Colleen Houck's Blog, page 21
December 23, 2015
Last Minute Christmas Ideas for Him and Her
Many of you are last minute Christmas shoppers, and I’m going to help you out. You don’t want your present to look last minute so take a few minutes and read this blog and get some great ideas.
First there are some things you need to know about gift giving. We all like receiving and giving gifts but now think about that special person. This means you need to spend a few minutes thinking about the person. Is your brain already exploding because you don’t know, or you know your time is limited and that there is no time to think. Alright, alright, just look at some quick ideas below.
Women=Are nurturers and give, give, give. How do you give to a person that gives all the time? You do something to take care of her.
#1 
Spa Treatment
You can go big or little here depending on what your budget is. You can pick up a couple face masks, sweetly scented lotion, a little nail kit, and a new nail polish. Or you can go to your local spa’s website and print off a gift certificate. Like our spa at Gadabout who has many facials, manicures, pedicures, massage, and hair treatments.
#2 Perfume that matches her other scents. Does she like warm, sweet, fruity, or floral? Perfume is a great option. There are so many options out there. 
#3 Something to give her some of her own time back. A cleaning service (either by you or a professional), a gift card to Amazon, Chipotle, movie tickets to that thing she loves. Remember this video?
MEN=In my almost 20 years of marriage have found that boys still like toys, but just more expensive ones. What is their hobby? What are their interests? No time for that, ok, then just check out my ideas below.
#1 Games. What do they play on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Computer? Star Wars is a life long love for my husband so it was easy with a new game coming out a few months ago. What does your guy like?
#2 Speakers
A new Blutoothooth speakers. They are everywhere. Add an ITunes gift card and you are set.
#3 Rockets. Weird, right! This has been a hit every time, and a great family activity.
Now get shopping….you are really behind!
Merry Christmas!
December 21, 2015
Colleen Houck Book Club 2016 Picks!
Hi Everyone!
I’m very excited to share with you my CHBC picks for 2016. There are some fabulous authors and books on the list so pick these up and then join me for the conversation. If you’re new to the Colleen Houck Book Club, it’s super easy to join. I host the club on Goodreads and each month you get the chance to ask authors questions. You can ask anything from what they like to eat to what they’re writing right now. You don’t have to read the book to participate and every month I choose one lucky person from the chat to win a prize. The prize includes the book or books I’ve read from that author that month as well as your pick of any of my books as well as some extra fun stuff I throw in.
You can check out the past chats on the group board with amazing authors like Beth Revis, Tera Lynn Childs, Sophie Jordan, Kimberly Derting, and many more, and you can also ask me questions there as well. Hope you can join the club this year!
Now for your 2016 sneak peek. Here are my Book Club Picks!
January
Alexandra Monir
A modern-day twist on the classic thriller, Rebecca, with a dash of the supernatural, a powerful romance, and a deadly family mystery.
“There’s something hidden in the maze.”
Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.
For seven years, images of her parents’ death have haunted Imogen’s dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake—including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.
Then a life-altering letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford’s aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself—and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.
Combining spine-tingling mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters, Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.
February
April Genevieve Tucholke
The intrigue of The Virgin Suicides and the “supernatural or not” question of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer coalesce in this young adult mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems, no one is quite who you think, and everything can change on a dime.
Every story needs a hero.
Every story needs a villain.
Every story needs a secret.
Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous.
What really happened?
Someone knows.
Someone is lying.
For fans of Holly Black, We Were Liars, and The Raven Boys, this mysterious tale full of intrigue, dread, beauty, and a whiff of something strange will leave you utterly entranced.
March
Rysa Walker
The Cyrists are swiftly moving into position to begin the Culling, and Kate’s options are dwindling. With each jump to the past or the future, Kate may trigger a new timeline shift. Worse, the loyalties of those around her—including the allegiances of Kiernan and the Fifth Column, the shadowy group working with Kate—are increasingly unclear.
Kate will risk everything, including her life, to prevent the future her grandfather and the Cyrists have planned. But, when time runs out, it may take an even bigger sacrifice to protect the people she loves.
