December Author in the Spotlight Wrap Up + Giveaway

December Author in the Spotlight Wrap Up + Giveaway.

Fall to Grace ends at midnight tonight!

Happy New Year!!  Enjoy your celebrations tonight.  I can't believe it is the last day of December already.  December has been busy with Christmas celebrations and the seasonal cold and flu that my whole family got.  I read a lot of good books this month and in 2012, including Fall to Grace by Kerry Casey.  

Today is the last day to enter to win Kerry's book, Fall to Grace.  Click here to enter:  Fall to Grace Giveaway

Please check out my book review of Fall to Grace.  Fall to Grace is graceful, reflective and beautiful.  The writing style is poetic with creative images and metaphors galore.  Casey has a penned a lovely novel that will appeal to women and men alike with a cast of creative characters.

Fall to Grace Book Review

Please check out Kerry Casey's guest post about reading and being a booksnob.  Kerry talks about the people who has read his book Fall to Grace.

Kerry Casey Guest Post

Please check out Kerry Casey's author interview.  Find out why Kerry became an author and other tidbits about his two books.  He is in the process of writing the 3rd book in the series.  

Kerry Casey Author Interview

As 2012 comes to an end I would like to thank Kerry Casey for being December's Minnesota Author in the Spotlight.  I heard of Kerry through a friend of mine who recommended his books.  Which is exactly the premise behind Kerry's publishing idea of recommending his book to five friends and so on.  You can find more information about it here at www.fivefriendsbooks.com 
So Booksnob readers, you are the five friends I am recommending to read Kerry's book.  Pass it on.

Happy New Year!!

Kerry Casey Author Interview + Giveaway

Kerry Casey Author Interview + Giveaway

Kerry Casey is December's Author in the Spotlight here on Booksnob.  He has written two books, Fall to Grace and Singer and has self published his books under the logo Five Friends books.  Read on to learn more about Kerry and his books.

Welcome Kerry!


1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I grew up and live in St. Paul. Have traveled extensively as an advertising copywriter and creative director but have yet to find a better place to live. I’m married with two boys, ages 13 and 10.

2.  What is the inspiration behind the story “Fall to Grace”.

Like most authors, I cannot place the sprite that whispered this story in my ear. For some unknown reason I wanted to tell a story of the intersection of the lives of two young boys from vastly different backgrounds who experienced the same formable tragedy in their lives.

3.  Usually an author puts some of his own life experiences in the book.  Did you do that?  Do you have anything in common with your characters?

My characters are all shreds of my experiences, but none resemble my life too closely. That’s the beauty of fiction.

4.  Fall to Grace imparts many lessons.  What is the main lesson you hope your readers will take away from the book?

That in falling—in having certainties kicked out from beneath you—that you find grace and your greater you.

5.  You have written a sequel to Fall to Grace called Singer.  Can you tell us the inspiration behind it?

After about 500 pages, the first story had to end, but the story wasn’t over. I wanted to learn where the characters would go next. That’s what happens in Singer. I try not to over-direct their journeys. I once heard a writer say, “How do I know what will come next? I haven’t written it yet.” That resonated.

6.  Are you working a third book?  Can you tell us a little bit about it?

I am. Again, like the first book, the second book had to end. I needed to breath it in. Reset. But the story isn’t complete. And now the third in the series begins. It’s just getting its feet under it. Exciting stuff.

7.  Why did you decide to become a writer?

It’s the perfect job for people who can’t tell a story extemporaneously.

8.  Do you like to read?  What books or authors influence you?

Steinbeck. NY Times.

9.  Why did you start your own publishing company and name it Five Friends Books?  What is the story behind it?

Every writer should ask, “What is my goal in writing this book? Do I want to become rich? Get the cover of the NY Times Book Review? What is my definition of success?” When I came to understand my definition of success it was this: I want my novel to inspire my friends, upon reading it, to recommend it to five of their friends. And so on. Over 12,000 of my books have found readership this way.

10.  Do you have any advice to offer to people who want to self publish their book?

Have confidence. You can do it. But if you’re the least bit lazy, it’s not going to work.

