David Baldacci Book Giveaway

I have returned to school at the age of 51 and I just took my speech midterm and just got a 72.. its a setback but I will keep on keeping on!

I had a boss that lied and stabbed me in the back. I rose to the occasion and fought back and never lowered myself to play that game.

Hurricane Katrina completely wrecked our wedding plans. I lost my home, we lost the church, the restaurant where we were having the rehearsal dinner, and my wife lost her job. We still managed to get married just 7 weeks after the storm. We moved into our new home the morning of the wedding day. I am putting the finishing touches on a book about the experience.

I have currently just had around $700 stolen from my bank account by offshore thieves who managed to get my old account number. It was everything I had saved for Christmas and some bills. It has really taken a stressful toll on me since it just happened 3 weeks ago. But I am not giving up and will overcome this hardship in my life. My goal is to get my hubby home from Netherlands and I will never stop fighting till he is home where he belongs.

I had been a professional photographer for 15 years and the studio i worked for closed. My husband built me a beautiful studio and i had automatic customers from before so i had a wonderful start. My husband got a really good job offer so we had to sell our home, and new studio and move. We got our daughters enrolled at a wonderful school! Just bought a new boat and Marina membership, lived 10 min. from the beach. A huge turn occured we had come to visit my family and my Mother told me she wasn't feeling well and she kept loosing her vision in one of her eyes I rushed her to the emergency room and My Mother almost died due to a anurism near her brain so my husband ask for his old job back and we moved back after 6 months and started over. These events were very stressfull but it has been shown why this was a good dission to move back my parents tried to discourage the decision because they knew we were happy there but neither of us could be happy knowing we could help them and were not there. I have been a stay at home mom now for a few years and the time we have been back has proven our decision was correct, not only was i able to be there for my mom , this whole past year my dad (80 years old) has contacted the MRSA infection from surgury that was done and has been in and out of the hospitol this whole year my husband deceided to work for himself on the side that helped us get a vacation home at the beach we had wanted for 19 years. So to wrap this up when ever you do something out of love, you can not see it at the time but you will be rewarded later for what you give up or sacrafic to give of yourself for someone eles it may not be a week, month or a year but when the time is right it will happen. If things had not evolved the way it did we would still do things the same way, nothing is more important than the people you love, sometimes you don't get a second chance.
photoquest(at)bellsouth(dot)net

took me thirty years, but I finally made it to school.

I had to try 3 times to get a part time job in a library but I kept submitting my application each time there was an opening and they finally hired me!!! Maybe they just finally "gave in" cause they knew I'd pester them till they gave me a job!!!

life is full of set backs
I would have to say when my daughter got pregnant at a young age and was taken away from me for awhile and put into a foster home

I would say the biggest was going to work for a (non-profit) company I was very excited about and finding out it wasn't what it had projected. Leaving after a year-and-a-half and getting another job.

When I was a young mother of two it was not easy because my children depended on me, but finally at age 32 I went back to school and was the first in my family to graduate college at age 36.

Just before April 2009 we lost our home, car, Larry's business, had to pack up all our stuff and move to Michigan. We are living in a 2 bedroom flat ,we have new doctors and some health insurance. We have food in our fridge,, we still do not have a car, but most of the places we need to go we can walk or take our bicycles.

the biggest set back is what is going on right now with my husbands job . he just got his insurance started but the company took away his salary so even though he does not now have to pay out of pocket for the many medicines he is on we are back to being SET BACK financially to the tune of 25 grand which was his salary . he now must work on commission . I would love to read these books Im running low on reading material and I sure as heck cant afford to buy books now lol :)

My biggest set back has been losing a house that we had been buying. We ended up losing it due to some problems with the payment. Namely, we made the payment to my sister, and it didn't get paid at the bank. We ended up moving and things were much better because we did. Right now though we've hit a hard setback, my husband was laid off yesterday, but on a happy note, I have a job interview at 2:00 today.

