Showing posts with label christmas spirit read-a-thon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas spirit read-a-thon. Show all posts

Friday, November 27, 2015

Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon - Mid-Week Check-in (a bit late!) #CSReadathon


Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving! I'm a day late with this check-in because of the illustrious holiday, but it was such a wonderful holiday this year and I didn't work (Yay!) so it was extra special for me. I haven't had any time to read, as work has been a mess so I may have to be content to just host this time (which I love doing and wouldn't change) and hope to get some Christmas reading in for the reading challenge.

How is your reading going? I hope you're enjoying it. Feel free to update me in the comments or leave a link to an update post.

Giveaways
I was very generously offered two eBook copies of the Christmas horror novella, Twelfth Night Krampus from Erin at Oh, For the Hook of a Book. Although this is horror, it is based on an East European legend (see below).

Author Cat Cavendish praises...
"An adult fairytale well told in the best Grimm tradition. As with the Dark Servant, the author draws on the old German/Austrian/East European traditions of the Santa Claus’s demon helper. In the folk tales, Krampus punishes naughty children. Manochio keeps faith with the tradition but develops it and presents us with a new classic tale for Christmas. Here the equally bloody and demonic Frau Perchta – also hellbent on punishing those who have transgressed in her eyes – finds herself directly competing against Krampus. This is a macabre, dark tale with a timeless quality about it. An atmospheric landscape, complete with Bavarian castle; characters that could have stepped out from your worst nightmares. Loved this. It kept me thoroughly and enjoyably entertained in a dark, scary way. "

Twelfth Krampus Night, Summary
Dark servants clash!

Medieval maiden Beate, who’s grieving over the mysterious evisceration of her best friend, Gisela, must escape a Bavarian castle under siege by sadistic creatures.

Standing in her way—beyond towering walls and crossbow-toting guards—are Saint Nicholas’s demonic helper, Krampus, and Frau Perchta, a belly-slitting hag who prowls the countryside during First Night festivities to punish naughty teens. Beate wants out. Krampus and Frau Perchta want in, determined to breach the castle to snag their prey. Beate has no idea why these monsters want her, but she must use her wits to save herself from horrors both human and inhuman—lest she wind up like Gisela.

For more, here is the Amazon link...

http://www.amazon.com/Twelfth-Krampus-Night-Matt-Manochio-ebook/dp/B01448GASE

My Read-a-Thon Giveaway

YOUR CHOICE OF 3 BOOKS FOR $10 FROM THE BARGAIN BIN AT BETTERWORLDBOOKS.COM  

Please enter for the above giveaways in the form below. You will be able to mark your choice of which you want to enter for. This giveaway is only open to read-a-thon participants.




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Monday, November 23, 2015

Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon - Here We Go! #CSReadathon


I'm late...again. Had to help my son finish a school project. One of those 11th hour kind of things. I'm sure many of you can relate. Kids! Anyhoo...let's get this holiday reading season going!!!

If you're joining us, remember these things:
  • Try to read at least one Christmas book...it is a Christmas read-a-thon, after all. But I won't arrest you if you don't. *wink*
  • You do not have to have a blog. Join us from Twitter, Facebook or Goodreads...or in our Facebook group.
  • The linky below is the same as the sign-up linky so if you've already signed up and now want to link up your reading plans, just add your link and put reading plans in parentheses (ex. Michelle (reading plans)
  • If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via the contact form, or visit the read-a-thon guidelines page for answers (you will also find out how we do the read-a-thon giveaway) here: http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/p/guidelines.html
  • Have fun!
If you're on Twitter, stop by and chat with the hashtag #CSReadathon No official chats are scheduled, but I'm sure people will be hanging out or stopping by. Maybe we can share a cup of cocoa or spiced cider. Yum!

If you haven't already, why not join us for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge, which runs all season long, you can do so at my Christmas blog, The Christmas Spirit. Would love to have you! Also, my season long Christmas event kicks off over there on November 25. I'm looking for guests so if you love Christmas and want to be my guest to tell us why (anything goes...favorite movies, books, family memories, traditions), please stop by over there and leave me a message in the contact form. Can you tell Christmas is my favorite time of year? Yup, I love it!!!

