So. I was feeling altruistic and well, I dunno. Happy? Max’s birthday party is tomorrow, which is sure to be an outright orgy of presents. I thought I’d give something away today to kinda karmically (is that a word?) counteract that. So I stopped by my local library here in Kensington on Ladbroke Grove and told ‘em I’d love to donate a set of my books to the library (the first two, since CAT GIRL’S DAY OFF isn’t out yet and I only have one copy right now and heck if I was feeling *that* giving).
But they couldn’t take them.
Apparently, with the budgetary changes and whatnot to the library system here, all books are now purchased and processed through some centralized system. And they don’t take donations at all.
I’m not gonna comment on that whole situation. The funding state of the library system here and in the US (and heck, probably everywhere) is depressing as all get out. I know librarians are doing the best they can. But it did make me sad.
BUT. Their loss is your gain. Wanna win a set of my first two books (Sucks to Be Me and Still Sucks to Be Me)? Enter here! And yes, this is open internationally.
So, did I share the first reader blog review of Cat Girl’s Day Off with you already? If not (yes, I am indeed too lazy this morning to go look), here it is from A Nook Full of Books. And, to follow that up, here’s an interview with me that includes an International giveaway of a copy of Cat Girl’s Day Off! That’s the way to start off the day, eh?
I’ve also heard about another “official” (official here meaning from a trade publication, like Kirkus, except not Kirkus since I’ve already told you about that one) review that will be coming out in April that makes me happy happy too. Very exciting! Once I’ve got the okay, I’ll share that with you as well. Well, some of it. The review has a HUGE spoiler in it. But that’s okay, they loved the book!
If YOU are a blogger and you’re reviewing the book (and happen to read this), please let me know the link of your review! I’d love to see it! Well, okay, not if you totally hate the book. Then I could do without it. BUT if you like it, let me know! I love to hear what you think and who your fav characters are, things like that.
It’s that time again! I’ve passed 2000 followers and I get to give away a t-shirt! Congrats to Hannah-Beth @that_cool_girl the winner of a Sucks to Be Me t-shirt of her choosing (Hannah-Beth, just email me what size, color and design you want + your address)! Woot!
Next t-shirt will be given away at 2500 followers…(right now I’m at 2114 so if you’re not following me yet, get going!)
<hyperventilate> Okay, so it’s already May 3rd! Still Sucks to Be Me is coming out on May 11th! Ack! I feel so unprepared this time. Is that weird? It’s my second book, but in some ways I feel more ACK than with the first one. I think it’s partly because there’s some other craziness going on in my life right now, so I just don’t feel mentally prepared (more on that stuff later, when I can share it).
So…the lovely ladies over at Novel Novice are featuring Still Sucks to Be Me/Sucks to Be Me as their Novel of the Month! Woot! There’s gonna be giveaways and all kinds of stuff going on over there, including some desktop wallpapers. I definitely want you to check that out.
There will also be some various interviews and what not and I’ll post links as they go up. And I’ve officially ordered some new bookmarks and new temporary tattoos (a VRA Logo one and a Vampire Squirrel one too). So I’m kind of ready.
But wait…you’re here to see what the launch contest is, aren’t you? Ha, gotcha! I knew it! Without further ado…
Still Sucks to Be Me Launch Contest!
In celebration of the launch of my second book, I’m going to be giving away one GRAND prize and 4 other prizes. Actually, I should say prize packs. (NOTE: I updated the Second Prize because I’d forgotten to include the video chat with me earlier!)
UPDATE Monday, May 10th…I’ve added to the prizes!!
A bloody cool Sucks to Be Me vase
The Prizes
(Epic) Grand Prize: a signed hardback copy of Sucks to Be Me, a signed hardback copy of Still Sucks to Be Me, assorted bookmarks and stickers, A Vampire/Monster Pack from my Publisher: (including a copy of Monster Slayers, a copy of A Practical Guide to Vampires, and Nocturne), your choice of a T-shirt from the Sucks to Be Me T-shirt Shop, AND a visit from me (the visit can either be A) a pizza party for you and up to 15 of your friends OR B) a presentation-style/workshop visit for up to 300 people) to anywhere in the U.S. or Canada (or, hey, if you live somewhere really cool, I reserve the right to expand this to include international locations)! PLUS a one-of-a-kind Sucks to Be Me wine bottle vase!
