Reminder: One Month Left...

Would you like to win a new hardcover copy of Tamora Pierce's newest short story collection, Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales?  If so, you're in luck.  There's still a month left to sign up to participate in the Tamora Tamora Pierce Reading Challenge.  You only have to read one book to qualify as long as you write some sort of wrap up when you have finished your challenge. 

For those of you who have signed up, how are you doing?  Are you going to make your goal by the end of Decemeber? 

I have three books left, Terrier, Bloodhound, and Tortall and Other Lands (on my Kindle).  Now if I can just finish them with all the other reading I have to finish by January...

A new linky will be up soon for those of you who are finished and want to write your wrap up posts. 

Tomorrow starts A Shady Glade Christmas, so don't forget to come back and check in for that. 

Happy reading everyone!

It's Coming... Call for Guest Posts!

Hello blog readers! I hope you had a fun Thanksgiving for those who celebrate. Of course, now Christmas is just around the corner. And those of you who are longtime followers know what that means:



That’s right, it’s almost time for A Shady Glade Christmas! I know I almost didn’t do it last year, but this will be my third year celebrating and I’m super excited this year. It’s a 25 day celebration about the holidays, traditions, favorite books/movies, and lots of great guest posts.

Returning this year will also be the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway where I give away 12 Christmas prizes to my blog readers. There will be a big twist on the contests this year, so I hope you enjoy them.

But this post isn’t about that. It’s about those previously mentioned guest posts. Frankly, after two years, I’m running out of things to post about. But I love reading guest posts from all of you!

We’ve had some great posts over the years about various favorite Christmas books or movies, holiday traditions, family heirlooms, and even how they celebrate Christmas in Australia.

I want YOU to participate this year. If you’ve done one in the past, we’d love to have you back again. But I’d also love to have new people. Those of you who are new blog readers or just haven’t stepped up to a do a post before. Maybe you’re a lurker, and you read the blog, but don’t comment a lot. Do a guest post! We’d love the chance to get to know you better!

As far as subject, you can pick anything as long as it’s holiday themed. Share your favorite Christmas book or movie, why you love it. What traditions do you have this time of year? Do you celebrate a different holiday other than Christmas (like Kwanzaa or Hanukkah?) Tell us about them! Don’t celebrate any holidays? What’s your favorite thing about winter? Anything goes, as long as it has something to do with this time of year.

So please, for those of you who have contributed in the past, and even more especially for those of you who haven’t, we want to read your guest posts! They don’t have to be long or fancy, just heartfelt. Okay, I didn’t want to have to bribe you, but there is also a special prize being given away for anyone who does a guest post. Only they will get a chance to win it. But it’s a secret, so I’m not telling you what the prize is yet. :)

If you are interested, send me an email at shadyglade (AT) mail (DOT) com (not gmail, just regular mail.com, and no spaces) with the subject you’d like to post about AND a day you want it to be posted. If you don’t care what day, at least give me a week that works for you so we can set up a deadline to get it to me. If you’re having trouble with email, please leave me a comment.

Here’s looking forward to some great entries!

Blogoversary Winners (Finally)

First of all, let me say that I am totally and completely embarrassed it has taken me so long to getting around to announcing these. I had the winners decided about a week after the blogoversary contests closed back in October, and I have just been too busy to post them. Then my computer ate the spreadsheet with everyone’s info on it… it’s been a mess all around.

Oh well, better late than never, right?

Here are the winners for all 30 prizes offered during the Blogoversary contests. Yes, the announcements are late, but the good news is you should all get your prizes in time for Christmas! Speaking of which, there will be MORE prizes up for grabs come December. But more about that later this week…

As I mentioned, I have misplaced the mailing addresses (and in some case email addresses) that everyone submitted when they entered. If you see your name in the winning cases below, please email me at shadyglade AT mail DOT com to tell me where to send your books. Also, with so many prizes, we did have a few people who won multiple things, so double check the whole list before sending yoru email.

