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Very nice, Heather! I won a copy of Justice for Sara a couple of weeks ago and it came yesterday!

Thanks, Marisa!

Thanks, Melodie - Enjoy the Erica Spindler, it looks good!

Congrats, Melodie, I like her books.

I'm jealous Melodie...I love Erica Spindler!

Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews wrote: "I'm jealous Melodie...I love Erica Spindler!"

I've never read her, so looking forward to reading it.

Melodie wrote: "Very nice, Heather! I won a copy of Justice for Sara a couple of weeks ago and it came yesterday!"

You've won a great book. I thought it was really good. I've never won a thing:(.

Keep trying, Mary!

Heather & Melodie - Congrats on your winning :)

Heather, was yesterday really your birthday? Happy birthday in case it was!

Thanks, Leslie -- it's actually today. ��

Happy birthday Heather!

Thanks, Janice!

For the first time I won a couple of cozies through GR giveaways. I just won Bloom and Doom and Dead Between the Lines .

I'm very excited about both of these.

Congrats Melissa. I wish I won more cozies!

Melissa wrote: "For the first time I won a couple of cozies through GR giveaways. I just won Bloom and Doom and Dead Between the Lines[bookcover:..."

I have BLOOM & DOOM on order at Amazon. Let us know if you like it.

Congrats Melissa! Of the half dozen books won from GR over the years, I have never once won a cozy.

Melodie wrote: "Melissa wrote: "For the first time I won a couple of cozies through GR giveaways. I just won Bloom and Doom and [book:Dead Between the Lines|1834..."

I did like it a lot, I added a review. Yes, I was very happy and surprised to win two cozies in the same month, that had never happened before. :)

I won 2 books from the giveaways on goodreads. The first was Big Bunny Bump Off (Zoe Donovan Mystery ) The second is The Cairo Affair but I just found out that I was one of the lucky winners today.
Big Bunny Bump Off&The Cairo Affair

Congrats, Merrill! Be sure to let us know how they are.

I loved Big bunny Bump off, it was a nice light read. I can't tell you guys what I think of The Cairo Affair cuz I haven't got it yet but I looking foreword to reading it!

Hi everyone. :) Hope you're all having a great Monday. I hope what I'm about to do isn't a no-no. Wondering if anyone is interested in reading/reviewing a mystery novel? It's set aboard a cruise ship, and is my second book. Really needs some love. LOL, nobody seems to know it exists. :) If you're interested, please email me at [email protected]

Thanks.

MaryAnn

By some miracle (known as algorithm) I've been winning books for a while now. I did manage to win a copy of Aunt Dimity and the Wishing Well. Two years ago I won some books over a six month period and then won nothing for 18 months. I have no idea what changed but I've been winning lately.

Karen M -- Yeah, their algorithm sometimes leaves much to be desired. My luck changed when I switched my mailing address to my work addy, as I got tired of packages being delivered to the apt. complex office with NO notification of anything sitting down there. And half the time I'd call to ask if an expected package had come, they'd say no even when something was actually there. Now I'm in a smaller 4-unit non-complex building, and still have all packages directed to work as a safety precaution.

MaryAnn wrote: "Hi everyone. :) Hope you're all having a great Monday. I hope what I'm about to do isn't a no-no. Wondering if anyone is interested in reading/reviewing a mystery novel? It's set aboard a cruise sh..."

Dear Merrill, rec'd email but when I replied your server kicked back my email. Maybe you have another address I can respond to??

Thanks.

Heather L wrote: "Karen M -- Yeah, their algorithm sometimes leaves much to be desired. My luck changed when I switched my mailing address to my work addy, as I got tired of packages being delivered to the apt. comp..."

Heather, Just an FYI but you can sign up at the UPS website for "My UPS" and you will get notifications emailed the day before a package is due to be delivered to you. If they miss a delivery they even send you another email with an update and they email a confirmation of delivery too.

The Big Brown Truck showed up today with Miss Julia's Marvelous Makeover: A Novel. I was shocked :)

Karen ~ The thing is, you never know how the ŷ������ books will come to you -- mail, FedEx or UPS. By having all packages shipped to work, all bases are covered, and most items I order/receive are small enough to fit inside my shoulder bag. It's a small company, so I see all deliveries as soon as they come in.

Susie ~ Enjoy! I'm still waiting for the book I won three weeks ago. Meanwhile, part of the Amazon order I placed on Monday came in today. Go figure, LOL.

Merrill wrote: "I won 2 books from the giveaways on goodreads. The first was Big Bunny Bump Off (Zoe Donovan Mystery ) The second is The Cairo Affair but I just found out that I was one of the lucky winners today...."

