Julianne Donaldson's Blog, page 5
March 22, 2012
England Adventure Day 2
Hello, all! Everyone here says "hello." No one says "hi." So, hello! How are you?
My first night in England was great for me, but bad for my friend Marla, who had to share a room with me and my snoring. Okay, first of all, I don't know why I snore. Secondly, I was BEAT. I had stayed up until 10 p.m. to beat the jet lag (which worked!), so when I crashed, I was sleeping the sleep of death. Evidently Marla couldn't sleep with my snoring, which I feel really bad about. She woke me up at one point, and then was googling "how to sleep with someone who snores" while I told myself in my groggy state to stop snoring. Evidently, my mind trick did not work, because she did not sleep well.
I woke up from my sleep of death around 9, but Marla was soundly sleeping, and I felt bad waking her up, considering the snoring and all. So I went back to sleep, and the next time I opened my eyes, it was 10:50!!! I shot out of bed and said, "Marla, what time was checkout?" And she screamed and jumped out of bed. We called the front desk and asked them for an extra half hour (check out was at 11:00) and then scrambled to throw everything into suitcases and get dressed. When we asked the lady at the front desk if breakfast was over, she gave us this look of complete incredulity (which the British are QUITE good at), and said, "Yes, it is," and looked at us as if we were crazy. I'm sure she was thinking, "Lazy Americans!" But seriously--we had an exhausting day. So with no breakfast, we jumped into the rental car and were on our way.
We drove through the Derbyshire dales, which is very hilly country. The sky was just a little foggy--not cloudy, but not sunny--the hills were dotted with sheep and criss-crossed with stacked stone walls, and the grass was green green green. The trees were all leafless, but there were bunches of bright yellow daffodils everywhere. It was so lovely. At one point Marla yelled, "pull over here!" and I, the expert driver that I am, swiftly and safely pulled into a parking lot next to an inn. It was a little "pay and display" parking lot overlooking a lovely valley that was a starting point for lots of walking trails. We got our cameras, locked the car, and headed for a trail.
I think England must be a very healthy place to live, especially if you're elderly, because we saw all sorts of people--mostly middle-aged and elderly, who were walking these trails with their walking poles and their very well-behaved dogs. It was so refreshing to get some exercise, and the air was the perfect temperature for it. It was cool enough that even when I was huffing up a steep trail, I wasn't overly hot. After our impromptu walk, (which lasted about 45 minutes), we got back into the car and finished our drive to Chatsworth House.
This is the bridge (or viaduct) that inspired our hike. We walked along it, then down into the valley below.
Our impromptu hike.
A farmhouse tucked into the valley where we hiked.
Every building in the country looks this old and crumbly. It's perfectly charming.
Oh, if I could have imagined Chatsworth House before, I would have modeled Edenbrooke after it! It was so grand, so elegant, so vast and impressive in every way. It was so like Downton Abbey. I can't describe it well enough to do justice to it--you will just have to see the pictures.
The front view of Chatsworth House.
You drive over this little bridge to get to the house entrance.
Dome roof over the portrait gallery.
Part of the portrait gallery in Chatsworth House. It was too large to capture it all--it stretches over three walls and three stories.
There is a statue gallery just filled with fine statues. I liked this portrayal of a lady thinking of her love.
I love this lion.
Formal dining room at Chatsworth house. Again, it's rather dark, but you can't mistake the elegance.
First thing you see as you enter Chatsworth house. It's rather dark, but the walls and ceilings are covered with paintings.
The carriage house on the Chatsworth estate.
I thought of my kids when I saw this statue in the garden. It's a rabbit playing a tambourine, I believe.
Chatsworth house from the back.
This little village and church are within the Chatsworth estate.
