Winner Winner

Congrats to:

trublu93

Please send email me (brooke @ brooketaylorbooks dot com) with your mailing addy and I'll get My Fair Godmother out to you!

Everyone else--stay tuned for more ARC giveaways coming up!

It's Friday....I'm in LOVE!

...with delivery men!

Yes, they are the everyday Santa Clauses... tirelessly bringing me books from Amazon and never judging me when I've had a little too much fun on eBay. As the 25th draws near I've seen them leaving my area in the dark dark hours, and whether their driving a truck that's brown; purple and platinum; or red, white, and blue--I just want to hang my head out my window and shout "I love you!"

****Don't forget to enter to win an ARC of My Fair Godmother!***

The Fairy BlogMother Strikes again!

Another awesome ARC giveaway!! My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison will be out January 6th--but you can get it early! Just leave a comment (deadline midnight Dec. 23rd) answering the following: If you had a Fairy Godmother--what would you ask her for?

Finding your one true love can be a Grimm experience!

After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah’s gum-chewing, cell phone–carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she’s only Fair—because she’s not a very good fairy student—Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah’s class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight. Laughs abound in this clever fairy tale twist from a master of romantic comedy.

About the Author:

JANETTE RALLISON has been writing since she was six years old, although the quality of her work has improved substantially since then. She is the author of many books, including All’s Fair in Love, War, and High School. She lives in Chandler, Arizona, with her husband, Guy, and their five children. www.janetterallison.com www.janette-rallison.blogspot.com

Good Luck! And stay tuned for more ARC giveaways!!

Chemistry Perfecto!

Thank you to all who entered, I loved all the Spanish--estas loco si no quiero leer este libro! (If I just said something about an elephant reading in the bathroom--please just go with it...)

Okay--there will be more ARC giveaways coming up--so if you didn't win, keep trying! And luckily Perfect Chemistry is coming out just next week! YAY!

And the winner is.......

kimberleylittle

YAY! Please email me: Brooke (at) BrookeTaylorBooks (dot) com with you addy and I'll shoot it out to you ASAP!

Popular

1.Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp, etc. on shuffle.
2.For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3.YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4.Put the artist after a dash following the song name.
5.Put any comments in brackets.
6.Tag some lucky people to spread the disease.

Tagging Rinda Elliot (whose got such amazing music taste I can't wait to see what hers will come up with & anyone else who wants to play!

How would you describe yourself?
Dancing Barefoot-Patti Smith
(Cool song!"I'm dancing barefoot...Heading for a spin...Some strange music draws me in...Makes me come on like some heroin/e")

How do you feel today?
Wicked Game- Giant Drag’s Version

(Not sooo wicked...)

What is your life’s purpose?

Outside- Aron Lewis/Family Values

"I can see through you.. See to the real you" (Yep--I can see that as being a purpose of my writing)

What is your motto?
Black- Pearl Jam
"I know someday you'll have a beautiful life,I know you'll be a sun... in somebody else's sky, but why...Why, why can't it be,... why can't it be mine?"

What do you think about very often?
Your Body is a Wonderland- John Mayer
(ha ha ha)

"Cause if you want love,Well make it...Swim in a deep sea,Of blankets...Take all your big plans,And break em...This is bound to be a while."

What is your life story?
The Night Owls-Little River Band
(Not so much anymore..ha ha)

"Move on...There's a heart of a night owl callin'...To belong...She's cryin' in the night...Be strong...And find the heart of the night owl fallin'...Stay up till dawn...Until the night is gone"

What do you want to be when you grow up?
The Blower’s Daughter- Power of Two
(Not even sure what a Blower’s Daughter is)

"And so it is...The shorter story...No love, no glory...No hero in her sky" :-(

What will you dance to at your wedding?
Under the Milky Way Tonight- Church
"And it's something quite peculiar...Something shimmering and white...Leads you here despite your destination...Under the Milky Way tonight"

What will they play at your funeral?
Little Girl’s Eyes- Lenny Kravitz
(sniff)

What is your hobby/interest?
World in my Eyes- Depeche Mode
(I do love to travel)

"Let me put you on a ship...On a long, long trip...Your lips close to my lips...All the islands in the ocean...All the heavens in the motion...Let me show you the world in my eyes"

If you could do anything right now, what would it be?
Right Down the Line- Gerry Rafferty

"I just wanna say this is my way...Of telling you everything I could never say before...Yeah this is my way of telling you that everyday I'm loving you (so much more)...Cause you believed in me through my darkest night...Put something better inside of me, you brought me into the light...Threw away all those crazy dreams, I put them all behind...And it was you, right down the line."

What do you want most of all?
I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight- Cutting Crew
(Figuratively-yes! Ha ha)

"Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight...It must've been some kind of kiss..."

