Thursday, June 18, 2009

Barry's Blogger Book Bonus

Contest winner has been drawn via Random.org--congratulations, Robin_Titan!

Author Barry Lyga asked for help giving away signed copies of his young adult books, and being the altruistic supporter of all things literary that I am, I'm stepping up to the plate. Even though this could very well require me to perform a task which I generally greet with the same enthusiasm as spending a night wandering through a swamp full of hungry, malaria-infected mosquitoes. (Translation: if you're one of those people who occasionally sees me in real life, so that I could get the book to you without a trip to the dreaded post office, I'll give you one thousand entries! Okay, one hundred. Okay, one. Please enter, so I can give you that one entry. Consider it a favor to me.)

So, I have a brand new (oops, I just read the prologue) gently used signed paperback copy of Lyga's 2007 book Boy Toy, winner of that year's Cybil Award.

[Ed: see my review] Here's what School Library Journal had to say in their starred review:

"For the past five years, Joshua Mendel has struggled with the aftermath of being sexually abused by his seventh-grade history teacher. Now a high school senior, he still experiences 'flickers,' his name for vivid, mini-flashbacks of his times with Eve. He still refuses to associate with Rachel, his seventh-grade romantic interest whose insistence on a game of spin the bottle at a party led to the exposure of his abuse, a trial, and Eve's imprisonment. Rachel is eager to resume their long-abandoned tentative romance, Eve has been released from prison, and Josh wants nothing more than to win a baseball scholarship to a college far from his small town where he feels certain everyone knows about his past. Despite years of counseling, Josh is unable to move on until he reveals the complete details of his experiences with Eve to Rachel and to his friend, Zik, and finally learns to accept the truth about it. Short groups of chapters set in the present alternate with much lengthier segments entitled 'Flashbacks, Not Flickers,' in which Josh describes his relationship with Eve from the beginning to the emotionally wrenching trial. The well-paced plot begins slowly, describing Eve's initial approaches to Josh as she wins his confidence and loyalty, then speeds up as their more frequent contacts move into the realm of inappropriate teacher/student behavior. Lyga's skillful writing subtly reveals Eve's cleverly calculated abuse of Josh in a way that older teens will find fascinating, distressing, and worthy of their attention." --Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA

This book is recommended for ages 16 through 106.

To enter, post a comment including your email address and anything else you'd like to say about Barry Lyga, or young adult books, or the post office, or...? Winner will be announced on June 30, 2009. In accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, you must be 13 or over to enter.

Lyga is also having a book trailer contest to mark the launch of his upcoming book, Goth Girl Rising. It looks like a lot of fun, and everyone who enters will win something, so go check it out after you've entered here!

48 comments:

  1. I love YA, so I'd love to be entered, even if it means you have to make a trek to the Post Office. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

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  2. Yeah! Boy Toy. Everyone read it. That book rocks. It ruled my life for three days straight!

    summersampson[at]gmail[dot]com

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  3. Okay, I'll play! Please enter me in the drawing. I am building up my summer reading list, books to read while I am out of school and actually have freedom of choice on the matter! AND don't have to do homework based on what I read! What luxury!

    peacelizabeth@gmail.com

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  4. I would really like to read this book, especially since I am a teacher. I could never imagine doing this to a student, but I know that it has happened even in our town.

    Thank you,

    Christine
    womackcm@sbcglobal.net

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  5. I met Barry at the Geektastic party and he was all kinds of cool!

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  6. Oh, I was also going to say that if you draw my name out of the hat, you are welcome to bring the book on over to my house rather than to the post office, and we can have a nice chat to boot. Or I can pick it up from you. Easy, don't have to wait in line, and we get to catch up. Not that I'm trying to skew the results, OF COURSE.

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  7. Elizabeth, I have lots of books--if you don't win this one, I'll be happy to substitute another in exchange for a catching-up chat. :-)

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  8. this sounds like a really good read.. I would love to read this book... please enter me..
    I will apologize ahead of time for your trip to the post office if I win.. :o)

    buzymom93@yahoo.com

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  9. This book sounds very interesting, and I would love to read it. Please enter me. Thanks!

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

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  10. I've wanted to read this one for quite some time. Thanks for holding the contest. My address is amandagignac[at]gmail]dot]com

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  11. I haven't read Boy Toy yet, but I can't believe Barry actually needed help getting rid of signed books. Um, sign me up please? :) only kidding. Thanks for the giveaway!

    stephxsu at gmail dot com

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  12. I've wanted to read Boy Toy for a while now. It sounds like a great book! How could anyone not love YA? It's so much fun! Thanks for the contest :)

    -Breanna
    breanna20f@gmail.com

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  13. I haven't read Boy Toy either but it definitely sounds like a great premise for a book please count me in
    msboatgal at aol.com

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  14. Enter me please!

    cnhand84 at yahoo dot com

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  15. would love to give this one a read.
    vvb32@yahoo.com

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  16. Enter me please

    lovestoread0708(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  17. Looks like a good read, please enter me into this drawing.

