WInner and What's Up Wednesday

Happy Christmas Eve Eve!

The winner of the signed copy of Rhonda Stapleton's
STUPID CUPID is:

GMR

Congratulations! Please send your mailing instructions to gerb (@) lindagerber (.) com and we'll get it sent out to you. Don't forget to put "winner" in the subject heading.

Everyone, thanks for playing and for the happy wishes for Rhonda! Don't forget that STUPID CUPID would make a great holiday gift!

And while we're at it, DEATH BY BIKINI, DEATH BY LATTE and DEATH BY DENIM would make killer holiday gifts as well. I'm just saying...


What's up this week?

I have no idea. Seriously. Between Christmas preparations, kids home from school and trying to finish up this latest book before the end of the year, I have no clue what's going on in the real world.

Oh! Except I have a new great-nephew! (That 'great' in front of the word nephew makes me feel old...) Anyway, he made his debut on Saturday and he's adorable.

And speaking of debuts, happy release week to Rhonda, of course (STUPID CUPID), Bree Despain (THE DARK DIVIDE), Lindsay Eland (SCONES AND SENSIBILITY), Yvonne Printz (THE VINYL PRINCESS), Ed Decter (VIP LOUNGE), and Andy Briggs (VIRUS ATTACK and DARK HUNTER).

I'm going to be taking the rest of the year (as well as the first week of 2010) off from the blog, but I'll see you back in January for more Freebies.

Have a safe and happy New Year!!!

FREEBIE FRIDAY with Rhonda Stapleton

Happy Friday! Only one week until Christmas! Anyone else not ready?

Today I'm very pleased to welcome Rhonda Stapleton to the blog. Her book, STUPID CUPID hits the shelves on Tuesday - just in time for gift giving!

I met Rhonda in person just last Saturday at an event Chelsea (The Page Flipper) organized for authors and book bloggers. Fun event - with cupcakes!- and Rhonda is about the funniest person I've met.

Rhonda says she started writing appease the voices in her head. (Pretty strong voices, I'd guess - she has a Master's degree in English and a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing.) She shares my love for chocolate, Chinese and Japanese food, and reading! If you ever invite Rhonda to your house, don't serve her blue food and what ever you do, don't hang the toilet paper roll so that it unwinds along the wall. You've been warned...

Meanwhile, I can't wait to get my hands on her book, STUPID CUPID. Chapter one is available to read online, and it left me wanting more! Here's the official blurb:

Felicity Walker believes in true love. That's why she applies for a gig at the matchmaking company Cupid's Hollow. But when Felicity gets the job, she learns that she isn't just a matchmaker...she's a cupid! (There's more than one of them, you know.) Armed with a hot pink, tricked-out PDA infused with the latest in cupid magic (love arrows shot through email), Felicity works to meet her quota of successful matches. But when she bends the rules of cupidity by matching her best friend Maya with three different boys at once, disaster strikes. Felicity needs to come up with a plan to set it all right, pronto, before she gets fired...and before Maya ends up with her heart split in three.

Reviewers call it "charming", "fast-paced", "real life" and "fabulously funny."

If that's not enough to get you excited, how about this - two more books will quickly follow STUPID CUPID - FLIRTING WITH DISASTER and PUCKER UP.

For this week's Freebie, we're going to do something a little different. To celebrate the release, Rhonda and her release date triplets, Bree Despain and Lindsay Eland are hosting three scavenger hunts on their blogs, giving away their books, STUPID CUPID, SCONES AND SENSIBILITY and THE DARK DIVINE. Hurry on over to enter. I'll wait. (But don't forget to come back for another chance to win!)

You're back? Okay. We're going to conduct our own little scavenger hunt - and it's super simple. To be entered to win a signed copy of STUPID CUPID and a seriously adorable STUPID CUPID bookmark, leave a comment below, wishing Rhonda a happy release day and search Rhonda's website to find the correct answers to my mini scavenger hunt questions. (They're way easy.) Choose one of the three to answer and send the answer to me at gerb (@) lindagerber (.) com. (Important: please write STUPID CUPID in the subject line of your email so that it will not get lost in my overflowing inbox.) This contest will remain open until Wednesday, December 23 - one day after the release date!

1. Why does Rhonda write YA stories?
2. What color heart is featured on PUCKER UP?
3. When does Rhonda blog over at Fictionistas?

That's it! I told you it was easy. Have a fabulous weekend!

(To my friends in the Northeast - get out those shovels and bundle up. Stay safe and warm!)

WInner and What's Up Wednesday

Happy mid-week! Thanks everyone who commented about who they appreciated. We should do this more often. It made me happy all weekend.

By random drawing, the winner of the chocolate and gift card is:

Kate Coursey

Congratulations! Please send your mailing instructions to gerb (@) lindagerber (.) com and we'll get that sent out to you. Don't forget to write winner in the subject line so you don't get lost in the inbox.

Everyone else, please come on back on Friday for a celebration freebie - Rhonda Stapleton is stopping by to party with us and celebrate the release of her hilarious new book, STUPID CUPID. You do not want to miss this one.

What's up this week?

Kirkus Reviews has folded. Sad.

Borders UK is in danger of closing. Gasp.

Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Bennett in the movie adaptation of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES. Cool.

Awesome upcoming deals: Four more books from Lisa McMann, Two more books to come in the TANTALIZE series by Cynthia Leitich Smith, Film rights sold for Marley Gibson's GHOST HUNTRESS YAY!!!!!

SYTYCD results are tonight. Can't wait! Who do you guys think will win?

This week's YouTube linkie... (This is how I sound sometimes trying to sing lyrics in the car. Just ask my kids.)



See you Friday!

Freebie Friday and Agent Love

Happy Friday!

