Friday Freebie: North of Hope by Shannon Huffman Polson

First of all, congratulations to Anne Civitano, winner of the hardback edition of Fobbit, freshly published in the United Kingdom by Harvill Secker.  Thanks also to those of you who helped with last-minute promotion of the contest by trying to increase the number of followers at my Facebook page.  Though we didn't quite make it to the goal of 500 followers, I'm still going to give away a second copy of Fobbit as promised because....well, because it's my blog, my rules, and I can do any ding-dang thing I want to, right?  So, without further ado....[drumroll as he reaches into the hat and pulls out another slip of paper from among the entries]....the second Fobbit winner is Rebecca Schwartz.  Thanks to all who played along.  And thanks also to those readers in Great Britain who have been greeting Fobbit with open arms and kind words--places like We Love This Book and The Times (may require subscription to read in full).

Now, back to our regularly-scheduled contest....Congratulations to Susan Warner, winner of last week's Friday Freebie, Tin God by Terese Svoboda.

This week's book giveaway is a memoir that's been mentioned once or twice before here at The Quivering Pen: North of Hope: A Daughter's Arctic Journey by Shannon Huffman Polson.  The winner of this week's Friday Freebie will receive a signed copy of the book.  Shannon's is a story that begins in tragedy and gradually finds its way out of grief to the healing light of hope through her faith....and, as the subtitle states, a trip along an Arctic river.  Here's what Publishers Weekly had to say about North of Hope:

In her debut, Polson offers a memoir of her journey down a river of grief, set against the sparkling beauty of the wilderness of her native Alaska.  A year after her father and stepmother are killed by a bear in their remote camp, the author seeks solace in retracing their rafting route and visiting the site of the attack.  Her unlikely companions are her estranged and volatile adopted brother, Ned, and his colleague Sally, a virtual stranger.  Along the way, Polson rediscovers the Episcopal faith she abandoned.  The trip also sparks self-discovery, love for nature, respect for many religious beliefs, and memories of her father and his wife, made vivid in journal entries they recorded during their voyage over the same territory.

You can read more about Shannon and her book at her website (which includes photos of her parents and her trip along the Hulahula River in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge).

If you'd like a chance at winning a signed copy of North of Hope, all you have to do is email your name and mailing address to thequiveringpen@gmail.com

Put FRIDAY FREEBIE in the e-mail subject line.  One entry per person, please.  Despite its name, the Friday Freebie runs all week long and remains open to entries until midnight on April 18—at which time I'll draw the winning name.  I'll announce the lucky reader on April 19.  If you'd like to join the mailing list for the once-a-week Quivering Pen newsletter, simply add the words "Sign me up for the newsletter" in the body of your email.  Your email address and other personal information will never be sold or given to a third party (except in those instances where the publisher requires a mailing address for sending Friday Freebie winners copies of the book).

Want to double your odds of winning?  Get an extra entry in the contest by posting a link to this webpage on your blog, your Facebook wall or by tweeting it on Twitter.  Once you've done any of those things, send me an additional e-mail saying "I've shared" and I'll put your name in the hat twice.