Winners! It Happened One Night by Lisa Dale and Wild Heart by Lori Brighton

Winners of It Happened One Night by Lisa Dale are:

Margay
cqueen2
Elizabeth
Christin
Julie

Congratulations and I hope you enjoy this as much as I am!!

Winners of Wild Heart by Lori Brighton are:

Stacy
Jane
Patricia

Congratulations! This is such an awesome book and I know you will love it!

All winners have been sent an email requesting mailing addresses. Thanks so much to everyone for stopping by and taking the time to enter!!

Spotlight: One Holy Night by: J. M. Hochstetler

One Holy Night
By: J.M. Hochstetler

An unforgettable story of forgiveness and reconciliation, One Holy Night retells the Christmas story in a strikingly original way—through the discovery of a baby abandoned in the manger of a church’s nativity scene. Destined to become a classic for all seasons, One Holy Night deals compassionately with the gritty issues of life—war and violence, devastating illness, intergenerational conflict, addictions, and broken relationships. This moving, inspirational story will warm readers’ hearts with hope and joy long after they finish reading.

Excerpt:

Prologue
November 19, 1966
Mike McRae dropped his battered duffel bag on the concrete floor and glanced through the bank of windows to where the wide-bodied army transport sat waiting on the snow-dusted tarmac. Waiting to take him and his buddies halfway around the world to war.
Viet Nam.

The name hung between him and his family as they gathered in the spare, unadorned military terminal, trying to pretend that this trip was nothing out of the ordinary. But it seemed to Mike almost as if he were gone already, that he had moved beyond the point where he could reach out to touch them. Their faces, loved and familiar, blurred before his eyes as though he looked at them through a mist.

His father cleared his throat before shoving a dog-eared, plain, tan paperback book into Mike’s hands. “Thought you might be able to use this sometime,” he said, his voice hoarse. “You and Julie used to like to sing some of these old songs when you were kids. Remember?”

Mike looked down at the book he held. It was his father’s old service hymnbook that he’d gotten as a young Marine at Sunday worship aboard a ship headed out to the South Pacific during World War II. Frank McRae wasn’t much of one to attend church, and the gift surprised Mike. Maybe spiritual things meant more to his father than he had thought.

It evidently surprised his mother too. “Oh, Frank, I didn’t think you paid any attention. Julie taught you those songs when you were just a toddler,” she added, lightly touching Mike’s shoulder. “The two of you sounded like little angels-” She stopped, her voice choking.

Mike could feel the heat rising to his face. To cover his embarrassment, he flipped open the worn cover and stared down at the inscription on the title page. No date, just the owner’s name: Frank McRae.

It was Mike’s turn to clear his throat. There was suddenly a lump in it despite his skepticism about anything that had to do with faith or religion.

“Well . . . cool. Thanks.”

Blinking back an unexpected prickle of tears, he glanced over at his mother, Maggie, who was thin and wan from surgery and chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. His sister, Julie, hovered near her, still in her white nurse’s uniform after coming straight to the airport from the hospital where she worked. Behind her stood her husband, Dan, holding their daughter, Amy.

“I know you’ve got a lot to carry already, but-”

Mike waved his father’s words away. “It isn’t heavy, Dad, and who knows. You lugged it through all those battlefields, and you made it home. Maybe it’ll bring me good luck too.”

On impulse, he pulled a pen out of the breast pocket of his fatigues, clicked it open and added his name below his father’s, added the date too. Squatting down, he zipped open his bag and squeezed the hymnal in among his clothing.

When he straightened, his mother stepped forward to give him a fierce hug. “When you get there let us know you’re okay and what unit you’re assigned to. Write as often as you can.”

“I will, Mom.” He struggled to keep his voice from choking up. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

“You get well, okay?” he whispered in her ear.

“I will. I’m going to beat this cancer, God willing.”

Inwardly Mike sighed, though for her sake he managed not to grimace. He and his mom had always been close, but he got awfully tired of all this God talk. On the other hand, if there really was a benign force somewhere out there in the universe, he supposed prayers couldn’t hurt.

Julie crowded in to put her arms around him as well. “I’m sure going to miss you, little brother.” She was crying openly, not making any attempt to brush away her tears.

“Aw, you’re going to be too busy with this little princess to think about me,” Mike returned awkwardly, reaching over to tickle three-year-old Amy under the chin.

She leaned out from her father’s arms, reaching for him. Dan surrendered the child, and she wound her arms around Mike’s neck, nestled her golden head against his shoulder, giggling, as he tugged on her braid.

Mike was relieved to see that Amy, at least, seemed not to comprehend the dangers he was heading toward or the length of the separation that lay before them. He turned to clasp Dan’s hand in a handshake he hoped would say everything he couldn’t.

Dan pushed his hand away and embraced him without speaking, pounding him on the back at the same time. Only Frank held back, frowning, as he stared through the windows at the plane.

Outside Mike could hear the engines revving up, signaling that it was time to board. The last of his buddies were heading outside. Hastily handing Amy back to Dan, Mike kissed his sister and mother, shook his father’s hand, then zipped up his parka and grabbed his duffel bag.

“Thirteen months,” he said, forcing a grin. “See you all back here next Christmas.”

“Don’t forget to tell Terry hello from all of us. Remind him Angie and the kids want him to stay safe and to hurry home. Give him a kiss from Angie,” Julie added with a wicked grin.

“Yeah, right!” Mike chuckled in spite of himself, then hefted his bag. “It sure will be good to see a friendly face when I get there. With luck, I’ll end up in Terry’s platoon.”

“It’ll be more than luck,” his mother said. “I’m going to pray about it. And we’ll be praying every minute until you’re home safe with us again.”

Mike gave her a crooked smile, then with a quick wave to all of them, turned and strode out the door and across the tarmac. By sheer willpower he kept his stride steady, refusing to let himself turn to look back at them. He knew that if he did, he’d never make it to the plane.

Every step of the way he could sense their eyes following him, and their love. When he reached the stairs, he ran up them, not letting himself think about what he was leaving behind or what lay before him.

Hurriedly he moved through the open door into the plane’s dim interior, feeling, like the severing of an embrace, the moment when he disappeared from their sight.

