Southern Princess Dark Divine Giveaway

04 May, 2010 by in etsy, giveaway, southern princess, the Dark Divine Leave a comment

Southern Princess book blog, author Bree Despain and I have teamed up for an awesome giveaway of The Dark Divine swag!

Go enter here: http://princesscourtneysbarr.blogspot.com/2010/05/spread-awesome-author-spotlight-bree.html for the interview and the goods!

And see all of your prize choices in our TDD inspired collection on Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/shop/HeatherZahnGardner?section_id=6659066

Mom’s Monday Zan-Gah Review

03 May, 2010 by in book giveaway, book review, middle reader, YA prehistoric fiction, zan gah 14 comments

published July 15th 2007
by Earthshaker Books
details Paperback, 160 pages
isbn 0979035708
3 stars
Product Description from Amazon.com
The hero, Zan-Gah seeks his lost twin in a savage prehistoric world, encountering suffering, captivity, conflict, love, and triumph. In three years, Zan-Gah passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. Themes: survival, cultures, gender roles, psychological trauma, nature’s wonders and terrors.
I received a signed copy of this book in the mail from the publisher for review on our blog. I must say I had never heard of preshistoric fiction so it was a completely new genre for me. The first couple of chapters which describe Zan’s encounter with a lioness and becoming a man in his tribe were a little slow. As he grows into a man and travels in search of his twin brother, things pick up. The landscapes and people he encounter are fascinating and vivid. I found myself wishing there were more detail about red haired, green eyes Lissa-Nah the priestess, her culture and background. I also was disturbed by the graphic detail in chapter 10 as Dael starts to reveal his psychological scars and kills a man. I really think the gory details could have been left out to make it more applicable and suitable for a younger reader age 11.
What caught me were the wasp people and the interesting conditions of life that Zan-Gah comes across. The portraits nature will stick with you after you put down the book. I give it three stars and congratulate author Allan Shickman for going out on a limb to incorporate the themes of anthropology, psychology and coming of age.
Divider

Cronopia6 Matryoshka Doll Giveaway

03 May, 2010 by in etsy, santiago 17 comments


Today’s Etsy spotlight is from seller Cronopia6 of Santiago, Chile.
Hello! Welcome to my virtual shop. In this space you will find many colorful things made with love, wonderful toys, or just nice objects to decorate your home or any space you want to bringing fun and color.
visit my blog http://www.cronopia6.blogspot.com/
and my flickr www.flickr.com/cronopia6

I am a Proud Member of Plush Team
I am a Proud Member of Etsy Latino Team
and ask if you want something special you see on my pages, feel free to ask.

A kiss, and i hope you will enjoy my work.
Cronopia

Hola, bienvenido a mi tienda virtual.En esta espacio podra ver mis diseños, llenos de color y hechos con mucho amor. Objetos para decorar su casa o cualquier espacio que desee.
Espero que le guste mi trabajo y vuelva a visitar mi tienda.
si desea encargar algo en especial que vea en mis paginas, no dude en preguntarme.

Soy una orgullosa miembro del Etsy Latino Team

saludos!
Cronopia

Description…Lovely silkscreened matryoshka. It is ivory color.
Is a perfect gift for young and old, to play or decorate any part of our home.
the list includes 1 matryoshka fabric screenprinted.
measured 23cm. high.
14cm. wide, approximately.


To enter to win: leave your name and email address below
additional entries
+20 for any donation to Chile relief shipping efforts via Paypal at heatoddgardner@yahoo.com or cash, check via snail mail
+5 for any ideas for increasing donations or sending a wheelchair
+3 visit her and our etsy shops and heart them http://www.etsy.com/shop/cronopia6 and http://www.etsy.com/shop/littleredreads
+3 follow our blogs on right sidebar and http://www.cronopia6.blogspot.com/
+3 comment on your favorite photos in our Flickr photostreams www.flickr.com/cronopia6
and www.flickr.com/zahngardner
+2 for each retweet @fireicephotos-leave the link
+5 for a blog post, facebook link or sidebar post- leave the link
Total your entries and leave the total below.
Contest ends June 3, 2010 and is International
Good Luck …Buena Suerte!

Contest Winners

03 May, 2010 by in contest winners 4 comments

Congratulations to our newest giveaway winners!!!

Hourglass Charm http://fireandicereads.com/2010/04/time-slip-thursday-with-myra-mcentire.html Gustosa

Iris Design Book Print http://fireandicereads.com/2010/04/iris-design-book-print.html Cathy H

Poise and Pretty Pendant/ Brooch by Florabond http://fireandicereads.com/2010/03/poise-petite-hair-clip-and-brooch.html Whatsupapercup/ Naya

Please email me your street address to firemailto:fireandice.heather@gmail.com

As for our Chile relief effort…this week we had a request for a wheelchair and we found one! The only problem is money to ship it there. We also received 17 bags of clothes, blankets and winter gear to ship! Really things have taken off and we are needing donations to send our boxes to Chile at heatoddgardner@yahoo.com or you can mail cash or check. Email me for details. If any of you have media or big business connections we could use a shout out for donations! Specific families have been identified and they are waiting for us to help. Thanks so much!!!

