Holiday Specials And Giveaways

As our thoughts turn to Christmas within a few days and our lives become even more hectic with last minute details, it’s a treat to find specials on the books we love to read and have a chance to win a fun holiday DVD.

Today’s post is a hodgepodge of sorts as I want to share some interesting holiday specials and giveaways that are currently going on and others that will begin soon.

HOLIDAY BLOG  
First, let me tell you about a new holiday blog that authors Karen Wojcik Berner and Karen Cantwell have set up. The blog, Books and Baubles, features 10 new short Christmas releases. 

The Christmas releases include: A Bibliophile Christmas by Karen Wojcik Berner, A Spirited Season and It’s A Dunder-Bull Wife by Karen Cantwell, Mistletoe in Manhattan by Talli Roland, Murder Trims the Tree by Deb Baker, One Snowy Night Before Christmas by Pamela Fryer, The Billionaires’ Christmas Club by Theresa Ragan and D.D. Scott, The Christmas Grandma Ran Away From Home by Nancy Warren, Buffalo Nickel Christmas by Larry Enright, and Hope for the Holidays by Dana Taylor.

The authors are also holding a giveaway for the chance to win an Amazon gift certificate, as well as all of the books listed on the site. In addition, there are articles on holiday gift ideas, favorite seasonal movies, and great classics for December.

Be sure to stop by Books and Baubles and check out these Christmas specials.

SWEEPS WEEK
The great folks at Simon and Schuster have been featuring a Holiday Sweeps Week since Monday and today is the last day to enter. 

You can enter through their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/SimonAudio/app_161683100556760 Today participants have the chance to win a Pimsleur course in the language of their choice!

SEASON PRICE PROMO Author Gwyn Cready’s TIMELESS DESIRE: AN OUTLANDER LOVE STORY eBook was recently put on a special Holiday Season Price Promo for just 99 cents. The special price will be available from now until Christmas.

Here’s a brief synopsis of TIMELESS DESIRE:
Two years after losing her husband, overworked librarian Panna Kennedy battles to distract herself from crushing grief, while she wrestles with yet another library budget cut.  During a routine search within the library’s lower levels, Panna opens an obscure, pad-locked door and finds herself transported to the magnificent, book-filled quarters of a handsome, eighteenth-century Englishman. She soon recognizes the man as Colonel John Bridgewater, the historic English war hero whose larger-than-life statue loomed over her desk. 

However, the life of the dashing Bridgewater is not at all what she imagined. He’s under house arrest for betraying England, and now looks upon her—a beautiful and unexpected half-dressed visitor—as a possible spy. Despite bad first impressions (on both sides), Bridgewater nonetheless warms to Panna, and pulls her into his escape—while both their hearts pull the other headlong into their soul-stirring secrets. 

Very quickly Panna is thrown into a whirlwind of high-stakes intrigue that sweeps her from Hadrian's Wall to a forbidding stone castle in Scotland.  And somewhere in the outland, Panna must decide if her loyalties lie with her dead husband, or with the man whose life now depends on her.

FREE BOOK DEC. 26
Author Ann Summerville will be offering A GRACEFUL DEATH, the first book in her Lowenna series, free for five days on Amazon (Kindle) beginning December 26.

Here’s a brief description of A GRACEFUL DEATH:
Giovanna Matthews has an acceptable life in London with her own flat, a good job, and recent engagement to the son of a Scottish landowner. But not long after her engagement to Alan, news of Aunt Grace’s death hits her like a red double decker bus. Ignoring his pleas to stay, she bundles her dog and suitcase into a rusty Volkswagen and drives to her aunt’s cottage on the Cornish coast.  

Although her intent is to take care of Aunt Grace’s affairs and leave the village quickly, she is persuaded to join the local knitting circle and rekindles old friendships. Further complicating her decision to leave Lowenna is her attraction to David, a childhood friend. Although the villagers are closed mouthed about her aunt’s demise it soon becomes clear to Giovanna that not only is her aunt’s death no accident but there is a family secret involving her missing cousin.

I’ll have a link on the sidebar reminding you of this closer to the time of the giveaway. Today I  just wanted to give you a bit of advance notice so you could mark your calendars.

DVD GIVEAWAY 
With the holiday season comes shopping. But finding presents for your loved ones can be no easy task. That’s why Warner Bros. has come up with their awesome Happy Holidays Blog App featuring some classic and new movies out on Blu-ray sure to please everyone on your Christmas list from your teeny nephew to grandma.



