Winners!!

It's always so much fun to give away great books!! Congratulations to this week's lucky winner:

Edna - Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog by Deanna Klingel

Winners of this week's books, please use the button in the upper right side of this page to email me with your mailing address so I can forward your information to the authors. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive.

Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book and thank you, Deanna Klingel, for your generosity in providing a book!

Read More

Weekly Drawing

Entering our weekly drawing is easy:

1. Leave a comment on Fridays or...

2. Sign up to follow The Borrowed Book. Followers will automatically be entered for a chance to win that week's drawing!

This week, The Borrowed Book is giving away:

Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog by Deanna Klingel is a poignant, yet sweetly humorous spiritual journey into the therapy dog ministry of Lily and Jessie, two Golden Retrievers who visit health care facilities. Learn how ordinary pets become therapy dogs, and how they weave their small miracles every day. The dogs show us that uncomfortable moments in awkward situations exist only for humans. In a unique compilation of vignettes, in places where frustration and loneliness reside, the therapy dogs show us that the greatest gift is to listen quietly, and spend just a moment, paying quiet attention. A soft nuzzle, a head in the lap, a friendly look into the eyes may be all that was needed in that moment, and is often not remembered beyond that moment. This is a book for every family member and friend, dog lovers of all ages, people in search of a ministry, or anyone who enjoys a pleasant read.

Winners will be announced on Saturday, 01/08/11.

Read More

Author Interview ~ Deanna Klingel

Deanna Klingel lives in Sapphire Valley, NC with her husband (49 years!). Their seven children all live in the southeast and are parents to the Klingels' ten grandchildren. They are retired from their first jobs, Dave with IBM, and Deanna as homemaker and mom, and now work as a real estate broker( Dave), and Deanna as an author. She works with her two golden retrievers visiting hospitals, nursing homes, schools, day care, anywhere they are asked. The dogs are certified therapy dogs and are featured in Deanna's book. Deanna enjoys taking college classes at Brevard College, playing golf on perfect-weather days, and of course, writes every single day.

Welcome, Deanna! Did you see yourself becoming a writer as a child? If not, what did you dream of being?

As a child, I was a writer. I wrote letters to relatives, made greeting cards with rhymes, wrote short stories and bound them together, illustrated in crayon and by Norman Rockwell. A a teen I wrote the high school column in the town newspaper, wrote school newspaper articles and edited the literary magazine. I worked on the yearbook staff and loved English class. I never thought about becoming writer when I grew up. I've always written.

How long did you write before you sold your first book?

I didn't sell my first book until 2010, at age 66. But, until then, I hadn't really thought about selling anything.

Many of the people who follow our blog are aspiring writers themselves. Can you share your favorite writing tip with them?

I don't have many writing tips to share, but I think my initial response to this question is...write. read. write and read. read and write. Immerse yourself in books and write everything.

Now for the readers…many times, it’s easy for them to connect with the characters in a book, but not so much the authors themselves. Share something about your day-to-day life that might help a reader to feel as though they know you a little better.

My day-to-day life would probably sound rather boring. I've raised my family and my husband and I live in the mountains with our two golden retrievers. When you read my book, you will probably get to know me quite well. It's not a memoir, but I'm there.

Now that you are published, do you still experience rejections? If so, how are these rejections different or similar to the ones you received before becoming published?

Rejections are interesting, aren't they. Some are affirming, some not so much. Some give hope, some destroy it. I've had an easy time of it actually, and I can't answer your question as it's posed, because since the two books were published online by Storyrealm.com, and Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog was published, I really haven't experienced any rejections...yet.

Tell us a little about your latest release:

Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog, a long title for a small book that is making a big splash. The design of the book defies several "rules", it doesn't fit neatly into any genre, and doesn't have a "target" audience. It doesn't have a protagonist and it doesn't have a story arc or a plot. The book appeals to dog lovers and lovers of dog stories, but it isn't about the dogs. Teens seem to like it, though I'm not sure they really "get it"...yet. Senior citizens like it, it's all about them. Care givers, health care providers, hospice volunteers all enjoy it and laugh. They do "get it." It's an odd little book, really. But, everyday I hear from folks all over the country who are reading it, savoring it, sharing it, gifting it. I'm delighted.

If you could only share one line from Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog, which one would you choose and why?

The line I'd like to share from Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog isn't actually written on a page. But it's the entire point of the book. "Every moment in every life, matters."

