Tuesday, November 30, 2010

How sweet Thanks Carolina(Writin block)

Thanks Carolina fromWrite with me was so kind to give me this award make sure you check her blog out.
Even thought I've won this before it still feels good to get it .  I believe I am suppose to mention 7 things about 
myself and give this to 15 people.   I will try to give this award to 15 people I haven't given this ,too.   Since I want time to think about who that should be I will come back and add their links to this post .(So don't be surprised if the list has grown).  I am a pretty transparent  person (On my other blog ) so it shouldn't be hard to think of   7 things you don't know about me.  For example:

1.  I use to love watching Speed Racer as a kid.

2.I have learned to cook Asian food because I think the Chinese buffets by my house are terrible!

3.One of my favorite books as a kid was Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass it's the only book I've read more than once.

4.I am happily  addicted to coffee.

5.  A Good day for me involves reading, and art journaling ( or scrapbooking)

6.I have lived in San Diego for a total of 8 years.

7.My favorite books are "House on Mango Street","The Bell Jar", and "The Bluest Eye"

The Versatile Award  goes to:




Don't forget to check out my guest post below this one!

Monday, November 29, 2010

First Ever Guest Post:Richard Sanders Author of "The Seventh Compass of Death"

How I kicked Drugs by writing by Ricard Sanders

    People who know me know my consumption of chemicals was pretty robust at one time.
Shooting crystal meth(1 1/2 years),dropping acid(200+times),smoking pot(daily,for years),
drinking alcohol(daily, for many ,many years)I had a nice mind-mess going ,and despite a little time in jail for the
sale of some of the above named substances,I had no intention of stopping.

    At one point during these early  years I decided I wanted to direct movies and videos, so I went to NYU
Film School. One of the mandatory courses  was Screenwriting 101.  I begged to get out of it-I had no talent
for telling stories-but mandatory is mandatory.  If you write, especially if you write fiction, you probably know
what happened the first time I tried to create something.  Even if you just read fiction, you know what I experienced
a kind of mesmerizing dream state, a kind of alchemical, mind-melting trance.  The blogger Laurel Marchfield
has a good post on writing as entrancement.   and I think entrancement is a good word for describing what
happens .  Even if you write non-fiction,when you're deeply into a text, you feel as if your head is turning butter,like it did when a story was read to you as a child.  In other words, I was getting high on writing.   Just like I'd get high on drugs.  In terms of finding  that entranced , lightly hypnotic,taken-away feeling,the writing high and the drug high have alot in common.

   Right away this presented a problem. I liked the writing high,I liked the drug high.  Trouble was , I couldn't do both at the same time.  The writing high is a controlled state.  The drug high is an uncontrolled state.  Whenever I tried to write when I was stoned I'd get a serious case of entrancement clash.
  So I had to decide between the two.  The choice might sound ridiculous now, but it was soul-searchingly serious at the time.  Eventually I went with writing it was free, it was legal, and you didn't have to carry a gun to cop it.  I think I reached the right decision.  Once I made up my mind,I never did drugs again.  I loved writing too much to let any bizarre drug static interfere.  alot of times in recovery they tell you to get addicted to something that won't kill you.  For me it was writing.  Not only did the word-high get me clean, in time it gave me the tools I needed to make a living as a magazine writer and editor.

   The alcohol?  That took a lot longer to kick.  The entrancement level of booze is nowhere near as powerful as the drugs, so there was no competition with the writing.  I had to use rehab and 12 steps to find my freedom.  But that's adifferent story, a different drug.  Still, I think my battle with the bottle was helped by my fight with the needle.  I'd chosen writing , and I'd  saved my life.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Crazy-For-books and Book blog news

Good morning fellow addicts I am still recovering from all that ham, Key lime pie etc...
If you are looking to post a link to your book blog, reviews,memes,giveaways, challenges then check out the post below this one(Book blog news) it's your opportunity tell us what's going on at your blog.

The question over at Crazy for books hop is what is your favorite book cover I was visiting other blogs to see if there was something I liked since I haven't had my morning coffee it's taking me alot longer  to make a decision so I'll just put atleast 3 of my favoritesGirl in TranslationShanghai Girls: A NovelThree Little Words: A Memoir
I have "Shangai Girls" I haven't got a chance to read it yet I am trying to catch up some reviews but the other two may be apart of the Outdo yourself challenge , of course I haven't decided yet.

Book Blog news:Post links to your Book blog,book reviews,giveaways,memes,etc..

