Cozy Mysteries discussion
Self-Promotion and Giveaways
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I won a Goodreads Giveaway...Share with the Group
Now that I've won a few, it's not as thrilling & I really enjoy reading about others who win. It's like I get the fun without having to do the work.
It's always so exciting to win a book but this may turn out to be my first multiple win! I received an email telling me I had won SEAsoned - A Chef's Journey with Her Captain
. After looking at my giveaways entered list I saw yesses by two more books - Only Time Will Tell
and Journal of a Schoolyard Bully: Notes on Noogies, Wet Willies, and Wedgies
(which I will give to one of my nephews - maybe I'll read it first, lol). Such a good way to start a Tuesday!
Linda,If you win a book be sure to read and review it. Some how we think they keep track and if you win a book and don't review it, it seems like you don't win again until you do. May be wrong about this but why take a chance! Enjoy your winnings.
Karen M wrote: "Linda,If you win a book be sure to read and review it. Some how we think they keep track and if you win a book and don't review it, it seems like you don't win again until you do. May be wron..."
I'd totally believe that you don't get another until you review. I reviewed a win in February, won again in April and reviewed and then won again now. Since I go in spurts with entering giveaways this theory that you all have developed makes perfect sense to me.
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I know that I read and review as quickly as possible. I post the review on my blog and if the book is already available I publish the review on Amazon, too. I know I'm not getting paid for the publicity but getting free hardback books that I want to read is payment enough. The O'Keeffe Stieglitz letters is a $40. 00 book and I'm sure they don't expect a review in a week! LOL I just love winning these books and love writing so it is sure a win for me in many ways!
Gee, I just checked out the giveaways listed for tomorrow. There are about 4 pages of them. You might want to go over them. It seems like a lot of people are going to be winning gooodreads books tomorrow morning. Hope some of those winners are from our group.
I'm in 6 I think that draw at midnight tonight. Would be nice to win one. I read ONE DOG NIGHT right away and posted a very favorable review for it.
I won again Crucibles by Branch Isole. What I didn't notice when I signed up for this giveaway was that he was the author of another giveaway I entered earlier. I won that book of poetry and loved it so I am really glad to have another book by this author/poet. 
I have a question. If you win a book, do most of you prefer just a signed copy or do you prefer a personal note? Just curious.
Marja wrote: "I have a question. If you win a book, do most of you prefer just a signed copy or do you prefer a personal note? Just curious."I have to say that most of my wins have come with neither a signature nor a personal note, though sometimes there has been a blurbie kind of thing from the giver. I really don't care. I've seen so many signed books in flea and yard sales or in boxes of donated books that unless the author is very popular, signs few books or it is a first edition there is nothing particularly valued in the fact it is signed.
It's probably easier for the author not to have sign it, but I do appreciate the signed copies and the notes both. It makes it more personal.
Interesting. Two very different takes on a signature. I sent two out this morning, but I only signed them because I know that some people collect and that's all they want.
Marja, you never know. The books I received were ones I really liked a lot so that made special. One was a book of poetry. Another was a book of quotes. Both books that I will go back to and re-read.
Marja wrote: "I have a question. If you win a book, do most of you prefer just a signed copy or do you prefer a personal note? Just curious."I had something really nice happen with one book. The author emailed me and asked how I would like my name written because she would sign it to me. Then, when I received the book she enclosed a thank you note. I thought that was above and beyond.
I've had that happen too. I forgot about that because the author didn't sign the book, instead he put a little card in there. Such a personal touch.
All very good comments, and they will help a lot in the future. Thank you!
Oh, nice one, Karen M. Tried for it but didn't win--grew up across the River gazing at the Palisades! Do you remember Palisades Amusement Park? I used to love going there as a kid!
Oh I loved Palisades Amusement Park. They had a big pool there too.I could see the Palisades from my bedroom window-before it was all built-up, just sheer rockface. So impressive.
New Jersey Law, (I also am a Jersey girl) was one I was hoping to win as well. But I am so glad that someone in this group read it. While I was in college I worked part time for my brother who was/is a lawyer and at that time his office was very close to the Camden Court House. I figured it would be fun to read something with a setting with which I was very familiar. Let us know how it is so I can figure if I want to buy a Kindle version.Palisades Park is a little North for me. I am Camden County raised and then moved even further south when I got married. In fact, technically the Mason-Dixon line runs through part of this city and so some of the citizens are really "southerners". But here we are 45 minutes from Atlantic City and 45 minutes from the ball park to see the Phillies. We are an hour from Cape May and I love Cape May!
Palisades Amusement Park: Went as a kid and (really dating myself) but one of my first dates was there. We were never allowed in the pool. My mother was convinced it was loaded with bacteria (probably urine for sure)! LOL We knew it was summer when we would start hearing the ads on the radio for the Park. And of course, it was so famous that Bobby Rydell had a hit song based on it.It really was a North Jersey landmark and it was a sad day when they tore it down.
