Unscrabbling the answers

November 5th, 2007

Our week of truth-telling begins by revealing the winner of last week’s giveaway of the first copy of the new paperback edition of Momma Zen. Drumroll, please.

What began as a Friday morning afterthought ended up as an onslaught of 66 entrants, nearly all ensnared in a 24-hour period. Wait a minute. Astute readers might have noticed that sometime between the time I posted the giveaway and the time the winner was chosen, I changed the terms of the contest. What I first presented as a weeklong, below-the-radar offer turned into a high-speed photo finish on the final day of the Internet’s largest giveaway promotion. How did that happen? Easy. I changed my mind, and when I changed my mind, I changed the truth.

Those of you who entered early saw one deadline in the post; those in the thundering pack unleashed from giveaway central saw another. Whether you are an early and loyal reader on this Road or just a drive-by viewer tossing rocks in my dryer, consider this: Was my offer deceiving to some and not to others? Was it fair and honest? Every time my post was viewed, it was accurate, but perhaps not to your point of view.

It is difficult to extract one’s personal point of view from truth, but we must if we want to answer our own uncertainties about what is true and right for our children. But more about that tomorrow.

I do not know what silent force of attraction compelled my daughter to scroll through a list of 66 names and choose one, but she did. Her choice was proof again that children usually arrive at the most apparent answer, because after scanning all 66 she chose the very first name! I trust her choice to be as true and right as any other, and it carries my cheery salute to our first winner.


Kathryn has been busy lately losing her mind and heart to a two-month-old, but things are looking better every day. Stop by and give her a grin.

Astute readers might notice that I said first winner. This whole escapade addles and rattles one’s flimsy sense of truthiness, doesn’t it? Feeling uncomfortably as though my own personal agenda might not have been met by my daughter’s predilection for the obvious, I changed my mind again and turned to the scientific sanctity of an automated integer generator to name our second winner:


By her own words, this lucky mom of nine-month-old twins really NEEDS THIS BOOK. Why not visit and give her a high-five?

Trusting that the first two paperback copies of Momma Zen are headed in the right direction, and hoping that everyone carries through on their exclamatory promises to share and share alike, we call it a very good night.

Tomorrow, more stumbling forward on the march to Truth!

11 Comments »

  1. Ah, so I suppose it all makes sense then.

    Comment by denise — November 5, 2007 @ 5:17 am

  2. Well, I didn’t win but I did. You responded to my brand new baby blog. The thrill of seeing “1 comment” was so fun!

    Thanks for being there.

    Comment by kelly — November 5, 2007 @ 7:03 am

  3. I love Kathryn, and she does deserve a win…a perfect, honest choice!

    Comment by marta — November 5, 2007 @ 7:04 am

  4. I am so excited that I won! YAY – automated integer generator! I really looking forward to devouring this book between diaper changes and the never ending world’s most valuable toy wars. What are the world’s most valuable toy you wonder, well they are whichever toy the OTHER baby has — I guess my twinkies subscribe to a grass is always greener philosophy. Thank you again for this generous giveaway and thank you for changing the terms and adding a second book – WHOHOOO! I appreciate the shout out and I will be emailing you my shipping info shortly. All the best – Meleah

    Comment by Meleah the Mommy — November 5, 2007 @ 1:05 pm

  5. PS. That is the first time I have ever seen my name spelled out in Scrabble tiles — SUPERCOOL!

    Comment by Meleah the Mommy — November 5, 2007 @ 1:06 pm

  6. Congratulations Kathryn and Meleah! I know you will love this wonderful book!

    Comment by Karen Beth — November 5, 2007 @ 5:20 pm

  7. I would like to join a march to truth but I have to watch what I am doing here for a moment first.

    Seriously, I hope the winners savor their
    book winnings. Life needs more people to read Momma Zen and then share it with their communities.

    –Chris

    Comment by Chris Austin-Lane — November 5, 2007 @ 6:01 pm

  8. Congrats to the winners.
    And Karen, if you should choose to give a third place book prize, you know where to find me. 🙂

    Comment by bella — November 5, 2007 @ 8:58 pm

  9. “They” say (you know the they that everyone talks about) that babies figure out how to lie very early. I don’t know the actual study, but something to do with babies fake crying!

    Comment by Mika — November 5, 2007 @ 9:12 pm

  10. Bella,
    You did win third place. Unfortunately, it’s a place without a prize (except for the manicure and movie YOU ALREADY GOT!)

    Mika,
    I don’t doubt that babies cry for no apparent reason. But isn’t it interesting that “they” judge themselves fit to call it a “lie”?

    Comment by Karen — November 5, 2007 @ 9:32 pm

  11. Interesting, and dangerous. Just as bad as when they say babies are manipulating.

    Comment by Mika — November 6, 2007 @ 12:23 am

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