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Sunday, April 29, 2012

Mailbox Monday


I am really excited to read this one. It just came in the mail on Friday for review. What an incredible story this must be!

Guest of Honor: Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt and the White House dinner That Shocked a Nation by Deborah Davis

"In this revealing social history, one remarkable White House dinner becomes a lens through which to examine race, politics, and the lives and legacies of two of America’s most iconic figures.


In 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt invited Booker T. Washington to have dinner at the executive mansion with the First Family. The next morning, news that the president had dined with a black man—and former slave—sent shock waves through the nation. Although African Americans had helped build the White House and had worked for most of the presidents, not a single one had ever been invited to dine there. Fueled by inflammatory newspaper articles, political cartoons, and even vulgar songs, the scandal escalated and threatened to topple two of America’s greatest men.


In this smart, accessible narrative, one seemingly ordinary dinner becomes a window onto post–Civil War American history and politics, and onto the lives of two dynamic men whose experiences and philosophies connect in unexpected ways. Deborah Davis also introduces dozens of other fascinating figures who have previously occupied the margins and footnotes of history, creating a lively and vastly entertaining book that reconfirms her place as one of our most talented popular historians."


Mailbox Monday is being hosted by Cindy of Cindy's Love of Books this month. Go check out what others are getting in their mailboxes!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Review and GIVEAWAY: The Day The World Ends: Poems by Ethan Coen



The Day The World Ends: Poems by Ethan Coen

As I have mentioned before, I am not a frequent reader of poetry. In fact, I couldn't remember the last time I had read any poetry before this month. I was a little apprehensive above agreeing to review this collection of poetry but was willing to give it a try when I saw who the poet was and also remembered that April was National Poetry Month. 

So, first, the poet. Ethan Coen. One half of the Coen Brothers who are responsible for some of my favorite movies: Fargo, Burn After Reading, Raising Arizona! Love these. Of course, there are many more. The quirkiness in these movies is what I was hoping to find in Ethan Coen's poetry. I wasn't disappointed.

In fact, not only quirky these were also a little twisted and crazy. I had a lot of fun reading some of these to the hubby. We both would either find ourselves laughing hysterically or completely silent with mouths hanging open at the wrongness of what I had just read. 

If you are interested in reading this interesting collection of poems, beware. There is profanity and some... questionable topics. If that doesn't bother you..be ready for some entertainment, and limericks!
Mixed in amongst these are a few shareable poems that are quite nice and give another view into Coen's mind. Here is one:

Smart

They hurl their lightening bolts at me.
I duck- and dodge- and feint- and flee.
The great contend; the mighty strive;
The slippery, like me, survive.

GIVEAWAY: Would you like a copy of your own to read? Just leave me a comment to be entered to win a copy of The Day The World Ends: Poems by Ethan Coen. 



3.5/5
Source: Publisher/Author for review




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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

WIP on Wednesday: It's a Frog!

This reminds me of dissection lab in high school biology class. ;)
Soon, it won't look cut open.

Looks like a science experiment gone bad. ;)

Pattern: Tree Frog by Hansi Singh
Yarn: Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller Washable Ewe in clover
Needles:US 5
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Current GIVEAWAY
5 Middle Grade books. Enter here.
eBook Prize Package. Enter here.
 
FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Winner of $15 to spend at GoneReading.com


Congratulations 

Serena of SavvyVerse & Wit

You are the lucky winner of
$15 to spend at

Go to GoneReading.com and choose the items you would like then email me your list and address to marireadsATyahooDOTcom. I will put in the order and have it shipped to you. Congrats!!!

Random Number Generator used to pick winner.
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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Pin It and Do It Challenge


Trish has a great challenge starting in May. I am guessing I am not the only on who joined Pinterest but not put it to use. I have a few pins but that is about it, so this is perfect for me to really use it. 

You can find my board here
For this challenge I am going to attempt the Timid Pinner Level, 1-3 pins.  And maybe, if I enjoy it and really get into attempting the things I pin, I will do more!

Anyone else want to join in? Just click on the button and enter the challenge!
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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Current Read and Teaser: The Orchid House by Lucinda Rey


I am really enjoying this book. Have any of you read it? Really quite good so far and I am only 30 pages in! Anyway, want a little tease? Thought so. Here you go:

"Julia pulled her car to a stop in front of the crumbling stone steps that led up to the main entrance of Wharton Park. The house was dark, with the magnificent oak front door ominously closed." page 181, paperback.
Happy Tuesday!


