Reviewer Appreciation Giveaway!

Yes, I know. This is WAY, WAY, WAY overdue.

I mean, I've been talking about doing a reviewer appreciation giveaway since April. But if you've been reading this blog over the last few months, well, you know that things got a bit crazy around here, and, well. My prizes kinda-sorta disappeared into a moving box for a little while.

But fear not. They have been found! And the giveaway is here and officially starts TODAY!!!

Take a look at these fab prizes:

In honor of Water So Deep, this fabulous Bella Del Mar Mother of Pearl jewelry set is beaded with tiny white pearls, and accented with clear crystal quartz. This set comes in a beautiful display box and includes a gorgeous necklace, bracelet, and earrings, and is a $95 value. (The crystals look slightly blue in this picture, but they are really mostly clear.)

Also in honor of Water So Deep, this stylish and trendy Refuse to Sink bracelet, still attached to the manufacturer packaging.

In honor of Descendant and Birthright, this lovely crystal quartz healing crystal necklace was custom made by Zuniga's Custom Jewelry. (She makes some of my very favorite original pieces.) Also in packaging.

To enter, all you have to do is leave a review of one of my books on your favorite review site (there are tons of choices) and then come back here and leave the link in the Rafflecopter link box. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY LEFT A REVIEW, it's okay. This contest is MEANT for YOU! Go ahead and leave me the link to your already posted review and you do not need to do anything more.

You will see that there are lots of places where reviews can be left for each of my books. In case you're wondering, YES, it is totally okay to copy and paste one review to ALL THE PLACES if you so choose. As long as you remember to collect the link and enter it into the Rafflecopter box, it totally counts.

This contest closes on June 30, so be sure to enter before then.

*Winners will be notified by email ir FB private message (depending on the information included through Rafflecopter) and will have 72 hours to respond with a U.S. mailing address. If you are out of the United States, you are still eligible to win the bracelet or healing crystal, but not the larger set. Prizes may be adjusted as necessary for this purpose. 

**United States prizewinners may be given the option to trade their jewelry prize for a paperback or ebook copy of any of my books. International prizewinners wishing to exchange their prize will be given the option for an ebook.

Also, while you're entering contests, don't forget to scroll to the post below this one and follow the link to the other fabulous contest for the Magic of Solstice Fantasy Writers' tour I'm participating in this month.

Good luck to all of you, and THANK YOU SO MUCH for your fabulous support. I couldn't do what I do without all of you.



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Moving, Vacation, Signings, and Prizes for a Giveaway

Just popping in to let you all that I returned from vacation alive, rested, and happy. However, it is now officially moving week for my family.

The Caribbean Sea as seen from my own eyes.

Why yes, yes we did just move. In August. BUT that was from Texas to Utah, and I'll spare you the longer explanation by saying that we found and bought a house (we are not fans of renting), and we are now moving into that house to make this the last move EVER. Or, you know, until I'm a little old lady who can no longer get up and down stairs or whatever.

I am very excited about the house and the office in which I plan to finish a plethora of projects that are chilling on my computer waiting to be completed.

While I was gone, Water So Deep surpassed a milestone review goal, and because of that, I think a giveaway will be necessary. I picked up a beautiful jewelry set in the Caribbean, except, um, well... my husband sort of packed it away in a box yesterday, and we have about half of what we own at our new house, and half at the old house. So it might be a couple of days before I find it. So please be patient. I haven't forgotten the giveaway, just postponed it until I can actually find the prize!

But here's a hint. The more of my books you've reviewed (and the more places you've reviewed them) the more opportunities you'll have to win.

What else? The LDStorymakers writer's conference is coming up in May, and I am working hard to help that come together. Really excited to see all my writing friends. And also there will be a massive signing that includes a whole lot of fabulous authors--including yours truly. This will be my first signing since the release of Water So Deep, so if you want a chance to get a signed hard copy of it, plan to attend that on May 16 at the Utah Valley Convention Center in Provo, Utah. (No ticket required.) Time to be determined, but I'll let you know.

Okay, now that I've caught you all up on what I'm doing, what fun things are you doing this spring?

