Today first pass pages for THIS IS NOT A TEST arrived at my door. I went through and made my corrections, which is the last part of the process for me as an author. Next come ARCs, publication….

For my last post of the year, I want to share with you its dedication:

Would you believe this entry is actually a cover reveal?

(Maybe the title of this entry gave that away but pretend to be shocked!)

BUT before you look I have to give a nod to the folks at St. Martin’s Press who worked so hard to put this together. Particularly my editor, Sara and the cover designer, Lisa. I saw SEVEN covers before this one. Seven! That is the most covers any of my books have ever gotten. There was a point in July where I got like five of those covers in ONE week which was so exciting actually. I love covers. I want all the covers! But anyways, add to the fact that I got to give A LOT of input on this–and I mean A LOT–well. It has been A Process…

But I think it was totally worth it.

I hope you do too.

Here’s the plot, one more time:

If anything I think you are guaranteed a novel with a pretty cover. :)

Zombies zombies zombies!

f(O_o)f f(O_o)f f(O_o)f <- zombies!

In answer to the first question: June 2012 is when This is Not a Test is estimated to come out. I am not sure exactly when. But I don’t want you to miss it! So cancel everything for that month and pencil in THIS IS NOT A TEST PROBABLY COMES OUT. If you want to. I want you to, of course, but I want lots of things.

In answer to the second question–what is This is Not a Test about? Well. I have been wanting to tell you that for ages! I think this is the longest I have gone without giving you an idea of what I’ve been working on but there is a very good reason for that. This book has been hard and it has been many things. At one point, it wasn’t even going to be the next book! But now it is! So I can tell you WHAT it is! Are you ready? ARE YOU? Okay. Here goes. This is Not a Test is about…

Let’s try this official sounding summary instead:

SO WHAT MORE CAN I SAY. Except some people guessed it every now and then, what I was writing! And I had to say, “ZOMBIES HA HA WHO ME WAT.” And then I did some school visits earlier this year and my most asked question was, “Why won’t you write a zombie book?” And I had to be like, “ZOMBIES HA HA WHO ME WAT MAYBE SOME OTHER TIME.” Sorry for lying to your faces, people! This book was such a process that it was safer that way for all of us. And also admitting it before officially admitting it would’ve harshed on my reveal, you know? You guys would’ve had the stress of having to act surprised for my benefit on your shoulders.

So I was just thinking of YOU.

And fear not: if you liked Cracked Up to Be, Some Girls Are and Fall for Anything but zombies make you furrow your brows because they are not what falls into the category of ‘realistic YA,’ I think there is still something in here for you. ANYWAYS, soon I will write about zombies and how I love them in case you didn’t know and how alive they make me feel in my heart and the process of writing of this zombie book but for now I am just going to decompress and play some Left 4 Dead 2. Because short of surviving the zombie apocalypse, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate finishing my zombie book than playing a video game devoted to zombie carnage.

I’m such a bad, bad blogger.

Despite my absence, I am totally interested in bringing you blog content when I can and I am particularly excited to bring you THIS bit of blog content because it is an interview with someone who is totally amazing and it also includes a giveaway of two books you should want on your bookshelf.

So four years ago, around June, I’d just finished a book called CRACKED UP TO BE. I queried an agent named Amy Tipton about it and she offered to represent me. I was like, YESS! Not long after, she sold CUTB and then not long after that, she sold three more of my books! Amy made this writing thing possible for me and it is no exaggeration to say she changed my life in doing so. I guess I thought there was no better way to show my immense gratitude than to bug her for an interview. She said yes!

(She puts up with a lot.)
(From me.)

Amy also marks the first agent interview I have ever done, which is exciting. Usually I interview authors but I know a lot of you guys are writers yourselves, so I hope you like this bit of insight into a person who works on the other side of the desk–a person who works extremely hard and who is awesome at it.