About J.M. Hochstetler:

J. M. Hochstetler writes stories that always involve some element of the past and of finding home. Born in central Indiana, the daughter of Mennonite farmers, she graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Germanic languages. She was an editor with Abingdon Press for twelve years and has published four novels. Daughter of Liberty (2004), Native Son (2005), and Wind of the Spirit (March 2009), the first three books of the critically acclaimed American Patriot Series, are set during the American Revolution. One Holy Night, a retelling of the Christmas story set in modern times, is the 2009 Christian Small Publishers Fiction Book of the Year and a finalist for the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Long Contemporary Book of the Year.

Hochstetler is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Christian Authors Network, Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, Nashville Christian Writers Association, and Historical Novels Society. She and her husband live near Nashville, Tennessee.

You can find Joan online at www.jmhochstetler.com or at this book’s blog http://oneholynight.blogspot.com.

Review: The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans

The Christmas List
By: Richard Paul Evans

Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1439150001
ISBN-13: 978-1439150009
Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches

Every Holiday Season, I anxiously await a new release from Richard Paul Evans. The books and stories, that he seamlessly brings to life upon the pages, are the perfect start to the season of family, friends and love. This season’s release is titled The Christmas List and does not disappoint. Reminiscent of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, The Christmas List focuses on a greedy and greatly disliked businessman, whose only goal in life is to make money and climb the ladder of success. James Kier doesn’t care who he stomps on or whose life he destroys, it’s all about the bottom line.

One fateful morning, while enjoying a cup of coffee and the newspaper, his eyes open in shock, as he is faced with reading his own obituary. Thinking that he is going to sue the pants off of the newspaper and developing a not-so-nice plot, revenge is quickly on his to-do list when he gets back home. That, however, changes as James reads all of the comments online, under the story of his death, followed by an eye-opening dream the following night.

To the astonishment of his employees, James returns to work, making a comment how he is sorry to disappoint and that he is, in fact, alive and well (sarcastically, mind you). At his request, James’ long time secretary, Linda, makes up a list of people he has wronged. To his shock, the list contains only five names. These, explains Linda, are the ones that have been held within her heart and have made the most lasting impression upon her.

So leads the journey of righting wrongs and finding forgiveness. James soon finds out that forgiveness is not always forthcoming and some wrongs just cannot be righted, no matter how great the desire. For James and the reader, this journey is one of great emotion and self-reflection.

The Christmas List is a story of finding and holding dear, what is truly important in life. It is a story of redemption and compassion. There truly was not a single aspect of this book that I did not fully and completely absorb and enjoy. The Christmas List is a true treasure to revel in and enjoy from first page until the last. Richard Paul Evans does a perfect job of bringing to life his characters in very real and very true-to-life settings and circumstances. I found myself on a roller coaster of emotion as I read, often times even brought to tears. The Christmas List is a book to be embraced and one that I raced through in two settings. Do not be fooled, however, even after the final page has been turned and the cover closed, this is a story that will linger with you for a very long time to come.

*overall rating 5/5

A note from RICHARD about his newest bestseller, The Christmas List–

I wrote THE CHRISTMAS LIST with two objectives: First, I wanted to explore what could happen if someone read their obituary before they died and saw, first hand, what the world really thinks of them. Their legacy.

Second, I wanted to write a Christmas story of true redemption. One of my family’s holiday traditions is to see a local production of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen it (perhaps a dozen) but it still thrills me to see the change that comes over Ebenezer Scrooge as he transforms from a dull, tight-fisted miser into a penitent, “giddy-as-a-schoolboy” man with love in his heart. I always leave the show with a smile on my faceand a resolve to be a better person. That’s what I wanted to share with you, my dear readers, this Christmas–a holiday tale to warm your seasons, your homes and your hearts.

Merry Christmas,
Richard Paul Evans

Excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

SATURDAY, THREE WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

James Kier looked back and forth between the newspaper headline and the photograph of himself, not sure if he should laugh or call his attorney. He had seen the picture before. It was the same photograph the Tribune had used a couple years earlier when they featured him on the front page of the business section. He had worn a silver, herringbone weave Armani over a black silk T-shirt, the corner of an ebony silk handkerchief peeked strategically from the breast pocket. The black and white photograph was carefully posed and lighted to leave half his face in shadow. The photographer, a black-clad young Japanese man with a shock of bright pink hair, chose to shoot the picture in black and white because, in the photographer’s words, he was “going for a yin yang effect—to fully capture Kier’s inner complexities”. The photographer was good at his craft. Kier’s expression revealed a leaky confidence.

While the photograph was the same, the headline could not have been more different. Not many people get to read their own obituary.

Local real estate mogul dies in automobile crash

Utah Real Estate developer James Kier was pronounced dead after his car collided with a concrete pilon on southbound I-80. Rescue workers labored for more than an hour to remove the Salt Lake man’s body from the wreckage. Authorities believe Kier may have had a heart attack prior to swerving off the road.

Kier was the president of Kier construction, one of the West’s largest real estate development firms. He was known as a fierce, oftentimes ruthless, businessman. He once said, “If you want to make friends, join a book club. If you want to make money, go into business. Only a fool confuses the two.”

Kier is survived by his son, James Kier II, and his wife, Sara. See page 1 of the business section for more on James Kier.

Kier lay the paper down. Some idiot’s going to lose his job over this, he thought.

He had no idea what the article was about to set in motion.





About Richard Paul Evans:

When Richard Paul Evans wrote the #1 best-seller, The Christmas Box, he never intended on becoming an internationally known author.

Officially, he was an advertising executive, an award-winning clay animator for the American and Japanese markets, candidate for state legislature and most importantly, husband and father. The Christmas Box was written as an expression of love for his (then) two daughters. Though he often told them how much he loved them, he wanted to express his love in a way that would be timeless. In 1993, Evans reproduced 20 copies of the final story and gave them to his closest relatives and friends as Christmas presents. In the month following, those 20 copies were passed around more than 160 times, and soon word spread so widely that bookstores began calling his home with orders for it.

His quiet story of parental love and the true meaning of Christmas made history when it became simultaneously the #1 hardcover and paperback book in the nation. Since then, more than eight million copies of The Christmas Box have been printed. The Emmy award-winning CBS television movie based on The Christmas Box starred Maureen O’Hara and Richard Thomas. Two more of Evans’s books were produced by Hallmark and starred such well-known actors as James Earl Jones, Vanessa Redgrave, Naomi Watts, Mary McDonough and Academy award winner Ellen Burstyn. He has since written 12 consecutive New York Times bestsellers and is one of the few authors in history to have hit both the fiction and non-fiction bestseller lists. He has won three awards for his children’s books including the 1998 American Mothers book award and two first place Storytelling World awards. Evans’s latest book, The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me About Life and Wealth, is now available.

