I have got some fabulous stuff to give you today! Today is the release of the new movie, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is the long-awaited feature film version of John le Carré’s classic bestselling novel. The thriller is directed by Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In). The screenplay adaptation is by the writing team of Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan.

The good folks at Focus Features are providing the goodies — and it’s a great pile of goodies! Two winners will receive:

• ·         Movie Tie-In Book
• ·         T-Shirt
• ·         Voice Recorder Pen
• ·         Post-it Note Cube

Prizing values: $43 per pack; Giveaway provided by Focus Features; Open to U.S. addresses only

Now, a little about the film, which is based on the John LeCarre novel of the same name:

The time is 1973. The Cold War of the mid-20th Century continues to damage international relations. Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), a.k.a. MI6 and code-named the Circus, is striving to keep pace with other countries’ espionage efforts and to keep the U.K. secure. The head of the Circus, known as Control (John Hurt), personally sends dedicated operative Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) into Hungary. But Jim’s mission goes bloodily awry, and Control is forced out of the Circus – as is his top lieutenant, George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a career spy with razor-sharp senses.

Estranged from his absent wife Ann, Smiley is soon called in to see undersecretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney); he is to be rehired in secret at the government’s behest, as there is a gnawing fear that the Circus has long been compromised by a double agent, or mole, working for the Soviets and jeopardizing England. Supported by younger agent Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch), Smiley parses Circus activities past and present. In trying to track and identify the mole, Smiley is haunted byhis decades-earlier interaction with the shadowy Russian spy master Karla.

The mole’s trail remains cold until maverick field agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy) unexpectedly contacts Lacon. While undercover in Turkey, Ricki has fallen for a betrayed married woman, Irina (Svetlana Khodchenkova), who claims to possess crucial intelligence. Separately, Smiley learns that Control narrowed down the list of mole suspects to five men. They are the ambitious Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), whom he had code-named Tinker; suavely confident Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), dubbed Tailor; stalwart Roy Bland (Ciarán Hinds), called Soldier; officious Toby Esterhase (David Dencik), dubbed Poor Man; and – Smiley himself. Even before the startling truth is revealed, the emotional and physical tolls on the players enmeshed in the deadly international spy game.

There are just a few rules:

So, fill out the form below, hop on Facebook and Twitter and spread the word, and be sure to check your email to see if you’re a winner!

You all know that I love guest posts, right? I love reading what authors have to say about their writing and process and their inspirations. Today, I’ve got Greg Messel, author of The Illusion of Certainty. He answers a really interesting question: what is your book about? I know that several times I have requested a review copy and the book I got doesn’t seem to resemble the description I got. (I’ve also gotten to the end of a description and thought, “What is that all about?”, but that’s a different question.)

Now, be sure to read clear to the bottom — at the bottom of this post, you’ll find info about how you can get a free copy of Greg’s new book! Don’t miss out on that!

So, what is the book about? Read on to find out….

WHAT IS YOUR BOOK ABOUT?

That IS the question. It is a question that as an author you usually need to answer in less than 30 seconds.

I have watched potential customers and readers at bookstore signings and book festivals. I’ve observed their actions and their faces. They often pick up the book and look at the cover. Then they flip it over and read the summary on the back. I know I have just seconds to make the case which will convince them to not put the book back on the table.

As I watch them read the jacket or the back of a paperback copy of my book, I think of the time I’ve spent trying to craft a concise, yet interesting summary of my story.

I once had a boss who said you always need to have your “elevator speech” ready. An elevator speech is needed to quickly explain a quick concept. When I enter a elevator to ride to a higher floor, what would I say if someone said, “what is your book about?”

I now have less than a minute until me or the person asking the question, will get off of the elevator. There is no time to hesitate, no time to hum and haw to get your thoughts going. It’s the essence of your sales pitch. “Why should I buy your book?” they are asking.

You must find a happy medium between an extended, long-winded summary of the plot and a quick but uninformative answer such as “it’s a love story.” My three novels are “love stories” but they are much more. Why should a reader want to spend their time reading my book out of all of the choices there are out there? I’ve been to the LA Festival of Books and had signings at book stores where you feel that you are in the presence of people who love books.

However, I remember two book signings at Costco. It was then I really felt like a commodity. I was sitting at my table full of my books smiling and saying hello. A shopper comes by with a shopping cart full of toilet paper, bug spray for their rose bushes and a package of 48 frozen burritos. They stop and pick up my book. They look over the cover and then flip it over to read the summary.

To the author, this book is a piece of your soul. I’ve spent almost a year, carefully writing and re-writing this book. I’ve agonized over the title and cover design. I written more summaries of what this book is about then I can count.

It now comes down to this–the person looking at the book jacket is wondering, “why should I give you 14 bucks for this book?” Is there something about my book which is going to make it worth it or should they pick up another of the hundreds of books piled on shelves directly behind me? Or should they forget the book and just buy a new sweatshirt?

