Pigtails, Chin Hairs and a Giveaway!

Happy Monday, all!
And it is a happy Monday for me--I'm done Christmas shopping! (and I'm half wrapped too)
Woo-hoo! Cookies will start being baked by the end of this week. (I like them fresh for Christmas Eve)

Anyhew...I'm so pleased to have my bloggy friend BECKY POVICH here today. She has a memoir out now called FROM PIGTAILS TO CHIN HAIRS and will be giving away a Christmas wrapped copy of it to some lucky commenter!
Double WOOT!

So please give a warm welcome to Becky!
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Hi Jennifer ~ Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog!

TO START OUT, TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

I celebrated a "big" birthday this past January when I became 60 years old. Sixty years old! I certainly don't feel that old and I like to announce that I feel 35, both mentally and physically.

I love listening to almost any kind of music, watching old, black and white movies, and breaking out into song at the oddest times….and of course, writing!

Although I'd always been an avid reader, and enjoyed writing letters to friends, pen pals, and family members, the thought of being capable enough of writing something worth publishing was never more than a passing thought. That is, until May of 2001 when my estranged father became gravely ill and wasn't expected to live. My startling emotions brought out the writer in me, and my fingers magically typed a piece about Dad. I was 48 years old and the rest, as they say, is history!

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BOOK From Pigtails to Chin Hairs: A Memoir & More AND WHY YOU CHOSE TO WRITE IT.

The idea to write my memoir came to me as I read the hugely popular, bestselling book by Haven Kimmel, A Girl Named Zippy. It was during the same time I was writing short, personal articles for a local newspaper, and the thought occurred to me that just maybe I had enough interesting/humorous/poignant times in my life, to fill the pages of a memoir. I certainly knew I wasn't anywhere near as talented as Ms. Kimmel, but my ideas began to take shape.

Even though that idea took many months/years to materialize, I never gave up. My road to completion and publication was a long, winding, ziggy-zaggy road, and I'm a perfect example of: You're Never Too Old and Don't Ever Give Up!

WHAT GENRES ARE YOUR FAVORITE(S)? WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS TO READ AND WHY?

My favorite genre is women's fiction, and to break it down --- I love beautifully written coming-of-age books, stories about women's struggles and accomplishments, and humorous versions of both, and funny books that make me laugh out loud.

Some of my favorite books are:

Joy School, by Elizabeth Berg   (coming of age)

Salt Dancers, by Ursula Hegi    (women's struggles)

The Cape Ann, by Faith Sullivan  (coming of age)

 The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd   (coming of age)

 Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott  (women's struggles and coming of age)

 Mrs. Kimble, by Jennifer Haigh   (women's struggles)

Bread Alone, by Judith Ryan Hendricks  (women's struggles)

Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris  (laugh out loud funny)

AND many more including books by: Philip Gulley, Mitch Albom, Michael Lee West, Rosamunde Pilcher, Maeve Binchy, Fannie Flagg, Lorna Landvik, and Erma Bombeck.

 

WHAT THREE THINGS DO YOU NEED IN ORDER TO WRITE?

1)      Being in the mood to write

2)     Coffee and/or Diet Soda

3)     My laptop

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE THINGS TO DO WHEN NOT WRITING?

Watching TV, blogging, e-mailing, reading, eating and sleeping!

 

HOW CAN READERS CONNECT WITH YOU?

I would love for readers to connect with me!

My blog: www.beckypovich.blogspot.com

My website: www.beckypovich.com

My Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Becky-Lewellen-Povich/e/B00GMWOOES/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1387118233&sr=1-2-ent

Facebook: Becky Lewellen Povich

E-mail: Beckypovich@gmail.com or Writergal53@gmail.com

Thanks so much, Becky!

*GIVEAWAY*:  Becky is kind enough to offer up a wrapped print copy of her memoir FROM PIGTAILS TO CHIN HAIRS to some lucky commenter. Giveaway will run from now until Thursday 11:59PM EST. Winner will be announced Friday here on my blog. Every comment will be an entry.  Giveaway is for U.S. and Canada only.