Saturday, January 12, 2013

Everybody Remembers Their First Time: A Giveaway


Today I wanted to share something that means more to me than I have the ability to express with words. An experience that will stay with me forever. An experience...an experience that I want to share. My first time.

No, not that first time. I'm talking about your first book. Not necessarily the first one you've ever read, but the first book that became something...more. The first time it became more than just a book.

Everyone remembers their first time; the first book that changed it all. The characters became real. The emotions became real. It became real, and it became part of you.

The book that was responsible for igniting passion...the passion. The moment you became a reader.

Say Goodnight, Gracie by Julie Reece Deaver was that book. It was the book.

I read it for the first time when I was in 5th grade. However, it wasn't until later in life that I realized its significance. It was the first book that I ever cried during, and to this day it's one of three (The Fault in Our Stars & Taking Chances). Y'all know of my obsession and deep-seated love for best friend relationships and romance. Well, this is where it started. This is where it all started.

The last time I read Say Goodnight, Gracie was in high school. I went to the library to check it out only to find it had been taken out of circulation. That's how Say Goodnight, Gracie became my very first amazon purchase...ever. I guess you could say this is where it all started.

I no longer remember all of the details, or even if it was particularly well-written, but what I do remember is my response to it. I remember re-reading it over and over again hoping, praying that somehow the ending might change. I remember falling in love with Jimmy and wishing he was real. I remember being so connected with the story that it had me in tears. I remember this was the first book that really meant something to me. Maybe my memories of Say Goodnight, Gracie can never live up to the reality of the actual book, but the point is...I remember.

It has been a little over ten years since I've read this book, but it has never left me. So today, on my birthday, I want to share a little piece of that with you. I want to share the inspiration behind why I love to read. A story which taught me that a book is more than just words, much more!

Say Goodnight, Gracie

There are friends we can't imagine living without.

Morgan and Jimmy were kids together, whirling around the porch on hot summer days. They've been friends forever, and by now they know each other inside out. They do everything together--from cutting high school to go into the city to coaching each other at dance auditions and acting workshops. They even argue well. A perfect friendship. Best friends. For life.

So how could life be so right and then be so wrong? After a terrible accident, Morgan suddenly has to face life alone. Without Jimmy around, though, it's like the best part of her has died. How could he do this to her? And why is love so hard?

 



1989 Recommended Books for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (ALA)
1988 Young Adult Editors' Choices (BL)
Young Adult Choices for 1990 (IRA)
Children's Books of 1988 (Library of Congress)
1988 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library)

Amazon 

Enter to win one of two paperback copies of Say Good Night, Gracie:  
20th Anniversary Edition.
INCLUDES US & INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTS

And since I've decided that today is everybody's birthday, stay tuned for more GIVEAWAYS!

HAPPY UNBIRTHDAY!
  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

59 comments:

  1. I love Say Goodnight, Gracie, definitely one of those books that makes reading so much more.

    I'd have to say Don't Die, My Love by Lurlene McDaniel was my first. It's one thing to have to read a book for school and have a bit of history, etc in it and then to read a book that makes you feel for the characters, to feel as you if you are part of their world.

    I'd love to re-read Say Goodnight, Gracie. This is one awesome giveaway. Thank you.

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  2. Would have to be Summer of My German Solider by Bette Greene. I'll never forget that book....

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  3. What an interesting giveaway! Very thoughtful!

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  4. Honestly, I think Forever by Judy Blume is one that stayed with me...I was, am and always will be a hopeless romantic!

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  5. I love this giveaway what an Awesomesauce way of sharing your birthday

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  6. The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen was the book that I read and reread as a teenager and looked everywhere for similar books. Even now when I'm in a reading slump it is one of those books I look back on and a lot of the times revisit. I hadn't heard of Say Goodnight, Gracie before your giveaway but can't wait to check it out! Thanks! :)

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  7. Happy Birthday Mollie! :) Mine's Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus. It's an illustrated book about 2 caterpillars - Stripe and Yellow, and their struggles in love and life. It was so beautiful, heart-wrenching and inspiring. I must have gifted more than 10 copies to my loved ones and friends over the years. It's a lovely book great for anyone aged 7 - 70. Thanks for the giveaway and have an amazing day!

    tess_halim(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  8. The Help. It is my favorite book and i'll never forget it!