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Good morning  and happy holidays my fellow book addicts if you are looking to post links back to your blog,book reviews, giveaaways, memes, challenges etc... you are at the right place.  A few things

1. Grab my button in the side bar or this post.

2,  A worded link in your post is fine ( i.e. www.bookaddict4real.com)

3 .  As long as it's family  friendly  and book related you may post ( and you may include the types of books you review for example www.bookaddict4real(Adult lit, Christian and mysteries)

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Contest Giveaway 2 copies of "Running the Books" by Avi Steinberg

Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison LibrarianI did not forget I just got through putting my stuffing in the crock pot .

without further babbling.

1.You must be a follower of this blog to win a copy.

2.U. S residents only.

3.Please leave  an email in  the comment section of this post so I can speed up the process also let me know how you found out about the contest(I. e Book blogs ning, good reads, crazy- for -books etc....)

This book is also linked to www.sapphirereads.blogspot.comOnePageAtATime andwww.busymomswholovetoread.blogspot.com Photobucket  andwww.iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com

For Postal Thursdays I did get "Running the Books " in the book to be reviewed  this fits under the literary nonfiction we talked about last week at the Literary Hop( which I will be taking part in next week )

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Velocity by Alan Jacobson

Velocity (Karen Vail)For those of you that are n't familiar with Alan Jacobson, this is a Karen Vail  novel so this is a part of a series.  The first thing that came to mind was Maggie O'Dell character(Alex Kava's character from Damaged),but trust me when I tell you the only similarity is that they are both female and work for the FBI!  Karen Vail's character is definitely tougher  with more "grit" if you will.Her boyfriend Robby Hernandez has been kindapped.Girfriend must be in love or sprung because  she had no problem going toe to toe with her boss so she could stay on the case.(Dont't worry ladies she quickly realized her bills wouldn't get paid without
a job and allowed herself to be put on another case.)Meanwhile, the Crush Killer a.k.a John Mayfield has
been caught but was shot while in custody by Detective Ray Lugo and had be put in a coma by the doctors.
Detective Lugo was killed by one of the ricochet bullets.His wife ,Merilynn Lugo won't say anything until she
is placed into the Federal Witness Protection.,which begs the question what was Ray doing that his family would feel the need to get protection?There isn't alot of time for our friend Robby. In the bed and breakfast he was last seen they've already found blood that may be his ,so there just isn't alot of time.Is their a connection between him and John Mayfield?  My overall impression: I was glad the author didn't assume that
I was familiar with this series and gave me enough details so I wouldn't feel totally lost.  I'm not super sure if I
was convinced that Karen Vail had been kidnapped because she didn't appear to have symptoms that people with PTSD  would normally have but  I did feel empathetic enough to keep reading.I felt the author's writing style was straight forward lace with a subtle kind of humor I gave this book 4 and a 1/2 stars out of 5 .
I would also like to thank Julie H. at Fsb media for giving me an opportunity to review this book and here's
a link to the author's website.www.AlanJacobson.com

Friday, November 19, 2010

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris

Could a well respected man, a lawyer with a wife and child literally get up one day and walk away?The Unnamed      tLiterary Blog HopI don't mean a  baby-I-found-someone else type of walking away . Could he have a "disease"
that would force him to walk against his will? Could he have this condition that doctors can't even explain?One that's not a mental issue?  Ok that last question was a bit of a stretch but go with me here.  On the surface of the story it seems plausible ....at first.,but it's the wife's reaction  to the situation ,the willingness to pick him up at all hours of the night,the moments of debating on whether or not to stay or get out while she can,it's all these things that pull you in and convince you that it's really happening.By the time I am thoroughly convinced it is some illness I've never heard of before  the story takes a turn  in the last 1/4 of the book.That
and the indeterminate ending left me etertained but a little unsatisfied.  The writer's style is rhythmic,engaging,and  thought provoking.  I would have no problem giving this book 4out of 5 stars.
I would like to thank the Hatchette Book Group for allowing me the opportunity to review the book and no I
don't get money to do so .  If you are coming from Chrissie's corner or the Literary Hop then Hello and please leave a comment so I can visit you today.

The question from the Literary Hop was "Can a nonfiction work be literary? If so how do you define it?
Funny that they asked this question because the book I am currently reading"Running the Books"by Avi Steinberg this definitely fits the category.    It's a memoir he started out writing features for the Boston Globe,
then writing obituaries and eventually a prison librarian(which ironically had better benefits!).  He has a good use of imagery that you would normally find in a work of fiction and for me that is what would make it literary.
(You can post links to your book blog,review, memes etcc. in the post below this one.)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Book Blog News:Post links to your Book blog,book reviews,giveaways,memes,etc right here

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Hello fellow book addicts! If you are looking to post links to your blog,giveaways,book reviews,memes,etc..
Then look no further!
A few things:

a)Grab my button in the sidebar.

b) A worded link in your post is acceptable as well(I.e. www.bookaddict4real.com)

c)Have fun!