PARANOIA by J.R. Johansson, a Convention To Do List, and a Giveaway

Okay, first, guys, last week's DESCENDANT / BIRTHRIGHT blast promotion was so much fun. I have a lot of new followers here and also on all my social networking sites, and more new readers than I ever dreamed. DESCENDANT spent the entire week in the #1 spot for Young Adult Paranormal and Urban Fantasy, as well as the #1 spot for Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy, and BIRTHRIGHT sales are climbing like crazy. I'm counting the week as a smashing success. Thank you so much to everyone who participated in any way. I adore you. 

*blows kisses*

For those of you who are new here, you will soon learn that I have a thing for writer's conferences and conventions. I love them. They're exhausting, and expensive, so I do have to limit myself sometimes, but when I attend something, I tend to find all the partying-est parties. And meet the partying-est people. And make the most outrageous memories. Because I think if you're going to do something great, you might as well make it as great as possible. 

One of my very favorite conventions is WorldCON, the world-wide science fiction and fantasy convention. I've been twice now. (I am currently not planning to attend this year as it's in London, but my WorldCON friends are all going, and miracles have been known to happen. *coughcough*) Both times, I spent my week rooming and hanging out with the lovely J.R. Johansson, author of INSOMNIA and this week's new release, PARANOIA. 

Since all the other posts on this blog tour are all about PARANOIA, today, on the day of the PARANOIA launch party (which I can't attend because I'm far away in Texas), we thought we'd take a break from the book-ish posts and instead do one about authors and parties. The following advice is drawn from our experience attending WorldCon together, where we behaved...well, if not like total professionals...then at least like people that were having more fun than is considered legal in 12 states.

So here it is. J.R. Johansson's and my official Convention To-Do list (in no particular order):

1. Find the human outline on the floor in the Klingon party and act panicked, then hurry and lie down to see if it matches your body.

2. Throw cookies off a 19th floor balcony, and then rescue those cookies from the street an hour later. 

3. Sit on George R.R. Martin's lap while wearing tiara, and claiming you have officially WON the Game of Thrones.

4. Hijack a freight elevator with 11 other people, because there's a line to get on the ones meant for "guests." 

5. Go on a quest that results in you being knighted by a highly famous author waving a glowing sword. 

6. Be serenaded by an opera-singer diva who is dying to let the world know it's someone's birthday. 

7. Find the ONLY party with music and a disco ball and start a near-riot by bringing all your new friends from the elevator. 

8. Dress up in corsets to attend the Masquerade, and pretend you're Nevada show-girls along the way.

9. Ride an elevator with lampshades on your heads (not the freight elevator). 

10. Have impromptu dance parties in other people's hotel rooms. Start by doing the Macarena. 

11. Experience late night Aussie renditions of Monty Python tunes.

12. Throw late night rooftop parties complete with ipod battles that involve bands like Imagine Dragons.

13. Become besties with Harry Potter, Westley from the Princess Bride, the Ghostbusters, and Daenerys Targaryen. Also, the Hound. Woof.

14. Steal a Hugo. (And, okay, then give it back.)

15. Take a ride in a Tardis, and learn how to work the controls.

16. Have a sword battle with a Jedi.

17. Sneak into a private publisher party through the back door and then pretend you belong there.

18. Rescue a gentle giant from nearly falling into a bathtub filled with pop cans and ice.

19. Visit Japan, Helsinki, Boston, Texas, New Zealand, and Orlando all within an hour. 

20. Cram 8 people into a car built for four and go for a drive while all singing. Don't get pulled over by police.  

Disclaimer: this list was created by professionals and some of these activities should not be attempted without adult supervision. Or something like that.  

Okay, and now onto bookish stuff and PARANOIA: 

With Every Night of Blissful Sleep Darkness Grows Inside Him.

In the aftermath of the events that nearly killed him, Parker Chipp is trying to learn to cope better with life as a Watcher. And it seems to be working...until he wakes up in jail with a hangover and 12 hours of missing time. Darkness has somehow taken control and Parker doesn't have a clue how to stop him. He finds an unlikely ally in Jack, the mysterious guy in the motorcycle jacket who offers to help Parker master his abilities as a Watcher. But even as they practice, the darkness inside Parker is getting more and more powerful, taking over Parker’s body and doing everything he can to destroy Parker's life.

