No need to wait for Black Friday…I have an EPIC book giveaway to tell you about!!!

That’s right….EPIC!!!

THE GRATITUDE GIVEAWAYS!

The Gratitude Giveaways is the brain child of Kathy Habel and her blog, I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. If you aren’t a follower of her blog, and you like to read….man you should be. She has reviews, amazing giveaways and all manner of epicness!!!

Okay, back to this blog hop.

Today through Sunday, November 28, more than 180 blogs are participating in a blog hop of epic proportions. The blogs are all doing one thing – giving away books! Yep, that’s right…books.

WHAT’S BETTER THAN THAT???

Not.One.Thing!!!

What am I giving away?

A Prize Pack for Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students. The pack consists of:

• A Signed copy Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students (read the first chapter here and download the study guide)
• A few magazines related to giftedness
• Bookmarks

To enter, just leave a comment – easy peasy. Of course, I’m hoping you’ll see just how epic this contest is and spread the word EVERYWHERE, but rest assured you only have to comment on my blog to enter the giveaway for Emotional Intensity!

Be sure to stop by the other 180+ blogs to check out all of the amazing giveaways. The list can be found by scrolling to the bottom of the post.

WOO HOO for an early Black Friday, right? What books are you dying to read???

Party Friday!!!

Hey all, HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

With a successful end to the blog and book tours, I thought I’d use this post to celebrate a few things AND give you deets on my epic end-of-the-tour giveaway going on this weekend.

Let’s start with the fun signing from last night. Barnes and Noble did an epic Teacher Appreciation night. I got to give a little talk, along with two amazing authors – Anne Bromley, author of an amazing picture book THE LUNCH THEIF, and Dawn Knobbe, author of a YA adventure book, RUNAWAY STORM. I met other teachers, a publicist, a few parents and some store execs. It was a fab night. But don’t take my word for it…I have pics

Two areas were set up in the store – one where the other authors and I talked, gave workshops, etc, and one for signing books. And YES, I kept the very cool signage! (yep, I am a geek)

First, I talked with the crowd:

Then, I made friends:

And finally, I signed a few books!

 AN EPIC night all the way around. I stocked signed a few copies for the store, so if you live near Oceanside, CA and want to QUICKLY get a copy of the book (it is still a 4-week turn with Amazon), stop by the Barnes and Noble and check it out in the parenting book section!

Next up, the blog tour. There are still a few chances to win a signed copy of EMOTIONAL INTENSITY IN GIFTED STUDENTS in a few remaining contests:

• Margaret Barney  ends 10/17
• Thomas Furman  - ends 10/20
• Lisa Amowitz - ends 10/19

Needs more reasons to enter the contests or leave comments during the tour…

As a THANK YOU to all of you that have made this launch so darn amazing, I am giving away an EMOTIONAL INTENSITY SWAG PACK of bookmarks, sticky notes, note pads, magazines, and one last SIGNED COPY of EMOTIONAL INTENSITY.

Deets:

• Leave any comment, anywhere throughout the enter tour. I will take ALL COMMENTS from this post and the ENTIRE TOUR and draw a single winner! It’s that easy. Click here for links to every stop on the tour. Contest is open internationally and closes at 11:59pm (PST) on Sunday, 10/17. I will announce the winner here on Monday morning!

AND…WHILE YOUR TOURING….

Check out these bloggers that have posted their reviews of EMOTIONAL INTENSITY. I have to say, I did not get to see these until this morning, and reading them has left me…well…

INTENSE.

I am truly humbled.

Here are today’s reviewers. Be sure to leave comments on their blogs as well – I will include them in the giveaway.

• Lisa Rivero 
• Medeia Sharif
• Taffy Lovell
• Thomas Furman
• Danyelle Leafty
• Jennifer Merrill
• Robin McCormack
• Margaret Barney
• Michelle McLean

Thanks again for making this an unforgettable couple of weeks. Next up…several speaking engagements and I really MUST finish a very important project over the next few weeks. Wish me luck!

Have a great weekend and thanks for all the support during the tour.