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  9. Happy Birthday and Thanks for the giveaway.
    I know when I was younger I read books like the Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley Twins. Nothing of substance really stuck with me or made me want to continue to read. These days I read like a maniac thanks to the Twilight and 50 Shades series. I love to read and this "new adult" genre is amazing!!
    Laura H. :)

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  10. Mollie that's really neat!! I'm gonna have to read it!

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  11. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I read it when I was in middle school. It was the first book to ever make me cry and really feel something. It is the book that made me truly love reading. I try to reread it every couple years. And I still love it.

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  12. I lost touch for reading since I was a child. I hadn't read any books for fun besides for school for so long until I started reading 50 Shades. It brought back my love for reading all kinds of books again =)

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  13. I have always read.. For a long time but the book (books) that's got me obsessed and made me feel the characters and love and hate them was Thoughtless and Effortless

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  14. Firefly lane by kristin hannah was my first. I have read a lot of books but that one grabbed me and took me for a good ride. But i would love to give your first a ride.

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  15. The first book I read was one in my own langage and was called: "Kidnapped". It was about a girl who was kidnapped, obviously, and she was treated so badly it still gives me chills. I can still remember passages of her pain. But there was this boy among the kidnappers who felt something for her, who didn't treat her like she was trash, and who risked his own life to make sure she could escape and be free and be with her family again. It's been over 10 years since I first read that book but I'll never forget it.

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  16. I have two because one was when I was younger and then one that restarted my passion for reading when I was older. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl was the first book the ever stayed with me when I was younger, and Twilight is the book that started me reading again <3 Happy Birthday :) my email is kellee926@hotmail.com

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  17. The Fault in Our Stars is my first. I just re-read recently and still recommend. I am embarrassed to admit I've never heard of "Say Goodnight, Gracie"

    awesome giveaway and very thought provoking! Thanks :)

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  18. The girl in the box by Ouida Sebesstyn (I hope I got that right). It is incredible. It is about this teen who is kidnapped and writes these letters and doesn't know if they can be read because she's trapped in the dark. To this day, thinking about certain parts of this book get me emotional. I honestly have never met anyone that has read it. And even if I don't win you need to read it. I included the amazon link ;-)
    Shaina http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0553282611

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  19. Fifty Shades is what brought back my love of reading.

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  20. I use to Love all Danielle Steel Books

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  21. I have always read, I can't remember a time when I wasn't carrying a book around with me, but the first book I read that really meant something to me was Little Women. I read it in elementary school which was a huge accomplishment and the story has always stayed with me. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  22. The first book the meant so very much to me was Marianne Willamsons A Return to Love. It forever changed the way that I think and I will never ever forget it. I recommend everyone read it.

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  23. Don't Die My Love by Lurlene McDaniel, That was the book that got me hooked on reading!

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  24. I've always read. But one of the books renewed my vigor in reading was To Kill a Mockingbird. We read it in school and I loved that. Ever since then, I've been reading away.

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  25. Great giveaway Mollie. Just reading the description of that book gives me chills.

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  26. One of the first books I really remember reading when I was younger was A Wrinkle In Time!!! It started it all!

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  27. I read so much as a child/young teen then stopped reading for many, many years. I wish I could remember the books from my youth that left such a great impression on me. I remember many books that I loved & enjoyed but none that left such an incredible impression. However, I have to say that "Fifty Shades of Grey," which I read in January 2012 is what started me on my present manic reading frenzy, the re-discovery of the joys of reading and getting sucked into the lives of so many wonderful characters. It made such an impression on me, opened up a whole new genre, introduced me to the "indie" authors, made it acceptable for woman to talk about and read these types of books, and provided me with the opportunity to meet so many new "virtual" friends. So "Fifty Shades of Grey" it is. And I thank the creative mind of E.L. James of bringing it into my life!

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    1. P.S. Happy Birthday & thank you for sharing the info on "Say Goodnight, Gracie." I never heard of it before but it seems very touching.

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  28. Happy Birthday! Collision Course is one I will always remember.

