Lady Reader's Bookstuff: 11/1/12

Friday, November 30, 2012

Q&A With Author Daisy Whitney + Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome the fabulous author Daisy Whitney to the blog for an interview. It just so happens that it's your lucky day because Daisy spills a few of her writing secrets with us as well as offering a copy of both of her novels, THE MOCKINGBIRDS and THE RIVALS donated by the fantastic folks at Little Brown.

Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.

In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl's struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone--especially yourself--you fight for it.

When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn't do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that's been given to her, she's now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before.

It isn't rape. It isn't bullying. It isn't hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don't add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most: her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.

As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about herself than she ever expected.

-What inspired you to become a writer?

My desire not to leave the house each day. That, and I really like making stuff up, and controlling the lives of imaginary people!

-How long did it take you to write THE RIVALS? During that time did you come across any blocks/times that you couldn’t write?

I wrote the first draft in two months, then revised it many, many times over the next six months. As for blocks, I don't believe in writer's block! You put your butt in the chair and your fingers on the keys!

-What inspired you to write THE RIVALS? Is there a story about the writing of this novel that begs to be told?

My publisher want a sequel to THE MOCKINGBIRDS! That, and I felt there were many unanswered questions about a student-run justice group that I wanted to delve into, and I also wanted to tackle a "case" that raised all sorts of shade of gray for the Mockingbirds, as the case in THE RIVALS does.

--What is it that you’re exploring in THE RIVALS?

The story looks at when vigilante justice works and when it doesn't, the responsibilities we do and don't have to police and protect each other, when to take a stand and when not to, and how to make choices you can live with.

--Who is your favorite character in this book, and why?

I always have a soft spot for Martin, Alex's boyfriend. And for Jones, her good musician friend. And I particularly like Theo, a new character introduced in this book because I totally feel for him and his situation, as readers will learn.

--What question are you never asked in interviews but wish you were?

What's the cutest thing your dog did today? Funny you should ask! It was probably when she staged an elaborate ruse to try to trick me into letting her eat a bone inside the house by planting it at one of my back doors, but then asking to be let in the other one.

--Which authors have been most influential to your own writing?

Gayle Forman, Emily Giffin, Normal Maclean, John Knowles, Robert Cormier, Harper Lee

--If you weren't writing, what would you want to be doing for a living? What are some of your other passions in life?

I'd really like to be a Broadway star, but alas, I can't sing, dance or act.

--Tell us about the biggest challenges you face in your writing process.

The biggest challenges always come during revisions when you have to go deep into the story and the characters and ensure everything that happens feels truly authentic. It's hard, but so rewarding.

--Please list seven random likes.

I like shoes, dogs, chocolate chip cookies, sparkly things, rings, necklaces, and caramel

--Is there anything that you’re working on that we need to be looking out for?

Yes! I have a standalone novel called WHEN YOU WERE HERE that Little Brown will publish in Spring 2013. I'm super excited about it -- it's about big loss and big love.

By day, Daisy Whitney is a new media producer, reporter and on-air host. At night, she writes novels for teens and is the author of THE MOCKINGBIRDS and its sequel THE RIVALS (Little, Brown). Her third novel WHEN YOU WERE HERE releases in Spring 2013 (Little, Brown), and her fourth novel STARRY NIGHTS (Bloomsbury) hits shelves in Fall 2013. When Daisy's not inventing fictional high school worlds, she can be found somewhere north of San Francisco walking her adorable dog, watching online TV with her fabulous husband or playing with her fantastic kids. A graduate of Brown University, she believes in shoes, chocolate chip cookies and karma. You can follow her writing blog and new media adventures at DaisyWhitney.com.

Thank you very much for your time, Daisy and thank you for visiting with us!

Open to Everyone13+ * Winner must respond within 48 hours*

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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Q&A With Author Victoria Foyt + Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome the fabulous author Victoria Foyt to the blog for an interview. It just so happens that it's your lucky day because Victoria spills a few of her writing secrets with us as well as offering a finished copy of her novel, REVEALING EDEN (SAVE THE PEARLS, #1) donated by Victoria and her publisher.

Eden Newman must mate before her 18th birthday in six months or she'll be left outside to die in a burning world. But who will pick up her mate-option when she's cursed with white skin and a tragically low mate-rate of 15%? In a post-apocalyptic, totalitarian, underground world where class and beauty are defined by resistance to an overheated environment, Eden's coloring brands her as a member of the lowest class, a weak and ugly Pearl.

