Friday, August 14, 2009

Goats and Sisters and Pageants, Oh My!

I have been looking forward to this blog entry for almost a year. In the Debs we do something called DebSwap. What happens is that when a Deb gets ARCs, she offers one up for DebSwap (or he, we do have a couple of guys . . . I'm looking at you Kurtis!!:D). The ARC gets sent from Deb to Deb and before we send the ARC on, we sign it, write a message, leave notes in the text, we even have a super-talented Deb who draws illustrations. It's a really fun thing. Well, last summer, I managed to be the first one on the list for Secrets of Truth and Beauty. And it was the first DebARC I ever got in the mail.

To be totally honest I wasn't that interested in it. I like my fiction with a big scoop of supernatural and I don't read a lot of real-life contemporary. But there was something about a goat farm and goats are cool and it was my first DebARC! So I sat and started to read.

And I fell in love with this book. In. Love. This is an amazing book. So exquisitely, perfectly done. It is a deceptively light book that sucks you in before you realize that you are in a very deep place (and it makes you want goat cheese!!)

But before I gush too much, here is a bit about the book: When Dara Cohen was little, she was crowned Little Miss Maine. That was then. Now Dara's seventeen and she's not so little anymore. That's just one of her many problems. Another is that her control-freak mom won't get off her case about anything. Yet the one that hurts the most is the family secret: Dara has an older sister her parents tried to erase from their lives.

And a bit about Megan: Megan Frazer studied English literature and creative writing at Columbia University. She lives with her husband and baby in Maine, where she is a high school librarian. She loves cheese and cooking, and both of these make their way into Secrets of Truth & Beauty. She was not, however, ever in a beauty pageant.

Seriously people, this is an amazing book about discovering yourself and what family really means. If you love Sarah Dessen, you will love this book. If you love goat cheese, you will love this book. If you love strong, smart heroines, you will love this book. If you love to read you. will. love. this. book. I have been telling everyone I know about this book for months and it was so nice to be able to start telling people last month that they could go out and buy it (because after six months of hearing about a book that is still not available, people start to thing you are *koffkoff* CRAZY!:)) So yes, SECRETS is in stores now, and I recommend that you stop whatever you are doing right now and go out and buy it. Really.

However, if you do feel the need to finish the blog entry before you rush out, there might be a chance to just win it at the end. That's all I'm sayin'.;)

Okay, Feasty Five!!

AP: What kind of soda does your MC drink?

MF: Moxie. She is a Maine girl, after all.

AP: *looks out at the readers in confusion* Moxie? *retreats to Google* Wow! Check this stuff out! Cool!! Anyway, yeah, back to the matter at hand.

MF: *waits patiently*

AP: What is your MC's favorite kind of flower? How about yours?

MF: Dara's favorite flower would be something graceful and dramatic, like a calla lily. I love lady slippers, and I love the smell of lilacs and honeysuckle.

AP: Does your MC believe in magic? Do you?

MF: Dara is too practical to believe in magic. As for me, I want to believe.

AP: Superman or Batman?

MF: I think Batman. I like the idea of someone creating the hero, not being born that way. Although the fact that Bruce Wayne is super rich and that's how he's able to have all the gadgets and stuff, well, that's less impressive to me. I've always kind of liked Spiderman, actually, and the way his mind is so important.

AP: Give us one line from your book. You don't even have to give it context.:)

MF: "So not only was it an ugly unicorn, it was an expensive, ugly unicorn."

AP: Hehe, I love that quote!

One of the things I love about SECRETS, is that it is not your stereotypical "fat girl" book where you have an overweight heroine with lots of problems, who loses a ton of weight and becomes rich, popular, wanted by boys, and admired by all. I hate those kinds of books. Self-confidence comes from the inside, not the outside!! This is a book about loving who you are, insides, outsides, everything.

And in the spirit of that, I'd like to offer a chance to win this incredible book with the simple entry fee of commenting and telling me something you like about yourself. This contest ends when my daughter goes to school on Monday and I will send a copy out early next week.

In fact, if you tell me TWO things you like about yourself, I will give you an extra entry.

I'll even start. I like my hair and my eyes.

And while you are thinking--sorting through the zillions of good qualities I know you all have in order to settle on just two--got check out Megan at her website.

Ciao!

29 comments:

Unknown said...

I like my lips and my stomach :)

Writer 421 said...

I like my eyes...and I like my writing ;)and (I know this is three, but hey! You don't have to count it as an entry, lol!) my not-so-shyness

This book sounds REALLY good!!!

Tana said...

OOh I so want to win this!!

I like that I NEVER give up and I like the fact I care about people. (also I can still fit into my high school jeans and after four babies that fact makes me quite happy) ;)

Mary E Campbell said...

Sounds like a great book. I like my eyes and my hair.

