It’s been days of Internet frustration (turns out I need a new laptop), but now there’s finally cause for celebration. Because of these issues, I’m a day late announcing this, but no time like the present: I guest blogged on fabulous natural hair website Black Girl w/ Long Hair (BGLH)! I love reading BGLH any chance I get, so being featured on it is beyond exciting for me. And get this—after reading my “Between The Lines” post about naturally kiny-curly hair on YA/children’s book covers, BGLH empress Leila Noelliste (love her name!) invited me to write about my personal “going natural” experience.

BTW, a huge thank you all for your comments on the “Between The Lines” post. I’m so glad you guys like the new feature. Lots more to come!

After playing host to back-to-back visitors at our cottage these past weeks, the fact that I get to play “guest”—in any capacity—is really cool. Please head on over to BGLH to check out the guest post (and maybe leave a comment). Hope you enjoy!

Thank you for the opportunity, Leila Noelliste!

So glad my home Internet is back up. Our land line (which has a US number) is hooked up to the Internet, so when it’s down, no talkie with the family. :-(

Took a walk on Bermuda’s Railway Trail the other day. In an effort to break out of my laziness, I decided to take a stroll to my girlfriend’s house instead of driving. It took me a half hour to get there, but the sights along the way made the journey feel quicker. Here are some shots of the trail, which used to be an actual railway until Bermuda got rid of their train system in the 1940s. Can’t you just picture an iron horse blasting through the below path?

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What’s left today is a trail that runners, cyclists, dog walkers and plain ole walkers like me use without worrying about the dangers of the island’s narrow roads.

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Speaking of dangers, once when I was on the trail alone, a man walked out of the bushes. Uh-oh, I thought. This could go either way. Fast forward five minutes later and he and I were both walking side by side, stretching our arms over our heads in sync, practicing deep breathing. He instructed me to be mindful of taking deeper breaths by inhaling deeply for three steps and then exhaling slowly for three steps. I wondered, would this chance encounter end up this way had I been at some park back home?

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Above, the ubiquitous oleander and hibiscus flowers in some of their colorful variations. Below, an authentic moongate at the entrance of a cottage off the trail. Legend has it, it’s lucky for a newlywed couple to kiss under a moongate.

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I enjoyed the walk, but was especially grateful for the ride home later that afternoon. :-)

Happy trails!

I’m premiering a new feature on my blog. My “Between The Lines” posts will introduce real-life themes or topics inspired by children’s/YA fiction.

To kick things off, let’s talk about cover images of Black girls’ hair. Yes, there’s been way too much “whitewashing” going on these past few months. But I’ll stand on my chair and sound a vuvuzela if I see even one cover prominently featuring a Black girl in all her naturally kinky curly glory. I’m still excited about the PERFECT SHOT cover, featuring my main character London Abrams rocking her big hair. Notice that throughout the story, London doesn’t feel she has to straighten her hair to compete in the model search.

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Here are a few kinky curly characters who practically jumped off the bookshelves to grab my attention (see below). Check out the adorable image on the new chapter book SUNSHINE PICKLELIME illustrated by Christian Slade. Author Pamela Ferguson’s whimsically-titled tale is about a girl who invites a dejected yellow bird to live in her bushy hair. I should also note that in the story, big hair is not at first admired. And who can forget the stand-out image for INDIGO SUMMER, one of the first books to launch the KimaniTru imprint?  The same curly girl went on to be featured on other covers in author Monica McKayhan’s series. Then there’s the cover art for author Sherri Winston’s book THE KAYLA CHRONICLES. The way the character wears her hair plays into the story—Kayla is an activist main character who loses the puffy hair when she goes glam for an “undercover” investigation.

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And, if you can believe it, I was once featured as a book cover model. Interesting enough, I was chosen because of my hair. It was a total fluke—I personally know the book cover designer, and he was in desperate search of a Black woman with “natural hair” per author Crystal E. Wilkinson’s request. And no, the book isn’t about Blackberry phones. The title is inspired by Kentucky country living, as evidenced by the basket of blackberries next to me. Here I am, a NYC-born girlie posing as country girl. Convincing?

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While we’re on the subject of coiled coifs, I thought I’d share my personal regime. I get lots of questions about my hair, so here goes a quick rundown of one of my usual styles, the “twist-out.” First, it’s all about moisturizing. I usually turn to Carol’s Daughter products for help in that department. Here I am, post-wash, setting my big hair in a handful of plump double-strand twists.

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In these photos, I washed my hair at night, and then wore my twists to bed. But you can wear your twists as a style for days. The next morning, I untwisted and…voila!

