Monday, April 27, 2009

FOLLOW ME BLOG TOUR: REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

CONTEST HAS ENDED!
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED
TONIGHT, MAY 15!
GOOD LUCK AND THANKS
FOR ENTERING

FOLLOW ME

by Joanna Scott
BLOG TOUR, April 27-May 15

MEET THE AUTHOR: JOANNA SCOTT

Joanna Scott is the author of nine books,including
1997 Pulitzer Prize finalist
THE MANIKIN, and a short story collection,VARIOUS ANTIDOTES as well as ARROGANCE were both
finalists for the 1995 PEN/Faulkner Award.
She received a MacArthur Fellowship, a Lannan
Award, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. She lives in Rochester, New York with her family.


MY REVIEW of FOLLOW ME

Joanna Scott’s book, FOLLOW ME, makes it very easy to ‘follow her” with this influential narrative of a young woman’s journey to re-invent herself. This compassionate account of Sally Werner is a mesmerizing read. Scott begins by telling of young Sally Werner in 1946, who is the daughter of a Pennsylvania farmer, and how with wild abandon she agrees to take a ride on her cousin’s new motorcycle. This impulsiveness is something that will earmark much of Sally’s life and has extensive consequences, but Sally is too young to think of that at the time. The results of this frivolous act are a baby and Sally, who refuses to marry a cousin, leaves home, abandoning the child, in hopes of escaping her mistake and finding herself. Sally’s journey is recorded, entrusted to, and found by her granddaughter, who is even named for her, some 60 years later. While this young Sally tries to understand what her grandmother was like and what she did, she is confronted with a new challenge—meeting her father, a father she never knew. He tells a story of her grandmother that is quite different from the one that Sally has read and she decides she will find out the true story of Sally Werner, her grandmother, and so begins to investigate the secrets of Sally Werner.

After leaving home, Grandmother Sally comes upon helpful and caring people who open their homes to her and offer friendship. She stays and meets Mole, a young man, and Sally begins to think she had found the answers to her place in life. However, misfortune again follows Sally and she is forced to move on, further north into New York. This is a pattern that seems to repeat itself in Sally’s life many times. She has another child, a girl and later, a granddaughter as a result of that. Sally never lets go of the guilt she feels for leaving her son behind and she decides to finally look for him. This search results in changes not only in her life but also in all the lives of those people she loves that are the integral part of her existence.

Joanna Scott does a superb job of enticing the reader into the world of the two Sallys with her caring, carefully written tale. She keeps your interest with the two women telling of their lives….Sally Werner telling of her journey and its resulting consequences and young Sally trying to understand and learn the truth from her namesake’s writings. The theme of the story is one of how decisions in our lives make for profound consequences that are far-reaching in scope as well as personally affecting each of us and those around us. Readers will be so caught up in these women’s lives that it is hard to put this book down.

GIVEAWAY of FOLLOW ME

Many thanks to Miriam at Hachette Books for the Giveaway. Three (3) lucky winners will receive a copy of FOLLOW ME. The normal rules are:
U.S. and Canada Entries ONLY
No P. O. Boxes, Please
Giveaway ends at 6:00 PM, EST, Friday, May 15

How do you enter? This is how:
+1 entry for commenting AND including your email
+1 entry for becoming a follower or tell me if you are already one
+1 entry posting on blog (sidebar counts) AND give link back here
+1 entry for tweeting about this giveaway
Remember to leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry! Include your email address if it is not shown on blogger. Winners will be chosen May 15th.

Thanks to Drey at Drey's Library you can click here to see the list of ALL the many blogs who are part of the tour today. So many places, so many chances! Good Luck!

78 comments:

Kerri said...

Sounds like a great read.

ravndahl@hotmail.com

Kerri said...

I follow your blog.

Miriam said...

I agree! i couldn't put it down either! :)

bermudaonion said...

Don't enter me - just wanted to say I enjoyed the book and your review of it.

Annie1 said...

I'd love to win and read this book!


Thanks


nancyrobster@gmail.com

Annie1 said...

I follow your blog



Thanks


nancyrobster@gmail.com

Annie1 said...

Tweeted

greeeneyedwhwomhttp://bookinwithbingo.blog... Win a copy of Follow Me!

http://twitter.com/greeeneyedwhwom

Thanks


nancyrobster@gmail.com

Bingo said...

WOW! You guys are right on top of these tours!Thanks for entering! Annie, I think you are my first tweet...I SO don't really know what I am doing over there but people say it is a good way to get things out there so am putting it in for all you tweeters who understand it. GOOD LUCK, Ya'll!!

nfmgirl said...

I'm glad to see that you so enjoyed this book. I'd love a chance to win it. Please count me in. Thank you!

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

I'm a follower

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

CherylS22 said...

This looks like a good read - please count me in!

Thanks,
Cheryl
megalon22[at]yahoo[dot]com

Anonymous said...

Wow, I love books you can't put down. Count me in. I am a readaholic.
thebun@personainternet.com
Call me...thebun

cpullum said...

Would love to read this count me in!
Carla
cpullum(at0yahoo(dot)com

Sage Ravenwood said...

I've been wanting to read this book. Please enter me in this drawing. Thanks for the opportunity! Indigo

ravensquietscreams@gmail.com

Sage Ravenwood said...

I also follow you on Google Reader. Thanks! Indigo

ravensquietscreams@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Please enter me - this sounds like a wonderful book!

jgbeads AT gmail DOT com

Unknown said...

I am already a follower :)

jgbeads AT gmail DOT com

Vanessa said...