    Thanks for hosting this giveaway.
    jake.lsewhere[at]gmail.com

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  18. Please, please, please add me to this contest. I read The Astonishing Adventures... (which I rated as an A+) and right now I'm reading a library-loaned copy of Hero Type and eventually want to read his entire body of work.

    Please, please, please. Thanks!

    heathernkemp(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  19. This book sounds really awesome! I'd really to read this! Please enter me.

    Email: joannestapley[at]googlemail[dot]com

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  20. So if people close to where you are get extra points, does that mean international entries get negative points? Or do we just get shot? PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!

    If this IS open internationally, please count me in. I love Barry Lyga, and "The Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl" was one of my favorite reads this year. =D Thanks!!

    mya DOT rooney AT gmail DOT com

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  21. I mean, The Astonishing Adventures[...]. Clearly I need more sleep.

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  22. Hadn't thought about it, Mya. But, last I checked, international post didn't require any more trips to the post office than domestic post.

    If you live on Venus and it costs like $172 to ship the book to you, we might have a problem, but if postage is within my means I'd be happy to ship overseas.

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  23. I would really love to read this book! I bet I would be up all night reading it! Thanks! jacquecurl1@gmail.com

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  24. Sounds great, Ali! My big finals are tomorrow....going out of town this weekend....and then after that I'm pretty darn free for a chat, a book conversation, or whatever I feel like! Maybe next Monday?

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  25. I've heard fab things about this book, which is why I want to read it. My only exposure to Lyga is Fanboy & Goth Girl.

    inbedwithbooks AT yahoo DOT com

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  26. count me in!
    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

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  27. i love young adult books they are super duper! :) i hope i never tire of them..i don't think i will :D

    lc_intocable[a]yahoo[d]com

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  28. I read Boy Toy before and absolutely loved it. It's simply amazing. I would LOVE to own a copy of Boy Toy however, to be able to reread over and over again. And to spread the Boy Toy love to my friends. :)

    Alex (& Lauren) at aflightofminds(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  29. Well, not huge on the post office either ;) But I really want to read this book & my library's copies are overdue from May 07 and October 08 so....

    book.splotATgmailDOTcom

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  30. I haven't read anything by Barry Lyga, but Boy Toy looks great! Please enter me in the contest.

    LiddypooL2(at)aol(dot)com

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  31. Yay! I read Fanboy and Goth girl and loved it, so I'd like to be entered, please!
    -Bee
    otelo36@hotmail.com

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  32. This sounds remarkable. At the same time, it's probably going to be hard to read. Good books often are. Thanks for the contest!

    celialarsen(at)gmail(dot)com

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  33. I would love to be entered in this giveaway! I really enjoy YA that deals with serious issues and I love finding books that would appeal to my 2 boys, who like reading realistic teen fic.

    I'm with you on the post office dread - I think we should be able to hand off out-going packages to our mailman when he comes to our house. :)

    shiloki[at]gmail[dot]com

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  34. I would love to be entered in this giveaway please. Thanks.

    lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  35. Enter me!
    flayla14(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  36. I would love to win this! Sounds like a good book!


    dsym_06(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

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  37. I'd love to be entered...thanks for hosting this awesome giveaway!
    prodhi@live.com

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  38. I hate the post office also - have 3 books sitting at my feet waiting to be mailed out. . . Did I say I hated the post office too?


    Would love to win this from you though.

    kherbrand at comcast dot net

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  39. I'd like to enter, please.

    I don't actually find the post office an unpleasant experience most of the time, but I do get frustrated by how often they get things wrong and my mail gets sent back.

    ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca

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  40. i love reading, and im open to anything new.
    enter me please.
    my name is emily.
    emily_eyeliner@yahoo.com

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  41. I'm hopelessly addicted to YA books. I'd love to be entered.

    lovinfitch(at)aol(dot)com

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  42. I have not read any Barry Lyga books, but I've heard good things about them and would love to read one.

    towerofbooks(at)gmail(dot)com

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  43. I love YA, I really enjoyed The Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, and having read your review, I'm really interested in Boy Toy. Especially as a teacher - although I would never date/seduce one of my 15-year-old Lit. students, it has happened at our school, which is pretty gross. Please enter me in the contest, if it's not too late!

    xjessideex [at] gmail [dot] com

    Thanks! :)

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  44. I hope I got in under the deadline, but I am way behind in reading my fav blogs.
    If so, please throw my hat in the ring...
    caitemaireAThotmailDOTcom

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  45. I absolutely love YA books! And this one sounds interesting!

    paradoxrevealed (at) aim (dot) com

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  46. Please enter me. This sounds like a great book.

    Thanks

    sharon54220@gmail.com

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