SEA BLUE PEOPLE WIN JOHN GREEN BOOKS CONTEST WEEK #5! DFTBA EDITION
Congratulations to lovereadingx who won EVERLASTING~! YAY!
So this week, I’m hosting a very special contest.
Recognize this fella?
Well.
I saw him and co-author David Levithan last night which means…this week isn’t a mystery!
A BRAND NEW FIRST EDITION HARD COVER SIGNED BY NYT BESTSELLING AUTHORS JOHN GREEN AND DAVID LEVITHAN COPY OF WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON COULD BE YOURS!
And guess what?
The guys were so sweet they personalized it especially for you!
To Blue People
David even signed in BLUE INK.
Dazzled?
It’s not over yet.
I’m also giving away a signed paperback of Looking for Alaska!
But before you run off to enter you must hear about the event.
For those of you who have followed by blog since before I had an agent–since before I sold a book–know how much I admire John. Looking for Alaska remains one of my favorite teen novels to date, and I’ve seen him half-dozen times. The first time we met he was touring for An Abundance of Katherines and we were at Books Inc. in Opera Plaza in San Francisco, the same place we were last night.
The signing I went to had about 20 people back in 2006.
The signing last night had 300 plus.
The crowd was thick. The air was hot. But the vibe was so positive, and magically frenetic it was one of those great moments where you can’t help but get nostalgic.
So you know how your dad measures your height by marking your growth with a pencil on the wall? At the risk of sounding cheesy, John has sort of been a marker in my growth as an author.
The first time we met, I had just finished the first draft of SEA . I was waiting for him to sign my copy of Looking for Alaska (hardcover/first edition) and my friend Debbie told him I was a writer, just finishing my first YA book. He was so sweet and enthusiastic, wished me all the luck in the world and inscribed, “To Heidi, fellow writer.” I mean, wow, right?
So that night I got up the guts to send him a publishing question via email. To my surprise he wrote back right away with sage advice about revision, which I still note to this day.
I saw him again when I got my first offer for SEA. Again when I was at my first ALA.
And last year when I was wrapping up revisions.
So see? Markers.
Last night John thanked Not Your Mother’s Book Club for supporting him when he was a “brand new author trying to find his way” and independent bookstores in general for being so amazing throughout his career. And this is the same store, and bookclub that is going to host MY launch party in 40-some odd days, and I was just…wow. Another marker.
Their talk and reading was fabulous and funny. A personal highlight was fellow author Daisy Whitney, who went to college with David Levithan, acting out one of WGWG characters along with the boys:
David, Daisy and John “acting” WGWG
After, David and John were asked to give “inspirational advice” to the audience.
I wish I recorded to quote verbatim, but in the gist was we live in a broken world, we live, we die, so what do we have? We have this. NOW. So be the best you can be, enjoy life –do all you can–to make this life awesome. John went on to say this philosophy is the root everything he does. Why he started the community of Nerdfighters, why he writes books with purpose and meaning and Vlogs and all the rest.
Except he said it 1,000 more eloquently. ;)
So last night, when John signed by books (FOR YOU GUYS!) John congratulated me on all the exciting things happening “since we last met” and said, “I haven’t seen it yet. Why hasn’t anyone sent me a copy? I want to read it!”
My book.
This my friends, this giving back, this kindness, is the root of all things good about our broken world. The root of all things hopeful. What I admire about John is that he practices what he preaches.
I’ve gotten a few Twitter comments lately that shock me. One girl said, “I was having the worst day and the fact that you took the time to say hi made all the difference, thank you so much.”
And I was like, “Seriously?” and she said, “Yeah. You have no idea what an impact you make.”
I was sort of speechless, and then I said, “I’m going to remember that.”
And I will. A published author is an aspiring writer who worked hard and got lucky. That’s it.
We’re no more special than anyone else, but the choices we make with our words and the way we present ourselves to the world can set us apart. John and David have proven that much.
As I hugged my friend Jandy, congratulated my friend Nina, chatted with my blogger friends and my fellow Tenners and S.F. buddies. As I watched the Nerdfighters in their striped tights and red Converse and beaming smiles, I was overcome with gratitude that I never gave up on my dream.
