A little bit of hope...

In honor of National Poetry Month and Autism Awareness Month, here is a gentle poem from the inimitable Emily Dickinson that speaks, I think, to all of us. And if you're feeling hopeful--and helpful--scroll below the poem to enter for a PRIZE!

Hope is the thing with feathers
by Emily Dickinson
Hope is the thing with feathers  That perches in the soul,  And sings the tune without the words,  And never stops at all,     And sweetest in the gale is heard;          And sore must be the storm  That could abash the little bird  That kept so many warm.     I've heard it in the chillest land,  And on the strangest sea;         Yet, never, in extremity,  It asked a crumb of me.

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It's World Autism Awareness Day!

Learn more about this disorder which impacts many individuals, families and communities around the globe by liking this Autism Awareness Facebook page.  That one simple click can help raise awareness (I mean, you're more aware right now, aren't you?) and understanding.

By way of thanks, I'll be giving away ANOTHER AWESOME The Sound of Letting Go SWAG PACK:
a purple-tastic water bottle stuffed with sticky notes, signed swag, rebellious (and sparkly) nail polish and more! All you have to do is like the Autism Awareness page via the Rafflecopter entry form below. Prize mailing is to US addresses only. 

Here are some additional resource links if you'd like more info:
http://www.autismspeaks.org/wordpress-tags/autism-awareness-month

http://www.autism-society.org/about-us/national-autism-awareness-month/

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The Walking Dead, True Blood and How to Plot Your Novel

Visit me over at Adventures in YA Publishing to learn how vampires, zombies and economics can help you better understand your own plot-building methods--and IMPROVE THEM :)

While you're there, you can enter to win a SIGNED ARC of THE SOUND OF LETTING GO, annotated with my own paranormal musings and practical writing tips!

Last few hours to enter THE SOUND OF LETTING GO Goodreads

This is for a signed, annotated advance review copy (arc) of THE SOUND OF LETTING GO. Comes with a pack of TSoLG sticky notes and a signed postcard, too!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Sound of Letting Go

by Stasia Ward Kehoe

Giveaway ends December 01, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Before going on TURKEY HIATUS WEEKEND...

just a quick reminder that, once I've recovered from my tryptophan coma, I'll be spending some time annotating a copy of THE SOUND OF LETTING GO for one lucky winner!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Sound of Letting Go

by Stasia Ward Kehoe

Giveaway ends December 01, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Contest ends soon, so click if you want to win a gravy-stained arc (just kidding, it'll be a pumpkin
pie-stained arc!).

GOODREADS GIVEAWAY: A signed, annotated arc of THE SOUND OF LETTING GO

Goodreads arc giveaway fun. Ready...set...click!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Sound of Letting Go

by Stasia Ward Kehoe

Giveaway ends December 01, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

THE BOOKANISTAS: OUR BIG RELAUNCH

For the past few years, I have belonged to an amazing group of reader-bloggers known as The Bookanistas. Our collective includes librarians, writers (published and not-yet-published), parents, friends, travel enthusiasts, theater geeks, and people who are actually great at technology stuff (I'm not in that bunch but am grateful to know them). Foremost, however, we are all readers and lovers of stories. We are kids who grew up sneaking books into bed, reading by flashlight under covers, asking for books for Christmas and, as adults, having an embarrassing number of books to dust on those occasions when we clean house.

Today, we are re-launching our www.thebookanistas.com website with a bright new look.

We're sharing summer (reading) tips. Here are mine:

• Read one book outside of your favorite genre this summer. An adult book, a sci-fi (if you're a contemp fan--or vice versa), or even a pile of picture books. And, reread an old childhood favorite (Nancy Drew, Little House, Judy Blume.) Ask yourself if you've become a different type of reader as an adult. Do you still love the oldie (and for the same or different reasons)? Can you appreciate the off-genre book (and how/why)?
• Don't wear a binki if you don't want to. T-shirts rule. Especially if they're from Broadway shows or Buffy or make me look like I have an actual waistline (hey, I'm allowed to dream).

AND there are prizes if you enter!

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THE WINNER OF THE BOOKANISTA RELAUNCH GIVEAWAY OF AWESOME WILL RECEIVE

Signed copies of these Bookanista-authored books…

IF I LIE and TOUCHED by Corrine Jackson PLUS ARCs of JUST ONE DAY and SPEECHLESS
LET THE SKY FALL by Shannon Messenger
BY BLOOD by Tracy Banghart
POSSESSION, SURRENDER and ABANDON by Elana Johnson
TOUCHING THE SURFACE by Kimberly Sabatini (plus a swag surprise)
BAD TASTE IN BOYS by Carrie Harris
AUDITION by Stasia Ward Kehoe
THE GIRL GUIDE by Christine Fonseca (plus sweet swag)
MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza
LEVEL ONE by Lenore Appelhans
 
AND A SECOND WINNER WILL GET A BOX FILLED WITH Bookanista-beloved reads including DITCHED by Robin Mellom, JELLICO ROAD by Melina Marchetta, TAKEN by Erin Bowman, CLOCKWORK ANGEL by Cassandra Clare, MONSTROUS BEAUTY by Elizabeth Fama and SPARROW ROAD by Sheila O’Connor.

Now, pop along to get advice from more Bookanistas and feel free to leave your own tips and recs anywhere along the way! Where? At the websites and blogs of...
Carolina Valdez Miller, Carrie Harris,  Christine Fonseca, Corrine Jackson, Debra Driza, Elana Johson, Jessica Love, Katy Upperman, Kimberly Sabatini, Lenore Appelhans,  Nikki Katz, Rebecca Behrens, Shannon Messenger , Shelli Johannes-Wells, Tracey Neithercott, and Tracy Banghart!

