Thursday, June 13, 2013

THE LAST CAMELLIA by Sarah Jio

Congrats to Buttah who has won a copy of The Last Camellia! Email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address so we can get you your book!





The Last Camellia 
Sarah's Facebook Go like her page now please!
Sarah's Website

I've been a huge fan of Sarah Jio's since her first book came out, and she is such a talented author, weaving the past with the present, and tossing mystery and romance into her novels. She writes such descriptive novels, you feel as if you are living in the scene with her characters, feeling everything that's going on. I have been known to give her books as gifts to friends because they are so beautiful on the inside and out!

Sarah has shared with us some really fascinating info for THESE THREE THINGS, so I will let her take it over right now, then I'll be back with her latest, The Last Camellia, which is up for grabs in this blog feature!


From Sarah:

I think I'd be far less productive if I lived in California: Right now, I'm on a two-books-a-year schedule with my publisher Penguin (Plume), and the pace suits me. People always ask me how I do this, or if I feel incredible pressure to write all the time, and the answer is, honestly, no. I love the schedule I'm on, and it's working really well for me right now. Just when I'm winding down one story, I'm eagerly looking to begin the next. But, I think there are a few factors that make my pace work for me. For once, my husband is incredibly hands on with our three little boys (all 6 and under), and I happen to love coffee, and caffeine can buzz me through a late-night writing session. But ultimately, I think, it's my location that makes it all work. I live in Seattle where it rains 84.9 percent of the year (OK, I made that stat up, but it does rain A LOT), and that's OK with me. Rainy weather = good writing weather. If I lived in Southern California, I think I'd probably get nothing done. 

I have no feeling (or taste) in about 3/4 of my mouth: Crazy-but-true fact about me…I had a filling replaced last month, and the dentist nicked my lingual nerve (a real and random risk of any dental procedure, I've learned). I went home that afternoon with a numb mouth, and woke up the next morning … with a numb mouth. I can feel about 1/4 of my tongue, and can only taste my food on the far left side. The dental experts I've talked to say that it's likely my nerve damage is only temporary (though it can take up to a year to fully heal), but there's a chance that it could be a lifelong thing. For now, I wait, and dream of a day when I can fully taste chocolate ganache again. 

I was "recognized" for the first time recently at the bank: A woman stopped me and said, "Hey, are you Sarah Jio the novelist"? I was so caught off guard, I nearly was at a loss for words. Too bad my 2-year-old was in the middle of an epic meltdown and I was wearing a T-shirt and leggings that may or may not have had a small hole in them. The writing life is so not glamorous!

And now, about The Last Camellia: 

On the eve of the Second World War, the last surviving specimen of a camellia plant known as the Middlebury Pink lies secreted away on an English country estate. Flora, an amateur American botanist, is contracted by an international ring of flower thieves to infiltrate the household and acquire the coveted bloom. Her search is at once brightened by new love and threatened by her discovery of a series of ghastly crimes.

More than half a century later, garden designer Addison takes up residence at the manor, now owned by the family of her husband, Rex. The couple’s shared passion for mysteries is fueled by the enchanting camellia orchard and an old gardener’s notebook. Yet its pages hint at dark acts ingeniously concealed. If the danger that Flora once faced remains very much alive, will Addison share her fate? 

Would you like to win a copy of The Last Camellia? If you can go over to Sarah's Facebook and like her page, we would be very grateful! Also, since the book is about the camellia plant and gardening, leave a comment here and tell me if you've ever attempted to grow a garden and if you succeeded or failed? If you haven't, tell me your fave flower/plant. I can't keep a basil plant alive, but I love the smell of gardenias! As usual, I'll have random.org choose one winner from the comments below, and we'd love it if you could go LIKE Sarah's Facebook page too! This is where she shares all the info on her books including her next one that will be out before you know it, MORNING GLORY! (Sarah writes TWO BOOKS A YEAR!) Thanks!

Check HERE to see if you won THE GLASS WIVES! 

If you are new, thank you for stopping by:
If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please leave a comment on this post and use an identifying name when commenting. It's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in a few days to see if you've won the book -- I will either list the winner in a new post OR highlight the winner's name at the top of this post, or tell you where you can find the winner's name at the top of this post. I do NOT personally contact the winners. It is YOUR responsibility to come back to see if you've won. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher or author within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot[at]gmail.com. Thank you for your support!
 




39 comments:

jdstec said...

I actually have a camellia in my garden, but my favorite is a garden with more than 30 different day lilies.

Carol5814 said...

I love to garden and have had some limited success in our current house. But when I was "just married " in our first house, I decided to plant a vegetable garden. After much tending, the only harvest was 1 inch carrots. Everything else was either eaten by critters or died.

TaraUB said...

I have a black thumb - I've killed ivy. My husband tends to take care of the outside plants including the tomato and pickle plants. I can pickles. We recently planted our first tree and I'm attempting to keep it alive. It's a Japanese Maple. I love them.

Bridget T. said...

Not too good with the gardening. Usually can grow strawberries, that's about it.

Love Sarah's books!

Iambtinrb

CherylB said...

I'm not a big gardener, but my FAVORITE are lilacs. I have four successful lilac bushes and love to keep fresh ones in the kitchen!

cabest@yahoo.com

Nanette said...

I actually have a Gardenia plant in my office but it's not doing very well. I love Peonies (sp?) and have a bush in my yard. I don't bring them in the house...the blooms get full of ants!! :(

Anyway, I will have to check out this author! Thanks for the giveaway Manic!!

Happy Summer Reading....

Nan XO

Anonymous said...

