Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Summer Lovin' Blog Tour: Guest Posts + GIVEAWAYS!

Aloha, everyone! :)

Are you ready for summer? Because I sure am! (I've heard that the whole world has been getting wacky weather, and it's not just us here in Canada.) The Summer Lovin' Bog Tour kicked off a few days ago and I'm so ecstatic to be a part of the blogging team. This tour features two super-sweet summer reads: While He Was Away by Karen Schreck and The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond.

While He Was Away focuses on a girl's life when her boyfriend is sent of to fight in the war, and she has to deal with the hardships and uncertainty of being an army girlfriend.

The Summer of No Regrets is about a girl who stumbles upon a boy she thinks is a celebrity in disguise and prepares for one brilliant, beautiful, and memorable summer full of Hollywood gossip and troublesome bad boys.

I have both authors here for guest posts and giveaways, so have fun! :)

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Guest post with Karen Schreck: 
Why YA Rocks My World

YA is hot.  

As in steamy, sultry, blazing, scathing, illuminating, fiery, incendiary, spicy, enlightening, searing, scorching.  A wildfire. A prairie burn.  An inferno of characters, settings, plots.  A refiner’s fire that draws out pure gold.

YA can also be cold.

As in chill, bitter, harsh, blustery, caustic, shivery, biting, hard-edged, cool.  A frigid wind that dips below zero.  A blizzardy drift of ideas and images.  One snowflake never like the next.  And once all hell freezes over, than YA can be the sharp-edged ax that breaks through the ice of your soul.

YA lit—good YA lit—is never, ever lukewarm.

Not in terms of content—the fearless stories told, the layers of meaning revealed.

Not in terms of character—these people live on the pages, and like most adolescents (or the adolescent in all of us, who lives on and on and on) their motivation frequently cuts to the quick:  they are desperately trying to figure out just who in God’s name they are.

And YA lit is never, ever lukewarm or tepid in terms of voice—which is so driven by character, setting, and plot, and which defines each YA novel—that distinct, one-of-a-kind voice that speaks a book into existence, that prods and goads and compels a writer—me—to tell the story.

This is just a little bit of why YA rocks my world—why I love writing and reading books for teens.  Or, supposedly for teens, since most street smart and literary savvy adults worth their salt know that Young Adult Fiction is among the best literature out and about today.
Don't you think that Karen Schreck is a wise, wise, woman? :')

Go Find Karen:
Add While He Was Away to your TBR pile HERE

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Guest post with Katherine Grace Bond: 
Why We Crave Fame

“Celebrity-in-Hiding.” When I first started writing THE SUMMER OF NO REGRETS, I didn’t want to admit how much that idea intrigued me. I’m a lot like my main character, Brigitta—all about finding the meaning of life, not fantasizing over whether the guy next door is a movie star. When I bought a National Enquirer, I explained to the grocery store clerk that it was for research— that I was writing a book (“Yes,” I told her modestly, “I am an author.”) I certainly didn’t normally read that sort of thing. Of course not. Well, okay, maybe the headlines. Occasionally. 

But as I read through stacks of People and Star and Us (which is a lot like eating sugar cubes all day long), and more stacks of celebrity biographies, I started to wonder what the deal is about fame. Why does it fascinate us? Why do we love the idea of either being famous or being connected to somebody famous? 

I think it’s because we’ve got some interesting ideas about “being known.” If I’m “known,” people know who I am, right? Lots of people. Those people will say I’m talented and beautiful and they’ll treat me with special respect. If I’m known, I get to wear amazing clothes and ride in limousines. People will do what I want just because I’m known. If I only eat the green M&M’s, someone will pick those out of the five-pound bag and put them into a crystal dish for me. If I’m known, I am important—more important than that boss who fired me, or the teacher who gave me a C and said “You ought to be ashamed of yourself,”  or the security guard who threw me out of a mall in Seattle for plugging my cellphone into a floor outlet (true story!) 

