Psst, I've Got a Giveaway

There is a village cradled in the northern woods, a town like any other--only this town has a secret centuries old. What if it was your job to keep that secret safe?

Fourteen-year-old Avril Holly lives in a world full of secrets: Not only is she half faery, sprouting wings at twilight, but suddenly she also has the ability to read minds. When she is attacked while walking home alone in her otherwise peaceful community, she learns that she must use her mind-reading powers to protect her people from the curious and sometimes dangerous human beings around them.

When she discovers that Vestyn, her best friend’s brother, helped save her from the attacker, what started out as childhood friendship takes on new depth, growing into a budding romance. Though she worries their telepathic connection will ruin their blossoming relationship, Avril must learn to work with Vestyn to keep their community safe and their faery heritage a secret.

In the Twilight, the first book in The Sprightling Diaries series, will have fans of fantasy and paranormal fiction of all ages wishing for wings and asking,

“What if . . .?”

I'm thrilled to see  my little book published and my sprightlings getting their wings. I began dreaming up and consequently writing In the Twilight during the summer of 2008 while sitting in my backyard with two of my nieces and three of my four children. We began talking about books and I proposed that we write a book of our own, asking, "What if your entire town had a secret and it was your job to keep that secret safe?" We ended up with a middle-grade to 'tween fantasy novel, the first in a series.

Fast forward a few years and many tears later, I was offered a contract to publish my book in the summer of 2011. After doing a happy dance around the kitchen, I got to work preparing the manuscript for the publisher and settled in writing a sequel tentatively titled Shadow Waters.

Of course we all dream of our books one day becoming a movie. And if that is not our dream, we at least conjure up images of the characters we create, usually based on real-life people. Well, if my book were to be made into a movie in the near future, preferably before these kids need walkers and take their great-grandchildren to the premier, the role of Avril Holly would be played by:

Abigail Breslin.

In the role of Vestyn Winter, I would cast:

Sterling Knight.

(No celebrity endorsement implied.)

(Oh, and, yes, I got these pics off of Google Images.)

Now for the fun part: the giveaway.

• Be sure to like The Sprightling Diaries Facebook page,
• visit SprightlingDiaries.com,
• and then leave a comment here so I know who you are and what you stand for. Kidding. I only want to know who you are and if you followed the rules of the game. 

(If you would like to read more about my everyday life, you are welcome to follow this blog. But I warn you, it's a lot about my kids, family, my inner thoughts, etc. read: boring.)

On January 2nd, I will choose, at random, six winners.

What are you playing for?

• One winner will receive a signed copy of In the Twilight
• Two winners will receive abalone shell necklaces similar to those described in the book
• Three winners will jump up and down for glow-in-the-dark Sprightling Diaries wristbands.

Are you excited? Well, you should be. I am.

Want more but can't wait to win a signed copy? Be sure to click on over to Amazon.com and buy a copy of your own.