What is your greatest fear?
Changes- Deftones
(I am afraid of change and having my wings plucked)

"I took you home...Set you on the glass...I pulled off your wings...Then I laughed"

What is your darkest secret?
Dark Machine- Paul Oakenfield (Swordfish)

"(She) exists in a world beyond your world...What we only fantasize... (She) does...(She) lives a life where nothing is beyond (her)... nothing is beyond (her)...For all (her) charm and charisma, (her) wild and expensive toys... (she's) a driven, unflynching, calculating machine."

(Interesting... I may put that on my fridge)

What is your favorite thing in the world?
Pure Love- Zucchero & Co.
(That worked out well!)
"One day I will open your eyes... Underneath the stars ...Beneath the crescent "

If you could have one wish, what would you wish for?

Tiny Dancer- Elton John
(ha ha—not sure what I’d do with a tiny dancer. Barshinkov maybe?)

"But oh how it feels so real... Lying here with no one near...Only you and you can hear me...When I say softly slowly..."

What is your theme song?

Disarm- Smashing Pumpkins

"And what I choose is my voice..."

The next time you hear this song (aside from now, that is), you must dance:
I Ran (so far away)- Flock of Seagulls
(LOL—I think I usually dance when I hear it anyway)

"And I ran, I ran so far away....I just ran, I ran all night and day....I couldn't get away."

What will you post this as?
Popular- Nada Surf

"Every boy...every boy in the whole world could be yours... If you'll just listen to my plan... The teenage guide to popularity"

Win Perfect Chemistry ARC!!!

OMG!! When Simone Elkeles told me she was working on a rap video for her upcoming book, Perfect Chemistry, I wasn't sure what to think. But it's out now and I think it is the coolest thing ever!! So be sure to go check it out at her website, you won't be disappointed:

www.simoneelkeles.net

Okay--well you might be a little disappointed because the book isn't out yet (will be soon! 12/23)--but guess what I have???? And Guess what you could win???

That's right--I have a Advanced Reader's Copy (it's a book) that I'll be giving away--all you have to do to be entered to win is leave a comment (deadline midnight 12/14/08) using any Spanish word you know!

Example- "I'd love to win and promise not to read it while in el bano"

Here's a little more about Perfect Chemistry:

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

SIMONE ELKELES has written three young adult novels, including Leaving Paradise, a Book Sense Pick. Simone was recently named Illinois Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She lives in Illinois, with her family. www.simoneelkeles.net

Winner!

Congrats LIV!

You've won the collector's edition of Twilight!

Please email me your mailing details

brooke(at)brooketaylorbooks(dot)com

Weekend Recap

First off-- deadline on the collector's edition of Twilight contest ending soon (Dec 2nd Midnight) go here to enter: http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/11/twilight-contest-no-edward-h8ers.html

Okay, so it was a bizzy bizzy Thanksgiving break. I had two huge meals in like 6 hours. They were essentially the exact same meal. I hurt still. My experimental pumpkin squares thingy was a big hit. It was something they had at Williams-Sonoma, so of course it was good. But for a minute there I thought I'd screwed it up because the crumbly crust business wasn't looking crumbly. Anyway, it was yummy.

On Friday I went to see Twilight! At long last! But... I had a hard time really getting into it and enjoying it and I think it kind of missed the mark somewhere (um--the cheeze factor?!?). Maybe it's just because it followed the book so closely that I knew everything already, but even so it just doesn't hold a candle to other cool supernatural teen flicks like Lost Boys or The Covenant. I did like Edward (was there any doubt?) and I actually like Bella better now (but I still don't get why Edward is so in love with her ???). My favorite character was her dad, he was hilarious. And most of my favorite scenes in the book were also my favorite scenes in the movie. I think it would've been better if it were told from Edward's perspective, and in that way not follow the book so closely and also really up all the emotions and the vampy coolness. I'm glad I went to see it and I think any Twilight fan should at least once. But don't expect it to change any of the haters' minds.

In other exciting news--I rode my two young horses for the first time on Saturday. They've been at the trainer's for the past two months. It was so exciting. They did so well. I can't wait to go trail riding on them here soon. Maybe this weekend if the weather's decent.

Sunday was my B-day and we went to The Cheesecake Factory--yum! But, um...still freaking stuffed from Thursday.

Contests!

You have 'till next Tuesday to enter to win a collector's edition of Twilight: http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/11/twilight-contest-no-edward-h8ers.html

I have yet to make it to the movie--so please tell me if you have and what you thought!!

ALSO: Win UNDONE + other awesome books @ Terri Clark's blog: http://terriclark.livejournal.com/

And lastly--NCTE was a blast. I was only there for like a day and a half, but I met my editor who I love and some of the Walker/Bloomsbury staff who are sooo much fun, I signed books and even had a line at one point (3 people is a line, right?) and I got to have dinner with super famous authory types--like Justine Larbalestier who is pure awesome and we both share a debilitating allergy that once scarred us but now has given us the courage to live fuller, happier lives--so we bonded over the traumas & trials of that.

