Thursday, September 24, 2009

THE LAST SONG : PREVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY OVER
THE LAST SONG

BY NICHOLAS SPARKS

ABOUT THE BOOK:


#1 bestselling author Nicholas Sparks's new novel is at once a compelling family drama and a heartrending tale of young love.

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.

The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nicholas Charles Sparks was born in Omaha, Nebraska on December 31, 1965. As a child, he lived in Minnesota, Los Angeles, and Grand Island, Nebraska, finally settling in Fair Oaks, California at the age of eight. He lived in Fair Oaks through high school, graduated valedictorian in 1984, and received a full track scholarship to the University of Notre Dame.

After breaking the Notre Dame school record as part of a relay team in 1985 as a freshman (a record which still stands), he was injured and spent the summer recovering. During that summer, he wrote his first novel, though it was never published. He majored in Business Finance and graduated with high honors in 1988.

He and his wife Catherine, who met on spring break in 1988, were married in July, 1989. While living in Sacramento, he wrote his second novel that same year, though again, it wasn't published. In 1990, he collaborated on a book with Billy Mills, the Olympic Gold Medalist and it was published by Feather Publishing before later being picked up by Random House. (It was recently re-issued by Hay House Books.) Though it received scant publicity, sales topped 50,000 copies in the first year of release.

He began selling pharmaceuticals and moved from Sacramento, California to North Carolina in 1992. In 1994, at the age of 28, he wrote The Notebook over a period of six months. In October, 1995, rights to The Notebook were sold to Warner Books. It was published in October, 1996, and he followed that with Message in a Bottle (1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road (2001), and Nights in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003), The Wedding (2003), Three Weeks with my Brother (2004), True Believer (2005), At First Sight (2005), Dear John (2006), and The Choice (2007). All were domestic and international best sellers and were translated into more than 40 languages. His newest book, THE LUCKY ONE -- about a man whose brushes with death lead him to the love of his life -- will be released in September 2008.

The movie version of Message in a Bottle was released in 1999, A Walk to Remember was released in 2002, and The Notebook was released in 2004. The average domestic box office gross per film was $56 million -- with another $100 million in DVD sales—making the novels by Nicholas Sparks one of the most successful franchises in Hollywood. The film version of Nights in Rodanthe will be released in the fall of 2008 and will star Diane Lane and Richard Gere.

Nichols Sparks is an avid athlete who runs daily, lifts weights regularly, and competes in Tae Kwon Do. He attends church regularly and reads approximately 125 books a year. He contributes to a variety of local and national charities, and is a major contributor to the Creative Writing Program (MFA) at the University of Notre Dame, where he provides scholarships, internships, and a fellowship annually.

He lives in North Carolina with his wife and children.

GIVEAWAY:

THANKS TO MIRIAM AND THE
HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, I HAVE
5 COPIES OF THIS LOVELY BOOK
TO GIVE AWAY. HERE IS WHAT YOU
NEED TO DO TO WIN A COPY!


RULES:

--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!


HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ABOUT SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING IN READING ABOUT NICHOLAS SPARKS ABOVE

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT HERE ONLY IF YOU ARE A GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT FOLLOWER OF THIS BLOG OR BECOME ONE IN MY LEFT HAND COLUMN (WORKING TO GET TO 500 SO ONLY LOOKING FOR GCF FOLLOWERS THIS TIME, SORRY)

+1 MORE ENTRY: IF YOU BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY, LEAVE A LINK I CAN FOLLOW

+1 MORE ENTRY: WATCH FOR MY REVIEW IN A FEW DAYS AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS TO GAIN ONE MORE ENTRY

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE IN BY
6 PM, EST, OCTOBER 17

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!


135 comments:

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

Please count me in for this giveaway.
I am a email subscriber.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

I am a google reader follower.
Please count me in.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

Commchick said...

How does he find the time to read 125 books a year????

Sharon
belchers@jccal.org

Virginia C said...

I was not surprised that Mr. Sparks is an avid athlete and weightlifter. That is one buff romantic-fiction writing dude!

gcwhiskas at aol dot com

Virginia C said...

I am a Google Connect Follower.

gcwhiskas at aol dot com

Virginia C said...

I am a Google Reader and email subscriber. gcwhiskas at aol dot com

Pam said...

I think it's interesting that he graduated as valedictorian and recieved a full scholarship for athletics.

melacan at hotmail dot com

Pam said...

Google friend!

melacan at hotmail dot com

DCMetroreader said...

I think its interesting that he majored in Business Finance & started writing books in college.

kimspam66(at)yahoo(dot)com

DCMetroreader said...