Today is International Agent Appreciation Day, thanks to a really smart idea by the brilliant Kody Keplinger. I'm so happy to spread the agent love because my agent - Elaine Spencer with The Knight Agency - is made of awesome and I don't tell her enough how much I appreciate her. So, Elaine, this one's for you!

The Top Ten Reasons Why I Love my Agent

10. She is exceedingly patient with me.

9. She just got engaged and her joy is contagious.

8. She is a great brainstormer.

7. She stands up for me when I don't have the backbone to stand up for myself.

6. She helped me navigate the business end of the Death By series even though it was sold by my previous agent and she didn't get paid anything for all that work.

5. She believes in me.

4. She makes sales happen.

3. She appreciates good chocolate.

2. She's an enthusiastic partner and cheerleader.

1. She's one of the nicest people I know in a business where nice is easily forgotten.

Happy International Agent Appreciation Day, Elaine! Thank you so much for the patience, guidance, encouragement and friendship!

In Elaine's honor, today's freebie is a pound of Anthony Thomas chocolate (Anthony Thomas is a local chocolatier) and a $10 B&N gift card. To be entered to win, leave a comment below telling me about someone you appreciate in your life.

This drawing will remain open until Wednesday, December 16.

WInner and What's Up Wednesday

Until now, we've avoided the storm that's been smacking the rest of the Midwest, but last night the rain blew in, followed by a cold front that's gusting hard enough to toss the huge trash cans down the street and spit sleet against my windows. Brrr. I tell you this only to warn that this post might be short. The wind keeps messing with our satellite, which is messing with our phone, TV and Internet connections.

So, without further ado: The winner of Debbie Rigaud's PERFECT SHOT is:

Jenni

Congratulations! Please send your mailing instructions to gerb (@) lindagerber (.) com and we'll get that sent out to you. Everyone else, please come on back on Friday for a special super sekrit Freebie Friday post!

What's up this week?

I'm on of the 25 Guests of Christmas over at Books are Bliss. I'm talking holiday travel horror stories and giving away a copy of DEATH BY DENIM. Stop by and say hello!

And speaking of DBD, I have to share these pictures with you... Saturday I had lunch with my dear friend Jenny Meyer who lives a couple of hours away. She brought me a quilt she had made to celebrate DEATH BY DENIM. Isn't this the coolest thing ever? I completely love the fact that she even made it for me. (I can't even sew a straight seam so I seriously appreciate the hours and hours of work this must have taken.) Plus, there are so many cute little details I keep discovering. Jenny is the best ever.

And these are some illustrations of my SASS characters, Nori and Mo, that my niece Emma drew for me. Again, I'm really touched that she spent so much time and effort. Thanks, Emma!

Meanwhile, the International Climate Treaty talks are underway in Copenhagen, Denmark. I'm wondering what impact (if any) the global warming scientists hoax scandal will have on their decision making...

Check out this new game to teach HS students about cell biology. I wish they had something like this to help me understand the concepts when I was in school!


And finally, happy release week to Lauren Kate (FALLEN) and Libby Schmais (THE PILLOW BOOK OF LOTUS LOWENSTEIN)!

Keep warm! See you Friday!

FREEBIE FRIDAY with Debbie Rigaud

Happy Friday!!!

(Edited to add: Hey! It's Tiara Day! Happy Tiara Day!)


Today we're celebrating this week's release of Debbie Rigaud's PERFECT SHOT. If you like the Simon Pulse romantic comedies, you'll love PERFECT SHOT. It's clever and fun and the first of the group to feature a heroine of color.

Debbie's also the first African-American author to write for the series. She's been writing for teens for years in such magazines as Seventeen, Twist and CosmoGIRL!. She’s interviewed celebs, politicians and other social figures, but enjoyed interviewing “real” girls the most. A total Jersey girl at heart, Debbie lives in Bermuda with her husband.

You can find out more about Debbie, her work, and PERFECT SHOT on her website here or her blog here.

The official backcover blurb for PERFECT SHOT:

London Abram’s first love is volleyball, so why does she enter an online modeling competition? Answer: superhottie Brent St. John. London spots Brent signing in contestants at a store, and she gets in line simply to say hi. But she never dreams she’ll make it into the competition!
London’s now up against fourteen hungry fashionistas willing to do whatever it takes to win. All she wants to win is Brent’s heart…but the money prize couldn’t hurt. If London plays this right, she can win the contest, the boy, and the cash. GAME ON!

The interview:

What inspired you to write PERFECT SHOT?
I like exploring what happens when a character steps way out of their comfort zone. In PERFECT SHOT when London suddenly goes from the volleyball court to the fashion runway, she feels out of her league. In life there’s going to be super uncomfortable moments that have a lot to teach us. It’s about having the courage to step outside of our self-assigned or socially-assigned boxes.

Have you ever done anything crazy like London does in PERFECT SHOT?
Yes, like London, I have done some wacky things after a crush attack. Once, on a high school class trip to Wall Street, I used hand signals to communicate with a young intern working the floor. Back then there was a visitors’ mezzanine above the trading floor that was, I believe, enclosed in glass. The intern signaled back and this exchange at the - er, stock exchange caught the attention of my classmates who all crowded around me. This was way out-of-character for me so that’s how I know I was seized by a crush attack.

Have you ever had a premonition? What happened?
I sort of have. Several years after college, I moved to London for about two years. Sure I was working a regular job out there, but I also used the opportunity to go on dance auditions. Well, before one audition, I psyched myself up by visualizing that I?d rock it out so hard, a guy would jump in and dance with me during my audition. I don’t know why a guy jumped into my visualization, but there he was. Fast forward to the actual audition - I was called before the judges in a group of three performers, a guy and two girls. When the three of us started dancing, the guy in my audition group turned to me and we danced together, just like in my visualization. Crazy. I didn’t get the part, by the way. I guess I should have visualized the judges giving me a call back instead.