But what you should be excited about is the ARCs!! Yes, I grabbed up as many as I could and will be giving them away in contests for the next several weeks. So be watching for more info on that!

Twilight Contest--No Edward h8ers!!

ALERT: DIANA DANG please cover your eyes!!

It's TWILIGHT week!!! Woohooo!!! And to celebrate I'm giving away a Collector's Edition of Twilight "featuring a ribbon bookmark, cloth cover, ragged edges, new chapter opener designs, and a beautiful protective slipcase, this edition is perfect for fans and collectors alike." (From Amazon's product description)


I'm kind of a sucker for that cloth cover and ragged edges business, so naturally I had to get my own copy. But I also got a copy to give away. The only catch--you have to be on Team Edward--no Edward h8ers!!! So leave a comment telling me why you love you some Edward (deadline December 2, midnight CST) and you'll be entered into the random drawing!! SQUEE!!!



Edit: Spread the word on your LJ/Blog for an extra entry! Thanks!!

Casting

Friday I'm going to be at NCTE with fellow 2K8ers, and we'll be giving a workshop to anywhere from 0-120 English teachers. I'm a little bit nervous. Public speaking is not something I'm good at. I'm not even all that good at private speaking... But I'm am excited about my topic which is basically ways to look at books through modern eyes. And while getting prepared for my workshop, I decided it would be easier to have a blog all set up with examples of these new ways fans are connecting to books or authors are connecting with fans. One of the entries was doing a casting call--so in the spirit of that I give you some ideas for characters in Undone:

Kristen Stewart as Kori: dark, troubled, guarded, tough.

Ellen Page as Serena: cynical & sarcastic on the outside, vulnerable & innocent on the inside.

Thomas Dekker as "Becks": solid & soulful, sweet but not so innocent.

Taylor Kitcsh as Shay: Sexy, dangerous, bad boy with a conscience (Shay takes his shirt off in Undone, too--just sayin')

Win & Giggle

First: Run quick and comment for your chance to win UNDONE! Thanks Mrs. V!!

http://mrsvsreviews.blogspot.com/2008/11/brooke-taylor-interview-and-giveaway.html

OK--now on to the giggle--Thanks Georgia for the tip off on JABBIT (Judge A Book By Its Trailer blog). I'm sure it will be a great time suck for me, but must share one of the first gems (it's funny, because it's true):

Quick Question--Book Trailers

Hey everyone--

I'm trying to put together a quick list of awesome YA (and MG if there are any) book trailers--ones that really capture the essence of the book or really made you want to go out and buy it. So if you have some favorites, let me know--include the url if it isn't too much trouble.

Besides Undone's (ahem) I have Forest of Hands and Teeth & The Adoration of Jenna Fox--I'd love to include some really funny ones as well--but if you could help me out that would be awesome.

This is for a workshop I'll be giving--it's for English teachers.

Chillz!!!

This one will be coming to a big screen one day, mark my words!

Yay Carrie!!!

Don't forget!

GO HERE & ENTER!

http://urbanfantasy.blogspot.com/2008/10/better-late-than-never.html

Wasting time or research?

Look who found a new time suck!!

to my haters by brooketaylorbooks

Took a little practice to get used to finding images and moving them around--my next one will be a collage for my WIP MC! This one fits Kori from UNDONE pretty well. And yes--a few Edward images because November 21 is coming!!! (And sadly I will be at a fancy dinner as opposed to a cram-packed theater--but one I will tell y'all all about, because it's going to be very interesting!

Winners Announced + Roxy the Rabbit!

Roxy went to obedience class last night dressed as a bunny :-)Fairy Week Winners are!!!

GRAND PRIZE Winner ANGELA
(aka Library Girl Reads)

Signed ARC FAIRY LUST by Cyn Balog
Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
Kin (Good Neighbors) by Holly Black
Handmade Amethyst Faerie Wings (picture below)
Glamourkin pendant-"In the Court of Dark Shadows" (It is very very hard for me to give this one up, the only reason I even can is that I have one that has "She Comes Undone" on it.) Check the whole series out here.
Jasmine Becket-Griffith Strangeling print- "Lost but Not Worried"
Fairy wand with Skull detail
Halloween tricks and treats

Prize Pack #2 Winner EMILYHAINESWORTH (Lj):

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier
The Faerie Path by Frewin Jones
Black/Blue Faerie Wings (not shown/store bought)Glamourkin pendant-"She comes to the woods at the darkening hour" (not shown)Jasmine Becket-Griffith Strangeling print- "Camouflage" Fairy wand with Skull detail

Halloween tricks and treats

AND AND AND.... with a whopping 675+ entries into the Paranormal Powerball

duh duh duh

AMANDA (aka That Teen Can Blog)

BTW--loved her fairy entry: "I believe whenever my brother does something nice for me like buying me book, that it's the work of a faerie."

