So New York Times Bestseller Carrie Ryan and I had an awesome weekend of eating, lounging around on the couch, brainstorming, and watching movies that reminded us of our books. It was half writing retreat, half slumber party.
Rio was utterly charmed by Carrie, and vice versa. I mean, I know she doesn’t look too thrilled in this picture, but Carrie’s more than making up for it, don’t you think? Trust me, Rio loved Carrie like only a “curl up on the guest bed, roll over and whine until Carrie rubbed her tummy all morning” little brat could.
Quoth Carrie: “She’s so little! She’s so compact! She’s like the mini-cooper of dogs!”
This is what happens when you’re usually living with an 85 lb. rottie mix. Don’t you worry, Rio. I think you’re the perfect size.
And then yesterday, we drove up to Baltimore to attend Carrie’s launch. In Carrie’s tour packet, it said “your friend will drive you up to Baltimore” and I am not one to disobey the mandates of the Random House publicity team.
Fortunately, it was a lovely day out, and we had lunch down by the Harbor, overlooking the Constellation. It was so beautiful, in fact, that Carrie found it problematic when she tried to turn on the air conditioning in her very sunny and warm (93 degrees!) hotel room only to discover it didn’t work. So she got ready for her launch party in an overheated hotel room filled with two hotel engineers and a phone call every 30 seconds from the front desk asking if the engineers were there fixing the problem. (“Yes.” “YES.” “YES.” “Please stop calling us, they’re here.”)
I pretended to be Carrie’s PA, which was especially funny when the wine and strawberries showed up.
Carrie, a model of grace under pressure, ended up looking fabulous in a swingy gray dress and coral jewelry, and off we jetted to her launch signing at The Children’s Bookstore. I’ve never been there before, but it’s fabulous! I really had to have a talking-to with myself before I bought every single picture book in the place. As it was, one of the booksellers kept getting me to buy new unicorn books I hadn’t read, like Birth of the Firebringer, by Meredith Anne Pierce.
Research! Research!
Carrie’s launch was lovely. There was a great crowd there. Zombie fans, fantasy fans, writers, — there were even some folks who’d made her launch signing in Greenville last year. Talk about commitment!
Carrie talked about zombies, about her childhood fear of Poltergeist, and about how she and I have diametrically opposed creative processes that occasionally drive each other to drink. (I’m a planner; she is not.) She signed stacks and stacks of books, including two that I’m giving away to you, dear reader.
SPEAKING OF GIVEAWAYS, I am having a problem, guys. You enter my giveaways, and then when I announce the winners, they never show up and email me. I have a STACK of books that I’m supposed to send out to winners who have never contacted me. Like the Heist Society winner from a few weeks back? No word. I even left a comment on her blog. What should I do? I can’t chase you guys down all the time, and honestly, given that I’m buying these books with my own money and sending them out with my own stamps, I kind of feel like I shouldn’t have to. Should I give you a period of time to get in touch with me and if you don’t, your prize is forfeited? (Then no doubt I draw a new winner who never gets in touch with me and the darn cycle stars all over again.)
Okay, now that that little housekeeping issue is off the table, onto the giveaway!
Today I’m giving away a copy of the New York Times bestselling paperback of The Forest of Hands and Teeth, signed by one New York Times Bestselling author Carrie Ryan. AND, a copy of the amazing companion novel, newly released in hardcover: The Dead-Tossed Waves. Also signed by the author. May or may not include a small smear of wasabi from when it was sitting on the table at the sushi restaurant where said author and I had dinner last night. It’s that authentic, y’all.
HOW YOU ENTER:
Leave a comment in this blog entry saying how you would react in the face of the zombie apocalypse. I will randomly select two entries. When I announce the winners, if you are a winner, email me with your choice of which book you want. First come, first served.
March 10th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Great give away I really hope this is international because I live in the UK!
