TINY STITCHES by Gwendolyn Hooks -- GIVEAWAY!

I loved Tiny Stitches!

There's no doubt Vivien Thomas' story is historically significant, but his journey toward developing a groundbreaking procedure for pediatric open-heart surgery is also dramatic and incredibly moving. Gwendolyn Hooks writes in a clear, engaging manner, and her words are enhanced by the watercolor paintings of illustrator Colin Bootman. TINY STITCHES, intended for readers 8 and up, would make a great addition to your home, school or church library.

I am giving away one signed copy of TINY STITCHES to a lucky U.S. winner. (I'll even throw in a signed copy of my own book, Ghostlight, to sweeten the pot.) Read more about TINY STITCHES below, and then enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

More about the book:
Vivien Thomas's greatest dream was to attend college to study medicine. But after the stock market crashed in 1929, Vivien lost all his savings. Then he heard about a job opening at the Vanderbilt University medical school under the supervision of Dr. Alfred Blalock. Vivien knew that the all-white school would never admit him as a student, but he hoped working there meant he was getting closer to his dream.

As Dr. Blalock's research assistant, Vivien learned surgical techniques. In 1943, Vivien was asked to help Dr. Helen Taussig find a cure for children with a specific heart defect. After months of experimenting, Vivien developed a procedure that was used for the first successful open-heart surgery on a child. Afterward, Dr. Blalock and Dr. Taussig announced their innovative new surgical technique, the Blalock-Taussig shunt. Vivien s name did not appear in the report.

Overcoming racism and resistance from his colleagues, Vivien ushered in a new era of medicine children s heart surgery. Tiny Stitches is the compelling story of this incredible pioneer in medicine.

What reviewers are saying:
Beyond the crucial message of perseverance and spotlight on prejudiced attitudes that still resonate today, this middle-grade picture book illuminates the life of little-known man whose innovations continue to be essential to modern medicine. --Booklist, starred review

By focusing on the enormous talent and skill of Thomas and depicting instances in which he was dismissed by white coworkers and by the media, the text is an insight into not only this innovator's life but the social and institutional conditions that allow for African American contributions in medicine and science to go largely unrecognized. --School Library Journal

A good alternative to dense, chapter biographies and a rousing tribute to a man unjustly forgotten. --Kirkus Reviews

Hooks writes with vivid detail and immediacy, describing Thomas's anxiety as he coaches Dr. Blalock, the doctor who originally hired him, on performing the first surgery. Bootman's subdued watercolors channel the sobering climate of Depression-era America in a sensitive portrayal of a little-recognized medical pioneer. --Publishers Weekly

The Giveaway! (US entrants only, please!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read or Write Anywhere!

Hey guys! I’ve teamed up with the YA Chicks and many participating authors on a global campaign to encourage readers, writers, students, and teachers to share pictures of the places -- both ordinary and extraordinary -- where they are reading and writing. This is open to all readers/writers of both middle grade and young adult books!

You can also take part in A MONSTER GIVEAWAY!

I’m giving away a signed hardcover copy of:

At the turn of the twentieth century, Spiritualism and séances are all the rage—even in the scholarly town of Cambridge, England. While mediums dupe the grief-stricken, a group of local fringe scientists seeks to bridge the gap to the spirit world by investigating the dark corners of the human mind.

Each running from a shadowed past, Kate, Asher, and Elsie take refuge within the walls of Summerfield College. But their peace is soon shattered by the discovery of a dead body nearby. Is this the work of a flesh-and-blood villain, or is something otherworldly at play? This unlikely trio must illuminate what the scientists have not, and open a window to secrets taken to the grave—or risk joining the spirit world themselves.

[Learn more about The Dark Between HERE]




Every author participating in this campaign is giving away books, critiques, swag and/or Skype visits. I addition to my book giveaway, I will be offering a free Skype visit as part of the Classroom giveaway pack!

So are you ready?



Can you guess where I am? Here are some clues:

-- It was built for a World's Fair

-- For 41 years it was the tallest man-made structure in the world

-- It sparkles at night

-- You could have (a hideously expensive) dinner here

-- It was featured in the James Bond film A View to a Kill (and in the Duran Duran video for the theme song)

Easy, right? Don't write the answer in the comments. Instead, head over to the YA Chicks site and:

--Officially enter the giveaway by inputting each author’s name and your guesses about our locations. Every author location you guess correctly increases your chances to win.

