. . . and other cool prizes. I've just gotten back from two days of school/ library visits (hi, Franklin & Smithfield!)

This is just a reminder that the giant Ballad contest deadline is coming up: Halloween, midnight, winners to be announced the next day.

Prizes include a critique of your first chapter by all the Merry Sisters of Fate: me. Brenna Yovanoff, whose book THE REPLACEMENT was sold at auction and comes out next year. Tessa Gratton, whose book BLOOD MAGIC was also sold at auction and ALSO comes out next year.

And tons of book swag. Ah, hell, I'll just copy and paste the prizes and rules here.

The absolute grand prize about which I am enormously excited is

A 1 chapter (or 15 double-spaced pages, whichever comes first) critique by all three of the Merry Sisters of Fate:
me, Brenna Yovanoff (author of forthcoming FE in '10)(brennayovanoff ) and Tessa Gratton (possessor of secret news I wish I could share)(everflame ). These are my two critique partners, who read every manuscript I write before it makes it to my editors. They rip and tear my manuscripts apart and put them back together like nobody's business. I would not be who I was without them and I'm thrilled that they've agreed to do this.


The first prize is this swank messenger bag. Not just a swank messenger bag, but a swank messenger bag stuffed with a signed Ballad, a signed Lament, a signed Shiver, and a signed Shiver audio book.




And the second prize is stack of books all involving the paranormal and teens and death and good stuff:

a signed copy of BALLAD
NEED by Carrie Jones
GRACELING by Kristin Cashore
IMPOSSIBLE by Nancy Werlin
THIRSTY by M. T. Anderson

And the third prize is

a signed audiobook of Shiver (what? I have a lot of them)


And here are the rules:

To enter, you must find a copy of Ballad in the wild -- that is, in a bookstore of any ilk. You do not have to buy said copy of Ballad. All you have to do is whip out your camera or your cell phone and have someone take a picture of you holding it. That's one entry. That's it. You want another chance to win? Have your sister (or any person) pose next to you. Said person doesn't have to buy the book either. Or even hold a copy. She does need to be looking at the camera though. Want another chance to win? Have that random woman browsing the Sarah Dessen books stand next to your sister. Again, she doesn't have to hold the book. Or even know you. Just be willing to smile into the camera in proximity to someone holding the book. Each person in the photo represents an entry. So more people = more chances to win. Want visual examples? Of course you do.

FOUR ENTRIES. None of them know the king of the dead, but he's looking at the camera (I think. His eyes are shadowed.) He doesn't have to hold that book, but he is anyway because he's so darn thrilled to be in it.

Then what I need you to do is take the photos and post them somewhere online -- I don't care if it's your facebook, livejournal, photobucket, mom's website, whatever, that's not important. The only thing that's important is that you link them here. You can embed them directly in the comment if you have the voodoo to do that. Or you can just send me a link. Make sure it's someplace I can see it and do a headcount. Bonus prize to someone who gets more than 20 people in a photo. ;) I'll think of something good . . .

Got the idea?

Go!

All righty. I'm about to run off to Minnesota for six days of book related fun fun fun but before I left, I wanted to put up the rules and prizes for the most exciting Ballad contest yet (writers, listen up).

Okay, first of all, the prizes.

The absolute grand prize about which I am enormously excited is

A 1 chapter (or 15 double-spaced pages, whichever comes first) critique by all three of the Merry Sisters of Fate:
me, Brenna Yovanoff (author of forthcoming FE in '10)(brennayovanoff ) and Tessa Gratton (possessor of secret news I wish I could share)(everflame ). These are my two critique partners, who read every manuscript I write before it makes it to my editors. They rip and tear my manuscripts apart and put them back together like nobody's business. I would not be who I was without them and I'm thrilled that they've agreed to do this.


The first prize is this swank messenger bag. Not just a swank messenger bag, but a swank messenger bag stuffed with a signed Ballad, a signed Lament, a signed Shiver, and a signed Shiver audio book.




And the second prize is stack of books all involving the paranormal and teens and death and good stuff:

a signed copy of BALLAD
NEED by Carrie Jones
GRACELING by Kristin Cashore
IMPOSSIBLE by Nancy Werlin
THIRSTY by M. T. Anderson

And the third prize is

a signed audiobook of Shiver (what? I have a lot of them)


And here are the rules:

To enter, you must find a copy of Ballad in the wild -- that is, in a bookstore of any ilk. You do not have to buy said copy of Ballad. All you have to do is whip out your camera or your cell phone and have someone take a picture of you holding it. That's one entry. That's it. You want another chance to win? Have your sister pose next to you. She doesn't have to buy the book either. Or even hold a copy. She does need to be looking at the camera though. Want another chance to win? Have that random woman browsing the Sarah Dessen books stand next to your sister. Again, she doesn't have to hold the book. Or even know you. Just be willing to smile into the camera in proximity to someone holding the book. Want visual examples? Of course you do.