In the event of a zombie apocolypse I would like to think that I would fashion together weapons out of handy household items, protect my family and two cats and then go on to find a cure for the worldwide epidemic restoring peace and normality to the world – well normality at least. In reality though I would probably hide under the kitchen table with my fingers in my ears and hummming loudly until the problem went away
Incidentally, if it helps, all these books that people haven’t claimed – if you just want to stick them all in a big box and send them to me I’ll find something to do with them
Thanks
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March 10th, 2010 at 9:34 am
<zombies, they are everywhere. I cannot outrun them and there is no place to hide. my head wound is pricking but there’s no time for winning. “get a hold of yourself” i say trying desperately not to lose control now.
the guns hold in my hand are useless,good just to slow them down… no match for an undead. how could kill an undead if he’s already dead?
all my dear people are dead and it’s up to me don’t let more people die and become like them. it’s enough that I had to stab my mother until she died.
….died….
in my head it became clear as the blue summer sky.
“you’re damned, motherfuckers!”
I rose my head up and ran to retrieve my father’s sword!
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March 10th, 2010 at 9:34 am
Clearly, according to that picture, I would eat Rio first thing in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Sorry Rio!!
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March 10th, 2010 at 9:35 am
When the zombie apocalypse arrives I will gather my minions together and berate them, both for taking so long and for dressing so inappropriately for said apocalypse. I will ignore their protests that I haven’t provided them with any anti-zombie gear, only hoodies and sweatpants, and we will then retire to my underground headquarters, which is stocked with a 10-year supply of doughnuts and bourbon, and implement my master zombie apocalypse plan: unleashing my army of zombie-fighting android squirrels. We will then spend the next week watching the android squirrels battle the swarming zombies on high-definition TV, using my private satellite (it doubles as a death ray and a broadcasting system).
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March 10th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Andrea: Yes, is international. Is “by slow boat” methods, but it’ll get there eventually.
Carrie: Would you believe that’s the best picture? I so need a new camera.
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March 10th, 2010 at 9:40 am
I’d probably dig a hole and stay there hiding from the zombis.
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March 10th, 2010 at 9:45 am
My husband and I have thought about this a lot. We are holding a zombie-themed convention (Core Con) this year in Fargo, ND (where I will hand out some of your bookmarks!!!!) so it has been the hot topic for us and our friends. My first reaction would be making sure I have enough thyroid pills since I have to take them every day. I would load up the car with our survival kit (and our kittens) to go to our designated spot in the Fargo, ND-Moorhead, MN area— the Hjemkomst Center. It is a strange building built around a homemake Viking Ship that is right next to the Red River. There are also other boats underneath the nearby bridge, not too far from the mall for supplies (including a sports store) and the grocery store. Better yet, this place is located by my work and my home so it is easy access whenever the apocalypse happens.
Or… we could just go out onto the prairie. There isn’t much there, haha.
And I will reply… no worries about that. Thanks for such a great contest!
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March 10th, 2010 at 9:46 am
I’d probably be stunned for a minute–and I’ll admit, that minute of stunny-lameness might cost me my life. But, assuming I survive those precious first-moments, I’d run, kicking and screaming, to the nearest pawn shop, tool store or sporting goods boutique to get myself some ammo. Then I’d hunker down somewhere and start sniping. That’s my job, right? I’m the non-celebrity zombie sniper of the year, right? LOL!
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March 10th, 2010 at 9:59 am
I would probably make some really bad ass weapons with things around the house and then take out as many as I could before I got killed. If it’s going to be anything like the Forest of Hands and Teeth that’s the only sensible solution I can come up with.
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March 10th, 2010 at 10:04 am
I would pull my lower lip up over my forehead and then eat my insides out!
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March 10th, 2010 at 10:08 am
I live in Northern Canada AND if you have ever watched a post apocalyptic undead movie where do the survivors always run? That’s right NORTH. First of all I would move farther North, up to the Yukon or further into Alaska. Definitely will need to fine tune my hunter gather skills and hope that I could manage to keep a plant alive long enough to harvest some food out of it. I have some self defense skills as I study a martial art, however I hope not to come in such close contact… a stash of weapons should also be on my list of things to procure. Oh! And a big ass vehicle with a big ass bumper. Then I think I would just be nomadic. Maybe if I found enough survivors I would upgrade to a fortified bus… But back to the question at hand, how would I react? I think I would have a small mental breakdown, freeze and if I survived my fear comatose state I would get my butt in gear and do the rest…
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March 10th, 2010 at 10:25 am
Zombie attach? Hmmm… I’ve always wanted to shoot something with a gun… but I’d never hurt any animal, and a human being is out of question. But a zombie is just the kinda of thing that asks to be shot, right?! So hey, that’s the perfect opportunity! So there you go, I’d go out with a gun and shoot A LOT of zombies!
