Sunday Funday! (43) (Plus, winners!)

Well, hello there! It's Sunday, and I got an extra hour of sleep last night. And somehow it's still already 2pm, and I have accomplished literally nothing today. (I'm still in my pajamas. True story.) BUT I have compiled this AMAZING list of links from around the Web, with some great advice/news/general awesome for you to enjoy. I've also chosen WINNERS for my blogversary giveaway!

So I guess I have accomplished something, after all.


I'm not participating in this year's NaNoWriMo, because I'm busy revising my face off. (See my face, over there on the other side of the room?) But there has been quite a kerfuffle (what an excellent word) around the topic this year; Salon writer Laura Miller said NaNo was kind of lame and pointless. LA Times writer Carolyn Kellogg said that Miller, in fact, was the lame one (I might be paraphrasing there), and that NaNo is actually awesome. Maggie Steifvater wrote an anti-NaNo pep-talk.

Should you tell agents who offered representation when they're considering your manuscript? Agency Gatekeeper says the question is pushy and should be a sign to run away. Janet Reid and Jessica Faust say she's ridiculous, that the question is a normal professional one, and that you - the author - don't even have to answer it. What do you think?

Do you sometimes think that, with all the overwhelming positivity out there on the Internet from other writers, that you're the only one struggling or worrying or totally freaking out? Shannon Messenger assures you - you're not.

Are you struggling writing a particular scene? Never fear - Jody Hedlund has five great tips to help you write the perfect scene!

Super-agent Nathan Bransford says "so long, and thanks for all the fish" to publishing, and hello to CNET.

Synopsis blues got you down? Agent Suzie Townsend gives some advice on how to makes them easier.

Writer Jennifer Walkup tells other writers to just be nice to each other already. 

Writers, agents, and editors are always talking about voice. They want a book that shows voice, characters with a unique voice...and you might be sitting at home thinking, "Great, but what the heck does that even MEAN??" Author Elana Johnson's post over on the Query Tracker blog gives some insight as to what voice is, and how to use it well.

Need some tips on being a better beta? Here are a few things to look for when beta-reading, courtesy of Write Brained.

Also LOOK HOW AWESOME THIS IS OMG I WANT FRIENDS WHO WILL DO THIS WITH ME. (This is why I want to move to New York. Because stuff this cool doesn't happen in Clearwater. We just stay in our PJs all day.)


(Thanks to YA Highway for sharing!)


And now...

The winners of my blogversary contest!

I went into my spreadsheet in Google docs and used random.org to calculate the winners. I went in order, but my plan was if whoever was drawn didn't want the prize I was on, I would give them the next prize on my list. Fortunately, I went in order and everyone wanted the prize they were drawn for. (Does that even make sense? It does to me, and I think that's all that matters. Maybe.)

OK! For prize number one, the signed copy of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, the winner is...

Shannon O'Donnell!!!

For prize number two, signed copies of Boy Meets Boy and Tangled, the winner is...

Kristi Faith!!!

And for prize three, the swag pack, featuring stickers, bookmarks, and other goodies, the winner is...


Meguita!!!

Congratulations, everyone! I'm emailing you shortly for your address! If I don't hear from you within 48 hours, I'll have to pick a new winner! 

Blogversay Giveaway! Signed books! Swag!

Alright, it's time for the blogversary giveaway! And it's my biggest giveaway yet! I have THREE prize packs to hand out! *Puts on announcer voice*

The first pack isn't technically a pack - just a book. But the book is so awesome that if I were to actually package it with other books, the post office would explode from too much awesome. And obviously we don't want that. So Prize #1 is a signed copy of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith's The True Story of the Three Little Pigs! (Signed by Jon Scieszka only)

Pack number two is perfect for the YA lovers...especially ones who heart them some romance. "Heart" being the operative word, since both books feature hearts on the cover! Pack #2 includes signed hardcovers of Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan and Tangled by Carolyn Mackler!

And finally, for all you swag lovers out there, I've got just the thing for you! The swag pack, featuring the following items:

• Bookmarks!
• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
• Prophecy of the Sisters/Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink
• Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr (signed!)
• The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
• The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
• Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff (signed!)
• Sea by Heidi R. Kling
• Perfect Fifths/Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty (signed!)
• Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
• The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
• Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu
• The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez 
• Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes
• An Eat, Prey, Love sticker for Carrie Ryan's books!
• A cute little notebook!  
• Harry Potter Silly Bandz!
• And more fun surprises! 