One last thing.
Someone asked what their favorite words were.
John said, “Grace.”
David said, “Wonder.”
Two words that sum up the evening better than I ever could.
* * *
***So you want to win that special book BLUE PEOPLE?***
PICK FIVE THINGS FROM THE LIST:
*Change your avatar to SEA on Twitter and/or Facebook
*RT the contest
*Go into your local bookstore or call and ask if they are carrying SEA in JUNE
*ADD SEA on Goodreads or VOTE for it on one of the LISTS
*PRACTICE A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS. You choose it, and tell me what you did in the comments.
*Blog or VLOG about this contest. Blog about what INSPIRES you and WHY
*Tell me YOUR favorite word and why!
Link everything here in comments!
If you asked a bookstore, link which one :)
TWO WINNERS will be chosen by RANDOM.ORG
Contest ends Friday at Midnight Pacific time.
WINNERS revealed following MONDAY
DFTBA! And support your Independent bookstores!
SEA BLUE PEOPLE WIN A BLUE BOOK CONTEST WEEK #4!
Hi friends!
Thanks so much for all the trailer love! We’ve hit over 1,200 viewings on You Tube (I guess that’s good for a new video?) And everyone seems to really really like it, which makes both Vania and I so happy!
One of my favorite comments so far was from a lovely women I met at a local NorCal SCBWI event on Saturday.
Blushing, she said, “I was taken right back to when I was a teenager in love with my first boyfriend. I felt all the same feelings. I admit I watched it more than once.”
You can too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjmQEPsQzKw&feature=player_embedded
Watch me over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over…
What were you saying? I was all swept up in something. Ah! The contest. Yes. So we’re doing things a wee bit differently this week.
First of all, I’d like to congratulate last week’s MYSTERY BOOK winner: DaniJohns!
She wins an ARC of the muchly drooled after NIGHTSHADE by fellow Tenner Andrea Creamer who was so kind to donate her gorgeous book to my contest!
Can’t wait to read this book!
SO for this week!
Fellow Tenner Angie Frazier and I did an ARC swap earlier in the year and guess what? She is giving away of copy of SEA on her blog RIGHT THIS SECOND!
So this week’s contest is actually partially over there angie_frazier and she will tell you what to do to enter to win SEA!
AND AND AND
Some special loot
Including, but not limited too, a special edition (one of four) SIGNED ORANGE CONVERSE like the one Sienna wears in Indonesia
Like this.
Only, smaller and made of felt. ;)
Everyone wants a tiny, orange Converse they may be able to sell on eBay one day, am I right?!
So get on over there and enter and tell her I sent you! angie_frazier
Everlasting debuts June, 2010 AND is 336 pages long just like Ms. Sea and this is what is says on the back:
“Her prosperous future, destroyed.
Her father’s betrayal, exposed.
Her heart’s choice, divided.
And ancient magic, summoned.”
How awesome is that?
Oh yeah, and there’s a super hot guy named Oscar.
And guess what? You can enter to win it here!
Leave your name/email address in comments AND pick 3/5 from this list and do them:
-Link this contest to your blog
-Link this contest to your facebook
-Link this contest to your twitter
-RT contest on Twitter
OR
-MAKE A VLOG about why EVERLASTING, SEA & Blue Books rock socks. If you want to throw in some images of Damon from Vampire Diaries, who am I to stop you? He’s not blue but so?
I’ll throw in some signed SEA bookmarks and some other Tenner swag too!
CONTEST ENDS MIDNIGHT, FRIDAY, PST
To re-cap: ENTER TO WIN Everlasting HERE.
GO THERE TO ENTER TO WIN SEA >>>>>> angie_frazier
Good luck!
SEA’S OFFICIAL TRAILER UNVEILED!
Today’s post is very special as it is the GRAND UNVEILING of the Sea Book Trailer!
Nobody but me, our amazing trailer artist Vania—and of course my cohabiters (kids, husband, dog who’ve been forced to Watch//Rinse/Repeat all week)—have seen this trailer.
So without further adieu, it’s time to share it with you!
What do you think?!!!