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Saturday, November 21, 2015

Sign Up for the Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon! #CSReadathon


Yes, I know I'm late. Better late than never I guess....but please do accept my apologies. My life literally blew up this week. And I thought it was bad the weeks before. lol So, we are once again kicking off the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge (this is the 6th year!) over at The Christmas Spirit, with the annual Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon!

Details:
  • Read-a-Thon dates: Monday, November 23 at 12:00am CST until Sunday, November 29 at 11:59pm CST (adjust your time zone accordingly)
  • You do not have to be signed up for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge to participate (but I sure would love for you to join us!)
  • I am not requiring that you read only Christmas/holiday books during the read-a-thon, but I hope you will pick up at least one holiday tale, even if it's just to read some children's books with your kids or some holiday short stories
  • to check in on Twitter, we'll use hashtag #CSreadathon
  • as usual, you do not have to have a blog to participate...feel free to link up and check in from Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, etc. AND we now have a Facebook group, in case you didn't know.

If you're interested in joining us for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge, which runs all season long, you can do so at my Christmas blog, The Christmas Spirit. Would love to have you! 

Since it's so late in the game, I won't be so pretentious to ask for prize donations BUT I will offer a small prize from Christmas-y me! There has to be at least one gift when Christmas is involved, right?

Hope I haven't forgotten anything. If you have any questions or notice something I've left out, please feel free to contact me via the contact tab.

SIGN UP!

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Monday, October 12, 2015

#FrightFall Read-a-Thon - It has all come to an end...


FrightFall is at an end. It went by fast, but was great fun, as always, and our new Facebook group is a success! I hope you enjoyed your time reading this week. 

I'd like to thank you all for joining me. Be sure to add your wrap-up link below (I want to stop by and see how you did with your reading) and please double check that you were signed up HERE so you will be eligible for the giveaway. You have until Wednesday, October 14 at 11:59pm CST to add your wrap-up link. I will draw giveaway winners as soon as I can (my birthday is Thursday and I'm going out of town for a long weekend so may not be able to pick winners until Monday...please bear with me). Please be sure to note the system of drawing winners in the giveaway details on the prize page). And now for a big round of applause for the authors and bloggers who so generously donated our prizes and hosted giveaways. Bravo! And thank you!

NOTE: You can still enter Erin's FrightFall giveaway through Wednesday at 11:59pm CST. Click Here.

Hope to see you next time at the Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon, coming up Thanksgiving week (November 23-29). The button is already in the sidebar. You like? (I'll be adding a grab code soon).

Good luck in the giveaway to all!!! And thanks again for joining me!

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Monday, December 1, 2014

Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon - Wrapped up like a present! #CSReadathon


What a whirlwind week! I'm not sure if hosting this Thanksgiving week was the smartest thing. I was off work on Thursday and Friday so Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday was all about getting stuff done for work before my days off. This really interfered with my social interaction during the read-a-thon. If I missed visiting any blogs, I do apologize. I will be sure to visit ALL of your wrap-ups. And be sure to wrap up because we have some wonderful prizes on offer (see the prize page tab at top of blog).

Add your wrap-up post to the linky by Tuesday, December 2 at 11:59pm CST to be eligible for the prizes.

Thanks for participating! I hope you will join me for the Winter's Respite Read-a-Thon, coming January 26 through February 1. Button is coming soon. And, if you haven't already, you can still sign up for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge, which lasts through January 6.

Also, a big thanks to the authors and bloggers who contributed prizes. We didn't have prizes for this read-a-thon last year so it was a welcome addition!

Happy Holidays!

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Thursday, November 27, 2014

Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon - Prize Promotion Page #CSReadathon


This is the prize promotion page for all the prizes being given away for the read-a-thon. We have a couple of amazing book prizes donated from some very generous authors and bloggers and a couple of prizes from me! At the end of this post, you will find details regarding how the prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the read-a-thon.

Note: These fine authors who so generously donated their books would greatly appreciate a review, if you win, on your blog and/or on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you!



The Spider and the Stone by Glen Craney
(3 2 1 eBooks - International) WINNERS - LUCY, JANET, ALEKSANDRA

As the 14th century dawns, Scotland’s survival hangs by a spider’s thread. While the clans scrap over their empty throne, the brutal Edward Longshanks of England invades the weakened northern kingdom, scheming to annex it to his realm.

