Super Duper Awesome Giveaway Number Three!!

The winner of last weeks Mary Stewart books is J. A. Bennett! Huzzah!

This week, you can't believe the amazing books I have to give away!

In keeping with my theme of books and authors that have influenced me, I'm giving away two books by Shannon Hale. Her novel Book of a Thousand Days has been a huge inspiration to me, especially as a writer. I love everything about this book, the unique setting, the strong voice of the narrator--Dashti, her strength and courage, and Shannon Hale's remarkable ability to take a mucker girl's words and transform them into poetry.

Whenever I feel that my writing needs a step up, I pull out this book to remind myself what great writing really is. It's absolutely beautiful!

So this weeks amazing prize package is:

A beautiful Hardcover copy of Book of a Thousand Days signed by Shannon Hale.
A Hardcover copy of Midnight in Austenland, also signed by Shannon Hale.
AND a copy of my new novel, A Blind Eye, signed by me.

Plus, I'll throw in a bonus bookmark and bumper sticker:

All you have to do is enter the rafflecopter contest. And thanks in advance for entering and helping me spread the word about my book. It is appreciated beyond words!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Awesome Giveaway Number Two!!

Last week's winner of Keturah and Lord Death is Michael Offutt!! Congratulations.

This week I'm giving away two books by the author Mary Stewart. She is often called the founder of the romantic suspense genre. I've read at least a dozen of her books. My favorite is Nine Coaches Waiting, followed by her Merlin Trilogy (which isn't romantic suspense, but they are amazing).

Since my novel, A Blind Eye, is romantic suspense, I'm sticking to that category and giving away a copy of Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree.

These are classics. Her interesting characters, intriguing plots, and exotic settings are her trademarks. Mary Stewart's books have been a big influence on my writing.

Also, for the lucky winner, I'll throw in a bit of swag to promote my own book. A Blind Eye bookmark and an Oregon bumper sticker. Exciting, I know, but try to keep calm.

If you want to know why the bumper sticker--you have to read the book!

Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Next week the prizes get even better! TWO Shannon Hale books, signed, and a copy of my book, A BLIND EYE! plus more swag. You know you want them all!

And So It Begins

The time has come for me to start promoting my book. I'll be running a series of giveaways leading up to the release of A Blind Eye in February.

I've decided to give away copies of my favorite books by the authors who have really influenced me as a writer.

I will tell you a story of magic and love, of daring and death, and one to comfort your heart. It will be the truest story I have ever told. Now listen, and tell me if it is not so.

Keturah follows a legendary hart deep into the forest, where she becomes hopelessly lost. Her strength diminishes until, finally, she realizes that death is near--and learns then that death is a young lord, melancholy and stern. Renowned for her storytelling, Keturah is able to charm Lord Death with a story and gain a reprieve--but he grants her only a day, and within that day she must find true love. 

This week's prize is a brand new copy of Martine Leavitt's Keturah and Lord Death.

I LOVE this book. The story is sweet and sad and wonderful, the writing is divine. I can honestly say this book changed my life.

I had the great privilege of taking a week-long writing workshop from Martine Leavitt. She is brilliant, and I learned more than I ever thought possible about the craft of writing and storytelling. She is an amazing person.

If you haven't read any of Martine Leavitt's works, you should. Her latest book, "My Book of Life by Angel," is a breathtaking novel in verse about a young girl trapped in the world of prostitution.

You have several chances to win this delightful book. Just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter below--and thanks for helping me spread the word about my own book!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


I'll be giving away TWO awesome books next week by another author who influenced me!

Haiku Contest Voting

We have a WINNER!


Congratulations to Scott Rhoades who wrote #16-The Hobbit.


He is the proud new owner of a $25 Amazon gift certificate.


Tied for 2nd place: #4-The Inheritance Cycle by Matt Ratto, #6-Keturah and Lord Death by Michelle Ratto, and #20-Swan Song by T.J. Reed.


Thanks everyone for playing. Remember to keep your skills sharp and be ready for next March's annual Limerick Contest.




We have lots a great Haiku to vote on. 

