Virtual Book Club

Stacey Krone-Battat, co-founder of Kiwi Publishing, and the President and Editor-in-Chief of the Thin Threads book series contacted me yesterday. She asked if I'd like to join in with her and promote their upcoming Virtual Book Club! As soon as I heard the details, I said a resounding "YES." Please read the following two paragraphs which I copied and pasted from their website.

What: A Virtual Thin Threads Book Club – we are expanding our community to share the best of the Thin Threads series – both to our dedicated fans, and to new readers who are intrigued by the topics. Every other Wednesday, simply dial a number on your phone and escape from your hectic pace to join our inspiring and soothing conversation. You won’t have to leave your place or home/work during the cold months (if you live in the cold)!

This is not a boring radio interview or webinar. You will be able to listen, ask questions, answer polls for fun, and even have a chat with others about the topics, as if we were together in my living room. Just think, you can invite one friend over for coffee or tea and participate, or call in while you are on the go! HOW CONVENIENT!!

Now, how cool is that?? I've already registered for the first two sessions: November 2nd and 16th. Click on the link below, and then click on the book title to get to the Registration Page.

http://www.kiwipublishing.com/component/option,com_eventlist/Itemid,54/ 


It'll be a blast! Just like Stacey said, it'll be like we're in her living room, chatting about books, having coffee or tea...and hey, I'll bring some homemade desserts! Come on and join the fun!

* Thin Threads Continue to Connect *

Late last night I wrote about having an amazing, magical, serendipitous day. (I always think of you, Lisa, when I hear or use that "S" word!) ☺

When I woke up this morning, I realized I can't write about it yet. I need to hold it in my heart a while longer. Then, maybe, I can possibly share it.

**NOTE** My friend, writer, and blog buddy, Donna Volkenannt, wrote a beautiful post on her blog this morning about (what was just) the beginning of my serendipitous day yesterday, which she witnessed and was part of! Please hop on over and read it. Donna said it all much better than I could have! Thank you, Donna. I'm really glad you wrote it and said such nice things about me, too.


I do have a new call for submissions that I can share! Kiwi Publishing has a new book in the works for their Thin Threads Series and they need your stories! It's called Women and Friendship. Doesn't that just have OUR names in it already?! Deadline for submissions is March 1, 2011, so no need to fret about having enough time, especially in the midst of holiday celebrations. No submission fee and if your story is chosen, you receive $100.00.

Please meet: Mary Jones. Mary is a writer and motivational speaker. Mary has her own radio show, does podcasts & TV segments & hosts workshops. I just "met" Mary and she will be working with Kiwi Publishing on this book. I know she will be wonderful to work with! Here's info from Mary's website about Thin Threads:

We invite you to contribute a true story or anecdote that will bring hope and happiness to all those who realize the possibility in each moment. We are looking for personal stories (800-1200 words) that are real, capture the essence of a thin thread event, and evoke an emotion from the reader. Events related to friendship that changed you forever.

Friends hold a deep, special bond and connection for women. We are looking for your story. A story from your heart. A story that will bring a smile or tear to others. For example, the story of how a friend was a lifeline for you, or a story about your life at a time that you realized the power, strength or value of a woman friendship.

I've also gotten to know Stacey Battat really well through our numerous e-mails and recent phone calls! Stacey is co-founder of Kiwi Publishing and is the President and Editor-in-Chief of the Thin Threads series.

I just love the definition of thin threads:"Moments, events, setbacks, crossroads or encounters that connect us to a person, place or opportunity and change our lives for the better." (As I said, those thin threads have really been weaving their magic around and through me lately!)

"Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living." -- Joseph Campbell

** The Thin Threads Books Are Here! **

Yesterday evening that Big Brown Truck drove down my street and I mentally told it to stop at my house....and guess what? It did! UPS delivered my box of books from Kiwi Publishing! I felt like a kid at Christmas time, waiting for and then receiving that most anticipated gift.

I'll sign the books that have been ordered from me and get them mailed as soon as I can. This is the list of names I have, and if I've forgotten anyone PLEASE let me know! Lynn O. Teri S. Kathy M. Sioux R. and OJ G-C. (I feel as if I AM forgetting someone. I should've written all the names on ONE piece of paper!)

Kiwi Publishing is also offering a *special* on the Thin Threads site. Buy at least one book and receive a 10% discount, plus FREE shipping. Those books would ship directly from their warehouse, so I wouldn't be able to sign them. Their offer is good through 12/31/2010.

So, here are the two possibilities:

Order from me, pay full price of $17.95, receive free shipping, and I will autograph and donate $5.00 per book to my local Habitat for Humanity office.

*Order from Thin Threads* pay $16.15, receive free shipping, and I will still donate $5.00 per book. IF YOU DO ORDER DIRECTLY FROM THIN THREADS, CONTACT ME FIRST, SO I CAN GIVE YOU THE DISCOUNT CODE.