Before I begin, here’s Amy’s bio from Signature Literary Agency’s website:


Amy Tipton joined the agency in 2009. She graduated from Naropa University with a B.A. in Writing and Literature and received her MFA from New College of California in Writing. She comes to the agency after working as a literary assistant and office manager at several literary agencies including JCA Literary Agency, Diana Finch Literary Agency, Gina Maccoby Literary Agency, and Liza Dawson Associates. Amy has also worked as a book scout for Aram Fox, Inc. dealing with foreign rights. She became an agent with Peter Rubie and continued to agent with FinePrint Literary Management. In addition to her agenting experience, Amy also worked as a freelance editor to Lauren Weisberger, author of the Devil Wears Prada. Her work is published in the anthology, Controlled Burn, and pieces of her first and second novel can be found in a variety of literary journals.


If you’re a writer interested in querying Amy, please read the submission guidelines at Signature Lit before doing so. Research! Also, before we begin, here is a photograph of Amy, taken by photographer/author (and her husband!) Ed Glazar, which is so amazing it speaks for itself:

Describe your agenting style in six words or less:

Editorial, supportive, motivational, friendly, loyal, upbeat.

You totally are all of these things. Your submission wishlist is up on Signature Literary’s website for anyone interested in querying you, BUT–is there any specific kind of project as of April, 2011 that you are totally dying to see land in your inbox?

I don’t have any expectations or wants so I’m blown away by everything. (I would like to see an overweight kid, though–as a character in a YA or MG.) I mostly suggest ideas to my clients–ideas based on movies–and they do a pretty good job of taking ideas I like and making them their own.

What kind of books are you absolutely NOT interested in representing at this point in time?

Heavy sci fi/fantasy. Picture books. Self-help.

You have sold a lot of debut novels (including mine!). What do you think a debut author should be prepared for their first-time out to make it easier for them and for their agent?

They should be prepared to wait. Patience (in this business) is key.

I am still learning this. :) There is A LOT of advice out there for aspiring authors seeking representation–how to query, what to look out for, what to beware of etc. What advice do you have for authors who are already agented? Do you have any tips on how to keep the author/agent relationship running smoothly?

I can’t say it enough, whether you’re agented, a first-timer, etc. you need to be patient. Editors can be slow. Agents can be slow. And you need to trust your agent. The author/agent relationship is like a marriage–treat it accordingly.

Great advice. What about people who want to be agents? Do you have any advice for them?

Good luck!

If you could have an agenting theme song, what would it be?
I always thought I’d have some punk rock theme (because I listen to that the most) or some heavy metal or country but no, like my literary taste, my musical taste is quite eccentric and ABBA’s “Take A Chance On Me” runs through my head every time I sub a new project.

This is tough because I love candy–cinnamon bears and lollipops and M&Ms, oh my! I’m a freak when it comes to sugar. But I guess, as boring as it may be, I love gum. Any kind. Love those bubblegum balls for a quarter. Love Hubba Bubba, Bubbalicious, Double Bubble, etc. I like Big Red and Juicy Fruit and Fruit Stripe (that zebra striped gum). Is gum a candy? If not, I like chocolate-covered pretzels. I also like caramel-covered apples.

I totally had to think and think and then rethink my answer … but I think Sweet Valley High #32 The New Jessica. I just love Sweet Valley and those twins and growing up I worshipped Francine Pascal and I really love a good makeover and this one is awesome!

It’s a little-known fact but I love horror movies in general. As far as zombie movies, I really like the remake of “Dawn of the Dead” with Sarah Polley–she’s super tough and I like that about her. (And I am a HUGE fan of the original “Dawn of the Dead” so I was skeptical of this remake.) This is difficult because there have been some good, and mainstream, zombie movies like “28 Days Later” and “Zombieland” and “Shaun of the Dead” (which I absolutely love).

Both are scary. Running zombies just make them seem more menacing rather than being the typical slow clunkers. But both are welcome.

Agreed! Finally, what are the best words of wisdom you’ve received in life and in business?