When I watch a potential reader or buyer carefully looking over the outside of my book, it makes me glad that I have a well-designed cover or a good summary on the back. The clock is ticking. What will they decide?

My second book, “Expiation” is set against the backdrop of the politics and turmoil of the 1970s. I have noticed a positive reaction when I add that tidbit of information. This grabs the interest of certain demographics such as Baby Boomers

A good quick summary of “Expiation” is contained in an ad in the New York Review of Books. It reads, “In this romance that spans 30 years from the turbulent 1970s in San Francisco, two former sweethearts reunite and try to reclaim their love.” Good elevator speech!

Now I’ve published my third book “The Illusion of Certainty.” What is it about?

The book has three parts. It takes place in Portland, Oregon, Seattle, London and Paris. It is about unexpected events which shape people’s lives and test their mettle. One overriding theme is the book is “the only certainty in life is uncertainty.” I have some twists and turns in the plot which I do not want to reveal in my summaries and “elevator speeches.” So what am I going to say? I can’t be uncertain about that. Hmmm.

I need to figure that out before you get off the elevator.

We are now CLOSED for entries! Thanks to everyone for participating!  I should be announcing the winners shortly.

Welcome to the Black Friday Book Bonanza! I’m hosting this giveaway hop along with Heather from Book Savvy Babe and Jenn at the Bawdy Book Blog. You know how this works: you can enter my giveaway using the form below, then use the linky to connect with 75 other Black Friday giveaways! Why fight the crowds at the mall when you can stay at home and win free books!

I’ve got 2 boxes of books to give away for the Black Friday Book Bonanza. That’s right: 2 boxes of books. I won’t tell you exactly what’s in each box — where’s the fun in that? — but I can tell you some are new, some gently used, some hardcover, some trade paperbacks, some final copies and possibly an ARC or two. A nice mix of things to read over the holidays. I have no doubt that my winners will be thrilled.

But you’ve got a decision to make.

You have to tell me which box you want to win. I’m going to choose one winner from each list, so think carefully and then tell me:

Zombies or Serial Killers?

I’ve got a box of zombie books and I’ve got a box of serial killer books. The Zombie box has titles like Play Dead and Thunder and Ashes. There might even be a book based on a classic novel, but with zombies — you know the one. As for Serial Killers, well, it’s ladies first — the fabulous Lawrence Block novel, Getting Off, that I’ve been talking about this week. There’s also Murder on the Down Low and a terrific Alafair Burke title I reviewed a while back.

There are just a few rules:

So pick your poison and fill in the entry form below. Take a moment to share this on Twitter or Facebook and include the link in the form, for 2 bonus entries. Then, start clicking on the blue frog below — there are a lot of other contests to enter!

Folks — maybe the entry form is confusing. A lot of people are entering without telling me which box you want to win! If you’ve already entered, just leave the info in the comments. Otherwise, please be sure to put your prize choice in the text box below!

YOU CANNOT WIN IF YOU DON’T CHOOSE A BOX!

Come on! There are more contests to enter!

Tags: Black Friday, Free Books, Serial Killers, zombies

Grab the Button!

<a href=”http://www.booksavvybabe.com/?p=773″ _mce_href=”http://www.booksavvybabe.com/?p=773″><img src=”http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i459/booksavvybabe/bookbonanza-3-2.jpg” _mce_src=”http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i459/booksavvybabe/bookbonanza-3-2.jpg” border=”0″ /></a>

Okay, here’s your chance to win your own copy of Blood Trust by Eric Van Lustbader. I’ll be giving away one copy to a lucky reader, and I’ve got a paperback copy of First Daughter for my runner-up.

Here are the rules:

1. Contest runs through 5 pm EST on August 18, 2011.
2. Open to readers in the US and Canada only (sorry! shipping is expensive!)
3. You receive one entry for using the form below.
4. You can receive additional entries for posting the giveaway on your blog, Facebook or Twitter, and providing a link below or in a comment. (If your accounts on Facebook and Twitter are locked, or “followers only”, the entry will not count.)
5. You must provide a valid email in the entry below (the entry is not visible on the site). You’ll have 48 hours to respond by email and claim your prize.

That’s it! No hide and seek, no essay to write, nothing difficult at all — just give me your email and click below! I’ll pick a winner (and runner-up) next Thursday afternoon.

Good luck!

The folks at @PenguinUSA are awesome!

These nice folks had a little contest on Twitter. They were celebrating the release of Tana French’s new novel, Faithful Place, and to win a copy, all you had to do was name her two previous books.

Well, that was easy! I didn’t even have to Google; I’ve got one on my shelf and one on my wishlist. I never enter those Twitter contests because I always figure I will be too late, but this was really tempting, so I hit reply. A few minutes later, I was a winner!

Now, as if that isn’t great enough, the book showed up today! That is crazy fast! Someone at Penguin USA walked right down to UPS and sent that book on its way and I could just kiss them.

So, a big thanks to the folks at Penguin – I will definitely be on the lookout for more of their contests!

UPDATE II: Leslie is my winner!  Thanks to everyone who entered!