What day in our lives do we not have setbacks and still achieve goals? I don't know how many times I've gotten up to discover that there is no hot water or electricity or I forgot something, but yet I still manage to get places on time. Setback, but goal still achieved.

When I was attending college and only had 1 more semester to go the college closed. I was able to get into another college, but over half of my transcript was missing, so I was having to take those classes all over again. I was ready to give up because some of the classes that I had taken at the previous college that did get on the transcript wouldn't be accepted. I ended up pretty much starting from scratch.

But I was determined to finish college. It was frustrating and depressing but I finally graduated with high honors.

When my husband and I were first house hunting, we found what we thought was our dream home. it was so cute and had a lovely yard and everything. Our bid was accepted and we looked forward to closing and moving in. Unfortunately at the very last date, the family that owned the house pulled out of the agreement and took the house off the market. This setback was so frustrating because we'd already been searching for so long and now we had to start all over again. After a few more months we found another house that we got cheaper and it has twice the space. All told I think we're much happier here than what we would have been if we'd gotten that original home. It was just such a bummer at the time.

Our eBay business went downhill but we are bouncing back by diversifying. No more depending on one outlet.

I applied to 20 colleges, and I only got accepted to 1. Depressing story, but I love where I am right now in my life, and I have that setback to thank for it

I started losing weight, then started gaining some of it back earlier this year. In May, I joined the gym and now are keeping the weight off. I have lost 50 pounds this year.

tell us about a time you had a setback but still achieved a goal.
I would have to say life in general... Loseing my husband then being diagnosed with cancer and still being here to see my kids grow and thrive!! My goal was to see Anthony complete jr high now my next goal is to see him graduate from high school:)

We had an adoption fall through at the last minute, but a few months later were able to adopt our daughter, now 12.

My health has been poor for most of my life. I've been told on three occasions that I wasn't going to make it. Well, I just won't accept that! I didn't even miss work while I was on chemotherapy, and I've had cancer 9 times. I love my work as a teacher of high school seniors, and they kept me going. I seldom even let them know I was sick. I was too busy to worry about how I was feeling, and I think that helped me prevail!

A little over 14 years ago, I was working in a store for a regional retailer when I was offered a position in the corporate office. I moved 500 miles away from home and excited to start a new life in the corporate world. Without going into too many details, I found myself back in the stores within a year. Feeling like a failure I tried to make the best of life.

The following year, one of the directors who saw the potential in me, asked if I would be willing to come back to the office temporarily to help with a major project going on. I was a little nervous about it but I decided to give it one more short. I ended up taking on a permanent position in another department once the project was coming to an end and stayed in the office (working in various positions) for five years when the company went out of business.

A couple of years after I went back to the office the manager who I worked for the first time around admitted to me that she realized that she was a better manager of things and not of people. So it wasn't all me!!

Anyway, this set back helped me with two goals - be successful in my career and be a stronger person.

Years ago I had a neck surgery that didn't go well and a new problem was created which made it necessary for me to have a permanent tracheotomy. I was one of the 50% who reacted to perfumes, chemicals etc. after having the trach. My health declined, I lost my job because of my health and I almost gave up on living. Then I started writing again. When I was 10 I had a teacher make a negative comment about my writing and I burned almost everything I had written. So, my health problem brought me back to what I was supposed to do with my life. Now I've had poems and essays published and plays performed.

Tell us about a time you had a setback but still achieved a goal. My ultimate setback was when my grandaughter Drea Rain was born and diagniosed with nystagmus and is considered legally blind, but with my determination and daily thereapy she has achieved limited sight and soon there will be even more as she is now scheduled for her first of many eye surgeries.

Setbacks glore in all endeavors at every stage of life including facing fact goals were disappointing illusions.

We live paycheck to paycheck due to me not working. We have been behind on bills for 3 months now. I have been looking for a job that I can do from home for about 1 1/2 years now. I finally became an Avon rep last month. We aren't back on track yet but I'm hoping we will be in a few months, once my business is better established. It has been more successful then I originally thought though, so it has been a little bit of help.

