Win-It Wednesday: Everybody Sees the Ants

The winner of last week's giveaway for Sara Zarr's gorgeous How to Save a Life is... Sophie! Send me your address, S. Thanks to everyone for the get-up-earlier (and/or go -to-bed-earlier) tips. I'm trying them all. June is a 6:30am riser. Yawn. This week, I'm offering up a copy of A.S. King's Everybody Sees the Ants. You may have noticed I was reading it a couple of weeks ago. It's excellent, as you surely expect. A.S. King has a way of digging deep into the minds of her characters with clean, clear prose. They are imminently "gettable," and I love that.

To enter to win this book, tell me what you're reading right now, for pleasure or school or whatever. Yeah, I ask this from time to time. I like to peek at your bookshelves.

Good luck!

Win-It Wednesday: How to Save a Life

The winner of Drink, Slay, Love is... Krista! Send me your address, K. This week I'm giving away a copy of Sara Zarr's How to Save a Life, which is one of the best books I've read all year. For reals. Here's what I tweeted right after I finished reading it: "Just finished @sarazarr's How to Save a Life. Tears. Heart swoons. Joy. Bittersweetness. A gorgeous book!"

That's how I feel. And you can win it! This week, I need some help. I'm a total night owl, but having a baby means I really need to get with the program and become a morning person so I can wake up by 7am with June. I know that's not crazy early, but to me it's INSANE. I'm a 10am wake-up, at best, if I follow my body's instincts.

So, give me a tip (or just a why-it's-nice-to-be-a-morning-person note) below in the comments, and you're entered to win Sara's lovely book. I'll choose a winner at random next Wednesday.

Win-It Wednesday: Drink, Slay, Love

I know it's Thursday. The baby thing again. It's time-consuming, so let's just pretend it's Wednesday. I liked hearing your favorite love scenes, and the winner of Lola and the Boy Next Door is... Ashly! Send me your address, A. This week I'm giving away a copy of Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst. Look at that bright red-laden cover. I love it.

It makes me think of Coke, which is my favorite soda. Regular Coke, not diet. I cannot resist it. So, what's your favorite soda (or other beverage, if you're a virtuous non-soda person)? Tell me in the comments and you're entered to win this lovely hardcover.

Happy Wednesday!

Win-it Wednesday: Lola and the Boy Next Door

So this week I finished Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (whom I met briefly in Austin, and who was full of smiles and blue hair, as expected -- so great). The sparkling energy from Anna and the French Kiss continues in Lola, and there are a few amazing-chemistry scenes that I flagged for future reference, especially a certain moment involving nail polish. Now I'm giving away a lovely hardcover copy of this novel to one commenter who tells me about their favorite love scene. It can be from a book, a movie, real life (you know I'm nosy)... just spill. 

I'll choose a winner randomly next Wednesday!

PS-Lola works in a movie theater, just like my Violet did. Yay for cinema jobs!

Win-It Wednesday: Live Chat Tonight at 5pm EST!

The crying stories from last week made me laugh and broke my heart -- this is a good emotional combination in my book. Random Number Generator chose a winner for Jennifer Castle's The Beginning of After, and it is... Allison R.! Send me your address, A. Today, I'm doing a LIVE chat at 5pm EST over at inkpop, so I'd love it if you'd come hang out from 5-6pm. I'm specifically talking about how to make full-time writing work, but I will be happy to talk about everything from the weather to Tim Riggins to baby June!

Even if you can't attend, you can leave a question for me in the inkpop comments section (not below!) about the chat, and I'll answer it during the hour. Showing up at the chat or leaving a question earns you a chance to win one of two copies of Small Town Sinners... so that's this week's Win-It Wednesday!

Come chat if you have time!

Win-It Wednesday: The Beginning of After

Last week's winner of Elizabeth Scott's As I Wake is... Travis! Remind me of your address, T. This week, I'm giving away an ARC of Jennifer Castle's The Beginning of After (read a sneak peek here). Kirkus say it's "An honest look at grief that is both achingly real and powerfully hopeful." Um, how good does that sound? It also sounds like I'd need a box of tissues to get through it, but sometimes reads like that are cathartic and AWESOME (like Gayle Forman's If I Stay, for example). Who's with me?