If only she can mate with a dark-skinned Coal from the ruling class, she'll be safe. Just maybe one Coal sees the Real Eden and will be her salvation-her co-worker Jamal has begun secretly dating her.

But when Eden unwittingly compromises her father's secret biological experiment, she finds herself in the eye of a storm-and thrown into the last area of rainforest, a strange and dangerous land.

Eden must fight to save her father, who may be humanity's last hope, while standing up to a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction. Eden must change to survive but only if she can redefine her ideas of beauty and of love, along with a little help from her "adopted aunt" Emily Dickinson.

Can you tell us what inspired you to become a writer?

As a young girl, I was always writing, whether it was long letters to pen pals and relatives, or diaries and journals. I couldn’t not write. In college, I studied foreign languages, which deepened my love of words and prose. Later, I had the opportunity to write screenplays, which helped hone my use of dialogue, location and story structure. As an actress, my understanding of character grew by leaps and bounds. For me, writing novels is a chance to bring together all that I’ve learned and fulfill my heart’s desire.

How long did it take you to write REVEALING EDEN? During that time did you come across any blocks/times that you couldn’t write?

I rarely have writing blocks and mostly, stick to a regular schedule, just like any other job. The first draft came quite fast, driven by my excitement for the story. However, I felt something was missing when I reread it. I had written it in first person, and suspected that a different voice would add to the subtle misunderstandings between Eden and Bramford, thereby, increasing the romantic tension. So I began again, from scratch—ugh! This time, I wrote it in third person intimate, which means that the reader still sees the story through Eden’s eyes but without the benefit of all her “knowingness.” This change required a lot of work, but in the end, was well worth the effort. Suddenly, Bramford was very hot, and the romance, steamy, without sacrificing the tension of Eden’s peril as a Pearl.

What inspired you to write REVEALING EDEN?

A burning question usually inspires me to write, what if…? In Revealing Eden (Save The Pearls Part one) the question was particularly intriguing: what would happen if global warming turned today’s prevailing beauty standards upside down? In the story, because Caucasians have less melanin in their skin to protect them from the sun’s burning rays, they are branded as inferior Pearls. Dark-skinned people, or Coals, have more resistance to the Heat, and therefore, now rule society. Eden Newman, a lithe blue-eyed blonde, would be considered gorgeous in our day, while in the future she has to beg for a mate or suffer an early death. The dystopian direction in which this “what if” question took me surprised me, as my musings often do.

As a Pearl, Eden’s sees herself as ugly and inferior to others. Growing up, I never felt beautiful. I focused on developing my mind and told myself I didn’t care about looks. Years later, when I starred in several indie films, I was flabbergasted by reviews that praised my beauty. To this day, I never have understood why appearance often matters more than character or intelligence.

Lastly, I had come to a point in my life where I wasn’t sure I believed in true love anymore. I’d been burned and decided love was a hoax. When Eden unwittingly compromises her father’s secret biological experiment, perhaps the only hope for mankind, she is cast out into the last patch of rainforest and into the arms of a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction to him. To survive, Eden must change, but only if she can redefine her ideas of beauty and of love. In writing her story, happily, I found a way to open my heart to true love!

Who is your favorite character in this book, and why?

I love Eden Newman’s courage in the face of oppression. Her willingness to open her heart when she’s been raised to believe that love is dead and all that matters is evolutionary climbing inspired me too. It was fascinating to take her from this frightened girl who is afraid to say her mind to someone who must fight for her survival, and in doing so, becomes stronger and also loving.

Do you have a favorite story to tell about being interviewed about your book?

When you write a novel, you have no idea how it will be perceived. My first review came through the Huffington Post, from a woman who told me right up front that she didn’t really read fiction, let alone young adult dystopian novels. However, the premise of Revealing Eden dovetailed into her expertise as a counselor on beauty issues so she decided to review it. You can imagine how thrilled I was when she wrote a rave review in which she stated that although she mostly read non-fiction, she loved it! The first review is always the hardest.

What question are you never asked in interviews but wish you were?

“Do you wish you’d started writing novels in your teens or twenties?” In fact, I used to ask myself this question. Looking back, I now see that the seemingly circuitous path I took from studying foreign languages and literature in college, to acting and screenwriting and directing afterwards, all provided key tools I would need as a novelist. Meanwhile, I was accumulating invaluable life experiences and insights, in other words, my own take on the world, which gives a writer his or her “voice.” By the time I started my first novel in my thirties, I was ready to take off and fulfill my heart’s desire.

