Stand by Me

It's almost Friday... the weekend is coming! You may have already seen this video. If not, enjoy!

And now, here are a few more links to where I'm hanging out this week:

Talking international intrigue with Shanna Swendson on her livejournal.

Discussing characters with Lucienne Diver (our Freebie Friday guest!) on her livejournal.

Giving the real scoop on how the DEATH BY series came about on Melissa Walker's blog.

Dishing on phobias and mysteries on April Henry's livejournal.

See you in the morning for Freebie Friday with Lucienne and a special DEATH BY DENIM bonus post!

Winners and Hints

First of all, thanks everyone, for making Haley feel welcome and for the well wishes! I appreciate it! Now that I'm back online, I have sooo much catching up to do!

Let's start with the announcement of last week's Freebie Friday winners:

Winner #1 is Lalaland
Bonus winner is Pinktooth2

Congrats! Since these are egift cards, make sure I have your name and email addy and I can get them sent right out to you. And Pinktooth, if you could send me your snail mail addy, I can send your bookmarks off.

Everyone else, make sure to join us back here on Friday for two more chances to win. Lucienne Diver will be joining us and giving away her brand spanking new YA novel, VAMPED. I know you won't want to miss that!

Meanwhile, to give you *ahem* a head start on this week's bonus feature, here's where I'm popping up around the web this week:

Celebrating Bookluver Carol's Blog anniversary and talking about writing and research here.
You can also win a copy of DEATH BY DENIM as soon as it's released here.

Remembering the most exotic thing I've eaten abroad on Wendy Toliver's blog.

Getting fired up (again) about Women's Ski Jumping being banned from the Olympics on Jennifer Echols' livejournal.

Confessing my writing bloopers on Amanda Ashby's blog.

Intriguing Diana Wallach about trance writing on her blog.

Talking backstory on Alyson Noel's blog.

Dishing writer advice on Karin Gillespie's Granny Panty Chronicles. (Don't you just love that name?)

Aand I think that's enough for now, don't you? But you might want to peek in tomorrow for more...

kk - im back for the freebie friday. her eyes r still stingin but shes ok... 'light sensitive' cuz of antibiotics. so i get 2 do this again.

so, um, write anything 4 a reply 2 win a $10 amazon gift ecard.

n 4 the extra... tell 3 friends abt the dbd release 2 win another card n some dbd bookmarks.

my mama will b more creative next week when she can look at the screen.

n now i gotta go 2 school! bye!

Late Post: WINNERS

hey guys... u dont really know me, but this is Haley<3 - i'm Linda Gerber's daughter... its take ur child 2 work day 2day, n her eyes r like screwd up n she cant really like sit in front of the screen 4 long w/o like flippin out, so i gotta do this stuff 4 her- woohoo!! Lol, n i cant really say much... but i will tell that im gonna b her 'secret consultant' on one of her upcoming "projects", lol- hows that 4 a teaser?? But anyway, my mama says that if she owes u an email, then she sry... n she'll have me get back 2 u soon.

and now- the moment u guys actually care about; THE WINNERS!!! **claps n cheers from the audience** lol, kk, so the winner of the Jennifer O'Connel books r : Judy Bloome= Marjolein, Rich Boyz= robin_titan, n Local Girlz= bridget3420!!!!! WOO WOO!!!! nice goin peeps... :-D n then the winner 4 the freebie friday bonus thing is Mitzy...

FREEBIE FRIDAY with Jenny O'Connell

Welcome to another FREEBIE FRIDAY. This week I am pleased to bring you GCC sister Jennifer O'Connel. And check this out - she's offering three chances to win!

Jennifer is the author of ten books, the most recent of which are her two teen novels Local Girls and Rich Boys, and the editor of the anthology EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT BEING A GIRL I LEARNED FROM JUDY BLUME, a collection of essays by such cool authors as Meg Cabot, Megan McCafferty, Cara Lockwood, Melissa Senate, Laura Caldwell, Stacey Ballis, Shanna Swendson and 17 others.

