First, thank you all for participating in this giveway! The winner is (drum roll please...) Katrina W., who posted on January 22. I will be contacting Katrina by e-mail. And just a reminder, the book will not be available until the end of the June. As soon as I get my copies, I will mail one out to the winner. Thanks again to all of you!
ORIGINAL POST:
One of the absolute best things about being a writer—well, besides actually getting to write, which is way fun—is when we finally get to tell people about our new projects. See, we work in secret for so long, huddled in front of computer screens, crouched over laptops and pads of paper, that we actually start to live and breathe in our imaginary worlds. Our characters no longer feel made up. They’re real. And, along the way, some of them become our best friends.
But nobody else knows them. Just us. Even though these characters are wonderfully exciting and dangerous and heroic.
And then the day finally comes when we can talk about our next book. For me, today is that day. And I’m dancing-in-the-streets happy that I finally talk about FEAST: HARVEST OF DREAMS, my next urban fantasy novel which comes out on June 28, 2011.
This next book is a stand-alone and, from my perspective, it’s got everything. Romance. Mystery. Fantasy. It’s even got a new monster, one that I think readers are going to fall in love with. On top of that, I think this book will appeal to readers of adult fantasy and readers of YA fantasy, because the book has two plotlines. One deals with the main character, Maddie MacFadden, and the other deals with a 16-year-old girl named Elspeth. And it’s set in the mountains during Halloween and it’s full of scary twists and turns.
So, below is the awesome cover that the folks over at HarperCollins created for this book:
And here’s the back cover copy:
Halloween is a bad time to return to the woods…
Madeline MacFadden (“Mad Mac” to fans of her bestselling magical stories) spent blissful childhood summers in Ticonderoga Falls. And this is where she wants to be now that her adult life is falling apart. The dense surrounding forest holds many memories, some joyous, some tantalizingly only half-remembered. And she’s always believed there was something living in these wooded hills.
But Maddie doesn’t remember the dark parts—and knows nothing of the mountain legend that holds the area’s terrified residents captive. She has no recollection of Ash, the strange and magnificent creature who once saved her life as a child, even though it is the destiny of his kind to prey upon humanity. And soon it will be the Harvest…the time to feast.
Once again Maddie’s dreams—and her soul—are in grave danger. But magic runs deep during Harvest. Even a spinner of enchanted tales has wondrous powers of her own…
------------------------------------------
Hopefully that’s just enough to make you want more. (I know, I’m being a tease today!)
Anyway, I’m going to be giving away a signed of this book to one of the folks who posts a comment below. Please realize that I may not get my copies until May or June, but the winner will be at the TOP of my list when my books come in.
CONTEST RULES:
So here’s my question for you:
What’s the scariest, funniest or best thing that ever happened to you on Halloween? It can be an event or a party you attended, it can be your favorite costume or your favorite Halloween movie. It can even be your favorite Halloween candy. Just post that in your comments.
And remember that I’ll be giving away a signed copy to one of the people who makes a comment. To enter to win, please post a comment below.
Here are some of the ways that you can earn points:
1 point for commenting
5 points for commenting about this giveaway on Twitter
5 points for commenting about this giveaway on Facebook
20 points for posting the FEAST book cover and back cover copy on your blog, and linking to my website.
30 additional points for posting the FEAST book cover in your blog sidebar and linking to Amazon, where you can Pre-Order the book
Also, be sure to count up your points for me and to include them in your comments. And please include your e-mail address in your comment as well, so I know how to contact the winner.
This contest ends Friday, February 11, at midnight. The winner will be announced on Saturday, February 12.
Let the contest begin!
36 comments:
At the end of my block there is an old stone house with a clock tower. When I was a kid we were afraid to go trick or treating there because we all thought it was haunted.
The Halloween party when my hubby dressed as a mad scientist and I was an Erlenmeyer flask. It was made out of chicken wire and paper mache and I bumped into everyone and everything that night. Great fun!
Awesome post and contest Merrie, while I was over at your website I noticed that the date you have up for the release of FEAST is 6.28.10
Shouldn't that be 6.28.11????? I think you might need to check that out. Love the new look website though ♥ and I'll be heading back here soon to post all my entries once I've facebooked and tweeted etc:):)
Have a great day:)
Cath's Chatter,
Yikes! I need to fix that! Thanks so much for letting me know. =)
Once my mom took my sisters and I trick or treating and while we were walking by this house there was this coffin on the lawn. It suddenly popped open...my mom got really freaked out.Since she wasn't expecting it to do that she accidentally tripped and fell in.
My friend had a great costume her dad made that looked like Darth Vader. I just went as a witch. As we trick or treated, we had to pose for pics (they were being polite to ask me to be in them, but I didn't want to) or to have every relative that happened to be over to look at her costume. Lesson learned. Never wear a cool costume to trick or treat. It takes FOREVER to get your candy. :)
http://twitter.com/#!/BooksThings/status/27812845726990336
OH gosh the worst thing was that on the first Halloween that I had a drivers license my brother tossed a stuffed person that he filled some clothes in with hay and threw it at my car from a hill as I was driving home at night. I was so freaked out afterwards that I cased him down and sprayed his face with hairspray. He is four years older than me I might add, and he was deserving of it.