*Takes announcer voice off*

OK, so there you have it. The deets on this one are simple - everyone is eligible. You don't have to be a follower. There's no tweeting for extra points (though if you want to spread the word for good karma, I'll think you're pretty much awesome.) I'm just trying to find a way to say thanks to my readers for being so awesome and supportive this past year.

I hope this gets the job done.

Don't make me come to each of your houses individually. Cause I totally will. Eventually.

Giveaway ends Friday, September 5. November 5. (Because a year would be a ridiculous amount of time for a giveaway. And thanks to Twitter user @Sparima for catching my goof!)

Fill out the form to enter! (Click here to open the form in a separate window/tab.)

Giveaway ends tomorrow!

Just a friendly reminder that tomorrow is the last day to enter to win a signed copy of either Sisters Red, signed by Jackson Pearce, or Audrey, Wait! signed by Robin Benway!

Fill out the form to enter! *

And I'll see you tomorrow with a less lazy post!

*Please remember I'm trying to let my humor show through on the options. I hope you new followers don't think I'm weird.

Decatur Book Festival and a GIVEAWAY!!!

I know you all are only here because you saw the word GIVEAWAY in the title, and you really don't give a crap about the rest of this post. So if you want to be a lame person and skip all the AWESOME that is inside of this post, then you can scroll down to the bottom, because that's where I talk FREE SIGNED STUFF. But if you stick around for the rest of the post, that would be cool and awesome and you'll certainly be glad you did.

So I spent this Labor Day weekend in the charming town of Decatur, GA, which is sort of part of Atlanta, but sort of not. It was the 2010 Decatur Book Festival and HOLY CRAP YOU GUISE. It was awesome. There was enough fat kid food (fried candy bars, funnel cakes, gyros, sausages, corn dogs, and italian ice) to feed a large army, and more famous authors than you can shake a stick at. (But why would you want to shake a stick at famous authors? They are famous and write awesome books.)

Here are some of the people I met this weekend. (I have more pictures on my camera, but my battery is dead and I can't find my charger and plus my uploader cord thing is way on the other side of the house. So most of these pictures are stolen or from my phone, which isn't the greatest quality. But I digress.)

Here's me (in the green) with friends Crystal, Natalie, Anna, Leah, and Julie, and author-friends Rachel Hawkins and Nancy Werlin! I'm so excited I finally got to meet Rachel, after exchanging witty banter with her on Twitter for months. Have you read Hex Hall? It is awesome. Srsly. READ IT. Nancy Werlin was also wonderful. She and Rachel were in a panel together about Real Issues in an Unreal World. They talked about how teens like books with paranormal elements because they allow them the chance to escape and see themselves in these characters, even when their own lives are totally crazy.

I also got to sit in on a panel with David Levithan and Terra Elan McVoy (I KNOW! Cue hyperventilation). I loved this panel because it was much more a dialogue between the two authors than a moderated Q and A (though they did accept some questions from the audience at the end). Both Terra and David were just ADORBS, and they read from their books. When David read the "smiley face" in his IM scene in Will Grayson, Will Grayson, I wanted to die a little because it was so effing cute.

They talked about writing realistic romance scenes, and how both of them pulled from their real life but then added something extra. For example, David mentioned how the scene in Love is the Higher Law where two characters go on a date a few days after 9/11, but aren't sure if it's OK to be on a date or what the attacks have changed, is based on something that happened to him. Terra said that when she's actually kissing someone it might just be about OMGOMGOMG I'M GETTING KISSED!!! But that's not fun to read, so you have to go back and really think about what the kissing feels like. Both of them said that the truth in romance comes from writing not just the parts where the romance succeeds, but from writing the parts where it fails a little, too. (Which can be funny, but also sad.)

I also got to meet Carrie Ryan and Alyxandra Harvey, but sadly I have no pictures because we were wayyyyy in the back and I'm still shy/awkward about asking for pictures as I fangirl. (Probably because my camera is huge and embarrassing.) But the session was fun, and I learned that Alyx doesn't outline when she writes, and Carrie thinks that this can be an effective way to work, because if you as the writer  don't know what's coming up, you might keep your reader guessing, too.

Up next we have the awesome Noni Carter, who is only 19, and started her book, Good Fortune, when she was 2. OK, really she was 13. Seriously. She's currently a freshman at Harvard. She makes me want to cry because I am so unaccomplished. Next to her is Christina Diaz-Gonzalez, author of The Red Umbrella, a YA historical fiction about Operation Pedro Pan which I gobbled up in the 24 hours following the festival. I met Christina at SCBWI and she was sweet as pie, and it seems that she hasn't soured in the last month or so. Both of these debut authors are women to watch for.

