jenniferbrown09

[NOTE: ONLY comments on the original blog at www.JenniferBrownYA.com will be considered for entry in the contest.]

I'm so excited! I can't believe it's finally here! My first Love List Tuesday, which can only mean one thing:

10 WEEKS TILL HATE LIST'S RELEASE!!!

And in case you've missed previous posts and have no clue what Love List Tuesdays is all about, click HERE and read the official rules. Who will be our first Grab Bag Winner? And what will be in the bag? The only way to find out is to post your addition to my Love List in the comments section below.

And now let's jump right in! Here are the things I am totally lovin' this week:

1) 21st Century Breakdown (which I've been listening to pretty much nonstop since I got the CD almost two weeks ago. American Idiot is still my favorite, but dang, this one comes real close!)

2) New blinged-out bookmarks with the "love" charms and the tassles and the -- oh, yes -- sequins. For LL Tuesday winners only!

3) John Anderson and John Henson, the Wipeout commentators. Just 'cause they make me laugh with all their big balls jokes.

4) Laser tag.

5) Air conditioning.

6) Dan Simmons, whose book "Drood" is like a master class in fiction-writing.

7) New grocery store in Liberty, even though it makes me sound old and lame and way mommish to say so. 'Sokay, I am old and lame and way mommish. And that grocery store is flippin' sweet.

8) My neighbor across the street who always brings me cookies.

9) The commenter named "swissmom" on my Saturday blog, whose comment about single parenting literally brought tears to my eyes.

10) Kidlit Central News, where some of the nicest writers I know hang out.

Now, how 'bout you? Who/What are you lovin' this week? Post your comment below and get entered to win a Grab Bag O' Love item. A winner will be chosen and announced here on Monday, July 6th.

 

Good luck!

The Love List Tuesdays Grab Bag O' Love items are trickling in and piling up now. Here's a sneak peek at some of the things already up for grabs:

And there's so much more to come!

Plus! Each of my Grab Bag winners are going to receive a bag filled with Hate List goodies, including an autographed, blinged-up Hate List bookmark! And don't forget... someone will win a Grand Prize gift bag on September 1st!

Troy, iTunes, and bookmarks... what's there not to love?!

Blog originally posted on www.JenniferBrownYA.com. To participate in the contest, post your comments there.


So the plan was to post this early this morning... you know, start the 11 Weeks Till Hate List Release Day off all supercharged-like, but turns out I spent my Monday in Branson with my two little boys, riding rollercoasters at Silver Dollar City. For those who're rusty on their Missouri geography, that's a 4-hour drive, each way, with 7 hours of amusement park sandwiched in between... in 95+ heat (Nobody said I was smart. Or sane.).

So I've spent the bulk of my day today shuffling around like a mummy (or is it a zombie? I never can remember if mummies shuffle and zombies ramble, or if zombies shuffle and mummies ramble...?) and am just now getting around to making my announcement about

LOVE LIST TUESDAYS

[insert smoochy noises here]

So here's the deal. Starting next Tuesday, every Tuesday on my blog will be Love List Tuesday. I'll get us started by blogging my list of things, people, concepts, ideas, products, I love. Whatever I'm groovin' on. And you, my readers, will post in comments something you're groovin' on. Even if what you're groovin' on is a person that nobody else knows or something that makes you feel a little lame, that's totally cool. Just post a comment with your addition(s) to the Love List. 

 

Why, you ask?

Well, besides being all awesome and spreading the love... by reading and commenting on my blog you will immediately become someone on my Love List, and I'm going to reward you. Yep, it's not only your chance to be all lovey dovey... it's also your chance to win cool stuff from my Grab Bag O' Stuff Loved by People I Love.

Each week I'll randomly choose someone who posted a comment on that week's blog and that person will win something out of the grab bag. Could be a Zac Effron travel mug, could be a Mickey Mouse watch, could be an iTunes gift card. The only way to find out for sure is to add to the Love List every Tuesday and try your luck.

And on the last Tuesday... September 1st... Hate List's official release day... yep... Grand Prize Gift Bag of Stuff Loved by ME (trust me, it's gonna be a good one)!

So you have one week to wrap your head around who/what you want on your Love List. And keep checking back here for hints and lists of what might be in the Grab Bag!

Blog originally published on www.JenniferBrownYA.com

Let me just say this: OMG, I love hate love hate love hate am totally in summer mode. As always, my writing is virtually nonexistent while I do the mom thing and I'm really frustrated and ugly and snarky and feeling like there's all these antagonists just piling up in me. Internal Antagonist Piles can't be healthy, I tell ya.

But this summer it only looks like I'm doing nothing. Behind the scenes (read: early in the morning, late at night, and every time I can squeeze in an extra second where a mom chore used to be) I'm working hard on getting ready for Hate List's release, which is in... gulp...

JUST 12 WEEKS!