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March 10th, 2010 at 10:33 am
When the zombies rise, I will immediately make for the safest spot to be during any undead-related emergency: the living room. (*rimshot*)
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March 10th, 2010 at 10:37 am
If zombocalypse happened I would go take over the nearest Meijer (local grocery/department store chain). Or maybe get out of Michigan, because trying to survive a winter here without heat would be brutal.
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March 10th, 2010 at 10:45 am
You mean after I ran around, screaming and flipping out? I’d look for other survivors and organize a plan of attack. Probably seak shelter somewhere the zombies couldn’t get in. Maybe find a church and throw bibles at their heads. Hose them down with holy water…
As far as your giveaways and not being able to get a hold of the person, you should give them 72 hours to email you. If they don’t respond, you can draw someone else and try to get in touch with them. When I hold giveaways on my blog, I pick a winner plus 2 alternates. One of them always responds and if they don’t, hold another giveaway. Their lost. You’re the one that’s sweet enough to do it in the first place.
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March 10th, 2010 at 10:56 am
In the event of the zombie apocalypse, I would probably pee my pants. Then, I would wait for my husband to start barking orders, because he is way more knowledgeable about zombies than I am. I think I would have a greater chance of survival if I just let him be in charge.
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March 10th, 2010 at 11:09 am
I’m actually training my Beagle and Gecko for such an event (never can be too prepared). I will end the Unconsecrated Apocalypse.
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March 10th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Oh wow… Zombies… I’d like to think i’d be as smart and as brave as the chicks in ‘Zombieland’ but i know i’d be cowering in my room ’til it all goes away =P!
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March 10th, 2010 at 11:23 am
It’s all about preparedness — acquire a private island now. My savings account won’t quite cover a private island so, instead, I’m investing in a deserted mountaintop and hoping global warming does its work before the zombies do theirs.
Great contest idea!
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March 10th, 2010 at 11:30 am
In the event that the dead rose from their graves?
I am a hunter, so I have the rifle and since it is a historical rifle (meant old military use) I would sharped the bayonet and reattach it. I would also sharpen the sword I inherited from a friend. Assuming I have the time, I would make it up to “deer camp” where we could clear the terrain and have clear field of vision. (Nope, have not considered this at all…)
Most of all I would have to collect up my stacks of books so I would have something to read. After all my wife has already stolen my copy of Dead Tossed Waves!
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March 10th, 2010 at 11:36 am
I have a steadfast rule: You need the three Fs: Fire, firearms, and food (water included in that, you can see how it doesn’t fit in the alliteration)All three are essentials when fighting the zombie hordes! There’s a fourth, but it may be harder to find (not impossible): Friends (preferably with more fire, firearms, and food )
The only pain would be if they are fast moving zombies. But bring ‘em on!
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March 10th, 2010 at 11:40 am
In the (likely) event of the (coming) zombie apocalypse, I say…
if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
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March 10th, 2010 at 11:41 am
In the event of a zombie apocalypse, I say…if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!
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March 10th, 2010 at 11:47 am
Head north. If you can get to freezing weather, the Zombies would freeze (no blood and body heat and all.) and would be easier to avoid.
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March 10th, 2010 at 11:56 am
I would escape north… Zombies don’t like the cold.
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March 10th, 2010 at 11:57 am
If I win, I promise to email you
. Ha!
My husband and I have been zombie movie fans for a long time, and therefore already have a Zombie Apocolypse Emergency Plan. Step 1: Load shotgun, grab top ramen, blankets, flint, extra gas can, and our cat, then get in the car. Step 2: Head for the hills! It’s always the folks who outrun the zombies who live. Those who barricade, die. Step 3: Live in the mountains until the whole thing blows over (or the government nukes the area.)
Awesome giveaway!
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March 10th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Cool contest!
If Zombies took over the world, I’d turn to my husband and say “I told you so.”
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March 10th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
I would survive.
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March 10th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
In the event of a zombie apocalypse, I would most likely train (with the fierce retired warrior who happened to live nearby) in order to be the one to kill said zombies. I would encounter harrowing situations, experience both loyal friends and those who turn tail and run, but in the end, I would triumph.
