Exciting News!

Good Tuesday morning everyone! I hope everyone is staying afloat after tropical storm Lee push his way through. I know Kimberly got a lot of rain as did we. A lot of flooding and trees down around our area. I even got to come in to work late this morning. But, even in the face of this nasty weather I have good news. At least, I think it's good news.

Some of you already know that my husband is morning show radio personality for US101, a country station here in Chattanooga. Every year, the Country Music Association produces a huge award show called the CMAs. The televised part of the show is mainly made up of awards going to country artists, writers, and music video producers; however, there are also tons of radio awards given out as well. Now, you may be following where I'm going with this, but here it is. This morning it was announced that my husband and his two radio partners were nominated for CMA Small Market Personality of the Year! It's a huge honor just to be nominated, and I am so excited for them! The winners will be announced and receive their awards later this year so I will let you all know how it turns out. For now, if you'd like to check out a CMA nominated radio show click here. The Bearman and Ken show (featuring Daniel) is on from 5am - 10am EST Monday - Friday and can be streamed online.

Britney

Review: THE FUTURE OF US (ARC) by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

What would you do if your high school self suddenly had glimpses of your life in the future? It's an extremely interesting idea, and with THE FUTURE OF US, Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler have knocked it out of the park!

When I opened the book, I was instantly back in 1996. Asher and Mackler made sure the reader really felt Emma and Josh's place in the past (their present). From the novelty of the Internet and AOL to the upper class privilege of a cell phone to the popular music and movies of the mid-90s. I could vividly see Emma and Josh waiting for the AOL dial-up connection, the setting was so complete I instantly felt that connection with the characters.

When I think of seeing into the future, I typically think fortune tellers and sci-fi movies; not so with this book. Asher and Mackler really dig deep into the fundamental issues of trying to change the future. Josh serves as the moral compass, while Emma's reckless involvement causes radical consequences. When it comes to your future, how far is too far? And is there any going back? This novel will have you seriously contemplating how even the tiniest of decisions in the present may alter your future drastically.

An AMAZING 5 star read. Don't miss it.

Britney

WVMP Series Read-Along and Giveaways

To further celebrate our love for Jeri Smith-Ready, What’s on the Bookshelf, Fictitious Delicious, And many to read before I sleep and Living Fictitiously are happy to co-host an event you can really sink your teeth into. Introducing…

WVMP Series Read-Along

October 1 – 30, 2011

October 1 – 8: WICKED GAME (WVMP Book #1)

October 9 – 17: BAD TO THE BONE (WVMP Book #2)

October 18 – 26: BRING ON THE NIGHT (WVMP Book #3)

October 27 - 30: LET IT BLEED (WVMP Online Novella)

This is by no means a “read the book then answer these questions” type of read-along. It’s more like a “let’s read these books together and talk about the awesomeness/WTF-ness we just read.” We all know how important it is to have someone to gush to when you’re reading a great book. And that’s EXACTLY what this is. We’ll post discussion questions on Google + twice a week to help get the conversation going, but we want to be talking about what YOU want to.

Now, before you sign up for the read-along you need to know that the material contained in these books are geared toward an adult readership. Explicit language, strong sexual content and fairly graphic violence are involved. Please pass on this read-along if you are sensitive to any of these.

Oh, and get this! Jeri is going to join us one evening in October to chat about the series. See? She really is the bee’s knees. The cat’s meow. The eel’s ankle. The elephant’s instep. The snake’s hip. She rocks. And not only that, but the characters of WVMP, Shane McAllister and Ciara Griffin will make an appearance as well. Hellz yeah!

Participating is easy! Just follow these easy steps:

1. Signup for the Read-Along HERE. Signup will close on Wednesday, September 28.

2. If you don’t have a Google + account, go signup for one. (We can send you an invite if you need one.) And don’t worry if you haven’t used Google+ before. We’ll email detailed instructions to each participant at the end of September.

3. Get the books. If your library doesn’t carry the books, tell them they should! Here are some handy links for purchasing the books online. CONSTELLATION BOOKS, AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE and BOOK DEPOSITORY. Some of us are die-hard enough to own multiple copies of these books and if you’d like to borrow a set, let us know on the signup form. (No guarantees that we’ll have enough to go around.)

4. Wait patiently for October and prepare for vampire greatness.

To kick off the event, we’re giving away a few sets of the books! Visit the links below for your chance to WIN the entire WVMP Series.

WHAT'S ON THE BOOKSHELF GIVEAWAY (contest closed)

FICTITIOUS DELICIOUS GIVEAWAY (contest closed)

LIVING-FICTICIOUSLY GIVEAWAY (contest closed)

AND MANY TO READ BEFORE I SLEEP GIVEAWAY (contest closed)

Please let us know if you have any questions. We look forward to chatting with you in October!

Kimberly and Britney