Friday, 16 March 2012
GIVEAWAY: Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop
Welcome to the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop, co-hosted by Books Complete Me and Author Cindy Thomas. For this giveaway, author Mary Pauline Lowry has generously offered up a copy of her well-received book The Earthquake Machine. Check out what people are saying on Amazon and GoodReads. I haven't had a chance yet to read it, but plan to do so in the upcoming months...
The Earthquake Machine tells the story of 14 year-old Rhonda. On the outside, everything looks perfect in Rhonda's world but at home Rhonda has to deal with a manipulative father who keeps her mentally ill mother hooked on pharmaceuticals. The only reliable person in Rhonda's life is her family's Mexican yardman, Jes s. But when the INS deports Jes?'s back to his home state of Oaxaca, Rhonda is left alone with her increasingly painful family situation. Determined to find her friend Jes s, Rhonda seizes an opportunity to run away during a camping trip with friends. She swims to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande and makes her way to the border town of Boquillas, Mexico. There a peyote-addled bartender convinces her she won't be safe traveling alone into the country's interior. So with the bartender's help, Rhonda cuts her hair and assumes the identity of a Mexican boy named Angel. She then sets off on a burro across the desert to look for Jes s. Thus begins a wild adventure that explores the borders between the United States and Mexico, adolescence and adulthood, male and female, English and Spanish, and adult coming-of-age and Young Adult novels.
Paperback, 326 pages
Published September 2011 by AuthorHouse
ISBN 1456795856 (ISBN13: 9781456795856)
About the Author
from her website
Working a night shift on the 20,000 acre Laid Low fire in the mountains of the Angeles National Forest, Mary looked at the fire moving over the mountains like lava, at the city of Los Angeles far below illuminated with the light of a million streetlamps. She looked around her at the strong, sweaty, beautiful, ash-covered men working beside her. And she decided then that she would write a book about these Gods of Fire.
Laid off with the rest of her crew after the end of her first fire season, she went to Costa Rica, river rafting through the rainforest outside of La Fortuna, sea kayaking in the Pacific Ocean outside of Montezuma, and diving off of waterfalls until the money ran out and she returned home to Austin to work at her local indie bookstore.
After her second fire season, she finished her first novel, The Gods of Fire. Mary threw her tent in her car and headed for southwest Colorado. She rented a basement room at the Desert Rose Horse Ranch. Before dawn she wrote her second novel, The Earthquake Machine. During the day she did trim carpentry, framed houses, and built fences with a giant, bearded Viking of a man named David who taught her to be a carpenter.
Next Mary found work at a domestic violence shelter, helping the women and children she came to think of as “the forgotten ones.” Fleeing violent men had left these women homeless and there were rarely enough resources to get them truly back on their feet. Mary did what she could for the women and children, cried every time she finished a shift, and spent her days off work polishing The Earthquake Machine, sending The Gods of Fire to agents and editors in faraway New York City, and running on mountain trails.
When she moved back to Austin, she wrote during the day and worked the night shift on the National Domestic Violence Hotline where she helped over 25,000 survivors of domestic violence seek safe shelter and a better life.
The Gods of Fire didn’t sell. So Mary walked onto a plane and flew back to Los Angeles for the first time since that Laid Low Fire. But this time she went straight to Hollywood where she convinced Bill Mechanic (producer of films such as Fight Club, Braveheart, The Titanic, and Coraline) to option The Gods of Fire for film.
Mary then wrote the screenplay, which is currently out with directors.
Mary’s agent didn’t want to send out The Earthquake Machine to editors. The book was perhaps too edgy. Editors would be afraid to take a chance on such a wild ride. And so Mary decided to give readers a chance to find her.
Giveaway: Win a copy of The Earthquake Machine by Mary Pauline Lowry, generously shipped by the author herself! To enter, just complete the Rafflecopter form below...
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And don't forget that I have another giveaway still going on for my very gently read copy of All Her Father's Guns by James Warner, and a 25% off coupon code for GoneReading. All Her Father's Guns wasn't really my cup of tea, but don't let that stop you-- it has some great reviews! And GoneReading is a great place to get book-related items, and know that you are helping the world at the same time, as 100% of their after-tax profits go towards libraries and reading programs! I even bought a t-shirt to wear to my book club meetings...
