Get Your Red Hot COOP Winners Here!

Okay, so you should know that this is the part of contests I hate. (And the part I always seem to block out of my mind when I decide to do them.) I have to choose winners. Which means that some people will wind up ... not winners. I wish I could give prizes to everyone but, well, I can't.


Instead, I rely on randomizer.org to make the decisions for me so I don't suffer any guilt. And so you can't blame me. Please keep that in mind as I announce ... the winners!

(Note: The contest was held simultaneously on my Blogger and MySpace blogs, so I'm also listing where the winning comment was posted. This did not affect your chances of winning at all.)

COOP 1 (from Blogger) Kate
COOP 2 (from MySpace) Kayla.x3
COOP 3 (from MySpace) MYBKCLUB
COOP 4 (from Blogger) stellargurl93
COOP 5 (from MySpace) The Book Girl Reviews
COOP 6 (from Blogger) The Book Muncher
COOP 7 (from Blogger) Tink122595
COOP 8 (from Blogger) Kyle
COOP 9 (from MySpace) kp =]]]]
COOP 10 (from Blogger) Kelsey
COOP 11 (from MySpace) The Golfing Librarian
COOP 12 (from Blogger) Lenore
COOP 13 (from MySpace) diana.
COOP 14 (from Blogger) danetteb
COOP 15 (from Blogger) Swimgrl100
COOP 16 (from MySpace) [kareee]
COOP 17 (from MySpace) Babycat

And, finally, the winner of the Gold Medal Contest (and a way cool prize pack from San Francisco's Chinatown) is Kristy F. (Don't worry, I'll email you to confirm.)

Assuming you're one of the winners listed above, now what? First you celebrate. (Dancing and cheering will suffice.) Then you email (tlc at teralynnchilds dot com) or MySpace message me with your mailing address and whether you want a copy of OH. MY. GODS. or the top secret 5-page sneak peek PDF of the sequel, GODDESS BOOT CAMP (which doesn't come out until next June). I will forward your info to the author(s) who donated the prize(s) on your day and soon your books will be in the mail!

Thank you to everyone who entered. I read each and every comment and loved all the stories and dreams and personal info you shared. I'll be posting a COOP wrap-up later this week. Come back to read about my reactions and what I've learned along the way.

Congrats to all the winners. To the non winners, I'm really sorry. There will be more contests in the future and even more chances to win. Promise.

Hugs,
TLC

The COOP Has Left the Building

The Contest of Olympic Proportion is now officially over. I will be randomly choosing winners in the next couple of hours. Check back tonight to find out the results.

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 17: Closing Ceremonies

All good things must end. (In all honesty, I suppose all crappy things must end, too. But they feel like they go on forever.) Anyway, today marks the Closing Ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. It's been a phenomenal two weeks, and I've especially loved all the cultural pieces Mary Carillo did for NBC.


But it's time to pass the torch (and the flag) from China to England, site of the 2012 Olympic games in London! Those should be awesome, too.


Details about the Closing Ceremonies are pretty hush-hush, but there is a lot of speculation that British soccer (aka football) star David Beckham will be on hand to participate.


I'll be sad to say goodbye to Beijing, but I know that London will be just as wonderful. And maybe some of us can plan on attending?!?

And now for our final *sniff sniff* bonus prize: UNDONE by Brooke Taylor.

Kori Kitzler is the "dark angel" of her high school: beautiful, mysterious, the subject of rumors. Serena Moore is just an average girl, until a run-in with Kori in the bathroom in eighth grade. When Kori tells her that they are more alike than she thinks, Serena is instantly intrigued, and their fateful friendship begins.

When the girls are asked to complete a writing assignment listing the five things they would want to happen--their five ways to tempt fate--Serena doesn't take it seriously. But when something tragic happens to Kori, Serena is left with her loneliness and Kori's five things. Can Serena complete her best friend's tasks, or will she leave her list undone?

Sounds awesome, right? Well, to enter to win today I want you to think ahead to 2012, to the London games. What would you like to have accomplished by then? Where do you see yourself four years from now? In college or grad school or working a full-time job? Maybe you want to retire or start a new job or (gasp) become a published author.

In the next four years I'd like to think I'll have several more books published. I'd also like to find my permanent home. (I'm nomadic, and Houston is kind of a "place I am for now.") If I could find that special someone by then it would be nice, but I'm not rushing it. Oh, and I'd also like to have visited all the populated continents. So far I've only got two of six. (I want to visit Antarctica, too, but I'll put that on a longer time frame.)

CLOSING CEREMONIES CONTEST
Answer this question: What would you like to have accomplished by 2012?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of UNDONE by Brooke Taylor

This is the last contest. I'm accepting entries until around noon on Monday, so make sure you've entered them all. Winners of all contests will be posted on the evening of August 25th.

Quick links to the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison
COOP 7 ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)
COOP 8 YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby
COOP 9 THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland
COOP 10 SLEEPLESS by Terri Clark and INVISIBLE TOUCH by Kelly Parra
COOP 11 HELL WEEK by Rosemary Clement-Moore
COOP 12 Reader's Choice from Simone Elkeles
COOP 13 GIRLS THAT GROWL by Mari Mancusi and EIGHTH GRADE BITES by Heather Brewer
COOP 14 FRENEMIES by Alexa Young
COOP 15 THE SECRET LIFE OF A TEENAGE SIREN by Wendy Toliver and BRALESS IN WONDERLAND and SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS by Debbie Reed Fischer
COOP 16 READ MY LIPS by Teri Brown and PRINCESS OF GOSSIP by Julia DeVillers and Sabrina Bryan

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 16: Rhythmic Gymnastics

One thing I don't understand. The gymnastics I wrote about the other day is technically called "artistic" gymnastics. This makes no sense to me, because I think rhythmic gymnastics is yards more artistic.


