Confessions of A Hockey Mom (Giveaway)

I've loved hockey for years. I remember when as a kid I used to watch the Boston Bruins with Uncle Phil. My Dad wasn't much of a sports person, but Uncle Phil and I watched the Bruins regularly. Those were the years when Terry O'Reilly, Peter McNab and Mike Milbury were playing. I lost interest for a while, but when my boyfriend (now hubby) and I began dating, we started going to watch some of the games live. I think my husband feel in love with me because I said what a great sound the clack of a puck hitting a hockey stick is.

My husband is responsible for getting my son into hockey. John Boy (he would kill me if he knew I nicknamed him that for blogging purposes) played for 13 years. He was a good player. He had a low center of gravity, so it was tough to knock him down. His teammates called him Stonewall. I tried never to miss a game, but sometimes I wonder if he wished I had.

I was a very active hockey mom. You couldn't talk to me during a game. My eyes and mind were focused on what was happening on the ice. I have a loud voice, so despite my small size, I'm easily heard. More than once I screamed at an unfair call by the referees. John Boy used to tell me he could often hear me from the stands. One time, during a tournament series, the officiating was so one sided, I actually swore at a ref. Whoops! That wouldn't be tolerated now. Even then, I was surprised I didn't get tossed.

It's easy to get caught up in things when your kids are playing sports. The Lil Princess (8) has played recreational softball for two years. It's definitely not as exciting as hockey, but she enjoys it. I think my crazy screaming days are behind me. That's probably for the best. She would probably be mortified if her mom was asked to leave the field.

This post is a special feature to help promote the release of Dianne Venetta's Whisper Privileges. There's one day left on the giveaway she has posted at her site. Since the Special Olympics is her setting for Whisper Privileges, Dianne is donating $1 for every first comment by each person her post receives during the giveaway period. Click here to visit her blog. Also, for those who have yet to read JENNIFER’S GARDEN, the first in this series, Dianne set the ebook version FREE for the duration of the Summer Olympics. For your free copy, visit Smashwords.com and use code VP55P for a variety of versions compatible with most ereaders on the market today.
You can also enter to win prizes at:

Shirley Hailstock's blog

Barbara Phinney's blog

Shari Brady will be posting on August 11th with her volleyball post.

I'll be giving away a copy of Cross Check My Heart by Kerri Nelson and a Full Screen Edition of Miracle starring Kurt Russell to a lucky winner that resides in the United States. Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

She's on the run from something ominous in her past. She escapes to a new town and a new job as the physical therapist for the U.S. Hockey Team, which is preparing for the Olympics. He's a veteran hockey player with a secret of his own that threatens his chances at making the final cut for the team. When she discovers his secret, she realizes that she can compel him to help her without having to divulge her own secrets. As his attraction for her grows, he longs for her trust. Will she attempt to stand in the way of his childhood dreams? Or will he unwittingly become the new target when her past ultimately catches up with her? While Jana considers whether or not to divulge the details of her secret life to Danny, danger looms. Jana and Danny must decide if they will risk their secrets-and their survival-for the sake of love.

From the studio that brought you THE ROOKIE and REMEMBER THE TITANS comes the movie everybody loves -- MIRACLE. Filled with exhilarating nonstop hockey action and heart-racing suspense, it's the inspiring true story behind one of the greatest moments in sports history — the 1980 United States ice hockey team's triumphant Olympic victory against the Soviet Union. Kurt Russell gives a brilliant performance as the dynamic and determined coach Herb Brooks, who had an impossible dream -- beat the seemingly unbeatable Soviets at their own game. Starting with a handpicked group of 26 undisciplined kids, Brooks coached them to play like they never played before, and turned 20 of them into a team that believed they could achieve the unachievable -- and in the process, united a nation with a new feeling of hope.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway