The Beach is Alex Garland’s first book. A look at a generation in their twenties, who, burdened with the legacy of the preceding generation and saturated by popular culture, long for an unruined landscape, but find it difficult to experience the world firsthand. - Amazon Garland’s amphetamine-paced first novel plunks some young European expats down on a remote island in the Gulf of Thailand. There, tired of the prepackaged experience available to them in the West, they try to create their own paradise. The narrator is an Englishman named Richard. Born in 1974, he has grown up on popular culture and is a fan of video games and Vietnam War movies. While staying at a creaky Bangkok guest house, he finds a carefully drawn map left by his angry, doped-up neighbor, a suicide who called himself Mr. Daffy Duck. The map points the way to a legendary beach where, it’s rumored, a few favored international wanderers have settled. Richard’s new friends, Etienne and Francoise, convince him to help them find the island. But Richard, inspired by sudden anxiety about Etienne, gives a copy of the map to two American backpackers-an act that later haunts him as keenly as the ghost of Mr. Duck. Richard and his French companions find the island: half is covered by a marijuana plantation patrolled by well-armed guards; the other half consists of a gorgeous beach and forest where a small band of wandering souls live a communal life dominated by a gently despotic woman named Sal. At times, Garland seems to be trying to say something powerful about the perils of desiring a history-less Eden. But his evocations of Vietnam, Richard’s hallucinatory chats with the dead Mr. Duck and various other feints in the direction of thematic gravity don’t add up to much. Garland is a good storyteller, though, and Richard’s nicotine-fueled narrative of how the denizens of the beach see their comity shatter and break into factions is taut with suspense, even if the bloody conclusion offers few surprises. 150,000 first printing; $150,000 ad/promo; foreign rights sold in the U.K., Germany, Holland, Italy. - From Publishers Weekly Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining. Format: Paperback Deadline: May 25, 2012 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours *There are 5 entries in this post already other than those below. Question: This country is the inspiration of the book, The Beach, where he spent six months before writing it. It is also the set for Alex’s second book?

The Beach is Alex Garland’s first book.

A look at a generation in their twenties, who, burdened with the legacy of the preceding generation and saturated by popular culture, long for an unruined landscape, but find it difficult to experience the world firsthand. - Amazon

Garland’s amphetamine-paced first novel plunks some young European expats down on a remote island in the Gulf of Thailand. There, tired of the prepackaged experience available to them in the West, they try to create their own paradise. The narrator is an Englishman named Richard. Born in 1974, he has grown up on popular culture and is a fan of video games and Vietnam War movies. While staying at a creaky Bangkok guest house, he finds a carefully drawn map left by his angry, doped-up neighbor, a suicide who called himself Mr. Daffy Duck. The map points the way to a legendary beach where, it’s rumored, a few favored international wanderers have settled. Richard’s new friends, Etienne and Francoise, convince him to help them find the island. But Richard, inspired by sudden anxiety about Etienne, gives a copy of the map to two American backpackers-an act that later haunts him as keenly as the ghost of Mr. Duck. Richard and his French companions find the island: half is covered by a marijuana plantation patrolled by well-armed guards; the other half consists of a gorgeous beach and forest where a small band of wandering souls live a communal life dominated by a gently despotic woman named Sal. At times, Garland seems to be trying to say something powerful about the perils of desiring a history-less Eden. But his evocations of Vietnam, Richard’s hallucinatory chats with the dead Mr. Duck and various other feints in the direction of thematic gravity don’t add up to much. Garland is a good storyteller, though, and Richard’s nicotine-fueled narrative of how the denizens of the beach see their comity shatter and break into factions is taut with suspense, even if the bloody conclusion offers few surprises. 150,000 first printing; $150,000 ad/promo; foreign rights sold in the U.K., Germany, Holland, Italy. - From Publishers Weekly

Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining.

Format: Paperback

Deadline: May 25, 2012 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

*There are 5 entries in this post already other than those below.

Question: This country is the inspiration of the book, The Beach, where he spent six months before writing it. It is also the set for Alex’s second book?

2 notes

Jonathan Safran Foer’s  book, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is about a kid, Oskar Schell, who’s on an adventure to find the lock which the key his father left behind will fit. The book has been recently turned into a movie featuring Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks and Thomas Horn as Oskar. Question:  What is the title of Jonathan Safran Foer’s debut novel? Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining. Format: Unsigned, Hardbound Deadline: April 25, 2012 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours
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Jonathan Safran Foer’s  book, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is about a kid, Oskar Schell, who’s on an adventure to find the lock which the key his father left behind will fit.