Anyway, to enter to win this book, tell me about the last time you cried. Eek, I know I'm getting personal here, but I'm curious. Me? I cry all the time. Seriously, it's a big release for me. I cried today because I'm overwhelmed by baby stuff--it's really hard. And I always cry at movies on airplanes. That's actually a thing, you know. So there's me getting all personal. Your turn.

I'll choose a random winner next week!

Win-It Wednesday: As I Wake

You guys, when you have a new baby, Thursday looks a lot like Wednesday, so go with me here. The winner of last week's giveaway of Gabrielle Zevin's All These Things I've Done (which I'm reading and totally into because it feels really original and fluid) is... LiLi! Send me your address, L. This week, I have a copy of Elizabeth Scott's As I Wake. This new book, which I'm cracking open next, is about 17-year-old Ava, who wakes up with no memory of who she is or the world she's living in. Instead, she remembers another life. On her site, Elizabeth talks about how the inspiration for the story (which she wrote most of in 2007) is that there isn't just one world/reality, but many (modal realism). Scroll down to Extras (past the great reviews of this book) to hear more.

Exciting! Explosive cover! Plus, who doesn't love an Elizabeth Scott book? She's awesome, am I right?

To enter to win the hardcover, just comment below and tell me about the best movie you've seen in the theater lately. I haven't been to a movie in weeks, so I'm dying for some cinematic tales.

Happy Wednes--uh, Thursday.

Win-It Wednesday: All These Things I've Done

You guys totally filled up my DVR with fall TV suggestions... I'm really craving a Friday Night Lights replacement. Sigh. Thank you! The winner of Matched by Ally Condie was chosen by a random number generator and she is... Gaby! Send me your address, G. This week, I have a copy of Gabrielle Zevin's All These Things I've Done. This book has been recommended to me a ton, and it's on the top of my pile! Can't wait to read it.

To can enter to win the book, leave a comment telling me what you're reading right now -- for school, for pleasure, for whatever. What's on your nightstand, and how are you liking it? I'll choose a winner next week.

Oh, and check out the trailer for Gabrielle's book too!

Win-It Wednesday: Matched by Ally Condie

Okay, it's Thursday. But in new-baby-land, days don't distinguish themselves, so roll with me here. The winners of last week's Dear Bully giveaway are... Jenny and Maryann Nixon! Send me your addresses, ladies. This week, I'm giving away the paperback of Ally Condie's Matched... she shared her girl-in-a-globe Cover Story last year and I am still into its green glow.

To enter to win, tell me what new shows you'll be watching this TV season. I've got "Up All Night" in my DVR, and I need to add "Awkward" and catch up there, because I've heard it's good... what else? (Oh, and I can't wait for "Good Christian Belles" as a mid-season replacement -- it's way fun.)

Win-It Wednesday: Dear Bully

I'm just halfway through Dear Bully, out this week, which has essays by 70 authors (including yours truly) around the topic of bullying, and I am having to take breaks because the stories are so raw and real. This is a fantastic anthology, and I'm honored to be included. (Thanks especially to amazing editors Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones.) Last night I cried before bed as I read this. I mean, I do have a new baby and sleep deprivation is real, but I think it was more this book that put me over the edge in a good way--this is emotional stuff!

I have two ARCs that will go to two winners. To enter, comment below and just tell me how bullying has touched your life. Tell a story or just say, "I was bullied" or "My best friend was bullied" (or, if you're like me, "I was a bully, too"). I won't pry, I just find some comfort in knowing we all experience this. If more kids knew that, maybe more of us would be able to stand up to bullying, help out, not participate ourselves.

Here are two great ways to stem the bully tide: Just Hit Delete and The Bully Project.

I'll pick winners next week. Happy Wednesday!

PS-Like the book on Facebook for updates and events. 70 authors, man. That's a lot of event possibilities!