Now You’re All Just Making Me Cry – Day 3 Of The Giveaway

  • September 10, 2012

***Update: Winners of the day 2 giveaway are now displayed. Scroll down to the bottom of this page and see if the rafflecopter picked you 🙂 If you’re a winner, please e-mail me at [email protected]. I’ll need your full name and mailing address.

Each night, when I’m setting up the rafflecopter for the new giveaway, I read through all the comments one more time. You outdid yourselves with yesterday’s comments about your favorite scene from On the Island.

They made me cry.

Not giant ugly tears like I cried when I wrote some of those scenes. But grateful oh my God, how did this even happen? kind of tears. Once again, words cannot express how much your comments mean to me. Thank you so much.

It’s been over two years since I started writing On the Island, and over a year since I finished it. In some ways I’ve moved on. I’m almost done with my second book and I’m immersed in a new story, with new characters. But reading all of your comments has brought back wonderful memories of those scenes. I remember how I struggled to write some of your favorites. How I re-wrote some of them three different ways before finally deciding which version I liked best. Thank you so much for sharing your feedback with me.

Now for day 3 of the giveaway! Two wonderful readers will win a Nook Color. As long as I can ship it to you (via the Barnes & Noble website), you are eligible.

In the comment section, tell me who your favorite secondary character is. I’d love to know if there were other characters you connected with. Also, who would you most like to see in a spin-off story? Here are some of the choices:

Mick
Ben
Bones
Sarah
Stefani
Henry Elings
Dean Lewis
T.J.’s dad
T.J.’s mom

I’m having a teeny-tiny bit of difficulty with the rafflecopter for yesterday’s giveaway. It’s chosen the winners but it won’t display them. I’m working on it and as soon as I figure it out, I’ll post the names. There are still 7 of you who need to e-mail me your full name and mailing address from Friday’s day 1 giveaway (so send me your info at [email protected]).

After you leave a comment, make sure you also login to the rafflecopter using your Facebook login or your e-mail address so that you’ll be eligible to win today’s prize.

Happy Monday, everyone!

xoxo,

Tracey

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Because I love You All, Day 2

  • September 9, 2012

Congratulations to the winners of the day 1 giveaway! 13 signed copies of On the Island (original cover) will be mailed out this week. If you haven’t e-mailed your full name and mailing address to me at [email protected], please do so and I’ll get your package ready. Want to find out if you won? Check yesterday’s post and scroll down to the rafflecopter.

Okay, now for the second giveaway. Up for grabs today are 10 signed paperback copies with the beautiful Penguin cover. It’s the one that looks like this:

 
 
 
All you have to do is this: In the comments section, tell me what your favorite scene is from On the Island. Then, make sure you login to the rafflecopter. You must do both to be eligible to win. Once again, this giveaway is open to EVERYONE and if you entered on day 1, you can enter this one, too.
 
You all brought tears to my eyes yesterday with your wonderful comments. I have the best readers in the world. Thank you!!
 
xoxo,
 
Tracey
 
 
 


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Because I Love You Guys, Really I Do

  • September 7, 2012

****The giveaway for one of the 13 signed copies of On the Island has ended. Scroll down to the rafflecopter to see if you’ve won! If your name is listed, e-mail me your full name and mailing address at [email protected].

I appreciate all of the wonderful comments; they made me cry!!

A year ago last weekend (September 3rd, 2011, to be exact), I self-published my debut novel, On the Island, with no idea what to expect.

It felt weird. Really weird. It also felt good. The availability of self-publishing programs meant I didn’t have to shove my novel in a drawer and hope that someone would take a chance on the next book I wrote. 

Not much changed. I still went to my day job. My kids still fought (constantly). And my husband and I still tried to find time to have an uninterrupted conversation (and maybe a glass of wine).

A few months later, things started to change a little bit. Sales went up, although not dramatically. I received some reviews that were so heartfelt they literally brought tears to my eyes and made me smile for days. I received some awesome e-mails from readers who lived all over the world. It was incredibly satisfying and wonderful and I considered myself lucky.

In the spring, things really got crazy. April and May are one big blur…In June, Penguin publishing offered me a two-book deal and put On the Island on bookshelves everywhere. 

A year ago, I just wanted to find an audience. I just wanted the book I spent 18 months writing to be available to those who might want to read it.

One year later:

Over half a million copies of On the Island have been sold.   
On the Island is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. 
Foreign rights have been sold in 23 countries.
MGM has optioned the book for a feature film.
On the Island spent over 10 weeks on the NYT bestseller list, reaching #5 in the e-book category and #12 for the trade paperback.

