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Note: This is NOT the post to comment on to win an ARC of RAMPANT. You must comment on the post titled “Big Friday Giveaway” to be entered into that contest.
A few folks have emailed me to say they are having a problem joining the newsletter. This is how it works:
1. Enter your email address into the box on my website.
2. This should take you to a Yahoo Groups screen that says:
Confirmation Message Sent
“Thank you for your request. To assist you in finding a membership for the group DianaPeterfreundBooks, you must confirm that you own that email address. We have sent an email message to [your email address] with instructions.
“Please check for the confirmation email at [your email address] now.”
3. Check your email. You should have one from Yahoo! Groups saying that you can join the group by clicking on a link (or simply replying to the email.
4a. If you click on the link, you will be directed to a Yahoo page that says you can either “join the group” (if you have a Yahoo! ID, even if your email is not through Yahoo) or join the mailing list (for anyone with a valid email address). EITHER WAY WORKS.
4b. If you just reply to the email by pressing “Reply” and then “Send” you will automatically be added to the mailing list.
5. You will receive a welcome message in your email from DianaPeterfreundBooks Moderator (that’s me). You’re all set!
If you are still having trouble with this, leave a comment here. NOTE: This does NOT enter you into the Rampant ARC giveaway. That’s the post below this one.
The winner of the PERFECT CHEMISTRY giveaway is: Angie of Angieville. You know the drill.
By the way, guys, I’m a bit behind on my post office visits because with the torn muscle in my back, I can’t lift heavy objects, like, oh, boxes of books. I’ll be enlisting help this weekend.
Thank you so much for all your well wishes yesterday. I really appreciate it. Also, muscle relaxers? Make me so loopy. I get these crazy ideas in my head about making fondue for dinner, which is ridiculous, because fondue takes a lot of scrubbing to clean up, and scrubbing is not something I do well given my current back situation. But the fondue was yummy, anyway. I am an excellent fondue maker, on account of the two years I spent waitressing at The Melting Pot. I also did some Xmas shopping. very little — I’m so behind — but at least I started.
I also got to have a nice chat with my editor about the outline I recently turned in to her for the second killer unicorn book. The second book is currently untitled, but we’re working on that, too. All systems go to finish that, now.
Speaking of killer unicorns, guess what today’s big giveaway is? Wait for it…
An ARC of Rampant!
Win it before you can buy it, folks. And because this is such a monumental giveaway (I have very very few of these things), the comments thread will be open all weekend for entering. That’s right, you have three days to comment here for a chance to win. I’ll draw the winner on Monday.
Have a great weekend!
So I spent most of yesterday in the hospital, until they concluded exactly what I had thought: I tore a muscle in my ribs, coughing. Now I’m home, with some medicine that is making me really loopy. Loopy and tired. (Though it’s nothing compared to the morphine they had me on yesterday! I fell asleep on our brand new furniture. I may have even drooled. Opiates, man, I’m telling you…)
The winner of the first SORORITY 101 signed books giveaway is: Khy, at comment #16. Email me with your address to receive your prize.
So because I’m too loopy for a real blog post today, I’m directing you to the site of Simone Elkeles, who has an awesome new book trailer up for her new book, PERFECT CHEMISTRY. I know you may be sick of book trailers, but this one is really different and special (and I’m bummed I can’t embed it)
Perfect Chemistry is ALSO today’s giveaway. Leave a comment here to enter.
And make sure you check back tomorrow for a very special all-weekend long giveaway contest.
One more thing. Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter. All newsletter subscribers get a special, exclusive giveaway on December 15th. (Secret Society Girl Fans do NOT want to miss out.)
Okay, guys. I’m out. I may go back to sleep on our new furniture. It looks so comfy…
The Winner of the SKINNED Giveaway is: JTuckTattoo. Msg me with your address to receive your prize.
The Loser is: Me. And let me tell you why.
So I spent yesterday in a moving van, driving around to pick up my new furniture. As most of you remember, I had a very bad cold through the month of November with a really, really bad cough. Sometime during the cough, I coughed so hard that I pulled a muscle near my ribs, and it’s been sore for a while. Well, yesterday, the climbing in and out of a moving van and the tiny, TINY bit of furniture moving I managed in my weakened state really did a number on me, I think I tore this muscle. It’s killing me. I am hobbling around like a geriatric and I actually needed Sailor Boy to put me to bed last night because I couldn’t lay down without help.
Right now, I’m on ice and ibuprofen.