If you could hang out with any literary character, who would you choose and why?
Baby Suggs from Toni Morrison’s BELOVED. The elderly are like royalty to me and I love being around them. And Baby Suggs is a gem. I could sit at her feet all day and be content.

Are you superstitious? In any way?
If you’re asking if I’m superstitious in the don’t-split-poles or avoid-stepping-on-a-crack way, no. But believe me, I’ve got lots of quirks that some may consider eccentric or ‘woo-woo.’ For instance, I never put my purse on the floor because I was raised to believe that, in essence, it means I’m debasing myself.

Do you have any special writing rituals or totems to connect with your muse?
No, but I’m hoping to adopt something that feels right to me. I think rituals can help build more discipline in my writing routine. I can use more structure to keep me organized and productive.


What's one thing most people don't know about you?
I’m super whiny. Fortunately, the Hear Debbie Whine club is a very exclusive one. I only whine to my mother and my husband. My sisters have heard me whine, I’m sure, but I don’t whine to them.

The freebie:

To be entered to win a signed copy of PERFECT SHOT, leave a comment below, telling about the craziest thing you've done for a crush. This drawing will remain open until Wednesday, December 9.

Game on!

WInner and What's Up Wednesday

The winner of this week's freebie is:

Amy

Please send your mailing instructions to gerb (@) lindagerber (.) com and your preference (book or gift card) and I'll get that out to you. Please remember to put WINNER in the subject heading so you don't get lost in my inbox.

Everyone, thanks for sharing your serendipitous moments. It's so fascinating to go back and see the forks in the road that led us to where we are. I'm sorry I didn't reply to any of them (I did read them all) but between the holiday weekend and this deadline I'm powering through, I barely had time to do that much!

Please come back on Friday, when GCC sister Debbie Rigaud will drop in for an interview, offering up a signed copy of her new release, PERFECT SHOT. You won't want to miss it!

What's up this week?

Did they or didn't they? White House Party Crashers claim they were invited. (Then why do we care?)

Nick Jonas is going solo. Gasp!

Why I love SYTYCD:



Happy release week to Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures), Lyah B. LeFlore (The World is Mine), Debbie Rigaud (Perfect Shot) and Maryrose Wood (What I Wore to Save the World)!

See you Friday!

Freebie Friday with Marley Gibson and Cecil Murphy

It's snowing! Yipeee!!!

Pardon the excitement, but this is the first snow of the year. My window looks out to the woods behind our house where the branches of the trees are beginning to be outlined in white. Sigh. It's so pretty.

Today is what a lot of people in the States call Black Friday. Not sure how that name originated; I think it sounds ominous. When I worked in retail, we used to call it Frantic Friday. Not much of an improvement, but at least it didn't sound like a stock market crash or something.

ANYWAY, today, to kick off the holiday season, I'm pleased to bring you my friend Marley Gibson and her co-author Cecil Murphy to talk about how their new book, CHRISTMAS MIRACLES, came about. I love this because it shows how serendipitous life can be:

Marley: I’ve had a lot of questions from folks wanting to know how we met, what brought us together, etc. So, I thought we’d do a back and forth on how it all came to be. Of course, I have to give props to our amazing agent and friend, Deidre Knight, for bringing us together. For those of you who don’t know, Cec co-authored the runaway New York Times bestselling hit 90 Minutes in Heaven with Don Piper.

Cec: I have to say thanks to Deidre Knight as well. Between Deidre and my assistant, Twila Belk, I've been able to sell quite a few books. 90 Minutes in Heaven has been my big book. I'm also proud of a book I wrote in 1990 called Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. The book has never been out of print and has hit close to four million in sales. Early this year, Cuba Gooding Jr. starred in the made-for-TV film version.

Marley: That’s amazing! You are truly prophetic and definitely “the man behind the words.” Now, people ask how we teamed up. Sadly, there was a personal tragedy that brought Cec and me together as friends.

Cec: True. In early 2007, our house burned and our son-in-law died. Aside from the grief over Alan, we lost everything. Deidre and Jan, my-then-assistant, sent the word out of our tragedy without telling me. I'm immensely grateful for every gift people sent, but I probably wouldn't have admitted I needed help and wouldn't have asked. They taught me how much we need other people.

Marley: Deidre put out a call to other clients of The Knight Agency, to help Cec and his family out in any way in their time of need. At the time, my company was moving and we were cleaning house. We had a ton of office supplies that we were either going to throw away or give to some of the charities the company worked with. I got my boss’ permission to send a large care package to Cec…full of office supplies for him to re-stock his writer’s office. You name it…post-its, staples, paper clips, pens, pencils, markers, white out, ruler, scissors, paper, notebooks, notepads, envelopes, a laptop case, tape, glue, folders, binder clips…etc. A veritable potpourri of office delights. I was hoping that it would help Cec have a sense of getting his office back so he could keep working.

Cec: Marley's gift was the most unexpected I received. We hadn't met, although Deidre Knight had spoken of her many times and kept telling me she was wonderful. I wonder if you can imagine what it was like for me to open that box from someone I didn't know. I saw all those practical things for my office and yelled for my wife. I felt as if I were reading a first-grade book. "Look! Look and see! Oh, look!" I was overwhelmed by the gift and even more to receive it from a stranger. Those supplies were the most practical gift anyone could have given me. I'm still using black paper clips and red folders from Marley.

