1. POPULAZZI in Girls Life Magazine
Girls Life magazine picked POPULAZZI as one of their Top 40 summer hits! Here’s a summary of POPULAZZI (August 2011) in case you missed it:
WHAT WOULD YOU DO if you had the chance to erase your past and reinvent yourself as the person you’ve always wanted to be? Would you grab it? Would you stick with it, no matter what the consequences?
Cara Leonard always wished she could be one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and never at a loss for the perfect thing to say. They are the Populazzi, and they’ve always been many rungs on the Popularity Tower above Cara and her best friend Claudia.
Yet when Cara moves to a new school just before junior year, Claudia urges Cara to seize the opportunity and change her life… by using the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and by molding herself into the perfect girlfriend to guys higher and higher on the Popularity Tower, Cara will be able to achieve the ultimate goal: becoming Supreme Populazzi, the most popular girl in school.
What starts off as a lighthearted social experiment becomes increasingly twisted and difficult, and Cara soon finds even the most basic things about herself aren’t what she always believed. Though the Ladder may seem like a straight climb to the top, for Cara it’s a sometimes-dark, sometimes-absurd, always-winding journey to find out who she really is.
2. Xtreme Air Jump N’ Skate on MSNBC.com
MSNBC.com has a great article on their website about Xtreme Air Jump N’ Skate. Here is an excerpt from the article:
“Inside the park, there is a designated area for children up to 7 years old, as well as a section specifically designed for teenagers. Parents also have an area that includes a gourmet café and five televisions hooked up to 17 viewing cameras throughout the park, allowing parents to monitor their children. Individuals can also tan or get a massage in the park’s salon, Xtreme Escape, while they wait for their kids. A boutique that sells a variety of exclusive clothing and accessories, Xtreme Bling, is set to open soon as well.
Chandler resident Valliere Jones took her son Bryson to the park the day before the opening. Her initial reaction was surprise when they offered to have her put on a Velcro suit and jump on the wall.
“They asked me if I wanted to bounce, too. That was fun because they gave me that option,” Jones said. “I could sit in the lobby and work on a computer but I put the Velcro suit on and jumped on the wall. That was the highlight of the day!”"
3. Kaira Rouda in the Malibu Patch
The Malibu Patch ran an article this week featuring Kaira Rouda and discussing her Indie Excellence Award win for best chick-lit novel. Here is a highlight from the article:
“Malibu resident Kaira Rouda’s debut novel Here, Home, Hope last month received the 2011 Indie Excellence Award for “Best Chick Lit Novel.”
‘This is my dream come true,’ said Rouda, who had a bestselling business book in 2008, but just made her foray into women’s fiction after years of admiring authors like Susan Isaacs and Jane Green. ‘Receiving this award for Here, Home, Hope, my debut novel, is a remarkable honor. I’m thrilled to know that my novel is making an impact on readers and I’ve been amazed by the support I’ve received from other talented women authors that I adore and readers around the country who have embraced the book.’”
4. Crush Control Giveaway on Story Siren
Story Siren is offering great prizes for people who pre-order CRUSH CONTROL by Jennifer Jabaley. It isn’t too late to enter. Here are more details from Story Siren’s website:
“Pre-order a copy of Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley from now until JUNE 10… that’s this coming FRIDAY, and win some of Jennifer’s favorite things! There will be FIVE winners!!
Jennifer’s Favorite Things (with explanations from Jennifer!):
- A $100 gift card to Sephora (I’m a total make-up junkie)
- My new favorite perfume: A gift set of FlowerBomb by Vicktor & Rolf – value of $80.
- As I’m training to run the Peachtree Road Race, I’ve discovered the cutest running skirt from Athleta (the swift zip skort) because hey, even if you’re sweaty you can still look cute
– value of $50. - A signed copy of CRUSH CONTROL and my two favorite YAs that I read this year: BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver and ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins – a value of $40. 5.
- The first season of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS on DVD. I discovered this show this winter and have raced through all five seasons in a matter of weeks. – a value of $20.”
Go to Story Siren’s post for complete contest details!
5. 20 Most Anticipated Books for Summer
MAINE by J. Courtney Sullivan was included in the 20 Most Anticipated Books for Summer. MAINE is also included on the 2011 Summer Reading Challenge hosted by BookSparks PR, Little Bird Publicity and GetRed PR. Are you taking the challenge? It isn’t too late to register! Read fabulous books, connect with great people and win amazing prizes! Here are more details about the 2011 Summer Reading Challenge:
“Join BookSparksPR, Get Red PR and Little Bird Publicity for our Summer Reading Challenge 2011!
We’ve selected some fabulous books for you to read this summer and you’ll get to know these amazing authors and win great prizes along the way. Read one book or read them all – the more you read, the bigger chance to win! Great books, mini-contests and weekly prizes from Philosophy Cosmetics, Suave and more – all leading up to an incredible GRAND PRIZE to one ultimate reader at the end of summer!
You up for the challenge?”