We arrived in Harrogate around 8 p.m. Oh, and let's mention the food. After no breakfast, I ate lunch at 3 p.m. at Chatsworth House. It was a nasty meat pie, which was lamb and mint. I thought it would be little chunks of lamb, but instead it was little chunks of potato and carrot with a huge BALL of lamb right in the middle of the pie. When I got to the ball of meat, I couldn't do it. It looked woolly. So I chucked it. But when we got to Harrogate we found a grocery store and loaded up on fruit and yogurt and cheese and vegetables. Now I'm doing better in the food department.
The meat pie that I chucked.
And now, I'm off on another day's adventures, this time in the lovely town of Harrogate. I will post more this evening if I can! Cheerio!
My first night in England was great for me, but bad for my friend Marla, who had to share a room with me and my snoring. Okay, first of all, I don't know why I snore. Secondly, I was BEAT. I had stayed up until 10 p.m. to beat the jet lag (which worked!), so when I crashed, I was sleeping the sleep of death. Evidently Marla couldn't sleep with my snoring, which I feel really bad about. She woke me up at one point, and then was googling "how to sleep with someone who snores" while I told myself in my groggy state to stop snoring. Evidently, my mind trick did not work, because she did not sleep well.
I woke up from my sleep of death around 9, but Marla was soundly sleeping, and I felt bad waking her up, considering the snoring and all. So I went back to sleep, and the next time I opened my eyes, it was 10:50!!! I shot out of bed and said, "Marla, what time was checkout?" And she screamed and jumped out of bed. We called the front desk and asked them for an extra half hour (check out was at 11:00) and then scrambled to throw everything into suitcases and get dressed. When we asked the lady at the front desk if breakfast was over, she gave us this look of complete incredulity (which the British are QUITE good at), and said, "Yes, it is," and looked at us as if we were crazy. I'm sure she was thinking, "Lazy Americans!" But seriously--we had an exhausting day. So with no breakfast, we jumped into the rental car and were on our way.
We drove through the Derbyshire dales, which is very hilly country. The sky was just a little foggy--not cloudy, but not sunny--the hills were dotted with sheep and criss-crossed with stacked stone walls, and the grass was green green green. The trees were all leafless, but there were bunches of bright yellow daffodils everywhere. It was so lovely. At one point Marla yelled, "pull over here!" and I, the expert driver that I am, swiftly and safely pulled into a parking lot next to an inn. It was a little "pay and display" parking lot overlooking a lovely valley that was a starting point for lots of walking trails. We got our cameras, locked the car, and headed for a trail.
I think England must be a very healthy place to live, especially if you're elderly, because we saw all sorts of people--mostly middle-aged and elderly, who were walking these trails with their walking poles and their very well-behaved dogs. It was so refreshing to get some exercise, and the air was the perfect temperature for it. It was cool enough that even when I was huffing up a steep trail, I wasn't overly hot. After our impromptu walk, (which lasted about 45 minutes), we got back into the car and finished our drive to Chatsworth House.
This is the bridge (or viaduct) that inspired our hike. We walked along it, then down into the valley below.
Our impromptu hike.
A farmhouse tucked into the valley where we hiked.
Every building in the country looks this old and crumbly. It's perfectly charming.Oh, if I could have imagined Chatsworth House before, I would have modeled Edenbrooke after it! It was so grand, so elegant, so vast and impressive in every way. It was so like Downton Abbey. I can't describe it well enough to do justice to it--you will just have to see the pictures.
The front view of Chatsworth House.
You drive over this little bridge to get to the house entrance.
Dome roof over the portrait gallery.
Part of the portrait gallery in Chatsworth House. It was too large to capture it all--it stretches over three walls and three stories.
There is a statue gallery just filled with fine statues. I liked this portrayal of a lady thinking of her love.
I love this lion.
Formal dining room at Chatsworth house. Again, it's rather dark, but you can't mistake the elegance.
First thing you see as you enter Chatsworth house. It's rather dark, but the walls and ceilings are covered with paintings.
The carriage house on the Chatsworth estate.
I thought of my kids when I saw this statue in the garden. It's a rabbit playing a tambourine, I believe.
Chatsworth house from the back.
