Cynsations

Are You Predator or Prey?

In recognition of October’s spookiness, I’m giving away three Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) prize packages–two to people (booksellers, teachers, librarians) who connect books to YA readers and one to an individual reader.

The packages each include an autographed copy of Tantalize, a Sanguini’s T-shirt, bat and wolf finger puppets, stickers, and additional surprises!

In addition, the individual winner will receive one signed Tantalize bookmark, and the bookseller/teacher/librarian winners will receive twenty signed bookmarks. I’ll also send autographed bookmark stacks to at least three runners-up in the bookseller/teacher/librarian category.

To enter, leave a comment at the mirror to this post on my LJ or my MySpace page or my JacketFlap or email me, answering the following question: are you predator or prey? (bonus points for saying why; I reserve the right to share your answers).

Be sure to include a link to your own page, blog, or LJ that includes an email address or clear link to contact information or include your email addy in your post, so that I can get in touch with you! If you are a teacher/librarian/bookseller, please indicate that, too. The deadline is Monday, Oct. 15! I’ll send off winner packages right away.

Note: any and all efforts to spread the word about this giveaway will be most appreciated!

More News & Links

Tantalize fan blog in Spanish from Noemi.

Library Media Connection says of Tantalize: “Darkly humorous… Takes the classic vampire mythology up a notch.”

Authors, readers unite at National Book Festival: Texas represented at event that is modeled after Texas festival by Bob Dart of the Washington Bureau of the Austin American-Statesman. Note: incorporates an interview with me.

Cyn On The Road–October Public Events

2007 Kansas Book Festival will be held from Oct. 5 to Oct. 6 at Koch Arena on the campus of Wichita State University. The festival is a joint presentation of the Governor’s Cultural Affairs Council, the State Library of Kansas, the Kansas Center for the Book, the Kansas Historical Society, Wichita Public Library, Kansas Arts Commission, and the Kansas Humanities Council. The 2007 Festival will benefit the State Library’s Statewide Summer Reading Program, which reaches 80,000 children through public libraries in 400 Kansas communities every year.

Featured authors: Polly Basore, All Is Bright; Alice Bertels, John Steuart Curry: The Road Home; George Brandsberg, AFOOT: A Tale of the Great Dakota Turkey Drive; Christie Breault, Logan West, Printer’s Devil; Michael Buckley, “The Sisters Grimm” series; Beverley Olson Buller, The Story of William Allen White; Ally Carter, Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy; J. B. Cheaney, The Middle of Somewhere; Shane Evans, When Gorilla Goes Walking; Randi Hacker, Life As I Knew It; L. D. Harkrader, Airball: My Life in Briefs; Cheryl Harness, The Remarkable Rough-Riding Life of Theodore Roosevelt and Just for You to Know; Kimberly Willis Holt, Piper Reed: Navy Brat; Richard W. Jennings, Ferret Island; Stephen T. Johnson, Alphabet City, My Little Yellow Taxi, and Tour America; Jane Kurtz, What Columbus Found (It Was Orange, It Was Round); Cynthia Leitich Smith, Tantalize and Santa Knows; Greg Leitich Smith, Ninjas, Pirhanas, & Galileo and Santa Knows; Justin Matott, Go Ask Mom: Stories From the Upper Bunk; Brandon Mull, The Candy Shop War and the “Fablehaven” series; Susanna Pitzer, Not Afraid of Dogs; Tim Raglin, The Curse of Catunkhamun; Dian Curtis Regan, Princess Nevermore and Cam’s Quest; Lois Ruby, Shanghai Shadows; Brad Sneed, The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians; Roderick Townley, The Red Thread; Richard Uhlig, Last Dance at the Frosty Queen.

The Haggard Library/Plano (Texas) Public Library (2501 Coit Road) will host Cynthia Leitich Smith at “Prom with Bite” from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 13. Grades 6 to 12. Come dressed in your best vampire finery! I will.

Star Lit, a children’s literary festival, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 20 at St. Andrews Methodist Church in Plano (TX). The event benefits the Dallas Bethlehem Center. Featured authors and illustrators include: Will Hillenbrand; Dee Scallan and Daniel Myers; Laura Numeroff; Bryan Collier; Kim Brown; Kimberly Willis Holt; Cynthia Leitich Smith; Greg Leitich Smith; and Tracy Dockray.

On the private events front, I also will be speaking Oct. 19 at a meeting of District Three of the Texas Library Association and Oct. 25 to a school group at BookPeople.

On the online events front, I’m honored to be featured as one of 31 Flavorite Authors by the Readergirlz on Oct. 29!

Future events include the 25th Annual Children’s Book Festival and 25th Annual Young Adult Book Conference at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, on Nov. 3, the Texas Book Festival in Austin on Nov. 4, and the Norman Public Library in Norman, Oklahoma, on Nov. 11.