Today at There’s A Book I have the pleasure of hosting Lauren Baratz-Logsted on her ONE-Question Interview Blog Tour! Don’t you get tired of the same old thing when traveling from author interview to author interview? Well, Lauren came up with the fantastic idea of allowing only one question per tour stop while promoting her two new books, The Sisters 8 Book 5: Marsha’s Madness and The Education of Bet. Let me tell you, this was a little bit more difficult than I first thought, but definitely fun! Enjoy!

My Question:
Recently, you mentioned that you have an absolute “love affair” with door stops aka Fat Books (BiblioBuffet’s Writer-in-Residence). Having said this, knowing that you’ve written some “skinnier” books, and must have a few favorites of those out there…I’d like to ask what your top 5 “skinny” books are and none of them may have been written by yourself or a family member.

Lauren’s Fabulous Answer:
How prescient – and useful – of you to ask this! Since I plan at some point to write a companion piece to my “Fat Books I Have Loved” essay, this time focusing on skinny books, the exercise of answering your question should prove very helpful indeed. The following list is not necessarily my five favorite skinny books – that would take too much mental effort on my part! – but it is a list of five short novels I have loved:

1. Up at the Villa, W. Somerset Maugham, 224pp. A desperate woman, unhappy in her marriage, engages in an act of passion that has tragic consequences.
2. The Spare Room, Helen Garner, 192pp. If fish and houseguests start to smell after three days, imagine how much more the situation would stink if an annoying friend – inconveniently in the process of dying – were to come and stay…and stay…and stay.
3. Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys, 189pp. The exotic early life and loves of Bertha, who will later become the madwoman in the attic in Jane Eyre.
4. Peace, Richard Bausch, 192pp. Set in Italy during WWII this novel is anything but what its title would suggest.
5. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, 192pp. Well, you don’t need me to describe this one but it is my favorite short novel of all time. In fact, it’s my favorite novel by a dead author, period.

Did you notice that three of the five books listed have exactly 192pp? I wonder if that’s a particularly lucky page count. Maybe I should shoot for an exact count of 192 in order to ratchet up my sales. In truth, I have a maximalist – for me – YA novel coming out on August 31. It’s called The Twin’s Daughter and it’s nearly 100,000 words long. Thanks for having me!

Thank you so much Lauren for stopping by There’s A Book! Make sure to stop by these sites to find out more about Lauren, her wonderful passion for writing and more answers along her One-Question Blog Tour:

The Official Lauren Baratz-Logsted Website

July 27: Sara at The Hiding Spot’s Question: My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality?
July 30: Andye at Reading Teen’s Question: You’ve written a number of books, and it’s surprising how different the books are from each other. Which book, genre, or time period did you enjoy writing about the most?

Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with IndieBound.

The Heart Is Not a Size by Beth Kephart

Published by HarperTeen (A division of HarperCollins)

Pages: 256

Ages: Young Adult

Publishers Summary: Georgia knows what it means to keep secrets. She knows how to ignore things. She knows that some things are better left unsaid. . . . Or are they?

When Georgia and her best friend, Riley, travel along with nine other suburban Pennsylvania kids to Anapra, a squatters’ village in the heat-flattened border city of Juarez, Mexico, secrets seem to percolate and threaten both a friendship and a life. Certainties unravel. Reality changes. And Georgia is left to figure out who she is outside the world she’s always known.

Beth Kephart paints a world filled with emotion, longing, and the hot Mexican sun.

“In a matter of pages Beth Kephart has you hooked, completely drawn in and begging to turn page after page of this beautiful novel. This is the story of Georgia and her good friend Riley as they travel to Juarez Mexico to discover where their hearts lie and how much they can hold. Somehow during this journey they discover that who they are is more than what others tell them, but how they care for the path they are given and those they meet along the way. Through this they find that the Heart truly is Not a Size.

“There is so much I could say about this book, because there are so many layers to it. Two of which would be first – the actual place, Juarez Mexico and secondly – the complicated relationships we have with those we care for. It’s amazing to me that Kephart can create such an incredible story in such a small amount of space. I quite literally devoured this book in a matter of two or three hours tops!

“First, I’d just like to mention Juarez. I’ve driven by this city at least half a dozen times on trips from California to Texas and every time it strikes me to my core. I still have images in my mind of the buildings next to the freeway in El Paso, how freely people drove from place to place and the luxury of it all. Yes, I know, El Paso is still not the most beautiful city to some, but it’s drastic difference with the city on the other side of the border is hard to forget. Just turn your head south and you immediately see the opposite, the disparity, the struggle and the poverty. It’s hard to believe that people could find joy in seeing what they lack so often by just looking to the north, but they do. Some of the happiest people my husband has ever met were those he met while serving his mission in Mexico in some of the most poverty stricken areas. People can find joy no matter their circumstance, it’s all how you approach your life and Kephart doesn’t fail to mention this.