April
Melinda Salisbury
Return to the darkly beautiful world of The Sin Eater’s Daughter with a sequel that will leave you awed, terrified . . . and desperate for more.
Ever since her brother Lief disappeared, Errin’s life has gone from bad to worse. Not only must she care for her sick mother, she has to scrape together rent money by selling illegal herbal cures. But none of that compares to the threat of the vengeful Sleeping Prince whom the Queen just awoke from his enchanted sleep.
When her village is evacuated as part of the war against the Sleeping Prince, Errin is left desperate and homeless. The only person she can turn to is the mysterious Silas, a young man who buys deadly poisons from Errin, but won’t reveal why he needs them. Silas promises to help her, but when he vanishes, Errin must journey across a kingdom on the brink of war to seek another way to save her mother and herself. But what she finds shatters everything she believed about her world, and with the Sleeping Prince drawing nearer, Errin must make a heartbreaking choice that could affect the whole kingdom.
May
Julie Kagawa
Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can’t forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he’d signed his own death warrant.
Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order’s headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember’s own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.
A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?
June
Amy Christine Parker
Ocean’s Eleven meets the star-crossed lovers of West Side Story. Grab some popcorn and get ready for an adrenaline-filled heist!
LEXI is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or BASE jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.
CHRISTIAN is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The local gang has blackmailed him and his friends into robbing banks, and he is desperate for a way out. When the boss promises that one really big job will be the last he ever has to do, Christian jumps at the chance for freedom. In fact, he’s just met a girl at the bank who might even prove useful. . . .
Two heists. One score. The only thing standing in their way is each other.
Told in alternating points of view, this caper is full of romance and fast-paced fun. Hand to fans of Perfect Chemistry, The Conspiracy of Us, and Heist Society.
July
Renée Ahdieh
The much anticipated sequel to the breathtaking The Wrath and the Dawn, lauded by Publishers Weekly as “a potent page-turner of intrigue and romance.”
I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.
In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse—one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid’s empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.
While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn’t yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.
August
Jessica Brody
When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage―alive―is making headlines across the globe.
Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.
Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.
Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?
From popular young adult author Jessica Brody, Unremembered is the start of a compelling and suspenseful new sci-fi series, set in a world where science knows no boundaries, memories are manipulated, and true love can never be forgotten.
September
Josephine Angelini
This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergiesmake it increasingly difficult to live a normal life, and after a completely humiliating incident ruins her first (and perhaps only) real party, she’s ready to disappear.
“Come and be the most powerful person in the world.”
Suddenly, Lily finds herself in a different Salem. One overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women―including Lillian, this world’s version of Lily.
“It will be terrifying. It was for me.”
What made Lily weak at home, makes her extraordinary here. It also puts her in terrible danger. Faced with new responsibilites she can barely understand and a love she never expeceted, Lily is left with one question: How can she be the savior of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?
October
Lori M. Lee
Kai always believed the only danger to the city came from within. Now, with a rebel force threatening the fragile government, the walls have become more of a prison than ever.
To make matters worse, as Avan explores his new identity as an Infinite, Kai struggles to remind him what it means to be human. And she fears her brother, Reev, is involved with the rebels. With the two people she cares about most on opposite sides of a brewing war, Kai will do whatever it takes to bring peace. But she’s lost her power to manipulate the threads of time, and she learns that a civil war might be the beginning of something far worse that will crumble not only Ninurta’s walls but also the entire city.
In this thrilling sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone, Kai must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to lose to protect the only family she’s ever known.
November
Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.
This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.
December
Mary E. Pearson
A princess must find her place in a reborn world.
She flees on her wedding day.
She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor’s secret collection.
She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.
She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.
The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can’t abide. Like having to marry someone she’s never met to secure a political alliance.
Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.
There you go. My 2016 Book Club Picks. Let me know if you have suggestions for 2017. I reach out to authors pretty early and will start filling in spots soon! And don’t forget to check in this month. My featured author is Diana Peterfreund!
December 18, 2015
November & December Contest Winner Announced!
Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest
man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.