I mean, Shawn Johnson is a gravity defying, flipping-spinning-and-flying, speed-seeking missile. But artistic? Not compared to the beautiful hoop, ball, ribbon, and club routines that the ballet-like rhythmic gymnasts perform. (But who am I to question the IOC, huh?)

Anyway, I want to present our two fabulous bonus prizes of the day, both of which have to do with the most artistic-- er, rhythmic(?) of girly talents: gossip.

Prize #1: READ MY LIPS by Teri Brown.

Serena just wants to fly under the radar at her new school. But Serena is deaf, and she can read lips really well-even across the busy cafeteria. So when the popular girls discover her talent, there's no turning back.

From skater chick to cookie-cutter prep, Serena's identity has done a 180...almost. She still wants to date Miller, the school rebel, and she's not ready to trade her hoodies for pink tees just yet. But she is rising through the ranks in the school's most exclusive clique.

With each new secret she uncovers, Serena feels pressure to find out more. Reading lips has always been her greatest talent, but now Serena just feels like a gigantic snoop...

Prize #2: An advance copy of PRINCESS OF GOSSIP by Julia DeVillers and Sabrina Bryan--yes, the Cheetah Girl! This one is so advance there isn't even a blurb yet. I stole this from the Seventeen website:

Already itching for school to start? We didn't think so. But here's one reason to look forward to fall — Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan's new book, Princess of Gossip, comes out October 7! Seventeen caught up with Sabrina at Toys "R" Us last week as she launched her new make-your-own jewelry line, Color Me Gemz. Decked out in trouser shorts, a flowery top, and white heels, Sabrina gave us the inside scoop on what we can expect from her new book.

Princess of Gossip, she says, is about a teen girl who starts a celebrity gossip blog. But as the blog becomes more popular, it also starts to become mean and hurtful, and she gradually realizes just how powerful a force gossip can be.

Do you love me yet? (No, that's not the entry question.)

On today's topic of gossip, I have a serious question. Have you ever been the subject of a false rumor? Or (shame on you) have you ever started a rumor (false or otherwise) about another girl? I think I was pretty lucky in my school years. I kept a pretty low profile. No one noticed me enough to take the time to start a rumor, and I definitely wasn't the sort of girl to start one. The closest I ever got to anything resembling that kind of girl fight was in seventh grade when an eighth grade girl threatened to beat me up for crushing on her boyfriend. (Just crushing, mind you. Not any actual going after or anything.)

RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS CONTEST
Answer this question: Have you ever been caught up (on either side) in a rumor?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of READ MY LIPS by Teri Brown
(1) copy of PRINCESS OF GOSSIP by Julia DeVillers and Sabrina Bryan

Enter below and check back tomorrow for the last new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison
COOP 7 ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)
COOP 8 YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby
COOP 9 THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland
COOP 10 SLEEPLESS by Terri Clark and INVISIBLE TOUCH by Kelly Parra
COOP 11 HELL WEEK by Rosemary Clement-Moore
COOP 12 Reader's Choice from Simone Elkeles
COOP 13 GIRLS THAT GROWL by Mari Mancusi and EIGHTH GRADE BITES by Heather Brewer
COOP 14 FRENEMIES by Alexa Young
COOP 15 THE SECRET LIFE OF A TEENAGE SIREN by Wendy Toliver and BRALESS IN WONDERLAND and SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS by Debbie Reed Fischer

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 15: Swimming

Finally, swimming day is here! While my main character Phoebe digs the marathon, swimming is my personal sport of choice. I was a competitive swimmer for more years than I can count. I was even recruited by a couple of colleges, but I had my heart set on Columbia, which doesn't offer athletic scholarships. Anyway, if there is any one sport that I will love participating until the day I can't drag my sorry butt out the door, it's swimming.

(The uniquely phenomenal Michael Phelps doing my least favorite stroke.)

My best stroke was always breaststroke--although my high school coach made me swim the 500m free all freshman year (what a nightmare). I never had the knack for backstroke--it takes a special kind of person to be a backstroker. I did okay in free. Not great, but okay.

And, although it pains me to say this, I was also pretty good in butterfly. (My first coach wanted to train me for the Olympics in fly.) If you've ever wondered what it feels like to wish you were dead--because your lungs, your gums, and every single muscle in your body is on fire--then try racing the 200m fly. No thank you. Moving on now.

Well, I told you this contest was going to be big, and it just keeps getting even bigger every day. Today we have a first in the COOP. We have not one, not two, but three fabulous bonus prizes! How awesome is that?

Prize #1: THE SECRET LIFE OF A TEENAGE SIREN by Wendy Toliver.

Roxy's about to turn sixteen, but life isn't so sweet. As a band geek, Roxy can barely get the cute guys to notice her, much less go out with her. Then, on her birthday, Roxy is transformed into a siren: seductively beautiful with the power to control all men. She thought sirens were an ancient myth, but suddenly Roxy can get any guy she wants with just a few notes on her flute.

