When Did YOU Know?

When did you know you know you wanted to be writer? Book Lovers, Inc. posed that question to the Class of 2k10. Lots of fun answers at http://book-lovers-inc.blogspot.com/2010/01/interview-iwth-class-of-2k10-when-did.html

How 'bout you? Has the writing bug hit you? Most voracious readers have a secret (or not so secret) desire to become writers. So tell us about it. What was the first thing you ever wrote that made you feel proud? What are you working on now? Does anyone else know you want to be a writer?

Just remember, if you answers any of these questions, you'll have a chance to win some fun prizes from author Bonnie J. Doerr. (See the post below for details.) All commenters will be entered in our drawing.

Island Sting Charmers

Because Angelo from Island Sting is so-o-o charming, we’ve decided to give away a charm necklace to honor the cool hunk that he is.

Angelo inspires the key pendant gift Kenzie receives, and you can win a key of your own. Kenzie won’t get jealous, we promise. And because Angelo is the hottest lobster trapper and fisherman we know, we’ll also give away these fish hook and lobster charms. Maybe you’ll hook a hot catch of your own.



But about the lobster charm—to win it, you have to keep a secret from Angelo: this lobster charm is a Maine lobster, not the Caribbean spiny lobster in his world. He’d think we were clueless city chicks if we didn’t divulge the truth to you.

Want to read more about Angelo? Check out this interview with him and watch for more on our website.

Even better, want to meet author Bonnie J. Doerr in person? She’s headed to the Florida Keys for a series of author visits. Hear her at the following locations:

February 4: US 1 Radio 104.1 FM Morning Magazine with Bill Becker 7:50 am
February 4: KONK AM 1680 AM “ECOcentricView” with Erika Biddle 2-3 pm
February 5: Walk on Winn Dixie, Big Pine Key 7 – 9 pm, National Key Deer Visitor Center
February 7: Family Fun Day Fund Raiser, Key West Wildlife Center 1-4 pm
February 9: Florida Keys Community College Library 5:30 pm, “Manuscript Makeover/What Not to Dare”
February 11: Café con Libros, Key West Public Library 9:30 –11:00 am, “Evolution of a Novel/Survival of the Determined”
March 2: Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave. Coral Gables, FL 7 pm

If you spot her, be sure to tell us where. Anyone who comments from now until the end of Bonnie’s tour on March 2, 2010, will be entered in the drawing for these prizes. If you aren’t lucky enough to be in the Florida Keys while Bonnie is there, leave a comment about Island Sting or a tip for staying green. And maybe you'll be one of our winners!

But the Contests Continue...

Our authors are finding their way around the globe. Watch for posts in Finland, the UK, Japan... More about those later.

Right now we're highlighting blogger Kate at READ THIS BOOK!, who's been featuring Island Sting this week. She's shared some excerpts and done interviews with the main characters--Kenzie and Angelo--so she has plenty of information that you won't find in the book. She's also posted a scene from Angelo's point of view. So even if you've already read the book, you won't have seen any of this. Check out these exclusives at:

http://readthisbook.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/island-sting-excerpt-and-contest/

But best of all, Kate's running a contest. Win a necklace! If you've read Island Sting, you'll know the meaning behind this special necklace. And if you haven't read it, now's your chance. Check out our online store and take advantage of the BLUE MOON special (see below) for a special price.

And the winner is...

BELETH! Beleth has won a copy of Freaksville by Kitty Keswick. Congratulations! Contact us at contests@leapbks.com to let us know where to send your book.

Who Says Werewolves Can't Be Fun?? And Sexy...

Love paranormal, but don't want a dark, depressing tale? Author Kitty Keswick has laced her edgy, mysterious tale of ghosts, Valkyries, and Lycans with plenty of humor.

Sixteen-year-old Kasey may appear to be a typical teen, but with both of her parents hiding their own paranormal secrets, Kasey has more than her share of problems. She thinks life can't get any worse, but when British hottie Josh Johnstone arrives on the scene and she falls for him, she discovers her troubles have only begun.

After she and her friends get trapped in a haunted theater on the night of the full moon, Kasey discovers that ghosts are the least of her worries. Dark secrets, vengeful spirits, and hungry werewolves leave her battling for her life.