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Just don’t expect me to ever let a yellow bird take residence in this here head of hair. :-)

Suntan lotion? Check! Bikini? Check! Sun hat. Check! No breezy summer T-shirt and juicy beach read? Not to worry. YA author Jenny O’Connell has got you covered—literally!

To celebrate the launch of her Island Summer series LOCAL GIRLS  and RICH BOYS, Jenny is giving away an Island Summer T-shirt in the size of your choice. It’s the perfect companion to her series, which CosmoGiRL! calls “sweet romances with relatable characters trying to find themselves.”

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About LOCAL GIRLS:
In LOCAL GIRLS, friendships are in danger of ending with the summer. Kendra and Mona are best friends, local girls who spend their summers catering to rich tourists and the rest of the year chafing against small-town life. Then Mona’s mom marries one of the island’s rich summer visitors, and Mona joins the world of the Boston elite, leaving Kendra and Martha’s Vineyard behind. When Mona returns the following summer, everything is different.

About RICH BOYS:
In RICH BOYS, Winnie jumps at the chance to babysit for a wealthy summer family and earn some extra money—but soon learns that life in the Barclay’s beautiful vacation home isn’t as perfect as it appears. And what was supposed to be a carefree summer quickly becomes more complicated than she ever thought possible.

Excited yet? Head over to Jenny’s blog for the latest updates on the series and for your chance to win an Island Summer T. Good luck!

Been doing some traveling (NYC, Boston, DC and then back again). Nice being back on solid ground.

IMG00043-20100607-1228 [The closest I got to the Obama White House.]

Kicking myself for not posting earlier, but when I returned to Bermuda, I played host to the most awesome guests—my two nieces and nephew. This was their very first visit to the island, so I kept them—or rather, they kept me—very busy.

Now I need to get busy writing. Got tons of it to catch up on. I’m working on the first 150 pages of my next book. Already getting close to that July 19th deadline. [gulp] Wish me luck!

Hope you’re all enjoying the start of summer 2010.

Hide your valuables. YA author Wendy Toliver is about to introduce readers to a character who can rob you blind just for sport. Meet Poppy Browne in LIFTED, the newly-released third book in Wendy’s inspiring repertoire. It’s the story of a girl who takes on a most risky bonding ritual with her new clique of friends. Praised for its “compelling” and “haunting morality tale,” LIFTED deserves a spot on your summer reading list.

About LIFTED:
Being Bad Never Felt So Good.
Poppy Browne had never stolen anything in her life before moving to Pleasant Acres, Texas and meeting Mary Jane and Whitney. But when Poppy walks out of the mall with her two new friends and her first pair of stolen jeans, she’s hooked.
Before long, Poppy is lifting whenever she gets the urge—it’s never about the merchandise, it’s always about the thrill. But when her secret gets out, the girls in Poppy’s clique turn on one another. As she watches her life collapse around her, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie … and how far she’ll go to protect herself.

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Poppy Browne isn’t the only good girl with a bad habit. In our recent exchange, I learned that Wendy has trouble resisting the occasional can of carbonated delight. Read on for more about Wendy…

DR: What’s your favorite stage of your work process: researching, writing or editing? Why?
WT: Definitely writing. I love just sitting down and letting it flow out of me. I like researching also, though, especially when it gives me new and exciting ideas for my story.

DR: How do you get over a major bout of writer’s block?
WT: I exercise. I try to exercise often anyhow, but yoga in particular gets my creative juices flowing.

DR: What bad habit are you desperately trying to break out of?
WT: Two words: Diet Coke.

DR: What’s the craziest or coolest thing you’ve done in the name of research?
WT: Well, my agent said I wasn’t allowed to actually shoplift in the name of research (for Lifted) but I did talk to a bunch of cops at a party to get some info on teen shoplifting.

DR: Think back to your sophomore year in high school. What were you like at age 15?
WT: I remember wearing my hair in different styles as much as possible—never the same ‘do two days in a row. I was athletic and musical and involved in my church youth group. I was boy crazy but they wanted nothing to do with me. I was almost never alone, always with a girl friend or four. I couldn’t wait to get my license and was thinking about getting a “real” job.

DR: In PERFECT SHOT, London steps out of her sporty comfort zone to participate in a modeling contest. When was the last time you ventured far out of your comfort zone? WT: Last summer we bought a wakeboarding boat. Though I’ve been on boats before and even driven one from time to time, I’ve never had much experience. Now I’m the one who backs the boat off the trailer and drives it back onto the trailer. This summer I’ll need to learn how to back the trailer down the ramp. I’m so excited to get everything down pat!

