Overwhelmed is sponsoring a monthly book give-away that she said I could add my own spin to.

The original rules have the books being offered the first Monday of the month (so you see I’m already late), and require each winner to offer the book in a give-away in a month or so (assuming it’s been read) to continue to pass the love along.

As a confirmed book…devotee, I resist requirements to part with a book I may grow to love. So here are the Untangling Modifications, and how to enter:

1. Leave a comment mentioning which set of books you’d love to win (if you have a preference) and write a note about the drawing on your own blog (if you want to).
2. When you receive your books, pick a date in the next month or so to have your own give-away.
3. (The challenging part:) Only give away books you would be happy to receive– That “do unto others” bit. It can be the books you just received, one or two of them, or one you bought just for the occasion if you want to keep all three.

The Books:

Set #1

Versibility: The Poetry Game (Great for you word-types who have friends that are word-types.)

The Perilous Gard If it’s not my all-time favorite, it’s pretty close. I’d love someone else to meet it.

Messie Free a two-books in one guide to de-messifying your life. One of what I call “talisman” books. (The type you buy because now, maybe, things might be different… or a little easier… because we’ve bought the magic.) It’s useful too. Thought-provoking reading, but you still have to do the work. I know. Bummer.

Set #2

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook Crazy-Weird. Cool.

Forever my Love A sweet gift-book with scripture and sound-bites from Warren’s Triumphant Marriage

The King’s Chessboard an illustrated folktale. Could be a good discussion-starter for reading with an older child. The concepts are a little beyond my pre-schoolers. The way most math is.

As I mentioned a few days ago, I tried to pick books that related to what I write about here. The Survival Handbook might beg a bit of explanation.

I included it because I think it’s cool, and anybody might enjoy it (I gave one to Jay for our anniversary this year– terrific pastime for avoiding bill-paying ;) ) , and I’ll say it’s related to what I put my novel characters through.

I’m sure they might have appreciated having more of a manual for what they end up going through.

So, there you go. The first giveaway from Untangling Tales. The drawing for two winners will doubtless include my darling children drawing names out of a hat, and will occur in one-week’s time, Monday the 17th.

The timing coincides with my grandmother’s birthday (she would have been 89), so this giveaway is sort of in her honor. Worthy (I hope) of the memory of the most generous woman I’ve ever known.