In life, I value my mother’s opinion: Never trust a blonde boy. In business, I’ve received tons of advice and words of wisdom but for some reason, I hear Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) from “Entourage”–and that’s not worth repeating!


Everything Ari says is worth repeating! Maybe not in public though, you’re right. Except this is the best Ari Gold moment ever and I can’t resist posting it. Readers, take note, it is NSFW:

Now what interview is complete without a giveaway? Answer: no interview. No interview is complete without a giveaway. I am giving away two (2!) books! They are upcoming releases from two of Amy’s clients and YOU NEED THESE BOOKS IN YOUR LIFE. They are:

Bike NYC: The Cyclist’s Guide to New York City is “the definitive guide to bicycling culture in the city’s fastest growing mode of transportation from the authors of the popular BikeBlogNYC.com. Part guidebook, photo essay, history and human-interest story, this book offers instructions for a dozen rides led by seasoned tour guides through all of the five boroughs.” I am stoked for it because, ngl, it’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to seeing NYC (for now!). Author sites: Ed Glazar, Marci Blackman and Michael Green.

If you’re no stranger to my blog, then you are no stranger to YA author Amy Reed, who is one of the best new voices in YA out there right now (in my humble opinion). Amy Reed’s debut, Beautiful knocked my socks off (see my interview with her here) and I am so excited about her sophomore release, Clean and you should be too.

HOW TO ENTER: This giveaway is for US & Canada Residents Only (sorry!). To be entered, comment on this entry ON my website (not via feed). Simple as that! You have until April 20th, when a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be have 24 hours to claim their prize before I do a redraw and they will be announced here in this blog entry, so check back here then to see if it’s you!

(Now back to neglecting everything for the sake of Book 4!)

Anyways.

Exciting news! I was on CBC Radio’s Definitely Not the Opera today (February 26th)! I talked about dropping out of high school and teenagers and writing and I was interviewed by Sook-Yin Lee. If you want to hear the show, you can go to this page and download it. Or you can just right click and save this link. My segment starts at 32:50 and goes until 40:39!

It’s all very lucky this happened because just this week I was thinking about how I hadn’t blogged anything for a while and then I was thinking about how things were so boring there was barely anything TO blog about so maybe that made it okay and then I decided it’s still been too long and I should blog ANYWAY and long story short, I was like thisclose to talking about how obsessed I have been with the Resident Evil movies lately, to the point where I sometimes stop whatever I’m working on and daydream about how many dangerous things I wish I was capable of doing while wearing a red dress with combat boots.

So this was basically a neat and unexpected turn of events. My first radio interview! With the CBC, no less. Trivia: ever since Cracked Up to Be to be came out my parents–die hard CBC listeners/viewers–have been trying to pressure me into figuring out a way to let the CBC know I exist because how awesome would that be? I could not deny it would be awesome but it also felt like ~The Impossible Dream~ so I just smiled and nodded whenever they started talking about it and went back to work.

Besides, I couldn’t really figure out the logistics for such things, either. Like, do I run up to the studio doors and set my books in front of them and run away and hope for the best? I am sure there are more professional ways to introduce yourself to the CBC but as an extremely introverted hermit writer that was the only one that truly sat well with me.

Needless to say, it was a teensy bit shocking when a very nice producer by the name of Joff emailed and asked if I’d be interested in sharing my story about dropping out for their show about Kids in Charge. First thing I thought after saying yes and ascertaining that my parents had not done the whole book-drop-and-flee thing while my back was turned?

WHAT WILL I WEAR?

I know, I know. Radio. Yes. Still, just because you can’t see me on the radio doesn’t mean I couldn’t see MYSELF.

And I would now like you to imagine me as beautifully and impeccably dressed while I relate the rest of this story.