The Chicago Sun-Times calls the anthology "honest... emotional reading" and Entertainment Weekly says it's "Wry... more than a nostalgia trip."

First, the interview - then your chances to win:

What inspired EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT BEING A GIRL I LEARNED FROM JUDY BLUME?
I was about to begin writing my first teen book, PLAN B, and I sat at the computer and thought to myself, “Everything I needed to know about being a girl I learned from Judy Blume.” And so the idea for the collection of essays was born. Because I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt like that.

Are any of your characters based on real people that you know?
Oh my god, yes. In my teen books I use a lot of people I went to high school with (mainly for the mean girls, my own little revenge). All my guys in my books are based on what I imagined my husband like in high school. Cute and nice.
What excites you?
Summertime.

What turns you off?
Sunday nights.

What's the biggest lie you ever told, and what happened as a result of the telling?
Hmmm. You know, I actually try not to lie. You know why? Because it’s never worth getting caught. I learned that early in life from my brother, who got caught doing EVERYTHING. He’d take the car out when he was grounded and end up passing my parents on the road, that sort of thing. I never thought it was worth the punishment. You know what else? I find that even if you tell the truth and it’s not good, people actually respect you more and don’t get nearly as mad as you thought they would.
What's the most suspenseful thing that's happened to you in real life?
I was convinced my daughter was a boy. I didn’t know for sure, because I believe in finding out when your baby is born, but I just KNEW she was a boy. So when I was in the hospital ready to have her I couldn’t wait to be proven right. When I heard her crying and saw her for the first time I swear I saw a boy part that proved it was a boy. I remember thinking, “See, I knew it.” Then I turned to my husband and he said, “It’s a girl.” And I was like, “What? That’s not possible.” So all that suspense for 9 months and in the end I was totally wrong.

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 mother in law, who passed away from breast cancer 5 years ago. I’d love to tell her what we’ve been up to.

What's one thing most people don't know about you?
I don’t cry, not at sad movies or anything you’re supposed to cry over. I cry at stupid things that make people happy, like parades.

What's your favorite quote?
“You get what you settle for.” I even used it in one of my adult books.

Milk Chocolate or Dark?
Milk. But I’ll take any chocolate I can get.

Jennifer has generously offered copies of EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO LEARN ABOUT BEING A GIRL I LEARNED FROM JUDY BLUME, LOCAL GIRLS and RICH BOYS for this week's freebie. That means three winners! To be entered to win, leave a comment below. This contest will remain open until Tuesday, April 21.

If you'd like to know more about Jennifer and her books, you can find her on her website here or here.

NOTE: Keep reading in the post below for a BONUS Freebie Friday giveaway!

Freebie Friday Bonus - 26 days until DEATH BY DENIM

Here's this week's shameless self promotion FREEBIE FRIDAY bonus post as the countdown continues until DEATH BY DENIM hits the shelves. Less than a month to go!

www.createyourcountdown.com

To celebrate, I'll be offering extra freebies in the coming weeks and you'll have lots of chances to win. For instance, if you haven't already posted the countdown clock (above) to your facebook, myspace, livejournal, etc., do so now for an extra entry in today's giveaway. (And if you have already posted, you qualify for an entry as well.)

You can also earn a bonus entry by commenting on the TFC blog, where I have posted some Good News today!

Also, don't forget the Design your Denim contest! This is simple and fun - simply get creative with anything denim and send me a picture of the result. I'll be posting pictures of the top entries right here on the blog and you'll be entered to win a basket of books - which will include a signed set of all three DEATH BY books - an iPod Shuffle, iTunes gift card and more.
Rules:
* Design and decorate anything denim.
* Send a digital photo of your creation to gerb(@)lindagerber(.)com by May 14, 2009.
* Entries will be judged on creativity and use of the DEATH BY theme.
* By entering, you authorize your creation's photo to appear on this blog. (This week's pictured favorite entry by K8.)
* Winners will be announced May 30, 2009.


And now for this week's bonus FREEBIE - the last available ARC of DEATH BY DENIM plus a $10 B&N gift certificate... In 26 words - no more, no less - write your own Ode to Denim and post in comments.

