Showing posts with label book club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book club. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Ascending Butterfly's Monthly Book Club Giveaway Winner + twitter party with cool prizes + May: Annual Mother's Day Buying Guide!



Congratulations to Ascending Butterfly's Monthly Book Club winner who has won the Chicken Soup for the Soul Devotional Stories for Tough Times Book! 'ashleymorrissey90' is our winner! I hope the book brings her just as much peace, comfort and hope that it gave me during a very difficult time.

Join me in congratulating our winner!

All outstanding giveaways that were put up before I went into the hospital are now officially closed with winners announcements posted. Thanks for your patience as I'm just out the hospital and still trying to get outstanding promos, reviews, and giveaways sorted through to get caught up again.

We are now working on Finalizing placements for our annual high traffic review with giveaway Mothers Day Buying Guide. (Definitely some fantastic giveaway promos coming!)

And stay tuned this week for a very special twitter party announcement being hosted by yours truly with some really amazing co-hosts. Sign up page will be posted shortly!

How is Spring Treating you so far butterfly? How are you getting in the Spring Spirit? Is it Spring Cleaning? The sounds of the birds chirping outside? Or the butterflies maybe?

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times Book Giveaway! Ends 03/25

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Chicken Soup for the Soul! We look forward to working with you again. Our winner is 'ashleymorrissey90', Congrats! Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
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Ascending Butterfly's Monthly Book Club March Title, Sponsored By:



Our monthly book club has returned this month with a very inspirational title! Because it's being posted so late in the month, this will be officially considered our March title and we will return a new title in April.

About the Book:

Life has always been filled with trials, including illness, job loss, grief, addictions, and much more. God never promised that our earthly lives would be without difficulties, but He assured us that He will always be with us to share our burdens. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times is filled with stories that show God's presence during a time of trouble. Readers will find encouragement, solace, and strength in these personal stories and prayers.

About the Authors:

Susan M. Heim is a long-time Chicken Soup for the Soul editor and Christian author, specializing in family-oriented books and women’s issues.

Karen C. Talcott is an author and educator with an expertise in women’s issues, faith, and angels.

My Take:

In the midst of quite a bit of upheaval in my life, I have spent countless hours when I was in the hospital catching up on my reading, but this book by far ended up with the most Post-it® Flags in it and remained faithfully by my bedside table. This book and my In Bloom by Jonquil Pajamas attracted quite a bit of attention from the Doctors and Nurses.

Each story/chapter ends with a Prayer, called My Prayer that relates to the story but almost every single story end prayer resonated with me and spoke to my heart directly so I'd flag it. My book looks like a rainbow of Post-it® Flags, but I still refer to the prayers almost daily to provide me with encouragement and strength through the difficult journey I have been facing. I have enjoyed the Chicken Soup series and began reading them well before my blogging days, but this is the first of all the series I've featured here.

I think in these times of economic upheaval where we are still pretty much in a recession, with people out of work and many people I know affected by major life crises including deaths in the family, health scares and more, this book is very much needed in everyone's library. There is only one other book of prayer that has touched me in the same way and if I can I will try to feature that book here as well.

I can't recommend the series and this particular book more highly. I can tell you that for me, it's a book I would rather not loan out. I'd much rather buy someone their own copy. If you yourself, or someone you care about is going through a hard time, this is the gift to bring them. If you have a loved one in the hospital, bring them this book. Many hospitals no longer allow flowers or plants in patients rooms, and teddy bears are sometimes difficult because the bedside table is so small, but this book when not being read can go safely in a drawer.

There is such a wide variety of stories of inspiration that bring such hope and a renewal of Faith to your spirit. While the Chicken Soup series has often been classified under books of Faith and sometimes Self help, I don't want perspective readers to feel you have to adhere to a certain religious or Faith Background to enjoy them, they are tales of everyday people in sometimes extraordinary situations that share that moment in a very raw, open and honest way.

I greatly enjoyed Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times and was super happy to make this our first book of 2012. I hope you enjoy it as I much as I do!

And you know the drill, with all our book club titles, one reader has a shot at taking home the book also! As you know we switched to rafflecopter for our giveaways, so please enter using rafflecopter, we will not process any comment entries. You can however use the comments to let us know what you thought about this title if you read it. Or to suggest future Monthly Book Club Titles you'd like to see us feature here.

Remember with rafflecopter you need javascript enabled, and if it doesn't appear for you right away, just refresh the page. And if you are a first time follower on twitter after you hit follow in the widget, hit refresh and then enter your twitter username in the form.

Happy Reading Butterflies!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

{CLOSED} Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club: Unlikely Friendships Book + 2012 Calendar Giveaway!

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Unlikely Friendships! Entries are being processed. Once the winners have been notified and upon winners confirmation, follower names will be posted both here and on our homepage. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
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Ascending Butterfly's Monthly Book Club with special Holiday Surprise!


Have you ever seen a squirrel cuddle up to the family dog? Or a vicious snake, making friends with a hamster? How about a cat and a rat, playing around like they’ve been friends forever?

Author and National Geographic senior writer Jennifer S. Holland brings together these stories plus 44 more unlikely accounts of animal friendship in UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIPS: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom.

I am super happy to bring back the monthly book club with a special holiday twist!

