Yep, I’m still finding ways to celebrate the fact that my debut middle-grade novel, The Delicious Double life of Gladys Gatsby, is getting published. (When you have a two-year wait for publication, you need to stretch the fun out as long as you can!)
This past weekend, my husband and I threw a little “Tara has a book deal!” party. It was to be our first party in our not-so-new-anymore abode, and when I mentioned our plans to my mom on the phone she said “Do you know enough people in Colorado to have a party?” Funny, I was wondering the same thing myself.
Luckily, several guests did show up (including my wonderful agency-siblings Jean Reidy, Laura Resau, and Jeannie Mobley!) and we had quite a nice time. I probably should have taken some pictures with them or something (you know, as proof for Mom), but of course I only remembered to take pictures of the food.
Now, how to extend the party even farther? Much as I wish I could bake strawberry cupcakes for the entire world (hm, remember this fiasco?), I think I’ll go a different way and give away…books! Books from my new publisher, Putnam!
And, actually, I meant to do one of these giveaways to celebrate signing with my agent in January, but I never quite got around to it. So I’m going to make this a double giveaway, and also give away books written by fellow clients of the fabulous Erin Murphy Literary Agency!
I’m calling it the Choose Your Own Adventure Giveaway, because TWO lucky winners will get to choose which recently-released or forthcoming book they want from one of these lists.
Putnam books:
The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine (MG)
Two girls separated by race form an unbreakable bond during the tumultuous integration of Little Rock schools in 1958.
Legend by Marie Lu (YA)
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect.
Deadweather and Sunrise (The Chronicles of Egg, Book 1) by Geoff Rodkey (MG, releases 5/29)
Egg’s running for his life in a bewildering world of cutthroat pirates, villainous businessmen, and strange Native legends. The only people who can help him sort out the mystery of why he’s been marked for death are Millicent and a one-handed, possibly deranged cabin boy.
The Vindico by Wesley King (YA, releases 6/14)
The Vindico are a group of supervillains who have been fighting the League of Heroes for as long as anyone can remember. Realizing they’re not as young as they used to be, they devise a plan to kidnap a group of teenagers to take over for them when they retire–after all, how hard can it be to teach a bunch of angsty teens to be evil?
EMLA books:
The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats (YA)
1293. Caernarvon, north Wales. Ten years into English rule. Life is good. If you’re English.
We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Cynthia Levinson (nonfiction)
The little-known story of the 4,000 black elementary-, middle-, and high school students who voluntarily went to jail in Birmingham, Alabama, between May 2 and May 11, 1963.
The False Prince (The Ascendance Triology, Book 1) by Jennifer A. Nielsen (YA)
In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince.
One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (MG, releases 5/10)
Carley uses humor and street smarts to keep her emotional walls high and thick. But the day she becomes a foster child, and moves in with the Murphys, she’s blindsided.
To enter, just leave a comment on this post. But you can also earn up to six extra entries by doing the following:
1) “Liking” the Tara Dairman Author page on Facebook
2) Adding The Delicious Double Life of Gladys Gatsby to your to-read list on Goodreads
3) Following @TaraDairman on Twitter
4) Signing up to follow this blog by e-mail (use the button in the top right corner of this page)
5) Tweeting and/or posting on Facebook about this giveaway.
Sample Tweet:
Win free YA and MG books at @TaraDairman’s Choose Your Own Adventure Giveaway! http://bit.ly/I9S9uj
Sample FB status update:
Win free YA and MG books at Tara Dairman’s Choose Your Own Adventure Giveaway! http://taradairman.com/2012/04/25/choose-your-own-adventure-giveaway
Just let me know in the comments which of these extra things you’ve done, and assuming it checks out, I’ll give you credit! (Clarification: And if you already liked/followed/subscribed/etc. before this contest, you still get the extra entries! Just mention them in your comment. Thanks!)
The contest is open until midnight EST on May 1, and I’ll announce the winners the next day. International entries are welcome. Good luck, and thanks for playing!
What a fantastic bunch of books to choose from! And what a sweet (yes, pun intended, courtesy of the strawberry cupcake photo) way to celebrate Gladys 🙂
I’ve done all the Twitter business and liked you on Facebook (so 3 points?)
Woohoo, first entry! Thanks, Jess! And I think it’s 4, since I know you follow me on Twitter as well. Good luck!
Hurray! I love the idea of extending the excitement as long as possible.
I already “liked” your Facebook page, I follow you on Twitter, and I follow this blog. So I won’t get extra entries there. But I will share the news in a tweet!