Marley: Awww…thanks, Cec! I didn’t have to think twice about doing it. Writing is such a solitary “sport,” but the writing community always astounds me with how they help their own. Not long after that, over plates of spinach and Gouda omelets, Deidre introduced me to Cec in person and I was thrilled to finally meet the man behind the words. Deidre knew we needed to work on a project together and thus began our brainstorming. What did you think of that first meeting, Cec, and cooking up the idea to work together?

Cec: Deidre and I had already spoken about a Christmas book and I had some idea about what it should contain, but nothing had come together. One day Deidre told me that Marley was coming to visit her and she wanted us to work together on a Christmas project. Marley and I talked before we ate and again during the meal. Everything felt right to me. I knew my strengths and Marley knew hers (and Deidre knew both of us). Everything clicked. Marley, a far better networker than I am, immediately sent out the word for submissions. Within days she had almost four times more than we could use. (She read every one of them!)

Marley: I was truly impressed with the submissions we received and it was hard narrowing it down to the ones we chose for the book. We’re fortunate to have such a go-getter agent in Deidre Knight. Cec, can you share how the whole idea of Christmas Miracles came about and what you thought of the project originally?

Cec: For me, it actually started while I was on the rapid-rail train from the Atlanta airport when I listened to teens talk about Christmas and it was mostly about gifts. I had the idea then, but nothing really came together. Months later when Deidre I and had a meeting, she brought up the idea of a compilation and mentioned my working with Marley. I've been Deidre Knight's client since 1997 and I've learned to listen carefully when she comes up with an idea. I said yes before she gave me all the information.

Marley: That’s the truth about Deidre! Getting back to those submissions, Iwant to say we got more than two hundred submissions for Christmas Miracles. So many wonderful stories to read through and select for the book. It was a challenge to pick and choose which ones were right for the book, but I loved every minute of it.

For today's freebie, I want to hear about serendipity in your life. Have you ever had a chance encounter that led to something big? Did you make what you thought was a small decision and it had a greater impact? Tell me about it to be entered to win.

Since I know that not all my readers celebrate Christmas, this week's freebie will be your choice of either a copy of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES (which, aside from being a great read, would make a perfect gift or stocking stuffer!) or a $15 Amazon gift certificate.

This drawing will remain open until Wednesday, December 2.

WInner and What's Up Wednesday

Happy day-before-Thanksgiving, US readers!

The winner of Laurie Faria Stolarz's DEADLY LITTLE SECRETS is:

Jill of the O.W.L

Please send your mailing instructions to gerb(@) lindagerber (.) com and we'll get that sent off to you. Everyone else, come on back on Friday for a special Freebie kick-off of the holiday season!

What's up this week?

It's my daughter's birthday today!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JENNA-BEAR!!!!

Like I mentioned above, the US Thanksgiving holiday is tomorrow. I'll be doing turkey dinner with family, watching lots of football and going to see BLIND SIDE for our Thanksgiving Day movie. But mostly, I'll be thinking of all the things I'm thankful for. A big part of that is you, my online friends. Being an author is a dream for me. None of this would be possible without readers willing to invest their time and imagination to step into my stories with me. Thank you for the support. Thank you for your notes and emails. Thank you for buying my books!

Happy Thanksgiving!

And happy release week to Jessica Bendinger (The Seven Rays), Lili St. Crow (Betrayals) and J.B. Redmond and S.R. Vaught (A Prince Among Killers).

See you on Friday!

FREEBIE FRIDAY with Laurie Faria Stolarz

Happy Friday! Who went to see New Moon last night? Some of the reviews have not been very kind and I’m hoping to hear from fans that it’s not so bad.

But we’re not here to talk about New Moon! We’ve got more than enough to fill the post with today’s guest, YA author and GCC sister Laurie Faria Stolarz. Laurie’s one busy author, with a growing list of popular YA books to her credit, including Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Project 17, Bleed, and the bestselling BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series. Today we’re discussing her two latest releases, BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS and DEADLY LITTLE LIES, and the special paperback edition of DEADLY LITTLE SECRETS.

BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS is a companion book to the BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series. Laurie has a background in screenwriting, so when her editor talked to her about the idea of writing a graphic novel, she was really intrigued. She said it gave her an opportunity to try something new and to picture her book as a movie. She wrote it in a screenplay format, including notes for illustrations and sidebars. “It was an absolute thrill to write,” she says, “to have the opportunity to work with an illustrator, and to see my work come to life in this way.”

DEADLY LITTLE LIES is the second book in the TOUCH series, and the sequel to DEADLY LITTLE SECRET (which is now out in paperback. See below how you can enter to win a B&N exclusive edition featuring bonus excerpts from Ben’s secret blog!*) “I’m really excited about (DEADLY LITTLE LIES),” Laurie says, “because I think it has even more suspense, romance, and twists than the first book. It starts up a few months after Ben’s departure at the end of DEADLY LITTLE SECRET. Camelia’s spent those months researching everything she can find on psychometry (the ability to sense things through touch).”

How cool is that? Here’s the official book blurb:

Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, a new boy at school who had a very mysterious gift – psychometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry and experiencing strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow been transferred to her.

Ben returns to school, but he remains aloof, and Camelia can't get close enough to share her secret with him. Camelia makes the painful decision to let him go and move on. Adam, the hot new guy at Knead, seems good for her in ways Ben wasn't. But when Camelia and Adam start dating, a surprising love triangle results. A chilling sequence of events uncovers secrets from Ben’s past – and Adam's. Someone is lying, and it's up to Camelia to figure out who – before it's too late.

