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Tag: book giveaway


august book giveaway!

1
August

pleasure in simple things giveaway book ocean fishes

Today’s Friday field trip will be announcing the July book giveaway winner and also the title for the August selection. Congratulations to Amy, winner of the July giveaway book Summertime.

The choice for this month’s giveaway book is one that I also happen to own and love. I grew up boating and fishing the waters of Long Island Sound, and over my lifetime have developed a great appreciation for the native fish of the area waters.

Ocean Fishes depicts the beauty of these fish in reproductions of detailed watercolor paintings by Connecticut native James Prosek.

I had the privilege to attend a showing of Prosek’s original artwork when it was on display at The Academy of National Sciences in Philadelphia in 2013. At that time, Prosek was honored with the Academy’s Gold Medal of Distinction in National History Art. My favorite painting on display in Philadelphia was a 15-foot life-size blue marlin…an incredible expression by the artist.

pleasure in simple things giveaway book ocean fishes

Dubbed “the Audubon of the fishing world” by The New York Times, Prosek is known for his detailed and arresting watercolor paintings.

This book is a great one for any lover of the sea and is perfect to add to a coastal library collection.  Just leave a comment to let me know you would like to be entered to win this wonderful book.

Instagram users, please read on! For August, let’s share our treasures from the sea…a sea creature, a smooth piece of sea glass or driftwood, a beautiful shell , an unusual rock…any coastal find will do! The summer is passing so quickly and there is still much scavenging to do! Use hashtag #pleasuregram to share your beach finds!

pleasure in simple things instagram august challenge

Thank you for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend, Jackie

5 comments » | field trips, monthly book giveaway, sand & sea

july book giveaway!

1
July

july book giveaway pleasure in simple things

Congratulations to Candice in Chicago, the winner of the June giveaway book, The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer!  Be sure to tuck this author-signed paperback into your beach bag for some great summer reading!

When I came across the book Summertime edited by Joanne Dugan, I knew it had to be the July giveaway book!  It is a marvelous collection of summer photos joined with some wonderful quotes.  Because I love so many of the images contained in this book and because so many of the quotes in this book are favorites of mine; it almost seems like I could have been the editor of Summertime!  The book is a wonderful tribute to this special (and my favorite) time of year!

summertime edited by joanne dugan

“Summertime,” edited by Joanne Dugan, is a wonderful tribute to my favorite time of year!

Summertime is the perfect hostess gift for when you spend the day at a friend’s beach house or a great book to flip through during the long winter months when summer seems so far away!  The images in Summertime will instantly transport you to a more relaxing time when the weather is warm and the living is easy!  :)

Simply leave a comment here on the blog (or Instagram, or Facebook) and let me know you would like to own this book and you will be entered to win.

Instagram users, please read on!  For the pleasure in simple things July Instagram challenge, please share your own summertime photos…what does summer mean to you?  Salt water breezes?  Eating a freeze pop?  Watching fireworks?  Share your photos during the month of July with hashtag #pleasuregram.

instagram challenge 2014 pleasure in simple things

Happy summer!  Thanks for stopping by, Jackie  

1 comment » | good reads, monthly book giveaway, sand & sea

book giveaway for june!

30
May

pleasure in simple things The Interestings book giveaway

Friday field trip today will be used for the book giveaway since May is coming to a close.

Congratulations to Carolyn for winning the May book selection!  Carolyn, you are going to love trying all the fabulous recipes in The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook!  It is awesome!

Now, on to the June selection!

Since the first day of summer arrives in June, what would be better than a beach read giveaway?  So, for June I have chosen a book by Meg Wolitzer that makes for a great beach read!  The book is The Interestings.   Published in 2013, the book was a New York Times Bestseller and received much critical acclaim – named as a Best Book of the Year by many.

When I had the great fortune to listen to Ms. Wolitzer speak about the book in person, I had a paperback copy signed (ah, so much easier to slip into a beach bag :) ) for the June giveaway.

The interestings Meg Wolitzer

The book follows the friendship of six artsy teenagers in the 70’s that meet at sleep away camp and vow to never lose touch.  Following the lives of these complex characters from camp through middle age is a fun and wild ride.  Part of the fun is the authenticity in characters and events as New York is presented from the time of Watergate through today.

Ms. Wolitzer speaks from experience.  She lived in Long Island as a teenager (at the same time as the characters in her book) and going away to an arts camp inspired much for this well-crafted read.  Certainly this is part of the reason the events and friendships in the story are so engaging and authentic – Ms. Wolitzer’s ability to so beautifully draw on real life experiences.

