GRAND PRIZE WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

**Please read my comment in the comment section where I try to explain how EVERYONE who commented every day was entered to win, not just previous winners! Thanks!

Happy Birthday to ME! Let's give away some books to celebrate!

Thank you all so very much for participating in the MaNiC MoMMy March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Many thanks to the fabulous authors who contributed their books as well:

Catherine McKenzie * Jenny Nelson * Lissa Rankin * Jess Riley * Michele Scott * Kim Wright * Julie Buxbaum * Jenny Gardiner * Eileen Cook * Trish Ryan * Shawn Klomparens * Shana Mahaffey * Alisa Bowman * Kristina Riggles * Susan Pohlman * Dawn Meehan * Emily Giffin * Maureen Lipinski * Laura Kasischke * Michelle Toth * Annette Fix * Allison Winn Scotch * Juliette Fay * Sarah Pekkanen * Jen Lancaster * Stacy Morrison * Rainbow Rowell * Laura Dave * Laura Munson * Stacey Ballis * Matt Logelin * Bethenny Frankel * Allison Pearson * Julie Metz

And now, here are the two winners who will take home a boatload of awesome books!



Congrats girls! Please drop me an email and we'll figure out just how you two will split the books. You can start by emailing me your list of top ten and we'll go from there!

Thank you all for taking the time to come by, and please continue to do so, even though I know you have a lot of reading to do now! And hopefully some day I'll have a book of my own for you to read too - I'm planning on sending the one I'm working on to my agent next month!

Okay, and PS, what the heck was I doing at the end of that video when I said, "Peace out" ... I just sound lame! And I was THISCLOSE to redoing the WHOLE video over! UGH!

I THINK I LOVE YOU by Allison Pearson

Winner Announced:

Congratulations!

Donna W

... who happens to have a crush on Jeff Probst from Survivor (and no, you're not the only one - one or two other ladies mentioned him!). But the ones who cracked me up the most were from the one girl who would crawl through crushed glass for George Clooney, and another girl who crushes on Conan -- REALLY? hahaah! Loved everyone's answers for this one!
Donna, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address so I can send you your book! Congrats again!

Book: I Think I Love You

Author: Allison Pearson

Show me a girl out there who never had a crush on a musician when she were younger and I’ll show you a big fat liar!

Did I get your attention?

Whether you had a thing for Kurt Cobain, INXS’s Michael Hutchence (why am I picking dead guys?), Justin Timberlake, Simon Lebon, Billy Idol, George Michael, Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, or Donny Osmond, I bet there’s a musician that brings back childhood memories of you screaming in your bedroom while listening to either your:

A) Eight-track
B) Record album
C) Cassette tape on your boom box or in your Sony Yellow Walkman
D) CD
E) MP3 Player
F) iTunes on your laptop

(if you’re young enough to answer E) or F), tell your mom to enter this contest, not you, and go immediately to Wikipedia to find out who THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY and DAVID CASSIDY are. Also, look up Danny Bonaduce, while you’re there. And yes, one Spring Break, my college roommates and I harassed Danny on the beach, but that was WAAAAY before youtube or digital cameras so we have no proof, just the story.)

There was a time when you probably sat on your canopied pink and white bed tearing out pages from your Teen Beat magazine (back to Wiki if you don’t know what Teen Beat is) while listening to your music, and pasting the 8 x 11 posters all over your bedroom while your parental units yelled at you not to get Scotch tape marks all over the walls.

If any of this rings true in your life, you’re going to LOOOOVE today’s book, I THINK I LOVE YOU, by best-selling author, Allison Pearson.

It follows the story of two 13-year-old girls, Petra and Sharon, who are madly obsessed with David Cassidy - singer, teen heartthrob, and star of The Partridge Family. The girls enter a contest with plans to win and meet their crush in person.

Years later, nearing 40, Petra, now with her own teenage daughter, discovers a letter in her mother’s closet – a letter that awarded she and Sharon the winners of that contest long ago.

And guess what? They are not going to let that prize get away, not even 25 years later!

This is a terrific book for anyone who’s ever had a celeb crush, or a best gal-pal you’ve dreamt with about your future. I THINK I LOVE YOU covers all the topics to make a fabulous book – friendship, love, celebrity, that glimmer of youth we all wish we still had. You won’t want to miss out on it!

Here’s an adorable video showcasing Allison Pearson and the editors sharing who their teen crushes were.

To win I THINK I LOVE YOU, leave a comment here on your CURRENT celebrity crush! I’m telling you a few of mine I wouldn’t kick outta bed:

Vince Vaughn, Josh Duhamel, Dane Cook, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, and okay … Zac Efron! (I know, I know! But he's sooo cute in all the High School Musical movies!)

