Monday, November 2, 2009

Giveaway: Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story by Wally Lamb


It's 1964 and ten-year-old Felix is sure of a few things: the birds and the bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he'll never forget.

LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone's turntable, and Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade—easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy.

Back in his beloved fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, with a new cast of endearing characters, Wally Lamb takes his readers straight into the halls of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School—where Mother Filomina's word is law and goody-two-shoes Rosalie Twerski is sure to be minding everyone's business. But grammar and arithmetic move to the back burner this holiday season with the sudden arrivals of substitute teacher Madame Frechette, straight from Québec, and feisty Russian student Zhenya Kabakova. While Felix learns the meaning of French kissing, cultural misunderstanding, and tableaux vivants, Wishin' and Hopin' barrels toward one outrageous Christmas.

From the Funicello family's bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground (with an uproarious stop at the Pillsbury Bake-Off), Wishin' and Hopin' is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty holiday tale that celebrates where we've been—and how far we've come.
~Synopsis from the publisher


Harper Collins has generously provided two copies for me to give away! To enter, leave me a comment here. The winner must have a US or Canada mailing address and will be drawn at random. Enter through midnight eastern on November 20th. Below are some ways for you to earn extra entries. Please leave ONE comment for each thing you choose to do. You can combine your comments together if you like but please do not leave multiple comments for the same extra thing (for example, one comment if you fave at Technorati or subscribe via Feedburner, not three). Anyone who already follows, subscribes, or has faved at Technorati still gets the extras, just mention it in your comment! Thank you for visiting and entering!

+1 become a follower
+1 tweet giveaway on twitter or blog about it (note that you did in your comment)
+3 fave this blog at Technorati (click on the little green box on the left sidebar)
+3 subscribe via Feedburner

91 comments:

Amy said...

This looks like a great book!

bermudaonion said...

Please enter me!
+3 faved at Technorati
+3 subscirbe via Feedburner
milou2ster(at)gmail.com

mariag said...

Please enter me.

Shelly B said...

Sounds like a great read! I'd love a chance to win.
+3 faved at Technorati
+3 subscribed via Feedburner
shelcows AT gmail DOT com

SusanB said...

This sounds like a great book! Count me in.
+3 subscribe via feedburner

susan.byerly@comcast.net

Emily Rogers said...

I'd like to be entered, thanks for hosting such a nice giveaway!

seriously [dot] reading [at] gmail [dot] com

brokenteepee said...

Please enter me...sound rather like my childhood. heh heh

I follow
+3 I faved at Technorati
+3 I subscribed via feedburner
+1 I tweeted http://twitter.com/BrokenTeepee/status/5378298152

Thanks!
kaiminani@gmail.com

holdenj said...

This looks great! Please count me in!

+1 I'm a follower!

Thanks.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

KR said...

I'd love this.

I follow

mj.coward[at]gmail.com

pippirose said...

I'm a follower.
+3 faved at Technorati
+3 subscirbe via Feedburner.
:o)
pippirose59 at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

please enter me in the giveaway

+1 I'm a follower

elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net

scottsgal said...

I love Christmas books

already a follower

subscribe via google reader

msboatgal at aol.com

Laura's Reviews said...

I love Wally Lamb and I love Christmas books! What a great giveaway! I would like to be entered.

laarlt78(at)hotmail(dot)com.

Thanks!

Laura's Reviews said...

I am a follower!

laarlt78(at)hotmail(dot)com

rubynreba said...

I'd really like this book. Thanks!
+1 follow
+3 subscribe by feedburner
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Holly said...

I would love to read this! Sounds great! And I LOVE Christmas books, especially ones with a feeling of nostalgia to them.

Please enter me! I'm a subscriber in Google Reader.

Thanks!

isaacson.holly[at]gmail[dot]com

Unknown said...

What a great holiday reading! Please enter me.

+1 I am a follower
+3 I favd at Technorati
+3 I subscribe via Feedburner on Google Reader.

bstilwell12 at comcast dot net

Nicole said...