(Special thanks to the Sharks and Pebbles who once again responded generously to my call for entries.)

Read through the list below and then vote on the three you like best. Winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card email.

Here they are, in the order I received them: 


(I was going to put the titles in, but then I decided not to because it's fun to try and guess, and I don't know them all.)

1.
Thanks for the burnt bread.
If you kiss me you get soup.
I'd like to frost you.

2.
I better win this
last time people were cheaters
I'm the best -Brady

3.
They held Max up high
"Let the wild rumpus begin"
They all roared out loud.

4.
Boy and his dragon
Hot elf and four endless books
Beat Galbatorix

5.
You're in Yellowstone?
Hey, watch your step - watch your back
So much freaking death.

6.
death permeates all
life and love in the village
and forces a choice

7.
My name is Cleaver
My mom is a mortician
Am I the killer?

8.
Run, run in a maze
Find the cure for the world
WICKED always lies

9.
I hear the echoes
From the missing and the dead
And the one who killed

10.
She has the arrow
He has the strength, will and love
Together they win

11.
She smells good to him
He glitters in the sunlight
Victim or girlfriend

12.
She dresses in drapes
Rhett loves her and marries her
She's stuck on Ashley

13.
My best friends are dead
My memories are locked away
Am I the killer?

14.
Rich men want a wife
It's a universal law
Mother's want the match

15.
Fearing boogieman
two finches learn tolerance
among injustice

16.
He's number thirteen
with some dwarves and a wizard
What's in his pocket?

17.
The Nac Mac Feegle,
fightin,' drinkin,' and fightin'
rescue Tiff's brother

18.
Kansas behind her,
silver shoes on her feet, she
seeks Em'rald City

19.
Pup is up in cup,
Eats a snack with Brown and Black.
Pop reads TIMBUKTU.

20.
Young girl, heart of gold
Devil roaming happily
Will the world end?

21.
Hazel and Mac's friends
Throw a big party for Doc
Doesn't go so well

22.
Vampires don't sparkle.
I don't care what you girls say.
They don't. They just don't.

23.
Call me Ishmael.
Wait. I did this book last time.
I'll try another.

Please tick the number of the THREE you like best.
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Key: 1-The Hunger Games  2-Original Work  3-Where the Wild Things Are  4-The Inheritance Cycle  5-Death In Yellowstone  6-Keturah and Lord Death  7-I Am Not a Serial Killer  8-The Maze Runner  9-The Body Finder  10-The Hunger Games  11-Twilight  12-Gone with the Wind  13-Original Novel  14-Pride and Prejudice  15-To Kill a Mockingbird  16-The Hobbit  17-?  18-The Wizard of Oz  19-?  20-Swan Song  21-?  22-Twilight  23-Moby Dick

(Scott, help me fill in the blanks!)

Haiku Contest

IT'S FINALLY HERE. I know you've all been waiting for this. I wanted to run this contest in April for poetry month, but with the A to Z Challenge, there wasn't time.

The Details:

Write a Haiku about a book, email it to me so I can post it anonymously, come back on Friday and vote on which Haiku you like best. (julie at juliedaines dot com) Do NOT put your Haiku in the comments.


Anyone can enter. It would be nice if you followed me and/or help spread the word, but it's not a requirement.


The Winner:


Receives an electronic Amazon (US, UK, or Canada) $25 gift card. YAY!


Need a Haiku Refresher? (It's been a long time since 5th grade.)

Haiku is a traditional Japanese form of poetry in three lines, the syllables in each line are 5, 7, 5, respectively. I know that there are other forms of Haiku, but for this contest, let's just stick with the basics.

Example:

from the long hallways

voices of the people rise

in the morning haze

- Oshima Ryot

Your job is to write one about a book. 

Example:

orphaned and alone

she rose to meet her dreams with

imagination

That was my 5 minute attempt at Anne of Green Gables. Ok, so I'm not a poet--that's why I write novels. But anyway, you get the picture. Include the title of the book you're Haiku-ing.

Entry deadline is Thursday, May 17th, midnight my time. : )

Voting will run Friday through Sunday, and the winner will be announced on Monday, May 21. 

