The Noticer- by Andy Andrews

This book is by Andy Andrews- the author of the book "The Traveler's Gift". It is a book about a man that is called Jones, and some of the people whom he touches the lives of.

This is taken from the back of the book- "Poverty. A failing marriage. Old age. Lost dreams. A failing business. An unsure future. To the residents of Orange Beach, Alabama, these desperations are dead ends. Hopeless, barren places with no chance of change.

But to an old drifter named Jones with a gift for seeing what others miss, there is no such thing as a dead end. It only takes a little 'perspective,' he says, to recognize the miracles in our moments, the seeds of greatness tucked into our struggles.

As Jones mysteriously makes his way through this coastal town and into the searching hearts of its residents, he offers simple wisdom and sound hope.

'My contention is that you are right where you are supposed to be. This may look like barren sand to you, but nothing could be further from the truth. I say to you that as you lay your head down tonight, you are sleeping on fertile ground. Think, learn, pray, plan, dream. For soon...you will become.'

I liked this book. It is a feel good book, without being too preachy. I like how the author transfers from one story to the next. All the while, tying all of the different stories together at the end.

At first, when I started reading this book, I didn't realize it was based on incidents in the authors' own life. I didn't know the author went through some real tough times as a young adult. So when I started reading this book, I was thinking it was going to be a fiction book. I'm going along reading, and liking what I am reading, when all of a sudden I come along these lines-"So, if you have ever heard me speak at a corporate event or read one of my books..." I had to take a double take.

Here I was reading this book like a story- a good story, mind you. But still, a story. I looked more into it and found that it was from the self help section. As I delved further into the background, I found that there is a movement afoot, called The Noticer Project.

It is a worldwide movement to "Notice" the 5 most influential people in your life. More information can be found at TheNoticerProject.com .

Thomas Nelson Publishing provided me with this book, and the chance get in on The Noticer Project. Won't you join me?

So tell me- who do you want to 'Notice" as one of your 5 most influential persons? If you don't want to tell me, that's all right, you don't have to. A question, though- have you told them?

thanks for listening, till next time.

Donna M. Clark

Giveaway! Made In The U.S.A.

Information from the inside flap of the book says-"Lutie McFee's history has taught her to avoid attachments...to people, to places, and to almost everything. With her mother long dead and her father long gone to find his fortune in Las Vegas, 15-year-old Lutie lives in the god-forsaken town of Spearfish, South Dakota with her twelve-year-old brother, Fate, and Floy Satterfield, the 300-pound ex-girlfriend of her father.

While Lutie shoplifts for kicks, Fate spends most of his time reading, watching weird TV shows and worrying about global warming and the endangerment of pandas. As if their life is not dismal enough, one day, while shopping in their local Wal-Mart, Floy keels over and the two motherless kids are suddenly faced with the choice of becoming wards of the state or hightailing it out of town in Floy's old Pontiac. Choosing the latter, they head off to Las Vegas in search of a father who has no known address, no phone number and, clearly, no interest in the kids he left behind.

MADE IN THE U.S.A. is the alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming story of two gutsy children who must discover how cruel, unfair and frightening the world is before they come to a place they can finally call home."

Hachette Book Group is allowing me to give away 5 copies of the book, "Made In The U.S.A.", by Billie Letts.

This giveaway will run from now until May 10th, 2009. I will be using the randomizer to pick out te winners. I will email the winners, as well as post the names of the winnrs here. The winers will than each have 72 hours to send me their address, so I can than forward them to the sponsor, Hachette Book Group.

As Hachette Book Group is sending these out, they have a few specificrules with which we must abide by.
->The winners must be from the U.S.A. or Canada.
->The winners address must not be a post office box.

Pretty simple rules to follow. Good luck to all of you.

Now, as to how you can enter to win this book, here are the ways-

1. Leave a comment telling me you would like to be entered for one entry.

2. Follow my blog, and let me know that you do for one entry.

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog, and leave comments with the link for 3entries.

4. Follow me on Twitter, and let me know that you do for one entry.

5. Tweet about this giveaway, and leave a comment with the link in it for 2 entries.

6. Fave me on Technorati, and let me know for one entry.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry, so when I add them up I can have a correct number. Also, please either leave your email address in the comment (e.g. litefoot873 (at) hotmail (dot)com), or have it in your public profile, so I have some way to contact you if you win.

Good luck everyone,
Donna M. Clark

Newest Update on Giveaway!

To all of the winners of The Turnaround by George Pelecanos. I have received your information and passed it on to Hachette Book Group, the sponsor of this contest. They will be sending out the books to you. Please let me know when you have received your book. Thank you all for taking part in this, my first giveaway.
Donna M. Clark

UPDATE on Winners!

I have been able to get in touch with 4 of the original 5 Winners of The Turnaround by George Pelecanos. In order to send the names in to my sponsor, I needed to have all the addresses for the winners at once.

So in accordance with the rules of this giveaway as they were set out, I used Random.org once again, and drew a new winner.

Comment # 114,
Swtlilchick said...
I would like to be entered to win this nice book

So Congratulations are in order. I have sent out an email to the new winner. As soon as the address from this winner comes in, I will forward all of the information to the sponsor, so the winners can receive their books.

Thanks always,
Donna M. Clark

Winners of TURNAROUND

And Now, without further ado- the winners of the 5 books from Hachette Book Group. The Turnaround, by George Pelecanos-
#1 Comment 48
tarahsfoodreviews said...
I would love to win this book! Thank you!Tarah

#2 Comment 122
Betty C said...
I follow on Twitter. User name willitara.

3# Comment 82
mskayz said...
I can always use a great book! Please enter me - thanks!!

4# Comment 17
Annie said...
Tweeted 2greeeneyedwhwomhttp://donnasbookreviews.bl... Win The Turnaround!!greeeneyedwhwom (twitter name)

5# Comment 10
vboackle said...
i would like to readf this book.

Congrats to the winners. I will be sending out emails shortly. After I send out emails, the winners will have 72 hours to respond with an address for me to send to the sponsor so you can receive your book. Thank you to all who participated. And if anyone knows how I can make pictures of the Randomizer so everyone can see who won, I would greatly appreciate the information.
Thanks,
Donna M. Clark

GIVEAWAY-The Turnaround

Hachette Book Group is graciously allowing me to give away 5 copies of this book, 'The Turnaround', by George Pelecanos.
This giveaway will run from now until April 10th, 2009. I will be using the randomizer to pick out the winners. I will post the winners here, but I will also email the winners. The 5 winners will than each have 72 hours in which to send me their address, so I can forward the addresses to the sponsor of this giveaway, Hachette Book Group.
As Hachette Book Group is sending these out, it is only fair that we abide by their very few rules.
*The winners must be from the USA or from Canada.
*The winners address must not be a post office box.
Pretty simple rules to follow. Good luck to all of you! ow, as to how you can enter, here are the ways.
1.)Leave a comment telling me you would like to be entered for one entry.

2.)Follow my blog, and let me know that you do for one entry.

3.)Blog about this giveaway on your blog, and leave a comment with the link in it for three entries. For example, 1. I blogged about your giveaway... 2. I blogged about your giveaway... 3. I blogged about your giveaway...

4.)Follow me on Twitter, and let me know that you do for one entry.

5.)Tweet about this giveaway, and leave a comment with the link in it for 2 entries.

6.)Fave me on Technorati and let me know for one entry.

Pleas leave a different comment for each comment, so when I add them up I can have the correct number. Also please either leave your email address in the comment , or have it in your Goggle Profile so I have some way to contact you if you should win.

Donna M. Clark