So it was all organized and on Friday morning I was on my way to CFRC in Kingston, so I could sit in their studio and talk to Sook-Yin Lee, who would be in Toronto and Joff, who would be in Winnipeg. RADIO MAGIC. It was the most nervewracking drive ever. I’ve been a fan of Sook-Yin Lee since I was little and she was on MuchMusic and it was hard to wrap my head around the idea of like. Talking to her. And it was hard to wrap my head around the idea of talking out loud for radio purposes and having those things that I said be heard by lots of people. I mean, I write so I don’t have to talk, you guys. Writing is the only way I sound vaguely articulate. Everything that comes out of my mouth in real life sounds like “HA HA HA VELOCIRAPTORS SPARKLES ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE BOOK 4 DEADLINES WHEE [ANGRY YELLING]!”

My mom and sister came with me. Moral support. What could possibly go wrong with them nearby? Their excitement levels kept my panic levels equalized.

But in some ways they also made them worse.

Example:


Mom: Can I bring the camera?
Me: No.
Mom: Come on!
Me: I don’t want my picture taken!
Mom: Let me bring the camera.
Me: …
Mom: Pleeaaaaaaseeee?
Me: Fine. But DON’T use the flash, okay?
Mom: I would never! Give me some credit, here.


So I got to CRFC early and hung out in the lounge with my family, anxiously staring at clocks. Counting down the seconds. And then it was just about time! I was taken into the recording area (my sister and mom sat in the room outside of it and we could see each other through a big window) by the nice guy working there, sat on a stool and then a microphone was put directly in front of my face and my nervousness increased EXPONENTIALLY. For a second there, I was legitimately concerned I would fall off my stool. Or be sick to my stomach. On the mic. That wouldn’t have been very cool so I turned to the window so I could maybe get a thumbs-up or a wave of encouragement from my mom and my sister that would make me feel better when

And then of course it was time to go on.

And I couldn’t see anything.

So that is the story of how my mother temporarily blinded me.

I mean, of how I was interviewed for DNTO.

It was fun! Sook-Yin Lee is amazing and so was Joff. I have to admit, it will be a while before I’ll be able to listen to the segment myself (nerveees) but my parents were really pleased with it and that is good enough for me. I hope you are too because that would also be awesome.

Next, my friend Linda Grimes, recently announced HER two book deal with Tor! That makes us Macmillan cousins, I think! Linda’s blog is amazing, so just imagine how fantastic her books are gonna be! I am so excited for her and cannot wait to read both of ‘em!

And finally, remember Mindi Scott and her incredible debut Freefall? I had the pleasure of interviewing her recently! Well, she announced the sale of her sophomore novel, Live Through This, and it’s hitting shelves Fall 2012. As a total fan of hers, my anticipation hat is ON.

Yay Emily, Linda and Mindi! That’s my kind of good news!

Anndddd on that note–it is now back to the revision cave. Thanks for your patience while I’m dropped off the face of the planet. More from me when I get out… if I ever get out.

*ominous music*

Also:

For anyone crazy enough to disagree:

For reals, the lists are a fantastic resource for any reader and I have to say I was particularly excited to see CJ Omololu’s Dirty Little Secrets, Amy Reed’s Beautiful and Carol Lynch Williams’s Glimpse on the Quick Picks list and Lucy Christopher’s Stolen, Tara Kelly’s Harmonic Feedback, Melina Marchetta’s Finnikin of the Rock, Daisy Whitney’s The Mockingbirds and Glimpse on the Best Fiction for Young Adults list. They’re all books I’ve read in the last year or so and loved very much. If you haven’t read them wat, I say wat, are you waiting for?!

So judging by the fact my last blog entry was written last year, I have been deliciously neglecting… my blog. Sorry! Despite this, I’ve been taking care to keep the What People Are Saying section of Fall for Anything’s page updated, so if you want to check out what people are saying about it head on over. Thank you, as always, to those who have taken the time to help spread the word about Fall for Anything, online and off. It really, really helps.

