Monday Book Giveaway (January 26, 2009)

Leaping right into it, today’s winner is … (insert pause to build suspense) … Katayoun! Katayoun chose The Hob’s Bargain by Patricia Briggs. Congratulations! Because I already have a copy of The Hob’s Bargain, I also drew a bonus name: Cheryl C! Cheryl chose The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer. Congratulations, ladies! Please send your shipping information to katrina (at) stonoff (dot) com, and I’ll get your books in the mail!

I am just delighted to give these two books away. Both of these winners have been faithfully entering every week for months, and neither has won before. So, for those of you who say, “I never win anything,” … keep trying.

Now, for next week: something a little different. When I’m sick, I like to read books that grab me by the hair and sling me through the story, leaving me nothing to do but hang on for the ride. One of my favorite authors of that kind of story is Connie Willis. I suppose technically she writes science fiction or speculative fiction, but her grasp of story far exceeds a genre, and I recommend her writing to anyone who reads. So for next week: I’ll give one lucky winner the Connie Willis book of his/her choice.

To help with the choice, here are the three I’ve read (I’m still working through her backlist):

To Say Nothing of the Dog is a romp, plain and simple. It’s a hilarious tale about time travel to Victorian England and even includes a romance, so there’s something for everyone. Don’t worry if you’re a bit confused at first — you’re supposed to be. The characters are searching for an object called the “bishop’s bird stump,” but nobody knows what it looks like, where it is, or even when it is.

Passage is considerably darker, though it also has comedic moments. It’s about a team of scientists studying Near-Death Experiences, and it’s virtually impossible to tell you anything about the story without spoiling it (you’re safe reading the Editorial Reviews on Amazon, but stay away from the customer reviews!). I can’t even mention the element I found most fascinating — a historical topic with which I am virtually obsessed. Suffice to say, it’s a fascinating study of the brain and what it takes to make a life.

Doomsday Book isn’t remotely funny, though it’s poignant, powerful, gripping, and ultimately sweet as well. It’s another time travel/historical blend, this time about a woman who travels to 14th Century Cambridge to find herself in a much worse situation than she ever dreamed and the professor trying to bring her home amid impossible struggles of his own. I love the parallels between the two times, and how people are people regardless. 

To enter, just comment below (before noonish Sunday, please) with the name of the Connie Willis book you’d like to read. Next Monday, come back to see if I’ve pulled your name from one of my hats. Contest open to anyone on the planet who has access to reliable mail service.

Now, the hat from which I drew Katayoun’s and Cheryl’s names:

I don’t usually wear berets, but Samuel sent me this one with my last hat purchase, and I love the color. 

I wore it last night to my writer’s group, sans makeup (I did put on a little lipstick for the photo).

This is one of the warmest hats I have (100 percent wool), and I wanted to protect my poor recovering self from the spitting snow.

When I first put it on, I asked Mars whether it looked ridiculous. He opened to mouth to answer, and froze for several seconds. I told him, “Never mind. I don’t want to know.”

Edited to add: I’m adding a second book to this giveaway. The winner will get any Connie Willis book (not just one of the three I listed) AND an autographed copy of The Long Sleep by Stephen Mellor, which I reviewed here. Good luck!