I'm a google follower

Tea said...

Nicholas Sparks is a great writer. Love his books. I know he has a large family. I was surprised to learn that with family and his writing he can 125 books a year. That's a lot for a busy, busy guy.

I would love to win, read and review
The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks.

teakettle58@yahoo.com

Tea said...

+1 I'm a Google friend follower.

tea said...

I have blogged about The Last Song on my sidebar.

Amy M said...

I love Nicholas Sparks! I knew that he went to Notre Dame, but I did not know that he was a record holder there. I am from South Bend, so maybe that is something I should know known.

Amy M said...

I am a follower too.

crap, I didn't put my e-mail on my first entry.

atc218 at aol dot com

Amy M

fredamans said...

Thank you for the entries.

freda.mans[at]sympatico.ca

I didn't know he wrote The Notebook. I loved that movie!!!!

Jonnie (JB) said...

I learned that he is younger than I thought. I imagined him to be on his sixties.
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

Beth (BBRB) said...

I love that he met his wife on Spring Break!

BethsBookReviewBlog AT gmail DOT com

Beth (BBRB) said...

I'm a Google Friend Connect follower.

BethsBookReviewBlog AT gmail DOT com

tetewa said...

I enjoy his reads, count me in! tWarner419@aol.com

Renee said...

Didn't know he went to Notre Dame. Enter me please :)

reneesuz82(at)msn(dot)com

Renee said...

I'm now a GCF follower

Unknown said...

I found it interesting that he reads 125 books a year. That's a lot!

amandarwest@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I'm a google friend connect follower.

amandarwest@gmail.com

Natalie W said...

OH i'd love to enter!
I subscribe by email
nataliew2(at)gmail(dot)com

Natalie W said...

Its all interesting but most interesting thing are the charities he gives to, thats awesome!
nataliew2(at)gmail(dot)com

Natalie W said...

I follow on google friends
nataliew2(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

please enter me in the giveaway

An interesting fact is he broke a record in a relay race as a freshman and it still stands today.
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net

Anonymous said...

I am a google friend connect follower

elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net

JMom said...

I assumed the the author is a native of NC since so many of his novels were set in NC. It was interesting to read the background information you provided.

jmomblogs@gmail.com

Natalie W said...

I tweeted! http://twitter.com/nataliew2/status/4347133104
nataliew2(at)gmail(dot)com

JMom said...

I follow on Google friend connect (JMom)


jmomblogs@gmail.com

JMom said...

Tweeted: http://twitter.com/JMom/status/4347196732


jmomblogs@gmail.com

Sarah Osborne said...

I find it interesting that he was a runner. It's not very common for athletes to right fiction, is it? It shows his well-rounded nature :)

sarahosborne12(at)gmail(dot)com

Sarah Osborne said...

I follow you through google friend connect!

sarahosborne12(at)gmail(dot)com

Ms. Cindy said...

I think it's interesting and cool that he sold 50,000 copies of books in his 1st year!

monkeyami1@yahoo.com

Ms. Cindy said...

Tweet!
http://twitter.com/monkeyami/status/4347360192

monkeyami1@yahoo.com

Sarah Osborne said...

I blogged!

http://myfavoritegiveaways.blogspot.com/2009/09/book-last-song.html

sarahosborne12(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Please enter me! I love Nicholas Sparks and his books! I cry reading every single one.

+1 The interesting thing about him is that he has a relay record from 1985 that has yet to be broken.

Anonymous said...

+1 I'm a GCF follower

Anonymous said...

+1 I tweeted
http://twitter.com/thebookvixen/status/4348236975

dag888888 said...

Nicholas Sparks competes in tae kwon do tournaments -- WOW!

dag888888[at]yahoo[dot]com

Silvia said...

He reads 125 books a year!! I would love to be able to do that!

Silvia said...

I'm a google Friend follower

Anonymous said...

He's a graduate of Notre Dame. Love his books...Please count me in. thanks.


karen k
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)com

holdenj said...

I didn't know Sparks went to Notre Dame. (and he lived in my homestate of MN for a while!)
Please count me in for this one! Thanks.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I'm a Google Friend Follower!
Thanks.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Libby's Library said...

I found it interesting that he was a drug rep. And that he wrote his first book in such a short amount of time.

Thanks for the giveaway.

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Libby's Library said...

I'm a loyal Google Friend Connect follower - you can't get rid of me!

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Shalonda said...

I was amazed that he and his wife met during spring break! You hardly ever hear of those relationships becoming serious. No wonder his books are so romantic!

shalondasblog (at) hotmail (dot) com

Shalonda said...