Love Wally Lamb.
+1 folloer

Unknown said...

Please enter me I have read two of Wally's books and loved them both Thanks so much
tanyainjville@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I follow
tanyainjville@yahoo.com

Kaizen Fashion Project said...

Looks like a lovely read, please enter me!

heatheranne99 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Kaizen Fashion Project said...

Blog follower!

heatheranne99 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Kaizen Fashion Project said...

Tweet!
http://twitter.com/heatheranne99/status/5386393537

heatheranne99 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Kaizen Fashion Project said...

I faved this blog at Technorati!

heatheranne99 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Kaizen Fashion Project said...

I'm subscribed via feedburner/rss Google Reader!

heatheranne99 (at) hotmail (dot) com

LuAnn said...

I love Christmas stories! This would be a great one to add to my collection.

I'm a follower.

reading_frenzy at yahoo dot com

caite said...

throw my hat in the ring please!

+1 a Google follower
+3 faved on Technorati

Riva said...

This one looks like great fun! Please enter me.

I follow with Google Reader.

dulcibelle at earthlink dot net

Pam said...

I enjoy Wally Lamb and love Christmas so please enter me!

+1 already following
+3 technorati fave
+3 subscribe via google reader

melacan at hotmail dot com

Beth(bookaholicmom) said...

Please enter me.

+1 I already follow

bthgordon[at]yahoo[dot]com

Linda said...

I would love to win a Christmas book. Thanks for the giveaway.

And I follow thru Google Reader.

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

I'd love to win a copy of this book. A favorite author. I am a follower:

bibliophilebythe sea AT gmail DOT com

thanks

Craftymoose Crafts said...

I wasn't quite 10 in 1964, but I am sure I would enjoy this book!

+3 Fav at Technorati

+3 Subscribe

+1 Follow

Thanks!

lag123 said...

Please enter me!

lag110@mchsi.com

lag123 said...

I follow via google reader.

lag110@mchsi.com

lag123 said...

I tweeted. @lag32583

lag110@mchsi.com

Zibilee said...

I love Wally Lamb! Please enter me in your great giveaway, I'd love to win!

zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

I am also a follower of your blog

mrsshukra said...

I love Christmas stories, count me in!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

mrsshukra said...

+1 Already follow you!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

mrsshukra said...

+3 Google reader subscriber!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Oh gosh! I'd love to read this book. Thanks for the possibility!

+3 Email subscriber through Feedburner.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Jennifer said...

This looks like a wonderful novel, thank you for the chance.

+1 follower
+3 fave'd on Technorati
+3 subscribe via Feedburner

knittingmomof3 (AT) gmail (DOT) com

enyl said...

I haven't read Wally Lamb yet, but he comes highly recommended by many.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

enyl said...

I follow.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

enyl said...

I subscribe.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

Dawn M. said...

The last book I read by Wally Lamb was She's Come Undone...and I didn't like it. But this one sounds really good so I'd love to give him a second try. Count me in, please!

Thanks! :0)
librarygrinch at gmail dot com

Dawn M. said...

I subscribe with google reader. :0)

Thanks!
librarygrinch at gmail dot com

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

A super giveaway, I would love to win.

I follow by email.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

409cope said...

Thie looks like a great read. cardshark42(at)hotmail(dot)com

Gwendolyn B. said...

Please throw my name in the hat! Thanks for the chance.

+1 I'm a Follower
+3 Technorati Faved
+3 Subscriber

Bridget said...

Hi! Just posted this contest on Win A Book. No need to enter me.

KayeDean said...

+1 follower
+3 subscribe
+1 tweeted- http://twitter.com/LMsMeeMaw/status/5490571947

Anonymous said...

Would love to win this one!

jlcstewart (at) earthlink (dot) net

Mozi Esme said...

Would love to read this!
+1 I'm a follower

janemaritz at yahoo dot com

J.T. Oldfield said...

