Sadness, Books, Movies

I know the title of this post seems a bit odd, but I’m not sure how else to say it. My brain is not in a creative mood and I seem to be running on auto-pilot.

This is not a typical Sunday Salon. I had two wonderful books I wanted to tell you about - THE GLASS WIVES by Amy Sue Nathan and THE APPLE ORCHARD by Susan Wiggs, but I’ll share my thoughts on them later. You see sadness surrounded our family Friday night (June 21) about 9:35 p.m. and continues to encircle us -- we lost our English Shepherd dog, Rocky’s Little Brisco.

I know for some this my seem strange, but for those who are animal lovers I think will understand. Brisco wasn’t just a dog or pet to us. We have no children so we pampered him. We got him when he was only 6 weeks old and he would have been 11 in August.

The vet told us last night that he probably had a stroke or blood clot. He had a seizure and I believe was dead before we ever left the driveway going to the vet’s office. He had been sick for a little over a month, but it had been with stomach problems. The vet had changed his feed and we were doctoring him for that. He was having one of his spells where his stomach was bothering him and seemed to be getting over it. He started to get up, fell over, barked and yelped, jerked a couple of times and was gone. 

What adds to the hurt for us is that the dog he was named after - Rocky - will have been dead 11 years tomorrow Monday, June 24.

Thank you for bearing with me on this issue. I do have some brighter news as I have a book and a Blu-ray DVD comb pack to giveaway. 

IF THE SHOE FITS

In anticipation of Megan Mulry’s new release, IF THE SHOE FITS!, Sourcebooks is hosting a fun contest. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only, but everyone can play along.

It’s time to play A Royal Pain Baby Name Game!     To

celebrate Megan’s upcoming July release, If the Shoe Fits, Sourcebooks would like to know what you think the name of Will and Kate’s new addition will be! Comment below with your boy name and girl name prediction. One winner will be selected and will receive a print copy of Megan’s first book A Royal Pain! The deadline to enter the contest is 8 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday, June 30.

Here’s a brief synopsis of If the Shoe Fits:
    The only thing worse than being in the spotlight is being kept in the dark...
    With paparazzi nipping at his heels, Devon Heyworth, rakish brother of the Duke of Northrop, spends his whole life hiding his intelligence and flaunting his playboy persona. Fast cars and faster women give the tabloids plenty to talk about.
    American entrepreneur Sarah James is singularly unimpressed with "The Earl" when she meets him at a wedding. But she's made quite an impression on him. When he pursues her all the way across the pond, he discovers that Miss James has no intention of being won over by glitz and glamor—she's got real issues to deal with, and the last thing she needs is larger-than-life royalty mucking about her business...

JACK THE GIANT SLAYER

Jack the Giant Slayer was released on DVD & Blu-ray last week by Warner Bros.
 
Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing Jack (Nicholas Hoult), into the battle of this life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom and its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend... and gets the chance to become a legend himself! Directed by Brian Singer (X-Men, Superman Returns).

The movie stars Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy), Ewan McGregor (Star Wars, Moulin Rouge!), and Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones).

The question is... are you courageous enough to rescue the princess? Are you brave like Jack?  Take the quiz to find out! Check out the blog app below to find out. Celebrate this classic story with new content exclusive to the JACK THE GIANT SLAYER Blog App.

Thanks to Warner Bros. and PartnersHub Family, I have one JACK THE GIANT SLAYER Combo Pack (Blu-Ray + DVD + Ultraviolet) to giveaway. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only and no P.O. Box addresses can be accepted. Entry details at the end.

Why you’ll love the blog app:     Control the Action! - Move your mouse across the GIFS and take control of action-packed scenes from Jack the Giant Slayer. YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF THE ACTION!
     How Brave Are You? QUIZ - Are you brave like Jack? Do beanstalks and "giant" challenges make you afraid or courageous? Take the quiz to find out!
     Giant Soundboard - Jack the Giant Slayer is filled with epic giant stomps, sword slashes and thunderous sounds! Play with official sound effects from the movie and compose your own "giant hit song"!


GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
To enter this giveaway, send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Jack the Giant Slayer.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. Remember, the contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only and no post office box addresses can be accepted. And, just so you know, I don’t share this information with anyone other than the publisher nor use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win the Combo Pack is 8 p.m. (EDT) on Monday, July 1.

FTC Full Disclosure - I am working with Warner Bros. in making this announcement. Warner Bros., through PartnersHub Family, is supplying the Blu-ray Combo Pack as a promotional giveaway. I am hosting the giveaway without compensation solely for the purpose of providing visitors to my blog the opportunity to win this DVD.   

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Remember to spend some time with those you love today.