When Jack reveals that there is another kind of Night Walker, known as a Taker, Parker starts to wonder if the strange things happening in Oakville are more than just a coincidence. After all, people are more than just sleepwalking. They're emptying their savings accounts with no memory of doing so, wandering into strange parts of town and disappearing, they're even killing other people--all in their sleep. If Parker wants to find out what's happening or have any hope of seeing his father again, he’ll have to defy Jack and put his own life in danger...because the more he learns about these other Night Walkers, the more certain he becomes that his life isn't the only one that could be lost.

J.R. JOHANSSON is a young adult thriller author. Her books INSOMNIA, PARANOIA (June 2014), and a third untitled book (June 2015) are with Flux Books. CUT ME FREE (Winter 2015) and another untitled book (Winter 2016) will be coming out with FSG/Macmillan.  She has a B.S. degree in public relations and a background in marketing. She credits her abnormal psychology minor with inspiring many of her characters. When she's not writing, she loves reading, playing board games, and sitting in her hot tub. Her dream is that someday she can do all three at the same time. She has two young sons and a wonderful husband. In fact, other than her cat, Cleo, she's nearly drowning in testosterone.

Jenn’s Links -

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JennJohansson

Blog: http://www.jennjohansson.blogspot.com/

Site: http://www.jrjohansson.com

Tumblr: http://jrjohansson.tumblr.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJRJohansson

J.R. Johansson on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5100095.J_R_Johansson

PARANOIA on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12260608-insomnia

                                       

Pre-order Links –

The Book Depository - http://www.bookdepository.com/Paranoia-Johansson/9780738740188

Indiebound - http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780738740188

Books A Million - http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Paranoia/J-R-Johansson/9780738740188?id=5529587671279

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paranoia-j-r-johansson/1117011365?ean=9780738740188

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Paranoia-The-Night-Walkers-Johansson/dp/0738740187

Oh, and let's not forget the fun stuff! A giveaway! Here's where you enter.

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BIRTHRIGHT REVIEW BLAST GIVEAWAY!

Guys. I'm having so much fun putting together some fun summer promotions. But I need your help. BIRTHRIGHT needs reviews to help gain momentum in the market. So, as a little incentive / reminder, I'm going to giveaway a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky reviewer.

Everyone who has read BIRTHRIGHT is eligible. To enter, all you have to do is post a fair and honest review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or your blog, then come back here and leave the review link on this quick and easy entry form.

Contest is open until midnight (central time) June 8th, 2014. Winner will be notified via email, and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. THAT'S IT!

Good luck and THANK YOU!

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Cover Reveal: Diamond Rings are Deadly Things by Rachelle J. Christensen (and a giveaway!)

About DIAMOND RINGS ARE DEADLY THINGS: 

Adrielle Pyper knows how to plan a wedding, and she is especially good at pleasing bridezillas. But when her biggest client and best friend is murdered just three days before the wedding, Adri’s world falls apart. She moves to the resort town of Sun Valley, Idaho, and starts from scratch. Thanks to Adri’s impeccable taste and unique style, she lands two celebrity clients, and her business seems headed for success--that is, until someone vandalizes the specialty wedding dresses she imported from overseas. The race is on to uncover a secret hidden within the yards of satin and lace before Adri becomes the next victim. With a delightful blend of mystery, toe-curling kisses, humor, and spine-tingling thrills, Diamond Rings are Deadly Things is a romantic suspense novel that will keep you turning pages long into the night.

Find this book on Goodreads

Pre-order on Amazon

Pre-order on Barnes and Noble

Endorsements:

“I love Rachelle J. Christensen’s stories and characters, and Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things is another thrilling mystery to add to my collection. Don’t be surprised if you have to stay up all night to finish he book!”

--Rachel Ann Nunes, author of Before I Say Goodbye

Diamond Rings are Deadly Things pulled me right in from the first page and held me captive until the very end. Great characters, a compelling plot, a surprising twist at the end ... Rachelle Christensen knows how to craft a great mystery.

 - Tristi Pinkston, author of the Secret Sisters Mysteries

A cunningly crafty mystery with just the right mix of romance. Readers won't be able to get enough of Adrielle Pyper, stunning party-planner turned heroine.

--Nichole Giles, author of Descendant

About Rachelle J. Christensen: 

Rachelle J. Christensen is a stay-at-home mom of four cute kids. She has an amazing husband, three cats, and five chickens. Rachelle was born and raised in the small farming town of Rupert, Idaho which is adjacent to the setting in her latest mystery Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things due out this July. Her new website www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.compartners with the characters from the novel to bring readers an interactive look into the mystery of crafting and wedding planning.

