Krystal said...

"Something Beautiful"
kndyer

Nearl said...

Life, just roll with it.

Hawkzter said...

"Running on all cylinders"


Tammi Hawk

Kristen said...

Did I Shave My Legs for This?

Wendi fr Louisiana said...

It would be the hardest part of the book- I can't decide because I'm taking this too seriously!

Wendi fr Louisiana

Nicole Marie said...

But She Was Such a Quiet Child...


NicoleMG from CT :)

Erika L. said...

Mistakes were made, but I made it through.

Lindsayk918 said...

Wishing and hoping

Lauren Louise said...

"Bottom of the totem pole: What life is like after you graduate from college and get your first 'real' job"

Kind of long, but it's a work in progress.

susieqlaw said...

My Life Is a Series of Seinfeld Episodes

Susan B

Casey said...

I, Sir, am a Lady

Terri said...

Never stop smiling...if you still can't win them over, at least you'll make them wonder!

Terri M. in Phoenix

Anonymous said...

My memoir would be called "Stop Worrying - Take One Day at a Time".

Thanks for the great book giveaways!

-Donna W.

Croppergirl said...

"Seriously?!"

Debbie said...

"Finally got it right"

debydew110

Chrisy Krueger said...

Brownies:Cure for Life
--Chrisy K.

Lindsay Elizabeth said...

Skinniness doesn’t mean happiness

girllovestoread said...

"true story....at least from my point of view

Bee said...

"Booze, Cake and High Drama"

-Bee H.

Anonymous said...

Conversations with Myself - Jill Fay

valerie said...

Mine would be "People keep telling me I'm smart."

The Poty's said...

This is a tuff one!
"These Are Some Good Times"

Kristin J said...

Maybe this time...

your invisible pixie said...

"The World Is Ending...But at Least I Have Cookies!"

AisforRandom said...

"I'm never having kids: When mother nature and the universe conspire against you."

A is for random

Melissa said...

Hmmm that's a hard one to answer! Maybe "Unexpected Happy Endings".
-tmd636

Anonymous said...

"The Rise and Fall (almost) of SuperMom" LeslieGC

MoonLight said...

"I Guess It Could Happen To Me"

jne said...

"As It Turns Out, The World DOES Revolve Around Me" The Story of an only child, who would have it no other way.

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

"This is My Life? Really?"

I really need to read this book!!

Susan

Joelle said...

Color blind: Life's struggles in an interracial marriage.

Dawn from CA said...

I actually have this book already and it is FANTASTIC! So please enter me in the overall contest but if I win this book, please pass it on to someone else. It is a MUST READ!!

Oh, and my title? Today it would have to be "Girl Scout cookies and wine..one mom's pursuit of peace within the chaos"

Jonessa said...

My husband thinks I should write one about moving from A big city in Florida, where I had lived most of my life, to the small country town we live in now in CT. There were so many changes that I had a new story to tell everyday. It would be called "Even the Toliet Sweats"

feliciadel said...

That girl could fake it like no one's business!

Anonymous said...

Keep turning the other cheek. patti cole

BuffyDee said...

Wow.. hard one.. "Learning the Hard Way... One Mistake at a Time"

Nicole Robinson said...

You Wouldn't Believe It If I Told You

Anonymous said...

"Not What I Planned, but that's OK: The Life and Times of Pollyanna Sunshine"

Backstory: I am the eternal optimist married to someone leaning to the pessamistic side. He calls me Pollyanna Sunshine because I'm always optimistic that we'll figures things out and be OK.

Dolly said...

"God Sent Him an Angel" - this is what my MIL said of me when I married my late husband; it would be his story as much as mine, I think.

tagerrity said...

"Lessons learned in bars: the joys, the pains, the dramas and all the cocktails in between."

Marla said...

Controlled Chaos is probably the best term for me/my life :o)

Margie said...

"Fun Along the Way"

Erica said...

She's kinda snarky... but she means well.

Christine in NJ said...

hmmmmm. Tough one. Lately I've been in the "If only... " mood but generally I'm a "Fix it and move forward" or a "life is too short - just be happy" person.

But since I couldn't write myself out of a paper bag - No need to stress over a title! LOL

I actually took this book out of library (a few months back) but sadly never read it... time to go get it again! Thanks!

Christine

Unknown said...

Steerin' me balls

Anonymous said...

"Hindsight is 20/20...."

SPepper22

Kristi said...

"Tied Together With a Smile"

I know, I know, it's the name of a Taylor Swift song. But the song really fits where I'm at in my life. I feel like I present myself as this put-together person who seems to have everything figured out but really on the inside I'm a mess!

Kristi Hooke

gun1not said...

"...with french fries please."

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

THANK YOU ALL FOR COMMENTING! NO COMMENTS AFTER THIS COMMENT WILL QUALIFY FOR THIS BOOK! THANK YOU! CHECK OUT THE NEXT BOOKS OFFERED FOR THE BOOK-A-DAY GIVEAWAY! THANKS, MANIC MOMMY