Anyways, the reason I have been so deliciously neglecting certain aspects of my online life is because, well. I’m busy and I’m tired, Internets! I spent the holidays launching Fall for Anything whilst juggling family-centric holiday stuff (as you do) and revising the last 130 pages of Book 4, which blossomed into 160 pages or something ridiculous before emailing it to my editor directly after the new year. Yes, it is with my editor, which makes me equal parts afraid–the good kind of fear–and happy. I think that emotion is called ‘hafraidness,’ but don’t quote me on that. But sweet beautiful wonderfulness it is off my desk for the moment and that is a very nice feeling.

And because my new year’s resolution is to write two books this year (I never make new year’s resolutions but the world is ending in 2012, so), I decided to take the opportunity to start outlining and working on Book 5. This is what that outline looks like so far:

But anyway, let's BACK THE EFF UP and talk about my treadmill desk! If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you have heard all about it and you are bored of it all by now but check out my treadmill desk those of you who don’t know and those of you who have seen it already:

That’s awful.

But this! THIS! This marries productivity and healthy exercising in such a beautiful way that time actually flies by on it which is the most amazing thing. And it did not take long to get the hang of walking and typing AT ALL. Basically, I love it.

I also love adding “sent from my treadmill desk” to the end of the emails I send from my treadmill desk, which is way awesomer than sending an email from an iPad/Pod/Phone, Blackberry, whatever you crazy kids are using to communicate with other people these days. SENT FROM MY TREADMILL DESK. AW YEAH.

(This blog entry, I should note, was not written from my treadmill desk but it could have been. I KNOW. I just blew your mind.)

I get a little consumed by reader response a couple months before and after one of my books is released, not going to lie. Fall for Anything is in that tender stage where I want everyone to like it. I’ve gone through this with all of my books. Of course you want people to like what you’re putting out there–I think that’s a very natural and human thing to want–but as The Rolling Stones say…

When I decided I’d write with the eye of hopefully getting published, the first thing I did was prepare myself for People Not Liking My Work and the word ‘no.’ Every writer knows this and knows it well–want agent? Want book deal? You’re going to hear the word no in your quest for both–a lot. And yes is never guaranteed.

(Sometimes no is even delivered by a stabby knife that stabs you directly in the heart stabbingly and you just have to try not to bleed all over the furniture while you send your next query and sometimes you’ve just barely stopped bleeding when the next no comes and you’re like HOW AM I STILL ALIVE? HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?)

What got me through the query stage was reminding myself that fiction is subjective. When Cracked Up to Be sold to St. Martin’s, I immediately started Phase 2 of this line of thinking, which means I thought the same thing but much harder and consequently gave myself forehead wrinkles and headaches. By the time December 23rd, 2008 rolled around–Cracked Up to Be’s release date–I thought I was totally ready for whatever people had to say about Parker Fadley and her bitchy disposition.

Ha ha ha!

I don’t think you can ever truly be prepared to have your work out there, whether people ultimately end up loving it or hating it. Even if you do your absolute best to ignore the stuff people say about yer stuff, it’s hard to be unaware of the fact that people are out there, saying stuff about yer stuff. It’s a nearly impossible concept to wrap your head around. For me, it was much easier to understand in theory, but experiencing it was something else ENTIRELY.

So Cracked Up to Be hopped off the presses and promptly ran face first into one of The Worst Reviews I’ve Ever Received (So Far) and I immediately forgot all of my own advice. The funny thing is, I even had an inkling this review was coming and tried to steel myself for it–fiction is subjective! It is subjectivvve!–but this review took my breath away with its utter loathing of my writing.

The first thing I did was email it to my agent to make sure I wasn’t overreacting. What if it was one of those reviews that was actually not so much mean as it was critically even-handed and I was just too close to my book and not seeing that? My agent and I quickly established this wasn’t the case. That settled, I stepped back from the computer and thought, there! It wasn’t just me! So that’s it! My first really terrible review and I survived!

And then I got REALLY upset!