Personally I need a Spell Check and Grammar Faerie. I'd like a Green-light faerie. Or maybe one who could take the calories out of cupcakes. Speaking of too many calories--I ate too much Halloween candy, got a little buzzy off the sugar and then had the bright idea to put the bunny ears on her butt.

She's got a call into ASPCA.

Last Chance & Win UNDONE

http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/10/monster-month-of-giveaways-faerie-week.html

Entry Deadline October 30th-midnight CST! All entries will be rolled into the super awesome and amazing Paranormal Powerball (see list below) to be drawn from the cauldron (seriously, I have one) on Oct. 31!


ALSO & maybe more importantly (ahem)!!

Rachel Vincent, an amazing urban fantasy author who is coming over to the dark side--I mean the YA side--is hosting a chance to win UNDONE + a $15 online gift card for Barnes & Noble!!

To enter, leave a comment on her post (HERE) by 11:59 pm on Tuesday, November 4 .

Paranormal Powerball:

ARC of EVERMORE by Alyson Noel
LILY DALE: AWAKENING by Wendy Corsi Staub
Sleepless by Terri Clark
Invisible Touch by Kelly Parra
Unleashed by Kristopher Reisz
The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Book 1) - Kelley Armstrong
Old Magic by Marianne Curley
Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block
Red Handed (Teen Alien Huntress) by Gena Showalter
and
Stake That! (The Blood Coven) by Mari Mancusi
(all in a "Wish Me Monsters" tote bag)

BRRRRAINS! + chance to win Undone

First off--I had soo much fun reading all of your comments--there were many many potential zombies with Bill Gates on the taste buds. And a few who would go after boyfriend stealers and the like. Clearly becoming a zombie is not for the squeamish, so I do hope that those of you who had trouble with the idea are never put in this situation. Personally, I don't even like cauliflower, so it would be hard for me as well. That said, the brain I'd most want to eat would be the jerk who abused my mustang Mari. Although, one could argue that he probably doesn't have much of a brain. Strictly for flavor, I think I'd go for Goldie Hawn's because I bet hers tastes like cotton candy. (And I love her for it!!)

WINNERS OF ZOMBIE WEEK ARE...

Prize Pack 1:
ARC! You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay
Zombie Blondes by Brian James

!!KissOfParadise!!

Prize Pack #2:
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks

!!JustBlindedBook Reviews!!

If you didn't win, don't worry--all entries will be dropped into the Paranormal Power Ball cauldron, a winner will be hand drawn from said cauldron on Halloween! There is also the Faerie Week contest that just started yesterday--scroll down as I am too lazy to get the linkie-doo.

ALSO--Please watch Kelly Parra's Secret Fates blog (http://secretfates.blogspot.com/) for a chance to win UNDONE -- I believe it will go up tomorrow (Saturday). Good Luck!!

Monster Month of Giveaways--Faerie Week!

***EDIT: The deadline for the Faerie Week contest is OCT 30th, sorry for the earlier mistake! Darn those mischievous Faeries!!

***ZOMBIE week ends in a few short hours--deadline Oct 23 midnight***

!!!!WIN!!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!

I can't believe we're finally to Faerie Week! Seems like I've been wanting to post this contest week forever!! And you know what else will be like forever? Having to wait for Fairy Lust to come out--because it won't until like the end of June. Is that not the most cruelest thing you've ever heard?!?! I know!

Which is why, Auntie Brookie is going to be your super.cool fairy blogmother! (the dot was a typo, but I kind of like it(dot)love it. Huh?Huh? A new catch(dot)phrase maybe? No? You want me to stop right now? Fine.)

So, anyhoo--These ARCs are so brand spanking new the wings on the cover are still wet and Cyn Balog only has a few, but since she's also super.cool she's giving a signed one to our Grand Prize Winner! Squee!!!!

So how do you win, you ask--very simple--you leave a comment in which you answer one or both of the following questions (Deadline to enter Oct. 30, midnight CST):

1. In the spirit of How to Ditch Your Fairy (featured in Prize Pack #2!!!)--If you could have a personal fairy, what would their special powers be? (For instance in Justine's book the MC has a Parking Fairy who makes sure she gets the very best parking spots)

2. Tell me about something that has happened that you believe to be the work (or mischief) of faeries.

All entries will automatically roll over into the Paranormal Power Ball cauldron--for more info on the Power Ball prize or how to earn lots of extra entries go here and here!

