Wednesday, September 23, 2009

We're Celebrating with a Book Giveaway

Today is the day! Exactly one year ago today, I received my first publishing contract. Can you believe it's only been one year?

To add to the fun, it's my birthday in two weeks. October 6.

So, to celebrate, I'm giving away a signed copy of my book.

I always share my birthdays. I take my kids to the store on my birthday and let them pick out a toy. It's not uncommon for us to buy a gift for all of our kids when there's a birthday at our house.

We don't always share everyone's birthday, but they never know when we will. It keeps it fun.

I always share mine, though. That's my rule.

So this year, I'm sharing my birthday with you.

Here's how you enter the book giveaway contest. Don't laugh, it's another tradition that I enjoyed for a while.

"Heavy heavy hang over thy poor head,
What do you wish with a bump on your head?"

Every birthday for a lot of years, the birthday person would have to make a wish for everyone who gave them a present. The gift giver would hold the present over the head of the birthday person and say those words. At the end, the giver taps the present on the birthday person's head.

For a while there, my kids thought they were saying, "Heavy heavy hang over diaper head." I still laugh about that.

We haven't played "Heavy heavy" for a while.

If you want a book, you have to play.

***If you want to win a book, leave a comment with a wish in it. You can wish for anything.

***If you add yourself as a follower, or if you already are one, you get a second entry.

Hmm, I'm seriously considering adding something to the package besides a book. After all, it's my birthday and I love sharing it. Maybe I'll make that part a surprise. I love surprises.

I'm not even going to tell you how old I'll be. If you still think I'm in my twenties, who am I to burst your bubble? Ha ha ha...

The contest will end on Saturday, October 17 2009
11:59 pm EST

Why? My friends the Lateiner Gang are having a contest for Catching Fire. Click here to enter their contest and we wanted you to get a chance at both.

**we use www.random.org to select the winner**

**Please include your email address so we can contact the winner**

60 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd totally think you were still in your twenties. You're a hot mama. =]
We do the "heavy heavy" thing too. I love it. =]

Melissa said...

I still smile about diaper head, and my little kids say it that way. Was it Tara that started that? Cute.

You've come a long way in a year! And to think your only 29!

I'm going to make a wish so if I win I can spread the Alvor love and take it over to the school. I wish wish wish for a trip to Idaho in the next 12 months. (Can you believe it has been 3 years?)

Jenn said...

We always say "...over thy bald dome" (or sometimes we said 'hairy dome' for fun)...the kids think it's pretty funny.

I would like to wish for a Weekend Of My Own to have time to read your book in peace and quiet, and then do whatever else I want... because everyone knows that I probably would read it within the first night and then what would I do?
and I get a second entry too because I'm a follower. :^>

Kelley Gruver said...

I Loooove the new background on your blog! Great choice!

If I could wish for anything, I think I would wish for a vacation. Anywhere. Maybe to visit family I haven't seen in years. It would be nice to get away for a while.

Thank you for another opportunity to win a book! I also follow your blog.

Angie said...

I wish for the words to come out as eloquently on paper as they are in my head and in my heart so that I can share a piece of me with those who read like you have shared a piece of you to us who have read your book.

Dave said...

Clearing throat..ahem,ahem,ahem...here goes!
HAPPY SOON BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY SOON BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY SOON BIRTHDAY DEAR LAURA AND YOUR 1 YEAR CONTRACT ANNIVERSARY,
HAPPY SOON BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!
AND MMAANNYYY MOOORRREEE!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM ME AND THE WHOLE GANG!

DAVE, MARA, LAURYN, AND SAMI

mitzi said...

Melissa has a good idea about donating to the school--and happy early birthday (I can't believe it is almost October...)

My wish is for whirled peas...(the common beauty contest answer, kind of?)--no, no, I would just settle for my canning to be done today, and that I could have a shower before 3pm. You'd think I have a house full of little kids...life never slows down!

FlyFreeMyBooks said...

Hi. I just jumped over here from your friends (the Lateiners) blog.
I wish, I wish, I wish, that I could win the giveaway for this book! It sounds wonderful.
Thanks, and a very Happy Birthday to You!
ludeluh at yahoo dot com

Libby's Library said...

My mother-in-law is still in here 40's and my husband is 55...so you can be any age that you want to be!

