It is true - I received this book a few months ago.  Usually it doesn’t take me so long to review a book, but things have been hopping around here.  (Check out my new venture.) I haven’t had as much time as usual to really sink my teeth into a book, but I’m very happy to have had ParaSpheres: Extending Beyond the Spheres of Literary and Genre Fiction: Fabulist and New Wave Fabulist Stories along for the ride.  At over 600 pages, this meaty collection of stories may seem overwhelming at first blush, but for the short story reader it’s a blessing between two paperback covers.  ParaSpheres, published by Omnidawn, gives readers such as myself such an escape from the normal, the humdrum, the darkening skies of November that make me grit my teeth until the porcelain begins to shatter, that I’ve been only too happy to bury my nose in nothing but this for the timebeing.

If you’re looking to give your favorite bookworm something unusual and unique this year for Christmas, you can’t go wrong with ParaSpheres.  There’s something in it for everyone, even literary snobs who are afraid to step away from the Classics section.  (I know from whence I speak - been there, read that.) It even includes a work from a carp(e) libris favorite, Justin Courter, plus a bit of his novel Skunk.  As usual for me, Courter did not disappoint.  

As you may suspect from the title, ParaSpheres is filled with the unusual, the hard to categorize, the “fabulist”.  If this sounds like the book for you, or if you want to impress a big reader at Christmas with a weighty tome beneath ye ol’ tannenbaum, I’ve got an extra copy to give away.  Can anyone say “Thank God for Media Mail rates”?  Yes, but in the end it’s worth it and you’ll come back to thank me later.

4 Ways to Win:

1.) Tell me a bizarre story or event.  It doesn’t have to be wordy or true or feasible.  Maybe aliens ate your lunch, I don’t care.  I just like to be entertained. (You may enter once a day - following entries don’t require you to answer the question.) Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active. 

Already a subscriber?  Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway. 

Want to subscribe? Just plunk your email address in the little white box to the right.  (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post.

4.) I’m feeling Twittery.  If you Twitter a link to this giveaway, come back and comment here to let me know your Twitter name for another entry!

Do all four, and you’ve got four entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Saturday, November 27, 2008, to enter.

Not the usual carp(e) libris reviews-type title?  Maybe not, but I couldn’t resist.  I suppose it was the photo of those golden eyes on the cover that drew me in, and who says you can’t judge a book by its cover.  Certainly I have found oftentimes you can.  Because the story of Dewey is every bit as heartwarming as the darling tabby cat on the book jacket.  

Written by librarian Vicki Myron of Spencer, Iowa, the book Dewey tells the true story of an abandoned kitten dropped through the book return slot on a cold January morning.  He landed not only in a stack of books but in the heart of a whole town and how he affected the lives of many simply by being the right cat in the right place and time makes for a wonderful tale.  As Dewey’s notoriety spread, he became known all over the world.  This New York Time’s Bestseller is certainly a warm fuzzy that gives a prime example of how animals affect the lives of their humans.  

I told myself not to cry at the end.  I said, “Don’t be silly, now, you’re not the squishy dribbly type to use up a box of tissue over a cat you never met.” Yeah, right.  Dewey undid me, plain and simple.  I’d recommend this touching true story as a gift for cat lovers, book and library lovers, animal lovers in general.  It fits the bill for a perfect bit of heartwarming when the dreariness of the newspaper just won’t do.

Check Out Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

“Library Cat” is set to hit the silver screen, starring Meryl Streep.

See Dewey in action in this old PBS bit:

We’re not all pleasant people; we have flaws, some of us more than others.  Sometimes we do or think despicable things.  This may not be the best way to conduct life, but it does make for an interesting character for a book.  In April Fool, George Willets is at a point in his life where maybe he’s just a wee bit too comfortable.  His daily routine with his wife is just that - routine.  The boredom he endures begins to be too much for him; so when he meets the perfect woman, he feels his luck is about to change.  It may be changing, but whether or not it’s for the better is what makes this book a great read.

Author John Neufeld does an excellent job at taking a distasteful personality and turning him into someone a reader wants to spend time with and learn about.  This is a difficult task for any writer; despite George’s behavior and his desire to consider murder an option for getting out of a rut, I still somehow rooted for George and hoped he’d find the error of his ways.  The book was entertaining and a pleasure to read, filled with humor, suspense, and politically incorrect characters.  I doubt there was a noble one in the bunch, which made it all the more interesting.

