Odds and Ends and Giveaway Winners

Something you all may not know about me is that aside from books, I also absolutely love purses and bags. I have my fancy purses but I also love a good tote bag (hey, I need to carry my books!). When I saw that Strand bookstore, the ultimate NYC city book mecca, and Kate Spade, who has made some of my very favorite bags, had joined up to offer tote bags full of books and bookish items centered around different topics, I had to treat myself. I called it a late birthday present!

I chose the travel topic and got the tote bag, a mug, a little pencil bag, and three books. I love a good surprise!

I'm also still going strong with the Coursera course on Historical Fiction, entitled Plagues, Witches, and War: The Worlds of Historical Fiction. I'm learning a ton and I've found that lately when I'm reading my beloved HF books, I'm thinking about some of the things that I've learned in the course. Talk about applying lessons right away!

The end of this week will bring another beginning of NaNoWriMo (are any of you participating this year??? Let's be writing buddies!). I'm excited and hoping that I can win again this year. Last year was my first year. This year, I'm planning to write in a completely new genre - sci-fi!

Giveaway Winners:

I also have several giveaway winners to announce!

A Wilder Rose:

Manda D.

Forgetting Tabitha:

Kassandra A.

Confessions of Marie Antoinette:

Lara N.

Under the Wire:

Carol W.