Rachelle graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in psychology and a music minor. She enjoys singing and songwriting, playing the piano, running, motivational speaking, and of course reading.

Rachelle’s first novel, Wrong Number was awarded Outstanding Book of the Year from the League of Utah Writers and was also a 2010 Whitney Finalist. She is also the author of Caller ID, a nonfiction book Lost Children: Coping with Miscarriage for Latter Day Saints, and a novella with a Timeless Romance Anthology, Fall Collection.

Visit www.rachellechristensen.com to learn more about upcoming books.

Social Media Links:

Facebook Author Page
Twitter
Rachelle's Blog
Author Website

Goodreads Author Page
Craft Website based on the series

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A Chat with Michelle Davidson Argyle about her new release CATCH (and a contest)

Hey all! Happy November!

Yes, as a matter of fact, I AM hard at work writing my newest project for National Novel Writing Month. But I had to take a short break to give a shout out to Michelle Davidson Argyle, whose new release CATCH was released this week. I'm a big fan of Michelle's, and not just because we were both Rhemalda authors. I *heart* her work.

This week I got to ask her a few short questions about her newest release, and I always love what she has to say.

1. What were you doing when you had the idea for the main story line in Catch?

Because I have a terrible memory, I honestly can't remember what I was doing. But I do remember trying to come up with the idea over the course of a week. It usually takes a while to fully form all of it. Too bad I can't say I was in Vegas, right? I think I was probably in the car or the shower -- where I get most of my ideas.

2. Have you ever had your purse stolen the way Miranda did? If so, explain a little, and if not, how would you feel if you did?

Nope! I thought my car was stolen once, but it turned out a family member had just taken it without telling me. And I've had a bike stolen once, but never money or credit cards or a purse. I would freak out and probably wouldn't be nearly as level-headed as Miranda. Oh, wait ... she chases after the thief. Maybe I would be smarter than that!

3. What is your favorite part of the setting of this book? 

I've only been to Las Vegas a few times, so I had to do a lot of research for Catch. I think my favorite part of the setting was being able to explore the Strip and going into the Bellagio. One of my favorite movies is Ocean's Eleven,so this made it come a little more a alive for me.

4. If Catch had a theme song, what would it be?

I think a great song that captures the feel of Catch is "I Won't Give Up on Us" by Jason Mraz. It might seem a little slow for Catch, but I really think it fits both characters.

5. You are very good at writing flawed, but redeemable characters, especially antagonists. Do you feel that finding redeeming qualities in others is an important lesson in life? 

Oh, absolutely. I think I'm a really judgmental person (hard to admit) and it has been an important thing in my life to fix that flaw about myself and find something great in everyone. This has naturally moved over into my writing. It's so important to me to make my characters as real as possible, and in reality, everyone is flawed. Nobody's perfect. So I love to explore characters and find their faults, but also find their motivations and look at them objectively so I can understand why they are the way they are. Then I love to show that to the reader and let them make a call on how they feel about a person's flaws. It's quite fun!

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

When eighteen-year-old Miranda chases a purse snatcher on the Las Vegas Strip, the last thing she expects is for the pursuit to turn into an extended game of hide-and-seek. All Miranda wants are the old black and white photographs buried at the bottom of her purse. They’re the only things she has left of the grandmother she never knew. But how much is she willing to put on the line to save them? And is it possible she’s falling in love with a thief?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle D. Argyle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She adores cheese, chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in the time she grabs between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life. Michelle writes contemporary Young Adult and New Adult fiction (and other genres when she feels like it). 

michelledargyle.com | twitter.com/LadyGlamis | facebook.com/michelle.ladyglamis

Visit the CATCH tour page! TOUR PAGE. 

Release date: September 20th 2013
Publisher: MDA Books
Purchase: Amazon

Find CATCH on Goodreads

And now for the contest! Michelle is giving away both paperback and ecopies of CATCH during the tour, and the deadline is this coming SUNDAY, November 3. Don't miss out on your chance to enter and win! 

. 

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Thanks for stopping by! And now, back to writing.

DESCENDANT Birthday Bash Blitz!

Descendant Birthday Bash BLITZ

I have a birthday coming up. Usually, I’m not one of those people who tries to make a big deal about my birthday, because that would mean admitting I’m getting older. And I’m not. Not really. Just wiser.