A to Z Challenge: Debriefing

It was an exhausting month in the blogoshpere. The A to Z Challenge was just that, a challenge. But I have to admit, I loved it. 

The best part was visiting other blogs. I was stunned at the variety and quality of many of the blogs I visited. I saw themes that ranged from Gerbils to Physics to Castles of England to Characters from My Book. And all of them so interesting. Well done all you A to Zers. 

I guess there were nearly 2,000 participants, and I only managed to visit at most 175 different blogs. But of the ones I looked at, the following made my list of favorites.

Best of A to Z 2012:

Hanging on to Wonder, Jaye Robin Brown. Her theme centered around her recent years living in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Each of her posts was beautifully written and seemed to transport me to a calmer and more peaceful way of living. 

Mainely Write, Donna Smith. Each of her posts featured: 1-a self-created word art in the shape of something starting with that day's letter, 2-the word art was created using a FONT that started with the letter, 3-an original poem in a form of poetry that started with the letter! It was amazing!

Rainforest Writing, D.G. Hudsen. Her theme was a shout-out to Paris. She featured historical places, art, and prominent people. It was fascinating and lovely to read.

I wish I could have visited more! Thanks A to Z hosts!


DON'T MISS! On Monday, May 14, I will launch a contest on my blog. Anyone can enter. The prize: Amazon $$. The challenge: Haiku!


Come back and check it out! (This contest will be similar to the March Limerick Contest.)

Winner!! Limerick Pitch Contest

After a crazy night of voting, we have a winner!

Brooke Emery! Who wrote number 11, the Twilight limerick.

Congratulations!!!
Don't forget to come back and play again next year.

Thanks a million to everyone who entered!

Voting ends on Sunday, March 18th. Winner will be announced Monday, March 19th.

Here they are: Update** I added the names of the books.

#1 (Carrie)
I'll think of something, I will!
Just don't my mama you tell.
She thought I was a spawn
And satan's hideous pawn
All because I sent my friends to a fiery, um, outer darkness.

#2 (original novel)
Dear Agent, I have a cool story,
Sometimes scary and a little bit gory.
This kid meets some Vikings
(could this be to your liking?)
And together they seek fame and glory.

#3 (The Hunger Games)
A fight to the death it must be
For the tributes to gain victory.
Only one can survive
So what a surprise
When both of them won, yippee!

#4 (original novel)
A boy's on the coast with his auntie,
Who keeps him out back in a shanty.
He must find--with his tutor,
And a mouse (what is cuter?)--
A lost will. Can he do it or can't he?

#5 (Gone with the Wind)
Her mammy was all in a dither,
She wouldn't eat a bite of her dinner.
She didn't want to burp,
On Ashley (that jerk!)
And end up an old Southern Spinster.

#6 (Origami Yoda, written by my 10 year old daughter)
I love Origami Yoda
I think he drinks soda
Origami Yoda can tell the future
It's not normal nature
I like reading it on the sofa.

#7 (original novel, sort of)
The police looked far and wide
For the person that could hide
But they could not find
And were in a bind
As the killer laughed from the side

#8 (Lord of the Rings)
Through all the folk and lore
One had to "walk to Mordor"
The ring they had
It was very bad
They had to for the war

#9 (Narcissus)
Narcissus’ heart was in pain
In love with himself again
He could not look away
Until his dying day
And thus the demise of the vain!

#10 (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs)
There’s a place where it rained from the sky
Spaghetti, French toast and pie!
The town was aflutter
‘Till a large mold of butter
Flattened them straight as a tie.

#11 (Twilight Saga)
The writing was mediocre and dry
Still Bella and Edward were fly
Until they had a baby
And it got so dumb crazy
All its readers just wanted to die.

#12 (The Grapes of Wrath)
When the dust storms done ruined their land
And from their home the bank had them banned
The Joads headed for Cali
To pick fruit in the valley
But nothing went as they had planned

#13 (The Odyssey)
Odysseus took off for Troy
Leaving his wife and his boy
Took twenty years to get back
His wife's suitors to hack
Yes, this tale's just loaded with joy.