Writers often put things in their books that are very personal—like a funny story that happened to them, a spiritual truth they learned through difficulty, or even just a character trait that is uniquely theirs. Is there something in Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog that only people close to you know is about you or someone you know?

This particular book is very personal. Something funny, a spiritual truth, a character trait is on every single page. Those close to me would already recognize me, of course, but those who don't know me, will. To use the cliche, my life is an open book.

Readers often talk a lot about the hero and heroine of a story, but today I’d like to know something about your villain. Does he or she have a redeeming quality? Why or why not?

I hadn't thought about my dogs as heroines, but I guess they are. Humble and happy in their work, they don't immediately bring "heroine" to mind. But, yeah, they are. If there is a villain in this book, it must be Time. Time steals our precious moments; Time robs us of memories. But, a redeeeming quality? Sure. Time heals. And eventually, Time runs out.

What kind of research did you have to do for this book? Can you share some articles or website links you found particularly helpful?

Very little research went into this book. That's unusual for me since I usually write history stories that requires months, no years, of research. This was more like compiling journal entries and polishing the writing. It covers eight years, but I actually developed the book in about two years.

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

New projects. I always have a lot of irons in the fire, juggling lots of balls, or whatever. At the moment I have a YA fiction, Cracks in the Ice, under review with a publisher, and a middle grade nonfiction, Bread Upon the Water, as well. A children's book, Beth's Backyard Friends, and a middle grade novel, Rebecca & Heart, are both on Storyrealm.com. That's something new and interesting that surprised me. I've written a few children's books that haven't been adopted yet. In the spring Avery's Battlefield will be releaed by Journey Forth. It's the first of a series of two Civil War stories about Avery and his dog Gunner, for the teen audience. This is close to five years of work, so I'm really excited. I saw the cover last week and I got a bit teary. It feels like giving birth!

The most common thing I hear when people learned I’ve published a book is, “I’ve always wanted to do that.” Faced with this statement, what advice would you give to someone just starting out in this business?

My advice to anyone starting out in this business would be: Research thoroughly. This job might not be what you think it is. Understand all of it before jumping in. And then? Grow a thick skin, forget you were ever shy, and write. All the time. Go to conferences. Read books on the craft of writing. Take classes. Join a critique group. Read. And Write. You can't be a writer if you don't write. And after you've written the first chapter, rewrite it. Revise it. And go to the 2nd chapter. Believe in yourself, but always believe that there are a lot of different ways to write something. Write it in different ways. You don't always have to like what you wrote. But, in the end, it must be the best way you could write it. And know that it takes a long time to get it there. Don't give up. Write.
.
Deanna is giving away a copy of her book. Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Friday for your chance to win!

Read More

2010 Bestsellers!

In case you wondered (or even if you didn't), here are the best selling books of 2010. Is your favorite on the list? If not, what was your favorite book of 2010, and what made it special?

Best Selling Books 2010: Fiction

• Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
• Cross Fire by James Patterson
• Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
• Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy with Grant Blackwood
• House Rules by Jodi Picoult
• Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell
• The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
• The Confession by John Grisham
• The Girl who kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
• The Girl who played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
• The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
• U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton

Best Selling Books 2010: Non Fiction

• Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume I by Mark Twain
  
• Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That? by Ina Garten
• Crazy Love by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski
• Decision Points by George W. Bush
• Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld
• Earth (The Book) by Jon Stewart and others
• Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Guinness World Records 2011 edited by Craig Glenday
• Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley
• Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
• Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz
• Just Kids by Patti Smith
• Justin Bieber, First Step 2 Forever by Justin Bieber
• Kardashian Konfidential by Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian
• Life by Keith Richards with James Fox
• Rachel Ray's Love and Cook by Rachael Ray
• Radical by David Platt
• Straight Talk, No Chaser by Steve Harvey with Denene Millner
• The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
• The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook by Dinah Bucholz
• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
• Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
• What to Expect When you are Expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel

Best Selling Books 2010: Children

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney
• Fallen by Lauren Kate
• Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
• Lego Star Wars by Simon Beecroft
• Llama Llama Holiday Drama written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney
• Of Thee I Sing by Barack Obama. Illustrated by Loren Long
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
• Pinkalicious and the Pink Drink written and illustrated by Victoria Kann
• Splediferous Christmas by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling
  
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
• The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore. Various illustrators
• The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
• Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

