Monday, March 4, 2013

giving it away


As you can probably see by that sidebar ad to the right, the contest for my one and only, final signed ARC of Winger ended last Thursday and the book is currently a ward of the US Postal Service, on its way to a reader in Ohio.

I feel good about this one, and not just the book. I'm happy that out of the 698 people who entered to win the ARC on Goodreads, a fan of my writing who is also a Facebook friend (and always says nice things) ended up winning. So I'm really happy that this last, well-traveled and worn Advance Review Copy is going to someone who really wants to read it.

So... enjoy!

Also, I am very happy to say that in today's issue of Publishers Weekly, Winger received its first major-publication review--and it got a STARRED review.

Just about two months out now. It's getting closer.

And here's what Publishers Weekly had to say about Winger:

Winger

By Andrew Smith

(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; ISBN 9781442444928; May 2013; Summer Catalog)

This brutally honest coming-of-age novel from Smith (Passenger) unfolds through the eyes of Ryan Dean West, a 14-year-old, rugby-playing junior at the exclusive Pine Mountain school. He’s two years younger than his classmates, hopelessly in love with his best friend Annie, and stuck in Opportunity Hall, the residence reserved for the worst rule-breakers. As Ryan Dean struggles with football-team bullies, late-night escapades, academic pressures, and girl troubles, he also discovers his own strengths. Like puberty itself, this tale is alternately hilarious and painful, awkward and enlightening; Bosma’s occasional comics add another layer of whimsy and emotion, representing Ryan Dean’s own artistic bent. The characters and situations are profane and crass, reveling in talk of bodily functions and sexual innuendo, and the story is a cross between the films Lucas and Porky’s, with all the charm and gross-out moments that dichotomy suggests. That’s what makes the tragedy near the very end all the more shocking and sudden, changing the entire mood and impact of Ryan Dean’s journey. The last-minute twist may leave readers confused, angry, and heartbroken, but this remains an excellent, challenging read.