There are only two rules: don't tell anyone about being a siren, and don't fall in love. When she starts dating Zach, the guy everybody's crushing on, Roxy realizes she could get used to this siren thing...but how can she keep herself from falling in love?

Prize #2: BRALESS IN WONDERLAND by Debbie Reed Fischer.

Allee Rosen is a lot of things: high school senior, overachiever, brain. The one thing Allee is not is supermodel material—at least that’s what she thinks until modeling scouts spot her and she moves to Miami to work with an elite modeling agency. Suddenly Allee is swept up?p in a whirlwind of designer labels, photo shoots, go-sees and some seriously backstabbing models. Will this fabulous new life go to her head? New author Debbie Reed Fischer offers readers a fresh, fun, and honest peek into the crazy and glamorous world of professional modeling.

Prize #3: SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS by Debbie Reed Fischer.

Five-foot eleven. Freckled. Flat as a surfboard. Peyton Grady sees her role on the varsity cheer squad as the only thing keeping her off the social sidelines at wealthy Beachwood Preparatory Academy. It's her umbilical cord to cool—and it's constantly in danger of getting cut.

As a base, it's Peyton's duty to be stepped on—literally—by cheer queen Lexie Court. So when Lexie hatches a fierce hazing campaign against the frumpy new girl, Peyton has no choice but to support her flier. Soon the pranks become sadistically cruel, even criminal. Suddenly, Peyton has more to lose than her new-found Alpha celebrity. Will she gamble her entire future for "the good of the squad"?

Do you sense a distinct water them in today's contest? Well, that continues with the entry question. I want you to describe your favorite body of water. Is it a small pond in your backyard? Your best friend's pool? A rushing river with Class IV rapids? The Pacific at sunset?

Mine is a toss-up.

It might be the outdoor pool where my club team swam during the summers (on the campus of Missouri State University). I always tried to be the last one out of the pool, so I could peacefully sink to the bottom and soak up the filtered sun like a mermaid on the ocean floor.

Or it could be the Gulf of Mexico in Naples, Florida. I spent the summer there two years ago and just fell in love. The water is so calm and peaceful most of the time (so clear I could see tiny fish swimming near shore) but my favorite times were just before approaching storms. When the water would darken and the waves kicked up. There is just something elemental about standing in surf as rain starts to fall. Makes me wish I was in Florida right now (hurricane Fay quickly disabuses me of that notion).

SWIMMING CONTEST
Answer this question: What is your favorite body of water?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of THE SECRET LIFE OF A TEENAGE SIREN by Wendy Toliver
(1) copy of BRALESS IN WONDERLAND by Debbie Reed Fischer
(1) copy of SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS by Debbie Reed Fischer

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that--but then it's over!) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison
COOP 7 ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)
COOP 8 YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby
COOP 9 THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland
COOP 10 SLEEPLESS by Terri Clark and INVISIBLE TOUCH by Kelly Parra
COOP 11 HELL WEEK by Rosemary Clement-Moore
COOP 12 Reader's Choice from Simone Elkeles
COOP 13 GIRLS THAT GROWL by Mari Mancusi and EIGHTH GRADE BITES by Heather Brewer
COOP 14 FRENEMIES by Alexa Young

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 14: Gymnastics

Artistic gymnastics is hands down one of the most popular sports of the summer Olympics. I know it's always one of my must watches. Partly because I did gymnastics for a while in my early years and partly because it's just so amazing to watch these little girls do such astounding feats of acrobatics. They truly are phenomenal.


Gymnastics and figure skating are the two sports that make me wish I was twelve years old again, and that I could pursue that fantasy. It never was a dream, really, or I might have gone after it when I was twelve. Besides, a girl in front of me at my first meet took a header on the vault--I never really got over the fear of breaking my neck. And, as Nastia and Shawn showed us this week, you have to be fearless to succeed in gymnastics.

Today's bonus prize is a book that features two main characters that are both gymnasts: FRENEMIES by Alexa Young.

What happens when two besties become full-blown worsties?

Avalon Greene rules the fashion scene at her sunny SoCal middle school with a diamond-clad fist, calling out classmates for their fashion-do's and most unfortunate clothes-pas. She's determined to host the social event of the season—a soiree in honor of her forever-friendship with Halley! Unfortunately, Halley's new look is one thing Avalon just can't celebrate. . . .

Halley Brandon is just back from art camp and can't wait to share her funky new style with her best friend, Avalon. But when Avalon cries fashion foul, Halley realizes her best friend's true colors may clash with her own. Has their ultra-fabulous friendship finally gone out of style?

From sharing custody of their puppy, Pucci, to drawing up a list of who gets which friends, Avalon and Halley discover what happens when you battle the person who knows everything about you—and isn't afraid to use your secrets to get what she wants.

Best friends. Worst enemies. Frenemies.

Since gymnastics makes me think of all the things I dreamed of being when I was younger, that's the question of the day. What was your little girl (or boy) dream? Did you secretly want to be a princess or a veterinarian or a daredevil? Or did you want the spotlight as a pop singer or a movie star? Or (one of my favorites) something extra special, like a mermaid or a fairy?