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win I THINK I LOVE YOU! 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!

A PLACE OF YES by Bethenny Frankel

Winner Announced!
Congratulations to:

Dawn from CA!

You have won A Place of Yes!

Please email me your full name and address and I'll get your book to you! Congrats! And I think I can write a whole post on all of the comments here on these responses to the question on what is an easy change to make us all happy. I know after I wrote this, I went and walked two days in a row (whoopy!) and I felt sooo much better about myself. There are so many easy fixes in our lives, and what is stopping us!? I'd love to have a discussion on here about why we always put ourselves last!

Book: A Place of Yes 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life

Author: Bethenny Frankel

Website: http://www.bethenny.com/


I have only watched a handful of the Real Housewives shows and don’t know much about Bethenny Frankel, but I know many of you are going to love this book! Especially if you want to know the rules for getting everything you want out of life.

Here’s a video of Bethenny on Good Morning America

And here are Bethenny’s Top Rules:

Break the Chain
Find Your Truth
Act on It
Everything’s Your Business
All Roads Lead to Rome
Go for Yours
Separate from the Pack
Own It
Come Together
Celebrate

Bethenny has certainly come to A Place of Yes and owns her own happiness! To qualify for this book, leave a comment on what you’re not currently doing in your life that you know is an easy change that would make you happier? I’m giving you TWO things for me: I need to go back to yoga, and finish writing my novel! Your turn please! : )

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win A Place of Yes! 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!

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!

LONDON, DIVORCE, HUSBAND by Laura Dave

Winner Announced!

Christina L...

who said dessert and wine was sexy is getting ALL THREE of Laura Dave's books and The First Husband isn't even OUT YET! Congratulations! And I loved EVERYONE's answers, and a ton of you said chocolate-covered strawberries were sexy! Guess what I made over spring break? Yup! Chocolate covered strawberries! Hardly sexy though cuz a bunch of kids ate them - actually, they ate the chocolate around the strawberries and left the soggy fruit. Stupid kids! Christina, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address so you can receive all three of your books! But not to worry everyone, these three books are included in the grand prize giveaway coming up soon!

Books:
London is the Best City in America
The Divorce Party
The First Husband


Author: Laura Dave

Website: http://www.lauradave.com/page.php?category=05

Winner Announced Here

It’s a THREESOME!

Laura Dave is one of my absolute favorite authors and to think I almost missed out on her. Seriously. I almost didn’t read her first book because of the title, London is the Best City in America. I mean, it didn’t make sense to me. And truthfully, I was at some reading stage in my life where I thought it was a book about London and I didn’t really feel like reading a book about London.

Oh, silly silly me.

Thank GOD for my bestest bestest friend Swishy for telling me I HAD TO READ IT. Because I did and OH MY GOSH! Awesomeness. Laura Dave’s writing is AMAZING. You fall in love with her writing style and then also with her characters. And yes, I mean absolute love, with her male characters immediately, and she kind of makes you fall in love with a couple of them at one time so you don’t know who to love more, which makes reading the books all that more exciting. Like, hmmm, should she be with him, or that other hottie? And it just makes for fascinating books!

And yes, I said BOOKS because Laura is so generous and kind she is giving away ALL THREE of her books, and here’s the other thing, her third is NOT EVEN OUT YET!

Is this not the best ever!?

So, Laura’s first book is London is the Best City in America which I read a long time ago, but still, to this day, consider it a fave of mine!

Her second is The Divorce Party, in which I think about every single time I encounter red velvet cake, whether it be cake, cupcakes, frosting, ice cream, frozen yogurt (there is such a thing!), anything with that flavor, I think, “Laura Dave, The Divorce Party, Awesome book!”, and most of the time, I will then FB her and say, “I had red velvet cake this weekend and thought of you and The Divorce Party.” I wonder if she gets sick of hearing that from people or if I’m the only psycho who does that? Now you definitely HAVE to read the book to know where I’m coming from.

Her third book is The First Husband, and is the most recent one I read, and I LOVE IT! The food that comes to mind from that book is eggs and lobster, which I would probably never eat together, but Laura makes it sound divine in the book. Sooo good, and so sexy! But let me say, maybe I’m hungry right now? Since The First Husband is the newest, NOT EVEN OUT UNTIL MAY book, let me give you my review:

Laura Dave has done it again with her third novel, The First Husband. Readers will fall in love with travel writer, Annie Adams, who is unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend Nick of five years and now doesn’t quite know where to call home.

Her rebound guy quickly becomes the real deal, and Annie’s First Husband. Griffin is caring, selfless, compassionate, and only wants practically everything good for Annie. She follows him to rural Massachusetts to open his restaurant where she is thrown into a world she is completely unfamiliar with. Griffin’s brother Jesse, his ex-girlfriend Gia, and his overbearing mother all play intricate parts in making Annie wonder if her very real love for Griffin is enough to make her marriage work.