I cannot wait to Feast upon this read.
+1 commented
+5 facebooked the giveaway:Teri Hack
+20 blog posthttp://snarkymamma.blogspot.com/2011/01/wow-love-feast.html
+30 side bar on blog.
=56
terilhack at yahoo dot com
When I was 7 or 8 my Mom dressed me up in my brother's old baseball uniform. EVERYONE thought I was a "cute little boy." I refused to dress up for Halloween again. LOL
Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/QQwill/status/27807181818568704
Facebooked: Commented & shared on FB
Blogged:
http://qwillery.blogspot.com/2011/01/merrie-destefano-reveals-cover-for.html including link to your website
Added Feast to my sidebar including link to Amazon.com
I believe that is 61 points! :)
(TheQwillery aht gmail doht com)
Beautiful cover, Merrie!
While out of town for Halloween, a couple of friends and I decided to go yard gnoming because we didn't know any of the people there and they would never see us again. We rang doorbells and then ran to the yard and posed like yard gnomes, holding the poses for as long as possible before getting up and casual saying "trick-or-treat" and acting as if nothing had happened. We denied everything.
+1 comment
+5 Tweet
http://twitter.com/barbrafl/status/27865950241951744
Thanks for the contest!
barbrafl737 (at) yahoo (dot) com
We went trick or treating, and as we were walking up to the house someone grabbed my aunt legs from inside of a bush. My aunt's first reaction to hit so and she punched the guy in the face.
My youngest brother has very delicate features so one halloween we dressed him up as a girl. It was hilarious to see the double take on the neighbor's faces when they saw two girls at their doorsteps instead of a boy and a girl :D
My mother made all our Halloween costumes, and when I was seven, she made me a wonderful drum majorette costume. At my school, all the students would wear their costumes for the Halloween parade. When my teacher saw my costume, she liked it so much, I got to lead the parade!
My fave Halloween candy is the Reese's peanut butter pumpkins! Any Reese's shape is fine by me really!
I also like the Brach's pumpkins!
+20 Posted cover on my blog a few weeks ago: http://jessica-agreatread.blogspot.com/2010/12/cover-art-2-titles_31.html
jessbess2505[at]yahoo[dot]com
(don't enter me in this contest) My favorite moment of Halloween is when I am outside my decorated house and a group of kids yell "OMG, come see this house!" or "I remember this house from last year, it's the best"
yes, I am comparative about it. I want the best house on the block with the best candy .
okay, I meant competitive, not comparative, which I guess I am too .
WOW awesome cover! And that book comes out on my sons 5th birthday! How cool!
Fav costumes was this years when I dressed as a fallen angel.
much love Merrie
Here Halloween isn't celebrated as much as in the US, but we have a small Halloween party with a couple of friends every year. Last year we didn't have time to make a costume, but in 2009 I was dressed as a pirate! My owner made it for me and she dressed up as a pirate herself as well! I still have the costume somewhere.
+1 comment
+20 posting about the book
(really looking forward to reading it as it sounds really cool!)
= 21
(sullivanmcpig(at)gmail(dot)com)
Best costume was when I went as a pimp & my girlfriend, now partner, went as my 'hoe'. We actually came in 3rd in this giant halloween contest.
+1 comment
+5 - tweeted - http://twitter.com/Heatwave316/status/28277502015180800
heatwave96(at)hotmail.com
I just wanted to say how GORGEOUS your new cover is, and the book sounds awesome! Congrats!!!!!
Since Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday, every Halloween is special to me. I celebrate all season long by going to Haunted Attractions, legend tripping and attending fun parties.
+1 comment
+5 Twitter (http://bit.ly/gSPPcb, http://bit.ly/dRUT9q)
+5 Facebook (http://on.fb.me/fQ8Adm)
+20 blog post (http://bit.ly/ebxrUb)
+30 Feast book cover on sidebar & linked to Amazon. (http://www.midnytereader.com)
My favorite Halloween was attending a party when we had a scavenger hunt where we ran all around the town collecting items or pics of items....I was 1st runner up...Where the hell can a person find a BATMAN comic book! haha
1 point for commenting
5 points for commenting about this giveaway on Twitter
http://twitter.com/#!/scarletredwill/status/28959337116336128
5 points for commenting about this giveaway on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000261917248
20 points for posting the FEAST book cover and back cover copy (placed on my Facebook page with link to this page)
30 additional points for posting the FEAST book cover in your blog sidebar and linking to Amazon, where you can Pre-Order the book (placed Link for pre order on my Facebook page)
veltara@yahoo.com
Halloween is my most favorite holiday and I always make a costume and make a special new design for my pumpkins. My fav funniest Halloween memories are at my friend's Anna's comic book store parties. I mean what's more cool than a drunken Halloween party at a comic book store?