Oh dear...I guess that I should wish for world peace, but dang...my very first thought was "I wish I could eat as much as I want and still lose weight *sigh*.

Wishing you continued success.

I became a follower.
The Lateiner Gang sent me here.

Thanks for the giveaway.

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

FlyFreeMyBooks said...

Just signed on as a follower.
ludeluh at yahoo dot com

Laura said...

You guys are making my day. I still don't know what whirled peas... oh yea, world peace. Ha ha.

I'll settle for eating as much chocolate as I want. Wait. I already do.

Thanks for stopping by everyone! You're the best!

Misty said...

Hi! Saw your contest on the Lateiner Gang's site. It's nice that you cross-promote.
I became a follower. I also linked to your contest in my sidebar @ Book Rat. :) I will be having a contest in a few days, too, you should stop by and check it out!

~Misty
mbradenwf@gmail.com

Misty said...

Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the 1 year (and now one day) anniversery! Happy early birthday to you as well.

I wish my boss to feel closure for the sadness his family has to face. (vague, but I don't want to share too much that's not my details to share)

Biki
chichai_hana(at)hotmail(dot)com

Pixie said...

Happy Unbirthday, and almost birthday to you. I've never heard of this game, but it sounds fun.

I would love to enter your contest - my wish(and its a selfish one) would be to win an ARC of The Dead Tossed Waves.


Thanks
- Pixie
weblogbooks@gmail.com

Honey Mommy said...

I wish that my hubby and I will have a good time on our 100 mile bike ride this weekend... and that we don't die!

Krista said...

I just became a new follower! Please enter me, thanks!

kristacole64(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

Thanks for the opportunity to win an awesome book!

I would wish for a cruise...We were supposed to go this summer, but I got sick. Four months later when I was ready to go, we couldn't afford it! Maybe after tax refund next year...

Vickie said...

Congratulations! My wish is for you to sell lots and lots of books and write more books and sell those, too.
My wish for me is to win the lottery and let me quit working for someone else and own my own bookstore.

I meandered over here from your buddies' blog.

Vickie said...

And I am now a follower....

Anonymous said...

I wish I could win this book :)

Lindsey
xollinzolox@aim.com

Llehn said...

I'm going to make a wish that you have an awesome birthday!

I'm now a follower.

lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot)com

lag123 said...

I wish that I could finally learn how to stop and smell the roses. I am getting better.

lag110@mchsi.com

lag123 said...

I am a new follower.

lag110@mchsi.com

Laura said...

I'm loving the wishes! You guys have been making me think a lot about my own wishes and how to make them come true.

Yeah, I'm one of those create-your-own-miracles kind. But it helps seeing how much passion for life you all have. Thanks for sharing that with me.

Mystica said...

Never heard of games like this but then we are on the other side of the world and our games might sound different too! Happy, happy birthday - it sounds a lot of fun as its very much a family affair.

Mystica

Ashley said...

Happy early birthday. I wish for I could get out of this house and into a new place by the end of the year.

I'm a new follower.

-Ashley
razeldarling@gmail.com

throuthehaze said...

Happy early Birthday! I wish I owned my own home :)
throuthehaze at gmail dot com

Laurie T said...

Happy Birthday!
I wish your book sells well:)
I'm a follower.

llt806@optonline.net

ossmcalc said...

Happy Early Birthday! It is nice to find someone who enjoys birthdays as much as myself. The game thing makes it even more fun.

I would wish that I could lose weight so that my upcoming knee replacement surgery (praying that there is not a tumor)could be a little easier on me during recovery.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I am now a follower.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

Laura said...

I wish the two of you houses and for Christine, I wish you a speedy recovery. I've done a lot of knee surgeries, but no replacement...knock on wood.

I wish you good books to read, good music to listen to, family and friends nearby and some decent movies to pass the time quickly.

Sara said...

I'd love to be entered in your contest!

Hmmm... My wish is to get the job that I'm interviewing for next Wednesday. And that I'm a natural at it and it won't be at all awkward! :)

Thanks,
grochowskis@hotmail.com

holdenj said...

What a great year for you!
I wish that I'd win this one, I've heard great things about it!
Thanks.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

And Happy Birthday!

babygirlG said...

Happy birthday! I wish that Alvor will get a lot of love among the critics and the general public alike.