11.  Tell us in one sentence why we should read Fall to Grace?

The novel is a thoughtful page-turner.

Thanks Kerry!!  If you would like to win a copy of Fall to Grace please click here:  Fall to Grace Giveaway

Fall to Grace by Kerry Casey

Fall to Grace by Kerry Casey

Two boys, the same age, on the same day suffer a horrible tragedy, the loss of their fathers.  Joseph is living on a farm in a small town near the Canadian border.  He is an only child,  he loves hockey and he is a great kid.  Cory is the oldest of three, all around sportsman and lives in an apartment in St. Paul.  They are brought together by unspeakable tragedy and become fast friends.

Cory and Joseph have dreams to play against each other in the Minnesota high school hockey tournament's championship game and they want to play college hockey together on the same team.  Every year, they get together at Thanksgiving with Joseph's mom and their priest, Pat, to play pond hockey, go hunting, and of course eat.  They are best friends and share everything, but deep down, Cory is troubled and is trying hard to cover up his imperfections.

Fall to Grace is full of entertaining characters that will make you thank God for the wonderful life you have.  There is an alcoholic priest, a beautiful widowed mother, a chain smoking overweight cop and a blind monsignor as well as two teenage boys that are almost too good to be true.  All combine to create a wonderful, heartfelt story that is sure to keep you turning the pages.

The theme of religion and spirituality runs deeply through Fall to Grace but it is not preachy.  Fall to Grace is graceful, reflective and beautiful.  The writing style is poetic with creative images and metaphors galore.  Casey has a penned a lovely novel that will appeal to women and men alike.

Casey reminded me that life carries no guarantees and that we must accept God's gifts, cherish all we are given but most of all we should be thankful.

Go hug your children and call your mom and dad.  Life is short, so make the time to read Fall to Grace.

Promised by Caragh O'Brien

Promised by Caragh O'Brien
(The third book in the Birthmarked series)

Gaia Stone is now the leader of the people of Sylum and she has made the important decision to lead her people to the Promised land.  Sylum is dying because girl's are rarely born into this society.  Gaia Stone believes traveling back to the Enclave and appealing to the rational sensibilities of the Protectorat, also known as Leon's father, will grant them refuge outside the wall.  Gaia believes that here her people will thrive and grow.  Except the Protectorat is not rational or sensible and Gaia has led her people to a place where they will have to fight for their right to live and have fresh drinking water.

Leon and Gaia are in love and have been through a lot as a couple.  They have made plans to wed but first they must wait until the people of Sylum are accepted and are safe.  When they reach the wall of the Enclave, Gaia is immediately arrested.  There is a lot at stake and Gaia has much to lose and thus begins the battle of wills between Gaia, who will do anything for her people, and the Protectorat, who want the children of the Enclave free of hemophilia.

Promised is the third book in the Birthmarked series and it does not disappoint.  It is full of unexpected twists and turns and just when you think you have the story figured out, O'Brien mixes it up.  This series is amazing and it is equally as riveting at The Hunger Games.

O'Brien takes modern day issues like water rights, environmentalism, birth defects, pollution and places them in a science fiction context that is sure to get you thinking.  The books take place in Minnesota near the dried up Lake Superior, called the un-lake in the book.  Gaia is a strong, young, female protagonist.  She heralds women's rights, she's a strong leader, she's a feisty teenager and she's in love with her enemy's son, Leon.  All combine to create a thrilling, page turning, creative work of science fiction.  I love it and you will too!

I can't wait to read what Caragh O'Brien writes next!

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Are you brave? Reynie is a child genius who lives in an orphanage and is not allowed to attend school, so he has a personal tutor.  One day Reynie and Miss Perumal see an advertisement in the local paper, "ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?" pg. 3 Reynie wasn't looking for opportunity but since it came knocking, he thought he would see what the advertisement was about.

This special opportunity was very mysterious.  It involved a series of tests asking him various mind bending questions.  Only four special children will pass the tests, and they will be asked to go on a secret mission and become spies to save the world from impending doom.  Kate, Reynie, George and Constance will go undercover to the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened.  This is a school where the only rule is, there are no rules.

