~~~Lara Zielin~~~

While the Nerds Heart YA competition is still going strong, I’m sorry to say that DONUT DAYS was knocked out of the second round by the novel IN MIKE WE TRUST. Which, actually sounds like a wonderful book and, in the Nerds Heart YA spirit of encouraging people to read underrepresented books, I suggest we all go out and buy it. (And many thanks to the wonderful Book Nut, Melissa, who took the time to read both novels!).

Go IN MIKE WE TRUST! I hope you win the whole thing. And that the prize is a pony.

Anyway, this all means that my little Nerds Heart YA contest is now officially closed, and we have a winner. Congratulations to Michelle M. who has won a signed copy of DONUT DAYS and a $15 Barnes and Noble gift card! Hooray and huzzah! I’ll email you to get the deets about where to send.

And thanks, everyone, for playing and supporting books! Yay!

A long, long time ago on a web page far, far away, a group of people wondered what it would be like to help promote awesome young-adult books that didn’t get much love or visibility when they were published. Nerds Heart YA was born and young-adult authors and readers everywhere did a dance of happiness (see also: Snoopy).

Currently, Nerds Heart YA is hosting their second annual contest, which works a lot like the March Madness brackets for college basketball. Out of the thousands of books published books in 2009, they chose 32 finalists and created brackets for each. Now, they’re hosting a read-off of sorts where they pick which books advance. They’ll keep whittling down the list until there’s only one book left.

Last year’s winner was Steve Kluger’s book, My Most Excellent Year.

I am proud as punch that, this year, Donut Days made it into the finalists list and — be still my heart! — made it through the first round of eliminations. If there is an American Idol for books, this is it. (Except the judges are really super nice. No Simons here. Or loopy Paulas for that matter.)

No matter the winner, this effort to support underrepresented YA literature deserves props. And links and web hits and RT’s. So for those who RT or promote the contest (@NerdsHeartYA), I’m offering two prizes to winners who will be chosen at random. Just leave me a comment and let me know what you did (tell me if you RT’d or linked to the contest or blogged about it or something else) and I’ll throw your name into the prize pool. I’m giving away a $15 Barnes and Noble gift card, as well as a signed copy of DONUT DAYS.

Thanks for the support, and goooooo books! 

Happy National Donut Day, everyone! And no, it’s not a made-up holiday. It’s really real. The Salvation Army started it. So put that in your cruller and eat it.

As you may recall, I made a video last year to celebrate this momentous day. I’m revisiting the vid because, a year later, it still makes me snort with laughter.

So, without further ado, I give you the great oxymoron that is “Glamorous Donut.”

Happy National Donut Day!

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: Want to see what I’m doing when I’m not writing YA novels? Check out the webpage for the magazine I edit. It’s an alumni publication for the University of Michigan and, can I just say, it’s the greatest gig evah.

You guys! The softcover for DONUT DAYS is coming out this September! And here’s what it’s going to look like!

Squee! I totally love it! I want to frame it and take it with me everywhere and pet it and call it George.

That’s not at all weird, right?

I love this cover!!

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: This combination of Walker, Texas Ranger with Haley Joel Osment and Keyboard Cat. I laughed so hard the first time I saw this, I cried. Literally.

I love the cover of my book and think the girl on it is an awesome representation of my main character, Emma. I didn’t think I’d want or need to see another one …until now.

The awesome Realm Lovejoy crafted this picture of Emma and posted it as part of an interview I did. I loooove this image! Truly. I know it’s so different from my cover but somehow, it’s still totally Emma to me.

You can read the full interview over on Realm’s blog and learn more about how Rob sprayed me with a hose when we filmed “Editing Letter.” Because he totally did.

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: So, apparently Speidi is no more, and Heidi Montag has chosen a new manager. Who is psychic. This is funny enough in its own right, but on the View, Whoopi gives it her own hilarious spin.

If you’re not a fan of Book Trailers for All on Facebook, please become one! This site has a whole host of trailers, some made by the authors and some made by fans of the books. And you know what else this site has?

A trailer for DONUT DAYS made by someone who’s not me! A librarian in Flower Mound, Texas (looooove the name of that city!), made it without me begging her to. Can you even stand it? My fave part might be the insert of the Harley. My editor loves who she picked for Jake. Hee.

Thank you, June!!

The lovely Emma was nice enough to let me stop by her blog for a chat recently, and she’s giving away a signed copy of DONUT DAYS to one lucky person. If you want to be that person, head on over and enter to win. I love book giveaways! Yay!!

Did you get a Snuggie for Christmas? Are you a white girl? Do you love YA novels?

Then check out Bluggie: the blanket with sleeves … with bling!

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: The Taiwanese made a CGI reenactment of how events went down with Tiger Woods and his wife on Thanksgiving. Surreal doesn’t even begin to describe.

This weekend, I have the great honor of appearing at not one but *two* events in the Chicago area with some amazing writers.  If you’re in the Windy City, or you know someone who might like to come, please pass along the information. The great news is, there will be TONS of free stuff, and all the writers will be recommending some awesome books that they themselves love.

Pictured here are the donut seeds that are just one of a few cute freebies I’ll be passing out to peeps. Hope to see you there!

Dec. 5, 1-3 p.m.
Borders
161 N. Weber Road
Bolingbrook, IL
Including: Cynthea Liu, Saundra Mitchell, Aprilynne Pike, Kristina Springer, Darcy Vance, Lara Zielin

Dec. 5, 7-9 p.m.
The Book Cellar, Inc.
4736-38 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL
Including: Cynthea Liu, Saundra Mitchell, Aprilynne Pike, Kristina Springer, Darcy Vance, Lara Zielin

I was recently approached by Marshal, who runs a blog with a great premise: If your book was made into a movie, how would you cast it? My book club and I play this game all the time. And I loved thinking about this in relation to DONUT DAYS. Marshal has my response posted on his blog, and I hope you’ll click over to visit.

And no, Robert Pattinson is NOT in the movie.