Giveaway results & Anna Quindlen's Rise and Shine
September 17, 2007 at 5:54 PM
by Ashleigh
So a week elapsed and the comments stopped which means... ta da! Time to announce who gets to win a book!
Of course, to make it more suspenseful and because I have to make you read all the crap stuff I spout out here regularly I'm going to tell you all about the new book I'm reading.
I picked this one up last week when I visited the local bookstore to ask them about supporting our school for Kinderboekenweek. I would send you to read about last year's Kinderboekenweek here on the blog but I can't find the link. Anyway, I'm co-ordinating a second-hand booksale for the school and we need some support material, posters, etc, which is why I was at the bookshop!
So... to cut a long story short. I felt silly going and asking for stuff and not buying anything and Anna Quindlen's Rise and Shine
Very happily in fact, now that I've started reading it.
The story is interesting, (you can go read the synopsis yourself) but what really makes it hum is Quindlen's characterisations and observations.
Like this one,
Her first day on the air I watched with Leo and Evan, the three of us eating oatmeal. And when Meghan said, 'This is Meghan Fitzmaurice. Rise and shine!' I burst into tears. It sounded just as it had sounded when we were children, when the eight-year-old Meghan would slide from her twin bed to wake her four-year-old sister with exactly that greeting. It sounded so promising, as if this would be the day: the day to ride a bike without training wheels, to make it through the afternoon without a stained blouse and a scolding, to persuade the girl next door to like me. To meet a man. To make a mint. To prosper. To love. To live fearlessly.
How evocative is that?
I hear a little voice saying something somewhere ....
It's saying 'Why is she going on and on and on?' 'But what about the draw?'
Ok, here goes, democratically chosen by printing the names and then picking them out of a bowl:
Jane - Tractors is all yours!
Ms BlondebutBright - You get Ray Kluun! (Not him personally, you understand, but his book. If I could offer him personally I would, but alas, that falls outside my skillset.)
and
Mary Emanuelson - You get Second Honeymoon!
So, if you could all kindly email me your addresses I can post your books to you. (Email address in the sidebar.)
One thing I was wondering when I ran this competition is where my male readers are? Are there any male readers? Do I need to offer more lascivious prizes to get male readers? Any male readers? Anywhere? Anyone? Bueller, Bueller?
Just wondering.
The second thing I was wondering is whether I should change my blog name.
Originally 'Stitched in Holland' was chosen as a title because I did a lot of sewing and secondly because I felt 'hemmed in' in Holland. However, I've outgrown both of those phases of my life and the name no longer suits. All that's left is me.
I'm thinking of starting a new blog and importing some of the content from here. Mostly the writing and family life.And calling it quite simply, www.ashleighmeier.com.
What do you think?
Comments
Wow, I was not expecting such wonderful news after waking up from a nap and checking the blog!
I'm very excited. :) I'll look forward to this literary gift! Thank you!
Oh, and I love the name of the blog - but it's your prerogative! Sometimes it's nice to start over with a name change. Anything in mind?
Books books books. I couldn't stop myself and ordered one from Ian Buruma (Voltaire's coconuts as a treat for my husband. I'll read and review it too, being quite curious about the European relationship with the English ;)
YAYAYAYAYAYAY!
er... I won a tractor???
/me best start building a shed to put it in! ;)
Seriously winning something is so exciting! :)
Thanks, you made my day.
September 18, 2007 1:14 PM