Erin said...

Sounds like a great book! I'm impressed with all you people who actually like your hair. I didn't think any woman actually liked her hair. Okay 2 things I DO like about me: 1. I'm sincere 2. I'm a hardworker and if it had to be a physical feature (I want to make sure I'm not disqualified for answering the question wrong!) 1.my eyes 2.my smallness

Nichole Giles said...

I like my smile and my unique, far from perfect, shape. =)

I love this contest, and must read this book because I think self confidence is one of the things most lacking in contemporary women. In fact, maybe I'll buy one for my baby sister, too.

Nichole

molly said...

this sounds great!

i like my eyes [i think they're my favorite physical feature]

and i like the fact that i can say "no" to peer pressure.

Princess MommyPants said...

I like my nose and my ankles. :)

Editt said...

I like my eyes and my great smile!
This is fun! Thanks for offering this book. I'm definitely intrigued by this book.

tomdg said...

This book sounds fantastic - I can see why you're raving about it and I totally want one :) Now I want to go find a can of Moxie to try that too.

I like my brain, and the way it can break down problems into manageable chunks. I like that I'm willing to say or do things even if that puts me in a minority of one.

jesmck319 said...

I like that I am good with kids and that I can almost always see other sides to a situation.

Unknown said...

i totally think it would be cool if i win this!!

two things i like about me is a love my hair, it's long and brown with natural highlights, i've never dyed it or anytyhing and it looks totally amazing.

another thing i love about me is i'm really good making friends becuase i have a personality that can go with anyone!!

so yeah that's what i love about myself!!

Mulli said...

'Secrets of Truth and Beauty' sounds so amazing!! I can't wait to start turning page after page in it. :)

As for what I like about myself:
I not only like my red hair, but I completely love it. I can always count on my hair. Another thing I like is my caring and kindness towards other people. :D

Unfortunately I live in Denmark, so it might take weeks before I get my hands on the book. :(

ChristyLou said...

I'm really looking forward to reading this book! Self-worth and body image are very interesting subjects to me (especially since I'm trying to raise two daughters!). I've reserved it at the library, but it would be so much more fun to win the book! I reserved Wings at the Library and it took FOREVER to come in...

I like that I'm a friendly person who helps people to feel welcome when they're new to town, church, or whatever. I also like my big blue eyes. :) Thanks for doing the give-away this way, it's good to think about what we like about ourselves!

melissa said...

I'd like to enter! I've been reading about this book for a while but just haven't had a chance to get my hands on it yet.
I too like my hair, and my eyes that change color :)

Anonymous said...

i like my hair and my size.

this book sounds great!

Emily

Johnson Family said...

wow! I think I would have to pick my thick hair and my eyes which can't decide which color to be.
Christa Johnson

Anonymous said...

I like my nose and my cheekbones, because 1) they've received the most compliments over the years and 2) are quite frankly perfect. :) Not that I'm vain. Just honest...which is another thing I like about myself. :)

~* Jessica *~ said...

well, I think I'll do one physical feature and one personality trait, just to even things out :)

1) I like my fair skin. I don't break out to much and I can have fun dying my hair (which I love doing often) whatever color I want without is looking weird.

2) I like my passion. When I like something, I feel it so strongly throughout my entire body. Things like music and Disney make me feel light and giddy, and I'm sure that is one reason I don't fell the need to do drugs or drink like many other young adults

I hope that works, because I would love to read this book :)

Emily B-H said...

I like my hair and eyes- and the Wizard of Oz reference in the subject title of this post? :D
Emily

melissa @ 1lbr said...

I like my brains and my book collection :) (ok, I also like my feet).

Anonymous said...

I just went ahead and ordered it anyway! I like my total need for instant gratification. s xxx

Lisa Aldin said...

What I like about little, old me:

1) My knees. Yup. Knees are something you can like and admire. Mine are very smooth and full of scars from rollerblading accidents. And so on. And who wouldn't love scars? They each have a story to tell!

2) My feet. I live barefoot. And when I must wear shoes, for example in order to buy a Subway sandwich, I choose flip flops.

Books sounds great. Gimme Gimme!

Dara said...

It does sound like a great book. And I'm especially fond of the main character's name ;)

Dara said...

Oh the things I like about myself:

1) Physical: My eyes. I love their color and shape :)

2) Trait: When I commit to something, I become really passionate about it. Sometimes I get a little carried away :)

Unknown said...

I like my hair because I'm 37 and it's still all there. ;-)

Jeanette said...

The thing that I like about me is that I like me... faults, imperfections and all.

Alexandra said...

Ooh, yours are mine! I like my hair, which is half golden and half brown, and my eyes, which are green (everyone else in my family has brown eyes, so I've always felt kind of special).

Thanks for holding this contest!!

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