The Flame and the Shadow Prize

I've won another book off Romance Bandits; however it's not just a book.  It's the first book of a four-book series.  This is so cool!  I won it last week, and now today, it arrived in the mail.
I can't wait to read this one.  Now, it's another book to add onto my Christmas Reading List over the NYE period.  Along with the book, there was the first chapter of the next book, a bookmark, a couple of business cards and an advertising card or two of other books.  Very cool.  I'll be looking for the other three books of this series soon so I can review them as a set next year.

More Birthday Goodies!

Today was the first day I could get to the post office to collect any parcels that were owing to me; and there were two.  I had a red card and a blue card, the latter of which I found in my PO Box this morning.  So, I went inside and picked them up.  One was from my Bookcrossing Birthday Buddy here in Brisbane and the other?  Well, that was from New Zealand, from sfogs.  

Once home, I unwrapped my Birthday Buddy's one first and was amazed to find a great array of things.  There were three books and a massive present all wrapped up in gorgeous paper and a card too and bubble wrap!  I looked at the three books first and then unwrapped the present after reading the card from Froggirlwendy.  I was totally blown away to find a massive book!  And it's one of those secret compartment books where it looks like a book but it's not!  I love these things!  Well!  She hid a copy of 'The God Delusion' by Richard Dawkins, a burnt copy of a P!NK from this year, a journal for me to write in with a pen and a bookmark as well as a coin purse full of packets of different types of tea!  This is very cool!

My second parcel also turned out to be a Birthday Present!  It's a Birthday RABCK from sfogs of 'The Fallen' by Thoma E. Sniegoski as well as the second book he's written.  Thank you so much sfogs for sending me these two books!  They look great... and the guy on the front is hot! Now, it feels like my birthday has been and gone; now I've received presents from near and far and I've also gotten cards from friends and relatives and Birthday wishes on Facebook and on a Bookcrossing forum too.  Thank you all for making my day special.  

Birthday Presents

Today is my 39th Birthday.  I love birthdays... they're so much fun!  You get gifts from family and friends and cards and it's a time for celebration of another year on this here little blue planet. 
Well, I firstly received an sms from my Dad.  He had written out the whole song of 'Happy Birthday' through sms... that would have hurt his fingers!  But he did it.  Then, he phoned me and sang it in a funny voice making me laugh.
I opened my presents I bought myself and they were all 8 seasons of 'That 70's Show' and a copy of 'Crossing Paths' by Debbie Robson; which I ordered in from MacLeans Booksellers in Newcastle.  When I jumped on Facebook, I had many friends wish me a Happy Birthday... how cool is that?  Then, Mum called me and sang to me... she hasn't been well, so this means a lot!
There's still other things to unwrap and pick up for this day; but they are at my house in Logan - and I'm currently not there at the moment - so I'll have to leave this post with just these two gifts so far reported as received.

Steeling Kisses of a Different Kind!

Wow! This week has been one of parcels arriving, book rings showing up and other great things just popping up in my PO Box!  I've only had one day where there was nothing in the little PO box but the next day I found something else - which ended up being a bill, but it was something! 
Today, I was out in the beautiful sunshine of Logan City and when I checked my mail, there was yet another parcel waiting for me at the post office.  This one was a prize I had won on the Romance Bandits site - YAY! - and this looks great!  I just love the cover of this book... doesn't it look fantastic?  Just the title - 'Kiss of Steel' by Bec McMaster - makes you want to jump right into it and read it!  I have always loved steampunk movies, however I've never read steampunk books before; so this will be a first for me.  Thank you so much Bec McMaster for choosing me as the winner of this one!  It arrived today and I'm looking forward to reading it soon!