GYMNASTICS CONTEST
Answer this question: What was your secret childhood dream?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of FRENEMIES by Alexa Young

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison
COOP 7 ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)
COOP 8 YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby
COOP 9 THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland
COOP 10 SLEEPLESS by Terri Clark and INVISIBLE TOUCH by Kelly Parra
COOP 11 HELL WEEK by Rosemary Clement-Moore
COOP 12 Reader's Choice from Simone Elkeles
COOP 13 GIRLS THAT GROWL by Mari Mancusi and EIGHTH GRADE BITES by Heather Brewer

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 13: Fencing

Fencing is a great mystery to me. You have to wear more protective gear than any other sport. The object is to stab your opponent--oh, I know you don't actually stab them, but that's the premise, right? It's just all so positively ... medieval.


I had a friend my freshman year of college who was a fencer. (She also had one of the coolest first names ever: Sonata.) That's about as close to fencing as I'll ever get.

Speaking of sharp, pointy things that are designed to draw blood ... I bring you today's fabulous bonus prizes. Yes, plural again. We've got two truly awesome books today.


Prize #1: GIRLS THAT GROWL by Mari Mancusi (this is the third book in the series--if you win, you must buy the first two!)

She's a vampire. She's also a vampire slayer. (It's a long story.) And now Rayne McDonald, Goth girl, has to carry out her most deviant mission yet: trying out for the cheerleading squad.

Rayne already has enough on her plate: her twin keeps whining about whether or not to go all the way; her mom's boyfriend is moving in; and her man, Jareth, who's now allowed out in the sun, has turned from a dark, brooding hottie vamp into a surfer dude.

But this vampire slayer is still on the clock, and she has a new assignment. A member of the football team has disappeared-and her bosses at Slayer Inc. think the cheerleaders had something to do with it. Now they want her to infiltrate the squad and get the dirt. But first, she'll need an extreme prep makeover. If only they'd let her wear fishnets under that revolting uniform.

Prize #2: EIGHTH GRADE BITES by Heather Brewer (this is the first book in the series--if you want to drool over a cover, check out the third, TENTH GRADE BLEEDS)

Junior high really sucks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: his mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he faces a much bigger problem: he’s being hunted by a vampire killer.

So, I ran a poll on my blog a while back asking what elements books absolutely must have for you to want to read them. While romance was the overwhelming winner, fantasy was the runner up. Today's entry question is about fantasy elements. What are your favorite fantasy elements to read about? Do you want more monsters or mythology? Vamps, werewolves, or fairies? Something else I haven't mentioned? If you could pick just one fantasy element to read a book about, what would it be? Which ones do you want to see more of?

(I don't actually have an answer today--mainly because I'm severely biased on the side of mythology. Go figure. Besides, this is sneaky market research for me.)

FENCING CONTEST
Answer this question: What is your favorite fantasy element in fiction?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of GIRLS THAT GROWL by Mari Mancusi
(1) copy of EIGHTH GRADE BITES by Heather Brewer

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison
COOP 7 ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)
COOP 8 YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby
COOP 9 THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland
COOP 10 SLEEPLESS by Terri Clark and INVISIBLE TOUCH by Kelly Parra
COOP 11 HELL WEEK by Rosemary Clement-Moore
COOP 12 Reader's Choice from Simone Elkeles

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 12: Sailing

After my recent trip to San Francisco (details to come later) I've become fascinated with sailing. Just the idea of hoisting a sail and letting the wind guide you off into the sunset sounds downright magical. Not that I know my port from my starboard, but I desperately want to learn.


Part of my fascination with sailing comes from the movies. Namely Captain Ron (yes, I said it--I liked Captain Ron) and Fool's Gold. They make me want to hold a massive garage sale, put my mementos in storage, and spend a year floating around the Caribbean. What about that doesn't sound awesome?

Speaking of awesome, here's today's bonus prize. You get to sail away with your choice of either HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION, HOW TO RUIN MY TEENAGE LIFE, or LEAVING PARADISE by Simone Elkeles.

Here's the blurb for HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION:

How does a fashionista teen end up on a farm in the middle of Israel with her estranged father? Oy, vey doesn't even come close to describing it.

Moshav? What’s a moshav? Is it “shopping mall” in Hebrew? I mean, from what Jessica was telling me, Israeli stores have the latest fashions from Europe. That black dress Jessica has is really awesome. I know I’d be selling out if I go with the Sperm Donor to a mall, but I keep thinking about all the great stuff I could bring back home.

Unfortunately for 16-year-old Amy Nelson, “moshav” is not Hebrew for “shopping mall.” Not even close. Think goats, not Gucci.

Going to Israel with her estranged Israeli father is the last thing Amy wants to do this summer. She’s got a serious grudge against her dad, a.k.a. “Sperm Donor,” for showing up so rarely in her life. Now he’s dragging her to a war zone to meet a family she’s never known, where she’ll probably be drafted into the army. At the very least, she’ll be stuck in a house with no AC and only one bathroom for seven people all summer—no best friend, no boyfriend, no shopping, no cell phone…

Goodbye pride—hello Israel.

So Amy's not too keen on her unexpected summer plans (but things turn out okay, I promise). What about you? To enter today's contest, tell me about your best summer vacation ever.