Which authors have been most influential to your own writing?

The list of writers whom I admire and who have influenced me is long and varied. I have always been an enthusiastic reader of all kinds of books from romances by Jane Austen and Nora Roberts, and mysteries by Raymond Chandler, to biting social commentary such as Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger or Lois Lowry’s The Giver. As a teenager, I devoured Ernest Hemingway’s books, and have recently reread many of them. His direct prose and elegant storytelling definitely set the bar. On the other end of the spectrum, I adore Isabel Allende’s lush, more feminine prose and quixotic stories. One of my favorite books is Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez because it broke my heart, page after page. From each writer I have found the courage to find my own voice and to let my imagination run free.

If you weren't writing, what would you want to be doing for a living? What are some of your other passions in life?

The study of herbs for healing, nutrition and beauty fascinates me. I took a class in herbology at a local school for acupuncturists and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the diagnostic aspect (I got an A in the class!). So perhaps, if I weren't a writer, I’d be a herbologist! I also love being outdoors: hiking, sailing, swimming, tennis, or taking road trips up to Northern California.

If you could have written one book in history, what book would that be?

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell! This is one of my all time favorite books. I read it when I was about thirteen, and now, I can see how it influenced Revealing Eden. Both Scarlett and Eden, feisty, brave girls with a stubborn streak, are cast out of their familiar worlds and must learn to survive in an unfamiliar, dangerous one. They spar with intractable, very masculine men, Rhett Butler and Ronson Bramford, respectively. Their relationships are fraught with misunderstanding, and it takes a while for the women to realize how deeply in love they have fallen. Of course, the two books are vastly different, but I’m pleased to recall Mitchell’s influence on my young mind.

Tell us about the biggest challenges you face in your writing process.

Editing, editing, and even more editing. I grow anxious to move on to another story once I’ve finished the first draft because I have so many to tell. And yet, over the years, I have come to value the necessity of editing. Often, in the last stages, I will suddenly realize that some key element needs elaboration or more detail. Once I have reached the last draft and have seen the manuscript bloom, I’m grateful for the patience I found to edit. I might even have a little fun in the process.

Please list seven random likes; then do the same for dislikes. Go way random.

Likes:

1. Reading fiction in bed

2. Hot dates with my honey

3. Dark chocolate

4. Playing tennis

5. Sailing

6. Long walks by the ocean

7. Coral-colored lipstick

Dislike:

1. Flying

2. Sharks (I once had a run-in with a Mako!)

3. Unnecessary drama

4. Waiting in long lines

5. Finding that my favorite dress is too tight

6. Catty women

7. Junk mail and texts

Is there anything that you’re working on that we need to be looking out for?

Save The Pearls Part Two, ADAPTING EDEN is in the works! If Eden thought life and love challenged her in the first book, the stakes ratchet even higher in the next. Her journey takes her from oppressed, fearful girl to an alpha babe, or Jaguar Babe. She must fight to save those she loves against impossible odds, testing herself beyond her limits—in love and physical strength—while the countdown to humanity’s extinction continues. I’ll tell you, it has been a wild, exciting ride to be in her head!

Raised in Coral Gables, Florida, Victoria attended the University of Miami and received her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and French with a double minor in German and business.

Later, she studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, the Beverly Hills Playhouse in Los Angeles, private acting classes with Geraldine Baron and many UCLA Extension film courses.

She cites her primary literary influence as Ernest Hemingway, and counts Don Quixote and Gone with the Wind as two of her favorite books.

Victoria currently lives in Santa Monica, California with her two children and a lot of books.

Thank you very much for your time, Victoria and thank you for visiting with us!

Thank you. By the way, I love hearing from readers! You can connect with me at VictoriaFoyt.com. And please, visit http://www.facebook.com/SaveThePearls or Eden Newman’s interactive site: www.SaveThePearls.com.

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Sunday, November 11, 2012

♥ Less Than Three Anti Bullying Conference

♥ Less Than Three Anti Bullying Conference

What is it? Less Than Three is a YA Lit/Anti-Bullying conference that will bring about teens, tweens, booksellers, teachers, administrators, parents, librarians, authors and more to rally against bullying. It will feature panels which focus on the various effects of bullying and positive approaches to tackling the issue. Less Than Three will bring people together, and get a dialogue going about bullying and how it affects everyone.