When Nick comes back into Annie’s life, realizing he has always loved Annie, and a new job offer surfaces, she’s even more confused. How can Annie figure out where home is for her, and what will she do to find the comfort she so desperately needs?

Laura’s writing is so genuine and rich; her characters are real and sweet. The men – I’ve always loved the men in her stories! And what I love about The First Husband is that I found myself wondering all through the book, “Who is Annie going to end up with?” And I think whoever she chose, I would have been happy with her decision, because first and foremost, I knew that whatever Annie was going to do, she was going to take care of her own happiness before choosing to be with the absolute perfect man for her.

With all this food talk, tell me a food that you think is sexy and I'll enter you in the book giveaway? I dig crab legs and warm butter! YUM! Ooh, and put me on a beach while eating them. Even better! With a bottle of chardonnay ….


*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Laura's books! 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!

STAY by Allie Larkin

Winner Announced:

Meredith aka Mommy Mer

(which always makes me think of a mermaid, I don't know why!?)

Congrats! You have won STAY! Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address to receive your book! And it was so much fun hearing about all of your pets and their names! I loved it! Thanks for sharing everyone!

Book: Stay

Author: Allie Larkin

Website: www.allielarkinwrites.com/

Winner Announced Here

Alright all you dog lovers out there, and I know there’s plenty of you, here’s one you’ve been waiting for. Allie Larkin’s novel, Stay, is the perfect read for pet fans and book lovers alike. People magazine called it a “feel good debut!” Grab your four-legged friend and curl up with this one, it’s a winner!

Savannah “Van” Leone has loved Peter since the day they met. The problem is, Peter has loved Van’s best friend, Janie, since the moment they met. And now they’re walking down the aisle, with Van standing nearby in a Halloween orange bridesmaid dress, her smile as hollow as a jack-o-lantern. After the wedding, Van drowns her sorrows in Kool Aid-vodka cocktails and reruns of Rin-Tin-Tin, and does what any woman in her situation would do: She buys a German Shepherd over the internet.

The pocket-sized puppy Van is expecting turns out to be a clumsy, hundred-pound beast that only responds to Slovakian. Van is at the end of her rope—until she realizes that this quirky giant may be the only living being who will always be loyal to her, no matter what. And thus begins a friendship that will alter Van’s life in ways she never imagined.

Joe leads Van to Dr. Alex Brandt, a rugged vet with floppy blond hair and winning smile. But just as things are starting to heat up, the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, forcing Van to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to have everything she ever wanted. Warm and witty, poignant and funny, Stay marks the arrival of an irresistible new voice.

Read chapter One of Stay.

Check out the BOOK TRAILER HERE!

Allie lives in Rochester, New York, with her husband, Jeremy, their two German Shepherds, Argo and Stella, and a three-legged cat. She is the cofounder of thegreenists.com, a site dedicated to helping readers take simple steps toward going green. Allie's essay about Stella will be in Wade Rouse's dog anthology, I'M NOT THE BIGGEST BITCH IN THIS RELATIONSHIP, due out September 6. (You can bet I'll be sharing a copy or two on MaNiC!)

To win Stay, tell me your current pet or pet’s names or a previous pet’s name. We grew up with Bullet the German shepherd, Gypsy the calico cat, Blackberry (the cat who ran away but reappeared miraculously two different Christmas days at our back stoop but ran away again), Brandy the cocker spaniel, another Bullet, some gerbils and hamsters. Then as a married adult we had some cats before children: Puck, who sadly died, then Buko, and Cyclops, who, believe it was a black one-eyed precious female kitty we adored. Now, your turn!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Stay! 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!

FALLING APART IN ONE PIECE by Stacy Morrison

Winner Announced:

Jen, who was one of the last ones to post, is the winner of Falling Apart in One Piece.

Jen said she needed "Book, prayers, sleep and hope." Jen, I'm giving you (along with the help and generosity of Stacy Morrison!) the book, and also sending prayers, and thoughts for sleep and hope! I want to thank everyone very much for your kindness especially about how we handled the giveaway for this book. (And all who commented are entered on this day so not to worry!) It's a fabulous book and I do hope you'll all take the time to read it because Stacy taught me more than I could have ever imagined about the human spirit through her story. Jen, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Send me your full name and address and we'll get the book out to you.