How to describe it–I kind of felt like I’d shown up at a prom full of a bunch of strangers with my dress tucked into my pantyhose and also I am wearing really, really ugly underwear in this nightmare. I felt very naked and looked at and the people who were looking at me hated what they were seeing and I didn’t even know them!

That’s a really humbling feeling. It’s good to be humbled. But like I said, it’s also a bit overwhelming. After I had My Moment and then My Moment (Extended Version) and then My Moment (Remix) and then My Moment (Extended Version Remix) I did a lot of thinking. I’m a person who Likes Things A Certain Way (read: control freak) and I was quickly learning that I could not control what other people thought of my work. That was quite the personal epiphany.

So was I going to let a bad review be the worst thing that ever happened to me? Well, no. Would I let the expectations surrounding a positive review paralyze my writing? Absolutely not–I have a lot more stories I wanna tell. And then came the mental smackdown: like Jen Trynin said and which I like to remind myself of a lot: “No one deserves anything.”

No one deserves anything, let alone a book deal. I didn’t want to spit in the face of the hard work and luck involved in getting my own or the hard work of people who are in the process of pursuing one. I decided I needed to learn the fine art of compartmentalizing (or ‘sucking it up’ as the Canadians call it).

But how does a writer do that? How do they cope? Well… I don’t know. I don’t like speaking for all writers!

So I can only tell you what this one did.

I am three books into my writing career (hopefully there will be more) and I’ve received my share of reader response–both good and bad. I have been called irresponsible. I’ve received emails that praise my first book in one paragraph and ask me why my second was so terribly written in the next. But I’ve also been told Parker’s story inspired someone to get help. I’ve been told Regina’s enabled a reader to speak up about their own bullying. Someone told me my books made them realize they wanted to write. That’s crazy–but good crazy. In three books, I have learned to view all responses as positive ones–even the negative ones. If you’ve written a book that causes people to react, that’s a very good thing. It’s something I’ve learned not to take lightly.

But I also can’t let any response get in the way of my writing and I think at the end of the day it’s important to write a book YOU, as its creator, love and believe in above all else, because other people’s praise and criticism will only take you so far. You will likely never believe your best review and it’s way too easy to talk yourself into believing your worst. It can also be a dangerous thing to get completely caught up in positive responses and dismiss all your critics as haters…

Ani Difranco has this great song called Tamburitza Lingua. It is pretty depressing but it ends on this great (albeit sad) note: Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three two one and kerplooey, you’re done, you’re done for, you’re done for good now tell me did you do did you do all you could? Uhm, like I said, depressing–but worth thinking about in terms of writing. Did you write the story you wanted to? Did you say everything that was in your heart? If you answered ‘yes’ to both of these questions, realize how amazing that is, objectively. It’s a gift and you should take it seriously.

Finally, I could never overstate the importance of WORKING ON SOMETHING NEW. When you’re fully invested in a new story, you’re detaching, on some level, from the last one. Allowing yourself distance from your previous work makes the response it gets feel like not so much of a ‘hit.’

But it’s still intimidating to be judged. Of course it’s scary. And even more comforting: it’s inevitable. NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE DOING. And in spite of all I’ve written here, as I said–I’m currently in a tender stage of Fall for Anything’s release, where I want everyone to like it. I still have My Moments and their Extended Versions and their Remixes over some of the feedback I get. But I know now it will pass and I try to remember the only thing you can do is let the chips fall where they may and then turn your attention forward.

You HAVE to, or at least I do, because above all, I firmly believe that once a book is released, it’s not mine anymore. I’ve had my time with those characters and now it is over. Such a big part of putting your work out there is letting it go. And I think in this particular case, letting go is just something you have to learn over and over again but that you maybe hopefully get better at the more and more you do it.

Lest you become this Duffy song.

Okay, now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, first thing: the winner of four of my favourite books this year, plus a copy of Fall for Anything, is Amy Lukavics. Her favourite read of 2010 was Amy Reed’s Beautiful! The winner of bonus prize of a finished copy of Fall for Anything (generously donated by Damon, who rocks) was Kats whose favourite read was Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. Ladies, I’ve emailed you! You have 48 hours to claim your prizes!