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page (I am usually not so random)
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

MANday GIVEAWAY!!




A Message from Jillian Dodd:

I recently met author CJ West. Aside from writing great books, I couldn’t help but notice that he was pretty darn cute. So I politely inquired about the possibility of him appearing on one of my MANday blog posts. (Actually, I said, Do you have good abs?)  After a little help from some of my female author friends, we convinced him (okay, we bribed him) into agreeing. 

So here’s the deal:

If we can get 5,000 people to comment on his website, he will be featured on MANday!
In case you have never seen a MANday post, feast your eyes on this and this. 
(Be sure to come right back here!!) 

If you help us, YOU will be eligible to win a prize package of ebooks by both CJ West and myself, Jillian Dodd, as well as some of our friend’s books. You can enter to win that package by doing this:

Just leave a comment below letting me know that you went over and commented on CJ West's blog! That's it! 

If we reach our goal, we will also award a $500 Amazon Gift card to one lucky winner!!! 
To enter, go to  CJ’s blog and leave a comment. 
He needs a little encouragement!!



List of e-books in prize package:
That Boy  by Jillian Dodd
That Wedding by Jillian Dodd
The End of Marking Time by CJ West
Sin And Vengeance by CJ West
Drawing Free by Elena Aitken
Devil Unknown a novella by Steena Holmes
Elemental Magic by Angela Wallace
Again by Diana Murdock
Telesa by Lani Wendt Young
Exiled by MR Merrick
The Bridge Club by Patricia Sands

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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

WiP: Baby gifts, cont.



The baby knitting continues. This time a toy. I have the polyfil on hand and a really great pattern for a wee frog. My friend loves frogs so I am so excited that I found a frog to knit for her little girl, who is due in May. 
A little frog to be. #knitting
Can't tell yet, but this little green thing is a frog leg. Cool, huh? ;)

Pattern: Tree Frog by Hansi Singh
Yarn: Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller Washable Ewe in clover
Needles:US 5

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Current GIVEAWAYs
$15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here.
5 Middle Grade books. Enter here.
 
FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

GIVEAWAY: Books for Reluctant Readers



It is hard for me to imagine that there are people who don't like to read. Actually, I don't need to imagine it. My older sister is not a reader and neither is her 13 year old son! Now her daughter is more like me- reading every book she can get her hands on. 

So, I have received books and purchased books that I think would be great for young boys, about my nephews age, to get them excited about reading. Some I have already passed on to my sister's kid, the rest I am offering to you in a random GIVEAWAY.

Here is what I have (all are gently read books that I have purchased or been given ):
Giveaway books
Septimus Heap: Magyk by Angie Sage
The Case of the Killer Bugs by Jay Montavon
The Alchemyst- The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
Trackers by Patrick Carman
The Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham

I hope these can all go to a great kid who will enjoy them.

Giveaway is open from now until the end of the month. US residents only. Just leave me a comment if you would like a chance to win all 5 books.
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Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Current Read and Teaser: Merciful Law by Darby Rae




I thought this was going to be a courtroom thriller- boy was I wrong. Different than what I thought, but really quite engrossing. Can't wait to see where this is going. Here's a quote to peak your interest:

"It was something out of a James Bond movie. Te back wall in the bar pivoted exposing a hidden room." pg 228, Merciful Law (paperback).

Hoping to have this one finished soon and reviewed before the end of the month.

Happy Tuesday!


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page (I am usually not so random)
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
_________________________________________

Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Mailbox Monday: ReadingGroupChoices.com



Have you all heard of ReadingGroupChoices.com?
If you have a book group, this is a great resource to find books, reading group questions, and ideas for having successful meetups. Another really cool thing about the site is the giveaways. Sign up and you can enter to receive books for you and/or your group. How cool is that?

Well, I won a copy of Save Me by Lisa Scottoline. Thinking of suggesting this one the next time I host. :)
Mailbox Monday is hosted this month by Cindy at Cindy's Love of Books. Go by and check it out. Be warned, You may find a lot of books to add to your TBR pile! :)

Happy Monday.

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Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here.
 
FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

The Sunday Salon: National Poetry Month


April has been a good month for MariReads so far. Perhaps not much in the way of traffic flow, but I feel successful with how much I have been able to post. It feels like I am getting back into the groove of it all. Still wishing I had more time to peruse the blogs I used to visit often. I just can't find the time to sit for a couple hours to blog hop!

One thing I thought I wouldn't enjoy but have this month, is poetry. I have been giving it a try in honor of National Poetry Month and am actually liking some of the poetry I have been reading. Look for my review of Ethan Coen's book of poems, The Day the World Ends, next Thursday. And check out all the poetry related posts with the NPM Blog Tour hosted by Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit.

I have a giveaway going on right now that only has a few entries (read as good odds of winning) for $15 to spend at GoneReading.com, a great company whose proceeds go to help libraries and other book related organizations. Link is below, ends on Aprill 22! You can also use the code MARIREADS25 to get 25% off any purchases (except bookends).

Happy Sunday!

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Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here.
 
FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Book Review: Are You Somebody? by Nuala O'Faolain




Are You Somebody? The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman by Nuala O'Faolain

My book group likes themes. Our food choices for meetings are based on our books, books are chosen to coincide with holidays during the month as well. We try to anyway. March's choice went Irish in honor of St. Patrick's Day. A memoir seemed like a good choice since we hadn't read that genre yet. 

Nuala O'Faolain was a renowned journalist who lived in Dublin and London. She was also a novelist, I had actually read one of her books, My Dream of You, awhile back.  I remembered enjoying the book, so I was one who voted for her memoir.

The forward by Frank McCourt got me excited that this was going to be an interesting read. Unfortunately, I lost interest pretty quickly. There is no denying that O'Faolain is a great writer. It is a very well written memoir. My problem was just not wanting to read any more about her exploits with this writer and that director and this famous novelist, etc, etc. Now, I don't believe she is name dropping to show off or anything, it doesn't come off that way at all. It's just that a lot of these people she mentions- I had no idea who they were. I suppose, people more knowledgeable about Irish writers would enjoy these mentions more.

I know she has been criticized by others for portraying herself and her family as poor. Since her father was nationally known as a radio personality and led a pretty good life when out in Dublin, others found it hard to believe that the life she led was all that hard. Perhaps they didn't know that she was one of many children living, most of the time with no father and a drunk mother. Poor, not poor, she tells of a hard childhood that not even her critics would want.

I did like how much she mentions the power of reading and books. How important books were to her mother and to her. I was looking through highlights I made while reading and found that most had to do with literacy, her love of reading and how it saved her. One quote- "If there were nothing else, reading would-obviously-be worth living for."(pg 41, ebook)- resonated with me. Would it be enough for me? For you? 

So, this is a hard book to rate. I liked parts, I disliked others, but it got me thinking and it gave a lot for us to discuss at book group. I will go ahead and leave this one unrated

Source: purchased ebook

Author and setting: Ireland

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Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Mar/Apr Book Group: Are you Somebody? by Nuala O'Faolain




I have been a little delinquent on these posts. Last one I did was for our Nov/Dec book choice. This was more for me but thought it might be informational for others if considering these books for their own book groups. Here are the books we have read since then:

January- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. (my review)
February- The Last Letter from Your Lover by JoJo Moyes (my review)
March/April- Are You Somebody? The Accidetal Memoir of a Dublin Woman by Nuala O'Faolain
This wasn't supposed to be a two month book. It was our book choice in honor of St.Patrick's Day. We went with an Irish writer and should have met pretty close to the day. A couple things kept us from meeting until Wednesday.

Thoughts about the book:
One, it was a hard book to get through. It wasn't long, the writing wasn't difficult it was more the life this women led and how it is presented. I didn't want to know more about how who she was being mentored by, meeting in the pubs, sleeping with, working with, etc. The list went on and on with writers I am sure I should know, but don't. I lost interest and wasn't the only one.

Funny thing, though, we had a lot to talk about. We talked more about this book, that only half of us finished, more than any other book we've read. It seems a lot of things resonated with us- the treatment of women and her views on it, her relationships or lack there of, her family life, and how things have changed for women everywhere since the 60's. Or have they?

Popular Question:
How might this memoir have differed had she written it either earlier or later in life?
If earlier, I feel it would have been a much more lighthearted romp through her escapades, rather than an analysis of her life. If later, she may look upon her life with different eyes, eyes that know how short of time she had. It would be interesting if her analysis would be different. Would she see it in such a dark light?

