*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!
Cindy Cannon
My book would be: The days of the Cannon Family!
Laura Prater
Off the top of my head I might name my book, “Broken Road.”
Kristy Ufheil
Jenni Alcantara, San Diego, and I actually have a book outline in my journal! Trying to find the time to start it! Working title is “Adventures of a Prayer Mom” but alternate thought is “Holy Hoopties”!
Tonya jones.
Thank you for the many generous drawings that you provide for all of us. It’s a fun thing to read the comments! 🙂
I would love to win a copy!
Really? Really! Just When You Thought…
Anticipating great things from our GREAT GOD!
My book would be, “This is Not What I Signed Up For!” subtitle, (but I’m glad I’m here)
Wendy Karabensh
“Small Purse Girl; Tote Bag Life”
Kelly Trisler
“If you like it, you should have put a hash tag on it” – a book on my current journey of learning to build a website and blog and all that goes into it- social media, FB pages, finding a niche, search engine optimization (SEO), what have you…- now your going to be singing Beyonce for the rest of the day 🙂
Lisa Rodgers
Mckinney, TX
hypothetical book name would be…
Giving it 2 God!
My name is Carina Oberg from sunny southern CA.
I don’t know about a book title, but my blog is going to be called The Bandana Diaries.
Erin Taylor
Twins….Again!
Forgiven for giving!
From Lany B.R.F.
I think my hypothetical book might be called something like “Are You Kidding Me, Lord?” based on a wild year of seeing God work in my life in ways that just blew my mind. 🙂
Hmmm , book title – Blessed Beyond Belief!
Lorna Leavitt
Excited to win
Lindsee, would love to be the winner of the drawing. Everyone at LPM have a Blessed day.
Christina Lindseth. If I wrote a book it would be titled “Coram Deo” Thanks for the giveaway!
Linda Vogt
I know my Redeemer Lives
“The Prancer”….running through life without breaking a sweat.
I’m not sure what my book would be titled but something about Mennonite Girls.
Shannon Thies and my book would be called “Never a Dull Moment”
Digging Through the Roof
Aubree Hoffman
<3
My book would be titled There’s a Mouse in the Upstairs Bathroom!
I would love to read Melanie’s book!
Jeannette Zayas
through the eyes of another
I am so excited about this book. If I wrote one of my own, I think it would have to be “And she lived to tell about it”
Debbie Scoles
Found in El Paso…Near Texas? !
Allison Perrine
“pull up your big girl panties”
Karla Turpen
Girl Turned Inside Out
“Perfectly Imperfect or The Stepping Stones I Thought I Missed
My book title, “Next Window Please”
Michelle V
Katy Gillis. My book would be titled: “Veganista: light and greens.”
Amanda Mandrell.
This sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Lynette Hallock
My book would be called, “Striving To Live For Christ, Not Worrying About What Others Think”
Walking with a Limp
Janet Alboszta
My book would be called “My Life Through the Olive Press” 🙂
Would LOVE to win this book! My title would be “Pick me!, Pick me!”
Joni Leahy, Littleton Co
Too many titles…one very cool Jesus story!
“Bella Rose”
Amanda Paret
Christina McClure. Embracing the Glorious Mess. 🙂
“On Ya!”
Debbie Sasser
My book will be titled “Abundance”. I hope to write it someday when God finishes writing this story in my life.
My book would be titled “Potatoes for Breakfast.”
Nidya de hoyos