Monday, February 7, 2011

Follower Love Giveaway Hop


This hop was organized by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer.  I am truly excited about participating in this blog hop because its my FIRST blog hop and because i love valentines day!

How the blog hop works: Over 200 participating blogs are offering a book related giveaway and we are all linked up together so you can easily hop from one giveaway to another.  (see the linky list at the bottom of this post.) The hop runs from Tuesday, February 8th through Sunday, February 13th.  

What I'm giving away: Second Kiss Valentine's Day Package which includes a signed copy of Second Kiss and an exclusive "Second Kiss" charm baracelet. 

I absolutely LOVE the charm bracelet that Sara from SimpleSerendipity created for this package.  It is simple, stylish and looks just like the bracelet i imagine jess tyler giving gemma in the book.  As a special treat for this blog hop i got the chance to interview Sara. she is such a great girl and i would love for all of you participating in this Love Hop to be able to get to know her a little bit better:


npbooks: Who taught you how to make jewelry and how long have you been doing it?

simple: I started making jewelry 4 years ago when a friend invited me over to a girls night out at her house.   My friend Shannon introduced me to the wonderful world of beads.   I walked into the office in her home and sat in amazement at the beautiful, variety of beads she had tucked in little organized containers.   I grew to love the nights out at Shannon's place, making something with my hands and chatting with the women folk. When Shannon moved, I wanted to carry on the tradition.   So, that's when my own personal bead collection began to grow.    It hasn't stopped growing since.

npbooks: If you could only wear one form of jewelry (earrings, bracelet, necklace, ring, etc.) for the rest of your life which would you choose?

simple: Of course, I would pick my wedding ring, for sentimental reasons.   But, if I'm not being sentimental, I would say earrings.   Definitely earrings.   Sometimes you'll see me without makeup on, but still wearing a pair of earrings.   Go figure.  I love that wearing earrings with a t-shirt instantly makes me feel less frumpy, stay at home, sweat pants, mom-ish.    My only problem, as of late, is my 16 month old also has a love for my earrings.   That's ok,  some women put up with way more pain to wear high heel shoes on a daily basis.  I can deal with the occasional little tug from a tiny hand. 

npbooks: You're a full time wife and mother of three.  When do you find the time to make all this jewelry?

simple: Last year, when my husband found out he was getting a pay cut from work, I knew I wanted to do something to help out.    I  wanted to figure out something I could do after the kids went to bed.   That's when I remembered my huge Rubbermaid tub full of beads sitting in the closet.   I knew that would be something I could do to help add a little extra to our budget.    When I opened up my Etsy shop, I wasn't prepared for the overwhelming response.   Some nights I would stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning just trying to make and fill all the orders that were coming in.    Beads and kids don't really mix, so evenings are really the only feasible time to make jewelry,

npbooks: Do you prefer silver or gold or something else?

simple: Silver, definitely silver.   I also really like antiqued bronze metal.   It has that vintage look.   I don't have anything against gold, I just like the look of silver better on me, so that's why I make more products with silver.   But, I'm happy to customize an order for a customer who prefers gold.

npbooks: And since you are the creator of the exclusive "Second Kiss" charm bracelet, how old were you and where were you at when you had your SECOND kiss? 

simple: If I'm counting the truth or dare kiss I had in 6th grade as my "first kiss", then my "second kiss" was when I was 18 and in my first year of college.   It was a really good kiss, to a really self absorbed,  narcissistic  guy.   Fortunately, I found someone else later on in life who knew how to give a really good kiss and was also a genuine good human being.   I am lucky to be married to him. 

To see more of Sara's simple yet stylish jewelry check her website out here.

To enter this Giveaway:
Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment about your own second kiss (please keep it clean. :))  Also give me a way to contact you.  
(Last day to enter is Sunday, February 13th)

Optional Extra Entries:
+1 Post something about my blog or book on Facebook/Myspace/etc.
+1 Post a little something about my book, Second Kiss, on your blog

(additional entries will only be given if you leave the link to your posts in your comment!)

Thanks for stopping by everyone and Happy Valentines Day!!!
 

52 comments:

  1. I am following

    Well, my true 2nd kiss was the same person as my first kiss..so not too exciting there..