Of his success, Evans says: “The material achievements of The Christmas Box will never convey its true success, the lives it has changed, the families brought closer together, the mothers and fathers who suddenly understand the pricelessness of their children’s fleeting childhood. I share the message of this book with you in hopes that in some way, you might be, as I was, enlightened.”

During the Spring of 1997, Evans founded The Christmas Box House International, an organization devoted to building shelters and providing services for abused and neglected children. Such shelters are operational in Moab, Vernal, Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah and Lucre, Peru. To date, more than 16,000 children have been housed in Christmas Box House facilities.

As an acclaimed speaker, Evans has shared the podium with such notable personalities as President George W. Bush, President George and Barbara Bush, former British Prime Minister John Majors, Ron Howard, Elizabeth Dole, Deepak Chopra, Steve Allen, and Bob Hope. Evans has been featured on the Today show and Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Time, Newsweek, People, The New York Times, Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, USA Today, TV Guide, Reader’s Digest, and Family Circle. Evans lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Keri, and their five children.

Review: Hex in High Heels by Linda Wisdom

Hex in High Heels
By: Linda Wisdom

Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca; 1 edition (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402218192
ISBN-13: 978-1402218194
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches

With a title like Hex in High Heels, you know the story between the covers is going to be a delightfully fun one. Linda Wisdom does not disappoint, in the least, as the story is every bit as delicious as the title. Hex in High Heels is the fourth installment in this witchy series, following 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover, Hex Appeal, and Wicked by Any Other Name. Usually I start a series at the beginning, rather than jumping in on number four, however this sounded like such an awesomely fun and wonderful book, that I could not resist.

I can honestly say that Hex in High Heels works pretty well as a stand alone, however, I do feel as though I missed something along the way. There are many references made to back stories, which fills in “gaps” for those readers who have not read the previous books in the series. Given that fact, I felt a bit “left out” and am dying to read this series from the beginning to capture the entire essence of the characters mentioned and their stories.

The characters are great and very well developed. Hex in High Heels focuses on Blair Fitzpatrick, a take-no-guff witch, and Jake Harrison, a yummy and hunky carpenter, who also happens to be a shape-shifting Were. If you thought your relationships were tricky, try being in one with a Were whose not-so-nice mother and brother will do anything to get your boyfriend to return to his pack and leave you in the dust.

Linda Wisdom gives readers the amazing gift of an engrossing story full of witchy twists and turns, humor - including laugh-out-loud moments - as well as a few flying sparks and a pair of ornery trouble causing tattoos.

Excerpt from page 48 - 49 of uncorrected proof:

“It’s the Were thing. They all think they’re superior to us,” Stasi replied thoughtfully, nibbling on her chocolate Kiss. “I don’t understand why the other magical beings don’t like witches. We’re all so wonderful. What’s not to like?”

“Nasty hexes over the centuries, a few - or a hundred - wars. That type of thing.” Blair searched her pockets again for more chocolate but came up dry. She made a mental note to stop by Lancaster’s Old-Fashioned Chocolates and Candies without delay. She considered their hand-dipped milk chocolate graham crackers health food. And she thought she’s add a few coconut haystacks, along with Hetty Lancaster’s sinfully rich truffles, to her purchases. Her mouth was already watering at the thought.

“But that wasn’t us,” Stasi pointed out, then reconsidered. “Well, some of the wars had to do with witches, but not us personally. We all get along. Well, to a point,” she conceded. “And it’s not the way it was centuries ago.”

“Thank the Fates,” Blair muttered, her mind still on the array of handmade chocolates at Lancaster’s.
Stasi stopped and spun around to face her friend. “You’re thinking about chocolate, aren’t you?” she accused.

Blair stepped around her and continued on. Witch on a mission - and with chocolate as the goal, there was no stopping her.

Witchy humor, the paranormal, love, revenge and chocolate, what more does one need?! I greatly enjoyed Hex in High Heels and, as previously stated, am itching to start this series from the beginning. The characters are hilariously fun. I love Blair and Stasi, their attitudes are perfect and who could resist a handsome shape-shifting Were such as Jake. The relationship between him and Blair is sizzling and one that won’t be soon forgotten.

Hex in High Heels is the first book, by Linda Wisdom, that it has been my pleasure and delight to read and I can promise it will not be the last. Anyone looking for a fun, paranormal romantic romp will quickly find themselves under Ms. Wisdom’s spell and happily so!

*overall rating 4/5

About Hex in High Heels:

Fourth in the popular, light paranormal romance series by an author whose books have sold 13 million copies

In this sexy, funny paranormal romance by bestselling author Linda Wisdom, it's all beautiful witch Blair Fitzpatrick can do to keep a lid on her talent for revenge spells, but things are about to get a lot more complicated...

Blair loves running her vintage shop and hanging out with witchy friends Stasi and Jazz. She's forever had a crush on hunky carpenter Jake Harrison, whose Were nature (he's a Border collie) makes him loyal, lovable, and fierce when need be. Just as sparks are beginning to fly, Blair is served with a big surprise when Jake's mother shows up along with his pack leader, who threatens to make Jake heel! When the alpha does the unthinkable, Blair is pushed over the edge. No one messes with her boyfriend-to-be, even if he does shed on the furniture!

About Linda Wisdom:

Linda is a born and bred Californian who’s written from the first day she could hold a crayon.

After she sold her first two books to then brand spanking new Silhouette Books she continued on, also writing for Dell Candlelight Ecstasy, Harlequin Books, Bantam Loveswept, and a romantic suspense for Kensington.

Her office shows the magick she likes to instill in her books with her collection of dragon and faery figurines, Pocket Dragons and Halloween Barbies.

Her Hex series, along with some of her backlist books, have been optioned for TV and movies.

She lives in Southern California with her husband, two dogs, a parrot, and tortoise that all create their own form of magick.

Put some Holly Jolly in your Holiday with great books!

If you are anything like me, reading great holiday themed books is one of the highlights of the Holidays. I have started early this year (yes, Oct. I had read 3 holiday themed books already, lol!) There is just something so warm, cozy and comforting about these reads. Recently, I have come across several titles that I am DYING to get my hands on, as well as some that are happily sitting beside me. I thought I would share the titles that I come across and would love to hear any that I have not mentioned! I will also be sure to hyperlink so that you can check the books out further and perhaps even add a few to your collection, lol!