The book has been recently turned into a movie featuring Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks and Thomas Horn as Oskar.

Question:  What is the title of Jonathan Safran Foer’s debut novel?

Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining.

Format: Unsigned, Hardbound

Deadline: April 25, 2012 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

John Green’s latest book, The Fault in our Stars was #1 for the weeks of January 29th, 2012 and February 5th, 2012 of the NY Best Seller List. The author signed the first 150,000 copies printed. A personal favorite, John Green has written books like Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns and continues to educate the world with his brother through Vlogbrothers. Question: A Nerdfighter is an idea spawned by the Vlogbrothers. Nerdfighters are made of awesome and are dedicated to reducing world suck. DFTBA, what does it stand for? Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining. Format: Unsigned, Hardbound Deadline: March 25, 2012 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours
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John Green’s latest book, The Fault in our Stars was #1 for the weeks of January 29th, 2012 and February 5th, 2012 of the NY Best Seller List. The author signed the first 150,000 copies printed.

A personal favorite, John Green has written books like Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns and continues to educate the world with his brother through Vlogbrothers.

Question: A Nerdfighter is an idea spawned by the Vlogbrothers. Nerdfighters are made of awesome and are dedicated to reducing world suck. DFTBA, what does it stand for?

Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining.

Format: Unsigned, Hardbound

Deadline: March 25, 2012 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

1 note

Julian Barnes’  The Sense of an Ending is my first read this 2012. This intense new novel follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he has never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance, one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. Tony Webster thought he’d left all this behind as he built a life for himself, and by now his marriage and family and career have fallen into an amicable divorce and retirement. But he is then presented with a mysterious legacy that obliges him to reconsider a variety of things he thought he’d understood all along, and to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world. A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single sitting, with stunning psychological and emotional depth and sophistication, The Sense of an Ending is a brilliant new chapter in Julian Barnes’s oeuvre. - Book Cover Question: Last year, 2011, Julian Barnes won this prize for The Sense of an Ending. What is it? Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining. Format: Kindle ONLY, English ASIN: B004YWKKEG Deadline: January 31, 2012 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

Julian Barnes’  The Sense of an Ending is my first read this 2012.

This intense new novel follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he has never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance, one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. Tony Webster thought he’d left all this behind as he built a life for himself, and by now his marriage and family and career have fallen into an amicable divorce and retirement. But he is then presented with a mysterious legacy that obliges him to reconsider a variety of things he thought he’d understood all along, and to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.

A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single sitting, with stunning psychological and emotional depth and sophistication, The Sense of an Ending is a brilliant new chapter in Julian Barnes’s oeuvre.

- Book Cover

Question: Last year, 2011, Julian Barnes won this prize for The Sense of an Ending. What is it?

Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining.

Format: Kindle ONLY, English ASIN: B004YWKKEG

Deadline: January 31, 2012 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

1 note

A Book Apart ”publishes highly detailed and meticulously edited examinations of single topics”. It’s the start of the year, thinking of learning something new? Tired of hearing CSS and HTML and not knowing anything about it? One of the most important things a new designer/coder or a professional one should really learn is how to make their design responsive. A Book Apart books are very good reads and I’m giving away not one but three books. HTML5 for Web Designers, CSS3 For Web Designers and Responsive Web Design will be given away to ONE lucky winner. Question: Name the authors of the three books, CSS3 For Web Designers, HTML 5 For Web Designers and Responsive Web Design Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining. Book Format: Paperback (colored books), check A B0ok Apart for more information.  Deadline: February 15, 2012 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours
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A Book Apart ”publishes highly detailed and meticulously edited examinations of single topics”.

It’s the start of the year, thinking of learning something new? Tired of hearing CSS and HTML and not knowing anything about it?

One of the most important things a new designer/coder or a professional one should really learn is how to make their design responsive.

A Book Apart books are very good reads and I’m giving away not one but three books.

HTML5 for Web Designers, CSS3 For Web Designers and Responsive Web Design will be given away to ONE lucky winner.

Question: Name the authors of the three books, CSS3 For Web Designers, HTML 5 For Web Designers and Responsive Web Design

Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining.