I now follow you.

tehashley(at)yahoo(dot)com

Hailey Miller said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hailey Miller said...

Happy Early Birthday!!!

I wish my three siblings currently in college and my fourth sibling ABOUT to be in college; can win/find/receive/Ect. money to pay off their loans and or future bills.

+1 I became a blogger follower!

Shadowofwonder47[at]yahoo[dot]com

andrea b said...

I'd wish I had a small vacation... I'm really really tired right now.
Thanks for the giveaway!

brigneti(at)gmail(dot)com

andrea b said...

I'm now a follower as well.

brigneti(at)gmail(dot)com

M.A.D. said...

Mary D
zenrei57 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Happy Birthday :) and also a huge congrats on your publishing contract anniversary - that totally rocks!!

So, I WISH that I will win your giveaway YAY (good wish, right?!)
Have a beautiful celebration :)

Pam said...

Congratulations on your anniversary! And a very Happy Birthday to you! My birthday is Oct. 9th and I'm still in my twenties too! LOL

I wish a housecleaning fairy would descend upon my house and keep it clean, tidy and always organized.

melacan at hotmail dot com

Paradox said...

Happy Birthday!!!

I wish I had telekinetic powers.

+1 I'm a follower.

paradoxrevealed (at) aim (dot) com

Gaylene said...

Congratulations & Happy Birthday!!!One of my wishes is that you continue to enjoy what you do, so we can also enjoy what you do. I also wish for you to get at least 50 school visits this year! My wish is for a good belly laugh. I am finally an official follower too!!=]

Travis said...

My wish is to have the person I love be here with me.

Unknown said...

I wish you continued success! I love to see fellow authors getting recognition and proving that "it" can be done, even in this economy! Please add me for the contest:
+1 for wishing you success
+1 for becoming a follower
Thanks!
-Michelle (www.mtr@michellereynoso.com)

Shawna L. said...

Shawna L
weloveourdogs@juno.com

+1 I would wish for My Daughter's, I's & My Mom's Lupus to be gone...FOREVER!!!
+1 I became a follower!!!

Happy Birthday to you My Dear & my your Birthday bring you much Luck & Happiness!!!

doreen lamoureux said...

First...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS 20 YEAR OLD...ha ha
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!
My wish is that you have the best year ever. That is my wish!
I just became a follower, can I subscribe by email?

dorcontest at gmail dot com

book weirdo said...

happy late birthday!I have never played this game you speak of and the only thing i really want is to get into my first choice school UC(ucla)or my dream school which I will not say to not jinx it.

weirdpanda3@gmail.com
+1 became follower

Anonymous said...

I wish publishers sent me ya arcs so I could binge on reading all my favorites, new stuff, and be one of the first to read books before spoilers, lol
** New follower - (2.0 blog)

~Bella

Anonymous said...

woops!
forgot my email!

iroquois.girl@yahoo.com

~Bella

Chelsea S said...

I wish there was a cure for all childhood cancers.

saulpaugh.chelsea(at)gmail(dot)com

-- Chelsea

Chelsea S said...

Im a follower.

saulpaugh.chelsea(at)gmail(dot)com

-- Chelsea

Honey said...

Thanks for the contest!! && Happy Birthday!

***If you want to win a book, leave a comment with a wish in it. You can wish for anything.

I wish...that dinosaurs weren't extinct!! :D:D:D

***If you add yourself as a follower, or if you already are one, you get a second entry.

I am a follower :D

Honey said...

Sorry, I forgot to add my email to my entry post.

ekta.p7 [at] gmail [dot] com

Sherry said...

I wish to get into the college of my choice! Since my birthday is next week(20th) i'll wish again! I wish I would win this contest! lol! Thanks for an awesome contest! I am a friend and I am in the contest at your friends page!

Sherry S.
ssalach88(at)gmail(dot)com

Julie S said...

I would wish for work to pay more and take up less time so there would be more time for reading and sleeping hah! I'm following. juliecookies@gmail.com

CherylS22 said...

I wish for health, happiness & wealth! Not too much to wish for, huh?!

Thanks ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

CherylS22 said...

I just became a follower
megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com

L said...

Happy Birthday!

I would wish for more books! =D.
I'm a follower.

lovinfitch(at)aol(dot)com