Book: Falling Apart in One Piece

Author: Stacy Morrison

Website: http://www.fallingapartinonepiece.com/

Winner Announced Here

I can’t even begin to tell you how much Stacy’s book impacted me. Even now, long after I’ve read it, I think of it so often. Hers is a book that will stay with you for a long time. Her spirit and ability to see the good in all is truly amazing. I will tell you it begins as a story of divorce but it’s so not the main focus. Anyone can read it, so don’t let the fact that it’s based on her divorce stop you from checking it out. You will close this book and sit there and think. It’s that kind of book.

Stacy is as generous and kind off the book page too. The former editor-in-chief of Redbook, she has reached out to her readers on Facebook and the internet, and she also now has a website that helps women going through what she has been through at http://www.fallingapartinonepiece.com/.

Through her site, she wants to create a safe, compassionate, and hopefully occasionally funny environment, to help people find their inner reslience. Check out her BLOG here. Falling Apart was also just named one of the top six books on Divorce on Huffington Post, so if you are going through this struggle, it is definitely a book that will bring healing to you during this time in your life. If you've been through divorce, it is also a must read.

Here’s what I wrote about Falling Apart in One Piece after I read it.

Even if you are in a happy marriage, this is a must read for all women. Stacy Morrison tells the story of her personal journey through her unexpected divorce; how one day her husband of 10 years walks in and decides for the both of them that it's over. He decides he's done with the house, the marriage, and their baby. Stacy is left to pick up the pieces and figure it all out on her own, and she does this with a kind of grace I don't know many women would have. I certainly wouldn't. She has a sense of calm in her writing and never places blame on her ex, which again, I don't know if I could be that kind of woman.

Through her ordeal, a broken home (literally and figuratively), floods, fire, tears and self-doubt obstruct Stacy from finding peace; and she is also in charge of doing most of the difficult and thankless parenting duties on her own. Stacy manages to keep it together, and she and her ex maintain a beautiful parenting relationship for the good of their son. She learns more about herself, and in the end, prevails, making Falling Apart in One Piece a beautiful love story to whom it matters most, her son, Zack.

IMPORTANT!
I've thought about this particular book and realize that while it's a beautiful book and I want to share it with everybody, some of you may need to read Stacy's words more than others. It can be a life-changing book for some of you. So here's what I would like to do:

If you are in a happy stable relationship and think someone else might better benefit from winning Falling Apart in One Piece, you can write PASS in your comment and I'll still enter your name today for the final drawing at the end of the month.

If you are struggling in your marriage or have divorced and feel you need Stacy's words now more than ever, simply write NEED, and you'll be entered to win the book today.

Either way, all of you who comment will be entered for the grand prize of all the books at the end of the month. Thank you for understanding! And if you'd like to add more in the comment, feel free to share something GOOD that has recently happened to you. For me, this Book-A-Day Giveaway has been amazing. I love reading about each and every one of you and discovering something new about you guys! It's becoming a fun little community and I really don't want it to end!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Falling Apart in One Piece! 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!

THE OPPOSITE OF ME & SKIPPING A BEAT by Sarah Pekkanen

Winner Announced!
Congrats to

Lauren Royall...

Lauren says her favorite dessert is German Chocolate Cake and the "opposite of me" is her husband! You have won both of Sarah Pekkanen's books! Please email me your full name and mailing address and you'll receive your books! Congrats! stephanieelliot@gmail.com

Books: The Opposite of Me and Skipping A Beat

Author: Sarah Pekkanen

Website: http://www.sarahpekkanen.com/

Winner Announced Here

Sarah Pekkanen may be one of the relatively newer voices on the scene but she’s also one of the hottest. Her first book, The Opposite of Me, was so well-received, it caught the attention of author Jennifer Weiner. Word of mouth and a little contest to help spread the author love, and The Opposite of Me was noted in People, Redbook, USAToday. Sarah was all over the place, and after reading The Opposite of Me, it was no wonder. I fell in love with Sarah’s writing. Truly stories I wanted to tear through, but didn’t want to see end.

Since I read The Opposite of Me so long ago and didn’t write a review then, I'm just going to give you the back-of-the-book blurb:

Twenty-nine year old Lindsey Rose has, for as long as she can remember, lived in the shadow of her devastatingly beautiful fraternal twin sister, Alex. Determined to get noticed, Lindsey is finally on the cusp of being named Creative Vice President of an elite New York advertising agency, after years of 80 plus-hour weeks, migraines, and profound loneliness. But during the course of one devastating night, Lindsey’s carefully-constructed life implodes.

Humiliated and desperate, she flees the glitter of Manhattan and retreats to the time warp of her parents’ Maryland home. As her sister plans her lavish wedding to her prince charming, Lindsey struggles to maintain her identity as the smart, responsible twin, while she furtively tries to put her career back together. But things get more complicated when a long-held family secret is unleashed that forces both sisters to reconsider who they are and who they are meant to be.