Love werewolves?  Pick up a copy of Freaksville today. Or enter for your chance to win an autographed copy. Leave a comment for Kitty about why you think werewolves are FUN &/or SEXY either here or at author Joy Preble's blog at http://joysnovelidea.blogspot.com/2010/01/welcome-kitty-keswick-and-freaksville.html. Or better yet at both places for 2 chances to win.

Ever Been Snogged??

First kisses are magical, aren't they? Or maybe not...

If you're with the person of your dreams and you're prepared for that special moment, that first kiss can be heaven. But what if you're Kasey Maxwell--the heroine of Freaksville by Kitty Keswick--and you're taken totally by surprise?

Here's a sneak peek at Kasey and Josh’s first kiss in Freaksville:

“Have you ever been snogged?” Josh asked.

“What? Ohmigosh no! It sounds awful!”

“Really? I should like to prove you wrong.” His voice dropped an octave lower.

He placed his hands at my waist and tugged me closer. I stumbled slightly, then steadied myself on the solidness of his chest. His lips brushed mine. The sensation of a million little fingers tickled my entire body. At first, I didn’t know what to do. I followed his lead and relaxed as much as I could. I squeezed my eyes shut and immersed all thoughts in the task. My brain liquefied into slush.

It was finally happening, the moment I had waited for! Cue the choir and the bright lights! 

His skilled tongue darted out and licked my lips, urging them open. Josh smiled against my mouth. Suddenly, something slick flicked against my teeth.

Whoa! I sooo didn’t see it coming. Otherwise, I would have eaten a case of Tic-Tacs.

The kiss deepened and so did his tongue’s advances. Shocked by the tongue tango, a murmur escaped me as I concentrated on not biting off such a nimble instrument.   Relax, breathe, breathe.

Josh's hands traveled up my side, creating more chills, and found my face. His mouth continued to work mine as his fingers rubbed tiny circles on my cheeks. He was skilled in the art of snogging. If his kisses got any hotter, my fillings would melt.

Gad! Did I remember to floss? Flossing was important. What if I had a chunk of something gooey between my teeth and it fell off? Ack ! I can’t think about…whoa!

Want to read more? Get your copy of the book NOW at our online store. And don't forget to take advantage of our BLUE MOON special.

And for even more fun, share the story of your first kiss. Was it good, bad, or so-so?  Author Kitty Keswick will be sending an autographed copy of Freaksville to one lucky commenter this week. So respond to any of our posts about Kitty throughout the rest of the week and you might be our lucky winner.

More About Bonnie J. Doerr

Author Bonnie J. Doerr, whose book Island Sting is about to launch,is a former science and reading teacher. Combine that with her passion for the environment, and an eco-mystery series was born. Even now, Bonnie delights students when she visits their classrooms to talk about her book and her writing process. Recently, Bonnie visited a school in NC.

Here are some highlights of her visit (that's Bonnie in the bright red jacket):

In December Bonnie J. Doerr, author of the eco-mystery Island Sting, visited Ms. Van de Ree’s class at Pine Lake Preparatory School in Mooresville, NC, to share her personal writing methods with students. In a power point presentation, complete with humorous sound effects, Ms. Doerr described her creative process as an art much like ceramics. “One begins with what seem like useless raw substances. The writer mixes materials, shapes, forms, reshapes, and trims these seemingly unrelated elements, then sets the work aside to cure, and finally polishes, enhances, and solidifies the piece to create a unique product.” She then shared examples of her own writing in each stage of the process, demonstrating to students how dramatically a manuscript can change before it is ready for publication.

Because NC students must respond to writing prompts on state exams, Ms. Doerr worked with the class to plan and organize their responses to a persuasive writing prompt. She brainstormed with students, listing their ideas on the whiteboard, then organized their ideas into details and supporting details on a mind map, prioritizing each so that the students were ready to create their own draft.

When asked about her visit, Ms. Doerr said, “I was amazed at how attentive and engaged the class was, especially with the holiday break just days away.”

Ms. Doerr didn’t get to leave for her own holiday travels until she answered many questions about Island Sting. Unfortunately, many readers were disappointed to learn they’d have to wait until the New Year to grab a copy.

Get Ready...

Our first author is about to Leap.

We're counting down the days until author Bonnie J. Doerr's book, Island Sting, releases. Bet you are too. Here's a sneak peek at the first page:

 Splash!