I know you will enjoy this read as much as I, and you will relate to the multi-faceted friendships that continue throughout the lives of the book’s characters.  And, if you happened to be a teenager during the ‘70’s, you will find period references throughout the book extremely engaging.

Leave me a comment during the month of June to be entered to win this great selection.  Happy beach reading!

Speaking of the beach, Instagram users please read on for this month’s pleasure in simple things Instagram challenge!  For June, we are sharing our beach inspired photos…my favorite!  Can’t wait to see what everyone will post!  Use hashtag #pleasuregram to share.

June instagram challenge beach pleasure in simple things

Thank you so much for stopping by!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

1 comment » | good reads, monthly book giveaway

monthly book giveaway for august!

1
August

author colum mccannWriter Colum McCann

Congratulations to Jacqueline, who writes the blog Marbles Rolling, for winning July’s giveaway!  I know you will enjoy the signed copy of Wonder by R. J. Palacio!

The August selection is a New York Times bestseller written in 2009.  I read Let the Great World Spin some time ago and found it so wonderfully fascinating that when I got the opportunity to see the author speak in Philadelphia last week, I jumped at the chance.

Colum McCann spoke at the Free Library in Philadelphia and read selections from his newest book Trans Atlantic.  Although his newest book seems to contain the same poetic passion that I enjoyed in Let the Great World Spin, I decided to have his last book signed for the giveaway since it was such a favorite of mine.  A passionate, beautifully written book set in New York City in the ’70’s,  McCann provides a very unique reading experience that includes a richness of characters and a vivid depiction of New York.

The New York Times Book Review wrote:

“An emotional tour de force…electric, profound…Like a great pitcher in his prime, McCann is constantly changing speeds, adopting different voices, tones and narrative styles as he shifts between story lines…It is a mark of the novel’s soaring and largely fulfilled ambition that McCann just keeps rolling out new people, deftly linking each to the next as his story moves toward its surprising and deeply affecting conclusion…Let the Great World Spin (feels) like a precursor to…The Bonfire of the Vanities.”

Meeting Colum McCann in Philadelphia

My favorite part of meeting Colum McCann was when he asked me to signed his book!  How fun…although it did catch me off guard!  I guess I should have been a little more thoughtful in what I wrote (Big Fan!?)…but, I was so excited to meet him!

Be sure to leave a comment on a post or on my Facebook page (or Twitter or Instagram) to be entered in the random drawing to win a signed copy of Colum McCann’s Let the Great World Spin.  Good luck!

Thanks so much for visiting, Jackie

P.S.  Instagram users, please read on for the August word prompt challenge!  Share your photos daily with hashtag #pleasuregram.

august instagram challenge

 

5 comments » | celebrity, good reads, monthly book giveaway

monthly book giveaway for june!

31
May

author conor grennanphotos of author Conor Grennan

Congratulations to May’s winners Lenny, Angela, and Betty!  You will each receive a signed copy of last month’s selection  A Diary of Healing, My Intense and Meaningful Life with Cancer  written by Mary Ann Wasil.  I know you will enjoy this heartfelt memoir.

Now, on to June’s selection.  Since it is the last day of the month, this week’s Friday field trip will be to visit the author of June’s giveaway book… 

I meet a lot of authors.  And, once in a while I have an admiration for an author apart from an appreciation for his/her writing.  This month’s author is one of those cases.  His name is Conor Grennan and he is from my home state of Connecticut and a NY Times bestselling author. 

photo of the book Little PrincesI got the opportunity to talk with Conor on several occasions when his book Little Princes:  One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal was chosen as a town read selection in a nearby town.  He not only made an appearance at the town library, but also talked with the town in a couple of Skype sessions.   In my estimation, when a town chooses an author’s book for a town read, the author can’t help but develop a special bond with the readers.  The entire town, after all, is embracing his/her labor of love!  I am not sure if that was the reason for my immediate admiration for Conor or if it was his genuine nature and old-school values.  In any case, I liked him instantly.  He also has a wonderful sense of humor for the everyday, which you may know if you have read his posts on Huffington Post or follow him on Facebook.

At 29 years old, Conor Grennan decided to spend a year traveling the world, beginning with three months as a volunteer at an orphanage in Nepal.  After arriving at the orphanage, Conor soon discovers that the children are not orphans, but had been taken from their families by child traffickers.  And what starts as a volunteer assignment to help legitimize a trip traveling the world turns into an experience that shapes Conor’s life…as well as the lives of the families he reunites.

Little Princes is a true-life story documenting Conor’s experience and demonstrates how one man can truly make a difference.  It is a remarkably inspirational memoir that is sure to captivate.  A signed copy of the book will be given away randomly at the end of the month.  Just leave a comment to win!  Good luck!