Fairy Week Prize Packs:

GRAND PRIZE:
Signed ARC FAIRY LUST by Cyn Balog
Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
Kin (Good Neighbors) by Holly Black
Handmade Amethyst Faerie Wings (picture below)
Glamourkin pendant-"In the Court of Dark Shadows" (It is very very hard for me to give this one up, the only reason I even can is that I have one that has "She Comes Undone" on it.) Check the whole series out here.
Jasmine Becket-Griffith Strangeling print- "Lost but Not Worried"
Fairy wand with Skull detail
Halloween tricks and treats

Prize Pack #2:
How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier
The Faerie Path by Frewin Jones
Black/Blue Faerie Wings (not shown/store bought)
Glamourkin pendant-"She comes to the woods at the darkening hour" (not shown)
Jasmine Becket-Griffith Strangeling print- "Camouflage"
Fairy wand with Skull detail
Halloween tricks and treats

FAIRY LUST by Cyn Balog:

Morgan Sparks and Cam Browne are a match made in heaven. They've been best friends since birth, they tell each other everything, and oh yeah- they're totally hot for each other.

But a week before their joint Sweet Sixteen bash, everything changes. Cam's awkward cousin Pip comes to stay, and Morgan is stunned when her formerly perfect boyfriend seems to be drifting away.

When Morgan demands answers, she's shocked to discover the source of Cam's distance isn't another girl- it's another world. Pip claims that Cam is a fairy. No, seriously. A fairy. And now his people want Cam to return to their world and take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Determined to keep Cam with her, Morgan plots to fool the fairies. But as Cam continues to change, she has to decide once and for all if he really is her destiny, and if their “perfect” love can weather an uncertain future.

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand - one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass - a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky - and equally dangerous - dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre.Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind. "Lament" is a dark faerie fantasy that features authentic Celtic faerie lore, plus cover art and interior illustrations by acclaimed faerie artist Julia Jeffrey.

***Maggie will be sending the winner a signed book plate as well!! YAY!

Kin (Good Neighbors) by Holly Black:

Rue Silver's mother has disappeared . . . and her father has been arrested, suspected of killing her. But it's not as straightforward as that. Because Rue is a faerie, like her mother was. And her father didn't kill her mother -- instead, he broke a promise to Rue's faerie king grandfather, which caused Rue's mother to be flung back to the faerie world. Now Rue must go to save her -- and must also defeat a dark faerie that threatens our very mortal world.

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier:

Welcome to New Avalon, where everyone has a personal fairy. Though invisible to the naked eye, a personal fairy, like a specialized good luck charm, is vital to success. And in the case of the students at New Avalon Sports High, it might just determine whether you make the team, pass a class, or find that perfect outfit. But for 14-year-old Charlie, having a Parking Fairy is worse than having nothing at all—especially when the school bully carts her around like his own personal parking pass. Enter: The Plan. At first, teaming up with arch-enemy Fiorenza (who has an All-The-Boys-Like-You Fairy) seems like a great idea. But when Charlie unexpectedly gets her heart’s desire, it isn’t at all what she thought it would be like, and she’ll have resort to extraordinary measures to ditch her fairy. The question is: will Charlie herself survive the fairy ditching experiment? From the author of the acclaimed Magic or Madness trilogy, this is a delightful story of fairies, friendships, and figuring out how to make your own magic.

The Faerie Path by Frewin Jones :

Swept away into a court of magic and beauty, she discovers she is Tania, the lost princess of Faerie. Since Tania's mysterious disappearance five hundred years before, Faerie has been sunk in darkness and gloom. With her return, Faerie comes alive again as a land of winged children, glittering balls, and fantastic delights. But Tania can't forget Anita's world, or the boy she loved there.

Torn between two loves and between two worlds, Tania slowly remembers why she disappeared, and realizes that she is the only one who can stop a sinister plan that threatens the entire world of Faerie.

These reminded me sooo much of the gorgy ones on Cyn's cover--if I'd kept them for myself I'd wear them when baking cupcakes or affix them to the top of my bookshelf. *sheds a tiny tear of jealousy for the winner*
Love these prints! This one reminds me of Kelly Parra's Graffiti Girl

The skull detail makes the wand, don't you think?

GOOD LUCK to all and THANK YOU for commenting and spreading the word!

Ghost Week Winners!

Ghost Week Winners Announced & Powerball Prize info!!!