In My Mailbox #10 and Current ARC Tours

30 Apr, 2010 by in meg cabot Leave a comment

In My Mailbox, IMM, is a bookish meme started at The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea of Pop Culture Junkieaken
New this week…

My Brother the Dog-Kim Williams Justesen signed author copy for review and giveaway

The Spiderwick Chronicles-Holly Black Special editions
Goddess of the Night-Lynne Ewing read and reviewing
Princess Mia-Meg Cabot bought to read
Hatching Magic– Ann Downer bought used for my kids, to read
Guardians of Ga’Hoole #2-Kathryn Lasky bought used for my kids, to read
Arthur and the Invisibles-Luc Besson
Hasta La Vista Lola!- Won from Kris at the Cajun Book Ladies Blog
As always let me know if you want to borrow any books.
Our current ARC tours are “The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy, Brightly Woven by Alex Bracken, The Mark by Marilyn Bunderson, and The Golden Spiral by Lisa Mangum. Email us if interested in reading and reviewing these!

Enchanted Glass Necklace Giveaway

30 Apr, 2010 by in etsy, Heather Gardner Photography 17 comments


Today’s Etsy shop giveaway is a huge SQUEE for me! Shop owner Enchanted Glass has made two necklaces featuring one of my angel photographs! It is a dream come true! She has also done work for one of our current giveaway artists “Rustic Goth” who contributed bookmarks to our Super Book Giveaway. Enchanted Glass is one of my favorite shops…we will be working together on some more pieces with my photos so stay tuned!
She says “I’m a native of the northwest and for the most part have lived in small towns and the countryside. I’ve always loved being in the outdoors and growing things. To pay homage to this unsurpassable beauty that is mother nature I like to incorporate inspiration from her, if not actual bits of nature in my pieces.
Initially self-taught in 1979, I have since taken many a class and learned from my peers. I use the copper foil method, also known as Tiffany. I also do solder sculpting, sandblasting and fusing. My preference is toward the miniature and 3-dimensional, with the occasional window size flat piece. All my patterns are original, as the creation is half the fun.

Here you get to experience the physical outcome of my imagination’s many flights of fancy. As you will see I specialize in the miniature and 3-dimensional. I most enjoy the many lives that a glass piece takes on given the ever-changing way it is affected by light. I rarely use patterns, letting the piece evolve as it is being created and built. Each piece I make is unique, whether it is my own creation or a custom piece springing from your ideas. I pride myself on my attention to detail and quality production. With proper care my items can be enjoyed by many generations.


To Enter To Win a One of a Kind Angel Necklace:
leave your name and email address below
additional entries
+3 make a one dollar donation to CHile via PayPal at heatoddgardner@yahoo.com
+3 for each additional dollar donated
+3 tell us which photo you want to see made into jewelry http://www.flickr.com/photos/heatherzahngardner
+2 for each retweet @FireIcePhotos
+5 add this giveaway to your blog or FB page
total your entries and leave them in the comments below
Giveaway ends May 27, 2010 and is open internationally

Giveaway Winners and Affiliated News

30 Apr, 2010 by in contest winners, pickle face place Leave a comment

Congratulations to Mandy K who won our PickleFace Place handmade tie. http://fireandicereads.com/2010/03/picklefaceplace.html She donated $20 to our PayPal Chile relief efforts which gave her 60 extra entries!!! If you really want an item that is the way to do it 🙂

Our Alice In Wonderland Prize Pack http://fireandicereads.com/2010/03/alice-in-wonderland-bookmarks.html winners are:

Alice in Wonderland book: Anthy
Set of 5 Alice tags: Karen B
Set of 5 White Rabbit tea cards: Elena
Set of 5 Mad Hatter bookmarks: Kisyaa
Set of 5 Red Queen tags: Libbeh
1 mini fabric covered art booklet: EkO0724

Please email us your street address so we can mail you your prizes!

In other news…This week the Blue Bloods Secret featured our Melissa DeLaCruz inspired line of jewelry on their website http://thebluebloodssecret.com/ New book realted items are available for sale in our sister shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleRedReads

Trailer Thursday-NEW Shadow Hills

29 Apr, 2010 by in shadow hills, VLC productions 3 comments

Out trailer Thursday is “Shadow Hills,” officially released on YouTube today! I just finished this book last week and it is amazing. Vania and Anastasia are two of my favorite people. I first met Vania of VLC Productions at the “Beautiful Creatures” release party in Salt Lake City. She is one talented lady and a photographer after my own heart! Author Anastasia Hopcus has been SO good to us from the beginning. Enter to win Shadow Hills swag and see our review on the right hand side bar under International Giveways!

