All aboard to Bookingham for another Juniper giveaway!

Friends and readers, I am delighted to announce that we have put our heads together, and the magnanimous Duke of Bookingham is currently hosting a Juniper-themed giveaway over on her tumblr!

photo by The Duke of Bookingham

photo by The Duke of Bookingham

You may notice there seems to be a set in these pictures. That’s because an advance copy, a finished hardback, and an audiobook of Juniper Lemon’s Happiness Index are all up for grabs as prizes!

You can enter her giveaway and read the full details here, or, if you do not have a tumblr account, there are alternative entry methods via Rafflecopter (see link below). Ends October 7th. Good luck!!

enter via Rafflecopter

*

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One month of Juniper, or: What’s it like to be a published author?

My book that came out a month ago was my first and nearly four years in the making. It didn’t take four years to write Juniper Lemon’s Happiness Index, but it did take four years to plan, write, revise, get an agent, revise, find a publisher, revise, complete a slew of publishing firsts, revise, and eventually end up in bookstores. Add on a practice book, the study of the craft, and a commitment to reading, and it’s probably been closer to five years since I decided to pursue writing fiction.

So what’s it like to finally be published?

The answer is…

Pretty much the same?

There are a few differences:

1. I’ve started carrying around a Sharpie. Not to be pretentious—because in regular life I sometimes encounter friends, acquaintances, etc. who’ve bought the book and would like it signed.

2. I have fans??? Most days I wake up to some kind of social notifications from readers who enjoyed the book. I don’t know if this will be the norm going forward or if it’s just because Juniper is new, but it’s lovely, moving, and really kind of astounding! I mean, I remember what a big deal it was for me the first time an author I admire even liked one of my tweets (B.J. Novak after a reading). To be on the other end of that is nothing short of magical—and has me paradoxically fangirling over my fans.

3. People who go out with me are suddenly eager to tell strangers what I do for a living and that my first book just came out. Friends and family have always been supportive of my writing, but now that there is physical proof of success out in the world, it is easier to talk about and boy, are your cheerleaders excited to share for you. Even I am more likely to admit to being a writer in public (but still don’t go out of my way to tell people).

It’s like when you eat out with a friend on a birthday and your friend (un)casually lets the waiter know what day it is.

WAITER: Oh, it’s your birthday? Happy birthday!

YOU: Hahaha, thanks. Yep, another year older. Whoop whoop.

FRIEND: IT IS HER BIRTHDAY BRING FORTH THE CAKE AND THE GLORY

There have also been many firsts in the last month. Scroll or click through the gallery to see some of my favorites as well as other highlights from the first month of publication.

Happy book birthday!

May 30th broke my Twitter.

Congrats flowers 🙂

reader photo

Little sis texting me updates as she read gave me LIFE.

FREE ICE CREAM for my book birthday!

And then big sis found the dedication… >>>

(enlarged)

Old Firehouse Books in Colorado tweeted the BEST review on my book birthday >>>

>>>

THIS ONE.

First finished UK copies!!

On Juniper’s UK birthday, June 1st, a reader posted this magnificent photo.

SPOTTED IN DUBLIN >>>

at this historic bookstore, Hodges Figgis

Another friend across the pond bought Juniper for his b-day!

JUNIPER @ POWELL’S

!!!

I WROTE THAT

Made this #JuniperIRL Scavenger Hunt for launch.

Launch party! StarB’s even made us free pink drinks ❤

A U D I O B O O K S

One #JuniperIRL prompt was mirror writing. Fun and deceptively tricky!

reader tweet

reader post: a forever book

mirror writing ii

I’M SO EXCITED SOMEBODY KNEW WHAT ACCOUNT I WAS TALKING ABOUT

Spotted at B&N!

reader tweet: Tears, vol. 1

OH HI V.E. SCHWAB

(enlarged)

partial fan cast

This alone means everything.

