It's Monday, What Are You Reading AND Giveaway!!! (First Ever): Two Copies of Utopia Texas!!

CONTEST CLOSED!  CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS:  Sidne, the BCR and Heather, Acting Balanced.

Love this Cover!!

In coordination with author Betty Byrd, My Bookshelf announces its first giveaway!!  Ms. Byrd (meet the author here) and I are each offering a copy of her novel, Utopia Texas. 

"Author Betty Byrd has seen it all-including drilling her very own oil well! She now brings her unique vision and experience to Utopia Texas, a riveting tale of Brya Harrison, a woman created by chance and circumstance. Part gambler, part geologist, Brya knows that in the West Texas oil country upbringing may not matter, but status is everything. She has worked hard to secure her position, but she finds her plans unravel when she discovers that her daughter, Olivia, is somehow "different," and is forced to face the unfathomable--one startling revelation at a time. Drawn into a maelstrom of events fueled by her daughter's indiscretions, Brya sets out to cover each one up--whatever the cost. But will she be able to combat the demons plaguing her daughter as skillfully as she is able to face down her competition in the cutthroat world of big oil?

In this stunning follow-up to the author's debut novel, Trinity's Daughter, Betty Byrd has woven a brilliant tale of wealth, greed, love, and the pursuit of power--and how one particular woman holds her own in the male-dominated oil business." (read review here.) 

 We will choose 2 winners, one from Canada and one from the United States with the winners being selected by random.org. 

To enter the contest, just comment below with your email and country (USA or Canada).  Contest ends Monday, March 14 at midnight MST. 

Please note:  my copy has not been autographed but the other copy will be signed by the author!!

For extra entries, do the following:

Follow me with Google Friend Connect (+1)

Follow me on Networked Blogs (+1)

A separate comment verifying each of the above is necessary to be counted. 

Winners will be contacted by email to get your physical mailing address. Good luck everyone!

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 It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly book meme where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. I love this meme!!


This last week I started and finished two books, one of which was a non-fiction business/leadership title.  First off was Utopia Texas (see the giveaway above!!!) by Betty Byrd.  This novel was part of a virtual book tour.

Second I read Engage, Commit, Grow! by Larry Smith.  A dynamic must read for everyone in business.  Whether you are the owner, manager, or supervisor, you will wish you had read this years ago!!  25 years of facilitating productivity and growth in various companies has been compiled into this guidebook.  Bottom line:  "How your employees behave is a critical ingredient.  How you lead determines how they behave."

This week I am reading our bookclub read (since I had no time to last week), At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon.  The rest of the week I will play be ear.  Hopefully I can accomplish more but I am thinking it's going to be one of those weeks.  Ever have those?

Please take a moment to share what you're reading and your previous week in the comments or leave a link to your post!  Don't forget to link up with Sheila at Book Journey.

Have a great week everyone and good luck!!!  REMEMBER:  IF YOU ARE ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL AND COUNTRY (USA OR CANADA) TO BE COUNTED.  IF YOU ARE COMMENTING ON THE "IT'S MONDAY, WHAT ARE YOU READING MEME", AND DON'T INCLUDE THE OTHER INFORMATION, MIGHT I ASSUME YOU ARE NOT ENTERING THE CONTEST?  CONTEST LINK WILL BE UP TOMORROW AND EACH DAY FOR THE NEXT WEEK.

Meet the Author: Betty Byrd, author of Utopia Texas

Introducing Author Betty Byrd

About the author:

Betty Byrd started life as a competitive swimmer, field hockey player and cheerleader and then, after obtaining a degree in Creative Writing and doing graduate work, she became an editor for The Spectator, Ohio's largest weekly newspaper, and freelanced for a national men's magazine. Following that incarnation, she traveled to Southern California and worked as an actress in the television series Gunsmoke as well as in other films, mini-series and commercials. Her next "life" was that of a mother and, once her daughter was raised, she returned to her roots, writing. Her first novel, Trinity's Daughter, has now been followed by the award winning UTOPIA TEXAS. The author's website is http://www.bettybyrd.com/. Visit her page on Outskirts Press:   www.outskirtspress.com/utopiatexas.

Today I had the opportunity to interview this remarkable woman.  Here's how it went:

Tell me a bit more about the story behind this novel. From what I've read on your blog, your two novels, Trinity's Daughter and Utopia Texas are based upon your family. I'm sure this was difficult to write about. Did you find it liberating?  At the age of 16 a Harvard psychiatrist advocated that I leave home. He said that the family chaos I was living in was an impossible situation. At that time I was attending a boarding school, so I listened to him and stayed away, visiting families all over the country. After seeing these families and how they related to each other I realized I was living a nightmare. Friends would say to me, "why don't you write your story it's so crazy? You need to write it down." In order for me to liberate myself from the pain I started my novel years ago, however after several years of therapy, I realized that I needed to step away from writing until I was able to let go of my anger.

After about 10 years I was able to look at my dynamic grandmother for what she was and (the hardest of all) was looking at my schizophrenic mother with sadness and pity. I realized that some people are not capable of helping themselves. They just don't know better.