Next thing: this book comes out today!

I hope you get yourselves a copy! And I hope you connect with it. This book was difficult to write at times, but in the end I think it was worth it. I’m thrilled to have it out there and I’ve been extremely humbled by the way it’s been received so far. It is a bit staggering to think this is Book the Third. Not only that, in two days it will be the second anniversary of Cracked Up to Be’s release and January 5th marks the first anniversary of Some Girls Are’s release. Crazy! Each time the experience of releasing a book really drives home to me how many lovely people make this all possible. Agent, editor, publisher, critique partners, librarians, booksellers, readers, book bloggers, friends, family–and that’s just to name a few. I’m grateful to all of you.

Thank you.

Quite a few reviews of Fall for Anything hit the internets the last week and a bit, and I promised I’d do a round-up in this blog entry. If new ones crop up, I’ll add to the list throughout the day. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and review it!

IT NEVER ENDS!

But I ain’t complainin’. :)

Internet, that draft needs polishing, so guess how I am spending the holidays?

Internet, I am very tired and very behind.

I hope you will bear with me while I catch up. I always feel guilty about writing blog entries before I’ve caught up on other people’s blogs, my own blog comments (sorry for everyone in the queue), my emails… etcetera. But I’m really hoping I’ll be in the clear by the end of this week. I thank you for your patience. Meanwhile, I have a bunch of stuff to tell you about! Like the short story that I wrote for you to read and the big giveaway I am holding in celebration of the good books I’ve read this year and do you like books you could win some good ones so stay with me here.

(How awful. Trying to buy your attention with book giveaways. Tsk tsk!)

But first can I just say oh-my-goodness-I-finished-that-draft? Because oh my goodness I did. Wow. It used to be I’d finish a draft of a book and RIDE AN ADRENALINE HIGH right after, but apparently I have graduated to a new phase of writing where every time I finish a draft I just want to rock back and forth in a corner and not talk to anyone forever. That’s bleak. Maybe payback for the horrible things I put my characters through? Who knows. Anyways.

So about a month ago, St. Martin’s Press asked me if I would like to write a short story related to Fall for Anything in anticipation of its release and I said yes! The best part about it is that you do not have to read the book to ‘get’ it. But hopefully, if you haven’t read the book, it will make you want to read it! And if you have read the book it will add an ~extra dimension~ to your experience. And get this–it’s from a dude’s perspective!

… Phew!

So I was going to do a Fall for Anything giveaway when I announced the Milo short story, but given all of these chances at it floating around, I thought I’d mix it up a little and give away books that I’ve loved this year! And Fall for Anything. Which I love in a different way. I think it would be a nice wind-up for 2010. Also, the best part about reading great books is sharing them with other people. The toughest part about this giveaway is that I’ve read SO MANY good books this year, it was really hard to narrow it down to four. So I took into consideration previous giveaways and decided on these four (plus Fall for Anything):

This contest is open to people who live anywhere The Book Depository ships! Visit this page to see if they ship to you. If they do, you gots to enter this contest. How do you do that? Just comment on this entry by December 20th and tell me what your favourite book of 2010. Easy!

BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE.

I got a lot of good natured ribbing about all the US/CAN only contests held this year for Fall for Anything. Do you know who heard your cries? One of my oldest and dearest friends, Damon Ford. A truly wonderful human being, he is one of those friends you have to stop and stare at the sky and you’re all like sky, Damon is such a great friend. Thank you. In Fall for Anything, I named a river after him! In Some Girls Are, he was the convenience store Regina bought all her antacids in!

Anyways, Damon is generously putting up a second prize of a copy of Fall for Anything for Australian/UK residents only. So if you live in Australia or the UK and you want a shot at the 5 books above AND a shot at the second prize of a single copy of Fall for Anything, just include Damon rocks! in your comment.