--For even more chances, post a picture of yourself reading or writing on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag).

For writer prize packs:
--Post pictures of yourself writing in a fun location on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere. Then follow the directions on the Rafflecopter giveaway to let us know you did it.
--For even more chances, gather your writer friends together and post a group shot with the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag). And hey, since you're already together, why not host a write-a-thon?

For teacher prize packs:
--Post pictures of your class reading or writing on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag).
--Then let us know you did it when you enter the Rafflecopter. If you don't have a Twitter or Instagram, you can email your picture directly with the picture pasted directly into the email (no attachments--we won't open them) AND the subject, “Read or Write Anywhere.”

You can also check out the YA Chicks Read or Write Anywhere lesson plan, available on their site.

Now, what are you waiting for? Get out there and READ OR WRITE ANYWHERE!

#ReadOrWriteAnywhere

The GHOSTLIGHT jacket and a GIVEAWAY

GHOSTLIGHT releases in exactly three months, so this seems a fine time to share the final jacket design!

(click the image for a larger view)

If you are on Goodreads, you can enter for a chance to win an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Ghostlight. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Ghostlight

by Sonia Gensler

Giveaway ends May 14, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to Win

Or feel free to pre-order the finished copy at these retailers. (Pre-orders are MAGICAL.)

I can't wait to share this book with you! Please stay tuned for more updates, book trailer reveals, and additional GIVEAWAYS.

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

The GRIM Anthology is here!

GRIM is now available for purchase from: Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM

Check out the trailer:



A lot of readers are having trouble placing my story "Untethered" within the works of Brothers Grimm, so I just want to reiterate that it was inspired by a very short (and apparently very obscure) tale called The Shroud. You see, I was curious if the Grimm Brothers had ever dealt with ghosts, and it turned out that they had. TWICE. ("The Stolen Pennies" is the other ghost tale.) And it was Philip Pullman's commentary on these stories in Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm that prompted my own version. [WARNING: this commentary isn't that spoilery, but if you want to be spoiler-free before reading the story, you might skip the next paragraph.]

Each of these tales is straightforward and pious. They are pure ghost stories, but their intention is not to make us shiver so much as to point a simple moral. The belief system they come from is almost pre-Christian: the dead deserve their rest, and the living can help them find it; excessive grief is self-indulgent; sin must be atoned for. Once the human action has been taken, the supernatural withdraws. (322)

With "Untethered," I wanted to address the issue of ghosts and grief while at the same time adding in some of the shivers that were lacking in the original. I hope you enjoy it! And don't forget the Blog tour with giveaways.



[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

The GRIM Blog Tour -- with Giveaways!

The GRIM Anthology releases in 8 days! To celebrate, Harlequin Teen is offering a blog tour with fabulous giveaways!

Prizes:

-- At every stop on the tour, the blog will be hosting a contest for a giveaway of 1 copy of GRIM

-- Grand prize: At every stop on the tour, a grand prize package will be promoted, which will include 2 copies of GRIM and a selection of other Harlequin TEEN titles

Tour Schedule:

Monday, February 17th - Harlequin Paranormal Blog (featuring GRIM editor Christine Johnson!)

Tuesday, February 18th – Stories 1, 2 and 3 - Two Chicks on Books

Wednesday, February 19th – Stories 4, 5 and 6 - Book and A Latte

Friday, February 21st – Stories 7, 8 and 9 - Fiction Freak

Monday, February 24th – Stories 10, 11 and 12 - Mundie Moms

Wednesday, February 26th – Stories 13, 14 and 15 - Bumbles and Fairytales

Friday, February 28th – Stories 16 and 17 - Fiktshun


Learn more at the tour main page.

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

It's a fine day for a GIVEAWAY!

Last fall when I was promoting The Dark Between, I was fortunate to hang out with a bunch of cool writers. Some of them even signed books for me to give away! Learn more about the books below, and note that I'm also offering an ARC of Grim, a short story anthology featuring modern takes on classic Grimm fairy tales (due out in hardcover at the end of February). I would be happy to sign my story, "Untethered," which is based on the wee little Brothers Grimm story, The Shroud.

