Winner

Geez louise... time flies :)

I had picked a winner last Monday, but did not get a chance to post...

Winner for five upcoming releases:

Meghan (breakkanamexd@...)

I've already e-mail winner... be back in a bit :)

Looking forward... plus a giveaway...

One week into my 28th Birthday and I've definitely had lots of fun.

I'm looking forward to so much this year, from romance reader conventions to vacations. The most recent thing I've been looking forward to is a surprise birthday trip I set up for my friend :) as I type this, I'm sitting at an airport gate, waiting to board the plane to Colorado for a quick weekend trip.

Other things I look forward to? Books, of course!

For this weekends giveaway, tell me which five upcoming books are on your Must-Have list... One winner will receive those five books as soon as they're released.

Contest will end Monday 12noon CST.
Leave your e-mail address, please

-Ali

Rules were made to be broken...

But not these rules...

As I mentioned before, this month I'll be giving away a Kindle 3 as I celebrate my birthday month ;)

Here are a couple rules and ways to enter...

• You can enter once per each post I have up in April by leaving a comment. Leaving multiple comments is okay, but I'll only count it as one entry.
• Leave your e-mail address in your entry.
• There are no bonus entries unless it's mentioned in the post.
• I will have other giveaways during this month (one coming up this weekend) and entering in those giveaways also includes an entry into the kindle (unless you leave a note in comments letting me know you don't want to be entered for a Kindle 3)
• You are allowed to win multiple times... it's all in the luck of the draw ;)
• Have fun!!

Confessions of a Romance Reader: How Maniac Magee saved my reading...

For those of you who know about Maniac Magee, you may wonder how a children's book could have possibly saved my reading. I'll tell you...

First off, for those of you who don't know about Maniac Magee.... here's a little info:



Maniac Magee
By: Jerry Spinelli

BLURB: Jeffrey Lionel "Maniac" Magee might have lived a normal life if a trolley accident hadn't made him an orphan. After living with his unhappy and uptight aunt and uncle for eight years, he decides to run-and not just run away, but run. And this is where the myth of Maniac Magee begins, as he changes the lives of a racially divided small town with his amazing and legendary feats.

I was in a slump recently... a bit depressed... wanting to do nothing. That feeling sucks. Especially for a person that usually tries to keep busy so this doesn't happen. It did happen, though, and I didn't know what I was going to do about it. One of the worst parts... I hadn't read in over a month *sob*. No matter what I did, no book could hold my interest.

I have hundreds of books in my to-be-read pile, and not a one called out to me. I was getting more depressed. It got to a point that I was thinking of shutting down my blog. I didn't feel up to reading or writing anymore.

I was sick and tired of feeling this way...so I decided to try something. I got an idea to read a book I loved when I was younger. I had already reread The Giver by Lois Lowery last year, so that was out. I couldn't seem to find Uncle Vampire by Cynthia D. Grant, which would have been a good pick because it always has me in tears, and sometimes you need that.

Finally, I stumbled upon Maniac Magee... this was one I recently bought after not being able to find my original copy. It may seem silly, but I just love having my childhood books in the hopes of sharing them with my sister, the Brat, or any future children I may have.

I remember loving Maniac Magee when I was in elementary school. I loved seeing the world through the eyes of the main character, who's a kid known as Maniac Magee. He saw everyone as the same and treated them equally. Through his adventures, what he really just wanted was a place to call home and a real family. Now that I think about it, maybe I connected to the story, because at the time I first read it, that's all I wanted.

This story reminded me of why I loved reading so much. The joy I get out of escaping into a new place and meeting new people. To see the world through the eyes of someone else. To see someone through their struggle and have them triumph in the end. For that happily-ever-after. To forget about my worries for a bit and just relax into a good book.

Maniac Magee also reminded me of something else...


While I don't always read romance, I always look for romance in everything I read.

With life, I love to try new things... this includes books... and sometimes I like to take a mini-break from romance. I know some of you may be wide eyed and gasping right now, lol. No worries, because in the end, I always go back to what makes me feel warm, fuzzy, and happy.

Even when I'm taking a break from romance, my mind still looks for romance. Evidently, even in a children's book I can find romance, lol. Each time I read Maniac Magee I start to wonder about Amanda, a girl who becomes a friend to Maniac, and what could become of them when they grew up. I imagined that they would start dating and become a couple... crazy? Probably, lol. But, evidently the screen writers of the movie adaptation felt the same way I did, because the end of their movie had Maniac Magee and Amanda together with children.


After reading Maniac Magee I started to get excited about reading again... especially reading romances where a couple does get together by the end of the story. This isn't the first non-romance book where I tend to look for romance, either. I catch myself doing this in everything I read. I love love. Nothing makes me happier than a happily-ever-after story where two people ride off into the sunset together. To watch a couple overcome all obstacles just to be together *sigh*.

Yes, at heart, I am most definitely a romance reader... always have been... always will be.

TELL ME: Have you ever been in a reading slump or feeling down? What did you do to get yourself out of it?

Ready for the fun to begin?