#14 (Moby Dick)
Dear Agent, please read my tale,
'Bout a guy who was called Ishmael
Sailing on the Pequod
Ahab's leg had been gnawed
So he's seeking revenge on that whale


Voting is closed. We received 40 votes.

Please select the number of your favorite limerick.

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pollcode.com free polls

All those not labeled original novel are from well known stories. Can you name them? Feel free to add your own limerick to the comments.

Don't forget to come back and play again next year!

Limerick Pitch Contest

Announcing the first annual

Limerick Pitch Contest

What better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day! All you have to do is come up with a pitch for your book in the form of a limerick.

What is a limerick? It's a short poem (usually funny and nonsensical but it doesn't have to be) consisting of 5 lines with the rhyming pattern AABBA and with a definite rhythm of 33223 beats per line, respectively.

Example:

Here's a quick one for Harry Potter:

The Death Eaters seek Harry's demise,

With his wand Harry fights and he tries

To avoid getting hurt,

But then **spoiler alert**

The evil Lord Voldemort dies.

Get the idea? 

Here is your task:

Write a limerick pitch for your book--OR--a limerick for a popular book you've read. (That way you can play even if your not a novelist.)

Email me your limerick--julie[at]juliedaines[dot]com--with the word limerick in the subject line. 

On St. Patrick's Day, March 17, I will post them anonymously for voting. Don't forget to come back and vote!!

The winner will receive a $15 gift certificate to Amazon. YEAH!! That's a free book, people!

Here are a few more examples. On the internet I found this. Recognize it?

A mountain man, steadfast and true,

Was shooting his gun at some food.

He hit oil instead

And moved his homestead

To Beverly Hills, 902'.

And this:

Won't you join me in non-PC fun?
We shall count little male Indians
We will count them to ten
And then count down again
Until we are left with just one.

And does anyone recognize this one?

"Poor Mariner, ruined and wrecked
Are you wiser for taking your trek?"
"Yes, I learned not to cross
Any old albatross
That happens to poop on my deck."

Rules: I don't have a lot, I want this to be fun. It would be nice if you followed me, and it would be awesome if you spread the word since I probably should have started this on Monday. But those are optional.

The cutoff for limerick entries is Friday, March 16 at midnight. I'll leave the voting open over the weekend and announce a winner on Monday, March 19.

I'm a Platform-Building Campaigner

I'm participating in the Platform-Building Campaign hosted by Rach Writes. It's a great way to meet new people with similar blogs and writing interests. I expect great things!

Leap Seconds & We Have a Winner

Congratulations to Erin Shakespeare: winner of the $25 gift card. Thanks a ton to everyone who participated and for following me. You all totally rock!
Winner selected via random.org.

• And Now, Leap Seconds:

Who knew that such a thing existed? Apparently, every so often the global time keepers of the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service have to stretch time by adding an extra second to the 24 hour period in order to keep our clocks in sync with the heavens.

Now scientists want to abolish the leap second. If they do, the time on our clocks will no longer have any relation to the planetary movements.

In our days of everything electronic, the leap second complicates things such as global positioning satellites, electronic communications, and the internet. Computerized clocks aren't wired to compensate for a leap second.

The downfall is that over time (ha ha) atomic clocks would say it was midday in the middle of the night. In 500 years the man-made time would be off by one hour. Eventually, we would lose the time-based link we associate with night and day.

So, no more looking at the sun to calculate the time of day? Call me sentimental, but it kind of makes me sad.

What do you think?

Blogfiesta!

Today is my birthday! To celebrate, I'm giving away a gift to YOU!

A $25 gift certificate to Amazon or Barnes and Noble--your choice--delivered straight to your inbox.

As per the usual blog contest stuff, here's the scoop:

One entry if you follow me.
One more if you post this contest on your blog.
One more if you tweet about this contest.
One more if you follow me on twitter. @juliedaines

Up to four entries per person. Just post in the comments how many entries you have scored along with the links to them for verification.
(Link for blog entries. If you follow me on twitter or @ me, Twitter will notify me.)

Sunday, February 5, 2012, 10 PM Mountain Time is the cut-off for entry.

