“Water Ghosts” – Formerly “Locke 1928″ by Shawna Yang Ryan

29. April 2009 · 115 comments · Categories: Asian American Literature, Book Giveaway · Tags: , , , ,

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If you’ve been visiting this blog long enough, perhaps you remember one of my favorite books from 2008, Locke 1928 by Shawna Yang Ryan.  I love being able to follow up on authors whose works I’ve reviewed, and it’s such a great feeling to discover a book I favored is going even stronger now than last year!  

For anyone who knows a little about the publishing industry, you’ll know how hard it is for an author’s work to not only go from a paperback to a hardcover, but from an indie press to one of the big guys.  That’s just what Shawna Yang Ryan has done with Locke 1928, which has recently been republished by Penguin Press in hardcover under the title “Water Ghosts“.  

I’m really proud to have been given the opportunity to review Ryan’s book under its first publication with El Leon Literary Arts, and it’s pretty exciting to see the book reaching an even wider audience.  Here’s a bit of the description I gave in my review: “When three Chinese women float to shore on a dilapidated boat after having been adrift at sea for over a month, the men of the town line up to woo them. The madame of the local brothel begins having visions she takes as a warning. The pastor’s wife, the only “whitewoman” in town who isn’t a prostitute, takes two of the women under her wing, and it could be a big mistake.” You can read the review in its entirety here: Locke 1928. This book will transport you to 1920′s Locke, California.  The town was real, making the story even more enticing.  By the time you finish reading, you’ll swear the characters were real too.

A big congratulations are due to Shawna Yang Ryan.  We look forward to hearing about your continued success!  Just remember us when you finally meet Oprah…

I have two copies of Water Ghosts in its beautiful new hardcover format (retail $25) to give to a couple of very fortunate carp(e) readers!

Multiple Options for Entry:

1.) Just tell me a short ghost story! It can be one sentence or a paragraph; this book is about what happens when a Chinese ghost story comes true, so give us a scare. (You may enter once a day.) 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 enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (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. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

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! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Wednesday, May 6, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Nabil Khemir – RayJam EP Music Giveaway

24. April 2009 · 37 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

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Nabil Khemir’s music commands a lot of attention. And why not?  His unique style of jazz fusion incorporates the incredible hybrid instrument, the RayJam, which was created by Khemir himself.  This one-of-a-kind electric guitar/lute combo allows Khemir to seamlessly move back and forth between the two instrumental sounds, producing a flavor that is all his own.  He’s been so successful with it that in 2007 he was decorated by the President of the Republic of Tunisia, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, for his cultural contribution to the country and his performance.  

Khemir’s third music collection, RayJam, offers five tracks featuring his masterful blend of Arabic-Andalusian and jazz.  Listeners will be giving their ears a real treat, something you certainly won’t find anywhere else for Nabil Khemir is certainly a one-of-a-kind musician.

Nabil Khemir is kindly offering an EP of his latest work, RayJam, to one of you.  The winner will be able to instantly download the high-quality electronic version of RayJam.  Want to win?  Options for multiple entries are listed below the video clip!

Multiple Options for Entry:

1.) Just watch the above video and tell me why you’d like to win Nabil Khemir’s EP RayJam.  (You may enter once a day.) 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 enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (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. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

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! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Thursday, May 1, 2009, to enter.

Purchase RayJam in EP format here.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Bomba! Cuatro Caminos CD Giveaway

23. April 2009 · 87 comments · Categories: CD Giveaway, Jazz Music, Latin Music · Tags: , , ,

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I’m a sucker for Latin jazz, especially the likes of Afro-Cuban and the sounds of the Charanga era.  Perhaps that’s why I’ve found myself lost in the sounds of Bomba, a latin-jazz group based out of Toronto, Canada.  The clean sounds of Cuban and improvisational jazz have been a real treat to my frazzled ears.  Mellow, crisp instrumentals, lively vocals and violin, and on-the-spot Latin congas and percussion give their latest CD, Cuatro Caminos, a winning sound that will appeal to a variety of jazz lovers.  

Bomba is led by percussionist Mario Allende and bassist Rubim de Toledo.  This CD also includes drummer Raul Tabera, violinist Aldo Aguirre, and singer Luis Emilio Rios.  What results is a phenomenal Latin group that has toured the world to great acclaim.  Bomba has even been heating things up globally, having played in the UK, Italy, Cuba, and even South Korea’s top international drumming festivals, but I’ve no doubt they’re just getting warmed up.  A musical force to keep your eye on!  

Ready to win your own copy of their latest, Cuatro Caminos?  Multiple chances to win listed below the video clip.