Penguin Platform knows my aesthetic heart ❤

reader tweet: unputdownable

reader tweet: Tears, vol. 2

reader tweet: warning – page turner

reader tweet

HOUSTON WE HAVE A RE-READ

ANOTHER RE-READ AHHHH

reader post: Tears, vol. 3 – now with added lost sleep

reader photo

mirror writing iii

reading updates from a friend, aka Tears, vol. 4

Juniper’s Polish cover!

What company to appear with!

reader tweet: hooked

Happy UK book birthday!

TOP BOOK out of these 15 this month?? Yow!

The loveliest message from a friend of a friend in college. Another reader up late 🙂

Found THIS on Amazon one morning…

Hahaha, remember that time someone I had writing classes with read my book in one sitting?

Top 10 of 2017 so far

@YAWednesdays is hosting a buddy read of Juniper! Join them any time and hop on Twitter at 5:00pm EST July 26th to chat and Q&A with me!

Publishing your first book is a legitimate reason to treat yourself, right? Say hello to my first ever Ray Baes

I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW JUNIPER WAS GOING TO BE IN AUSTRALIA

And finally: a new author norm.

To those who aren’t published yet but are working towards publication, I say: even if the world does not yet recognize what you are doing, you are Doing it. Write on.

#JuniperIRL Scavenger Hunt

Here’s a thing I don’t get to say every day: My first book came out on Tuesday!!

To celebrate the release of Juniper Lemon’s Happiness Index, today I’m kicking off a Juniper-themed scavenger hunt that anyone can join online, or, if you happen to be in the Portland area, in person!

The hunt list (above – prints at 8.5 x 11 in) features a combination of spot-this-items and activity prompts. Here’s how the game will work:

Online (open internationally): June 3 – June 11
​
Play from anywhere in the world by sharing a photo of any item from the list online using the hashtag #JuniperIRL. Each social share may count as an entry for raffle prizes including copies of the book, $20 USD worth of books from the Book Depository, and a Juniper-themed prize pack featuring bath bombs, sweets, and beyond! Winners will be randomly selected on June 12 and contacted via email or direct message.

Note: If sharing a #JuniperIRL photo on Twitter, you are entered for prizes automatically. If sharing on another social platform, please copy the link to your post and paste it in the share widget (click below to go to it):

Share Widget (Rafflecopter)

PORTLAND ONLY: Sunday, June 4th

From 2:00 – 4:00pm on Sunday, June 4, Julie will be celebrating at the Brewery Blocks Starbucks downtown (1039 NW Couch; at the corner of 11th and Couch, across from Powell’s bookstore).

Show her photos of any five items from the Juniper hunt list for a small prize, which may or may not involve ice cream (there is a Ben & Jerry’s three blocks away. It may). Or just come say hi, color a postcard, and get a book signed!

I’ve had a blast putting this all together — I hope you all enjoy it!

Write YA? 2 days left to enter this Writer’s Digest contest

All you need is the first 150-200 words of your finished YA novel.

OK, I lied. You also need a logline, to mention the contest twice via social media, and to include your real name, book title, and contact email in your submission.

But seriously. THAT IS ALL.

There are two days left to enter this annual Dear Lucky Agent Contest put on by Writer’s Digest (repeat, Deadline: April 9). This round is open to all young adult entries. See the link for full details, including how to submit, or let me tempt you with a few more here:

Why you should enter

1. Three winners get a professional critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of their MS (this contest’s judge is agent Andrea Somberg of Harvey Klinger Inc.) AND a free one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com.
2. A previous judge went on to sign with one of the winners, and sold two of her books. MOTIVATION!
3. It’s ridiculously easy. And FREE!

What you need to enter (again, note how little it is):

1. The first 150-200 words of your completed YA novel (or as the site says,  “book-length work of fiction”).
2. The book’s title
3. A one-sentence logline that describes the book
4. Your real name and an email where you can be reached (be sure to include the email address in the entry)
5. To share the contest twice via social media, and include proof (links, etc.) that you did so in your submission.

Why are you still reading this?

If your work is eligible, you should be dancing! (Alternatively: Submit first. Dance later.) Read more and learn how to enter on the official page for this contest before April 9.

Good luck!