FOUR ENTRIES. None of them know the king of the dead, but he's looking at the camera (I think. His eyes are shadowed.) He doesn't have to hold that book, but he is anyway because he's so darn thrilled to be in it.

Then what I need you to do is take the photos and post them somewhere online -- I don't care if it's your facebook, livejournal, photobucket, mom's website, whatever, that's not important. The only thing that's important is that you link them here. You can embed them directly in the comment if you have the voodoo to do that. Or you can just send me a link. Make sure it's someplace I can see it and do a headcount. Bonus prize to someone who gets more than 20 people in a photo. ;) I'll think of something good . . .

Got the idea? Okay, to give you plenty of time to find it in the wild, we're running this baby through October 10th, which is the second Saturday in October. Pleeeeeennnnny of time to find it.

And with that said, here's the playlist for Ballad. I need to preface this by saying that I used a ton of Celtic music like this awesome Kila song, bands like Lunasa and Solas and singers like Iarla O Lionaird whose name is too awesome for me to spell however such music is not available on heathen sites like Imeem or Playlist.com. (their loss). For those who are interested in the finding of Celticky stuff, I will do a post on that when I get back and have loads of time.

Okay. So that behind me, here's the playlist of the rock music I used for Ballad. Those who loved the playlist for Shiver may be somewhat shocked as the Shiver playlist reflects the fact that Sam is the type of boy you could bring home to your parents. And James . . . is not.




See you guys in a week! Happy contesting!

If there was a thought bubble above my head right now, it would contain this:

If you're thinking, but that's nothing, you would be right. Because my mind has shorted out.

Barnes & Noble is now listing Ballad as "in stock" and available to ship! Early! I always get all psychologically prepared for the big release date and then reliably get my legs pulled out from under me when it gets in stock early.

Plus, I just got my author copies on Friday. Which means I'll be shipping out contest winners' books too. And the lovely fun contest, the funnest of them all, will be going up on Tuesday.

But for now WHOOHOO! Ballad is in the house!*



*and as always, if you want to make an author very happy and you're going to buy their book, do it it's released when at all possible, because it makes their numbers more shiny. And authors like shiny numbers. Just sayin'. Please?

Okay. So we had a total of 84 links/ entries -- which is pretty crazy-awesome. Thank you, guys, for getting the word out! Especially with Ballad, which doesn't haven't the collective might of a zillion ARCs like Shiver did, word of mouth is super important. So thank you.

Okay. The winners (email me with your address!):

1) One signed Shiver audio book goes to froggaritaville.

2) One signed Shiver audio book goes to devon81

3) And the mix CDs of homicidal faerie music and music written for Ballad goes to: missmagic188


Congrats to the winners. And if you didn't win, don't be sad. After I get back from Minnesota, I am having the World's Most Awesome Contest because the prize is THIS COOL.


That's all.

By the way, thanks to the reader who gave me the suggestion to put all the entries into a file as soon as they came in, numbered -- it made life REALLY EASY for the random number generator thing!!!

First of all, a reminder that tonight at 9 p.m. is the deadline for the Shiver/Ballad contest currently going on.

Secondly, I can't believe Shiver's on the NYT list for the 7th week. That stretches my brain into weird, unfamiliar parallelograms.

Third of all, remember that if you're thinking of coming to the Ballad Launch Party at Fountain Bookstore (Richmond VA, October 8th), call and reserve a copy of Ballad so that you can get a signed frame of the Ballad trailer art!

Fourth of all, if you are of the Chicago/ Minnesota persuasion, here are some dates for next week (everything bolded is open to public)(if you're at MBA, come see me!):

CHICAGO:

September 23rd, Wednesday, School visits.

23rd, Wednesday: 7:00-8:00 p.m. Anderson’s Bookshop, Downer’s Grove, 5112 Main St, Downers Grove, IL 60515, 630-963-2665

MINNESOTA:

September 24th, Thursday. School visit.

September 24th, Thursday, 7:00-8:00 p.m. The Red Balloon Bookshop, 891 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, 651/224-8320

at MBA conference : September 25th, Friday. Authors Moveable Feast at MBA Conference, St. Paul, MN

September 25th, Friday. Bookseller dinner.

at MBA: September 26th, Saturday, Author's Breakfast at MBA Conference, St. Paul, MN

at MBA: Saturday, inbooth signing at Flux's table, 2:00-2:45, formal autographing in audiotorium 5:00-5:30.

