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Tour: 174. Breaking the Bank by Yona McDonough...

October 5, 2009
Today's tour is for author Yona McDonough and her new book, Breaking the Bank!! Say "hello!" to Yona... As part of this tour, I asked if Yona would guest post about what getting a windfall of money means to those who don't have a lot of it. And, she said "Yes!" So, without further ado, here's Yona on windfalls:
yona mcdonough
Funny that you should phrase the question this way, as the very first title I considered--and used for a time--was "Windfall." I liked the suggestion of serendipity, of something unexpected--and this case, unexplained--falling, literally, out of the sky. What does it mean to suddenly receive money when you've never had any? It feels like a gift, something special and reserved for you alone; you feel singled out and chosen. This was the way Mia Saul, the protagonist of BREAKING THE BANK, felt when she started receiving money that was neither recorded nor debited from a magical cash machine in her neighborhood. And when the machine actually gave her a message on its screen, that feeling was amplified a thousand times. We all feel unimportant, unseen, insignificant; the gift of the money seems to refute all that, and say, "You see, you too are special, loved, and of infinite and precious value."
Ah, some days I totally wish I was on the receiving end of the magic ATM machine... But I know that there are others who will need it way more than I do. Thank you, Yona, for stopping by!

About the author:
Yona Zeldis McDonough wanted to grow up to be a ballerina. By the time she was a senior in high school, it was pretty clear to Yona that she was neither talented nor driven enough to become a professional ballet dancer and she stopped taking lessons and went off to college instead. At Vassar, she focused on literature, language and art history. It wasn't until she was at Columbia for her PhD that she found out she wasn't cut out for academia. Yona had her aha! moment when she took a fiction writing class, and the rest, as they say, is history. Find Yona online at her website, www.yonazeldismcdonough.com.

breaking the bankAbout the book:
MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING
Mia Saul is down on her luck. Dumped by her husband, jettisoned from her job, and estranged from her adored older brother, she and her young daughter, Eden, have had to make a downscale move to a crummy apartment, where their neighbors include a tough young drug dealer and a widower who lets his dogs use the hallways as their own personal litter box. Juggling a series of temporary jobs, wrangling with her ex-husband over child support, and trying to keep pace with Eden's increasingly erratic behavior have left Mia weary and worn out.

EXCEPT WHEN IT IS
So when a seemingly functional ATM starts handing Mia thousands and thousands of dollars — and not deducting the money from her account, because it sure isn't in there — she isn't about to give it back. Her newfound cash stash opens up a world of opportunity, and a whole lot of trouble. Worried friends, family, and in-laws start questioning her judgment about everything, and the cops really, really want to know where all that cash is coming from. And then there's Patrick, a man Mia most definitely would never have met if things hadn't spun out of control. Mia is beginning to think that maybe somebody, somewhere, is trying to teach her a lesson about what matters in life, and what doesn't....
drey's thoughts:
Oh, Mia. How much more difficult do you make your own life--as if it wasn't hard enough already--by holding on to grudges against your ex... Not that I wouldn't have hated his guts, but sometimes moving on means letting go.

In any case, Yona McDonough's latest offering is a touching story about a woman who's down and out, who finds a little sunshine--from a machine. And in her own kindness shares that sunshine with others here and there. Mia is a very likable character, and you'll want to follow her on her path as she seeks to make a better life for her and Eden. Wishing the whole way that things work out for her, and cringing when speed bumps crop up along the way.

This heartwarming read will have you shaking your head at times, nodding it at times, and laughing out loud at times. Curl up under a blanket and read this with a cuppa.

Giveaway!
Want a copy for yourself? Well, thanks to Pocket Books, I have two copies up for grabs, so read on!
Rules:
-- Contest is open to US residents only, no PO Boxes please!
-- To enter, comment and share: What would you do with a windfall?
-- Follow for 1 extra entry.
-- Share for 2 extra entries (let me know what & where, please).
-- Do it all before 6:00 pm CST October 18th. Good luck!

Challenges: 100+, Pub

39 comments:

Linna said...

If i have a windfall, i'll pay for my college loan and save the rest of it. :D

linna.hsu at gmail dot com

Lisanne624 said...

I'm so boring -- I'd use it to pay bills! I'd also like to put some away for a rainy day/retirement fund. Then, of course, there would be an extended trip to London!

lahlstedt (at) gmail (dot) com

Lisanne624 said...

I'm a follower!

lahlstedt (at) gmail (dot) com

budletsmom said...

I guess it would depend how much money was in the windfall - I can think of many things I would love to have - new camera - good one with a couple of lenses, new furniture, trip to Disneyworld, roadtrip to several national parks - gee could easily spend about 50K LOL. This sounds like a really fun book.

budletsmom at yahoo dot com

budletsmom said...