Alright folks...we've got a lot to do, and a lot of blogs to visit. So get to it! And after you are done here, continue on with the rest of the hop. You can find the full list over at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by!
Check out the full list of blogs participating on the official post over at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer.
And Now For Something Completely Different...
"Bring out your dead!"
Some interesting news and articles this week:
After 244 years, the Encyclopedia Britannica will no longer be in print form - The New York Times
PayPal reverses ban on obscene ebooks. The company will focus more on books with obscene images. CNet News
More books written by men are reviewed than books written by women - who is to blame, reviewers or publishers? Huffington Post
Amazon is now the biggest player - but is that good or bad for the publishing industry? Book Business Magazine
Author Roland Yeomans is holding a contest for a stuffed Spock bear. It's so adorable!
And some funny LOL Cats and a Simon's Cat video:
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Introducing...The Expats by Chris Pavone
Introducing books through the first paragraph or so...
"Kate?"
Kate is staring through a plate-glass window filled with pillows and tablecloths and curtains, all in taupes and chocolates and moss greens, a palette that replaced the pastels of last week. The season changed, just like that.
She turns from the window, to this woman standing beside her on the narrow sliver of sidewalk, in the rue Jacob. Who is this woman?
-- The Expats, by Chris Pavone (just released 3/6/12)
Kate is staring through a plate-glass window filled with pillows and tablecloths and curtains, all in taupes and chocolates and moss greens, a palette that replaced the pastels of last week. The season changed, just like that.
She turns from the window, to this woman standing beside her on the narrow sliver of sidewalk, in the rue Jacob. Who is this woman?
-- The Expats, by Chris Pavone (just released 3/6/12)
GUEST POST: Mary Pauline Lowry, author of The Earthquake Machine
I am so happy to welcome Mary Pauline Lowry today, author of The Earthquake Machine. I haven't had a chance to read her book yet, but I really look forward to the opportunity.
But for now, I will turn the floor over to Mary...
First I want to thank Heather for hosting me here at Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World. I love the title of her blog and can really relate to the idea it conveys. I’ve worked as a forest firefighter and a construction worker so I’ve spent plenty of time being a bookish grrrl surrounded by folks not quite so taken with literature.
1. It’s an adventure story that features a brave and brazen female protagonist.
2. The main character Rhonda runs away from home and travels alone into interior Mexico.
3. It’s an honest (and disturbing) tale about a young girl’s sexual awakening.
4. It shows how women can be awesome criminals.
5. Insatiable Booksluts call it “Huck Finn with vibrators!”
6. It’s like nothing you’ve ever read before; and it’s all about Girl Power!
Book synopsis:
The Earthquake Machine tells the story of 14 year-old Rhonda. On the outside, everything looks perfect in Rhonda’s world, but at home Rhonda has to deal with a manipulative father who keeps her mentally ill mother hooked on pharmaceuticals. The only reliable person in Rhonda’s life is her family’s Mexican yardman, Jesús. But when the INS deports Jesús back to his home state of Oaxaca, Rhonda is left alone with her increasingly painful family situation.
Determined to find her friend Jésus, Rhonda seizes an opportunity to run away during a camping trip with friends to Big Bend National Park. She swims to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande and makes her way to the border town of Milagros, Mexico. There a peyote- addled bartender convinces her she won’t be safe traveling alone into the country’s interior. So with the bartender’s help, Rhonda cuts her hair and assumes the identity of a Mexican boy named Angel. She then sets off on a burro across the desert to look for Jesús. Thus begins a wild adventure that fulfills the longing of readers eager for a brave and brazen female protagonist.
Author bio:
Mary Pauline Lowry has worked as a forest firefighter, screenwriter, open water lifeguard, construction worker, and advocate in the movement to end violence against women. Due to no fault of her sweet parents, at 15 she ran away from home and made it all the way to Matamoros, Mexico. She believes girls should make art, have adventures, and read books that show them the way.
I would like to thank Mary for stopping by today! Stop back by on Saturday for a giveaway of her book The Earthquake Machine, as part of the Lucky Leprechauns Giveaway Hop!
But for now, I will turn the floor over to Mary...