Oct 6 on the tour.

The Blog Tour for EMOTIONAL INTENSITY IN GIFTED STUDENTS is in full swing. Still haven’t read the first chapter? Check it out here

Here’s what’s coming up today:

• Visit Robin McCormack for a guest post about Kids and Stress and Michelle Davidson Argyle for an interview. And yes,there will be contests! Lots of contests!!!

ONGOING CONTESTS: It is STILL VERY HARD to find EMOTIONAL INTENSITY IN GIFTED STUDENTS at your favorite online bookseller – but with our contests, we have a few SIGNED copies to give away! Check these out:

• Michelle McLean’s blog (ends Oct. 8) – leave a comment for a chance to win a SIGNED copy of the book! {{Just a few days to enter this one}}
• Win a 10pg crit OR 30 min phone/skype consult from me and some cool book swag (ends 10/8). Leave a comment here. {{Low entry number – why not add your name!}}
• Danyelle Leafty’s blog – leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of the book!
• Taffy Lovell - Leave a comment to win a signed book. {{Very low entries – great odds on this one!}}
• Laura Diamond - Contest open until 10/12. 

So many great chances to win books and other swag!

Also, Congrats to our first winner from Elana’s blog :

Erica Chapman.

I’ll be sending her book out this week sometime! 

Check out My Stuff for a complete list of events.

WOW…just…WOW!

What an amazing day yesterday! I think I have a hangover from all of the amazing book-love! Not sure what I’m talking about? Check out yesterday’s post and this fab list of great reads.

Anyways, as I am recovering from the awesomeness that is book-love (and emailing a hello to all the new commenters and followers) I thought I would share a bit of book love via my TTT.

What? You don’t know the TTT (The Think Tank – teen reader style), you can meet them here, and know how to use groups like this for your writing here.

Anyways, just a quick shout out to my TTT and the book-love they show everyday through the bookmarks they make, the book covers they design and te help they give me! I think I’ll put together a prize pack of some of their cool writerly things…Hmm…something to think about! Gotta love ‘em!

I’ll be back to regular blogging tomorrow. Until then, my contest is still open until Friday.

And remember – there is always time to SPREAD THE AWESOME that is great books and the people who write them!

Where in I talk about May, contests, and training for…something.

I can’t believe April is over…can YOU??? Well, May is upon us – time for flowers, warm weather and a hint of summer. Yep, everything I love.

To start off the awesomeness that is May, I am participating in the newest brain child of Elana Johnson’s - the Spreading the Awesome tribute to fantastic books deserving of “10-stars” or more on May 3rd. This is an EPIC tribute to the authors we love. Be sure to stop by and check it out. I’ll be giving away some books (yes, I said books plural). For a look at the list of bloggers participating, click here.

But that isn’t all…I am also hosting a contest in May to celebrate…well, just to celebrate feeling better, I guess. More on that later! But it involves commenting, signing up for a newsletter, and just being you!

I’m also giving away awards…tons. I have received a few of late and it’s time to spread the love, right?

Okay – now for the actual post for today..training (or something like that).

I went to the Dr. yesterday (unrelated to all things anemic!) -  a followup on a problem I’ve ben having with my knee. The appointment was good (my knee is healed), sad (I need to chill on the running and take up cycling instead), and interesting. The Dr and I were talking about the reality that I have a few pounds to lose (maybe more than a “few” pounds). He said to thinking of it as “training” for something, not losing weight.

OMGOSH….TRAINING!

BRILLIANT.

Of course, my mind went straight to writing…and the fact that if you are serious about your craft you find a way to write everyday (My grandfather used to say “writer’s write – daily.”). But, doing anything regularly can make it a chore…something less than inspiring.

But, when I think of it as training for something…when I set little goals that I can measure – a word count, a contest I want to enter – this becomes a tad easier for me.

So, I am “training” to be a writer. Not sure what my first goal is…probably a time frame regarding my current WiP…either way, I am “In TRAINING!” (Think I need a t-shirt or something…)

What about you? What are you in training for?