*Update: Comments are now closed! And I’ve decided that y’all have some of the best hypothetical books around. You had me laughing out loud! Check back soon for our ten winners!
The weekend before last (I know, take a minute to figure that one out. It is Monday after all.), I drove myself to Katy, Texas. (While that may sound like I actually ventured out on a road trip, it really just means I drove 30 minutes across town.) (Also, Iām really into the parenthesis today.)
(Iām currently humoring myself and no one else. I know. Forgive me.)
The reason for my 30-minute road trip was because a sweet lady named Big Mama, I mean, Melanie Shankle, was doing a book signing at the Books-A-Million for her new book, Sparkly Green Earrings. You may have heard of her? Grin.
(By the way, if youāre curious as to why she refers to herself as Big Mama, youāll be relieved to know she explains her alias in the first chapter of her book. But Iāll leave that story for her to tell. A little suspense is a good thing.)
Melanie has been blogging since before blogging became the thing to do, and her blog was one of the very first blogs I read. (How many times can I use the word blog in one sentence?) It was really love at first sight, or read. A few reasons Iāve loved Melanieās blog are because sheās hilarious, real, a good writer, sarcastic and she loves Jesus. Need I say more?
Also, she does a really fun post every Friday called Fashion Friday, and I donāt know about you, but my materialistic side is really into fashion, and there is always something sheās finding online thatās adorable that I then put into my mental wish list.
Anyway, last Saturday I got lucky and both she and her equally hilarious daughter, Caroline, signed my copy of the book.
Truth be told, I love to read, but for the past week the book has sat on my bedside table. That is until I picked it up yesterday and devoured the first five chapters before I realized I would be late to church and miss prayer time unless I left right then.
(Yāall. I didnāt set my alarm yesterday morning, slept in, and went to our evening service. I donāt know, but I feel like a new woman. It was heavenly. But that has nothing to do with Sparkly Green Earrings. But I did feel sparkly. Whatever that means.)
You know those books that you pick up and theyāre just easy to read, charming and you want to keep going because youāve entered into their world without even knowing it? Thatās how I feel about Sparkly Green Earrings. I realize Iām only five chapters in, but I can guarantee you it wonāt take me longer than a week to finish it. Honestly, I was a little skeptical at first, not because I donāt love Melanie or her writing, but because itās a book about motherhood, and, well, to state the obvious, Iāve not ventured into the land of motherhood, nor am I close, so I wasnāt sure if it would apply to me. But alas, it is so much more than motherhood, it is her story of motherhood and it is a sweet one. In fact, she talks about her best friend from the start, and I really resonated with that as I thought about my best friend, and our friendship, especially since she just walked through pregnancy and has her first baby girl that is my current obsession.
I say all of that to say this, our friend Melanie, and her whimsical book, made it on the NY Times Best Seller list this week. Listen, Iām no author, nor have I published a book, but I say thatās a pretty big stinkinā deal and deserves a celebration.
Need proof? Hereās a picture.
So, to celebrate, I thought it would be really fun to give away ten signed copies of Sparkly Green Earrings! Through a series of unplanned, or planned, events, we have those copies in our possession and they make me incredibly happy. Thank you, Amanda and Melanie, for making the signed books a reality. I know yāall had nothing better to do this weekend. Grin.
Hereās a look in the book.
How about this cover? I’ve tried endless times to get my ponytail looking like that.
Signed, sealed and (almost) delivered. Grin.
Someone else we all know and love also loves this book and the author!
And here is a picture of Nancy and me at the book signing with Melanie. The only thing Iām regretting right now is the fact that Caroline isnāt in the picture with us. Watching Caroline sign the books brought me pure delight.
(Notice the leg pop both Melanie and I are doing. That makes us cool.)
To win your own copy of Sparkly Green Earrings, simply leave a comment with your first and last name. (Side note: I know some of you donāt like your last name on the internet for the world to see, so if thatās you, your last initial would be so helpful. I donāt know if you realized there are A LOT of names on this blog, and not shockingly, A LOT of duplicates.)
