Book Giveaways

Liesl is one of my writing friends I met this summer because of WIFYR. And, we're related-my sister married her uncle, so we're practically family. She's a lovely in person and fun to read on her blog. Plus, even more exciting, when I met Liesl her agent was submitting her middle grade novel Rump to editers AND now she has a publishing house-Knopf/Random House. Yeah Liesl! Yeah Rump! I'm so excited for her and glad that I got to read her book over the summer. It was just sitting there, innocently, on my sister's end table. I couldn't help myself, I gobbled it up and then belatedly apologized for not asking her first. Liesl was very sweet about the whole thing, but I do have to wonder if she asked her uncle to move her manuscript to an undisclosed location:)

Here we are together. I know, I don't look the best, but it's the only shot I took. Plus more proof she's amazing. She gave away her 5 page editor critique to my best writer buddy. I'm excited for her book-we need more funny, middle grade boy books. By the time Rump is published my son will be ready for it.

Over on Writer Ropes Liesl Shirtliff is giving away a book for every day this week. I know it's already Friday, but you still have until midnight tonight to enter all four giveaways. They are books from her publisher Knopf. Plus, if you read today's giveaway entries for Flipped, you might just learn about my first crush the summer before 7th grade.

Books she's giving away-

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

The Book Their by Markus Zusak

The Emerald Atlas by John Stevens
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Also in Book Giveaways is my critique partner Taryn Albright. She's giving away an audio book of The Fox Inheritance over on her site A Fool's Golden Paradise. This website is fun and quirky-lots of writer thoughts, book reviews, and illustrative pictures. Taryn makes me smile each time I read her site. For example, I've recently feasted on hot swimmer guys as she compares writing genres, seen the "plotting room" and her latest entry is entitled "On Making Out with a Pool Deck." You can't beat that.

Because of Taryn's posts I'm currently reading The Adoration of Jenna Fox and I'm so glad I am. I can't get enough of her grandmother Lily and of course the mental workings and struggles of Jenna herself.

Goodreads summary:
Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson's vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication.

Read book. Read book now.