“The second layer to the story are the people, the relationships, primarily between Georgia and Riley, and then with their own families. I related to Riley more than I think I’d like to admit. Her struggle for acceptance and approval is heart wrenching. She goes to the very most extreme, just have her mother reach out to her in a way that can help her understand she is happy with her choices in life. Georgia on the other hand has her own set of struggles and through Riley and Juarez she is able to step outside of her cage to discover her freedom.

“The beauty of this story truly rests with Kephart’s writing. There were some passages I found myself reading over and over again just to find the deepest meaning possible with them. It touched me beyond anything I’ve read in a very long time. A couple of my favorites:

“Silence defeats like nothing else does. There is no fighting it.” p.144

“You can want something more than you can say. That doesn’t ever mean it’s yours.” p.205

“The Heart Is Not a Size is a book everyone should read. Everyone. You will learn so much about yourself, about others and how you can reach out to others in some times extraordinarily simple ways. Truly the Heart is Not a Size and Kephart has captured that in this wonderful journey. A favorite of mine for years to come.”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 12 and up. Everyone should read this book!

Make sure to take a look at The Heart Is Not a Size blog for more information about the book! As well as the Book Club and Contest!

This book was provided by HarperTeen for review purposes. Thank you!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

WELCOME To BLOGMANIA !

Now, for the Giveaway here at There’s A Book!!

One lucky winner will receive a Gift Certificate in the amount of $15 to the online bookseller of their choice!

Please use the form below to enter the giveaway! Comment entries will not be accepted.

All I ask is that you either be a follower in the Google Friend Connect (Over there, in the side bar—>) or subscribe via RSS. The Giveaway in this post is open to everyone (even Internationally!)!! You have until midnight tonight (April 30, 2010) to enter and this weekend I will be announcing the winner!

In addition to this giveaway I also have the following giveaways currently running that both end tonight! Make sure to stop by and enter these as well to add to your chances of winning!

A signed copy of The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams by Rhonda Hayter and a copy of Eat, Nap, Play by Robyn Spizman and Evelyn Sacks. Each giveaway is listed separately and you have the opportunity to win each of them equally, just make sure to fill out the form on each post to enter for your chance to win!

Also, make sure to take a look around, if you see something you like make sure to come back later after you’ve had a chance to at some other great Blogmania blogs. (I may just be announcing another Giveaway today…so make sure to check back!)

Fantastic Blogs to Check Out on the Blogmania Tour:

Eat, Nap, Play by Robyn Spizman and Evelyn Sacks

Published by HCI Books

Pages: 240

Publishers Summary: Moms will concur—routines and creative ideas help your day and save your sanity. And once you’ve established a routine that works, the inclination is to stick with it until the kids are off to college. But sometimes the rigidity of a ‘tight ship’ doesn’t allow much time for good-old fashioned, spur-of-the-moment fun. Well, hang on to your itinerary because here comes Eat, Nap, Play!

Written by moms for moms, this timely guide centers on back-to-basics philosophies: spend quality time with your kids and spend less money. But this is not a guilt trip—it’s a fun-filled adventure. Jam-packed with clever, cost-effective, low-maintenance, often nostalgic ideas you can easily slip into your existing routine, Eat, Nap, Play shows you how to turn everyday mayhem into precious moments to build memories, foster growth, strengthen bonds, and just have fun.

• Simple trips to the mall or grocery store transform into treasure troves of adventure
• Beat boredom in unique and unexpected ways while in the car or on the go
• Find out how to plan the perfect, age-appropriate parties for less
• Get the most out of the latest technology and discover a ton of useful websites along the way
• Plus, unearth cash-free ways for kids to learn, socialize, and grow into independent and resilient people

“As a parent with two little ones and a husband just out of law school, I can honestly say that I know how important it is to make every penny, every scrap of clothing and every bit of food in the house count. Not only that, but it’s also important to enjoy using up those resources that are available. With the most significant point being that we have fun and do the very best we can for our children in whatever circumstance we are in. Eat, Nap, Play is an excellent resource for trying to accomplish just that.

“I have this fabulous crafty friend, Chef Messy, she makes everything you can imagine from baby clothes to delicious homemade gooey brownies to perfectly knitted socks. Well, in one of the sections of the book it mentions having a ‘special’ plate for certain occassions, like birthdays or great grades and the like. This immediately reminded me of my friend, she has this amazing cake stand and set of plates that she uses just for birthdays. See here:

“Isn’t it fabulous! She made it at a local pottery shop when we all lived in Lexington Virginia during our law school years. I’m totally envious and still plan on doing my best to duplicate her efforts at some point in the future. One of the great things about her project was that a lot of it was done with a group of other law school wives that met every month for different activities. It was a fun, cheap way to all get together, have a great time but still be productive. I always enjoyed the time we all spent together and we always managed to come up with inexpensive ways to entertain each other.

“I learned a lot from those days in law school as well as from my very own mother who is an excellent barterer/swapper. One of the most important being that you should always utilize your talents to help others and in turn they will help you by sharing their talents. It may be a crafting, painting, music lessons or baking. In my own case, I’ll definitely be bartering music lessons for something else my kids might be interested in (maybe they’ll want to learn to paint, I’m terrible, but I can teach flute lessons easily). There’s an entire section in Eat, Nap, Play that talks about how to swap and barter your way to free babysitting and fabulous new toys for your kiddos. This may be a new concept for you and it’s great because they’ve even thought to include ideas on how to organize your own swap or just how to shop a yard sale. They’ve also included great sites to visit like SwapItGreen that gives you the opportunity to help the environment by sharing old treasures you’re no longer using in exchange for something new to your family. It’s all about utilizing the resources you have within your own circle.