At least the furniture looks good.
Anyway, enough about my difficulties. We have a giveaway. Today’s giveaway is actually a two-fer:
 
Signed copies of the first two books in the Sorority 101 series, just in time for the release of the third, THE FORMAL.
You know the drill. Leave comments here
THE WINNER OF THE BOX O’BOOKS GIVEAWAY is: RYLIE, at comment #12! Drop me an email with your address to receive your prize (at slow-boat-to-China book rate shipping, but still…)
The past week has been such a roller coaster for me. I’ll have a great writing day, then be smackerooed with some horrific industry developments. I’ll get two pieces of good news, then balance those out with two pieces of sucktastic news. I’ll read a wonderful book, and then I’ll read something that leaves dents in my wall from being thrown against it so often.
I read one of the latter this weekend. It was one of those books that makes you feel dirty for reading it, one that you’re afraid has made you a worse writer simply due to exposure to its unfortunate writing, sloppy plotting, poor characterization, and general condescension. (And no, I’m not saying what book it was, but I guarantee you that it’s not one you are thinking of.) I was incredibly disappointed by this novel, which has been received rather well. I really hate not connecting to a book that other people seem to like. It always turns my criticism inward. What’s wrong with me that I don’t see what other people like about this? I wish when I read positive reviews I could just wonder where, exactly, the reviewers are buying the crack they are so clearly smoking. Instead, I go, “um, am I a bad reader/critic/cyborg with no real human emotions, that I am left cold by this work?
Not even cold. Clammy. It’s fashionable to say that novel X is just “not your cup of tea.” Which is fine. There are plenty of novels that are not my cup of tea. Perhaps it’s because they aren’t my genre, or perhaps it’s because, whatever the author was trying to do, no matter how skillfully they accomplished it, I am not going to connect to that style. Wuthering Heights, for example, is not my cup of tea. Has never been my cup of tea, as a matter of fact. In high school, when we did the unit on Wuthering Heights, I wrote my paper on why I didn’t like it. (Given what a ridiculous goody two shoes I was in high school, it baffles me that I did this, and speaks volumes about my level of dislike.) I saw what Bronte was doing, and I didn’t like it. She did it well. I didn’t like it.
But this novel goes beyond the tea metaphor. It was bad. It was objectively bad, annoyingly bad, and bad in a way that makes me angry all over again whenever I think of it. The kind of bad that makes budding writers throw down a book and scoff, “I could do better than that!”
And maybe that’s the universe’s point.
So when I lie in bed, wondering why in the world this book is in print, I will come to the conclusion that it exists for this reason: somewhere in the world is a young, aspiring writer for whom this book should be a cup of tea. But it’s bad. Not, not-tea. BAD. And the writer will read it (or attempt to — I know I struggled to push through), and will think, “Dear heavens, I can do better than this!” and they will pick up a pen, and they will write something good.
As for me, I took a cleansing shower, snuggled with Rio, thought of five books I’ve read this year alone that blew my mind, and sat down to write my own version of “better than this.” I did some mind-blowing research (as in, I can’t believe this bit of information was just lying around for me to find, because it’s so achingly perfect for my book!) and a wrote a chapter.
One of the books I thought of in my list of “Awesome Stuff I’ve Read Lately” is today’s giveaway, SKINNED, by Robin Wasserman. (In passing, do not Google “skinned” if you are looking for images of this cover. Just sayin’.) It’s hard to explain what exactly captured me about this book without giving it away. All I will say is that I thought it was about one thing (perhaps because I was such a fan of the book EVA growing up, and the opening scenes remind me of it), and the cover copy led me to believe it was about that as well, and it’s really not. It’s about something very different, and very cool, and something I haven’t seen explored in YA before. Definitely a book to chew on. It’s the first in a trilogy, and I can’t can’t can’t wait for the next one! YAY FOR GOOD BOOKS!
Anyway, leave a comment here to be entered. And tell me, have you had a bad reading experience lately? You don’t need to name the book, but what was the general, anonymous reason that you didn’t like it?
First of all, an apology about going AWOL on Friday. Minor emergency kept me away from the blog. However, I can now announce the winner of last Thursday’s Giveaway of VIOLET IN PRIVATE: ANGIE, at Comment #29!
Congratulations! Email me for your prize.
