All posts tagged: book give-a-way

Write On, Wednesday: Debut Literary Thriller Author Laura McHugh!

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By Leslie Lindsay I am absolutely, 100% thrilled to welcome Laura McHugh, debut author from my home state of Missouri! “Show Me Girls” (and boys; see Matt Wertz’s interview on song writing) have gotta stick together…kind of like family, as they do in Laura’s new release THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD. This literary thriller will knock your  socks off with the carefully crafted sentences, attention to detail, and the family saga McHugh deftly weaves throughout the pages. [Be sure to check out the end of the interview for a chance to WIN a complimentary copy of the book!] A busy mom of two young daughters, a background in library science, and stellar reviews from prominent authors, Laura seems to have it made. But I am guessing it wasn’t an overnight success. Laura, can you tell us how you went from idea to published book? Time involved? Critique Groups? Agents? However your journey unfolded… Laura McHugh: I decided to write The Weight of Blood after I lost my job, and my goal was to finish the first …

Write On, Wednesday: Author Kimberly McCreight of RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA (2013) with GIVE-A-WAY!!

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By Leslie Lindsay I am super-excited to spend some time chatting with NYT bestselling debut author, Kimberly McCreight of RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA.  While this book was a Target Book Club pick and my local book discussion group selection, I am in awe as to how this literary wonder woman does it all.  She’s a mom to two young girls, runs marathons, and has several unpublished manuscripts just lying about. Oh, and she’s a former attorney. To accomplish all of that, you’d have to say the woman is driven, hands down. RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA appealed to me for several reasons: it’s been compared to Gillian Flynn’s GONE GIRL, has a Jodi Picout-like quality in that it alternates between view points, and perhaps most importantly, the storyline is ripped right from current trends in mean girl behavior, also know as social aggression–a trend I am not proud to associate with the female culture. So, without futher ado…please welcome Kim McCreight. LL: Thank you, Kim for taking the time to chat with us about your book, RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA (Harper Perennial, 2013). …

Write On, Wednesday: Interview with writer Laura Munson

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By Leslie Lindsay I am honored to have NYT bestselling author Laura Munson with us today as she talks about her memoir, THIS IS NOT THE STORY YOU THINK IT IS (Berkley Trade, 2011). She has graciously agreed to give-a-way a copy to a lucky reader!! Laura’s writing has appeared widely in various household publications, including The New York Times, Redbook, and O Magazine. She is also the founder of the Haven Writing Retreats. Without further ado, please welcome Laura Munson! 1)  Laura, thank you for taking the time to chat with us about your book, THIS IS NOT THE STORY YOU THINK IT IS (2011). While your story is no doubt an eye-opener, what do you believe sets it apart from other memoirs out there? LM: People tell me that reading my book is like sitting with a good friend, drinking tea, and sharing.  That is a result of many years of learning my craft and understanding why I write.  I come from a place of service.  I want to help people know they’re not alone.  I want …

Write on, Wednesday: Author Interview & Book Give-a-Way–Karen Brown!!

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By Leslie Lindsay I am super-excited to welcome Karen Brown to Write On, Wednesday.  Ms. Brown is the debut novelist of THE LONGINGS OF WAYWARD GIRLS (Washington Square Press, July 2013).  She has written several books of short stories in the past and teaches creative writing & literature at the University of South Florida. Without further adieu… Leslie Lindsay: As a first time novelist, how did the writing process differ from writing compilations of short stories?  In what ways were you particularly surprised or challenged by the creative process at hand? Karen Brown: “The short story is all about compression—how much of a world can you create in as few words as possible. You have to reveal a conflict and have something happen to a believable character in a scant twenty pages or less. I’d gotten used to this form, adopting a particular lyrical style—and I enjoyed hinting at things, letting the reader guess or intuit the characters’ motivations. The novel is so very different. I still feel I’m struggling to make the transition, and I …

The Teacher is Talking: Seven Men and the Secret of their Greatness

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By Leslie Lindsay You may be thinking red, white, and blue this time of year in light of American Independence Day (better known by the familiar moniker, 4th of July).  But, have you ever stopped to think about the qualities within Americans that make the USA truly great?  In New York Times Bestselling author’s Eric Metaxas’s recent book, we delve right into that.  While there are gads of influential women, this one focuses on seven widely known–but not well understood men.  Each exquisitely crafted short portraits of these men showcase a commitment to live by certain virtues found in the gospel.  Of course you are curious–just who are these great men and what can I learn from them?  Within the covers of this beautifully written, highly engageable book is seven men from all walks of life–politicians, founding fathers, baseball all-stars, athletes, and men of faith…George Washington, William Wilberforce, Eric Liddell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paul II, and Charles W. Colson. While not all of these individuals are American, we can certaintly see how their impact on …