Totally Postal Thursdays Drown by Junot Diaz

DrownI go this little beauty in the mail just the other day from Amazon.  So now I forgive them for
messing up the order in the first place.    I was going to include this in the Orbus Terrarum Challenge  but it's probably too late, so I may roll it over to a TBR Challenge in 2011.It's killing me not to read it.... well I did
read a few pages and I had to really stop myself because I still go some books to review but yeah me I finally got it!  I will post the Contest on Wed 11/24/10 and the deadline won't be until Nov 30th since people ,like
me will be overeating next week ,I decided to allow for extra time.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

And the winners are Janet and Stephanie

Congradulations you won a copy of "Power Thoughts" by Joyce Meyer
Please email me at clsherrard(dot)bookaddict(at)gmail(dot)com
with your address(no PO boxes) within the next 48 hours

Monday, November 15, 2010

New Winner for Velocity

I haven't heard from my contest winner so I had to pull another winner
nfmgirl you won please contact me clsherrard(dot)bookaddict(at)gmail(dot)com.
You only have 48 hours to respond thanks for your cooperation

Friday, November 12, 2010

Crazy-for-books and The Literary Hop

Dont forget you can post links to your book blog,reviews, giveaways,etc...In the post below this one
I am giving away  2 copies of "Power Thoughts" by Joyce Meyer (2 post down) and the Review for "Miles From Nowhere" by Nami Mun is below that .   Geez  Louise I need to organize my time!
WithBook Blogger Hopout further babbling:
It's that time of the week again and this week's question comes from The Paperback Princess  "If you find a book that is interesting but is a part of a series , do you always start with the first title?"  Back in the day when the Bookmobile use to come to my elementary school I use to read everything in the Nancy Drew series or the Beverly Cleary  books about Ramona .(I realize I give away my age when I write things like this!)
I tried to follow along with "The Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket when my oldest was in like the 6th or 7th grade but what I 've come to realize that unless it's James Patterson's books or Alan Jacobson
where they can stand alone  I really suck at keeping up with any series. I don't know maybe it's an adult form of adhd
Literary Blog Hop  I just found this hop recently This week's question comes from Debbie Nance at Readerbuzz "What is the most difficult literary work you've ever read?What made it so difficult"  The most difficult one for me was "Song Of Solomon" by Toni Morrison. I already read "The Bluest Eye" and "Sula" so I thought this would be a cake walk.(NOt!)  If you didn't really slow down and pay attention to the details you would not understand the train of thought the book was going in.  So I turned that bad boy back to the library quick,fast and in a hurry!  Later I rechecked it out and took my time with it and it turned out to be a good decision.   If you check out my posts this week I linked back to other memes it's just
that I really detest long posts and this is dangerously close to being one of them . Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Book Blog news:Post links to your Book blog,book reviews,giveaways,memes,etc..

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Hello fellow book lovers! If you 're looking  to post links to your book blog,book reviews,memes, giveaways
or other book related news then you have come to the right place.
Remember:

Grab my button

A worded link is acceptable( I.e www.bookaddict4real.com)

Have fun!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Winner of Velocity ,New Contest and Postal Thursday

congradulations Grig you won the book Please email me at clsherrard(dot)bookaddict(at)gmail(dot)com
I tried to reach you on your email but please contact me within 48 hours.

New Contest: 2 copies of "Power Thoughts"by Joyce Meyer
the rules:
1. You must be a follower of this blog.
2. Open to U.S and Canada residents
3.  Please leave your email address in the comment section of this post so I can reach you quicker
and let me know how you found out about the contest (ie Twitter, Good Reads,etc...)

OnePageAtATime

Don't forget to stop bywww.sapphirereads.blogspot.com tommrow for Postal Thursdays.   Every week
we talk about what we got in the mail , I got "Power Thoughts " by Joyce Meyer which is the follow up
to "Battlefield of the Mind"   .  Stop by tommrow night  to link up your book blog,book reviews,memes etc...

Monday, November 8, 2010

Book review:Miles from No Where(orbus terrarum challenge)

Miles from Nowhere  Synopsis:Rather than face the aftermath of her parent's divorce and her mother's fragile mental state  ,Joon, decides to face life on the mean streets of the Bronx,Ny.Even in the 1980's this proves
to be a  near fatal mistake.  Among the many accolades this book received ,it was shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers in April 2009.

