**THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED**
Two awesome things happened on Monday:
1) I finished and printed my thesis! Huzzah!! Here is one of the copies, on the nice heavy paper.
After printing them out at Mr. Atkins’ office, we went to dinner to celebrate. Sicilian sushi, thin-crust margherita pizza, and pistachio cannoli. Deeeelish.
2) And right before bed, I reached 1,500 views! Huzzah x2!! And you know what that means, right? It’s giveaway time!
What am I going to give, you ask? Well, remember that post where I talked about loving the writing community, and I mentioned getting two copies of Daughter of Smoke and Bone signed by Laini Taylor? Wellll, one of those copies is up for grabs!
And this is a famous copy! There’s a picture of it on her blog:
I was hurriedly buying my books as she walked to the front of the store. I’d informed the Mr. that he might need to detain Laini from leaving, but she paused to snap a picture of the clerk in his Karou wig just as he finished ringing me up. So you get a famous book. What!
It’s legit and everything! So how to enter? Just comment on this post with your name and email. I thought about doing something fun, like a picture caption contest as well, but since it’s NaNo I decided to go easy on y’all. So! In honor of my thesis, what’s your favorite contemporary YA book? I don’t know if I can pick just one, but I lurved Cures for Heartbreak by Margo Rabb. You should seriously check it out (especially if you love smart, funny books).
The giveaway is open till the day I get back from St. Louis on Wednesday 11/16. So we’ll say Wednesday at midnight EST, or 10 pm Denver time. ^_^
(Also, I’m going to be somewhat scarce while here in St. Louis. I’m here to help my brother and sister-in-law. They had a baby girl two weeks ago, so I’m going to do whatever I can to help them get some sleep. They have two rambunctious boys, 3 and 5 years old, who will keep me plenty busy!)
Good luck!
(Oh, and yeah, this contest is totally open to the whole world. Even if you live on the moon, if you win, I’ll figure a way to get the book to you.)
Kristina Atkins 
Hooray! You finished your thesis. It looks great! My favorite YA book is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. My e-mail is kirstenlopresti@yahoo.com. Have fun in St. Louis!
Congrats on the thesis. I don’t tend to read Contemporary YA (I tend to read fantasy and non fiction). If I squint I see blurry shapes and fonts way back from my high school days, but honestly I think one of the last ‘contemporary’ novels I read was Born Confused by Tanuja Desai–which I remember to be pretty good.
email: laparker2010(at)gmail.com
Congrats on the thesis!
And that’s so sweet of you to go help your brother’s family out! Hope it’s fun. I’ve been missing your posts!
I LOVE Contemporary YA. Contemporary is my very favorite! But my most favorite of all books is Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. I don’t think I’ve ever read a more perfect book.
Congrats!! I’m currently in a Masters program, and the dreaded thesis awaits! *shudders*
And YES to your contemporary YA love! My fave is a three-way tie between Looking for Alaska by John Green, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. And Ashley, I’m reading Jellicoe Road right now! I am LOVING it.
Thanks so much for the awesome contest! Here’s my email: aortizzle (at) gmail (dot) com
My favourite book by far is ‘Revolution’ by Jennifer Donnelly. Heartbreaking, yet self-deprecatingly funny at the same time. It’s the only book EVER to have made me cry.
Email: georgiasummers@me.com
Thanks for going easier on the NaNoers. ;)
That picture is awesome. My life’s dream (as of thirty seconds ago) is to own a famous book.
Thanks!
rivkarno1(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thesis completion: happy happy joy joy! (Ren & Stimpy wasn’t THAT long ago . . . was it?)
You’re such a helpful auntie! My 3-year-old nephew would run around 24/7 if adults let him.
My fave contemp YA novel is If I Stay by Gayle Forman.
I adore contemporary. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Fracture by Megan Miranda which was excellent. Also, Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard is fantastic.
Vivien
deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com
Congrats on finishing your thesis! That’s awesome (and a huge relief, I’m sure).
My favorite contemporary as of right now is one I just read: Stephanie Perkins’ Lola and the Boy Next Door. I also love John Green and Maureen Johnson.
CKennedy1320@gmail.com
I’m a big fan of Flash Burnout, by L.K. Madigan
I love all of Sarah Dessen’s novels! Congrats on finishing your thesis!
brookea_2006@yahoo.com
Woot!
S. McDaniel
smcdanielc@gmail.com