In celebration of the ten-year anniversary of www.cynthialeitichsmith.com, I’m offering one rather eclectic giveaway package, which will include paperback copies of the following books:

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (1958);

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (1977);

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause (1997); and

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (2008)(signed).

Why? Each of these books has a personal meaning to me. The first two were favorites of mine as a young reader–the first because it made me feel less alone and the second because it in part inspired my own debut novel, Rain Is Not My Indian Name (2001). The third influenced me most in my own YA writing, and the last is my latest contribution to the conversation of books. I’ll also likely include a few additional surprises.

All Cynsational readers are eligible! To enter, email me (scroll and click on the envelope) with a question to answer along with your name and snail/street mail address by 10 p.m. CST Sept. 30!

Note: as examples, questions may be related to the writing life, craft, publishing, teaching writing, or any area within my fields of interest/expertise such as–writing for young readers; children’s-YA fiction; diversity (of ethnicity, religion, region, etc.) in books; Native youth literature; writing picture books; writing short stories; writing novels; Gothic/urban/paranormal fantasy; speculative fiction more broadly; promotion; teaching writing; diversifying your “brand;” working with an editor or agent; the youth literature community; blogging; etc. I’ll likely pick some to answer as part of the anniversary series of interviews.

OR, if you’re on MySpace or Facebook, you can message me with the previous information on that network by 10 p.m. CST Sept. 30! But DON’T send in your contact information on MySpace or Facebook. I’ll contact you for it if you win.

Please also type “anniversary giveaway” in the subject line.