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  29. Six Months To Live by Lurlene McDaniels

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  30. The first book to suck me in was The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. It was a part of my high school required summer reading. I suffered through the other books and when I got to this book, I became completely sucked in to the story and found myself wanting to read the entire book in one day. I was hooked!!

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  31. It is kind of silly but when I was young I read The Babysitter's Club books. I always found them inspiring as a young child. :)

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  32. As a kid... it was the Boxcar Kids, but as a adult I have to say "Go Ask Alice", that book really touched me and pulled me into reading.

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  33. The very first book that I remember have a reaction to is Go Ask Alice, I remember having to have my mom sign a form allowing o sign it out at the library...amazing book (p.s. also loved Oh the Place You Will Go, cried during class when my teacher read it in 6th grade I believe).

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  34. Six Months to Live by Lurlene McDaniels. Around the time I found this book, my best friend was slipping away from CF. I read that book so many times after her passing, I truly feel it was what helped me get through her death at the age of 10.

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  35. I know that definitely Hopeless will be one book that I can NEVER EVER forget...

    But as a teenager, I read a lot of sad stories. Don't die my love is one of them :)

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  36. I remember loving Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume books when I was young. I don't remember the name or what it was about but I know it was a Couples series book that stuck with me for a long time. The one I think I remember most though was Garden of Lies by Eileen Goudge. I remember reading that in high school and loving it. Could possibly be it was something that I probably shouldn't have been reading cause it was full of sex. Then I lost touch with reading for a long long LONG time. Then I read 50 Shades and fell in love with reading all over again. Wish I had more time to do it but with work and family I just don't have as much time to devote to reading as I would like!

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  37. for me it was the lord of the rings trilogy! it has always stayed with me

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  38. I didn't read a lot growing up. I remember reading A Walk to Remember in high school. I stayed up late finishing it, and bawled all night.

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  39. 'The sky is everywhere' by Jandy Nelson

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  40. So many....Collision Course, The Fault In Our Stars, Dear John, That Wedding....when Phillip seen JJ in her wedding dress I bawled like a baby...I could go on and on!

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  41. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks...My husband is in the Army so I truly related to that story and what she was going through...

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  42. Perks of Being a Wallflower. A wonderful book. alliemathews (at) ymail (dot) com.

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  43. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire, that was the book that got me hooked on reading and it's what I do now with most of my spare time!

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  44. I jumped on the 50 Shades bandwagon back in April and have been hooked on reading since!

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  45. The first book would have to be FSOG. I have never given a book the time of day before until then. I owe ALL of my reading joy to those books.. I have read 150 since and don't seem to be stopping any time soon.

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  46. Pride and prejudice in h.s. started my love of reading.

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  47. The King's Rhapsody was my fist time. It was adapted from a play and my mother got it from her book of the month club when I was little. When I was in the ninth grade, she gave it to me to read. This had everything...butterflies, lust, love, angst, anger, sadness!! This is 'the one' that showed me what books could do.

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  48. I've always loved to read. Started in elementary school with James and the Giant Peach... many many many moons ago...lol.

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  49. The Diary of Anne Frank is one of the books I read a long time ago that I will never, ever forget.

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  50. The Twilight books by Stephenie Meyer

    These books I deeply connected with, relived the emotions of my youth through, and bright me back to my passion for reading. I haven't stopped reading since.

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  51. It's not the first book I ever read, but, it's the one book that got me started. 1984 I read it in high school and I fell in love with it, and reading!

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  52. Anne of Green Gables started it for me! Happy Birthday Mollie! What a fun way to celebrate!

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  53. I love the Box Car Kids as a child, author Lurlene McDaniel and Beautiful Disaster this year:)

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  54. Forever by Judy Blume was the first book that I'll always remember! It sparked a love for reading.

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  55. Black Beauty really stayed with me.

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  56. I have loved to read for as long as I can remember, it is hard to say what started it all. I would have to say reading Amelia Bedelia books with my grandmother, those are precious memories to me.

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  57. The first book I remember reading and loving was Charlottes Web...it is the book that got me hooked on reading!!

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  58. Enid Blyton. I'm not sure how popular she is outside of Australia, but her books are made for kids to dream. <3

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