I had a setback this year when I was laid off from my job. I work in land surveying, so if houses aren't selling then surveying isn't getting done. However, I finally got a job that I enjoy much more than the one I was at - I just wish it was closer to home!

My husband was offered a job from the competition. He was not sure if it was the right choice so spent considerable time talking to the President and Owner of the company. He made it clear that if he took this job, I would leave my job to be a stay at home Mom. At first all was fine so I quit my job. Then the so-called Vice President became his boss and she grew increasingly difficult after the Owners began consulting my husband for advice. He had to tip toe around her and literally ask her about everything he did just to keep peace, although he knew a lot more than her. Her way of doing business lost a lot of potential business. Sure enough my husband came into the office and she told him he no longer had a job, saying he wasn't making his sales quota. DUH how could he. She also tried to cheat us out of insurance after I paid for COBRA (but Ididn't let her get away with it). Here I had only quit my job 5 months earlier and now they were not rehiring anyone.

A client who my husband had worked with for years called another Company and told them my husband was available and would be fools if they didn't hire him. Although it meant moving, my husband took the job with a good company who really appreciates him. Several years later, he is still there and we now moved back to our hometown. The Company that let him go - well that lady isn't doing so well in business. What goes around.

During a piano recital when I was younger, I forgot how the music went, and had to stop abruptly midway. That was a bad experience in front of a whole audience that studied music. However, the stage fright/ embarrassment didn't stop me. I kept on playing the piano and now people think I'm great at it.

While in my sophmore year at college, a night before a huge final in math, my oldest son tried to kill himself. He had to be admitted to the hospital for treatment for an over active thyroid problem along with diabetes which the issues he was having.
I was in shock and could not focus on that test, however, I did by best and left it in God's hands. I knew that my family, including my son were proud of me, and no matter whether I passed the test or not, I had their love and support. Passing that test was a milestone for me

a set back we experienced was when when my husband was injured at work earlier this year and laid off, we are still suffering financially but we are persevering. Our love is strong and so is our family.

In college, I found out that I couldn't continue on due to low grade point average. At this point, I didn't realize that I suffer from test dyslexia anxiety disorder. After being diagnosed and advised by therapist, I was able to continue through school and graduate.

I was working towards my bachelor degree when I got very sick. I was very near death. I ended up missing six weeks of school because I had to have emergency surgery. I never thought I would catch up, but my teachers worked with me and I was able to complete the courses with all A's!

many years ago i registered for nursing classes. at the last minute my now ex-husband decided i needed to find a way to pay for nursing school on my own; he wasn't going to help me. got a job; paid for school. got pregnant 2 months into the program. he refused to help with the baby after she was born so that i could finish school. i did everything i could to make sure my daughter was well taken care of & that i finished school. i kicked his butt out the following year!! lol

tell us about a time you had a setback but still achieved a goal. A few years ago a flood took away everything we had, we have crawled our way back and now have a nice home and are making it.

I quit school in my senior year to have my daughter vowing that some day I would finish at age 31 i returned to get my GED and go to college about midway thru my second semester I found out that I had cancer i had surgery and was left behind all thigh the cancer was gone i still felt the need to complete what I had started it was a major set back but I did finish

I was going through a divorce.. yet still able to keep my head above water and move in with a wonderful Grandma.. and get a job and find my current husband.. and now have a wonderful son too! :)

Once upon a time I lived on my own and some things happened, some health and financial issues that helped me to make the decision to move in with my adult daughter and her three young children. I wasn't entirely certain about it, I knew the kids could be a huge handful but I'm happy to say that six years later, the decision was a good one and it's worked out for all of us. I'm not saying its perfect of course but mostly it works for us and I can't imagine living anywhere else now.

Tell us about a time you had a setback but still achieved a goal. Thank goodness my story is no where near as big a setback as others. I was on Weight Watchers, losing weight, lost 70 pounds. It started getting too hard to keep on the straight and narrow so I ended up gaining back 25 pounds of the weight. Now I'm back and starting over. Yes it's hard but it's oh so worth it.