Please enter me! I follow you w/ Google Reader and I'm tweeting this!

j.t.oldfield[at]gmail.com

Beth (BBRB) said...

This looks great! Please enter me!

BethsBookReviewBlog AT gmail DOT com

Beth (BBRB) said...

I'm a follower.

BethsBookReviewBlog AT gmail DOT com

Marie said...

This sounds like a great book!

I am a follower.

marielay@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Please count me in...

I'm a subscriber via feedburner

karen k
kmkuka(at)yahoo(Dot)com

Unknown said...

I really enjoy Wally Lamb's books and I am a fan of Christmas stories! Please enter me in your giveaway.

Thank you!

Aimala127[at]gmail[dot]com

SavingDiva said...

Great giveaway!

savingforhome at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

+1 follower
+3 subscribe via feedburner
+1 tweeted here:
http://twitter.com/Amestir/status/5542821911

Aimala127[at]gmail[dot]com

Sandra K321 said...

I would love to read this one. I have read several of his previous works.

Sandra K321 said...

I follow your blog via google.

Patricia L said...

Hi,
I love Wally Lamb and would like to be entered. I am now a follower of your blog.

Gwendolyn B. said...

I blogged about this giveaway here:
http://aseaofbooks.blogspot.com/2009/11/not-my-giveaways.html

geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com

Anonymous said...

I commented on a previous entry, but I just became a follower and wanted to let you know. +1

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Charleydog said...

Please enter me in the giveaway. Thanks.
pboylecharley AT hotmail DOT com

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

Great giveaway; i am a follower

bibliophilebythesea AT gmail DOT com

Anonymous said...

I would love to be entered in your draw. Thanks.

wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I am a follower of your blog.
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I subscribe via Google Reader.
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

lag123 said...

I need this to get me into the Christmas spirit.
Subscribe via feedburner.

lag110@mchsi.com

Unknown said...

Please enter me in the giveaway.

kolists a/t gmail d\t com

Unknown said...

+3 - RSS subscriber


kolists a/t gmail d\t com

Anita Yancey said...

This is a book I'd really like to read. I love stories about Christmas. Please enter me. Thanks!

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

Anita Yancey said...

+3 Subscribe via Feedburner.

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

Reading said...

Please enter me. Thanks for the giveaway.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

kacyd said...

Please enter me.
+ 3 faved at Technorati
+ 1 became a follower

Thanks - new to the site and loving it already!!

LuAnn said...

A new Christmas book (Yay!) and by Wally Lamb. What a great combination.

LuAnn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CherylS22 said...

I'd love to read this book - I'm in my holiday book reading mode!
Thanks ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

CherylS22 said...

I already follow
megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

CherylS22 said...

I subscribe via Google Reader
megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

Belinda M said...

Please include me in your giveaway


bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

Belinda M said...

I subscribe via feedburner

bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

Belinda M said...

tweeted

http://twitter.com/Prairiebelle/status/5904924416

bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

Nancye said...

+1 Follower
+1 Tweet! Tweet!

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/5905334669

+3 I Faved you on Technorati

+3 subscribe via Feedburner

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Linda/CT said...

Wally Lamb is a dear soul! Have had the pleasure of attending a few of his author visits in CT! Would love to win this book for a friend & then I get to read it too. Thanks for the giveaway! Linda

Kim said...

I'm reading this right now and LOVIN' it! Even more because I was a child in the 60's.

Unknown said...

Lovely book. I have read it.

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About Me

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New Hampshire, United States
Bibliophile, Anglophile, Traveller... I have been an avid reader all of my life, since I took the Dr. Seuss Dictionary away from my Mom when I was less than a year old because I wanted to read it myself. In college, where I earned my degree in English Literature, I was often asked "What are you going to do with it?" Now I finally have the answer to that question!!! Being employed as a Flight Attendant for twenty years has given me a lot of life experience and, better still, a lot of time to read. I love to travel for fun, too.