Win a set of the Drama Queens series by Tracey Bateman
So…I’ve decided not to give away a copy of Breaking Dawn. Sorry. I will spare you my rant, but I really disliked the book and don’t really want to pass it on. If you disliked book three in the Twilight series, this reads about the same. But imho, worse. Mostly I was just pitifully bored with the book. I lost two days of my life reading it that I could’ve been…I dunno. Sitting on the couch for some other reason.
In lieu of no vampy book giveaway, I’m going to up the ante and give away THREE books. Recently I read That’s (Not Exactly) Amore by author Tracey Bateman. It is one of three in a series, and if you’d like to win all three, then just leave a comment now through next Wednesday. I’ll announce a winner on Friday, August 22nd. You can read an excerpt at the end of this post.
The August issue of Christian Fiction online magazine is up. You should check it out HERE!
It’s about time products like Gas-X realized what a goldmine they had and got creative with their commercials.
How cool would it be to write fart commercials? Sign me up! I have years of experience growing up with my brother to draw from.
Did you know Madonna just turned 50? That seems wrong. She should still be the twenty-something in an 80s prom dress rolling around on a gondola.
I have to confess I have not been watching the Olympics. I’m such a loser. And every day at work people are talking about it, and except for the swimming relay thingie with whats-his-name versus the French, I have no idea what they’re talking about. I’ve never seen people so psyched for the summer Olympics.
But this event will always be a little weird to me.
And I really think that guy should use those talents for something more meaningful. Like break dancing. Can you even imagine how awesome he’d be? He’s totally beyond the worm (which I still can’t do). He should skip the Olympics and do Step Up III.
So Sunday I bought some school supplies. The office supply places have been running like one cent pencil boxes and twenty-five cent mini staplers and all this stuff I can’t resist. Staples is absolutely the best for hooking teachers up with supplies. While the limit on one cent pencil boxes was two per customer, they let me have a whole box! So I have no IDEA what I’m going to do with 48 pencil holders, but for 55 cents, I couldn’t resist. Actually I’m going to play a game on parent day, and the winners will get pencil boxes that say “Ms. Jones Is My Favorite Teacher” in really classy Sharpie. Everyone will be wanting one, I’m sure.
After I left Staples, I went to Office Depot. They are a little more stingy with their supplies and didn’t offer me a box of anything. So as I was telling the clerk about Staples’ generosity, he said, “Oh, yeah? Well, did Staples have a back-to-school breakfast for teachers and serve Krispy Kreme donuts?” Oh, he got me there. “Um. . .no. They didn’t. I’m sorry, Mr. Office Depot. I guess Staples five cent protractors and nine cent packs of notebook paper can’t hold a candle to your free Krispy Kremes.” I took my fifty cent glue sticks and walked away, proud that our office supply stores see to our school needs as well as our insatiable donut requirements. They make me proud.
Well, I’m back at school. My kids aren’t back ’til Thursday. Learning all those names REALLY stresses me out. I am the worst at names. And it’s especially hard when you have 300 students. Today we had inservice and had one of the most boring speakers ever. (Sorry, dude, if you’re reading this. But when you said “We must never be boring or dull,” I wanted to shout out the definition of irony.) And today’s speaker committed a cardinal sin against teachers. As in the Golden Rule, which states: Your lecture must never extend into a teacher’s lunch time. This guy went 25 minutes into lunch! With boringness! I was about to crawl out of my skin. Boring speakers just insult me. I personally am never boring. My students are always hanging on my every word. . .my pocket taser might have something to do with it, but not necessarily.
Anyway, have a great Wednesday. Watch the Olympics for me.
JEN
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tracey Bateman published her first novel in 2000 and has been busy ever since. There are two other books in the Drama Queen Series, Catch A Rising Star (#1) and You Had Me At Goodbye (#2)
She learned to write by writing, and improved by listening to critique partners and editors. She has sold over 30 books in six years.
She became a member of American Christian Fiction Writers in the early months of its inception in 2000 and served as president for a year.
Tracey loves Sci-fi, Lifetime movies, and Days of Our Lives (this is out of a 21 year habit of watching, rather than enjoyment of current storylines.
She has been married to her husband Rusty for 18 years, has four kids, and lives in Lebanon, Missouri.
ABOUT THE BOOK
When Laini Sullivan lands a job designing Nick Pantalone’s coffee shop, there are two problems: one, Nick’s nephew Joe hates all of her ideas and two, Laini has to admit he’s right–she’s a disaster at design. Still, she can’t risk losing the job. To compromise, Joe brings in help on the project, while Laini continues to bake the goodies that keep his customers lining up.
Their relationship is moving along, so when new guy Officer Mark Hall implies that Joe’s family is tied to the mob, Laini doesn’t want to believe it. But things spin out of control when she meets the family, including “the uncles,” who seem to confirm Mark’s suspicions. To make things worse, Nana Pantalone makes it clear Laini isn’t the kind of girl she has in mind for her grandson. Laini’s not sure if she should give Joe the benefit of the doubt or just set her sites on Mark and fuhgetaboutit.
