Dear tenderhearted reader,

This image of Norway, from www.visitnorway.com, reminds me so much of Alaska.

I can’t read a word of Norwegian, but thanks to Google translate, I’ve been following a blog called the Reading Room. Lise, the blogger, is giving away a free copy of The Snow Child, aka Snøbarnet, before it is published there in Norway Sept. 12. She asked people to describe why they want to read it.

Here’s what the first person wrote, as translated by Google:

As I wrote that comment for your review, is the theme close to my heart.  It is difficult to avoid getting personal when the question is why I want to read the book … I can content myself with saying that I and my partner have been in almost the same situation as the couple book is about. I know the grief of having lost a child, I know the sadness of not being able to have more children, I know the vast emptiness, emptiness feeling, difficulty with communication, different patterns of mourning and grief.  In many ways it helps to decrease slightly in grief again, by reading such books. Allowing oneself to cry a little, then move on to life’s highway. Exactly why I was so touched by your review and the book’s action.

And here, just as moving, are the comments from the following three readers. I’ve changed the name of the first person to Jane, to protect her privacy.

* I think the book sounds absolutely fantastic and competitions are always fun. But Jane’s reasoning is so incredible that I would rather attend the Team Jane. It fits perfectly to the description of the book.  So, I think Jane should win the book my ticket in the draw to possibly have her name printed on, and so can buy the book even when it is released 🙂

* I think the book sounds awesome out, and have read reviews with great interest and curiosity.  But I think that line, that Jane’s explanation is very good and will take part in Team Jane (Good idea!).

* I also participate in Team Jane:)

And here is Jane’s response —

You are very, very beautiful and fine .- I’m touched BUT!  I want everyone to participate on equal terms, and deny flatly that my explanation will count more than others.  I was very unsure if I would write the real reason, it was not meant to “outperform” everyone else’s comments, but I felt still to suggest why – Transparency is important, both for one’s own benefit and for others in the same situation. Another thing: we all have our problems and challenges, we all have at some time felt more or less the loneliness and emptiness feeling. I hope you prefer wins by just a draw, so everyone has equal chance.

Lise, the blogger, then wrote:

You had a very touching and nice grounds, Jane.  And very thoughtful of you who are on Team Jane. But as Jane requests … everyone will have equal chance. Therefore I encourage all who want to participate in the competition, you also could win the book for yourself

And then one last reader added her thoughts:

I obviously want to win this book, because you had such a nice review on it on your blog.  But like the others over here, so I can keep me on the Team Jane and hope she wins it for its fine grounds.

All I can say is I hope I get to visit Norway someday and meet some of these wonderful people.

Cheers!

Eowyn