But is that really what being known is? Getting special treatment and being better than somebody else? Who really knows me when I’m known like that? What I crave, what I really crave, is to have a few people who will look into my eyes and know me—know how I wrinkle my nose when I laugh, and what my favorite show is, and why I’m afraid of guns. It’s what we all want, I think—people who will listen to us when we’re scared, and scream with us on the roller coaster, and trust us with their hurts. We want to know we matter. We want to have a few people we don’t have to hide ourselves from.  

So is Brigitta’s next-door-neighbor a secret superstar? We can talk about that later. I need to go to the grocery store and read some headlines.  
I'm not the kind of girl who strives for fame or anything, but even I have to admit that it would be kind of cool to have people know your name :)

Go Find Katherine:
Add The Summer of No Regrets to your TBR pile HERE

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The Giveaway
(From the wonderful people at Sourcebooks!)
-open to the US and Canada only
-ends May 2, 2012 at 12:01 a.m.
-2 winners

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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And that's all I have left to tease you with for summertime! What do you think? :)

-Mimi

26 comments:

  1. Oh what two cute books!!! I really want to read more Contemporary and books like these are totally up my alley!

    These two guest posts are cute and inspiring! Espicially the one from Karen: Why YA rocks my world! I mean I'm 33 and I LOVE YA above all other genres:-))

    Love this post and espcially when I'm looking outside and seeing this beautiful weather I am totally ready for summer and some cute sommer reads!

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  2. OOO! I really want to read both books! I've heard great things about it! And like Danny said, I love Karen's guest post about why YA rocks! YA is my favourite genre FOREVER!

    Awesome guest post, Mimi! ♥ You make me wish I live in US or Canada so I can enter the giveaway because both books sounds AWESOME! ;)

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  3. I seriously can't wait until we get the decent weather and I can finally be reading my books outside! These two books also sound like perfect reads! And I love the guests posts as they're totally from the heart! :)

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  4. We were having nice weather in Montreal, and then this week it was very cold and rainy...


    I really enjoyed this guest post. Thanks for sharing.

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  5. Both of these books sound AMAZING!!! Great guest posts and thank you for hosting the giveaway! :)

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  6. Karen Schreck is a very wise woman indeed-what an exciting description of the state of YA lit today! Thanks for the giveaway Mimi!

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  7. Both of these books sound AMAZING! I went ahead and requested The Summer of No Regrets on NG! (though it's probably too late and close to the release date) It sounds like an awesome summer read! I also LOVED the guest posts of both these lovely authors :D Karen managed to pinpoint EXACTLY why I love YA! It's cuz it's intense and never easy- just like that period of our lives :) And Katherine is so right about fame! It's like an easy way to feel important and better and worthy and discounts all that went wrong/wronged us, in some way. Or so it feels like. Thanks so much for the amazing post, Mimi :)

    I'm gonna enter the giveaway! Not from US but is it okay as long as I give a US address? I know people there who are coming here this June. And these books sound so amazing :)

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  8. Seeing as you only live an hour away from where I am, we've been having the same Epic Fail weather so I know what you're talking about! (Hot one day and cold the next? Not really cutting it for me, sweetie :P) As soon as summer comes, I'm going to spend all of my days reading outside with books like these, munching on sunflower seeds and whatever other stereotypical summer foods there are. Just so I can maybe inspire a stereotypical summer romance! (x

    Those guest posts are incredible, Mimi! <333333 Just like YA and just like celebs and just like YOU! (:

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  9. Ooh, lovely guest posts! Karen Schreck wrote such a thoughtful, amazing words! If I judge her writing only by this guest post, I know for sure now that I'm going to love her writing! I can't wait to read her book - it sounds like something I'm going to need Kleenex beside me! x) The guest post from Katherine Grace Bond is soo right LOL - it'd be kind of cool to be well known and have your M&M served into a crystal dish! If the guy-next-door were a celebrity, I think my life would be much more interesting (though I doubt it that I'd be intrigued enough to stalk him!). :D

    Aloha, Mimi! <3 Thank you for hosting the giveaway - the two books sound AMAZING, oh how I wish I could move in now to US or Canada LOL! This is early wish, but I hope your summer rockin! <3

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  10. I love Karen's word on YA. She seems to half addressed my love for the genre better than I could have myself! Awesome post! :) I love Katherine's piece too. I'm not much of a fame-craver but I do have to agree with you, Mimi, having people know my name would be pretty cool. ;)

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  11. YA Lit rocks my world too! I just love it so much:) I can't wait to read While He Was Away, it sounds like such a fabulous read. I love how passionate Karen is about YA literature, it makes me want to jump into the world she's created even more. Thanks for sharing both of these guest posts and for the awesome giveaways Mimi!