Here we go...

The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans (my review is coming shortly for this one!)


The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere (my review)

When a struggling young single mother saves the life of an elderly woman, she sets into motion a series of events that will test her strength, loyalty, and determination, all the while setting her on the path to finding true love. Christine Eisley is the mother of seven-year-old Zach and five-year-old Haley. Her ex-husband provides little, if any, child support and makes life difficult for Christine by using the children as pawns. She works long hours as a waitress to make ends meet, but her job is in jeopardy because she’s often late to work due to the unreliable teenaged sitters she’s forced to use. When Christine saves the life of a woman who works in Wilson’s department store, the owner of Wilson’s wants to find her, to thank her, but Christine has disappeared, losing another job once again. He sets his grandson, Jason, to the task of finding the mysterious “Christy.” Jason, an accountant by trade who has lost his job to downsizing, thinks he is “above” working at Wilson’s. Soon, he discovers that this new task gives him more than he bargains for. The Christmas Secret is a novel for anyone who wants to see how love is a gift that keeps giving back; that hope is a treasure that never runs dry, and that faith is a miracle that is reborn with each new day.

The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson

Betty Kowalski isn't looking forward to the holidays. She just can't seem to find Christmas in her heart. There's church, of course. But who can she bake for these days? And who would care whether or not she pulled out the Christmas decorations? Her new neighbor just adds to the problem. He's doing home improvements that don't appear to be improving much of anything. These days when Betty looks out the window, she sees a beat-up truck, a pile of junk, lots of blue tarps, and--horror of horrors--an old pink toilet. But when a mangy dog appears at her doorstep, the stage is set for Betty to learn a very important lesson about what Christmas is all about. This contemporary Christmas story is a timely yet gentle reminder that God can work miracles through something as seemingly insignificant as a little brown dog.

One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson

Christmas is the season of miracles, but when blame and guilt keep people apart, a miracle needs a helping hand. Will her family's tenacious love and an unexpected Christmas gift from her mother help Natalie mend the broken pieces of their lives?

Christmas Jars Reunion by Jason F. Wright

The New York Times bestseller Christmas Jars has sold nearly 500,000 copies. Thousands of people across the country have emailed the author at ChristmasJars.com about how the Christmas Jars tradition has touched their lives either by receiving a jar or by giving one. Hope Jensen s story continues in Christmas Jars Reunion. It s been two years since Hope was reunited with her biological mother on Christmas Eve at Chuck s Chicken n Biscuits. Hope has never felt more complete. She s writing full- time for a family magazine and, with the help of her mother, Marianne, leading the Christmas Jars Ministry out of Chuck s quirky restaurant. To top it off, she s dating a marketing executive in a comfortable long- distance relationship. Her life is right where she wants it to be a state of orga - nized chaos as another Christmas rolls around. Then her world changes forever over Thanks - giving weekend. The Maxwells hire a nephew to take over the family furniture restoration business. Someone that Hope can t stop thinking about. Then an out- of- town stranger shows up at the diner asking to help in the ministry a stranger whose motives are yet unclear. Before the sun sets on Christmas Day, two men will try to change Hope s life forever. In the process, Hope will be reminded of the immense power of a single jar, and the healing that sometimes comes only with forgiveness.

The Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Alan Milne (my review)

In this affable yuletide yarn, brothers Aaron and Molar are understandably preoccupied with the material side of Christmas, until they meet Dr. Ringle, a shopping mall Santa who is also a doctor at a local children's cancer ward. Dr. Ringle encourages them to volunteer at the ward from Thanksgiving to Christmas, and especially encourages their friendship with two children: recalcitrant and angry Katrina, whose postsurgical scarring leaves her afraid to be seen without a paper bag on her head, and effusively optimistic Madhu, who does not understand the story of Christmas. The story is unexpectedly heartwarming, and Milne mostly avoids sap while delivering his warm fuzzies and dashes of Christmas hope and magic. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg

Lured by a brochure his doctor gives him after informing him that his emphysema has left him with scarcely a year to live, 52-year-old Oswald T. Campbell abandons wintry Chicago for Lost River, Ala., where he believes he'll be spending his last Christmas. Bestselling author Flagg (Fried Green Tomatoes; Standing in the Rainbow) makes this down-home story about good neighbors and the power of love sparkle with wit and humor, as she tells of Oswald's new life in a town with one grocery store and a resident cardinal (or redbird, as the natives call it). Frances Cleverdon, one of four widows and three single women in town, hopes to fix him up with her sister, Mildred—if only Mildred wouldn't keep dying her hair outrageous colors every few days. The quirky story takes a heartwarming turn when Frances and Oswald become involved in the life of Patsy Casey, an abandoned young girl with a crippled leg. As Christmas approaches, the townspeople and neighboring communities—even the Creoles, whose long-standing feud with everybody else keeps them on the other side of the river—rally round shy, sweet Patsy. Flagg is a gifted storyteller who knows how to tug at readers' heartstrings, winding up her satisfying holiday tale with the requisite Christmas miracle.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

A Wish For Christmas by Thomas Kinkade and Kathleen Spencer

In Cape Light, Christmas brings unexpected gifts that will never be forgotten.

This Christmas, the people of Cape Light reflect on their past and revel in their future.

David has returned home after serving in Afghanistan to find his widowed father, Jack, remarried, and a young stepsister in the house. Further, his own physical injuries may never heal. He's having trouble joining in the cheer of the Christmas season-but soon realizes that he will have to heal not only his body but also his heart.

Meanwhile, Lillian Warwick remains fiercely independent and wily, resisting help from her daughters. When the tables are turned and her old friend Dr. Ezra Elliot is the one in need, Lillian rises to the challenge. Never expecting to love again, she cares for Ezra and begins to wonder if it's possible to let someone else into her life.

A Quilter's Holiday: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel by Jennifer Chiaverini

For the Elm Creek Quilters, the day after Thanksgiving marks the start of the quilting season, a time to gather at Elm Creek Manor and spend the day stitching holiday gifts for loved ones. This year, in keeping with the season's spirit of gratitude, Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson Cooper is eager to revive a cherished family tradition. A recent remodeling of the manor's kitchen unearthed a cornucopia that once served as the centerpiece of the Bergstrom family's holiday table. Into it, each Bergstrom would place an object that symbolized something he or she was especially thankful for that year. On this quilter's holiday, Sylvia has invited her friends to continue the tradition by sewing quilt blocks that represent their thankfulness and gratitude.