I had the pleasure of reading the book Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer Holland, a book that I truly enjoyed from begining to end! Trust me when I tell you that you will try your best to put this book down, and go back to it, but you are going to have to read this when you have time to devour it in one sitting, it's that heartwarming that you will NOT want to put it down!

Get a sneak peek at some of the Unlikely Friendships featured in the book:




Unlikely Friendships documents one heartwarming tale after another of animals who, with nothing else in common, bond in the most unexpected ways. A cat and a bird. A mare and a fawn. An elephant and a sheep. A snake and a hamster. The well-documented stories of Koko the gorilla and All Ball the kitten; and the hippo Owen and the tortoise Mzee. And almost inexplicable stories of predators befriending prey—an Indian leopard slips into a village every night to sleep with a calf. A lionness mothers a baby oryx. Ms. Holland narrates the details and arc of each story, and also offers insights into why—how the young leopard, probably motherless, sought maternal comfort with the calf, and how a baby oryx inspired the same mothering instinct in the lionness. Or, in the story of Kizzy, a nervous retired Greyhound, and Murphy, a red tabby, how cats and dogs actually understand each other’s body language. With Murphy’s friendship and support, Kizzy recovered from life as a racing dog and became a confident, loyal family pet.

These are the most amazing friendships between species, collected from around the world and documented in a selection of full-color candid photographs.

and just when I thought it couldn't get better, there is a companion calendar that goes along with the book!


 My Take:

The book and the calendar are an amazing gift for animal lovers of all ages! I really couldn't put this down, and I'm sure you are going to have trouble doing the same. I love the 2012 companion calendar as well, I'm actually looking forward to the new year even more now because I can't wait to put this calendar up!

The book is a celebration of friendship in all it's forms. It didn't surprise me that even in the animal world, friendship is not always based on similarities. Which is oftentimes what happens with human friendships, sometimes our best friends are our total opposites. Where we are sometimes quiet, our friends are loud, or where we are shy our friends are outgoing. I think those friends come into our lives to bring us balance. And it's funny to see the same happens in the animal kingdom.

This is truly a light-hearted, warm and fun read, the story of the snake in the book didn't come as much of a surprise to me, I have witnessed something similar myself!

I know you are going to love this book, and if you have a child or teen who is animal lover I am sure they'll love it just as much!

You didn't think I'd forget about you right? Who loves you butterfly?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Workman Publishing would like to give 2 lucky winners an Unlikely Friendships Prize Pack of their own! Your prize pack will contain 1 copy of the book Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer Holland and 1 2012 Wall Calendar!

Don't you just ♥ Workman Publishing (and Unlikely Friendships)? I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2)MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Workman Publishing and link us to anything other than Unlikely Friendships that catches your eye!  (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). (If your email is clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning (or in this case, the A,B,C’s of winning!) This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older. No PO Boxes. No purchase necessary. One entry per Household, see Ascending Butterfly Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this" or "I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Tuesday, November 01, 2011 until Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - To celebrate Friendship, tell us about an unlikely friendship in your life. Be it human or animal!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment. (If your blog post contains more than just a pic and link you'll get 5 extra credit entries!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our NEW Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you have our old one, please swap it out, our URL address has changed!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Ascending1 on Twitter (this is Ascending Butterfly's new account, we will soon be hosting twitter parties which necessitates having a second account so you can make updates throughout the entire party!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @WorkmanPub on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @Ascending1 + @WorkmanPub  Unlikely Friendships Prize Pack #Giveaway! Book + 2012 Wall Calendar 2 winners! http://tinyurl.com/3cxopvx

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog <-This is ONE time per giveaway, NOT daily.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another active giveaway on Ascending Butterfly? Let me know which one and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you commented on a non-giveaway entry? Let me know which one here and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NEW! Here's a win/win extra credit entry if you join Scorebig from my affiliate link you will be entering for the chance to win a $100 ScoreBig Gift Card AND a $100 Amazon Gift Card (yes both) and if I get the most people to sign up via my link, I get a shot at a prize too! How cool is that? ScoreBig is the members-only place to save up to 60% on sports, concert and theater tickets. (Unfortunately if you have already signed up on your own or under someone else, you cannot claim the extra credit here) - tell us which email you used to sign up.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Press the button below and join, you get an extra entry for this giveaway and a shot at more great prizes, lets win together! (one time extra credit, will be verified before entry can be accepted)


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FTC Disclosure Info for this GiveawayThe Unlikely Friendships prize pack has been provided free of charge by Workman Publishing. No monetary compensation has been received. The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Anne Geddes Beginings Book Review - Ascending Butterfly Book Club Pick

Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club Pick:


My butterflies, my deepest apologies, this was supposed to be a vlog review, but my camera battery appears to have died completely, even after charging it over night, it still won't power. So while I get the battery replaced, I didn't want to hold up this review, because I'm just super excited to share this one with you! (I've actually had both my camera and cell phone battery die at the same time, electronics have not been my friend this week!)

Last month our book club pick was all about challenging us to explore ourselves, to learn from our own experiences and use them to become the person we want to be, Thank You again Daisy Fuentes for sending us 'Unforgettable You' and for hosting a giveaway. I greatly enjoyed reading everyone's entries about what makes a woman unforgettable!

This month we change focus, but continue to explore the human experience, this time from it's 'Beginings' with an exploration in pictures.