But one frail, dark-skinned lad stands in the Plantagenet monarch’s path.

The beleaguered Scots cherish James Douglas as their "Good Sir James." Yet in England, his slashing raids deep into Yorkshire wreak such terror that he is branded the Black Douglas with a reward placed on his head.

As a boy, James falls in love with the ravishing Isabelle MacDuff, whose clan for centuries has inaugurated Scottish monarchs on the hallowed Stone of Destiny. Their world is upturned when James befriends Robert Bruce, a bitter enemy of the MacDuffs. Forced to choose between love and clan loyalty, James and Isabelle make fateful decisions that will draw the opposing armies to the bloody field of Bannockburn.

Here is the story of Scotland’s War of Independence and the remarkable events that followed the execution of Wallace, whose legend was portrayed in the movie Braveheart. This thrilling epic leads us to the miraculous Stone of Destiny, to the famous Spider in the Cave, to the excommunicated Knights Templar, to the suppressed Culdee Church, and to the unprecedented Declaration of Arbroath, the stirring oath document that inspired the American Declaration of Independence four hundred years later. An unforgettable saga of the star-crossed love, religious intrigue, and heroic sacrifice that saved Scotland during its time of greatest peril.
-----------------
Foreword Magazine Book-of-the-Year Award Finalist

B.R.A.G Medallion Winner
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"[Craney] has woven a well-crafted, interesting tale." -- Historical Novel Society

"The best book I've read this year." -- John Graham, seneschal of the Society of Creative Anachronism

"It was a marvelous book and I was moved to tears at the long and sad ending." -- Kathleen Ingram, Reading the Ages blog

"[A] memorable, well-researched, and thoroughly enjoyable work of historical fiction! Great read that is highly recommended!" -- Crystal Book Reviews

"An atmospheric and heart wrenching depiction of a time of upheaval in Scotland." -- Caroline Wilson Writes Review Blog


Paperback: 432 pages ($14.99)
Ebook: $7.99
Publisher: Brigid's Fire Press (First edition 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0981648401
ISBN-13: 978-0981648408 (print)
ISBN 978-0981648415 (ebook)

Author Website
Facebook
Goodreads

Buy links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IBooks | Kobo | Smashwords


About the author
Glen Craney is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, journalist, and lawyer. The Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences has honored him with the Nicholl Fellowship prize for best new screenwriting. He is also a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree and has three times been named a Foreword Reviews Book-of-the-Year Award Finalist. His debut novel, The Fire and the Light, was recognized as Best New Fiction by the National Indie Excellence Awards and as an Honorable Mention winner for Foreword's BOTYA in historical fiction. He lives in southern California.



In Time for Christmas: A Novella by Heather Blanton
{2 1 print (U.S.)  2  1 eBooks (International)} WINNERS - NAILA, JENNA, KAI, SARAH

Charlene needs a miracle. God has one waiting … a hundred years in the past.

In Time for Christmas -- a Novella, is the story of Charlene Williams, a woman trapped in a dangerously abusive marriage. Disappointed that God hasn’t gotten her out of it, or even hears her prayers at all, she has shut down emotionally. When husband Dale becomes suspicious of her daily chats with the mailman, he whisks her out of town and abandons her on his family’s ranch—an isolated, dilapidated place no one has lived on for over forty years. With the promise that he’ll be back in a few days, he knocks her unconscious and leaves.

Charlene wakes up on the ranch—a hundred years in the past. Almost instantly she is drawn to Billy Page, Dale’s great grandfather. The connection is powerful and mysterious, but should she risk falling in love with a ghost? What’s going on here? Is Charlene dead, dreaming, in a coma, or simply experiencing a gift from her heavenly father?

She’ll learn one thing for certain: God does see the tears of his children.
In Time for Christmas -- A Novella - Kindle edition by Heather Blanton. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.


About the author
Heather started writing when she was five; her first tale was a ghost story that her mom typed up for her on a Brother typewriter. Over the years, she has worked as a journalist for newspapers, magazines, and blogs. She has also spent decades in the corporate communications field, marketing everything from software to motorcycles. (Did she really just say "decades"?)