Second Prize: a signed hardback copy of Sucks to Be Me, a signed hardback copy of Still Sucks to Be Me, assorted bookmarks and stickers, A Vampire/Monster Pack from my Publisher: (including a copy of Monster Slayers, a copy of A Practical Guide to Vampires, and Nocturne), a Skype Video chat with me (for however many people you want to cram into the room), and your choice of a T-shirt from the Sucks to Be Me T-shirt Shop PLUS a one-of-a-kind Sucks to Be Me wine bottle vase!
3 Runners-up Prizes: a signed hardback copy of Still Sucks to Be Me, assorted bookmarks and stickers, and A Vampire/Monster Pack from my Publisher: (including a copy of Monster Slayers, a copy of A Practical Guide to Vampires, and Nocturne)
I said Epic, right? That’s pretty epic, isn’t it? I can’t wait to meet whoever wins the Grand Prize!!!
Who Can Enter
Anyone, anywhere (though note the stipulation for the Grand Prize…since I’m paying for this trip myself, I’m going to have to restrict it to the US/Canada…but I’m leaving some wiggle room…if you’re international, try and talk me into your location!). All other prizes are completely open to all locations (since, you know, I love *all* my fans everywhere).
Entrants under the age of 13 will need a parent’s permission before being able to accept a prize.
How to Enter
Okay, so I’d solicited comments and suggestions on what people should have to do to enter this Epic contest. And there were some really, really great ones. But then, I thought, Hey! Maybe I should make it easier… So…to enter, all you gotta do is tell me why YOU should win. However, there’s a chance to win bonus entries (see below the form).
BONUS: Extra Entries!
Want to get extra entries? MORE chances to win? E-mail me (at kim @ kimberlypauley.com) any (or all) of the following for extra entries (these are the ideas that people submitted). The more creative the better! Be sure to use the same e-mail address you submitted your entry under so I can match it up.
Fan fiction! Write a story featuring any of characters from the story. Heck, re-write the ending if you want!
Create/draw a picture of Mina (or anyone) to show what she’d look like after turning (or just at all!)
Make a song playlist that you think fit the books
Create/draw a vampire squirrel!
Create a YouTube video with something to do with the book or the book launch (could be a trailer, a book review, a re-enactment of a scene, just you chatting…whatever!) Be sure to tag it with “sucks to be me, book, Kimberly Pauley” so I can find it online to add it to my YouTube channel.
By sending in the extra entry, you give me permission to post it online to share. (It will be posted by first name only)
How to Win/Contest Details
I’ll be judging all of the entries with a panel of esteemed judges (okay, maybe not esteemed, but definitely energetic). The contest runs until June 11th. Winners will be announced soon after (depending on how many entries there are and how long it takes me to get through them). If, for some reason, you are not able to complete the online entry form, you can mail your entries to me at PO Box 303, Grayslake, IL 60030. All mailed entries must be received by June 11th.
Okay, so I have complete and total book trailer envy! All of my authors friends have these awesome book trailers for their books! (authorial peer pressure, hehe) I haven’t figured out how to make one yet and I was planning on doing it, but I’m pretty busy with finishing up the revisions on Still Sucks to Be Me. So…I was thinking…it’s contest time!
Especially since the paperback of Sucks to Be Me is coming out August 11th! Woot! (I just got a box of them in the mail from the publisher and it’s so exciting!)
What you gotta do:
Create a book trailer for Sucks to Be Me (you can search YouTube for examples of other book trailers). It can be something from the book (like quotes or a scene or whatever) or something inspired by the book or whatever you come up with!
Upload it to YouTube and tag it with “Sucks to Be Me” and “book trailer” and either post the link here in the comments or send it to me via email or the contact form on the site.
Deadline: September 30th, 2009 (Extended deadline by request!)
What you can win: (three prizes, provided I get enough entries!)
Third prize: a signed copy of the paperback Sucks to Be Me and various vampire paraphernalia (fangs, bite mark tattoos, etc.). PLUS a Practical Guide to Vampires (hardback) and The Stowaway (paperback).
Second prize: a signed copy of the hardback first edition Sucks to Be Me, a Sucks to Be Me batty t-shirt and various vampire paraphernalia. PLUS a Practical Guide to Vampires (hardback), The Stowaway (paperback), and the Practical Guide to Faeries (hardback).