I no longer have a day job because writing full-time is my day job. I get to spend time with both kids every morning before sending them off to the bus stop. My work wardrobe consists of yoga pants and T-shirts. I spend my days in a quiet house with Chloe curled up next to me.

I don’t even know what to say that will convey my true feelings about this. Or how to thank all of you. Because you, the readers, are the ones who made it happen. I’m eternally grateful and I think it’s time for one big THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

Here’s how it will work: I’m giving away 1 Kindle DX, 2 Nook Colors, and 23 signed paperbacks (13 with the original cover – because that’s how many I have stacked on my dining room table – and 10 with the Penguin cover).

This giveaway will span 4 days and I’ll be using the rafflecopter to choose the winners. And this giveaway is open to EVERYONE. I don’t care where you live. You’re eligible. You can enter every day of the giveaway, but you can only win once.

So let’s start with the signed original paperback. The one that looks like this: I have 13 to give away.

All you have to do is leave a comment telling me how you heard about On the Island (make sure you also login to rafflecopter with either your facebook login or e-mail to enter the giveaway). I want to know what led you to this book. And I want you to know how much that has meant to me.

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

xoxo,

Tracey

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Totally Unscientific Poll Results

  • August 26, 2012

I took an informal poll and asked readers, via my author page on Facebook, for their input on who they’d most like to see playing T.J. in the film adaptation of On the Island. I’ve tallied the votes and thought it would be fun to share the results with you all.

The actor who received the most votes to play T.J. was Zac Efron. You guys really, really like Zac. I mean, like, a lot.

In second place was Alex Pettyfer (or as I like to call him, Alex Prettyfer, because OH MY GOD, look at him).

One person suggested Justin Bieber “just for laughs” and I have to agree. I’m sure he’s a lovely person and this is a really great picture of him, but, yeah. NO. 

In third place we have Taylor Kitsch, my original choice for T.J. I’ve mentioned this in a few Q&A’s I’ve done recently, and it pains me to say it again, but I think he’s too old to play T.J. which is a crying shame because I really like looking at him.

 
 
 
 
Next up is someone I’ve never heard of: Steven R. McQueen. Perhaps it’s because I don’t watch The Vampire Diaries. Perhaps I should start.
 

 
 


Jeremy Sumpter, Steven Strait, and Aaron Johnson were a few of the other suggestions.

 
I have a suggestion to throw into the ring: Jamie Campbell Bower. I can’t remember how he came to my attention, but he’s adorable and hot – two qualities that an actor playing T.J. will need to have. Plus I think he’s just young enough to pull it off.
 
 
 
It was also suggested – and I wholeheartedly agree – that an unknown actor (paired with a well-known actress a’ la Christopher Atkins and Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon) might be the way to go.
 
And lastly, I’ve bumped Anne Hathaway out of the starring role of Anna, not because I don’t like her, because I really, really do, but because I think one of these two actresses might be a teensy bit better.
 
 
Minka Kelly
 

 
Eliza Dushku
 
 
 
 
Thanks for your input, everyone!!
 

 
 
 
 

Fiction Friday!

  • July 23, 2012

For those of you who have read On the Island, Anna has a best friend named Stefani. Here is the real Stefani (and the inspiration for that character). She has been a wonderful supporter of me since the beginning of my publishing journey. Plus I’ve known her since we were like 5 and she’s awesome.

But now that I’ve put her in one of my books, she somehow thinks I have to put her in ALL of them. Or at least someone related to her. Or her, you know, DOG.

Meet Tucker, y’all! You’ll get to read about him in Covet. Originally, there was no dog in Covet. But Stefani thought there should be and when I explained that I would now have to come up with a fictional place to board a fictional dog in one of my scenes she did not seem to think it was a big deal. So I wrote Tucker into the story. But look at that face? Stefani keeps promising to send him to me and I check the mailbox every day but there’s no Tucker and I’m starting to think that she lied.  

On the Island’s Book Birthday Pictures

  • July 12, 2012
Hello everyone,
On the Island hit bookstores across the country on Tuesday! I didn’t realize just how awesome it would feel until I saw the trade paperback sitting on the shelf. This picture is from the Barnes & Noble at Jordan Creek Mall in West Des Moines. I sure do like their sign!
I went to Target next and there on the shelf, sandwiched between Elin Hilderbrand’s Summerland and Kristin Hannah’s Home Again, was my book.
My last bookstore was another Barnes & Noble. I almost didn’t stop, but it was on my way home so I thought, “Oh heck, why not.” While I was standing there taking a picture of the display with my phone, I overheard someone say “On the Island” so I totally started eavesdropping stood there, all nonchalant, and a woman and a B&N employee walked over. The customer was looking for On the Island. But she wanted to make sure it was the book written by the woman who lives in Des Moines. She questioned the B&N employee and the employee responded that she wasn’t sure but would find out. I couldn’t take it anymore because I was literally standing right there so I opened my big mouth contributed helpfully to the conversation. “Yes, that’s her,” I said. “I mean, I’m her. It’s me.” The customer looked shocked but then gave me a big smile despite my deranged grin. I explained that the book had just been released and that I wanted to stop in and see it on the shelf. She was buying a copy for herself and her daughter and I offered to sign them because I just happened to have a Sharpie in my purse. She was so nice and she made my afternoon. For the rest of the day I told that story to anyone who would listen.

And now, here are some of the wonderful people who helped celebrate my book birthday. Thank you all!

Release Day!

  • July 10, 2012

Good morning everyone!

Today is the day I’ve been dreaming about for a long, long time. On the Island is on bookstore shelves across the nation. You should be able to find it everywhere with the exception of Costco (it will be available there on 7/16).

If you are out and about and happen to see On the Island, take a picture of yourself in front of the display and send it to me. I’ll post it on my Facebook fan page which is right here.

And once again, because I can never say it enough, I want to thank all of you for making this happen, especially those of you who have been following this blog since the beginning. A special shout-out goes to Elisa Abner-Taschwer, Penne Heede Pojar, Keri Stokstad, Bryan Stokstad, Julie Elsner, Missy Pomerantz, and Monica Shadowens.

xoxo,

Tracey

Book Signings!

  • July 9, 2012

Happy Monday everyone!

Here’s a list of where I’ll be in the next couple of weeks. I sure would love to see you, so stop by and say hi!

Tuesday, July 10th

I will be on the radio at KAZR 103.3 “The Morning Moose Show” tomorrow at 8:50 a.m. Tune in and hear me talk about On the Island.

Thursday, July 12th

Live interview, in-studio at Iowa Public Radio “Talk of Iowa” radio show. 10:00 a.m.

Beaverdale Books
2629 Beaver Avenue, Suite 1

Reading and book signing: 6:30 p.m. 

Tuesday, July 17th

Clive Public Library
1900 N.W. 114th St.

Reading and book signing: 6:30 p.m. 

Thursday, August 2nd

Barnes & Noble
333 Collins Rd NE, Bldg 1
Cedar Rapids, IA

Reading and book signing: 7:00 p.m.

I’ll post more dates and events as they become available.

Fiction Friday – Some More Really Big News

  • June 8, 2012

It has always been a dream of mine to walk into a bookstore, or Target, or Costco and see a book I’d written sitting there on the shelf. I’d probably walk up to it and stare at the pretty cover with my mouth hanging open. Maybe I’d linger in the vicinity and see if anyone else checked it out. If they did, I certainly wouldn’t swoop in and shout, “Hey I wrote that! That’s MY book! Are you going to buy that?” while jumping up and down like a crazy person.

I mean, I probably wouldn’t.

Ahem.

And honestly, I’m eternally grateful for the dream I’m already living. I’ve been incredibly blessed because readers from all over the world are reaching out to me to tell me how they’ve connected with On the Island.  They tell me they’re still thinking about Anna and T.J. days after finishing the book. They say that they’ve recommended the book to their sister or their mother or their friends. I smile every day because I believe I have the best readers an author could ever hope for, and I’m truly humbled by my good fortune.

But sometimes, things get even better. Mind-blowingly, life-changingly better. To the point where you’re not sure what you did to deserve it, but you’re beyond ecstatic and thankful that it’s happening.

Because that long-ago dream is coming true. I am beyond thrilled to announce that On the Island is being published by Plume, an imprint of the Penguin Group. The e-book is available TODAY. You can buy it on Amazon here and Barnes and Noble here. It is also available in the Apple store. The new version contains a letter I wrote to the readers and a wonderful readers guide.

And on July 17th I’ll be able to walk into a bookstore, or Target, or Costco, or anywhere books are sold and see my book on the shelf. I’ll walk up to it and stare at the pretty cover

This pretty cover.  

I’m also incredibly excited to announce that Covet will be released by Dutton – an imprint of the Penguin Group – in hardcover next spring. 

My self-publishing journey has come to an end. It’s been a wild ride and many of you have been with me from the beginning. Your kind words and your support have meant more to me than you’ll ever know, and I can’t stress enough how instrumental you all were in making this happen.
Thank you.
xoxo,
Tracey
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