Sunday, September 20, 2009

GOING AWAY SHOES AND FERRIS BEACH: PREVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
JILL MCCORKLE

A DOUBLE GIVEAWAY

GOING AWAY SHOES
FERRIS BEACH











ABOUT THE BOOK--GOING AWAY SHOES:

Jill McCorkle, a master of the short story whose work has been compared to that of Alice Munro and Lorrie Moore, is a writer whose characters insist on our immediate and total attention. Here, in her first collection in eight years, are eleven new stories bristling with her signature wit and weight. One way or the other, all of these stories are about women looking love in the face without flinching. Some of them are confronting the reality of domestic disruption; others are simply flirting with the possibilities—and dangers—of change. McCorkle's characters make mistakes but aren't interested in hiding behind them. They get divorced or quit their jobs or tell people to step aside, and they move on. From the first story, about a modern-day Cinderella contemplating escape, to the last, "Me and Big Foot," an idyll about finding the perfect prince, McCorkle’s collection is the genuine article, the work of a great storyteller who knows exactly how—and why—to pair longing and laughter.
Here is the table of contents to give you a hint at these amazing short stories:

Table of Contents

Going Away Shoes

Surrender

Midnight Clear

Another Dimension

Happy Accidents

View-Master

PS

Driving to the Moon

Magic Words

Intervention

Me and Big Foot

ABOUT THE BOOK--FERRIS BEACH:

Ferris Beach is a place where excitement and magic coexist. Or so Mary Katherine "Katie" Burns, the only child of middle-aged Fred and Cleva Burns, believes. Shy and self-conscious, she daydreams about Ferris Beach, where her beautiful cousin, Angela, leads a romantic, mysterious life. It is the early 1970s, and when the land across the road from the Burns's historic house is sold to developers, Misty Rhodes—also from Ferris Beach—and her flamboyant parents move into the nearest newly built split-level. In contrast to Katie’s composed, reserved, practical mother, Misty and her mother are everything Katie wants to be: daring, outrageous, fun. The two girls become inseparable, sharing every secret, every dream—until one fateful Fourth of July, when their lives change in a way they could never have imagined. In this classic McCorkle novel, the author's shrewd grasp of human nature creates characters that resonate with truth and emotion, and a story perfect for mothers and daughters to share and cherish.

"Beautiful and inspired . . . Rich with interesting characters." —The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Delightful . . . A novel about family secrets, identity crises, and mother-daughter standoffs." —Vogue

"Ferris Beach is believable. And funny. And heartbreaking. But most of all, it's a joy to read." —The Cincinnati Enquirer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR--JILL MCCORKLE

Jill McCorkle is the author of eight previous books—three story collections and five novels—five of which have been selected as New York Times Notable Books. She is the winner of the New England Book Award, the John Dos Passos Prize for Excellence in Literature, and the North Carolina Award for Literature. She teaches writing at North Carolina State University and lives with her husband in Hillsborough, North Carolina.

THE GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO COURTNEY AND THE
GOOD PEOPLE AT ALGONQUIN BOOKS,
I HAVE THREE SETS OF THESE
FABULOUS BOOKS TO GIVE AWAY
RULES:

--U. S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--INCLUDE EMAIL IN YOUR COMMENT
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT IF YOU ALREADY ARE A LOYAL FOLLOWER OF ANY KIND AND WHERE OR IF YOU BECOME ONE TODAY

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY
AND COME BACK HERE WITH THE LINK


+3 MORE ENTRIES: WATCH FOR MY TWO REVIEWS AND AUTHOR INTERVIEW IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND THEN COME BACK HERE TO COMMENT ON THEM!

ALL ENTRIES ARE DUE BY
6 PM, EST, OCTOBER 11

66 comments:

Virginia C said...

Hello! Both of these books sound like very good reads. I am a Google Connect follower & Google Reader. I am also an email subscriber. gcwhiskas at aol dot com

Beverly said...

Wow - both of these books sound wonderful.

I am a follower via google reader

beachlover20855[AT]yahoo[DOT]com

Madeleine said...

I'd like any of those two books I follow you on Google, I am mail subscriber and a follower


madeleine444[at]gmail[dot]com

Linna said...