You could win ALL these books:



Inception, by Teal Haviland
Earthbound, by Aprilynne Pike
Elegy, Tara Hudson
Infinityglass, by Myra McEntire
The Dark Between, by Sonia Gensler
The Lost Sun AUDIO BOOK, by Tessa Gratton
Grim (the ARC), edited by Christine Johnson

It's easy to enter through Punchtab -- everything is explained below. However, if for some reason the widget isn't appearing, please provide your name and email addy in a comment and I'll enter for you.

Heck, let's make this giveaway INTERNATIONAL.

GOOD LUCK!

Friday Five

Even more random than usual . . .

1. Giveaway -- better late than never, but I'm finally announcing the winner of THE DARK BETWEEN blog tour contest. Congratulations to:

Heidi Davis -- a package of goodies will be coming your way very soon!

2. The Sound of Music -- I'm rather annoyed with myself for having missed NBC's live production last night. I've never seen the Broadway musical, and I've certainly never seen NBC do anything this risky or interesting. Seems like the reviews are mixed. What did you think? Did it put you in the Christmas spirit?

3. Speaking of Christmas -- my friend Shel has featured a stocking stuffer extravaganza on her blog all this week. Check it out! She has compiled roughly a bazillion ideas for filling your stockings.

4. SNOW!


It's not a blizzard, by any means, but it's enough to shut things down in these parts. The house is dark and quiet--even the cat is sleeping in--but I had to get out and have a tromp in the snow.

5. Death Comes to Pemberley -- here's the first trailer for the BBC adaptation:


I didn't really enjoy the book, but I'm certainly game for a TV adaptation. (Chatsworth! Anna Maxwell Martin! Cravats!) The tone seems terribly dark for Austen, but of course I'll watch whenever it makes its way across the pond. Will you?

Have a wonderful weekend!

[Cross-posted to Livejournal]

Halloween hangovers and giveaway WINNER

How can it be November already?

I'm still in a spooky mood, and I love these faux horror movie trailers:


Hee! So well done.


Though I haven't seen all of Wes Anderson's movies, Moonrise Kingdom is a favorite. (BTW, how did I miss Edward Norton on SNL?)

Finally, by the totally random power of Random.org, a winner has been chosen for last week's signed book giveaway:

Bev Kodak of Ola Middle School in Georgia!

Congrats, Bev! And thanks to all the teachers and librarians who entered.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Monday Giveaway for librarians and teachers!

Wendelin Van Draanen, Gennifer Choldenko, Ruta Sepetys, and me!

Earlier this month, I had the honor of joining the above ladies for a series of school visits, talks, and signings that benefited the school libraries affected by the tragic Moore tornado. Thank you, Perma-Bound! I had such a great time. And now I want to pay it forward by giving away a prize pack of signed perma-bound copies of each of our books.

This giveaway is for LIBRARIANS AND TEACHERS in the U.S.

All you have to do is:

1) comment with your name and the school or library you are affiliated with

2) provide an email address

That's it! I will do a random drawing Sunday evening (11/3) at 10 pm Central time. The winner will be announced on Monday.

Click a cover for more information about each book offered for giveaway:

The Dark Between Blog Tour and Scavenger Hunt!

The Dark Between is going on tour!

Join our 10 stops along the way to learn more about the book AND to enter for a chance to win a cool prize pack, including a finished hardcover copy of your very own.



Here are the tour stops (each will reveal a different codeword):

Sept. 2 - Mundie Moms
Sept. 3 - Candace's Book Blog
Sept. 4 - Once Upon a Twilight
Sept. 5 - Small Review
Sept. 6 - Reading Teen
Sept. 9 - Book Chic Club
Sept. 10 - The Story Siren
Sept. 11 - Ruby's Reads
Sept. 12 - Page Turners Blog
Sept. 13 - Icey Books

CLICK HERE TO ENTER YOUR CODEWORD FOR EACH BLOG POST.

You are allowed up to TEN total entries (one for each correct code)!

Good luck, and thanks for your interest in The Dark Between!

Giveaway winners and AdVANture Tour!