Mine happened the summer between my two years of graduate school. I had to do an internship for my program and ended up getting a sweet gig at the very last minute. I was the site manager for the Never Summer Ranch, an historic dude ranch on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. The job included on-site housing in a 1950's cabin. I was ten miles from the nearest visitor's center and the nearest town. I had electricity and running water but no land line and no cell service. I was just me and a slew of elk and moose. And every morning I got to step outside to the smell of pine and the towering Rockies overhead. It was magical.

SAILING CONTEST
Answer this question: What was your best summer vacation ever?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of your choice of HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION, HOW TO RUIN MY TEENAGE LIFE, or LEAVING PARADISE by Simone Elkeles.

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison
COOP 7 ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)
COOP 8 YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby
COOP 9 THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland
COOP 10 SLEEPLESS by Terri Clark and INVISIBLE TOUCH by Kelly Parra
COOP 11 HELL WEEK by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 11: Decathlon

For some reason I can't get it through my head that it's spelled Decathlon and not Decathalon. Just seems wrong. Anyway, the sport of the day is the mother of all sporting events. It's ten, ten, ten sports in one!

(Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel about it, too, dude.)

The ten events involved are: 100m dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m dash, 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1500m run. Um, no thank you. That's pretty much my personal vision of hell right there. (Well, maybe if you throw in a volleyball match or two.)

Bet you're dying to know what today's fabulous bonus prize is, huh? Okay, it won't keep you in suspense. It's HELL WEEK by Rosemary Clement-Moore (the sequel to her fabulous debut, PROM DATES FROM HELL. Isn't that cover totally gorgeous?!?)

MAGGIE QUINN IS determined to make her mark as a journalist. The only problem? The Ranger Report does not take freshmen on staff.

Rules are rules. But when has that ever stopped Maggie?

After facing hellfire, infiltrating sorority rush should be easy. It’s no Woodward and Bernstein, but going undercover as the Phantom Pledge will allow her to write her exposé. Then she can make a stealth exit before initiation. But when she finds a group of girls who are after way more than “sisterhood,” all her instincts say there’s something rotten on Greek Row. And when Hell Week rolls around, there may be no turning back.

If there is such a thing as a sorority from hell, you can bet that Maggie Quinn will be the one to stumble into it.

After all that hellishness, I think we need a little break. So, for today's contest entry, describe your perfect day. Here's how mine would go: First, I'd wake up early. (I'm a late sleeper, but I wouldn't want to miss a minute of my perfect day.) I'd have a soy chai latte and pain du chocolat (a chocolate-filled croissant) for breakfast. Then I would pull out my beach tote and head to the nearest body of water for a day of lounging, reading, sun, fun and swimming. When the sun starts to set I would head to a casual restaurant for a relaxed and tasty dinner. I might finish up with a late movie (the latest teen flick or an adventure story). Then, back home for a big bowl of ice cream (alas, no Ben & Jerry's White Russian resurrection yet) and to bed so I could start all over the next day.

DECATHLON CONTEST
Answer this question: If you could have one perfect day, what would it be like?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of HELL WEEK by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison
COOP 7 ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)
COOP 8 YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby
COOP 9 THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland
COOP 10 SLEEPLESS by Terri Clark and INVISIBLE TOUCH by Kelly Parra

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 10: Women's Marathon

Today is an extra special day because the Women's Marathon is Phoebe's FAVORITE EVENT! (I'm not sure how she can stand to run mile after mile after mile, but she just loves it. To each her own.)


Anyway, I'm not going to babble on about running-related stuff (because I don't really have any running-related experiences) so I'm jumping right in to today's bonus prizes. (Yes, plural!)

Prize #1: SLEEPLESS by Terri Clark

Eighteen-year-old Trinity Michaels has the ability to dream walk. It's a power she doesn't want, but it forever alters her life when she's unable to find an abducted teen before she's killed. While Trinity does help police capture the killer, Rafe Stevens, her involvement makes her his next target. Stevens pleads insanity and his convincing performance, aided by his despicable attorney, get him sentenced to a mental institute where a diabolical physician experiments on him. Now Rafe's escaped the sanitarium and he's after Trinity. Like her, he now has a special ability, one that allows him to stalk Trinity through her dreams. If he kills her in her sleep, she'll die for real. To survive she must find him first and the only person willing to help her is Dan Devlin, disillusioned son of the shady lawyer who knowingly aided Rafe in getting away with murder. Can she trust Dan with her safety, not to mention her heart?

Prize #2: INVISIBLE TOUCH by Kelly Parra

Kara Martinez has been trying to be "normal" ever since the accident that took her father's life when she was eleven years old. She's buried the caliente side of her Mexican heritage with her father and tried to be the girl her rigid mother wants her to be--compliant and dressed in pink, and certainly not acting out like her older brother Jason. Not even Danielle, her best friend at Valdez High, has seen the real Kara; only those who read her anonymous blog know the deepest secrets of the sign seer.

Because Kara has a gift--one that often feels like a curse. She sees signs, visions that are clues to a person's fate, if she can put together the pieces of the puzzle in time. So far, she's been able to solve the clues and avert disaster for those she's been warned about--until she sees the flash of a gun on a fellow classmate, and the stakes are raised higher than ever before. Kara does her best to follow the signs, but it's her heart that wanders into new territory when she falls for a mysterious guy from the wrong side of town, taking her closer to answers she may not be able to handle. Will her forbidden romance help her solve the deadly puzzle before it's too late...or lead her even further into danger?