This little village and church are within the Chatsworth estate.We arrived in Harrogate around 8 p.m. Oh, and let's mention the food. After no breakfast, I ate lunch at 3 p.m. at Chatsworth House. It was a nasty meat pie, which was lamb and mint. I thought it would be little chunks of lamb, but instead it was little chunks of potato and carrot with a huge BALL of lamb right in the middle of the pie. When I got to the ball of meat, I couldn't do it. It looked woolly. So I chucked it. But when we got to Harrogate we found a grocery store and loaded up on fruit and yogurt and cheese and vegetables. Now I'm doing better in the food department.
The meat pie that I chucked.And now, I'm off on another day's adventures, this time in the lovely town of Harrogate. I will post more this evening if I can! Cheerio!
March 20, 2012
England Adventure Day 1
I am almost too tired to write a coherent post, but I will try. Thirteen hours on a plane, jet lag, nervous driving down perilous country roads, screaming as cars zoomed past much too close, etc. That's how the morning went.
But now let's move on to the good stuff. We stopped for lunch at a pub in a little town called Disley, which is significant because it is home to Lyme Park, which is home to the Pond Scene from the A&E version of Pride & Prejudice—you know, where Colin Firth comes out of the pond dripping wet, much to the dismay of Elizabeth Bennet. Lyme Park is THAT house. Pemberley—the outdoor shots of it, at least.
After eating some piping hot fish and chips, we walked about 3 miles to Lyme Park (we didn't know it would be that far). The house itself was beautiful, but a little dark and ornate inside for my tastes. The gardens and estate are where it really shines. I'll let those speak for themselves.
Royal Mail delivery bikes in Disley
It's already spring in northern England
This is called the Cage. It was used as a jail back in the day.
I love the giant skeletal trees among the green grass.
Charming mossy fountain.
Lyme Park
Hills of Derbyshire
This is where we did not eat lunch.
In another month, these gardens will be stunning, I am sure. 
Side view of Lyme Park
Entrance to Lyme Park
Inside the courtyard, an entrance to the house itself. I believe Colin Firth bounded down these very steps.
Isn't this a charming setting for a tea party?Tomorrow we'll be visiting another grand house and hiking around the peak district. The countryside in the north is hilly, green, sheep-dotted, and deliciously cool. I am a reluctant driver, but when a tour guide at Lyme Park learned that we had driven into Macclesfield, where our hotel is, she was shocked. She wouldn't even drive these roads willingly, she said. So if the locals are afraid of it, then I should win a medal for doing it.
The jet lag is making my head fuzzy. I'll sign off for now. Until tomorrow! (As long as we can find a place with internet.)
March 19, 2012
Edenbrooke Blog Tour Day 1
The official Edenbrooke Blog Tour has begun!
Today hop on over to The YA Sisterhood for the first stop in our tour. They have a lovely site for book lovers, especially for those of us who love a good young adult book. I just read their review, and it is a LOT of fun. They even have an excerpt from the book--an excerpt which, I must say, I love. So go give it a read, and enter their giveaway contest!
While you're enjoying your digital tour, I will be starting on my own real tour to England (cue angels singing), which means lots of hours in airplanes for me. Have a great time over at The YA Sisterhood, and I will try to join in the discussion during my layover in Atlanta.
Today hop on over to The YA Sisterhood for the first stop in our tour. They have a lovely site for book lovers, especially for those of us who love a good young adult book. I just read their review, and it is a LOT of fun. They even have an excerpt from the book--an excerpt which, I must say, I love. So go give it a read, and enter their giveaway contest!
While you're enjoying your digital tour, I will be starting on my own real tour to England (cue angels singing), which means lots of hours in airplanes for me. Have a great time over at The YA Sisterhood, and I will try to join in the discussion during my layover in Atlanta.