Best Selling Books 2010: Comics and Graphic Novels

• Brightest Day, Volume I by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi
• Fables, Volume 14 by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
• Naruto, Volume 49 by Masashi Kishimoto
• Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 15 by Bisco Hatori
• Rosario + Vampire: Season II, Volume 3 by Akihisa Ikeda
• Scott Pilgrim, Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O’Malley
• Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale by Joss Whedon, Zack Whedon and Chris Samnee
• Superman: Earth One by J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis
• The Adventures of Ook and Gluk by George Beard and Harold Hutchins
• The Bleach; Volume 33 by Tite Kubo
• The Walking Dead Compendium by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard
• Vampire Knight, Volume 11 by Matsuri Hino

Read More

Conference Planning...otherwise known as Risk

Remember that old, world domination game, Risk? My husband used to love that game. I never could beat him, and it wasn't until we'd been married several years that I realized it was because he ALWAYS cheated! LOL!

Writers can learn a lot from game that's all about taking over the world—sketching out a plan of attack, for example, or utilizing your forces in a way that maximizes impact. And let’s not forget targeting your enemy and striking while they’re weak.

Armed with these tools, I attended my first writer’s conference in Houston, Texas, in 2003. You may remember me. I was the one skulking around like a CIA agent on a covert op trying to land all the best appointments.

I'm not kidding.

First day of the conference, I sat next to the door like a chameleon, one eye on the appointment sign up sheet, the other on the editor I had targeted. When the conference hostess announced the sign-ups were open, I bolted out of my chair like a bat...out of my chair...and made a mad dash to the wall. I think I ran over someone. Not positive of that. It just seems I vaguely remember hearing, "Please get off my face."

Sigh.

Oh, what I’ve learned since then. No longer do I skulk in hallways or lurk around elevator doors, waiting to ambush some poor, unsuspecting editor. Instead, I looked for ways to make others feel comfortable. I seek out those whose earnest faces show their anxiety and pain. In other words, I make friends instead of contacts. I schedule prayer times instead of appointments. I visit over dinner, instead of strategizing.

I’m going to my seventh writer’s conference later this year. Time and necessity (who wants to pay the extra baggage charge for suitcase full of stuff you won't use??) have helped me streamline the things I need to take with me into a few key articles:

1. Up-to-date, professional looking business cards. An author photo on the front is nice. Remember you'll be meeting LOTS of people. Chances are you won't be able to remember everyone, so having a picture to put with the name is a big help. Other things to include on your business card: phone number, email address, website or blog.

2. Pitch Sheet. A pitch sheet is a document with a one sentence summary of your story, a paragraph blurb, and a short author bio. This is NOT for you to hand out (trust me...nobody else wants to pay an extra baggage charge, either). This page is simply to help you remember everything you want to say in your editor/agent appointment. Now, if someone asks (and they probably won't ask), but if they do, you might want to keep two or three copies of your pitch sheet on hand to give out. But the probably won't ask.

3. Marketing goodies. If you are published, bring plenty of freebies to give away. Good items to bring are bookmarks, postcards, pens with your book title printed on them, post-it notes with your book title printed on them, or maybe even candy with specially made wrappers.

4. ONE hard copy of your proposal...and if you're really optimistic, your manuscript. Okay, I know we all want to think that once an editor or agent gets wind of our idea, they are going to want the complete manuscript right then and there. (That's right, just slide me a contract across the table cuz this book is GOOD...) Would you like to know how many times that has actually happened? To me--never. To JK Rowling--once. Maybe twice.

Apart from these things, you can pretty much figure out what you'll need. Think youth camp: toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo...

And the world domination plan? Yeah...leave that at home.

Read More

2010 in Review

2010 was filled with news both confounding and compelling. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and record flooding topped the news around the world. On the human front, manmade disasters in mining and oil drilling made us doubt our nation’s technological prowess. Despite this, an outpouring of goodwill from around the world kept hope alive. It seemed fitting then, that we pause this New Year’s Day to reflect on the events of 2010, and how they impacted our nation. (Click on the picture to view the video from Yahoo! News)

What about you? Did something happen in 2010 that changed the way you think? Looking back, what is the one thing that stands out in your mind as the most compelling, controversial, or confounding thing that happened in 2010?

Read More

Winners!!

It's always so much fun to give away great books!! Congratulations to this week's lucky winners:

Christina Banks - Mistletoe Prayers by Marta Perry and Betsy St. Amant

Maureen - One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson

Winners of this week's books, please use the button in the upper right side of this page to email me with your mailing address so I can forward your information to the authors. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive.

Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book and thank you, Marta Perry, Betsy St. Amant, and Myra Johnson, for your generosity in providing books!

Read More