After meeting Tara and becoming involved in Habitat for Humanity, I can't tell you how much it means to me to be able to help, even in a small way. There are wonderful stories in this anthology and would truly make a very thoughtful gift during the holidays. And with Thanksgiving being tomorrow, I think all of us who are using a computer and blogging, have a decent place to live.

“The goal of this organization is to make sure that all families have a good place to live. To accomplish that ambitious goal, decent and good housing must become the hearts’ desire of committed and generous people. Substandard housing must become socially, religiously, morally and politically unacceptable.” — The late Millard Fuller, Habitat for Humanity Founder

* Give a Book for Christmas *

♪♫  Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!  ♪♫   

** NOTE: (added 11/19 pm) I forgot to say a little more about the Thin Threads book series. Since I've known about it and have been so close to it for over a year and a half, I think everyone must've heard of it and/or know about it! Here are some words, taken directly from their website:

Thin Threads: a moment, event, setback, crossroad, or encounter that connected you to a person, place or an opportunity that changed your life for the better.


Thin Thread stories are a collection of moments, events or decisions told in personal story form, each showing how the course of our lives can be redirected for the better. The stories encapsulate our human desire to tell our own stories and to read and relate to others through their stories.


So, you can see how it differs from other anthologies. Thin Threads is very unique!


 I am in such a happy mood right at this very moment! I was in my "usual" happy mood when I got up today at 4:00am. (Yep, went to sleep early last night and got a good night's rest.) But, now it is 3:20pm, CST, and I am ecstatic! I just spoke to Stacey Battat at Kiwi Publishing and the new Thin Threads books will be shipping to me tomorrow! This is the anthology that has my story about a woman and her family, and how Hurricane Katrina and Habititat for Humanity, St. Charles County Missouri, changed their lives. Woot!

$17.95 each

I am offering a personal promotion for this book. Whoever buys any directly from me, I will donate $5.00 per book, to Habitat in St. Charles, Mo. AND I will ship them at NO CHARGE, to anywhere in the US or Canada. (sorry, I will have to charge shipping out of the country.)

*These would make lovely Christmas gifts, PLUS you'd be helping a wonderful charity!* 

(courtesy: martha stewart.com)

Christmas again. But this year there was money for presents and lots of food in the icebox and the flat was always warm now. When Francie came in off the cold street she thought that the warmth was like a lover’s arms around her drawing her into the room. She wondered, incidentally, exactly what a lover’s arms felt like. — A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith (pen name of Elisabeth Wehner) (1943)

** Sunday Synopsis **

* The twelve (12) contest entries have been printed. I cut out names and/or e-mail addresses, so when I sit down to read them, I truly won't remember who wrote what. Then I'll turn them over to The Ronald to read. After he gives his opinions, I'll read them again, and then.....voile'....the winner will be announced! That will happen most likely later tonight.

* A few days ago, I mentioned a Call for Submissions I received in an e-mail. But the information didn't make sense with what I saw, and didn't see, on the web site. (I couldn't find anything about Flashlight Memories!) I haven't heard back from them, but decided to go ahead and post the link: http://silverboomerbooks.com/submissions.html.

This is what the e-mail said: Flashlight Memories Silver Boomer Books is seeking poetry - 23 lines or less (this includes the spaces between lines and/or stanzas) - for the upcoming anthology themed Flashlight Memories. Flashlight Memories recounts memories experiences with reading, which produced lifelong readers.

Please submit your work according to the guidelines found at http://silverboomerbooks.com/submissions.html
Poetry deadline: October 5, 2010  

(Good luck and let me know if any of you figure this one out!)

* Speaking of anthologies......I have an announcement that is huge to me! I have just been notified that a story I began working on in April of 2009, has been accepted by Kiwi Publishing for an upcoming Thin Threads Anthology. Woo-Hoo!! Doin' the Happy Dance! I cannot tell you how much this means to me. The story I wrote and submitted was the first one I've ever written that wasn't about my own life. It was an "As Told By" story of a Hurricane Katrina survivor, her struggles and her eventual joyful life. She came from Mississippi to this area and I was fortunate enough to interview her and become her friend. To find out the rest of the story......well, you know what you have to do....buy the book when it comes out in November! I'll even autograph my chapter!  (Thin Threads accepts inspirational, true stories. Click on either link above and check them out.)

* One more thing. Just yesterday morning. (♫♪ okay, who just heard James Taylor's voice in your head ♫♪)
 The quote at the end of my post was, "So many books, so little time." (one of my absolute favorites!) THEN, last night I was at the mall, just kind of wandering and looking. And I found, tried on and bought THIS:

Isn't it adorable?? This white sweatshirt is so soft and comfy.

 

I couldn't get a good close up. The books say: Who's Who, Give a Hoot, Book of Wisdom, and under the steaming cup of coffee or tea, one of the books says Night Owl.

Is that too cute, or what??

I only wish it would've come in other colors. I'm afraid I'll have trouble keeping it clean! ☺

"The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things." -- Henry Ward Beecher