You can take the WB Holiday Movie Challenge to see if you are a true compile. Keep your movie skills sharp with this awesome quiz. Try the Decode-A-Scene Game before time runs out. Can you figure out what movie scene is slowly being decoded in front of your eyes? The sooner you figure it out, the more points you earn. Looking to throw an epic holiday party this season? Give the Holiday Survival Guide a try. It has some awesome tips to make you look like a total holiday master.

Warner Bros. wants to wish you a happy holiday season and to celebrate they are offering a last minute giveaway opportunity geared toward the holidays. Thanks to Warner Bros. and the great folks at PartnersHub Family I have a special holiday collection on Blue-ray to give one lucky visitor.

The prize includes either a copy of Peanuts Deluxe Holiday Collection, Classic Christmas Favorites or Dr. Seuss’s Deluxe Holiday Collection on Blu-ray. The DVD will be chosen randomly by PartnersHub from the above Blue-ray titles.

To enter the giveaway for this special holiday DVD, please send me an email (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line “Win Holiday Collection.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. 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 promoter nor use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance at a special holiday DVD will be 8 p.m. (EST) on Monday, Dec. 17.

These are only a few of the wonderful specials going on now through Christmas. If you know of others, please be sure to tell us about them. Thanks so much for stopping by today. Remember to share the specials you know about.

Guest Blogger, Ann Summerville

It’s my pleasure to welcome author Ann Summerville as the special guest blogger here today at Thoughts in Progress.

Ann is also a fellow blogger and can be found at her blog, Cozy in Texas. She is the author of A GRACEFUL DEATH and is here to answer a few questions about her writing. In addition, Ann will be giving away a copy of A GRACEFUL DEATH to one lucky visitors who comments on her post between now and 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 29. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

First a little background on Ann, she spent her childhood and early twenties in England before moving to California. Her short stories have been published in the Lutheran Digest, Long Story Short, The Shine Journal, Doorknobs & Bodypaint, Trinity Writer’s Workshop newsletters and also their collection of Christmas stories. A GRACEFUL DEATH was her first cozy mystery. She now lives in Texas with two dogs and an elusive cat.

Ann, when did you first start writing?
 
I remember winning first place in an elementary school writing competition and continued writing short stories, but it has only been the past few years that I have undertaken writing novels.

Is the Cornish town in A GRACEFUL DEATH fictitious?

 
I lived in Cornwall, on the southwest coast of England, for a number of years and combined several villages to make up the town. I would say that St. Agnes http://www.st-agnes.com/  is the closest comparison to Lowenna, the village in the book. Lowenna means joy in Cornish.

What are your goals when writing a novel?
 
To entertain and explore the complexities of relationships. Although my books all have a mystery element, the undercurrent brings out personalities and how people react to each other eventually forming a family of sorts.

How did you learn the craft of writing?
 
Each day I learn something new. The biggest influence was joining a writing group and attending writing conferences and workshops. I love reading and if I find a book I like, I study it, write a synopsis, and sometimes an outline to visualize the layout of the plot. My favorite book at the moment is Empire Falls by Richard Russo http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/authors/russo/ . I can see why it’s a Pulitzer price winner.

Will A GRACEFUL DEATH be part of a series?
 
My last book, STORMS & SECRETS, was located in Texas, but I loved the characters in A GRACEFUL DEATH and am currently working on a second book called “HIGH TIDE.”

What is your advice to new writers?
 
Enjoy the journey and in the words of Jeffery Deaver http://www.jefferydeaver.com/  “Review rejection as a speed bump, not a brick wall.”

Ann, thanks so much for guest blogging here today. Viewing rejection as a speed bump sounds like some very good advice.

For more information about Ann, be sure to check out her website www.annsummerville.com

Here’s a brief synopsis of A GRACEFUL DEATH: "Giovanna Matthews has an acceptable life in London with her own flat, a good job, and recent engagement to the son of a Scottish landowner.  But not long after her engagement to Alan, news of Aunt Grace’s death hits Giovanna like a red double decker bus.  Ignoring Alan’s pleas to stay, she bundles her dog and suitcase into a rusty Volkswagen and drives to Aunt Grace’s cottage on the Cornish coast where Giovanna had spent childhood summers with her cousin.  Putting her aunt’s affairs in order is further complicated when Giovanna discovers the local constabulary has its own view on Aunt Grace’s demise - A view that Giovanna vows to challenge.  Unless she can discover how her aunt died and find her missing cousin quickly, she stands to lose both her inheritance and Alan."

Ann will be dropping back by during the day to answer any questions you might have and to respond to your comments. Plus, remember to leave a comment in order to enter the giveaway.