September 26th, Saturday, Signing w/ other Flux authors. 7:00-8:00 p.m. Barnes & Noble HarMar Mall, 2100 North Snelling Ave, Roseville, MN 55113


Okay, most exciting bit about this? Do you know what I'll be signing at the Barnes and Noble? BALLAD.

My publicist is checking in with the other two bookstores to see if they'll have Ballads as well as Lament and Shiver, but for sure, if you want a signed copy of Ballad, I'll have it on the last day of the visit. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Oh, and since this is a Ballad Thursday and I'm supposed to say something Ballad related, have the Booklist review for it that just came out:

Remember how I said I'd do a Ballad related post every Tuesday and Thursday until October 1st when it came out? Well, it's managed to be Tuesday again, so here goes. I will probably post about my DragonCon/ Decatur Book Festival adventures tomorrow. Or possibly a butt kicking or hopelessly inspirational post. It's been awhile since I've done one of those.

But first, a Ballad contest. Well, actually, it's a Ballad/ Shiver contest. Because you are playing for Shiver prizes but with Ballad content. Here are the prizes:

1) A signed Shiver audio book.
2) Another signed Shiver audio book.
3) A CD of my Homicidal Faerie Mix -- the music I played while writing Ballad

There are two ways to be eligible. One is for bloggers of all sorts. You post

1) the cover
2) the link to Amazon
3) The teaser

and then comment here with a link back to your post. Every comment is an entry (if you have two blogs, comment twice).

And the other is for Facebookers; it's less image intensive. You post
1) The teaser
2) the title
3) the link to Amazon

The contest ends next Thursday, the 17th.


Here's the teaser:

And the link for the Amazon page is here. Before you go running off to pre-order on Amazon, however, any of you who are planning on possibly coming to the October 8th launch at Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA, listen up. Everyone who reserves a copy of Ballad at Fountain Bookstore will get a signed frame from the trailer at the launch.

Okay, onto the html. For blogger entrants who want it the easy way, here's the html to grab and paste (just choose HTML view while posting your blog, then cut and paste this text:


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggiestiefvater/3248865066/" title="Ballad by Telltale Crumbs, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3092/3248865066_dbc846711b_m.jpg" alt="Ballad" align="right" height="386" width="250" /></a>This is a teaser from Maggie Stiefvater's BALLAD, a novel involving homicidal faeries and kissing that's coming out October 1st.

<blockquote>He turned towards me. For a long moment, he stood facing me. I was held, anchored to the ground – not by his music, which still called and pushed against the music already in my head and said <em>grow rise follow</em> – but by his strangeness. By his fingers, spread over the ground, holding something into the earth, by his shoulders, squared in a way that spoke of strength and unknowability, and most of all, by the great, thorny antlers that grew from his head, spanning the sky like branches.

Then he was gone, and I missed his going in the instant that the sun fell off the edge of the hill, abandoning the world to twilight.</blockquote>

Buy it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ballad-Gathering-Faerie-Maggie-Stiefvater/dp/0738714844/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_3">here</a>. Enter the contest at Maggie's blog <a href="http://m-stiefvater.livejournal.com">here</a>.

It is now one month out from Ballad's release date (October 1st), which means it's time to do some fun count down things. I think I shall spam you guys with Ballad stuff every Tuesday and Thursday until October 1st. Because #$%^ I am excited. Ballad was a huge jump forward for me, so I'm psyched to see what readers think of it.

For those of you who are unaware, Ballad is told from James' point of view. He was the bagpiping funny best friend in Lament, and he got upgraded to main character (making Ballad a standalone companion novel in the process). His story involves bagpiping, people getting burned alive, hungry souls, kings of the dead, and of course homicidal faeries. And snogging. There's always snogging. It's why I can't write picture books; they ask too many questions.

Anyway, so for Ballad Thursday #1 (I need a catchy name here), I thought I would share some embarrassing pictures of me from eight or ten years ago when I was first getting into my piping obsession. It was also before I had learned the meaning of the words "sexy" or "hairstyle," so I'm warning you, it will. not. be. pretty.

So. Join me as I saunter down memory lane.


Me looking sulky. Hey, I was 16. That was what my face always looked like.


Yes, I had hair down to my butt. What of it? Wait, I have further photographic evidence of long hair.


Me when I was 17 at an early Ballynoola band gig. I cut off all that hair in a rebellious act when I was 18. Partially to annoy my parents. Mostly to stop buckling it into my seat belt.


Yes, I had a kilt.