Okay, so I mentioned before that I wanted to celebrate my birthday for the month of April... because one day is never enough ;)

Throughout the month I'll have surprise giveaways... but, leave a comment on any and all post this month and be entered to win a Kindle with 3G & wifi!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! :)

I want to thank everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday!!

It's been a rough month or so... and it was nice to finally have something to celebrate and be with friends and family :)

I've also finally gotten back to reading... if you couldn't tell, I sadly was unable to read or write anything due to being depressed. It sucked. It got to the point that I was thinking of giving up on my blog... until, my dear cousin Eli said, "No, you can't do that!" And, that's exactly what I needed to hear, lol :)
So, I have Eli and Maniac Magee to thank for coming back from the cave (more on that later, lol).

How awesome of Eli to kidnap my blog for a day, lol... I love her for that <3 And how awesome of all of you to leave your birthday wishes... I loved reading all the comments and the different reasons we all read romance. There's so much going on that I want to mention... but, before I do that, Eli told me that I must choose a winner for my Birthday Contest...

*drumroll*

Winner is: -petit (sweet.sayumi@)

*I'm sending out an e-mail to winner, please reply within 24hours or another winner will be chosen.

Happy Birthday Ali!!! & Why Do I Read Romance?

Uh..oh... Somebody's birthday is today. :) Yes.. you all guys have guessed it... its Ali's!! Today is Ali's 28th birthday! YAY! What a nice even number, I say!

To celebrate her birthday, I have decided to blog-jack her blog. :) How awesome of me is that, hehe.

One day, Ali asked me to blog about a certain topic. So here I go.. the question is:

Why do I read Romance??

That is a very good question.. a question that in fact I have never really thought about. Sure I have had people who dont read romance (or read anything for that matter) ask me why I read romance, but ofcourse.. I dont take them seriously. I just give them a fast answer, such as... because I love to read or because why wouldn't anyone want to read romance? LOL. Does anyone else do the same thing? How does one react when a non-romance reader (or non-reader period) ask why do you read romance? Ofcourse... when I answer, immediately people tend to roll their eyes.. especially men. I'm so use to it.. it doesn't even bother me anymore, lol.

So... Why do I read romance? There are several reasons why, but basically the simple fact is, I love it! I'm in love with romance. I love the connection between two people, the trials and the sacrifice that they go through in order to get to their main destination. Its nice to see the two characters grow together and see how compatible they are. The emotions I experience at times when I read a romance book, feels like I'm the one thats loving.. I'm the one being loved. Having said that, romance gives me hope.. even when I dont have the hope to one day find that one true love, that hope still lingers on. It also keeps me satisfied. It makes me realize that no body is perfect.. at all, and that even with all your flaws, that prince charming is still out there.

I love putting myself (at times) as the heroine. I sometimes even imagine myself as the person on the cover! Even though i know that these readings are a work of fiction.. its always nice to get away. I mean common... who doesn't want to escape with that tall dark handsome man? Pfft! I would, in a heart beat!

OOOO.. and then we have the HEAs!! Gotta love the happy endings in the books. Without a HEA.. the book might not be worth a read whatsoever. I read romance so that I can read some happy ever afters!!! It's always nice to think that there are happy endings. :) I know that Ali is a sucker for those HEAs!!!

And last but not least, needless to say.. in everything I pretty much read or even watch.. I look for the romance. Its just natural, lol. A couple years ago, I was reading a Dean Koontz book, in this particular story there was a couple... I waited and waited for the romance. Nothing.. I waited forever. :( I was pretty dissapointed. Until then, I hadn't really realized that I do this. I look for romantic elements in everything!

This is why I read romance.

For Ali's special day today, I have decided to have a give-a-away. We all know how much Ali loves to have give-aways.. so I only though that it would be appropriate.

The giveaway will be a $10.00 gift certificate to Amazon or a book of your choice up to $10 dollar value from the Book Depository . This giveaway is also open to our international friends.

All you would have to do is two things: 1) Wish Ali a Happy Birthday! and 2) Answer the following question: "Why do you read Romance?"

This give-away, will be open until Monday. Ali will then chose one winner. Make sure to check back then to see if you've won!



************************************************

Dear Ali,

No words can ever express how much you mean to me. We've had our days and our times, but here we are still. I don't think theres any other person who can quite understand me - and even when you dont, you try and that is all I can ever ask..
On this very special day Ali, I wish you the very best. You deserve it. You have such a golden heart, you give so much of yourself and expect so little. In fact, you expect nothing. You dont find very many gems such as yourself in today's world. Not only are you beautiful on the outside, but more so in the inside.

When I am in need of something, a friend to talk to, a shoulder to cry on or a lending hand, you are always there for me. For this I thank you for the bottom of my heart. I could never repay everything you have done for me, that would be impossible. But I do hope that I am also that one person you can go to. I will always be there for you.. even if it means being an alibi for you because you killed someone (haha,jk) and I will be on your side the one day THEY decide to go after you, LOL.

I love you so much! Like you said before, "Not only are you my cousin, you are my best friend" this rings true all the way. I cherish our times together and look forward to them all the time.

My dear Ali... I hope you have the best 28th birthday ever.. and the best 28th year of your life!

With lots of love,

Eli

************************************************