Pajama Girls

Last year I wrote about one of my favorite books of 2008, The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square, and handed out copies to my friends and readers throughout the year. Now that it's out in trade paperback I have another chance to get more people hooked on Rosina Lippi.

The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square takes place in a small South Carolina town, the sort of place that breeds characters, complications, and captivating relationships. If the town isn't enough to make you keep reading until dinner singes, you'll also meet restless wanderer/entepeneur John Dodge, a man who likes to stay on the move, and local shopkeeper Julia Darrow, who isn't going anywhere. As John comes to town (temporarily) to revive a dwindling business, he tries to figure out the mystery of Julia, a woman who works in her pajamas (as do all of her employees. If only they were hiring!) And that's when . . . well, let's just say at this point in the story, you'd better turn off the stove and order pizza delivery.

Authors are often called "master storytellers" and "unique voices" but that's almost become the standard hype cliche. Which is a shame, because Rosina Lippi is the real thing -- a voice that is unique, and a storyteller who is a master. I can't compare her to anyone because there is no one like her. Reading Pajama Girls, practically every line shouts this.

But as always, you don't have to take my word for it. In comments to this post, name a book or an author you enjoy and want people to read (or if you can't think of one, just throw your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Saturday, April 25, 2009. I will draw ten names at random from everyone who participates and send the winners an unsigned trade paperback copy of The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square by Rosina Lippi. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

PV Winners

I had no idea that you all were such a romantic bunch -- reading your excellent suggestions for Valentine's Day gifts made me vow to be more creative next year (for the record, I gave my guy his favorite home-cooked meal, an ice cream cake, and then I [censored because my mother is probably reading this].)

Once we caught our breath, though, we put the magic hat in action and drew the names of the PBW's Valentine giveaway winners, and they are:

Margaret Yang

Kris

Mary2 (whose comment began with: think someone shoveling my walks and scraping off my car and warming it up would be the best Valentine's gift right now!)

Gabriel Campbell

Shanna

Laughing Gecko

Marg

Robin F (whose comment began with: A perfect present would be the completely unromantic, some time to myself...)

Eliza

Julie Doe

Winners, please send your full name and ship-to address to LynnViehl@aol.com, and I will get these books out to you. And to everyone, thanks for sharing the love.

PBW's Valentine

I thought I'd celebrate Valentine's Day here on the blog by talking about something we all love: a great story by a gifted storyteller.

Luckily for me, today is the release date for The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square by Rosina Lippi. The novel takes us to a small South Carolina town, where a restless wanderer named John Dodge arrives to stir things up. John likes to take over small, failing businesses and resurrect them, but for some reason he never sticks around after he's achieved success. While meeting the always-interesting shopkeepers of Lambert Square, however, John encounters Julia Darrow, the lovely but rather standoffish owner of a rare linens shop. John is startled to discover that Julia and her employees work all day in their pajamas, but he soon learns that there is a lot more going on with Julia than her unusual business attire.

I first discovered Rosina Lippi when I read her novel Tied to the Tracks back in 2006. I've given away a lot of copies of that book in the last two years, but one of the delights of discovering an amazing storyteller like Rosina is sharing her work with others. I suspect I'll be giving away twice as many copies with this new novel. I've tried my best to think of a category for The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square, but the book refuses to be pigeon-holed or labeled. I think this is because it has something for every reader: adventure, romance, mystery, humor, drama, tragedy and hope.

I loved this book so much that I wish I could give all of you a copy, but until I have the millions to finance something like that we'll do the next best thing: have a giveaway. In comments to this post, name something you think would make an excellent Valentine's Day gift (or if you can't think of anything, just throw your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Friday, February 15, 2008. I will draw ten names at random from everyone who participates and send the winners an unsigned hardcover copy of The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square by Rosina Lippi. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

Pajama Girls Meme

Need to buy some books but running short of funds? Bored by the latest blogosphere snitfest and looking instead for something fun to post? Got you covered today:

Author Rosina Lippi has started a new meme contest to get the word out about her upcoming Valentine's Day release, The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square. The grand prize is a $100.00 Amazon.com gift certificate and a signed copy of the novel, but that's only the beginning. The more people who participate, the more the size of the gift certificate will grow.

Here's the contest picture, for which you have to think up a caption:



Once you've thought up something brilliant, post the pic, your caption and this ad on your web site or weblog:



You'll also need to post a link to Rosina's weblog, Storytelling, one for the novel's official web site, Lambert Square, and leave a link to your entry in comments to her contest announcement post.

You've got until February 17th, when the contest will end and the winner will be chosen by reader poll over at Rosina's place.

I will have more to say about The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square very shortly, but for now I have to be all shadowy and mysterious. Maybe Muriel will lend me her sunglasses . . . in the meantime, to add a little temptation for my readers, I'll send whoever wins Rosina's contest a signed unbound galley copy of my next Darkyn novel, Twilight Fall.