“There are many great tid-bits of information in Eat, Nap, Play and although some of them may be ideas you’ve already been incorporating in your own family, there is bound to be something you will glean from it. Even when there was something I wasn’t that keen on (ie. shopping for used brand name clothes, I would never have worn them growing up) I was still able to take something from the idea that was presented (give the used clothing finds as gifts, they may never know!). It also has an incredible directory in the back of the book of some internet sites that are already being used in my bookmarks. This is definitely worth the read and reference for any family looking to squeeze a little more out of the meager means they have and enjoy the time doing it. And in today’s economy who couldn’t use that?”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Anyone looking to save and enjoy life just a little bit more.

Giveaway! One lucky winner will win their very own copy of Eat, Nap, Play by Robyn Spizman and Evelyn Sacks courtesy of HCI Books! Open until April 30, 2010 at midnight EST. Open to US/Canada Residents only.

For the Comments: Is there some talent you have that you would easily barter for something else in exchange? What’s your talent and what would you like to learn?

Other Tour Stops You May Want to Check Out:
Simply Stacie
lit*chick
Red Headed Book Child
Turning the Clock Back
Devourer of Books
The Activity Mom
Heir to Blair
Southern Institute of Domestic Arts & Crafts
JDaniel4’s Mom
It’s a Crazy, Beautiful Life

This book provided for review by the publisher as part of TLC Book Tours.
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

The giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered! Please look for results this weekend.

Winter’s Awakening by Shelley Shepard Gray

Published by Avon Inspire

Pages: 304

Publishers Summary:

Joshua Graber knows his future is set. He′s expected to work at his family business, the Graber Country Store. He′s expected to marry Gretta Hershberger, who he′s been courting for several years. But when a new English family moves next door and their lovely teenage daughter, Lilly Allen, catches his eye, Joshua wonders if all the plans for his future are too set in stone.

Gretta doesn′t know what′s going on with Joshua. When they argue and later stew in silence, it feels a lot like the frosty atmosphere at her home. After promising herself to never have a marriage like her parents, she wonders if perhaps another man might be a better match. A man such as Roland Schrock. He′s steady and kind and somewhat boring. If she marries him, she won′t ever have to worry about loving him and getting hurt.

Meanwhile, Lilly is enamored with the Amish way of life, and especially her handsome neighbor Joshua. But despite being drawn to him, she has a secret that will only drive him away. Her family moved to Sugarcreek to hide her pregnancy from their community back home. Once she′s had the baby, they plan to send her off to college without anyone from their old neighborhood knowing the truth. But as Lilly becomes wrapped up in the simplicity and graciousness of the Amish people, she begins to question what′s expected of her, and whether giving up her baby, and leaving Sugarcreek, is what she truly wants.

As the coldest winter on record blows into Sugarcreek, these three young people must struggle to determine the path of their futures.

“Winter’s Awakening was a breathe of fresh air for me. It was refreshing to read a story about young love that didn’t involve an overly immoral theme. Granted one of the main characters had committed an indiscretion and landed her family in Sugarcreek to escape the humiliation that would come in their hometown; it still focuses on more important things. Things like making the right choices, accepting others’ faults, and growing up.

“Every character in this story is wonderful and I loved being able to hear from each of the main characters. They all were at a stage in their lives where they needed to make some difficult decisions and become adults. Being what I consider a fairly spiritual person myself I really appreciated Gretta’s character, her quiet thoughtful ways and her desire to listen to God. And though each of the characters eventually acknowledged their own need to rely on God I never felt I was being ‘preached’ to. I have to say, that was so nice!

“One of the other wonderful bits about this story that I loved is that it was in Ohio. It is in fact somewhere that holds a special place in my heart after spending a year and a half long mission for my church in the areas central and southern Ohio. It was wonderful being transported back to a time and place that I fell in love with. I still recall the buggy’s riding down the road and the Amish store just within walking distance of one of my residences. Shelley did a magnificent job of describing the scenery and beauty that encompass that entire area, somewhere I long to visit again.

“All in all I would highly recommend this book. It was a quick, fun and meaningful read. And as I said before, refreshing in today’s market that’s saturated with immorality, it was nice to read a book that wasn’t preachy, but still morally based. Another great thing is that it’s the first in a series with the second book, Spring’s Renewal, due out in May. I can’t wait!”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 14  and up. A delightful story, wonderful characters and an amazing setting.

Be sure to check out Shelley Shepard Gray’s site and find out more about her books.

Other reviews of Winter’s Awakening on the TLC Book Tour:

Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot

Life In Review

Book Reviews by Bookluver81

Books, Movies, and Chinese Food

This book provided for review as part of TLC Book Tours.
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.