First prize: a $25 Amazon gift certificate, a signed copy of the hardback first edition Sucks to Be Me, a Sucks to Be Me batty t-shirt and various vampire paraphernalia. PLUS a Practical Guide to Vampires (hardback), The Stowaway (paperback), the Practical Guide to Faeries (hardback) and a signed copy of the Practical Guide to Monsters (hardback)!
Update: And everyone who enters will get something (can’t resist, I know these things are hard work!)!
Any questions or comments, post ‘em here. Good luck and I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
(prize list updated 7/24)
I’m going to post the submissions here too, so they’re easier to find. And because they’re so cool! Woot!
I modified the contest end date to September 15th!!
Check out the comments section and let me know — should this be split into two contests? One for “regular” homemade book trailers and another for ones made with more “advanced” stuff? Would love to hear your thoughts! I think I can get my publisher to donate some more prizes (and I’ve got more books and t-shirts too), so it is doable. Of course, it does all somewhat depend on how many entries there are by the end!
Update: August 6th
Okay, I’m going to check with my publisher on getting more prizes (pretty sure it is okay) so that if I get enough submissions of “regular” vs. “advanced” trailers I can do two sets of prizes!
Update: September 14th
Extended the deadline to September 30th, by request! Remember, every entrant will get some type of prize. So tell your friends too!
Update: October 5th
Okay, I’ve edited this entry to show all the official entrants. Some were emailed to me rather than posted in the comment thread and one, for some reason, won’t post on YouTube. Ah, technology. I’m now waiting to hear back from the judges and will post the winners ASAP.
In the meantime, everyone who is listed above please email me your full name & address because EVERYONE is getting a prize!!
Wanna win a super cute Sucks to Be Me t-shirt? You know you do!
This is an easy one to win…all you gotta do is:
Post a review of Sucks to Be Me on either Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, or any other online bookstore website (if you’ve previously post a review on a site you can still enter by posting the review on another site)
Leave a comment on this blog post letting me know where you posted it
And that’s it!
Hope everyone has (who celebrates it) a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Stuff yourself with turkey (that’s my plan).
Contest ends on December 25th. I’ll be giving at least one t-shirt away for every 15 entries. So if 30 people enter, that’ll be 2 shirts and so on. Good luck to everyone!
And if you have another idea for a contest, let me know! I’m thinking about doing one every month or so, just for fun (I ordered a box of t-shirts and they are super-cute!)
Okay, so the moment you’ve all been waiting for…the Grand Poo-Bah of Prize Packs (click here to see what’s in the prize pack) is finally up for grabs! I’ve got a really fun contest for you…help me name the new mean girl in the sequel to Sucks to Be Me!
She’s blonde and Southern, with the requisite drawl. She’s pretty and she *definitely* thinks she’s all that. She doesn’t like that Mina has moved to town and she definitely doesn’t want to share any spotlight (or the attention of any hot guys) with her. She’s got that way of digging at you in the Southern-style where it might sound at first like a compliment but then you realize it really isn’t. So, what’s her name? You tell me!
E-mail your entry to me at kim @ kimberlypauley.com (remove the spaces) and tell me a) what’s this girl’s name and b) why that particular name? You can even enter more than once if you’ve got more than one good “mean girl” name that you think will fit. Excellent creativity will also earn you extra points towards the grand prize contest (if I have to call my husband over to say “Hey, honey, you’ve got to see this!” then you definitely get extra points). Please use the subject line “Mina’s New Nemesis.”
And thank you to everyone who has participated (the awesome authors, the wonderful readers, and passersby) in the Sucks to Be Me Online Book Launch Party. You guys rock! (You definitely don’t suck!)
YOU can help write the third Sucks to Be Me book! Read the currently released chapters and then VOTE in the poll below to determine what happens next. The next continuation will be released after 75 votes in the Chapter 10 poll.
So. I was feeling altruistic and well, I dunno. Happy? Max’s birthday party is tomorrow, which is sure to be an outright orgy of presents. I thought I’d give something away today to kinda karmically (is that a word?) counteract that. So I stopped by my local library here in Kensington on Ladbroke Grove and told ‘em I’d love to donate a set of my books to the library (the first two, since CAT GIRL’S DAY OFF isn’t out yet and I only have one copy right now and heck if I was feeling *that* giving).
Good luck and I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
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