As each quilter explains the significance of her carefully chosen block, stories of love and longing for family and friends emerge -- feelings that are also expressed in the gifts they work on throughout the day. Diane is thankful for her two sons, who've outgrown their youthful troubles to become fine young men, but she wishes they revered their family's traditions as much as she does. Anna, in her first holiday season as an Elm Creek Quilter, creates a quilt for her best friend even as she begins to question her feelings for him, which may have grown beyond friendship. Sylvia reflects upon holidays past spent with her beloved, long-lost cousin Elizabeth and wonders whatever became of her. Sarah, pregnant with twins, determinedly sews a Christmas gift for her father-in-law, whose persistent suggestions that her husband, Matt, come to work for his construction company have created tension in their marriage. And as Gretchen pieces a quilt for a charity she has not yet chosen and Gwen completes a project begun by her graduate school mentor, both women lend their talents to those in need.

As an early winter storm blankets Elm Creek Manor in heavy snow, the quilters find new meanings in their best-loved traditions and new reasons to be thankful. A Quilter's Holiday is a story of holiday spirit, in its truest, most generous sense.

Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle

In the charming eighth coffeehouse mystery from the pseudonymous Coyle (the husband-wife writing team of Marc Cerasini and Alice Alfonsi), Clare Cosi, owner of the Village Blend, is preoccupied with creating flavorful and memorable drinks for the upcoming holiday season. Then one snowy December day, Clare discovers a beloved customer, Alf Glockner, shot to death in a nearby alley. Doubtful of the police conclusion that Alf, a part-time comedian who was working as a charity Santa, was the victim of a random murder, Clare sets out to find out what really happened. To her peril, she must do so on her own because her boyfriend, NYPD Det. Mike Quinn, is busy with his own homicide investigation. This light cozy will keep readers guessing until the end, while the drink and accompanying treat recipes will send anyone to the kitchen in search of a candy cane brownie and a caffe mocha latte. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Holly and Homicide by Leslie Caine

It’s Christmastime in sleepy Snowcap, Colorado, and the town is up in arms. The venerable Goodwin Estate has been sold to enterprising out of towners and is getting a major makeover just in time for the holidays. Interior designers Erin Gilbert and Steve Sullivan walked smack into a storm of chaos: the estate’s new owners, including one whose idea of holiday decor involves inflatable elves and a gingerbread facade, are battling among themselves. Erin’s big-talking ex-boyfriend shows up just in time to make Sullivan crazy jealous, and when a local building inspector is found strangled with a strand of Christmas lights, Gilbert and Sullivan begin to suspect it might be time to leave this psychodrama of a project behind.

But after an incompetent sheriff accuses Erin of murder and there’s another gruesome killing, the only way out is to turn detective. Her new job: solve a mystery with too many clues…and far too many guilty parties….

FEATURING DOMESTIC BLISS HOME DECORATING TIPS!

The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck

When Eddie was twelve years old, all he wanted for Christmas was a bike. Although his life had gotten harder -- and money tighter -- since his father died and the family bakery closed...Eddie dreamed that somehow his mother would find a way to have his dream bike gleaming beside their modest Christmas tree that magical morning.

What he got from her instead was a sweater. "A stupid, handmade, ugly sweater" that young Eddie left in a crumpled ball in the corner of his room.

Scarred deeply by the realization that kids don't always get what they want, and too young to understand that he already owned life's most valuable treasures, that Christmas morning was the beginning of Eddie's dark and painful journey on the road to manhood. It will take wrestling with himself, his faith, and his family -- and the guidance of a mysterious neighbor named Russell -- to help Eddie find his path through the storm clouds of life and finally see the real significance of that simple gift his mother had crafted by hand with love in her heart.

Based on a deeply personal true story, The Christmas Sweater is a warm and poignant tale of family, faith and forgiveness that offers us a glimpse of our own lives -- while also making us question if we really know what's most important in them.

The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman (my review)

Mark your calendar. It's the Christmas Cookie Club! Every year on the first Monday of December, Marnie and her twelve closest girlfriends gather in the evening with batches of beautifully wrapped homemade cookies. Everyone has to bring a dish, a bottle of wine, and their stories. This year, the stories are especially important. Marnie's oldest daughter has a risky pregnancy. Will she find out tonight how that story might end? Jeannie's father is having an affair with her best friend. Who else knew about the betrayal, and how can that be forgiven or forgotten, even among old friends such as these? Rosie's husband doesn't want children, and she has to decide, very soon, whether or not that's a deal breaker for the marriage. Taylor's life is in financial freefall. Each woman, each friend has a story to tell, and they are all interwoven, just as their lives are.

On this evening, at least, they can feel as a group the impulses of sisterly love and conflict, the passion and hopefulness of a new romance, the betrayal and disillusionment some relationships bring, the joys and fears of motherhood, the agony of losing a child, and above all, the love they have for one another. As Marnie says, the Christmas Cookie Club, if it's anything, is a reminder of delight.

The Christmas Cookie Club is about the paths Marnie and her friends have traveled, the absolute joy they take in life and love despite the decisions they've regretted, the hard choices and amends they've had to make, and the sacrifices along the way. Ultimately, The Christmas Cookie Club is every woman's story. As you read about Marnie and her friends, their struggles and triumphs, what makes them laugh and what has made them cry, you'll see yourself and some of the ingredients of your own story. Celebrating courage and joy in spite of hard times and honoring the importance of women's friendships as well as the embracing bonds of community, Ann Pearlman has written a novel that speaks to us all.

The Christmas Glass by Marci Alborghetti

In the tradition of The Christmas Shoes and A Christmas on Jane Street, the heartwarming story of The Christmas Glass shows how, today as always, the Christmas miracle works its wonders in the human heart.

In the early days of World War II in Italy, Anna, a young widow who runs a small orphanage, carefully wraps her most cherished possessions -- a dozen hand-blown, German-made, Christmas ornaments, handed down by her mother -- and sends them to a cousin she hasn't seen in years.

Anna is distressed to part with her only tangible reminder of her mother, but she worries that the ornaments will be lost or destroyed in the war, especially now that her orphanage has begun to secretly shelter Jewish children. Anna's young cousin Filomena is married with two-year-old twins when she receives the box of precious Christmas glass.