    If you mean 2nd kiss, like 2nd person I kissed-It was a boy at a church camp held at BYU..it was the last day of the camp and he and I had met a couple days before. He was so sweet and it was the perfect teenager kiss...short, innocent, but really nice...honestly, way better than my first kiss.

    kissyjensen at gmail dot com

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  2. chris - i love Love LOVE that you had such a great kiss at a byu church camp. it was always my dream as a teen to find "true" love at EFY or youth conference but alas... i was that kind of frumpy not-quite-grown-into-her-skin yet girl that had a lot of guy "friends." i'm glad it worked out for someone. can i live vicariously through you?

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  3. I follow. My second kiss was a set up kiss. Someone bet the guy that he couldn't kiss me, so he said we were going to do a set up kiss with his hand over his mouth, am I stupid or what? He removed his hand and a friend snapped a picture so he could win the bet.

    ke7yca at gmail dot com

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  4. My second Kiss was with my first boyfriend(the first was at a game of spin the bottle) anyway...if my boyfriend won his baseball game I promised a kiss and everyone and I mean EVERYONE showed up for the awkward moment.....I was seeing stars..lol
    I am a follower @veltara and I posted a little something on my facebook page for your blog
    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000261917248
    veltara(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  5. GFC follower...
    2nd kiss...haha let me have my first kiss first ;)

    vidishamun@gmail.com

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  7. Follow using GFC
    WOW second kiss- It was by the same boy my first kiss was. MARK HALL. I still have butterflies 33 years later!
    Aweome thanks~
    chaarmedone1512@aol.com

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  8. Folling with GFC.
    Second kiss... hm. Middle School... Still get butterflies thinking about it.

    megankyser at gmail dot com

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  9. Well, I was a bit too eager, so my first SEVERL kisses weren't anything amazing. *sigh* I was 14 and he kissed me at church. It was weird. lol Most first kisses are, I assume.

    shastadaisy_girl at yahoo dot com

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  10. I said "first kisses," but my first, second, and third kisses were at the church....just to clarify. lol I was horrible.

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  12. My second kiss was my true "first kiss". My first kiss was unsolicited but my second kiss was with a guy I really liked and who I had been dating for a while.
    GFC follower (Lexie@BookBug)
    lexie.bookbug(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  13. Don't laugh, but I've never been kissed, so I don't have a story to share. I could tell you about not ever having kissed somebody, but that would wind up being a novel unto itself. :}

    I posted about your book: http://crackinspines.blogspot.com/2011/02/wish-list-wednesday-first.html
    I follow through GFC

    Thanks for the giveaways, natalie! I really am looking foreward to reading Second Kiss.
    zombiegirrrl21 at aol

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  14. I wasn't my second kiss, but I did have a kiss where I was laughing at something and my fiance (now husband) leaned in to kiss me and we bonked front teeth--which broke my front tooth! I was mortified and had to get my tooth fixed by the dentist.

    Hope I win!

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  15. hmm good question my second kiss was behind the bleachers and we were caught my mom was furious he was older and i was younger yeah lol thethings we do when we are young


    im a follower and ur book sounds awesome

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  16. Wow I'm loving these comments! My second kiss... I guess it would be with my boyfriend senior year of HS. It was our first kiss together but it definitely taught me everything I know now... hahaha. And how's this for random--he married my college roomate (whom he met completely apart from me) and they have a kid and another on the way! (yes I was in their wedding! and my rebound from him was a groomsman, and another ex was also there.... apparently my circle of friends was much too small!)

    kristinrae023(at)gmail.com

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  17. i'm loving these comments as well! kisses behind bleachers, at church (3 times suzy?) and as post baseball game bets...
    i think you should all write books about your second kisses! :)

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  18. gfc sarah_roxy_21
    It was my high school sweetheart.
    sarahlovesvegas@hotmail

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  19. my 2nd kiss was my FIRST boyfriend. He was sweet about it, and always made me blush :)

    GFC missmarsee
    missmarsee@gmail.com

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  20. My second kiss was with my husband at a football game.