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March 10th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Gas powered chainsaws!!! bbzzzrrrttt!!! Oh yeah, baby! Weapons, carnage and mayhem and I am leading the way shredding any zombie in my path. I am followed by my loyal friends and family – they have extra weapons, spare machine parts, gas and food and vehicles. I do the slaying they do the cooking, dishes, and laundry. And since it is the apocalypse, I am smoking a cigar, have on ass-kicking boots, cooler-than-you-shades, tasty threads, and have raided the military for stuff I need. You don’t mess with Texans, tiny women with purple hair dressed to kill, smoking cigars and full of ass-kickery. Woot!
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March 10th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
In the event of a zombie apocalypse. I would go down fighting and taking as many with me as I can. I would learn the art of sword fighting and flame throwers and create myself a nice zombie bonfire.
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March 10th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
I haven’t given that much thought to the zombie apocalypse, but since my favorite book growing up was Stephen King’s The Stand, I’ve given a lot of thought to apocalyptic situations in general, and I have to say: I should be fine until the world runs out of Slim Jims!
But I don’t know how I’ll fight off the un-dead. I’m not entirely sure how I’ll avoid being undead, myself. I clearly need to do some research.
So I’ll volunteer to be a backup winner, should I not be the winner, for you to send the books to should the original winners not send their address.
I think you should have a “Backup winner” list of people that go ahead and volunteer their mailing address. Then if the original winner doesn’t get in touch, you can just pick a person at random and surprise them.
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March 10th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
I certainly promise to mail you if I win ! Very cute pic, by the way.
So, in case of a zombie attack, I’m not sure if I will run as fast as I could (which is not much!) or sailing on the North Sea. Or maybe mailing Carrie Ryan since she sure will know some tricks to slow them
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March 10th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Chainsaws sound like the best idea. And flamethrowers. Barring that, Molotov cocktails.
And you do have my address, so that shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
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March 10th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
I’m pretty sure I would be one of the very first casualties in a zombie apocalypse
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March 10th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Oooooh, if zombies took over the world, I would go to the stable and get my magic pegasus and fly away to the land of sparkles and unicorns!
Or I’d just eat my annoying neighbor.
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March 10th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
In all honesty, during the zombie apocalypse, I’d probably run away while screaming my head off. I would like to say that I’d knock a zombie’s head off with my ninja skills, but I have no ninja skills to speak of.
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March 10th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
I have the kind of bad luck that I would probably die immediately. But I would definitely try to get to higher ground and maybe find a house on stilts to live in.
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March 10th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
I’d call in the Unicorns, they’d side with us, against the zombies, right?
I can’t believe New York Times bestseller Carrie Ryan was in DC, and didn’t do a signing here! Baltimore is just a little too far for me.
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March 10th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
I would run screaming. No joke.
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March 10th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
I am liking the heading North idea. I would be praying that zombies had not evolved enough that they cannot run.
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March 10th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Hope that I’ve magically been induced with zombie-fighting skills a la Alice from Resident Evil
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March 10th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Since I’m slow, fat and disabled my role would be to allow the zombies to slaughter and eat me, allowing my children to escape. Also since I have chronic intracranial hypertension maybe my brain would act as a bomb when my head was opened, taking out a few zombies! Fun!
BTW – my anti-spam word is unicorn. Coincidence? I think not.
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March 10th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
I would definately hole myself up in the nearest library to do reasearch on how to survive in the apocalypse, and then when that failed, I would spend my last precious hours comforting myself with precious books before dying a horrible death all alone, but surrounded by lovely books
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March 10th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
Not sure if anyone else said this already, because frankly, I haven’t had time to read everyone else’s comments on this blog lately (hangs head in shame), but I would totally sic a unicorn on those zombies. I’ve read enough of this zombies versus unicorns stuff that I would know what to do: head straight to the cloisters in Rome, find me a couple Llewellyns, and give ‘er.
Also, I’m a little scared of horror movies, so I might also just cower in fear…but maybe I’d be doing research in the cloisters while I cowered, and I would find an antidote to turn zombies into regular, living people again.
Also, I’m with the people who want you to make a back-up list for the winners who don’t contact you after 72 hours. It’s only fair.
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March 10th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
Hmm, well, I live in a city populated almost entirely by politicians and public servants, so in the event of the zombie apocalypse I’d probably say, ‘Meh. Whatev. Same old, same old.’ Hehe!
