LATEST BOOK WINNERS!

Hello there! Sorry for the recent delay! But I have the winners for the last three books for you here, and hopefully YOU have won! If you didn't win, you'll definitely want to check these books out at your library or pick them up at your favorite indie bookstore, or grab them on amazon. They're amazing!

Congrats to those of you who won Finding Bliss, Mandatory Release and Forever Interrupted! Winners, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com and send me your full name and address so we can get your book to you. If you want an e-book copy, just let me know!

I'll be back later this week with another book! 


WINNERS:

Mandatory Release goes to:
BrendaL71

Finding Bliss goes to:
Bernadette7

Forever Interrupted goes to:
lovelyday

MANDATORY RELEASE by Jess Riley

Mandatory Release

Jess Riley

I'm thrilled to have Jess Riley on the blog today with her amazing novel Mandatory Release. The novel takes place in prison, and the main character is a very interesting guy who spends his days strapped in a wheelchair. When his high school crush walks through the doors of the prison — NO, not as a new inmate! — as a teacher — he feels as life might not exactly be over.

Here is the book's synopsis:

"With appeal for fans of Jonathan Tropper, Tom Perrotta, and Laurie Notaro, this snarky mashup of Girls and Oz is so painfully honest you might think you're reading a memoir--except the author isn't a smartass guy in a wheelchair who works in a prison."  

Recently paralyzed in a car accident, thirty-year-old Graham Finch spends his days trying to rehabilitate a caseload of unruly inmates and his nights on one bad date after another, attempting to rehabilitate his heart-- 

--until his high school crush Drew Daniels walks through the prison gates one hot summer morning. On the run from a painful past that's nearly crushed her faith in love, Drew is a new teacher at Lakeside Correctional. Graham, smitten all over again, tries to redirect his unrequited feelings. But when your heart keeps looking back, it's not easy to turn it forward. 

Amidst escalating violence at work, Drew is forced to confront her secrets, find a way to forgive old sins, and learn how to listen to her heart and her head when it comes to men. Graham must also learn to make peace with his own past. Together they realize that if you're going to save yourself, sometimes the best way to do it is by saving someone else first. If only finding their way to one another was easier than working with convicted felons.

Loaded with twisted humor and pathos, Mandatory Release is a darkly comic look at friendship, forgiveness, and love. A story about broken people putting themselves back together. People who learn that no matter what you lock up--a person, a secret, or your heart--sooner or later, everything must be released. 

And Jess's THESE THREE THINGS:

1) Mandatory Release mainly focuses on relationships between the characters, but we do shine a light on where they work, since it helps shape the plot. Many of my inmate characters and anecdotes are based on "real" inmates I knew when I worked as a teaching assistant at a medium-security prison in college. I was mentored by an amazing teacher, and after I left, she sent me a Thank You card signed by many of the inmates I worked with. (Attached.) My husband removed last names from the scan to protect the not-so-innocent. :)  

2) It's true, my parents did meet in prison! My mother was a secretary at the time, my father a Unit Sergeant. This made dinner-time conversation VERY interesting in my youth. I still remember my Dad bringing home props he used when he gave staff trainings. One was a giant display suitcase, like the kind a traveling salesman might use, full of confiscated shanks and shivs! 

3) I've been working on this novel for fourteen years, though it's been through so many edits it only bears a ghost of a resemblance to the first draft. The original title was THE COOL SIDE OF THE PILLOW, and Graham wasn't even a character in it. Now he's the central protagonist in MANDATORY RELEASE, and one of my favorite characters to write, ever.

I love Jess and her books for many reasons -- she doesn't sugar-coat it. You don't read about cutesy-pie stuff and glitter and high heels. Don't get me wrong -- that's great when you're in the mood for glitter and lipstick and high heels. And it's not like her books are down-and-dirty, but yes, they are gritty and real. That's the way I like to describe them. The women are women. The men are men. Jess can write a male character to sound like a man. I love that about her. This book has depth and heart. You will laugh out loud, and you might even cry. You'll get to know Graham and his wheelchair. You'll delight in Drew and feel for her and what's she's been through. You'll even come to like the prisoners. In the end, you'll feel like you've spent some time in prison with some really nice people but didn't have to eat the slop that's served there.