Utah Author Interview- Mette Ivie Harrison

29 Apr, 2010 by in giveaway, mette ivie harrison, utah authors 9 comments

Where were you born?
New Jersey

Did you graduate from college, if so from where and in what major?
BYU, B.A. and M.A. in German Literature 1990
Princeton, PhD in Germanic Languages and Literatures 1995

What are your hobbies?
triathlon, knitting, crocheting, piano, quilting

What are your favorite all-time books?
Lois McMaster Bujold
Megan Whalen Turner
Robin Hobb
Margeret Peterson Haddix

When did you start writing your book and how long did it take to get it published?
I wrote a lot as a child and teen, but stopped for about ten years. I started up again in 1993 and had my first offer in 2000. I wrote twenty novels before I got to the one that sold. They are almost all unredeemable.

Who is your hero/ mentor?
Rick Walton

What suggestion would you give young writers?
Listen to people around who tell you what you do uniquely well. Do that.

What do you plan to do when you retire?
Retire? Why would I retire when writing is the thing I love to do most?

Do you have another day job?
I have 5 kids.

Favorite music? Does music or art inspire your writing?
I don’t listen to music while writing. It distracts me. But I love Chopin and the piano music from Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, the movies.

What are the names of your published works?

THE MONSTER IN ME
MIRA, MIRROR
THE PRINCESS AND THE HOUND
THE PRINCESS AND THE BEAR
THE PRINCESS AND THE SNOWBIRD
TWO PRINCESSES (forthcoming)

Are you working on any books right now?
Several, a contemporary YA fantasy/romance based on the original Tristan and Isolde tale, a postapocalyptic novel, and a vampire novel. Plus more Hound Saga books.

What do you aspire to do before you die?
Be happy.

Literary crush?
Megan Whalen Turner

What is your all-time favorite children’s book?
The Queen of Attolia

Do you prefer independent booksellers and why?
Because they buy more than the best sellers with big concepts.

Do you have a writer’s group?
I used to, but moved away, so right now my two teen daughters are my first readers of almost everything.

Mette’s Newest Book “The Princess and the Snowbird” comes out this week.

Book description from author’s website…Her parents were legends. When she was born, they gave their magic to her. And they will not take it back. Now, it is up to her if magic lives or dies. But she has lived all her life with animals. Why should it matter to her what humans do to their own magic?

Read an excerpt of all Mette’s books online at http://www.metteivieharrison.com/mybooks.html

Thanks so much to Mette Ivie Harrison for sitting with us for an interview. To learn more about Mette visit her website which is full of childhood photos, triathlon tales and beautiful writing. We snagged some of her bookmarks at the Authorpalooza at Barnes and Noble. And, we are giving them away to you lucky blog readers. The giveaway also includes other Utah author bookmarks and one of our site buttons!

To enter to win a prize pack: leave your name in our comments
+5 for following our blog or adding our button to yours
+2 for each contest retweet @FireIcePhotos
+2 for visiting her site and commenting below http://www.metteivieharrison.com/

Giveaway ends May 29, 2010 and is open internationally

Waiting on Wednesday "Sea"

28 Apr, 2010 by in etsy, Sea 1 comment

SEA
Heidi R Kling
To be released June 10, 2010
details Hardcover, 336 pages
http://www.heidirkling.com/
isbn 0399251634

Synposis From Goodreads…Haunted by recurring nightmares since her mother’s disappearance over the Indian ocean three years before, fifteen-year old California girl Sienna Jones reluctantly travels with her psychiatrist father’s volunteer team to six-months post-tsunami Indonesia where she meets the scarred and soulful orphaned boy, Deni, who is more like Sea than anyone she has ever met.

She knows they can’t be together, so why can’t she stay away from him? And what about her old best friend-turned-suddenly-hot Spider who may or may not be waiting for her back home? And why won’t her dad tell her the truth about her mother’s plane crash? The farther she gets from home, the closer she comes to finding answers.

And Sea’s real adventure begins.

I have seen a lot of chatting about this book on twitter and I am excited for it to be released. (Hopefully somehow I get an ARC) The author is such a fun person…and a boy like the Sea? So cool! In the meantime I have been busy creating a new Etsy Shop called “Little Red Reads” and adding a SEA inspired collection! I am having a blast!

Check it out here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleRedReads
and pardon our dust! I am also waiting on pins and needles for my cool new banner and avatar 🙂 SQUEE~