That's Anna, Natalie, Crystal, and me (this time in blue! And I'm not super short, I was just apparently the only one who did the Sorority Squat) with Robin Benway, Jackson Pearce, and Michelle Zink)

I have to admit, though, that my absolute favorite panel was the one with Michelle Zink, Robin Benway, and Jackson Pearce. It was called "Sibling Rivalry of the Best and Worst Kind" and these ladies had me rolling. All of their books have been on my radar - and I've already read Audrey, Wait! and loved it - but nothing like meeting the authors in person and seeing how fantastic they are will get you to want to take the rest of your life off from work and just readreadread. Robin Benway did tell me I should quit my day job. (No, really, I swear she did.) Anyway, here is the advice that these ladies had to offer:

From Jackson Pearce: Do whatever you want to do. You can be a writer and people will pay you for it. You might have to eat Ramen for awhile, but you can make it happen.

From Michelle Zink: Finish something. Writers are consummate starters, but actually finishing a project - from first draft through to revision - is better than any quick-start writing exercise there is. Don't let that new idea pull you in. Finish something.

From Robin Benway: Live. The experiences you will have by just being out in the world will make you a better writer.

OK, and now the part that you all actually care about! The giveaway! YAY!!!

Alright, so I'm a bad blogger. I teased last Friday and also at one point on Twitter that I would have a signed copy of Clockwork Angel to give away. And I totally thought that I would. I bought the book in advance, got all excited to have such an awesome prize to give out, only to find out that Cassandra Clare would only be able to sign books if you purchase her most recent title at the festival. The decision, handed down to her on high, is explained logically on her LiveJournal, so I'm not mad or bitter or anything, just sad that I didn't know in advance. Because I didn't plan to spend an extra $20, so sadly I didn't have it in the budget to make that prize happen.

BUT!!!! I have other awesome prizes to give away, so no one should be sad.

What's up for grabs, you ask??

A signed hardcover of SISTERS RED by Jackson Pearce*
or
A signed hardcover of AUDREY, WAIT! by Robin Benway

Dang. Those are some awesome prizes!!! I have more but I'm saving it for my blogversary, which is coming up in October! (Yeah. I'm a prize-hoarder. I'm weird like that.)

There will be two winners. You can choose if you want to enter to win one or both, so if you already have one or the other you can totally still enter. And you don't have to be a blog follower to enter, but you will get extra entries for being one, as outlined on my ridiculous entry form. And I'll like you more. Plus my blog is awesome.

Click here to fill out the entry-thingie! Contest closes on Friday, September 17. If you want to tweet about it, feel free (but not obligated), to use this convenient Twitter-sized tweet:

Win signed hardcovers of Sisters Red and Audrey, Wait! in an awesome contest from @HeatherTrese! http://bit.ly/akke1G 

Winner will be announced on either Saturday the 18th or maybe in the 19th's Sunday Funday edition - for extra fun! (OK I think it's past my bedtime here.)

*(OK, I should tell you that there is a small, tiny amount of tearing on the first 10 pages of this book. It's just like a little slit, about an inch, at the bottom. It's not my fault, it was totally like that when I bought it, but of course I didn't notice it until I got to Atlanta, which of course was too late to ship it back. So I got it signed anyway. But honestly, it's still a signed copy of an awesome book. For free. So it's not that bad.)

Contest Winner!

The FORGIVE MY FINS and GOTH GIRL RISING (plus extra swag) contest is closed!

I came this close to 200 followers, but never quite got there, so sadly that third book I was going to give away will remain in my possession (for now anyway...*evil laugh*). But don't be sad, because we have a winner!

I let random.org do the picking for me. And out of 156 entries, random.org liked number 22 the best. And number 22 is...

Elizabeth Briggs!!!

Congratulations, Elizabeth! I'm sending you an email in about 2.5 seconds. If I don't hear from you in 72 hours, I'll be forced to pick a new winner. And that's not good for anyone (except maybe the new winner).

Have a great day everyone!

The "Just Because" Contest!

I have stuff to give away. And there's no point in keeping it in any longer.

I was going to wait until I hit 200, but...meh. I like you people too much. And, let's face it, I've been neglecting you lately. There's no sense in my whole world revolving around me and my blog. That's just silly. It should be about you and what you want. And I know you want these books.

