*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!
Would love a new book:)
My pretend titled book: “let’s see where this takes us”
My name and hopeful winner: Heidi D.
My non-book would be Beyond Polite Conversation: How to Create Authentic Relationships and Intimacy
“Out of her Shell”
In Emerald’s Eyes would be my book……… one day Lord..
The name of my book would be
Dance till it hurts and laugh till you cry!
My real life journey…
My name is Danielle Hilgendorf. I’d love to be entered for a copy of Sparkly Green Earrings! And if I wrote a book, I would title it “Seen”. (I’ve always felt that feeling alone, isolated, and invisible is one of those things nearly everyone goes through…and the best thing we can do for someone else is to truly see them, the way that God sees us.)
I am going through my first year of motherhood, and this books sounds like a read I would enjoy. I hope I win one. 🙂
My title would be long – Raised in Africa yet raising them boys in the US of A! Lord help us all.
I had commented already as Danielle A. But decided to add my last name, and a book title. My book title would be “Just let me talk” as that is how I find a release for my thoughts. Talking. In fact, most of the time I pray out loud. 🙂
Going through my first year of motherhood, so Sparkly Green Earrings sounds like a fun read! 🙂
My book would be called: Intentional Living
Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say!
Previously Wounded…Presently Healed
Y’all look cute and sparkly! My book would be Southern Is a State of Mind.
I’d love to win and read this book. This season of mothering is leaving me with few laughs. :).
I just published my first book! It is called, The Truth About Healing, and it is the story of my healing from cancer in 2010. https://www.createspace.com/4117000
Yay, Jesus!! Thank you, Lindsee!
no creative ideas for a title, but I would love to win and read this book!
Sarah V.
More Than Faithful
Thanks!!!
Rachel Cohee
The name of my book would be, “I Had Kids to Make Me Laugh”
Running With Perseverance! The Journey Through Alzheimer’s with our Parents…(yep. And raising kids to boot. Phew!)
Monica Nordquist-My Life with Anya, Who’s the Boss? Currently being written about our journey with as 12 year old Russian dwarf that we adopted two years ago!!
partially based on my blog, MyLifewithAnya.wordpress.com
Trina Corbett. My book? “How about that?”
Friends of Fur and Feathers
Sweet treats should be the title.
Laura Gilliam…..My book would be titled “Be Calm. A tattoo for my forehead” 🙂
Life at the White House
Amber Maynard
Held.
From Ps. 63. “My soul clings to You. Your right hand upholds me.”
I have heard so much about this book. I hope I win one
Mindy S – I’d love to read all the non-books everyone has mentioned; they’d put a smile on my face:) My book might be called “Written in Red”
bouncy, beautiful moments
Steph A.
“Surviving or Thriving as a P.K.?”
My book title ” Forties and Friendship. What makes a forever friend.”
I would love to be introduced to Melanie via her book. My book title would be something like “From Darkness to Light”. I do enjoy reading your blog entries, Lindsee Lou!
One Day at a Time
Would love to win a copy of the book. Mom=Love
Adrienne Terrebonne
My book title would be Our Journey to Jonah: An Adoption Story
Rachelle S.
He Was With Me All the Time would be my book title, because he has been!!!
I would love to read this book! I first heard about it from “The Pioneer Woman”… whose “pots de creme” I made for an Oscar party (the first I’ve ever thrown!) Sunday night and they were divine….
Sarah Gilkerson- WI
Ginger Cornelius and my book would be title: My Life as a Ketchup Bottle – Squeezed, Shaken, Banged, and Emptied!
My book would be titled “Lucky Number 3″…. long story 🙂
Kristi K. I would love to read this book!!
Amy Thompson
“Famous Amos”
Against All Hope
Coffee or Tea? Conversations across the table.
Evie T.
“Purple Dress” that would be the title of my book!
Title of my book would be Potter’s Prints. I can see how God’s hand prints are all over the lives of my family and others.
Emily Eckley
Julie Langfitt
Such creative ideas, I hope to read some of these books in the near future. I don’t have a creative title but would eventually like to write children’s books based on biblical principles.
WOW!! I can’t think of one clever book title. #fail. Oh wait this isn’t Twitter. Anyway…. 🙂