Win-It Wednesday! flip.com

Today's contest is easy-peasy. Anyone who answers correctly, here or on myspace, will be entered to win an autographed copy of Violet on the Runway.

First, you have to watch my flipbook, here. Seriously, flip.com is FUN. Make one of your own!

Then, the question is: What magazine cover appears on page 9 of the flipbook?

All correct responses posted by next Tuesday will be pulled from a hat, and I'll announce the winner next Wednesday!

PS-I'll throw in a Juicy Tube if you know the song title and artist.

PPS-I realize you can cheat at this by looking at comments, but I hope you won't!

Posted: October 31, 2007 | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: contest, flip.com, lancome juicy tube, violet on the runway, win

Good Will for Goodwill

Did you guys hear that the DC Goodwill has a fashion blog? I read about it in the Washington Post yesterday and just had to share. The DC Goodwill Fashionista is a fabulous blogger, and this entry is especially special.

I once found an amazing glitter shirt at Goodwill that said, "Anything boys can do, girls can do better!" I wore it for almost all of my third grade year.

So I ask you: What was your all-time favorite Goodwill find?

PS-If you don't have a Halloween costume yet... well, you know where to go!

Posted: October 30, 2007 | Comments (10)

Tags: dc goodwill fashionista, good will, washington post

Marketing Monday: Your Friends' Blogs Are Your Friends

When Violet on the Runway came out, I sent out a big email to family and friends, as you do. And in that email, I said, "If you have a blog, I won't be mad if you mention the book."

Et voila! Instant publicity in niche markets (i.e., among my friends and their friends and their friends' friends). You never know who might stumble upon your book that way.

Big thanks to:

Ben, on Lausanne Found

Claire, on zulkey.com

Sally-Anne, on A Zesty Enterprise

Steve, on Per aspera

Stephanie L., on Pop Culture Junkette

Dave, on grossy's blog

Sarah D., on I-Am-Your-Mom

Luddy, on Luddy's blog

Stephanie B., on Spread Eagle in NYC

And if you have a blog... well, email me.

PS-Congratulations to Sara, who won this week's Win-It Wednesday by posting on myspace! Her name came to the top of the hat drawing (all names, including melissacwalker.com and myspace.com posters, were entered). Sara, email me your address and I'll send your prize.

Posted: October 29, 2007 | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: blogs, grossy's blog, i am your mom, lausanne found, luddy's blog, per aspera, pop culture junkette, spread eagle in nyc, violet on the runway, zesty enterprise, zulkey.com

A new blog I love, keep winning it, and a few good reviews

Thursday's cupcake is for Beth Kephart, whose new book, Undercover, has gotten amazing reviews. I cannot wait to read it, especially after stumbling upon Beth's blog, which is incredibly well done, and encourages everyone to fall in love with writing.

I quote, from Tuesday's post:
"A child asks: What is the surest way to success as a writer? Success being (the child says) fame, being fortune. Because it happened to J.K. Rowling. Because it should happen to us all.

I want to say: Change the terms of your equation. Seek, first, conversation with yourself. Then conversation with others. Then impact."

Um, WOW. Go read it!

Feel free to keep posting on Wednesday's contest--I'll wait until Sunday to pick a winner.

Lastly, a couple of good reviews for Violet on the Runway came out this week--yay! Here they are:

Flamingnet

Beauty Blogging Junkie

The Foursquare

Clark Magnet High School Chronicle

Posted: October 25, 2007 | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: beth kephart, contest, reviews, undercover, violet on the runway

Win-It Wednesday: Girls That Growl

Mari Mancusi's awesome series, starting with Boys that Bite, and then Stake That!, has a third chapter: Girls That Growl.

In the continued adventures of vampire twins Rayne and Sunny, cheerleaders can be, well, b*&ches.

Leave a comment here, or on myspace, for a chance to win an autographed copy of Girls That Growl.

I'll choose the winner randomly by drawing one commenter's name from a hat (promise!). Well, I might use a bowl, but you get the idea.

So tell me, have you read Mari's books? What's your favorite teen novel so far this year?

Posted: October 24, 2007 | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: autographed copy, contest, girls that growl, mari mancusi, win

In Search of SpaghettiOs

I usually stick to publishing news on this blog, but I have to vent. I went to six, yes six, delis tonight in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and not one of them had good old-fashioned SpaghettiOs. When confronted about his lack of inventory, one owner said to me, "In this neighborhood, SpaghettiOs don't sell!"

Neighbors, are we above the cheesy, tomatoey goodness of Campbell's classic circular pasta in a can? A food product with Vitamin A, four essential B-vitamins, Iron, and--wait for it--fiber (an ingredient which Dr. Oz says is "the most important part of your diet")?

For shame. I may have to move.

What's your favorite food in a can? If you can't pick just one, I may know of a cookbook that's right for you...