Hey gang, by the totally random power of Random.org, these winners were selected to receive THE DARK BETWEEN goodie bags:

Staesh

Moirae(thefates)

Congrats to them, and thanks to everyone for entering!

More chances to win Dark Between goodies:

The Dark Between Blog Tour

Novel Novice's Haunted Flash Fiction contest

Today Tessa Gratton, Myra McEntire, Tara Hudson and I all converge in Dallas for the first stop of our YA AdVANture tour. (You should see our van. It is AWESOME. We'll post post pics.)

Updated tour details below. We'd love to see you!

Thursday, September 5, 7pm
Barnes & Noble
Stonebriar Center Mall
Frisco, TX 75034

Friday, September 6, 6pm
Barnes & Noble
11500 Financial Ctr Pkwy
Little Rock, AR 72211

Saturday, September 7, 7pm
The Booksellers at Laurelwood
387 Perkins Extd
Memphis, TN 38117

Sunday, September 8, 4pm
St. Louis Central Library (Teen Lounge)
1301 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO
Event organized by Left Bank Books

Monday, September 9, 6:30pm
Mysteryscape
7309 W 80th St
Overland Park, KS 66204

THE DARK BETWEEN is here!

At the turn of the twentieth century, Spiritualism and séances are all the rage—even in the scholarly town of Cambridge, England. While mediums dupe the grief-stricken, a group of local fringe scientists seeks to bridge the gap to the spirit world by investigating the dark corners of the human mind.

Each running from a shadowed past, Kate, Asher, and Elsie take refuge within the walls of Summerfield College. But their peace is soon shattered by the discovery of a dead body nearby. Is this the work of a flesh-and-blood villain, or is something otherworldly at play? This unlikely trio must illuminate what the scientists have not, and open a window to secrets taken to the grave—or risk joining the spirit world themselves.

Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Check out the trailer:




To celebrate the release, I'm giving away TWO goodie bags:



You could win a swanky Dark Between tote (yes, an actual goodie bag), which will contain:

--a signed copy of the book
--a Dark Between journal (featuring art from Audrey Eclectic)
--bookmarks
--postcards
--AND a fancy notecard that I brought all the way back from Cambridge, England just for you!

This giveaway is North America only. We're doing things the old fashioned way -- just comment below with your name/some way to contact you and you're entered! Contest ends Tuesday, September 3, at 10:00 pm Central time.

And please stay tuned for details on a Dark Between blog tour and a Novel Novice Book of the Month feature -- more fun and giveaways just around the corner!

Friday favorites

Favorite thing #1: You know how I love to give away books, so just thought I'd let you know that these lovely people won books and/or swag in the last giveaway:

Tiffany D.
N Marie M.
Tiffany A.
Jenna J.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Favorite thing #2: Amy Plum! If you're still keen for a DARK BETWEEN advance copy, Amy will be offering one for her next Contest Monday. Check her webpage on June 17!

Favorite thing #3: Daylilies!



The top left and bottom right look a lot alike in the photos, but the bottom right is actually more orangey-yellow. They are all very pretty and have just started blooming. Sadly, we will miss their best days while we are overseas.

But that brings me to Favorite thing #4: OXFORD!


We're off again for another summer at Brasenose College in Oxford. This year we're leaving a little early so that Steve can attend a conference in Zurich, Switzerland. (My first time in this country!) In addition to our Oxford frivolities (or "work" as Steve would call it), we'll spend a weekend in Cambridge getting photos and film footage related to THE DARK BETWEEN. Prepare thyself for photo spamming. :)

Now must return to getting the house ready for our wonderful house sitter. (Cedric is very smitten with this individual.)

Any exciting summer plans of your own to share?

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

The Dark Between ARC giveaway!

The Dark Between hardcover releases in less than three months. Here's the official flap copy:

At the turn of the twentieth century, Spiritualism and séances are all the rage—even in the scholarly town of Cambridge, England. While mediums dupe the grief-stricken, a group of local fringe scientists seeks to bridge the gap to the spirit world by investigating the dark corners of the human mind.