Thank you so much for visiting!

Have a fabulous weekend, Jackie   Instagram users, please read on…

In an attempt to promote some sharing on Instagram, I am posting prompts for each month…share one day or every day!  Just add #pleasuregram:) to your photo!  I put the :) on the end to be sure our hashtag is totally unique!  Have fun with it!  Here are the June prompts:

June prompts for pleasuregrams:)

2 comments » | celebrity, good reads, monthly book giveaway

monthly book giveaway for may!

30
April

Mary Ann Wasil's book

nancy 003Congratulations to Nancy from New Jersey for winning the April book giveaway!  Nancy has won a copy of Jodi Picoult’s newest novel The Storyteller.  With the weather getting nice and warm, be sure to do some outdoor reading Nanc ;)  Now, on to the May selection…

Since May is the month we traditionally recognize mothers, this month’s giveaway book is written by one of the most amazing moms I know.  It is the newly published memoir My Intense and Meaningful Life with Cancer, A Diary of Healing written by Mary Ann Wasil.  It is the touching, and humorous account of this mother’s battle with breast cancer.

The author of this book is the mother of three.  Many are impressed by her beauty (both inside & out)…by her wonderful relationship with her children…by her courage…by her amazing attitude…these things are impressive to me too, but the thing that impresses me most about Mary Ann is her dedication to giving back.  She is not content focusing on her own recovery.  She has established a nonprofit called The Get in Touch Foundation to help others and to affect change.  This foundation helps girls of all ages (starting in grade 5) to ‘get in touch’ with their bodies, information, and each other to help in the crusade against cancer.  Mary Ann has made an amazing commitment with her life and I would like to share her story with you…I hope you win one of the three signed giveaway books!

Because this book is so special, I have decided to give away three signed copies!  This month, I am asking you to say you are a cancer survivor, know a cancer survivor, or want to help eliminate cancer…just write this in a blog comment, in a tweet, in an email, or on my Facebook page and you will be entered to win one of the three copies I will give away at the end of the month!

Good luck!  In the meantime, you can meet Mary Ann here.

photo of copies of Mary Ann Wasil's book

Thanks so much for visiting!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

7 comments » | inspiration, monthly book giveaway

december giveaway & tony danza winner

1
December

adriana trigianiadriana trigiani

Congratulations to Theresa N. from South Carolina, the winner of the November giveaway!  Theresa has won an author signed copy of Tony Danza’s first book, I’d Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had:  My Year as a Rookie Teacher at Northeast HighClick here to see some photos of when I met Tony and had him sign your book!  I know you will enjoy it!  For December, the giveaway book is a wonderful, historical fiction by Adriana Trigiani titled The Shoemaker’s Wife.  The story of Enza and Ciro starts in the Italian Alps at the turn of the last century.

Through the love story of Enza and Ciro, this rich epic tells the story of the immigrant experience in America over twenty years.  I loved the book and was very excited to get the opportunity to meet the author when she was recently in Connecticut, courtesy of R. J. Julia’s bookstore in Madison.

I have to admit, having never seen Ms. Trigiani before, I was a little surprised by her presentation…it was more of what you would expect from a stand-up comic than a best-selling author.  I didn’t realize she had a comedy background…including a stint as a writer on The Cosby Show!  She kept the crowd in constant laughter as she discussed her family and her Italian heritage.  The Shoemaker’s Wife, she explained, was inspired by her own family and took over 20 years of research for her to develop…truly, a labor of love.

A copy of The Shoemaker’s Wife, signed by Adriana Trigiani, will be December’s giveaway selection.  To enter to win, simply leave a comment on any post during the month of December.  Each comment will qualify as a ‘chance’ to win.  Click here for more details.  Good luck!

A photo of the author Adriana Trigiani. Her debut novel was Big Stone Gap.

 Happy December!  Thank you for visiting, Jackie

1 comment » | monthly book giveaway

tony danza giveaway & october winner

1
November

Tony Danza

Congratulations to Tracy R., winner of the October book giveaway…a very special one!  Tracy has won signed copies of  Life Lessons From the Chocolate Factory…10 Rich, Satisfying Nuggets to Nibble On for her ENTIRE book group in addition to a conference call from author Christopher Holl!!  Thank you so much, Christopher, for providing such a generous giveaway!  Hopefully, Tracy will provide us with some photos and news from her book group session!!

For November, the giveaway is a book written by a celebrity…a multi-talented celebrity.  His name is Tony Danza!