I cannot even begin to imagine what it feels like to run a marathon. (The longest distance I've ever raced is the 500m swim, and I hated that.) It must be one of the hardest things a person can do in their life, but I bet it feels like a major accomplishment when it's over. So this is my question of the day: What is the hardest thing you've ever done?

For me, and this is probably going to sound cheesy, it's becoming a published author. It took me years--years full of sweat and tears and excitement and fears and writing, writing, writing. It's the longest time I ever spent pursuing any one dream (which is also how I knew that it's what I'm meant to be). When I finally got the call that I'd sold my first book it definitely felt like I'd gotten the gold at the end of a marathon.


WOMEN'S MARATHON CONTEST
Answer this question: What is the hardest thing you've ever done?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of SLEEPLESS by Terri Clark
(1) copy of INVISIBLE TOUCH by Kelly Parra

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison
COOP 7 ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)
COOP 8 YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby
COOP 9 THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 9: Taekwondo

Taekwondo is one of those sports that makes you want to get up and kick some butt. You just want to jump to your feet, get into a fighting stance, and punch, kick, and block your way across the room. Take it from me, it's not that easy.


In high school I had a friend who was a black belt in TKD. She was actually an instructor at her school. Well, near the end of senior year the owner of her school was teaching a self-defense class for women (highly recommended for all teen girls, btw) and I took the class. I totally fell in love the TKD (and, okay, one of the male instructors) and started training.

Since this was the summer after I graduated, I only got to study for three months. But I advanced to a yellow belt and have been kinda longing to get back at it ever since. (I tried to find a school in New York, but the owner of the one I visited was very mean and tried to intimidate me. I wasn't cowed, but neither did I want to study under him. I went to a karate class with a friend and it was, well, terrifying. I think I'll stick with Taekwondo when I start again.)

You can bet the characters in today's bonus prize totally kick butt. Today you get a chance to win THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland.

Sixteen-year-old Kelly James is in a lot of hot water. When David, her incredibly nice, not to mention super cute and irresistible, college RA, asked her to uncover some top-secret information, she thought why not? All she has to do is hack into the government's main computer system. Simple enough for a computer techie genius like herself. But a few hours later, she is caught. Only this isn't a run-of-the-mill arrest. Rather than serve a jail sentence in a juvenile detention, she accepts the option to change her identity and enlist in a secret government spy agency that trains teen agents to go undercover. After all, she has no family or friends at school. What does she have to lose? Instantly, Kelly Spree, a.k.a. girl genius GiGi, is born. And as if that wasn't overwhelming enough, she discovers that David works for this agency as well. Before she even begins to understand what is going on, she's sent on her first mission as an undercover model. Her partner? None other than David himself!

Question of the day has to do with kicking butt and taking names. Have you ever been in a fight? (And I don't mean an I'm-not-talking-to-you-because-you-stole-my-lip-gloss fight. I mean an honest to goodness fist fight.) I never have. I'm a pretty level-headed person, so I don't usually let my emotions rule the day. (Which is what I think happens during a fight.) If I'm mad at someone I'd rather just avoid them, ignore them, and write them off than make some big issue out of it. Non-confrontational could be my middle name.

TAEKWONDO CONTEST
Answer this question: Have you ever been in a fist fight?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison
COOP 7 ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)
COOP 8 YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 8: Synchronized Diving

Although we've already discussed diving, I think that synchronized diving deserves it's own day in the contest. I'm kinda fascinated by this sport. A pair of divers have to execute identical (or occasionally mirror image) dives at exactly the same time.


Seriously? I mean, the idea of jumping off a thirty foot platform and twisting and turning your way to the surface is hard enough. But having to do it at the exact same pace, positing, timing ... everything as another diver? That's insane.

Today's bonus prize is a YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby (the author lives in NZ, so I snagged a signed copy last time I saw her--but it won't be personalized). If you read the blurb you'll figure out why this book is the perfect prize from synchronized diving day.

Holly Evans has just seen her body laid to rest. Now she would like to move onto the afterlife. But apparently she has some mortal baggage to unload first, starting with the matter of how she died. Her heavenly shrink isn't buying that she didn't kill herself and says she must return to earth to straighten things out. The thing is, she needs to borrow the body of computer geek Vince Murphy to do it. Oh, and although Vince was supposed to have vacated the premise, he apparently never got the memo.

Now, Holly has forty-eight hours to resolve her issues while sharing arms, legs, and...other things...with a guy she barely noticed while she was alive. But the real surprise is what life has to offer when you have only two days to live it.

Today's topic of discussion (for contest entry purposes) is bffs. Have you had one, none, or many bffs in your life? Are you still tight with any or all of them? How long have you known them? For me, I've only ever had one friend where we actually called each other bffs. It was in high school and we did practically everything together. But after high school we went separate ways. We lost touch after a while (although I did get to go to her wedding, which was awesome). Do you think some friendships (like ones you develop in high school or college) have experiation dates? Or am I just a bad long-distance friend?

SYNCHRONIZED DIVING CONTEST
Answer this question: What are your thoughts on bffs? (Yours, mine, or others in general.)

