Winner: Lizett34
Please email me your address at stephanieelliot@gmail.com so you can get your book!
By Eric Poole
What’s a Blast-O-Books Giveaway without some Memoir in the mix? We’ve got Eric Poole’s Where’s My Wand? One Boy’s Magical Triumph Over Alienation and Shag Carpeting coming your way today, and already I’m loving the first few pages because yes, I have a bit of shag carpeting in our new home. We actually call it the ‘70s Black Porn Rug for those of you who haven’t personal gyrated on it. I loathe it and cannot wait to get rid of it.
(I’ll note here, it’s not really from the ‘70s and it’s not really Porn carpet. It’s actually probably really nice, but it’s just not my style, and I don't gyrate on it. And I haven't put a black light against it either. I don't want to know what's been there before.)
Back to the book: Where’s My Wand is for any of you who have ever read and loved David Sedaris or Augusten Burroughs. People magazine has said this:
“Poole’s memoir of growing up gay and Baptist in the seventies would be worth reading if it were just gut-splittingly funny. But Wand is also a deeply moving account of a boy’s attempt to control his world with his own brand of magic.”
And for you Brady Bunch fans, Florence Henderson wishes she could have had Eric for a Brady Boy! I have no idea why, or what she would have done to him, but, well, I guess that would have really made for some exciting Brady Bunch episodes, don’t you all think? “Bobby, Peter! What ARE you doing with Eric’s WAND???!!!” Hahah, Yes, I continue to CRACK MYSELF UP!
Book Blurb:
From the age of eight through early adolescence, Poole sought refuge from his obsessive-compulsive mother, sadistic teachers, and sneering schoolyard thugs in the Scotchgarded basement of his family’s suburban St. Louis tract house. There, emulating his favorite TV character, Endora from Bewitched, he wrapped himself in a makeshift caftan and cast magical spells in an effort to maintain control over the rapidly shifting ground beneath his feet. But when a series of tragic events tested Eric’s longstanding belief that magic can vanquish evil, he began to question the efficacy of his incantations, embarking on a spiritual journey that led him to discover the magic that comes only from within.
TO WIN:
So, if you’re looking for a little bit of ‘70s, a little bit of closet-gayness, and a whole lotta magic, tell me something you like about the seventies. And if you WEREN’T ALIVE DURING THE SEVENTIES, GO ASK A FAMILY MEMBER! Or just tell me you’re still a baby, and make me cringe!
Really though, I was barely part of the seventies, and only 11 by the time I got out of that decade, so I’m really not that much ahead of all you young ones! But I do remember those flare jeans. Maybe it’s because they have already been around two or three times since then. OK, I’ll tell you something! I remember they had these RECORD STORES, that sold RECORDS. Like vinyl. The stores were called The Record Bar. And my sister and I had gift certificates to get a record album. I chose a K-Town one. With like Knock-Knock-Knock on Wood, and I Will Survive on the album. Kind of like a mixed tape type of record album. Totally ‘70s right?
And my sister picked up this one with a black dude on it. It was called, Off The Wall. His name was Michael Jackson. I looked at her and said, clear as day, and I regret this to this day. I said, “Stacy, I don’t know if you’re going to like that record album.” Want to know why I said that to her? My preconceived idea that the singer was black so he wasn’t going to be good! HOW HORRIBLE AND WRONG WAS I? Thank GOD she bought the album anyway! Long live Michael Jackson! So there! There is my seventies story! Tell me one of yours to enter to win Where’s My Wand by Eric Poole!
Thanks for reading and being a part of June Blast-O-Books.
I also blog at SheKnows.com Real Moms Guide.
I also blog at SheKnows.com Real Moms Guide.
Don't forget to enter yesterday’s book, The D Word! I will most likely be choosing all the winners for the week over the weekend so do check back then! AS LONG AS A WINNER's NAME is NOT posted at the top of the blog post, then that means a winner has NOT yet been chosen so you can still enter to win that book but ONLY ONE TIME per book entry PLEASE!
If you're new here, check out the rules and other stuff for the June Blast-O-Books there under that highlighted link back there, or feel free to leave me a comment always and I'll answer it in the thread, or email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. It is always at my discretion to change things up, and because of some regulations, I guess I must say that the books I review are given to me by either the authors or publishers or publicists, and I am never paid for my reviews, and they are my own personal reviews, and you know what, because I'm here telling you this anyway, I will also tell you that I never review a book I don't like, because you know what, why waste my time, life is too short to read a crappy book! There. There's my new mantra!
