*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, I’m really into the parenthesis today.)
(I’m 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 you’re curious as to why she refers to herself as Big Mama, you’ll be relieved to know she explains her alias in the first chapter of her book. But I’ll 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 I’ve loved Melanie’s blog are because she’s 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 don’t know about you, but my materialistic side is really into fashion, and there is always something she’s finding online that’s 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.
(Y’all. I didn’t set my alarm yesterday morning, slept in, and went to our evening service. I don’t 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 they’re just easy to read, charming and you want to keep going because you’ve entered into their world without even knowing it? That’s how I feel about Sparkly Green Earrings. I realize I’m only five chapters in, but I can guarantee you it won’t take me longer than a week to finish it. Honestly, I was a little skeptical at first, not because I don’t love Melanie or her writing, but because it’s a book about motherhood, and, well, to state the obvious, I’ve not ventured into the land of motherhood, nor am I close, so I wasn’t 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, I’m no author, nor have I published a book, but I say that’s a pretty big stinkin’ deal and deserves a celebration.
Need proof? Here’s 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 y’all had nothing better to do this weekend. Grin.
Here’s 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 I’m regretting right now is the fact that Caroline isn’t 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 don’t like your last name on the internet for the world to see, so if that’s you, your last initial would be so helpful. I don’t know if you realized there are A LOT of names on this blog, and not shockingly, A LOT of duplicates.)
For fun, if you’re 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 I’m not even going to pretend like I know what my book would be titled. I’ll just start with “Lindsee Lou”.
How’s 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!
Natasha Krahn
This IS My Life
sharon fimple
The Master of Mondays?
My book would be called “WOW moments”
Amy Koger
“O my soul….”
The Diary of the Dysfunctional Functional Family!
Michelle W. Thank you!
Joy Griswold
Jen Heindl
book name – Just Call Me JJ
I’m taking some of Amanda Jones advice and gifting this book to my closest Mommy friends with a pair of sparkly green earrings for Mother’s Day.
Anita Siecker
I’d be delighted to win a copy of the book!
Thanks!
Would love a copy! I could not come up with a title for a book, there would be too many to choose from I think!
Amber Voigt
Holly Lewis
Welcome to the Zoo
Janine Lossow
Nicole Ens
Debbie Anderson
sounds like a good book..
I am very fashion challenged though..:)
Thank you for the chance to win this book.
Have a blessed day
I do not know what I would give a title of a book. I never thought about it before.
Have a great Monday.
Candi Dickerson
My book will be titled, “Happy Turtle Lives.”
Someday.
I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone willing to read my book other than my mother. I’ll spare the rest of you.
Tara G.
It’s so hard to pick a title without a theme! My blog is Mrs. Yellow Hat, so I suppose that would work, right?!
Kristin Taylor
“Bringing Home More than Groceries”
Ashley Head
Title if my pretend book: “How and What Not To Do – Motherhood: My Many Mistakes!’
Carrie Carter
Liz Mueller
Midwestern Mama
Tammy S and my book would be called If Teacups Could Talk
It really does fit for me.
Sara Poole I would be the Author of…”Mally-OH Mommy daze”!!!
Ashley Moshell – and I’m off to ponder my book title. Great question!
Lauren Purtell
Christina Frailey
Have a great week.
I want to win that book:)
Cassandra Spicer
I would title my book, “A Journey to His Heart”. 🙂
I would love to win a copy! THANKS for the opportunity!
🙂
House of Boys (and a Mama)
and my name is Megan Henderson 🙂
The book I would write is ” Life isn’t Candyland and Jesus isn’t a marshmallow”
The name of my book would be: The Forgiven
Erica Paddack
Tracy Leary
Richlands, NC
Submit Girl Submit!
Missy H
My book would be the same as my blog…..Seeking His Grace.
Susan Ramsey
Life in a Two-Story House
Zanna W
Dianne P from Fruitland Park, FL
sarah elizabeth farish
my book title: “preacher’s girl (an autobiography)”
My book title would be, “Hey, I Just Wanted To Be A Grandma!”
My book would be called “Don’t Cry, Blue Skies”
I would love to win a copy of this book! Thanks for the opportunity! As the mother of 5 boys, I would name my book “Boy Crazy!” 🙂
Laura K
Ashley Leavelle
Amy Morrow
The Unlikely Missionary
Kim Morgan
Keep Praying – even when you want to quit.