How do I know that?

Because they are awesome.

BOOK 1:
An ARC of Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs!!!!

OMG, the cover is so gorgeous it makes me squee.

BOOK 2:
A signed hardcover copy of Goth Girl Rising by Barry Lyga (donated by the author)!!!

A creeptastically perfect use of more blue lipstick.

MISC. BOOK-RELATED ITEM 3: Bookmarks, swag, notebooks, etc. Including something that I whittled. (No, really! OK, I won't whittle it, but I will hand-make it.)

And, if I hit 200 followers during the contest, I'll add another book...but you won't find out what it is unless I have to give it away! (Hint: It's by a debut author. It was released this year. And it's awesome. But that doesn't really narrow it down, does it?)

Want to enter? It's simple! Just click here to fill out the form! (Or scroll to the bottom of the post and fill out the embedded one. But it looks kind of wonky because it doesn't fit in blogger's frame.)


You must be a follower to win! Giveaway closes at midnight on Wednesday, May 12. Winner announced on Thursday May 13 (chosen using random.org)


Good luck! 


Embedded form:

Library Appreciation Part 2: My Favorite Library Worker!

Yesterday was Library Appreciation Day, part of the blogging world's effort to raise awareness about National Library Week. I wrote a post about my local library, and originally I thought I was going to leave it at that. But then I remembered that I know a librarian! And not only do I know her, but I consider her one of my close friends - even though we met online and I've only seen her in real life once (and I know none of you will think I'm crazy for saying that, because you get what it means to be able to have real friends that you met online.) Best of all, she told me that today was National Library Worker's Day! Obviously, I had to celebrate my friend, and workers around the country, by having her here on my blog.

So, blog-followers, meet Julie. Julie is awesome. She is incredibly kind, beautiful (she's the blond in the picture), intelligent, and has the sweetest voice I've ever heard (seriously. I almost died when I met her because her voice is so cute.) She's also a book blogger, so after you get to know her, you should check out her blog, Book Hooked!

*****

Heather: Welcome to the blog, Julie! Tell us about your job.
 

Julie: I work at a small technical school that offers degrees in Computer Drafting and Design, Information Technology, Electronics, and Criminal Justice.  The largest part of my job is building our collection and working with students on basic information literacy skills.  Most of our students are non-traditional, over the age of 25, and below the poverty line.  I do a LOT of basic skills training - using a computer, spelling, how to use the Internet, etc.

H:  It sounds like you make a huge difference! How long have you been working at the library? 

J: Two years, although technically I'm only a library assistant.  My school is so small that I am the only library staff, so I do the same duties as a librarian, but I won't have the official "librarian" title until I finish my MLS degree in December.

H: Titles, schmitles...you do the work, you're a librarian to me! (And trust me, she does a LOT of work! She's done some amazing programs in the past for her students to bring awareness about literary events, and this month she's hosting two "break the rules" nights in the library, as well as a school-wide trivia game. She's also hosting a haiku workshop! She's amazing. All of this programming for no extra money and little additional praise!) Why did you decide to become a librarian? 

J: I graduated college with a BA in English, which doesn't give a whole lot of career options :)  This is something I decided to try and have loved, so I went on for my graduate degree!

H: I know what you mean about options! Even with my degree in journalism, I pretty much could work at a newspaper, or a magazine. What do you like most about your job?

J: Loving on my students and seeing them get excited about learning.  I have a few who are incredibly dedicated and work so hard to improve their lives - seeing that and getting to be a part of it is inspiring.

H: I hear you talk about that a lot, and it makes me want your job! Is there anything you don't like? 

J: My main pet peeve is being treated like a secretary or babysitter.  Lots of faculty want me to make copies for them or watch their classes and that drives me nuts.  I also hate hearing "so you just paid to sit around and read books all day?"  I wish.

H: OK, so on to the topic of the day: library worker appreciation! What do your students do on a regular basis to make you feel appreciated?

J: I do a lot of work that I feel like is "behind the scenes" - making tutorials and websites and working on events that students don't see - so when one of them notices and just says "thank you" it means a lot.  Even little things like stopping by to tell me hello or offering to watch me walk to my car after dark or telling me to drive safely make me feel appreciated.  I had a student tell me one time that I was the only "authority" he could talk to about his personal life who didn't make him feel stupid.  That kind of stuff can keep me going for weeks! 

H: What can library patrons in general (like me and my blog readers) do to make sure that their librarians feel appreciated today?