Me playing nicely in a group before my anarchic qualities kicked in in my 20s. Notice how they issued men sized small polos to the women. There was room for another piper in there. (That was not an invitation).


Me acting as both musician and bridesmaid at my older sister's wedding.I have always been good at multi-tasking. That is my husband's butt in the photo. We had just met a few weeks before this photo was taken. Which meant a few weeks after this photo was taken, we were engaged. See, I told you. Multi-tasking!


Now, before I leave you, I must tell the story of James and how he existed before this story. I actually wrote another novel with James in it before Lament came out and submitted it to agents. One agent wrote back that she was really enticed by the writing, but she was having a really hard time picturing a "rockin' bagpiper" without the benefit of, say, Korn backing them up. I fainted in a very Victorian manner and then I sent her this:


The Hellbound Train - Victoria Police Pipe Band

And you may also have this:


Congressional Reels (The Congress Reel, The Swallow Tailed Cost, Captain Chops, The Phoenix) - City Of Washington Pipe Band

If you're not convinced, I don't want to know.

Holy smokes I always underestimate how long it takes do tabulate contest entries when you're actually being honest about it. You know what I mean? You have to count the total number of entries from both blogs and then random number generate and then count through and make sure you've gotten the right number assigned to the right person and . . .

yeah, I know. You get it.

Anyway. I have winners, and I'm delighted to announce them!


winner of a finished copy of BALLAD, to be sent when I get them: mela_lyn

winner of another finished copy of BALLAD: persianfire

winner of a frame from the animated video: Sheri Mills Cook (who posted here as anon but left facebook link)

winner of the editor critique from Brian Farrey of Flux: cathschaffstump

and finally, winner of the Ballad ARC:

Jessica Kennedy! (who posted over on blogger)


Congrats folks and MAN thanks for the links love -- the BALLAD video got posted in over 250 places in five days. That's . . . insane. And I appreciate it!!

E-mail me, winners, and give me your mailing addresses!

Okay, so today I am kicking off two contests (in two separate posts) that I've been talking about forever. First of all, the contest for the coveted Ballad advanced review copy, of which I have but one.

The nitty gritty on Ballad: it's a companion book/ sequel to Lament, but it stands utterly on its own if you haven't read Lament. It's the story of James, a kick-a$$ bagpiper who's offered an irresistible deal by a dangerous faerie muse. There is nookie, slight gore, and of course homicidal faerie action. Also angst. And a king of the dead. It's good times.

The rules for this contest are the same as the Shiver video contest. There will be four prizes to four people:

1) One advanced review copy of BALLAD, mailed immediately upon end of contest
2) One finished copy of BALLAD, mailed when I get my copies (September)
3) One OTHER finished copy of BALLAD, mailed when I get my copies
4) A frame of the winner's choice from the video

To be eligible for the lovely prizes, you must post the trailer on your blog or Facebook or twitter. Obviously I'm happier if you embed the video (code below) on your blog or FB rather than just link it, but obviously on Twitter you have to just link. Every place you link it to is an additional entry. Places I'll accept as valid entries: Facebook, livejournal blog, blogger blog, wordpress blog, Twitter, Myspace (if anyone still uses the devil's playground that is Myspace). You can post it anywhere else (please do!) but those are the only ones I'm counting.

Please note this contest is also being mirrored on my blogger blog.

So: the video. I animated a storyboard for it with several hundred panels, and then my sister and I headed into the studio to record the jig I'd written for it. The tune will be available for free download on my site closer to the book's release date (October 1st). (The Shiver music is already available there.)

Here's the video:



Shoot! Forgot to say, contest closes this Friday at 9 p.m. EST.

My body finally decided today that it was time to stop puking and start working again. Only, just as I was getting ready to open my document to type, Fate decides to distract me. Because BALLAD's up for pre-order on Amazon finally! Whooo! Okay, so there is no cover image and it doesn't tell you the plot, but it's there. Somehow the year is zipping away without me noticing and it's kind of ominous how fast my release dates are approaching

Year, let me tell you something. It is time to stop and smell the roses. One day when you are old and crusty and near Christmas, you'll think "I wish I went by slower in the spring, especially before Maggie's deadline when the weather was so nice."

But back to Ballad.rj_anderson read it and said way too many nice things, which was already making me feel sort of giddy, and then Tamora Pierce sent me this email and blurb that just about made me die.


People. Tammy Pierce is saying that about my writing. Me. Sometimes I think I'm getting used to this idea of having three books up on Amazon when last year I had none and doing this full time and having Tamora Pierce say awesome things about my writing and flying to NYC and ALA and stuff and then sometimes, it just hits me like a fishslap and I'm left sort of blinking and staring stupidly.

