Thursday, September 1, 2011

Samantha Sotto's great escape, plus a book giveaway



**Giveaway is now closed**

Samantha Sotto fell in love with Europe’s cobbled streets and damp castles when she moved to the Netherlands as a teenager. Since then, she has spent nights huddled next to her backpack on a Greek beach, honeymooned in Paris, and attended business meetings in Dusseldorf in the pleasant company of a corporate credit card. Her debut novel, "Before Ever After" (reviewed here) was inspired by her experiences living, studying and traveling through Europe. She's also a big fan of Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres. Samantha is here today to talk about escaping. And since this book takes place in various European cities (and Shelley is from the US), we are offering one copy of "Before Ever After" to share with a lucky reader anywhere in the world!

Visit Samantha on Facebook and Twitter and check out her blog.

Check out the trailer for "Before Ever After." It fits the mood of the story.



The Great Escape
By Samantha Sotto

Do you ever have days when you wish you could just drop everything, hop on the next plane and get as far away as you can? I have. In fact, on one such day, I did just that. I sold my car, bought a ticket to Spain, and went backpacking around Europe with my best friend. We didn’t have a plan – only a Eurail pass and a plane ticket that said that we needed to be in Athens in a month’s time.

I think every woman, feels the need to put some distance between herself and the everyday. Whether it’s an afternoon at the spa, a hike, or a trip to the mall, these little getaways allow us to regroup and recharge. (Or sometimes we just need to buy shoes -which, in my book, is a perfectly legitimate excuse to sneak out for some “me time” too). The bottom line is, escape can be good for a gal’s sole, er, soul.


Shelley, one the main characters in my novel, "Before Ever After," is no exception. In her case, her journey, takes her a bit farther from her neighborhood mall. She peels off a leaflet for an offbeat European tour from the heel of her shoe and alters the course of her life forever. She hops into a van, meets the man who would make her a widow, and travels across the back roads of Europe and time to discover an ancient secret.

Like Shelley, none of us can know where our little getaways and detours will take us and I suppose that’s the whole point of taking them. A new experience is the one sure way to get ourselves to look up from the floor and see what’s really going on around us. And if we find out that we have no clue where we are, that’s even better. This is the one time you don’t want a GPS. There may not be an ancient secret at the end of our journey, but getting lost does have another, more important reward: it allows us take a long and hard look at our inner compass and find our way back home. (Stopping by Jimmy Choo on your way back is optional.)


Thanks to Samantha for allowing us to escape into her world and to the Crown Publishing Group (a division of Random House) for sharing the book for our giveaway.

How to win "Before Ever After":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is your favorite way to escape?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines, as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

Giveaway ends September 12th at midnight EST.

37 comments:

holdenj said...

What great thoughts by Samantha about escaping the everyday, if even for a little while.

I don't do it often enough, although reading for pleasure probably fits the bill!

I am a GFC follower.

Thanks!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Juliet Madison said...

Ooh, this sounds great! Nothing like escaping for a while :)
Would love to read it, my email is jjmnp76(at)yahoo(dot)com(dot)au

Bonus entries;
1. Favourite way to escape is of course to read a good book, because they can take you anywhere. But a nice walk outdoors is also a good way to escape the everyday.
2. Am also a facebook member :)

Literary Chanteuse said...

I escape with a book, a coffee into Mommy's reading room" the rest of the family it's off limits to. My little haven!

I'm a GFC follower. Thanks!

Margaret
singitm@hotmail.com

Chal said...

mswanderlusterphilippinesATgmailDOTcom

I'm a follower of this blog. ;)

Melissa said...

Thanks for the giveaway.

I'm sure you will get this answer a lot but my favorite way to escape is reading a book. I can go wherever I want and just escape.

I am a follower.

coffeebooksandlaundry(at)gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

It is always so hard to truly escape nowadays with all the responsibilities of a worker, mom and wife but the best way to "escape" and regroup would be to grab a wonderful book, head over to the park (on a nice, cool day) or a coffee shop and just relax and read at my leisure.
candc320@gmail.com

Qandthebooks said...

Thanks for the giveaway!

+1 My favorite way to escape is to go outdoors and look at the beautiful flowers.
+1 Following! via GFC (Blissfulrains)
+1 Tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/Neku234/status/109285205625413632

blissfulrains(at)yahoo(dot)com

PoCoKat said...

Thanks for the giveaway!

1. I like to escape by riding on the back of motorcycle through beautiful scenery.

2. GFC follower

3. CLC member on FB

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

BRN2SHOP9 said...

my favorite way to escape is to read

BRN2SHOP9 said...

I follow via facebook

BRN2SHOP9 said...

i follow via twitter

brn2shop9 @ gmail dot com forgot to put that on my other posts

BRN2SHOP9 said...

i follow via gfc

Issa said...

amazing giveaway!

NMChavez(at)bayan(dot)com(dot)ph
I'm a GFC follower: Issa

1. my favorie way to escape is go back to my hometown Batangas for a vacation
2. GFC follower: Issa
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/Issachavez14/status/109395296521428992

Amy said...

OMG this trailer is SO captivating. I can't wait to get my hands on this.

1. I have many ways of escaping, but I HAVE to say, because it's true, my favorite is diving into a great chicklit books, usually a beach read type of book, for example Elin Hilderbrand's books, where the reader is taken away to the relaxing and serene beaches of Nantucket
2. I follow blog via GFC, I'm a member of CLC facebook page.
amyrbromberg(at)gmail(dot)com
3. Shared contest on facebook wall and tweeted:

http://twitter.com/#!/jam_njellygirl/status/109423594542600192

Mary Preston said...