After the war, Filomena emigrates to America, where the precious ornaments are passed down through the generations. After more than forty years, twelve people come to possess a piece of Christmas glass, some intimately connected by family bonds, some connected only through the history of the ornaments. As Christmas Day approaches, readers join each character in a journey of laughter and tears, fractures and healings, as Filomena, now an eighty-four-year-old great-grandmother, brings them all to what will be either a wondrous reunion or a disaster that may shatter them all like the precious glass they cherish.

The Christmas Clock by Kat Martin

Sylvia Winters just found a job and an apartment in her hometown of Dreyerville, Michigan, but she is hesitant to return. Eight years ago, she jilted her fiancé, Joe Dixon, telling him that she was moving to Chicago because small-town living was not for her. But she was lying. Syl was headed to Chicago to be treated for cervical cancer. Sadly, Joe never knew the real reason she left him. Confused and distraught, he turned to drinking to heal the pain, until he accidentally killed a man and served years in jail. Now Syl and Joe are both back in town, but it will take a miracle to bring them back into each other’s arms.

Also in town is Lottie Sparks and her grandson, Teddy. Ever since Lottie’s daughter was killed in a drunk-driving accident, Lottie’s been in charge of Teddy. He appreciates her love more than she knows, so much so that the industrious eight-year-old hits up Joe’s auto body shop, so he can save enough money by Christmas to buy his grandmother a Victorian clock she adores—one that vividly reminds her of her childhood, even as the rest of her memories are slipping away with the onset of advanced Alzheimer’s.

As spring turns to summer and summer to fall, matters in the Sparks’ household take a turn for the worse. And with winter approaching, will a little hope and a big dose of Christmas magic be enough to make everything all right again?

Angel Lane by Sheila Roberts (my review)

Keep the heart in Heart Lake. That’s exactly what three small-town shop owners hope to do when they launch their crazy-ambitious “Have a Heart” campaign—asking neighbors to commit one random act of kindness every day. Emma, Sarah, and Jamie love their lakeside community, but the little town is growing too big too fast, and a doing a good deed never hurt anyone. Or so they thought…

When Emma slashes prices at her quilt shop, practically giving away blankets to anyone who looks vaguely cold, she almost stitches her way into bankruptcy. Sarah’s free cooking class boils down to a hotbed of crime when some punk kid swipes her favorite heirloom. And at Jamie’s chocolate shop, things take a bittersweet turn when a local policeman starts giving her grief, stirring up feelings she’s tried to forget—and slowly melts away her defenses…

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

Ahern wades into the Christmas fiction fray with a winning tale of magic and redemption. Lou Suffern is a busy man, and his family's growing weary of constantly taking the backseat to his career. On a whim, he offers Gabe, a homeless man he meets outside his office, a low-level job, and the uncharacteristically kind gesture plays out in a very unexpected way when Lou learns that Gabe has the power to be in two places at once. As the holidays draw nearer, Gabe tries to make Lou realize the importance of his family, but slow-to-change Lou might not come around to Gabe's way of thinking until it's too late. Ahern's an accomplished storyteller, and her writing chops elevate this far above the normal holiday fare. There's magic, but it's not campy, and the sentiment is real. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Okay, there a soooo many more awesome books, but I think I will stop here for now. My computer is driving me CRAZY with its slowness, plus this way I can do a part 2, or 3 or 4 or... lol. Anyway, here are a few to get you in the mood for the Holidays! Let me know what you think! Who are some of your favorite holiday authors?!

WINNERS!!!

Good Saturday morning, everyone! I have some winners to share with you, thanks to randomizer.org! First up is the looong overdue winner of Horrid Henry and the Mummy's Curse!

Winner of Horrid Henry and the Mummy's Curse:

CINDY

Winners of the audiobook bundle of True Blue and The Lovely Bones:

DIANE
ROXXYROLLAR
CHRISTINE (OSSMACALC)

Congratulations to all of the winners!! I have sent an email out to all of your requesting your mailing address.

Thank you, so much, to everyone who took the time to stop by and enter! I greatly appreciate it! More contests coming soon and please be sure to check out the sidebar to see what contests and giveaways are going on now!

Family Literacy Month + Giveaway!

Many of you know that November is National Family Literacy Month. What a delightful and wonderful campaign this is for all people! Reading is such an important and vital activity - not only is it educational, but also relaxing and expands imaginations. To celebrate this wonderful month, six other people and I have been doing a "Tweet For Literacy" campaign on Twitter. If you are not familiar with this project, please (click here) to find out more and see how you can enter to win 1 of several excellent gift/prize packages that are available (a new winner picked every 2 days!)

During this time, I am also posting questions periodically on twitter about reading habits, books, ideas, etc. I have decided to have a "gathering" place of sorts for all of the questions here on Cafe of Dreams. That way people can answer even if they do not have a twitter account, or have missed the question/s on twitter! As a bit of extra added fun, I am adding a small prize package of two books just for this. Everyone that answers the questions will be added to randomizer and I will have it pick one lucky winner on Dec. 1st. The prize? A set of two of my favorite holiday/Christmas books!

The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere (click here) to read my review
Where Angels Go by Debbie Macomber (click here)to read my review

There will be one winner and each time you answer a question, your name will be entered into the drawing. So answer away and increase your chances of winning! Also, please be sure to check out Tweet4Lit and all the wonderful people involved!



Keep in mind that I will be adding questions to the following list, so please check back often!

1) Do you and your family have a daily reading time - either to read aloud together or quietly?

2) Does your family have a favorite book/s?

3) What were some of your favorite books as a child?

4) Where do you and your family get most of your books - library or bookstore?

5) Do you and/or your children have a favorite author/s?

Tweet for Literacy!

Tweet for Literacy Giveaways

Our Motto: “The family that reads together has a lot of fun!”

The Tweet for Literacy Giveaway is a campaign designed to raise awareness of the importance of involving the whole family in a child’s reading activities. Tweet for Literacy will be giving away literacy-related prizes every two days throughout the month of November in honor of National Family Literacy Month. Help a child to read, and let the fun begin!


