** Hey, I Know This Guy!! I Know This Guy!! **

(photo: courtesy of Redbook Magazine)

Ray Sorensen - Winner of Rebook Magazine Husband Contest

This good looking young man just won Redbook Magazine's "Hottest Husband" Contest!

Ray (Bubba) Sorensen and his wife, Maria, live in Greenfield, Iowa. If you've known me or read my blog for very long, you know that the very small town of Greenfield holds a special place in my heart. My parents and grandparents were from there, and although they are all deceased now, I still love going back to visit. I wrote a weekly column for the newspaper there (Adair County Free Press), for the past two years, until I just recently went on hiatus to complete my book.

I met Ray and his lovely wife, Maria, the last time I was in Greenfield. They had recently opened their photography and art studio and proudly showed me around.

I knew of Ray's painting, though, for a few years. He is famous for painting The Freedom Rock outside of Greenfield on a two-lane country highway.

You can learn all about Ray and Maria Sorensen on the three links above.
Oh...and his prize for being the winner??...a trip which will finally be their honeymoon!

“It's not true that nice guys finish last. Nice guys are winners before the game even starts.” -- Addison Walker

(P.S. Please don't forget to scroll down and leave comments for my book give-away!)

** Ouch!....A Rejection E-mail This Morning **

Gee....I haven't seen one of those in a long time, and it's NOT because I'm constantly receiving acceptance e-mails. It's because I haven't been in the habit of submitting my writing lately. Partly because I'm working on my book, partly because even though I see tons of Calls for Submissions and Contests, I rarely send anything in, and partly because I'm just too busy blogging! (That's a whole other story, for another day!)

The rejection I received today was from Silver Boomer Books for a Grandparents anthology.

(I have no idea where I got this drawing! I remember cutting it from a newsletter or something, years ago.)

Oh well......I had my moment of disappointment, but then immediately got over it, because that particular story will be included in my book! ☺

“I'm disappointed, but I'm not going to run around like Dennis Rodman and head-butt somebody.” -- Greg Norman

(Is that quote hilarious, or what?!)

Please scroll on down and don't forget to enter my book(s) give-away!

** My New Contest -- Win Some Books! **

Welcome to my newest contest! This will be a little different from my previous contests. I have quite a few kids' books that I "won" at a silent auction last year, and I would like to give some of them away. Today's contest consists of three groups & each group has three books.

The first group (above) has: Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Babe Ruth Baseball.

A to Z Mysteries: The Absent Author

Junie B., First Grader, Cheater Pants

This second group (above) are all Magic School Bus books.

The Magic School Bus Gets Caught in a Web.

The Magic School Bus; Field Trip Facts, Notes From Ms. Frizzle's Kids.

The Magic School Bus; Chapter Book, The Truth about Bats.

The first two groups consist of chapter books: for ages 7 to 10, and they are all Scholastic Books.

The final group of three are all middle grade novels by Judy Bloom: for ages 9 to 12.

These three are Dell Yearling Books.

Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself.

Iggie's House

Blubber

(All of these books are new. I've tried not to even open them, so they won't look used!)

** Contest Rules & Fine Print *

1) To be eligible, please leave at least one comment, per set of books. (ie: If you'd only like to win one set of books: leave one comment.....two sets: two comments....all three sets: three comments.)

2)  If you are not already a follower and you become one, your comment(s) will count twice.

3)  If you send over a friend or more and they leave a comment(s), you both will have your comments counted twice.

4)  The contest will end at midnight on Saturday, May 22nd, and I'll annouce the winners on Sunday, the 23rd.

I hope to receive many comments. In fact, I'd like to see at least 20 (not counting any doubles or triples!)

Please round up your writer/reader/blogger friends and send them over!

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all." -- Jacqueline Kennedy