March 15, 2012
Casting Edenbrooke
My friend Rachel at Brown Paper Packages is sponsoring a giveaway of Edenbrooke ARCs. And here's the awesome thing about Rachel--she cast the movie for me. Go check it out and tell me what you think!
http://www.brownpaperpkgs.com/journal/2012/3/14/edenbrooke-giveaway.html
http://www.brownpaperpkgs.com/journal/2012/3/14/edenbrooke-giveaway.html
March 12, 2012
Busy Busy Me + A Winner!
First of all, I have to apologize for failing to reply to everyone's awesome comments. I love you all. But I am so stinkin' busy I can't believe it. I've been getting ready to leave for England in a week, and at the same time I've been getting everything ready for my blog tour, which starts the day I leave. Not to mention the fact that I'm writing my next book. And I have four kids. And a dog who runs out the door at every opportunity.
So...I'm a little busy. In fact, life has gotten so crazy that I will have to put the giveaway on pause for the next two weeks, because I can't be mailing stuff while I'm across the pond, darlings.
But there is a randomly selected winner for this week's giveaway, and it is Kristin, who made some insightful comments on the music in the book trailer. Congratulations, Kristin!
(Also, Kristin is a neighbor of mine who brought me some turkey burgers the other day because her family didn't like them. We eat ground turkey all the time, so I told her we would take them and thank you very much! So we cooked them up, and they were ca-ca. They were so disgusting, I couldn't even force myself to eat them. Even with tons of onions and catchup (or ketsup, however you spell it.) Now, let me be clear that this was NOT Kristin's fault. At all. That was just a raunchy, disgusting turkey that they mushed up into those patties. So, Kristin, I hope that experience does not turn you off from ever trying ground turkey again. Really, it's usually just fine.)
But what about the giveaway, you say? Just because I can't do a giveaway here, doesn't mean you're out of luck. There are lots of giveaways going on. You can enter the Goodreads giveaway here, or my friend Peggy's giveaway here. Next week, on the 19th, we will start the blog tour, and every day you will have a chance to read something totally fascinating about me or Edenbrooke on another blog, and then enter to win a free ARC from them. So many opportunities! (And if all else fails, it is only $15.99 and Amazon delivers.)
I will also be posting amazing photos and vlogging while I'm in England, so you can live vicariously through me! Am I not a generous friend?
Now, for something fun for this week, I thought I would share with you some of the photos I took on my last trip to England. (Those of you who have read Edenbrooke will recognize some of the settings from the story.) Happy viewing! And you can still comment here, by the way, to make me feel loved. :)
So...I'm a little busy. In fact, life has gotten so crazy that I will have to put the giveaway on pause for the next two weeks, because I can't be mailing stuff while I'm across the pond, darlings.
But there is a randomly selected winner for this week's giveaway, and it is Kristin, who made some insightful comments on the music in the book trailer. Congratulations, Kristin!
(Also, Kristin is a neighbor of mine who brought me some turkey burgers the other day because her family didn't like them. We eat ground turkey all the time, so I told her we would take them and thank you very much! So we cooked them up, and they were ca-ca. They were so disgusting, I couldn't even force myself to eat them. Even with tons of onions and catchup (or ketsup, however you spell it.) Now, let me be clear that this was NOT Kristin's fault. At all. That was just a raunchy, disgusting turkey that they mushed up into those patties. So, Kristin, I hope that experience does not turn you off from ever trying ground turkey again. Really, it's usually just fine.)
But what about the giveaway, you say? Just because I can't do a giveaway here, doesn't mean you're out of luck. There are lots of giveaways going on. You can enter the Goodreads giveaway here, or my friend Peggy's giveaway here. Next week, on the 19th, we will start the blog tour, and every day you will have a chance to read something totally fascinating about me or Edenbrooke on another blog, and then enter to win a free ARC from them. So many opportunities! (And if all else fails, it is only $15.99 and Amazon delivers.)
I will also be posting amazing photos and vlogging while I'm in England, so you can live vicariously through me! Am I not a generous friend?
