EVERYBODY WINS!

What a month! Huge thanks to the Dream of Italy for donating a newsletter subscription and to Traveler’s Tales for a bouquet of four books for the Bella Italia Giveaway.

Victor Hugo House, Paris

Ken and I got to go to France.

You got to read a bunch of new voices.

Guest bloggers got acquainted with the lovely community of A Traveler’s Library.

But the eight people listed at the bottom of this post actually get to take home a prize.

If you missed any of the great guest blogs in September, here’s a chance to find them. And I encourage you to follow the links to those other blogs, because there are great discoveries waiting for you.

Some of this month’s posts need a couple more weeks to build numbers.  However, I will list the top seven guest blogs as viewed this month, and if results change dramatically after another month, maybe I’ll let you know (if you are interested.) I have counted only posts by guests from late August through September.

Naturally, the posts about the Bella Italia Giveaway (SEE Winners BELOW) got a lot of attention.

Top Seven:

1. African Nobel Prize Winner by Gayle Pescud, G is for Ghana
2. Songs Based on Literature, by Kerry Dexter, Music Road
3. Road Trip to North Dakota, by Sam Lowe (no blog)
4. How to Think Like a Brit by Julie, a lady from London
5. Guernsey: A Survival Story Anne-Sophie Redisch, Sophie’s World
6. Get on the Road to California, by Claire Algarme, First Time Travel
7. Travel Romance for Dog Lovers: Umbria, by Edie Jarolim, Will My Dog Hate Me

(If your favorite did not make it on this list, maybe it just needs a little push. Go give it a stumble, or a tweet.)

I owe huge thanks to all the guest bloggers. In addition to those listed above, the following wonderful writers shared some great books and movies.

• Wynne Brown wrote about Barefoot in Baghdad.
• Jessie Voigts, Wandering Educators wrote an Author Interview
• Donna L. Hull, My Itchy Travel Feet, wrote about First Class (Vintage Luxury Liners)
• Kristen Gough, of My Kids Eat Squid, wrote about a Michigan Books for kids,
• Kerry Dexter Music Road, wrote a second post, about songs based on Robert Burns poetry.
  
• Michelle Duffy, of  Wander Mom, wrote about the Greek novel, Eleni ,
• Sheri Wallace, Road Trips for Families, appropriately wrote about the movie: National Lampoon’s Family Vacation
• Danee Gilmartin, the Museum Chick, wrote about the book, Almost French
  
• Brette Sember, of Martha and Me, wrote about a family favorite, Blueberries for Sal (Maine)
• Susan Lanier Graham, Wander With Wonder, wrote about Anne Rice’s influence on her as a travel writer when she read The Witching Hour
• Kathryn Lance, who blogs about birds, wrote about the influence of Brothers Karamazov in her life.

TA-DA The Winners ARE:

Both of the first two people drawn at random in the Bella Italia Giveaway told us that they promoted the contest on Facebook.  I’m sure that gave them such good Karma that their names came to the top.

Richard Mussler-Wright chose Dream of Italy newsletter

Kelly Borsheim has chosen the book, 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go by Susan Van Allen.

Susan Reiners chose 30 Day  in Italy (from Traveler’s Tales)

Edie Jarolim (the guest blogger who wrote about dogs and romance in Umbria) chose The Last Judgment

Libbie Griffin will be reading Traveler’s Tales Italy

Jeanne Dee will receive Traveler’s Tales Tuscany.

Kristen Gough chooses the 2nd copy of The Last Judgment

Brette Sember gets the classic Old Calabria by Norman Douglas.

Congratulations, all.

Vote for my article on WorldTravelist.com, sharing the best travel content on the web.

Tags: giveaway, guest blogs, Italy, September review, winners