And here’s my personal review for Skipping A Beat:

Usually when you love an author's first book, you don't expect to be blown away by her second book, but with Sarah Pekkanen's Skipping a Beat, that's exactly what I was. Blown away. From the very first page I was swept up into Michael and Julia's story of how they were less than privileged high school sweethearts turned millionaires by his DrinkUp flavored water. Yet, because of her father's gambling habit, Julia requested a pre-nup before she and Michael were married so that she could be responsible for her own money and have a secure life unlike her own mother who lost everything because of her father's gambling habit.

How was she to know that her own husband would become a man worth millions, 70, to be exact, and then unexpectedly die, for four minutes and eight seconds, but then come back to life and find money meaningless? And want to give it all away? Michael does exactly this, but in doing so, wants to prove his love to Julia at the same time.

How can she trust that he's not throwing away their lives, when the past few years all he's been focused on was building his empire, and now he wants to trash it all and finally work on their marriage? Fortunately, Julia's got a thriving party planning business of her own, but will it be enough if she decides she cannot stay with Michael now that he's going to give it all away? And will she want to stay with Michael after the years he's been absent in her life? He's asking her for the next three weeks to prove his love to her. Can she give it to him? And what will she discover in those three weeks?

Skipping a Beat had me on the edge of my seat, and my own heart was skipping beats as I plowed through this book, anxious and excited to find out what would happen at the end. A couple of things I predicted would happen, but they were good things, and made for a happy ending despite some surprises that did have me tearing up while reading as well! Loved, loved, loved this book and it catapulted Sarah Pekkanen to my top five list of favorite authors, right alongside Emily Giffin!


Read the first chapter of Skipping a Beat HERE.

Here’s the amazing Book Trailer.

Skipping a Beat, is an O Magazine Pick-It-Up-Now book for April, among being listed in other places. Sarah’s hit it big time!

To enter to win these books, tell me the answer to these two questions:

In Skipping a Beat, the main character is a party planner and there’s a lot of talk about yummy desserts. In fact, the book opens with decadent cupcakes. What is your favorite dessert?

And, tell me what you think the opposite of you might be?


*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Sarah's books! 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!

ANNIE BEGINS by Michelle Toth

Winner Announced!

Random.org has chosen

Melinda S.

who commented:

I met my husband at a Hot Buns/Hot Legs contest at a popular local bar...neither of us were contestants!

Congrats! You have won Annie Begins! Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and mailing address!

Book: Annie Begins

Author: Michelle Toth

Website: http://www.anniebegins.com/

Winner: Melinda S.
You guys are going to love this debut book by Michelle Toth. Annie Begins tells the story of 29 year old Annie Thompson, who is brilliant in business, yet disastrous in relationships. It’s the dawn of the dot-com boom, and Annie is determined to make it big. But her single-minded focus on work is put to the test when the man of her dreams announces that his wife is divorcing him, and designates Annie “the best listener he knows.” Suddenly she’s juggling his mixed signals and her entrepreneurial ambitions—not to mention a complicated friendship with her new supervixen of a roommate.

Annie's pursuit of Mr. Tall, Dark and Barely Available takes a turn for the unexpected when her young, terminally ill cousin, April, makes it her mission to find Annie a husband. But the fiancé April picks is definitely not the kind of man Annie would have chosen. Now, Annie has to ask herself what exactly she wants and values most deeply in a man—and in herself.

So, to win Annie Begins, let’s make this really fun – since the character April in the book tries to find Annie a husband, tell me how you found your current or previous BF, partner or husband? Blind date, match.com, were you set up by your best friend, did you meet him in a bar like I met Mr. MaNiC? … Doesn’t have to be long-winded – Short and Sweet tells it best!

Thanks for being so wonderful with all of these answers. I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying waking up and reading all of these every day! Hope you’re having fun too!

Michelle’s Bio: Michelle Toth divides her time between New York City and Boston, where she serves on the board of directors of the non-profit Grub Street Writers. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Harvard Business School, Michelle works as the director of talent development for an investment management firm.

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Annie Begins! 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!

YOU'LL LOSE THE BABY WEIGHT by Dawn Meehan

Winner Announced!

Wendi from Louisiana ...

who commented, "I am not a child bearing woman but would love to be a part of it vicariously!"

You have won Dawn Meehan's book. Please send me your full name and mailing address at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Maybe you can send this to a friend who is expecting or just laugh at Dawn's pregnancy antics -- she is a hilarious writer! Thanks for entering everyone! More books to come!

