A Giveaway About Following Dreams!

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A Giveaway About Following Dreams!

By Brad R. Cook

It’s Monday, and even though everyone is off eating ribs, making that first dive into a swimming pool, or saying thanks to those in uniforms, we’re still having our giveaway.

On Wednesday, my post will talk about following your dreams, as a writer, in life, and as a motto for life. To get everyone ready, I wanted to giveaway a wonderful story about following dreams, and one of my favorite novels.

So I’m giving away a copy of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho!

Many years ago, this book was given to me by a friend and in return I have given this book out more than any other. So, this is a bit of an old tradition for me – one I now pass along to one of you. If you’ve never read The Alchemist, you are in for a treat and if you already have, feel free to pass it along to someone who hasn’t.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – thanks to Amazon for the description.

An Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

I also highly recommend his other novels. I haven’t read them all, but I’ve liked all the ones I have read. Check out The Pilgrimage, The Witch of Portobello, or his latest Aleph. There are so many more, but The Alchemist remains my favorite.

A little fact for our writer friends – Paulo Coelho wrote The Alchemist in two weeks. He explains the pace by saying the story was, “already in my soul.”

Had to include my favorite cover.

It is easy to enter, just leave a comment on this post or any of the posts this week!

One note about the giveaway: Due to shipping limitations, you have to live within the continental United States to win. Apologies to the international readers, we also have giveaways that are fully online so anyone can win.

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on The Writers Lens between May 28, 2012, and midnight June 2, 2012. Please include your email so we can reach you if you win. The more comments you leave, the greater YOUR chance of winning the contest. The winner will be chosen after midnight on Saturday and the announcement made on next week.

Good luck and check back on Wednesday when we’ll be talking about following dreams, writing dreams, and living the dream. I will not be interviewing the author – sorry.

Brad R. Cook is a historical fantasy writer and President of St. Louis Writers Guild. Please visit www.bradrcook.com or follow me on Twitter @bradrcook

To learn more about St. Louis Writers Guild, visit www.stlwritersguild.org Saint Louis Writers Guild on Facebook or on Twitter @stlwritersguild