For fun, if youāre feeling super creative, you can also tell us hypothetically what the name of your book would be called if indeed, you were to publish a book.
And Iām not even going to pretend like I know what my book would be titled. Iāll just start with āLindsee Louā.
Howās that for original? Catchy?
Okay, enough about my non-book.
I’ll leave comments open until mid-Wednesday morning!
Ready, set, go win a book!
Stephanie Christianson
I heard so many good things about this book. Would love to win! š
Mary Hughes
“Sliding and Gliding”
christy a
Karen Horn
Michelle Cleavenger
Kimberly Mays
Dori Adams
Andrea Golby, Laying it down: the beauty of forgiveness
Juli Daniels, Chokio, MN
Name if my book: Moving Mountains With A Mustard Seed of Faith
Amen to that!!
My blog is titled The Dramatic Musings of a (Not So) Desperate Housewife, so if I were to ever write a book, it would have to be something similar, dontcha think? (Ahh! There’s the reason why I could never write a book. Was that really all one sentence?!)
Kim J; would love to read this book!
Susan Lawrence
L.O.L.! (Live Out Loud!)
Monica R
Would love to read this!
Mary Beth T.
Not sure on a book title of my own, but green is my fav. color, so I’m especially drawn by this one! š
Shelley Blocker—-Hope to win! (That would not be the title of my book, just my thought!)
Amy B. L.
Ashley Garza
I would call it Papinna’s Garden , because my Italian grandmother always called me Papinna when i was a little girl.It was an indearment that i treasure to this day in memory.She is in heaven now but think of her often.She was full of life and always grew purple petunias in her garden. Thank you for a chance to win , Hannah
Melissa Thompson
Alicia Ellison – From Heartaches to Pulled Heartstrings
Jessica Dutcher. Thanks for sharing!
Rachel Page
From Fear to Faith
Kim Smith
Cynthia Taylor
Eniola Harrison
The Waiting Room
The Tales of a Girl Who Loves a Boy (and Sometimes Moonlights as an Attorney)
Love love love Big Mama’s blog. Would love this book too!
Lawan Rivera, “My Life Could Be A Soap Opera!”
Has Someone Seen the Life I “Pinned”? š
Ashley Honea – I would LOVE to win a copy!
christina moore
(I’ve been wanting to get this for my sister who is an amazing mom of 3 and could use the laugh. If I win, the book is hers.)
I absolutely LOVE to read. Thanks for your thoughtfulness. š
Country Roads – it would be a cookbook with my mother with stories of growing up on the farm.
Katie Curry
And my book title would be:
Bringing Paleness Back
or maybe
Katie’s Guide to Frolicking About
or possibly
#theehrhardtway (which would be a memoir and tribute to all the traditions, sayings and general awesomeness of my family)
April Russell
Paula Turley
Lorrie Beth Milton
Thank you for the offer!
Marie Everhart
Who Is That Strange Man in My House? A quest to understand my newly teenaged son
Holly F – would love to win – been reading Melanie’s blog for almost 6 years
Anne Bennett
I have no idea what I’d name my book, were I to write one. I’ll certainly be thinking about it!
Meghan DeHart
And I would totally love to write a book!
The Musings of a Church Planters Wife, Mommy, and Lover of Jesus
Maybe???
I would call my book “don’t get too comfortable: lessons from a pastor’s daughter turned pastor’s wife” by Jessica P McDonald
Today my book would be “Did I Just Say That?”
Thank you!
Bev Flynn
Kristen Rodman
My book would be called “Accidental Green Mama” because that is what mothering my children with health challenges made me. It is also the name of my blog:)
Meredith Barr
Fran Thomas and my super creative title would something boring like “me and my three sons” š Or “how to parent kids who only eat pizza.” Or “Nobody cooks around here, you’re on your own.” (It’s always about food at my house)