DR: What’s your favorite spot to cozy up with a book?
WT: My bed, propped up by pillows and covered in blankets.

DR: These days, everyone and their pet pooch is a multi-hyphenate.What talents or professional titles would you include your multi-hyphenate profile ?
WT: Author/SAHM (stay-at-home-mom)

Always a pleasure, Wendy. Congrats. Can’t wait to read LIFTED!

Sure, we’re squealing about Carrie Bradshaw’s return this week. But fans of author Jennifer Echols are just as eager to welcome back Lori McGullicuddy, the protagonist from her 2007 ro-com, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR. And like lady Bradshaw, your gurl Lori is back in a much-anticipated sequel. Yes, the newly-released ENDLESS SUMMER is finally here! And to sweeten the pot for followers and newcomers alike, both books (THE BOYS NEXT DOOR and ENDLESS SUMMER) are included in this one volume.

Here’s a teaser to catch you up on all the fun in the sun:

About ENDLESS SUMMER:
Two irresistible boys. One unforgettable summer.
Lori can’t wait for her summer at the lake. She loves wakeboarding and hanging with her friends–including the two hotties next door. With the Vader brothers, she’s always been just one of the guys. Now that she’s turning sixteen, she wants to be seen as one of the girls, especially in the eyes of Sean, the older brother. But that’s not going to happen–not if the younger brother, Adam, can help it.
Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with Adam. Adam has plans of his own for Lori. As the air heats up, so does this love triangle. Will Lori’s romantic summer melt into one hot mess?

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The awesome Ms. Echols, a 2010 Rita Award finalist (for GOING TOO FAR), delights readers with her colorful characters and saucy storytelling. I totally consider myself a fan, so the below Q&A with Jenn was all the more enjoyable…

DR:  What’s your favorite stage of your work process: researching, writing or editing?
JS: I get the biggest high from writing. When it’s going well, there’s no better feeling. But wow, I love editing, and it’s so much easier!

DR: How do you get over a major bout of writer’s block?
JS: I don’t get writer’s block. I have taught enough writing classes to know that usually if I’m having trouble writing, it’s because I’m having trouble making a decision about the direction of the book. That’s what I work on until I have a breakthrough.

DR: What bad habit are you desperately trying to break out of?
JS: Eating after 7 p.m. Whoops, it’s 9:16 and I might possibly have some cookies in the oven.

DR: What’s the craziest or coolest thing you’ve done in the name of research?
JS: I have taken a lot of long, strange road trips that will make their way into my novels sooner or later. I love a good road trip story!

DR: Think back to your sophomore year in high school. What were you like at age 15?
JS: Determined, definitely, because that was the year I tried out for drum major even though no girl had ever held that position in my high school marching band, and I made it.

DR: In PERFECT SHOT, London steps out of her sporty comfort zone to participate in a modeling contest. When was the last time you ventured far out of your comfort zone?
JS: Every time I go to a writer’s conference! Networking is made for extroverts. Introverts like me have to pretend to be extroverts for four days straight. It’s fun but exhausting!

DR: What’s your favorite spot to cozy up with a book?
JS: I have a beautiful screened-in porch on the second story of my house, surrounded by trees. I love to read and write there.

DR: These days, everyone and their pet pooch is a multi-hyphenate. What talents or professional titles would you include your multi-hyphenate profile?
JS: Author/mother/copyeditor/reader/runner! Gotta include the running because of those cookies in the oven. Let me go check on them.

Save a batch for me, Jenn! Cookies would go great with my marathon reading of ENDLESS SUMMER.  

My cell phone takes photos!

Yes—I’m just entering the 21st century. But I’m quickly catching up. My fly hubby got me a touch screen Blackberry for Christmas, and so now can’t nobody hold me back from snapping away. Here are some shots of Spring in Bermuda.

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Elbow Beach. It’s a short five-minute drive from our home. I go there for morning walks as well as for weekend lounging.

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Just a few minutes down the road from Elbow, lies a string of South Shore beaches offering breathtaking roadside vistas like this one.

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The view outside our cottage’s front door. I snapped this out of pride, having just learned how to remedy the slippery path. I’m used to clearing walkways of snow and ice—I had no idea that a rainy season would leave behind a trail slippery moss! Apologies to all those guests who unwittingly paid a hefty slip-and-slide entry fee. A splash of bleach was all it took.

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A spring picnic! We chose this cliffside patch of green for our lunch. I was excited to use the picnic basket I inherited from our old neighbors. On the menu—turkey club on wheat with a side of (of course) plantain chips.