Together, we CAN make a difference! ♥

Spencer Road Library

Oct. 19, 2013
427 Spencer Road PO Box 529

St. Peters 63376-2420

(636) 447-2320

Website

Get Directions

♥ Less Than Three Anti-Bullying Conference FB Event Page

♥ Less Than 3 Anti Bullying Conference - Twitter

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

#FREE Kindle Edition - Skid Out (Heavy Influence Trilogy, #0.5) by @rockinwriterchk 11/7-11/8 Only

Sharing The Love & Congrats to the SKID OUT Blog Tour winners!

A novella prequel to the edgy Heavy Influence Trilogy about young, intense and reckless love between a rising rock star and his younger muse. Follow their journey through temptation, deception & forbidden love.

17 year old high school senior, Jake Masters, front man of a rising rock band, finds new interest in his younger freshman next door neighbor Alyssa Montgomery. Their relationship breaks hearts; stirs jealousy and band infighting. When they’re brought to new found awareness of body and soul, will rightful boundaries be crossed? Will the right decisions and choices, which are detrimental to the band and its future, be made through the haze of infatuation? Will Jake’s absences on the road lead to another filling his shoes? Jake and Alyssa’s lifelong friendships are strained and tested; secrets are kept, admitted and shared. Family bonds are broken, as others grow stronger. Who knew a first love could cause so many problems? Then again, in their eyes, there are no problems as long as they’re together. In the end, will his new found muse bring down everything he’s worked so hard to achieve or will she inspire positive creative change; that will carry him and his band to stardom.

FIRST KISS (HEAVY INFLUENCE TRILOGY, #1) :30 TEASER TRAILER

Transpose by Bad Suns

*Included free today only this novella comes with an original song as printed on the pages of the book. To receive your Mp3 download of "Transpose" by Bad Suns, please email your order receipt number to: heavyinfluencetrilogy@gmail.com and it will be promptly sent!

Check it. All day, Wednesday and Thursday (November 7 & 8th) the Kindle Edition of SKID OUT (Heavy Influence Trilogy, #0.5) by Anne Marie Frohoff will be offered on Amazon.com for FREE.

BONUS! The song Transpose by Bad Suns is included FREE as well. HUZZAH! So, go ahead and check it out. Like now before it's too late.

You've watched the teaser trailer (which by the way is badass, right?!) So, don't tell me that you're not interested in what Jake and Alyssa are gettin' in to next. The FREE Kindle version is available at Amazon HERE! Don't miss out y'all. It's two days only.

Website · Facebook · Twitter · YouTube · Amazon · GoodReads

Ann Marie ("Annie") Frohoff grew up in sunny Southern California.

As a teen and young adult she spent her time frequenting and living in nearly every beachside city up and down the coast. She settled in Hollywood at 19 working in film and TV.

Soon her itch to keep moving took over again, taking her to Hawaii for a time and then back to LA.

Annie's edgy modern day "Walk The Line meets John Hughes Classics” debut novella, SKID OUT, has been completed, along with the first installment in her Trilogy.

SKID OUT is the prequel novella to the HEAVY INFLUENCE TRILOGY.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

The ARCycling Program & The Biggest Batch Giveaway EVER!

So, some of you may have heard of this stellar program that started not too long ago; ARCycling. It is a program for bloggers, librarians and teachers can request, trade and also recycle ARCs. One of my super-intelligent pals came up with this idea as a way to share the love and get the word out about fabulous books and their even more fabulous creators. So now I would like to introduce you to the super-groovy Jennifer.

ARCycling is a program for bloggers to give back the publishers that give to us. And since it’s not easy to send them cookie bouquets, we’re giving them continued promotion of their expensive ARCs by passing them on to other bloggers, teachers, librarians, and press outlets.

The idea was created in my little head from a combination of other ideas.The first was that I am very strict on the books (ARCs or otherwise) I keep. Why? Because I don’t have a space and for me, why keep a book I know I’m never going to look at again. While that’s great and all, it leaves a lot of books that I don’t always know what to do with. I’ve donated many to certain causes, but would you believe that they can get filled? They can! Secondly, was the whole #ARCgate situation that I watched from afar on Twitter. Summary: two girls excitedly taped their “haul”, displaying two copies of everything they grabbed after the American Library Association conference in June 2012. Drama started (of course) and I impassively watched, thinking that bloggers were getting such a bad name from greed like this. The spark happened when I was reading a literary agent’s tweets on the matter and she pointed out publishers are investing a lot of money in ARCs and promotional materials and when people blindly grab books and they don’t even know what they are, they are not getting their investment back. Okay, so I was a Creative Writing major and film minor in college, but I know just enough about business to understand that.