"Beginings explores the parallels between ourselves and other miracles of nature, placing these complimentary wonders side by side in an attempt to evoke a deeper appreciation of the simple yet deceptively complex beauty of our existence."

This is no ordinary 'picture or coffee table' book, it is an exploration of mankind and it's origins that is sometimes humorous, other times mysterious, very complex, and quite fascinating!

I'm sure there are very few of you who haven't seen Anne Geddes work by now, the cute babies in amazing poses turning them into cute little stuffed animal replicas or sometimes pea pods, certainly very cute.

But what I've often wondered is where does Anne Geddes get her inspiration? Her creativity seems to know no bounds. And I've also wondered, if writers get writers block, what do photographers do to keep things fresh?

This book answers that question! Anne herself reveals:

"Pregnant women and tiny babies are the human face of beginings, yet all of nature is caught in this insistent stream of seasons, of aging and rebith, of concealment and bursting forth. Even though I have been photographing babies for so long, every time I unwrap a newborn I am aware of the miracle before me."

It is no wonder that Anne Geddes has received acclaim in more than 83 countries and has been published in 24 languages. Her work extoling the miracle of pregnancy and the wonder of newborns has such a strong appeal because it is universal, it is experienced and understood by all, yet always fills us with wonder because of  it's simple beauty and utter complexity. Check out the video below of Anne Geddes behind the scenes of her new book (Please note this video is in English, it is sub-titled in French)


This is an amazing gift for anyone, but if you know someone who is expecting, this book is a must gift for a new mom. She will touched by your thoughtfulness, because every range of emotion she could possibly be experiencing is brough to life in beautiful vivid images, she will find herself constantly reaching for it each day and enjoying the images and her part in the beauty of creation!

It will at times leave you speechless, or leave you haunted and spellbound by the raw power of the images, this will definitely bring home for you the expression 'A picture is worth a thousand words' and you truly have to see it, to experience this book, to fully understand.

I highly recommend it! I give it five butterflies, our highest rating! Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

I wasn't able to arrange a giveaway of the book this time around, my apologies, normally our monthly book club selection is a review with giveaway, but hopefully Anne Geddes will host a review and giveaway with us soon!

The book will hit shelves on 10.10.10 but you can order it now on Amazon here:
















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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Ascending Butterfly Book Club - Unforgettable You by Daisy Fuentes Giveaway!

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Daisy Fuentes! We look forward to working with you again! The winner is Erma H. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page! (Our next book review will be posted soon!)
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Ascending Butterfly Montly Book Club pick:



Our book club returns with a special title, 'Unforgettable You' by Daisy Fuentes! (Especially happy to be featuring Daisy during Hispanic Heritage month!)

Right under the title on the cover it reads:

'Master the Elements of Style, Spirituality, and True Beauty' - 'Become a Classic Girl in a Modern World.'

Not an easy task, but in a read that is part 'sneak peak' into Daisy's Diary, personal scrapbooks and photos, and very in depth questions and queries of herself and other celebrity friends along the way, she manages to offer what I'd call 'Life Sense' advice that tackles the cover challenge in 335 pages!

So how do you become a Classic Girl in a Modern World? What do you think makes a Woman Unforgettable?

She answers all the questions asked herself, and then poses them for you to answer as well. The chapter excercises are actually fun and exceptionally thought provoking. This was truly a fun and very surprising read!

Because this synopsis is absolutely dead on, I wanted to share it:

Revealing tips that she has learned from her life in and out of the spotlight and from other celebrities and experts, Daisy shows you how to perceive yourself honestly and accurately. Only then can you feel and look absolutely irresistible, with a head-turning walk and a million-dollar smile. Unforgettable You helps you to become the very best version of yourself. Daisy breaks her approach down to easy-to-follow areas on which to focus your improvements: inner reflection, etiquette, relationships, sex, spirituality, and beauty.

By the end of this book, you'll know Daisy better, but most importantly, you'll know yourself better and you will be armed with all the tools you need to be unforgettable—from the inside out.

Daisy is not afraid to tell it like it is in this book and one of my favorite quotes is "I believe you can be a "take no shit", strong, powerful, successful, Liberated Woman and still be a Lady". I whole heartedly agree!

The book is also peppered with her favorite quotes and a list of some of her favorite charity choices, and I discovered her #1 choice is one we both share, Saint Jude Children's Hospital! (#2 and #3 are ASPCA and Smile Train, respectively) - Daisy has also been the celebrity chairman for the annual St. Jude Angels & Stars Gala in Miami since it's Miami debut!

These are the things about celebs that interest me, not who they are dating, or where they shop, but the positive ways they wield their celebrity to do good. Not because of the PR it garners, but because the cause actually has a personal meaning to them. Somehow Ascending Butterfly has carved a niche for itself featuring brands and now stars with a conscience. Those that balance the bottom line with giving back in impactful ways, and I couldn't be happier to do so! I have often been asked if I have something against profit, trust me, I don't, I just think it's important to give back whenever we can.

I loved this book! I have already recommended it to quite a few people. I encourage you to 'experience' this book, don't just read it. There is nothing superficial about it. The excercises/challenges are thought provoking, if you are not afraid to challenge yourself, to question yourself, and reveal to yourself WHO you are, then this book is for you. But if you get this book, and don't actually participate in the challenges the only person you are doing a dis-service to is yourself. I learned quite a bit about myself via the excercises in this book. I am sure I will constantly learn more about myself, and journaling is a great way to do that, But the Proust Questionnaire which is included in this book was one of the most interesting self exploration excercises I've experienced since my favorite writing class in College! I missed that kind of challenge, both on a personal level and as a writer! Gracias Daisy!