Television poisons the minds of those who watch it because it contains hidden messages.  The kids must constantly memorize needless nonsense and crazy sayings like, The doors are always open, unless they're locked.  There is adventure, creative characters, crazy antics and wild imaginative undercover work.  Children Everywhere will love it!


The Mysterious Benedict Society is full of riddles, puzzles and lots of entertaining action as these four "gifted" children become sleuths.  You will laugh and wonder at the weird and strange antics of the Learning Institute and enjoy figuring out the riddles to the mystery.  Stewart has created the perfect, entertaining book if you are between the ages of 10 and 13.  It would probably make a great read aloud.
This is the first book in a series and I'm giving my copy to my 12 year old daughter.

Time is shorter than we thought.
Thus to get what must be got
You must become what you are not. pg. 219

You will probably love this book, unless you don't.

2012 Reading Challenges

2012 Reading Challenges

This year I took on four reading challenges.   I was able to complete two of the challenges.  Completed challenges up first.

World War 1 Challenge completed-  I read 3 books that took place during World War 1.  

1.  Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
2.  A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
3.  The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian

What's in a Name 5 Challenge completed
I have read 6 books out of the 6 required.  Each book must have something in the title which corresponds to the category.   

1.  Something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack-  Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay 

2.  Something you'd see in the sky- Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool.   

3.  A book with a topographical feature (land formation)- The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

4.  A book with a creepy crawly in the title- Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol 

5.  A book with a type of house in the title - The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield

6.  A book with a something you'd find on a calendar - March by Geraldine Brooks

*These are the two challenges I didn't successfully complete but had a lot of fun trying.

The Pulitzer Prize Challenge.  

I read a total of 6 books for this challenge and my goal was to read 12.  It is hard to commit to reading a book a month especially when there are so many great books to read.  I am happy with my progress in this challenge.

1.  Tinkers by Paul Harding
2.   March by Geraldine Brooks
3.   A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
4.  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 

5.  Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

6.  The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

Where are you reading Challenge was really fun.  The Goal is to read a book that takes place in each of the 50 different states.

I successfully kept track of the places I was reading about throughout the year.  I started off really good at the beginning and wrote everything down but by the end of the year, I was slacking and not keeping track as well.

I read books that took place in 5 Continents, 19 countries and 28 states.

Check out my map on Google Maps.

https://maps.google.com/maps/myplaces?

Kerry Casey Guest Post + Giveaway

Kerry Casey Guest Post + Giveaway

Book Snobs Unite!  Kerry Casey is the Minnesota Author in the Spotlight here on Booksnob this month and he has written a guest post on Book Snobbery.  Are you a Book Snob??

Welcome to Kerry Casey!

Greetings, fellow book snobs,

You know what? It’s good to be a book snob—as long as you’re not sharp-tongued. And you bring a decent bottle of wine to the dinner party. And don’t drone on about 19^th-century French literature.

The reading world needs book snobs. Otherwise stacks of wonderful writing would collect dust. And we’d be faced with the terror of Nicholas Sparks bookclubs taking over the world.

The holidays are undoubtedly the best time to be a book snob. There’s extra reading time. And here’s a way to fill it: read my novels. Allow me to concede the floor to a few fellow book snobs and let them tell you why you should consider doing so. (Recently, from the Comments page on my website.)

“Each month, I visit the same independent bookstore and buy a book by a Minnesota author. Your book was my most recent purchase and one of the best books I’ve bought over the past 55 years of buying books.”  --Rick M

“Thank you for a great Thanksgiving read. It is truly a page turner, but fascinating

because of the very real characters not just the plot. I read it during a time of discernment around my own career. The message of waiting and even working for grace struck deep.” --Terri S

“Just finished the new book “Singer.” I couldn’t put it down. I read it in two days and just loved it. It picks up where “Fall to Grace” left off. If you love to read, pick up this new book and have at it under a blanket on the couch.” –Sue K

Indeed! Have at it under a blanket…spoken like a true book snob: comfortably assertive. Well done, Sue.