J: Just saying thanks really goes a long way.  Realize that your librarians are not sitting behind a desk reading books all day.  It might look like they're just chilling out behind the desk, but I promise they aren't.  Someone has to make the websites, flyers, programs, type the spine labels, etc.  Just hearing someone say "you did a good job" or "I enjoyed that event" can really make a difference.

H: OK, note to self: bring thank-you cards and baked goods to my library the next time I go! With budget cuts, e-Books, and the Internet becoming even more widely available (literally at our fingers all the time), what do you think the future role of the library will be?

J: A lot of people say that libraries are on their way out, but I really just can't see that.  The demand for information is always increasing and, especially with the down turn in the economy, are more necessary than ever, especially for the unemployed and those who live below the poverty line.  So many people in urban areas depend on libraries for access to the internet, as well as books, magazines, newspapers.  I really love to hear stories of communities pulling together to keep their libraries open because they really show how much the community depends on the library as a source of information.

H: OK, enough of the serious stuff...time for two fun questions! If you could work at any library, anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

J: That is such a hard question!  I'd love to get some experience at a public library, but I really think that in the long run academic libraries are my cup of tea.  I'd really love to find a job doing reader's advisory services in any setting - getting paid to tell people what to read is my dream job!

H: Well, on that note...get some practice! Tell my readers to read any book. Go! 

J: Read Till We Have Faces by CS Lewis.  Best book ever!

*****

Thanks for stopping by, Julie! Don't forget to check out her blog!

P.S. I cut two people out of that picture of Julie and me. I feel a little bad about it, because they are really awesome people. But I didn't have time to ask their permission to put their picture all over my blog, and I thought posting without their permission would be rude. But the good news is they both have blogs! And they're both hosting SIGNED Hex Hall giveaways right now!!! (Crystal also has Princess for Hire and Leaving Gee's Bend!) So you should head over to Crystal from Crystal Clear Reading and Leah from My Life: Uncensored blogs, say hello, and enter their giveaways!

Don't ask questions...

Just click here, and enter this amazing contest hosted by Sarah Wylie (to win critiques, lunch with agents, and TWIZZLERS!!!).

You'll be glad you did.

100 Followers Giveaway!!

Before I get to the contest details, I want to tell you to check out my guest post on Forever Young, a YA Lit Blog, where I talk about Will Grayson, Will Grayson! Jessica's blog is one of my very favorite YA book blogs, and it helps that she's a super awesome person. You should check it out if you haven't already!

Hey everyone! Guess what? I have 100 followers!! Woot!

I've only been blogging since October 28, 2009, so this feels like a pretty big accomplishment to me. In just four short months, 100 people, most of them people I've never even met in real life, thought my blog was interesting enough to click that little follow button over there and read what I have to say. You comment on my posts and fill my heart with joy. So for that, I must say thank you!

And what better way to say thank you than with some FREE BOOKS!!

I agonized for some time over what books to give away. After all, my last giveaway had some signed books by bestselling authors, and unfortunately I don't have access to that right now. There are some YA books I'd love to give away, but I know not all of my readers are into YA, and right now I want to thank ALL of you. I also know that not all of my readers are writers, but ultimately this is a writing blog, so I've decided to give away some books on writing.

What can you win?

As my readers are all over the place in terms of where they are in the writing process, I'm giving one lucky winner two books, which should help at different stages of the writing process.

The first book, The Art of War for Writers, is one I recently picked up for myself. This one is a more recent publication, but I've heard nothing but good things about this little red book. It has three sections, Reconnaissance (preparing to write well), Tactics (how to write well), and Strategy (how to sell your writing).

The second book is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. This is one that's been on my to-read list for awhile, and seems to be full of the kind of editing advice that every writer wants. It was written by a former publisher, and has information on how to edit your novel like the editor for a publishing house would. There is even a page where they authors mark up a scene from The Great Gatsby - a book I loathe, which I'm sure could be greatly improved.   

You'll also win a few extra goodies, one of which will be handcrafted by me!

And because the whole point of this contest is to thank you and tell you how awesome I think you are, I'm going to make it extremely easy for you to enter. All you need to do to win is be a blog follower. That's it. No extra entries (though it would still be awesome if you helped spread the word, and maybe if you followed me on Twitter). No crazy point-counting. Just make sure you're following me, then fill out the form below.

Contest ends on Friday, March 5. Good luck!

Seriously amazing contests!

There are some amazing contests going on this week and I had to share the details! Elana Johnson and Shelli from Market My Words are holding simultaneous contests, and they are both awesome!