Each running from a shadowed past, Kate, Asher, and Elsie take refuge within the walls of Summerfield College. But their peace is soon shattered by the discovery of a dead body nearby. Is this the work of a flesh-and-blood villain, or is something otherworldly at play? This unlikely trio must illuminate what the scientists have not, and open a window to secrets taken to the grave—or risk joining the spirit world themselves.

Would you like to get your hands on an advance copy? If so, read on!

First of all, if you are a Goodreads member, you can enter to win one of two signed copies that are up for grabs.

Click this link for Goodreads giveaway (International!).

I'm also hosting a U.S. only giveaway here on the blog -- win a copy of the ARC with swag (postcard and bookmark, plus a postcard and journal featuring The Dark Between painting from Audrey Eclectic!):


Read more about the Audrey Eclectic painting of The Dark Between.

To sweeten the pot, I also am including SIGNED COPIES of the following fabulous books:



Elegy by Tara Hudson -- Faced with an impossible choice between the forces of Light and the boy she loves, ghostly Amelia decides to take her afterlife into her own hands and fight back, in this stunning conclusion to the hauntingly romantic Hereafter trilogy.

The Collector by Victoria Scott -- Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence has made him one of Hell’s best — a soul collector. His job is simple, weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris -- On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.


Signing at OKC Barnes & Noble with Victoria Scott, Rachel Harris, and Tara Hudson!

To sum up:
-- ONE winner will receive The Dark Between ARC + the three signed books listed above + SWAG.
-- THREE winners will receive The Dark Between swag -- including bookmark, postcards, and journal. (Heck, I'll throw in some Revenant swag, too!)

Click below to enter either through Facebook or with your email address. The widget will then offer you opportunities to increase your entries. It's easy!


(If you can't see the widget, give me your name and email address in the comments and I'll enter for you.)

THE REVENANT paperback is almost here!

Hey guys, the paperback for THE REVENANT releases next Tuesday. This edition includes the first chapter of THE DARK BETWEEN. Yay!

Here's the official jacket blurb for the book:

When Willie arrives in Indian Territory, she knows only one thing: no one can find out who she really is. To escape a home she doesn't belong in anymore, she assumes the name of a former classmate and accepts a teaching job at the Cherokee Female Seminary.

Nothing prepares her for what she finds there. Her pupils are the daughters of the Cherokee elite—educated and more wealthy than she, and the school is cloaked in mystery. A student drowned in the river last year, and the girls whisper that she was killed by a jealous lover. Willie's room is the very room the dead girl slept in. The students say her spirit haunts it.

Willie doesn't believe in ghosts, but when strange things start happening at the school, she isn't sure anymore. She's also not sure what to make of a boy from the nearby boys' school who has taken an interest in her—his past is cloaked in secrets. Soon, even she has to admit that the revenant may be trying to tell her something. . . .

I'm giving away a few copies, along with swag for THE REVENANT and THE DARK BETWEEN.



**Click here to enter the Goodreads giveaway (INTERNATIONAL)**

And/or enter below with Punchtab (US/CA only):


You can also give me your name and email address in the comments below, and I'll enter you!

A tea for February

Before I get to the tea: I want to announce that the winners of REVEL and THE DARK BETWEEN preorder, chosen through the mighty power of Random.org, are Carrie K and Regina Garvie! Congrats to both of them!

Now . . . TEA!

January was crazy, but I'm back with a tea recommendation for February.

In my early days of tea exploration, I shopped a lot at Stash. You often can find their bagged teas at the supermarket, but their loose leaf tea is quite good, too. The Stash website is a great place to spend some time, especially if you're not quite sure what you like and don't want to invest a great deal of money in sampling a few things. I've always been pleased by their offerings.


If you like a smooth black tea, you can't go wrong with the Kenilworth Estate Ceylon from Stash. Here's their description:

Long attractive leaves, exquisite flavor and subtle body. Excellent afternoon tea.

Ceylon teas from the Kenilworth Estate enjoy the seasonal monsoons which encourage the growth of the teas in the districts of Dimbula, Uva and Kandy. Select tender leaves picked after the first monsoon and processed during cooler weather, result in a creamy character unique to this estate. With long attractive leaves our Kenilworth Ceylon Orange Pekoe has the smoothness of a great Ceylon tea with the intriguing creamy top notes this tea is known for.