UPDATE: I’ve picked a winner! Is it you? Check your email!

The Midsummer’s Eve Giveaway is now closed! I will announce my winner Saturday morning.

Welcome to the Midusmmer’s Eve Hop!

This is my first Hop and I hope it’s a good one! It’s a great chance to visit other blogs and websites, find some new reviews and win some great prizes. For more info, check out our host, I Am A Reader Not A Writer.

There are more than 250 sites participating in this Hop! You can use the linky below to hop from blog to blog and check out the goodies.

Here are the rules:

- The giveaway runs from June 21st through June 24th

- Open to readers in the US and Canada only

- Use the entry form below and be sure to provide a valid email address

- You must respond within 48 hours with your mailing address

- For an additional entry, mention this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, etc., then tell me on the entry form where you’ve talked it up, or leave a comment on this post with the info.

For  this giveaway, I’ve got a hardcover copy of Kim Harrison’s Pale Demon.

“Condemned and shunned for black magic, Rachel Morogan has 3 days to get to the annual witches’ conference and clear her name, or be trapped in the demonic ever-after…forever after.

But a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car going across the country? Talk about a recipe for disaster, even without being targets for assassination.

For after centuries of torment, a fearsome demon walks in the sunlight — freed at last to slay the innocent and devour their souls. But his ultimate target is Rachel Morgan, and in the fight for survival that follows, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.”

This is the 9th book in Harrison’s series, The Hollows and the reviews I’ve seen have been terrific!

Now, use the entry form below and don’t forget to provide an email address. (Don’t worry – the form is private and your email won’t appear in the comments.) Then, use the Linky to check out the other great giveaways!

Good luck!

Click here for lots more giveaways on the Linky!

Tags: Kim Harrison, Midsummer's Eve, Pale Demon

I have to admit that I requested this book based on the title.  Angels, Vampires and Douche Bags is a title with a lot of potential.  Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations.

The book separates the people in our lives into three categories.  Angels are the people who love you and take care of you.  Vampires are the people who are sexy and seductive but ultimately bad for you, and Douche Bags are the people who make your life more difficult.  Things can also be in these categories.  The whole prospect is kind of muddled and unfocused.  It just didn’t quite work.

Unfortunately, a lot of Carla’s humor didn’t work for me, either.  For example, there’s this:

“I’ve always wanted to adopt, and I have given serious thought to adopting an older child.  But so far, the only thing I’ve adopted is a British accent after a few glasses of Veuve Clicquot.”

Huh?  Maybe if she said a French accent, since Veuve Clicquot is a French champagne, but British?  Maybe I just don’t get it, but I didn’t laugh.

I also didn’t care for some of her assumptions about women.  In her chapter on how dogs can be Angels, she says:

“Of course, dog is man’s best friend, but I would argue that a dog is more accurately a white woman’s soul mate.  Trust me, white women have an unholy dependence on canines.  I think it’s because we have no inner compass: no barometer or gut feelings.  Every other ethnic group seems to have this gift.”

What the?  I don’t own a dog and my intuition works just fine, thank you.  She missed the mark even more with this, from her chapter on the importance of girlfriends:

“I know every man’s fantasy is to watch two women together.  Sadly, this fantasy doesn’t work in reverse.  No woman ever wants to see two men together.”

One, it’s not every man’s fantasy – plenty of my gay friends would dispute that rather vehemently.  A couple of my straight male friends with more…varied tastes would dismiss that as too vanilla to be of interest.  And if she thinks a fair number of women aren’t turned on by the thought of two men together, she obviously hasn’t read a fanfiction site, seen women standing in line for Brokeback Mountain or talked to any of my friends.  Not every woman’s thing, certainly, but sweeping statements like that are downright insulting when they don’t describe your views, and she managed to insult me more than once in a short span of pages.

I wanted to give Carla the benefit of the doubt.  I checked out some videos on YouTube and other sites.  I checked with some of my Canadian friends, and got responses similar to my own.  One described Carla as the “Canadian Sarah Silverman” – relying heavily on the “I’m a cute girl saying really smutty things” vibe.  I get that from some of the videos.

For me, this one was not a winner.  There were a couple of things in the book that made me laugh, like her Kabbalah Drag Queen Name (YumYum Kippur), and I chuckled a bit watching her videos.  Comedy is a subjective thing, and this didn’t work for me.  Want to give it a try for yourself?  Post a comment with your own Jewish Drag Queen Name and your email – I’ll pick one to send along my copy of Angels, Vampires and Douche Bags.

My copy of Angels, Vampires and Douche Bags was a review copy, provided free of charge.

First off, let me thank everyone who participated in this little contest. I know I am looking forward to seeing the movie (and eventually reading the books) and I hope a lot of our YA readers out there feel the same way. I appreciate everyone stopping by and I wish I had presents for all of you.

Sadly, there can only be 2 winners. I use Random.org to first randomize the list and then to choose the winning numbers. The two lucky winners are: