Kaitlyn Dunnett/Kathy Lynn Emerson here, with a follow up on last Friday’s review of Lea Wait’s Mainely Needlepoint mystery, Thread and Buried, and a reminder that to be entered in the drawing for an advance reading copy you need to leave a comment at that post, the weekend update, or today’s blog. The deadline is midnight tomorrow (Tuesday, November 5) and the results of the “drawing” will be posted on Wednesday. I’ll also notify the winner by email.
That brings me to the means by which I choose winners in all my giveaways. It’s one I developed back when we still had three elderly cats living with us. Now that they’re gone, we just have Shadow. Last month, she picked the winner of an ARC of my A View to a Kilt, so she already knows the routine. As regular readers of this blog know, my husband and I inherited Shadow from Lea, so it seems doubly appropriate that she do the honors for Thread and Buried.
Here’s how it works. I assign a number to each comment. Then I crumple up post-it notes with numbers written on them, as many or as few as necessary, depending on how many people leave comments. In a variation on drawing a number out of a hat, I toss the post-its in a container, give it a shake, and then dump them all out on the floor. This is where the cat comes in. Anything lying on the floor is guaranteed to attract feline attention. The first post-it Shadow bats at or picks up with her teeth will be the winner.
Good luck everyone, and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
[photos of Shadow are from a practice run]
Kait Carson
Charlene D’Avanzo 
How adorable. I have a black cat named Shadow also but she is elderly and doesn’t play much anymore. Just arrived in Camden yesterday to start living my dream. Renting for now, but will find my forever home. Love reading this blog.
As the sign says, “welcome home”!
When I rolled thru the toll booth in York 15 years ago this month, car laden with house plants and dog, the booth attendant asked where I was headed. I said I was moving to Maine and she said, ‘Welcome home.’ It was such a lovely thing to say to a tired wanderer, so I reiterate your comment to Rosemary!
i usually read/comment from Facebook. Count me in 🙂
I am looking forward to reading Thread and Buried. I have enjoyed Lea Wait’s books. Sad that she’s gone.
Thats MaryAnn Hayward, not anonymous!
What a fun way to pick a winner, especially with Shadow for Lea’s book. Lea will be missed.
Will really miss her.
Love the picking method.
Love the post and looking forward to reading Thread and Buried. I have some major decisions coming up – do you contract out Shadow? Lol. Judy Kraus
I love Lea’s books! As a new resident of Maine they have made me feel welcome, as have so many other Maine mystery writers. My son, a disabled veteran, has a companion cat he couldn’t take with him on his last move, so we gave Tiggy a home with us. He looks just like Shadow! I’m so glad Shadow has a loving new home!
Lea was a favorite as an author and from following her on Facebook. I understand how lucky you are to have Shadow in your home. My mother-in-law and I adopted her last cat together. When my mother-in-law moved into an assisted living home her cat came to live with us. Spunky the cat graced us with her friendship for years.
I love your plan to have Shadow choose a winner!
How fitting to have Shadow pick the winner. We miss Lea and will surely miss her books.
How awesome that you have Shadow and that she will pick the winner. What a wonderful way to do it. She seems very happy with you and that makes my heart happy. We all miss Lea and her unwavering strength and amazing writing skills. Thank you
I would love a copy of Lea’s final book. And having Shadow pick me is a plus!