Now, for something fun for this week, I thought I would share with you some of the photos I took on my last trip to England. (Those of you who have read Edenbrooke will recognize some of the settings from the story.) Happy viewing! And you can still comment here, by the way, to make me feel loved. :)
March 7, 2012
Still Hoping for an ARC?
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Edenbrooke
by Julianne Donaldson
Giveaway ends March 17, 2012.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter to win
March 6, 2012
Everyone's a Winner Here!
I'm beginning to feel bad for those loyal followers who come and post a comment every week in the hope of winning an ARC. I mean, really bad. So I just wanted everyone to know--you are all winners in my book. And if I had enough ARCs to give to all of you, I would.
But, alas...I do not. In fact, I am completely out of ARCs. Which means that this week's winner has won the REAL DEAL. This week's winner, instead of getting an ARC and some other fun thing, will instead get the actual final version of Edenbrooke, worth $15.99 at your local bookstore (or online store). Are you guys excited? Because I am.
I am very excited, in fact, that the random number generator has chosen someone who has done SO much to try to win one of these. This girl has not only entered every Edenbrooke contest online, she has also organized her book group to read this book in April and asked me to join them via Skype. (Did you know I am willing to do this? Because I am. All you have to do is ask, see?)
So congratulations, Savvy Sage! The odds were finally in your favor! Please send me your snail mail address and I will send you a signed copy of Edenbrooke.
Now, on to other fun things. This week y'all get to watch the book trailer that my publisher made for Edenbrooke. Watch it below and say anything you want about it in the comments to enter next week's giveaway. As usual, we will go from Tuesday to Tuesday for this contest. Tell your friends, share the book trailer, tweet about it, etc, and you will earn extra points.
And in a few days I will have some announcements about events coming up and my plans for my trip to England and a LAUNCH PARTY that I'm very excited about. We're just THREE WEEKS away!!!!
(Was that obnoxious? Sorry about all the caps and exclamation marks.)
Now watch! And then comment! And then share the love!
But, alas...I do not. In fact, I am completely out of ARCs. Which means that this week's winner has won the REAL DEAL. This week's winner, instead of getting an ARC and some other fun thing, will instead get the actual final version of Edenbrooke, worth $15.99 at your local bookstore (or online store). Are you guys excited? Because I am.
I am very excited, in fact, that the random number generator has chosen someone who has done SO much to try to win one of these. This girl has not only entered every Edenbrooke contest online, she has also organized her book group to read this book in April and asked me to join them via Skype. (Did you know I am willing to do this? Because I am. All you have to do is ask, see?)
So congratulations, Savvy Sage! The odds were finally in your favor! Please send me your snail mail address and I will send you a signed copy of Edenbrooke.
Now, on to other fun things. This week y'all get to watch the book trailer that my publisher made for Edenbrooke. Watch it below and say anything you want about it in the comments to enter next week's giveaway. As usual, we will go from Tuesday to Tuesday for this contest. Tell your friends, share the book trailer, tweet about it, etc, and you will earn extra points.
And in a few days I will have some announcements about events coming up and my plans for my trip to England and a LAUNCH PARTY that I'm very excited about. We're just THREE WEEKS away!!!!
(Was that obnoxious? Sorry about all the caps and exclamation marks.)
Now watch! And then comment! And then share the love!
February 28, 2012
Winner Tuesday Strikes Again
Are you all loving Tuesdays as much as I am? I can't wait to calculate comments and tally numbers and click on the random number generator button.
This week's winner is Tammy, who voted for many great characters, including the clothes. And, really, the clothes should count as their own character, they are so sublime. Congratulations, Tammy! Please send me your snail mail address so I can send you a signed copy of Edenbrooke and your Downton Abbey paperdolls.
And since we're loving on Downton Abbey, I thought I would share this fun video of the top 10 Maggie Smith quips.
Isn't she the best? I love her.
Now, on to this week's giveaway. I'm in a bit of a reading slump, so I would love some book recommendations. As always, you get extra points for sharing about the giveaway somewhere else. (Facebook, Twitter, your blog, a sign on your front lawn, etc.)