Book Format: Paperback (colored books), check A B0ok Apart for more information. 

Deadline: February 15, 2012 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

Miranda July is a performance artist, musician, writer, actress and film director. To me she’s like a pocketful of sunshine. She’s really interesting and her work, specially her films, art installations and books are lovely, amazing! Check out her site!Her book No One Belongs Here More Than You and Learning to Love You More are my favorites.Her latest book, It Chooses You, was written while Ms. Miranda is finishing the screenplay for her movie, The Future (a must-see!). Explore Los Angeles with Miranda July with this book! Read/buy book at Amazon or Book Depository. Question: Miranda July’s movie, The Future, what is the name of the cat? [ Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining. Format: Hardbound Deadline: January 15, 2011 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours
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Miranda July is a performance artist, musician, writer, actress and film director. To me she’s like a pocketful of sunshine. She’s really interesting and her work, specially her films, art installations and books are lovely, amazing! Check out her site!

Her book No One Belongs Here More Than You and Learning to Love You More are my favorites.

Her latest book, It Chooses You, was written while Ms. Miranda is finishing the screenplay for her movie, The Future (a must-see!). 

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Explore Los Angeles with Miranda July with this book! Read/buy book at Amazon or Book Depository.

Question: Miranda July’s movie, The Future, what is the name of the cat? [

Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining.

Format: Hardbound

Deadline: January 15, 2011 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

1 note

Brian Krans’ first novel, A Constant Suicide, is a personal favorite and the inspiration to the creation of this site.Image. Sin. Suicide. Blame. College isn’t all kegs and eggs. Chris feels like a loser. He’s sick of his Catholic high school life of obedience and order. He goes to college craving something else, but knows he won’t find it on his own. The socially adept Ethan takes Chris under his wing, sharing basement revelry traditions and introducing him to campus terrorism, with a few hundred-dollars’ worth of innocent fish as victims. Everything seems fine until Ethan puts a gun in his mouth sophomore year. Chris has to find out why the envy of so many chose suicide as his way out. He won’t like the answers. Part-memoir, part-fiction, this portrayal of the underside of campus life intertwines sarcasm and skepticism to define a culture seeking the never-ending party. - Book DescriptionAvailable in paperback and Kindle at Amazon or get the paperback version at the author’s store, Rocktown Press.FIVE (5) lucky winners will get a signed paperback copy, with some goodies!Question: Brian Krans’ Freezetag on the Highway and A Constant Suicide are both published by __? Clue: The answer is written in this post. Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining. Format: Signed, paperback!!! Deadline: December 31, 2011 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

Brian Krans’ first novel, A Constant Suicide, is a personal favorite and the inspiration to the creation of this site.

Image. Sin. Suicide. Blame. College isn’t all kegs and eggs. Chris feels like a loser. He’s sick of his Catholic high school life of obedience and order. He goes to college craving something else, but knows he won’t find it on his own. The socially adept Ethan takes Chris under his wing, sharing basement revelry traditions and introducing him to campus terrorism, with a few hundred-dollars’ worth of innocent fish as victims. Everything seems fine until Ethan puts a gun in his mouth sophomore year. Chris has to find out why the envy of so many chose suicide as his way out. He won’t like the answers. Part-memoir, part-fiction, this portrayal of the underside of campus life intertwines sarcasm and skepticism to define a culture seeking the never-ending party. - Book Description

Available in paperback and Kindle at Amazon or get the paperback version at the author’s store, Rocktown Press.

FIVE (5) lucky winners will get a signed paperback copy, with some goodies!

Question: Brian Krans’ Freezetag on the Highway and A Constant Suicide are both published by __? Clue: The answer is written in this post.

Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining.

Format: Signed, paperback!!!