Guest Post for Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World
First I want to thank Heather for hosting me here at Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World. I love the title of her blog and can really relate to the idea it conveys. I’ve worked as a forest firefighter and a construction worker so I’ve spent plenty of time being a bookish grrrl surrounded by folks not quite so taken with literature.
Top Six Reasons
THE EARTHQUAKE MACHINE
Will Rock Your World
1. It’s an adventure story that features a brave and brazen female protagonist.
2. The main character Rhonda runs away from home and travels alone into interior Mexico.
3. It’s an honest (and disturbing) tale about a young girl’s sexual awakening.
4. It shows how women can be awesome criminals.
5. Insatiable Booksluts call it “Huck Finn with vibrators!”
6. It’s like nothing you’ve ever read before; and it’s all about Girl Power!
Book synopsis:
The Earthquake Machine
The book every girl should read,
and every girl’s parents hope she’ll never read.
The Earthquake Machine tells the story of 14 year-old Rhonda. On the outside, everything looks perfect in Rhonda’s world, but at home Rhonda has to deal with a manipulative father who keeps her mentally ill mother hooked on pharmaceuticals. The only reliable person in Rhonda’s life is her family’s Mexican yardman, Jesús. But when the INS deports Jesús back to his home state of Oaxaca, Rhonda is left alone with her increasingly painful family situation.
Determined to find her friend Jésus, Rhonda seizes an opportunity to run away during a camping trip with friends to Big Bend National Park. She swims to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande and makes her way to the border town of Milagros, Mexico. There a peyote- addled bartender convinces her she won’t be safe traveling alone into the country’s interior. So with the bartender’s help, Rhonda cuts her hair and assumes the identity of a Mexican boy named Angel. She then sets off on a burro across the desert to look for Jesús. Thus begins a wild adventure that fulfills the longing of readers eager for a brave and brazen female protagonist.
Author bio:
I would like to thank Mary for stopping by today! Stop back by on Saturday for a giveaway of her book The Earthquake Machine, as part of the Lucky Leprechauns Giveaway Hop!
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
UPCOMING BOOK FESTIVAL: SW Florida Reading Festival
It's that wonderful time of year when all of the local readers join together for the annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival, occurring this year on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th.
I'm taking four books to try to get autographed:
Plus I intend to buy one or two books there as well, to support the festival (20% of the purchases go towards supporting the festival).
In addition to the authors above, some of the other authors attending and speaking will be:
Deborah Crombie
Author of No Mark Upon Her, Necessary as Blood, Where Memories Lie, In a Dark House, and others
Lisa Black
Author of Trail of Blood, Evidence of Murder, Takeover, and others
Jane Green
Author of Another Piece of My Heart, Promises We Keep, The Beach House, and others
...and many others!
Last year was my first time at the reading festival, and I've been looking forward to another chance to attend all year long. I spent about $100 on books at the festival last year, so I determined that this year I would take my own books, and then buy just one or two books at the festival, in order to help support it.
Another change this year is that I need to plan on my eating throughout the day. Last year I was starving, and I had a devil of a time finding something to eat, seeing as I am a pescatarian!
I'll update you on how it goes this weekend! I hope you guys enjoy your weekend as much as I am sure that I will!
I'm taking four books to try to get autographed:
Plus I intend to buy one or two books there as well, to support the festival (20% of the purchases go towards supporting the festival).
In addition to the authors above, some of the other authors attending and speaking will be:
 |
| Photo by Steve Ullathorne |
Author of No Mark Upon Her, Necessary as Blood, Where Memories Lie, In a Dark House, and others
Author of Trail of Blood, Evidence of Murder, Takeover, and others
Author of Another Piece of My Heart, Promises We Keep, The Beach House, and others
...and many others!
Last year was my first time at the reading festival, and I've been looking forward to another chance to attend all year long. I spent about $100 on books at the festival last year, so I determined that this year I would take my own books, and then buy just one or two books at the festival, in order to help support it.
Another change this year is that I need to plan on my eating throughout the day. Last year I was starving, and I had a devil of a time finding something to eat, seeing as I am a pescatarian!
I'll update you on how it goes this weekend! I hope you guys enjoy your weekend as much as I am sure that I will!
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