The Indulgence Contest: and the Winner Is...

My indulgences are usually small - nothing expensive, nothing lasting. There have been exceptions over the years, a piece of jewelry here, a framed print I felt I couldn't walk away from there. I buy locally roasted whole coffee beans for that perfect cup of coffee. When I treat myself to ice cream, it's going to be Ben & Jerry's or something equally decadent. Small luxuries.

Books in themselves don't count as luxury items - reading is a need, not an indulgence. But buying a new book when I could pick up an old one somewhere, or allowing myself the pleasure of getting immersed in a story when I know damned well there are responsibilities in need of my attention - now that is truly what I consider an indulgence. This week I read three books. Books I didn't have time to read. Books that largely were consumed when I was supposed to be doing something else. Two of these were books by my friend and fellow word whore Alayna Williams. And since one of them, Rogue Oracle, just recently had its coming out party, I thought that what I'd love to do with this post today is share this indulgence with somebody else.

Alayna offered up a free signed copy, and I began asking the online community "what is your favorite indulgence?" The responses are fun, so I'm going to share them here and then choose one at random to be the winner of the book.

So here, in no particular order, are the results of my online survey:

@silverjames: " Indugence? Favorite? There are so many!!! Dark chocolate; M&M Blasts from Sonic; a thick filet mignon, kissed by mesquite flames and seared to a medium rare center, with a dab of horseradish on the side; a good book…."

@linda_grimes: "Right now I’m indulging myself by eating junky candy while I read your blog. "

@KAKrantz: "shoes". Bonus point for including a picture of awesome sexy shoes

@LeviMontgomery: "my favorite indulgence is sitting here, ignoring everybody and everything, and making stuff up that makes you cry." (Since he's referring to writing we can just tiptoe away and let him carry on without getting our feelings hurt or anything.)

@Sullivan McPig: "Books of course"

@Laura_Bickle: "Definitely bath salts"

@red_head30: "I had a fresh, glazed donut for lunch"

@Sullivan McPig: "next to books there's always chocolate of course."

@Sullivan McPig: "also cookies"

@Sullivan McPig: "wine is ok but it's dropshot for me."

Note: While Mr. McPig gets a bonus point for playing #favoriteindulgence with enthusiasm, I had to take a point away for nefarious comments about coffee.

@amberscottbooks: "RED wine!!!! All day long, baby. Or as soon as the kids are asleep.

@daniellepoiesz: "Oh man... my favorite indulgence would have to be dessert for breakfast."

@johannaharness: "Lucid dreaming."

Thank you all for playing. Now, in order to choose a winner, I have numbered your entries from #1-16, and the Viking is going to choose a number at random.

{{{{Drum roll}}}}

And the number is FIVE - making the winner Linda Grimes with junky candy! Let's hear it for Linda and her candy! {{{thunderous applause}}}

Thank you all for playing - and don't forget to indulge yourself this week.