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of YOU HAD ME AT HALO by Amanda Ashby

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison
COOP 7 ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 7: Soccer

Well I've already admitted I'm pretty awful (I never did join a team). And I like to watch games occasionally. But I go really soccer crazy when the World Cup comes around. Like the Olympics of soccer, it only occurs every four years and it's just huge. The next World Cup is in 2010 at the host country is South Africa!!! (Considering my current obsession with South Africa, you can bet I'm dying to go!)


When I was in gymnastics in 1st grade, my coach told my parents I needed to play soccer to improve my social interactive skills. I was, am, and always will be a bit of a loner. It's not that I don't like other people (I'm an extrovert, after all--I get energized by being around others) but I'm more of a "get the job done with as little drama as possible" kind of girl. I can be a team player when it counts, of course. I just think things get done faster and more efficiently without a bunch of chefs in the kitchen.

Anyway, keep in mind the concept of team when you think about today's bonus prizes: ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS (from the Sorority 101 series) by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon).

High school is already a distant memory for incoming Lattimer University freshmen Jenna, Roni, and Lora- Leigh. Jenna can't wait to meet cute college boys, Roni can't wait to get away from home, and Lora- Leigh . . . well, Lora-Leigh couldn't care less. She's going to LU and participating in sorority recruitment only to appease her mom. Sorority girls are pretty, rich, and snotty, and Lora-Leigh doesn't want to be one of those girls. So she's shocked to find herself actually connecting with the sisters of Zeta Zeta Tau. And her new friend Jenna can relate. She came to recruitment only because her roommate begged her to, but now she can't decide which sorority to join; she likes them all! Roni, on the other hand, knows which sorority she should join, but she came to LU to reinvent herself. As recruitment progresses and the girls prepare to make big decisions, they'll need to heed the best advice there is: follow your heart. Now where will it lead?

As freshman year at LU kicks off, Lora-Leigh, Jenna, and Roni are all equally thrilled to have found a home in the Zeta Zeta Tau sorority. Lora-Leigh still can't believe she's wearing a sorority pin and, what's more, that she and her new sisters have become so close so fast. Roni already loves her sorority, so when it comes time to elect a new member president, she can't keep herself from adding her name to the ballot. And Jenna can't keep herself from being in two places at once! The girl has a full load of classes, a demanding antisorority roommate, a marching band scholarship to uphold, and lots of sorority activities to attend. How's a girl supposed to appease everyone and everything-not to mention strike up a romance with a very hot fraternity boy-all the while keeping her diabetes hidden? Lora-Leigh and Roni are there for her, but initiation is on the horizon and Jenna must decide if she really trusts her new friends enough to share her secret.

I bet you can guess today's contest entry. Dish on whether you're a team-oriented person or if you prefer to get things done on your own. Like I said, for the most part I'd rather work on my own. Writing is my major exception. Although I have to do all the actual word-by-word labor completely on my own, I rely on a lot of other people on my team. Besides my agent and editor (who of course provide feedback) I also have a few critique buddies who help me brainstorm when I'm stuck and look over pages to make sure I'm on the right track. Sometimes you just need the perspective of someone outside your brain.

SOCCER CONTEST
Answer this question: Would you rather work solo or as part of a team?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of ZETA OR OMEGA? by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)
(1) copy of THE NEW SISTERS by Marley Gibson (writing as Kate Harmon)

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker
COOP 6 LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 6: Diving

I'm not afraid of diving so much as I'm afraid of plummeting from a three-story building into the water at 35mph. Oh wait, that is diving. So, yeah, I'm afraid of diving.


I'm also afraid of taking a misstep and slipping off the end of the diving board or--better yet--not jumping out far enough and smacking my head against the concrete platform. So, the closest thing to diving I've done is jumping feet-first off the 3m springboard at swim practice when I was like 10 and again off the 3m platform when I was like 16. My stomach flew up into my throat both times. I'm pretty sure I'll never do it again.

Still, it's fascinating to watch. How they manage to twist and spin and somersault and still dive head-first into the water is amazing.

Speaking of diving head-first ... today's bonus prize features a reluctant girl detective who dives head-first into a fashionable mystery when her favorite tacky knock-off is stolen. LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison.

Lulu Dark is the anti-Nancy—a chic, tough-talking city girl who never meant to get involved in a mystery.

But when her favorite purse is stolen during a Many Handsomes concert, Lulu knows she has to get it back. After all, it was one of a kind—and the lead singer’s phone number was stashed inside! Lulu dives deep into the fray along with her friends Daisy and Charlie, and discovers a twisted mystery involving a rock star, a rich socialite, a loony landlord, and a serious case of mistaken identity.

Contest entry question of the day is: Have you ever done something scary? How did you wind up doing it? Did you have to talk yourself into it? When I was seventeen, I went from the heart of the Midwest to start college in New York. As in New York City. It was a huge change and a huge leap of faith. There was a point, before I made the final decision, where I thought, "Omigod, if I go to New York I'm going to be mugged and murdered." For about two minutes I was terrified. And then logic set in. I countered my fear with this realization: If everyone in New York were mugged and murdered ... there'd be no one left to live there. Since that obviously is not the case (population 8.2 million and counting) then maybe that didn't have to be my determining factor. I went to New York and have never once regretted the decision. (And never once got mugged or murdered, knock on wood.)

