Chronicle Books' $500 Haul-iday Giveaway!

I've recently learned about Chronicle Books, a publisher that amazes me with the diversity of its selections.  Now, to impress us even more, they've come up with an unbelievable "Haul-iday" giveaway.

It's pretty simple --if you are a blogger, compose a wishlist of books you are drooling over.  Share your list, which can value up to $500, on your blog.  Chronicle will randomly choose one participating blog to win its wishlist.  But wait, there's more!  :)   One commenter on the winning blog will also win that blog's wishlist!  So, if you comment on this post and I am then chosen as the winning blog, you just might have a chance to win my list as well.    Winner will be chosen December 13th.  Good luck to us all!

My list, with a grand total of $491.75:  (Needless to say, it was hard to choose.)

 

Wanderlust Coffee Journal

By Troy M. Litten

$9.95

The Basic Human Kindness Address Book

By Jeffrey Fisher

$16.95

 

 

The Small Object Labels and Stickers

By Sarah Neuburger

$10.95

 

Haikubes

$24.95

Squiggles

A Really Giant Drawing and Painting Book
By Taro Gomi

$19.99

 

A Beautiful Bowl of Soup

The Best Vegetarian Recipes
By Paulette Mitchell
Photographs by William Meppem

$19.95

 

 

Pretty Pantry Gifts

A Recipe & Wrapping Kit for Delicious Jams, Sauces, and Pickles
By Tara Duggan

$19.95

  

 

Scribble It!

30 Postcards
By Taro Gomi

$9.95

 

 

Cath Kidston Masking Tape: Red Stars

By Cath Kidston

$8.95 

Cath Kidston Masking Tape: Yellow Stars
By Cath Kidston

$8.95 

 

Little Hoot

By Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Illustrated by Jen Corace

$14.99

 

A Butterfly Is Patient

by Dianna Hutts Aston
Illustrated by Sylvia Long

$16.99

Magic Scratchers

40 Tricks with Amazing Scratch-off Surprises
By Danny Orleans

$9.95

 

 

Drawing Trucks and Diggers

A Book of Stencils

$9.95

Duck! Rabbit!

By Amy Krouse Rosenthal
and Tom Lichtenheld

$16.99

 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

A Classic Illustrated Edition
Written by Lewis Carroll

$19.95

 

 

The Sock Knitting Kit

By Alyce Benevides
and Jaqueline Milles

$19.95 

 

The Alchemist's Cat

Book One of the Deptford Histories
By Robin Jarvis

$6.95

The Big Book of Potluck

Good Food - and Lots of It - for Parties, Gatherings, and All Occasions
By Maryana Vollstedt

$19.95

 

Shadow
By Suzy Lee

$15.99

 

Noonie's Masterpiece

By Lisa Railsback
Illustrated by Sarajo Frieden

$18.99

 

The Bread Bible

300 Favorite Recipes
By Beth Hensperger

$19.95

 

Anna Sui Calico Cabaret Journal

$14.95

Stitchable Stationery

By Jenny Hart

$14.95 

Girl's World Twenty-One Sewing Projects to Make for Little Girls By Jennifer Paganelli $24.95     Rosie Flo's Coloring Book By Roz Streeten $8.99

A Seed Is Sleepy

By Dianna Hutts Aston
Illustrated by Sylvia Long

$16.99

 

 

 

Todd Parr Jumbo Journal: Pink on Earth
By Planet Color by Todd Parr

$9.99

Todd Parr Jumbo Journal: Save the Blue

By Planet Color by Todd Parr

$9.99 

 

 

Subversive Cross Stitch

33 Designs for Your Surly Side
By Julie Jackson

$14.95

Forests Eco-Keepsake Notecards
By Lisa Congdon

$14.95

Mini Lunch Notes By Peagreen $9.95   Kung Fu for Girls Self-Defense with Style Quirk Books By Simon Harrison Paperback $9.95

Friday 56 & Book Beginnings , a horrific day, and an origami giveaway

Well, I've had many, many better days. (and I don't normally evaluate each day before bed) Today was ludicrously rotten in all kinds of different ways -- but I'll focus on some positives --- I got new nose-pads for my glasses, a nice Craigslist man brought my heavy heavy laundry basket and box inside for me, I was not

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hit by a car (today), my friend Holly is okay, and . . . um . . . Jeremy made me a gin and tonic while I was waiting at the apartment to come home.  There.  Good things.  Now I will probably read with Mark so Amy can get Lilly to sleep and then snuggle into bed myself.  I'm safe, I have comfy pajamas and Nico the cat is curled up with her body between my side and my left arm.  Good stuff.  Here is Mark to read, so I'll do some Friday memes and sign off.

Welcome to The Friday 56, now hosted by Freda’s Voice.
Here’s how it works:
Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

The closing installment likened McCarthy to" a drunk at a party who was funny half an hour ago but now won't go home.  McCarthy is camped in America's front room trying to impress everybody by singing all the dirty songs and using all the four-letter words he knows.  The jokes are pointless, the songs unfunny, the profanity a bore."
~Getting It Wrong:  Ten Misreported Stories in American Journalism by W. Joseph Campbell

(Since my quote was a quote, I took the liberty of including the complete quote.) I'm just starting this one and think it will be very interesting but that it may be one of those books that keeps me very aware, while reading it, that it is non-fiction.  We'll see...

How to participate: All you have to do is share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading (and can go pick up a copy if it sounds good!). Then, if you feel so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line and whether or not you liked the sentence(s).

"Hello, Gollie," said Bink. "What should we do today?"

~from Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee

This is my latest book crush -- DiCamillo and McGhee have already written many beloved children's books on their own and have now teamed up to write what we can only hope will be the first in a delightful new series.  The quirkiness of this book is right up my alley.  There are three chapters: "Don't You Need a New Pair of Socks?", "P.S. I'll Be Back Soon", and "Give a Fish a Home".   Really -- check this book out -- it's good stuff -- It's the kind of book that has some great quotes you'll find yourself incorporating into your household conversations. (-Do I smell pancakes? -No.  -Will I smell pancakes?)

While we're at it, head over to Freda's Voice to enter to win World's Best Origami!  What better way to spend your next rainy/snowy day?

A Sizzlin' Summer Book Giveaway

From Chelle over at The Prairie Library --- a fabulous giveaway --
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Sapphique by Catherine Fisher - review coming soon
Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart - review coming soon
This is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee

 Head on over and register to win!

Happy Monday to All! And to All a Book Giveaway!

 Hello everyone!  I had a lovely weekend on retreat at Snow Mountain Ranch with my daughter's school.  {Didn't get quite enough game playing or reading in, of course, but I did get a good start on Marion Nestle's What to Eat -- which was like a little extra conscience in the presence of lots of food and comfy chairs -- "Should I have another piece of that yummy cake and then sit here and read some more?  No, I should have a banana and go for a nice walk in the sun."}.  It was a great opportunity to get to know other Alpine Valley families a little more.

I'm still pondering what kind of camera I am going to buy with my birthday money.  I have it narrowed down to four:

Canon Powershot SD780IS
Canon Powershot A3100IS
Nikon Coolpix S3000
Nikon Coolpix S230

Happily accepting advice!  

One last thing on this bonny Monday morning -- Lois Lowry's The Giver.  If you don't already know and love this book, your life has a small little empty spot.  I highly recommend you read it soon.  And here is a chance to win an autographed copy!