    GFC follower Andrea I

    lillieblue613@gmail.com

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  21. My second kiss was a boy who liked me more than I liked him. I tried, but just no sparks there. Sometimes a kiss speaks volumes.

    zenfoxflowerATyahooDOTcom

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  22. My second kiss was from the same boy as my first.
    A summer meeting and then gone.

    kissinoak at frontier dot com

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  23. 2nd kiss? I've had lots of 2nd kisses...the most memorable? My hubby (now), in the driveway of my parents home..summer of '69!
    lgm52@hotmail.com

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  24. My second kiss was not as memorable and exciting as my first(brother's friend and my crush)and not as meaningful as the ones after(hubby).

    monagarg@yahoo.com

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  25. My second kiss was when I was in first grade. The boy was chasing around the playground all during recess. I was trying to get away from him, so I climbed up the ladder of the slide. I stayed up there for a while and kids started gathering around. (I was up there for a few minutes and they were waiting for me to come down so they could slide too). When I finally did go down the slide, the boy was waiting for me and he kissed me on the lips. I immediately ran up to the teacher and told on him.

    Funny thing is, eleven years later, I found myself kissing this same boy and I definitely wasn't running away from him!

    actinupwb at gmail.com

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  26. If you mean 2nd kiss, like 2nd person I kissed-It was a boy at a church camp held at BYU..it was the last day of the camp and he and I had met a couple days before. He was so sweet and it was the perfect teenager kiss...

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  27. Too many years and too many kisses ago to remember . . . I definitely remember the first kisses, though. Fun memories.

    JHS
    Colloquium

    jhsmail at comcast dot net

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  28. Great giveaway. My second kiss was with a boy I had the biggest crush on. He walked me home and not expecting it when I looked up to say goodnight he leaned in and kissed me. To this day over thirty years ago, I still can feel that gentle kiss. :)
    Carol L
    Luky4750@aol.com

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  29. I am an old follower who honestly does not remember her second kiss, although I am sure I was on a date with my then boyfriend and his twin and his twin's two best friends were nearby because they went everywhere with us.
    rickimc[at]aol[dot]com

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  30. *sigh* My second kiss was with the same guy as my first kiss. It was a week later though, and my knees literally buckled and he had to swoop in and hold me up. It really flattered him and left me giggling :)

    bchild5 at aol dot com

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  31. GFC follower!
    My second kiss came from a boy at my 7th grade dance. I had no idea that he even liked me.
    epblack at zoominternet dot net

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  32. who are you people? recess kisses? 7th grade dance kisses? i would have given anything to have so much romance when i was that age! what was wrong with the boys i went to school with? LOL! i love reading all these stories!

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  33. Sounds like a great book! My second kiss was to my husband - much better than the first kiss which was to some college guy. Yeah, I was a late bloomer! I'm following on GFC. stacy at stacyjuba.com If you haven't stopped by my giveaway yet, feel free to come by!

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  34. Okay, I'm excited for this book.

    My second kiss was to a friend of mine. We had just accidently run into each other after four years. I invited him out later that night when a mutual friend and I already had plans. Now, I'd had crushes on and off with this boy for a long time, and we'd been friends since we were in middle school, so it was nice to reconnect - but those old feelings were starting to rekindle.

    When we got into my car after the other friend left, he completely surprised me by pulling my face toward him and kissing me. I was shocked, but it was perfect. We sat in that car, catching up all night, and watched the sun rise.

    I look forward to reading this book, even if I don't win.

    brenna.braaten at gmail.com

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  35. I am an old fashioned fella so it was g rated and much older than the typical first kiss. (in my twenties)
    I am an old follower.
    kjovus
    kjovus(at)gmail(dot)com

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  36. My second kiss was with my very first serious boyfriend. Hehe, he was absolutely adorable, and I really liked him. The kiss was still kind of awkward and I think I even looked up kissing techniques online LOL!

    Val @ Truth Be Told

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  37. Thanks for the great giveaway! I'm a GFC Follower(Saba M.)

    I haven't had a kiss yet so I can't say much. Except that I'm waiting for that special someone!

    vokalchick@gmail.com

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  38. Mine was with a guy in the neighborhood he had been dating my best friend and when they broke up she set us up.

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  39. I forgot to leave my email MommiesPointofReview@gmail.com and I am following you on GFC as Glenda Cates

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  40. Very cute blog -- I don't remember my first kiss - age --

    GFC follower
    maryinhb @gmail.com

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  41. I don't remember who it was...wow thats sad.

    I am a follower
    iqb99@yahoo.com

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  42. I follow you on GFC.