This contest will remain open until Wednesday, April 23.

Winner and Rock the Drop!

Happy Support Teen Lit Day! I know - I'm a day late announcing last week's Freebie Friday winner! Sorry! This has been another crazy week and I hope to be able to tell you soon why it has been so busy...

Meanwhile, loved your captions! The winner of the signed copy of FADE by Lisa McMann is:

Kate at Read This Book

Please send me a note with your mailing instructions and I'll get it sent off to you! Everyone else, come on back tomorrow for another freebie and an interview with Jenny O'Connell!

And now, I'm off to ROCK THE DROP! I'll be leaving copies of DEATH BY BIKINI, DEATH BY LATTE and a couple ARCs of DEATH BY DENIM in the Columbus/Dublin area today to celebrate Support Teen Lit Day with readergirlz, GuysLitWire, and YALSA. You can join me and dozens of book-dropping authors at the The TBD Post-Op Party on the readergirlz blog - tonight at 6:00 PM Pacific/9:00 PM Eastern.

Now go out and read and support teen lit!

FREEBIE FRIDAY - Caption Contest

Happy Friday! It's a long weekend here at our house. Anyone else have Good Friday off?

For those of you who saw the Spoobin* post, you may know that I had the opportunity to drop in on Lisa McMann and Cassie Clare's signing last week in West Chester, Ohio. What you may not know is that while I was there, I got an extra copy of FADE to give away on the blog.

So, for this week's freebie, to win the signed copy of FADE, tell me what Lisa is thinking in this picture. (Keep it PG, please!) My anonymous panel of judges will select a winner based on humor and originality. This contest will remain open until Tuesday, April 14.

*You can find the origin of Miss Spoobin by reading Lisa's blog.

No Way. It's a Tie!

Well, it was hard to choose a winner this week because you all grovel so beautifully. : )

So... it came down to a point system. The two highest scorers not only posted the countdown on their blogs, they added bribery (truffles!) and six-point reasoning - and tied.

Therefore, this week, I will name two winners:

KB
and
Kathleen Elizabeth

Please send your mailing instructions to gerb (@) lindagerber (.) com and I'll get your prizes sent out to you.

Everyone else, pop in tomorrow for another chance to win!

Spoobin!

We interrupt this contest for a little fun - today I had the chance to run down to West Chester for lunch with my friend Jenny AND to drop in on the fabulous Lisa McMann at her book signing with the amazing Cassandra Clare. They both captivated the mob of fans crowded into the signing area by reading from their latest releases (Lisa's WAKE and Cassie's CITY OF GLASS) and answering questions.

I got some books signed by each and even got to touch Lisa's mystical, magic spoon, Spoobin. (Lisa looks like she's up to something there, doesn't she... hmmm... I feel a caption contest coming on... Stay tuned.) For now it's back to work (if I can concentrate with those books calling to me from the B&N bag...) May some of the magic have rubbed off on me!

Don't forget to grovel in the post below, if you haven't already, for your chance to win an ARC of DEATH BY DENIM!

FREEBIE FRIDAY - The Countdown Begins

This is it! Six weeks until DEATH BY DENIM hits the shelves! And you know what that means... Countdown contests! Woot!

We'll start simple this week. Up for grabs is a signed ARC of DEATH BY DENIM along with this stylin' skull and crossbones necklace.
You can enter to win three different ways:

+1 Leave a comment below, telling me why you should win. Extra consideration for grovelers. : )
+1(ea.) Post the countdown clock below on your blog, livejournal, myspace, facebook page, etc. and send me the link(s)
+1 Refer a friend to this contest (be sure they tell me who sent them!)
This portion of the contest will remain open until Thursday, April 9.

www.createyourcountdown.com

But wait - there's more! You could win a basket of books - which will include a signed set of all three DEATH BY books - an iPod Shuffle, iTunes gift card and more, in our DESIGN YOUR DENIM contest, which will run from now until the release date on May 14th.