How to Enter the Tweet for Literacy Giveaways

Step 1: Follow our 7 sponsors on Twitter. This step is required. We will all follow you back!


http://twitter.com/cafeofdreams
http://twitter.com/lindathieman
http://twitter.com/susieqtpies
http://twitter.com/ccmalandrinos
http://twitter.com/hollyhardin
http://twitter.com/sherikayehoff
http://twitter.com/nicole_odell

Step 2: Re-tweet (RT) any post about the giveaway. Use the hashtag #Tweet4Lit on each RT. Be sure to add the bit.ly URL link for this contest page. (http://bit.ly/1Qg2Y6)

Sample Entry Re-tweets

RT @cafeofdreams Tweet for Literacy is giving away 12 prize sets and a grand prize thru Nov. #Tweet4Lit http://bit.ly/1Qg2Y6

RT @cafeofdreams Enter Tweet for Literacy giveaways here! New prize sets every 2 days. #Tweet4Lit http://bit.ly/1Qg2Y6


Step 3: That’s it! See the Official Rules below.


Official Rules

You can re-enter as many times as you like. Prizes are awarded every 2 days starting on November 8. First day to enter is November 6, 2009. Last day to enter is November 30. A prize package will be awarded on each even day of the month. Each prize package will be a set of items that are literacy related. See below for specific information on prizes.

The name of the winner will be selected at random and will be drawn at approximately 6pm CT. The winner will have 3 days to respond. If we don’t hear from the winner, we will select another winner for that prize package. We will notify our 13 winners by Direct Message (DM) on Twitter.

Whereas you can enter as often as you like, if you are not following all 7 sponsors on Twitter, which will be verified, your entries will be disqualified. All entries that comply with the above rules will be valid for each drawing, including the Grand Prize. The Grand Prize will be awarded on December 1, 2009.

Open to residents of the U.S. only. Must be 18 years old to enter.

If you have any questions or comments about the giveaway, please contact Linda Thieman at blog (at) katieandkimble (dot) com.


Our Sponsors

Authors

Holly Hardin, author of the children’s picture book Aurora of the Northern Lights
Twitter name: @hollyhardin
Blog: Holly's Helpful Hints
http://hhhelpfulhints.blogspot.com/
http://hollyhardin.net/

Sheri Kaye Hoff, Life Coach and author of Keys to Living Joyfully
Twitter name: @sherikayehoff
Blog: Coach Sheri’s Living Joyfully Everyday blog
http://www.lifeisjoyful.org/id1.html

Nicole O’Dell, author of the Scenarios books for girls ages 10-15
Twitter name: @nicole_odell
Blog: Nicole O’Dell blog
http://nicoleodell.blogspot.com
www.nicoleodell.com
www.scenariosforgirls.com

Linda Thieman, author of the Katie & Kimble: A Ghost Story chapter book series for ages 7-10
Twitter name: @lindathieman
Blog: The Katie & Kimble Blog
http://www.katieandkimbleblog.com

Bloggers

Susan Buetow, homeschooling mom/blogger
Twitter name: @susieqtpies
Blogs: The Homeschool Messenger; Scraps of Life
http://homeschoolmessenger.blogspot.com/
http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blogspot.com/

Cheryl Malandrinos, writer/mom/book blogger
Twitter name: @ccmalandrinos
Blog: The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection
http://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com/

April Pohren, mom/book blogger
Twitter name: @cafeofdreams
Blog: Café of Dreams
http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com


Prizes and Winners

The Tweet for Literacy campaign was designed to encourage family literacy. Our motto is “The family that reads together has a lot of fun!”

Our goal is to empower children and teens, especially girls, who are so often overlooked. We also seek to teach tolerance and self-acceptance through reading and through family interaction.

Our first prize package winner will be selected on November 8, 2009, at 6pm CT.

Prize Package One

A Guardian Angel Publishing Gift Pack ($55 Value) with the following titles:

Jamie's Dream by Susan Berger and Christopher Corbin
Color Me Happy! by Sally M. Harris (autographed)
A Horse of Course by Shari Lyle-Soffe (autographed)
Earthquake by Susan Berger
The Sum of Our Parts: No Bones About It by Bill Kirk


Plus, Aurora of the Northern Lights by Holly Hardin (autographed -- an $18.95 value), the delightful Christmas-themed picture book by one of our Tweet for Literacy sponsors.

Check back here daily as we will continue to update the list of prizes.

Winner of Prize Pack #1!!!

sixcents_aw

Prize Pack #2!

Winner to be chosen Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 6pm CT. Total value of Prize Package Two is $114.

1) Aurora of the Northern Lights by Holly Hardin (autographed -- an $18.95 value), the delightful Christmas-themed picture book by one of our Tweet for Literacy sponsors. Donated by the author.

2) Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates by Carolyn Crimi and John Manders for ages 4 to 8. ($15.99 value) This is the sequel to Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies. Donated by Blue Slip Media.

3) The Katie & Kimble chapter book series by Linda Thieman, for ages 6 to 10. Lexile® measures: 280L and 290L. This set includes Katie & Kimble: A Ghost Story and Katie & Kimble: The Magic Wish. These are stories of love and healing, and are not scary! Donated by the author, one of our Tweet for Literacy sponsors. (Value: $11.90 per set)

4) Lexi by L.S. Matthews (Grades 4-8) ($14.99). Donated by our Tweet for Literacy sponsor, Linda Thieman.

5) Mark My Time, a totally cool digital bookmark/timer ($11.90 value), donated by our Tweet for Literacy sponsor Susan Buetow.

6) Light Up Your Child’s Mind: Finding a Unique Pathway to Happiness and Success by Joseph S. Renzulli, Sally M. Reis, Andrea Thompson ($25.99 value). Donated by Hachette Book Group.

7) And a little something for Mom! The Sidewalk Artist by Gina Buonaguro and Janice Kirk ($13.95 value), donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor Linda Thieman.

Official Winner of prize pack #2 is: @halfbluesky

Prize Pack #3!

Winner to be chosen Thursday, November 12, 2009, at 6pm CT. Total value of Prize Package Three is $109.

1) Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates by Carolyn Crimi and John Manders for ages 4 to 8. ($15.99 value) This is the sequel to Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies. Donated by Blue Slip Media.

2) Aurora of the Northern Lights by Holly Hardin (autographed -- an $18.95 value), the delightful Yuletide-themed picture book by one of our Tweet for Literacy sponsors. Donated by the author.

3) The Crypto-Capers: The Case of the Missing Sock (autographed) by Renee Hand ($12.95 value). Readers help the detectives solve the case by figuring out puzzles! For ages 9-12. Donated by the author.