I worked at a military base that closed. I could have transferred to another base several states away, but my husband's job with the state was not something he could move. I ended up taking an early retirement and started a new job the next day with the state and worked long enough to get a second retirement and enough social security credits to qualify for that, too.

Life is a series of setbacks and forging ahead....
I chose a job rather than college to raise my children - finally finished college when I was 36 - which was also my age when I was diagnosed with bowel cancer and given 6 months at most to live....
I am now 58 - made a lot of changes in my life - accomplished 30 years at my job and retired with a pension (10 years ago) - I have my home almost paid for and am happier than I have ever been.

My biggest set back would be the adoption of James. We continued going to court and then them telling us we needed something more. Or his birthmother going to prison and us having to start again. If not one of those her changing her mind to terminate rights. Finally after three years of fighting his adoption finished.

I would have to say graduating law school was the goal I achieved and I had a lot of setbacks including 2 pregnancies, my wedding, the loss of my mom, a full-time job, and a 120 mile or so commute each way. I was sooooo happy to make it through those three years!

A setback I have had recently was not being accepted into nursing school the first time I applied. I was upset for days before I realized I could take more classes to be prepared for my Bachelor's while waiting to apply the next time. While it might take me longer than I expected, I can still do it.

About a year ago, I lost my job after eighteen years! I started off at the bottom and worked my way up to management, and the loss has been made more difficult because of my wife's health problems. But, I decided to write my first novel even as I looked for another job, and dealt with the stress of being unemployed and the moments of self-doubt that come along with it. I did find another job about four months later (though at a much lower rate of pay) and finished the first draft of the novel in six months. By the way the book is titled, "Sisters of the Fight."

I keep reading David's book "The Whole Truth," whenever I go to the book store, so it would be an honor to have the opportunity to read all these books!

On December 1, 2007, I lost a sixteen year-old son in an automobile accident. I was in the midst of completing my first published collection of poetry. He was so proud of my writing and I knew how much it meant for him to see that book available to the public that even through my tears I completed the manuscript, dedicated it to him, and saw it published.

I am an American, and my husband is British by birth, and we moved back to the US in the summer of 2008. As of now we are still looking for jobs. There must be something out there for us as we are not giving up!
As much as I love having my husband under my feet 24 hours I know he wants to support us very much.
What have we accomplished? My husband got his green card after almost one year of waiting and then we got to live closer to my Mama. That matters the most! ;-)

Things were going pretty good for us, my husband was posted to Brazil, my daughter got into a very good university in Canada, we got our son admitted in a school in Brazil. I am a Kindergarten teacher and didn't join my school because I was moving to Brazil and had already talked to a few schools about job offers.
The day my husband and daughter were leaving for Canada, he got a call from his home office that due to a high level delegation, he couldn't go, he had to postponed his visit by a couple of days, from there things started snow balling, we couldn't get the refund of the ticket, had to book another ticket at at very higher price, my daughter's hostel preferences at the univ got mixed up, our posting to Brazil got canceled, my son had no where to study now, because admissions were closed now. It was very stressful and to top it all, now I had no job, the prospect of sitting at home and doing nothing was terrifying.
Everybody at home was very quiet and subdued, I wanted to keep a positive view through all this but it was so difficult. We took one thing at a time, first we dropped our daughter in Canada, fortunately things were sorted out over there and she was happy with what she got. Then we visited our son's school and requested them and explained, finally he got admitted after two weeks of missing school. My husband is going to be here for another year and I am happy that we don't have to take our son out of school for another year. I applied in many schools but the positions were already filled, but last week I got a call from the school were I was working, one of the teachers had to suddenly leave and would I consider working there. I grabbed the opportunity, though this was only half day, but something is better than nothing.
Through all these stressful events I just kept telling myself there is a greater reason why god wanted us to stay back..... I hope I'll get to know about it soon. But I am quite happy now,things have finally fallen into place and we are so so relieved.