Here’s what I’d like you to know about my novels. I write about how beautiful life is, and how beautiful life is not. I write about what happens after “why?” And how relationships are our only deliverance. In my opinion, it’s not enough for a book to be a page-turner. It’s not enough for a book to be reflective. A book must braid the two.

So there you have it. Be a proper book snob. Be standoffish for a moment. Then yield to the call of two fine books waiting to be discovered, embraced, and shared for the holidays. Now, about that unheralded French librettist….

See more at fivefriendsbooks.com.

Thanks, Kerry!!

If you would like to win a copy of Kerry's book please click here:  Fall to Grace Giveaway

Today's Ebook deal on Amazon

Today's Ebook deal on Amazon.

I just found this sweet deal on Amazon.  All six of the Grimm Diaries Prequels for .99 cents TODAY ONLY.  I personally bought this myself today and I thought there might be other readers out there who might be interested.

The author Cameron Jace says on his blog that "The Grimm Diaries series is a seven book saga that deals with retellings of fairy tales from a young adult POV - it connects most of the fairy tales together and claims to be the truth about fairy tales".

The first book in the series is due out in February called Snow White Sorrow.
Jace's other series is called I am Alive and each one of the stories sells for .99 cents.

If you are a fan of the series, Once Upon a Time, I think you will really like these books.
I can't wait to read them.

The Hormone Diet by Natasha Turner, ND

The Hormone Diet by Natasha Turner, ND
A 3-Step Program to Help You Lose Weight, Gain Strength, and Live Younger Longer.

Earlier this year in January (2012) I suffered from incurable, painful headaches and no pill could cure them or make them feel better.  I had a horrible headache every single day in January.  I also began to have intense hot flashes and could not sleep at all.  I was physically exhausted and miserable because I was in so much pain.  I knew my problem was hormonal and so I did what every American does with a computer, I googled it.

What I found was the book The Hormone Diet by Natasha Turner.  The Hormone Diet book literally changed my life.  Using Turner's book and visiting my OB/Gyn and Neurologist, I learned a lot about what was happening to my body via my unbalanced hormones.  Menopause.  At age 44.

Turner is a naturopathic doctor and begins her book with a explaining all the hormones inside your body and what happens when they get out of whack.  Turner includes a hormone health profile test that looks at your symptoms and determines where your hormones may be unbalanced.  Turner then recommends a detox diet to rid your body of toxins and hormone disruptors.  The detox diet is recommended for two weeks and I felt so good on it I did it for a whole month.  It pretty much helped heal my headaches and I lost 10 pounds that I have been able to keep off the entire year.

The Hormone Diet is not a typical diet book, it is really a prescription for how to live a healthy life.  Turner includes recipes, exercise tips and so much more.  Since February I have been drinking a smoothie full of healthy fruits and vegetables for breakfast with a scoop of protein powder.  I have been ordering and taking the vitamins Turner recommends and have been pretty much stalking her webpage and her Facebook page ever since and I feel better.  I consult Turner's book and her recipes on a regular basis. I now wish I lived in Toronto so I could attend her boot camp and workshops and have her as my naturopathic doctor.  So since that will never happen, I do the next best thing, I read her books.

My favorite smoothie recipe:
1 cup blueberries
half a frozen banana
2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed
1 cup of plain soy milk
1 scoop of protein powder.

Now, I add a cup of spinach to it as well.  I call it, salad in a cup and it's delicious.
Read The Hormone Diet if you want to get healthy and understand your body.

Lolly Poppet's Lousy Year by Lupi

Lolly Poppet's Lousy Year by Lupi

Lolly Poppet's is about to have a lousy year or is she?  Lolly goes sledding, swimming and tries on Halloween costumes.  Lolly tries really hard to do a lot of things, like find a flower in winter or build a snowman.  Lolly is a busy girl who gets sick sometimes and her year is full of sad and happy moments.