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On our way home from an outing on Easter weekend, traffic slowed then backed up. Then we saw hundreds of folks crossing the street and making their way alongside the road. Turns out it was an organized walk to commemorate the walk Jesus took to crucifixion.

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The annual Agricultural Festival took place recently. It’s like a County Fair—a prime demonstration of the  small-town charm that Bermuda seems to have as a nation. The Ag Show, as it’s locally referred to, includes a display of prize-winning veggies (like above), petting farms, popular horse shows, entertainment and cotton candy! It’s also a very social event. I eyed clusters of teens in their trendy best, hanging out and loving the buzz generated from this widely-attended event.

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Over at the Ag Show’s center stage, my friend Joanne Ball Burgess sang tunes from the companion CD to her children’s book THE LIZARD AND THE ROCK. Fantastic Disney-esque tunes.

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The world’s largest floating library docked in Bermuda last month. We hopped aboard, checked out the wide selection, and were offered free ice cream and lemonade as a thank you. There I am trying to act natural but really posing as my Honey figures out the camera feature on the phone.

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On Mother’s Day, in honor of my rockstar of a mom, I picked this gorgeous flower from a rose bush right outside our door, and placed it next to this framed photo of Mummy. This is the same photo I took with me on my wedding day.

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Like seasonally migrating birds, the sight of tourists struggling on rented scooters is a sure sign that spring is here. As my hubby likes to say, “Aaaah, they’re back. It’s spring again.”

:-)

Another YA debut by a GCC member is shaking up the lit scene. Jeri Smith-Ready’s newly released novel SHADE has just received a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly. How fabulous that Jeri is spreading her celebrated brand of paranormal romance from adult fiction to a YA. The book’s spooky premise about “the shift” has caught my attention (read below synopsis and squeal). And it doesn’t hurt to have top critics vouching for it, too–as PW states, “Smith-Ready changes the world completely by simply changing our ability to see.” Talk about a shift in perception!

About SHADE:
Love ties them together. Death can’t tear them apart.
Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.
It doesn’t help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.
As Aura’s relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura’s heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

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It was so cool of Jeri to take time out of her book tour to answer my author Q’s. Hope you enjoy!

DR: What’s your favorite stage of your work process: researching, writing or editing?
JSR: I love rewriting and revising (which are two different stages for me—rewriting is where I do the major story overhaul, and revising is where I polish and check for
inconsistencies).  But first drafts are like sculpting air, and really difficult for me. 
So I try to get through them as quickly as possible, like pulling off a Band-Aid. Then I
go on to revise and turn what is usually garbage (with a few gems) into something
resembling a real story.

DR: How do you get over a major bout of writer’s block?
JSR: I’m not sure I’ve ever had what I would define as writer’s block, that serious,
psychological inability to write anything at all.  I’ve definitely struggled with each
book—there’s always at least one point where I’m convinced that this is the worst thing
I’ve ever written, and that even though I’ve said that about every book, this time it’s
true! My weakness is occasionally letting other things that are demanding my attention steal it from writing.  When that happens, I find that it helps if I go cold turkey on the
internet for a couple days and really immerse myself in the work.  There’s a software
program called Write or Die, where you have to keep typing at a certain speed or it will
punish you.  It might make an unpleasant noise, or turn the screen red, or in kamikaze
mode, it’ll start deleting what you’ve already written.  But I put it in gentle mode,
where it just pops up a dialogue box that says, “You’ve stopped writing!” So for me it’s
not so much Write or Die as it is Write or be Gently Chided.

DR: What bad habit are you desperately trying to break out of?
JSR: The tendency to start a new task before I’ve finished the old one. Not just work stuff, but also simple things like putting away dishes—in the middle of it I’ll get distracted by a piece of mail, and next thing I know, it’s half an hour later and half the dishes are still in the dishwasher.  They say that multitasking is actually a really inefficient way to work, that it’s better to focus on one thing until it’s done, then move on to something else.  I need to learn to do that.

DR: What’s the craziest or coolest thing you’ve done in the name of research?
JSR: I’m a bit afraid of heights—Ferris wheels scare me to death (though I love roller
coasters—go figure).  But in Toronto, we went up in the CN Tower, which is one of the
tallest buildings in the world.  They have a level near the top where part of the floor
is glass, so you can walk out and look down below your feet at the sidewalk.  I was
terrified, but I was writing a manuscript in which two characters had gone to this place, and one of them convinced the other (who was terrified of heights) to walk on the glass
floor. So I had to experience it for myself.  I not only walked out onto the transparent floor, but I lay face down (I wasn’t the only one—lots of people were doing this) to look
through the glass.  It was scary, but so exhilarating, and best of all I was able to
describe it in my manuscript. But I’m never setting a scene on a Ferris wheel.  Gotta draw the line somewhere. Maybe.

