Too Much of a Good Thing: a Giveaway!

Sometimes too much of a good thing is still just that: too much.  Other times, too much of a good thing is wonderful.  Today, two examples:

1. Too Much:  Interviews.  In the past I've thought that I dislike reading interviews, but somewhere along my adventure in book-blogging I've realized that it isn't the interviews I dislike--finding out details about authors and fellow bloggers can be quite fun--it's the length of the answers.  5 Paragraph Essay Answers to each simple question leave me feeling like it is all too much.  I like getting Bill Bryson-esque bite-sized factoids...they satisfy my curiosity and leave me wanting to know more.  

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed for The Book Base (my interview appeared yesterday--check it out!) which does a good job of keeping interviews interesting.  One of the things I really like about how the interviews are structured on this site is that the questions are the same, and the answers are all fairly brief.  It makes it easy to digest and discover new bloggers.

2.  Wonderful: Classic Novellas.  In gearing up for the Art of the Novella Challenge starting August 1st, I've been doing a lot of thinking about how I want to approach these wonderful little tidbits of classic literature.  I ended up (under the influence of my husband, no less) buying the entire 42 volume series.  For me, they're classic literature.  For him, they're modern decor. Win/Win.  Even with a licence to buy, this splurge means that I feel obligated to put maximum effort into reading every single one of them in August.  Still, they're gorgeous and exciting...even if there are too many to get through next month, I can't help but feel that they are only wonderful.

One of the things that I love about the novellas that Melville House Publishing has chosen (apart from the general idea of classic novellas) is that most of the titles sport a reputation or a history.  From Mary Shelley's Mathilda with its shocking themes, to Cervantes' The Dialogue of the Dogs (the first talking dog story in Western Literature) these selections go beyond the typical canon of classics.

On that note, I've decided to host a giveaway!  Whether you are interested in joining the challenge in August or not, you have to admit that these novellas are enticing.  Who wouldn't want to own a couple? or four??  Fill out the form below before July 31st, selecting which 4 classic novellas you would most love to own, and stay tuned for my Challenge Kick-Off post on July 31st when I announce the winner.  The winner will be chosen randomly, and the giveaway is open internationally.  Good luck!

Head over to Melville House to see the 42 classic novellas you can choose from and to read the descriptions.  Happy reading!