From selecting the models, to setting the story board and finding the perfect the music…Vania was amazing. Thank you so much, Vania!
Also major props to the lovely models who froze and er, did some excellent “acting” in their portrayal of Sienna and Deni. I’m friends with “Sienna” on Twitter and she’s so sweet and excited too. She and “Deni”? Talk about perfect chemistry.
For more on artist Vania and her high levels of awesome go here: http://vlcphoto.blogspot.com/
The stills from SEA trailer are FOR SALE. Im buying at least two sequences for ze office wall.
And you can too! Details are on Vania’s website.
BLUE PEOPLE: For Entry into the MYSTERYBOOKCONTEST WEEK 3 contest do *4* of the following things:
*Embed the trailer on your website or blog or Goodreads page (there’s a nifty trailer spot on the right!)
*Link it on Twitter or RT the Official Trailer and/or link it on Facebook
* “Favorite” it on You Tube and rate it and/or any of those You Tube things like ratings
When you comment below include the word CONTEST first, then list the things you did with links if possible.
You know the drill: Ends Friday/Midnight/PST
Everybody else: hope you liked it!!! What was your favorite image?
Cheers!
-heidi
SEA PEOPLE WIN MYSTERY BOOKS WEEK 2 WINNERS!
Congratulations to the WINNERS of the MYSTERY BOOK CONTEST!
I picked TWO winners this time. Both are books donated by lovely The Tenners authors!
MYSTERY BOOK #1 is…
Which comes with a HEX HALL t-shirt!
The book is SIGNED by generous author Rachel Hawkins who donated her awesome book to my contest!
Thank you so very much, Rachel! I’m a big fan!
The Hex Hall prize package goes to: Lynesynewton!!! Congratulations! Please DM or email me your snail mail address! Also, mention your t-shirt size. :-)
THE SECOND MYSTERY BOOK is the GORGEOUS
The ARC is SIGNED by my lovely co-moderator Lindsey Leavitt and so-kindly donated to my contest.
THE WINNER of PRINCESS FOR HIRE is
Kim booklover1090
I’ll email you for your address!
(who, for the record, has such a hilarious avatar–random.org must have liked it too!)
Congratulations to the winners!
BLUE PEOPLE.
Monday has a VERY VERY VERY big CONTEST ENTERING treat for you.
Which may or may not involve a certain trailer unveiling.
I’m so excited I can barely type this!
Thanks again to fellow Tenners, Rachel Hawkins and Lindsey Leavitt for being so kind and generous!
Both Hex Hall and Princess for Hire are available now at stores near you! And they rock!
Sea you Monday!
Gossip Girl Redux *contains spoilery things*
Hey all!
This is sort of an epilogue to the the MYSTERY BOOK CONTEST POST–but I promised I’d rewrite the ending to Gossip Girl’s epic failure ending from Monday’s episode.
BLAIR: (After being propositioned to sleep with Jack knees him in the groin, and then slaps him with her ruby red nunchucks)
I would rather sleep with Dan than you. And you know how I feel about that douche bag.
JACK: (skin turns red, horns grow out of scalp) Well, Chuck said you would. So nanner-nanner. You have to or I will steal his hotel.
BLAIR: (hits him again with the nunchucks) UM. I doubt that you moron. You couldn’t steal a cracker from a baby. Oh, Chuck darling?
CHUCK: (strolls out in a purple leisure suit holding a glass of Vitamin Water)
Yes, Blair?
BLAIR: Your Neanderthal uncle is here begging for sex. It’s disgusting. I feel like vomiting. Make him go away.
CHUCK: Oh. Blair. It’s time I told you. He’s suffering from Tool-itis. No one in their right mind would ask you to do something so degrading. You are a powerful and smart and beautiful woman. And to write a scene that suggests you’d actually go through with it, even for love, is totally offensive to girls and women everywhere.
(turns to Jack)
Come with me, Uncle Screwdriver.
Jack: Where are we going?
CHUCK: To the tool shed, with the rest of the tools.