I agree that this is a great tea for afternoons -- it's not quite as dark and brisk as an Assam.


Last week, it seemed the perfect choice for "second breakfast." (Not just for Hobbits anymore!) Steve and I had an early breakfast at Panera -- one scone shared between us -- and by 10:30 I was starving. So I made a pot of Kenilworth Ceylon and enjoyed it with a slice of homemade cherry orange loaf.

[The recipe originally called for fresh cranberries, but I couldn't even find frozen ones this time of year, so I substitued tart cherries. They worked fine, but I will try with cranberries in the fall. You'll find the recipe here.]

What's your favorite tea for the cold month of February?

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

Revel in mystery, monsters, & love -- enter my GIVEAWAY!

I'm a huge fan of Maurissa Guibord. Her debut novel Warped, the story of two young lovers from very different places and times, captivated me with its romance and suspense. I've been waiting with great anticipation for her new novel, Revel.

Check out the official synopsis:

There's an island off the coast of Maine that's not on any modern map. Shrouded in mist and protected by a deadly reef, Trespass Island is home to a community of people who guard the island and its secrets from outsiders. Seventeen-year-old Delia grew up in Kansas, but has come here in search of her family and answers to her questions: Why didn't her mother ever talk about Trespass Island? Why did she fear the open water? But Delia's not welcome and soon finds herself enmeshed in a frightening and supernatural world where ancient Greek symbols adorn the buildings and secret ceremonies take place on the beach at night. Sean Gunn, a handsome young lobsterman, befriends Delia and seems willing to risk his life to protect her. But it's Jax, the coldly elusive young man she meets at the water's edge, who finally makes Delia understand the real dangers of life on the island. Delia is going to have to fight to survive. Because there are monsters here. And no one ever leaves Trespass alive.

Sounds fabulous, doesn't it? Wouldn't you like to win a copy of your very own?

I can help with that!

To celebrate the release of Revel, I am giving away TWO (2) copies of the book. And I'll sweeten the pot by adding a couple of pre-orders of my own book The Dark Between, due out from Knopf/Random House in August.

This giveaway is open to US, Canadian, and UK residents!

--To enter, all you need to do is comment below with your name and the best way to contact you.

--I'll give you an extra entry if you tweet this giveaway. Make sure my Twitter handle is in the tweet.

Here's a tweet you can copy and paste -- easy peasy!
Revel in mystery, monsters & love! Win @Maurissa_G's REVEL & pre-order of @soniagensler's THE DARK BETWEEN. goo.gl/QKbTA Pls RT!

This giveaway is open until midnight (CST), Thursday, February 21. I will announce the winners on the following day.

Saundra Mitchell's THE SPRINGSWEET giveaway!

"Do you know what I've missed since coming here? Books. I do miss reading novels, don't you?"
-Zora, The Springsweet

Pretty much every writer started out as a reader; now that we're writers, we can't help but write about people who love books. Sometimes IN the books. It's meta upon meta, but it makes perfect sense to us.

To celebrate books, Saundra Mitchell's blog tour is all about sharing two great things that go great together: books + free. She's kicking it off here because THE SPRINGSWEET takes place in Oklahoma Territory, a great complement to THE REVENANT's historical Oklahoma setting.

Today, you can enter to win a copy of THE REVENANT, and a signed set of Saundra's THE VESPERTINE and THE SPRINGSWEET. All you have to do is comment in this entry, and leave an e-mail address where we can contact you. (US & Canadian residents only, please.)

And tell us about your favorite book, too. Growing a TBR pile is the best gardening there is!

THE SPRINGSWEET
A Companion to The Vespertine
by Saundra Mitchell
Hardcover & E-book
From Harcourt

“A lovely historical romance takes readers back to the 1890 Oklahoma territory. (T)he author conjures a convincing picture of life on the Oklahoma prairie, painting an absorbing portrait of the landscape and of the people there. A high-quality, absorbing drama.”
– Kirkus Reviews, 02/01/12

It’s a long way from Baltimore to Oklahoma Territory. But Zora Stewart will go any distance to put the tragic events of her sixteenth summer behind her. So this city girl heads to the tiny frontier town of West Glory to help her young widowed aunt keep her homestead going.