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I will look again. Thanks Heather. And Heather if you see something you wanted that I list as having won, let me know.
Although I'm not from New Jersey I had to go look up the new book listed (and entered the giveaway) just because I couldn't remember what it was since I just looked at the recent giveaway additions. Also I have a question for all the New Jersians who are here. I'm planning a trip there at the beginning of October and would love any suggestions you have of things to do. We want to see a lighthouse (at least 1) and will probably only be in the state a couple of days. Thanks.
Heather, thanks. I missed a whole section of giveaways. Very strange. And then I found some from yesterday that I missed. Sometimes I think if I go on early in the day, more titles get added later on. Linda, what part of New Jersey will you be visiting?
Karen M wrote: "Palisades Amusement Park: Went as a kid and (really dating myself) but one of my first dates was there. We were never allowed in the pool. My mother was convinced it was loaded with bacteria (pr..."I don't know when it was you were going there but my Mother wouldn't let us use the pool either. However, at the time polio was still a big danger and pools supposedly were good places to contract it. I'm sure no mother could bear the thought of her child in an iron lung or worse. I remember we went to see some popular singer perform there but his name escapes me--Bill something or other I think--he was on TV often. I loved the caterpillar and the tilt a whirl but Mom wouldn't let me go on the roller coaster so I had to watch my cousin who was 8 yrs older go on. Now I wouldn't go on one in a fit!
Oh yes, I heard about the polio scare. My brothers are all older than I am (9, 10, and 12 years older). They were allowed to go to the lake in the morning but my mother made them take naps every afternoon primarily because of the polio scare. I know they were kind of old for napping so she allowed them to sit on their beds and read but they had to rest. When I came along I remember getting one polio shot but then I remember going to a public school on a Saturday where they gave out sugar cubes with what I thought was a vaccine on them. I have a smallpox vaccination mark so I think this was polio vaccine and I think we had to get three of them.
Yes, I got the sugar cube vaccine too at school.
I wasn't enrolled in school yet, so I must have been four maybe five but not yet in Kindergarten.
Same thing for me. I got the shot and then the sugar cube. I remember a girl I went to school with who had to wear a brace on her leg because she'd had polio. She never let it slow her down for a minute.
A cousin of mine had polio when he was about 2 years old. He's just a couple of years older than I am, so my mom freaked about anything that she thought might harbor polio. My cousin lost the use of his left arm, but when he got pissed at us when we were kids he'd sling it and hit you with it. He has problems now in his late 50s that are related to the polio.
I remember the shot and sugar cubes too in Grammer School. In Junior High School I had a friend who had had polio and she wore a brace on one leg and had crutches but she persevered and in High School she tossed the crutches.
Mod
No GR wins over the weekend, but I did win Summer in the South: A Novel by Cathy Holton from Kaye's blog. I had also entered the GR draw for this one, so withdrew my name this morning (which means an extra chance for all of you!).
Karen B wrote: "Heather, thanks. I missed a whole section of giveaways. Very strange. And then I found some from yesterday that I missed. Sometimes I think if I go on early in the day, more titles get added la..."We're for sure going to Jersey City and to the Statue of Liberty (I'm really excited about that). We'll go to Trenton as well which is cool cause I can see where Stephanie Plum lives. That's all I know for sure. We'll be coming in from Delaware and I know we want to see a lighthouse.
If you are coming from Delaware you might want to take the Cape-May Lewis ferry. Cape May has a light house on Cape May Point. Cape May is one of my favorite places in New Jersey to visit because of the Victorian houses. I don't know how the Cape May lighthouse compares to other lighthouses because I haven't seen a lot of others.On your way back home, if it's possible, if you go through Philadelphia, you can see all the historic places for free: Independence Mall, Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross's House, The Constitution Center. I just like even walking down Elfreth's Alley (not sure I am saying/spelling that correctly) It's a very old cobblestone street that is just the way it was in the 1700's and people live there today.
Also on your way South you might want to visit the Aquarium in Camden. And don't forget the Science Center which is in the Trenton area I believe. (If you want me to find out I will ask my husband just let me know). I would think you might want to at least drive through Asbury Park, where so many singers got their start.
North Jersey and South Jersey are very different in many ways. More industry up north, more urban atmosphere. South Jersey has a lot of farms. (Well some parts of South Jersey) and things just move at a slower pace. And then remember if you're the gambling type there are the casinoes. Even just to get a look at the Boardwalk is nice, although there are boardwalks a lot of other places too but A.C. has THE boardwalk! If you have children who want to go on rides, Wildwood would probably be good for them. When we used to stay in Cape May we would go to Wildwood in the evenings for the kids to go on the rides. But I think all of the resorts now have a lot of rides.
