Spring is finally in the air and we have some great things to share with you to kick off this wonderful season! From backyard bar-b-ques and outdoor fun to Easter and Mother’s Day gifts and Spring Cleaning, we’ve got you covered. Make sure to stop by daily to see the wonderful products we have to share with you. Of course there are a whole bunch of giveaways you can win too!
I’ve always believed that the differences we have, the parts of us that aren’t as apt as others, are what defines us. What can be seen as flaws in our make-up are beautiful designs that make each person an individual. We’re amazing and unique because of what weaknesses we embrace, not for our stronger similarities.
The Sword of Darrow was written by a boy named Alex Malchow, who is a wonderfully creative boy disabled with dyslexia. Since he had struggled to read since he was 9 years old, Alex’s Father Hal would read to him. One day Alex decided they should write a book together and so every evening his father Hal and he would discuss the story and Hal would write it and narrate it to Alex. Their dedication and determination to write this story is how The Sword of Darrow came to be. A beautiful story about a young princess with closely resembling disabilities who unexpectedly finds how her differences define her strengths and in the end saves her people with the help of another unlikely hero, Darrow.
“In The Sword of Darrow, the heroes must face their own epic challenges when the kingdom of Sonnencrest is brutally conquered by the evil goblin empire of Globenwald. It is up to the two unlikeliest of heroes to lead the charge for freedom. Young Princess Babette, the only surviving member of the royal family, harbors a dark secret ? she can?t read because the words dance in front of her; she can?t get them to stay still long enough to put them in order. Meanwhile, on the other side of Sonnencrest, a young man named Darrow leaves his small village determined to raise an army and take back his land. But Darrow is small and weak and walks with a limp.”
I found both stories, the story behind the story and The Sword of Darrow itself, beautiful and amazing in the telling. Alex and his father Hal weave a tale of a love for humanity in the darkest hours with characters that feel genuine. It’s a difficult thing for a writer to do, bring characters to life with the breath of words and reach out to the reader, but this is just what they do. I believe in many ways it is because of Alex’s disabilities that he is capable of pulling his readers into the tale. He understands on many levels what it feels like to be different and how to use those differences to make great things happen, just as Princess Babette and the young hero Darrow accomplish in The Sword of Darrow. I see many great stories to come from the Malchow’s and look forward to each and every one of them.
The Sword of Darrow will be released on June 7th, 2011 for $17.99. The Paperback and the Hardback books will be released at the same time; the Hardcover being specially formatted for learning disabled readers. The authors are donating ALL of their royalties to The International Dyslexia Association as well as BenBella Books will be donating half of its profits from the book to The Learning Disabilities Association of America. This is one of the most surprising things I’ve ever seen from an author and one of the most honorable.
Buy It!
You can get a head-start by pre-ordering The Sword of Darrow on Amazon for $10.39.
The Giveaway: How would you like to win a copy of The Sword of Darrow?! (One copy will be sent to one lucky contestant by the release date.)
To enter the giveaway tell me something that defines you! This step must be done before you can qualify for extra entries.
Extra Entries:
- “Like” The Sword of Darrow on Facebook
- One extra entry for having the “Spring Fling” event banner on your site!
- Follow Outnumbered 3 to 1 through Google Friend Connect , subscribe by email or through a reader {1 entry for each}
- “Like” Outnumbered 3 to 1 on Facebook or follow through Networked Blogs on Facebook {1 entry for each}
- Post the Outnumbered 3 to 1 button on your blog sidebar and/or add us to your text blog roll, leaving a link {1 entry for each}
- Share this post using the “share” button below {Let me know where you shared it and your user name if applicable}
- Blog about this giveaway, linking to the giveaway post. Make sure to leave a direct link {5 Entries, commenting 5 times}
- Tweet this giveaway using the following tweet and leave a direct link to your tweet {Can be done daily}
#Win a copy of The Sword of Darrow! @OutnumberedMama http://outnumbered3-1.com #Giveaway
Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry, otherwise it will just be counted as one. Your loss.
This giveaway is open to residents of the US until April 30th at 11:59 pm.
Check out a complete list of giveaway rules.
I received samples for the purpose of reviewing. Opinions expressed are my own or my families and are not influenced by any form of compensation. Take it or leave it. Click here to view my full acknowledgment policy.