I want to say that it’s been a very busy time around here, but I’m beginning to wonder if there is any time that isn’t anymore. I feel like I’ve been going non-stop for months. It’s all I can do to keep the balls in the air, and of course, I’m still playing catch-up from being sick for most of November. (Seriously, guys, let us not discuss housecleaning at the moment.) Sailor Boy and I did go shopping this weekend, though, and we’re a few steps closer to actually furnishing our house now. I am madly in love with our new furniture. It’s the first stuff we’ve ever really bought together that wasn’t like “we need a bookshelf, let’s pick up a pile of pre-fab shelves from IKEA.” I’ve had this silly stupid grin on my face all weekend, traipsing from store to store in the snow in a tiny mountain town filled with antique shops…Â I feel very old married coupley… and I like it.
I’m also getting very excited for Christmas. This is the first Christmas I’m hosting at my house, and I feel like I have a lot to live up to. My mother throws an amazing Christmas — great food, great decorations, great collection of Christmas movies on the TV…
Last week I also turned in the page proofs for Rampant, and saw a final cover for Tap & Gown (which is still scheduled for release in May, despite changes at my publisher).
My books are still trucking along on their way to publication!
And then, and then, here’s a secret: I started a new project. I’m so excited about it. More on that later.
For a more coherent (hopefully) post by me, check out today’s Romancing the Blog.
Speaking of Christmas… today’s giveaway is very special. Like a Christmas present, it’s a surprise: a box o’books. I’m doing inventory in my house and giving away huge piles of books. They are most likely romance novels, but there may be a few surprises in there. leave a comment now!
Hey, guys! I’m back from New York and back to work. No rest for the weary ’round these parts. Is anyone else doing Seventy Days of Sweat? Every time I get started, a new pile of work lands on my desk — revisions, first page proofs, you name it. Check out the Sven blog today for another post by me — this one about how tough it is to work in the face of outside forces. But work we must; especially since we have due dates. 
TUESDAY’S GIVEAWAY WINNER: Megan S.!
WEDNESDAY’S GIVEAWAY WINNER: Dulce!
By the way, these are random drawings, care of the good people at random.org.
Ah, New York! So I got in early Tuesday morning and popped up to Harper Collins to pick up my First Page Proofs. Oooooh, pretty. Because I am horribly challenged when it comes to the order of the non-numbered streets in Manhattan, there was a little east/west confusion with the whole Lexington/Madison/Park thing and I wound up all the way on the East side before I figured out I was going the wrong way. Anyway, I had a nice chat with my editor’s assistant, Corey (Hi, Corey! If you read the blog!) and then headed out to work on them. I spent the day working with Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare (who has an AWESOME new cover), Maureen Johnson, and Bennett Madison. I did not get a lot of work done. I mostly bugged them all in turn. It’s pathetic. I’m sure if IÂ saw these folks more often, I would actually write during writing dates, rather than play catch up and show them all my cover mock up and tell Libba all about our house-hunting adventures from last summer.
(In passing, I’m going to another one today, with Bennett and Lavinia Kent. And I will WORK!)
Anyway, after the writing date, Maureen and Bennett and I headed over to Butter for Melissa Walker and Marianne Mancusi’s book release party, which was a lot of fun. You can see all the details here, along with Marianne’s pictures, and here, along with Melissa’s.
Scott Westerfeld, Marianne Mancusi, Me, and Melissa Walker
Me, I didn’t take pictures. I was too busy drinking martinis and not eating food, sadly. I was tipsy. Justine made fun of me, rightly. Note to self: have dinner before going to book parties. I also saw Chris Keesler, Elizabeth Kerri Mahon (who has an amazing blog called Scandalous Women), Hope Tarr, and Liz Maverick.
 After the party, Marianne, her boyfriend Jacob, and I went back to Marianne’s place where I met Molly (oooh, adorable! So much cuter than even her pictures!) ate deli food, and watched a hilarious episode of South Park about goths vs. vampires.
(This is Molly. She has excellent taste in books.)
Looking at Marianne’s dog made me very homesick for Rio. I’ve hardly been away from her overnight since we got her.
The next morning, I caught the subway into Manhattan, which was surreal. I lived in Astoria for almost nine months, back in 2001-2002, and took the N train every single day, and it was like I’d never been there before in my life. I had to reacquaint myself to the elevated trains and all. I can’t believe my memory is so pathetic. (Then again, between my horrible landlords and my horrible job, I think I blocked a lot of that year out. I mostly remember lunches with my friend Lauren, Buffy nights at Rachel’s, and the most amazing Seder dinner ever.)
