*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!
If I wrote a book, I would call it Rocky Mountain Sparkle (God Shines Forth)!
I would title my book, “A Girl and Her Blessings”.
Cindy Childers
“Love on a Limb”….I have no idea why I just wrote that. Love is my maiden name. I have a 4 month old and I’m sleep deprived so maybe that has something to do with it as well. XXOO, Cindy
Would love this book. I’m actually working on a book about my journey with a cancer diagnosis and have titled it I’m Ready To Wake Up Now.
Kim Pedroza – looks like a great read
Susan Kay H.
I never dreamed of writing a book but of owning a bookstore and calling it My Favorite Authors.
Or… Kim E. T, “Reading Maps, No Time Fo That”…”I Skipped the Small Print” (and directions)- “please leave name in comment”)
Stacey M, Clayton, NC
Exciting!! My book would be called “Joy Cometh”
The day the Lord Almighty grabbed me and my baby from satan’s hands…
Carol Hulin
“he Ex-Hermitess”
Book title: Giving Him Glory – a devotional
Kim Cliatt
How about “Don’t Bother Mama While She’s Praying or in the Kitchen: Survival Guide to Keeping it Together with Christ”
Amy Stevens
“Laughing Out Loud”
Julie King
Love Big Mama and would love a book signed by her and Caroline!!
Maybe name my book “Life in the King’s Court”? cheesy,ha
It is what it is
š
My book… “A funny thing happened on the way to….wait, where was I going?”
Brandy Hussey š
Melanie Anderson
No desire to write a book at this point…except maybe a book of hymn arrangements for piano. ?title?!?
Would love to win the book!
~Thank you girls for keeping us focused on Jesus and on track in our quest for passionate intimacy with Him!~
…hmm…that sounds like the start of a title, maybe?
…HA…sorry for two posts! but I couldn’t help laughing when I realized I was clamoring to win this book and I don’t even wear earrings! š
My book would be called “The Girl That Can Do Anything”!!!!!!
I would love to win that book …. I’ve heard lots of good things about it. My book title if I were to write one right now would be “Lessons Learned While I’m Waiting”. Thanks.
Debbie Woodard
Milvia Cartaya
<3
Sounds like a great book to read.
Can’t even think of a title for a book about my life.
Graft Me In
I have given up on tv so I am always looking for a great book. After minutes of thought since I don’t think I have ever really thought I could write a book, my title might be, “To Live or Not to Live–You Choose”.
My book would be “the last five years”. (They’ve been awesome!)
Tracy Carvalho
My book would be titled….because I said so. š
Oh please pick me! I’d love to see what Sparkly Green Earrings is all about! As for goofy fun names, I just for really real with a pretty ponytail published my very first book so I already have a name! Its called, “Being Still, Notes from the Garden”…and you can look me up online! My book is about forgiveness and moving forward (so that) (note use of parenthesis!) God can accomplish all He has for us! P.S. My book has been inspired by my best friend and sojourner in life , Beth Moore. She doesn’t know that of course but she is!
Oh how I love that sister!
Shawn Bensley, His Grace is Sufficient
My book would be called… The Journey God Gave to Me, an Adoption Story.
Can’t wait to read it!
Kathy Sanford
My book would be called “If You Only Knew”
Ribbons, Baubles and Bows!!!!! Love being a girl!!!
Freedom. Hope. Love.
Tatia Cook…hmmm….maybe a title like “I Didn’t Ask You What You Wanted!”…or…”Embrace the Ostrich in You” š (That one comes out of a devotion I just gave a few weeks ago!)
Just not creative enough to come up with a book title. This reminds me of being given an assignment like this in school and sitting there in agony with a blank mind while everyone else was writing up a storm.
You’ve made this book sound super appealing and I’d love to read it!
Debbie Miller
Connie M.
I would love to read Mel’s new book. I too have read her blog for years. She is so fun and always makes me smile. .
My book would be called “The Little Things” because I see God’s blessings in a million little things every single day.
Becky Bowman: I think I would call my book: “reality: stranger than fiction”
Title of my book. I was God’s Instrument Today.
Britney Adams… I’m so not creative enough to write a book, but if I were, it might be titled something like: “Knocked Down but not Destroyed”
If I wrote a book it would be called “They Can Hear My Eyelids Close!”
Amanda M. “Waiting on My Gilbert Blythe”
Loving me some give away-title of my book Girl in the Country
Kelli La Belle
How Do You Like Me Now?
Would looovvve a copy! I am so totally in the mood for a laugh out loud book! š And my future books title just might be – ‘well alrightythen!’
Elizabeth Smillie š