~Edward Sandford Martin
While we may get caught up in all the commercialism of the holidays with “all the presents, the ribbons, the wrappings, the tags. The tinsel, the trimmings, the trappings, and bags.”, we find moments amidst the hectic holidays to remember what this time of year is truly about.
In the spirit of GIVING, we hosted a contest we thought would be perfect for this season.
Ten Reasons I’m Thankful For My Best Friend!
It was wonderful to see so many contest entries showing your thankful thoughts of dear friends. So, this months random winner is . . .
Helen Chang
And, here’s what she AND her BFF won,
A FREE SIGNED COPY OF ANY BOOK OF COLLEEN HOUCK’S TIGERS SERIES OR REAWAKENED FOR BOTH YOU AND YOUR FRIEND PLUS A BEST FRIEND SURPRISE FOR THE TWO OF YOU!
Congratulations!
Happy Holidays everyone!
~Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
December 17, 2015
Reawakened A to Z
I thought it would be fun to do an A to Z list of some things you’ll see in Reawakened! I was going to use this cool font but I can’t figure out how to copy it into wordpress. Anyway, here is my list.
A is for Amon, Asten, and Ahmose, Adder, Ancient, Anubis, & Amun-Ra
B is for Bird, Balance, Breath, Battle
C is for Crocodile, Cairo, Crane, Chariot, Canopic, Chaos
D is for Dark, Devotee, Deity, Dust, Dance, Danish
E is for Egypt, Eye, Evil
F is for Falcon, Fight, Feast
G is for Gold, Gods, Geb
H is for Heart, Horus, Horse
I is for Ibis, Itjawy, Isis
J is for Judgment, Journey
K is for Kiss, Kill
L is for Lily, Love, Light
M is for Mummies, Moon, Materialize, Museum
N is for New York, Nut, Need, Nile
O is for Oscar Hassan, Old, Obelisk, Osiris
P is for Pyramids, Power, Promise, Prince
Q is for Questions, Quicksand
R is for Ritual, Raise, Remains, Return
S is for Sand, Sarcophagus, Sun, Stars, Sphinx, Shabti, Scarab, Spell
T is for Temple, Tut, Trust
U is for Unwrap
V is for Valley of the Kings, Vizier, Vow
W is for Worm, Warmth, Wing
X is for X-Ray
Y is for Young
and Z is for Zombie
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December 14, 2015
The Beauty of Face Masks–“WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
Face masks are a beauty secret kept as a treat to pamper ourselves after a long day. Whenever we get together as sisters I bring a handful of mask treatments and we catch up on our lives while our faces are covered in goop.
There are 6 types of masks, and I will walk you through each one.
A cream mask seals in extra moisture and can often be worn as a night treatment. I have been hesitant to keep a treatment on overnight, scared of what my pillow would look like, until I received a sample of 
Glamglow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment. It smells like coconuts and my skin is surprisingly soft in the morning. This treatment is my favorite out of all the brands I have tried.
Brush-On Masks are great for targeting problem areas. Admittedly they sort of look super cool, and it’s just fun to paint your face.
Activated Clay Masks are available almost anywhere. What does your skin need? There are formulas for moisture, to clear up acne, or anti-aging to name a few. 
Peel-off Masks are a favorite of mine. There is little to no rinsing and I’ll admit peeling it off my face it one piece speaks to the child in me.
Gel Masks are more gentle, soothing, and hydrating. They can help to reduce puffiness, irritated sun exposed skin, and moisturize. Look for a formula and brand that fits your needs. No need to start with the most expensive brand just check out your Target and see what they have in the beauty isle.
Sheet Masks are new on the market. All of the ingredients are already drenched in a sheet that just lays on top of your face. They are easy since there is no clean up and you just relax and soak up the goodness.
Giveaway
4 Facial Masks & A Surprise Bag of Make-Up Goodies
THE WINNER IS:
JULIA
NEWHOUSE
The Beauty of Face Masks
Face masks are a beauty secret kept as a treat to pamper ourselves after a long day. Whenever we get together as sisters I bring a handful of mask treatments and we catch up on our lives while our faces are covered in goop.
There are 6 types of masks, and I will walk you through each one.
