I've dug up a gem while blog surfing!

A "gem" is something that catches my eye, intrigues me and just, just ....floats mah boat!

You see I'm entering into a New Season in My Life and while I'm figuring out where it's taking me I've decided, for one thing, to begin to indulge myself, to find new things to get wrapped up in and rediscover old pastimes long abandoned as well. Like reading a good book.

Being a devout "list maker" I made myself a list with this decision and at the very top I listed "Find the hottest newest novel on the shelves and devour it." And while casually blog surfing for something else entirely I came across a blog, Chocolate Daydreams by Suzanne V. Reese who is the author of a book coming out December 11, 2008 titled "Where Hearts Prosper".

Not only have I just checked off #1 on my New Season In My Life List but in her blog she is also challenging anyone in a contest to promote this novel for her and well, being a promoter I've risen to the challenge. To me this is like waving a red cape at a bull. The prize drawing being a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

So here it is, her official request: On December 11, 2008, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm mountain standard time purchase Where Hearts Prosper from Amazon or if you can't buy it in that hour then sometime that day.

Current Mountain Standard Time

The reason being that The Powers That Be at Amazon.com command that an authors book sell 500 copies within the first hour of being out in order for an author to be ranked among the coveted Top 50.

So, will you join me in discovering THIS hot off the presses new novel in a splurge of self indulgence?

"I would sock monkey person but I don't have the time to INDULGE MYSELF to read a novel!"

Your excuses:

"I have small children who love to metal detect sharp objects and play with them if I don't stare at them every minute of every day."

My response: While they are distracted by the metal objects quickly turn the clock back one hour and then trick them into going to bed early. This will work for several nights. Trust me on this one. In an extreme emergency do what Mad TV says and give them Nyquil for dinner.

"I have bills therefore I work and the boss makes me do the work of 3 people therefore I am too tired to eat let alone indulge myself with a novel."

My response: Have a friend take a full body photo of you in your work clothing and then surf the net for a good deal on getting that photo turned into a lifesized cardboard cutout display JUST like they have at the video stores as movie displays. If you really want to trip your boss out get three of them made to make him think you literally cloned yourself in your loyalty to the company. Put it at your work station then spend your shift playing hookie hookie. At home, in bed reading "Where Hearts Prosper".

"I cannot afford a new novel."

My response: Oh but you can afford that gallon of milk and that toilet paper in your bathroom can't you? Do you not know that a brief yet totally safe escape from reality for a few hours is worth it's weight in gold? I mean, the alternative here is to get hooked on drugs. This is a safety issue. It will keep you from cracking up. (Which just explained the New Season of My Life I already mentioned above.)

Is your mind still resisting this call

to indulge???

Let me up the ante! If you purchase this novel in the hour specified on Dec 11th I'll enter your name 5 extra times into my second sock monkey giveaway drawing being held on Dec. 31st.

And after you read the book you then have until Jan. 30, 2009 to write a review and post it onto your blog to enter into her second contest also for a $25 Amazon Gift Card prize drawing.

Then she is going to decide who laughed, cried and bled the most while promoting her book to the utmost and award that entrant a $100 Amazon Gift Card. The deadline for this is also Jan. 30th.

In my dreams I'll write something worth being put into print someday so this contest happens to be a learning experience as well.

DON'T FORGET WHILE YOU ARE HERE TO GO TO THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THIS BLOG TO ENTER TO WIN A GENUINE ROCKFORD RED HEEL SOCK MONKEY. I'M GIVING AWAY TWO OF THEM! NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. DRAWING DATES: DEC 20 & 31, 2008