We've made no secret about the fact that we LOVE Sarah Pekkanen. Her debut novel, The Opposite of Me, will be published by Washington Square Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, next week. But before it hits bookstores, she's holding a Sarah Spike Day with a big raffle for everyone who pre-orders her book this Wednesday, March 3.
So, what's in it for you if you pre-order The Opposite of Me on 3/3? Here are the raffle prizes:
- A small, sleek HD camcorder from DXG USA’s Pro Gear line for 2010 (www.dxgusa.com). It retails for $300. We gave them away at our Girls Night Out book signing last summer-they are AWESOME!
- A gift bag containing five hot new Simon & Schuster releases
- Five high-end, cotton t-shirts from Heart Threads Clothing (www.heartthreadsclothing.com). You pick the size, color and secret message printed on the inside of your shirt and worn close to your heart. Five winners!
- A 30-minute phone consultation with Sarah, in which she'll explain, step-by-step, how she got signed by a literary agent and publisher. This will include an editorial critique of your manuscript of up to 40 pages. If you're not interested in writing a novel, you can gift this prize to anyone you choose.
- This last prize is one a character in her book, Lindsey, would especially like: A $35 gift certificate to MAC cosmetics (Lindsey is a fan of their eyeshadow) and a gorgeous red bustier from Affinitas Intimates. It would probably look best on a woman, but we won't pass judgment if the guys want to win it!
If you want to be entered in Sarah's raffle, here’s what to do:
1) On Wednesday, March 3, order The Opposite of Me online from places including Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com or Powells.com. If you buy more than one book, you’ll get more than one chance to win.
2) Email your receipt within 24 hours to this address: sarah@sarahpekkanen.com and make sure to put CONTEST as the subject line.
3) Wait to hear if you are one of the winners!
Now for the even bigger news…#1 New York Times bestseller Jennifer Weiner, author of seven blockbusters including Best Friends Forever and In Her Shoes, which was made into a major motion picture staring Cameron Diaz, is supporting The Opposite of Me by holding an extraordinary giveaway of her own! Please visit Jen’s website for the details of how she is giving a free, autographed copy of one of her books to everyone who orders The Opposite of Me!
Remember, these are separate giveaways. So you can enter Sarah's raffle, or Jen’s giveaway, or both! The possibilities are endless!
If you’d like to read the first chapter of The Opposite of Me, a Redbook magazine book club pick, it’s on Sarah's website, www.sarahpekkanen.com. And trust us, it's as good as everyone is saying it is!
And just when you thought things couldn't get ANY better, we also asked Sarah to share five things we didn't know about her. And, if it's even possible, we think we love her even more after reading them! We think you will too.
Five Things Liz and Lisa didn't know about...Sarah Pekkanen!
1. I was rejected as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune, despite the fact that I have a Rain Man-like ability to solve puzzles with no letters showing. I’m still bitter; I really wanted to spin that wheel!
2. I wrote part of The Opposite of Me at Chuck E. Cheese. I’ve got three young boys, so I bring my laptop with me wherever I go and squeeze in snatches of writing time. I’ve got this system down at Chuck E.’s: I keep all the tokens on my table and my kids have to come to me every time they need one. So they’re checking in every couple of minutes, and in the meantime, I’m pecking away on my laptop.
3. The Opposite of Me isn’t even the slightest bit autobiographical. The first thing people ask me when they hear the premise of my book – it’s the story of twin sisters who are complete opposites – is whether I’m a twin. Nope; I don’t even have a sister. But I've always been intrigued by the complex relationships my friends have with their sisters, so I tried to make the relationship of my main characters, Lindsey and Alex, as juicy and competitive and loving and tangled as possible. I've heard about twins who are so close that they create their own language, and can feel each other's pain from miles away - but I wondered what would happen to twins who were completely different. What if two sisters had nothing in common, but were constantly being compared? How would that shape their relationship?
4. I started writing books when I was a kid. A few years ago, my niece discovered an old letter I’d written on Raggedy Ann stationery asking a publisher when my book, titled, “Miscellaneous Tales and Poems” would be published. I carry that letter with me every time I go to New York to meet with my publisher, as a reminder that dreams really do come true. Well, at least some dreams. Brad Pitt has yet to show up on my doorstep wearing nothing but a toolbelt and a knowing smile and asking me if I need anything fixed. So maybe it’s only G-rated dreams that come true.
5. When I'm not writing, I love to run marathons and study Latin and organize the clothes in my closet by color and season. Naw, not really. I watch reality TV and eat too much chocolate and worry if my butt looks fat in my favorite jeans.
To read more about Sarah, head on over to www.sarahpekkanen.com or become a fan on Facebook.
xoxo, Liz & Lisa