4) Capital Mysteries #3: The Skeleton in the Smithsonian [A Stepping Stone Book(TM)] by Ron Roy, for ages 9-12 (Value $3.99). Donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor April Pohren.

5) Truth or Dare (autographed), Book 1 from the Scenarios for Girls interactive series by Nicole O’Dell. For ages 10-15. ($7.97 Value) Donated by the author, one of our Tweet for Literacy sponsors.

6) 1 set of SnapWords™ List A Teaching Cards by Child1st ($23.95 value). These are the most popular SnapWords™ product and are excellent foundational help for kids who are just learning to read. Donated by Child1st Publications, LLC.

7) Lighting Their Fires: Raising Extraordinary Children in a Mixed-up, Muddled-up, Shook-up World by Rafe Esquith ($24.95 value). Donated by FSB Associates.

Official Winner of prize pack #3! @TiffanyKaykup

Prize #4

Winner to be chosen Saturday, November 14, 2009, at 6pm CT. Total value of Prize Package Four is $105.

This special Gift Package (items 1-4) is being donated by Sourcebooks, Inc., (www.sourcebooks.com).


1) The Tree That Time Built (book & CD, autographed), edited by the Children's Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston—a cultural anthropologist. This collection of poetry is made to teach kids all about the wonders of nature. There are explanations of scientific terms, as well as an accompanying CD with some of the most recognized voices in poetry. It's REALLY sweet. (Value $19.99) (For ages 9-12; great for the entire family.) Donated by Sourcebooks.

2) Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon and Tony Ross (Value $4.99). (For ages 4-8) Donated by Sourcebooks.

3) Horrid Henry’s Christmas by Francesca Simon and Tony Ross (Value $4.99). (For ages 4-8) Donated by Sourcebooks.

4) Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble and a signed poster of Dreaming Anastasia (Value $9.99). (Young Adult) Donated by Sourcebooks.

5) Aurora of the Northern Lights by Holly Hardin (autographed -- an $18.95 value), the delightful Yuletide-themed picture book by one of our Tweet for Literacy sponsors. Donated by the author.

6) Close Encounters of the Third-grade Kind: Thoughts on Teacherhood by Phillip Done ($22.99 value). Donated by Hachette Book Group.

7) The Bethel Lutheran Cookbook, edited and donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor Susan Buetow. 700 family-favorite recipes! Take reading outside the box and into the kitchen! ($10 value) (For all ages!)

8) The Unexpected Gift by Michelle Bulmer Atha & Meaghan Gonzales Wagar (Value $12.95) (For Mom.) Donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor April Pohren.

Prize #5

Winner to be chosen Monday, November 16, 2009, at 6pm CT. Total value of Prize Package Five is $111.

1) Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas (Ages 4-8). (Value $12.99) Donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor Cheryl Malandrinos.

2) Aurora of the Northern Lights by Holly Hardin (autographed -- an $18.95 value), the delightful Yuletide-themed picture book by one of our Tweet for Literacy sponsors. Donated by the author.

3) Candytuft's Enchanting Treats: A Flower Fairies Chapter Book by Cicely Mary Barker; $3.99, ages 9-12. Donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor April Pohren.

4) The Crypto-Capers: The Legend of the Golden Monkey by Renee Hand ($12.95 value). Readers help the detectives solve the case by figuring out puzzles! For ages 9-12. Donated by the author.

5) Bad Girls Club by Judy Gregerson. (Young Adult) (Value $16.95). An advanced readers copy donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor Cheryl Malandrinos.

6) Light Up Your Child’s Mind: Finding a Unique Pathway to Happiness and Success by Joseph S. Renzulli, Sally M. Reis, Andrea Thompson ($25.99 value). Donated by Hachette Book Group.

7) It Happens in Threes by Denise Robbins (signed/personalized), an $18.95 value, for Mom or Dad. Donated by the author.

Prize #6!

Winner to be chosen Wednesday, November 18, 2009, at 6pm CT. Total value of Prize Package Six is $116.

1) Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates by Carolyn Crimi and John Manders for ages 4 to 8. ($15.99 value) This is the sequel to Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies. Donated by Blue Slip Media.

2) Aurora of the Northern Lights by Holly Hardin (autographed -- an $18.95 value), the delightful Yuletide-themed picture book by one of our Tweet for Literacy sponsors. Donated by the author.

3) Kids Across, Parents Down: Crazy Critters: The Puzzles That Kids & Adults Enjoy Together by Jan Buckner Walker; Ages 9-12, $4.95 value. Donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor April Pohren.

4) While Shepherds Watched: Stories of Christmas Miracles and Mysteries by Steven Roberts. For all ages. (Value $15.95). Donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor Cheryl Malandrinos.

5) Across the Pond by Storyheart (Barry Eva), autographed, for Young Adults. (Value $19.99) Donated by the author.

6) Close Encounters of the Third-grade Kind: Thoughts on Teacherhood by Phillip Done ($22.99 value). Donated by Hachette Book Group.

7) Killer Bunny Hill by Denise Robbins (signed/personalized), a $16.95 value, for Mom or Dad. Donated by the author.

Prize #7!

Winner to be chosen Friday, November 20, 2009, at 6pm CT. Total value of Prize Package Seven is $125.

1) The Yoga Zoo Adventure by Helen Purperhart, a $14.95 value. (Ages 3-7) Donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor April Pohren.

2) Aurora of the Northern Lights by Holly Hardin (autographed -- an $18.95 value), the delightful Yuletide-themed picture book by one of our Tweet for Literacy sponsors. Donated by the author.

3) Ranger's Apprentice Book 1: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan ($7.99; ages 9-12) Donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor April Pohren.

4) The Crypto-Capers: The Case of Red Rock Canyon by Renee Hand ($12.95 value). Readers help the detectives solve the case by figuring out puzzles! For ages 9-12. Donated by the author.

5) Across the Pond by Storyheart (Barry Eva), autographed, for Young Adults. (Value $19.99) Donated by the author.

6) Light Up Your Child’s Mind: Finding a Unique Pathway to Happiness and Success by Joseph S. Renzulli, Sally M. Reis, Andrea Thompson ($25.99 value). Donated by Hachette Book Group.

7) Daughter of Kura by Debra Austin (a pre-publication advanced readers copy-ARC!) A $24.00 value for Mom or Dad. Donated by Tweet for Literacy sponsor April Pohren.