interworld contest winner and new giveaway

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 |

InterWorld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves is fun and clever entertainment suitable for most ages (I’d say 10 years and up…but there will be those nine year-olds who are ready for it). It’s adventure, science fiction, fantasy, coming-of-age, and world-moving ideas all rolled into one mad package. Plus it’s got lovely cover art.

Neil Gaiman is a hilarious, dark-yet-comfortable and immensely talented author who wins accolades and awards whenever he puts pen to paper. He has novels for adults, children, those in between, and those who will never grow old. I’ve just bought his Blueberry Girl picture book for my pregnant cousin-in-law. Imagine that kind of scope, will you?

So that was the rationale behind my last giveaway book pick: it had to be amusing, it had to be something in my own library (and thus properly endorsed), and it had to be something that I was fairly sure no one would have (yet want to own).

And the winner is…Alyce!

Congratulations! I’ve sent an email your way. Thank you to everyone who participated! My first contest/giveaway was a lot of fun and a success as well. To think I was afraid that no one would enter!

The problem is that I had too much fun. Not a problem for you all…a boon of sorts, really. Because I’ve now caught the contest-holding bug, and must host a NEW giveaway right away. Seriously.

So I’m giving away one (1) copy of Kelly Link’s Pretty Monsters.

Link, who has two breathlessly received books of strange, surrealistic tales for adults under her belt, makes the leap into the YA fold with this collection of short stories (most previously published in separate anthologies) that tug at the seams of reality, sometimes gently, sometimes violently. In nearly every one of these startlingly, sometimes confoundingly original stories, Link defies expectations with such terrific turnarounds that you are left precipitously wondering not only “What’s going to happen now?” but also “Wait, what just happened?”

Her conception of fantasy is so unique that when she uses words like ghost or magic, they mean something very different than they do anywhere else. Perhaps most surprisingly—and memorably— is Link’s dedicated deadpan delivery that drives home how funny she can be, no matter how dark the material gets. After gobbling up a group of campers, a zombie with a self-proclaimed sense of humor bargains with the terrified lone survivor, “How about if I only eat you if you say the number that I’m thinking of? I promise I won’t cheat. I probably won’t cheat.”

Shaun Tan contributes a handful of small illustrations that are, of course, just plain delightful. -starred Booklist review

To Enter:

Leave a comment on this post answering the question, “What fantastical nemesis would you least like to be confronted by?”

Please include your email address. Giveaway is open to US & Canadian addresses only. Comments will close on July 14 at 11:59pm EST, and I will notify the randomly selected winner via email.

Good luck!

24 comments:

Kristen said...

I would not want to be confronted by a basilisk - they can turn you to stone!

bittahsweetharmony@yahoo.com

Diana Dang said...

Hm, I wouldn't want to encounter... the three headed dog. I mean, that seems a little painful if you become their meal you know?

faked_sugartone at hotmail

BN Book Blog said...

We wouldn't want to meet a minotaur. They just seem rather unpleasant.

Beth & Nathan
bnbookblog@gmail.com

ShootingStarsMag said...

Oh, I do want to read this one. Congrats to Alyce (me so jealous LOL).

Let's see...I agree the basilik would NOT be fun. I do not want to be turned to stone or simply die. That would be pretty bad.

Can I say a giant too, if that counts as a fantastical creature. I'd be terrified!

-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

Ginny Larsen said...

an evil unicorn or a magical leopluridon. both are equally terrifying.

*crossing fingers* hope i win :D

larsenvt {AT} gmail {DOT} com

thanks for the chance to win (again!)

vvb32 reads said...

love all things neil gaiman! i heard gaiman talk about blueberry girl at one of his readings but didn't know it was gonna be up for sale. thanks for the tip.

okay, i would not like to come across an Orc. if you asked me a couple years ago, i might have said vampire. but thanks to twilight and sookie stackhouse book series, i want to meet one. ;-D

vvb32@yahoo.com

Rebecca, A Clothes Horse said...

I didn't know you did book giveaways! Those short stories sound quite fascinating.
P.S. Yes, Dr. Scholls has some really pretty shoes (and boots in winter) and some really ugly ones!

Nesral said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nesral said...

“What fantastical nemesis would you least like to be confronted by?”

A feline version of a werewolf.... That would be plain creepy.

larsen(dot)joey(AT)gmail(dot)com

Marie said...

Hmm, there are so many that I would prefer to avoid and most of them have already been suggested -- I'll go with the Gorgon -- that would be a nasty one!

marielay@gmail.com

Mozi Esme said...

Aww - bring them all on! I've got my superpowers... Though preferably nothing too ugly - like a twisted up knight covered with warts.

Cheryl Vanatti said...

Because snakes are the most vile creatures to roam the earth, I will also have to add my own vote for the basilisk...

email in Blogger profile

thanks for the chance to win this one, I've been eyeing it for some time :-)

valerie2350 said...

chupacabra ;)

Laina said...

I'm gonna go with Voldemort here.

Laina1312@gmail.com

minishoes1 said...

An evil leprocaun is what I am going with. I would love to read this book! Thanks! jacquecurl1@gmail.com

Samantha LeAnne said...

Personally I would have to go with...a leprechaun. I don't like them, they are creepy, and little, and evil, and have magic, and appear out of nowhere, and did I mention little? I don't like really little things, they creep me out.

HarlequinTwilight@gmail.com

Annmarie Weeks said...

Medusa terrifies me! I'd avoid that one at all costs!

Rabid Fox said...

What fantastical nemesis would you least like to be confronted by?

I'll go with a leprechaun too, now that I see it listed in the comments. The tiny buggers, with their insufferable laugh and penchant for mischief--I'd be stockpiling cans of Raid to get rid of one of them.

e-mail: rabidfox(at)ymail.com

-.- said...

That's a tough one. I guess it would have to be the Joker from Batman, because even though he's one of my favourite all time villains, he's still a freak and I wouldn't want to go near him. o_O

Thanks

~ Popin
proudbookworm[@]gmail[dot]com

kalea_kane said...

Oh I most definitely would not want to run into a Siren! Can you just imagine the most lovely day in the ocean and then you are just hypnotized by the sweetest music you have ever heard and then BAM into the rocks you go. If you are lucky the crash kills you. If not...great...drowning.

Whoa...got a little scared there.

thanks for the giveaway and congrats to Alyce!

kalea_kane(at)yahoo(dot)com

heatherzilla said...

I agree with some of the other posters, the basilisk is scary! I would not want run into one. heatherzilla(at)care2(dot)com

Jenn M. said...

Congrats to Alyce!

Wow. Contests contests everywhere! I've really wanted to read this one!

I'm reading through the other posts and I am a big chicken and afraid of most things. I was attacked by a freak-of-nature chicken yesterday which was pretty scary. I've just read all the Percy Jackson books, so I should have some good answers. Of all of those scary mythical beasts, I agree with Laina and go with Lord Voldemort. Unless that scary clown from "It" counts.

Liz said...

Yes I agree! I would not want to be confronted by basilisk!
Liz

liztapioka14 (at) yahoo (dot) com

Brittany said...

What fantastical nemesis would you least like to be confronted by? A dementor

teensatthelibrary[@]yahoo[.]com

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