Winners: Godspeed A Love Story and The Reluctanct Countess

CONGRATULATIONS

TO WINNERS:

Giveaways Ending 1/18/13


Giveaway: Godspeed: A Love Story by Dan Chabot
Print-US; eBook Gift-International.

Winner Print: John Dallal

Winner eBook: Mary Preston


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Giveaway of The Reluctant Countess
1 Print; 3 NetGalley Copies.

Winner Print: Dione Sage

Winners Netgalley Copies:  Lisa C, Barbara E and Veronica

John, Mary, Lisa, Barbara and Veronica Please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me at mesreads AT gmail.com to confirm the win and I will arrange the mailing and downloads.  Please reply within 72 hours!
Thank you to all who entered these giveaways. 

Guest Post and Giveaway: Godspeed: A Love Story by Dan Chabot

Finding A Story Idea

Sometimes the elements of a good story are right under your nose.

Readers often ask where I get the idea for a story.  In the case of Godspeed, I took a real-life incident, embellished it considerably, added some interesting characters patterned after people I knew in the newspaper business, and created a story that I hope will inspire others who might be battered by life’s unending struggles and setbacks.

I was a young newspaperman when a good friend wound up in the situation that confronts Derry in my novel.  My friend was engaged to a lovely young woman who was struck down without warning by cervical cancer.  She had no family to speak of, so it was left to him to make funeral arrangements.  In his grief and the daze induced by tranquilizers, he watched helplessly as a shabby funeral home staged an embarrassing service.  The rent-a-minister mispronounced her name, fumbled her biographical details, and in general presided over an ignominious travesty.  All of us there felt so badly for him. As we left the service, I overhead another friend whisper in his wife's ear, "Don't ever let that happen to me."

That incident stayed with me for years, and as I turned it over and over in my head, speculating on what somebody could ever do to recover from a situation like that, eventually a novel was born.

Because of the serious theme, I had to leaven the story with some doses of humor.  Much of it was provided by Derry’s stable of eccentric newspaper colleagues.   One of them sometimes cruises the inner city, windows down, playing tapes of his favorite 1950s crooners at deafening levels, in retaliation for the young guys who boom rock music from their car radios on the street outside the newspaper offices. Another friend recalls that as a little girl, when she asked her father why people walked so jerkily in those old movies, she believed him when he told her it was because that’s the way people walked in those days.  In another incident, when Derry invites Amedee up to his apartment, she makes friends immediately with his dog, who is scratching furiously at an ear.  “Oh, now I get it,” she says. “You lured me up here, an innocent maiden, to see your itchings.” And Derry’s confrontation with an earthy, profane, inner-city minister also adds some lighter moments and some counterbalance to the overall message.

In the end, I hope I have created an inspiring, sentimental message about holding on to a faith in tomorrow.  So look around you.  You might have a story waiting to be told, too!

See my Review Here.
Learn more about the Author and this book here: www.godspeed-lovestory.com.

Thank you to Mr. Chabot for offering Books for Giveaway!
TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for PRINT COPY to US and eBook to International.

ENTRY FORM HERE

For 3 Extra Bonus entries Comment with an answer to this question from author Chabot:

Derry did something that not many of us have the chance to do --to try to make amends for a situation that went terribly awry.  How about you?  Have you ever thought, too late, of something comforting you could have said to a friend or family member, or wished you could retrieve some harsh words said in anger or frustration? 

* This contest is open US OR INTERNATIONALLY.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on January 18, 2013.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on January 19, 2013.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Book Review: Godspeed: a Love Story by Dan Chabot

This story is rich with sorrow survived by uplifting encouragement. Well worth reading!

Godspeed: a love story

by Dan Chabot

• File Size: 419 KB
• Print Length: 307 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1477435360
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Babop/Dan Chabot; 1 edition (September 28, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Genre: Inspirational Fiction
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2012

How far will a man go to atone for guilt?

When Derry and Amedee meet during her first day on the job at the Milwaukee Ledger, it is a collision of destinies. Their love affair is so intense and perfect and pure that they are certain it will be eternal. But when it ends in heartbreak, compounded by the ignominy of a disastrously mismanaged funeral service, Derry descends into an abyss of devastation and remorse and despair.

In his overpowering grief this tormented newspaperman embarks on an obsessive crusade for redemption, an astonishing twist that will leave readers tearful yet smiling in sympathetic admiration. His improbable, tender quest eventually will lead him to peace of mind, and to someone who will help him build a new life from the ashes of the past.

"Godspeed" is a bittersweet story of laughter and tears, irrepressible humor, reckless devotion, the value of true friendship, and unimaginable longing for the "forever" that can no longer be. And as the story and its astonishing twists unfold, a poignant question lingers: How can a lie be wrong if it makes so many people feel so good?

Review:
The story begins with a prologue set in 2012 and then flashes back in time to tell “how it all happened."  The first Chapter presents a view of a funeral in 1974. Other chapters of vignettes covering funerals are scattered through the story of Derry and his romance.  Each one the funeral services is winding down when an older gentleman stands up and shares some remarkable things that the deceased did that encouraged or helped others. These special deeds were not known by the community, the closest friends or even the family. After several of these testimonies it is clear that each life had a tragic error or wrong in the past but there was a later heroic behavior or good, kind deeds that made a difference and redeemed the past.  Each family was left with a wonderful, warm memory of their loved one.

Between the funeral eulogies we meet Derry, a younger newspaperman surrounded by other eccentric newspeople, consisting of some unique friends and a few curmudgeon and not so nice co-workers.  One day a beautiful young woman walks in as the new copy editor and Derry falls in love. The romance between Derry and Amedee is passionately and wonderfully developed with humor and warmth.  They share the joys of new love, new passion, comfortable companionship, and the excitement and anticipation of a wedding and birth. Then tragedy strikes.

The reader is swept along with Derry’s sorrow, grief, dark depression and guilt.  Derry is so devastated by Amedee’s death that he is unable to properly plan her funeral which turns out to be a disaster. It takes some time, but finally Derry discovers a way to begin to pull himself from the bleakness of his despair and guilt.  It still takes a confrontation by a stranger and the support of family and friends to push Derry beyond his grief and by then the reader realizes “how it all happened.”

This is an emotional love story that experiences great, happy highs and a deep, sad low. But it is also a story that affirms love and life for 'ordinary', every-day people. Although there is tragedy and sadness the author entertains with passion, humor and a very uplifting and positive message. The story is very well written with good characters, strong descriptions and great empathy shared in the funeral testimonies. I especially enjoyed the newsroom input since I have a journalism degree.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes warm emotional stories and especially to anyone who might need encouragement. If you think that your life, or others around you, are not each of great individual worth and importance, please read this book.

I loved this closing phrase that is perfect:

“A pebble, once cast into the pond, cannot be retrieved. The ripples spread ever outward.”

My note thoughts: Beautiful, touching, poignant.

I received this from the Author for an honest review.

This is set in Milwaukee for my Where Are You Reading Challenge and I will also add it to my New Author challenge list.