So let’s have those rules one more time:

1. Everyone! To enter to win my four fave reads of 2010 and a finished copy of Fall for Anything, comment telling me YOUR favourite read of 2010.

3. You have until December 20th. Winners will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to give me their details before I will draw again.

Clear as mud, right? Please note that The Book Depository ships their books individually, and they won’t be shipping Fall for Anything until January 3rd–but you’ll get it!

Anddd that is about everything, I think! I am off to catch up on… everything. Oh wait! I’m so excited to announce that Some Girls Are has been nominated for a 2010 GoodReads Choice Award in YA Fiction. If you have a GoodReads account and you dug SGA, it would mean the world to me if you gave it your vote!

And that actually is everything. Seriously. I promise.

NOW ENTER MY CONTEST!

Oh, but wait. Wait even more! Before I announce the winners, I may have something of interest to you if this is the kind of thing you are interested in. I posted about it in various online places last week but no news is ever official until I blog about it 500 years later, amirite? The first five chapters of Fall For Anything are online. If you’re so inclined to read them, you can do so by clicking here. ALSO, I did an interview with Miss Remmers’ students on her blog. They asked me some fantastic, thoughtful questions and you can check it out here. Thank you for having me, Miss Remmers!

And NOW onto the Fall For Anything giveaway winners!

But wait!

Yeah, I’m awful. But before I tell you who won what, I really want to thank everyone who entered. I was completely bowled over by the response and enthusiasm for Eddie and her mysterious dying hands. Thank you. Ok. So. The winner of the Fall For Anything ARC (for reals this time) is…

Lara!

And the winner of two preordered finished copies are…

Sommer and Ginny!

So that’s that! If you’re still interested in snagging a Fall For Anything ARC, I guess we should talk about this new contest that I am holding? It is open to International entries! It is also a Facebook exclusive. I know, I know. If it’s not one thing it’s the other. If you would like a chance to win a Fall For Anything ARC, here is what you have to do:

1) Go to my Facebook page. This one –> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Courtney-Summers/145262370138
2) Like me! Really like me!
3) On the Facebook wall write, “I want Fall for Anything!” or whatever. Just let me know you want to be entered in this glorious contest.
4) I’ll like the comment (so you know I’ve seen it) and put you into the draw. I’ll announce the winner October 25th.
5) One entry per person. Winner will be announced on the Facebook page (I’ll reply to their comment, post it on the wall and if it’s possible message them). They’ll have 48 hours to claim their prize before a redraw.

If you don’t have a Facebook account and you hate liking people, there will probably be another giveaway in the near future. Who knows!

In other news (I say this a lot–is there a better way to segue into other news because I’m tired of saying it), two YA author friends of mine are celebrating some good news this week and I want to celebrate with them!

Victoria Schwab, author of The Near Witch (hey, crazy–turns out that link is a pre-order link!) got to reveal the cover of her book yesterday. I was lucky enough to get an early read on The Near Witch and though I am primarily a contemporary YA reader, this book had me from start to finish. Fully expect it to take your breath away when it comes out in August 2011. Check out Victoria’s qt vlog below and then go to her blog for further deets!

In other other news (?), I am still making October as full of scary movies as I can. On the to-be-watched pile: Kwaidan (so excited about this one!), Disney’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow (an oldie, but a goodie–like Hocus Pocus WHICH I HOPE YOU ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON), Trick ‘r Treat (totally fast-forwarding through the werewolf bits for obvious reasons) and The Black Belly of the Tarantula which was recommended to me by Emily Hainsworth! And is anyone watching Dead Set on Space? It is about zombies and reality television and it is AWESOME.

And that is all! Go forth and enter my Facebook Exclusive, Open to International Entries ARC giveaway! Or watch horror movies! Because uhm, I can’t remember the focal point of this blog entry anymore. Probably it was the contest. But I really love horror movies too, so…