Please count me in... this sounds like a good one.

gypsyrover21(at)yahoo(dot)ca

Vanessa said...

I'm a follower!

gypsyrover21(at)yahoo(dot)ca

Debs Desk said...

Sounds like a great book. Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
Debbie
debdesk9(at)verizon.net

Shelly B said...

Don't enter me; just stopping by the tour. Love how you said it was mesmerizing. And yes, it was hard to put down!

Erika Powell said...

this one sounds good!
sports dot erikalynn at gmail dot com

Erika Powell said...

i am a follower

cpullum said...

Want to read this book count me in!!!
Windy here in California!
Carla
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com

Sue W. said...

Wow, this certainly sounds like a book with many twists and turns. It will be really interesting to read about Sally and her life and also about her children and grandchildren.Please enter me in this giveaway.
roylsue(at)telpage(dot)net

Sue W. said...

I'm a follower!!

roylsue(at)telpage(dot)net

Sue W. said...

I posted this giveaway on my blog.
http://gourdcrafter.blogspot.com/

roylsue(at)telpage(dot)net

Anonymous said...

Please enter me!

nbmars AT yahoo DOT com

Anonymous said...

I'm a follower and a puppyrazzi!

nbmars AT yahoo DOT com

Irene said...

And that one decision that can completely change your life also has profound effects on the lives of those around you. Please enter my name. Thank you.

cyeates AT nycap DOT rr DOT com

Irene said...

I am a follower.

cyeates AT nycap DOT rr DOT com

Melissa said...

This one sounds great! THanks for the giveaway.

Melissa said...

I follow. :)

sharon54220 said...

Another great giveaway. I've seen some reviews and this sounds like a great obok.

sharon54220@gmail.com

sharon54220 said...

I am also a follower.

sharon54220@gmail.com

Bingo said...

How exciting! I haven't been around between company and illness, working and blogging, this is my first chance to reply to people and check my favorite blogs. It is so much fun to be able to give away books (my favorite things) to people and it doesn't cost me anything but a little time. You can't beat that! I love all of my followers and appreciate your loyalty and following! Happy blogging and good luck!

Teddy Rose said...

I would love to win this one!

teddyr66 at yahoo dot com

Teddy Rose said...

I blogged about your giveaway here:

http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/04/giveaways-galore_26.html

Anonymous said...

This would be a wonderful book to read. Please enter my name in your draw. Thanks.

Shauna said...

Please count me in! I would l♥ve these books for Mothers day! tryingtostaycalm@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Count me in

nhertel85ATyahooDOTcom

Unknown said...

I follow

nhertel85ATyahooDOTcom

joyh82 said...

What an interesting review and I would love to follow your blog. Just found you as a matter of fact. Have a great weekend and please enter me in the contest.

joyh82 said...

Great review, count me in on the drawing please and I would love to follow your blog. I just found you today. Have a great weekend!

Belinda M said...

Please enter me in the giveaway

"Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons, Deals, Games and Fun:
CoolCanucks.ca"

Belinda M said...

I am a follower

"Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons, Deals, Games and Fun:
CoolCanucks.ca"

Wrighty said...

I keep hearing the best things about this book. This was a great review, I didn't know that the author lived in Rochester, NY. That's the part of the state I live in. Please include me in the contest. I'd love to read this book. Thanks!

5wrights1[at]verizon[dot]net

Wrighty said...

I'm a follower.

5wrights1[at]verizon[dot]net

Kitten22 said...

I tweeted about this!

BookCrossingKitten22[at]gmail[dot]com

Kristen said...

This sounds really good. Please enter me!

whitreidsmama at yahoo dot com

janetfaye said...

I would like to read this.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

I follow your blog.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

Tweet:
http://twitter.com/Janetfaye/status/1744972235

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

DEBIJOT said...

Sounds like a good beach read. Thanks

DEBIJOT said...

follower

Julie said...

Would love to win & am a follower-thanks!

Carlene said...

I would love to enter your drawing.
Thanks
carlene
iluvreading@verizon.net

Carlene said...

I am a follower.
Thanks
carlene
iluvreading@verizon.net

Marie said...

I would love to read this!

marielay@gmail.com

Marie said...

I am a follower.

marielay@gmail.com

ginnn7 said...

would love to win sounds great thanks

ginnn7 said...

i follow

Shauna said...

I would l♥ve to read this! Please count me in :)
tryingtostaycalm@gmail.com

Gaby317 said...

Count me in! This sounds great

gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com

Gaby317 said...

i've posted a link to this contest on my blog's sidebar

gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com

Gaby317 said...

i follow via googlereader too

gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com

Unknown said...

Sounds fascinating! Thanks for the chance. aitmama (ta) gmail (tod) com

Unknown said...

New follower aitmama (ta) gmail (tod) com

Unknown said...

Follow you aitmama (ta) gmail (tod) com

Bingo said...

Thanks for all of your interest in this great book! Also, welcome to all the new followers like Dina! Good Luck--not long now!

minishoes1 said...

I have been wanting to read this since it came out! Sounds like a really great read! Thanks jacquecurl1@gmail.com

minishoes1 said...

I am a new follower. jacquecurl1@gmail.com

Ashley said...

Sounds like a great book!
booksobsession(at)gmail(dot)com

Ashley said...

I also became a follower.
booksobsession(at)gmail(dot)com

Melissa O. said...

Alright, I'm entering another one :-)

mlb108[at]gmail[dot]com

Melissa O. said...

And I'm already a follower :-)

mlb108[at]gmail[dot]com

Libby's Library said...

Please include me in this giveaway.
Thank you.

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Libby's Library said...

I'm a follower.
Thanks.

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

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