Write On, Wednesday: Author Amy Sue Nathan Talks about her Debut Novel, THE GLASS WIVES

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By Leslie Lindsay I am honored to introduce Amy Sue Nathan to “Write On, Wednesday.”  Amy is a mother of a college-age son, a high school daughter and two dogs.  She is also the recently published author of THE GLASS WIVES (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013).  She’s generously offered a complimentary copy of the book to one lucky reader.  Amy resides in the Chicagoland area.  I just started reading the book, and already I can tell it’s going to be a great journey.  (image retrieved 5.26.13 from Amazon.com) L2:  First—the book!  Congratulations on such a wonderful accomplishment many of us only dream about.  What’s it like to finally have your book “out there?”  Amy Sue Nathan:Having my book out in the real world is surreal on one hand, and very tangible on the other. I have likened it to an expected surprise, like a baby. You know it’s going to happen, you’ve been preparing, you’ve read all the books, made all the plans—but when it happens, it’s still full of unknowns, twists, turns, and surprises. Hopefully, most of …

The Teacher is Talking: 50 Rules for Sons by Tim Hoch

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By Leslie Lindsay “Set goals and work like hell to accomplish them. Later, you’ll realize the journey was far more enjoyable than the end result.”  This is rule 03 in Tim Hoch’s new book, 50 Rules for Sons (released April 18, 2013).  What started as a letter to his son who was graduating from high school turned into a list of lessons the author wanted to share with him.  Great, too for recent college grads, Scouting organizations, youth groups, and more.  Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of today’s post to read about the give-a-way!  (image source: Amazon.com 5.14.13) Perfect for the attention span of the 140-character generation (think Twitter), 50 Rules for Sons dispenses rapid-fire chunks of wisdom in the first half of the book, independent of any explanation.  But each “rule” has a backstory, which Tim Hoch explains–sometimes eloquently, other times bluntly, and almost always with some wit.  These backstories, are located–well–at the back of the book.  Here are a few of my favorite rules: Rule o6: “There are few people you …

The Teacher is Talking: Mum’s the Word–Interview with Author Jessie Clemence

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By Leslie Lindsay As as teenager, I subscribed to YM magazine (I think it stood for Young & Modern).  The publication had a section entitled, “Say Anything: Your Most Mortifying Moments.”  Gone are the the days of YM, (and thankfully, so are my teenage years), but those mortifying moments live on, even as a mother.  Especially as a mother.  Today, I present “Cringe-Worthy Moments” by Jessie Clemence, author of There’s a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse: And Other Ways Motherhood Changes Us.  I am thrilled to have Jessie spell it all out for us–mortifying moments and all here in her guest post.  Stay tuned to learn more about the give-a-way: a complimentary copy of her book–perfect for gifting this Mother’s Day.   Before I had my own children, I had an idea of how parenting would go. I operated under the assumption that I would parent my children to the best of my ability and that would be enough. I believed that my efforts would ensure me happy and obedient children, all the time. I was wrong. It turns out …

Apraxia Monday: Interview with Kimberly Scanlon, CCC-SLP

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By Leslie Lindsay Special thanks to Kim Scanlon of Scanlon Speech Therapy in Ramsey, NJ and author of My Toddler Talks for joining us today.  She’s also mom of Kerrigan Grace (aka Kerri) who is 7 months old.  Without further adieu, here’s Kim! L4K: Wow. I am just amazed at your energy.  You’re a mom, a speech-language therapist of a busy practice, and author of My Toddler Talks.  How do you do it all?  Kimberly, CCC-SLP: I drink a lot of coffee and don’t sleep! Ha! To be honest, I really try to manage my time so I can do it all without becoming too stressed. Time management is key. The night before I go to sleep, I compose a very detailed to-do list. Then, I wake up the next morning, ready to tackle my day! Having my to-do list keeps me focused. It also helps that I love crossing off tasks as I complete them; gives me a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, I strongly believe in having routines because they keep my sanity. In My …