I understand Utopia Texas is a sequel to another, Trinity's Daughter? Yes, Trinity's Daughter was published in 2004 and is the prequel to Utopia Texas.

Do you plan another book in this sequel? If so, when will it be available to the public?  No, I do not plan to do another book in this sequel.

You're quite an accomplished woman. Does the draw of the theatre still entice you? I spent a good 25 years in the film industry as an actor.  I don't think that you ever take that out of us.  I cannot lie, being a voting member of Screen Actor's Guild, I'm always open to a film part.  My major in college was Creative Writing and Theater, so I was always torn between the two.  At this point in my life, I'm very fond of writing and enjoy being on the other side of the camera.

If you were to choose actresses to play Brya, Olivia and Maggie, who would you select and why? What about Cole and Brock? Would you use Utopia as the setting?  It's been a dream of mine to see Utopia Texas in film. I believe that you would need an all star cast to play Brya, Olivia and Maggie because they are all so deep in their own way. That would be a challenge for any actress out there. If I were to cast Brya, I think that Glenn Close would be terrific. She has the strength and carriage. Olivia is more difficult because you need to have a beauty that spirals down into schizophrenia. Nicole Kidman would have what it takes. For Maggie. I like Chole Moretz who starred in the film, KickAss and has recently (been) making a Martin Scorcese film. She has depth and character and may be able to carry Maggie until she's 18, I don't know.

WOW! Cole and Brock...We're fast losing our cowboys, however, let's not underestimate Jeff Bridges as Brock. Tom Skerrit, or Sam Elliott would do Cole great justice.

*Utopia Texas would be the best setting for the film because that's where our ranch was located.

You quote Hemingway in your book and Mark Twain on your blog. Who are your favourite authors? How have they influenced your writing?  Ernest Hemingway has been my mentor. He was one of the most charismatic personalities of his time, from his travels to his exploits, to his profound sense of human tragedy in his written works. He reinvented the novel with his journalistic style of writing driven by dialogue. I hope I'll have lots of lifetimes to try and write as well as this man, however, as one biographer concluded, "he wrote as naturally as a hawk flies and as clearly as a lake reflects."

What's next for you? More books, other ventures?  I'm currently in the process of writing a global thriller.

Will your novels be available in retail stores other than Amazon?  Utopia Texas is currently available in all retail stores. If it's not on the shelf you can order it.

Betty Byrd is an accomplished woman.  Not because of her past, I think, but despite it.  Ms. Byrd was awarded the Evvy Literary Award for her novel Utopia Texas.

Book Review: Utopia Texas by Betty Byrd

Utopia Texas

Author:  Betty Byrd
Copyright:  2008
Publisher:  Outskirts Press

ISBN: 978-1-4327-1752-0

Pages: 299
Includes:  Prologue and Epilogue
Genre:  fiction based on a true story (somewhat of an autobiography)
Source:  complimentary copy from the author for review

Black Gold, Brazen Greed, and Hidden Abuse drive UTOPIA TEXAS

(from the back cover) "Author Betty Byrd has seen it all-including drilling her very own oil well!  She now brings her unique vision and experience to Utopia Texas, a riveting tale of Brya Harrison, a woman created by chance and circumstance.  Part gambler, part geologist, Brya knows that in the West Texas oil country upbringing may not matter, but status is everything.  She has worked hard to secure her position, but she finds her plans unravel when she discovers that her daughter, Olivia, is somehow "different," and is forced to face the unfathomable--one startling revelation at a time.  Drawn into a maelstrom of events fueled by her daughter's indiscretions, Brya sets out to cover each one up--whatever the cost.  But will she be able to combat the demons plaguing her daughter as skillfully as she is able to face down her competition in the cutthroat world of big oil?

In this stunning follow-up to the author's debut novel, Trinity's Daughter, Betty Byrd has woven a brilliant tale of wealth, greed, love, and the pursuit of power--and how one particular woman holds her own in the male-dominated oil business."

"Both a rich portrait of mid-century oil speculation and a classic tale of mother-daughter conflict, Utopia Texas is no paradise, but it's a satisfying - and sometimes frightening - trip through purgatory."

- Kirkus Review, New York, NY

My review:  Ms. Byrd writes a compelling tale with complex and dynamic characters.  Individuals that the reader comes to hate, to pity, to empathize with.  Through colourful imagery and language mixed with accounts of abuse, religious fanaticism, and love, we come to know this family.  I shuddered with horror reading of the abuse, the denials, the struggles of an innocent young girl.  And yet, I was compelled to read on.  The author tells the story well and one hopes to see resolution and liberation.  We read on in search of it and a happy ending.

For fear of it becoming a spoiler, I cannot say more.  It's a difficult topic, that of abuse, both to write and to read. Let me just say, if one can overlook the references to sex, the language, and the accounts of abusive behavior, which are not graphic, you will feel as I did.  My heart ached for this girl, for the terrible trials she went through but at the same time, gloried in the knowledge that she did have love in her extended family.   I believe the author achieved her purpose, both personal and professional, in this concluding book in the series. 

Note:  One does not have to read Trinity's Daughters to understand the storyline here.  Utopia Texas makes for a good stand alone novel as well.

Rated 3.5/5

http://www.bettybyrd.com/