I got the chance to meet Tony recently when he appeared in Connecticut at an R.J. Julia’s bookstore event in Madison.  (I enjoyed talking with him about two favorite cities –  comparing NYC and Philly.)  And, this month’s giveaway is a signed copy of his first book I’d Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had:  My Year as a Rookie Teacher at Northeast High.  If it sounds a little familiar, it may be because the subject was the topic of an A&E reality series called TEACH.  Tony experienced the life of a first-year teacher – teaching tenth-grade English at Northeast High – Philadelphia’s largest high school.  His students didn’t care about his celebrity…heck, they weren’t even born when Who’s the Boss  aired; never mind Taxi!  And, even though A&E cancelled the show after six episodes, Tony completed his year as teacher – a career he had aspired to long before he started acting.

The book is an insightful account you will truly enjoy.  Be sure to enter to win often – before the end of November.   Details for entering are here.

Thanks for visiting,  Jackie

1 comment » | celebrity, monthly book giveaway

book giveaway winner for august!

1
September

Yes, Chef  by Marcus Samuelsson

Congratulations to Deedee P. from ?, August’s book giveaway winner of the author autographed copy of Yes, Chefhttps://pleasureinsimplethings.com/yes-chef-by-marcus-samuelsson/

Qualify, starting today, for September’s giveaway selection, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die signed by author Patricia Schultz. https://pleasureinsimplethings.com/1000-places-to-see-before-you-die/

A really inspiring book.  Guidelines to win: https://pleasureinsimplethings.com/book-giveaway/

Monthly winners are welcome and encouraged to write a review of the book they received to be included on a future book giveaway post.

Hope you can enjoy a ‘No Labor’ Day weekend.  Thanks for visiting, Jackie

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book giveaway winner for june!

2
July

22 britannia road by amanda hodgkinson

Congratulations to Liza Hawkins, blogger at (a)Musing Foodie for winning the author autographed copy of 22 Britannia Road!  See details for how to win July’s giveaway selection:  https://pleasureinsimplethings.com/book-giveaway/

Amanda Hodgkinson’s first novel did not have a common beginning.  It was accepted by the first agent she contacted and taken on by a publisher almost as quickly.  Not a common story; but not a common book.  Many critics are comparing Ms. Hodgkinson’s work to that of Tatiana De Rosnay in Sarah’s Key and, I must admit, I enjoyed it with the same enthusiasm.

The British author, now residing in France, made two Connecticut stops while in the United States.  One of these was at Fairfield University.  It was at this visit, sponsored by the University’s MFA in Creative Writing program, that I had the opportunity to hear Ms. Hodgkinson speak about herself and her New York Times bestselling debut novel.

A photo of Amanda Hodgkinson, author of “22 Britannia Road.”

Ms. Hodgkinson’s sparkling personality lit the room as she spoke to a crowd comprised of, largely, writing students.  Her own experience attending an MFA program was while her children were small. She credits the formal training for giving her validation and the confidence to continue pursuing her profession.  One particular professor she had announced to her “you will be a writer.”  For Ms. Hodgkinson, hearing she had what it took to be a writer gave her the confidence to go forward.  The formal writing program she attended was very unstructured, and she credits her experience as a journalist with helping her to condense her ‘ramblings.’

Ms. Hodgkinson has been writing a weekly column for a paper in France, where she has resided for the last six years.   Her husband lured her to France with the promise of a place to write ‘among the sunflower fields.’  This first novel, 22 Britannia Road, tells the effects of war on a family during peace time; a family desperately trying to put itself back together after the Second World War.  Silvana and Janusz are young newlyweds when they are separated…Silvana and her infant son, Aurek learn to survive by disappearing into the forests of Eastern Europe, while Janusz serves in the war and flees to France.  At the war’s end, Janusz decides to search for his wife and son.  When the family is reunited, they travel to England together for a fresh start, struggling to create a home.  But, as time goes on, many secrets are revealed to strain what little holds the family together.

Written in present tense, the novel slowly reveals the past with the back-story within the novel…alternating between the past and present, showing how the past influences the present.   The novel smoothly switches between the three character’s (mother, father, and son) points of view, taking the reader into war time and what happens as its result.

Though she did not experience the effects of war time herself, the aspects of relocating to a new country were very real to Ms. Hodgkinson.  She relocated to a new country at the same time she was working on the novel…moving to France with her husband and daughters – where she did not know the language or country – much like the family she portrays in this post war novel.

I was thrilled to get the chance to meet Amanda Hodgkinson during her visit to the U.S. and I look forward to her next piece of work.

22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson is a wonderful debut novel.  I would love to hear your reactions to the book after you read it!

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