Heather grew up on a steady diet of Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and John Wayne Westerns. Her most fond memories are of sitting next to her dad, munching on popcorn, and watching Lucas McCain unload that Winchester! She loves exploring out West and would happily spend all her time researching and exploring ghost towns till the cows come home.

Heather lives with her husband and two adventurous boys on a farm outside Raleigh, NC. They enjoy riding practically anything with four legs or two wheels, and being outdoors.

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/heatherfreyblanton
https://twitter.com/heatherfblanton
http://ladiesindefiance.com/my-novel-blog/

**************

From Jenna at The Girl with Book Lungs
{6 books (6 winners--U.S. only)}

ARCs
Fatal Brushstroke by Sybil Johnson WINNER - NAILA
Finding Sky by Susan O'Brien  WINNER - SARAH
The Bullet Catch by John Gaspard
Death by Blue Water by Kait Carson

Others
Eternally 21 by Linda Joffe Hull  WINNER - JANET
GI Brides by Duncan Barrett & Nuala Calvi  WINNER - LUCY

************

From Sarah at Flood of Books

$10 Amazon eGift card (International)  WINNER - JANE HARFELD

************

WINNERS - ALEKSANDRA, CARLA (JEN7WATERS)

One Two winners will each receive a $5 Amazon digital gift from yours truly!


This is a read-a-thon participant only giveaway. To be eligible, you must have signed up, participated and completed a wrap-up post at the end and link it here at Seasons of Reading at the official read-a-thon wrap-up post (I will give everyone until Tuesday (12/2) at 11:59pm CST to complete their wrap-up posts). We have a total of 16 prizes. This means there will be 16 winners. I will award prizes as they do during Dewey's Read-a-Thon. That means first come, first servedI will draw the 16 winners with random.org and email all 16 at the same time. The first person who emails me back with their choice gets that prize. I will mark off the prizes as they are taken. All eBook prizes will be sent to winner via email (or will be given a coupon code) so please specify what format you require in your email. Winners will be chosen after the wrap-up post deadline (see above). 

Good luck and thanks for joining me for the read-a-thon!

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Monday, November 24, 2014

Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon - It's Time! #CSReadathon


Here we go! Time to kick off the holiday season with style...reading style. If you're joining us, remember these things:
  • Try to read at least one Christmas book...it is a Christmas read-a-thon, after all. But I won't arrest you if you don't. *wink*
  • You do not have to have a blog. Join us from Twitter, Facebook or Goodreads
  • The linky below is the same as the sign-up linky so if you've already signed up and now want to link up your reading plans, just add your link and put reading plans in parentheses (ex. Michelle (reading plans)
  • If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via the contact form, or visit the read-a-thon guidelines page for answers (you will also find out how we do the read-a-thon giveaway) here: http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/p/guidelines.html
  • Have fun!
If you're on Twitter, stop by and chat with the hashtag #CSReadathon No official chats are scheduled, but I'm sure people will be hanging out or stopping by. Maybe we can share a cup of cocoa or spiced cider. 

If you haven't already, why not join us for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge, which runs all season long, you can do so at my Christmas blog, The Christmas Spirit. Would love to have you! Also, my season long Christmas event kicks off over there tomorrow. I'm looking for guests so if you love Christmas and want to be my guest to tell us why (anything goes...favorite movies, books, family memories, traditions), please stop by over there and leave me a message in the contact form. Can you tell Christmas is my favorite time of year? I'm SO excited!!!

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Saturday, November 8, 2014

Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon...It's Back!!!


Once again kicking off the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge (the 5TH year, I might add!) at The Christmas Spirit, it's the Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon...and this year it's a week long. Yay!

Details:
  • Read-a-Thon dates: Monday, November 24 at 12:00am CST until Sunday, November 30 at 11:59pm CST (adjust your time zone accordingly)
  • You do not have to be signed up for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge to participate (but I sure would love for you to join us!)
  • I am not requiring that you read only Christmas/holiday books during the read-a-thon, but I hope you will pick up at least one holiday tale, even if it's just to read some children's books with your kids or some holiday short stories
  • to check in on Twitter, we'll use hashtag #CSreadathon
  • as usual, you do not have to have a blog to participate...feel free to link up and check in from Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

If anyone is interested in donating prizes or hosting a giveaway or mini-challenge, please contact me using the contact tab above. 