Rules:
* Design and decorate anything denim.
* Send a digital photo of your creation to gerb(@)lindagerber(.)com by May 14, 2009.
* Entries will be judged on creativity and use of the DEATH BY theme.
* By entering, you authorize your creation's photo to appear on this blog.
* Winners will be announced May 30, 2009.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Winner and April Henry

I apologize for posting this a day late. We've had all sorts of Internet weirdness going on and I finally gave up yesterday. To make it up to you, I'm bringing you a bonus GCC interview with YA author April Henry.

But first, the winner of Liz Funk's SUPERGIRLS SPEAK OUT is...

Sunkissed

Please send your mailing instructions to gerb (@) lindagerber (.) com and we'll get that sent out to you.

Meanwhile, be sure to come back here on Friday when we kick off the DEATH BY DENIM countdown with a special FREEBIE FRIDAY!

And now, please welcome GCC sister April Henry to the blog. April is the award winning author of six mysteries and thrillers, with many more to come. Her latest book, TORCHED, is filled with "Romance and big explosions … thrills and action (that) will keep readers interested," according to Kirkus reviews. Booklist praises its "thrilling action" and TeenReadsToo gave it five stars.

Here's the official blurb:

When Ellie’s parents are busted for growing marijuana, the FBI gives her a choice: infiltrate the Mother Earth Defenders (MED), a radical environmental group, or her parents will go to jail. At first Ellie is more than willing to entrap the MEDics, but the more time she spends undercover—particularly with Coyote, the green-eyed MEDic that she can’t stop thinking about—the more she starts to believe in their cause. When talk turns to murder, Coyote backs out, but Ellie is willing to risk everything to save her family—even if it means losing Coyote and putting her own life on the line.

And now for the interview:

What inspired you to write TORCHED?
The Earth Liberation Front has long been active in the Northwest. The FBI considers them domestic terrorists. I was driving to work one morning, listening to the news, and the broadcaster said, “The FBI says they have been unable to infiltrate ELF.” And I thought, what else are they going to say? Yeah, we have someone who is working there undercover? And then I started thinking that most Elves are young, and FBI agents have to be at least 23, and they might need an informant.

Are any of your characters based on real people that you know?
Just bits and pieces. I used to work in a natural food store, so all those old hippies helped me with the characters of Ellie’s parents. I don’t think you ever take a person wholesale. Maybe take someone’s appearance and combine it with another person’s personality and a third person’s verbal tics.

What excites you?
A cookbook full of recipes I really like. When I first get the idea for a book and I can see a million possibilities. Planning a vacation.

What turns you off?
Smoking. Crabby people. People who drive an inch away from your bumper – when you are already going 10 miles over the speed limit. Yelling.

What's the biggest lie you ever told, and what happened as a result of the telling?
In seventh grade, my best friend wanted to spend more time with me than I wanted to with her. So I told her that my mom and I spent Fridays helping my aunt, who had lost a leg to cancer, clean house. Eventually, I was caught in my lie, and I had to admit it wasn’t true. The worst part for me was that my friend thought I had only lied once. She didn’t realize I had lied week after week. Having to spell it out for her was awful.

All stories are built on suspense. What's the most suspenseful thing that's happened to you in real life?
I was in the shower when a man forced the kitchen window to my apartment. The apartment was so old that it was out of true and the bathroom door didn’t even close all the way, let alone lock. So I’m standing there, naked and shivering, staring at the door with was ajar, and hearing footsteps in my apartment. I got very lucky and managed to escape before I was raped or killed. I used that idea in FACE OF BETRAYAL, a book I co-wrote with Lis Wiehl, which is coming out April 7.

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?
Jesus. It would be fascinating to ask him questions, although part of me is afraid it would also be very challenging.

What's one thing most people don't know about you?
I used to be a pretty good belly dancer.

What's your favorite quote?
“A good laugh is as good as a prayer sometimes.” - LM Montgomery

Milk Chocolate or Dark?
Yum, dark, preferably with nuts.

If you'd like to read more about April and her books, check out her website at Aprilhenrymysteries.com.