Book: You'll Lose the Baby Weight (and other Lies about Pregnancy & Childbirth)

Author: Dawn Meehan

Website: Because I Said So

Today’s book might only relate to some of you but it’s by a hilarious author mom friend of mine, Dawn Meehan, who is mom to six kids and an amazing woman, talented author and hilarious blogger! I could go on and on about Dawn, really! She blogs at Because I Said So, and it’s a real bummer that I moved from the Chicago area because she was a great friend there. She’s also a terrific BlogHer roommate who likes to nap just as much as I do! Miss you Dawn!

The book she’s offering up today is You’ll Lose the Baby Weight (and other Lies about pregnancy and childbirth), and with six kids, she knows ALL about it.

Laugh-out-loud chapters in You’ll Lose the Baby Weight include:

–Am I Pregnant or Is Aunt Flo Knocking?
–The “Do You Weigh More Than an Elephant?” Test
–Tinkle Tinkle Little Star
–The Dolly Parton Syndrome
–I Just Have a Taste for a Cheeseburger Topped with Caramel Sauce and CalamariWhether you’ve already had your babies, you’re pregnant, you’re thinking about getting pregnant, or you’ve been INSIDE somebody’s womb (haha!) Dawn Meehan’s You’ll Lose the Baby Weight (and OTHER LIES about pregnancy and childbirth) is a laugh-out-loud book.

Dawn’s book makes it easy to laugh through all of the rough times of pregnancy but still makes sure you remember the joyful parts of it too – that the end result is a bouncing beautiful baby that’s yours for the making! And if you’re NOWHERE near the baby-making phase, this is a fun book to give as a gift too!

You can leave a PICK ME comment, or a pregnancy-related comment – your call!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win You'll Lose the Baby Weight! 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!

HALFWAY TO EACH OTHER by Susan Pohlman

Winner Announced!
Congrats to:

Homestead Jen!

You may not be going to Scotland as you wrote in the comments, but I will be sending you a signed copy of HALFWAY TO EACH OTHER by Susan Pohlman because you have won! Please email me your full name and address at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Thanks everyone for entering and for taking the time to give such thoughtful answers to my questions! More books to come, and a little secret -- there are going to be a few more books that will run us into part of April! Can you dig it? Thanks for all of your enthusiasm or else I wouldn't be able to handle this! I'm not getting paid to do this! It's just my love for books and for these authors!

FUN FUN FUN!

Book: Halfway to Each Other

Author: Susan Pohlman

Website: http://www.susanpohlman.com/content/index.php

Winner: Homestead Jen


“The true story of a California couple on the brink of divorce who unexpectedly finds love again on the Italian Riviera.”

I had heard about Susan’s memoir when it first came out and her publisher sent me a copy of her book. Then our family went through our relocation to Scottsdale and with all of that, I had forgotten about Halfway to Each Other (and many other wonderful books I had meant to review!).

Weird thing happened. I practically wound up as Susan’s neighbor! We met at another author’s reading (you’ll get to meet Laura Munson later in the month), and Susan and I got together for coffee last month.

Halfway to Each Other is Susan’s amazing story of how she and her husband of 18 years were just about to call it quits but chose a different path. Susan was accomanying her husband on a business trip in Italy and upon their return, they were all set to divorce. Something on the last day on their trip clicked for the two of them and instead of going home and filing for divorce, they gathered up their two children, and spent a year in Italy rediscovering what it was that brought them together in the first place.

Susan’s background is in screenplay writing and her book is like reading little snippets of scenes – beautifully told with fantastic imagery, this memoir is inspirational and a great read for anyone, no matter what your current life situation is like. It may give you the motivation to make the changes you’ve always wanted to make but have been afraid to do. Susan has admitted she’s not afraid of taking chances any longer because of her stay in Italy. I would love to be that brave and strong!

So tell me, if you could live anywhere for one year, where would you choose to live? Just tell me the one place, no explanation needed, and I’ll enter you to win Susan’s awesome book!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Halfway to Each Other! 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!

THE LIFE YOU'VE IMAGINED by Kristine Riggle

Winner Announced!

Congrats to:

Beth C. who commented:

"Of course I read all the way through! I love

to read what you write! RL"

And it's a good thing you did read all the way through because you will ALSO receive a copy of Real Life & Liars! So please send me your full name and mailing address and you'll get your two books by Kristina Riggle! Congrats! And there are many more books to come! Lots of two-fers still coming your way and maybe even a THREE-fer as well! Thanks everyone for stopping by!

Book: The Life You’ve Imagined

Author: Kristina Riggle Website: kristinariggle.net

Winner Will Be Announced Above

I met Kristina Riggle at a writer’s conference just as she was getting established as an author. She had gotten her dream agent (this is EVERYBODY’S dream agent, guys!), and her first book was on its way to publication, Real Life & Liars (more on that later). She was sweet and kind and I wish I got to hang out with her more that weekend.