Okay, I'm painfully aware that this post is getting very stream of consciousness, so I'm going to stop while I'm ahead. Because of puking, I didn't post about my signing in Alexandria, when I met up with BookChic and jmward14 , though it was entertaining (thanks for the company, James!) I did recover just in time to do a fun library talk at Porter Library yesterday (Martha, thanks again, the teens were great!).

Slightly saner post to come. Possibly.

Um, more sane posts later. Possibly.

GUYS! I can finally show you my cover for BALLAD!!!!!

No, I didn't do it, but Flux really listened closely to what I loved in covers (which they absolutely didn't have to do!) and I am sort of sickeningly in love with it. Thank you, editor Brian, if you're reading this!

Here's the blurb again:



And it comes out October. Is it not beautiful?


















.

This would be what I'd pick for BALLAD.

As it gets closer to when I find out what my cover will be for it and as my deadline approaches for writing LINGER, I'm paralyzed by my desire to mock up covers that probably look nothing like what I'll eventually get. Somebody STOP ME.

A very wee snippet from BALLAD for tonight. Rated SN for Slight Nookie. Well, maybe MN. I do use the word "grind," which is nicely evocative of Moderate Nookie, don't you think?

( Moderate Nookie beneath the cut )

I know I blabbed about this before, but it never ceases to be exciting once it's officially announced:

(from P.W. April deals)

April 28, 2008
Young Adult Maggie Steifvater's BALLAD, the sequel to Lament, in which a gifted teen at a music boarding school draws the attention of a dark faerie muse who strikes a Faustian bargain with her victims, and, when Halloween descends, he must choose between his long time friend/crush and the dark faerie herself, to Andrew Karre at Flux, by Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (World).

29,050 / 75,000 (38.7%)

I had to try one of these word count meters, just once.

And good gawd, these things are depressing. Though I guess if I've written 38% of the novel in 1/3rd of the 90 day deadline I had, I'm still on track, right?

My pacing on my latest WIP is starting to feel distinctly lumpy, which is a surefire sign that I need to go stick my nose into a book. Whenever I start to feel like my story is getting uneven or like I'm losing perspective, I can usually cure it by immersing myself in one or two really good novels in the same genre or age range.

I wonder if that means that the IRS would let me write those novels off as business expenses?

Dear Cocky Male Protagonist of Ballad,

If you are so freakin' kick ass, then why don't you get over here and kill all these ants that are inexplicably swarming my computer desk? I'm tired of picking them off my fingers while I type and I think they're going to carry away the computer soon.

Also, don't think I don't know what you're trying to do with the plot. Very. Funny. Ha. Ha. It's not going to work.

One step out of line, and you'll be a soprano for any subsequent books involving you as a character.

Love,

Maggie

Dear BALLAD, who yesterday was smirking at me and drinking from a pocket flask while whipping me senseless,


I've got you by the balls now. Oh ho ho, and we're going exactly where I want to. Yeah, I hear ya whimpering! I'm back in control and the next time you take off out of control during Nuala's POV, I'm going to flick my wrist and make you squeal like a little girl.


All my love,

Maggie

It's oh-dark-thirty in the morning and I'm up working BALLAD. I'm beginning to think that sequels are Evil, because I can't decide if I really like the scene I wrote last night or if it's smacks of fan fiction. My own fan fiction. You know, me knowing the characters so well that I finally just sad, "aw, hell, let's see what happens when these two characters kiss. Oh. Oh. Gawd. Ouch! Ouch!"

Um.

Anyway, we'll see what the crit parners think of it later. With STILL WOLF WATCHING, I felt nicely in control of my literary destiny. With BALLAD, I feel like it has not only taken the reins from me, but it has actually swapped places with me and now I'm pulling the carriage while it laughs wildly from the seat of the carriage, drinking from a pocket flask and whipping me every so often.

Okay. Off to go listen to my novel drink whisky and beat me.

I remember that my parents used to always threaten us kids that they'd send us to boarding school if we didn't behave (I was a very bad child -- along the lines of Wednesday Addams -- I still think I need to use Wednesday as a pen name) and it was a great threat until I hit 15 and started begging to go. I think I imagined Harry Potter-esque fun. Well, there was no Harry Potter then, so I probably imagined Jane Yolen Wizard school instead.

Anyway, I have a boarding school in my latest YA, through no fault of my own. And it's a #$%^& trying to balance school life with plot. So what other YAs are set at boarding schools? I know the Blue is for Nightmares series is. But what else? I don't need speculative fiction examples, just ones that did a good job giving the boarding school atmosphere and showing off the plot as well.