So, if you'd like to win a copy of Mandatory Release, let's see… if you ever had to go to prison, what item would you most want to take with you? I'd have to say I would take my laptop! Tell me what you would take, and you could win a copy of Mandatory Release!

Check the previous post to see what else is coming your way this summer - I'm going to try to be a lot better about posting on the blog and getting fabulous books to you!  

New here?

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!

ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE by Jess Riley

 

All the Lonely People
By Jess Riley

Jess Riley is a real life friend of mine and she's got a new book out just in time for the holidays, and let me tell you, if you're looking for a last-minute holiday gift, THIS IS a great book to buy. Here is my personal amazon 5-star review of ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE: 

If you have a family and have EVER celebrated a holiday, ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE is a must-read! (So that means EVERYONE, right!) Who here does not have a semi-dysfunctional or completely dysfunctional family? I loved this book for so many reasons, especially because I could identify with the characters. Having a less-than-perfect family - not wanting to spend time with them, yet loving them just the same. My heart broke for Jaime's struggle with infertility, as well as her need to find the perfect family.

What you will find when you read ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE is that you're only as lonely as you choose to be. If you surround yourself with caring people, it doesn't matter if you're related by blood or by common interests, (even if that happens to be common loneliness!) as long as you enjoy who you're with (and don't answer ads from psychos!).

Jess Riley won me over with her Target breakout debut Driving Sideways. She's done it again with this charming, "heart-hilarious-warming" book that will have you laughing and possibly even tearing up a bit. Maybe, just maybe, you'll want to call up your family to apologize for some of the rotten things you've said or done over the years. 

Here's the back-of-the-book blurb:

"WANTED: a whole new family to share holidays with. Please have a good heart and be a thoughtful, polite person. No sociopaths, no pedophiles, no fans of the Kardashians. We're not weirdos, I promise. I love old Steve Martin movies, new Steve Martin banjo tunes, Indian food, and reruns of Bob Ross painting happy little trees. So if you're looking for something other than the typical family dysfunction this Christmas, drop us a line." After losing her beloved mother to cancer, 37-year-old Jaime Collins must confront the ugly fact that she and her siblings don't actually like one another. At all. Fueled by grief and an epic argument at Thanksgiving dinner, Jaime decides to 'divorce' her siblings and posts an ad on Craigslist for a new family for Christmas. What happens next is a heartwarming, funny, and surprising journey to forgiveness and healing. Is blood really thicker than water? And how far do we have to go to find our way back home again? Dedicated to anyone who has ever wanted to unfriend a relative on Facebook, ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE is about family: those you make ... and those you make peace with. 

If you'd like to win a copy of ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE (your choice — paperback or e-reader version), leave a comment on a funny holiday story. I remember the time my sister almost knocked my mom in the head with the turkey leg at Thanksgiving — yes, we too, are a dysfunctional family!

To double your chances at winning ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE, check out Chick Lit Central's post about Jess' book here: http://www.chicklitcentral.com/2012/12/jess-riley-knows-how-to-light-up-room.html

NEW TO BOOKING WITH MANIC?  

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 use an identifying name and 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 about a week or so to see if you've won the book -- I will 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. 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@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

The Next Big Thing

Hi everyone, before I announce the winner of Notes to My Future Husband, I was invited to participate in The Next Big Thing online event. It's a way for authors and bloggers to share news about what's coming up next for them, and for readers to find new, wonderful authors and bloggers! 

Susan Pohlman invited me into this mix, and she's a real-life friend of mine in Arizona, and has been a bit of a mentor to me as well. I just wish I got to spend more real-time hours with her. She wrote the amazing memoir, Halfway to Each Other: How a Year in Italy Brought our Family Home, and I shared more about her book on here a while back. Her blog, which continues to inspire can be found here: Susan Pohlman's Blog.

 

So, please check her out and find out about what she's got going on with her Next Big Thing as well. You can tell her I sent you!

 What is the working title of your book?

What She Left Us

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I got the initial idea when I read Gwendolen Gross' second book, The Orphan Sister because I kept imagining the dynamics of the three sisters in that novel. I have one sister, and she's my Irish twin (we're 11 months apart in age), and I guess something just kept bringing me back to wanting to write a novel about two sisters. I also loved Sarah Pekkanen's first novel, The Opposite of Me, which is about twin sisters who are completely different. Keep in mind that in both of these novels, the main characters are about twins. In my novel, What She Left Us, Jenna and Courtney are not twins - they are actually five years apart in age.

