Print Book Giveaways for Australasian Readers | Narelle Atkins

By Narelle Atkins  @NarelleAtkins

Do you read the fine print before getting excited about print book giveaways? 

If you're an international reader who lives outside the USA, you'll know to check the giveaway rules to see if you're eligible to enter. You'll also know to check the sale prices on ebooks before buying due to potential territory limitations on ebook deals.

At Australasian Christian Writers (ACW) we don't do a lot of giveaways, but when we do a giveaway here we try to make sure there's an option for readers who don't live in Aust and/or NZ to at least win an ebook, if not a print book.

There is a reason why print book giveaways from US-based authors are often limited to US mailing addresses: postage costs. The same logic applies for Aussie authors limiting print giveaways to Aussie mailing addresses.

For US authors who are sent print books from their publisher to give away, it's only around $3 US to mail the books within the US. It's significantly more expensive to mail that same book to an international mailing address.

The Book Depository has traditionally been our go-to place at ACW to buy and send print books to winners of our giveaways who live overseas. They offer competitive prices and free worldwide shipping.

I also blog with Inspy Romance and we're celebrating our 4th birthday by offering 10 giveaway bundles - 4 print book bundles (US only) - 4 ebook bundles (international) - a Grand Prize (US only) - PLUS a print book bundle for an international reader to win.

Yes, Inspy Romance is offering a print book giveaway containing 6 books specifically for readers who live outside the US.

If you like reading contemporary Christian romance, stop by the Inspy Romance blog and enter the Birthday Bash giveaway.

Have you discovered many print book giveaways that are open to readers who live outside the US? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

      

A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, NARELLE ATKINS was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia.

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If books could think

Writers give their books a voice. Anyone who gazes upon the cover blurb or opens to a page hears the ‘voice.’ The way it speaks through the person’s eyes to their mind and heart will have various impacts. We all hope the voice will motivate the individual to buy it.

Our house has many books, and I have no doubt so does yours. Old favourites have pride of place on bookshelves. As I looked at our shelves I wondered if those books were looking at me, and thinking thoughts only books could think. The following poem arose from such wondering.

 

A Good Old Book Reflects

 

I see them

As they pass by,

All types, ages.

 Some linger,

Look

While others

See me not at all.

 

Those who pause to touch,

Gaze upon my faded cover,

Rekindle

Fond memories

Of days

When I was well read.

 

I hear them

Wanting to know

‘What can I show?’

To help them

Time

To spend

As with a true friend.

 

Those who unlock my story

Are taken upon a journey,

Unbounded

Across genres

To realms

That create dreams.

 

I miss them

When they’ve finished

Claiming

My mysteries.

For

A new book

Seduces their eyes.

 

Those who spend time with me,

And my worthy paper friends,

Discover

Stored treasures

And pleasures,

Our gift to readers.

©Ray Hawkins April 19 2015.

 

Ray Hawkins has written 6 Devotional meditations of specific Biblical themes: Children, God’s Special Interest. From Eden with Love (The Majesty and Mystery of Marriage. Bethlehem’s Warrior Babe. Captured by Calvary. Dynamic Ageing. Signposts to Happiness.

He also has one book of poems: We Love Because…

See them and read about him on http://rayhawkinsauthor.blogspot.com.au

The Problems of a Good Book

No, that title is not a misprint. I really do mean the problems of a good book. What problems could there possibly be in reading a good book, I hear you ask. Apart from the fact that I hate being torn away from a good book and resent others things that require my attention instead of reading, the real problem comes after you have closed the last page with a sigh. For the time of that book you have been totally engrossed but then emerges the problem of finding the next read. That’s where the problems start.

After having a book that has intellectually and emotionally engaged you and swept you into its world so that you have lived every moment with the characters, it is hard to move easily onto the next one. It’s usually at this stage that I start reading and quickly discarding books because they are not engaging me. For that reason it is good to have some people whose reading taste and reviews you trust. One of my criteria is that they know how to write review that does not give the plot away as some people erroneously do. With this in mind, I find suggestions on this site are great if you like reading Christian fiction or non-fiction. But I need a diet that consists of other types of books as well. For this, I rely on a few trusted readers and reviewers over at Goodreads. Some books I would never have picked up if it had not been for the raves of others.

So I thought I’d share some of my good books from this year. No, they are not Christian books but they are all well written books that involved me. I hope some of you might find some you love some of them too.

Mr Wigg – Inga Simpson.

I’d heard about this from several people on Goodreads before I finally got my hands on a copy. From start to finish I adored it. You can read my review here. And I loved the cover as well, which makes perfect sense once you have read the book.

Don’t Let Me Go – Catherine Ryan Hyde.

 I’ve read a couple by this author that have moved my emotions. The characters are so real. Be prepared to have your emotions come to the surface.

The Goodbye Quilt- Susan Wiggs.  

I had a copy with two novels in the one volume. The second,  Home before Dark, was nowhere near as good a read and I wouldn’t recommend it, but The goodbye Quilt had me emotionally invested from the start. Any woman who has ever seen a child off to uni or going out on their own should read this. Maybe men should read it too.

The House of Memories- Monica McInerney. 

Another engaging family story from Monica Mc Inerney who is as warm and delightful in person as her books are. 

The Nine Lessons: A Novel of Love, Fatherhood and Second Chances -Kevin Alan Milne. 

This was one that I admit I picked up initially because of the cover. When it mentioned golf I almost put it down again. I am so glad I did not. Although there is golf in it, it is really about life and relationships.