Buy the CD

 

Multiple Options for Entry:

1.) Just watch the above video (from their previous CD Entre Sol y Luz) or visit their CDBaby page to hear clips, and tell me why you’d like to win Bomba! Cuatro Camino.  (You may enter once a day.) 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 enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (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. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

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! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Thursday, April 30, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Special Week of Giveaways at dkMommy Spot

20. April 2009 · 2 comments · Categories: Blog Talk · Tags: ,

I wanted to make sure everyone who reads carp(e) libris reviews knows about a special week at my other blog, dkMommy Spot.  Starting today (April 20, 2009) we’re having a full week of giveaways and informative articles to help raise awareness of breast cancer prevention.  Please stop by and feel free to enter the giveaways!  We’ll be giving away health and beauty aids, anti-oxidant rich goodies, and chemical-free cleaning products so don’t miss out!

Ryan Krusac Studios Hand Made Pens – Giveaway

17. April 2009 · 442 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

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“My name is Diane Kidman and I’m a pen addict.” That felt really good to confess.  You see,  I love the physical act of writing – in fact, I write a lot of my reviews by hand; even wrote this review by hand and with a most incredible writing instrument.  Ryan Krusac makes pens, but these aren’t your usual plastic variety.  His writing instruments are works of art.  Most are made of fine hardwoods that he turns on a lathe and then hand buffs to a glossy finish.  My Ryan Krusac Studios pen is a little different even still – Asian River Buffalo Horn with a wonderfully warm and subtle patina.  I chose the River Buffalo Horn because I’m partial to all things Asian, and strangely, to water buffalos.  I simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity of having Ryan create one of these pens just for me.

Each Ryan Krusac Studios pen is made to order – this means the end result is all the more special knowing it’s being hand crafted just for you rather than cranked out in a factory and sold by the bag.  I chose a fountain pen because that’s always been my preference.  I don’t use fountain pens for, say, check writing and grocery lists, but I reserve them for special things like my daily journal writing (yet another obsession), letters, and any other writings I feel are important.  There’s something about sitting down with a fine pen – for the creative writer, that may mean that extra edge between good writing and great writing.  Is a pen a muse?  I’m not sure, but holding a writing instrument made of natural materials certainly does something to the creative spirit.

I am truly enjoying the experience of this pen.  Ryan Krusac has a great attention to detail – from the gentle curve of the pen barrel to the Rhodium and black titanium appointments, as well as the lovely German made nib which produces an easy flowing, smooth writing.  Don’t do fountain pens?  Ryan also offers finely crafted ballpoint pens and rollerball pens too.  But I’d highly recommend giving the fountain pen a try.  The pen’s balance is just perfect for the fountain pen lover, and it’s a real joy to write with.

If you’d like a chance to win your own, Ryan Krusac is going to create a work of art specifically for one of you.  With graduation time nearing, this would make an extraordinary gift.  Or perhaps you’re due a grand gift to yourself.  Either way, one of you will be receiving a real keepsake!  

Here’s what you could win:  A wooden pen of your choice from the Ryan Krusac Studios fountain pen page.  (You may choose to have the pen made as a rollerball if you wish.) The pen’s hardware will be like what you see in the photo to the right, and you’ll be able to choose from any woods (excluding rosewood burl and banksia pod).  Open for worldwide entry!!!

Multiple Options for Entry:

1.) Just visit the Ryan Krusac Studios fountain pen page and tell me what pen you might choose if you won and why.  (You may enter once a day.) 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 enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (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. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

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! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Tuesday, April 21, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here

Voice Over by Breyten Breytenbach

16. April 2009 · 24 comments · Categories: Book Reviews, Poetry, South African Literature · Tags: , , ,

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Written in honor of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, Voice Over is a collection of poetry which serves as a final farewell to Breyten Breytenbach’s dear friend.  The series of poems found in Voice Over were created shortly after the death of Darwish, and they were written as the author traveled through Catalonia and Friesland.  What results is a moving collection of verse.

This small 41-page collection gives a powerful look at the language of Breyten Breytenbach, a writer and human rights activist from South Africa. He’s taken a lifelong stance against apartheid and was even imprisoned for seven years for high treason after sneaking back into his country illegally.  Such a turbulent and strongly humanitarian past is evident in the voice of his prose. 

 Winner of the Hertzog Prize for Poetry (1999 and 2008), Breytenbach has written numerous books and produces countless paintings and drawings which have been viewed worldwide. He is considered to be one of the greatest of the Afrikaans poets. Still very active in taking a stand, Breytenbach divides his time between the U.S., Europe, and Africa.  Definitely a writer worth looking into, this creative powerhouse will give you some real literature to sink your teeth into.  

Voice Over is published by Archipelago Books.

The House Without a Key – A Charlie Chan Mystery by Earl Derr Biggers – Giveaway

14. April 2009 · 195 comments · Categories: Book Review and Giveaway, Mysteries · Tags: , , ,

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One of my favorite genres is mystery.  I like a good pulpy, noir mystery classic; a page turner if you will.  I used to read them all the time.  I still own stacks of old Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen magazines that I can’t seem to part with, but since starting carp(e) I haven’t been able to sink my teeth into a nice bit of pulp in quite sometime.  I suppose that’s because carp(e) focuses on indie presses, and I haven’t stumbled on any old mysteries coming out of the indies.  But thank goodness for Academy Chicago Publishers!  They’re bringing back the Charlie Chan series, complete with incredible pulp art covers, and I’m having the time of my literal life.