Congrats to all the winners! Don’t forget to email me!

Lot #100: YA Mystery Box – Audrey

Lot #101: Recycled Book Purse – Marie N.

Lot #102: Paranormal/Fantasy pack – Rosie Carlo

Lot #103: Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer – Jennifer S.

Lot #104: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter – Ashley (Book Labyrinth)

Lot #105: Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl – Jennifer S.

Lot #106: Ghost set – Mary DeBorde [M.A.D.]

Lot #107: The Edge on the Sword by Rebecca Tingle – Jennifer S.

Lot #108: Babymouse, Our Hero by Matt and Jennifer Holm – Kristen H.

Lot #109: What the Dormouse Said: Lessons for Grown-ups from Children's Books by Amy Gash – Ashley (Book Labyrinth)

Lot #200: Mystery ARC box – Angie L.

Lot #201: Handmade Pumpkin Bookmark – Ashley (Book Labyrinth)

Lot #202: Tamora Pierce Prize Pack – Kristen H.

Lot #203: The Man You'll Marry by Debbie Macomber – Ashley (Book Labyrinth)

Lot #204: Letters from Rapunzel by Sara Lewis Holmes – Angie L.

Lot #205: Nicola and the Viscount by Meg Cabot – Jennifer S.

Lot #206: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson – Mina H.

Lot #207: Ghosts of Kerfol by Deborah Noyes – Robin B.

Lot #208: NERDS pack – Jasmyn

Lot #209: Ingo by Helen Dunmore – Melissa @ 1lbr

Lot #300: Graphic Novel Mystery Box – Debbie B.

Lot #301: Dark Divine Nail Polish – Trisha W.

Lot #302: History Prize Pack – Stephanie/Bookworm1858

Lot #303: Lady Grace Mysteries: Betrayal by Patricia Finney – Jasmyn

Lot #304: The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine – Jennifer S.

Lot #305: Raiders' Ransom by Emily Diamand – Lieder Madchen

Lot #306: Real Princesses: An Inside Look at the Royal Life by Valerie Wilding – Lieder Madchen

Lot #307: Pride and Prejudice Prize Pack – Melissa @ 1lbr

Lot #308: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo – Jenna

Lot #309: ARC Prize Pack #2 (Thank you again to Kristen of The Book Monsters for donating this prize!) – Lieder Madchen

Need Book Recommendations

Hello Readers! 

Okay, so I know I've been super bad about updating lately.  Let's just leave it at life has been crazier than I thought and all my free time has been completely used before I have time for blogging.  But hopefully that will be remedied soon!  In the meantime, I'm getting ready for special event in December (more info on that as it gets closer). 

Which brings me to the reason for this post.  I am looking for book recommendations for the holidays.  What is your favorite Christmas/other holiday/winter book? (or books if you have more than one favorite)  They can be any age, picture books, novels, anthologies, adult, teen, anything.  Please leave your suggestions in the comments or send me an email at shadyglade(AT)mail(DOT)com. 

Thanks!  You'll be really helping me out!

Update on Tamora Pierce Reading Challenge

So I have some good news for some of you. A couple weeks ago some of my readers stumbled across my Tamora Pierce Reading Challenge, only to express disappointment that they had discovered it so late.

I figured why not spread the joy, so the challenge has been extended until the end of the year! Which is good for me too, since because of other commitments (*cough* Cybils *cough*) I didn’t meet my goal yet, but am on track to finish by the end of the year. The challenge will now finish on December 31, 2011.

I’ve also found a prize for us. At the end of the year, one participant in the challenge will be randomly selected to receive a brand new hardcover copy of Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales, Ms. Pierce’s new book that came out last February.

If you want to win, you need to have signed up to participate in the challenge using Mr. Linky on the original page. And if you haven’t signed up yet, what are you waiting for?  Signups remain open for the length of the challenge.  It only takes 1 book to participate, and you can read that by January, can’t you?