Here's Daisy discussing the Book:




Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and Daisy Fuentes would like to provide 1 Ascending Butterfly Follower a copy of  'Unforgettable You' (Don't you just ♥ Daisy Fuentes? - I know I do! This book certainly helped me to see her in a whole new light!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2) In honor of the book and it's title, share with us 'What makes a Woman Unforgettable?' (3) You MUST also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). (If your email is clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning. This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older, no PO Boxes.

Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this" or "I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Tuesday, September 21, 2010 until Friday, October 01, 2010 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment (5 entries, leave 5 comments)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you already have our button, just let us know, you will still get extra credit!) (3 entries, leave three comments, remember this will be verified)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow me @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this:

Ok to RT: Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - #AscendingButterfly + @DaisyFuentes Unforgettable You #Giveaway! #win here - http://tinyurl.com/2d58py8

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ – Follow/‘Like’ (and don't forget to write on their wall that Ascending Butterfly sent you!) Daisy Fuentes Official on Facebook HERE (3 entries, leave 3 comments) Post the URL of your comment. (You can see the instructions for twitter above on how to get the URL of your facebook comment, they work the same way on Facebook)


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Subscribe to receive Ascending Butterfly emails using our Feedburner widget on the upper right hand side of the page below the follower thumbnail pictures! (If you are already a subscriber you will still receive extra credit!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Review this blog on Alexa HERE


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ascending Butterfly is a nominee for the Bloggers Choice ’10 Awards in the ‘Best Blog About Stuff’ Category - http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/ You can press the button below to go straight to the page where Ascending Butterfly has been nominated!

My site was nominated for Best Blog About Stuff!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Press the button below and join, you get an extra entry for this giveaway and a shot at more great prizes, lets win together! (one time extra credit, will be verified before entry can be accepted.)




Can't wait to see if you won? Buy it NOW:


















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FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway: This is not a paid insertion. This is a non-compensated post and all opinions regarding the products are expressly my own experiences. I was provided with a book to facilitate my review and for the giveaway. The sponsor is fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the product. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor.

Monday, March 8, 2010

March 2010: The Ascending Butterfly Book Club review & GIVEAWAY - 'The Shift' by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer - Win the Featured Book in the Spotlight!

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. We are NOT accepting new entries. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Dr. Wayne Dyer & Hay House Radio. We look forward to working with you again! The winner is Trish! Remember: There are still some great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
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Ascending Butterfly Book Club, March 2010

New book 'The Shift - Taking Your Life From Ambition to Meaning' by Dr. Wayne Dyer is a companion book to the movie of the same name - it illustrates how and why to make the move from ambition to meaning. The Shift, Dr. Dyer’s first feature film, is now on DVD.

Introduction

What is The Shift? It’s the story of the most important moment of your life—when you stop striving and start arriving! It’s the choice you make to move toward a life that gathers up the pieces of your best, most fulfilled, most loving self. It’s the moment when you start living a life rich with meaning and begin playing the music you came here to play!

Are you ready to make the shift that changes everything? When will you find the joy, the peace, and the love that you came here to give and to receive?

As we contemplate leaving the morning of our life, where ego has played a commanding role, and entering the afternoon (and evening), where meaning and purpose replace ambition and struggle, we may encounter unexpected occurrences that accompany this new direction. It’s almost a universal law that we’ll experience a fall of some kind. Yet these falls or low points provide the energy we need to move away from ego and into a life of meaning and purpose.

The Shift doesn’t mean that we lose our drive and ambition; it signifies that we become ambitious about something new. We make a commitment to living a life based on experiencing meaning and feeling purposeful, rather than a life based on never-ending demands and false promises that are the trademark of the ego’s agenda.

About the Author


Wayne W. Dyer, Ph.D., is an internationally renowned author and speaker in the field of self-development. He’s the author of 30 books, has created many audio programs and videos, and has appeared on thousands of television and radio shows. His books Manifest Your Destiny, Wisdom of the Ages, There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem, and The New York Times bestsellers 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace, The Power of Intention, Inspiration, and Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life have all been featured as National Public Television specials.

Dr. Dyer holds a doctorate in educational counseling from Wayne State University and was an associate professor at St. John’s University in New York.

Visit his Website: www.DrWayneDyer.com

Daily Affirmations

Just like Ascending Butterfly strives to share inspiration and how that inspiration applies to daily living, one of my favorite sources of daily inspiration is Dr. Dyer's 'Daily Affirmations' which I have visited daily since they went live. I strongly believe that how you choose to start your day is what will greatly shape it!

The Shift and Me

I have always devoured Dr. Wayne Dyer's books and teachings for the way they speak to me personally, and because plain and simple, he has an amazing story. Dr. Dyer transcended the kinds of setbacks most us would feel justified to use as an excuse not to move forward in life. He hasn't done that. And he's generous enough to share not only the 'what's' of his life, but the 'how'. It never ceases to amaze me how open and available Dr. Dyer makes himself and his life to his fans.