Posted: October 23, 2007 | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: a can and a plan, a man, brooklyn, fiber, nutrition, park slope, spaghettios

Marketing Monday: Women's Magazines

In looking beyond teen publications to feature your book, don't forget the women's market, which serves as the big sister (Glamour) or mother (Family Circle) to your teenage audience.

I wrote about glamour.com's lovely write-up of Violet on the Runway, and now Family Circle Books of the Month features a review for November!

Speaking of books and marketing, what's the last book you bought partially because you saw it everywhere? And did you like it?

PS-Dontcha love FC's clean covers that go to subscribers? Newsstand copies are still filled with coverlines, but that's how magazines sell...

Posted: October 22, 2007 | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: family circle, glamour magazine, marketing, violet on the runway

Book party photos!

Here are a few from mediabistro.com, but my favorite one is below with all my former ELLEgirls (l to r: Marie, Caroline, Anne S., Jackie, Anne I., Me, Erin, Mariel, Joanna and Scarlett). Gotta love them!

Okay, and this one of Dave with my Violet on the Runway poster is pretty hilarious too:

So what is the best party you've ever been too, and why was it so awesome? I'm curious!

Posted: October 19, 2007 | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: ellegirls, mediabistro.com, violet on the runway book party

Gossip Girl, the re-evaluation

Okay, so I adored the first episode of GG. But since then, I've been sort of "eh" about it. My enthusiasm was revived with the photo shoot episode--I think I love it when B. and S. are friends. So cute. And--hello--there was some excellent Chuck time in that episode too.

What do you guys think: Is the show good enough to last?

PS-A lovely review of Violet on the Runway on bookbitch.com. (She has major win-books contests too.) Yay!

Posted: October 18, 2007 | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: bookbitch, ed westwick, gossip girl, violet on the runway

Win it Wednesday, with ELLEgirl.com

You can enter to win one of five copies of Violet on the Runway through ELLEgirl.com. Yay! Just click here.

Confession: One time I won a poster of Patrick Swayze from Dirty Dancing at a State Fair. I adored it. So tell me: What's the best thing you've EVER won?

Check back next Wednesday for another contest!

Posted: October 17, 2007 | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: contest, dirty dancing, ellegirl.com, violet on the runway, win!

Marketing Monday: Celebrity magazines read books too!

Authors all have their books sent to VOYA, SLJ, Kirkus, etc. for review, but it's great to think beyond the "official" book reviewers, too.

I made sure Violet on the Runway went out to teen magazines, women's magazines, and--yes--celebrity magazines. OK! runs 3-4 books a week in the magazine. And this week, Violet made the page (next to Jenny McCarthy, Stephen Colbert and Rachel Zoe)! Thrilling.

I have to admit that I'm a celebrity magazine junkie, which is habit I hope to break soon, like maybe in 2008.

What magazines are on your must-read list?

Posted: October 15, 2007 | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: book marketing, celebrity magazines, OK! magazine, violet on the runway

Loving Glamour

They have such good taste, really. Check it out: Kid Sister Present Alert: Violet on the Runway.

Okay, maybe I'm biased today.

So what's your favorite go-to gift for fashionista friends?

Happy Friday!

Posted: October 12, 2007 | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: fashionista gifts, glamour magazine, violet on the runway

Yay, Winners! And a book question

Congratulations to Brenna, Carrie, Paris, Breanna and Jessica--the first five blog subscribers! They each won a copy of Violet on the Runway, plus a Lancome Juicy Tube and a Barielle nail polish.

And thanks to everyone who entered--there will be more Wednesday contests, so don't be sad if you didn't win this time!

Transition:
I used to be a total amazon.com girl, but lately I'm loving browsing bookstores and libraries and picking up the books that catch my eye. So, do you guys buy books in the bookstore, on amazon, or check them out of the library?

Posted: October 11, 2007 | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: amazon.com, barielle, lancome juicy tube, library, violet on the runway, winners

Win It Wednesday! VIOLET and makeup...

Okay, so the first five people to subscribe to my myspace blog today (Wednesday), will win a copy of Violet on the Runway, plus a Lancome Juicy Tube gloss and a Barielle nail polish. This is like the gift bag at my book party! I promise it's good.

Go here and sign up now...

More to win next Wednesday!

Posted: October 10, 2007 | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: barielle, lancome juicy tube, melissa walker, myspace, violet on the runway

Vassar Power!

Alumni magazines can be kind of lame. My boyfriend's looks like a Jehovah's Witness newsletter--even he admits it--but the Vassar Quarterly is actually good. They write about Vassar in pop culture (and put Lisa Simpson on the cover), publish back-page essays that are heartwarming and well-written, and even include a couple of hearty book review pages.

Oh, and they reviewed Violet on the Runway. Nicely.