Here's some of the stuff I'm working on:

1) Designing and ordering promo stuff like bookmarks and postcards. Okay, to be fair, I didn't design them. Fellow Deb Saundra Mitchell (author of SHADOWED SUMMER) did (she's so amazing on so many levels). And it's a good thing, because I could have never come up with anything nearly as awesome as she did. But I did order them. And I can't wait for the stuff to just get here already! *makes grabby hands*

2) Contacting local bookstores to set up signings. Okay, to be fair, I've only contacted one. But I have more in my sights and as soon as I can get away (and locate my Nice Pants and Going Out Shoes), I'm totally going to drive to some places and shake hands and kick tires or rattle trees or whatever it is people do when they want to get something done. AND! I heard through the grapevine that someone in charge of stuff at Rainy Day Books has a copy of Hate List and has it on his to-read list. *makes googly eyes at LB's publicity department*

3) Setting up a Virtual Launch Party. Okay, to be fair, I've really only set up one (totally fun and I'm totally excited about it) interview. But I have ideas for all the other stuff. I just have to find the technical skills to make it all happen. (This is what happens when you grow up in the Dark Ages and don't learn how to use a computer until you're 25, children.) (What is RSS anyway?)

4) Interviews!!! Okay, to be fair, I'm sort of behind on these. I think I'm sitting on three, just finding the time when the kids are halfway silent and I can sound sort of coherent in them (as coherent as one can sound with an Internal Antagonist Pile mucking up the brain). But I love doing interviews, and if anyone out there reading has a blog and an inkling to interview... please contact me at zoise30@gmail.com.

5) Guest blogging -- see #4.

6) Researching and writing a humor-writing class to be presented at the Fall KS SCBWI conference. Oh! And there'll be an autographed copy of Hate List in their giveaways basket this time. Is that totally awesome or what?! And also awesome (any first-time published author will understand why this is awesome)... there will be Hate List promo material on the promo material table! That's right, take that bookmark, baby! Here, take another! (I wonder if they'll kick me out if I "bark" the promo material table. You know, like they do in carnival midways)

7) Creating a Facebook Fan Page for Hate List. If you're on FB, check it out!

8) Putting together a contest for my blog. Well, actually, a whole slew of contests to take place right here on this blog. And, to be fair, I'm all over this puppy! You guys are going to LOVE this contest (that word... LOVE... was a hint... hee hee...), and it's going to kick off in just a couple weeks. So now you have something to do, too -- check in every day so you don't miss out one some very fun bloggy contestness!

So I'm off to "do nothing" now. Heading to the swimming pool. Okay, to be fair, I'm meeting a writer who is just getting started and wants some advice on how to get her career kick-started. See? Work! Just work that involves sunscreen and goggles.

Should I tell her about the Internal Antagonist Piles or should I let her find out about those on her own?

Blog originally posted on www.JenniferBrownYA.com.

I've been looking forward to today's "Lunching with Leads" lunch for a long time, because today I'm lunching with my house sister, Sarah Ockler, and the main character of her debut novel, TWENTY BOY SUMMER!

Not only is Sarah seriously sweet and cute, but she knows what she's doing when it comes to writing, so I know her main character (and my lunch date!) will be a really intriguing character. Let's meet her now.

About Twenty Boy Summer

While on vacation in California, sixteen-year-old best girlfriends Anna and Frankie conspire to find a boy for Anna’s first summer romance, but Anna harbors a painful secret that threatens their lighthearted plan and their friendship.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER is a debut YA novel that explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

Hmmm... a painful secret, eh? Sounds mysterious! Oh, look! Here comes Anna now! Let's eat!

Where are we eating?

At Breeze, right on the pier in Zanzibar Bay, CA. You can hear the ocean from here!

Great! This is the first lunch on the Bay I've had. Exciting! So, what's on the menu (I know, NO WATERMELON!)?

Seafood of course! Or a veggie burger. Or grilled cheese. Really, they have everything here! And the best virgin pina coladas!

I'm in for a veggie burger. And the pina colada sounds delish! Let's share with someone. Who would you like to invite to join us, Anna?

My best friend, Frankie.

Okay, cool. Hey, Frankie *waves*. So, Anna... I know you have this dark and mysterious secret, so I feel like I should watch what I talk about. What is the one subject you hope I don't bring up?

Matt.

Okay, no Matt. What is the one subject you hope I will bring up?

Matt.

Uh... ???... Hmmm... I'm not really sure what you... I know! I'll just talk about fans. You're getting tons of attention from fans. How do you feel about all this limelight?

I hate it. I'll probably excuse myself to the ladies room and let Frankie bask in the spotlight. She's definitely better dressed for it, too.

Oh, okay. While Frankie signs autographs, we can share this Reeses I brought. How do you eat a Reeses?

Nibble all the way around the edge, then pop the soft center part in your mouth at the very end. Yum!

Hey, that's how I eat it, too! Cheers!

Good luck, Anna, and good luck, Sarah, with your amazing book!

To purchase a copy of TWENTY BOY SUMMER, click HERE.

About Sarah Ockler

Sarah Ockler wrote and illustrated her first book at age six—an adaptation of Steven Spielberg's E.T. Still recovering from her own adolescence, Sarah now writes for young adults. After several years of wandering between New York City and Denver, she and her husband Alex now live in Upstate New York with lots of books and an ever-expanding collection of sea glass. Twenty Boy Summer is Sarah's first novel. Visit her online at www.sarahockler.com.

****************************************************************************************************************

Don't forget to stop by for lunch again, y'all on June 28th, when I'll be lunching with the main character of Cynthea Liu's PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE.

I'm the author of YA novel, HATE LIST, scheduled to be released September 2009 by Little, Brown. Learn more about me by visiting my official website at: www.JenniferBrownYA.com.