Merrill, I received you email. :) But when I replied, it got kicked back. Can you write me again from a different email address?

Susie in KS wrote: "The Big Brown Truck showed up today with Miss Julia's Marvelous Makeover: A Novel. I was shocked :)"

Yaaaayyy, Susie!! :-)

Heather L wrote: "Karen ~ The thing is, you never know how the ŷ������ books will come to you -- mail, FedEx or UPS. By having all packages shipped to work, all bases are covered, and most items I order/receive ar..."

When I was still working I used to have the expensive stuff shipped to my office too although my UPS guy was pretty creative and he hid a big dehumidifier behind my trash barrels so it wouldn't be seen from the street. It blocked my side entrance so I at least found it fairly quickly. LOL

I just found out that I won InHap pily Ever After WOOHOO!!!

Congrats and enjoy, Merrill!

Merrill wrote: "I just found out that I won InHap pily Ever AfterWOOHOO!!!"

Hi Merrill. I rec'd your email, but when I replied back--it got kicked back. If you'd still like to read/review my book, please email from a different address.

Thanks.

MaryAnn

Won a copy of Broken Hearted Ghoul! Look forward to receiving it!

Congrats, Melodie! I entered for that one as well. Ah, well... ��

I finally won one after not winning anything for a few years!

Hill Country Greed: An Austin, Texas Mystery

Congrats - it sounds good, Leslie. They must have felt sorry for us, since it had been a couple since I'd won anything, too. Still waiting for mine to arrive. ;)

Thanks Heather! I live in Texas and my hubby lived in Austin when I met him, so I am always drawn to books in that locale. Hope it is as good as it sounds!

Jamie, your luck will turn around, mine finally did!

I was surprised to receive a notice that I have won a,giveaway DEATH BY ICE CREAM I anxious to read it but I need,to finished some other books,first. Thanks,for the book.

Congrats, Betty!


For those who may be interested, I finished The Widow's Walk last night. It was a good story about a romance that transcended time with some paranormal elements. However, the author has a serious "just then" problem.

The trite phrase was used so often that I picked up on it by page 50 and was annoyed by page 100 -- and he used it five times in one chapter late in the book. Made me want to whack the author over the head with his own book! (Oooh...can you picture it? Just then, the reader head-slapped the author with a copy of his own book...) Seriously -- as this was an ARC (uncorrected proof for newbies), I can only hope that at least some of the "just thens" disappeared in the final print run.

Heather L wrote: "(Oooh...can you picture it? Just then, the reader head-slapped the author with a copy of his own book...)"

ROFL

LOL! Heather, I'm searching my work-in-progress for any such repeated phrases immediately :-) They're easy to slip in unnoticed, but you're right. They should have been caught - even before ARC stage.

Thanks Jennifer! ��

Mary ~ I too thought that all the "just thens" should have been caught before ARC stage, especially as there are so many. While it did not occur in every chapter, it would probably average out to that if you considered that it was used twice in a couple of chapters and five times in the one. Some might argue that that's his style, but in my opinion there is nothing "stylistic" about it.

And wouldn't you know a "just then" cropped up in the cozy I started reading yesterday, part of a favorite series. I'm willing to let that one slide seeing as it was the only occurence in 50 pages. In fact, had there not been so many in the previous book, I probably wouldn't have noticed it in this one. I seem especially sensitized to it now.

I know for my personal writing -- be it emails, letters, message board or blog posts -- I am conscious of the fact that I tend to use "just" a lot, so have gotten in the habit of watching for it, often catching myself before I even type it now. However, I also know that when you become aware of one "nit" another often develops.

Congrats, Betty! And yes Heather, it's annoying so much repetition. It's awful in an speech (I've been counting some expression) but written word ;-(

I won School of Hard Knocks. It is a little early to tell, but the mystery part is very well done so far (I am in the middle of the book).

Congrats on your win, Evgeny - glad you are enjoying it so far!

Heather L wrote: "Congrats on your win, Evgeny - glad you are enjoying it so far!"

For what it is worth I lost a couple of sleep hours because of the book.

Evgeny wrote: "For what it is worth I lost a couple of sleep hours because of the book."

Always a good recommendation!

Twice lately I've been lucky enough to be offered a digital copy of a book I didn't win by the publisher.
Mad About You & Elizabeth is Missing

Penguin UK emailed me with the offer of an ebook since I didn't win the paper book. I know I tried to win both of these books more than once so I don't know if that had anything to do with it but it sure makes my day a bit brighter when something like this happens.

Karen M: Wow, that's pretty impressive. Enjoy! ��