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The Buzz for Independent Bookstores and Heifer

April 28, 2009 in book review, giveaway, mystery by Kim | 1 comment

Mary Russell is Back!

If you’re a Sherlock Holmes fan, like me, you love the Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King.  In the first book, The Bee Keeper’s Apprentice, Mary befriends Sherlock and pulls him out of retirement.  Their adventure includes all the traits we love about Sherlock, his gift for observation, his patience (or maybe ability to lie-in-wait), the cleverness to get out of a jam with intelligence rather than an AK-47, plus Laurie gives us the added enjoyment of Mary, a character I fell in love with by page 50.   Because I read The Bee Keeper’s Apprentice three years ago, I was able to run out and buy the rest of the series and bury myself in each one.  

These books have something for everyone.  Regular readers of the blog know that Claire loves to talk about our reading material differences, but she read The Mary Russell series almost as fast as I did (we have to cut her some slack, she has four kids).  My husband loved these books.  We conjured up an arrangement that read the new Mary Russell first because I read faster, then he can read in peace without me asking “are you done yet?”  Insert your own tone into that question, it’s probably more polite than mine.  Claire and I even chose The Beekeeper’s Apprentice for our joint family book club and our teenage boys loved it.

So what could be better than a new Mary Russell book?  The Language of Bees, the latest Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes hits the bookstores today.  But, that’s not all, Laurie is supporting independent bookstores and Heifer, my two favorite things, with two giveaways!

Support an Independent Bookstore

One reader will win ”A Venomous Death” a 14×20″ broadside of one of her short stories with a woodcut illustration and letterpress printed by Lavendier Press, signed by Ms. King and the artist.  Just buy The Language of Bees at an independent bookstore and send in your receipt by May 20th.  In our home, there would be a “discussion” about where “A Venomous Death” would be hung:  my office, my husband’s office or my son’s room. 

Bees are Buzzing for Heifer International

But there’s more!  Readers of this blog know that I am passionate about Heifer International and so is Laurie.  (Side bar:  there is still time to enter our giveaway of Beatrice’s Goat, or comment and we’ll make a donation, or follow me on twitter and find the picture of me in a Heifer chicken hat.)  Here’s her terrific incentive:

Give two beehives ($60) or more through Laurie King’s Heifer team page by May 20 and receive:

  • Heifer project honey
  • A Sherlock Holmes guide to bees
  • A chance to name a character in Laurie’s next book
  • The knowledge that you’re fighting world poverty

Support your local bookstore, support Heifer and have a wonderful few hours reading The Language of Bees.

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Autism Book Giveaway Winner!

April 25, 2009 in autism, giveaway by Claire | 3 comments

And the winner of a brand new copy of GROWING  UP ON THE SPECTRUM is . . .

Kim v.   I’ll contact you directly via email, Kim, to get your snail mail address.  

The winning pick was randomly generated using random.org and anyone who tweeted or mentioned it on facebook got both comments counted.

Many of your comments really touched me.  So many of you wanted to know more about autism because of relatives, friends, students . . .   And of course a lot of you are dealing with it in your own family. 

If there’s any reason you can’t get your hands on a copy of this book–e.g. you’re in a different country, your library doesn’t carry it and you can’t afford it, whatever–please email me directly and let me know.  This is the kind of information I feel everyone who needs it should have access to and I’ll do what I can to make sure that happens.  No child should be missing out on the interventions that can make his life easier or happier.  So please do let me know if you can’t get a copy on your own and I’ll do what I can to help out.

Thanks for your comments and good luck to everyone on your journey.

Oh, and starting Monday, please check out my related blogs on momlogic.com where I’ll be discussing some of the strategies in the book. 

Cheers.

