The Cove's 2nd Annual Blog Giveaway!

We are holding our 2nd annual blog giveaway!

The prize? A $15 gift card to the Cove!*

Interested in entering? Just leave a comment on this blog post by August 31st, 2010 telling us what your favorite book is. A step by step guide to posting is written (as a comment) on this post. You may submit as many favorite books as you would like, as we definitely understand having lots of favorites!

One winner will be chosen at random on September 1st, 2010. The winner will be announced right here, so check back to see if you won!

*Giveaway gift card regulations: valid on in-stock items only, expires 10/31/2010, excludes out of print books & special orders. In store regulations apply. Participants agree to comply with these rules.

The Red Thread of Destiny

We were lucky enough to have Ann Hood come to the Cove not once, but twice!

Ann's new novel is called The Red Thread, and she read this section from the book to her audience:

"There exists a silken red thread of destiny. It is said that this magical cord may tangle or stretch but never break. When a child is born, that invisible red thread connects the child's soul to all the people-past, present, and future-who will play a part in that child's life. Over time, that thread shortens and tightens, bringing closer and closer those people that are fated to be together."

This reading served as a great introduction to the conversation that followed. A few highlights, in no particular order: Ann said her own adoption process was so smooth, that it would not have made an interesting book, which is why The Red Thread is fictional instead of based on her experiences. When Ann adopted in the early 2000s, the wait for a baby from China was about a year; today, the wait is about 5 years.

Did you miss Ann's visit? We have signed copies of Comfort, The Knitting Circle, An Ornithologist's Guide to Life, Somewhere off the Coast of Maine, and The Red Thread on hand for you.

Plus, Ann is now on Twitter! Follow her @annhood56

Thank you to Ann and her friend Tracey for making the trek up to see us again, and thank you to our audience members!

Jim Benn and the Birth of Billy Boyle

Jim Benn, author of the "Billy Boyle" World War II mystery series, visited the Cove last weekend...and turned the Covies into instant fans! Jim was a wonderful speaker, who greeted a number of eagerly waiting readers, and also attracted passing shoppers with the passion and wit of his talk.

Of particular interest? Jim has traveled to almost all of the countries he writes about, including Ireland and England.

We have autographed stock on hand of Jim's books, in case you missed the signing, and we hope to see Jim again in the fall with the release of his fifth book, Rag and Bone!

To learn more about the author, visit http://www.jamesrbenn.com/

An Afternoon with Aimee!

Bestselling young adult author Aimee Friedman visited us today! Aimee's enchanting Sea Change just came out in paperback, and she has also written a new book in the Poison Apple Series called This Totally Bites. Aimee had a great conversation with the audience about writing for YA and pre-teens, the trends emerging in current literature, and some of the influences in her writing. Everyone really enjoyed meeting and chatting with Aimee, and we have autographed copies of her books on hand if you missed the signing and would like one. Many thanks to Aimee and to our eventgoers!

To learn more about the author, visit http://www.aimeefriedmanbooks.com/

"Saddled" Signing with Susan Richards!

Several years ago, the Covie crew flipped for a book called Chosen by a Horse. The book made its way from one staff person to another, winning rave reviews from all of us. Throughout the country, Chosen by a Horse was having the same effect on countless other people. Little did we know that the author, Susan Richards, would one day come to the Cove. Even less did we know that Susan would come not once, but twice!

Today marks Susan's second visit to Pawling. Her new memoir, Saddled, serves as a sort of prequel to the "Chosen" books. Horse lovers from as far away as Ridgefield Connecticut turned out to meet the New York Times-bestselling author, with one person confessing that she had not read a book in years until she stumbled across Chosen by a Horse. The audience members traded stories with our author, ranging from their love of horses to balancing family and work obligations with that aforementioned passion.

As Susan explained in her talk, Saddled tells the story of two very important figures in her life: Georgia, her beloved mare, and alcoholism, the unwanted specter in her past. Susan said that she did not delve into her battle with addiction in her other two books, but felt ready to do so with Saddled. The reading Susan gave from the beginning of the book was profoundly moving, and showed how her positive relationship with Georgia enabled her to confront the less positive relationships she had with her husband and alcohol. Beautifully written, as all her books are, it was amazing to hear the words in Susan's voice. Susan was a very inspiring speaker, and we were so happy to see her again. Many thanks to our author and our audience!

A Winner with Spinner!

Popular children's author Stephanie Spinner came to the Cove today!

Stephanie's newest book, Paddywack, tells the story of a young girl and her pony. Stephanie was visited by a steady stream of children, horse lovers, and friends alike, including a group of kids from a local school.

We have signed copies on hand of Stephanie's books, including her previous titles such as Aliens for Breakfast and Uno: Blue Ribbon Beagle. In case you missed her event and would like one, do stop in!

Many thanks to our author and our audience. We look forward to doing many more enjoyable signings over the summer months. Visit our website, www.pawlingbookcove.com, to see a list of everyone who is coming!