Did everyone have a great week? I hope so, but it COULD be a FANTASTIC beginning to next week if you won the ARC, right?
Well, this Friday the 13th is good for something! It’s time for another chance, but let’s do something different. Read on to find out how to win this week.
On October 12th, I’ll be the featured speaker for a non-profit organization called First Book. The event takes place in Conway, South Carolina, and I can’t wait to meet the attendees and share about my own first books.
I have a memory stamped into my head and it has stuck with me all these years, but I think I’ve thought more about it lately because of the event I mention above. When I was in first grade, which is when children were taught to read who are my age, (ha!) my name was called to come to the “reading circle,” along with about six or seven other students. The rest of the classroom sat at their desks doing other work while our teacher gave us our first reading lesson. We used the Dick and Jane primers. (yep, definitely showing my age)
I was scared, anxious and excited all at once. One by one, she had us sound out our words, and “read.” Somehow, through all these decades, I remember my first sentence. “Go, Dick, go!” My teacher asked me to read it again, this time keeping in mind the punctuation. I repeated the sentence with extra added emphasis for the exclamation point – !
“Very, very good, Donna.”
There may have been a little preening from me following her praise. From that moment on, that little girl that was me became an avid reader and she still is. My latest rave reads?
These stunning Southern fiction stories. Swoon worthy.
(Admittedly, I was too lazy to go upstairs, take a picture of each, download, upload, and post. But, if you follow me on Goodreads, then you know I just read these.)
Now, for a chance to win the ARC this week – share your first book experience with us, and, as always, share this post out to your bookish friends!
Don’t forget to leave a review if you win an ARC! It would be great if winners would post pictures and share out on social media sites – they’re always fun to see!
Now on to this week’s sentence for THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER. (December 31, 2019, Kensington)
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Cars used by bootleggers were modified to haul lots of ‘shine. While they kept the “stock” appearance for the outside, they were changed in other ways, and I’m talking fake gas tanks, extra suspension so the car didn’t sag (a sure sign there was something back there and it wasn’t Granny’s fried chicken) along with back seats that allowed storage underneath, under the floorboards, or even in the overhead areas. The mechanics who made these changes could be quite creative.
The 1940 Ford Coupe was one of the most popular types of car used, mostly because of the horsepower it had.
In THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER, Jessie’s Daddy doesn’t have that type of car, but an Oldsmobile Rocket 88. One that would have looked a lot like this:
Similar, but different. Bootleggers had a tendency to name their cars, and Jessie’s father is no different. (Actually, a lot of people name their cars and they’re not hauling liquor.)
Chapter 19
I’d always known Sally Sue was a beast of a car.
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The winner of THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER ARC will be announced Monday morning!
Don’t forget to pre-order your copy of THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER here, to be included in the sweepstakes to win a ***leather -bound journal like the Sassers use!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to add THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER to your Goodreads To Be Read list!
AND, don’t forget there’s another AWESOME and BIG giveaway for an ARC on Goodreads, by my publisher. Lots of chances for an opportunity to be a FIRST reader!
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Nancy Drew was my beginning.. 5th grade class had the whole set. Now I’m a bookaholic and very proud!
I also started with “Dick and Jane” but it was Dr. Seuss who kept me reading! I loved the rhymes, the accompanying illustrations, and they were books I’d read over & over! From there I fell in love with Mark Twain, “Huckleberry Finn” and “Tom Sawyer”, I lived their adventures!
Definitely Nancy Drew. I have all the originals which I will hand down to my daughter!
Definitely Nancy Drew. I have all the originals which I will hand down to my daughter.
The Bobbsey Twins!
I started out with typical children’s books…Dick and Jane, Rolly Polly 🙂
We had Dick and Jane in school. Nancy Drew, I always got so absorbed in the stories. Still have my set of books.
We did have Dick and Jane books in my house as a kid, but the first book I remember reading was Sheldon’s Lunch by Bruce Lemerise
I don’t remember my first book experiences, but, I’m sure it had to do with Dick and Jane. Love reading!
I also read about Dick, Jane, and Spot but my career as an avid reader began with my neighbor lending me all of her Bobbsey Twin books. I then graduated to Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew and my fate was sealed! Thanks for your giveaway!