Lupi takes readers through the months and seasons of the year as Lolly explores her world.  This is a bilingual book for beginning readers and every page contains English and Spanish.

Lupi's is an amazing artist and her illustrations in Lolly Poppet's Lousy Year are gorgeous!  The colors are vibrant and eye-catching and Lolly's expressions are priceless.  So grab your cute kids and join Lolly as she tumbles through her lousy year.  They will love it!

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Raina is a happy go lucky 6th grader. One night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls and injures her mouth when she lands on her front teeth, pushing them into her gums. This begins an orthodontic journey that lasts for years as Raina has surgery, then head gear, a retainer with two fake front teeth and braces.

Middle school is hard enough without the trauma of a painful mouth accident that puts Raina in braces twice as long as everyone else.  Raina details her story though colorful drawings that highlight her dramatic experiences growing up.  Besides braces, her girlfriends are kinda mean, she meets a couple of cute boys, lives through an earthquake and slowly begins to find a place where she feels accepted, then she starts high school.

Smile is Raina Telgemeier's first graphic novel and I expect she will be around creating beautiful books for a long time.  Smile is visually appealing and just about any kid who has had braces can relate to Raina's experiences. Smile is one of my daughter's favorite books and she is the one who told me that I had to read it.  She donated a copy to her teacher and the book is being read by every sixth grader in her class. 

Be prepared to be drawn into a heartwarming, funny story about a girl and her teeth.  Smile will remind you of your time in braces and if you are new to the experience of orthodontia it will make a worthwhile read.  In fact I recommend it to every teen who is undergoing the experience of braces.  Having braces is becoming a right of passage and Smile is the book to read when your teeth are feeling sore and you can't sleep because your rubber bands keep flying across your bedroom.

Smile, it's worth it!

Fall to Grace Giveaway

Fall to Grace by Kerry Casey Giveaway!!


Enter to win one of 5 copies of Fall to Grace by Kerry Casey.  Kerry is the December Author in the Spotlight here on Booksnob.  This contest is open to Booksnob followers who live in the U.S. and Canada.  Fall to Grace is a heartfelt story with beautiful cover art.  Prepare to be inspired.



Here is the synopsis from Amazon:
Where was God on the morning of October 15th as two 13-year-olds knelt beside their dead fathers?

Fall to Grace opens unforgettably when Joseph, an Ojibwe farm boy, stands at the car wreck that killed his father. Sixty miles away, Cory, a city kid on a fishing trip, survives a boating accident that takes his father’s life. Now two boys the same age have lost their fathers­ on the same day.

The story bends and twists through eight years, revealing the true impact of this tragic coincidence. For the hard-luck young priest who brings the boys together, it takes beating alcoholism and re-examining his calling to discover true love and grace. For the reclusive widow trapped between emptiness and forbidden love, grace proves to be elusive. And for the boys who grow to become best friends and star teammates in college, the very existence of grace is something they couldn’t have disagreed on more.

Fall to Grace is picturesque, spiritual, and reflective—while never forgetting its first obligation: to be a flat-out page-turner. The story takes you to the far edges of loss where love can do surprising things for those willing to reach again. And it reminds us, none too gently, that only angels fall from grace. The rest of us fall toward it.

Contest Rules:
U.S./Canada residents only
Ends Dec 31st at midnight!
Good Luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Wren loses her first love in a drunk driving accident, and is understandably distraught.  Because she has hidden powers her mother won't acknowledge and because she is steeped in grief Wren does the unthinkable, she brings her boyfriend Danny back from the grave.  Danny is hidden in her neighbor's garage and as Wren tries to protect her secret, she starts losing control of her life.

Danny begins to become more like a cold-sleepwalking zombie everyday and Wren is beginning to realize the depth of her mistake.  As Wren is able to understand and resolve her grief, a new boy enters the school and awakens in her a sense of hope.

Cold Kiss comes highly recommended by many book bloggers and deals with some tough issues like death, grief and drunk driving.  Yet the plot is slow moving, the characters were underdeveloped and full of stifling emotion and it took me months to finish this book when I thought it would be a quick read.  The cover is appealing, the premise interesting and yet it was just mediocre.  So frustrating.

Do you ever feel like there is something wrong with you because you didn't "love" a book that everyone else seems to adore?  Well, I stuck with Cold Kiss and gave it my best shot but in the end, as I turned the last page, I was thankful it was over.  Then I thought, why does everyone like this book so much?  I just don't get it.

Well, each reader is unique and brings to the reading experience their own emotions, experiences and perspectives.  Sometimes you find a book that appeals to your senses and you know as you turn the very last page that it was right for you.  Cold Kiss was not right for me.

Down and Inside Giveaway Winners!

Down and Inside Giveaway Winners!

Rebbecca Moen is giving away 5 copies of her memoir, Down and Inside; The Mostly True Story of a Girl's Life in the Minors.  I am excited to announce the winners!

Molly M.
Eryan
Kirsten W
Kathy D.
Robyn N.

Congratulations!!  I hope you all enjoy your new book!

Here is an excerpt from my book review:
Rebbecca Moen sets up her book like a baseball game.  Top of First is where the game, I mean book begins.  Moen starts with a quote and stats from the St. Paul Saints (who are awesome) and the Sioux City Explorer's, championship game.  It is atmospheric and you can smell the hotdogs and hear the cheers from the stands.  If you love a good baseball game you will love this book

December Author in the Spotlight

December Hometown Track Author in the Spotlight.


Happy December!
Welcome to the Hometown Track meme where I highlight a different Minnesota author each month.

December is a month of shopping, eating and lots of entertainment including good movies and good books.  The best of the best lists are coming out and I'd like to introduce a new Minnesota author to add to your reading list.  His name is Kerry Casey and he has written two books, Fall to Grace and Singer.  

Here is the synopsis on Amazon:

Fall to Grace

Where was God on the morning of October 15th as two 13-year-olds knelt beside their dead fathers?

Fall to Grace opens unforgettably when Joseph, an Ojibwe farm boy, stands at the car wreck that killed his father. Sixty miles away, Cory, a city kid on a fishing trip, survives a boating accident that takes his father’s life. Now two boys the same age have lost their fathers­ on the same day.

The story bends and twists through eight years, revealing the true impact of this tragic coincidence. For the hard-luck young priest who brings the boys together, it takes beating alcoholism and re-examining his calling to discover true love and grace. For the reclusive widow trapped between emptiness and forbidden love, grace proves to be elusive. And for the boys who grow to become best friends and star teammates in college, the very existence of grace is something they couldn’t have disagreed on more.

Fall to Grace is picturesque, spiritual, and reflective—while never forgetting its first obligation: to be a flat-out page-turner. The story takes you to the far edges of loss where love can do surprising things for those willing to reach again. And it reminds us, none too gently, that only angels fall from grace. The rest of us fall toward it.

Singer

Small town life can be epic. 

And everyday humanity often provides life’s most riveting lessons. 

Could it be that a child is the only salvation for someone who has suffered profoundly?

In Singer, the highly anticipated sequel to Fall to Grace, the love of a gifted four-year-old boy and his single mother are the only hope for Cory, a hardened young man who can’t seem to outrun tragedy. 

Will Cory dare to open his heart? Can love unbar the door to a new life for the three of them? Or will a vendetta, gathering in the shadows, destroy their future?

Richly emotional, picturesque and thought-provoking, Singer reunites readers with HomeSky, Pat, the Sheriff, the blind Monsignor, as well as unforgettable new characters. It’s time, once again, to be swept away in storytelling that will leave you laughing,

crying and, not least of all, turning pages late into the night.

Three years after Fall to Grace ends, a new story begins.

This month you can expect a book review, a contest, an author interview and a guest post by Kerry.  Visit Kerry's website at www.fivefriendsbooks.com 

Kerry believes "The best books come from friends."  He writes books that people will enjoy, they read it and then tell 5 friends about it and so on.  His books have spread all over the world mainly by word of mouth, which is how I heard of them.  Join the five friend movement and log on to Kerry's website to learn more about his books.