***If you didn't win--have no fear, Paranormal Powerball is almost here!! All previous entires , including bonus chances, have gone into the cauldren for the Oct. 31st drawing!***

SO FAR the Powerball has the following books:

ARC of EVERMORE by Alyson Noel

LILY DALE: AWAKENING by Wendy Corsi Staub

Sleepless by Terri Clark
Invisible Touch by Kelly Parra
Unleashed by Kristopher Reisz
The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Book 1) - Kelley Armstrong

Old Magic by Marianne Curley

Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block

Red Handed (Teen Alien Huntress) by Gena Showalter

and

Stake That! (The Blood Coven) by Mari Mancusi

(all in a "Wish Me Monsters" tote bag)

Want to win? Want to increase your chances? When you enter the weekly contests, like this week's Zombie Book Giveaway or Faery Week which starts tomorrow!!--remember to post on each of my blogs: Brooke Taylor's Blog, Brooke Taylor Books MySpace, Brooke's Books Live Journal--that's 3 entries right there--and seriously my poor LJ and MySpace have been neglected by many of ya'll. Please show them some love too!

Want 5 more chances? Post about my Monster Month of Giveaways on your blog/website/whatever! Here's all the info:

http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/09/monster-month-of-giveaways.html

BONUS!! Want 5 more chances? Sign up to "follow this blog" --and if you're already following it and have entered the contest you automatically get 6 entries and a BIG
THANK YOU!

Want to win my book UNDONE??? Be watching Rachel Vincent's blog in the next week or so--I'll post more when I have a linkie-doo and on Saturday Kelly Parra will be hosting a giveaway on her Secret Fates blog extravaganza (check it out now if you haven't already--she's giving away books every day!!!!)--and UNDONE is all about secrets and fate--so what a perfect match, eh?

OKAY--now for the winners of Ghost Week! Grand Prize: DIANA DANG!

After much deliberation Diana picked Prize Pack #2(Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz & Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley ) to go along with an ARC of Shadowed Summer

which means...

PRIZE PACK #1 (Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer & A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb) goes to JADED BEE!!

Whoo hoo! Congrats!! And Good Luck to those still in it to win it!

WIN!

WIN awesome Zombie Book prize packs! Here's the linkie-doo:

http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/10/monster-month-of-giveaways-zombies.html

ALSO! I have exciting, no EXCITING news about the Paranormal Power Ball which will be drawn on the 31st! An awesome new ARC has been added to the pot. I'm very very jealous of the winner of this prize, in fact there was a time in my life I would have selfishly held on to such a lovely, shiny object--but this is a MONSTER MONTH of GIVEAWAYS--and I will not hold out on ya'll!

EVERMORE by Alyson Noel

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste…

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

HUGE THANK YOU!!! TO ALYSON!!!

Also added to the pot courtesy of my awesome publisher WALKER: LILY DALE: AWAKENING

Starting on Thursday it is Faerie Week--I have a few books on the for-sure list, but if you have requests, I'd love to hear them--so far I'm super super psyched to announce Cyn Balog has been so freaking awesome to donate a signed, fresh-off-the-presses ARC of FAIRY LUST!! Dude--it won't even be out until summer 09! Who can wait that long?!?!

ALSO--Afraclose, please contact me about your Vampire Week prize:-) Thanks!!

Monster Month of Giveaways--ZOMBIES!!!

***Last chance to enter Ghost Week Giveaway!***

!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!WIN!!!WIN!!!

TO ENTER leave a comment with the answer to the following question:

If you became a Zombie tomorrow, whose brain would you most want to eat and why?

Deadline Oct 23 midnight CST. For extra chances to win click HERE for details!

***All entries will be automatically entered to win the Paranormal Powerball***

You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Fifteen-year-old Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she’s part-time shrink to a bunch of dead people with a whole lot of issues.

All Megan wants is to be normal—and go to homecoming, of course. Unfortunately, it’s a little difficult when your dates keep getting interrupted by a bunch of slobbering Undead.

Things are about to get even more complicated for Megan. Someone in school is using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into flesh-eating Zombies, and it’s looking like homecoming will turn out to be a very different kind of party—the bloody kind.

Megan must stop the Zombie apocalypse descending on Carol, Arkansas. Her life—and more importantly, homecoming—depends on it.

Prize Pack 1:

ARC! You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Zombie Blondes by Brian James

Prize Pack 2:

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks

Both Prize Packs include:
Zombie Socks Zombie
Whack A Zombie desk set (what better way to de-stress than honing your zombie killing skills?)
What Would a Zombie Do (Don’t know whether you should plod, moan, drool, or hunt the living? Consult the spinner)
Graveyard Cookie Decorating set
Brain Ice/Jell-O mold
Zombie Finger Puppets donated by the awesome Carrie Ryan whose zombie book The Forest of Hands and Teeth will be coming out in March 2009
Zombie Survival Kit donated by Amanda Ashby whose zombie book Zombie Queen of Newbury High will be coming out in March 2009.
Brain Suckers & More Halloween candy-n-stuff

Love Brains Tote Bag

Zombie Blondes by Brian James

From the moment Hannah Sanders arrived in town, she felt there was something wrong.
A lot of houses were for sale, and the town seemed infected by an unearthly quiet. And then, on Hannah’s first day of classes, she ran into a group of cheerleaders—the most popular girls in school.
The odd thing was that they were nearly identical in appearance: blonde, beautiful, and deathly pale.But Hannah wants desperately to fit in—regardless of what her friend Lukas is telling her: if she doesn’t watch her back, she’s going to be blonde and popular and dead—just like all the other zombies in this town. . . .
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

Phoebe is just your typical goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent...and dead.

Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks (graphic novel)

Joss's life sucks. She's in the middle of university exams, up to her neck in student loans, and when she's attacked by zombies, her roommates have the nerve to think she's making it up. But when the zombies turn out to be terrifyingly real, only Joss knows how to survive the undead invasion: by following the Rules of Zombie Movies.

Ghost Giveawy Extra Entry Opportunity!

Okay--one more ghost story, because I'm sooo loving everyone's ghostly entries in the Ghost Week Giveaway! (enter now--you could win a RARE ARC of SHADOWED SUMMER by Saundra Mitchell--among other super cool prizes--awesome, right?!?! Scroll down to enter!)

So one year for my birthday (Nov. 30) I wanted to take all of my friends up to our lake cabin for a sleepover weekend. We were probably 12 or 13 years old. It was pretty cold and rainy and at the time we were pretty obsessed with playing with the Ouija board and trying to find out which of the eighth grade boys were going to be our future husbands.

So naturally, as the sun fell and darkness rose up, we fished out the board and started asking questions. One of the ghosts was a little whack. He seemed to be asking us questions. Kind old dirty old man questions, specifically about one of my friends.

Now, I should mention that we all felt like one of the girls was moving the eye-thing. The Ouija board only seemed to work for her. *cough* wasn't me *cough* However, with this ghost it didn't seem to matter whose fingers were on it. It moved and it moved fast. It was starting to scare us, always asking about--we'll call her Suzy. And Suzy was not amused. We couldn't get him to go away.

I went up and and asked my mom what we should do. (How cute, right?) Mom suggested we put the Ouija board in the freezer. We all laughed, but gave it a try. About 30 minutes later we pull it out and asked if he was still there. He was! We asked if he was cold, LOL. He was! We asked him to leave. He asked us about Suzy. We put him back int he freezer. This last most of the evening. His responses got slower and slower, but he was always there.

I'm pretty sure that we sold with lake house with the Ouija board still in the freezer. I wonder what the new owners thought.

Does anyone else have spooky Ouija board stories--share one for an extra entry in the giveaway?

Still Time!

Share a ghost story/spooky moment to win awesome prize packs with books like Ghostgirl, A Certain Slant of Light, Project 17, Must Love Black! Grand Prize includes an ARC of Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell!!!

http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/10/monster-month-of-giveaways-ghost-week.html

Boo-Yeah!

Vampire Week Winners & My Ghost Stories

First off--sooooooo loving all the wonderful ghost stories everyone is sharing for the Ghost Week Giveaway! OMG--the one about the clown that turns around totally freaked me out--clown creepy me out. I think there was a string of prime time scary clown movies when I was a kid or something.

Anyway, I've got a handful of stories to share as well, so I'll spread them out all week long... but my first one is an actual ghost sighting.

The Tooth Fairy: I was probably 7 yrs old and had just lost a tooth. In those days, I had a hard time sleeping in my own room alone and one of the tactics my parents used to keep me out of their room was to tell me that the tooth fairy wouldn't visit me if I wasn't in my own bed.

Okay--so I put my tooth under my pillow and go to sleep, but something wakes me up and I decide that the money isn't worth it and grab up my pillow to go sleep with Mom. Well, under my pillow is the tooth and the money--and in my doorway is a lady--white dress, see through body--the typical package. I follow her down the hall. You see, I'm not scared so much of ghosts as real life burglers and madmen and such. So anyway, I was toddling after the ghost and she goes into my parents room and disappears into the wall beside/behind an armoire-thing they had.

I never saw her again, but once I had this horrible nightmare while napping in my parents bed. I was engulfed in flames and it was very real, I woke up covered in sweat.

House of Night Winners!!!

HOK Prize Pack #1: Afraclose

HOK Prize Pack #2: Book Spot

YAY!!! Congrats and please email me with mailing addy at:

Brooke (at) BrookeTaylorBooks (dot) com

If you didn't win, hang in there--your entries will automatically be put into the giant black cauldren and you could win the Paranormal Powerball on October 31st!

Monster Month of Giveaways--Ghost Week!

***Don't forget to enter the Vampyre Week giveaway***

!!!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!!!
SUPER GRAND PRIZE PACK:

Advanced Reader Copy of Saundra Mitchell's February 2009 debut novel + your choice of Grand Prize Pack 1 or 2 (described below).