I'm interested in reading these stories. Please enter me. I'm a google reader follower. :D

linna.hsu at gmail dot com

traveler said...

Thanks for this lovely giveaway. These books are unique and wonderful. I am an e-mail subscriber. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

rubynreba said...

I am a Google follower - thanks for the giveaway!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

tetewa said...

I'd like to be included! tWarner419@aol.com

tawndam said...

both books sound good ;-)
google follower

Anonymous said...

I am already a follower with google reader.

lovestoread0708(at)yahoo.com

Linda Kish said...

Both books sound terrific.
I am a google reader subscriber

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

I would love to enter this giveaway for "Going Away Shoes" and "Ferris Beach."

I'm at chezraine@yahoo.com

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

I am a follower of your blog, so would love to have that extra entry!

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

I posted about your giveaway on the sidebar of my newest blog,
http://snowimpressions.blogspot.com/

holdenj said...

Both books look like wonderful reads! I'm already a Google Friend Connect follower! Thanks.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Libby's Library said...

I'm a loyal follower - you couldn't get rid of me, even if you beat me with a stick:-)

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Sarah Osborne said...

I'm a loyal follower through google friend connect! What a fun giveaway!

sarahosborne12(at)gmail(dot)com

Sarah Osborne said...

I blogged here:

http://myfavoritegiveaways.blogspot.com/2009/09/double-book-giveaway.html

sarahosborne12(at)gmail(dot)com

dancealertreads.blogspot.com said...

Hello- These books both sound like great reads!

I am a follower via google reader

DanceAlert At Aol Dot Com

annies home said...

sounds like good reads and we are going to need one for the winter weather I could just imagine myself cuddling up with either one of these books

shopannies@Yahoo.com

Jaime said...

I am already a follower
copperllama at yahoo dot com

A Bookshelf Monstrosity said...

Please enter me-thanks!

amanda n.
fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com

A Bookshelf Monstrosity said...

Follower.

amanda n.
fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com

A Bookshelf Monstrosity said...

tweet tweet:

http://twitter.com/fitz12383/status/4145189666

Amanda n.
fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I liked the interview with McCorkle. I think it's great that she's been influenced so much by the South, with the exception of the Fitzgerald, she mentions other Southern writers than know how to spina great tale, like Welty and Harper Lee.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

The author enjoys reading the classics and the revision process gives her kinship with her characters. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Sarah Osborne said...

Bonus Entry: Something I read in Jill McCorkle's interview is that she encourages youth to "read read read" if they have a dream of writing someday. She said to pay attention to elements in stories and take lots of notes.

sarahosborne1(at)gmail(dot)com

Libby's Library said...

Something I read in your interview with Jill McCorkle, was that Fitzgerald's THE GREAT GATSBY, was one of the early books that made an impressions on here.

Thanks again for the giveaway.

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Beth (BBRB) said...

I'm a Blogger follower.

BethsBookReviewBlog AT gmail DOT com

tawndam said...

after reading your reviews... I'm even more convinced that these are 'rip your heart out' books that have many levels... I'm drawn to know more...

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I'm a loyal follower!

nbmars AT yahoo DOT coom

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Regarding your review, I have to say that I too tend to eschew short stories. But I must say your review convinced me that in this case I should give them a try!

nbmars AT yahoo DOT com

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I'm a loyal google follower.

meah56 at gmail dot com

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I don't usually enjoy short stories but your review makes me want to try McCorkle's - especially since she's written a few other volumes of ss. The title story sounds like it could tug at the heart.

Although I'm not an only child, I did 'come of age' in the 70s and think Ferris Beach sounds like a good book.

meah56 at gmail dot com

Misusedinnocence said...

I'm a loyal follower. :)

misusedinnocence@aol.com

Sarah Osborne said...

Bonus Entry for "Going Away Shoes"- I'm like you, I don't read short stories very often. But I'm intrigued with McCorkle's title as "The Guardian Angel of American Short Fiction." ...or something to that extent. Maybe she'll be the author that hooks me on short stories!

sarahosborne12(at)gmail(dot)com

Sarah Osborne said...