And that was when I had the epiphany.

What if there was a recycling program for ARCs? What if bloggers shared with other bloggers books that they had read and decided not to keep? What if instead of just giving them away to the public, they gave them to bloggers and librarians for the sole purpose to continue promotion, thus giving back to the publisher and upping their return investment? And unlike trades that usually require you to have one of the most coveted books of the season or a book tour where you wait three weeks and then have like, an hour to read the book and mail it on, it’s a gifting. And then it all exploded. In a good way. What started as a dinky little Google Doc suddenly HAD to get a bigger platform because even though it was still in its formative motions, the response I was getting was overwhelming. ARCycling.blogspot.com has been open not even a month with over 100 followers and more donations than I can barely handle in a session of ARCycling.

ARCycling opens once a week. Sunday afternoons (usually after 4 PM CST) the list of all the available ARCs go up and bloggers, librarians, teachers, press outlets can email me, requesting up to 2 ARCs of their choice. Then I mail it out! I can’t require them to be reviewed, but I highly encourage it! People who do this are called Requesters. After they get 2 books, they are suspended for 2 weeks after to, you know, divide the wealth up. there are the Donators. They’re my big shiny superstars. They are the bloggers, teachers, librarians, etc. who freely offer up ARCs to me, I put them on the list and then they mail them out to whoever. I appreciate them so much because they are taking the time and money to prepare and mail the books, getting nothing out of it other than being praised by me and their blog button going up on my Donator page.

My favorite aspect of my own creation is that this benefits small, underprivileged bloggers AND librarians. The bloggers who DON’T have 10 million followers and every contact at each of the Big Six. And librarians who can’t go to conferences, but want to have knowledge of the up and coming teen titles. And at the same time it also promotes smaller titles from smaller publishers that sometimes get overlooked in the blogging world. It happens. I’ve seen it many, many times. So in summation, this is a program for the underdog. And in the famous words of (movie) Seneca Crane, “everyone likes an underdog!”

Jennifer can be reached at any of the links below for further questions or comments.

Twitter

Email

Blog

THE BIGGEST BATCH GIVEAWAY EVER STARTS TODAY!

DON'T MISS IT.

Things That Go Bump In The Night Prize Pack

*The rest of the Giveaway Schedule can be found HERE!*

Lana's Flashback & Giveaway!

Today I have a special treat for you. I'm going to give you a peek inside of Lana's mind as she has a flashback of the time she spent in the treatment center. This is never seen before material and I really hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I’m sitting at the only picnic table under the only maple tree in the entire common area. Dr. Mase thinks sunshine and fresh air every day will contribute to my recovery. Like walls will make that much of a difference in how I feel. I rub the inside of my arms along the outer seams of my jeans. It doesn't soothe the itchy burn from the scabs healing beneath my bandages. Mom and dad are late for our weekly visit. The other kids look at me like I have two heads because no one else’s parents visit as much as mine do. They probably wonder why I would cut or try to kill myself when the rest of my family seems so middle class normal. I glance at the parking lot on the other side of the mansion-size house that looks more like a bed and breakfast than a rehabilitation center. With its white-washed siding and violet, yellow, pink and blue wild flowers edge the wrap around porch. It’s supposed to feel like home. It doesn't I’ll give them ten more minutes, before I go to find my roommate Dixie, I’m sure she has contraband for me, since her boyfriend is visiting her today.

“Hey short stuff.” Now that voice is like a breath of fresh air. I spin on the bench and see Chase and Lacey walking toward me. He’s wearing long cargo shorts and a plaid, thin button up shirt. His dark-brown hair in that messy fixed way of his, and his smile is sincere. Brown eyes dance and make my heart skip. I don’t like him, like him, but he’s so cute, and still makes my heart race sometimes. Lacey looks healthy, finally, and she’s wearing a sundress and sandals. Her straight dark blond hair hangs perfectly around her round face. They’re holding hands as they approach me.

“Hi guys,” I say rising to meet them and hug them both at the same time. This is the first time I’ve seen Chase since my suicide attempt. He’s written me a few notes, but I’m relieved and anxious at the same time seeing him. I mean, he saved my life. We break free of each other, and they sit down across from me.

“How are you feeling?” Lacey asks as her eyebrows nit together. I hate that question. I have to answer it, like a billion times a day. At breakfast “Lana, how are you feeling? Are you hungry?” At meds “Lana, how is your mood? How are you feeling?” During group, “Lana, what’s on your mind? How are you feeling today?” and so it goes all freaking day long.

