This week's contests (and other interesting info)

Hey! This is the second week in a row I've posted contests and blog-worthy news! What! (Is some sort of tradition a' brewin'? Probably not. I get really excited about stuff, then get lazy about it. I know, I need help.)

I would *love* to be consistent enough each week to have some sort of an interesting info summary. <--- with a way more interesting title than that... Can we say - caffeine please!?!?

And it wouldn't be, specifically, a "summarize the past week in writerly news" sort of thing, because I'm not good at keeping track of much helpful news throughout the week, plus a few other people actually are (including THE Sierra Godfrey, who just happens to do hers on FRIDAYS). But. If I keep up with this whole habit, maybe I'll have a name for this newsy thing by next week. (Or maybe I'll move on to talking more about coffee.)

ANYWHO. Here are some contests I came across, along with a tidbit or two of possibly helpful info, again in no particular order. Enjoy.

* Debut Author Amy Holder is celebrating her web launch with a giveaway - Amazon gift cards or a copy of her new YA book, The Lipstick Laws. Check out her blog and contest info here.

* Darlene at Peeking Between the Pages is giving away one free copy of Holly's Inbox: Scandal in the City. I can't wait to read it - I devoured the first one, completely loving the entire email format of the book. It's hard to believe a man, Bill Surie, is the author. He does a great job at giving you Holly's point of view, all composed as emails, no less. Check out the contest rules here, and the amusing Holly's Inbox site (all emails as well), here.

* Shannon at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe posted a How to Make a Character Collage video by YA author Tara Lynn Childs on her blog here. It's a great tool to use if you're wanting to give your character more depth. (Shannon also posted a video by literary agent Kate Testerman on the do's and don'ts of querying. You can check it out here.)

* Don't forget!!! The Literary Lab's 2nd annual contest, Notes from the Underground, (mentioned on Monday's blog post, What? No rules? I quit!) ends Monday, August 15th.

* Roni at Fiction Groupie posted the "totally epic winners" of the contest I mentioned last week. And guess what? I won! *squee* I didn't actually win the main contest, but I did win the "Best Pimp" award (uh, hello... glad somebody finally realized my awesome pimpness) - a five page critique from Roni or Julie. Yay! I'm excited, to say the least, and will post a bit about that whole process when it happens. (Now excuse me while I go back to nervously biting my nails... oh wait... there aren't any nails to bite anymore... Whew.)

* To celebrate her short story, The Blade of Tears, winning a contest, Lydia Sharp at The Sharp Angle is giving away two free Flesh & Bone anthologies here.

* If you haven't yet totally and absolutely fallen for Tahereh's online writerly magazine, QUERYPOLITAN, head on over there and check it out. August's cover has just been posted. Keep checking back to see the articles in the right column, which she will be posting soon. In the meantime, go ahead and read June and July's issues. Great stuff. (Including July's Math HATES Writers. Oh, so true.) In fact, you may as well follow her personal blog as well. Just click on her name to do so.

Last but not least...

* Check out the 7 ARC contest at Carol's Prints (click on blog name to enter) - you just might win one of the following (the below info has been copied and pasted directly from Carolina's blog):

*Signed ARC of MATCHED by Ally Condie

*ARC of PERSONAL DEMONS by Lisa Desrochers

*ARC of FIRELIGHT by Sophie Jordan

(My Review of FIRELIGHT)

*ARC of TORMENT (sequel to FALLEN) by Lauren Kate

*ARC of EXTRAORDINARY by Nancy Werlin

*ARC of HALO by Alexandra Adornetto

*ARC of DUFF by Kody Keplinger

**PLEASE feel free to add your contests to the comments if I haven't mentioned it! Happy Thursday!