writerjenn

Welcome to The Secret Year online launch party!



The Secret Year is my debut YA novel, coming out January 7 from Viking (Penguin). Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Colt has been sneaking out at night to meet Julia, a girl from an upper-class neighborhood unlike his own. They’ve never told anyone else about their relationship: not their family or friends, and especially not Julia’s boyfriend. When Julia dies suddenly, Colt tries to cope with her death while pretending that he never even knew her. He discovers a journal Julia left behind. But Colt is not prepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship, nor to pay the price for the secrets he’s kept.

To join the party, I invite you to leave a comment on this blog post between now and Thursday, Jan. 7, at 7 PM EST.  That will set several wonderful things in motion:

For every unique comment (unique=one comment per person), I will donate 50 cents to my local libraries (Cheltenham Township libraries, PA).  I will either add this amount to whatever I raise in the upcoming reprise of the Library-Lovin' Blog Challenge later this spring, or, if I raise enough, I'll send the check now.  I'm going to set a cap at $50 for now, but if I reach that goal with time to spare, I may be persuaded to set a new goal.  (I'm unpredictable like that.)*  Spreading the word is welcome and appreciated, and if you want to join the big multi-blog library challenge later this spring, please email me at jennifer[at]jenniferhubbard[dot]com about that.
*EDITED TO ADD: We've exceeded the 100 necessary comments to meet my first goal.  Bravo and THANK YOU! Please do keep commenting--every entry will count for something toward the library, besides entering you in the giveaway.

Your comment also enters you in the giveaway.  I will pick a commenter at random to receive a Secret Year prize pack.  The prize pack contains a signed copy of The Secret Year and assorted TSY swag.  But that's not all! Because I am honored to have my book come out during the same week as a lot of other awesome books, you will also get to choose one book from the list below. (You don't have to tell me yet which book you want; you'll definitely need some time to think about it!  I'll just ask the winner.)

***Bonus for library folks: If you work at a library, send an email from your institutional library email account to jennifer[at]jenniferhubbard[dot]com by noon EST on January 31, because I will randomly select three libraries to receive copies of The Secret Year.***

As I was saying, I'm in excellent company this week, because the books coming out now include:

CHASING BROOKLYN by Lisa Schroeder: A story about two teens, Brooklyn and Nico, the ghosts who are haunting them, and how they must learn to let each other in, or not one soul will be able to rest.

BLEEDING VIOLET by Dia Reeves: A mentally ill sixteen-year-old girl reunites with her estranged mother in an East Texas town that is haunted with doors to other dimensions and protected by demon hunters called Mortmaine.

GETTING REVENGE ON LAUREN WOOD by Eileen Cook: Helen was betrayed by her best friend three years ago. Now she's back to even the score, if only she could figure out the perfect revenge.

CAPTIVATE by Carrie Jones: In the sequel to NEED, Zara and her friends knew that they hadn’t solved the pixie problem but when a new, younger pixie king shows up, there is war in the air. When he tells Zara she is fated to be his queen, the stakes get even higher.

THE TOTAL TRAGEDY OF A GIRL NAMED HAMLET by Erin Dionne: What do you get when you have parents who dress and talk straight from the 1600s, a genius seven year old sister, and mysterious origami pigs left in your locker? Hamlet Kennedy's totally tragic life.

LEAVING GEE'S BEND by Irene Latham: Ludelphia Bennett, a determined, ten-year-old African-American girl in 1932 Gee's Bend, Alabama, leaves home in an effort to find medical help for her sick mother, and she recounts her ensuiing adventures in a quilt she is making.

BEDEVILED: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY DRESS by Shani Petroff: Angel's devil powers are going out of control--especially around her crush, Cole. But how do you stay away from someone and still get him to ask you to the big dance?

ISLAND STING by Bonnie Doerr: Far from her former New York City home Kenzie Ryan falls under the spell of savvy island native, Angelo Sanchez, and experiences electrifying danger and discord as they join forces to end the slaughter of an endangered species.


( RULES OF THE GIVEAWAYCollapse )

If you're still looking for more partying, here are some other festive activities:

Watch the trailers for the Tenners and the Class of 2k10.

Participate in Nathan Bransford's writing contest, where you must write a diary entry (as I had to do in The Secret Year).

So go forth, comment, email, and win some free stuff!