A highlight: "Violet will satisfy teen readers' seemingly insatiable appetite for paparazzi and Prada. But as lovable Violet questions (and sets out to change) this devastatingly exciting world of sex, drugs, and eating disorders, it's clear that this is a teen novel any parent can feel OK about feeding his or her teenager. And since Violet is better than most chick-lit novels marketed to adults as beach reads, parents can feel OK about borrowing it from their teens, too."

Yay, Vassar!

Posted: October 9, 2007 | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: alumni magazines, vassar quarterly, violet on the runway

Monday Marketing

In the interest of not just blathering on about anything that comes to mind, I've decided to add "Monday Marketing" to "Win-It Wednesday" and create a regular Monday tip. Authors pretty much have to promote their own books, and now that I'm getting one round of book promoting under my belt, I have stuff to share.

This first idea got picked up by Ypulse, which was great, but I'll post it again here:

As I go about major grassroots promotion for Violet On The Runway, I found an avenue that seems sillily unexplored: High School Newspapers!

It's really a "duh" thing--no one sends CDs, books, DVDs, etc, to this audience, but it's the PERFECT venue for reviews! It goes to such a pure audience. I contacted around 100 high school newspapers offering to send review copies of my book, and ALL 100 replied. I've done a dozen interviews, talked to my real audience so they themselves can write about the book--it's incredible.

And here are two of the reviews so far--how fun is this?

Violet has good laughs, makes you think (Concord High School, Concord, NC)

Review: Violet on the Runway (The Eagle, Victorville, CA)

Anyone else have a marketing tip to share? Do tell!

PS-Congratulations to Kerry Coolness, who won Jolene Siana's model-face contest. I hope you enjoy Violet on the Runway!

PPS-If you're a student who wants to do a review or an interview for your school paper, email me!

Posted: October 8, 2007 | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: book marketing tips, high school newspapers, violet on the runway

Shop Talk

On Tuesday, the talented Laura Bowers featured me on her blog, which was super fun. I got to answer questions about hair products and respond to hypothetical if-you-were-a-celebrity interrogations.

I have to admit that her novel, Beauty Shop for Rent, is still in my "To Read" pile (which is large enough to be called a Tower at this point), but what I know right now is that I love the cover. Doesn't the girl on it look like Jen Steele, who won Miss Seventeen a couple of years ago? Anyone with me on that reference?

Posted: October 4, 2007 | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: beauty shop for sale, jen steele, laura bowers, miss seventeen, violet on the runway

Win-it Wednesday!

Win it!

Okay, so I did promise a contest. I didn't say it had to be my contest, right?

Here goes: Head to the blog of the gorgeous and talented Jolene Siana (author of the brilliant memoir Go Ask Ogre) where you've got a chance to win a signed copy of Violet on the Runway.

Easy peasy!

PS-Post your entry here too if you want more exposure. I will love it!

Posted: October 3, 2007 | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: contest, go ask ogre, jolene siana, model face, violet on the runway, win

NYPL alert

I'm reading tomorrow night for Teen Author Reading Night at the Tompkins Square Branch of the NYPL, 331 E. 10th Street, off of Ave B, NYC, 6pm. David Levithan will be hosting and Jessica Blank, Robert Lipsyte, Wendy Mass, Kirsten Miller, Adrienne Vrettos, and I will be reading.

You are invited! If you're not coming, please explain why in the comments section (it better be good). Thank you.

Posted: October 2, 2007 | Comments (14)

Tags: Adrienne Vrettos, david levithan, Jessica Blank, Kirsten Miller, melissa walker, new york public library, Robert Lipsyte, violet on the runway, Wendy Mass

Love!

Go Glitter!

Big ups to Venus, an awesome zine that deemed me and VIOLET worthy of a profile by the lovely and hilarious author Sarah Grace McCandless (I'm not worthy!) in their annals of all things cool. Thank you!

And also to Jocelyn at Teen Book Review, for the five-star action.

Contest Wednesdays start tomorrow (and hopefully by then I'll have thought of a better title than "Contest Wednesdays").

PS-Like the glitz on this post? I cribbed the glitter idea from Sara Hantz. I love her shiny blog!

Posted: October 2, 2007 | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: sara hantz, teen book review, venus zine, violet on the runway

Books, books, books!

Just a note to keep checking this space for a chance to win Violet on the Runway, other books and other prizes (all good, I promise). I'm going to start doing a contest every Wednesday, just for fun, and because this is what I've done with my extra books so far:

Also a reminder that 31 Flavorite Authors begins tonight, which is a chance to win major new books every night at 8pm EST. The lineup is awesome. Tonight: Meg Cabot.

Happy Monday!

Posted: October 1, 2007 | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tags: 31 flavorite authors, contest, meg cabot, readergirlz, violet on the runway, win