*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!
Jennifer I. I would title my book, Chosen. I’m sure that name has already been taken, but I need to daily be reminded that God has CHOSEN me and He does so every day, every minute!
Kristi McClellan
thanks!
Queen of Unfinished Projects
My book would be named the same as my not-ever-updated blog, My Life HIStory.
Miranda Gehrke
Can’t wait to read it!
If I wrote a book it would be called “Down by the Water”…..as all my “coming of age” stories took place down by the water…..on the beach. And now 40 years later, all my aging stories stiil take place down by the water……on the beach.
Green Sparkly Earrings sounds like an amazing, fun to read book that would lift you up. Thanks for the opportunity to try to win one!
May God richly bless you today…..
Beth A
I forgot to leave my book title “Judy’s Journey”
My Ordinarily Ordinary Life
– Kris Bowen
Rachel Ivy
“Just passin through”
My book would be titled “Awesome memories amidst chaos” 🙂
My book would most certainly be:
Why Does Every Sermon Start With “Dear Shannon”?
Lessons on why I will never be doing learning my lesson
Cary D. – I love Big Mama !
Ashley Bonner
My book would be called Confessions Of A Coffee Lover
Why does Momma Always Have a Headache?
Would love that book! 🙂
Me! Me! Me! The women on my block are reading this for book club next month! I haven’t decided the title of my own best-selling book yet. It has to be good: writing a best-seller is my only get-rich-quick fantasy.
Melissa H.
Ioana N
Jen5253 R.
If I wrote a book, it would be called “A Chocoholic’s Journey”
Book title? That’s too much pressure!
How to move every 2 yrs and like it. Suzie
Jena smith, Lost and Found
Jessica E. from NC
My book would be called..
another way to make chicken
He Thinks of Me, More Than the Sands of the Sea.
{Even as Messy as I Can Be.}
“And There You Have It”~ <—my hypothetical book title.`Voila!
Blessings!!
Ryann Johnson
“Undone-From the Inside Out”
If you desire true worship intimacy with Christ to come from your life,you might have to become undone.
Leanne Miller
My book would be titled My Hardest Battle and would be about my cancer journey
(Angie Wilt) :0)
Chelsea Price
Rainbows and Morning Glories
Nicole Burdess
Book would definitely be “Mom Running Wild” or “Mom Running away Wild”
I am a winner…cuz I am a blood-bought daughter of Jesus Christ!
I think my book would be titled “Country Girl at Heart: Vegas lights to Louisiana nights”
Rebuilding the Temple!!
Laura Gruner
my book would be titled “Laughing with Lu~Lu”
Lu~Lu is a nickname given to me by lifelong friends… and laughing… because, after tragedy, it’s the lesson God’s always teaching… Proverbs 31:25 “She laughs without fear of the future” NLT
Joy Goley
Kellye W. my book would be titled Nostalgia
Amanda Redding…and no idea of the title, but it would certainly be the story of being set free. And continually remembering to walk in it. 🙂
Lana Bartos
Lisa Brouwer
Living Life at Full Throttle
Nicole Romanov-Nazar
Don’t know what I’d title my book either. Something good to think about.
Christina Dekker
I’m a book addict these days! Would love to read this one : )
“Come As You Are. Why you don’t need to drop your personality at the door when you walk into church.”
My book would be titled Meanest Mother in the World (and Proud of It!)
Gretchen Miller