A Bookring Arrives From France

I've had parcels arriving throughout the week; and it's wonderful when something like that happens, isn't it?  
Well, today's parcel was from France and is part of a Bookring.  For all of you who aren't Bookcrossers, I'll let you into this great idea.  A bookring is where you want to share a book with a group of people because you love it.  So, you register it on Bookcrossing.com and ask on their Bookring/Bookbox Forum if anyone would care to read your chosen book as a bookring.  After a few people take an interest in it, you sort out in which order and where in the world it will travel and send it on its merry way.  After around 2 years - give or take, depending on how many people you have on your list - you book will come back to you in a very well-read condition.  
The Bookring I've taken part in is 'The Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers' by Xiaolu Guo.  I have yet to begin reading it, but the premise on the back looks good. 

American Stretchy Book Protectors

Yesterday and today have been days of great things arriving in the mail.  I haven't received a single bill, but all the great fun stuff has been arriving... and I love it!
Yesterday, I had a thick envelope show up in the PO Box and so I opened it and out came two stretchy book protectors - one black and one a vibrant purple - and they looked beautiful!  They also came all the way from America as we can't get them here.  thank you so much LittleWhiteBird.  I'll use these a lot - along with the ones I already have.  I just love the colours and how they fit so well.

Birthday Orders Arrived

It's the time of year again - my Birthday - and I have been ordering things over the phone to get exactly what I want for my birthday.  And yesterday, my first present arrived!  It was a copy of 'Crossing Paths' by Debbie Robson.  I had ordered it from MacLean's Booksellers in Newcastle and once I got it home, I went and wrapped it up for next week; seeing that's when my birthday is. 
Tomorrow, I'll be picking up my next present... well, okay, paying it off.  Early on in the year, I ordered in all 8 seasons of 'That 70's Show' on dvd and have been paying it off bit by bit since about February.  Now, I have $30 left on it, I'll pay off that last bit of money tomorrow so I can wrap it up and take it with me to where I'll be celebrating my birthday.  It's always nice to have pressies you have bought yourself for your birthday... then you're disappointed when you open them on the day. 

Golden Writings from Sweden

I've had a horrible week; truly, I have.  With my computer broken being lent this laptop by my Mum and having only limited internet, I'm not having all that much fun on the net as I normally do.  I can't look up the amount of sites I usually do and I feel as though I'm missing out on a great many things.

However, I felt very much in the loop the other day when I checked the PO Box and found a parcel pick-up card.  I thought a prize from America had arrived (as I had won a book on another site).  But it was a surprise from Sweden of a much-sought-after book I had been hunting down for years.  I must thank Deepswamp for sending this wonderful book to me in memory of Oppem, a wonderful Bookcrosser who recently passed away suddenly.  This book had been on her Wish List - as well as mine - and he sent this book for the 'Oppem RABCK'.  I didn't know this was on, otherwise I would have taken part.  I hope it's not too late by the time I get another computer.  Until then, thank you again, Deepswamp for 'The Golden Notebook' by Doris Lessing.  I do look forward to reading this great masterpiece by a brilliant writer.

Romance Prize From Across the Miles

It's been over a month since I received a prize from anyone; and I'm happy to say that I when I opened the PO Box today, I found a parcel pick-up card and not a bill (unlike yesterday).  

A few weeks ago, I won a book on the Romance Bandits and it was a copy of 'The King's Mistress' by Sandy Blair.  Today, it arrived and I'd been looking forward to it.  Actually, I was going to e-mail her to see if there had been a problem with the postage if it hadn't arrived today or tomorrow as it had been a long time since I had won.

And isn't it a lovely book?  I saw the large parcel and wondered what else was included inside it - besides the book that is - and found it was just a large envelope that's all (probably the only one her post office sold at the time).  Thank you so much for picking me a the prize-winner, Sandy.  I do look forward to reading your debut book and reviewing it as well!

From New Zealand

My parents are overseas at the moment on a holiday; traveling around the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

Years ago, I went to the South Island on a Contiki Tour, but hardly remember it - only through the photos and a diary I kept on the road do I have any memories.  But I know it was a lot of fun!

Today, I received my first postcard from them.  It was of their first destination of The Bay of Islands.  Isn't a lovely-looking place?  I think so.