Elana is giving away:

• 5 Query Critiques by five top literary agents 
• 5 free copies of her eBook, each with a free query critique from Elana
• 5 writing tools prize packages

Get the details here!

Shelli is giving away daily prizes, plus some EPIC prizes on Friday and an even MORE epic prizes related to a scavenger hunt.

See her blog for more details.

You must be followers of BOTH blogs in order to qualify for the prizes. But you won't regret following either of them, because both of the blogs have outstanding content!

And speaking of contests...I'm only 10 followers away from 100 followers!! OMG!!! And when I hit 100, I'll host a contest where I give away some fab books. So spread the word about how awesome I am :)

Win an ARC of LINGER!!!!

I'm bumping this afternoon's blog post to tonight for a VERY EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT:

Frankie is giving an ARC of LINGER away!!! Because she is awesome and covered in delicious, 100% vegan awesomesauce.

Just look at how pretty it is:

Click here to enter! (And let her know I sent you!)

And stay tuned tonight for your regularly scheduled blog post, in which I talk about something much less exciting than a free ARC of Linger.

Query critique contest! (Don't worry...I'm not hosting.)

A lot of you are getting ready to query. Being not only unpublished, but not even ready to query myself, I can't really offer my readers any advice on how to write a query or make queries any better. (How many times can I saw query in one post? QueryQueryBoBeeryBananaFanaFoFeeryMeMyMoMeery....Query!)

I can, however, link to this awesome query contest put on by Kathleen Ortiz, known on Twitter as @KOrtizzle, tweeter of hilarious things she gets in queries (seriously. A recent tweet said, ""Um...queries in first person POV from the character's POV are really creepy #pubtip") She's giving away two query critiques, and not crappy critiques, but good, quality, "she'll bust out the red pen and tell you what she REALLY thinks" critiques.


Enter the contest here! If you do, please mention that @HeatherTrese sent you! (You get extra points for the referral, too!)


Does the idea of having my query ripped apart by an agent totally terrify me? Of course. But it's got to happen eventually, and at least this way the ultimate goal is constructive feedback, right? RIGHT?

I can haz winners? (Also: making time to write)

 I drew the winners of my first-ever contest!!! Hooray!!

But before I announce them...let's have a post. (Mwahahaha...that's my evil, I'm-keeping-you-in-suspense laugh. Is it working?)

I was at a bar with one of my friends Saturday night and we were talking about one of her friends. This person was supposed to be producing art work for a show she'd agreed to do, but said she just couldn't find the time to create anything. She works full-time, and has a side job on the weekends, so by the time she gets home from work most nights she's just too exhausted to pick up her camera, canvas, or whatever and create. She misses her art, but she just doesn't have time anymore.

And you know what I said to that? Cry me an effing river. (Was that harsh? Maybe. Harsh but true.)

Here is my reality: I have a full-time job, a part-time job, and two freelance commitments. I also have two dogs and am married to an 8-year-old (no, really. I bought him Transformers boxers for one of his stocking stuffers.) All of these things take time, and I am, quite frankly, exhausted most days. (And I don't even have kids, like I know some of you do, so my house is quiet most nights.)

But I still can't wait to write, every single day. I spend time at work thinking about my next plot twist. I doodle my signature during phone calls so I will be prepared for future book signings. I even (OMG I can't believe I'm about to admit this) hold "interviews" with myself in the car sometimes (Wow, I am a freak.) And it's all because I love to write, and I can't wait to live my dream.

I honestly believe that if you have a passion for something, if you really want to do it, you will make time for it. I'm up most nights until 2am or later, writing or reading. Other writers I've talked to are up at 5am banging out a few hundred words before their kids get up, or before they go to work. The point is, the ones who really care about it make it work. Maybe they steal 15 minutes here and there throughout the day, but they do it.

Now it might happen that you're in a slump. Maybe you used to write every day, but now you only write every other day, or a few times a week. One of my friends recently (as in, uh, today) recommitted herself to writing, and I think that's wonderful. If you're reading this and you've noticed that you've let your writing fall by the wayside lately, I want to challenge you to pick it up. Find little times when you can write. Skip an hour of TV to write instead. Stay up half an hour later and wake up half an hour earlier. Bring a notebook with you everywhere and write in line, at stoplights, or on the subway. Stop bathing. Do whatever you need to do - just write (although if you stop bathing, let me know so I can keep our relationship strictly online). 