I know that we all have our journey, our paths intersect, they fork, they cross and bend and twist, but ultimately, we all ask  ourselves the eternal questions 'Why am I here?'; 'What is my purpose?'; and the infamous 'Is this all there is?'

There comes a point in life where 'more' doesn't fill the need, where 'more' will no longer satiate the hunger. And that is YOUR 'shift'.

Are you experiencing your shift now? Have you begun 'The Shift' in your own life?

For me, I began 'The Shift' way earlier than I expected. I was working a job with outrageous hours, and making my employer obscene amounts of money based on my sales savvy and a genuine love of the industry I was in at the time; but I was burning out. The hours were killing me, the demands were abnormal, both those placed upon me, and those I placed upon myself. I left for work when there was still no sun in the sky, and returned home in the dark, ate lunch at my desk, if I even remembered or had time to take it, and began to wonder, 'is this all there is?'

That's when everything within me 'shifted'. I needed to stop. I needed to make the rollercoaster ride of ambition come to a crashing halt before it killed me!

I began seeking meaning instead of paychecks. I began seeking fulfillment both personally/spiritually and then professionally and things began to slowly fall into place. I'm not going to say I'm exactly where I want to be right now, but I'm a lot closer than I was before.

Reading this book reminded me that I still have quite a ways to go. That my 'shift' isn't exactly complete yet. But that's good, it shouldn't be!

I can't say what 'The Shift' will do for you, but I do know what it has done for me. It has forced me to evaluate the track I am on and project forward to where I want to be. I hope that is what you get from 'The Shift'. Are you ready to 'shift'?

How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2) Share a time in your life when you experienced a 'shift'. A shift in your thinking or a shift in your desires or even a shift in your circumstances. Or talk about what was going on in your life the first time you asked yourself, 'what am I here for?' or 'Is this all there is'? (no word minimums or maximums, you can share as much as you'd like!) (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). (If your email is clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning! This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older.

Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this" or "I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Monday, March 08, 2010 until Thursday, April 08, 2010 at 11:59 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

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FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway: This is not a paid insertion. This a non-compensated post and all opinions regarding this book are expressly my own experiences. I was provided with a book to review and the sponsor is also fulfilling to prize winner.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

February 2010: The Ascending Butterfly Book Club review & GIVEAWAY - Featured Book in the Spotlight!

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Simon & Schuster and Author Reyna Grande, We look forward to working with you again! Congratulations to our winner 'Cynthia'. Remember: There are still some great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
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Ascending Butterfly Book Club, February 2010

To the avid readers amongst us we apologize, after a long hiatus, The Ascending Butterfly Book Club is back! I thorougly enjoyed reading February's title, and couldn't possibly love this book or the name more, I present to you, 'Dancing With Butterflies' by Reyna Grande.

Introduction

Folklórico, traditional Mexican dance, bring together four women in Los Angeles. Yesenia and her husband lead Alegría, a successful Folklórico dance group, but Yesenia’s arthritic knee keeps her offstage and restless in her marriage. Sisters Elena and Adriana grew up dancing in Alegría, but bitterness over their difficult childhood has soured their relationship. And Soledad, the group’s costume designer, is determined to open a dress shop in L.A., even though she is in the U.S. illegally.

Tragedy strikes each of these four women, leaving Alegría’s future in doubt. Yesenia tries to reshape her body through cut-rate plastic surgery in Tijuana. Elena’s new marriage breaks up after her baby is stillborn, and instead of dancing through her grief, she lusts after an underage dancer. Adriana, missing her abusive father, chases oblivion through a series of dangerous relationships. Soledad sacrifices her career dreams to bid goodbye to her ailing grandmother, but, trapped on the Mexican side of the border, must risk her life to return to her family, to her passions, and to Alegría.

These four women, bonded by their passion for Folklórico, will learn to heal together, to keep Alegría dancing another day.



About The Author, Reyna Grande:

Reyna Grande is the author of the critically acclaimed novel Across A Hundred Mountains (Atria 2006), for which she received an American Book Award (2007) and El Premio Aztlan Literary Award (2006). Her latest novel, Dancing with Butterflies, was published in October 2009 to rave reviews.

Born in Mexico in 1975, Grande was raised by her grandparents after her parents left her behind while they worked in the U.S. She came to the U.S. at the age of nine as an undocumented immigrant and went on to become the first person in her family to obtain a higher education.

She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing and Film and Video from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Antioch University. She is a sought-after speaker at middle/high schools, colleges and universities across the nation, and teaches creative writing workshops in Los Angeles. She has served as a judge for the Pen Center USA Literary Awards and is on the planning committee of the Latino Book & Family Festival. She is currently at work on a memoir.

A Conversation with Reyna Grande:

1. Four distinct voices lead us through Dancing with Butterflies: each woman has her own, unique style of narrating. Please tell us about the experience of writing from four different points of view. How did you develop their separate voices? Was one narrator harder to envision than the others?