You can learn more about Laurie and her books, see the book trailer for Deadly Little Secrets and read up on Psychometry – and enter the TOUCH SERIES CONTEST** on Laurie’s website, lauriestolarz.com

And now for the interview:

Are you superstitious? In any way?
Yes, people have to leave my house the same way they came in, i.e. through the same doorway or entryway. If not, I’ve come to believe it takes the luck out of the house. I know, I know, but I can’t stop this superstition now. I’ve lived with it my whole life.

What songs would make the playlist for DEADLY LITTLE LIES?
**I actually have a contest going on that involves this very question. In celebration of the release of DEADLY LITTLE LIES, I’m launching a very exciting contest, the winner of which will have a minor character in DEADLY LITTLE GAME, the third book in the TOUCH SERIES, named after him or her. Please see the official rules here: http://www.lauriestolarz.com/news.html. I had a similar contest for the release of BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS. See the winning entry here: http://www.lauriestolarz.com/novels/black_is_for_beginnings.html

What inspired you to write THE TOUCH SERIES?
I wanted to write a story where the main character has to struggle with the idea of falling in love with someone who could potentially be dangerous. I tinkered with this concept in the first three books of my Blue is for Nightmares Series [(Blue is for Nightmares (Llewellyn 2003), White is for Magic (Llewellyn 2004), and Silver is for Secrets (Llewellyn 2005), as well as in Bleed (Hyperion 2006)]. In Bleed, in particular, there’s a young male character who was convicted for the murder of his girlfriend. His next relationship consists of pen pal letters he exchanges with a young girl while he’s in prison. Without giving too much away, the relationship is briefly pursued once he is released, but I wanted to bring this concept to another level.

Additionally, I wanted to continue experimenting with the supernatural (which I also use in my Blue is for Nightmares Series as well as in Project 17), showing how we all have our own inner senses and intuition, and how with work we can tap into those senses and make them stronger.

I started researching different types of supernatural powers and discovered the power of psychometry (the ability to sense things through touch). The concept fascinated me, and so I wanted to bring it out in a character, showing how sometimes even the most extraordinary powers can also be a curse.
Lastly, I wanted to apply these concepts to be part of a series. I love the idea of growing a main character over the course of several books.

Are any of your characters based on real people that you know?
No, though sometimes I’ll steal a character quirk from people I’ve known. For example, in the Blue is for Nightmares series, Amber carries around a pair of chopsticks for whenever she’s eating out. I once knew someone who did that.

What excites you?
Feeling like I’ve made a difference. Seeing people happy. Hearing success stories and stories of triumph.

What turns you off?
Narrow-mindedness, intolerance, ignorance, cruelty.

If you could invite anyone you wanted - living or dead - to hang out with you at a weekend retreat, who would you invite and why?
Gary Zukav. I find his insights and perspective on life fascinating. It’d also be fun to kick it with Oprah.

What's your favorite quote?
Perseverance is key

*To be entered to win a signed limited edition paperback copy of DEADLY LITTLE LIES, leave a comment below... about anything that interested you in this post. The drawing will remain open until Wednesday, November 25.

What's Up Wednesday -er, Thursday

Good Morning!

Sorry this is a day late. Busy day yesterday with sick kids, crit group meeting and a presentation at the COSCBWI meeting last night. I got behind!

So, without further ado, the winner of Stacey Jay's YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME book and t-shirt is: *drumroll*

Elnice

Please send your mailing instructions to gerb (@) lindagerber (.) com and we'll get that sent out to you. Don't forget to write WINNER in the subject line so it doesn't get lost in the inbox.

Everyone else, please come on back tomorrow for another freebie with Laurie Stolarz, who is celebrating the release of her new book DEADLY LITTLE LIES.

And now, What's Up?

Are you kidding? New Moon opens at midnight. Is anyone going to the midnight showing? I'd love to hear what you think (I will sadly not be at a midnight showing. Kids in school and all that...)

Totally cried during last night's GLEE episode...

Got my copy of Alyson Noel's latest, SHADOWLAND this week! Happy release, Alyson!

See you all back here tomorrow!

FREEBIE FRIDAY with Stacey Jay

New Moon Movie and Twilight News

Yes, only one week until New Moon. Anyone else kind of excited for it? I'm thinking it can't possibly be as awful at the Twilight movie was (although the New Moon trailer with Edward flinging Bella out of the way is pretty funny... and that "What drives Edward" Volvo commercial is the epitome of cheesy...) My hope is that it will all be worth it, seeing our new buff Jacob and the Quileute boys. : )

ANYWAY, lets give a warm Freebie Friday welcome to Stacey Jay, who is joining us for this special Friday the 13th, bearing gifts! The second book in Stacey's undead series is already coming in January, so here's your chance to get prepared by reading the first, YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME.

Here's the book's blurb:

Q: HOW MANY ZOMBIES DOES IT TAKE TO RUIN A SOCIAL LIFE?
A: NOT MANY.

Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a whole bunch of semi-dead people with killer issues. All Megan really wants is to go to homecoming, but when you're trailed by a bunch of slobbering corpses whenever you leave the house, it's kinda hard to score a date. Let's just say Megan's love life could use some major resuscitation.

Megan's convinced her life can't get any worse - until someone in school starts using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into scary, hardcore flesh-eating Zombies. Now it's up to Megan to stop the Zombie apocalypse. Her life - and more importantly, the homecoming dance - depends on it.

BookKids Recommends calls YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME "Part Buffy the Vampire Slayer, part Night of the Living Dead" and says this is a book you don't want to miss. Romantic Times agrees, giving it four stars, and KidLiterate Reviews says Stacey is "a cross between Stephenie Meyer and Joss Whedon." (Wow!)

*Megan's adventures continue in UNDEAD MUCH, which will hit the shelves Janauary 21, and again in MY SO-CALLED DEATH, which will come your way in March.