A cream mask seals in extra moisture and can often be worn as a night treatment. I have been hesitant to keep a treatment on overnight, scared of what my pillow would look like, until I received a sample of Glamglow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment. It smells like coconuts and my skin is surprisingly soft in the morning. This treatment is my favorite out of all the brands I have tried.
Brush-On Masks are great for targeting problem areas. Admittedly they sort of look super cool, and it’s just fun to paint your face.
Activated Clay Masks are available almost anywhere. What does your skin need? There are formulas for moisture, to clear up acne, or anti-aging to name a few.
Peel-off Masks are a favorite of mine. There is little to no rinsing and I’ll admit peeling it off my face it one piece speaks to the child in me.
Gel Masks are more gentle, soothing, and hydrating. They can help to reduce puffiness, irritated sun exposed skin, and moisturize. Look for a formula and brand that fits your needs. No need to start with the most expensive brand just check out your Target and see what they have in the beauty isle.
Sheet Masks are new on the market. All of the ingredients are already drenched in a sheet that just lays on top of your face. They are easy since there is no clean up and you just relax and soak up the goodness.
Giveaway
4 Facial Masks & A Surprise Bag of Make-Up Goodies
December 12, 2015
Book Reviews for Kids by Kids- Wednesdays in the Tower
For those of you who are looking for new books appropriate for middle grade that both boys and girls might enjoy, this is the place to look!
Every month, at least one new book will be added for review right here and they will be reviewed by the best critics, KIDS! That’s right, the one’s who read them will be the judge!
This blog is written by my sugar and spice and everything nice of a niece, Madison. She’s the best little helper around and a pure joy to be with. She has a sharp mind and has an infectious smile. She wants to be a teacher and likes helping others!
Introducing the adorable Madison,
“Hi I am a sixth grader and I like to read. I have read a lot of book series including, The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer, and The Whatever After Series by Sarah Mlynowski. Here are a few other things about me. I love to write fantasy stories and mystery stories. I am the youngest of three in my family. My older sister is named Madelyn who is 13 and my brother Michael who is 19. I love my family and my friends. I’m currently reading the Harry Potter series”.
And now, introducing our next middle grade book review for kids, by kids!
Book review on Wednesdays in the Tower
by Jessica Day George
The Book Setting
The book takes place at castle glower which is a magic castle. It can create whatever it wants or how the rooms are designed. The other main area is the tower just created form the castle. It also takes place at the stable near the palace.
Main Character Descriptions
Princess Celie– she is the main character of the story. She has brown hair and she is described with very freckly skin. She is very bossy to her older siblings.
Rufus the Gryphon-is the second most important character in the book. He is a baby gryphon who is described as cute. He is very brave and courageous.
Wizard Arkwright– he is the main antagonist who is believed to be a good guy but is not. He is tall and he has dark hair. He is very smart.
Personal Review
I liked this book a lot. It describes a lot out of all the scenes. If I were to recommend this book I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy and adventure and mystery. My favorite part was when they realized wizard Arkwright was the bad guy and he stole something from them.
Here’s a list and link to the other books we’ve reviewed:
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe
A to Z Mysteries: White House White Out by Ron Roy
The Sisters Grimm: The Problem Child by Michael Buckley
Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets (In full color) by Dav Pilkey
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Invasion of the Overworld by Mark Cheverton
Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis
Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony Di’Terlizzi and Holly Black
Artemis Fowl, book 1 by Eoin Colfer
The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) by Roald Dahl
How to Train Your Dragon: How to Break a Dragon’s Heart, Book # 8 by Cressida Cowell
~ Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
December 8, 2015
Colleen Houck Book Club- December
Last month’s pick was Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans. For those of you who participated in the chat on Goodreads thankyou! For the next reading selection Colleen is excited to feature …
Omega City
by Diana Peterfreund
Here’s a little teaser
“Gillian Seagret doesn’t listen to people who say her father’s a crackpot. His conspiracy theories about the lost technology of Cold War-era rocket scientist Dr. Aloysius Underberg may have cost him his job and forced the family to move to a cottage in the sticks, but Gillian knows he’s right, and plans to prove it.