Here’s a snippet on THE LIFE YOU’VE IMAGINED, which is her second novel:

In high school, Cami and Anna were as close as they could be...now, years later, both have returned to their hometown to face the people they had once left behind. Anna must confront her mother, still distraught over the abandonment of her husband, and come to terms with choices she had made years before. While Cami returns home to stay with her alcoholic father, she uncovers a secret he sought to keep which could change her life and salvage her future. They reconnect with their classmate, Amy, who can't understand why achieving the thin body and handsome man of her dreams hasn't given her the happily-ever-after she desired. This is a novel that digs deep and touches the heart of the issues so many women face-the quest for perfection, the hope of love, the value of family and importance of always striving for your dream.

To win THE LIFE YOU’VE IMAGINED, leave me a comment on something you’ve always imagined you’d like to do: Skydiving, painting, sleeping in til noon. Of course, for me, it’s having my novel published (I've got to finish writing it first!). So, get creative and be honest on this one. I can’t wait to hear your answers – what have you always imagined you’d like to do someday?

Kristina also has a third novel coming out this summer, June 28, to be exact. If you’re still sticking around MaNiC then, I will be sure to keep you posted and perhaps there will be a giveaway for that book too! It’s called: THINGS WE DIDN’T SAY (don’t you LOVE the title’s of Kristina’s books?!) Here's a description:

What makes up a family? For Casey it’s sharing a house with her fiancé, Michael, and his three children, whom she intends to nurture better than she ever took care of her self. But Casey’s plans have come undone. Michael’s silences have grown unfathomable and deep. His daughter Angel seethes as only a teenage girl can, while the wide-eyed youngest, Jewel, quietly takes it all in.

Then, son Dylan runs off and the kids’ mother, a woman never afraid to say just what she thinks, noisily barges into the home. That’s when Casey decides that the silences can no longer continue. She must begin speaking the words no one else can say. She’ll have to dig up secrets—including her own—uncovering hurts, and beginning healing that is too long overdue. And it all begins with just a few tentative words…

Kristina digs deep into relationships, and her characters are real and scarred, full of heart, with secrets and worries, and you’ll want to read all three of her books, I guarantee you!

Have you gotten this far into the post? Because if you have, there’s a little surprise for you. When you leave your comment, if you also put RL at the end, I will enter you to win Kristina Riggle’s first book REAL LIFE & LIARS as well because it just so happens I have an extra copy right here in my hot little hands! So, kudos to you for reading through to the end!

PeaCe uP my friends!
*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win The Life You've Imagined! 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!

PROJECT: HAPPILY EVER AFTER By Alisa Bowman

Winner Announced:

Congrats to

amandie1029 aka Amanda D.

You have won Project: Happily Ever After!

Please send me your full name and mailing address so I can have your book sent to you! Sorry for the delay in announcing winners everyone! I'm trying to catch up! There's loads more books coming your way!

Thanks for your patience, and also all of your fun answers all of the time - it's making this a lotta fun for me!

Book: Project: Happily Ever After

Author: Alisa Bowman

Website: Project: Happily Ever After

Watch The Book Trailer HERE.

Mr. MaNiC and I will be married 18 years this coming May! This weekend we have slipped away for a romantic weekend – much needed time off without the kids. Funny that today’s book is Project Happily Ever After: Saving Your Marriage When the Fairytale Falters by Alisa Bowman.

I believe that part of keeping a marriage good, strong and healthy IS sneaking off for a little “what-what” if you know what I mean! So with that, here’s today’s book feature – enjoy it, while I enjoy “IT” (if you know what I mean, AND I THINK YOU ALL DO)!

Alisa Bowman was at her wit’s end. She would spend days dreaming about divorcing her husband and knew she wasn’t in a healthy marriage when she fantasized about her own husband’s death and ways to plan his funeral. In a last-ditch effort to make her marriage work, she came up with a four-month project to save her marriage. The Happily Ever After Project is that story.

Obviously this is a book geared toward married people, but it’s not a book solely for distressed married people. If you’d like a chance to win it, just leave a comment and I’ll choose a winner!

Alisa also offers great marital advice on her website: Marriage Advice.

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Project: Happily Ever After! 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!

SOUNDS LIKE CRAZY by Shana Mahaffey

Winner Announced:

Faith Wafford

Congrats! Please email me your mailing address and we'll send you your copy of

Sounds Like Crazy!

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: It was brought to my attention that some of your comments may not have posted on Friday's books where you wrote two of your favorite things. To be sure you are entered, you may want to go back and confirm that your comment is in fact posted. Thanks! I will be drawing winners for Thurs-Sun. books on Monday so there is time for you to still enter for any of those books if you have not yet done so!

And now ... Today's Featured book is ....