And now on to the interview:

Are any of your characters based on real people that you know?
Not really. I'll confess that Megan and I both have the tendency to over think EVERYTHING, but that's simply a shared neurosis. I actually try my best not to use people I know as inspiration. I'm afraid they'll recognize themselves as they read and call me on my shoplifting their personality for my evil, fictional purposes!

What excites you?
Cheese. Scary movies. Sunny days. Rainy days. Playing with my kids. Fleeing my kids to play with my husband. Books. Man...just about everything. I'm really easy as far as getting amped-up is concerned.

What turns you off?
People with bad manners. Rude people stink and bring down the enjoyment level of everyone around them.

If you could invite anyone you wanted - living or dead - to hang out with you at a weekend retreat, who would you invite and why?
My dad. He died when I was nineteen, before he finished the novel he was working on. I'd love to chat with him about writing now that I'm published. I'd also love to tell him that I just sold a grown up book with the same title he was using for his old Work in Progress. I know he'd get a kick out of that.

What can you tell us about the psychology of zombies?
Zombies are a lot like people. They have issues. Lots and lots of issues. And some of them want to eat your yummy flesh--which isn't much like most people, thank goodness!

Do you have any special writing rituals or totems to connect with your muse?
My working chair is very hard, very wooden, and very uncomfortable. It helps inspire me to get to work and curb any procrastination urges. That's my biggest writing ritual--getting my butt in the chair and making those words. Every day. As far as my muse is concerned, I don't take any crap from her. She knows she's expected to bring it at least five days a week and she does. I think she's a little afraid of me, but that's okay. I'm fine with being scary in the name of keeping the words flowing.

What's one thing most people don't know about you?
I can stand on my head for a really long time. Don't challenge me to a contest. I will win.

What's your favorite quote?
"Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy." --Benjamin Franklin

What are you working on now?
THE LOCKET--a love triangle, time-travel, YA thriller, with a really scary piece of jewelry in it. It will be out in 2011 from Razorbill books!

You can read more about Stacey and her books on her website, blog and on twitter.

For today's freebie, Stacey is offering not only a signed copy of YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME, but also a special YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME t-shirt for the winner! To be entered, leave a comment below, telling us about your favorite zombie book, movie, TV show or moment.

This drawing will remain open until Wednesday, November 18.

Winner and What's Up Wednesday

Thanks for all the video links. Made me laugh. The winner of this week's Freebie is:

Yan

I can send the gift card via email, so if you want to just confirm your email addy, Yan, I can send that off to you. Please shoot me a note at gerb (@) lindagerber (.) com.

Everyone else, come on back on Friday when Stacey Jay will be with us, with YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME. Bonus - Stacey is offering up a signed copy of the book and a YOU ARE SO DEAD TO ME t-shirt. You don't want to miss it!

Meanwhile, Yan's Single Ladies video links had me giggling. Kind of embarrassed for Joe Jonas, but loved the Justin Timberlake one. Have to say, though, one of my all time favorite Single Ladies dancers is this baby:



Or the football players in Glee:



ANYWAY, what's up this week?

Today's VETERAN'S DAY. My daughter's school did something awesome today - everyone in the building is wearing dogtags with a real serviceman's name, where and when s/he served (or is serving) and s/he's from. What a fantastic way to personalize this holiday and make the kids aware that there are real people in the service making sacrifices to ensure the freedoms that we take for granted every day. HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY!

Tomorrow begins the final appeal for women ski jumpers to be allowed to compete in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Unbelievably, the IOC has continued its stubborn discriminatory stance that men can compete in Nordic Ski Jumping in the Olympics, but women cannot. Please send all your good vibes to Canada in hopes that the court will see things differently!

Happy Release Week to Margaret Peterson Haddix (CLAIM TO FAME), Julie Hearn (HAZEL), Debby Dahl Edwardson (BLESSING'S BEAD), David Almond (RAVEN SUMMER), Neal Schusterman (EVERWILD), Norma Howe (ANGEL IN VEGAS), Katherine Sturtevant (THE BROTHERS STORY), Margaret Mahey (THE MAGICIAN OF HOAD), Laurie Stolarz (DEADLY LITTLE SECRETS), Lucy Silag (THE BEAUTIFUL AMERICANS) and Lauren Kate (THE BETRAYAL OF NATALIE HARGROVE)!

So many great books! Better start reading!!! See you Friday!

Freebie Friday - Viral Videos

Happy Friday! We are without our guest interviewee today, so we're going just have a little fun for today's Freebie Friday. Up for grabs is a $15 Borders gift card. (If you haven't noticed, Borders has recently tried pumping up their teen selections with Borders Ink. Don't know how it will work out for them, but gotta give them props for trying.)

In the first book of my new series, my MC has to deal with a video of hers going viral. So, today's freebie is all about sharing our favorite viral videos. I love the e-Trade baby, but for my selection, I've got to go with one a little more recent - Christopher Walken reading Poker Face. What are your favorites? Include the link in your reply to be entered to win!

THE WINNER

Drumroll, please...

The books in this week's mystery bag are:


FADE by Lisa McMann (Second book in the series, following WAKE, both of which are NY Times bestsellers. Watch for the next book, GONE in February.)

SENT by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Second book in the MISSING series, after FOUND. Hit #4 on the NY Times list its first week out.)

WINGS by Aprilynne Pike (First of a four-book series. Debuted at #6 on the Times list its first week out and has been optioned for a movie by Disney.)

DEATH BY DENIM by yours truly (Book three in the DEATH BY series. Imposter among these NY Times listers, but a fun read anyway!)

BLUE MOON by Alyson Noel (Second book in IMMORTALS series and a #1 NY Times bestseller. Watch for the third book, SHADOWLAND, which will be out in less than two weeks! (November 17.))