OK, but enough about that...it's time to announce the WINNERS!!!!! of my first-ever contest!!!!!!

I had quite a few entries, and almost everyone earned extra points! I took everyone's entries, including extra points and tweets, and put them in an Excel sheet. Then I went to random.org and had it pick a number for me, and that's how I picked the winner!

The prizes were signed copies of The Given Day by Dennis Lehane and The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve!

We'll start with The Given Day...let's look at how pretty it is:

Oooo, aaaah.

OK, and the winner is....number 35!!

which is...

Tameka!!!!

OK, for The Pilot's Wife, the winner is...number 42!!!


Oh, wait, we forgot to drool over the prize, didn't we?

Ooo....aaah!

OK, and number 42 is Carol from Carol's Prints!

I am especially excited to give this book to Carol because, before she even knew I was giving away a signed book, she left a comment on one of my posts (On Beginnings) which read:

And I LOVE Anita Shreve ... I am crazy jealous of you right now.

So I feel like I made her verra happy.

Congrats to Carol and Tameka! You have 72 hours to claim your prize - just shoot me an email at heather (dot) trese (at) gmail (dot) come with your address and I'll ship your goodies out this week! And to those of you who didn't win...I really, really wish I had enough prizes for everyone, because people wrote some really sweet messages! But never fear because....

I am approaching 100 followers pretty quickly. Once I get there I will be hosting another contest, so tell your friends to stop on by!

Last call!!

Have you entered my contest yet? Today's the last day! Look how pretty these books are:

Oooooo

Aaaahhhh

Amazing!

Enter here! 

My first contest!!! *Throws confetti*

We all love to read. I know not everyone who reads this blog is a writer, but if you're not a writer, you're a reader, or you're a friend/family member of mine, which means that you probably enjoy reading. And last week, I got to meet some very cool authors. So, as a thank-you for putting up with my ramblings, and just because I finally have something worthy of giving away...

I'm giving away signed books!!!! Woot!

Which books can you win?

The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve (signed paperback)

or


The Given Day by Dennis Lehane (signed paperback...I thought fewer people would have this than Shutter Island, and it's amazing)

Now, I know this might not be as exciting as some awesome YA books, because many of the people who read this blog are YA writers/lovers, like me. BUT both of these authors are incredible, and I firmly believe that you can learn something from any book, even if it's bad (which these books aren't) or out of your genre (which these books might be). Plus, did I mention they're signed???!!! Here's proof (excuse the crappy quality, my BlackBerry can only do so much):

Pretty awesome, right?

Here are the rules:

1. You must be a follower to enter. (But you can become a follower now! Just click on that little button over on the right that says "Follow!") You get a few extra points for being an old follower. 
2. You must be 13 or older, and you must live in the U.S. or Canada. Sorry!!! Since I already have the books, it's too expensive to ship overseas. 
3. You are allowed to specify which book you want to win, and you can enter to win both. You can't actually win both books, though. If for some reason random.org picks your number(s) for both books, I'll email you and ask which you'd prefer, then pick a new winner for the second book. 
   
4. Contest ends at 11:59PM on February 1, 2009.
   

Here's how the entries work:

1. Fill out the form at the end of this post to enter. If you have questions, post them in the comments and I'll answer there, or shoot me an email. 
   
2. New followers get 2 entries; people who were already following me get 5.
3. Post a whole blog entry about it (on it's own) for 5 extra entries. Put it in your sidebar or mention it in a post and get an extra 3. Links on FB or other Web sites (NBC excluded, since I'll be posting there...sorry!) get 3 points also. 
4. Tweets get an extra point for each tweet, and you can gain up to two points per day this way. In order for your tweet to count, be sure to include my Twitter name, @HeatherTrese in your tweet, and make sure I know what your Twitter name is so I can match up your entry to your Twitter account! Don't count any tweets when you add up the total below; I'll add those all in myself. 
5. If you refer a new follower to my blog, you get 3 extra entries.  
   

And that's it! Seems complicated...but I'll check all the entries to make sure everyone gets the points they deserve!

Just fill out the form below to enter...good luck!

I was gone all weekend...here's a contest!! (Not mine, of course.)

That's right. I was gone ALL weekend...Friday, Saturday...I even missed SUNDAY FUNDAY!!! (which I know just breaks all of your hearts.) But I promise I have a good excuse, because Saturday was my birthday! I've now been on this planet for a quarter of a century. And yesterday was my husband's birthday! So between all that partying, eating cake, and watching disappointing movie reenactments of my favorite novel of all time (more on that in a later update), I just didn't have time to say hello to my blogging friends. I'm so, so sorry. I will be posting a real update later, but for now, a peace offering...

