Thursday, September 16, 2010

Giveaway: The Tower, the Zoo and The Tortoise

Giveaway
2 copies available


Doesn't this look like a "drop everything and drop into your favorite reading chair" book?  The UPS man just left, and while he may still be in his brown shorts, I'm settling in for a good read this afternoon because here in Maine it's a glorious chilly early autumn day, and this one begs to be read.  I especially love the affectionate nickname it's been given : "TZT".   Judy at Doubleday/Random House has offered us two copies to giveaway. It hit the NYT bestseller list and is getting rave reviews from everyone. So what's the buzz?

Brimming with charm and whimsy, this exquisite novel set in the Tower of London has the transportive qualities and delightful magic of the contemporary classics Chocolat and Amélie.

Balthazar Jones has lived in the Tower of London with his loving wife, Hebe, and his 120-year-old pet tortoise for the past eight years. That’s right, he is a Beefeater (they really do live there). It’s no easy job living and working in the tourist attraction in present-day London.

Among the eccentric characters who call the Tower’s maze of ancient buildings and spiral staircases home are the Tower’s Rack & Ruin barmaid, Ruby Dore, who just found out she’s pregnant; portly Valerie Jennings, who is falling for ticket inspector Arthur Catnip; the lifelong bachelor Reverend Septimus Drew, who secretly pens a series of principled erot­ica; and the philandering Ravenmaster, aiming to avenge the death of one of his insufferable ravens.

When Balthazar is tasked with setting up an elaborate menagerie within the Tower walls to house the many exotic animals gifted to the Queen, life at the Tower gets all the more interest­ing. Penguins escape, giraffes are stolen, and the Komodo dragon sends innocent people running for their lives. Balthazar is in charge and things are not exactly running smoothly. Then Hebe decides to leave him and his beloved tortoise “runs” away.

Filled with the humor and heart that calls to mind the delight­ful novels of Alexander McCall Smith, and the charm and beauty of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise is a magical, wholly origi­nal novel whose irresistible characters will stay with you long after you turn the stunning last page.

You want this. Right?
So here are the rules for the giveaway: 
  1. For one entry, leave a comment telling me whether you've ever been to London before. If you have, did you go to the Tower? Include your email address (no email no win).
  2. For an extra entry, leave a separate comment telling me you're a follower (or become one and let me know).
  3. For another entry,  make a separate entry telling me you blogged about the giveaway, (sidebars are fine) and LEAVE ME THE LINK to the posting (if I don't get a link, the entry doesn't count).
  4. Since I don't twitter, tweet, or FB, you can get extra entries by visiting my blog every day, and leaving a comment about the current post. Just leave your comment on the contest post and tell me something about that day's post. Say "daily entry and the date and blah blah blah about the daily post." If I didn't post that day, then say "no post yet today."
  5. US addresses only, no PO Boxes.
  6. Deadline is Oct 14 -noon EDT.
Thanks again to Judy at Doubleday for making this one available.

45 comments:

  1. This books sounds very intriguing. I've been to the Tower of London of twice and loved it both times. I'm a huge lover of all things British Monarchy (esp. Henry VIII) and being at the Tower and seeing the places I've read so much about was thrilling. And learning that the Beefeaters acgtually live there was fascinating. I'd love to read (and win) this one!

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  2. I'm also a follower. Here's my email address pgrove.gh@gmail.com

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  3. Yes I've been to London, but we didn't go to the tower, we could have lost our heads :)

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  4. This looks like a very charming book. Sadly, I have not been to London, yet! Thanks for the chance to win.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. I am a follower.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. Daily entry 9/17. No post yet today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  7. Daily entry 9/19. No daily post yet! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. nope, never been. I really want to though. My sister might be going this winter holiday.

    lauren51990 at aol dot com

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  9. don't enter me, BUT I wanted to say hi! I see you on the double day group on book blogs. I too an going to be doing a giveaway for this book. I just started to read it. Its interesting!

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  10. Daily entry 9/20. You got some great books today! And I am glad Mr. Tutu gets to share! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. Daily entry 9/21. I really enjoyed Bel Canto! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  12. Daily entry 9/22. I like the title of today's book, it would make me pick it up to take a look. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  13. Daily entry 9/23. I do like the cover of the book from today...too bad it wasn't very good! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  14. Daily entry 9/24. I really enjoyed CeeCee Honeycutt too. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  15. Daily entry 9/25. I have to say, I've not heard of Blindness...it definitely looks like it's worth a spot on the TBR list! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  16. Daily entry 9/26. No post yet today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  17. Daily entry 9/27. No post yet today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  18. Daily entry 9/28. No post yet today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  19. Daily entry 9/29. No daily post. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  20. Daily entry 9/30. Those were some good tidbits you found to help you through the blogging funk. They could really apply to all sorts o things, even just tackling that TBR pile! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  21. Daily entry 10/1. Hillerman is another good standby! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  22. Daily entry 10/2. Good to hear the audio version is nice too. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  23. Daily entry 10/3. I've read some good reviews of Cheap Cabernet, I think a book group of women would enjoy it. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  24. Daily entry 10/4. I didn't get anything interesting in the mail today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  25. Daily entry 10/5. No post yet today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  26. Daily entry 10/6. It's never a good sign when there's too many characters to list! The Confirmation seems to suffer in a number of ways.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  27. Daily entry 10/7. I would recommend any of the Mary Kay Andrews titles, they are all pretty fun reading. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  28. Daily entry 10/8. So glad to see your review and that you enjoyed TZT. Can't wait! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  29. Yes, I've been to London many times... Lived there as a child for several years, then worked there for 2 years in the late 1990s. Try to go every year or two. I have been to the Tower at least three times (that I remember!) and have a pic of myself in school uniform standing beside a Beefeater, age 11. (me, not the Beefeater!) E-mail address is Suzanne.McGee@gmail.com

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  30. Daily entry 10/9. No post yet today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  31. Daily entry 10/9. No post yet today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  32. You know I've never been to London but it's a city I've always wanted to visit.

    cyderryATyahooDOTcom
    Cheli
    http://chelisshelves.blogspot.com

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  33. I am a faithful follower.


    cyderryATyahooDOTcom
    Cheli
    http://chelisshelves.blogspot.com

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  34. Posted a link on my sidebar!

    cyderryATyahooDOTcom
    Cheli
    http://chelisshelves.blogspot.com

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  35. I have never been to London, but if I did ever get to go, I would be sure and check out the Tower since I am a history buff.

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  36. I signed up as a follower yesterday.

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  37. Daily entry 10/10/10! No post yet today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  38. Daily entry 10/11/10

    No new blog post yet today that I can see :)

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  39. Daily entry 10/11. No post yet today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  40. Daily entry 10/12. The Bryon book looks interesting. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  41. Daily entry 10/13/10

    Ape House with ASL - maybe I should get a copy for my SIL who interprets for the deaf, LOL!

    cyderryATyahooDOTcom
    Chèli
    Cheli's Shelves

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  42. Daily entry 10/13. The Ape House has been on my radar for awhile, glad to hear your comments. Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  43. Daily entry 10/14. No post yet today! Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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Welcome, thanks for stopping by. Now that you've heard our two cents, perhaps you have a few pennies to throw into the discussion. Due to a bunch more anonymous spam getting through, I've had to disallow anonymous comments. I try to respond to all comments posing a question, but may not always get to you right away.