Next Months book: A Million Nightingales by Susan Straight
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Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

National Poetry Month: Stop all the clocks… by W.H. Auden



W. H. Auden


Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Such a beautiful, sad tribute to a lost love. So descriptive and full of feeling. The words bring tears to my eyes, especially the third stanza. Have loved this one since '94, when I first heard it in the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Is there a poem that you can't forget or brings you to tears?


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Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here.
 
FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

WiP on Wednesday



Aww, knitting how I have missed you.






I have many pregnant friends this year so this will not be my only baby knit in the coming months. In fact, this isn't my first. I already finished one hat and sweater that was shipped off yesterday to Baby Kathryn, born on Friday.
This little hat in progress is destined for Baby Emmaline, due next month. I have a little time to get this done. :)
Baby hat
Pattern: Baby Hat by Leigh Radford, One Skein
Yarn: Knit Picks Palette in Clematis Heather
Needles: US 5

Are you a knitter/crocheter? Come find me on





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Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here.
 
FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Virtual Book Tour: Guest Post by M.J. Rose

Help me in welcoming M.J. Rose to MariReads. She is the author of The Book of Lost Fragrances and is currently on a blog tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I posted my review last week here. You can find her other stops on the tour here.
Enjoy!
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M.J. Rose:  I've been fascinated with lost fragrances since long before I started writing The Book of Lost Fragrances... since I found a bottle of perfume on my great grandmother's dresser that had belonged to her mother in Russia. Here is one of those lost fragrances that stirs the senses and the imagination... (researched and described with the help of the perfume writer  Dimitrios Dimitriadis)
 GODET - PETITE FLEUR BLEUEJulien-Joseph Godet founded Parfums Godet in 1907 and produced perfumes which epitomized the Art Deco age. Petite Fleur Bleue was a whimsical floral scent opening with shimmering citrus and delicate forget-me-nots. This hushed composition tippy-toes through a flowerbed of lightly spiced carnations, and evolves further with a lip-smacking vanilla/marzipan facet. Such a chaste and maidenly name belied a deliciously carnal drydown of resins, mosses and musk. A tantalizing composition the likes of which are seldom seen today.

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M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her next novel THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES (Atria/S&S) will be published in March 2012. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com. Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka. 

 For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE
You can also find her on Facebook.








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Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here.

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Mailbox Monday: Review books!




This week saw a couple review books show up in the mail:

The Orchid House by Lucinda Riley
Save Me by Lisa Scottoline
and
The Day the World Ends:Poems by Ethan Coen
Hoping to get more than one of these read this month! April is my month of getting back to blogging after all. 

Mailbox Monday is hosted this month by Cindy at Cindy's Love of Books. Go by and check it out. Be warned, You may find a lot of books to add to your TBR pile! :)

Happy Monday.
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Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here.

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Book Review: The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

BOOK INFO:

Atria Books(S&S)
384 pages
Published March 13, 2012


REVIEW:

I have always been amazed at the power of smells- How a certain scent can trigger memories from childhood or cause a very physical reaction such as sadness or anger. For me, it is the smell of China Rain oils. Reminds me of being a teen, vacationing with family on the Central Coast of California. Because of this, I was very excited to read The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose.
In the book, the author introduces a fragrance that can bring back the memories of past lives! So cool.

The House of E'toile is a perfume company in danger of going under, but a discovery of broken Egyptian pottery in the cellar of their father's home give brother and sister, Jaq and Robbie, a chance to save their family's legacy and unlock the mysteries of reincarnation. Unfortunately for them, some people, such as the Chinese government, are not as excited by this discovery. The Book of Lost Fragrances is a love story, suspense and mystery novel, and a bit of history all rolled up in to one great and interesting story.

I really enjoyed the storytelling and pace of this book. The suspense grows throughout which kept me reading wanting to find out what was going to happen next. The characters are interesting and likable, as well, which also made me want to know how it was all going to end for them.

This was my first time reading anything by M.J. Rose and am now a fan. Can't wait to get my hands on her other books. Really looking forward to reading her Reincarnationist Series.

4/5
Source: Author/Publisher for review
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her next novel THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES (Atria/S&S) will be published in March 2012. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

 For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE.
You can also find her on Facebook.