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March 11th, 2010 at 6:24 am
Well, if you pick me I will check and contact you! I promise! Since I already own Carrie’s book (Forest of Hands and Teeth) I would hope to win Dead Tossed Waves. Speaking of water since I live near the ocean–in the event this area is overrun with zombies I’d hope to catch a ship and wait off shore while I planned my next move.
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March 11th, 2010 at 8:38 am
Oh let\’s see how would I survive the Zombie apocalypse? Well I just viewed a presentation by two really cute British guys on the subject, so following their advice I would first barricade my house. Then I would break my Dads gun safe open and horde all the guns at the top of the stairs. After that I would move all valubles to the upper levels. But not my dog, the Zombies can have him. I\’d then devote all my time to discovering a cure for the pestilence. After that Id wait, Reread Carrie Ryans book, and Pride Prejudice and Zombies and in the event the Zombies managed to breach the walls, My dad gave me two really nice sharp machetes for my birthday last year. I\’d probably try to get to one of those plateaus in South America and start a secret society of zombie slayers. That\’s what Id do. Word for word.
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March 11th, 2010 at 8:45 am
YOU WANT TO LET THE ZOMBIES HAVE YOUR DOG?
Clearly you’re not reading this blog very closely. I should DQ you.
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March 11th, 2010 at 9:41 am
I would go all Will Smith from I Am Legend on them – setting up traps, finding a cure, protecting my dog (or cat in my case) – they wouldn’t see it coming. Although he did have the advantage of the creepy people only coming out at night. Oh well, it would still be legend-, wait for it, dary!
Also, I won a signed copy of Rampant for guessing the name of your new laptop but still haven’t gotten it. I sent you my address (through the ‘Contact’ tab on your website) ages ago. Maybe that’s what’s happening? Or maybe you did get my address but haven’t sent it? Haha.
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March 11th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Actually Lisa, that is what happened, and it’s totally my fault. I will go send that out to you right away!
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March 11th, 2010 at 10:25 am
I will go to the supermarket, clean the shelves, buy everything I need that will last me for years. Then race home, lock all doors and windows. Pull down the blinds. Try not to on any lights to attract attention. And then I’ll pray that the zombies will not come bangin’ on my door.
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March 11th, 2010 at 10:54 am
A creepy, smelly zombie apocalypse? eek…well i would definitely stock up on food and water and then start training on swords so I can lop some heads off if needed. Those persistent zombies freak me out! I did LOVE The Forest of Hands and Teeth and I can’t wait to read Dead Tossed Waves!
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March 11th, 2010 at 10:57 am
I have a secret obsession with Zombies, so I like to think that I would be prepared. I would not have a problem with killing zombies. I would probably (and stupidly) go out of my way to kill zombies and become the ultimate zombie hunter!
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March 11th, 2010 at 11:22 am
I had a dream about this last night! Based off my dream, in the event of a zombie apocalypse I would run to the old fancy hotel in my city with big thick wooden doors, grab some staff keys and hide out on a storage closet, eventually having to fight a staff member who had turned. My friend and I eventually survived and escaped in a boat.
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March 11th, 2010 at 11:42 am
How to react in the face of a zombie apocalypse? That’s a great question. : ) And I have no idea. Am I armed with something? Because that seems key. I have to be able to destroy them in someway or else I don’t think I stand much of a chance since I don’t have secret powers. : ) Is it a world-wide epidemic? Because if it’s more localized, I’d just fight my way to safe territory.
Thanks for the giveaway.
PS Instead of hunting down giveaway winners, you can just give them to me (haha)… I promise to respond. ; ) Seriously, I think the send an email & if they don’t respond in a certain amount of time, pick a new winner route is the best. Surely a name (or two) down the list & someone will respond. Just pick 2 back-up winners in the first place so you don’t have to go through the whole process again, maybe?
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March 11th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
I think I’d stare at the person who told me, look down at my feet, and wonder how damn fast they could run. (Not very these days.) And then start running. After about a minute, I’d cry and curse how out of shape I was. (Hey, that’s a good motivation to start working out like I’ve been promising myself I would!)
I’d also desperately pray that in the case of being zombie fodder, the saying “vegetarians taste better” didn’t apply.