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Book Giveaway: Three Copies of Beatrice’s Goat by Page McBrier

April 20, 2009 in childrens, giveaway by Kim | 27 comments

Beatrice’s Goat, written by Page McBrier and illustrated by Lori Lohstoeter, is the true story of ordinary people chipping in to make a big impact on the lives of others.  One goat gave Beatrice Biira a chance at an education.  I’ve written about my love for Heifer International, an organization that provides livestock to families to help them feed their family and earn money to lift their family out of poverty.  Heifer gave 12 goats to 12 families in Kisinga, Uganda and the Biira family received one of them.  Prior to owning the goat, Beatrice begged her parents to let her attend school, but the school required the students to pay for their books and uniform.  Beatrice’s family did not have the money to pay for her supplies.  After receiving the Heifer goat, it gave enough milk for Beatrice’s family and extra to sell, thereby providing the funds for school. 

For Beatrice, the story continued.  She loved learning, excelled in school, and caught the attention of Heifer supporters who paid for her way through prep school and college.  Last June she graduated from Connecticut College.  She plans to return to Africa to help other impoverished communities.  All because of a goat.

Page McBrier tells this modern day fairytale-come-true in a beautiful children’s book.  I.  Love.  This.  Book.  I marvel at the beauty of the story itself and how it empowers readers to contribute a little to make a big difference.  Ms. McBrier will be at the LA Times Festival of Books in the Heifer booth on Saturday from 11AM to 3PM autographing Beatrice’s Goat.  I’m buying three autographed books to giveaway.  I’ll be at the booth on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3PM, so if you’re attending the Festival, please stop by and visit.

Here’s how you can win:

1.  Comment on this post.

2.  In honor of Heifer’s Pass-on-the-Gift Month, we’re donating $1 for each commenter on any Heifer post during the month of April on Bookstore People (the original donation post, this post or one coming up next week with more exciting Heifer news), Traveling Mamas and Type-A Mom.  We’re giving away up to $1,500.  Comment on the Heifer post at Traveling Mamas and Type-A Mom so we donate another $1, leave another comment here letting us know, and you have another entry.

3.  Share this giveaway on one or more social media sites (Twitter, Facebook, My Space, etc) and let us know for another entry.

I’ll be holding the drawing on April 30th.  This book is precious to me, you will love it, so try to win it.

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Book Giveaway

April 13, 2009 in autism, giveaway by Claire | 20 comments

Just in time for National Autism Month

One of the great advantages of being a book author is that you have control over your working hours which, for me, means that when my kids are on vacation, I’M on vacation.   I’ll have decades of writing time to myself once the kids are out of the house, but free time with them is limited and I’m not going to miss out on it.  Which is why I haven’t posted anything for over two weeks.   (Fortunately Kim picked up the slack and then some.)  My apologies.  No regrets, though.  It was our best vacation ever.

But now that I’m back home and they’re back in school, it’s time to get serious about work again.  So: hello everybody!

(All together now:

“Hello, Claire!” 

Thanks.)

When I left for vacation, it was March, which wasn’t remarkable, but I returned in April which is National Autism Month.  As you all must know by now, when I’m not writing lighthearted women’s fiction, I’m co-authoring books about autism.  The second collaboration between Dr. Lynn Koegel (of the Koegel Autism Center at UCSB) and me came out last month and, in honor of National Autism Month, I’m going to give a copy away. 

Read the rest of this entry »

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March-Is-Love-Your-Indie-Bookstore Month: The Contest

March 13, 2009 in bookstore, Challenge, giveaway, Uncategorized by Kim | No comments

indie

Joe Hill, on joe hill fiction, declared March “Love your Indie Bookstore Month.”  In addition to guilting you into visiting your local independent bookstore, he’s bribing you also.  He’s giving away all kinds of books throughout the month.  All you have to do is buy something (must be over 99 cents) from an independent bookstore, scan the receipt  and e-mail it to Joe.  All of the rules and information are on his website.  I entered, it’s easy.

If you catch the independent bookstore bug, and you should, join us for the Independpent Bookstore Reader’s Challenge.  We’ve had two posts from Robin at A Fondness for Reading and they’ve been great.

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