I am also a follower!

shalondasblog (at) hotmail (dot) com

Jaime said...

He lived in Sacramento, me too
copperllama at yahoo dot com

Jaime said...

I'm a follower
copperllama at yahoo dot com

Rebecca Orr said...

I found it interesting that he majored in Business Finance, rather than something like English.

bekki1820cb@gmail.com

Rebecca Orr said...

I am already a google friend connect follower! I signed up last yesterday! Good luck getting to 500! You area already at 477!!!! Yea!!!

rubynreba said...

At the age of 28 he wrote The Notebook over a period of 6 months.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

I am a google follower
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rainstorm said...

Subscribed to myyahoo

kimi kaio @yahoo.com (no spaces)

Linda Kish said...

I am a google reader follower

I found his background interesting. He should publish his first books.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linna said...

Please enter me. :D

I'm a follower.

linna.hsu at gmail dot com

Glenn said...

His school background - valedictorian. Thanks for the giveaway.

glenn_pessano AT yahoo DOT com

Molly said...

I find it way cool that he lives in my state of North Carolina!


mollydawn1981/at/aol/com

Molly said...

I follow via GFC!

mollydawn1981/at/aol/dot/com

KR said...

He was a drug salesman...neat!

mj.coward[at]gmail.com

KR said...

I follow on Goggle Reader.


mj.coward[at]gmail.com

Shelly said...

I never knew he sold pharmaceuticals. donnyandshelly@yahoo.com

Shelly said...

I follow your blog through GFC.

Shelly said...

I tweeted:

http://twitter.com/atticgirl76/status/4401149958

Katie said...

I would love to be entered. I follow your blog. =]

katieb206@gmail.com

Molly said...

I posted about your giveaway on my sidebar on Blogger www.buuklvr81.blogspot.com



mollydawn1981/at/aol/dot/com

BevE said...

I'm a follower : D Count me in please.

merryweatherbookblog@gmail.com

BevE said...

I was surprised to read that Nicholas Spark's sold pharmaceuticals - don't know why, someone has to LOL.

merryweatherbookblog@gmail.com

andrea b said...

I'm surprised that he reads that he finds the time to read that many books...

brigneti(at)gmail dot com

andrea b said...

I'm a follower via google friend connect

brigneti(at)gmail dot com

Jolynn said...

+1 all Nicholas Spark books are Great, and i"m sure this one is too.
Jolynn_Reads @ yahoo.com

Jolynn said...

+1 already a google connect follower
Jolynn_Reads @ yahoo

mrsshukra said...

NS attends church daily!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

mrsshukra said...

Already follow you on google friend connect!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

Reading said...

I found it interesting that Nicholas Sparks was so athletic. Thanks for the giveaway. Please count me in.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Debbie F said...

I'm glad that he is a church goer!

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Nicole said...

I just read his memoir. I can't believe he can write with noise all around him. I do like that he's a family man.

Jolynn said...

+1 In the Review I read that Nicholas runs daily and wieght lifts too.
Jolynn_Reads at yahoo

Jolynn said...

+1 I entered a few days ago and followed blog for Bonus- I voted!
Jolynn_Reads at yahoo

Rebecca Orr said...

I found it interesting that he graduated with a degree in Business Finance but ended up writing for a living. bekki1820cb@gmail.com

Rebecca Orr said...

I am a follower via google friend connect! bekki1820cb@gmail.com

Unknown said...

never knew he sold pharmaceuticals so I learned a lot from this blog post.

ezziriah (At)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

i follow you on google connect

Unknown said...

http://twitter.com/BoosPlace/status/4562251942

g.g. said...

Wow, he has read so many books..125? I can barely get thro one.

Lee P said...

I love that he graduated as Valedictorian of Notre Dame and that he broke the relay record and that it still stands to this day. Wow, huge accomplishments. Thank you for this giveaway and please count me in.

chinook92(at)gmail(dot)com

Lee P said...

I shared your giveaway on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/chinook92/status/4615819952

chinook92(at)gmail(dot)com

Lee P said...

I follow your blog via Google Friends.

chinook92(at)gmail(dot)com

Chelsea S said...

I never new Nicholas Sparks was into sports. I forget sometimes that authors have outside lives from their books.

saulpaugh.chelsea(at)gmail(dot)com

--Chelsea

Chelsea S said...

Im a google follower.

saulpaugh.chelsea(at)gmail(dot)com

--Chelsea

Sarah E said...

Please enter me in this giveaway!

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah Emmerson

Sarah E said...

I am a follower on Google Connect.

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah Emmerson

Sarah E said...