John Neufeld has written over 20 novels for adults and young readers, and has been nominated for an Edgar, been twice included in the Sunday New York Times’ Best Books of the Year, and has been published in several countries as well.  I’m happy to tell you I have a copy of April Fool to give to one carp(e) libris reviews reader.

3 Ways to Win:

1.) Have you known people with major character flaws?  Of course you have! But did you like them anyway?  Do share.  Be thoughtful with your comment! Winners are randomly chosen, but if the name drawn doesn’t respond, I choose the next winner by comment.

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Simply place your email address in the little white box at the top of my sidebar on the right. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post.

Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Saturday, October 25, 2008, to enter.

Life as an immigrant is filled with challenges–learning a new language, living in a different culture, being far away from home.  The Chinese Knot is a series of short stories by writer Lien Chao, focusing on Chinese immigrants in Canada.  Chao’s own experiences as a Chinese-Canadian in Toronto is one major influence on these stories, although for the most part she based the stories on the experiences of the people within her community.  

The Chinese Knot offers the reader a realistic view of the Chinese immigrant, making it a great resource as either a study guide or a way to find a sympathetic voice for anyone who has ever moved their entire life to new surroundings.  Heartfelt and provocative, it opens the way for discussions on multicultural issues and racial stereotypes.

Published by Tsar Publications.

Congrats to winner Susan!  You’ll have a lot of fun reading this one.  Sometimes memoirs are stranger than fiction.  Maybe that’s why I love them so much–the knowledge that the stuff you’re reading actually happened.  So is the case with Walking Through Walls by Philip Smith.  Probably the most unusual memoir I’ve ever read, Walking Through Walls takes you through Smith’s life growing up with a father who is an interior designer with powerful psychic abilities.  Smith’s father becomes more and more dedicated to learning about his gift, and while he uses his gifts to help and heal, his bizarre lifestyle sometimes gets the better of Philip.  After all, when your father’s a psychic it’s hard to get away with much.

Philip Smith’s writing style is nothing short of absorbing.  His ability to put his life into a smoothly flowing, engaging novel format makes this a fascinating read no matter what your beliefs on psychics and the paranormal.  The dialog is well written and convincing, and Smith holds nothing back–good or bad–when talking about his family.  These are just a few reasons this book gets the Goldfish Award.  The rest of the reasons?  Unless you’re psychic, you’ll have to read the book to find out.  

Here’s your chance to win a copy of Walking Through Walls.

3 Ways to Win:

1.) Leave a comment telling me what you think of the supernatural.  Do you believe in miracles?  Psychics? Aliens?  Be thoughtful with your comment! Winners are randomly chosen, but if the name drawn doesn’t respond, I choose the next winner by comment.

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Simply place your email address in the little white box at the top of my sidebar on the right. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post.

Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Sunday, October 12, 2008, to enter.

Congratulations to Rebekah, the winner of The Front Porch Prophet.  

A.J. has just discovered his best friend is deathly ill, so he decides it’s time they got over their rift and made amends.  But Eugene is no simple friend.  His dying requests are killers.  What A.J. has to face is more than just sorting through their friendship’s past.  He also has some big decisions to make, and it’s time to see how far he’ll go for friendship.

Set in the mountains of Georgia, The Front Porch Prophet gives the reader a look at quirky small town life.  Amidst humorous dialogue and unusual townsfolk, Atkins weaves a tale that will have the reader hard-pressed to set the book down. The Front Porch Prophet is a touching and clever novel that looks at life, death, and friendship with a warm Southern slant.  If you like John Nichols (The Milagro Beanfield War), you’re gonna love Raymond L. Atkin’s new novel.  This book does all the things a good novel should do:  It inspires, brings on the tears, makes you laugh out loud.  That’s why The Front Porch Prophet gets the Goldfish Award.  And that’s why I’m so pleased to tell you I have an extra autographed copy to give away.  

If you don’t win, do yourself a favor and go buy a copy of The Front Porch Prophet.  This is the kind of novel to read when the autumn weather is moving in and you just want to curl up in your favorite spot with an absorbing book.  

3 Ways to Win:

1.) Leave a comment telling me what you’ve done for a friend or what they’ve done for you.  Did it change you?  Did it change your friendship?  Be thoughtful with your comment! Winners are randomly chosen, but if the name drawn doesn’t respond, I choose the next winner by comment.