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  12. I love the concept of both books and agree with the first author. Good YA lit is not lukewarm and has the reader passionate it about it be it good or bad.

    And why the world is so obsessed with the private lives of well known stars is ALMOST beyond me. I do think that underneath it all, we revel in knowing that they are really very ordinary, and more like us unknowns than not. I guess we may just be searching out their humanity.

    Anyway, great guest posts and thanks for the awesome giveaways!

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  13. Mimi, you are way too cute! I can't wait for summer too and this post definitely made me want to go to the beach. I don't even like the beach! I think the second post is so interesting, we are in some way fascinated by fame. It would be really nice for people to know your name but you have to sacrifice some things too. Love this post, Mimi! ♥

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  14. My birthday is the first day of summer so I am forever a summer girl always looking forward to summer. These ladies offered some great posts today and I agree YA is never lukewarm. I don't get all the hype about celebrities lives either, I am glad to just be anonymous. Thanks for the giveaway, ladies. These both sound like great reads :)

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  15. I agree with Karen, YA is exciting! It's about finding out who you are and the journey you take to do that. I think Katherine made some good points about fame and the desire to be known and matter, or just treated special. Both sound really good. Great post, Mimi, and awesome giveaway! Thanks. :)

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  16. SUMMER. Oh, summer. Everyone loves summer and think about beaches and tanned skin (not me, since I'm practically a ghost all year). But I love the summer air! Warm, and smelling of... summer :)

    Wow! Awesome guest posts! I agree with everything said about YA -- it's such a train of emotions, it always leaves me wanting for more! And about being famous... Of course I want people to know me, but I'm completely sure that afterwards I'd crave the privacy of being just someone normal.

    Summer summer summer... That reminds me, today I saw a flock of swallows! That means summer is neariiiiing~ Even though today was very cold T_T Hope your days turn sunny soon, too, Mimi! ♥

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  17. The authors seem great and I love their guest posts! I definitely want to read While he was away, but The Summer of No Regrets has me on the fence.

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  18. Awesome guest posts. Both of these books are on my tbr. I can't wait to read them. Thank you for the giveaway.

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  19. I love the sound of these books! And gosh, I'm MORE than ready for summer. o: Our weather sucks. Sun-snow-rain-cold... ugh!

    Good luck everyone. :D

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  20. Wow! Two mega awesome guest posts?! Unreal!!! And now I have that HOT n Cold song by Katy Perry stuck in my head! *dances*

    These books sound totally perfect for summer. Easy, breezy light reads that still pack a punch is just what I need right now.

    I've never been one to crave fame, but it's nice to get special treatment every now and again.

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  21. Thanks for hosting us, Mimi! And thanks for everyone's thoughts as well. I have read WHILE HE WAS AWAY and it is indeed AMAZING! You will so love it. Only a few days to go! Whew!

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  22. Awesome! Both books sound great! YA can definitely be hot and steamy but also cold and sad. YA rocks my world too. I definitely think everyone wants to be known, feel important, so fame is a way to feel like your life has meaning. Great posts and giveaways!

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  23. i want both/ boo hoo//

    goodluck all

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  24. Aw, both books sound like fun! Such fun posts, thanks so much for hosting the blog tour stop and sharing this with us, Mimi. :)

    Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

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  25. Awwww both books sound like the type I would love :) Wow. Karen sure IS wise! I love how YA is never Luke-warm, but can be both hot and cold! That's just...fascinating when she puts it like that! Fantastic guestpost! It's times like this I wish I lived all the way on the other side of the world! Hahaaa, oh and it's getting close to Winter here in Australia :( *sigh* I wish It was summer though!

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Thanks so much for leaving your thoughts! I love hearing what you have to say, and I always try to comment on one of your blog posts in return! :)

It's really nice to meet you!