And the Winner Is . . . .

It's been a great week!  Full of work -- I don't talk about it often, but I love my job.  I love the people and the puzzles, and helping people dream big.  Of course, when not at work, I love to dream big myself, mostly in ways related to my degree -- that being An English Degree, and also related to my upbringing in a very musical family, who exposed me to theatre early, when my sister played Amaryllis in The Music Man.  

So, this week, I got to go with two lovely friends to Dallas Theater Center's production of The Book Club.  It was so wonderful!  Great appeal to modern audience of readers and -dare I say it - nonreaders of all levels, it explored what we read and why, and who gets to talk about that with us (or drink and eat with us, if they haven't read the book, and do they belong or not??).  I'd read almost all the books discussed and I think had every single one of the conversations -- except the twist of the unhidden camera for a documentary that caught some rather funny things.  Humans are so surprising.  I loved it!!

Of course, I read. I enjoyed my family.  I worked more.  I watched one TV show (yes, Downton Abbey).  One night, I worked with the actresses who have been cast in 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress, and that was so wonderful.  They really took me places.  

On another very wonderful night this week,  I went  with my girlfriends for a girl's night out treat of seeing these charming puppets at Paris Community Theatre's side splitting production of Avenue Q.  (If you aren't easily offended and love to laugh at our humanness, don't miss this!!)

I worked more, enjoyed my husband and father, son and daughter.  It's been a busy and wonderful week.  I even got to write during the holiday.

And now today, I get to participate in National Readathon Day. Hubby asked me last night -- so what are you doing tomorrow?  HAHA!  I'm reading!  I'm reading! 

I decided not to fundraise because I've so vocally fundraised for PCT's building fund
-- (We have raised aprox. $68,000.00 of $70,000.00 dollars to date!!!!  Thank you Paris!!).  So I donated through Books on a Nightstand -- a blog and much more about books and bookish thoughts.  Then, I raised awareness in Paris by starting the fun #parisreads hashtag -- all names and books of thosewho participated were put in a vase that was full this morning.

Just in time for me to draw the lucky winner of this great book -- "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel.  Even better, the book is signed.

 Congrats Jeannie Plummer -- enjoy your book!  (Hey, if you ever get rid of it, I get first dibs).  Thank you to all who participated, we'll do it again soon.  I'll put a list here of the books you were  reading, in case you need a suggestion for what to read.  Here they are:

The Husband's Secret
The Invention of Wings (multiple times)
To Kill a Mockingbird
Big Little Lies (multiple)
Interrupted: When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity
Divergent
Voyager
One Word That Will Change Your Life
The Rosie Effect
Fifty Shades of Grey
Talking from 9 to 5
Astronaut Wives' Club
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Well Played Life
Seige and Storm
Goldfinch
The Tuesday Morning Club
E. Aster Bunymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth's Core
Killing Patton
Brown Girl Dreaming
My Farm Animals
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Above the East China Sea
Invisible Thread
X vs. Y
To Rise Again at a Decent Hour

Pretty Decent List, I'd say!  Can't wait to do it again, I'll announce the next prize soon.  Remember, you can put it on any social media that I'm on -- Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+ or even respond here (you have to be a Google+ member for security purposes). - I'm not sure if it works on Goodreads, but I'd be willing to try and figure that one out, such as by me starting a #ParisReads listmania that we can all access.   And because this is a small enough place, and many of you tell me, if you tell me I'll put yours down for you.  But I've decided that if you put it down yourself it will be worth two entries.  Better yet, if you share a picture of your book (any picture will do if you are listening or using an ebook) with the #parisreads hashtag,  that will be worth three entries.

Anyone can take advantage of this list - which I have already found helpful as I have recently been in a real dreadful lull.  Just search with #parisreads, and you might find something you enjoy.

Also, yes, I did include those of you who are connected in some way, have lived here or are a part of the bookish social media presence spurring on the knowledge that yes, even without a book store, even in the middle of one of the famed No Man's Land, even by the edge of one of the borders of Texas, even two hours away from anywhere, Paris does indeed Read.