Saturday, July 21, 2012

Never Eighteen Half Year Birthday Contest!!!!!

First, let me say, it's been a wild ride. Never Eighteen has been selling pretty good, especially here in the Pacific Northwest where the book is set. But I've actually sold copies all over the world.

It started out tricky, as the night of my release party we had a major snow storm, which kept some people away. We also started a little early, so people could get home earlier, of course, this pissed others off. Also, a box of books didn't come in because of the snow. Luckily I had a couple boxes of my own in my car, but we still ran out. There were a couple other snafus, but I told myself, especially after hearing about the snow, it is what it is.

I've done 1 Skype school visit to Illinois, 3 library visits, 6 book store events, 7 interviews (not counting blog interviews), 14 school visits, and many more online events and had fun with every one of them.

I've lost an agent. I've struggled to write a second book. It took me over a year, which is unprecedented for me. I don't have a second book deal, nor do I have any foreign rights sold for Never Eighteen. I've spent just about every dime I have marketing Never Eighteen. Those are the frustrating things about the business.

I've met tons of cool readers, writers, librarians, bookstore owners, teachers. I love those connections so much.

And that's pretty much how my last six months have gone.

Okay, I've figured out the contest. For Never Eighteen's Half birthday I want you to tell me in the comments below, 6 things on your bucket list. I will pick the winner. What will you win? A signed copy of Never Eighteen, a CD of some of the songs on the playlist in the back of the book, and swag. Always swag!!!

photo by Charlie Wolf
Here are some of the things on my bucket list.

1. Take my kids to NYC
2. Go to Australia
3. Apologize to people I need to apologize to and welcome anyone who thinks I've wronged them to step forward and talk to me.
4. Thank all the people in my life you has helped me along the way.
5. Participate in a triathlon
6. Yeah, throw the big party.

Your turn. Six things on your bucket list.

12 comments:

  1. 1. Go to a Marilyn Manson concert
    2. Finish college
    3. Write a book
    4. Get a job in the bookstore
    5.Have my own personal library
    6. Travel all around Europe and USA

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations on surviving 6 hectic months!

    My Bucket List:

    1) Attend the three Triple Crown Races (Derby, Preakness, Belmont)
    2) See the beginning and end of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race
    3)Go skydiving
    4) Get published
    5)Swim with dolphins
    6) See the Trevi Fountain in Italy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yay for making it thru the 1st 6 months!!

    My Bucket List:

    !. Actually enroll in graduate school to get my PsyD.
    2. Become a practicing Child Psychologist.
    3. Live in NYC.
    4. Spend time traveling around Europe or Australia, or really any country that is not the US.
    5. Get married/have a family.
    6. Do something for my parents to thank them for everything they have done for my sisters and me.

    I've never actually gotten around to making a bucket list. It's a lot harder than I thought it would be! So thanks for having us do this : )

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lena!! Great ones! Though I think I'd be too frightened to do your #1. lol

    Heather, awesome. I've seen the Trevi Fountain, it's very worthy of your list. :)

    Alicia, awesome!! I LOVE NYC!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yay!! Congrats :)

    1. Visit the Mayan Temples
    2. See the pyramids
    3. Visit Venice
    4. See another concert at Red Rock Amphitheater in Colorado
    5. Visit Austrailia
    6. Hike a volcano

    So much fun!!

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Megan, you should be very proud of yourself for getting published! Six months have passed so quickly-hopefully the next six bring you a new publisher and other great things. Okay, bucket list:

    1. Spend as much time with my 80 year old parents as I can. This mainly means helping them do the things on their bucket lists. I have learned so much about Mom by traveling with her already. (So far she has seen Leavenworth and Winthrop. She wants to visit some of the Presidential Libraries and National Parks next.) Dad wants to go salmon fishing and to Wimbledon.

    2.Live in a house on a beach, whether I rent or own it, and whether it is a tiny cottage or regular size house.

    3. Go to New Orleans, Kenya, London, and Australia with my son and husband.

    4. Complete a novel, even if it is never published.

    5. Run a marathon.

    6. Drive cross country and take in the sights as well as doing the World's Longest Yard Sale.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 1. Travel the world (mostly to Europe)
    2. Live in NYC
    3. Write a novel, published or not, I just want to write one.
    4. Finish College :)
    5. Become a successful Literary Agent
    6. Get married/have a family
    :D

    ReplyDelete
  8. 1. See The Decemberists in concert.
    2. Have a cheesy, stereotypical photo taken with some movie star that I met somewhere entirely random.
    3. Fall in love.
    4. Read the same number of books in a year as there are days (working on this one now).
    5. Travel to Japan.
    6. Wear the gorgeous ball gown that I bought on sale just cause to SOMETHING.

    Fun contest!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy birthday Never Eighteen!! It really kills me you don't have a second book deal or an agent but I hope to god you find at least an agent soon!

    The first item on my bucket list is the one I REALLY want to do before I die (since I accomplished the other BIG thing I wanted- twice :D)

    1) Go to an AC Milan game in the San Siro stadium
    2) Go to a World Cup
    3) Visit Greece again
    4) Adopt a baby
    5) Live alone at least once
    6) Enroll in beauty school

    Racquel @ The Book Barbies♥

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for the giveaway.

    1. Go to a Champions League game
    2. Buy tickets for the Olympics
    3. Go to Canada, Australia, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco
    4. Become a lawyer
    5. Meet Robert Pattinson/jump his bones/cry hysterically at him
    6. Buy my Mum a house

    tasnim-sheikh AT hotmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, you guys, these are all such GREAT ones!!

    And Racquel, I hope I do too. Just starting to look. We'll see what happens.

    ReplyDelete
  12. 1. Write a best seller.
    2. Get married
    3. Work harder
    4. Lose weight.
    5. Exercise
    6. Visit family.

    Thanks for making me do my bucket list for a chance at swag. Lol. No, seriously.

    ReplyDelete

My Dad. He's awesome.

John Messina, Personal Injury Attorney

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