Ooh, I get extra entries even though I already did the following and liking work? I like that plan.
I’ll go back in the post to clarify, but you do get the extra entries if you’re already a liker/follower/what have you. =) So that’s 5 entries for you. Thanks for spreading the news, Priscilla!
Awesome giveaway! Can’t wait to read about Gladys!
Hey Tara, pretty sure I did all of them (I was already following you on Twitter). Congrats again on your book deal, and thanks for the chance to win some great books!
Such a cool idea! Enter me!! 🙂
Congratulations, Tara! It’s SO important to celebrate every milestone. And, I know you won’t believe me, but 2014 will be here before you know it! And I liked you (officially on FB, I already liked you IRL), follow you on Twitter, added GLADYS to Goodreads and tweeted your giveaway. 🙂
Aw–I like you IRL too, Sarvenaz! And I hope that you’re stretching out Goldenrod’s book birthday as long as possible. Have a terrific launch party this weekend!
Those cupcakes, so adorable..*drools*
And the giveaway! *drools some more* I have my fingers crossed since Vindico (I haven’t even heard of it before this post) sounds so AWESOME!
1) Liked the Tara Dairman Author page on Facebook as Lilian Cheng
2) Added The Delicious Double Life of Gladys Gatsby to your to-read list on Goodreads
3) Followed @TaraDairman on Twitter as @lilboxism
4) Followed with wordpress/email: lilianxchengATgmailDOTcom
5) Tweeted: http://twitter.com/noveltoybox/status/195206932905201664
six entries?
Lilian @ A Novel Toybox
Looks like 6 to me–thanks for entering, Lilian! =) And yes, doesn’t The Vindico sound cool? It wasn’t on my radar until recently, either, but now I can’t wait to read it.
What great books you have! I’m in!
Let’s see…I just liked your author page on Facebook, I just tweeted about the contest, and I’m already doing everything else — because I’m a totally FAN!
But I have to warn you: if you leave that picture of the strawberry cupcakes up as the header for your blog I may have to restrict my visits here!
Count me in! I also follow you on Twitter (+1) and tweeted about the contest (+1), so please give me 2 extra entries.
Can’t wait until the spring of 2014!
Way to celebrate, Tara! I’m buying all the EMLA stuff as it’s released, but gift copies are always handy!
Letsee, I’ve already done the first three things on your list, but 4 and 5 are easy enough to do too. Congrats once again on your deal! You know, there are lots of Gangos in Seattle who’d welcome you and those cupcakes with open arms should you ever come up this way. 🙂
Seattle is great–I’d love to make it up that way again sometime soon. Thanks, Jeanne! =)
Congratulations!!!!
Wahoo! I heard about this from your cousin Beth. Way to go! ….and those cupcakes are looking’ mighty good too! Best wishes to you for more books published!
I’d love to win one of these books! Yay for your book deal!
Your pic is making me hungry:) I did all 5 things–keeping my fingers crossed to win some books!
YAY!! an international contest!! 😉
I’ll do 1-4!
*eats all cuppycakes*
I don’t want to wait to read your book, I want to read it now! I’m sure it will be great and it will be on the best sellers list!
Thank you, cuz! =)
What a great idea! Sign me up. The only problem I can see with winning, is having to choose one book off that list!
Also, I am happy to confirm I was at the party, despite the lack of photographic proof! I even got to taste one of those gorgeous strawberry cupcakes–they tasted as good as they looked!
God, those strawberry cupcakes looks yummy 😀 Thanks for the great, international giveaway 😀
1) Liked the Tara Dairman Author page on Facebook by the name Thilde Koll Espensen
2) Added The Delicious Double Life of Gladys Gatsby to my to-read list on Goodreads as Thilde Koll Espensen
3) Followed @TaraDairman on Twitter by the name @KollLotus
4) Signing up to follow this blog by e-mail by Thildeespensen(at)live(dot)dk
5) Tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/KollLotus/status/195525523080888320
I hereby enter! I think I have 4 — liking on Fb, following on Twitter, listing on Goodreads, signing up for e-mail blog updates. I also traded entries for four tesserae for oil and grain for my starving family. Wait, which lottery is this again?
Fun idea! Only I don’t know which book I’d choose!
Ooh, those cupcakes look delicious – I bet you had zero leftovers!
And great selection for your giveaways. I tweeted and already follow you – so +2?
I follow, I’ll tweet, I’m sure I’m your FB friend, and I will add Gladys to Goodreads. Phew!! Those books and cupcakes look equally delicious.