Bonus Entry for "Ferris Beach"- I like that the "ending will not dissapoint!" I love a book with a good ending.

sarahosborne12(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I liked the review and teaser of hearing about the short story "Going Away Shoes" in McCorkle's book of short stories. That's a genre I don't read much of and I think I may be missing out.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I'm glad they decided to re-release Ferris Beach. It sounds like a great coming of age story--nothing beats a well written tale like that.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Rebecca Orr said...

Both of these sound really interesting to me! I am a new follower via gfc and reader! Thanks for the chance!

Commchick said...

Wow, these books sound great!
I follow you on blogger.

Sharon
belchers@jccal.org

Anonymous said...

what a fabulous giveaway...i'm a subscriber :)

karen k
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)com

DarcyO said...

Both books sound wonderful. I follow with Google Friend Connect.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

I thought it was interesting that Jill feels a kinship with most of her characters and that she enjoys the revision process.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DCMetroreader said...

Loyal follower

kimspam66(at)yahoo(dot)com

DCMetroreader said...

Blogged about giveaway http://metroreader.blogspot.com/

DCMetroreader said...

I enjoyed reading the review Going Away Shoes. I have recently started reading short stories and this collection of wrong choice/decisions sounds like morsels for thought.

DCMetroreader said...

I enjoyed the review of Ferris Beach b/c I grew up in the 70's, so I think I can relate on that level to the protagonist.

mrsshukra said...

Already follow!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

Rebecca Orr said...

I am a follower! Via gfc! bekki1820cb@gmail.com

Both book look awesom! Thanks for the chance!

Unknown said...

Your review of Going Away Shoes really grabbed me. I can relate to Debbie's situation since my mother had a massive stroke when I was a junior in college and ever since needed to be cared for and her varied feelings regarding her mother and trying to cope with it all. I understand her issues with her relationship with her mother and I also love the two-fold symbolisom of the shoes, it's a great metaphor. Thank you for a wonderful review, I'm excited to read all of the stories in this collection.

Aimala127@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Your review of Ferris Island is great. Stories about female relationships, particularly friendships and mother/daughter relationships are some of my favorite stories so a book with both sounds wonderful to me!

Thank you for this review!

Aimala127@gmail.com

Jaime said...

I am already a google follower
copperllama at yahoo dot com

Reading said...

Both books look so good. Please enter me.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Madeleine said...

I am a loyal google reader follower


madeleine444/at/gmail/dot/com

Madeleine said...

I tweeted your giveaway at:

http://twitter.com/sevigny444


madeleine444/at/gmail/dot/com

~The Book Pixie said...

I'm a loyal follower through Google friend connect.

~Briana
thebookpixie[at]yahoo[dot]com

~The Book Pixie said...

+1 Tweeted: http://twitter.com/thebookpixie/status/4769509126

~Briana
thebookpixie[at]yahoo[dot]com

Marie (MUM) said...

+1 I'm a follower in Google Friend Connect

Marie
utah91960(at)yahoo(dot)com

Marie (MUM) said...

+1 Tweeted: http://twitter.com/utah91960/status/4769649080

Marie
utah91960(at)yahoo(dot)com

CherylS22 said...

I already follow on Google Friend Connect & subscribe via Google Reader.

These books both look interesting. I, too, was not a great fan of short stories until we did some in our book club.

Thanks ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

CherylS22 said...

Bonus Entry "Going Away Shoes":

I'm relatively new to reading short stories & your descriptions of some of the stories in this book interest me. I look forward to reading "Me & Bigfoot" - the title intrigues me.

Thanks ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

CherylS22 said...

Bonus Entry "Ferris Beach":

I like the premise of this book - coming of age in the 70s. It was a time of such change in this country & it's nice to read someone else's take on the era.

Thanks ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

CherylS22 said...

Bonus Entry - Author Interview:

I just read that Ms. McCorkle just finished reading Richard Yates' collection "Eleven Kinds of Loneliness"

megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

Anonymous said...

Both these books sound wonderful. I follow by checking out your blog once or twice a week. I emailed you once because I so want to subscribe via email, but I wasn't able to. Still, I follow in the way I can.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

BevE said...

Sounds interesting count me in: D

I follow on My Yahoo and Google.

BevE

merryweatherbookblog (a) gmail.com

Danielle said...

These books both sound great and I follow via google friend connect!

danielle78@comcast.net

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