A Giveaway Each Month

This month's giveaway:

Water for Elephants

By Sara Gruen

 

(paperback)

Why I liked this book:

It has the element of romance, and a man going slowly insane towards the end of his life.  He is still defiant, much like he lived his life, and is kind of an awesome old man.  Between the flash backs of his past and his current situation, Sara Gruen paints a beautiful character for you to fall in love with. 

Who would like this book:

Anyone that likes contemporary fiction or likes romance.  There are enough elements of both to keep readers entertained.  This book is also in very good condition, I wouldn't say it is perfect enough for a gift - but if you knew someone that has been wanted to read this, it might make a good "random" present.

The Giveaway Contest Details:

• Must be in the United States OR pay for shipping outside the U.S.  (Shipping is free for U.S. winners)
• There is only ONE copy of this book, the winner will be picked via random.org
• Follow the rafflecopter instructions below!  The giveaway starts at midnight eastern time tonight and ends February 1st.  This will be the first installment in a year of giveaways!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rioss

My new work in progress, inspired by Sarah Rios (or really, just one of the many people that has been encouraging me to write this piece).  I'm up to 7,000 words, and hope to finish an additional 25k before I go back to work (next Tuesday).

A brief tidbit:  Jeremy told his parents that he was a werewolf.  They thought he was insane and dropped him off in Rioss Hospital.  It is in the hospital that the story unfolds.  Here's an excerpt:

         But the scream was so guttural. It had seemed urgent, like life or death. Usually, when people screamed in here, it was madness. It would be shrill and would last for minutes, and it would happen again and again. This was once, and then it was silenced. The doctors wouldn’t have been able to get to her that fast.

I don’t know why I was so worried. Screams happened all the time at Rioss, but all the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Something told me not to go to bed, and I stayed up, eyes trained on the window. If I saw a shadow, heard any footsteps, I would lunge. Five minutes passed without any more noises, just the usual shuffling of feet to the sides of me. Some deep moans from people that were forced into sleep by enough drugs that would induce a coma on any normal person. The window remained empty, but it was my only way to see out of my dingy room.

If anyone was coming for me, I would be ready. Ten minutes passed. Then fifteen. Then the shadows on the walls changed. Someone moved outside, but too fast. Someone was - another scream. Blood curdling like the one before, but on this floor. Again, it died as quickly as it had started. I heard the same voice, still muddled. Relax, it said. I crouched close to the wall, my heart pounding in my chest. Five more minutes, then ten. The shadows changed patterns again. A distant latch on a door clicked into place. Silence.

After a few more minutes, the only thing I could hear was the pounding of my blood rushing through my head.