But if you can, make sure you pick up a little Jersey Fresh Produce. Jersey white corn is delicious and Jersey tomatoes. When we had relatives living on the West Coast they asked my parents to bring a suitcase of just Jersey tomatoes. Probably by the time you come the melons will be in season as well. But again that depends on what you are used to at home, if it's not a treat for you, there's no point in getting it. If you go to Atlantic City Boardwalk you will probably want to pick up a box of Salt Water Taffy. There are little shops for Salt Water Taffy and Fudge all along most of the resort boardwalks but AC is the first place to really have it.
I'm not sure of the cost of the Cape May-Lewis ferry but everyone who has used it has loved the ride. Unless you have a specific thing you want to see in South Jersey it's a lot better than coming across the Commodore Barry Bridge into NJ. (much more scenic to go by ocean right?)
Wow that a lot of great information - thanks!! I especially am grateful about the Philadelphia info. I was kind of on the fence about it (and am still not sure if we'll have the time/want to go after being in DC as well) but you've said some good things to check out.
Linda wrote: "Wow that a lot of great information - thanks!! I especially am grateful about the Philadelphia info. I was kind of on the fence about it (and am still not sure if we'll have the time/want to go a..."May I add that if you do go to Philly check out the Tiffany mosaic of a Maxfield Parrish painting in the lower hallway of the Curtis Publishing building--you can enter on one street and cut through the lobby to another street. They also have an incredible fountain that looks as though the water is flowing over the black and white marble floor. Juat incredible the works of art that lobbies were in the heydey of skyscraper building. You could spend weeks just going from lobby to lobby in NYC--mini-art museums all. But this one in Philly is small and easy to find--the info is on Google. Also a nice respite from the summer heat on the asphalt streets of the city!
Katherine wrote: "Linda wrote: "Wow that a lot of great information - thanks!! I especially am grateful about the Philadelphia info. I was kind of on the fence about it (and am still not sure if we'll have the tim..."Thanks for the tip!
Linda, the nice thing about visiting DC or Philadelphia is that there is so much to see for free. That's how I know about them, because my husband is very frugal and we tried to do things that cost us very little money *LOL*. For several years in a row we took a vacation to DC and stayed at the Holiday Inn where the kids got to eat for free. I was the "spendthrift" because I loved buying a ticket for the little bus that goes from sight to sight and having the guide explain things. I would stay on that bus for the all trip (where most people get off at a stop, then back on later) but I learned a lot. Our children loved the Air and Space Museum. My older daughter grew to love the Art Museum. And then my husband discovered other museums and sights that weren't on the mall. I believe they had to pay for a tour of the FBI building but both girls loved that! (I wasn't well that day so didn't get to see it). If you want any info about either DC or Philly that I can help you with, let me know. My husband, a former school librarian use to take students on bus trips there and because the district was such a poor district he had to find the least expensive things for them. He would bargain with local merchants to pay for the bus. He also was able to get the Phillies, Eagles and 76ers at one time to give free tours there. The students loved going to what was then the Vet stadium. There are also some great pay things to do in Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences and the Please Touch Museum as well as of course the regular Art Museum. Just send me a message and I can get any info you'd like from him. Don't know anything about sites past Trenton but more local things I do know. Another South Jersey thing that you may or may not want to see is Batso which is in the Pine Barrens and that is free. (It might be spelled Batsto ... can't remember)
I'm on a total hot streak! Just won another giveaway this morning - Serendipity. I've never won so many in so short a time!!
Congratulations! What's your secret?
Not a clue but I have been entering a lot lately, that might help.
congrats, Linda and Steph! My hot streak has cooled down but I did receive Dominance in the mail yesterday--started it right away and it is one of those stories that grabs you on the first page--loving it so far.
I won The Lake Shore Limited which in all honesty I don't remember entering for this book and it's not exactly the type of book I read but I'm open for something different.
congrats to both of you. Isn't it odd how when people from this group win often someone else in the group wins the same title? I haven't won goodreads in a bit, but I have been winnning from the "other site". I just didn't think it was appropriate to post it on here. But there was a book I finished a couple of days ago that was really good! Too Far Under by Lynn Osterkamp. I had the e-book version and I think it's only 99 cents from Amazon right now. It's the second in the series. I also have the first but I had to read the second first.
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Heather L, I know your turn is coming. I just don't know when. -;
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Cozy Mysteries
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I usually take Saturday or Sunday off from the computer, but do post the other six days of the week, primarily in this group and TNBBC. Most days I am on GR two or three times (more if the work day is slow and boring, LOL). Nine draws coming up this week, six of them on Wednesday. Crossing my fingers...