There You'll Find Me: A Giveaway Winner (and a love song)

Listening To: Please Come to Boston by Dave Loggins

Susie Magazine: is in consideration for being put on the shelf at Wal-Mart! This would make it accessible to more people, which would be awesome. You can vote for it by clicking through the link. Go SusieMag!

EDITORIAL NOTE: Apparently a you tube link I posted to a Sam Cooke had spam in it. I deleted the link, but don't click through if it still shows up highlighted on your screen. So sorry for that! It didn't make my computer freak out so I didn't realize it was spammy. Thanks for letting me know, Jerica! (Way to try and ruin my post there, You Tube! :)


Thanks for participating in this week's book discussion and giveaway. What a fun turnout! Jenny and I both had so much fun doing this (and reading your comments) that we're brainstorming about something similar in the future -- maybe discussing different topics instead of books. We'll ponder the possibilities. Thanks for taking the time to share more about the big adventures you're going to have. I realize this sounds uber-cheesy, but I think the first part of any big adventure is the part where you dream it up. You're going to see so many amazing places. I hope you leave a little part of your heart in everywhere you go.

So! I tossed your numbers in the Random Number Generator and the winner of a signed copy of There You'll Find Me is .... Brooke! Brooke left her heart in the Dominican Republic and can't wait to go back:

BrookeMar 2, 2012 02:30 PM

I've been wanting to read this book for awhile! I love all of Jennys books!

If i could go anywhere in the world? Well i just got back from the Dominican Republic last week for a missions trip and i fell in love with the place! I only stayed a week which went by way to fast and i cried all the way to the airport because i didn't want to leave! I left part of myself there and i don't know how long it will be till i can go back because i leave for college in the fall... So it would be the Dominican Republic! I would go back in a heartbeat! :)

I'm so like this, Brooke. When I fall in love with a city, I want to go back over and over again. That's the best feeling -- when you walk into a new place and you feel home. Email me at nat.lloyd (at) yahoo.com and let me know your mailing address. We'll get the book to you pronto. You're gonna love it!


Before we get to the rest of the interview, I wanted to share something with those of you who, like me, tend to never, ever win giveaways (ha :). This is a true confession: besides giving away both copies of There You'll Find Me that I've bought for myself,  I've bought other copies just to give as gifts. It's that good. I understand that books are sometimes hard to fit into budgets, that you have to be uber-picky about what you buy. I'm that way too, but I can testify that this one is worth it. If you're considering dipping into your Starbucks Fund so you can buy this book, I believe it will be $10 well spent. And I take Starbucks very seriously. If you love it, don't hesitate to pass it along to someone else who would love it too. I love spreading the word about books like this. You can find TYFM on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or in your favorite book place. If you're going on a long roadtrip for spring break, there's also an audio version. Or maybe you can read in the car but I get way sick if I try to read in the car. A RoadTrip quickly becomes BarfFest if I try to read. You are welcome for the visual.


After you read the book, I hope you'll come back and let me know what you loved about it! (And after you've read the book ... do not click through if you haven't read it ... tell me if you think this is Beckett Rush. Because that is totally how I pictured Beckett.)

For the last part of my interview with Jen, I asked her a bunch of random questions, which she graciously answered. We would love to hear your answers down in the comments too! I am especially excited to hear your least favorite love song. Because it would be pretty great if we all got horrible love songs stuck in our heads all weekend. *manic laughter* My questions to Jen are bold. Her answers are regular type.

Since There You'll Find Me has an awesome love story at its heart, I want to ask you some very intellegent and awe-inspiring questions about love. Such as: what's your favorite romantic comedy? 

I love You've Got Mail. It just gets better and better every time I watch it. I also LOVE the old classic Charade starring the fabulous Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant.

I just saw that movie for the first time becaause you told me to watch it! It was wonderful. Cary Grant had such a presence, didn't he? After I watched it, I loved it so much that I made my parents watch it with me the very next night. Such a cool film. And I did not figure out the twist! Thanks for that recommendation.