Authors...read-a-thons are always a great way to promote your books...and they don't have to be about Christmas (but if they are, that's great too!). Please contact me if you'd like to contribute.

Hope I haven't forgotten anything. If you have any questions or notice something I've left out, please feel free to contact me via the contact tab.

SIGN UP!

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Thursday, October 2, 2014

#FrightFall Read-a-Thon - Mid-Week Check-In


So, how's it going for you this week? Please share any updates in the comments. You can leave a link so I can stop by or just tell us what you've accomplished in your comment.

Have you checked out the prize page yet? We have some great prizes from some generous authors...and from me too! You can check it out HERE or by clicking the tab in the menu above.

Reminder about the Twitter chat. It is tomorrow night (Friday) at 9:00pm CST/10:00pm EST. Hashtag #FrightFall  Hope you can make it!

NEWS!
Season of the Witch kicked off at Castle Macabre yesterday and I'm also hosting a read-a-long of Anne Rice's The Vampire Armand, which starts on October 10th. I'm looking for contributors for my month long scary event over at CM so it you'd like to be my guest, let me know.

You may have noticed a little countdown box at the top of the posts sections. Yes, that's right. The Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon will be back again for its second year! This year it will be a week long (11/24 - 11/30) and will be in conjunction with the kick off of the 5th annual Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge hosted at The Christmas Spirit blog! I can't believe that time of year is right around the corner. So excited!

Now back to the reading!

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Monday, November 25, 2013

Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon: All wrapped up! #CSReadathon

 

Sadly, it must come to an end. How did everyone do? Unfortunately, I had so much going on this weekend, I didn't even get to read or even go on Twitter. *frown* However, nothing compares to decorating the house for Christmas with my sons and my sister and her daughter are coming into town on Tuesday with my grand-nephew and niece so they will be delighted with the decorations. Win!

If you do a wrap up, add your name to the linky and I'll stop by and see what you read. I hope you had fun and this little read-a-thon got you into the Christmas spirit. If you're looking for more of a challenge with your Christmas reading, why not join us for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge? The challenge lasts all the way through Twelfth Night (or Epiphany). You can find out the details and sign up at my Christmas blog, The Christmas Spirit.

Also, tomorrow begins my Sharing the Joy event at my Christmas blog. A season long event, I share recipes, crafts, guest posts, book reviews and other fun and interesting posts, like my Christmas Around the World feature. I'm kicking off tomorrow with a special giveaway so be sure to stop over at The Christmas Spirit!

Thanks to all who joined me for the read-a-thon. I think I'm going to make this a yearly event. Really, how can I resist?!

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Friday, November 22, 2013

Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon--Starting Line! #CSReadathon


Here we go! Time to kick off the holiday season with style...reading style. If you're joining us, remember these things:
  • You do not have to read Christmas books (I'm not the Christmas enforcer--haha), but if you can squeeze one little one in... *wink*
  • You do not have to have a blog. Join us from Twitter, Facebook or Goodreads
  • Have fun!
If you're on Twitter, stop by and chat with the hashtag #CSReadathon No official chats are scheduled, but I'm sure people will be hanging out or stopping by. Maybe we can share a cup of cocoa or spiced cider. =O)

If you have any questions, contact me or leave a comment.

Happy (Christmas) Reading!

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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Announcing...the Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon!!!


To kick off my annual Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge this year, I've decided to have a weekend read-a-thon!

Details:
  • Read-a-Thon dates: Friday, November 22 at 12:00am CST until Sunday, November 24 at 11:59pm CST (adjust your time zone accordingly)
  • You do not have to be signed up for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge to participate (but I sure would love for you to join us!)
  • I am not requiring that you read Christmas/holiday books during the read-a-thon, but I hope you will pick up one holiday tale, even if it's just to read some children's books with your kids or some holiday short stories
  • to check in on Twitter, we'll use hashtag #CSreadathon
  • as usual, you do not have to have a blog to participate...feel free to link up and check in from Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Hope I haven't forgotten anything. If you have any questions or notice something I've left out, please feel free to contact me via the contact form tab.

SIGN UP!

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- See more at: http://www.techtrickhome.com/2013/02/show-comment-box-above-comments-on.html#sthash.SyglVmdY.dpuf