I found it interesting that Nicholas Sparks reads about 125 books a year!

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah Emmerson

Anonymous said...

I am interested in the Nicholas Sparks book.
I've read his prior books and enjoy his writing style.
Mike Draper
311 Jefferson Dr.
Guilford, CT 06437

Unknown said...

I had no idea that Nicholas Sparks went to Notre Dame on a track scholarship and wrote his first novel while recovering from an injury while racing! amazing!

Aimala127@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I am a google friend connect follower!

Aimala127@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I blogged about this giveaway here:

http://homeofaimala.blogspot.com/2009/10/book-giveaways.html

Aimala127@gmail.com

CherylS22 said...

I didn't know Nicholas Sparks has written so many books that have been made into movies - "The Notebook", "Message in a Bottle" & "Nights in Rodanthe"

Thanks ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

CherylS22 said...

I am a GFC follower
megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

Danielle said...

I was surprised that he competes in Tae Kwon Do. Cool!

danielle78@comcast.net

Danielle said...

I follow your blog via google friend connect!

danielle78@comcast.net

Rebecca Orr said...

tweet: http://twitter.com/bekki1820cb/status/4796951253

bekki1820cb@gmail.com

Rebecca N. said...

I find it interesting that his first 2 novels have never been published! I would love to read those!! Thanks for the great review and giveaway!

imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

Rebecca N. said...

I Tweeted!

http://twitter.com/Sparkleglow/status/4841122560

imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

photoquest said...

Something i found interesting is that him and his wife met on Spring Break. Nicolas Sparks is one of my favorite authors !!!
photoquest(at)bellsouth(dot)net

photoquest said...

I am also a follower : )
photoquest(at)bellsouth(dot)net

photoquest said...

I weeted this giveawy
photoquest2 Nicolas Sparks giveaway at bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com
less than 5 seconds ago from web
photoquest(at)bellsouth(dot)net

Nancye said...

I thought it wasm interesting and neat to learn that he wrote his first novel the summer after hid freshman year in college. Not many people can say that!! :)

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I am a follower via Google

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/4873414337

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

~ Noelle said...

I love how he donates!
He has something to do with the track and field thing in North Carolina to..
(Sorry, I do not remember exactly what it is!)
I really want to win this!
I have EVERY BOOK he has written!


jumpin.beans09@gmail.com

~ Noelle said...

I am a follower!

jumpin.beans09@gmail.com

Sherry said...

That's awesome that he was valedictorian, good for him!! I am a google friend.

+1 comment
+1 google friend connect

Sherry S.
ssalach88(at)gmail(dot)com

JoanneR said...

Please allow me a chance to win!
joannereynolds@sbcglobal.net

Sandee61 said...

Please add my name to your giveaway for The Last Song. I love Nicholas Sparks books. Thank you!

Sandee

Muzzley56[at]aol[dot]com

The Demille's said...

I found it interesting that he reads 125 books a year...maybe I should count how many books I read (I bet it's not that many though)!

rachel_demille@yahoo.com

The Demille's said...

I follow through Google Friend Connect!
rachel_demille@yahoo.com

The Demille's said...

Tweet! http://twitter.com/tobinsmommy08/status/4910084153
rachel_demille@yahoo.com

janetfaye said...

I found it interesting that it only took him six months to write The Notebook.

Thank you!

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

I follow with Google Friend Connect - janetfaye

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

~The Book Pixie said...

I thought it interesting that he was athletic.

~Briana
thebookpixie[at]yahoo[dot]com

~The Book Pixie said...

Google friend connect follower

~Briana
thebookpixie[at]yahoo[dot]com

~The Book Pixie said...

Tweeted: http://twitter.com/thebookpixie/status/4951467877

~Briana
thebookpixie[at]yahoo[dot]com

Marie (MUM) said...

How can he read all those books and keep writing them too?!

Marie
utah91960(at)yahoo(dot)com

Marie (MUM) said...

Google connect follower

Marie
utah91960(at)yahoo(dot)com

Marie (MUM) said...

Tweeted: http://twitter.com/utah91960/status/4951578336

Marie
utah91960(at)yahoo(dot)com

Tynga said...

Please count me in =)
I am a new follower!
tynga85AThotmailDOTcom

Tynga said...

I tweeted !
http://twitter.com/Tynga/status/4951992610

Tynga said...

I didn,t know he wrote A walk to remember I loved that movie!

Tynga said...

Well I couldn't find your review in time to earn the last entry =(
a link would have been nice =)

Justine said...

I've always wanted to read this :)

+1 I'm a follower

Justine
justeena_25(at)yahoo(dot)ca

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