Wandering Wonderful – A Hike and a Giveaway

On Saturday, I ventured out to the dry side of the Cascades for a little hike and exploration. By “little,” I mean 1,250 feet of elevation gain within a single mile. So I guess by “hike,” I really mean climb.

I brought along a copy of Wandering Wonderful, thinking it would be a great photo op for this little giveaway post I’ve been planning – imagine me holding my little book in front of the beautiful vista I’d just earned by scrambling up rocks along the ridge line. But the wind had other ideas – the gusts were so strong up there that I couldn’t hang onto both the book (without it flapping like mad) and the camera. Hence the ground shot. Which is infinitely less interesting than the actual canyon I’d just hiked out of, pictured below.

Still, the hike was breathtaking, heart-pumping, and everything I could have wished it to be. And I am back feeling refreshed and ready to give away a few books.

Normally, I would post a giveaway on Goodreads, but they’ve begun to charge (a rather large amount, in my opinion) to list giveaways. So instead, I’ll post it here and share on Twitter.

Now to the nitty-gritty. I will be giving away three signed copies of Wandering Wonderful. If you would like to enter, all you need to do is comment on this post. I’m not restricting it to U.S. entries only, so if you’re across one pond or the other, don’t hesitate to enter. I will leave comments open on this post until Sunday, June 23rd. After which, I will randomly select three winners.

Best of luck!
Sarah

the wren (and book update!)

on Sunday, I envied a wren –
small, brown, prosperous
with song as he clung
with the catkins
to the willowy twigs

all the world is sideways,
I’d decided – except
quite plainly, his

© Sarah Whiteley

This morning I received an update from the publisher on the status of Wandering Wonderful book orders. They have finally been printed and orders are on their way to Finishing Line Press now where they will be prepared for mailing. From what I can gather, book orders will be shipped to individuals sometime between June 4th and 18th.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone for their patience and support!

a small update on pre-orders for Wandering Wonderful

Just a quick update to let those of you who have pre-ordered Wandering Wonderful know that the publisher has indicated there are delays with printing. I don’t have an exact print and ship date at this time, but am informed that the printer needs a couple of weeks.

I am hoping (because I am very anxious to finally hold this chapbook in my hands) that we will see copies ship out by the end of the month.

My eternal thanks for your patience and understanding. I am told that I will receive an email when copies begin to ship. I’ll post a quick follow-up at that time.

– Sarah

Giveaway Winner Announcement!

Friday marked the end of the pre-sales period and I received the final sales update from the publisher just this morning. Everyone who purchased a copy by the pre-order period end date had their name plugged into an Excel worksheet and a number attributed to their name. Using Excel’s super fun RANDOMBETWEEN function, one name was selected as the recipient of the book’s cover art printed to a 20″ x 30″ canvas.

I am very pleased to announce that the winner is none other than Betty Hayes Albright! Betty is a wonderful poet who blogs over at Seasonings. If you’re not familiar with her work, I highly recommend popping over to her blog. Congratulations, Betty! Your art print will be on its way to you sometime this week.

A very sincere thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past 10 years of writing this poetry blog.

With much love and gratitude,
Sarah

early snow – excerpt from Wandering Wonderful

an early snow this year

icy and hard, it woke me –
hissing and insistent
through the crack in the sill

the dogs both dig deeper
into my side, settle once more,
and sigh – little heart-furnaces

© Sarah Whiteley

The weather this year has been hard on the dogs and little Angus especially is feeling his age lately. But it’s amazing what comfort a dog can bring into a life – and I am blessed to have both of them for as long as I may.

My newest chapbook Wandering Wonderful is now available for pre-order from Finishing Line Press. Pre-orders through March 22nd will have an opportunity to win a canvas print of the cover art. Click for details!

the winter wait – excerpt from Wandering Wonderful

for everyone but the birds,
winter is about waiting

they must wonder why it is
we’ve seemingly stalled

piled on days of cold and rain
have made us slow and passive

and we miss seeing that
what is gray is also glistening

© Sarah Whiteley

Wandering Wonderful is available for pre-order from Finishing Line Press. For information on mail ordering (vs online ordering), details are provided under my Available Books page.

Wandering Wonderful – New Chapbook Announcement

This has been a long time coming for me, so I am extra pleased to be able to announce my forthcoming new chapbook via Finishing Line Press, Wandering Wonderful. Copies are available for pre-order through the Finishing Line Press website and will begin to ship out in mid-May. Click on the link here to take a peek: Wandering Wonderful

It has been six years since the publication of my first chapbook, so for those of you who have been asking about another, thank you for bearing with me and for continuing to support me with your kind praise and words of encouragement. I am blessed to have been surrounded by such a talented community of poets, writers, artists, and fellow wanderers. Much love to you!

Also, for anyone interested, I have meandered over into Instagram territory. Look for @hikeswithbooks if you are so inclined (you may just see a few different photos of my hiking adventures than you would on the blog).

With a full and grateful heart,
Sarah