Giveaway: She's Just Like Me, Only Wittier

I cannot tell all of y'all how excited I am to do this giveaway. First of all, I got to email back and forth with my very own favorite D-list celebrity (she calls herself that, I'm not being mean, andplusalso she is WAY funnier than Kathy Griffin). Her name is Celia Rivenbark, she's a weekly columnist with a syndicated newspaper service so you may already be reading her weekly columns (if not, go HERE and you can...every week) and she also happens to write a series of books that are the perfect antidote to women with senses of humour who need a break from all that "Chicken Soup for the Soul" crap.

Like me, she was raised in North Carolina. Not like me, she's cool. And ROFLMAO funny. And she uses curse words in the most deliciously appropriate way. She's a mom, but not like all the scores of us mom bloggers out there who can think of nothing to talk about except our tots. She actually references other things in life. (They do exist, google it.)

Her books have titles like "Stop Dressing Your Six Year Old Like a Skank" and "Bless Your Heart, Tramp" and "We're Just Like You, Only Prettier" (long before a certain country singer released a song with curiously the same name, as one of Celia's columns recently pointed out).

Seriously, whether you are from the South or not, if you are female, you will be able to identify and laugh along with the stories in this book. I was laughing from the first page, and it was a welcome, refreshing break to read her book after finishing a serious and heart-wrenching novel. My favorite kind of person is one who doesn't take herself (or those around her) so damn seriously, and Celia accomplishes that with a style and flair that I can only be jealous of.

I highly encourage you all to check out her books and BUY them. For yourself for Valentine's Day, for any lady you know going through a tough time who needs a pick-me-up, for a pregnant friend or new mom who barely has time to pee and probably is sick of reading all the "What to Expect" series. The format (short chapters of separate stories) is perfect for busy moms. Or the beach. Or those of us that only seem to get alone time when we're in the crapper.

Being a fellow North Carolinian and a very nice person, Celia has offered to send an autographed copy of her most recent accomplishment "You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning" to one of my loyal readers. To ensure you get in on these goods, you must be a follower of my blog (or become one) and leave a comment telling me so.

You can also gain extra entries by voting for me on Picket Fence blogs up to once daily, "liking" Celia on Facebook, and finally (THE BIG REVEAL) following me on Twitter @Ali_LastSplash. Please. I don't know how the Twitter thing works, so I'm going to need some friends to educate me. (AJD+Three, I'm talking to you.) Leave a comment for each time you do this. I guess if you "retweet" or mention my giveaway post on your blog, that is an entry, too. Oh Lord, what have I done?

Contest closes 2 weeks from today, winner announced Tuesday Feb 22!