 Anyway, I met my editor, Kerri, for what I’m sure we shall remember in the future as a legendary breakfast, and we talked about books and went over the full cover of Tap & Gown, which I love! Then I went back to work on those pesky page proofs, discovered a huge continuity error in my book, called Carrie Ryan to have a panic attack over it (she calmed me down, thanks Carrie) and returned to DC with Bennett Madison in tow.
In honor of the book party, today’s giveaway is a signed copy of Melissa Walker’s VIOLET IN PRIVATE. Leave a comment here to be entered into the giveaway.
Off to work! Poor Rio’s got another day of kennel thumb-twiddling in her future!
Hey, guys. I’m still out of town, so come back this afternoon and I’ll have announced the winner of Tuesday’s Giveaway.
Today’s giveaway is a copy of Suite Scarlett, by Maureen Johnson. If all has gone as planned, I will have spent yesterday afternoon writing in a cafe with Madame Johnson, so this is very fitting.
The thing I really love about Maureen’s books is that they remind me so much of the books I read when I was a kid. You’ve got those quirky fabulous New York families. It’s like The Hundredth Thing About Caroline all over again. But older, and hipper. And awesome. I know Girl at Sea was a RITA finalist last year, but I don’t think her books have half the recognition in the romance community that they should. People bemoan where to find good contemporary rom coms? Like Jennifer Crusie? Try Maureen Johnson.
I shall be back later with more updates and other fun stuff. Meanwhile, leave a comment here to enter!
The winner of yesterday’s giveaway is: RHIANNONJK. (Email me with your address for your prize.)
Today’s giveaway is for PHANTOM’S TOUCH, by Julie Leto.
 Two centuries ago, Aiden Forsyth stormed a gypsy camp to save his sister, only to fall victim to a powerful spell. But now, when modern-day actress Lauren Cole grasps the hilt of an antique sword, she is shocked to see the ancient warrior materialize before her. Not only has she released Aiden from the curse that bound him, but she has put herself in the path of an incredible danger.
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Isn’t this a hot cover? I think it may be my favorite Julie Leto cover of all time. (Knocking out of first place Undeniable’s cover, and I can’t say why, because you’d think it would be the Double the Pleasure twin cover….) But this one took my breath away when I first saw it — the way he’s holding her… sigh. Also, I love how unusual both the models look in this picture. One gets a little bored with the same guy and girl over and over. And this guy is really hot.
Since this is the second in the series, Julie has made an incredible offer — if the winner of this giveaway has not read the first in the series, she’ll send a signed copy to them. Ain’t she sweet?
I’m on the road today, so don’t expect me to check in until pretty late on Wednesday with today’s winner. Sorry, guys. Them’s the breaks. However, leave a comment here to be entered into the Phantom’s Touch giveaway.
And buy Julie’s book if you see it on the stands this week. Remember, Book = Gift!
Okay, it’s official. It’s finally December, which means that I can go around humming “Silver Bells” with impunity for the next 25 days, and Sailor Boy can get peeved (because he claims it’s his least favorite of all the Christmas Carols, while it is in my top three, easy) and in retaliation, sings the Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York,” which has these heartwarming lyrics:
You’re a bum
You’re a punk
You’re an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God its our last
Nice, huh? I tell you, I adore that man.
ANYWAY, the point of this post is that in honor of this fabulous holiday season, I am holding a month of giveaways. Let’s call it the NINETEEN DAYS OF XMAS — that’s right, every (week) day, from now until December 25th, I’ll be doing a giveaway here on the blog! And it’s all kind of different fun stuff, too. A sampling:
- Signed Books
- ARCs
- Boxes (yes, whole boxes!) of mystery books in a variety of genres
- My books
- And other special prizes!
 And there’s a special prize on December 15th for fans of the Secret Society Girl series — one that everyone is eligible to receive just by signing up for my newsletter. (Please note: you do NOT have to be a member of Yahoo to sign up for the newsletter. There is a “mailing list” option.) Sign up before December 15 to be eligible!
Today’s giveaway is a signed copy of the National Book Award finalist, THE RULES OF SURVIVAL, by Nancy Werlin. Oooh…. Aaaaaaah.
Comment now to enter! Come back tomorrow for more prizes! Yay, December!
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In other news, check out the auction going on right now to benefit author Jo Leigh, who lost her husband to cancer earlier this year. Leigh is an extraordinary author and woman, and some of the items up for auction would make fantastic Xmas presents. Go now and bid! (I already have.)
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