I have a black thumb. Every year people tell me that if I trim back my rose bushes, I'll get more flowers. Didn't make sense to me but I did it. This year, I never made time for that and now I have the largest most beautiful roses in my garden. I'll never trim them back again.

-Donna W.

Mary Jo Burke said...

Too many allergies for gardening, but I love flowers.

ncsuloges said...

I tried to plant a garden as a kid and as you can imagine, it was a mess. My fav flower is a calla lilly.

Juliet Farmer said...

i love sunflowers, but i have a black thumb

Emma S. said...

I'm terrible at keeping plants alive. I even kill bamboo plants!

Kimmi said...

I have several flower beds, but my soil's lousy and I'm better off using planters. My fave are pansies and petunias. My father, on the other hand, does a veggie garden every year that could feed the entire neighborhood.

P.S. Your son is absolutely fine and years from now, he'll realize how hard this was for you and he'll be grateful that you allowed him to test his independence.

Melissa said...

I liked her page on FB. And I do not have a green thumb, so I've given up on plants all together.

-tmd636

Reese78 said...

I am horrible at gardening and growing things. I do love daisies though especially gerbera daisies...those are my favorite!

Jessica said...

I've never attempted to garden before but basil is definitely my favorite plant. I loveee to have pizza with basil and ground sausage. Mmmm.

Thanks!
-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

Kim W. said...

Huuuuuuuge fan of Sarah Jio. Huge. Ginormous. Liked her page ages ago.

As for gardening? Not since I was a little kid and my parents let me have a small area in their garden to let me experiment with. Every year I mainly planted peas and carrots and tomatoes. Results were great---because my parents realllllly did most of the work.

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

I love Sarah's books too. You are right, she writes such beautiful words.

I cannot grow anything to save my life. We joke that I have not a green thumb but a black thumb. I even killed an air plant one time. It just felt apart.

Someone gave me a violet one time, said they were easy to grow. Yep! Killed it!

I love cut daisies. At least they are already dying when I get them, hehehe.


karenk said...

unfortunately, me and plants do not get a long well...at all.

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

TinaB said...

I have gardenias, hydrangas and peonies in my backyard..all my faves!!
Brannanflooring@aol.com

Tiffany Drew said...

I attempted one two or three years ago, but it was not meant to be. The only thing that grows out of there is weeds :)

jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

Margie said...

We have many pots and windowboxes of flowers--impatiens, dianthes, petunias. I love all flowers!
Margie T

Carly said...

I have big gardening dreams. I've owned house plants and vegetables and herbs. I've lost them all. I'll keep trying.

Carly H

EKB said...

ugh. I am the worst. I kill everything green. whats wrong with me? I am currently killing some marigolds my daughters daisy troop grew for a project... my mom is the most AMAZING gardener. I am now wondering if I am adopted.

Unknown said...

I would say I have a very light green thumb. By that I mean I grow some things, but kill a lot of things too. I have never had a big, full garden; my biggest "garden" had tomatoes, green peppers, Basil, dill, parsley and oregano. My grandfather had two HUGE gardens; full of fruit and vegetables, and a raspberry patch that took up half of our back yard. He had THE BEST tomatoes and summer squash.
I'd love to win this book!
jessbair15@gmail.com

faithspage said...

I'm already a fan on fb
I have a black thumb, it was a lovely shade of green and had luck with any flower or plant I came across. But somewhere
between 21 and 23 it turned black and remains black, my poor thumb.
I bought my mother a lovely plant for Mother's Day, I only touched it from the store to the car. It died.
I do love Sarah's books, Blackberry Winter is a alltime favorite of mine.
kyfaithw at aol dot com

buttah said...

I kill anything and everything I've ever tried to grow...I do love lots of flowers, don't have a specific favorite.

your invisible pixie said...

i helped my mom with her garden when i was younger, but i never made my own garden.

equinn726 said...

I have never attempted to grow my own garden, though when I was little, my dad had huge gardens. Also, when I was in college, I worked in a green house every summer and loved it.

Ally said...

I love gardening and try to do it most years.

Jeffie T said...

I've tried, but then it gets hot and I forget to water.

Anonymous said...

I learned a long time ago I don't have a green thumb, I've killed every plant I've ever had :( I love plants and flowers, but I don't touch them !
Nina P
ashersmamaw@yahoo.com

CAnative said...

Some years the garden comes out great and other years not so great. Not sure why.

Nicole

Bev V said...

I used to have a garden, vegetables, mostly. That was before the kids were born. Then the kids came, and started getting busy, and time for gardening wasn't allotted. Eventually, I'd like to start one again, but the darn woodchucks eat everything!

Luvschocolate said...

I do have an herb garden but I can't grow anything else. live my rosemary bush, use it for every meal

A.C. said...

I've only read one other Sarah Jio book, but I loved it! And even got my English student in Japan to read it as well :) I'm not the best gardener. The only thing I ever kept alive was this bean plant my mother gave me that had "I love you" stamped on the bean somehow. It was really cute and I somehow managed to keep it alive for about 3 years!

Megan said...

I want a garden so badly but I live in Chicago and my landlord has taken over the backyard with his own awesome veggie garden. So, I resort to oodles of potted plants around the house. ,
My favorite flower is forget me nots.
EloisePeaches

Erin G said...

I would love to have a garden but I have a black thumb :(

Me said...

I have two plants that are both alive, and that is good enough for me!

ALSO! I would like to say that practically EVERYTHING I ATE the other day was courtesy of Sarah Jio and her great Glamour recipes (white bean arugula dip and "let's make a baby" penne!) She is a woman of many talents!!! :)

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