Deadline: December 31, 2011 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

1 note

Brian Krans’ Freeze Tag on the Highway takes place during the last week of summer at Camp Wazeecha, a therapeutic, confidence-boosting camp for teens with developmental disorders, low self-esteem, and authority issues. While the brochure promises positive results, the camp s director, Jake, sedates himself with the kids’ medication while leaving them to play on the jungle gyms of their chemical imbalances. When most of the staff quits in protest, Jake is forced to watch a few of the kids he despises more than the camp itself. Author Brian Krans ruthlessly intertwines images of picturesque summers and the chaos of being a teenager. - Book DescriptionAvailable in paperback and Kindle at Amazon or get the paperback version at the author’s store, Rocktown Press.ONE lucky winner will get a signed paperback copy, with some goodies! Question: What is the author’s site www.bladeordie.com’s, tagline? Clue: it’s right below the title “Blade or Die”. Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining. Format: Signed, paperback!!! Deadline: December 31, 2011 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

Brian Krans’ Freeze Tag on the Highway takes place during the last week of summer at Camp Wazeecha, a therapeutic, confidence-boosting camp for teens with developmental disorders, low self-esteem, and authority issues. While the brochure promises positive results, the camp s director, Jake, sedates himself with the kids’ medication while leaving them to play on the jungle gyms of their chemical imbalances. When most of the staff quits in protest, Jake is forced to watch a few of the kids he despises more than the camp itself. Author Brian Krans ruthlessly intertwines images of picturesque summers and the chaos of being a teenager. - Book Description

Available in paperback and Kindle at Amazon or get the paperback version at the author’s store, Rocktown Press.

ONE lucky winner will get a signed paperback copy, with some goodies!

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Question: What is the author’s site www.bladeordie.com’s, tagline? Clue: it’s right below the title “Blade or Die”.

Eligibility: Eligible countries are listed here. Please read rules here before joining.

Format: Signed, paperback!!!

Deadline: December 31, 2011 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

2 notes

Decoding Static has been one of my favorite sites, for the amazing stories Andy writes. And this is really exciting news, I’m giving away a copy of his latest project, a hand made edition of Living Room Stories. The first batch will only be 25 books, I already got one for myself, and bought one for the lucky winner of this post, the author is considering making a new cover art for the book winner! How awesome is that???If you’re interested in getting a copy for yourself here’s where you can get it. Question:  In the second Living Room story, what is the color of the balloon? Eligibility: Decoding Static will post the book to anywhere! UAE residents can choose to get the book from me, I’ll take care of shipping it from UK or US to Dubai, no worries or to wait for the post. Format: Hand-made by the author! Deadline: November 24, 2011 10:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours
Info
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  • SEIKO EPSON CORP. EPSON scanner

Decoding Static has been one of my favorite sites, for the amazing stories Andy writes. And this is really exciting news, I’m giving away a copy of his latest project, a hand made edition of Living Room Stories. The first batch will only be 25 books, I already got one for myself, and bought one for the lucky winner of this post, the author is considering making a new cover art for the book winner! How awesome is that???

If you’re interested in getting a copy for yourself here’s where you can get it.

Question:  In the second Living Room story, what is the color of the balloon?

Eligibility: Decoding Static will post the book to anywhere! UAE residents can choose to get the book from me, I’ll take care of shipping it from UK or US to Dubai, no worries or to wait for the post.

Format: Hand-made by the author!

Deadline: November 24, 2011 10:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

1 note

Olives is Alexander McNabb’s first published romance novel. “Olives explores love in conflict, the pull of home set against the excitement of the new and a people trying to live alongside the conflict we see on television, the human stories behind glib media coverage that reduces the ebb and flow of existence to a few throwaway catchphrases.” Editorial Review  Alexander McNabb also known as Fake Plastic Souks and blogs for The Fat Expat as well, recently published this novel by himself! Read more and buy at Amazon also at the author’s blog, here.  Question: What country is the world’s largest overall producer of olives? Eligibility: Amazon account and Kindle is required. Winner must provide their e-mail address. Please read rules.  Format: Kindle ONLY, English ASIN: B0065HHZG4 Deadline: November 18, 2011 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

Olives is Alexander McNabb’s first published romance novel.

“Olives explores love in conflict, the pull of home set against the excitement of the new and a people trying to live alongside the conflict we see on television, the human stories behind glib media coverage that reduces the ebb and flow of existence to a few throwaway catchphrases.” Editorial Review 

Alexander McNabb also known as Fake Plastic Souks and blogs for The Fat Expat as well, recently published this novel by himself!

Read more and buy at Amazon also at the author’s blog, here. 

Question: What country is the world’s largest overall producer of olives?

Eligibility: Amazon account and Kindle is required. Winner must provide their e-mail address. Please read rules. 

Format: Kindle ONLY, English ASIN: B0065HHZG4

Deadline: November 18, 2011 15:00:00 (GST) UTC/GMT +4 hours

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