Ready, set, recommend! Oh, and the winner will receive a copy of Edenbrooke plus something else that I haven't thought of yet. But it will be awesome-sauce. Promise.
This week's winner is Tammy, who voted for many great characters, including the clothes. And, really, the clothes should count as their own character, they are so sublime. Congratulations, Tammy! Please send me your snail mail address so I can send you a signed copy of Edenbrooke and your Downton Abbey paperdolls.
And since we're loving on Downton Abbey, I thought I would share this fun video of the top 10 Maggie Smith quips.
Isn't she the best? I love her.
Now, on to this week's giveaway. I'm in a bit of a reading slump, so I would love some book recommendations. As always, you get extra points for sharing about the giveaway somewhere else. (Facebook, Twitter, your blog, a sign on your front lawn, etc.)
Ready, set, recommend! Oh, and the winner will receive a copy of Edenbrooke plus something else that I haven't thought of yet. But it will be awesome-sauce. Promise.
February 21, 2012
Another Winner! Another Giveaway!
I am happy to announce the winner of last week's favorite hero contest and giveaway. It's Stephanie, who voted for Peeta. Congratulations, Stephanie! You won an ARC of Edenbrooke and a Pride & Prejudice DVD. Please send me your snail mail address at donaldson(dot)julianne(at)gmail.com.
Now, there is nothing to be sad about if you haven't won yet! We still have five more giveaways!
My favorite review so far said of Edenbrooke: "It was like Downton Abbey, Georgette Heyer, and Jane Austen all had a baby and that baby is a literary gift to the romance world." (You can read the full review for yourself here.)
So for this week's contest, just tell us if you're a Downton Abbey fan, and who your favorite character is. If you haven't been introduced to Downton Abbey yet, don't worry! You will not be disqualified. But get thee to Netflix! And watch it! Hurry!!!!
The lucky winner will receive some hilarious paper dolls of Downton Abbey which you can cut out and play with, (see the sample below)
as well as an Advanced Reading Copy of Edenbrooke. (You know what that looks like by now, right?)
The contest will be open starting now until next Monday, February 27, at midnight. As always, you will get extra points for telling me you follow my blog (and actually following it) and for sharing the news with your friends on Facebook or Twitter. (You have to tell me you've done this, because I can't track people down. Just mention it in the comment.) And new this week, thanks to Jenny Faires: a fourth point is possible if you ask your local library to order Edenbrooke.
Isn't this exciting? Now let's talk Downton Abbey! Did you love the Christmas special? Wasn't the last scene beautiful? Does anyone feel sorry for Thomas?
Now, there is nothing to be sad about if you haven't won yet! We still have five more giveaways!
My favorite review so far said of Edenbrooke: "It was like Downton Abbey, Georgette Heyer, and Jane Austen all had a baby and that baby is a literary gift to the romance world." (You can read the full review for yourself here.)
So for this week's contest, just tell us if you're a Downton Abbey fan, and who your favorite character is. If you haven't been introduced to Downton Abbey yet, don't worry! You will not be disqualified. But get thee to Netflix! And watch it! Hurry!!!!
The lucky winner will receive some hilarious paper dolls of Downton Abbey which you can cut out and play with, (see the sample below)
as well as an Advanced Reading Copy of Edenbrooke. (You know what that looks like by now, right?)
The contest will be open starting now until next Monday, February 27, at midnight. As always, you will get extra points for telling me you follow my blog (and actually following it) and for sharing the news with your friends on Facebook or Twitter. (You have to tell me you've done this, because I can't track people down. Just mention it in the comment.) And new this week, thanks to Jenny Faires: a fourth point is possible if you ask your local library to order Edenbrooke.
Isn't this exciting? Now let's talk Downton Abbey! Did you love the Christmas special? Wasn't the last scene beautiful? Does anyone feel sorry for Thomas?
