Really Random Tuesday #22: Giving Thanks: The Note Project Giveaway

I haven't forgotten my promise. In appreciation of having reached my goal of 500(+!) followers, I'll be hosting an international giveaway soon, so please stay tuned. Of course, this giveaway will relate to books in some fashion. Thank you, faithful followers and steadfast readers, for showing your support, for including me in your blogrolls, and for sharing your enthusiasm for books and reading.

In the meantime, I do have a wonderful giveaway to offer, compliments of Mike O'Mary, publisher of Everything I Never Wanted to Be by Dina Kucera, a candid, powerful memoir that I read last autumn. Mike has written a book called The Note, published in 2009. In the book, Mike receives a note that touches him deeply.

"Every note you send matters more than you can imagine."
~The Note, Mike O'Mary

A simple, heartfelt note of gratitude led to Mike's book, and to the creation of the Note Project. The Note Project is about expressing appreciation, and will attempt to collect 1 million pledges for thank you notes. You can participate in the Note Project by pledging to send a sincere note of appreciation to someone who has made a difference in your life.

In the thanks department, I think I'm pretty well caught up myself (although I'm not such a goody two-shoes that I don't owe a couple of folks thank you notes). I try to remember to send out hand-written thank you cards to people when I receive gifts, and in this electronic age, I savor the art of writing them with a pen. It's become second nature to me to compose notes of appreciation, and I visited the Note Project as soon as I heard about it and pledged to write a note. I was thrilled to discover that the Note Project will donate to at least 12 literacy projects in 12 countries in 12 months, through GlobalGiving and GlobalGivingUK! Please stop by the website when you have a few moments for more details, and to make a pledge (it doesn't cost anything).

Something else to be thankful for! Kathleen and Mike O'Mary are generously donating a Note Project Starter Kit as a giveaway. The kit includes: 1) a hardback edition of The Note, 2) a DVD video based on the book, and 3) a set of three premium-quality thank you cards.

• To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment.
• For another chance at winning, go to the Note Project and pledge to write a note. Then return here and indicate that you've done so in your comments.
• For another giveaway entry, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower, or that you subscribe in Google Reader.
• For an additional chance, post about this contest on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter.

Enter by 5PM PDT on Monday, April 25. One winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Tuesday, April 26. This is a worldwide giveaway. Good luck!

Kind and Generous by Natalie Merchant (the "Thank You" Song)

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Please congratulate Melanie L., who has won a paperback copy of The Postmistress by Sarah Blake. Thanks to everyone who took the time to participate in this giveaway. If you didn't win this time, there's an assortment of giveaways listed on the right side of this blog. If you're entering the giveaway for the Note Project Starter Kit, be sure to leave a comment at the conclusion of this post.

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Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of. If you're inspired by this idea, feel free to copy the button and use it on your own blog. Please leave a link in the comments if you’re participating and I'll add it to this post.

For other Really Random Tuesday posts, please visit Vivienne's blog, Serendipity, Kim's blog, Page after Page, and Avis' blog, she reads and reads. I appreciate that these lovely ladies do this meme at least as often as I do, and I hope that others will join in, too.

Thanks for reading!

Everything I Never Wanted to Be

"I do remember her weeks in intensive
care. . .her seizures and vomiting. . .her stays in detox and rehab. And I remember watching her when she was psychotic from meth and cowering in the corner of the dark laundry room because the helicopters were coming to get her. A ninety-pound stranger. Watching and feeling that I had lost her. The "her" she was--my beautiful, beautiful girl--now someone else, something else."
~Everything I Never Wanted to Be, Dina Kucera

I can't say that I enjoyed Everything I Never Wanted to Be: a memoir of alcoholism and addiction, faith and family, hope and humor by Dina Kucera, because I don't enjoy reading about the painful struggles of others, although the book is laced with humor (and made me want to sample the food of Albuquerque, and Hatch green chili). In fact, this book was quite difficult for me to read. As the parent of teenagers, I know that there are a lot of dangers out there, drugs and alcohol, and other things that I don't even know about. It's a scary time for teens as well as for their parents. I've had my share of sleepless nights, and I'm sure I'll need to endure more.

Everything I Never Wanted to Be, published in 2010, is a truthful memoir. The author, who lives in Phoenix, grew up in Albuquerque in an alcoholic family ('alcoholismrunsinthefamily'); both her grandparents and parents were alcoholics, and Dina is a recovered alcoholic who has also struggled with addictions to pills. The cycle of substance abuse continued with Dina's own daughters. Perhaps her worst nightmare of all began when her beautiful daughter, Carly, started using heroin at age fourteen. Not pot. Not cocaine. Heroin. The hard stuff. Her other two daughters, Jen and April, also suffered from substance abuse and related problems.

I must admit that this book held me captive from the very first page. The prelude includes statements such as "I share needles" written by Dina's youngest daughter, Carly, then age sixteen, that are extremely affecting and heart-wrenching. From a young age Carly is self-aware and reflective, and the title of the book comes from another statement written by her. In the book, Dina works as a grocery store checker and is also a stand-up comic. Her honesty and repeated efforts to help her daughters are nothing short of remarkable, a testament to her deep love for them. She doesn't give up but battles the "family inheritance" with strength and tenacity, with the help of her supportive husband, John. I admire Dina's great courage, openness, and ability to find humor in even the darkest situations, and for sharing her story with others.

"In my house we talk freely about alcohol, heroin, meth, coke, pot, OxyContin, and other drugs. We also talk about sobriety, rehab, hope, God, and faith. We make constant jokes about drugs and alcohol because it takes away the pain of the thing."
~Everything I Never Wanted to Be, Dina Kucera

Carly is also honest about her drug use and has been through detox and rehab numerous times. It is my sincere hope that Carly will realize her great potential and be able to achieve her dream to become a lawyer, or another type of professional, such as a psychologist or substance abuse counselor.


Special thanks to Trish from TLC for sending me this book. Please visit the other stops on TLC's Everything I Never Wanted to Be book tour for additional reviews. If you're interested in reading this riveting memoir, you can get a 30% discount off Dina's book at www.everythinginever.com by entering the coupon code "Dina" at the checkout.