DESCENDANT was released in May, and I didn’t do a huge online launch event, because May was just over-the-top crazy with us moving and stuff. June brought another set of challenges, and blah blah because that’s what life is, right? So I’ve decided that for my birthday, I want to do something super fun for my readers. Something to really celebrate the release of the novel that I thought might never be published. I want to give away prizes. LOTS of prizes. And gifts.

Just to remind you (not that you need it) here is the blurb for DESCENDANT:

Seventeen-year-old Abigail Johnson is Gifted. Blessed—or cursed—with Sight and Healing, Abby lives an unsettled life, moving from place to place and staying one step ahead of the darkness that hunts her. When she arrives in Jackson, Wyoming, she is desperate to maintain the illusion of normalcy, but she is plagued with visions of past lives mixed with frightening glimpses of her future. Then she meets Kye, a mysterious boy who seems so achingly familiar that Abby is drawn to him like he’s a missing piece of her own soul. Before Abby can discover the reason for her feelings toward Kye, the darkness catches up to her and she is forced to flee again. But this time she’s not just running. She is fighting back with Kye at her side, and it’s not just Abby’s life at stake.

And here is what we're going to do!

Purchase your copy today

         

Everyone that purchases a copy of DESCENDANT on July 1 or July 2 will receive a special prize pack of eBooks. 

1. SON OF LIBERTY by Daron Fraley

2. MR. NICE SPY by Jordan McCollum

3. THE SAPPHIRE FLUTE by Karen Hoover

4. YOUR CHOICE of any Rhemalda title

To qualify just email receipt of purchase dated 7/1 or 7/2.

But that's not all! There's more. Lots more. We're also giving away prizes (some of them prize packs) to 9 lucky event participants. You have until July 9th to do any / all of the following and enter this Rafflecopter. 

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Oh, and one other thing. Party favors!

Everyone who buys/gifts or reviews DESCENDANT during this event (on any of the event days) will receive a free digital download of DESCENDANT bonus material, which is two rather important deleted scenes that are not available for purchase anywhere.

Purchase your copy (or a gift copy) of DESCENDANT. To claim your free downloads, please email your proof of purchase dated July 1 or 2, 2013 to WriteNichole(at)gmail(dot)com . (Your email will ONLY be shared with the participating authors, who will then send you instructions on how to claim your free books.)

The Support We All Need (also, some winners!)

I’ve done several contests lately. It’s because I have all this awesome stuff and am kind of dying to start sharing it. I suppose I should save some of it for the upcoming launch month and all that, but, uh, that’s two weeks away. And I have winners now! To that end, the winners of last week’s drawing are… drumroll…

Descendant swag pack:                Karlene Browning

Swag pack #2                              Roberta Hulse

Descendant e-book:                     Donna Nolan

Congratulations ladies! I’ll contact you this week for mailing addresses and all those details.

Also, last week I failed to mention that I am about to send out the bookmarks from the previous contest (which have been packaged and almost ready for several days).  I cannot get used to having our local post office close earlier than most. So if you’re wondering where those are, um, yeah. They’re still coming.  

               

On another subject, I’ve been thinking a lot about support. We all have people we depend on, who support us through…well, life. Good times (like launching a new book) and tragedy (horrible accidents/illnesses/disasters), our emotional ups and downs, and also, our in-between blahs.

(You know what those are, right? Those times when you’re not really up, and not really down, and you’re sort of spinning around and around and not going anywhere, and you need someone to give you a little shove and tell you to do something, and maybe give you advice on what kind of something.)

We all need these people in our lives. We need people who cheer for us and mourn with us and kick us in the behind. Ironically, the people who manage to show up for our moments might not be the ones we expect. Sometimes we’re hurt by those who choose not to show up, and other times we’re surprised by those we didn’t expect who do show up. But when all is said and done, we realize that despite everything else, and in spite of all outside circumstances and choices, those people who are there for our moments—they’re the people we most need to have with us at that given time.

Maybe they have a lesson to teach or a message to share, or maybe they are a better friend than you ever realized. Or maybe a little voice whispered in their ear and made them think of you—and then they listened.

We can never really predict these things, and that’s okay. So maybe we should learn to hold onto the sweet, let go of the bitter, and fully enjoy the miracle that occurs anytime someone graciously offers the gift of their support.