DR: Think back to your sophomore year in high school. What were you like at age 15?
JSR: Gullible and romantic, which is a deadly combination when your boyfriend is a few years older and quite the jerk.  But I learned my lesson, and have only dated nice guys since then.

DR: What’s your favorite spot to cozy up with a book?
JSR: Our living room sofa, but it’s been killing my back lately, so I’m dying to get a big
comfy reading chair.  Hmm, maybe for my birthday…

DR: These days, everyone and their pet pooch is a multi-hyphenate. What talents or professional titles would you include your multi-hyphenate profile?
JSR: Author/pet chauffeur/amateur philosopher.
Thanks for interviewing me, Debbie!

The pleasure was mine, Jeri! Best of luck to you, and here’s to many more starred reviews.

Take it from spiritual guru Deepak Chopra—and author Jessica Brody!—karma is alive and kicking. Just reading about the talented Ms. Brody’s steps to publication brings to mind that ole what-comes-around-goes-around adage. A few years ago Jessica took a leap of faith. She quit her job and decided to answer to her inner 5-year-old (the one who always knew writing was her true calling). Jessica’s karmic investment is paying in divine dividends today. She hit the publishing world by storm, releasing two popular adult novels. And this week,  she makes her YA debut with THE KARMA CLUB.  Here’s the story teaser that’ll leave you wanting more…

About The Karma Club:
When you mess with Karma, Karma messes back…
Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. Do good things and you’ll be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what you deserve. But when Maddy’s boyfriend cheats on her, nothing bad comes his way. That’s why Maddy starts the Karma Club, to clean up the messes that the universe has left behind and get back at the people who have wronged them. Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. It turns out Karma often has plans of its own.

KarmaClub - Medium 

Also be sure to check out the book trailer for THE KARMA CLUB (on the scroll-down), featuring a cameo by Mr. Chopra himself!!  But for now, take it away, Jessica…

DR: What’s your favorite stage of your work process: researching, writing or editing? Why?

JB: Definitely writing. I actually hate researching. I don’t have any patience for it. I’m just like, “Let me get in there and I’ll make it up as I go along!” Haha. Editing is probably my second favorite, but usually by the time I’m in the editing stage, I’ve already started writing a new book and I much more excited about that.

DR: How do you get over a major bout of writer’s block?

JB: I never use the term “writer’s block”…well, except right there. I’m a firm believer in the law of attraction. What you resist persists. What you focus on only gets bigger. If I went around saying, “Crap, I have writer’s block,” then yes, I would have writer’s block. If I refuse to even acknowledge the concept, then it doesn’t exist. And guess what? I’ve never had it. Of course, I get stuck from time to time as any writer does. To deal with it, I usually just mediate and tell myself, “the solution already exists; I just have to remember what it is.” By the time I wake up the next morning, the problem is almost always solved. Also…massages help. I do my best problem solving on the massage table!

DR: Think back to your sophomore year in high school. What were you like at age 15?

JB: Not much different than I am now except hopefully now with better skin! Actually my main character Maddy in The Karma Club is VERY similar to how I was in high school…although I never sought revenge on an ex-boyfriend. Not that I wasn’t tempted to several times!

 

DR: What’s the craziest or coolest thing you’ve done in the name of research?

JB: Well, I haven’t done it yet, but next month I’m scheduled to go “under cover” at a fast food restaurant. In the book I’m writing now (52 Reasons to Hate My Father), a teen heiress is forced to work at a fast food restaurant and since I’ve never worked at one, I need to get to find out what it’s like. My friend owns a Taco John’s restaurant and he’s bringing me as a new employee so that I can be trained like it’s my first day. I told him not to tell any of the other employees what I was doing so I could get the “real experience.” I’ve never been more excited to make tacos! But what I’m really looking forward to is working the drive-thru. I’ve always wanted to wear one of those headsets. “Welcome to Taco Johns, can I take you order?” How did I do?

DR: What’s your favorite spot to cozy up with a book?

JB: The beach! My favorite vacation is one where I can do nothing but read all day with the sound of the waves as a backdrop. Unfortunately my busy schedule limits me from being able to do that too often.

Thanks, Jessica! Keep paying it forward—and my best to Deepak. :-)

**Jessica’s keeping the book release celebration going with the coolest contest giveaways around. Head over head over to her website and enter to win one of four Cannon Flip Video Cameras!!

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