Delights and Shadows - Ted Kooser

This was my first encounter with this Pulitzer prize winning poet and I savoured every moment. Filled with interesting observations, use of language and imagery as well as real emotion. Review here.

There were many others I could have added. If you would to have a look at them you can find them on my books readhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4800708?shelf=read 

If you have read or get to read some of these books I would love to hear your thoughts.

Our Changing Book Buying Habits

By Narelle Atkins

Do you have book shelves that look like this? Bulging and buckling shelves, books squeezed in wherever they can fit, and too many books for your available shelf space. I’ve always been a voracious reader and book collector who found it easier to resist buying chocolate and ice cream than books.

This snapshot from my book case reveals a few things about my book buying habits. Most of the books on the shelves are older titles. The way I buy and read books has changed, especially in the last five years. 

I own a Kindle and a tablet. In the last twelve months I’ve bought two to three times more ebooks than print books. Ebooks are an invisible purchase that’s only seen on your device and credit card statement. There’s no conversation needed with other members in your household about where to store your new print books. Or worse, the conversation about how it’s time to ship out your older beloved print books to make space for your new books.

Five years ago I was buying print books, borrowing print books from the library, and searching for back list out of print titles by favourite authors in second hand book shops. I purchased print books that I couldn’t find in book stores from online retailers.

I’ve always read category romance, and the print books only have a shelf life of one month. I have subscribed to the Harlequin Reader Service and received a shipment of Love Inspired books each month. I used to try and beat the rush into Big W, Target or Kmart to find the titles I wanted, but you need to know the monthly restocking cycle to find the books by the popular authors. I found it easier to buy the books direct from Mills and Boon Australia.

It used to be frustrating when you discovered a new author, especially mid-series, but couldn’t locate print copies of their back list. The exceptions were the bestselling authors. For example, I discovered Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series when the fifth book was released, and I promptly purchased the first four print books in the series from my local Dymocks book store.

In 2014, the Love Inspired Heartsong Presents books I write will stay in print for longer than one month. The physical stock will run out, but the ebooks will be available. Our choices and options for buying books is now much broader. We’re no longer limited to the stock of primarily new releases in retail stores. The size of a physical print run doesn’t determine a book’s availability. Readers can choose to read print books, or ebooks, or both.

Have your book buying habits changed in the last five years? Do you now have a preference for either print or electronic, or do you read both? Do you now spend more or less money on books? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a 6-book contract. Her debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014, The Doctor's Return in August 2014, and Her Tycoon Hero in November 2014. 

Narelle blogs regularly with International Christian Fiction Writers and Inspy Romance. http://internationalchristianfictionwriters.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.inspyromance.com/

She is also a co-founder of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA). http://acrba.blogspot.com/

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor 
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

Reminiscing about books from my past.

By Jenny Blake

As today is my 50^th Birthday I have been creating a memory album with a difference. The idea for the album came about because at the start of the year I was waiting to see the specialist about having my gall bladder removed due to a nasty attack in Dec. I have been having issues for a few years only I didn’t realise the reason. I thought the surgery would be last week and that I would be still recovering. I thought of creating an album where friends from around the world could send a memory, note or blessing with a photo to include. The album has turned out much better than I expected as I can look at the notes and photos for years to come when I need encouragement.

This takes me to this blog post. In the album I have a few photos of me as a child and one of the first gifts I remember as a child was a cute little blue basket. The next birthday present that I remember is a book with 3 fairy tales in it. It was from Mum and Dad and became my favourite story book. I was about 6 at the time. I had never heard of The Snow Queen before but it quickly became my favourite fairy tale of all time and still is. The other 2 stories were The Ugly Duckling and The Flying Trunk. I took this book to share at show and tell at school and read it over and over. I still have my copy and you can see it was well loved.

I was given books quite often as a birthday gift including many of Enid Blytons books. My next books that became my favourites were the Magic Faraway Series. I so wanted to have that tree near me and climb to those lands at the top of the tree. I remember being given Mr Gilliano’s Circus and also the Naughtiest Girl at School. I loved all the series.

When I was about 11 I remember being given Pollyanna. Mum said she read this series as a child. She had loved the series and wanted to share it.

The year I turned 16 Mum gave me the first 4 books in a series she loved as a teen, Little Bush Maid by Mary Grant Bruce and I fell in love with this series.

I loved reading as a child and when I was at school every month we would take home an order form for a book club which we could order books at a very good price. I bought some really good books that became my favourites from the club. (Mum and Dad also bought some for gifts for me). I remember Helen Keller’s teacher and Betsy were two books I loved and still have to this day. They were clean books that parents knew would be safe to buy a child unlike many books these days. I have to also mention I bought the Narnia series after receiving the first one for myself and tried to get through my wardrobe and the other series that impacted me. Little House on the Prairre which I have been watching while I have been recovering.

Do you have memories of a special book you were given as a child or do you have favourite books that stick in your memory from childhood? Please share and join with the spread of cup cakes and milk shakes (hot chocolate for my North American friends who are freezing)

JENNY BLAKE (aka Ausjenny) is an avid reader. When not reading she enjoys watching cricket, in fact you could call her a cricket fanatic, scrapbooking and jigsaws. She volunteers at the local Christian bookshop where she can recommend books to customers. Her book blog is where she reviews books and interview authors. Her goal is to help promote new books and encourage authors. Her blog is athttp://ausjenny.blogspot.com and is Co-Founder ofhttp://acrba.blogspot.com