    And let's see..my second kiss...My first couple of kisses weren't official (or at least what I consider to be a real kiss). They were simply a peck on the cheek. But I remember them very well, so..my second kiss was given to me when I was nearly 18 years old (Yeah, I'm a late bloomer in all things lol). I went out on a date with a guy who'd been trying to convince me to go out with him all school year long. He was terribly sweet, funny, on the football team, and so completely smitten with me. And I could never figure out why. I was terribly, painfully shy, and always felt awkward. In my mind I was the invisible girl. I had friends of course, but was even shy and distant around them.

    I finally caved. After our date he drove me back home and he said he really wanted to kiss me. A real kiss. But refused to do so without my permission, which of course I was too shy to give. So he kissed me gently on the cheek and said he could wait. He headed off to work. And about 10 minutes later (after our date, while he was at work) my phone rang so he could gush about the wonderful time he had.

    And there's my story lol ;)

    - Dominique @ couponcookie at gmail dot com

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  43. second kiss was with my current fiance-to-be. it was under a giant christmas tree outside. freezing cold and snowy. so romantic!

    americangirlie1991@yahoo.com

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  44. My second kiss was...interesting to say the least. I had just started dating my first serious boyfriend...something that really bothered the guy who had been my best friend before I started dating this other guy. I know he thought we were well on our way to dating before I kind of sideswiped him by dating one of my brother's friends. One day after practice, he cornered me in the locker room and just looked at me with this...troubled or...wounded expression...He leaned in, kissed me, and just said..."really katy? Max?"...intense stuff for your freshmen year of highschool lol...

    hense1kk AT cmich DOT edu

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  45. Thanks so much for the awesome giveaway!
    Hmm..second kiss? I remember who it was with &that it was my freshman year of high school. It was 6+years of one & off with him but this past summer it's officially over & done with. It's kind of bittersweet. :)

    emo.hijabi@gmail.com

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  46. My first kiss doesn't count. It was on the cheek after a dance... but the second real kiss to my high school sweetheart, friend of my brother, oh yeah! He became my husband!
    Thanks for a chance to win this wonderful giveaway!
    Best wishes,
    Chanticlear1atgmaildotcom

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  47. Got, so carried away remembering that, I forgot to tell you I follow in GFC! LOL
    Thanks for a chance to win this wonderful giveaway!
    Best wishes,
    Chanticlear1atgmaildotcom

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  48. Well, my first kiss was in kindergarten and I couldn't really enjoy it becasue I was in so much trouble from my teacher. I really liked my friend Seth though, and it was the best way to show him I liked him :) I've shared several kisses while growing up with boyfriends. I was always boy crazy and passed notes, held hands and kissed (well, Pecked really) I consider my second kiss a real kiss when I was in 5th grade, because it was a "real Kiss" with a boy named Ryan. He was my boyfriend and were urged by our friends to french. We did, and our exact words after we were done were "eww, gross" He wasn't my boyfriend for much longer and I later realized how not gross it can be with the right guy

    june111(at)att(dot)net

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  49. Hi, my 2nd kiss was in 8th grade by a guy I adored and who I was leaving to move back to the United States after living in Canada for 3 years, and I was heartbroken. However, the kiss itself was wet, sloppy, and not very great!
    maddiemb {at} comcast (dot) net

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  50. I follow via GFC (Meghan Saldecki) :)

    Ugh my second kiss was with a guy I regret dating :P. The actual kiss was pretty sweet though (surprisingly). It was a simple peck and we had taken a small walk through my neighborhood and kind of just held each other because it was really cold. Then, on our way back he stopped and kissed me. Like I said, sweet kiss, horrible guy lol

    breakkanamexd [at] aol [dot] com

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  51. GFC follower
    okay this is so stupid because my first kiss was actually in a game truth or dare and i was so surprised and taken back when i got kissed on a dare. i was pretty angry that i had to lose it at that game but my second chance kiss was one so memorable that my best guy friend asked me to go to this play and after he took me home and then walked me to my house and kissed me goodnight

    rahchelle_808ATyahooDOTcom

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  52. My second kiss was my first bf, i was super younge and saw him in the hallway at high school, kissed him super fast said i love you and then took off running down the hallway!

    loveangel132@yahoo.com

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