And now, by random drawing, the winner of this intense collection of books is:

Christine

Please send your mailing instructions to gerb (at) lindagerber (dot) com and I'll get them sent out to you. Please write WINNER in the subject line so your email doesn't get lost in my inbox.

Everyone else, please join me back here tomorrow for another freebie. I'm not quite sure at this moment if our guest blogger will be joining us, but either way, we will do a giveaway here on the blog. Which makes now a good time to ask for your feedback...

What would you like to see more of on the Freebie Friday posts?
A. Author interviews and giveaways
B. My overloaded bookshelf-clearing giveaways
C. Bookstore card drawings
D. Quizzes and contests
E. Other

Thanks! See you tomorrow.

It's coming...

Sorry you guys... I'm stuck out of the house so I'm giving you one more day until the drawing. Check back for the winner tomorrow!

Freebie Friday Mystery Bag!

Happy Friday!

Apologies to anyone clicking through hoping to find a Rosemary Clement-Moore interview/giveaway today. She had a personal issue she needed to deal with so we are giving her a pass and rescheduling. She'll be back in a couple of weeks to talk about THE SPLENDOR FALLS.

So for today, we're going to have a mystery giveaway! In this cute little tote I won in a raffle, I have placed 5 books from my overflowing book collection. In keeping with Halloween, each book is either a paranormal or mystery. Each book has been released in the past ten months. Three of these books hit the NYT bestseller list their first week out. All of the books are fabulous reads!

This week's drawing will be for the tote and all five books - but I won't reveal what they are until the drawing closes on Wednesday.

To be entered to win, leave a message below telling me your favorite Halloween treat.

Have a happy Halloween!!!

WInners and What's up Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! Halfway to the weekend!

Thanks for weighing in on Jake vs.Edward. I do remain firmly in the team Jacob and Team Taylor camp, but I respect your opinions: ). The lucky winners of NEW DAWN are:

Jenni Bailey
Gellie E
Kristina Shields

Please send your mailing instructions to gerb @ lindagerber dot com and we'll get those sent out to you. Be sure to write "winner" in the subject line so you don't get lost in my overflowing inbox!

Everyone else, be sure to come back on Friday for a special, spooky Freebie Friday with Rosemary Clement-Moore!

What's up?

Saturday was the super fabulous Books, Blood and Bones signing at the North Little Rock Books-a-Million. Loved the people at BAM! They know how to throw a party. Giveaways, costume contest, trivia contest, decor. They even named drinks at the cafe for all our books! I'd go back in a heartbeat. PLUS I got to hang out with some very cCathool authors - Rosemary-Clement Moore (who will be here Friday!), Marley Gibson, Melissa Francis, Stacey Jay (who will be here next week!) and Chloe Neill. Very classy ladies. Great times.

Kids around here go Trick-or-Treating tomorrow night. Anyone else's community do this "beggar's night" thing instead of just letting the kids Trick-or-Treat on the actual day of Halloween? I do understand the police enforcement issue, but it just seems weird to me. Different than what I remember as a kid.

Speaking of what I remember as a kid - I'm over at Sunshine Edition this week, sharing a spooky Trick-or-Treat story...

Happy release week to Kate Brian (PERFECT MISTAKE), Catherine Murdock, PC and Kristin Cast (TEMPTED), Robin McKinley (FIRE, TALES OF ELEMENTAL SPIRITS) and Kristina Springer (THE EXPRESSOLOGIST)!

See you Friday!

Freebie Friday and A NEW DAWN

Hey, Twilight fans!

Today's Freebie Friday celebrates the release of the updated edition of the completely unauthorized TWILIGHT anthology,
A NEW DAWN.

If you, like me, are counting the days until the movie release of NEW MOON, this is the book for you - it's filled with essays by your favorite YA authors on such Twilightish subjects as

• Pity and fear for Bella Swan
  
• Native American werewolf myths & the Quileute boys
• What Bella and Edward's romance says about free will
• Vampires and the fear of aging
• Monster love
• and much more...
  

A NEW DAWN was edited by Ellen Hopkins and includes essays from such fab authors as Rachel Caine, Cassandra Clare, Cara Lockwood, Megan McCafferty, James Owen, Janette Rallison, Anne Ursu... and me! (Plus, the amazing authors below:)

Today's mini-interviews come to you from A NEW DAWN contributors Rosemary Clement Moore, Robin Brande, K.A. Nuzum and Ellen Steiber. Here we go!

Rosemary

Can you share with us your favorite passage from the Twilight saga - and translate it into Shakespeare-speak?

Um, this may lose me points, but I gave my books away, so I can't go pull up a favorite passage. (To someone who didn't have her own copies! She gave me puppy dog eyes! What was I going to do?) I say this so you don't write in my margins like my english teacher would. "Substantiate this point with citations! Nothing is true unless you quote from the book!" (It occurs to me my dislike of Romeo and Juliet might not have been due to the text so much as the teacher.)

But as for Shakespeare... Well, I should avoid the obvious Henry V quote, despite it being one of my favorite ever, except that I really do think it when Jacob gets his feral fur on: "Cry havok, and let slip the dogs of war!"

When you're not contemplating the importance of hope and fear and Bella Swan, what are you working on?

I'm working on a gothic mystery romance type story, similar to my current release (The Splendor Falls). It's got ghosts, magic, buried treasure, an anthropologist, a cowboy (I promise these go together) and not much relationship to Sophocles or Shakespeare.

Team Edward or Team Jacob? (Or, Team Robert or Team Taylor?)

I really like Jacob (and I would probably chose werewolf over vampire, generally speaking), but it was always clear to me that Edward and Bella would be together. As inevitable as the reaction when fire meets gunpowder.