The wonderful and fabulous Shannon at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe is having a contest! Go enter it! Win books by Lisa Schroeder! And follow her blog, because it's awesome, hilarious, and I've learned a lot from her.

Just a quickie! (And a contest!...but not mine)

Edit: After titling this, I realized that apparently I don't really know the meaning of a "quickie." Hm...

First thing's first: Sara at The Babbling Flow of a Fledgling Scribbler is having a pretty cool contest. You should sign up! You should also follow her blog, because it is awesome. (And if you do follow her blog, and it's because I said it was awesome, then please let her know that I sent you, because I really want to win The Dark Divine. Like, really. And I could always use some more books on craft (especially since I'm currently editing my first draft...eek!)

Speaking of that whole editing thing....it is very time-consuming, this book editing. I have hardly any chance to read the pile of library books I have, not to mention the nine 25-page manuscripts I have to read by January 18 for my conference. But I'm plugging away, and things are going...OK I guess. This is the first time I've done this, so I have no benchmark to say if this is easier or harder than the first novel I edited. Plus the MC for my next novel just won't get out of my head. (LEAVE ME ALONE, JULIE ALONSO/HERNANDEZ/OROPESA. I HAVEN'T EVEN SETTLED ON A LAST NAME FOR YOU YET, CLEARLY IT'S NOT YOUR TURN, AND IF THINGS GO WELL FOR KAIA YOU MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT SEVERAL YEARS, SO STFU.) But it's fun. The aforementioned Sara inspired me to start keeping all of my deleted scenes in a separate "deleted scenes" file, so now I'm doing that. It's going to be depressing at the end to see how much ends up on the cutting room floor, but ultimately I might get a kick out of it.

Since I can't actually read a novel that isn't for my workshop/crit, I've been listening to Shiver on audio on my way to and from work (literally a 10 minute commute. I also ate lunch in my car yesterday, but I parked by the water so I didn't feel too lame.) I'm still on the fence about it. The writing is beautiful, if occasionally overflowery, and I love the alternating narrative (and my narrators are AMAZING). The author definitely handles that well. But Grace and Sam haven't pulled me in as characters yet, and their story isn't exciting yet. I'm only about halfway through, though, so we'll see. 
 
In other news, my amazingly talented graphic artist friend (who is probably reading this right now and blushing/laughing that I'm even mentioning this) has agreed to take time out of her busy winter vacation from school to design me a new blog layout! Hooray! I'm very excited for this, and you should be too. Having talented friends is amazing, and when she gets married maybe I'll awkwardly read a weird poem about love or something.*

And finally, I realize that I live in Florida and have no right to complain, but our heat doesn't work and it's 50* inside my house. Considering that we normally keep it around 78*...Typing hurts my fingers. If anyone buys me these, I will be your BFF. Kthanksbye.

#BacktoeditingIgo**

*I'll take random Sex and the City reference for $500, Alex.

**Because, of course, #hashtagsareawesome

More contests! (that don't belong to me)

The First Novels Club (a funny, insightful blog!) is giving away an ARC of debut author Bree Despain's paranormal YA The Dark Devine. It looks very intriguing, and hello, gorgeous cover art! Follow this link for a hilarious/excellent review and more info about the contest!

One of these days, I will have something of my own to give away. But for now, unless you want a signed copy of...nothing...you'll have to settle for links to the other awesome blogs I follow.

Another great contest!

I don't have any free stuff to give away (yet), so I'm just linking to other people who do.

Shannon at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe is giving away a signed copy of Twilight! For the details, click here!

Announcing a great contest!

The First Novels Club, a great blog which daily makes me wish I had an awesome critique group (I'm working on it), is hosting a fabulous contest! Prizes include:

- set of four Leviathan postcards
- Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks pin
- Sarah Dessen magnets
- Liar bookmark

PLUS: A SIGNED hardcover of Sarah Dessen's Along for the Ride, and an ARC of Will Grayson, Will Grayson signed by David Levithan.

Details are here! (OK, you will eventually get to the part where you find out that I added this here so that I could get another entry. I won't deny it. I'm been eyeing that Levithan/Green book ever since it was listed on the Goodreads First Reads page. But it's still a great contest, and since I don't have anything awesome to give away yet, I thought I would at least spread the joy of other amazing contests.)