BOOK: Sounds Like Crazy

AUTHOR: Shana Mahaffey

"Sounds Like Crazy is as a darkly comic and ultimately healing story about Holly Miller, an Emmy Award winning cartoon voiceover performer who has actual voices in her head, multiple personalities who make her career a huge success, and shield her from a terrible secret in her past."

In SOUNDS LIKE CRAZY, Holly Miller has FIVE people living inside her head.

When I first discovered this book online, I HAD TO KNOW MORE. So I contacted Shana and asked if I might be able to share Holly and the five OTHER people who live inside Holly’s head with you all. She thankfully agreed!

There’s the Faceless Boy. The prayerful Silent One. The protective Sarge. The rotund Ruffles – what a character! And high-maintenance Betty Jane. And these five characters are the Committee who makes Holly’s life hell … but, Holly cannot function without them.

You’ve got to see this book trailer, which I think is one of the cleverest trailers I’ve ever seen. And I ADORE book trailers when they work. And this one does!

WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER HERE!

Take a ride with Holly, where EVERYTHING Sounds Like Crazy! Such a fun read – and you can win it here, simply by leaving a comment! So, you know what to do, and you know how to do it!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win SOUNDS LIKE CRAZY! 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!

JESSICA Z. & TWO YEARS, NO RAIN by Shawn Klomparens

Winner Announced!

All these answers to my two-fer question was so much fun - there were some creative ones and likewise, some gross ones -- chocolate milk and PICKLES? Ewww! But I liked them all so very much! However, there can only be one winner, and Random.org chose one of you!
Congratulations to Becki***!

If you email me your full name and address you'll be receiving both copies of Shawn's books. The only problem, you won't know which one to read first! Congrats, and don't worry everyone, we still have a lot more books coming your way!

Author: Shawn Klomparens

Two Years, No Rain

Jessica Z.

Winner Announced Here: Becki***

Well lookie here folks, it’s ANOTHER TWO-FER! BUT YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!! (some of you didn’t read the last post all the way through … Naughty-Naughty. : ) Since you’re tired of telling me: PICK ME, PICK ME, and since this is a TWO-FER giveaway, in the comment section, just tell me TWO THINGS you like together: like pizza and French fries, or movies and popcorn. It can be anything: vanilla and chocolate, whatever. I don’t care. I like to read something other than PICK ME PICK ME! Thanks!

Today’s author is Shawn Klomparens and both of his books are being offered here! And the only MaNiC-author related story I have to share here is that I don’t know him (kinda wish I did – he is very good looking from his author photo), but I have been in Jackson, Wyoming, and that’s where he lives. So. There’s that.

THE BOOKS!
I’m in the middle of reading his debut, Jessica Z, and let me tell you, it’s intriguing, fast-paced, and one that I can’t wait to find the moments to slip away so that I can get back into the world of Jessica. Already I find that my heart is racing as I dive into the pages.

The story is told post 9-11 in a world where danger lurks and suicide bombers are prevalent, and Jessica is trying to cope the best she can in a world she tries to make safe for herself by working a mundane job and dating her neighbor upstairs (where certain rules apply). When she meets an intriguing man who’s going to take her out of her safety net … well, that’s where I am now. So it’s a very exciting book and let me tell you, I’m in for the ride!

Shawn’s other book is Two Years No Rain, and I can’t wait to get to this one either (so many books, so little time!). Here’s the blurb:

In San Diego County, it hasn't rained in 580 days. But for weatherman Andy Dunne, everything else is changing fast...Only a few weeks ago, he was a newly divorced, slightly overweight meteorologist for an obscure satellite radio station, hiding his secret love for a colleague, the beautiful--and very much married--Hillary Hsing. But nearly overnight, Andy has landed a new gig, flying a magic carpet in a bizarre live-action children's TV show. So what is affable, basically decent Andy Dunne going to do now that he can do practically anything he wants? With a parade of hot moms begging for his autograph and a family that needs his help more than ever, Andy has a lot of choices. First, though, there's this thing with Hillary, their heated text messages, a long-awaited forecast for rain - and a few other surprises he never saw coming…

Catherine McKenzie of The Author Effect introduced me to these great books, and I’m not making this mandatory, but if you’d be so kind to head over there, I promise you there will be LOTS more chances for you to find out about even MORE fabulous books – she is ALWAYS sharing great new authors and books with fans AND GIVING THEM AWAY. I feel so fortunate to have found her and found out about her books.

(SIDENOTE, the winner of her books has not come forward, and I have not seen her back here to enter again, so there still may be a chance to win SPIN and ARRANGED at a later date during this giveaway and HER BOOKS ROCK!)

*****

Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win both of Shawn's books! 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!