BEFORE EVER AFTER looks wonderful.

I tend to escape by reading. I can't think of a better way.

GFC: Mary Preston

FB: Mary Preston

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Shirley Mae Tabora said...

My favorite way to escape is locking myself up in a room to read a good book. It's like being transported to a different place and time. =)

I'm a GFC follower: *mae*

Posted in Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/smytabora/status/109442091473575936

Joined Chick Lit Central on Facebook: Shirley Mae Yboa-Tabora

Added a friend to our Facebook group: Lhai Yboa

Email: sm_yboa [at] yahoo [dot] com

Linda Kish said...

My favorite escape is a long walk with my dog which I do every day.

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

karenk said...

escape..i enjoy sitting on my porch, reading :)

i'm a follower, too!

~karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

kitty said...

1.What is your favorite way to escape? TO CURL UP IN BED WITH A GOOD BOOK & HOT CHOCO ON A RAINY DAY

2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too). CHECK!

3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it. POSTED IN FB Wall: Cham Cuartero

4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines, as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.) REQUEST SENT! :)


5. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings. CHECK! Pls add up Eka Valiente too :)

Krystal Lynn said...

Ohhh I want that! I escape with music, books and lots of Jimmy Fallon related daydreams. =)


miss_kris_11@yahoo.com

Jeryl M. said...

I would like to win.

jeryl.marcus@gmail.com

Jeryl M. said...

My favorite way to escape is a good book or a good movie.

I am a subscriber.

I am a Facebook fan.

jeryl.marcus@gmail.com

Wonder Woman said...

1. To this day, my favorite way to escape is to roleplay. (Think Jennifer Connelly in "Labyrinth", though, not badly made porn on TV.)

2. I am a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).

3. Posted this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/the_lil_miss/status/109811787993591808

4. Joined Chick Lit Central on FB as Angeline Rodriguez.

Email is ariangel.rod@gmail.com

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

My favorite way to escape is to finally get the house to myself (it doesn't happen very often) and then just read, read, read!

I am a GFC follower

I 'Like" CLC on Facebook.

Thanks for the great interview and the giveaway!

Cassandra @ Book & Movie Dimension a Blog said...

Love to win.

1. My favorite way to escape?
Reading books!

2. Follow through GFC: Cassandra Ruiz

3. Posted on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/BookLoverC/status/111241235452264449

4. Sent group request on Facebook for Chick Lit Central as BM Dimension.

Can't wait to talk with you guys.
And this book has been on my wishlist, so terrific giveaway.
My e-mail: hernandezcassandra50@yahoo.com

StereoQueenBee said...

1. Please tell us: What is your favorite way to escape?

To read a good book while lying in bed...

2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).

I am a follower of this blog.

3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.

Facebook - Sabrina-Kate Eryou
Twitter - stereoqueenbee

4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines, as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

Am a member.

queenofcrunk at gmail dot com

Vilma said...

Glass of wine and a good book are my escapes
I am a follower

vlopes@plymouthrock.com

M. said...

I'm a sucker for European set stories, and his sounds like an intriguing premise, something different than the usual.

My escape? The most important one is not the fantasy one I hope to make by plane one distant day, but the everyday one that saves my sanity when sit down for an afternoon cup of tea to collect my thoughts and have no kids or phones or chores demand attention. I love it.

(I'm a follower)

mayamissani AT yahoo DOT ca

Anita Yancey said...

I would love to win this book. Please enter me. Thanks!

My favorite way to escape is to read a really good book. Maybe a romance or mystery.

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

Anonymous said...

You are full of great giveaways! I've been trying to win this one. Since I have a baby the easiest way for me to escape is to go out to the hot tub with a book and wine. After I've fed my 2 men their dinner that is :)
stacybooks at yahoo

Kat said...

1) Sounds like a fun book!

2) My favourite way to escape is reading or listening to music

3) I am a follower of the blog through GFC

4) I am a member of CLC

5) Posted on facebook

ladykathryn@rogers.com

Tatiana L. said...

My favorite escape is to start reading a new book =)
I would love to read this book!

tatiana_lwg(at) yahoo.com

Charlotte said...

c.semenchuk@comcast.net

I am following your blog.

I escape by reading.. reading anything I can get my hands on. Some I enjoy more then others.

Kim W. said...

1. Escape....if it's just a quick escape, I go to my bedroom or to my local Starbucks and read! If I'm able and need a REAL break, I check into a hotel for a night or 2 and I....read (the latter only happens once or twice a year but it's great!).

2. I follow the CLC blog

3. I posted this contest on Facebook

4. I belong to CLC on Facebook

kewalker1972@gmail.com

Nancye said...

1.This sounds like a great book! I'd love to win a copy!

2. My fave way to escape is to read a good book.

3. I am a GFC follower

4. Tweet! http://twitter.com/#!/NancyeDavis/status/113432900732600320

5. FB Post
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/nancyecdavis/posts/265381130149437

6. I like/follow you on Facebook

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

A.C. said...

audras at gmail dot com

1. Reading is probably my favorite way to escape. I love feeling like I'm in a new place when things get stressful.
2. I follow this blog
3. I'm a member of Chick Lit Central on Facebook

Italia said...

This is ambitious. Hedonism, existentialism, darkness, resilience, comedy, familial love, romantic love, true love - themes that are explored in this novel that at some point in our lives, we've experienced either in a small, medium or encompassing way. The clever use of vignettes to portray these themes as Max is constructed (or deconstructed depending on an individual's point of view) is where, in my opinion, the ambition of the book coincides with its brilliance.