“Tracey draws us into the world of family and friendship with a few surprising twists along the way Bravo!”
~RACHEL HAUCK, author of Diva NashVegas and Sweet Caroline
If you would like to read the first chapter of That’s (Not Exactly) Amore, go HERE
23 Comments so far
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Hey, Jen! I’ve tagged you to play a book buzz meme, if you’re interested.
See the post here.
Sign me up for the book contest! (Since I enter basically every one I can find…) But Ms. Bateman’s books are hilarious, and after a few days of dull non-fiction, I need chick-lit.
Your Staples fiasco was hilarious! They probably let you have 46 more pencil boxes because they knew you were a teacher. Or to make up for the lack of donuts. Maybe you should have brought some to the back-to-school teacher’s meeting. At least then you would have had chocolate glaze to distract you from the boring speakers.
Blessings!
Ooh, sign me up too!
:) Younger sibs prying me off the computer…must go now.
Debbie
What a marvelous book giveaway prize drawing. My two sons will be back at school again and I would love to win these books to read this fall. Please enter my name in your generous contest. All is appreciated…..Thanks, Cindi
I dont know much about the books themselves, but hey! they’re free books! Sign me up!
I could use all the free books I can get my hands on!! 
Hey! Sign me up for the books! Remember my library in my room? Wouldn’t they look cool there? I really need more books that kids will read. “Your in Love, Charlie Brown” might not be as exciting as these!
During inservice (after the break and after I woke up) I moved to the back and enjoyed looking at an Avon book. Not that I buy Avon but it allowed me to pass some time…
Paula, I love to flip through Avon catalogs too! I never buy anything though.
And yeah, Staples definitely would’ve been perfect had they provided donuts.
I am so ashamed that you’re not watching the Olympics! However will you connect with all your students without this common ground and discussion topic(since everyone else IS watching the Olympics)?
Anyway, I’ll be more forgiving if you entered me in the draw, please:)
Hey! Sorry about school. Yours starts waaaay early compared to mine. I personally cannot stand the Olympics… unless it’s the guy gymnastics. Then I love it. =) I heard about that series and decided I must read it at all costs. You better watch your back.
Not to be that girl, but I didn’t really get into the Olympics either until I saw Michael Phelps get out of the water and thus, saw what I had been missing. My best friend said it best, “The man is Adonis”. Or however you spell the Greek guy’s name. You should watch one of his relays. Just for patriotism’s sake, of course. The other part of the olympics you might enjoy is Bella Koroli’s take on women’s gymnastics. They should just split the screen and let the man ramble all he wants - so funny and fun! (I have no clue how to spell his name either, obviously)
By the time I realized there was a *BD SPOILER* bat baby on board, I was already losing interest. And then there are about a million pages where nothing really happens. Some of the werewolf scenes are snarky and fun (love Seth) but at some point I was like END. ALL. READY. And then all that build up to the end and it was nothing. Except, “Brothers, let us counsel.” For the love, somebody just FIGHT.
Yay - another book giveaway! I missed the last one! I’ve been working to build up my book collection and this would definitely help.
LOVE your blogs…keep ‘em coming! They are the highlights of my week!
Hey, if they don’t tell anyone about the breakfast, they can’t take credit for it… or the Krispy Kremes. Enter me for the drawing Pick me! PICK ME!
Not watching the Olympics? How can you even call yourself an American?
OK, OK, I admit that I only really care about gymnastics and swimming, but still! You should be watching at least some of it. It’s not too late to redeem yourself.
Yay! Books! At least watch some track and field…
Natalie, I LOVE Bella Karoli. I can’t believe that guy is still in the biz. I watched him in the 80s when I still cared about the Olympics.
Thank you for the blog compliment, Amy K.
I know—I should watch some Olympics. What is wrong with me? I’m an Olympic watching reject!
And Carly, I was seriously a little outraged that Office Depot had not bothered to tell the teachers about the Krispy Kreme Teachers Breakfast. Um, who exactly DID they invite?
me! me! me!
I’m a mom of 7 and I’m homeschooling 6 of my kids this year! the youngest in school is starrting Kindergarten and my oldest is a Senior. we are starting today! but we have also loved watching the Olympics in the evenings!
I’d love to win the books
I love Tracey Bateman’s books. Please enter me in the drawing.
Jo
Please enter me as well - we love the Olympics (especially my husband!) and my boys love keeping track of the medals count
Janna
ryanx6 at msn dot com
I want to win what a great prize. Enter me.
spowell01(at)bellsouth(dot)net
I would love to win the books. Please enter me in the contest. My email address is shryackmom[@]charter[.]net
I’ve been seeing these books every where and would LOVE to read them!
I love your blog too! I read about BBC’s Robin Hood, I havene’t been able to keep up with the show, but when you said that Robin is leaving i neary cried! It’s almost as much of a tragity as when Fox stupidly canseled Firefly!!!!!
Yes, please sign me up for the books. Thanks!! :)purposedrivenlife4you(at)gmail(dot)com