Robin

What are some of your favorite romantic classics?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, of course—both the novel and whatever movie version anyone wants to make of it. I’m also a HUGE fan of Austenland, by Shannon Hale, because she totally nails what we lovers of P&P adore about the book, and especially about the BBC series based on it (hint: the wet shirt scene with Colin Firth. Say no more). (Bridget Jones’s Diary also speaks to that obsession. Love that, too.)

I also enjoy rereading classics like Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (despite the general psychoness of Heathcliff—still can’t resist!), Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (more psychoness, this time from the secret wife—what is with those Bronte sisters?) and David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (love the childhood crush that finally blossoms into an adult love). I’m all for modern romance, like in any Nora Roberts novel ever written, but sometimes the oldies just hit a spot no modern writer can. Siiiiigh.

When you're not contemplating Edward's romantic hero status, what are you working on?
For some reason I’ve decided to devote my adult life to writing romantic comedies that involve science. I did not know this was a career option when I was a little girl. And of course, back then I really hated science. So it’s very confusing for me, and the real answer to your question is that right now I’m heavily into the research for my next novel, which involves quantum physics and string theory. Trust me, it’s very romantic.

Team Edward or Team Jacob? (Or, Team Robert or Team Taylor?)
Dude, Team Edward. Although certainly the trailers for the New Moon movie coming out next month make an excellent case for Team Jacob. Seriously—he built all those muscles in less than a year? Is it special effects? CGI? Whatever the movie magic is, I think we can all agree that that scene with him chopping wood is going to be worth the price of the ticket. But still, Edward has my heart. (Although it wouldn’t hurt him to work out a little, would it?)

Kathy

You're an old movie monster buff... who is your favorite monster of all time?
Gotta say, Barnabas Collins, the vampire in the old Dark Shadows soap opera from the 70s. Jonathan Frid played him originally; Johnny Depp is supposed to play Barnabas in the upcoming movie. Yay!

When you're not contemplating monsters and the passage of time, what are you working on?
Just finished my third novel The Music Box, which opens on the Day of the Dead in 1918 in way-northern New Mexico; everybody has a skeleton in his closet in this epic fable. Look for it in 2011.

Team Edward or Team Jacob? (Or, Team Robert or Team Taylor?)
Team Jacob, def. He is SO like my high school boyfriend (only taller). I never realized I’d dated a werewolf till I “met” Jacob.

Ellen

Can you describe your ideal of ageless beauty (or hunkiness?)
That’s a tough question, one that really made me ask: What is ageless beauty—and who has it? And the best definition I could come up with is: Someone who seems completely comfortable in themselves and—this may sound hokey—lets their spirit shine through. Here are some well-known women whom I think have, or have had, this quality: Helen Mirren; Meryl Streep; Jessica Tandy; Katherine Hepburn; Julie Christie; Michelle Yeoh; Frances McDormand; Julia Child; Olympia Dukakis; Susan Sarandon; Michelle Pfeiffer; Eunice Shriver; Lauren Hutton; the amazing yoga teacher, Angela Farmer; and the writer Toni Morrison. Most of these women, you’ll notice, are older because “ageless beauty” seems to hint at beauty that’s there even when you’re no longer young.

But I have a feeling that these women will also prove to be ageless beauties: Michelle Obama; Penelope Cruz; Uma Thurman; Queen Latifah; Drew Barrymore; Gabrielle Anwar; Liya Kebede; Chloe Sevigny; Angela Bassett; Salma Hayek; Norah Jones; and Libba Bray.

As for guys, I’m regularly smitten by Clive Owen; Johnny Depp; Joseph Gordon-Levitt; Billy Crudup; Alexander Skarsgard; George Clooney; Bruce Springsteen (what can I say, I’m a Jersey girl); and at least half of the NBA. .

Okay, seriously, and on a related tangent. . . This summer I saw an exhibit of Richard Avedon photographs. Avedon was a fashion photographer who photographed many of the most beautiful and glamorous people of his time. Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Twiggy, and Brigitte Bardot all posed for him. But the most striking and truly gorgeous photos in the exhibit were taken in 1985 when Avedon traveled out west and took pictures of “ordinary” people: miners and rodeo cowboys, truckers and ranchers and migrant workers on the farms. And those photos are amazing. Though the people in them are often poor and rarely well dressed, Avedon seemed to capture the essence of their lives—hardship but also dignity and strength and humor. All of Avedon’s “ordinary” people have ageless beauty. So maybe the truth is, we all have it. We just have to look closely so that like Richard Avedon, we can see it in each other.

When you're not considering the extremely long shelf life of vampire lore, what are you working on?
I’m about two-thirds of the way through a sequel to my fantasy novel, A Rumor of Gems, which is all about gemstone magic. And my friend Deborah and I are plotting a YA together. All I can tell you is that it’s fantasy set here in the Sonoran Desert, and it involves two fifteen-year-old girls, their horses, and a number of shape-shifters, including one very snarky cat.

Team Edward or Team Jacob? (Or, Team Robert or Team Taylor?)
It’s a split-decision: As far as the actors go, Team Taylor. But, as far as the movies and the books go, I’m definitely Team Edward. To me, Edward is a sexier and more interesting character. But Jacob’s pretty sweet….

* * *

You can find out more about A New Dawn and other Smart Pop anthology titles at teenlibris.com, your link to teen lit.

Up for grabs this week - BenBella books has generously offered three copies of A NEW DAWN for three lucky winners! To be entered to win, leave a comment below answering the all-important question - Team Edward or Team Jacob (Or, if you prefer, Team Robert or Team Taylor?) This drawing will remain open until Wednesday, October 28th.