It's romantic movie magic. Still holds its own after all this time.

I think my favorite rom-com is Sweet Home Alabama. I own it on DVD but I still watch it every single time I come across it on TV. (Favorite Line: "Pearl, get the bologna cake out the ice box.") My love for that film never fades. Who's your favorite fictional couple?

Me and Ryan Reynolds

That made me laugh! That's a perfect answer. What's your favorite love song?

Oh, gosh. I don't know. That changes by the day. I guess today's choice is anything by Sam Cooke. I love Motown.

Until I looked him up on YouTube, I didn't realize how many great songs he sang. Great pick!

What's yours?

The Cheeseburger Song from Veggie Tales.


I'm kidding (sort of). Hmmm. The first song that comes to mid isn't technically a love song. It's Cindy Morgan's "How Could I Ask For More." It feels like a love song when I hear it, the kind of song that bookends every season. Reminds me that God works out everything for my good. I also loooove Iron&Wine's version of "Such Great Heights." And "In These Arms" by The Swell Season. There’s such a sad, sweet longing wrapped up in that song. Nobody can howl out a love song like Glen Hansard. Coldplay's "Us Against the World" is kind of a perfect love song, I think. There are a bunch of country love songs that make my heart flutter too: Dave Loggins’ "Please Come to Boston" and "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma." Johnny and June sing a song called “Far Side Banks of Jordan" that I've probably listened to a million times. It reminds me of my grandparents. Makes my heart hurt in a good way.

Equally important question: what's your least favorite love song?

So, so many. "From this Moment" comes to mind. And for a father-daughter love (the appropriate, won't get dad arrested kind), "Butterfly Kisses" makes me want to punch a brick wall. I cannot describe the physical change that comes over me, fueled by the hate I have for that tune. What's yours?

I agree - there are lots. Back when dinasaurs roamed the earth and I was in high school, Britney Spears had a song called "Sometimes." "Sometimes I run, Sometimes I hide, sometimes I'm scared of you ... But all I really want is to hold you tight." And I always thought that was so dumb. Like ... which is it? Why would you want to hold somebody tight ... when they elicit a fight or flight response? (I tend to overthink these things.) Let's discuss other kinds of love. As you know, Valentine's Day recently passed, ushering in my favorite day of the year - February 15th - the day candy goes on sale for half-price. What's your favorite Valentine's Day candy? Or Non-Valentine's-Day candy? I don't discriminate between the candies.

Jenny B. Jones.
She hulks out when she hears the first chord
of Butterfly Kisses.

Again, so, so many answers. I love anything chocolate, except Crunch or Krackle, which is just like generic, 3rd rate candy to me. Right up there with those nasty peanut butter wads in black or orange wrappers you hated to get at Halloween.

The peanut butter wads are foul! Finding those in a Trick-or-Treat bag is like finding fruit in a Christmas stocking. It ain't right.  ... But ... I confess I do like Crunch. Krackle is the miniature I dig for first in the Hershey's Miniature Bag. *hides face in shame*

I love Mike&Ikes and chocolate covered raisins (fruit servings!). Really like any kind of M&M, and there's Rollo's, and Hershey Kisses, Dove chocolate. Candy makes me so very happy.

This is another reason we are friends! Peanut Butter M&M's are my favorite. I rarely buy them because I consume them rapid fire. Sometimes, for a movie snack, I go with sour candy. Like Sour Patch Kids. I'm totally craving candy now. Off to raid my snack drawer for some fruit servings ...

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Thanks again to Jenny B. Jones for hanging out this week!

You can find Jen:
* on her blog
* on Twitter
* on Facebook
* And at Sonic ordering Route 44 Ice Waters.

I'm going to spend the weekend commenting on your travel comments (you seriously made me want to be leaving on a jet plane). Thanks for making this week so fun! I'm so grateful for you people. If you feel like hanging out, we would love to hear about your favorite (and least favorite) love song down in the comments!