Huzzah!

Wait! There's more! As a special surprise to me--which is quite amazing considering this all happened randomly--I received two--count 'em TWO--blog awards. My birthday keeps getting better and better!

Here they are, in the order I received them:


I received this from a cool writer I recently met (virtually) named Nikki Jefford. She's a great lady and has had lots of amazing experiences. Thanks Nikki!


In keeping with the general rules of blog awards, here how this blog award goes down:

1. In a post on your blog, nominate 15 sister bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award. (Fifteen isn’t mandatory, but it’s a nice gesture. Try and pick at least five.)
2.  In the same post, add the Versatile Blogger Award.
3.  In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you with a link back to their blog.
4.  In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
5.  In the same post, include this set of rules.
6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

The lucky recipients of The Versatile Blogger Award are:

• The Utah Children's Writers. I hope its not cheating because I'm a member of this blog. But this blog has lots of great advice for writers of picture books, middle grade, and young adult writers. 
• Brooke at Silver Lining. Brooke is not a writer, but her posts are beautifully written and fun to read.
• Taffy at Taffy's Writing. She's always got something fun on her blog.
• Sarah M. Eden. I don't know if Sarah is collecting blog awards because she's already a big-time author, but I had to give her one anyway. Her I Need Friends Friday interviews are some of the most hilarious stuff out there in the blogoshpere. And her books are awesome too.
• Jonene at The Wonderful Obsessions. She not only writes great stories, but she has cool step by step instructions of watercolor painting.

And to answer step 4: share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.

Well, since this is already too long, please click on the tab above entitled The Story of Me. Scroll past the boring bio and skip straight to Things I've done. There's lots of random stuff there! Trust me.

Award #Two:

I received this from the awesome Shell Flower at Tangent Shell. She's got a fun blog where she talks about writing, reading, and all kinds of interesting stuff! Thanks Shell!

Once again, the rules:

The rules are simple: Name 5 blogs with under 200 followers that are totally awesome and deserve the award. Link to those five blogs, as well as the blogger who awarded the award, and let your picks know they are the winners. Share the love and help an undiscovered blog find the readership it deserves. Yet another reason the blogging community rocks!

Here are my 5 blog choices.

• Tiffany over at Scribble by Moonlight. She is a wonderful author who has put writing on hiatus to work a day job, but she still reviews lots of great YA fiction.
• Yamile at The Che Boricuas. An amazing writer from Argentina who writes the most beautiful stories in English! 
• Jamie Theler is a super writer and she helps organize one of the best local writer's conferences, LDStorymakers.
• T.J. at They Won't Get Us. He writes and posts these crazy and scary short stories about zombies and other horrors. The babysitter one freaked me out.
• Valynne. Another very talented writer who also posts slices of the hilarity of parenthood. 

Whew! That was a lot of work. Thanks to everyone for the awards!

Can You Guess My Main Character's Age?

**Update: Thanks everyone for your feedback, but I decided not to enter the final contest. 


Here's some info on another great contest by Brenda Drake:

Here's how it's going down ...

Post the first 250 words of your finished, or not quite finished, manuscript (any genre) to your blogs. This contest is about voice--whether or not your character's voice matches his or her's age. So if you mention the age or school grade in the first 250 words, please edit it out or block it out for this contest. Don't list the genre or title on your posts. If your 250 words falls in the middle of a sentence, continue to the end of the sentence.

For official rules and to enter, see her blog, here.

And here is my entry:

Bronwyn placed the tip of her crutch carefully on the jagged rocks. She planted her feet and steadied herself before gazing across the chasm that separated her from the rest of the village. If her mother saw her perched this close to the ravine, she would scold. Her father, had he lived, would be perched beside her. 

Tomorrow she turned (xxxx.) For most girls, that meant old enough to marry. For her, well, who would want a crippled wife?

A gust of wind whipped her dress and pushed her toward the edge. Bronwyn leaned onto her crutch, relying on the sturdy wooden limb to restore her balance. 

“Come away, Child!” called her mother, her hands cupped round her mouth. “You’ll fall to your death. There’s a storm moving in and the geese are out.”