And this week I am so, so grateful, to everyone who has been a part of my miraculous journey. Thanks for supporting me by reading! 

Operation Bookmark Share! (Otherwise known as the first ever DESCENDANT contest.)

Okay people, I promised you a contest, and here we go!

A couple weeks ago, a box showed up at my door. Not a large box, mind, but a box with very awesome things inside.

Yes, that's right. My very first order of Descendant bookmarks.

*squee*

What do you think? Pretty, yes?

They are the first of a few fun swag products I've ordered, and unfortunately, the only fun things to have arrived so far. But it's cool, because they lead in to my first contest.

In the interest in spreading the word about my book, I'm asking interested people to send me your name and mailing address (which I promise I will never use for anything other than the purposes of this contest) and your idea of a great location for where you are WILLING and able to drop a stack of Descendant bookmarks. It can be a library, a bookstore (with permission), a school where you work or teach--anywhere where you know there are people who read young adult literature.Heck, if you want to hand them out at a family reunion, or give them away on your blog--I'm cool with that. Be creative, but also be honest. Please don't accept this challenge and then throw the bookmarks away. I did have to buy them, after all.

The best part of this contest? Everyone wins. Yes, you read that right. EVERY single person who fills out the form below will receive (along with the giveaway stack) a numbered, signed bookmark from me. Also, once I mail said bookmarks, I will enter all your names into a random generator. One lucky winner will be the first to receive a free ebook copy of Descendant (when I have it to send). I'll leave this open from now until Friday, March 29th so that I'll have the weekend to package the stacks and hopefully send them on Monday, April 1st.

Sound good? Cool. Thanks for your help!

Don't forget to fill out THIS FORM so I can send YOU a stack of bookmarks.

Let IT Begin

And by IT, I mean launch prep.

So a few things I feel I should make public. First, I hope all my friends who are not writers (and even those who are) will forgive me for any promotional efforts that might feel excessive or over the top. I promise I will do my best to not over do it, but I think everyone has a different threshold of tolerance. I hope I don't cross yours. (But I promise not every post will be about me and/or my book. Most won't, so please do keep coming back.)

Also, be prepared for an unusual number of contests, excerpts, and mentions of reviews, etc, because that is what writers do when their first book is released. And their second. Maybe even the third. Okay, let’s face it. We do it for all of them until we become well enough known that our work promotes itself. Yeah.

Now, this is where I could use your help. 

I’d like to hear about your favorite unique promotion for a book or product. For instance, Bree Despain gave away custom nail polish that matched the covers of The Dark Divine series. Elana Johnson gave away a limited number of exclusive custom art pieces by the talented Dustin Hansen when she released Surrender.

Those are two of my favorites. Now I’d like to hear yours.

And, um, if you share an idea (not T-shirts, bookmarks, or posters) and I do something similar, you will receive the first of that type of prize for helping me out. No drawing. No tweeting or sharing or anything else required. Deal? Okay.

And…GO!

Hooray for winners!

In case you’re wondering who won the celebration giveaway drawing last week, I just drew some winners.

Unfortunately, I had to disqualify the first number drawn because whoever it was didn’t include the most important information. Like, a name. And an email address.  This might have been due to me not promising that I would never use any of your information for anything other than this drawing. My bad, and I promise to do better next time.

So, I’m very sorry, whoever you are. Because, you know, I’m sure you entered because you were really hoping to win. I just can’t send you prizes because I have no clue who you are.

So then I drew three other names. Can I have a drum roll please?

Dudududududududududunnnnnn…

And the winners are:

Heather Kelly : The signed YA book package

Shelley Brown: The clean reads book package

Kathleen Brebes: The autographed Fierce Reads poster.

Congratulations, ladies! I’ll be getting your information this week so I can get your prizes in the mail.

Stay tuned for regular posts to resume on Wednesday and Friday. Thanks for playing everyone! 

Much Partying in Blog land: a Giveaway Celebration

If you’ve been around in the last week, you’ve already heard my epic news. Yes, I know there are lots of questions. Someday I may do a conference presentation and tell the whole story, but not today. Today, we celebrate! (Which means I'm blogging Monday instead of Wednesday.)

 If you don’t know why we’re celebrating, you should visit this post.

See these?

And these?

These are books I’m giving away. Two lots of three, (the books in the YA lot are all signed—yes, even Leviathan) and to one lucky winner, a signed poster from the Fierce Reads tour.