+1 comment
+5 tweet
+5 FB post
Love the cover! Favorite Halloween memory would be taking my 3 yr old niece trick or treating for the first time. She was so excited about it that she wouldn't sleep the whole day before. When it came time to go, she was so tired she fell asleep in full costume (a big puffy princess dress). It was the cutest thing I've ever seen. She did end up going for a little while so she could say she went :)
1 point for commenting
RT your tweet about the contest
Total=6 points
behindyelloweyes (at) yahoo (dot) com
Being In autralia we dont celebrate as much as overseas, but the kids still like to dress up, so we dressed my little miss as a zombie black faceboook, ragged clothes, makeup white eyes, took pics and we trick or treated she had a blast !! By the end of it we had everything in her bag of goodies from museli bars to fruit to lollies. Was a real treat !
Love the sound of this book.. I have
** 1+ commenting
5+ twittered under run_with_wolves
5+ facebooked under katrina whittaker linked amazon pre purchase and also book cover
+20 Made a blog post about your comp, linked back to your website,
+30
Blog sidebar and link to amazon purchase and side bar pic of book..
http://pageflipperz.blogspot.com/2011/01/supernatural-unground-giveaway-feast.html
61 points all up ;)
thanks for the great giveaway !!!
kittee_cat@bigponed.com
Katrina
I may be losing my marbles (which is altogether possible), but the cover model seems to be a cross between Leighton Meester & Scarlett Johansson...
I love the sound of this book Merrie, wishing you lots of success:)
+1 commenting
+20 points for posting the FEAST book cover and back cover copy on your blog
total = 21 points
cbcowley@gmail.com
Would love to win this sounds great.
Also shared it on my facebook page.
msuck27@hotmail.co.uk
I have to say Halloween is my favorite holiday. My husband and I raid our sons (Ryan 13 & Adam 6) candy haul. Its so much fun seeing all the was people invent costumes, and seeing the cute kids trick or treating.
11 points
jayne516@gmail.com
One year at Halloween my friend and I wrote a song and sang it to people when they opened the door:-)
+1 comment
+5 Twitter: http://twitter.com/mette_s_jensen/status/29972317329162240
+5 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/permalink.php?story_fbid=183087558390701&id=100000852732699
+20 Cover/link blog post: http://mysteriousrose.multiply.com/journal/item/56/FEAST_HARVEST_OF_DREAMS
+30 Cover in sidebar with link to Pre-Order: http://mysteriousrose.blogspot.com/(Left Sidebar)
Total: 61
forceofstars(at)yahoo(dot)dk
I love the cover Merrie!
The cover girl looks like Faith from Buffy kind of.
I love Halloween and my all time favorite costume was Rainbow Brite, it was awesome. =)
1 comment
20 posted on blog- http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/2011/01/waiting-on-wednesday-126-feast-harvest.html
30 posted on sidebar (under upcoming releases)
Total: 51
readingbetweenthewines10@gmail.com
Awesome giveaway! Count me in!!
+1
I tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/OoOooCiNdYooOoO
+5
6 Entries!
cmurphy213@yahoo.com
So my funnest Halloween would have to be when I was 15. Had a Halloween party and we decided to walk down to the river. It was about 1 mile from my house. Dark and cold. 5 boys and 7 girls. Every single one of the boys turned around about half way there. They were to scard. Needless to say we never let them live it down... Poor scard little boys. Not a good way to impress teenage girls.
Thank you for this giveaway.. Love Merrie and would love a chance to read this book
Points:
+1 for comment
+5 RT http://twitter.com/#!/kelAmU
+5 FB http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=1237552971
+20 Post on blog http://crazy4bookss.blogspot.com/
+30 posted pre-order button
http://crazy4bookss.blogspot.com/
Total Points: 61
Thank you again.
Kelly
crazybookfairy@gmail.com
Wow. I just have to tell all of you that I LOVE ALL of your comments! I've been reading them all along and enjoying every one of them. You are all so awesome! Thanks for stopping by, taking the time to tell us about your fun Halloween memories and for helping to spread the word about my next book.
You all get big cyber hugs!
=)
One of my favorite things about Halloween is eating seafood gumbo. We only get it once a year so it is something I look forward to. Thanks for the awesome giveaway! Sounds like a great book.
+1 comment.
chickenherder@hotmail.com
When I was little someone would always read Little Orphan Annie to the group after we got back from Tick or Treating. When I was older, we had shaving cream fights. Obviously we went from scary to silly as we aged.
+1 comment
+5 tweet - http://twitter.com/#!/DonnaS1/status/33355241508306944
+20 blog - http://donnasbloghome.blogspot.com/2011/02/feast-by-merrie-destefano.html
+30 sidebar - http://donnasbloghome.blogspot.com
total - 56
bacchus76 at myself dot com
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