I follow - I should add that I would be boring and probably put most of it in savings.

budletsmom at yahoo dot come

bermudaonion said...

If I got a windfall, I'd probably put most of it away for retirement, but I'd have to do something special with some of it - like maybe take a trip! milou2ster(at)gmail.com

Kat Bryan said...

What I'd do with a windfall would depend entirely on its size. A BIG one, I would buy a house and get rid of this 70-year-old money pit. A smaller one, hopefully, I'd be smart enough to bank. Hubby isn't far from retirement age and a bigger nest egg would be wonderful.

I am a follower.

winterset AT peoplepc.com

Anonymous said...

I'd cruise around the world, and give to my favorite charities.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I subscribe via email.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Sheila Deeth said...

What would I do? Pay off the kids' loans first. If there's any left let's pay off the mortgage too.

I follow

sdeeth at msn dot com

Anonymous said...

A windfall...I would love to have a 'library' in my home, w/ customized bookshelves...And share the rest w/ family/friends/charities. A great question.

karen k
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I'm an email subscriber :)

karen k
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)com

Melanie said...

I've got any windwall spent several times over. But one thing I'd like to do - other than pay bills - is donate money to all my favorite charities.

holdenj said...

Yea, the practicality of a windfall is tough--bills, mortgage, college $ for the kids...wouldn't take long, but with everything taken care of, everyday life would be grand.
Looks like a cute novel.
Thanks for the giveaway.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I follow via Google Reader.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

KR said...

I'd pay my sons' college loans for them!

mj.coward[at]gmaiol.com

KR said...

I follow

mj.coward[at]gmaiol.com

lag123 said...

I would retire early and do nothing but read, sew, and knit.
I follow.

lag110@mchsi.com

drey said...

I suppose I could answer my question too--I would totally sock some away for the little man's college fund, our retirement fund, and pay off the shack. Then take a trip home to visit my family. =) Treat my musician friends to dinner more often (they don't get paid very much!) as a thank-you for making beautiful music. And not feel guilty for wanting to buy more books, lol!

Yeah, I'm not expecting this to be a huge windfall... =P

rubynreba said...

I would buy something special for each of my immediate family members and buy a new house for me and my husband!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Gwendolyn B. said...

I'd love to read this book - thanks for the chance to win a copy. What would I do with a windfall? Pay off some bills first and share with my family. I really need a new vehicle. And depending on how much wind falls my way, I'd like to buy a house!

geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com

Gwendolyn B. said...

. . . I'm a Follower!

geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com

Gwendolyn B. said...

Here's my Tweet: http://twitter.com/ASeaOfBooks/status/4670722075

geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com

Reading said...

Please enter me. Thanks for the chance. If I came into a windfall of money, I would pay some bills, put some away for kids college, donate some, and sock some away. Oh yeah, and shop and shop and shop....

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Karen H said...

If I came into a windfall, I would probably save it. Never know when a rainy day is coming 'round the corner!

Enter me in the draw for this book please.

kkhaas AT bellsouth DOT net

ossmcalc said...

If I received a windfall, I would use the money to fix up my home and buy some new furniture after I paid off all of my medical bills.

thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I follow your blog.

thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I just tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/4742664407

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I shared about this giveaway on Facebook.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

Anonymous said...

What would I do with a windfall?
Since we are in our 70s & retired, travel is mostly non-existant due to the cost. So I would go traveling with my husband around this wonderful country.

Please enter me in the drawing &
thanks for having it.

jeanereads(at)sbcglobal[dot]net

Anonymous said...

I am an email subscriber.


jeanereads{at}sbcglobal(dot)net

Andrea said...

I'd use the money to pay for the rest of my college and for college for my siblings. If there was anything left I'd save it for my parents' retirement.
andie.v107(at)yahoo(dot)com

Sue said...

I'd pay off my husband's college debt, remodel my house and go on a loooonnng vacation.

enyl said...

If I were the receipient of a windfall, I would invest wisely and start foundations geared towards solving world problems like global warming, Aids eradication ect.

enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

I ♥ Book Gossip said...

I'd use it to pay bills also.

cindyc725 at gmail dot com

I ♥ Book Gossip said...

+1 Follower

cindyc725 at gmail dot com

I ♥ Book Gossip said...

+2 Blogged

http://juniperrbreeeze.blogspot.com/2009/10/october-contests.html

cindyc725 at gmail dot com

CherylS22 said...

If I got a windfall I'd pay off our car loan, spend some on a trip & save the rest (or share it with a few people if it were a huge windfall).

Thanks ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

CherylS22 said...

I follow ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

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