From the back cover:

"Dear Friends:

I know this will sound strange as a Christmas-card note, but I'm going to ask you a tremendous favor. I am trying to get $10,000 together immediately. To do this, I am writing ten couples and asking each to lend me $1000. For personal reasons, I don't want to borrow this money from a bank or lending institution..."

Ten carefully selected couples receive this extraordinary note on their Christmas card from Alex Southerick. Moderately successful as a vice-president of a large corporation, Alex has had virtually no contact with these friends over the last five years, and cannot be considered close to any of them.

Adding mystery to the message, Alex has asked that no one telephone him for additional information about the loan.

The note has an unexpected effect on its recipients: it is a catalyst in the evaluation of their own relationships. Pathos, humor, and surprise are intertwined in this enchanting story of widely different reactions to Alex's strange request.

In *Sincerely Yours,* Gertrude Wood explores the striking contrasts in human nature, and inspires us to examine the balance between good and bad in ourselves.

******************************
I really enjoyed this book!

Written by a local author and published by a small, local press, I wonder if this book got as wide an exposure as it deserves, so here goes...

An international bookring!

The rules for the ring are "the usual." Please journal when you receive the book, then again when you have finished reading it. Then contact the next person by PM to ask for their address and to make sure that they are ready/able/still interested. Please journal again once you have shipped the book. Media Mail/Surface mail is fine. Please PM me if you run into any problems!


Participants
============
Megi53 -- VA
MaryZee -- MD
tania-in-nc -- NC
bookczuk -- SC
Maurean -- FL
Judester -- NY
amaradevinmom --APO
Olifant -- Netherlands
wandering -- Netherlands
jenatleisure -- UK (added 3/6)
Ramya NJ,USA - (added 4/27)
Back to FortyToo -- NJ

And it's off! Sent to Megi53 today via Media Mail : )

Enjoy!

Arrived today -- looks great! I read the first paragraph and it really grabbed me. Good thing I have to leave the house in a minute or I'd still be reading!

Very cute post-it and bookmark included with this autographed copy!

Why in the world did this book have to be self-published? It's great! I think it is much better written than *Skipping Christmas*. Ms. Wood has a wonderful vocabulary and tells a story that flows.

Out of the ten couples who received the Christmas note, I enjoyed reading about Quentin/Emily and Ned/Harriet the most.

The only complaint I have is the brevity of the final chapter. It would have been great to find out what happened to everyone in the story five or ten years later --even to Humphrey Wattsindorf!

Mailing to MaryZee -- along with the adorable color-coordinated bookmark!

Just received this today. Will start as soon as I finish my current read.

10/25/04 - Starting on this today.

What a wonderful story, although I must admit I didn't like some of the people very much. About 3/4 of the way thru the book, I started thinking what's the point of all this? But I understand the author wanted to give us the opportunity to get to know and understand each of the couples, and their driving forces. I agree, I also would like to know what happened to the couples that received the money down the road, say 5 years in the future. And I'd also like to know if any of the couples that didn't send money saw the Southericks' later (say, at their reunion) and how they acted towards each other.

This will be sent tomorrow, 10/28 to Tania-in-NC.

Yippee! Received this one today. I'm currently reading
Funny Letters From Famous People edited by Charles Osgood, c. 2003 -- link goes to blog as the book is from the library -- see entry of Oct 29, 2004 -- but this one is right on there after it.

Thanks for sharing!

I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading last night.

When mail came into the Norpeg household, it settled itself comfortably into its surroundings. Whoever came home from work first would bring in the envelopes and leave them in the least-littered niche available. The next night's batch would most likely be deposited in an unrelated spot. It might be left unopened for weeks. Perhaps the basis for this apathy was the the envelopes did not arouse curiosity. Office mail was stimulating, but home postal deliveries were prosaic: mainly bills, advertisements, and pleas for donations.
Roberta might brose through some of these items when her hair or nail polish was drying and then leave pieces here and there, on the radio, the dresser, or the toilet tank. Eventually many would be covered with coffee mugs and spoons while others found their way down under the sofa cushions. The infrequent personal letters they received, mostly from Roberta's mother, were always misplaced without being answered. p128
[comment: they have my sympathy]

At that instant Harriet's mind flashed back to a crossword puzzle she and Ned had filed together while on their honeymoon. The puzzle required an eight-letter noun beginning with 's' for a 'fundamental of life.' She had called out 'sunshine,' and Ned laughed in a patronizing manner, as if amused by her childishness, while he wrote in 'security.' p214

I'm about 3/4 of the way through it. Although I don't particularly like the characters, I'm finding the descriptions of their lives fascinating. It's like peeping in the window of households :)

Update 11/10/04 --
Great book! I now have bookczuk's addy so will get it to her today.