About the Orange Award:The Orange Award was started by a committee of men and women in the publishing industry that wanted to bring attention to women writers who were often overlooked.  Four original
committe members are still deeply involved,Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction Project Director Harriet
Hastings,publisher Susan Sandon,agent Jane Gregory ,Honary Director and author Kate Mosse.  The first prize was awarded to Helen Dunmore for "A spell of Winter".  Diana Evans was awarded the first Orange Award for New Writers in 2005.

My overall impression:  I loved  every second of reading this book!  It has the amount of imagery I crave and
a very good use of plot (which I've noticed you don't always get both)Ms.Mun's style was prose like,fresh and intoxicating. I would definitely recommend this book I  would give it more than 5 stars but 5 is the most 
I give anyone.  Since the author was born in Korea this counts for my orbus terrarum challenge. I am linking up this review with www.chrissiescorner.co.uk(Radiant Reviews on Friday) and www.thebluebookcase.blogspot.com for the Literary Hop this weekend.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

No rules Saturday blog hop

 Literary Blog Hop
I found this hop over at Book blog ning  it sounds interesting . My answer for the question over at the blue bookcase(You can click the buttons to visit them)  "What makes a book literary?   For me a book has to have a strong use of imagery and good use of plot.  For example "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison,The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisnernos and my new favorite "Miles from Nowhere" by Nami Mun
which won the Orange Award for New Writers in 2009.(I will have the review for this next week).Another quality which I think is important but not mandatory is that after reading it you are forced to think differently
about not only the characters but ,at the risk of sounding really corny here,life itself.If anyone is stopping by from either of these hops leave a comment and I will stop by to visit you! Until we meet again .
cheryl aka bookaddict4real

Friday, November 5, 2010

Friday Link ups;Radiant Reviews,Crazy-for-books and Postal Thursdays

      OnePageAtATime

Don't forget to post links to your book blog,book reviews,memes,giveaways,etc...in the post below!
 


I feel like I am trying to make up for lost time!  Chrissie's Blog she has a weekly meme called Radiant Reviews which I enjoy because it's trying to promote the Book Reviews we do which sometimes get overlooked.  One of my favorite reviews I did was the "The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz.  He won the Pulizter Prize for this book in 2008 I believe.  His characters resonated with me deeply  long after I finished the book I also felt like I learned alot  about the Dominican Republic which is a bonus.I would highly recommend this book.(For the full review of this book see the Dec 21 2009 post)  Now on to Crazy-For-Books  I believe the question was how do you feel when you lose a follower?   I am going to be totally transparent here the first time it happened it bothered me alot!  I had just posted a review on a Christian book and that same day I lost a follower!  I am not going
to stop being a Christian just to get followers,but I was concerned that I had offended someone.  I actually
gained 4 or 5 followers  a few days later so I could laugh at it later!  The important thing is to post  reviews of books that I enjoy first and foremost ,if someone happens to like the types of books I review then great,but if
they don't .... to each his own I guess.  I become more concerned with trying to please myself(at the risk of sounding selfish). I cant please everyone because then  it becomes loathsome and it's just not as much fun.  Let's face it why in the world would I do this for free if I didn't just absolutely love it?

On Saphires's blog is a weekly meme called Postal Thursdays where we discuss what we got in the mailbox this week  I just recently got a  copy of "The Truth abou Delilah Blue" By Trish Cohen which I had been fiending for  and "Shangai Girls" by Lisa See. (Thanks Amazon)    I don't  know which one I will review first but once I get unpacked all the way I  can then  better organize my time.  Well untill next week stay gold!
also go to www.busymomswholovetoread.blogspot.com she has a linky for giveaways on Thursdays.  next week I will split this up so I can display the buttons and not leave anyone out.

Book blog news:Post links to your Book blog,Book reviews,giveaways,memes.etc....

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Good morning fellow book lovers if you are looking to promote your book blog,book reviews,memes,giveaways etc.....then you have definitely come to the right place a few things:

1.Grab my button!
2. a worded link is ok, also (I e. www.bookaddict4real.com)
3.Most of all have fun

Contest Giveaway:Win a copy of Velocity by Alan Jacobson

Velocity
Good morning fellow addicts!  I am giving away a copy of Velocity by Alan Jacobson
here are the rules
1.  You must be a follower of this blog .
2.U.S residentst only (sorry different publisher)
3You must follow me on twitter.com/bookaddict4real.
Deadline is Nov.9th at midnight .  Thanks for participating

New Location

If you have made it here then I want to direct you to my newer improved blog over on wordpress ( New blog .) I just want to thank you guys f...