Monday Morning & Carrie Harris's Great BAD HAIR

So, you know how it never rains but it pours? In the Pacific Northwest, that's more than just a cliche, it's a winter reality. Before THE SOUND OF LETTING GO sold, I was on a role with a new ms and it was challenging to switch back to living as TSoLG main character Daisy when I'd been wearing the skin (gross image intentional--see below) of another MC for quite awhile. And, of course, I'll never know why it is that I'm in a freelance dry spell or have a scarily tall stack of must-read-for-work books (translation: now).

I could not get through this time without the support of some terrific writer friends, folks so incredible that instead of working on ms or job, I MUST take this morning to talk about one of them because she celebrated TWO BOOK LAUNCHES last week. AND I WANT TO CELEBRATE WITH AND FOR HER!

The astoundingly funny, generous (she's a beta-reader extraordinaire and is GIVING AWAY a six-month writing mentorship!) and talented CARRIE HARRIS is back on the shelves with BAD HAIR DAY, the next book featuring my geektastic braniac idol, Kate Grable and, of course, plenty of creepy critters (in this case, werewolves).

Carrie takes hair imagery to pompadour heights in this fast-paced, fantastically plotted horror-comedy novel. If you're on a pre-holiday budget limit, check out Carrie's novella, BAD YETI, headlined by Kate's inimitable brother Jonah, available on Kindle for only $2.99.  In case you need more convincing, here's my review of Bad Taste in Boys.

In honor of BAD HAIR DAY, I am posting here a picture of me with a PREPOSTEROUS POODLE PERM. I really wanted to share an as-yet-unseen gem of me with one of those 1985 half-long, half-short do's but I don't have a digital version of that yet (will look hard 'cuz that cut was a doozie).  So, here's me in college (in the blue sweater) with two of my besties and some serious attitude.

Now, head on over to Carrie's blog to see how you can win that awesome mentorship or just celebrate some serious BAD hair!

Back to Business: IS IT REALLY THAT HARD TO WRITE A REVIEW?

Yes, I am goading you. And not just because the deadline to enter my giveaway for a FREE-LIVE-AND-IN-PERSON-AUTHOR-VISIT-WITH-MOI ends SIX DAYS from today.  I am goading you because (drum roll please)...

WRITING REVIEWS HELPS AUTHORS!

Believe it or not, those reviews and "likes" on Amazon and B&N improve our stats and that, my friends, is showing the love for your writer tribe.

Also, an AMAZON review only needs to be 20 words long. So, if we start with I THINK THE THING I MOST ENJOYED ABOUT THIS NOVEL WAS, you are more than halfway there!

Cut-and-paste with my blessings, folks.  Complete the easy sentence and put it on Amazon.  Send the link to your favorite teacher or librarian and they're practically finished with the entry for my AWESOME giveaway.  Then, wait and see.  Maybe I'll be turning up (FREE) in your town sometime soon.  Plus, I might bring my ultimate banana chocolate chip muffins. Yeah. That.

Fantastic Friday!!!!

It's finally Friday and there's so much bookish fun this weekend (and I don't mean the whole Hunger Games insanity though, yeah, I'm SO going to see it!).

First, Elana Johnson is gearing up for the release of her next Possession novel with a Great PreOrder Adventure--definitely click on over and check it out. You can win exclusive character art and all kinds of the awesome the could come only from the amazing mind of Elana!

And I'm spilling my Friday Five over at my agent buddy Katherine Longshore's blog--plus there's a linky over there to win a signed copy of AUDITION, too!

And I happened to notice a great post on one's personal literature canon written by Becca Puglisi over at The Bookshelf Muse. Definitely worth a few moments' "musings" (ooh--aren't I punny this am--it's the coffee).

Heading off to the gym for the second time this week. Seriously, I hate the gym.  Why do I do this to myself?  Oh yeah, so my arse doesn't grow ten feet wide from all the hours I spend just sitting at this computer writing stuff.  That.

Hope the "odds are ever in your favor" this weekend. If you catch the movie, lemme know what you think :)

Consider & Win: HOW AUDITION IS LIKE THE HUNGER GAMES

One of my favorite stops along the AUDITION blog tour was at Good Books & Good Wine, where I looked at ways my contemporary YA, Audition, is like The Hunger Games and what Sara has in common with Katniss. In celebration of Suzanne Collins' incredible novel coming to the screen this month, let me know what you think. AND, if you agree with my thoughts on writing and world-building, click and ENTER TO WIN AN AUTHOR VISIT & WRITING WORKSHOP WITH ME. I'm not available to travel to Panem, but I can make it FOR FREE to any school or library in the contintental USA!

Bookanistas & Giveaway Goodness

Happy March 1st everybody! I'm in a celebratory mood. Plus, I'm in a travelin' mood, so...

I am giving away A FREE LIVE AUTHOR VISIT to a school or library ANYWHERE in the continental USA. 

All you have to do to enter is review AUDITION on B&N.com or Amazon.com then click on the button below to enter your review link and get the details. The "review" need only be 20 words long--easy, peasy!

Need more Bookanista in your week?

Here you go!

Elana Johnson is crazy for CASSAFIRE

Christine Fonseca falls for EVERNEATH

Katy Upperman highlights some fab new 2012 release covers
Tracy Banghart goes wild over BORN WICKED
Gennifer Albin is givin’ some cover lovin’
Jessica Love wonders at WHY WE BROKE UP