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