The sunflower presiding over my garden is a volunteer, a seed of one of the dwarf sunflowers I grew last year.  It popped up just outside the raised bed while we were away at the beach.  I have a soft spot for volunteer plants – it’s like they want to be in our yard – so I let it grow. 
It grew and grew, up to 6 feet, with a green bud on the top that reminded me of Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. Feed me!  It was a bit creepy, having that blind, green thing over me as I tended the tomato and pepper plants.
Then it sprouted buds on the stalk – but still no sign of a flower.  Perhaps I had a mutant plant?
Luckily, I didn’t cut it down. Patience (and some good advice from our family plant expert) paid off with the huge, beautiful sunflower you see here. I smile every time I see it, I hope you will too.

​Did you know that February 14th is International Book Giving Day? It's a day to share the love of reading.

​So to celebrate, I'm giving away two paperback copies of my new novel, Andromache’s Story!
It’s easy to enter – just sign up for my email list - where you’ll get news about new books and free stuff - before midnight on February 14th, 2022!

Summary of the terms and conditions:
No purchase necessary
You can unsubscribe from my emails with one click. 
Due to shipping costs, your mailing address must be in within the United States to receive a free book. 
The winner will be selected at random from my subscriber list on February 15th, 2022. Winners will be notified via email after the drawing.  If a winner does not reply with their email address within a week, a new winner will be drawn.
Both current and new subscribers will be eligible, so if you get my emails, no worries -- you’re already entered!  Family members are excluded from the drawing. (Sorry but that's the rules).

So don’t miss out – sign up today!  
​Here's the link: http://eepurl.com/g_iAyT​

Here's the legal stuff: 

For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, "The Promoter" refers to Broad Reach Marketing Services, LLC, on the behalf of Nancy MacCreery, whose Instagram handle is @NancyAuthor. The "Prize" refers to a paperback copy of Andromache's Story : What Really Happened in Troy, paperback edition ( a $9.95 Value).

• By entering the competition, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions:
• All entries must be received by 11:59 on 02/14/2022. Two winners in the U.S. will be selected at random by The Promoter on 02/15/2022 and the winner will be notified on or after this date.
• The giveaway is open to only residents of the Continental United States. Two winners will be chosen at random from all entrants across all platforms.
• No purchase necessary. Winners will not be required to pay to enter the competition.
• Entrants must be over 18 years old on the date of their entry.
• Employees of The Promoter are not eligible to enter.
• Instagram or Facebook are not in any way affiliated or involved in the competition.
• Only one entry per person per competition will be accepted.
• Each entrant shall enter the competition via subscribing to Nancy's email list at http://eepurl.com/g_iAyT.
• The Prize will be awarded to a randomly selected winner who is subscribed to the list, using a random number generator. The Promoter will not be held liable if the named prize becomes unavailable or cannot be fulfilled.
• The Promoter will not be held liable for any failure of receipt of entries.  The Promoter takes no responsibility for any entries which are lost, delayed, illegible, corrupted, damaged, incomplete or otherwise invalid.
• To the extent permitted by applicable law, The Promoter’s liability under or in connection with the competition or these terms and conditions shall be limited to the cost price of the Prize in question.
• To the extent permitted by applicable law, The Promoter shall not be liable under or in connection with these terms and conditions, the competition or any Prize for any indirect, special or consequential cost, expense, loss or damage suffered by a participant even if such cost, expense, loss or damage was reasonably foreseeable or might reasonably have been contemplated by the participant and the promoter and whether arising from breach of contract, tort, negligence, breach of statutory duty or otherwise.
• Prizes are non-negotiable, non-transferable and non-refundable. No cash alternative is available. Where a Prize becomes unavailable for any reason, the promoter reserves the right to substitute that prize for a prize of equal or higher value.
• The name, address, email address and phone number of the winner must be provided to The Promoter if requested and will be shared to enable fulfilment of the Prize.​
• In the event of unforeseen circumstances beyond The Promoter’s reasonable control, the promoter reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the competition or these terms and conditions, either in whole or in part, with or without notice.
• The Promoter's decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
• The winner’s name and social media username may be posted on the social media profiles of The Promotor and in the newsletter after the winner has been selected.

 
Many thanks to to The Gin Guide for the template for these rules! (This is not an endorsement for gin, but we appreciated the useful template :) )