Answer: My first book, Across a Hundred Mountains, is told from two points of view. It gave me the training I needed to tackle four different characters. I used the same techniques I had learned in Mountains—pay attention to the voice, the way the characters talk, the way they see the world around them. I also worked on each character individually, spent a lot of time trying to get to know each woman, without the distraction of the other three. Having said that, writing from four points of view was a lot harder than I imagined! I think for my next book I will try just one. The hardest character for me was Yesenia. Since she’s ten years older than I am, and is going through a different stage in her life, I was having a difficult time getting into her head. I ended up using my older sister as a model for Yesenia, and sometimes, when I was stuck, I would call my sister and say, “So tell me again about the time you….” Adriana was the easiest for me because I understood her. I grew up with an alcoholic father who physically abused me for many years, and later on, in my twenties, I too was looking for men that were like my father (not physically abusive, but controlling). Luckily I escaped those relationships and got over that right away, and I found a wonderful man to marry (like Ben!).

2. Each chapter opens with one of your graceful line drawings of Folklórico dancers. Why did you choose to include these drawings? Have you ever felt you had to choose between two art forms, as Adriana struggles to choose between dancing and ranchero singing?

Answer: The drawings came very late in the process, right before I turned in the final draft to my editor. I had thought about it for a long time. Because I was writing about such a visual topic—Folklórico—I felt that the drawings would complement story. I couldn’t find someone to do them, and I didn’t feel confident enough to do them myself. But one day I said, why not? Why not at least try? So finally I decided to do them myself, just to see. And I ended up liking them enough, and when I showed them to my editor she liked them, too. Like Adriana, I felt torn between the passions I had. I loved music and from 7th grade up until my first year of college, I was a member of the marching band (I marched the Rose Parade three times). From middle school to college, I took drawing and painting classes because I loved doing that, too. I also started writing when I was thirteen years old. At UC, Santa Cruz I met a teacher who once told me that even though it was a good thing that I had many passions (I was also doing film and dancing at the time that I met her), I needed to choose one thing that I really loved, above all others, so that I could focus on it and be great at it. Otherwise, as the saying goes, I would just be a jack of all trades. So I chose writing. I’m glad I listened to her, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to complete my first novel, which requires a lot of discipline and commitment, but once in a while I still dance Folklorico, and I still draw. Having my drawings included in Dancing with Butterflies was, what can I say, extremely fulfilling—to see two of my passions come together, at last.

3. Sibling rivalry is a prominent theme in the novel, with Elena and Adriana’s constant conflict, as well as Soledad and Stephanie’s less explosive rivalry. Why did you focus on siblings in this novel?

Answer: How can you write about siblings and not have rivalry thrown in the mix? I have four siblings, and there is always some drama going on. The only time we are drama free is when we avoid each other! The rivalry between Elena and Adriana was inspired by my relationship with my older sister—not the way our relationship is, but how it could have been if things had turned out differently. Like Adriana, my older sister left me in a hellhole—my alcoholic father’s home. She didn’t take me with her when she left, and the two years I was at my father’s without my sister were two of the worst years of my life. To this day my sister apologizes for not taking me with her. I forgive my sister. But Adriana isn’t as forgiving. When I wrote about Adriana and Elena, I asked myself: how would my relationship with my sister be if I had held a grudge and not forgiven or understood my sister’s choices? (She was only 21 and could barely take care of herself, but at the time all I thought about was that she had left me and saved herself.)

With Soledad and Stephanie, I wanted to write about siblings that belong to two worlds. Most immigrant families have siblings who were born in this country and others born in other countries. Even in my own family, my two youngest siblings were born here in the U.S., but the three oldest (myself included) were born in Mexico.

4. Soledad faces enormous challenges in her efforts to cross the U.S.-Mexican border. What inspired Soledad’s story?

Answer: Soledad was the last character to make an appearance. One day when I was at Mr. Vences’s house (the director of the dance group I researched), Elías Roldán, the group’s costume designer, was there, showing Mr. Vences a costume he was designing for the group. As I watched them talk about the costume and what changes needed to be made, I realized that I was missing a crucial part in my novel—the point of view of Alegría’s costume designer! Mr. Roldán was very generous with his time, and I visited him at his house to interview him several times. Like Soledad, he used his dining room to do his sewing, and every corner of the living room and dining room was covered in bolts of cloth. In the interviews he not only talked about costume making and cloth, but he shared with me his dream of having his own shop and everything that was keeping him from making his dream come true. But now I’m happy to say that Mr. Roldán has his own shop in East L.A., and his business is thriving. Although Dancing with Butterflies ends before Soledad makes her dream come true, this is the kind of future I envision for her. In terms of the challenges she faced crossing the border, it was inspired by all the stories I hear from immigrants that have had to make the dangerous journey north (myself included).

5. Despite all the challenges that your characters face, there are many light-hearted moments, as well. How did you manage to balance serious subjects and humor? Do you have a favorite humorous moment in the novel?

Answer: I tend to write depressing stuff, and writing funny isn’t my strength. Whatever funny moments appear in the novel were not planned. But a little humor goes a long way, and it gives the reader a break from all that sadness, so I’m glad I managed to have a few funny moments here and there. One of my favorite humorous moments is when Adriana and Ben go out for sushi and she mistakes the wasabi for Guacamole. I was twenty years old when I first had sushi, and like Adriana, I was very ignorant about what wasabi was. I put a lot of it on my sushi, and boy, did that hurt!