Connie
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
Nancy Drew was one of my first series along with The Bobsey Twins. I loved both of them and am looking forward to seeing the new Nancy Drew movie. I read and reviewed The Forgiving Kind which was excellent. I’d love to win an ARC of The Moonshiner’s Daughter to read and review. Thank you for the chance.
I am too old to remember learning to read but I can still remember when I got my first book- the first book that was really mine to keep and read. Christmas morning when I was 8 years old, there was a package for me from Santa Claus. When I opened it, there was a copy of Heidi by Johanna Spyri. I still have my original copy in my bookcase – with my name and address not only inside the cover but also inside the back cover written in sloppy cursive. It was the first of many books that I would own and I has a special place in my memory.
I can’t remember the books from my younger years but I really became engaged in my teens with Toilkens books and loved getting lost in the magical adventures!
When I was very little my mom gave me the gift of loving to read. Every night before bed she would read to me. Every time we went into town, she would buy me a book to add to my collection. I remember reading and loving The Little Engine That Could, that I kept and read to my son! Growing up, every week on Saturday, we would go to the library to choose books together. I’m an avid reader, thanks to her. And she loved hearing me read to her when she was sick in bed. Sadly my mom passed away when I was nineteen! I will always be eternally grateful for her passing on the love of reading to me. Her passing is incredibly sad but her memory lives on with every book that I pick up to read!
Dick and Jane was my first reading experience, too, and I was hooked. Like most girls my age, I read Nancy Drew and The Bobbsey Twins and then almost anything I could get my hands on!
I really don’t remember my first book experience, but I do remember that we had Dick and Jane in school, but I’m pretty sure it involved them.
The first I can remember is Bobsey Twins. But, both my kids had Richard Scarey’s Best Word Book Ever. Wore out three copies. I still buy it as a baby gift every time!
I too remember learning to read with Dick and Jane books but my most vivid memory comes a little later. When I was 12 years old my mom finally agreed to allow me to go to the library on my own. The day always stands out to me because it was an amazing gift. This beautiful, old library was a few blocks from my house and became my sanctuary of sorts. I loved spending time there and the lovely librarian would watch the clock for me and tell me when it was time for me to start walking home. It was the only place I could read without being tormented by my little brother and I loved it.
I remember Richard Scurry and Dick and Jane books. I remember the vivid colors.
I loved Nancy Drew and one summer a friend of my mothers gave her a box of Nancy Drew mysteries. I read them all summer but was heartbroken when at the end of summer she collected them all back
Dick and Jane was my first memory of reading. I don’t recall having any problems reading. I do remember being very happy that I could read. I was a very shy person growing up; so if I ever had to go to the front of the class to speak, it was very hard for me.
I honestly can’t remember the first book I read. I do remember that once I learned to read I read everything I could get my hands on.
I started reading when I was three by recognizing advertising logos; by the time I was in kindergarten, I was reading the Dr Seuss books to the class while our teacher took her coffee break! ????❤️
YES! Fun with Dick and Jane – the first book I ever read as well!
I grew up reading Nancy Drew books.
I remember learning to read from the Dick and Jane books! Once I learned to read, I couldn’t be stopped. I loved going to the library and checking out The Boxcar Children books. Thanks for the giveaway!
Oh yes I remember Dick and Jane and then the pets Tip and Mitten, such very good memories of these awesome books. Thanks for the chance. Have a Great weekend. God Bless .
The Little House on the Prairie series- I was immediately hooked!
Yep, I learned to read with Dick, Jane and Spot. Then, I moved on to the Bobbsy Twins and Nancy Drew. I have always loved to read, read, read!!!
can’t remember the first book
Oh well! Not everyone can.
We didn’t have a tv till I was 13. I remember my mom reserving Charlotte’s Web at the library. Then she read it to my sister and me. I love it. I lived on a farm and my mom was too busy or tired to read to me as often as I wanted. So I learned to read at an early age. I don’t remember having a particular series of books that I loved. But we had World Book encyclopedias and large some children’s books with many stories. I read them over and over again.
Way back it was Bread and Jam for Frances and Little House in the Big Woods. Both gifts I received for Christmas.
Stranger In A Strange Land-I was a little slow getting started, I’ve made up for it.
My third grade teacher read Charlotte’s Web to us. I loved it and went to the library and checked out the book so I could read it myself. I have been reading ever since 🙂