If I win, and the other winner gets to the one-of-a-kind wasabi-smeared The Dead-Tossed Waves before me, I’ll gracefully bow out, as I already own The Forest of Hands and Teeth.
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March 11th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
Seriously? No one claimed Heist Society? I’ll claim it
Um, I’d probably be one of those who freaked out and was instantly munched by zombies. I’m pretty sure I don’t respond well in emergencies. Ah, well, there have to be victims too, right?
Thanks for the contest and I hope I win (and respond if I do).
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March 11th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
I would put on white makeup, a big red rubber ball nose, and a bright colored wig. Because everyone knows that zombies don’t like eating clowns. They taste funny.
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March 11th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
In the event of a zombie apocalypse I would probably find as many other survivors as I can and go to a church, preferably a huge one near woods. That way we’d have wood to burn for heat, and many rooms to choose from to hide in. Of course, during the first few minutes there would most likely be a lot of freaking out.
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March 11th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by dpeterfreund: Win signed copies of The Forest of Hands & Teeth and The Dead-Tossed Waves by @carrieryan http://bit.ly/9rSRba #DTW…
March 11th, 2010 at 6:13 pm
Diana,
The Zombies would get my dog eventually…just look at what they did to Will Smith’s dog in I Am Legend. But according to your friend Carrie dogs can’t be turned into zombies, so the whole point is mute isn’t it?( Haha mute, like a Zombie!) Maybe he’d kill some of those Unmentionables for me, get all of that energy out of him….
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March 11th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
I am pretty sure I would be shocked but then I would battle my way to my lab (seriously, I’m a scientist!) barracade myself in the building, survive
on whatever I have in the vending machines, and find a cure using all my resources! My lab is close to the chemistry building so I will have plenty of flamable chemicals with which to fend off hungry zombies. I would also bring my dog for company and to alert me of living and non living intruders. Plus since my lab is in a medical center I would have access to medicines and bedding and more bad food. Hopefully other scientists would join me so I wouldn’t be lonely and end up talking to my experimental rats all day long!
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March 11th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Great giveaway! And I’m sorry about people not responding to your giveaways…what a shame
But anyways in the event of a zombie apocalypse I think I would probably stowaway on the next departing space shuttle to the moon and hideout on one of those space bases they have there that can be inhabited by humans. Of course I’ll find some way to bring a bajillion books with me so I’ll never be bored. (This is starting to sound mighty appealing to me…err) And then maybe in 10 years or so I’ll come back to Earth and see if some Sisterhoods have been established and whether or not the zombies still exist and if so I’ll just hop back onto the Moon (but not before I somehow obtain another huge stash of books to bring back with me). And this would be my solution in the face of a zombie apocalypse. TEHE!! =)
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March 12th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
I think most people just assume that they’ll be e-mailed if they win something (especially if the contest deadline isn’t the next day). That’s what I’ve always done for any winners on my blog. There are a lot of blog giveaways out there. It’s tough to keep up if it’s not a blog you read everyday. I know one of your recent winners personally, and she is an uber-busy mama of 5. Not a lot of time for blog reading, but I know she’ll love the book!
Of course, maybe I’m just addicted to giveaways.
And even thinking about a zombie apocalypse gives me the heebie-jeebies, so I think I’m going to sit this one out. lol!
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March 12th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Well, it’s not one person or one prize. this is a pervasive problem. And the reason I’m resistant to emailing is that I think that goes against the entire spirit of my giveaways, which are gifts to my blog readers. No, I don’t read everyone’s blog every day, but the blogs I bother to enter giveaways for are ones I read regularly, and if it’s a prize I really want, you can bet I’ll be checking back to see who won. Now, everyone knows that there are people who will ONLY come to your blog or site if you happen to be doing a giveaway, and that’s fine (and I’ve got a lot of lurkers too, so really, how would I know?) but that doesn’t mean that it’s MY job to track them down.
I also run the giveaways for a week to give EVERYONE a chance to enter, and not just cut out people who may happen to be busy one day or might only check my blog once a week or can’t surf the internet at work so do all their blog reading on Saturdays.
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March 12th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Good points. It sounds like a “72 hours, then on to a back-up winner” might be a good policy for your blog. But now that you’ve addressed it as a pet peeve, maybe people will be more apt to check back regularly.