What genre does your book fall under?

I had a different answer here (which is below) but now that I've heard of the term "New Adult" I might classify it as that. Wiki defines it as: New-adult Fiction or post-adolescent literature is a recent category of fiction for young adults first proposed by St. Martin's Press in 2009. St. Martin’s Press editors wanted to address the coming-of-age that also happens in a young person’s twenties. They wanted to consider stories about young adults who were legally adults, but who were still finding their way in building a life and figuring out what it means to be an adult. 

My characters are between the ages of 19 and 26. I originally wrote that the book is definitely women's fiction with a side of chick-lit, but not in the gotta-go-shopping, gotta-get a boyfriend-or-I'll-die kind of way. More like, it's geared to a younger crowd. The age of the characters are mid-twenties so it might appeal to women who enjoy chick lit.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Two sisters who are at risk of having the disease that killed their mom navigate their way through new and old relationships only then to discover a life-changing secret.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I recently decided my agent was causing me more stress than good and I parted with her on good terms. I've decided to take this book to Kindle Direct Publishing, and then to launch a second one (unrelated) six months later. The third, depending on how the first two go, will come out a year later.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first draft was very quick for me to write -- it took around seven to nine months for the first draft.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

As mentioned earlier, it's a sister relationship book, and I was inspired by Gwendolen Gross' The Orphan Sister, and also Sarah Pekkanen's The Opposite of Me. I hope readers of those books would enjoy What She Left Us. Also, Jennifer Weiner's In Her Shoes comes to mind as it could be somewhat similar, but a reader does not have to have a sister to understand the themes in this book, which include the mother-daughter relationship as well as some other surprises.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Part of the book deals with a relatively unknown blood disease. I have been a big proponent of blood donation. You will see that in this book. So along with the inspiration from when I read the above books and knowing I wanted to write a book with sister characters, I wanted to also share a little bit about the importance of donating blood. There's not a lot in the story, but it's important for people to donate blood.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

When I first wrote it, I was really skeptical about the ending. I had a few people read it, and I got their reactions. Judging from their thoughts, I let it sit for a long time. I decided something different had to happen in the end, so the ending you will read is NOT the original ending. I didn't want to cheat the reader, and I wanted to be true to the characters. I think when I wrote the first ending, I cheated the reader AND the characters. So it sat for a long time. After giving it much thought and a reread, I now feel that I have done it justice, and really, the characters, who are like real people to me, are happy with how their lives have turned out. I really had to think long and hard about it. But I didn't want to just tie it up neatly in a bow.

And now I'd like to share a couple more friends with you so you can learn about what their Next Big Things are…

Check out Jess Riley, who is one of my very BauthorFFs in life and online! She wrote Driving Sideways and has a new one out just in time for the holidays that you will love. I'll also be sharing more about ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE  here in a couple of weeks. Find out more about Jess and her books by popping over there too!

And Sara Dobie  -- she's an AZ pal of mine who's a very talented writer who has some great things going on. She's just finished a novel called Life without Harry. You'll love her style of writing and will definitely want to know more about Sara -- she is one to watch!

And now, for the winner of Notes to My Future Husband, and I have to say, the comments on this one were some of the absolute FUNNIEST ones I've ever read. And I was reading them as my own husband was trying to fix the cabinets (NOT TRYING TO BE FUNNY for those of you who know the 'fix the shelves' sex joke in our life!)… he was literally trying to fix kitchen cabinets that are FALLING off the wall and I just kept my EFFING mouth shut the whole time, and you know what, finally, ON HIS OWN, he admitted defeat! I secretly smiled to myself. But why? I have no idea because we're not going to pay to get them fixed ever. I'm going to have to live with EFFING BROKEN KITCHEN SHELVES FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!

Thank you for the laughs about your wonderful fault-full hubbies, boyfriends, exes, etc… I loved them all! And now the winner of Notes to my Future Husband is… randomly chosen…

Margaret Literary Chanteuse

Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com your full name and address and I'll mail out your book!

Thanks everyone and more books coming to you next week!

Thanks and happy weekend!

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.

* * * *

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!