My biggest setbacks have been the times I thought my depression was under control, only to have it hit me full force again. I'd go from reasonably stable to suicidal, and then it took 6 months to climb back out of that hole. It would have been easy to give up -- I considered it seriously more than once -- but I just kept plugging away. I had to fight with the insurance company, still raise kids and go to work, all while feeling like the scum of the earth. I'm not sure why I was able to stubborn my way through, but I did.

My biggest setback was when I was trying to find a job in Boston while living in the midwest and no one would even talk to me. I must have sent in hundreds of resumes and got zero responses. But I didn't give up, I just packed up and moved to Boston with no job and then managed to find one once on location.

Hmm. I'd have to say my biggest setback was financial - I lost my financing for college when I was 19, and suddenly I found myself with tens of thousands of dollars in bills due in 24 hours. I had to drop out of college, find a place to live, a job, and a way to start paying bills, all in a 24 hour period. I'm finally back in school - and almost finished - 20 years later!

My setback would have to be the loss of use on my left side. I had brain surgery to stop the progression of damage in September of 1968. I was walking and married theman of my dreams in Nov. 1969. I ran a household, had a child, and worked full time at good jobs until 2002.
I just never accepted the word no when it came to something I could do one handed.

When I was in college, I had a huge project that counted for most of my grade. They emphasized that if you did not successfully complete the project or if they felt that you didn't put in enough effort, you'd get a zero on the project and an incomplete for the class and have to repeat the class. Half way through my project, my computer file got corrupted. I ended up having to do the iterations by hand. I knew I didn't have the right final answer, but I submitted all the work I had done by hand. I actually got a B+ on the project!

After many many years of working for other people and freelance writing on the side, I hit one of those days where I couldn't take it anymore. I quit my job (a very bad situation) and vowed that I'd make it work. Five years later and I'm still working from home, writing, web producing, doing what I love instead of doing what I hate.

I lost my house and everything in it in a fire. 4 months later, my daughter died. This all happened 9 years ago and I am still standing. i'd say that was a setback. My goal was to survive and I have.

I became very ill after one semester of living away at university during freshman year and had to drop out of school and return home to my parents' house. It took me 5.5 years to finally overcome my illnesses and return to college. Last year I graduated with two BA degrees, and I'm now working towards a Master's degree.

Please enter me in this giveaway! :)

I had to retire early as a teacher because of a heart condition. I miss those kids every day. I loved teaching. Then I had to go to rehab to learn to walk again. They cut off my gas when I got behind on the bill and for 6 months I couldn't cook on a stove, had no heat or hot water. I haven't bought a book in a year. (One good thing happened: I've lost 100 pounds.) I don't have a copy of any of the David Baldacci 's books for this giveaway. I have read Hour Game, Absolute Power, Wish You Well, and The Christmas Train. When David came to Richmond a few months ago to promote First Family, I handed him a copy of a book I had just finished writing, The World's Most Creative (And Dangerous) Quote Book. I only have 10 copies; these are to get blurbs from famous creative people to take to an agent with the book. Since I handed that book to David, I almost died 2 more times and spent weeks in the hospital again. One day I received a copy of my book back from Adriana Trigiani with a wonderful blurb; it was the best medicine I could have every gotten. When I taught I had a corner of my classroom as the David Baldacci corner with 2 shirts I had made and 3 posters. (My original shirt I had made: Baldacci - Italian For Best Seller.) If I were still teaching I wouldn't have finished my new book; I worked on it for 30 years. David is coming to Richmond in November; I would love to have these books to read and to have David autograph them. David isn't just rich and famous. He spends a lot of his time and money to help others. I told him once that he reminded me of my hero, Ray Bradbury. (I got to walk with Ray through the Poe Museum when he visited Richmond years ago.) David writes books that make you want to stay up all night to finish them; he is a master at getting you to turn the next page. Sometimes I make myself put the book down because I don't want it to end.

The winners have been announced here.