DIVING CONTEST
Answer this question: Have you ever done something scary?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of LULU DARK CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS by Bennett Madison

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale
COOP 5 SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar and VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 5: Basketball

Sport of the day: Basketball. Yes, I played basketball. In junior high, one year of high school, and on an AAU team my dad coached. I was a good shooter, an awful dribbler, and one of the most competitive girls on the court. (I think it's probably a good thing I didn't play more years than I did--my stomach would be full of ulcers right now.)


Not too much time to waste babbling about the sport today because we have two (count 'em, two) wonderful bonus prizes.

Prize #1: SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar (which features a basketball player who takes the lean in lean, mean fighting machine a little too seriously).

Losing weight is the solution to all basketball-star Leah Mandeville's problems, or so she thinks. Getting superthin will:

a) help her jump shot

b) make her look like America's Next Top Model

c) get the attention of the high school hottie who ignores any girl with a little junk in the trunk

And it's working, isn't it? Her boo is now crushing on her. Everyone says how good she looks. But the problem is that Leah doesn't feel good. And her life is taking a huge turn for the worse, despite her new "perfect body."

Prize #2: VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker (the third in her series about a string bean dunked into the world of fashion modeling).

Violet Greenfield knows she’s supposed to be a super-confident nineteen-year-old because she’s done runway shows in New York and internationally. But now that she’s finally headed to college, she’s afraid she’ll turn back into that girl who blended into the walls in high school. Vassar is just two hours away from New York City––her friends in fashion think she’s crazy to stop modeling now. And her old friend Roger is there...but things have been weird ever since they kissed. The real question is if she’s not going to be “Violet on the Runway” anymore...who is she?

This is the easiest contest entry so far. Do you wish you were: a) taller, b) shorter, or c) exactly your current height. Me? When I was high school age and young, I really wanted to be shorter. I wanted to be one of those petite little girls that all the boys like (at 5'7", petite I ain't). Then, in college, I wanted to be taller. Model-esque. Again, at 5'7" I'm no supermodel. Right now I'm happy exactly where I am. (Which might be why all my heroines are around my height.)

TENNIS CONTEST
Answer this question: Are you happy with your height?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of SHRINK TO FIT by Dona Sarkar
(1) copy of VIOLET IN PRIVATE by Melissa Walker

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro
COOP 4 REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale

Hugs,
TLC

COOP 4: Tennis

I love tennis. I love playing it. I love watching it. (And not just because I love watching hotties like Rafael Nadal sweat it up on the court. Not just because of that.)


One of the things I love about tennis, I think, is that it's one of those old school, upper crust sports that has woken up to the realities of the modern world. Although Wimbledon still requires players to wear all white, for the most part tennis tourneys are no longer the stuffy affairs they once were. No, now tennis is all about power and grunting and cutting edge fashion (think Serena Williams' line, Aneres, and Rafa's knee-length shorts--no, I'm not obsessed with him).

A lot of those upper crust sports are still just as seemingly elitist as they have always been. I can't imagine a regular person playing polo (the kind on horses) or cricket (but maybe I just have a misconception about cricket). Anyway, I'm proud of the tennis world today. It's grown up a lot from the snooty rich kid it used to be.

Which brings us to today's double bonus prize: REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN and TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale. Because if anyone has started off as a snooty rich kid and grown up into a (mostly) reasonable adult, it's the star of these novels, Aspen Brooks. Both of these books a awesomely fun! Perfect summer reads.

Here's the blurb for REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN:

I, the flawless Aspen Brooks, was born to be Homecoming Queen. Naturally, I'm dating Lucas Riley, the quarterback, and the most popular guy in school. Blessed with stunning good looks, excellent style, and mega brains, I had that crown in the bag.

So please tell me why, oh why, the tiara is being placed on the skanky head of Angel Ives and not me? My confusion only grows after I hear that the school didn't vote my hottie bf to be Homecoming King, but ultra-dork Rand Bachrach instead. To my total shock and horror, Angel actually accuses me of being behind this! As if! Then she goes all Carrie on me, vowing revenge. Like, I'm really worried.

But then something goes terribly, terribly wrong. Strange things are happening-even stranger than Angel beating me out. And now someone's leaving me threatening messages and slashing the tires on my precious car. I know it's that beyotch Angel doing these things, so if she wants a war, by Dooney & Bourke she'll get one!

So, how do you enter to win this fabulous book and its equally fabulous sequel? Tell me whether you think you're a grown-up. I'm not sure if I am. I mean, I pay my bills and cook dinner and take my car in for service (sometimes), but I still watch the Disney Channel, worry about whether a boy like me or not, and some days just wish my mom was here to scratch my back and make everything better. Although I don't wonder anymore what I'll be when I grown up because I'm already being it: a writer. So maybe that tips my scale in favor of adult. What about you?

TENNIS CONTEST
Answer this question: Are you a grown-up? Why or why not? What is the determining factor in considering yourself an adult?

PRIZES
(1) copy of OH. MY. GODS. or teaser of GODDESS BOOT CAMP
(1) copy of REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN by Stephanie Hale
(1) copy of TWISTED SISTERS by Stephanie Hale

Enter below and check back tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) for a new contest. Winners of all contests will be posted on August 25th.

And don't forget the other contests:

Gold Medal Contest
COOP 1 I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuenhert
COOP 2 CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noel
COOP 3 HOW TO HOOK A HOTTIE by Tina Ferraro

Hugs,
TLC