Thanks for hosting them. They’re appreciated!
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March 12th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
I guess I would have to start killing (which is a really difficult thing for a nurse to say) but I guess they’re not really human anymore. I picture myslf in a “I am Legend” kind of way…doing everything I can to survive.
Also, if I win, I will definitely claim my prize! And you know there are probably lots of people answering this that would take the other books not claimed too! Just dish em out hon! hehe
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March 12th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Plan A: Hole up with a copy of Shaun of the Dead and wait until the whole thing blows over.
Plan B: Find a cricket bat. (Or a box of old records.)
Also, if you’re ever in a crisis and desperately need to give something away for free, I am so there for you.
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March 13th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
In the event of a zombie-pocalypse…Um.
WHAT I FOR SURE WOULD *NOT* DO:
1) Cry like there’s no tomorrow…I don’t want to run out of tears; those might come in handy when softening an approaching zombie up!
2) Commit suicide…if I wanted to die, I could just walk right outside my hidey-hole.
3) Eat my dog/cats/pets in general. Or people. I wouldn’t eat generously, because hunger makes you stronger. Supposedly.
4) Run out of my hidey-hole with a gun. Because with my luck, there would be no bullets to be found anywhere. And even if there were, they wouldn’t work. Also, my aim is horrible.
5) Sacrifice anything at all to the zombies; I need all those things for my evil plan once this stupid zombie-pocalypse is over.
THINGS I FOR SURE *WOULD* DO:
1) Call up Carrie Ryan, Stephen King, and Stephenie Meyer to team up; Ryan for her zombie-knowledge, King for his ability to write a one thousand page book and hit zombies with it in a nanosecond, and Meyer because she could kill of Edward and make all the girl zombies faint, at which point we kill them in their stasis and leave the male zombies to weaken, no one with whom to procreate with…bwahahaha! Ahem.
2) Try to negotiate with them…eg, iPods loaded with ‘Thriller’ and a country in which to live in exchange for, you know, LIFE AND FREEDOM.
3) Tempt them with the sacred INTERNET CONNECTION. Le gasp.
4) Hide in my awesome hidey-hole.
5) Use the time to write/read/formulate evil plans.
And for the record, I love prizes. Therefore, if you need anything claimed, I’m here…
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March 13th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Well, while everyone else is trying to find Carrie, I’ll be looking for you, Diana, so you can tell me where Bucephalus is hiding. Then we would contact him and he’d get all the unicorns to take care of those pesky zombies once and for all! If we couldn’t find him, I would just return to my house and find a way to rig my piano so that it fell on any zombie who tried to enter. Of course, I would soon die after that since I have no other weapons, but at least I would get zombie kill of the week, right? Right?
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March 13th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
I host guest bloggers on my blog, Diana. I contact the winner through email. Once. (going off the email address they leave with the comment that I can see on the WP dashboard). If I don’t hear from them in about two days, I choose another winner. Or I would. But I’ve never had a winner fail to contact me after emailing them once.
I had a give-away on a blog under my pen name, and they announced the winner on the blog. She never came back to the blog that I know of, so I didn’t send the book – because I had no clue of even her last name.
There’s only so much you can.
I also host a Box ‘o Books give-away once a year, around Xmas. You could try something like that with your unclaimed books.
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March 13th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
I would stock up on morphine at the first hint of the zombie apocalypse, then happily let them turn me whilst feeling no pain. Because really? I’m not a survivor, and if you can’t beat them…
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March 14th, 2010 at 10:27 am
Dogs can be turned into zombies-which is all the more reason to protect them. Just look at the dogs from Resident Evil (Yes I’m referencing that movie again but I love it) What happens if a unicorn gets bitten by a zombie? Would it become one too? Because that’d just be scary…
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March 14th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Let’s see. In the evident of a zombie apocalypse I would:
hope!
1) have an extensive screaming session
2) run and lock all the doors and windows on my house and reinforce everything
3) order food for the next few months online and hope the delivery comes through
4) hope that there is a cure/solution
5) keep up the cardio workout in case I need to escape
6) order some defensive supplies and again hope the delivery comes through
7) gather weapons from the tool closet
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March 17th, 2010 at 7:19 am
[...] about the delay, folks. The winner’s of the contest [...]