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Simply place your email address in the little white box at the top of my sidebar on the right. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post.

Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Monday, October 6, 2008, to enter.

It’s been a long time coming - the old template wasn’t keeping up with me, and I really wanted something 3-column.  While this isn’t the final look for carp(e) libris reviews, it’s at least a start!  So hang on with me because the fish are coming back.  You see, I can’t part with the fish.  Where would the carp(e) be without the carp?  

In the meantime, my review shelf is bulging with great stuff.  In fact, I have two books headed for review soon, both to be Goldfish Award Winners, and they’re both scheduled for giveaways.  So keep checking back for your chance to win one of them.  I promise to keep the “moving” dust off them.

I don’t believe I’ve reviewed any self-help book at carp(e) libris reviews yet.  But the opportunity came up recently to review one, and its focus on helping people who have been the target of discrimination is certainly something that could help many of us.  Withstanding the Lie by father and daughter team Roger and Nicole Brewer is literally healing between the covers of a book.  If you’ve ever experienced any sort of discrimination, whether it’s due to your race, religion, sex, size, physical ability, etc., and if that discrimination hurt you, made you hate, or somehow affected you so that you are unable to heal and move beyond it, then you’ll want to get a copy of Withstanding the Lie.

Both of the Brewers have experienced discrimination in their lives, but neither are bitter or hateful.  They’ve learned how to move beyond the pain the incidents caused, and now they’re passing on their knowledge to others.  I found the information insightful and sensitive.  In fact, while reading the book I came up against a problem wherein I was able to apply something I was learning from the book.  I was able to avert a situation that could have easily mushroomed into a hurtful experience for both me and the other person involved.  While the Brewers are quick to let you know that fixing the hurt takes time, there is much to be learned from Withstanding the Lie that a reader will be able to apply to their life immediately.

Want to win your own copy?  I have an extra right here.

3 Ways to Win:

1.) Leave a comment telling me if you’ve ever been discriminated against.  How did it hurt you and did you try to do something to get over it? (There’s no need to tell us why you were discriminated against if you don’t want to.) Be thoughtful with your comment! Winners are randomly chosen, but if the name drawn doesn’t respond, I choose the next winner by comment.

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Simply place your email address in the little white box at the top of my sidebar on the right. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post.

Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Thursday, October 2, 2008, to enter.

Check out the Withstanding the Lie website too.

Silent Girl brilliantly takes the short story and adds a Shakespearian twist. Each short, written by Tricia Dower, is based on a work of Shakespeare; but if you’re not well versed in this most famous of writers, you’ll not miss out on enjoying some talented writing. If you do enjoy Shakespeare, then you’re in for a special treat when you pick up Silent Girl. Each story is written with plays such as The Tempest and Hamlet in mind, but it’s done in a subtle manner and in an entirely different setting than the play upon which the story is based. For instance, imagine a sort of Taming of the Shrew set in Kyrgyzstan. Or Twelfth Night set in Minnesota. Shakespeare fans will enjoy searching for the similarities, but those who’ve never studied his work will simply enjoy short stories that are sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes humorous, but always well executed.

For the book club, Silent Girl is a perfect choice due to its many layers. In fact, the book comes with a study guide to help book clubs along, whether or not they’re Shakespeare readers. If you’d like to read Silent Girl for yourself, I have one autographed copy. So grab your reading group and enter here for your own copy.

3 Ways to Win:

1.) Leave a comment telling me if you’ve read Shakespeare. What did you think? Have fun with your comment! Winners are randomly chosen, but if the name drawn doesn’t respond, I choose the next winner by comment.

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Simply place your email address in the little white box at the top of my sidebar on the right. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post.

Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Sunday, September 28, 2008, to enter.

Published by Inanna Publications.

Every parent faces it at some point or another - empty nest syndrome. In Liam’s Going, Cathleen and Noah prepare to start this new and unfamiliar stage of their lives after their son Liam leaves for college. As Cathleen drives with her son to drop him off at college and Noah stays behind to give mother and son much-needed alone time, each of them flash back to the defining moments of their lives, both together and apart.

Author Michael Joyce has a sensitivity to language that brings an almost poetic feel, quite appropriate for a story whose protagonist Cathleen is a poet herself. Join that with realistic character building, wonderful dialogue, and a touching plot, you’ll find you have a book that’s both a pleasure and a heartbreak to absorb.