“I’m coming,” she said, though her mother could not have heard over the moaning of the wind. 

Bronwyn stepped back, casting one last glance toward the village. The first day of summer approached, and the festival of Calan Mai. She rolled her eyes. Wonderful. Another year of watching while other girls danced around the maypole. No dancing for her. Not now or ever. 

Thanks for stopping by, and if you comment or follow me, rest assured I will return the favor!

Teen Eyes Blogfest

Heads up to another blogfest, "Can You Hook a Teen" hosted by Brenda Drake - find the details here.

Title: NONE SO BLIND
Genre: YA Romantic Suspense

Chapter One: Christian vs. the Stowaway

I always thought making life or death decisions would be more dramatic. Thrilling. Like something from a movie. I should have known better.             

            Last week, I chose death. It didn’t work out.

            Today, I chose life. And for me, that meant leaving.

            I tossed the last of my gear into the back of my Range Rover. The car my father gave me just after I turned sixteen. That was over a year ago. He hadn’t spoken to me since. Maybe I should have felt guilty for using it to ditch him, but I didn’t. Just because he had a son didn’t mean he wanted one.

            In ten minutes, I arrived at my first stop. The cemetery. I pulled in and followed the wide curve of the lane until I came to a huge cedar tree. I grabbed the cellophane wrapped flowers I bought at the gas station and wove my way through the forest of headstones to my mother’s grave.

            I’d sat here many times, telling her about Dad, how he hated me, and how my life was messed. It never changed anything, but I felt better—for a few days at least. I barely remembered her now. 

            More than anything, I remembered after she died. When Dad checked out and never really came back. At least not to me. For him, it was like I didn’t exist.

            And now, the time had come to make that a reality. How else could I avoid a repeat of last week’s lapse in judgment? 

Art Give-Away Contest!

This must be the week of contests. Here is another one hosted by artist Jonene Ficklin:

The Wonderful Obsessions: Jonene Ficklin Art Website Live! And a new Contest...: "There are some serious perks to having brilliant children. My oldest son, Zarin, just announced that my art website, which he has been des..."

Shelley Watters Contest!

Shelley Watters is having another great contest for an agent critique by Judith Engracia of Liza Dawson and Associates. Here is my entry:

BURNING AMBER

Young Adult Fiction/Magical Realism

56,000 words

When you kill someone, your life is never the same again.

Most people can’t understand that.

My parents couldn’t. They tried pretending it never happened. Impossible. Might as well try to pretend the sun wouldn’t rise in the morning.

They wanted to put me in counseling, but I refused. No way was I going to confess all to some balding stranger. Besides, I was concentrating more on suppressing.

They tried waiting. Waiting for this phase to pass.

Turns out killing your boyfriend is not something you can recover from very easily.

Then they decided what I needed was a change of scenery—to get away. At last I thought they might be on to something. Dad invited me to go work with him in Alaska, digging up decaying dinosaur bones. Given their previous attempts, this idea was not half bad. A whole summer without people prying into my emotional wreckage.

I accepted.

We left Seattle at the crack of dawn, just me and my dad, flying in his airplane on our way to the North Slope. I turned my face to the window, then reached up and smoothed down my bangs to cover the scar that outlined half my forehead, just below the hairline. My own scarlet letter—a permanent mark telling the world what I had done. That and the jagged scar that ran down the side of my left leg. An exquisite gash connecting my knee to my ankle. Shame and guilt pressed down on me so hard I was surprised we could maintain our altitude. 

Cool Pitch Contest

Shelley Watters is offering a cool contest: write a twitter pitch--140 characters or less--and submit it to her blog on April 3. Such a great idea!

Grand Prize: a full manuscript request from agent Suzie Townsend!

Here's my pitch, in rough draft form:

Title: A BLIND EYE
Genre: YA Suspense/Romance.
Word Count: 54,000

The literary version:

Some are born blind. For others, tragedy leaves them blind. Then there are those who simply refuse to see. This is a story about all three.

The action version:

When Chris finds a blind girl hiding in his car, his attempt to runaway becomes a race to save her from death by scientific experimentation.

Comments?