When she discovers a missing page from Dr. Unerberg’s diary in her father’s mess of an office, she thinks she’s found a big piece of the puzzle–a space-themed riddle promising to lead to Dr. Underberg’s greatest invention. Enlisting the help of her skeptical younger brother, Eric, her best friend, Savannah, and Howard, their NASA-obsessed schoolmate, Gillian sets off into the ruins of a vast doomsday bunker, deep within the earth.
But they aren’t alone inside its dark and flooded halls. Now Gillian and her friends must race to explore OMEGA CITY and find the answers they need. For while Gillian wants to save her dad’s reputation by bringing Dr. Underberg’s secrets to light, there are others who will stop at nothing to make sure they stay buried…forever.”
Diana’s first book for readers eight and up is a thrilling adventure story, perfect for people who like their books with a side of rocketships and hidden treasure. Find out what secrets are hidden beneath the Maryland countryside in… Omega City!
Learn more at www.dianapeterfreund.com.
Introducing Diana Peterfreund
“Diana Peterfreund has been a costume designer, a cover model, and a food critic. (She’s also been a copyeditor, a waitress, and answered phones at an insurance company, but those don’t sound quite as cool, do they?) Her travels have taken her from the cloud forests of Costa Rica to the underground caverns of New Zealand (and as far as she’s concerned, she’s just getting started). Diana graduated from Yale University in 2001 with dual degrees in Literature and Geology, which her family claimed would only come in handy if she wrote books about rocks. Now, this Florida girl lives with her husband, her daughter, and their dog in Washington D.C., and writes books that rock.
When she’s not writing, Diana reads (and rereads and rereads) picture books to her toddler, attempts to grow vegetables in her garden, adds movies she has no intention of ever watching to her Netflix queue, and goes on long hikes with her dog, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever named Rio.”
I’m very excited to check out her novel and in fact, I may purchase this one to read along with my two boys, ages nine and twelve. This looks perfect for them too! We look forward to discussing it at the end of the month with all of you on Goodreads for a chat throughout the month of December!
So everybody who wants to join us, go get your hands on this book. You can start leaving your questions right away (but don’t share spoilers just yet).
Also, remember that you don’t need to read the book to participate in the chat. It’s a GREAT opportunity to get to know the authors and ask any questions you’d like!
For fun there will be a GIVEAWAY at the end of the month!
Happy reading everyone!
~Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
December 2, 2015
My Top Ten Reads of 2015
For those of you looking for YA book ideas for gifts this holiday season, here is the list of my top ten reads/recommendations this year in no particular order. You’ll notice that my preferences drift towards fantasy. 
November 23, 2015
Enter to Win Contest! Just in Time for Christmas!
It’s that wonderful time of year when our thoughts are turned to our blessings and our hearts turn to thankful giving. Thanksgiving is upon us and just around the corner is Christmas. Whether you celebrate these holidays or not, it is always a good time to be reminded of all the blessings we have and to give back to those we love and even those whom we may not even know.
Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest
man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.
~Edward Sandford Martin
While we may get caught up in all the commercialism of the holidays with “all the presents, the ribbons, the wrappings, the tags. The tinsel, the trimmings, the trappings, and bags.”, we find moments amidst the hectic holidays to remember what this time of year is truly about.
In the spirit of GIVING, we’d like to host a contest we think is perfect for this season. Announcing the contest of the month,
Ten Reasons I’m Thankful For My Best Friend!
Here’s how the contest works:
1- Write a letter to your best friend expressing why you’re thankful for them and present it to them at some point.
2- In the comments below, write ten reasons you’re thankful for your friend (doesn’t need to be long, just one word for each reason works fine)
3- Enter Rafflecopter Below.
That’s it! Just complete the three tasks above and you’ll be entered for a chance to WIN:
A FREE SIGNED COPY OF ANY BOOK OF COLLEEN HOUCK’S TIGERS SERIES OR REAWAKENED FOR BOTH YOU AND YOUR FRIEND PLUS A BEST FRIEND SURPRISE FOR THE TWO OF YOU!
The contest will run through December 15th, just in time for Christmas!
Good luck everyone and Happy Thanksgiving!
~Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