First int he series is The House Without a Key.  The famous Chinese sleuth of the 1920′s Hawaiian Islands is introduced to the world for the first time.  Published originally in 1925, The House was rather revolutionary in that the hero was Chinese – an intelligent, witty, particular detective.  The characters in The House Without a Key are Bostonian upper crust, oftentimes surprised to find the man in search of the murderer is not as “white” as they.  It’s fun seeing the characters change their tune as Chan so cleverly works out the mystery.  

In The House Without a Key, young John Quincy from Boston travels to Hawaii to retrieve his wayward aunt.  But upon arrival he discovers a cousin has been murdered.  This high class Bostonian family can’t afford the scandal, however – and Cousin Dan has a sordid past that can do nothing but create scandal.  Young John Quincy finds himself in the heat of the mystery and it’s having quite an effect on his old money, old family preconceived notions of the world.  What’s more, no one seems to be able to put the clues together – no one but the famous Charlie Chan.

Want to win your own copy?  Snag the first of the Charlie Chan series ($14.95 retail) and get going on the upcoming collection!  

Multiple Options for Entry:

1.) Just tell me why you love mysteries!  Are your reasons chilling?  Blood curdling? Or perhaps they’re a complete mystery to you. (You may enter once a day.) 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 enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (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. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

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! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Tuesday, April 21, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Henley Von Roastingburg Coffee Giveaway

06. April 2009 · 276 comments · Categories: Coffee, Creature Comforts for Bookworms, Giveaways · Tags: , ,

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What say you to a mug of marvelously different joe?  What if we call it Henley instead?  Henley Von Roastingburg coffee is as unique as its name, and I’ve had quite a taste for it lately.  A micro-batch coffee roasting company, Henley Von Roastingburg offers a selection of beans that are roasted right before shipment.  My bag of Costa Rican SHB Villalobos came straight from roasting; it was evident as soon as I opened the delivery box.  That wonderful aroma snagged me by the nostrils like a bull by its nose ring and I knew I’d had it – nothing could be done but to have a coffee fix right away.  

And a fix it is!  I love unique coffees with multiple layers of flavors and aromas.  I don’t review boring coffee.  In fact, I prefer to ruin boring coffee forever for every guest entering my house.  Preparing a labor-intensive cappuccino with the Villalobos beans and serving it to overnight guests as part of their breakfast was so much fun because I knew they’d arrive home to a plastic bucket of coffee that was roasted and ground months before it even hit the store shelves.  The Villalobos bean we enjoyed has a caramelly, spicey flavor that tastes and smells exotic.  If you allow it to linger on the palate, you’ll find much more there to love.  I enjoyed watching my guests’ eyes roll back in their heads.  They loved it, burying their noses in their mugs, smacking, swirling – we looked like an early morning group of professional wine tasters.  

I had my mug of Henley Von Roastingburg this morning; if you’d like to try some, I’m sorry to say I won’t be inviting you to breakfast at my house.  But you can enter here to win your own bag.  Then when I’m out, I’ll be visiting you for a cup of Henley!

Multiple Options for Entry:

1.) Just visit this most creative Henley Von Roastingburg website and tell me what about their site most makes you want your own bag.  (You may enter once a day.) 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 enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (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. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

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! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Monday, April 13, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Lumina by Eoin Duignan – CD Giveaway

02. April 2009 · 108 comments · Categories: Irish Music · Tags: , , ,

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EOIN DUIGNAN: LuminaPulling at the heartstrings of my Irish roots, Eoin Duignan’s original compositions reach deep into the traditional sounds of Ireland.  Lumina, inspired by six stained glass windows found in Diseart Chapel, is expressed through the sound of a beautiful six-part musical suite.  Listeners will be transported to the Emerald Isle by the sounds of traditional low whistles, keyboards, guitars, harps and fiddles.  

I find myself completely taken by this music.  Its soulful sound makes me yearn for a part of my heritage I long to understand more completely.  Although I grew up hearing the stories of my ancestors, I know little of their Irish history before landing in the New World.  The ancient sounds of Lumina give me a little glimpse of what might have been the musical backdrop of my forefathers and foremothers.  

If you enjoy getting to the heart of a culture through music, Duignan can get you to Ireland on the back of a low whistle.  Grab your hat and hit play; you’re about to get a little taste of the kind of music you’ll enjoy if you win or purchase Lumina by Eoin Duignan!  Multiple chances to win listed below the video clip.

Buy the CD 

Multiple Options for Entry:

1.) Just watch the above video and tell me why you’d like to win Lumina by Eoin Duignan.  (You may enter once a day.) 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 enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (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. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

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! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Thursday, April 9, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.