To ENTER: Leave a comment telling about a haunted place in your town, a ghost you've seen, so something that scared the beejeezzies out of you (books count of course!!).
Deadline Oct 16 midnight CST

For extra chances to win click HERE for details!

***All entries will be automatically entered to win the Paranormal Powerball***

ARC!ARC!ARC!
Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

Iris is ready for another hot, routine summer in her small Louisiana town, hanging around the Red Stripe grocery with her best friend, Collette, and traipsing through the cemetery telling each other spooky stories and pretending to cast spells. Except this summer, Iris doesn’t have to make up a story. This summer, one falls right in her lap.

Years ago, before Iris was born, a local boy named Elijah Landry disappeared. All that remained of him were whispers and hushed gossip in the church pews. Until this summer. A ghost begins to haunt Iris, and she’s certain it’s the ghost of Elijah. What really happened to him? And why, of all people, has he chosen Iris to come back to?

Ghost Week Grand Prize #1:

Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

String of Ghost Lights

Ty Ghost Bear "Sheetsies"

Fuze Magic "Haunted" Quartz Necklace

Ghost key chain & more fun ghostly goodies

Halloween Tattoos and Candy

Ghost Marshmallow Peeps

Lighted ghost bobble headband

Haunted Magic 8 Ball

Ghost Week Grand Prize #2:

Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

String of Ghost Lights
Ty Ghost Bear "Sheetsies"
Fuze Magic "Haunted" Quartz Necklace
Ghost key chain & more fun ghostly goodies
Halloween Tattoos and Candy
Ghost Marshmallow Peeps
Lighted ghost bobble headband
Haunted Magic 8 Ball

Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer

NANNY FOR 10-YR-OLD TWINS. MAINE COAST. OWN ROOM & GENEROUS SALARY. MUST LOVE BLACK. "Must love black?" Sounds like a coffee-loving, seclusion-seeking goth girl's dream job. Philippa isn't fazed by the fog-enshrouded mansion on a cliff, the weirdest twins on the planet, or even the rumors about ghosts, "cause when she meets the estate's hot gardener, Philippa's pretty sure she's found her dream boy, too. Too bad Geoff's already taken by a girl whose wardrobe is head-to-toe pink. Still, Philippa can't get Geoff out of her head. What will it take to lure him to the dark side?

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

Someone was looking at me, a disturbing sensation if you’re dead. Though I could not feel paper between my fingers, smell ink, or taste the tip of a pencil, I could see and hear the world with all the clarity of the Living. They, on the other hand, did not see me as a shadow or a floating vapor. To the Quick, I was empty air.

Or so I thought.

In the class of the high school English teacher she has been haunting, Helen feels them: For the first time in 130 years, human eyes are looking at her. They belong to a boy, a boy who has not seemed remarkable until now. And Helen–terrified, but intrigued–is drawn to him. The fact that he is in a body and she is not presents this unlikely couple with their first challenge. But as the lovers struggle to find a way to be together, they begin to discover the secrets of their former lives and of the young people they come to possess.

Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz

High atop Hathorne Hill, near Boston, sits Danvers State Hospital. Built in 1878 and closed in 1992, this abandoned mental institution is rumored to be the birthplace of the lobotomy. Locals have long believed the place to be haunted. They tell stories about the unmarked graves in the back, of the cold spots felt throughout the underground tunnels, and of the treasures found inside: patients' personal items like journals, hair combs, and bars of soap, or even their old medical records, left behind by the state for trespassers to view.

On the eve of the hospital's demolition, six teens break in to spend the night and film a movie about their adventures. For Derik, it's an opportunity to win a filmmaking contest and save himself from a future of flipping burgers at his parents' diner. For the others, it's a chance to be on TV, or a night with no parents. But what starts as a playful dare quickly escalates into a frenzy of nightmarish action. Behind the crumbling walls, down every dark passageway, and in each deserted room, they will unravel the mysteries of those who once lived there and the spirits who still might.

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

And if I should die before I awake,

I pray the popular attend my wake.

Charlotte Usher feels practically invisible at school, and then one day she really is invisible. Even worse: she's dead. And all because she choked on a gummy bear. But being dead doesn't stop Charlotte from wanting to be popular; it just makes her more creative about achieving her goal.

If you thought high school was a matter of life or death, wait till you see just how true that is.In this satirical, yet heartfelt novel, Hurley explores the invisibility we all feel at some times and the lengths we'll go to be seen.

Next Week: ZOMBIES!!!!! OMG!! YAY!

***Sneak Peek at Paranormal Powerball books***

Sleepless by Terri Clark

Invisible Touch by Kelly Parra

Unleashed by Kristopher Reisz

The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Book 1) - Kelley Armstrong

+ more!!