To win, you only have to do one thing: enter. But in order to enter, you should be a follower, and / or sign up for my newsletter (see the sidebar). That’s it. Once you’ve done one (or both) of those things, fill out the form below and be entered to win.

However, if you want to share the love by spreading the word on your blog, or Facebook, Twitter, LinkdIn, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram—wherever, I’ll give you an extra entry for each. Because I’m nice like that. On your honor. (Just know that if you say you did something, and really didn’t, Karma will come down on your head, and believe me, you don’t want that. She’s not nice when she’s angry. I’m just sayin.) (Also, feel free to tag me on FB, @ me on Twitter, or whatever whatever—I’ll come say hi.)

I’ll use the random generator to choose the winners, and try to get them posted next week, Monday-ish. This contest will run from today, September 24th until Saturday September 29th at Midnight, Mountain Time. If you live outside the US, please only enter if you have a United States shipping addresses. I wish I could say I was a rich author, but…ya know. That is not my reality yet. (But there’s always someday.)

 Big hugs from me for all your support and friendship, and good luck with this contest!

Winners of the It's So Cherry Spring Kickoff Contest

(I was supposed to post this yesterday, but didn't get it done. My bad!)

We are excited to announce the winners of our Spring Kickoff Giveaway. Thanks to everyone who participated. We hope you will continue to follow us. We have fun things coming up, and hope to do another contest before too long. Congratulations to all the winners!
Grand Prize

Crystal Young

Jennifer@ Fictitious Musings

Angela Brown

Jenn Wilks



Winners of Barefoot Sandals

Ellen Cloch

Chelsea Haller

Ricki@ Reading Challenged

Melody J

Alissa (No last name offered)

Danyelle Ferguson

June M.

Tamera Westhoff

Jessica Foster

Brooke Berry

Erin Anderson

Jean (No last name offered)

Michelle Hudak

Lexie@ BookBug

Heidi Cole

Andrea Rossel

Kassandra (No last name offered)

Sayomay (No last name offered)

Carla (No last name offered)

Tobi (No last name offered)



We will be emailing the winners to get shipping information. Winners will have seven days to respond, after which alternates will be chosen. Prizes will ship within ten business days.

A May Giveaway: The It's So Cherry Super Spring Kickoff

Hi all! I figured it's been a while since I did a giveaway, and because it's May, and spring is already in full swing for me, I think it's about time.

Also, my sister has started a new company called It's So Cherry, which sells one spectacularly priced fun item per day. So far, most of the items have been women's accessories, but I hear they're planning to offer home accessories and things for men soon as well. So I'm helping her with this blog tour, and because of that YOU, my awesome readers, get an opportunity to win a goodie bag full of these really fun things.

And hey, just in time for Mother's Day, yes? So here are all the details, and good luck!

The trees and flowers are blooming, the sun is out (well, sometimes) and we here at It's So Cherry are all about celebrating, so we're giving away gift bags to four lucky winners, and a pair of barefoot sandals to 20 more. That’s right, you have TWENTY-FOUR chances to win.

To enter, register at www.itssocherry.com, and follow one (or more) of the participating blogs, then fill out the form below.

Contest Rules:

- Must be 16 and over

- One prize per household

- Must be registered @www.itssocherry.com

- Only valid for those living within the continental US, or with a United States mailing address

Each grand prize goodie bag will contain (1) Flower necklace set (with earrings), (1) crochet head wrap (color may vary), (1) scarf (color and style may vary), (1) package nail wraps, and (1) black wrap bracelet.  We will also give away 20 pairs of barefoot sandals to 20 winners.  

To enter, simply register for an account with It's So Cherry (www.itssocherry.com) and sign up for their email list.  Entries will be accepted starting Monday, May 7^th, until midnight, mountain standard time, on Friday, May 18^th.  **EXTENDED DEADLINE: Sunday, May 20th, midnight.** 

Prizes will be shipped within 10 business days after contest winners have been announced.   Winners will be selected using random.org, and contacted using the email provided for registration on the It's So Cherry website.  

Names of the goodie bag winners will be posted to participating blog sites as well as the blog for It's So Cherry, www.itssocherry.blogspot.com sometime by Monday, May 21st. Upon notification, winners will have 7 days to respond, after which another winner will be chosen.