This fetched up in my mailbox this afternoon. I look forward to starting it very soon.What an intresting cover blurb!

I hope it's a rainy weekend (after our yard sale tomorrow is over) so I can curl up with it and read, read, read.

I really, really wanted to like this, but just couldn't get into it. I'm sorry. I found so few of the characters appealing- and so many reminding me of people I don't particularly care for. I kept thinking of reasons "why" Alex might have sent the letters out, and what was his selection criteria, etc. I must admit that I came up with some good reasons, but none were the one the author chose!

Anyhow, thanks for sharing, and I wish the author well. It is admirable to have an idea, and carry it through so that others can see it. Like I said, I really *wanted* to like it, but....

I'll PM Maurean and then send it off as soon as I get the addy.

This arrived in my mailbox today, and I am just about to finish up the book I'm currently reading, so I will begin this in the next day or so and journal again once I've finished.

Thanks for sharing, Forty-Too...this sounds like SUCH an interesting premise!

This was an interesting and entertaining read, especially for this holiday season. A good opportunity to think about what "you" would do in a similiar situation. I especially enjoyed reading about the Rambell's (Bart & Lilibeth) and the Packerbey's (Ned & Harriet). And, personally, I liked the ending, but I agree with Megi in that I would have liked to hear what happened to all the couples a few years down the road...especially Alex himself!
Thanks again for sharing this, and I will get this mailed to Judester on my next PO run. *mailed 12/23

received in bookring today 12/27/04 .. will PM the next person immediately so I am ready to send when I finish it .. should have it done by the weekend .. thanks for including my in the ring.

finished the book this morning ... liked it ... didn't love it ... but I'm glad I read it .. especially around Christmas time ... have PM'd next person and am awaiting a reply so I can get it out asap. 12/29/04

sent to ----amaradevinmom --APO ---- in the mail 1/3/05 .. enjoy!

received today. This book took its time getting to me but has arrived safetly.

Book has arrived safely in Utrecht. It came from Germany to my surprise. I was especting it to come from the USA. It's the third ringbook in a few days so it will take a while. Thanks!

Read the book halfway. One of the reasons why I stopped is that all the characters look a bit alike and have a rather black and white nature. I guess I missed depth, especially in the working out of this interesting idea. Anyway, thanks for sharing. Book is off to wandering.

Received it today, it's on top of Mt. To-be-read now!

The idea behind this book is really nice, I haven't read anything like it before. It is well written, an easy read. None of the characters really appealed to me, in fact I had a hard time remembering who was who on the last page, where five out of the ten couples are named again. I did enjoy the book, but it won't linger in my mind. Maybe the characters were too much like archetypes, their treats were to much one-sided.

Thanks for sharing this book, FortyToo! This book will go on to jenatleisure as soon as I get her address.

Sent April 15th.

The book arrived last week but I was away so didnt journal it then.

I was ment to read some other rings before it but I read the back of the book and dived straight in.

It was an easy and relaxing read, after some of the others I had recently but about half way I admit I got very bored, the couples all seemed very shallow and predictable. I just wanted to get to the end and Im afraid like some of the earlier readers I wanted to know what happened next and at the next reunion meal.

It did make me think what id do if a friend asked for money.

Thanks fortytwo for sharing this with us all. Its moved very fast around us all. Ill send on just as soon as I have the address for Ramya in NJ

Received in yesterday's mail -- it looks like fun -- thanks!

Returned home safe and sound to New Jersey today!

This ring had a very nice ending to it--two bookcrossers (who didn't know each other) met for coffee and traded book recommendations :).

Where will this book travel next...only time will tell!

Passed along to a fellow traveler while on vacation in Tucson, Arizona.

Enjoy!