6. Frida Kahlo is featured prominently in the novel, as Adriana’s favorite artist. How does Kahlo’s work affect you?

Answer: Frida Kahlo is an inspiration to many Latinas. She was a fighter. For most of her life she was in deep physical (and emotional) pain. Yet, her passion for art helped carry her through the toughest moments of her life. Writing has been my salvation. When things got bad at home, I wrote. Writing kept me sane. Kahlo painted herself many times. When I write, I use myself as the starting point for my characters. Elena, Adriana, Soledad, Yesenia, they are all a facet of me. They are not self-portraits, no, not like Kahlo painted her self-portraits. My self-portraits (my characters) are drawn in a style like Picasso’s, very distorted, but somehow recognizable. Like Adriana, my favorite Kahlo painting is “The Two Fridas.” When I lived with my father, I developed a second personality, another Reyna, so to speak. One Reyna was afraid, depressed, lonely. But the other Reyna was strong, brave, and smart. When things got tough, that second Reyna was the one that would give me the push I needed to keep going. I could hear her in my head telling me, “Things won’t always be like this. One day they will be better.” When I saw “The Two Fridas,” I saw my dual personality represented in that painting, and I fell in love with the painting and with the woman who painted it.

7. Although the main characters in Dancing with Butterflies are Mexican or Mexican-American, they face many of the same problems as women from other backgrounds and cultures. Which of the characters’ challenges do you feel are the most universal? Which feel more culturally specific to you?

Answer: Just a few weeks ago my older brother asked me why I don’t write books with no Latino characters or themes. He said that I am “limiting my audience” and therefore (or so I read between the lines) I will never have a bestseller. At first I felt furious about his comment, especially because I was showing him the advance copy of Dancing with Butterflies and instead of just saying, “Good job, Reyna,” he asks me that question! (Sibling drama? Yes!) But the thing is that even though I write about Latino characters, ultimately I am writing about human beings. No matter what ethnic background we come from, first and foremost we belong to the human race. The problems the women in Dancing with Butterflies face are universal. Like Yesenia, who hasn’t thought about aging and being frightened by it? Who hasn’t thought about the body’s limitations and what it can and cannot do as we get older? Elena gave birth to a stillborn baby. What mother, at some point during a pregnancy, hasn’t feared the worst? And for some, no matter their ethnic backgrounds, the worst has come to pass. What culture hasn’t had sibling rivalry, dead relatives to mourn, dreams that haven’t come true, obstacles to overcome, marriages that fail, illicit love affairs, forbidden love?

8. Your first novel, Across a Hundred Mountains, also centers on immigration and families. Do you plan to continue these themes in your future work?

Answer: I like to write about things that are important to me. My older sister once asked, “Why are you always writing about Mexico?” My father once said, “Why don’t you just forget about the past and move on? Why do you need to write about it?” I write about things that I care about, that matter to me. The immigrant experience is one of them. Right now I am working on a memoir in which I write about my childhood in Mexico, living in poverty, being raised by my grandmother because my parents were here in the U.S. working. I write about what it was like to come here as an illegal immigrant and the difficulties of trying to close the gap created by eight years of separation between me and my father. So to answer the question, yes, I do plan to continue writing about immigration and families, among other things. I am always looking for new ideas and topics. One has to grow as a writer, and one way to do that is to take chances and try new things.

9. At one point, Elena realizes that her ex-husband never understood her passion for dancing. Do you think artists need to connect with other artists in order to share their passions?

Answer: I think that it is very hard for nonartists to understand an artist’s inner world, needs, and thoughts. But it doesn’t mean you can’t try! I think it is very important for artists to build friendships with other artists. I have been lucky to have made many writer friends, especially female writers. We get together sometimes for coffee, or communicate through email or phone calls. We critique each other’s works, talk about our goals, our dreams, our troubles with our respective partners, our children, our editors, our publishers, our readers. I think that artists need to have a support network and spend time with those who understand, those who are walking the same difficult path. I have made it a point to reach out to other writers. For example, this year I am helping to organize the Latino Book & Family Festival in Los Angeles to reach out to other writers and have us come together, for at least one weekend, to share our passion for the written word, not only with each other but with the community. I love my writer friends. They understand me in a way my own family never will.

10. Your first novel, Across a Hundred Mountains, also centers on immigration and families. Do you plan to continue thesethemes in your future work?

Answer: I like to write about things that are important to me. My older sister once asked, “Why are you always writing about Mexico?” My father once said, “Why don’t you just forget about the past and move on? Why do you need to write about it?” I write about things that I care about, that matter to me. The immigrant experience is one of them. Right now, I am working on a memoir, in which I write about my childhood in Mexico, living in poverty, being raised by my grandmother because my parents were here in the United States working. I write aboutwhat it was like to come here as an illegal immigrant and the difficulties of trying to close the gap created by eight years of separation between me and my father. So to answer the question, yes, I do plan to continue writing about immigration and families, among other things. I am always looking for new ideas and topics. One has to grow as a writer, and one way to do that is to take chances and try new things.

Even the book's dedication references a 'mariposa', and the references to butterflies very much mirror the associations I have had with them growing up, the writing engages you in the struggles of it's characters and I will warn you now, once you start, you will have trouble putting this book down!

How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2) In some Mexican cultures, butterflies represent extraordinary spiritual, magical creations that are believed to embody the spirits of the dead and the souls of deities. Tell us what Butterflies Represent to you!  (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). (If your email is clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning! This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older.

Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this" or "I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Tuesday, February 02, 2010 until Tuesday, March 02, 2010 at 11:59 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

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Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet this: Follow and RT: @Tracy_Iglesias #ascendingbutterfly montly Book Club #Giveaways! Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - http://tinyurl.com/ykvszc3

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Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NEW METHOD OF EXTRA CREDIT, (You can vote daily for extra credit): Ascending Butterfly is a nominee for the Bloggers Choice ’10 Awards in the ‘Best Blog About Stuff’ Category - http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/  -You can press the button below to go straight to the page where Ascending Butterfly has been nominated!

My site was nominated for Best Blog About Stuff!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway: This is not a paid insertion. This a non-compensated post and all opinions regarding this book are expressly my own experiences. I was provided with a book to review and the sponsor is also fulfilling to prize winner.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Ascending Butterfly Book Club Returns! October Book Club Title: 'America Libre' by Raul Ramos y Sanchez - Enter to win an Autographed Copy!

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THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! Our winner has been notified, upon verification, winner announcement will be posted both here and on our home page! Check your emails, it could be YOU!

Remember, we have three current giveaways posted on the upper left hand side of the page. And Stay tuned for our November Book Club Title of the Month!
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Enter to win an Autographed Copy of America Libre

The Ascending Butterfly book club took a one month hiatus, and is now back in full force! Not only are we back, we are back with an Autographed Copy, and we are back with a page turning title!

Synopsis

Time: The second decade of the twenty-first century. As the immigration crisis reaches the boiling point, once-peaceful Latino protests explode into rioting. Cities across the nation are in flames. Anglo vigilantes bent on revenge launch drive-by shootings in the barrios, wantonly killing young and old. Exploiting the turmoil, a congressional demagogue succeeds in passing legislation that transforms the nation’s teeming inner-city barrios into walled-off Quarantine Zones. In this chaotic landscape, Manolo Suarez is struggling to provide for his family. Under the spell of a beautiful Latina radical, the former U.S. Army Ranger eventually finds himself questioning his loyalty to his wife—and his country.

Would you like a sneak peak?

The author has generously placed chapter one on his site, you can read the first chapter of America Libre HERE.

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A Statement By The Author

Could it happen here?

When I began writing America Libre in 2004, some thought the book’s premise was unrealistic. An uprising by Hispanics? The idea seemed far-fetched, they said. Today, as the rhetoric over immigration grows more heated, the skeptics are no longer so certain. I posed the nightmare scenario of America Libre as a wake up call to the dangers of extremism—on both sides of this explosive issue. Illegal immigration is a hotly debated topic. Yet it is only the tip of the iceberg. Over the next decade, three other factors will prove equally significant. Some of the volatile conditions presented in America Libre have already surfaced. I hope my abilities as a prophet end here. But the potential for a widespread conflict lurks behind every escalation of our current war of words.

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This book already has the imagination of many readers thinking 'big screen', myself included. The writing really paints the full picture. You feel like you are there. You want to be there! You are yelling at the characters, you are warning them, and this is just with the book! Can you imagine the reactions in the theater? I've read many books both before and after they have become a feature film, with very few did I find myself caring so much about the casting. In this case however, I do.  The author must have anticipated this because there is a chance to play Hollywood Casting agent on the site, allowing you to pick which person in hollywood should play which character from the book. So after you finish this title, head over and vote, play hollywood casting agent for a day HERE. (I've often thought I'd make a great casting agent!)

Now I will say, some of the choices posted so far I can see, others I can't but I do know who should play the character named 'Nesto', anyone who watches the cable television series 'Weeds' will agree that Guillermo Díaz who portrays character Guillermo García Gómez on the show would make a perfect Nesto! If anyone can pull off street smart, wily and with a sly sense of humor, it's him!

I can't get enough of talking about this book, and the book has a very interesting 'Reading Group Guide' I'd love to discuss some of the topics in the guide, and will post a new topic each week!

This week's Topic: Characters

1) Who Was Your Favorite Character? Why?
2) Who Was Your Least Favorite Character? Why?
3) What emotions drove Mano's conversion from loyal citizen to insurgent?
4) Do you think Mano's actions were immoral? Why or Why Not?
5) Under the same circumstances as Mano, what would you have done differently?
6) How did Mano's view of their rebellion differ from the views of Jo and Ramon?
7) What experiences ultimately radicalized Rosa?
8) Do you think Rosa's reaction to her predicament differed from that of a mainstream American Woman? If so, How?

I would love to hear from you! Please post your answers to these questions in this thread. This thread will serve both as a discussion guide for those reading along, as well as the place to leave your entries for the book.

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WIN IT! - 1 reader will receive an AUTOGRAPHED COPY of the book.

How to Win: You must be a follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. In addition, please share your impressions of Chapter one of the book which you can read online HERE! Comments that don't follow these instructions, or just say enter me will NOT be entered into the giveaway!

Please leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com), if your blogger profile has your email you can just indicate this in your entry. If your comment name, and your follower name are different, please indicate this as well.

Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, so no worries if your comment doesn't appear on the site right away. This giveaway is open to bloggers and non-bloggers alike, but you must follow this blog for your entry to count. You have from now until Monday, November 02, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. Winner will be announced shortly after Thursday, November 5th! Giveaway open to USA only, 18+.

EXTRA CREDIT:

* Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment
* Follow me @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment
* Tweet about this giveaway and leave the URL in a comment. (you can do this DAILY)
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* Become a Facebook fan of AMERICA LIBRE HERE
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