(CHUCK proceeds to lock Jack into the shed with that idiot drug dealer who we were supposed to think was hot and that other ridiculously dorky long-haired artist guy from last season who dated Serena and who were were ALSO supposed to think was hot. The Three Tools break into a song and dance number like a bad children’s cartoon–something like TOOLS ARE COOL TOO as the door shuts on them.)
CHUCK: (turns to Blair) Now where were we?
BLAIR: (eyes the glass) Non-alcoholic, really?
CHUCK: (takes a slow, sexy slip) I’ve cleaned up my act, remember? That’s why the audience has stuck with me for three years. Because I’ve changed. And grown. And developed as a human being. I no longer have to sip brandy at 10 a.m. like some old school boozer on a Lifetime Original Movie.
BLAIR: (touches his chest) You had me at Vitamin Water.
(They passionately kiss as we fade to black. BAD ROMANCE blasts in the background. The Trio of Tools disappear into bad writing/casting/TV land and are never heard from again.)
I will always protect you from my demonic uncles. Even if it ratings season!
For author Kody Keplinger’s awesome redo for a (bit more believable) and fantastic faux ending click here:
http://kodymekellkeplinger.blogspot.com/2010/04/gossip-girl-gets-new-ending-la-kody.html
The Moral of this story: TV writers of shows we love–please don’t eff up the characters you have worked so hard to create and whom we’ve grown to love because of your careful characterization.
Thank you.
SEA BLUE PEOPLE WIN MYSTERY BOOKS CONTEST: WEEK 2!*
*with bonus GOSSIP GIRL ranting. Warning: Contains spoiler’s from Monday’s episode
Hey all!
Week Two has arrived!
Thanks for all your entries last week.
This week we have a couple new things to do in order to consider yourself “entered” into my contest.
ONE: Copy this blog post in your blog, link it back here, voila!
TWO: Change your Twitter icon to SEA –what can I say? I like Blue People! RT’ing the contest also counts if you have an avatar you are SO in love with (like Damon) and cannot possible change. ;) )
THREE: Add SEA to your Goodreads list and/or Vote for SEA in a debut/blue book etc. “list”
FOUR: And this is where things get interesting.
Everyone knows I like teen TV. Love the CW. Love Life Unexpected, Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries.
But I *hear* that Life Unexpected might be getting cancelled because of lack of viewers (gasp!) This is one of the sweetest, funniest, full-of-heart shows on TV and I love it. If it get cancelled I will cry. SO.
OPTION 4 is SIGNING THE PETITION TO THE CW encouraging renewal for LIFE UNEXPECTED.
THIS ONE IS SAVE ONE SHOW (SOS) Courtesy of E-Online–all you do is CLICK!
http://bit.ly/cvwBHK
AND/OR Sign this petition!
http://www.petitiononline.com/s3781/petition.html
Please. Thank you.
FIVE: Did you see last night’s Gossip Girl where Chuck went totally out of character and basically broke all character development (I’m guessing) for ratings and/or shock value? Not only did they reuse a tired (and pro-prostitution) plot of this movie:
They go on to suggest Chuck was in full support of his uncle’s—with the character range of a shark— wicked plan.
LAME LAME AND MORE LAME.
YA author Kody Keplinger (THE DUFF) and I were so appalled by this that we decided to write new endings to save Chuck’s reputation and to keep from throwing left-over Easter eggs at the TV.
As writers, we NEED TO STAY CONSISTENT with character development. Especially for a character like Chuck who has developed SO much and it has taken SO long. The fans have been rooting for him to change and when he finally does (and is completely believable and happy) to resort back to awful behavior is a cop-out. As fans, we are not happy.
If you are also unhappy, please send your thoughts here:
http://www.cwtv.com/feedback/comments
If you are happy don’t pick option 5
SIX: Make a VLOG! Be creative. Just mention SEA somewhere. Bonus points for a SAVE LIFE UNEXPECTED or RANTING about character consistency. ANd singing. (Bonus points are in my heart. ;D )
OKAY, that’s it!
Leave in comments what you chose to do.
Pick three!
Check back later this afternoon for a *new and improved ending* right here. :D
Contest ends at MIDNIGHT FRIDAY PST!
Thanks for playing!
Save me! I’m so awesome, my character development is consistent, and I have a boy named Bug.