When another Baltimorean shows up in West Glory, Zora couldn’t be more surprised. Theo de la Croix made the long trip out west hoping to court Zora, whom he has long admired from afar.
But Zora has developed an attraction to a rather less respectable fellow: Emerson Birch, a rough-mannered young “sooner” whose fertile land is coveted.

As Zora begins to suspect that there may be more than luck behind Emerson’s good land, she discovers an extraordinary, astonishing power of her own: the ability to sense water under the parched earth. When her aunt hires her out as a “springsweet” to advise other settlers where to dig their wells, Zora feels the burden of holding the key to something so essential to survival in this unforgiving land.

Even more, she finds herself longing for love the way the prairie thirsts for water. Maybe, in the wildness of the territories, Zora can finally move beyond simply surviving and start living.

THE SPRINGSWEET
is available at Indiebound |Amazon| Barnes & Noble

Saundra Mitchell has been a phone psychic, a car salesperson, a denture-deliverer and a layout waxer. She's dodged trains, endured basic training, and hitchhiked from Montana to California. She teaches herself languages, raises children, and makes paper for fun. She's the author of Shadowed Summer, The Vespertine, The Springsweet, and the forthcoming The Elementals and Mistwalker. She's also the editor of the forthcoming YA anthology Defy the Dark. She always picks truth; dares are too easy.

Giveaways and rainy days

Congrats to Alisha -- her number came up in my final ARC giveaway! Thanks so much to everyone who entered. I truly appreciated all the book recs.

And I wish to extend a warm welcome to all my new Twitter and blog followers. :)

Yesterday was gloomy with rain and thunder, which was perfect for revising a Gothic mystery. The sky cleared a bit that night, as you'll see . . .


This was how it looked at 8:00 pm when Steve and I took a walk. The Oklahoma sky never ceases to amaze me.


And here's our cat, waiting faithfully in the window for our return. On nights when we have the windows open, he'll hear our voices before he sees us, and he'll meow us home (just in case we've forgotten where we live).

ETA: I've been listening to The Attenbury Emeralds, the latest Peter and Harriet Wimsey book by Jill Paton Walsh, and it's so good! The hardcover has been languishing on my shelf for ages, but when I learned Edward Petherbridge read the audio, I downloaded that right away. Now I'm chomping at the bit to continue, but I don't have any long driving trips in the near future. I just adore his reading, and the mystery is suprisingly good considering that half of it is told by Peter and Bunter as the family is relaxing around the house or at a tea shop. (There's so much TEA DRINKING, you guys!) I'm getting giddy just thinking about it. (And I was very gratified to see all the starred reviews after I'd already decided I loved it.) As soon as I'm done listening I might just go back and read the book (because my mind tends to wander as I listen, particularly when I'm mooning over Peter). And then I'll start up with STRONG POISON, or perhaps even go back to the very beginning with WHOSE BODY? *joy*

One more ARC giveaway! NOW CLOSED

As you may have seen, Janice won the last group of YA ARCs. Hooray!

However, I still have a stack of ARCs left from my ALA Midwinter haul, and they need a good home. This collection is more varied than the last. You'll find contemporary, mystery/thriller, and fantasy titles below -- a variety pack of AWESOME!

Belles, by Jen Calonita (Poppy)

The Book of Blood and Shadow, by Robin Wasserman (Knopf)

The Girl in the Park, by Mariah Fredericks (Schwartz & Wade)

Jersey Angel, by Beth Ann Bauman (Wendy Lamb Books)

Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman (Random House)

Wanderlove, by Kristen Hubbard (Delacorte)




THIS GIVEAWAY IS OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!

How to enter:
(Practically the same as before!)

ALL you have to do is comment and share the title of a 2012 YA book you're really looking forward to reading.

To gain more entries, you may do any or all of the following:

-- Tweet this giveaway (+1) You may copy and paste the following:
Win more fabulous ARCs at @soniagensler's Contemp/Fantasy/Thriller YA Giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/7x97haw Pls RT.
-- Follow me on Twitter (+1)
-- Follow this blog (+1)

Please spell out what you've done in your comment. (If you already follow me here and at Twitter, you get credit for that!)

Deadline to enter: Sunday, March 18th, 11:59 pm (Central)