Spread the Word about Marty McGuire! (You could win a $100 bookstore gift card, books, & writing workshops!)

So when’s the next MARTY MCGUIRE book coming out?

I’ve been asked this question a lot in emails and on Twitter lately, so I thought I’d answer it here.  MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS, will be out in both hardcover and paperback on April 1st.  Illustrator Brian Floca is finishing up the amazing art now, and I hope to share the cover soon.  If you don’t already know Marty, you can read all about my nature-loving, trouble-making third grader here.

In the mean time, I’d love it if even more readers discovered the first Marty book, so I’m having a Spread-the-Word-About-Marty contest.  It’s easy to enter — just do something in the next two months to introduce Marty to new readers.  (There’s a list of ideas below!)

On January 15^th, I’ll draw a name from all the entrants, and that person will win for a $100 gift card for his or her favorite indie bookstore. Then I’ll draw TEN more names to win signed copies of MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS when it comes out in April.

There will also be a special drawing for teachers/librarians entering with their classes or schools. To be included in this one, create a group MARTY MCGUIRE project either in your school or online (This can be anything – a bulletin board, hallway display, book trailer, acted-out scene video, student-created new scenes for the book on a blog…you name it!)  The top two class or school-wide Marty projects will win a three-day virtual writing workshop with me.  This includes a teacher-package of behind-the-scenes Marty stuff (rough drafts, revised pages, cut scenes, etc.) plus writing handouts for students, as well as three thirty-minute Skype writing workshop sessions over three weeks of your choice this spring.

To enter the drawing, fill out the contact form on my website with this information:

• Your name & who you are (reader/blogger/teacher/librarian/parent/bookseller)
• What you did to help spread the word about MARTY MCGUIRE.  It can be one thing or a whole list of things – I’ll put your name in the drawing multiple times if you spread the word in more than one way. Total honor system here; if you say you did it, I believe you. But if you do share something online, I’d love it if you’d post a link so that I can link to your website from my blog, too!
• An email address where I can reach you if you win and write you a thank you note even if you don’t win.

Need ideas? Here are a few ways to help new readers discover Marty:

• “Like” MARTY MCGUIRE on Facebook & recommend the page to friends.
• Buy the book for a holiday gift for a kid aged 6-9 or for your child’s teacher (It’s available in both hardcover and $5.99 paperback)
• Request Marty at your public library
• Tell friends about Marty at lunch, recess, work, the gym, or your PTA meeting
• Find Marty at your school’s Scholastic Book Fair & buy a copy or recommend to a friend.
• Post about Marty on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ & include this link to her webpage: http://bit.ly/e6nfWN
• Write a review on Marty’s GoodReads page, or add her to your To-Read list.
• Share a review on Powells, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon
• Pre-Order MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS at your favorite bookstore, or online and let friends know it’ll be available in April.

Especially for Kids:

• Draw a picture of your favorite scene from MARTY MCGUIRE and share it with a friend or post on a website. (If you scan it and email it to me, I’ll post it on my blog!)
• Tell your friends about Marty at lunch or recess.

Especially for Bloggers:

• Feature Marty on your blog – feel free to use any of the information/reviews/ resources here:
• Save this MARTY MCGUIRE promo jpg that my daughter made for me, and feature it on your blog or website.

Especially for Teachers and Librarians:

• Recommend MARTY MCGUIRE for your state’s children’s choice book award list.
• Share Marty with your students (and remember that I offer free Skype Q and A sessions with classes that have read the book – I’d be happy to chat with your kids!)
• Book-Talk Marty in your classroom.  You can even download the first chapter of the MARTY MCGUIRE audiobook to share with your class.
• Recommend Marty to the other teachers/librarians in your district. You can download the free discussion guide to share with them, too.
• Create a group Marty project with your class or school to enter the special giveaway for a three-part virtual writing workshop.

Got other ideas for how to spread the word about Marty? Go for it!  When you’re done, remember to enter via the contact page on my website by January 14th, and include these things:

• Your name & who you are (reader/blogger/teacher/librarian/parent/bookseller) If you’re under 13, please have a parent or guardian enter for you.
• What you did to help spread the word about MARTY MCGUIRE.  It can be one thing or a whole list  of things – I’ll put your name in the drawing multiple times if you spread the word in more than one way. Total honor system here; if you say you did it, I believe you. But if you did share something online, I’d love it if you’d post a link so that I can link to your website from my blog, too!
• An email where I can reach you if you win and write you a thank you note even if you don’t win

Good luck – and thanks, from Marty and me!