“I’m better. I’m ready to come home,” I say looking down at my arms. I’ve been here six hundred and fifty four hours. Lacey looks up at the big tree over our heads and lets out a long breath. When she looks back at me, her eyes are red.

“I’m ready for you to come home, too. Mom and Dad are sorry they couldn’t come. Something came up.” I reach across the table, and she gives me her hand.

“What happened?” I ask softly, but she avoids my eyes again.

“I don’t know, Mom’s spending a lot of time in their room. She’s been down a lot.” It’s my fault. “It’s my fault,” She says solemnly as she looks at our hands. I don’t have words for the guilt I feel.

“Let me take your picture.” Chase says with false cheer as he adjusts himself and pulls out his phone. Lacey rises and comes to sit by me. When she wraps her arm around my back and leans her head against mine, we both let out a breath. We smile, genuinely smile because the worse day of my life was the day I tried to kill myself. This? This is one of the best days. These are the days I have to live for and hold close. My sister is my strength. She squeezes me before she goes back to the other side of the table again sitting closely to Chase. He wraps his arm around her, refilling her with the strength she doesn't even realize that she’s given me.

“Chase, give me your phone,” I say reaching across the table again. He slides it to me, and I bring up his camera app. “Smile.” They do; Chase squeezes her close and I have a giddy, goofy grin on my face. I wonder if they even know that they are in love with each other. In these captured moments, we've forgotten where we are, why we’re here, and how damaged our family is right now. I let go of the grief in that moment, but that’s all it lasts. When I slide the phone back to Chase we fall into a solemn silence.

Too soon, our hour is over, and I have to go to another group session; another round of feeling questions. I hug them good-bye, desperately wishing they could take me with them, but they can’t, so I walk them to the big heavy wooden front door. Then I stand there and watch them go to Chase’s car. I stay there until I can’t see the car anymore, because they've pulled onto the main road and turned at the state road, on their way back home. I stand there wishing things were different, and that I was with them. But I’m not. So finally I go to room B15, and sit beside Bindi in the third empty seat from the completed circle and try desperately to avoid Dr. Mase’s eye contact.

This is a story about a girl, named Mia. She grew up in suburb of medium sized city. There were cold winters, and hot sticky summers. Mia’s favorite seasons were spring and fall. She enjoyed the mild seasons, but also loved the vibrant colors each possessed.

Mia loved music. She didn’t just love it, she sat on the floor in front of her Casio stereo for hours at a time, recording songs off the radio. Then she would cue them up and make sure she only got the music as she recorded them on a second tape, without the DJ’s voices on them, just the music. Then she would listen to those songs absorbing the words as she sat in her room and wrote her poetry.

She wrote her first Poem when she was thirteen. It was called Sands of Time. When she was sixteen and again when she was eighteen she won two state competitions for her poetry. Her Poetry was stories of roses, starry nights, love, loss, and the scars left behind. She found recourse in those private moments filling notebooks of her writings. As she grew so did her inspirations, and when ever it hit her the rest of the world melted away until her verses were written, alive in the world. Even today as Mia writes mostly YA fiction, poetry still holds a special place in her heart. Her love for all things words propels her forward in her pursuit of the next great story.

You can find Mia at her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and B&N.

RULES:

Open to Everybody 15+ * Winner must respond within 48 hours*

*Please note, all giveaways will be shipped out at the end of the month.*

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Thank You...

I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone that participated in this event. Whether you donated a book, shared your story, gave us your thoughts on the Bullying topic via guest post or just supported us by following along and reading the posts every day.

Jodie and I would not have had a successful event this month without all of you. I really want you to know how much I appreciate all of you and how special you are to me. I hope this month we have done all of you justice in our postings. I'm going link this month's posts below and everyone who participated that was posted on this blog. (If you are not mentioned please let me know so I can rectify that!) Please feel free to go back and read any posts that you weren't able to get to during the month. Every one of them are lovely and show hope for a better and brighter future. For everyone that participated on Jodie's blog, there is a link below that will take you to her wrap up post.

I also would like to say for the next week to two weeks we will be going through picking the rest of the winners and emailing them for their information. Please, please be patient with us as we do this because there are so many. If for some reason you think you are a winner and do not receive an email from myself or Jodie please, don't hesitate to contact either one of us and we will check the status for you.

Again, thank all of you for joining us in trying to STOMP OUT BULLYING!