Ripples circled across the dark water farther down the canal. Kenzie scrambled through the mangrove thicket, stumbling over tangled roots toward the disturbance. Branches caught her hair and scratched her face. When she thought she’d reached the spot, she crept to the water’s edge, but the surface was calm. Had she miscalculated?

No. There. Something broke the surface. It swam in jerky circles. Round and round. Over and over. She shielded her eyes from the sun. A long nose cut through the water, leaving a little wake in its path. It circled closer. Nose, two eyes, and long ears.

A dog!

It paddled away, floundered, and went under.

Does Kenzie save the drowning animal? Find out by picking up your copy of Island Sting. Be the first to get your copy by pre-ordering the book here. Or watch for it in a few weeks at Amazon.com and all other major distributors. Booksellers and teachers can get special discounts by contacting Cathleen Cartwright, Public Relations Assistant, at marketing@leapbks.com.

And don't forget to take advantage of our BLUE MOON special. See below.

The Leap Books Blue Moon Discount

Leap Badge No.9 and Pre-order Discounts!

Once in a blue moon... a publisher comes along that does things differently. Leap Books is just such a publisher.

We’d like to end up on your shelves, so we’re offering a BLUE MOON SPECIAL good throughout the first month of 2010. If you order (or pre-order) any Leap Books titles from our website during January, type in the coupon code BLUE MOON for an automatic 10% discount. Code will be valid for one-time use.

And don’t forget to snag our final contest badge for additional Leap Books swag during January. To participate in our giveaways, post the badge on your Blog, MySpace, Facebook, etc. Email us at contests@leapbks.com with the address of the page where you loaded it.

And the Winners Are...

We waited until 1:11 on 1/1/2010 to post our first list of winners on our first day of business, which is the first day of the New Year. We have lots more FIRSTS coming up.

First of all, a great BIG thank you to everyone who entered our contest. We loved seeing our badges popping up on the best blogs on the Internet. You're ALL #1 in our book.

And now, drumroll please...

LEAP BOOKS LAUNCH PARTY WINNERS LIST

Island Sting ARC

Lilibeth Ramos

Karin Perry

Mrs. Foltz

Reggie Cruz

Kristen Nielson

Sara Grochowski

Jamie Blair

Freaksville ARC

Taschima Cullen

Eleni Xekardakis

Elie Nicewonger

April Conant

Pirate Penguin Reads

The Book Vixen

Angela Leonard

Leap T-shirts

Kathleen Kelly

Michaela Lieb

Rachel Rivera

Jazz Sexton

Katie Dahlberg

Bri Meets Books

Falling Off the Shelf

Book Whisperer

Sarbear

Danielle Look

Amy Jacobs

Froggy

Mel (He Followed Me Home)

Erica (Book Cellar)

Lori Hedgpath

The Book Lush

Monster of Books

Jennifer Savage

Minerva Vasquez

Debra Dennis

Milka Väinämö

Ramblings of a Bibliophile

Anne Verga

Kasey Maxwell Charm Bracelet

Riley Heruska

Eryn McCain Necklace

Cindy Bacon

Please contact us at contests@leapbks.com by January 14, 2010 to make arrangements to get your prize.

EVERYONE'S A WINNER

Don't see your name on this list? Don’t despair. If you post any of our badges from now until January 31, contact us for a discount coupon for any Leap Books purchase plus a Leap button/magnet to the first 200 entrants. One coupon per customer.

And we have still more swag headed your way. We will be awarding ARCs for Under My Skin and author Bonnie J. Doerr will be giving away Island-themed jewelry and some copies of Island Sting to celebrate her book debut this week. And stay tuned for author Kitty Keswick's Freaksville giveaways next weekend. To participate in these giveaways, watch for the first Leap badge of the new year. Post that or any other Leap badges, then send us an email at contests@leapbks.com. 

Guess what? We're still not done giving stuff away. Watch for our Blue Moon Special--an added discount for Leap fans who pre-order any of our debut books. And bloggers who host our authors on the Traveling 2 Teens tour will receive ARCs while the supplies last. Contact Public Relations Assistant, Cathleen Cartwright, at marketing@leapbks.com to set up an interview with your favorite author.



HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM LEAP BOOKS!!