Sweet Life – a giveaway!
I love to read.
When I find a book I love, I sink down into it and roll around in it, enjoying every word, scene, and character. I stay up way past my bedtime devouring it, and I keep it within arm’s reach so that I can sneak in a few words at every idle opportunity. I become obsessed.
This doesn’t happen very often, fortunately for my family. Since Grace was born, there have been only three books that really pulled me in: Little Earthquakes
, A Thousand Splendid Suns and Gods in Alabama. Now, add Sweet Life to that list.
, A Thousand Splendid Suns and Gods in Alabama. Now, add Sweet Life to that list.Let me pause to say that I am obsessed with Hawaii. A colleague moved there last year, a friend just found out that her husband is being transferred there in the spring, and I’ve always wanted to visit for a vacation. Or maybe move to Hawaii some day? Who knows.
So, back to Sweet Life. From early on, it reminded me a lot of Jennifer Weiner’s style and her book, Little Earthquakes. Both books are clever and real, with well developed characters who live in today’s world. They are women you could find walking down the street anywhere and women you want to befriend.
. From early on, it reminded me a lot of Jennifer Weiner’s style and her book, Little Earthquakes. Both books are clever and real, with well developed characters who live in today’s world. They are women you could find walking down the street anywhere and women you want to befriend.In Sweet Life, Marissa is a fabulously successful and worldly New York business woman whose husband accepts a transfer to Hawaii. She leaves her job, her friends, her life to accompany him on the move. Then he leaves her, saddled with a dilapidated house, the care of their eight-year-old daughter, and virtually no money. What is she to do? Feeling like she’s lost everything, Marissa comes up with a plan and soon discovers that the sweetness in life isn’t at all where she expected.
, Marissa is a fabulously successful and worldly New York business woman whose husband accepts a transfer to Hawaii. She leaves her job, her friends, her life to accompany him on the move. Then he leaves her, saddled with a dilapidated house, the care of their eight-year-old daughter, and virtually no money. What is she to do? Feeling like she’s lost everything, Marissa comes up with a plan and soon discovers that the sweetness in life isn’t at all where she expected.I love everything about Sweet Life. I love the characters, especially the girls who become Marissa’s friends and a handsome cowboy named Tom. I love the descriptions of the volcanoes and geology of Hawaii. I also love that the author, Mia King, has included recipes in an appendix for many of the dishes mentioned in the text and a website with even more. How cool is that? You could make the Spambalaya that the girls enjoy for dinner or the macadamia nut energy bars that they snack on. The first one that I’m going to try is the Hawaiian Style Crispy Dumplings with Ginger Chili Sauce, which I’ve included below. Yum!
. I love the characters, especially the girls who become Marissa’s friends and a handsome cowboy named Tom. I love the descriptions of the volcanoes and geology of Hawaii. I also love that the author, Mia King, has included recipes in an appendix for many of the dishes mentioned in the text and a website with even more. How cool is that? You could make the Spambalaya that the girls enjoy for dinner or the macadamia nut energy bars that they snack on. The first one that I’m going to try is the Hawaiian Style Crispy Dumplings with Ginger Chili Sauce, which I’ve included below. Yum!Hawaiian Style Crispy Dumplings with Ginger Chili Sauce
Crispy Dumplings Ingredients:
25 round wonton wrappers
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions (about 1 stalk)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/4 cups finely shredded Chinese cabbage
1 1/2 cups oil, for frying
Crispy Dumplings Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients, except for wonton wrappers and oil, in a large bowl and stir until well mixed.
2. Please 1 heaping teaspoon of filling mixture into each wonton wrapper.
3. Moisten edges with water and fold edges over to form a half-moon shape. Roll edges slightly to seal in filling. Set dumplings aside on a lightly floured surface until ready to cook.
4. Set a 12-inch wok or 10-inch skillet over high heat and pour enough frying oil to cover the wontons. Heat the oil to 375 and deep fry the wontons, no more than 10 at a time, for
2 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
2 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
5. Transfer to paper towels and drain the excess oil.
6. Serve with Ginger Chili Sauce (below).
Ginger Chili Sauce Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons chili sambal
2 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons sushi vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
3 slices ginger, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Ginger Chili Sauce Instructions:
1. Mix all ingredients together and serve.
The author of Sweet Life, Mia King, has generously agreed to sponsor a giveaway on my blog. One lucky Feels like home reader will win an incredible gift basket straight from Mia in Hawaii! Can I tell you how jealous I am? I totally want one for myself. Mia is also doing a giveaway on her blog, so you should go check that out for another chance to the same prize.
So, what’s the prize? From MiaKing.com:
Hawaii’s premier gourmet candy and cookie company, Big Island Candies,
has partnered with me to offer an amazingly sweet give-away to celebrate the release of my second novel, SWEET LIFE.
Valued at over $80, our “Life is Sweet” Hawaiian gift basket includes:
- one small gold box of Chocolate Dipped Original Shortbread Cookies
- one gold box of Kohala Brownie Assortment
- one petite box of Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Rocky Road
- one petite box of Combination (Dark and Milk) Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts
- three Dark Chocolate Dipped Original Shortbread cookies
- one Original Biscotti with Milk Chocolate waves
- one Original Biscotti with Dark Chocolate Waves
- one signed copy of GOOD THINGS
- one signed copy of SWEET LIFE
- an assortment of temporary hibiscus tattoos, tropical key chains, monogrammed GOOD THINGS and SWEET LIFE pens, and bookmarks
All of this comes in a lovely keepsake woven basket for you to store your favorite Mia King books.
She’s also offered to throw in some Hawaiian stickers for your kids. Or for you, just don’t tell us if you hoard them.
Dear Reader, I know you’re dying to know how to win this amazing prize. All you have to do is leave a comment that tells us why your life is sweet. Also, please make sure that there’s a way for me to contact you. If I can’t find you, you can’t win.
On September 27, 2008 (Mia’s 40th birthday), I’ll use a random number generator to select a winner from all of the eligible entries. If you don’t answer the question or leave a way for me to contact you, your entry will be ineligible. The winner will have 7 days to send me his or her postal address. After that, I will select a new winner and start over.
Mia’s legal disclaimers are here. US residents only.
More tempting recipes at Blessed with Grace
