And the WINNER of the IN A FIX ARC is...

First of all, thank you to everyone who entered! It's extremely flattering to have real live people actually want to read my book!

(Okay, I suppose I'd be flattered if any fake dead people wanted to read In a Fix, too, but frankly I'm rather glad I wasn't contacted by any. Because that would be, yanno, creepy as hell.)

So, what I did is write every entrant's name down once for saying they wanted the ARC, again if they follow my blog, and a third time if they played along with the "What do you want Ciel to do for you?" game. (Most made me laugh, and one broke my heart. They were all awesome.)

Then I numbered all the names I wrote down, and went to Random.org to have it pick the number for me. Well, actually, TG went to Random.org, and I told him the number range, and he pressed the button, so it was even more out-of-my-hands fair. So if you didn't win, blame him.

(I was going to toss slips of numbered paper on the ground and see which one the neighbor cat...

 ...chewed up first, but that seemed chancy. I mean, what if the cat tried to swallow it, and choked? Then I'd have to take the time to explain to the neighbors why I killed their cat, and they probably wouldn't be sympathetic, no matter how important I think my ARC Giveaway is.)

And so, without further ado...

(Unless you'd like some more ado? Because, really, can you ever have too much ado? Ado is FUN, especially on a Monday. Because, as a rule, Mondays are kind of crappy. Hmm...does that mean Mondays need further ado-doo?)

*ahem* Sorry. Never mind all that. Try to pretend I never even said it.

Drum roll, please!

Okay, without further-further ado ...

The winner of this very ARC of IN A FIX:

IS ...

#6

Oh, wait. You don't know your numbers, do you?

Okay, the winner is ...

Kerry Schafer!!!

Kerry, if you'll email me your address at linda(dot)grimes(at)gmail(dot)com, I'll send you the ARC. And remember, if you don't like it, just pretend you never got it.;)

Those of you who didn't win, don't be crushed (ha! as if, huh?), because there is still a way to get your hands on an early reading copy. Stay tuned. Later this week I'll tell you how!

And now for today's question:

Would you rather be chased by a grizzly bear or a great white shark? 

IN A FIX ARC Giveaway!

I've had a heart-warming number of requests for Advance Reader Copies of In a Fix. It kind of freaks me out that people actually, yanno, want to read my book.

No, that's not false modesty, which, btw, makes me gag. It's just that when the whole journey to publication takes as long as it has, you (and by "you" I mean "I") start to feel like your book is your secret playmate. The imaginary friend no one else can see.

Then you get these actual physical copies of the book, and suddenly it's real, not imaginary, and other people want to play with your friend!

If I had enough copies, I'd send an ARC to each and every person who wanted one. Alas, my publisher won't let me do that. They have some crazy idea about this eventually being a money-making venture. (Which, I have to say, TG heartily agrees with. He keeps reminding me that he'd like to retire one day.)

Sooo, I thought could hold a simple little contest, and the winner will get an ARC, either signed or not (winner's choice). Heck, I'll even inscribe it however the winner likes.

(Um, within reason. I won't, for instance, write "I.O.U. a million dollars" and then sign my name beneath it. But I will, say, go as far as to call you "Cutie Pie" or "Genius Head" or "My most brilliant blog follower," if that's what you want.)

Anyway, if you'd like a chance to win this ...

...all you have to do is leave a comment telling me so.

You get an extra entry if you follow my blog. (Yes, you can go ahead and follow now, if you don't already. I won't be offended. Heck, I'll probably be flattered.) So tell me if you follow my blog, and I'll add another entry to the pot for you.

And, let's see, something else...okay, I know. My MC's job title is "Facilitator." She fixes other people's problems for a living. As them. (She can do that because she's an aura adaptor--a kind of human chameleon. Click here to read more about the book.)

So, for an extra-extra entry, if you could hire Ciel to fix a problem for you, as you, what would you have her do?

(Me? I'd have her fill in at my first book signing, in case nobody shows up and I'm left sitting there, sweating and smiling awkwardly. Because that's a scenario I'd really love to avoid.)

Contest will be closed Sunday, May 6, at midnight EDT. I'll announce the winner Monday.

P.S. OH! I almost forgot to point you over to my Debutante Ball post. This week we're talking about temptation. Oooh-la-lah! And there are pictures. *nudge-nudge, wink-wink*

The Return of the Camels!

Happy First Hump Day of May, everyone!

So, didja miss the camels? Well, they're ba-aack!

Today's camel seems entirely appropriate to me:

Because, yes, April ate my head. At least, that's what it felt like. Ugh. Ever have one of those months?

But it's over, and I'm determined to make May a much better month. It's already off to a promising start, because something came in the mail yesterday.

I couldn't wait to dig into the package ...

... and this is what I found:

My Advance Reader Copies! 

[For those of you not in the publishing biz, ARCs are the first printing of a book by the publishing house. They're not in absolute final form, but pretty close. These are the copies sent to reviewers (ack! *bites knuckle*) in advance of the official publication date, which, in my case, is September 4.]

Of course, I had to speed read one right away:

All right, all right. I wasn't really speed reading it. I was just fondling it a little bit. Because, yanno, it's a real book!!

I have to tell you, holding your own book for the first time, after the very long journey from writing it to publication, is a very odd feeling. You realize this thing is a separate entity from you, that it will be going out into the world and having a life of its own, with readers you don't even know, without you there to hold its hand.

Er, not to anthropomorphize overly much or anything ...

Still, it's WAY COOL. So, yeah, today I haz a happy. :)

How have you guys been? Anything exciting happen while I've been scarce?